Blog Tour: eBook Review: Bride Without A Groom by Amy Lynch

"Rebecca has chosen the most luscious, five tiered, wedding cake – as featured in Hello! Magazine. The engagement ring that she has selected is celebrity inspired. The wedding singer is on speed dial. He doesn’t usually do Michael Bolton, but as it’s for a first dance he’ll make an exception. Father Maguire is checking dates for the parish church as we speak. The deposit on the white sand honeymoon is paid for in full on Barry’s card. Sure, the resort was good enough for Pierce Brosnan when he tied the knot. She has fallen for an ivory lace couture gown that is to die for. The down payment may require her to sell a left kidney, but it will be worth it. Isn’t that why you have two?

There’s one teeny problem. It’s nothing, really. No need to panic! It’s just that Barry has yet to propose. Says he’s not ready! He can be a bit of a kill joy that way. It’s time to face the harsh reality – she is a bride without a groom.

Truth be told, Barry’s had enough. There’s only so much wedding talk that one man can take. Discovering the credit card statement is the final straw. Now he’s leaving for a conference in Bangkok and frankly, he’s looking forward to the peace and quiet. He says he needs time to think about their relationship. As the Tiger beer flows and the tie loosens, his colleague Shelley is providing more than a shoulder for him to cry on. Maybe Shelley is right. Maybe Rebecca only wants the big day.

Back in Dublin, Rebecca worries. Maybe she has pushed Barry too far this time. Best mates Pam and Emer are on hand for counseling and cocktails. With the help of family, friends and a well stocked drinks cabinet, Rebecca puts her cunning plan together. Operation ‘Win Back Barry’ is in full swing. She needs to convince Barry that she’s not crazy – just crazy about him. But wait… who is the mysterious woman that is so keen to talk to her, and what is it that Barry needs to get off his chest?"

Rating: 3/5

You can buy Bride Without a Groom as an eBook now.

I was recently asked to be part of the blog tour for new author Amy Lynch and her brand new eBook Bride Without A Groom. I have read several things online comparing the book to Sophie Kinsella's 'Shopaholic' series, so definitely had high hopes for this one. While it started well, and I found it amusing at first, soon the main character Rebecca started to grate on my nerves, and I found it all a bit unrealistic and annoying in terms of what she was doing. I did enjoy it, but felt perhaps it just wasn't for me.

The synopsis at the top of the post is long enough so I'm not going to give you another run down of the story here and repeat it over again! The main character in the book is Rebecca, and she's in love with her boyfriend Barry, and cannot wait to marry him. She was funny at first, determined to get him down the aisle at all costs, and stocking up secretly on magazines, wedding dresses, shoes and other wedding paraphernalia... all without Barry knowing. But as her birthday passes, she starts to become more obsessed with the idea of being married and ploughs on with the arrangements, regardless of Barry's thoughts on the matter!

Barry is soon sent abroad with his job and has the chance to escape Rebecca and her madness for a while. Barry is your typical commitment-phobic man, but it's clear that he does love Rebecca a lot. I can understand why he flips out when he finds out about the money Rebecca is spending (without second thought, apparently), and the wedding stuff she is hoarding, but he was just made out to be the bad guy. Yes, he makes some bad choices as the book goes on with his colleague (and a bit of a psycho) Shelley, but ultimately I felt he was a good guy and just got a bit swamped.

What bothered me about the book was Rebecca, her actions and complete and utter lack of responsibility, whether it's to do with money, her job, weddings or Barry. She seems to take endless sick days, inventing ridiculous excuses and somehow trying to justify what she is doing. She's very childish and this is why I really failed to connect with her. She spends money like it's going out of fashion, dropping thousands without thinking twice, and buys anything that takes her fancy. I wanted to give her a shake, tell her to grow up and start acting like the adult she claims to be - and include her flippin' boyfriend in the wedding plans!

Don't get me wrong - there are some amusing moments in the story that had me smiling, but this was outweighed by the more frustrating parts that just had me gritting my teeth and feeling angry at the immaturity of the leading lady. It definitely isn't any Shopaholic, but it's a light-hearted read that will pass by an evening. Perhaps I am a bit too serious for this book, and I need to let go a bit, but while it was good, it wasn't my cup of tea. It is well-written, there's plenty going on to keep the pace up and is funny, but there's just bits that didn't agree with me.