This was a cute closed-door Rom-Com starring 2 jaded, anti-love characters who have been burned in the past. Forced Proximity, strangers to friends to lovers, found family, grumpy/grumpy-sunshine.

Andi is pretty grumpy/grumpy in all aspects except Owen who is kinda grumpy/sunshine. They fit well together, but it wasn't really explained. It seemed pretty Instalove/lust that brought them together besides them finding solace in the other's also anti-love/wedding points of view.

I was in love with Owen from the beginning. He's a sweet, lovely, caring, man who is the perfect best friend to Charlie. Lucy didn't really go into his past much so all the cryptic phone calls with his brother (who we never meet) about his past and such never really get answered. We don't really know what happened in his past relationships that turned him so cynical (besides the one he briefly mentions).

Good book, loved the scenery and the food so much. Italy reads like a dream. Positano has to be the most dreamy place ever and I could see it. The book was so descriptive and I loved the characters and the relationships too.
This was a really great book. Rink you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a first time read for me by this author so I didn't have any particular expectations going into it. I always love finding new authors to read, so I was excited to try this. It's a cute, closed-door romance with two characters who have had past disappointments. Andi and Owen are perfectly matched, both are wedding haters yet are forced to take part in a wedding for their loved ones. As they both set about trying to pull off a successful wedding, they also grow closer.
I would've liked to see a little more growth for the characters, especially Andi. The chemistry between Andi and Owen could also have been a little stronger. That said, overall, it was a light and enjoyable read and I did find it to be entertaining.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review

The cover and blurb of this book grabbed my attention and I thought I was in for a fun light rom-com. However what we got was a FMC who was so unlikable that I couldn't push my thoughts aside to finish this book.

Unfortunately, this is a DNF for me after 3 attempts to pick it up and keep trying.

I was pleasantly surprised to start this book and discover our heroine is bi. But unfortunately this book just couldn't grab my attention.

I tried to pick it up several times and just didn't care.

Sadly not for me.

I .hate givinga a books a little stars rating, but what can I say I just didn't feel this one.
I didn't connect to the MCs, to the storyline.
It was cute, but not for me.
2.5 stars

This was a light hearted, fun, romantic getaway read. I especially enjoyed the LGBTQ+ representation, and really liked that the main character was bisexual.

However, I would have liked more around the opening break up scenes, to learn to inner workings of how this effected her and why exactly it made her friends wedding difficult to experience. Like, was Hannah having an affair this whole time? Was it a fling? I feel I really wanted more here.

I liked the friendship dynamic and the relationship with her mother, this was heartwarming to read however I did find our main character to be quite selfish at times and negative and her constant moaning really made me want to put the book down.

The chemistry between the her and the love interest was a little lacking and I found their initial conversations to be really odd and confusing. Why were they talking about cheese? Why did she blush about it? I kind of found myself cringing inside and not because I think the author intended it this way.

Sadly this one missed the mark for me.

Thank you netgalley for the opportunity to read the ARC for an honest review.

I figured this would be a light read with two people coming together and having some fun on the side of a friend's wedding. I expected starting non-traditional little side quests (like having a drink when something cheesy happens).

Ugh. not true.
A lot of reviews praise some of the food writing but I found even that quite basic.

The main character was annoying and didn't even have a great character arc.

The plot was confusing and very difficult to discern timelines. I felt the writing was very clunky and seemed to need another round of editing. I found this very flat, tough to get through, and I forced the finish.

thank you Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you're a fan of destination romances, then you'll likely enjoy the The Anti Wedding Party. The Italian setting really drew me in and I loved feeling immersed in the food and culture. Owen was a good hero, although he has his issues with relationships and weddings, I still was able to connect with him and root for him. Andi, our heroine, was unfortunately not likable at all. She was very selfish and had almost narcissistic tendencies. There also was a lack of chemistry between the two leads that made the book drag.

This was a refreshing read! But my god - it should come with a craving warning! The desperation I felt for Italian food whilst reading this, with all its intensely vivid description of it, was ridiculous 😂 This is a delicious love story in every sense of the word - a celebration of food, Italy and love. Owen was a top tier, beyond lovable book boyfriend.

What to expect:

- lqbtq rep
- Italian wedding - best man and made of honour
- they both hate marriage
- forced proximity

A new twist on an old trope! This book is a lighthearted and fun read for your next beach vacation (or destination wedding)!

Lucy always hits the mark with her books and this was no exception. A story that left me wanting to keep reading to see what would come next. Set against a sunny back drop with a wonderful storyline and a wonderful friendship

I liked that this had good bi/queer representation, but it wasn’t enough to save the book. The main character was overly self-absorbed and just wasn’t likable. I finished the book, but overall was just not memorable. I had really high hopes though.

This is a story about friendship, love, found family, and self-discovery.

3.5 rounded up
1.5 spice

This was a really solid read! Lot of people seemed to take issue with Andi but she made perfect sense to me as a character with her trauma. As a therapist it makes sense to me why she feels “unlikeable”. When you go through trauma like that you experience PTSD and it’s a struggle for her to show up how she wants to show up because she’s fighting the PTSD. But she does try and she does have character development!

Loved :
- Owen what a cutie! So sweet and respectful and supportive and understanding!!
- Andi and Owen banter
- “A pastry for your thoughts” ❤️
- The friendships and found family
- Descriptions of stunning Italian views and the food!! (I’m going to Italy this year and it’s really getting me in the mood for it all!)

Missing :
- The emotional tug. It was solid read but didn’t make me feel the feelings.

Andi and Owen both have a hatred of weddings in common. Unfortunately, as Maid of Honour and Best Man, it's up to them to lead the celebrations. This gives plenty of scope for humour as predictably, some things don't go to plan. Andi can't get past her aborted wedding when she was betrayed by her fiancee. However, you see her step up to the plate for her best friend who has supported her so much in the past. Andi has got a lot to work out in her life, especially what she is going to do if her Mum does sell the family fish and chip shop. You follow her story as she gradually gains some confidence, but will she be able to step away completely?

Family and friends are at the centre of the story and you sense that Andi's Mum is ready for a change as well. Owen is a little bit more difficult to work out. He seems a bit of a loner but at the same time, he is also family minded and a loyal friend. Set in beautiful Italy, this is a great Summer read, with likeable characters and lots of sunshine!



In short: Will love win out?

First book I have read by this author; not sure if I will read another one any time soon.
I loved the bi and lesbian representation in this book. Andi got cheated on by her fiancée and maid of honor right before the wedding. So she’s pretty much anti love, anti weddings, anti romance. Which doesn’t bode well for her since her best friend is now getting married and having a wedding week in Italy.
I really liked Alex and Charlie. They were super cute and definitely in love. I personally think Andi could have covered her feelings better and not been so anti everything. It seemed like nothing could go right for Andi and she kept having to fix things.
Owen was an interesting character. I loved the descriptions of Italy and all the food. I would have loved to see pictures of Owen’s craftsmanship and everything he made. These two were an interesting mix but it ended up working out for them.

Omg this was so much fun to read, like the title immensely , the whole setting is great and the story is highly enjoyable. Definitely fun and recommending.

This was a cute romcom and definitely made me feel very hungry and desperate for a trip to Italy.

Unfortunately the main character, Andi, fell a bit flat and I had a hard time liking her or relating to her. But the scenery and food descriptions kept me going. There also wasn't really a 'zing' between her and Owen though it was a cute story - the two wedding haters coming together. Thank you to Head of Zeus and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this one.

I tried so hard to love this book but it just fell flat for me. The first half had a cute, yet typical rom-com storyline. The problem was, it really could've ended shortly after that. Instead, it drug on for another chunk of the book. A lot of those events could've been cut out. I think I would've enjoy this more if it wrapped up sooner after the wedding. I also would've loved more backstory on Andi and Hannah.

I had a very hard time relating and connecting to this story. On top of that, the plot moved very slowly and our FMC was overall unlikeable. I thought the premise for the book had lots of potential but overall was just not for me.

Thank you to Aria and NetGalley for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.