Quick read. Very dramatic. Caitlin and Sasha are best friends, or are they? They grew up together through Caitlin’s vacations at Saxby House and now Sasha is helping plan her wedding. Hold your friends close, and your enemies closer. Told in past and present tense, this story will have you wondering what secrets they are hiding.

Thank you NetGalley, Nina Manning and Boldwood Books for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

Sasha's parents work at Saxby House for the wealthy Clemonte family. This is where Sasha meets Caitlin and they become unlikely friends at the age of twelve. We get a look into their friendship over the years and see how poorly Caitlin treats Sasha. However, Sasha discovers a secret one night about the Clemonte family and is told by Caitlin's mother, Ava, not to reveal it to Caitlin. We don't find out what it is until the very end of the novel at Caitlin's wedding.

I really enjoyed this book. I have read all of Nina Manning's books and this may have been one of my favorites. I enjoyed the mystery and all the details about their toxic friendship. The story sucked me in and I had to know the secret Sasha was keeping all these years. I recommend this book to those who enjoy a good old fashioned mystery.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) on May 27, 2021.

I really enjoyed this book! I was able to read an ARC copy courtesy of NetGalley. When I saw this on the NetGalley website I was immediately interested. I had never read anything by Nina Manning before so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I will say that I felt like the beginning was a little slow, but by the middle I was very interested in the story. It wasn’t a book I couldn’t put down, but I definitely thought about it a lot.

The second half of the book was pretty fast paced. I really enjoyed Nina Manning’s writing style. I also love books with alternating point of views. This book alternates between the past (1980-1990ish) to 2009 and present time.

I will say that the first half of the book I had no clue what was going to happen, but by the end I was pretty much able to guess the ending. I definitely recommend this one and I definitely want to read Manning’s other books!

This book sounded so good, but unfortunately was a bit lacklustre, with a meandering story that took ages to go anywhere. I lost interest by half way through, and struggled to finish it.

-BOOK REVIEW-

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.25)

Have you ever had a friend who just constantly acts better then you? Who expects so much from you but doesn’t give anything in return? Or who expects you to keep all the secrets surrounding them forever?

Cue The Bridesmaid- This book follows Sasha and Caitlin through two time periods in their lives: The girls growing up & the present day where they are planning Caitlins wedding. Will Sasha be able to hold all of her secrets in? Will the wedding be ruined? What happens when two friends are both keeping secrets?

Read The Bridesmaid to find out! Thank you to @netgalley, @bookandtonic, & @ninamanning_author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This one comes out 5/27!

This book was not what I expected it to be, and yet I also was not disappointed. The whole time I had the premise of THE BRIDESMAID being a thriller, and every "thrill" fell flat to me. You can say that's because I read so many thrillers/horror stories that it takes a lot, but that's beside the point.

Instead of being having a 'thrill' Nina Manning took my heart and stomped on it with a beautiful heartbreaking family drama.

I was expecting something sinister and instead got a whole rush of feelings.

What secrets lie at Saxby? What happened in the past that could potentially ruin a wedding? Finding out is a roller coaster.

The Bridesmaid is about friendship, codependance, family and about how things, people and relationships are not always what they seem to be and very importantly, the fact that you shouldn't be quick to judge because people have their own story, past and motivation for behaving like they do.
I had a hard time to "digest" Sasha and Caitlin kind of friendship, I couldn't understand why Sasha puts up with so much nonsense coming from Caitlin, but at the same time couldn't put the book down because I wanted to know what was going on, and what these family secrets the author refers to many times were.
I wasn't disappointed. A good psychological domestic thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Relationships are rarely equal. When a wealthy child makes friends with a child from the family that works for them, things are never equal.

This is a sad tale about Sasha who only wants to be great friends with Caitlin. Caitlin tolerates her with a hot and cold persona that Sasha overlooks.

Caitlin is marrying their childhood friend, Chuck, and Sasha is her bridesmaid. Sasha is determined to make Caitlin's wedding day one to remember as her gift. Sasha has managed to uncover secrets and plans to surprise Caitlin on her wedding day. But will the surprises be happy or hurtful, and will their friendship be better or can Sasha finally break free.

The book alternates between past and present from Sasha's point of view. As the story builds the secrets that are exposed are not the ones you think. I hardly cared when the ending came to its conclusion.

I was so disappointed in this book because IT HAD TO END!!!!.
There aren't enough words in the English language to explain how much I really enjoyed reading this fantastic book. It reminded me so much of the "New Virginia Andrews" books, more so when Sasha and Caitlin were kids and they were growing up at Saxby house, the writing style was so similar. It's a gripping, thought provoking, twisty book which had me racing through the pages. The descriptions of the characters were so vivid, they really came to life off the page and I found myself having genuine feelings for them, especially for the protagonist Sasha. I seriously did not want this book to end, I just wanted to keep reading more about the characters lives. and the secrets they hold. Huge congratulations to Nina Manning for writing this PHENOMENAL work of fiction. I LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT! LOVED IT!.

Sasha grows up on an estate that employees her parents. She is befriended by Caitlin, the granddaughter of the homeowners. While they come from very different backgrounds, they find a friendship that works for them, or maybe it only really works for one of them. The story has dual timelines. One tells the story of their childhood and the other of modern day wedding planning. All the while we are learning there have been secrets that have been well hidden and must be exposed.

I enjoyed this book a great deal. It had just enough mystery to keep me intrigued. The development of the characters was strong and I found myself rooting for Sasha to stand up for herself. I was thrilled when she finally did and the true colors of the well to do family were finally revealed!

A wedding day is supposed to be one of the happiest days of your life and with childhood best friend organising every little detail as well as performing the role of bridesmaid, the bride and groom and all interested parties should be finding every reason to celebrate in the lead up to a joyous occasion. Except in the case of Caitlin, bride to be, who seems wholly indifferent about the event, unaware that bridesmaid Sasha doesn’t necessarily have her friend’s happiness at the top of her agenda. From their childhood days spent at the Clemonte family home of Saxby Manor House, owned by Caitlin’s grandmother Josephine, this is a friendship that is all too one sided, hardly surprising given that Sasha is the daughter of parents in the employment of the lady of the manor. What is surprising is that this is a friendship that has transcended childhood; Sasha becomes the keeper of Clemonte family secrets whose history is shrouded with mystery and intrigue but with Caitlin’s wedding day fast approaching she’s reached that pivotal moment when it’s time for the past to meet the present head on. Let the drama commence!

Saxby House is like a character all by itself, the sixteenth century building and its extensive grounds making a wonderful childhood playground for Caitlin and Sasha who are free to roam to their hearts content, exploring every nook and cranny (of the outside at least!). Opposites attract and without sisters of their own they both offer each other the possibility of fulfilling that role. Here are two girls/women who couldn’t be more different if they tried but it’s far from an equal, loving friendship and despite Sasha’s concerted efforts best friends they are not! Mesmerised and overawed by Caitlin’s wealthy, privileged lifestyle and the grandeur of her surroundings Sasha allows her new BFF to have the upper hand, grateful for any time spent within her company, lapping up the attention like a faithful hound. Really Sasha is treated like Caitlin’s plaything, someone to pick up and put down as and when it suits. She is the instigator in all their ‘games’; she is manipulative and cruel, spoilt and selfish but also jealous of Sasha who despite her more humble background is at least blessed with loving and attentive parents. This is in direct contrast to Caitlin’s own parents Ava and Maxwell who are cold, aloof and often socially distanced from their only daughter, the tension between Ava and Caitlin palpable. As summers pass by the presence of Chuck further unbalances the friendship creating opportunities for tension and jealousy to flare up despite the fact he has more in common with Caitlin in terms of his social status. Destined to remain forever in the background, the discovery of family secrets places Sasha firmly in the driving seat (or so she thinks!) of this friendship which frankly becomes more toxic with the passage of time. Frenemies is the word best used to describe these two; you can’t imagine there will be any happy ending in sight. I disliked the majority of the characters but what really confused me was why Sasha would persist in keeping this friendship alive when she has nothing positive to gain from it.

In places this storyline drags, the characters stuck in a cycle of toxic behaviour although the dual timeline suits the narrative well. At one point I mistakenly thought it was developing into a ghost story, which in all honesty I wouldn’t have minded because then at least there would have been a disturbing chill in the air. Instead the reader is faced with a strange chain of events, strands of which lead absolutely nowhere.

When the author has withheld her trump card(s) until the very last moment possible you prepare yourself for some momentous gasp inducing shocks. The anticipation is everything! Similar to unwrapping a birthday gift, the not knowing what lies beneath the layers can often be the most exciting part of discovering what delights are in store. Unfortunately disappointment rather than elation can follow and for me that’s precisely how I felt towards the ending. Nina Manning has built the suspense to a level that leaves you frustrated, my patience wearing thin, desperate for the juiciest morsel of truth but it’s all such an anticlimax! I was expecting fireworks but all I got was a damp squib! Granted there is some mild shock value attached to the secrets that are finally exposed which don’t reflect well on certain members of the Clemonte family together with an unexpected sting in the tail which DID surprise me. However the real tragedy of this storyline has to be the fact Sasha has chosen to remain within Caitlin’s grasp. Run, Sasha, run!!!!

The Bridesmaid is neither thrilling nor chilling. Neither is it particularly shocking or scandalous. Instead it is the bizarre friendship between Caitlin and Sasha that provides the reader with just about enough impetus to persevere through to the end although I think this element would have benefited from a more lethal injection of toxicity. Overall I believe Nina Manning’s characterisations hold up what I consider to be a fairly weak plot leaving me with mixed feelings and a sense of deflation, hence my middle of the road 3 ⭐️

My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks for the chance to read this, not really one for me unfortunately. A bit too long and meandering without getting anywhere, and the family secret made me for uncomfortable reading

I have now reviewed three of Nina Manning's novels, Her Darkest Fear, The House Mate and now The Bridesmaid.

In The Bridesmaid, Sasha and Caitlin have known each other since their pre-teen years and met at Saxby Hall, a rambling mansion in Dorset in south west England when Sasha's parents took jobs as housekeepers for Caitlin's family.

The start of the book was slower than I thought but did manage to get me interested. I think the aim of the slow start was to build the atmosphere. What an atmosphere it is!

Nina Manning makes the house chilling and grand all at once and the views Sasha describes from the windows of their much smaller caretaker's house make it seem even more so.

I felt I had goosebumps and was eager to discover what was going to happen. I felt uneasy about Caitlin the moment we are introduced to her as well as her siblings. Her mother, Ava, is a real mystery and perhaps the scariest character in the book besides Caitlin.

Ava is narcissistic, bossy rude and demanding. Caitlin is all of those as well plus impulsive and manipulative.

Sasha keeps the "friendship" going for years (20 to be precise). I did wonder why she did. She helped Caitlin to plan her wedding too and as always, the bride (Caitlin) is the centre of attention.

Secrets, lies and manipulation are rife in this novel which I thought reminded me of a much more chilling version of The Secret Garden in parts (when Sasha and Caitlin first met each other). I think it was the combination of the manor house and the difference in wealth between families.

I did enjoy this thriller a lot and the pacing was good (even the slower beginning won me over as it was so atmospheric and helped me feel I knew the characters). I felt there was still always so much to discover and was always wondering what each of the characters (or houses) was hiding.

I was intrigued by Sasha's backstory and memories of living in Hackney and that struck me as a good contrast in setting: London versus the countryside setting of Dorset. It made me realise what she and her family had given up when they moved.

I was hoping for a new start for them and the suspense just did not stop coming in this novel.

Thanks to Nina Manning, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Nina Manning for this E-ARC in exchange for my honest feedback and review.

The Bridesmaid revolves around the friendship of Caitlin and Sasha. Sasha is always second to Caitlin. Caitlin's wedding is coming up and Sasha is in charge of making sure it is the perfect day. However, Sasha is tired of not being first.

This book was a slow burn for me and it took me several times of picking it up and trying to start reading it. I did not enjoy it as much as I have most books this year. This story just did not resonate with me.

Here’s an author who knows how to keep readers guessing!

Sasha and Caitlin meet as children and become best friends. Caitlin comes from a wealthy family, Sasha is the child of the hired help but they form a close bond which lasts through the years. Sasha keeps Caitlin on a bit of a pedestal, doing anything for her – even keeping secrets. Now they’re grown up and Caitlin is getting married her bridesmaid is, of course, Sasha. Sasha bears the responsibility for making the big day just the way Caitlin wants it, going the extra mile again and again but the bride is hard to please and continually manages to utter put-downs and snide remarks toward her bridesmaid. As the big day approaches, the strain begins to show and cracks open in the relationship. Secrets which kept them together now threaten to tear them asunder.

Nina Manning knows how to grab her audience, keep them on their toes and reel them in. With a cast of well-crafted characters and secrets galore swirling in the background, this is one which consumed me. I’m not sure I actually liked Caitlin very much; I’ve never had much time for those who think they’re entitled and she certainly fits that bill. I enjoyed the chapters going back and forth in time meaning we were learning about the history of the friendship at the same time as the wedding got closer. An excellently plotted story line, packed with information which stopped me overthinking what else was going on. The secrets, when revealed, were both surprising and shocking. Without a doubt, this is a stunningly clever psychological thriller from an author who knows her stuff; one to watch and earning my recommendation and all five stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy and to Rachel Gilbey for my spot on this tour; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

An okay book, definitely not what I was expecting, as not really a thriller, more like a domestic suspense/drama. I do think the author did a good job writing and I liked the storyline, but just didn’t feel any thrills, chills, or shocks was present. There was a bit of tension, which was nice. Overall, I think if this was promoted differently, it could do very well with the readers looking for a drama with some suspense twined in. As, it’s a very riveting tale, but lacking in what it’s promoted as. I would recommend to those looking fir a good, suspenseful, domestic drama/suspense, as I do think you’ll enjoy it.

Sasha meets Caitlin when her parents get a job at her house, she is a wealthy girl from a privileged family and she tries everything to ensure they remain friends. The book alternates between their teenage years, and present time, where Sasha is helping Caitlin plan her wedding to Chuck. As the wedding approaches, things start to go awry.

This is the first book by Nina Manning that I have read. It is a good thriller, a bit slow moving for me at times (I don't tend to like waiting for things to happen) and the end left me wanting a little bit! But it has intrigue and suspense, I enjoyed it!

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC of this novel!

This is an intriguing book about two friends from different backgrounds. Caitlin is rich and Sasha’s parents work at Caitlin’s parents estate. Despite the differences they become friends. Friends that do not always appreciate each other.

Sasha is the primary narrator in this book and the timelines vary from the now present, 2-3 months ago present, and childhood. Sasha is helping plan Caitlin’s wedding to their children friend, Chuck. There are a lot of secrets in this book. They are revealed throughout the book and it makes for an intriguing read!

The description of this book really made me want to read it.

The books about two best friends Caitlin and Sasha.
When Caitlin says she’s getting married Sasha will obviously be her bridesmaid.

This book was quite slow but had lots of twists and turns and kept me interested.

Enjoyable

I was excited to read this book after reading the description, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. The story was slow to build, but it did have a few surprises and the ending was better than I expected with the way the rest of the story developed. Overall, it was good, but lacked the “wow” factor.