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The Wedding Crasher
Poppy is packing her bags to spend two blissful weeks alone on an island. It’s time away from the ex-husband who hasn’t quite moved out yet, and reminders of the marriage they rushed into young, before she’ll kick back on a girls’ holiday with her oldest friend Lola.
But before Poppy can set foot on the ferry, Lola waylays her. She has her first high-profile wedding planner gig on the neighbouring island, and there’s a problem – the photographer has bailed.
Poppy agrees to help out for Lola’s sake. But soon the bride confides she has cold feet and asks Poppy’s help escaping the island, and then Poppy realises she recognises the groom. Embroiled in a high-society disaster waiting to happen, Poppy has to save the wedding… but should she?
The Wedding Crasher will have you in stitches from start to finish – don’t miss the new uplifting book from Abigail Mann! Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Sophie Ranald and Beth O’Leary.
But before Poppy can set foot on the ferry, Lola waylays her. She has her first high-profile wedding planner gig on the neighbouring island, and there’s a problem – the photographer has bailed.
Poppy agrees to help out for Lola’s sake. But soon the bride confides she has cold feet and asks Poppy’s help escaping the island, and then Poppy realises she recognises the groom. Embroiled in a high-society disaster waiting to happen, Poppy has to save the wedding… but should she?
The Wedding Crasher will have you in stitches from start to finish – don’t miss the new uplifting book from Abigail Mann! Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Sophie Ranald and Beth O’Leary.
378 pages, Paperback
First published March 17, 2022
47 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Abigail Mann
4 books58 followersAbigail is a comedy writer living in London and surviving on a diet of three-shot coffee, bourbons, and vegetarian sausage rolls. She was born and brought up in Norfolk, which she says is to blame for the sardonic humour that runs through her novels. Abigail was the runner up in 2019's Comedy Women in Print award for THE LONELY FAJITA: her first novel.
Abigail takes inspiration from unconventional cross-sections of modern society and the impact this has on identity and the relationships we create. She wrote her first novel after teaching literature for a number of years and whilst working in the fast-paced co-working spaces of East London.
You can find out lots more about her on Instagram (@abigailemann) and on her website (www.abigailemann.com)
Abigail takes inspiration from unconventional cross-sections of modern society and the impact this has on identity and the relationships we create. She wrote her first novel after teaching literature for a number of years and whilst working in the fast-paced co-working spaces of East London.
You can find out lots more about her on Instagram (@abigailemann) and on her website (www.abigailemann.com)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
April 25, 2022
Such a dramatic opening led to a narrative that was dialogue-heavy, with characters moving from one drama to the next. I did not get a feel for the wedding and how it was an over-produced disaster waiting to happen, instead more interested in the backstory that was developed.
Poppy seems to stumble upon this wedding by accident as she is on her way to a different island to take time out and focus on her photography. Yet, bumping into her close friend, Lola, she finds herself agreeing to be a stand-in photographer for what will be the career-defining event for Lola. It isn’t until she discovers exactly what she has agreed to does Poppy start to realise her involvement in this wedding is prompting old feelings to resurface. She needs to get herself off the island before her presence makes the preparations unfold and, to be honest, I felt like I needed rescuing from this narrative too.
Not only do we follow the lead-up to this big day, which is surrounded by NDAs, security and a mobile phone ban, readers also learn about Poppy’s past. I found this element of the narrative to be most engaging as we see Poppy’s relationship with both her estranged husband and the groom of the wedding. Seeing how Poppy’s marriage failed with Josh, I really sympathised with her character and could completely understand her desire to escape to a remote island and be by herself. Indeed, I think this relationship is an example of emotional abuse and I found it interesting to see how this intensified over the story.
But unfortunately I could not say the same about the main plot and I was less than excited about the big day. True, the outrageous, extravagant demands are entertaining and mock how weddings can get completely out of hand, especially when unlimited finances seem to be involved. However, I did feel that the chapters merely moved from one lengthy conversation to another.
For me, there was just far too much talking in this story and not enough action and description. The dialogue was never short and punchy; the speeches were lengthy and seemed to cover far too much detail than I felt necessary. It significantly slowed the plot down and made me disconnect with the story, losing interest as these conversations felt never-ending. This was a shame as I think that with less chat and more action, this would have changed the tone of the story for the better.
The premise was promising but the writing style hindered my enjoyment of this wedding disaster. Yes, Poppy’s appearance seems to set off a chain reaction of disasters but I was not convinced this would happen already. The characters felt flat, some of the developments were predictable and I did not find this book as entertaining as I had hoped.
With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Poppy seems to stumble upon this wedding by accident as she is on her way to a different island to take time out and focus on her photography. Yet, bumping into her close friend, Lola, she finds herself agreeing to be a stand-in photographer for what will be the career-defining event for Lola. It isn’t until she discovers exactly what she has agreed to does Poppy start to realise her involvement in this wedding is prompting old feelings to resurface. She needs to get herself off the island before her presence makes the preparations unfold and, to be honest, I felt like I needed rescuing from this narrative too.
Not only do we follow the lead-up to this big day, which is surrounded by NDAs, security and a mobile phone ban, readers also learn about Poppy’s past. I found this element of the narrative to be most engaging as we see Poppy’s relationship with both her estranged husband and the groom of the wedding. Seeing how Poppy’s marriage failed with Josh, I really sympathised with her character and could completely understand her desire to escape to a remote island and be by herself. Indeed, I think this relationship is an example of emotional abuse and I found it interesting to see how this intensified over the story.
But unfortunately I could not say the same about the main plot and I was less than excited about the big day. True, the outrageous, extravagant demands are entertaining and mock how weddings can get completely out of hand, especially when unlimited finances seem to be involved. However, I did feel that the chapters merely moved from one lengthy conversation to another.
For me, there was just far too much talking in this story and not enough action and description. The dialogue was never short and punchy; the speeches were lengthy and seemed to cover far too much detail than I felt necessary. It significantly slowed the plot down and made me disconnect with the story, losing interest as these conversations felt never-ending. This was a shame as I think that with less chat and more action, this would have changed the tone of the story for the better.
The premise was promising but the writing style hindered my enjoyment of this wedding disaster. Yes, Poppy’s appearance seems to set off a chain reaction of disasters but I was not convinced this would happen already. The characters felt flat, some of the developments were predictable and I did not find this book as entertaining as I had hoped.
With thanks to One More Chapter, Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2022
I don't know how to be polite about totally hating this.
And I do mean hate, not just strong dislike.
I'll begin by saying that I do not appreciate being deceived by marketing schemes.
This is not a romance neither a comedy. Period.
Never in my life have I ever read more annoying, slappable decorative passive characters in a book.
And also, never in my life have I ever read such a densely written book full of fucked up relationships that calls itself "a hilarious and uplifting romantic comedy".
I'll give a few examples through Poppy, the main character cause the rest of the characters are even worse.
Her dad, her husband, her bff, her bff's employers, she lets everyone walk all over her.
She doesn't like where life and other people's decisions have taken her but she can only bitch and moan about it. When it's time to actually say or do something about it, she just doesn't and acts like a berated child.
She has no backbone, no opinion and she won't even hear or talk to anyone about anything. Her defence for her husband walking all over her is literally "you have no idea how hard this has been, I know I instigated the split but following through has been a very different thing." when she's questioned about why she's the one not signing the divorce papers.
Her bff forced her to work on a wedding as a favor when all she wanted was a quiet vacation away from everyone. She even acts like a prisoner but when she is presented with the chance to leave she expects someone to sent her away cause she just can't decide what to do on her own.
Her dad has become her responsibility after her mom left them because he couldn't cope.
Her old "friend" that she hadn't spoken to for years throws her into his family drama and having her intervene to his own relationship with his fiance because he just cant get through to her.
Does this all sound fun to you? Cause for me, reading it was not fun at all.
As for romance, at 82% feelings are discussed for the first time.
The question being "Do you like him?" and the reply is "I care about him the same way I'd care about anyone in a situation like this". Pretty romantic don't you think?
Oh and let's not forget the single kiss, the one you will have to put up with all this shit to FINALLY get to. It's in the last page. A SINGLE KISS IN THE VERY LAST PAGE but this is marketed as romance.
I rest my case.
I seriously need to forget I've ever even read this.
Thank you NetGalley & One More Chapter for the digital ARC but this was absolutely the worst.
And I do mean hate, not just strong dislike.
I'll begin by saying that I do not appreciate being deceived by marketing schemes.
This is not a romance neither a comedy. Period.
Never in my life have I ever read more annoying, slappable decorative passive characters in a book.
And also, never in my life have I ever read such a densely written book full of fucked up relationships that calls itself "a hilarious and uplifting romantic comedy".
I'll give a few examples through Poppy, the main character cause the rest of the characters are even worse.
Her dad, her husband, her bff, her bff's employers, she lets everyone walk all over her.
She doesn't like where life and other people's decisions have taken her but she can only bitch and moan about it. When it's time to actually say or do something about it, she just doesn't and acts like a berated child.
She has no backbone, no opinion and she won't even hear or talk to anyone about anything. Her defence for her husband walking all over her is literally "you have no idea how hard this has been, I know I instigated the split but following through has been a very different thing." when she's questioned about why she's the one not signing the divorce papers.
Her bff forced her to work on a wedding as a favor when all she wanted was a quiet vacation away from everyone. She even acts like a prisoner but when she is presented with the chance to leave she expects someone to sent her away cause she just can't decide what to do on her own.
Her dad has become her responsibility after her mom left them because he couldn't cope.
Her old "friend" that she hadn't spoken to for years throws her into his family drama and having her intervene to his own relationship with his fiance because he just cant get through to her.
Does this all sound fun to you? Cause for me, reading it was not fun at all.
As for romance, at 82% feelings are discussed for the first time.
The question being "Do you like him?" and the reply is "I care about him the same way I'd care about anyone in a situation like this". Pretty romantic don't you think?
Oh and let's not forget the single kiss, the one you will have to put up with all this shit to FINALLY get to. It's in the last page. A SINGLE KISS IN THE VERY LAST PAGE but this is marketed as romance.
I rest my case.
I seriously need to forget I've ever even read this.
Thank you NetGalley & One More Chapter for the digital ARC but this was absolutely the worst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2022
Bring together a photog, Poppy, with a bad marriage. Her friend Lola, wedding planner in need of a photog. A lovely island off Britain. A bride with cold feet. A groom who turns out to be an old friend. And voila, you have high society nuptials that go madly awry. But don't despair. THE WEDDING CRASHER is a great escape filled with laughter, romance, chaos, and good cheer. I loved it!
Thanks to the author; HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter; and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
Thanks to the author; HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter; and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
April 25, 2022
I have mixed feelings about this book primarily because I thought it was a rom-com, and it didn’t feel like one. It was an entertaining read, but it wasn’t a typical romance. Instead, it was a book about breaking up and finding oneself. The story highlights the pain of facing the end of a relationship, the reflections on a failed marriage, the trials and tribulations of friendship, and the complexities people face when trying to start over.
Poppy is a well-developed protagonist who goes through so much over the course of the story. A passive wife who puts up with a lot, Poppy begins to take charge of her life, and I like that she slowly starts to see her worth. She goes from being a pushover with her family and friends to standing up for herself and what she wants in life. I like her progression and her commitment to helping herself. Will is also well-developed and interesting. The son of a wealthy and arrogant businessman, Will never lives up to his father’s expectations, and he struggles to admit his feelings and stand up to the people in his life for most of the book. Other characters, though interesting, are not as fleshed out as Poppy and Will.
The flashbacks give the reader glimpses into Poppy’s relationships with her soon-to-be ex-husband and Will. It’s interesting to see how these relationships began and grew when they were younger. It’s also interesting to see how some characters grew and changed, and some remained the same. Poppy’s husband Josh, for example, showed signs of toxicity from the start, and his narcissism was pretty evident from the start. He was so manipulative and threatened by Poppy’s success even when they were younger. The flashbacks to Poppy’s friendship with Will show a major contrast between him and Josh, especially in how they treat Poppy.
I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I hadn’t gone into it thinking it was a rom-com. It’s really a story about a woman coming to terms with her divorce and figuring out who she is without her husband and her marriage to define her. I think the book will appeal to readers who like women’s fiction, and I’m thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
Poppy is a well-developed protagonist who goes through so much over the course of the story. A passive wife who puts up with a lot, Poppy begins to take charge of her life, and I like that she slowly starts to see her worth. She goes from being a pushover with her family and friends to standing up for herself and what she wants in life. I like her progression and her commitment to helping herself. Will is also well-developed and interesting. The son of a wealthy and arrogant businessman, Will never lives up to his father’s expectations, and he struggles to admit his feelings and stand up to the people in his life for most of the book. Other characters, though interesting, are not as fleshed out as Poppy and Will.
The flashbacks give the reader glimpses into Poppy’s relationships with her soon-to-be ex-husband and Will. It’s interesting to see how these relationships began and grew when they were younger. It’s also interesting to see how some characters grew and changed, and some remained the same. Poppy’s husband Josh, for example, showed signs of toxicity from the start, and his narcissism was pretty evident from the start. He was so manipulative and threatened by Poppy’s success even when they were younger. The flashbacks to Poppy’s friendship with Will show a major contrast between him and Josh, especially in how they treat Poppy.
I think I would have enjoyed the book more if I hadn’t gone into it thinking it was a rom-com. It’s really a story about a woman coming to terms with her divorce and figuring out who she is without her husband and her marriage to define her. I think the book will appeal to readers who like women’s fiction, and I’m thankful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
March 11, 2022
Oh my, oh my, it took me over three weeks to read this book. Yes, I've been reading it in the evenings and I usually was really, really tired, but also, let's be honest, the book absolutely didn't keep my attention. Sadly - because the beautiful, colourful and joyous cover and the synopsis promised me a beautiful, colourful and joyous story. Unfortunately, for me it was full of negativity and bad feelings and emotions.
I couldn't warm to Poppy, no matter how hard I've tried. Her marriage, where her husband literally gaslighted her, controled and manipulated her, was awful, and Poppy herself was like a sheep, allowing him to be like this. A character with no backbone and no opinion.
I also didn't find any aspects of a romantic comedy. It felt forced and toxic, not funny. The characters were awfully stereotyped and you were actually forced to like or dislike them - Poppy's husband, Ottilie, "the one that got away"'s (sorry, sorry, I already forgot his name) father... Ugh. Really.
Altogether, it felt underdeveloped, banal and very superficial. It was full of broken relationships and has nothing to do with being a "hilarious and uplifting romantic comedy". It's slow - paced and I really couldn't shake off the feeling that it's filled with sadness, negativity and false relationships and intentions. I was hoping for a light, relaxing read and this what I got annoyed me, and I was angry with myself that I kept reading it at all - probably I wanted to give this book a fair chance to redeem itself, which never happened. Sadly, this one wasn't for me.
I couldn't warm to Poppy, no matter how hard I've tried. Her marriage, where her husband literally gaslighted her, controled and manipulated her, was awful, and Poppy herself was like a sheep, allowing him to be like this. A character with no backbone and no opinion.
I also didn't find any aspects of a romantic comedy. It felt forced and toxic, not funny. The characters were awfully stereotyped and you were actually forced to like or dislike them - Poppy's husband, Ottilie, "the one that got away"'s (sorry, sorry, I already forgot his name) father... Ugh. Really.
Altogether, it felt underdeveloped, banal and very superficial. It was full of broken relationships and has nothing to do with being a "hilarious and uplifting romantic comedy". It's slow - paced and I really couldn't shake off the feeling that it's filled with sadness, negativity and false relationships and intentions. I was hoping for a light, relaxing read and this what I got annoyed me, and I was angry with myself that I kept reading it at all - probably I wanted to give this book a fair chance to redeem itself, which never happened. Sadly, this one wasn't for me.
March 18, 2022
Smart, biting humor, and fun!
Poppy has been separated from her gaslighting ex-husband Josh for sometime although one would hardly know it given they still have infrequent sexual relations.
A talented wildlife photographer, Poppy is determined to get away and follow her first love, capturing images in the wild. She’s all set to travel to a secluded island to take shots of her favorite birds, Puffins. Her trip is slightly deflected (read knocked off course) when her best friend Lola, an up and coming wedding planner who’s invested her all in meeting the demands of an exclusive high society wedding, asks Poppy to step in and replace the high fee commanding wedding photographer who’s had to bow out temporarily. An island wedding surrounded by extreme security with ALL cell phones being commandeered. (Sort of). Ripe for nonsense! More a business takeover than a wedding, the groom is gorgeous and likeable, the bride heavily into time alone to align her mantras. Poppys photographic talent is extended to the full.
We all know from the get go this wedding is going to have serious comic hiccups. Romantic comedy at its best (or hilarious worst!)
A fun read with heart ❤️
Thanks to Harper Collins for the invitation to preview this ARC via NetGalley
Poppy has been separated from her gaslighting ex-husband Josh for sometime although one would hardly know it given they still have infrequent sexual relations.
A talented wildlife photographer, Poppy is determined to get away and follow her first love, capturing images in the wild. She’s all set to travel to a secluded island to take shots of her favorite birds, Puffins. Her trip is slightly deflected (read knocked off course) when her best friend Lola, an up and coming wedding planner who’s invested her all in meeting the demands of an exclusive high society wedding, asks Poppy to step in and replace the high fee commanding wedding photographer who’s had to bow out temporarily. An island wedding surrounded by extreme security with ALL cell phones being commandeered. (Sort of). Ripe for nonsense! More a business takeover than a wedding, the groom is gorgeous and likeable, the bride heavily into time alone to align her mantras. Poppys photographic talent is extended to the full.
We all know from the get go this wedding is going to have serious comic hiccups. Romantic comedy at its best (or hilarious worst!)
A fun read with heart ❤️
Thanks to Harper Collins for the invitation to preview this ARC via NetGalley
March 23, 2022
Very weak 3 stars, more of a 2.5
It had very rare lovely moments for something that should've been a romance, probably a chick-lit. The narrative and story was a bit boring, even when the dialogue were fun sometimes, the action itself and the characters (aside Lola, the best friend of the main character) didn't really add to everything for me. The writing was also... lively? I can't describe it in any other way besides 'very British', even when I'm not British myself, it felt like watching a romantic comedy like Love, Rosie.
It had very rare lovely moments for something that should've been a romance, probably a chick-lit. The narrative and story was a bit boring, even when the dialogue were fun sometimes, the action itself and the characters (aside Lola, the best friend of the main character) didn't really add to everything for me. The writing was also... lively? I can't describe it in any other way besides 'very British', even when I'm not British myself, it felt like watching a romantic comedy like Love, Rosie.
April 4, 2022
From the concept of the book I expected this to be frothy and lighthearted and fun. I was picturing a noughties style romantic comedy with a healthy dose of working on oneself. Instead, for me this fell a little flat as the romance is severely lacking, and there seems to be some heavy tones that don’t really bounce well with the comedic elements woven in occasionally.
Also one of the central aspects of the plot sees our protagonist Poppy leaving a toxic marriage after experiencing years of gaslighting and manipulation. However I don’t feel as though this was handled as delicately as it should have been.
Thanks to Harper Collins / One More Chapter for the gifted arc via Netgalley
Also one of the central aspects of the plot sees our protagonist Poppy leaving a toxic marriage after experiencing years of gaslighting and manipulation. However I don’t feel as though this was handled as delicately as it should have been.
Thanks to Harper Collins / One More Chapter for the gifted arc via Netgalley
March 17, 2022
A really fun book, with many laugh out loud moments. A great feel good plot and wonderful characters I really enjoyed reading this book.
February 27, 2022
The Wedding Crasher did make me laugh but was very predictable & really telegraphed what was going to happen from the start & throughout. I liked the writing style & thought it was easy to imagine the beautiful setting of the island wedding.
March 15, 2022
I was so excited to read Abigail Mann's latest book, especially after how much I enjoyed The Sister Surprise.
Poppy has split from her husband, but is being manipulated into pretending all is fine as they work together, which couldn't be further from the truth. She takes a break to *finally* fulfil her dreams of entering a prestigious photography competition, but gets coerced by her best friend into helping out at a super exclusive wedding instead.
Like Mann's previous novel, I did find the first third very slow-paced, and the plot bounced too often backwards and forwards in time. I also think you have to take a lot of the plot with a pinch of salt because the coincidences were just a bit absurd.
Once the pacing picked up it was an okay read. However, what I most disliked was being mislead by the blurb. It reads 'The Wedding Crasher will have you in stitches from start to finish', and yet it really, really didn't. I personally don't find toxic marriages with passive aggressiveness, gaslighting, and manipulation at all amusing. And while the title and book cover implies a light-hearted rom-com, this is not that. I love complex plots with deep emotions, and I love fluffy rom-coms, and sometimes you can successfully mix both. Unfortunately, this one didn't succeed for me on either count. I found Poppy very wishy-washy. Perhaps that was a deliberate choice but I really couldn't warm to her. The romance aspect between Poppy and Will felt flimsy, and the drama was often uncomfortable. I'm honestly over bridezillas as caricatures and I'm at a loss as to why this is being marketed as a light, comedic romance.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*
Overall Rating: ❤❤
Heat Rating:
Emotional Rating: 😬😡😞
Poppy has split from her husband, but is being manipulated into pretending all is fine as they work together, which couldn't be further from the truth. She takes a break to *finally* fulfil her dreams of entering a prestigious photography competition, but gets coerced by her best friend into helping out at a super exclusive wedding instead.
Like Mann's previous novel, I did find the first third very slow-paced, and the plot bounced too often backwards and forwards in time. I also think you have to take a lot of the plot with a pinch of salt because the coincidences were just a bit absurd.
Once the pacing picked up it was an okay read. However, what I most disliked was being mislead by the blurb. It reads 'The Wedding Crasher will have you in stitches from start to finish', and yet it really, really didn't. I personally don't find toxic marriages with passive aggressiveness, gaslighting, and manipulation at all amusing. And while the title and book cover implies a light-hearted rom-com, this is not that. I love complex plots with deep emotions, and I love fluffy rom-coms, and sometimes you can successfully mix both. Unfortunately, this one didn't succeed for me on either count. I found Poppy very wishy-washy. Perhaps that was a deliberate choice but I really couldn't warm to her. The romance aspect between Poppy and Will felt flimsy, and the drama was often uncomfortable. I'm honestly over bridezillas as caricatures and I'm at a loss as to why this is being marketed as a light, comedic romance.
*Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to leave an honest review*
Overall Rating: ❤❤
Heat Rating:
Emotional Rating: 😬😡😞
February 24, 2022
I think this book was marketed as a rom-com however throughout the whole book I struggled to find anything remotely funny or remotely romantic about this book ... and it's about a wedding, though to be truthful there's more to the wedding than meets the eye.
It's told from the perspective of Poppy, a teacher unhappy in her marriage (separated) and unhappy in her career. She's given everything up for marriage and it's ending badly. So when her friend Lola (props to Lola for being a consistent and supportive friend though all the way along) needs a last minute replacement for a wedding photographer on a remote island, Poppy is her girl. What Lola fails to mention is Poppy will be photographing Poppy's ex-boyfriend's nuptials, and they're staying for a few days prior. Things are unlikely to go well.
I don't mind multiple timelines as a rule when they are done well. In this instance, it was too backwards and forwards and the chapters were quite lengthy, making the book seem as it was neither anchored in the past or the present narratives. It was the same with the romance and the comedy - like a decision couldn't be made as to which storyline to focus, so it was like a hedging of bets. In all, it seemed as if the book was far too lengthy as a result (I read the e-book but it's approx 400 pages).
Unfortunately I skimmed quite a lot of the backstory - I got Will was the ex and their relationship was unresolved, and Josh was a d*** and Poppy had given things up for him. It seemed all I needed to know, and I wasn't invested to know anything more about them unfortunately.
I'm disappointed I didn't like this one more.
It's told from the perspective of Poppy, a teacher unhappy in her marriage (separated) and unhappy in her career. She's given everything up for marriage and it's ending badly. So when her friend Lola (props to Lola for being a consistent and supportive friend though all the way along) needs a last minute replacement for a wedding photographer on a remote island, Poppy is her girl. What Lola fails to mention is Poppy will be photographing Poppy's ex-boyfriend's nuptials, and they're staying for a few days prior. Things are unlikely to go well.
I don't mind multiple timelines as a rule when they are done well. In this instance, it was too backwards and forwards and the chapters were quite lengthy, making the book seem as it was neither anchored in the past or the present narratives. It was the same with the romance and the comedy - like a decision couldn't be made as to which storyline to focus, so it was like a hedging of bets. In all, it seemed as if the book was far too lengthy as a result (I read the e-book but it's approx 400 pages).
Unfortunately I skimmed quite a lot of the backstory - I got Will was the ex and their relationship was unresolved, and Josh was a d*** and Poppy had given things up for him. It seemed all I needed to know, and I wasn't invested to know anything more about them unfortunately.
I'm disappointed I didn't like this one more.
January 27, 2022
⭐️⭐️
The Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann has a sweet cover and a promising premise. But that’s where the fun ends. The book cover gives you the impression it is in the romance genre, and the opening of the book sounds like it will be a fun and flirty rom-com. The problem is it’s not fun and flirty, and it’s not romance, and it’s not even an excellent general fiction book. The book promises that the reader will laugh until they cry or some similar statement, but it is not forthcoming, and it is not funny. The characters in this story are pretty pathetic, including our lead heroine, Poppy. It just wasn’t good, and it wasn’t even enjoyable. I was hoping for more. #weddingdisaster #2starsforcover&somelaughs #bookstagrammer #read #unknowngenre
.
Thank you to NetGalley for this free ARC, but my thoughts and review are my own and without bias. @netgalley #theweddingcrasher
The Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann has a sweet cover and a promising premise. But that’s where the fun ends. The book cover gives you the impression it is in the romance genre, and the opening of the book sounds like it will be a fun and flirty rom-com. The problem is it’s not fun and flirty, and it’s not romance, and it’s not even an excellent general fiction book. The book promises that the reader will laugh until they cry or some similar statement, but it is not forthcoming, and it is not funny. The characters in this story are pretty pathetic, including our lead heroine, Poppy. It just wasn’t good, and it wasn’t even enjoyable. I was hoping for more. #weddingdisaster #2starsforcover&somelaughs #bookstagrammer #read #unknowngenre
.
Thank you to NetGalley for this free ARC, but my thoughts and review are my own and without bias. @netgalley #theweddingcrasher
December 26, 2022
Poppy, who still lives with her ex-husband, decides to go away for two weeks to be on her own and photograph wildlife. On the way to her destination, Poppy’s best friend Lola appears and begs her to help her with her first high profile wedding-planner job, as the photographer hasn’t turned up. Poppy reluctantly agrees, and is whisked away to a private island where the week long wedding festivities are taking place. Soon Poppy discovers that she knows the groom - someone from her past that she used to know very well.
This was a really cute and fun read. I enjoyed reading about Poppy and how she dealt with her ex and the man from her past. Lola was a lot of fun and a bit crazy! A good beach read.
Thanks to @netgalley and @onemorechapterhc for the review copy.
This was a really cute and fun read. I enjoyed reading about Poppy and how she dealt with her ex and the man from her past. Lola was a lot of fun and a bit crazy! A good beach read.
Thanks to @netgalley and @onemorechapterhc for the review copy.
January 20, 2022
I finished this in one sitting, and if that doesn’t tell you how much someone’s enjoining a book, nothing will. Except maybe some other words.
I throughly enjoyed this fantastic story.
A “not as it appears” wedding sit on a beautiful island, in a hotel resort, owned by the family of the groom.
A just about to be divorced/separated old college roommate suddenly being roped in to photographing it, with unique consequences.
Honestly, a solid 4 star read for this, and I’m not finished with this author.
I throughly enjoyed this fantastic story.
A “not as it appears” wedding sit on a beautiful island, in a hotel resort, owned by the family of the groom.
A just about to be divorced/separated old college roommate suddenly being roped in to photographing it, with unique consequences.
Honestly, a solid 4 star read for this, and I’m not finished with this author.
January 30, 2022
I hadn't read anything else by Abigail Mann when I picked this up, so I didn't know what to expect. I had seen it being described as a funny, rom-com - perhaps it's my humour, but I wasn't in 'stitches from start to finish', it was honestly a little heartbreaking with a few funny bits every now and then. It also seemed like quite a lot was happening, and sometimes I got a teensy bit lost in everything.
[Spoilers below! Continue at your own risk]
Thank you so much to HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley, please note this does not affect my opinions and they remain my own.
[Spoilers below! Continue at your own risk]
Thank you so much to HarperCollins UK and One More Chapter for providing me with an e-ARC via NetGalley, please note this does not affect my opinions and they remain my own.
March 17, 2022
‘What was she doing here, on Loxby? She had left the claustrophobia of home to give herself space to think, alone. If that was a test, she was surely failing. If she could learn to be comfortable on her own, she might not find the rest of her life so utterly terrifying.’
The Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann is a contemporary fiction with a focus on chaos leading up to a socialite wedding. There are flashbacks that help in understanding character motivations and history. Overall, it is about life and love in the search for happiness.
‘What even is supper?’ asked Poppy. ‘I think it’s what Nigella Lawson does when she sneaks down to snaffle leftovers from the fridge in her nightie.’
The positives of this book are the second chance trope. There are also many funny one liners with a range of - to be expected - entertaining moments leading up to the big day. The dialogue is fast and witty. What I felt to be stronger were the more serious issues pertaining to feeling lost and uncertain in the face of divorce and loneliness. I wish these had been explored better.
‘One of the things she liked best about photography was how necessary it was to stand at the periphery of a scene, but never imprinting herself on it.’
Herein lies my problem with this book. There were not enough funny or romantic moments (might I venture to say rather silly and ridiculous ones). It was a bit of overkill with the crazy relationships whether between friends, family or lovers - or all three at once. I would even go a step further and say that Poppy’s relationship with her soon to be ex husband was toxic and not a laughing matter, just the opposite.
‘Poppy knew with singular focus that taking it was the only way she would have the courage to leave. This was her life raft. She needed to climb on…’
So whilst I appreciated Poppy’s growth and journey as she faced her flaws and had the odd chuckle, I did find the two opposing themes rather difficult to reconcile.
‘And there was me thinking you had an uncomplicated life.’ ‘Does anyone? I think that’s just adulthood. A Groundhog Day of people saying “things will slow down soon” until one of you slips into a coma.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
The Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann is a contemporary fiction with a focus on chaos leading up to a socialite wedding. There are flashbacks that help in understanding character motivations and history. Overall, it is about life and love in the search for happiness.
‘What even is supper?’ asked Poppy. ‘I think it’s what Nigella Lawson does when she sneaks down to snaffle leftovers from the fridge in her nightie.’
The positives of this book are the second chance trope. There are also many funny one liners with a range of - to be expected - entertaining moments leading up to the big day. The dialogue is fast and witty. What I felt to be stronger were the more serious issues pertaining to feeling lost and uncertain in the face of divorce and loneliness. I wish these had been explored better.
‘One of the things she liked best about photography was how necessary it was to stand at the periphery of a scene, but never imprinting herself on it.’
Herein lies my problem with this book. There were not enough funny or romantic moments (might I venture to say rather silly and ridiculous ones). It was a bit of overkill with the crazy relationships whether between friends, family or lovers - or all three at once. I would even go a step further and say that Poppy’s relationship with her soon to be ex husband was toxic and not a laughing matter, just the opposite.
‘Poppy knew with singular focus that taking it was the only way she would have the courage to leave. This was her life raft. She needed to climb on…’
So whilst I appreciated Poppy’s growth and journey as she faced her flaws and had the odd chuckle, I did find the two opposing themes rather difficult to reconcile.
‘And there was me thinking you had an uncomplicated life.’ ‘Does anyone? I think that’s just adulthood. A Groundhog Day of people saying “things will slow down soon” until one of you slips into a coma.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
January 16, 2022
The Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann is a great contemporary fiction that has it all: life, love, friendship, laughter, and finding happiness amongst it all.
I really enjoyed this story that allows us to tag along with Poppy as she navigates her friends, failed relationships, evolving friendships, life, love, loss, second chances, new beginnings, and finally her own “happily ever after”.
I enjoyed the balance of laugh out loud moments, antics, and entertaining situations with slightly heavier concepts such as divorce, loneliness, feeling lost and uncertainty. The character cast was fun and entertaining and the dialogue was spot on and paced well.
I enjoyed Poppy’s progression and growth throughout the novel, but also her imperfections and flaws. It made her likable and relatable and I couldn’t help but cheer her on. I also enjoyed the ending.
4/5 stars
Thank you NG and OneMoreChapter for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/17/22.
I really enjoyed this story that allows us to tag along with Poppy as she navigates her friends, failed relationships, evolving friendships, life, love, loss, second chances, new beginnings, and finally her own “happily ever after”.
I enjoyed the balance of laugh out loud moments, antics, and entertaining situations with slightly heavier concepts such as divorce, loneliness, feeling lost and uncertainty. The character cast was fun and entertaining and the dialogue was spot on and paced well.
I enjoyed Poppy’s progression and growth throughout the novel, but also her imperfections and flaws. It made her likable and relatable and I couldn’t help but cheer her on. I also enjoyed the ending.
4/5 stars
Thank you NG and OneMoreChapter for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.
I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 3/17/22.
March 1, 2022
Synopsis:
Poppy is packing up for the summer now that school is out. That means one thing, heading to the sea to do some wildlife photography while also getting away from her ex husband who she still lives with. But before she manages to get herself on the ferry, her longtime best friend Lola calls in a favour as the photographer for a wedding she is planning has bailed. But upon discovering who the who the groom is, Poppy realises that her drama free trip will be nothing of the sort.
Opinion:
I loveddddd this! Honestly I’m so glad I have discovered Abigail’s work as I always leave feeling all giddy after finishing her books. The plot was a tad predictable but it did leave me laughing at parts nonetheless and it was like any good rom com should be. I loved the flashbacks into Poppy’s life as it allowed her to become more three dimensional and helped me create a connection with her to the point that you are proud of her growth throughout the book. I also appreciate the complex topics that were covered such as controlling relationships and family dynamics.
Poppy is packing up for the summer now that school is out. That means one thing, heading to the sea to do some wildlife photography while also getting away from her ex husband who she still lives with. But before she manages to get herself on the ferry, her longtime best friend Lola calls in a favour as the photographer for a wedding she is planning has bailed. But upon discovering who the who the groom is, Poppy realises that her drama free trip will be nothing of the sort.
Opinion:
I loveddddd this! Honestly I’m so glad I have discovered Abigail’s work as I always leave feeling all giddy after finishing her books. The plot was a tad predictable but it did leave me laughing at parts nonetheless and it was like any good rom com should be. I loved the flashbacks into Poppy’s life as it allowed her to become more three dimensional and helped me create a connection with her to the point that you are proud of her growth throughout the book. I also appreciate the complex topics that were covered such as controlling relationships and family dynamics.
did-not-finish
March 9, 2022Did not finish.
I LOVED Abigail Mann’s previous two books, The Lonely Fajita and The Sister Surprise so I was pumped to see her writing a “RomCom.”
So then I’m reading The Wedding Crasher and I keep wondering where the Rom or the Com will ever pop up? Our main character Poppy is in the midst of a drawn out divorce and instead of photographing puffins while she licks her wounds, she’s strong-armed into photographing a ritzy wedding by her best friend. Oh, and of course, the groom is her “one that got away” even though they were only friends and never really dated?
I freely admit—I didn’t finish The Wedding Crasher. It was sad and boring and I couldn’t stand Poppy (get a backbone!!).
Also I’m not sure I really want to read a romance about two people who literally just left relationships—especially a groom who left his beloved at the altar.
Disappointed and sad = me.
I LOVED Abigail Mann’s previous two books, The Lonely Fajita and The Sister Surprise so I was pumped to see her writing a “RomCom.”
So then I’m reading The Wedding Crasher and I keep wondering where the Rom or the Com will ever pop up? Our main character Poppy is in the midst of a drawn out divorce and instead of photographing puffins while she licks her wounds, she’s strong-armed into photographing a ritzy wedding by her best friend. Oh, and of course, the groom is her “one that got away” even though they were only friends and never really dated?
I freely admit—I didn’t finish The Wedding Crasher. It was sad and boring and I couldn’t stand Poppy (get a backbone!!).
Also I’m not sure I really want to read a romance about two people who literally just left relationships—especially a groom who left his beloved at the altar.
Disappointed and sad = me.
April 1, 2022
The characters had too many personal issues between them and not enough time to give each the proper attention they deserve.
Poppy is in the process of getting divorced from her controlling, manipulative husband, Josh. Her vacation plans include going to an island to photograph the puffins, in the hopes of entering a photography competition. It does not include playing backup photographer to a very hush-hush high-profile wedding. Poppy finds herself immersed in a strange world of wealth and privilege when her best friend, Lola, the wedding planner, ropes her into helping out until the official wedding photographer shows up. And the situation gets more complicated when it turns out that Poppy knows the groom, Will.
First off, this isn’t a light, sweet romantic read. Poppy is in serious trouble after years of abuse and manipulation by her husband. She is thoroughly downtrodden, so much so that she can’t even make a clean break with Josh. They are still living in the same house, and he is still dictating her life and her choices. Lola is trying her best to help lift Poppy up, but it’s an uphill battle. Then there’s the unresolved past between Poppy and Will that suddenly gets pushed to the front again. I feel like this one book just wasn’t enough to properly deal with both ideas. And that’s not even considering Will’s issues with his family.
The book jumps around a lot between present and past. I really liked Lola and, surprisingly, I liked Ottilie and her craziness, despite what she did in the end. The rest I didn’t care for at all, not even Poppy and Will. There just wasn’t enough time to get to know them well enough.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 28, 2022
This was not a typical romance book but definitely had a lot of rom-com action too. I definitely saw a lot of myself in Poppy and found her to be a super relatable character. This was a nice break from thrillers and the serious nonfiction I have been reading. I will definitely be reading more Abigail Mann in the future and recommend this book.
Thanks to Netgalley, Abigail Mann and Harper Collins UK 1 More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Already Available!
Thanks to Netgalley, Abigail Mann and Harper Collins UK 1 More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Already Available!
April 10, 2022
This was a nice read. I was invested in the characters and interested in the storyline.
I found the descriptions of the wedding setting to be very descriptive.
Simple and fairly predictable storyline but a nice quick easy read.
I found the descriptions of the wedding setting to be very descriptive.
Simple and fairly predictable storyline but a nice quick easy read.
March 13, 2022
3.5 stars
An entertaining read with some fascinating characters. I especially liked Lola and Josie - both unafraid of being different and strong women. Poppy’s story was an emotional one - she’s been though so much and the flashbacks to her time at university and early days with Josh were a good indication of her character.
An entertaining read with some fascinating characters. I especially liked Lola and Josie - both unafraid of being different and strong women. Poppy’s story was an emotional one - she’s been though so much and the flashbacks to her time at university and early days with Josh were a good indication of her character.
March 14, 2024
I'd rate this a 2 or 2.5 at most, ie OK, sometimes a bit better than ok. I got this on a whim and it was recommended as humour, The sad thing is I didn't really laugh once. It is lighthearted rather than funny, and not uplifting as it's about rocky relationships. I can say I'm not usually a reader of the romance genre so I might not quite get some of it. It's quite dialogue heavy and while some people mightn't like that, I didn't mind. I think the author considers that her strength.
OK, the main character is Poppy. Other important characters are best friend Lola, ex-hubby Josh, groom Will, bride Ottilie.
For me, Lola is the stand-out best character. She's no nonsense. Poppy was a darned annoying character and maybe part of the reason the story grates is because we have to see things through such a pathetic creature's eyes. Yes, I know she's going through such a tough time, but it's how someone deals with difficulty that makes you feel for them and Poppy was hopeless. Her saving grace is that she's meant to be a good photographer.
She turns up to a wedding as a photographer and it seemed like she was hardly doing any photography. She was chatting to people mostly and they had to remind her to photograph stuff. For the awesome almost-top-photographer-before-she-married, this seemed to be a huge bungle. I wanted to see Poppy had photography as part of her soul. I kept thinking, I would photograph stuff better than her. A true photographer would itch to take photos of everything, would see everything as a photo. She didn't. She didn't convince me.
The way she handled her relationship with Josh the idiot was annoying. Yes, she made an error, I can understand that. Who hasn't made errors? But her inability to set things right and take action, and her continuous excuses for herself and going on about how things are difficult for herself just made her painful. I won't go into details but she was someone you just wanted to give a giant kick up the butt. She was always moaning about how things were bad but not willing to seek change.
Will was ok but not that interesting to me; Ottilie a slightly more interesting creation but not that sympathetic.
I didn't feel much of the romance flowering between Poppy and Will, more of the feeling that this is so wrong. It was a car crash waiting to happen rather than an inevitable, unstoppable love.
The problem also was expecting humour. I'm not sure if there is a word for it, but I felt I was watching people being funny (sort of) rather than the atmosphere actually being humorous. Does that make sense? There's a lot of dialogue and from some of it, I can imagine that if you were right there and listening to it, and in the right mood, some of the things people said and did would get a chuckle but it didn't translate to outright humour on the page.Just like if you wrote down all the things that your friends say and laugh their guts out at a get together, it would just bemuse people, because your friends can say "Riiiiiight!" and it's hilarious as what goes with it is ambience, in-jokes, knowledge of relationships, mood, tone, circumstances around you, etc. But that doesn't quite work in a book.
Similarly, some books can be absolutely hilarious making pointed observations, comments, or descriptions in relation to war, death, taxes, imprisonment, illness and so on. Things that are dry and horrible and generally not considered funny but they make them funny.
Well, I thought I was reading something where it probably might have been funnier if I'd been there but just wasn't on page. Especially when people were simply trading sarcasm. There were some lines like:
"It can be a fully immersive experience for you like seeing Avatar for the first time in 3D, but with a higher chance of someone kicking you in the dick."
I felt this didn't sound like a natural way for the character to speak, it sounded more like the author trying too hard to insert a comic line and it didn't work that well for me as it felt forced. I guess I'm just not on the same page as the author in terms of humour.
The flicking back and forth in timeline wasn't really helpful in terms of story cohesion but it didn't bother me too much.
The premise isn't bad and Lola was the saving grace of the book.
OK, the main character is Poppy. Other important characters are best friend Lola, ex-hubby Josh, groom Will, bride Ottilie.
For me, Lola is the stand-out best character. She's no nonsense. Poppy was a darned annoying character and maybe part of the reason the story grates is because we have to see things through such a pathetic creature's eyes. Yes, I know she's going through such a tough time, but it's how someone deals with difficulty that makes you feel for them and Poppy was hopeless. Her saving grace is that she's meant to be a good photographer.
She turns up to a wedding as a photographer and it seemed like she was hardly doing any photography. She was chatting to people mostly and they had to remind her to photograph stuff. For the awesome almost-top-photographer-before-she-married, this seemed to be a huge bungle. I wanted to see Poppy had photography as part of her soul. I kept thinking, I would photograph stuff better than her. A true photographer would itch to take photos of everything, would see everything as a photo. She didn't. She didn't convince me.
The way she handled her relationship with Josh the idiot was annoying. Yes, she made an error, I can understand that. Who hasn't made errors? But her inability to set things right and take action, and her continuous excuses for herself and going on about how things are difficult for herself just made her painful. I won't go into details but she was someone you just wanted to give a giant kick up the butt. She was always moaning about how things were bad but not willing to seek change.
Will was ok but not that interesting to me; Ottilie a slightly more interesting creation but not that sympathetic.
I didn't feel much of the romance flowering between Poppy and Will, more of the feeling that this is so wrong. It was a car crash waiting to happen rather than an inevitable, unstoppable love.
The problem also was expecting humour. I'm not sure if there is a word for it, but I felt I was watching people being funny (sort of) rather than the atmosphere actually being humorous. Does that make sense? There's a lot of dialogue and from some of it, I can imagine that if you were right there and listening to it, and in the right mood, some of the things people said and did would get a chuckle but it didn't translate to outright humour on the page.Just like if you wrote down all the things that your friends say and laugh their guts out at a get together, it would just bemuse people, because your friends can say "Riiiiiight!" and it's hilarious as what goes with it is ambience, in-jokes, knowledge of relationships, mood, tone, circumstances around you, etc. But that doesn't quite work in a book.
Similarly, some books can be absolutely hilarious making pointed observations, comments, or descriptions in relation to war, death, taxes, imprisonment, illness and so on. Things that are dry and horrible and generally not considered funny but they make them funny.
Well, I thought I was reading something where it probably might have been funnier if I'd been there but just wasn't on page. Especially when people were simply trading sarcasm. There were some lines like:
"It can be a fully immersive experience for you like seeing Avatar for the first time in 3D, but with a higher chance of someone kicking you in the dick."
I felt this didn't sound like a natural way for the character to speak, it sounded more like the author trying too hard to insert a comic line and it didn't work that well for me as it felt forced. I guess I'm just not on the same page as the author in terms of humour.
The flicking back and forth in timeline wasn't really helpful in terms of story cohesion but it didn't bother me too much.
The premise isn't bad and Lola was the saving grace of the book.
March 14, 2022
The Wedding Crasher is my second novel by the author. I was very excited to begin this novel as The Sister Surprise was a joy to read. Before getting into the details of the novel, I will say that I believe the marketing choice to focus on labeling this story as a romantic comedy does it a disservice. To me, the novel fits more under the women’s fiction category as there is some romance and humor, but there is a greater focus on the main character’s emotional journey. While I still enjoy both types of stories, as a mood reader, it does slightly affect my overall connection to the reading experience. Essentially, if I was reading this for the first time again with the expectations that there would be a lot of focus on heavier issues, then I would have enjoyed this a lot more than expecting a more light-hearted romcom.
Poppy is a teacher who still lives with her emotionally abusive husband, Josh, as the two are headed to finalizing a divorce. When Poppy decides to get away, she ends up filling in as a photographer, her hobby, as a favor for her best friend, Lola. The groom for this wedding happens to be an ex-boyfriend of Poppy’s from college, Will. Throughout the story, the reader gains some background for Poppy with flashback scenes of her relationship with Josh and her relationship with Will. There is an interesting contrast between the two relationships as Josh showed many red flags while Will did not and they are complete opposites in how they treated Poppy. Now Poppy herself was a well-developed protagonist. She could be described as a doormat at times as she has internal thoughts about doing what she wants for a change, but she ends up doing what others want instead. Most of the novel centers around her journey and growth as she slowly learns to stand up for herself.
As Poppy was in a toxic relationship, her friendships with others, especially Lola, were greatly affected. When the two reconnect, I wish the story delved deeper into how much Poppy’s ex affected her relationships with others. It would have been a great opportunity to show both sides with Lola on the outside not fully understanding every detail for the reasons for Poppy’s absence and Poppy’s side for being trapped. These are touched on throughout the story with some conflicts between the characters, but I would have loved even more depth. Now as the story does include some potential romance, there are some moments that set up a reunion between Poppy and Will; however, there were not enough to make me believe that they would become a successful couple in the future. I think the potential was there, but it just never fully got there for me to connect to it yet. Again, this is where I think the expectations from the marketing did the story a disservice. When a story is labeled as a romance, the reader tends to focus on the development of the relationship and assume there will be a lot of progression in the two of them getting closer. If this were labeled as a chicklit/women’s fiction without the emphasis of a romance, I believe the expectations would shift where the romance doesn’t as much wrap up.
Overall, this story was not a bad read in any way as I still enjoyed reading it. Poppy was a great character, and I appreciated her journey from feeling helpless in her relationship to attempting to break away. Her changes were not instantaneous and were well-written. Will was another well-done character as he had a lot of expectations placed on him by his father and he was learning how to stand up to him. The story itself had some humorous moments throughout and was enjoyable. Some elements I wished had been explored in more depth, but I liked the general progression of the story. It was an interesting read by the author and I will most likely continue to read her books in the future.
**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
Poppy is a teacher who still lives with her emotionally abusive husband, Josh, as the two are headed to finalizing a divorce. When Poppy decides to get away, she ends up filling in as a photographer, her hobby, as a favor for her best friend, Lola. The groom for this wedding happens to be an ex-boyfriend of Poppy’s from college, Will. Throughout the story, the reader gains some background for Poppy with flashback scenes of her relationship with Josh and her relationship with Will. There is an interesting contrast between the two relationships as Josh showed many red flags while Will did not and they are complete opposites in how they treated Poppy. Now Poppy herself was a well-developed protagonist. She could be described as a doormat at times as she has internal thoughts about doing what she wants for a change, but she ends up doing what others want instead. Most of the novel centers around her journey and growth as she slowly learns to stand up for herself.
As Poppy was in a toxic relationship, her friendships with others, especially Lola, were greatly affected. When the two reconnect, I wish the story delved deeper into how much Poppy’s ex affected her relationships with others. It would have been a great opportunity to show both sides with Lola on the outside not fully understanding every detail for the reasons for Poppy’s absence and Poppy’s side for being trapped. These are touched on throughout the story with some conflicts between the characters, but I would have loved even more depth. Now as the story does include some potential romance, there are some moments that set up a reunion between Poppy and Will; however, there were not enough to make me believe that they would become a successful couple in the future. I think the potential was there, but it just never fully got there for me to connect to it yet. Again, this is where I think the expectations from the marketing did the story a disservice. When a story is labeled as a romance, the reader tends to focus on the development of the relationship and assume there will be a lot of progression in the two of them getting closer. If this were labeled as a chicklit/women’s fiction without the emphasis of a romance, I believe the expectations would shift where the romance doesn’t as much wrap up.
Overall, this story was not a bad read in any way as I still enjoyed reading it. Poppy was a great character, and I appreciated her journey from feeling helpless in her relationship to attempting to break away. Her changes were not instantaneous and were well-written. Will was another well-done character as he had a lot of expectations placed on him by his father and he was learning how to stand up to him. The story itself had some humorous moments throughout and was enjoyable. Some elements I wished had been explored in more depth, but I liked the general progression of the story. It was an interesting read by the author and I will most likely continue to read her books in the future.
**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**
February 5, 2022
Summary
The main character of The Wedding Crashers is Poppy, a talented photographer with lots of promise, who gave up the prospect of a stellar career to marry Josh straight after university. When the novel opens she is getting divorced having finally realised that he is a vile, gaslighting, self-centered, narcissistic control-freak.
When Poppy heads off for a week's holiday taking photos of puffins on a remote Devon island to de-stress from all the divorce trauma, she bumps into her wedding-planner best friend Lola, who’s working on a top secret wedding for a seriously wealthy family with serious “Succession” TV show levels of dysfunction.
Lola is desperate as the photographer is sick, so Poppy is press ganged into standing in until he recovers. When Poppy gets to the island she discovers that the groom is more than a bit familiar, that the week-long wedding celebrations are more of a business conference than a family occasion, and the bride to be is avoiding everyone, living in a fisherman’s cottage on the beach.
As the day of the wedding approaches, Lola and Poppy turn themselves inside out to meet the increasingly bizarre and eccentric demands of the bride and the family, and the prospects of a happily-ever-after seems ever more remote….
My thoughts
The Wedding Crasher is quite an entertaining story and would make a good holiday read in many ways. The prose is good and Abigail Mann writes well.
Some of the characters are a little stereo-typical, whilst some can be unrelatable or unrealistic, but the character of Poppy is really well done indeed. There is real progression from her being a passive, people-pleasing doormat (almost a willing victim and architect of her own situation and unhappiness), into someone who finally realises the truth of things, making her own decisions, taking positive actions, assuming control and running her own life.
The novel takes in its stride some quite meaty issues including controlling relationships, (eventual) female empowerment, and family dynamics
All in all it is a far cry from the lightness and froth normally associated with a rom-com, which it is actually being marketed as, and I think this is my main problem with this book. It isn’t very romantic at all – in fact the focus is on the break-up of relationships and coming to terms with them – and there isn’t enough of a romantic build-up for its eventual ending.
Neither is it especially comedic. It has funny moments, but it isn’t laugh-out-loud, side-splittingly funny. It is a solid 3 star read, probably better described as chick-lit than rom-com. There is a definite mis-match between the text and the genre-label that has been applied to it for its marketing, which sets up expectations in the readers’ heads that it ultimately won’t meet.
Thank you to Harper Collins/One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
The main character of The Wedding Crashers is Poppy, a talented photographer with lots of promise, who gave up the prospect of a stellar career to marry Josh straight after university. When the novel opens she is getting divorced having finally realised that he is a vile, gaslighting, self-centered, narcissistic control-freak.
When Poppy heads off for a week's holiday taking photos of puffins on a remote Devon island to de-stress from all the divorce trauma, she bumps into her wedding-planner best friend Lola, who’s working on a top secret wedding for a seriously wealthy family with serious “Succession” TV show levels of dysfunction.
Lola is desperate as the photographer is sick, so Poppy is press ganged into standing in until he recovers. When Poppy gets to the island she discovers that the groom is more than a bit familiar, that the week-long wedding celebrations are more of a business conference than a family occasion, and the bride to be is avoiding everyone, living in a fisherman’s cottage on the beach.
As the day of the wedding approaches, Lola and Poppy turn themselves inside out to meet the increasingly bizarre and eccentric demands of the bride and the family, and the prospects of a happily-ever-after seems ever more remote….
My thoughts
The Wedding Crasher is quite an entertaining story and would make a good holiday read in many ways. The prose is good and Abigail Mann writes well.
Some of the characters are a little stereo-typical, whilst some can be unrelatable or unrealistic, but the character of Poppy is really well done indeed. There is real progression from her being a passive, people-pleasing doormat (almost a willing victim and architect of her own situation and unhappiness), into someone who finally realises the truth of things, making her own decisions, taking positive actions, assuming control and running her own life.
The novel takes in its stride some quite meaty issues including controlling relationships, (eventual) female empowerment, and family dynamics
All in all it is a far cry from the lightness and froth normally associated with a rom-com, which it is actually being marketed as, and I think this is my main problem with this book. It isn’t very romantic at all – in fact the focus is on the break-up of relationships and coming to terms with them – and there isn’t enough of a romantic build-up for its eventual ending.
Neither is it especially comedic. It has funny moments, but it isn’t laugh-out-loud, side-splittingly funny. It is a solid 3 star read, probably better described as chick-lit than rom-com. There is a definite mis-match between the text and the genre-label that has been applied to it for its marketing, which sets up expectations in the readers’ heads that it ultimately won’t meet.
Thank you to Harper Collins/One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
February 7, 2022
Thank you to HarperCollins, One More Chapter, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
The Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann is an adorable rom-com, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella or Anna Bell. The story revolves around Poppy, who has been living with Josh for 8 years. Over the years, their love faded away, and they've been cohabitating more than anything. One day, Poppy's friend Lola hires her to be a photographer at a high=profile wedding. Surprisingly, Poppy recognizes the groom as an old friend. Will sparks fly in the most inappropriate of places?
Here is an exciting excerpt from the Prologue, which is a flash-forward to the climax of the book:
"‘If you see her, don’t let her get in!’ shouted Poppy, her foot sinking through a floorboard that lined the base of the dinghy.
‘How am I supposed to do that?’ said her friend, Lola. ‘Whack her with an oar?’ She tucked her five-inch heels under her armpit and unwound the landing rope like a lasso, glancing up the zig-zag path that led to the hotel. The wedding party could be heard, if not seen.
Will hovered on the jetty, eyes frantic, hands interlocked behind his neck. ‘Poppy, are you sure?’ he asked, a pained expression on his face.
‘No, of course I’m not,’ she said. ‘But are you sure you want to stay?’
...
Poppy crawled to the other end of the dinghy, the hem of her dress damp.
‘Will, look at me.’ Poppy reached up, her hand outstretched. Will turned and took a steeling breath, his chest heaving. ‘Decision time,’ she said."
Overall, The Wedding Crasher is an absolutely adorable book with plenty of romance and humor. One highlight of this book is the hilarious premise. The prologue starts off near the end with everything in chaos, and then the book goes back to the beginning to show us how the plans started unraveling. Another highlight is the main character, Poppy. I found Poppy to be very relatable in how she made the most of her situations, even though she was very unhappy at the beginning of the book. I really rooted for her to reach her happy ending, even though it seemed impossible at first. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of rom-coms in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in March!
The Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann is an adorable rom-com, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella or Anna Bell. The story revolves around Poppy, who has been living with Josh for 8 years. Over the years, their love faded away, and they've been cohabitating more than anything. One day, Poppy's friend Lola hires her to be a photographer at a high=profile wedding. Surprisingly, Poppy recognizes the groom as an old friend. Will sparks fly in the most inappropriate of places?
Here is an exciting excerpt from the Prologue, which is a flash-forward to the climax of the book:
"‘If you see her, don’t let her get in!’ shouted Poppy, her foot sinking through a floorboard that lined the base of the dinghy.
‘How am I supposed to do that?’ said her friend, Lola. ‘Whack her with an oar?’ She tucked her five-inch heels under her armpit and unwound the landing rope like a lasso, glancing up the zig-zag path that led to the hotel. The wedding party could be heard, if not seen.
Will hovered on the jetty, eyes frantic, hands interlocked behind his neck. ‘Poppy, are you sure?’ he asked, a pained expression on his face.
‘No, of course I’m not,’ she said. ‘But are you sure you want to stay?’
...
Poppy crawled to the other end of the dinghy, the hem of her dress damp.
‘Will, look at me.’ Poppy reached up, her hand outstretched. Will turned and took a steeling breath, his chest heaving. ‘Decision time,’ she said."
Overall, The Wedding Crasher is an absolutely adorable book with plenty of romance and humor. One highlight of this book is the hilarious premise. The prologue starts off near the end with everything in chaos, and then the book goes back to the beginning to show us how the plans started unraveling. Another highlight is the main character, Poppy. I found Poppy to be very relatable in how she made the most of her situations, even though she was very unhappy at the beginning of the book. I really rooted for her to reach her happy ending, even though it seemed impossible at first. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of rom-coms in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in March!
April 6, 2023
With her marriage in ruins, Poppy arranges a photography trip to escape the husband she still shares a house with him. It’s a solid idea but an example of when best laid plans go belly up and as a consequence, Poppy’s adventure is chaotic with a serious undertone.
My thoughts on this book are mixed because I had expected a rom-com, but it turned out to be more about the journey of breaking up and self-discovery. Although it was a satisfying read, it did not fit the mould of a typical romance novel. The plot centres around the pain of facing the end of a relationship, reflections on a failed marriage, trials and tribulations of friendship, and the complexities of starting over.
The protagonist, Poppy, is a well-developed character who evolves throughout the story. Initially, she is a passive wife who tolerates a lot, but she gradually takes control of her life and realizes her self-worth. She transforms from being a pushover with her family and friends to standing up for herself and pursuing her dreams. Her character progression is commendable, and her commitment to self-improvement is inspiring. Similarly, Will, the son of a wealthy and overbearing businessman, is also a well-developed character who struggles to assert himself and acknowledge his emotions.
The flashbacks provide insights into Poppy's relationships with her soon-to-be ex-husband and Will. These flashbacks are intriguing as they show how these relationships began and evolved when they were younger. They also reveal how some characters grew and evolved, while others remained unchanged. Poppy's husband, Josh, is an example of a character who displayed toxicity and narcissism from the outset, whereas Will stands out as a contrast to Josh, especially in how they treat Poppy.
Although the book was a satisfying read, I feel that my expectations influenced my perception of the story. Had I not expected a rom-com, I would have enjoyed the book more. It is, in fact, a story of a woman coming to terms with her divorce and discovering her identity without her husband and marriage defining her. I believe that readers who enjoy women's fiction will appreciate this book.
***arc generously received courtesy of One More Chapter***
My thoughts on this book are mixed because I had expected a rom-com, but it turned out to be more about the journey of breaking up and self-discovery. Although it was a satisfying read, it did not fit the mould of a typical romance novel. The plot centres around the pain of facing the end of a relationship, reflections on a failed marriage, trials and tribulations of friendship, and the complexities of starting over.
The protagonist, Poppy, is a well-developed character who evolves throughout the story. Initially, she is a passive wife who tolerates a lot, but she gradually takes control of her life and realizes her self-worth. She transforms from being a pushover with her family and friends to standing up for herself and pursuing her dreams. Her character progression is commendable, and her commitment to self-improvement is inspiring. Similarly, Will, the son of a wealthy and overbearing businessman, is also a well-developed character who struggles to assert himself and acknowledge his emotions.
The flashbacks provide insights into Poppy's relationships with her soon-to-be ex-husband and Will. These flashbacks are intriguing as they show how these relationships began and evolved when they were younger. They also reveal how some characters grew and evolved, while others remained unchanged. Poppy's husband, Josh, is an example of a character who displayed toxicity and narcissism from the outset, whereas Will stands out as a contrast to Josh, especially in how they treat Poppy.
Although the book was a satisfying read, I feel that my expectations influenced my perception of the story. Had I not expected a rom-com, I would have enjoyed the book more. It is, in fact, a story of a woman coming to terms with her divorce and discovering her identity without her husband and marriage defining her. I believe that readers who enjoy women's fiction will appreciate this book.
***arc generously received courtesy of One More Chapter***
June 2, 2022
Wedding Crasher by Abigail Mann 1.5 *stars*
Unfortunately it's a DNF from me at 50%.
This book started really good at the beginning and slowly I lost interest in this story. Nothing really happens with the main character and the love interest from the past, presumably.
I will start with the things I liked in this book:
* I really liked the idea of photography in the story, but there was only just a little hint, little paragraphs with this topic.
* There were a lot of music and film references in this book, I liked that a lot.
* I enjoyed the main character's best friend Lola, she is like a fresh breeze in the story in my opinion and Poppy doesn't appreciate how lucky she is to have her in her life.
* Will is interesting, because he somehow, with all the wealth he has, is enjoying life and being appreciative of small things and being totally different from the other members in his family.
And now the things I didn't enjoy as much:
* The main character, Poppy..... She is letting everyone I mean everyone to step on her head and she is just doing nothing to stop it. She is just running away when she clearly could have pushed her ex-husband out for her house and stopped him from being an asshole to her. He was emotionally abusing her on a daily basis. I think she was ignorant and whining about her life when she clearly could have changed that.
* I found that this book is written using a lot of "smart words" which made the reading experience far more worse for me.
* 50% in the story and it was just boring, of course everything is going off the rails in wealthy people wedding/work announcement event. I lost interest in that story, I was guessing what really will happen in the end and I'm okay with what I came up with.
* I was reading reviews for this book and I'm happy that I did. There isn't anything happening between main character and the love interest at all, nothing to spice it up, if I have to wait till the end for just a kiss, sorry, I'd rather read another book.
Thank You for the experience!
Big thanks to HarperCollins UK and One More chapter for providing this copy!
Unfortunately it's a DNF from me at 50%.
This book started really good at the beginning and slowly I lost interest in this story. Nothing really happens with the main character and the love interest from the past, presumably.
I will start with the things I liked in this book:
* I really liked the idea of photography in the story, but there was only just a little hint, little paragraphs with this topic.
* There were a lot of music and film references in this book, I liked that a lot.
* I enjoyed the main character's best friend Lola, she is like a fresh breeze in the story in my opinion and Poppy doesn't appreciate how lucky she is to have her in her life.
* Will is interesting, because he somehow, with all the wealth he has, is enjoying life and being appreciative of small things and being totally different from the other members in his family.
And now the things I didn't enjoy as much:
* The main character, Poppy..... She is letting everyone I mean everyone to step on her head and she is just doing nothing to stop it. She is just running away when she clearly could have pushed her ex-husband out for her house and stopped him from being an asshole to her. He was emotionally abusing her on a daily basis. I think she was ignorant and whining about her life when she clearly could have changed that.
* I found that this book is written using a lot of "smart words" which made the reading experience far more worse for me.
* 50% in the story and it was just boring, of course everything is going off the rails in wealthy people wedding/work announcement event. I lost interest in that story, I was guessing what really will happen in the end and I'm okay with what I came up with.
* I was reading reviews for this book and I'm happy that I did. There isn't anything happening between main character and the love interest at all, nothing to spice it up, if I have to wait till the end for just a kiss, sorry, I'd rather read another book.
Thank You for the experience!
Big thanks to HarperCollins UK and One More chapter for providing this copy!
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