“If you want to know the story of how my best friend and I ended up trying to kill each other, I should probably start with the night she asked me to be her maid of honor.”

As a recent bride myself, I found this book set in an ever-so-slightly dystopian future hilarious. In a world where marriage is touted as the only way forward, with penalties for those who remain single, our cynical narrator is asked to be a Maid of Honour. She accepts so she has the opportunity to write about the fiasco in an aim to become a published author.

I enjoyed this book - it’s light-hearted with a current of seriousness running through it and the first line really put me in the right frame of mind to whizz through to the end. It’s definitely a page turner.

I will say though that as much as we the reader are conditioned not to like the bride character, I wasn’t overly enamoured by the narrator either,
…..

I saw someone else describe this book as ‘bonkers’ and I think I have to agree.

Is Robin the most likeable main character? No. Is this story written so that you’re hanging on her every word making you obsessed with learning more? Absolutely yes.

This was one of those books that dragged me in from the opening line.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ Stories for the ARC

This book was fantastic!! The book was sort of dystopian having taken marital expectations to the extreme where women after 27 were undesirable and after 35 “rotten”. The main character, Robin, was extremely relatable and I loved her overall character although not being without her faults.
The overall concept of the book was mad but thoroughly enjoyable. It was extremely easy reading so fast paced I was hooked and got through the book so quickly.

As insane as the plot might be, this was one of those rare, angry, weird books I needed in my life.

It follows the story of reluctant maid of honour Robin, who is queer, intelligent and academic-minded, content to rail against society with her nonconformist friends as an outlet for the rage she can't seem to shake. She wants nothing to do with weddings and all their trappings, especially since a kind of hysteria has swept the nation, turning brides superstitious, secretive and violent. But when her long-time best friend Ellie asks her to head up her bride tribe, she has no choice but to accept.

This is a really interesting take on how easily we're swept up in the idea of the 'perfect' wedding and the 'perfect' life. It shows how we can easily gloss over misogynistic traditions and capitalist manipulations as we hang on to every piece of advice we believe could result in a happy ever after. The satirical, sharp and brutally honest prose not only brings across Robin's opinions and observations (of which there are many) but challenges and questions them, too, encouraging the reader to think about their own standpoints on a number of issues.

None of the characters are particularly likeable, from rage-fuelled Robin who refuses to concede, to copycat Ellie whose desperation to conform distorts who she is. But the sinister drama and desperate hope for friendship keep you hooked nevertheless.

I recommend this to lovers of satire, crazy plotlines and fierce female characters searching for their place in the world.

Unfortunately I couldn't really get into this one, and a large part of that is down to personal taste. I don't like stories that are slow paced, without a defined plot and logical stages of development. This has all of those things, as well as deeply unlikeable characters that never get better throughout the story, regardless of the build up of backstory between Robin and Ellie. It's also a weird mix of genres that feels like it doesn't want to be defined or shoehorned into one - it's not romance, it's not women's fiction and its not thriller. It's a bit of all three, and none of them really gel and I just finished the book confused.

This was definitely an interesting read and I completely agree with the comparisons to Bridesmaids meets Black Mirror.
It's more of a dark comedy/satire on the idea of weddings and getting married by a certain age, etc., than I expected but I actually really liked that.
The commentary on other issues was also spot on and everything was done so in a clever way.
I liked the fast pace of it, even if some parts were a little bit unrealistic.
If you know someone getting married soon, this could be a fun book to recommend they read before the big day.
It was certainly a unique read and I can't wait to see what the author does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The line "Bridesmaids meets Black Mirror" hooked me in, and I wasn't disappointed. It's a story of female friendships and the pressure that society pushes on people - expectations to get married, have children, climb the ladder. It's a little too believable in places - the extremes a bride might go to in order to achieve the perfect wedding. I really enjoyed the concept and writing style, with looks into the past to ground the characters, before progressing through the eventful wedding weekend.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

So Happy For You is a book that is hard to sum up - part thriller, part comedy with a dystopian undertone, and part social commentary on female friendship and the pressure society puts on women. If that sounds a lot, don’t worry - it’s a wild ride of a book and a lot of fun.

Robin and Ellie have been friends since school - whilst they’ve had their ups and downs their friendship has endured. But when Ellie announces her engagement and wants Robin to be maid of honour, it’s a role Robin reluctantly accepts. Robin is a queer feminist who dislikes everything marriage represents, and to make things worse she doesn’t really like Ellie’s fiancé.

What transpires is a little bit bonkers - but an interesting take on the wedding industry and all the hype surrounding it. With two main characters who are not entirely likeable but whose stories you begin to understand as the book progresses, it’s an addictive rollercoaster of a book and one that I flew through.

The Bridesmaids meets Black Mirror comparisons are apt. It's a great hook that was executed well, but I wish it was taken a bit further.

The best part of this novel were the characters - these were complex individuals with complex relationships. There was a really clear path showing how the maid of honour and the bride ended up as deeply and differently flawed individuals. It was a brave move to make the perspective character so abrasive, but I loved it. She was kind of awful but also not totally wrong - the best type of unlikeable narrator.

This was a slightly alternate universe with a lot of current pop culture references. I think this pulled me out at times, but also reminded me that this is basically still our world.

There is a section at the end where we get another character's perspective and I'm not sure that it added much - you could infer a lot of what is covered from previous scenes.

Overall, an ambitious setup that I think could have been taken up to another level - I think this is why some reviewers have been disappointed it wasn't a thriller. I'd class it as a dark comedy or satirical drama. I would definitely recommend, especially given the audiobook was a snappy 7.5 hours.

I received an ARC copy of the audiobook via Netgalley. All opinions expressed here are my own.

This is guaranteed to be a hit! It’s described by the publisher as “Bridesmaids meets Black Mirror” which is the perfect description. It is witty, dark, clever and uncannily close to society’s reality. I’ve never read anything quite like this book and genuinely enjoyed every page.

I went into this book, with quite an open mind having seen some reviews saying that it was a funny, worthwhile book that had something to say.
Unfortunately having finished it, this one didn't quite hit the spot for me.
Throughout the book I found myself either agreeing with the character of Robin's point of view or finding her incredibly close minded, ultra woke and irritating. Another thing that I didn't really like was the whole backstory chapters. I get why they were there but I just found it slowed the story down and would have liked less of them.
As I progressed through the story I began to find it actually a little dull.
I also thought that the character of Ellie was a quite a 2D characterisation and felt she lacked depth, despite reading the backstory.
But let's be honest here: That cover is absolutely gorgeous and definitely was one of the reasons I picked this up (shallow I know!)
Overall this was just OK for me. There were some entertaining bits and some humour that was up my street, but I can't help but feel disappointed.

"Robin and Ellie have been best friends since childhood. They’ve been through everything together, from Robin coming out to the death of Ellie’s dad. But when Ellie asks Robin to be her maid of honour, Robin is reluctant..."

Ok, so as a queer, radical feminist (not the transphobic kind) who is pretty anti-marriage and dislikes weddings and the wedding industry intensely, I should have been the absolute perfect audience for So Happy For You. That I didn't particularly rate it says a lot about the book's shortcomings.

First, the good: the concept (of a country gone marriage-mad as a result of political lobbying, including restrictions on abortion) is a solid one, although I felt the world-building could have been more fully developed. The vaguely witchy marriage rituals were a fun exaggeration of existing folk rituals. And poking fun at bridezillas is always, well, fun. But generally, I wanted MORE. More world-building to fully flesh out the background of this dystopian, marriage-obsessed USA, more excessive ridiculousness from Ellie as the bridezilla (honestly, compared to some Reddit threads she seems pretty tame). Also (and I do think this is intentional, given the character growth) Robin is just pretty awful? Like, I agree with basically everything she says but I still disliked her intensely and that's not great for a main character (and don't get me started on a PhD student submitting a first full draft of their thesis and then being told to go back to do more data collection - using a completely different methodology).

All in all, a frustrating read: great concept, not so great execution. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved that the perspective was from a queer woman with very liberal views. I really related to Robin. She’s even vegan and an aquarius like me (I’m not astrology obsessed but I did notice!). The book is clever and includes enlightening commentaries on important issues such as feminism, gender, sexuality and abortion rights and is frequently funny and relatable. I love that it is a thriller on the surface but simultaneously many more things and I enjoyed that it was set against the backdrop of a weird, dystopian society in which marriage is so strongly, almost, forcibly, encouraged. A clever and unique read. I’m eager to see what Laskey does next!

For me, I wasn't sure what I was going into when I first started this book. It wasn't the usual run of the mill, plot focused thriller I am used to. So Happy For You was more of a running commentary and social exploration into female friendships and the Wedding industry.

The narrative bounced back and forth between Robin and Ellie's childhood friendship and the present time where Ellie has asked Robin to be her Maid of Honor, whose reluctance is not only because she doesn't like Ellie's fiancé, but also doesn't agree with marriage.

The book very much had a dystopia feel. There were uncomfortable conversations, opinionated characters. Although in my opinion, I found the book to be a little slower than my usual reads.

A great book for a book club read, as there is so much to be unpacked and discussed.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. Delighted to be on the blog tour.

Quirky ,witty and fresh writing.

Everything you know about weddings and bridezillas but more!

Friendship and identity are key themes explored.

Fast paced and unpredictable this is a original concept.

Really enjoyed this and do check out the other blogs taking part in the tour.

Published 4th August.

Robin and Ellie have been best friends since childhood. They’ve been through everything together, from Robin coming out to the death of Ellie’s dad. But when Ellie asks Robin to be her maid of honour, Robin is reluctant.

It’s not that Robin isn’t happy for Ellie, she just hates everything about weddings and marriage – plus the guy Ellie’s engaged to. There’s also the matter of the crazy (not to mention dangerous) wedding rituals that couples are resorting to in the hope of securing a lifetime of happiness.

Despite her misgivings, Robin finally says yes. But as the wedding day approaches, she gets the feeling that everyone in the bridal party is out to get her. And it seems Ellie is willing to do anything for the perfect day. After all, marriage is about sacrifice…

"If you want to know the story of how my best friend and I ended up trying to kill each other, I should probably start with the night she asked me to be her maid of honor."

Opening with such an ominous and foreboding first line, So Happy For You packs a punch from the start, letting you know that you are about to embark on one of the craziest rides you’ve ever had. I am the first to admit that a book about a crazy bride and a best friend who hates weddings might not seem the ideal read when in the middle of planning my own wedding but I loved this book. Unique, outrageous and wickedly funny, it had me hooked. I liked that while the ending is established immediately there is still a big air of mystery as we have no idea how they get to the point of trying to kill each other or what the outcome is, keeping me guessing until the final page.

"It kind of feels like we're at the beginning of a darkly comic horror movie."

Celia Laskey is a skilled storyteller who has crafted a sinister literary thriller with some deeply vulnerable moments intricately woven in. She brings up interesting and timely topics such as feminism, abortion, homosexuality marriage and friendship, exploring them with sensitivity but never shying away from their harsh truths. As the blurb suggests, it is marriage that she delves deepest into, examining the assumption that all women want to be wives and mothers and picking it apart piece by piece: the societal pressure, the sinister side of the institution and the history behind the familiar customs, something I found both fascinating and thought-provoking.

"Years later I would remember this moment and ask myself if Ellie really knew the reason she wanted me as her maid of honor, or if she didn't decide until later."

The story is told in the past tense directly to the reader and moves between the events leading up to the wedding and flashbacks that tell the story of Robin and Ellie’s friendship. It is set in an undated future that is so believable it is terrifying. In this reality the government offer incentives for getting married - even organising monthly blind-dates, women are viewed as ‘leftovers’ by the age of twenty-seven and ‘rotten’ by thirty-five, and abortion is severly restricted. Then there’s the wedding charms. These really disturbed me and the lengths some couples would go to in order to try and secure future happiness was frightening. I may want my own wedding to go off without a hitch but I can honestly say I’d never even contemplate such extremes, something I’m sure my guests will be happy to hear!

"Friends didn't even feel like the right word. It felt like our DNA was tied together in a mess of knots so complete that we wouldn't be able to untangle it even if we made it our life's work. At that point in our friendship, it didn't occur to me that the knots would loosen due to forces beyond our control. "

Robin and Ellie have a very intense but toxic friendship. While neither are really likeable, I did find Robin easy to root for. Witty, cynical, inquisitive and tenacious, she is more vulnerable than she admits and struggles to balance standing up for what she believes with supporting her best friend’s life choices. Our view of Ellie is biased and she is offered up as the traditional villain and I enjoyed seeing our view of her change as Robin began to understand her more. I liked how the author explored the intricacies of friendship through their relationship, asking what it is that makes a good friend, how far we are willing to go for them, and what we are prepared to forgive.

Addictive, unflinching and charged with tension, So Happy For You is a hilarious romp that would be perfect for the big screen. It was unlike anything I’ve ever read and I can’t wait to read more from Ms. Laskey. Highly recommended, just keep it away from any bridezillas 😉

I absolutely enjoyed this book. It’s an intimate thriller that examines the relationships between two women during a wedding. There’s not a lot I can discuss without spoiling the plot but it’s one of the best books I’ve read.

I'm a sucker for anything wedding related so there was no doubt I'd pick this one up this summer! A novel exploring the complexities of female friendship and the traditions of marriage and weddings... it really had me questioning my own beliefs in a way I never had before!

The first half of the book is slower paced, but builds a picture of Robin and Ellie's relationship by alternating between past and present days. I didn't think either character was particularly likeable, but I could definitely relate to some of the pressures Ellie felt to be settled down by a certain age!

The second half of the book is a wild ride! It reads much more like a thriller... chaotic, a little far-fetched at times, but also humorously dark! It's even a little futuristic at times... featuring a dating app not too dissimilar to something we might see in Black Mirror!

'So Perfect For You' was unlike anything i'd read before... so if wedding literature usually has you rolling your eyes... you might be able to get on board with this one!

When I started this book, I thought we were in romance territory and that I knew exactly where it was heading. How wrong I was!

The exciting thing about So Happy For You is that it’s lesfic that gets to be something else, – part thriller, part dystopia, perhaps, hence the comparisons to Black Mirror.

The book is set in a misogynistic near future in the US, where the government incentivises marriage and severely limits abortion (so far, so realistic). Women are ‘leftovers’ in their late 20s and ‘rotten’ by their 30s. Then there are the ‘wedding charms’, the weird hazing-esque rituals that brides undertake to ensure the success of their wedding, and future fertility.

Robin, the main character, doesn’t buy into any of this – in fact, she roundly rejects the institution of marriage and is happy with her partner, Aimee. But Ellie, Robin’s best friend since childhood, is getting married, and she wants Robin to be her maid of honour. Robin is torn between her principles and her loyalty to Ellie.

As the wedding approaches, Ellie’s behaviour becomes bizarre, to say the least. The book gets dark quickly, and the second half is a weird, wild rollercoaster that kept me hooked. I honestly didn’t know what was coming next.

I really liked Robin, though she’s probably a ‘Marmite’ character. She’s witty, with a dry sense of humour, and a vulnerability which manifests as cynicism. Her ‘coming out’ story is addressed in the novel, but it’s not central to the plot. I really warmed to her and found myself rooting for her throughout.

This was a rip-roaring book and it’s refreshing to see lesbian fiction that’s permitted to be outside-the-box and genre-bending. I’m definitely off in search of more Celia Laskey.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.