I feel like this book has gotten a bad wrap based on some of the reviews I’ve read. I really enjoyed it! I loved the relationship development throughout the story and felt for the characters. The Italian settings were beautifully written and now I definitely need to visit!

Thanks to Netgalley, Aria and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

It was a little awkward at the beginning, but I did enjoy it. It was about friendship and the mother/daughter relationship.
And it was in Italy. Loved to read about small towns and the food and people.
It had flawed characters but their growth was good.
I liked Owen. He was supportive and how he helped Andi.

It was an average romance book, with a cute setting.

This was just the type of romance book that I adore, light on the actual romance, heavy on the banter. The women are all strong characters in their own right and the leading man is not a sex God. I devoured this in two days, would highly recommend!

3.75 stars

This book made me feel like I was riding an emotional rollercoaster. While it prompts you to contemplate self-growth, it's also quite entertaining. I would definitely love to read more works by the author.

3.5 stars

“𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗻𝗼𝘄, 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲?

I really wanted to like this book more, but tbh it was just okay. I thought the side characters were more adorable than the main character. Our fmc Andi is truly kind of an awful person in the beginning. She’s judgmental, selfish, and very rude. She somehow makes an entire wedding week about herself which was frustrating to read.

The synopsis also talks about Andi, and the best man Owen, causing shenanigans on purpose, but they don’t really do that. It’s really just poor-planning skills and a combination of the brides (gay wedding yay!) staying out too late and choosing early morning activities for everyone. Always a bad idea if you ask me. Especially after some drinkies🤭

Outside of the obvious flaws, Andi and Owen are actually kind of greet for one another. Their banter and flirtatious scenes are so cute & I loved watching them tip-toe around one another. They made it work in the end and I was happy for everyone! 💓

Also PSA: this featured LGBTQIA+ representation which made me so happy! What made me sad is that it’s all closed door. 🤣 but other than that it’s fine.

2.5 stars - This was just okay. For the majority of the book, the fmc is just kind of intolerable. She’s self-centered, negative, and whiny. That changes towards the end, but it was tough to get through. The mmc is likeable, but kind of bland. He supposedly feels negatively towards weddings like the fmc, but that doesn’t come across at all, apart from the snarky comments the main characters say semi-jokingly here and there. The mmc is not introduced until 20% of the way through the book, which may not sound long, but it seems like a long time for this type of story. There are some places that just seem in need of more/better editing. There are some bits that don’t quite make sense or have strange time-jump issues. For example, at a pre-wedding party after the main characters meet and are getting food, the mmc fills up his small plate, the two of them say one thing to each other, and suddenly his plate’s empty. Also, the book cover mmc doesn’t look anything like what is described in the book. The mmc is constantly described as being so tall…and the fmc continuously describes their interactions in away that would imply he’s 6’6” or taller (I believe she literally calls him a giant at one point), but the mmc is 6’1”….a pretty average height.
There were lots of little nitpicks things like this that could have been pretty easily fixed, but overall, the quality of the writing was just okay. I probably wouldn’t read anything else by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

I wanted to love this book I really liked the premise of the story but I just could not get into it. The FMC was so hard for me to root for especialy since she had no growh through the story which made it difficult for me to root for.. This book had elements to it that i did enjoy and normally would like but when i dnt like the chartars its hard for me to stay in the story

I was looking forward to a fun, light read but the FMC is grumpy and anxious. I couldn’t get past her attitude to enjoy the book, unfortunately. However, the descriptions of the Amalfi Coast of Italy were lyrical, and the incredible details of the food has me starving! 3 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

Quite a different book to what I was expecting. However, it ticked all the boxes and made for a lovely spring read.

I absolutely loved this cover and had super high hopes for this one. I did enjoy the general premise of the book but just felt that the FMC was a bit annoying and the connection between FMC and MMC was not palpable for me. I absolutely loved the destination of Italy and the descriptions of all the foods. I enjoyed the wedding vibes and the bi representation. Overall, a generally entertaining read but wished there was more ummph. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

my rating is actually 3.5 stars but I can't do half stars on here. if andi didn't have growth towards the end of the book, I would have rated this WAY lower. but her character development sealed in that I had a really good time. i also hated how she tried pushing her negative energy about marriage onto her best friend. i understand having trauma surrounding weddings and marriage but you accepted the role so you should be excited for your best friend because they're excited. maybe that's just me, though.

overall, I did have a good time but there were some things, like I said above, that just grinded my gears a bit.

Not really my type of story. Found the characters quite annoying, with no depth and absolutely not how friends should be.
I didn't really gel with them but I did like reading about Italy, the descriptions were good.
Thank you for an ARC copy.

Knott’s book is a good read. There is some great banter between the characters of Andrea & Owen. The crazy thoughts that run through Andrea’s head are so entering. There are wedding mishaps that make hard not to laugh out loud. The best has to be the obsession Andrea & Owen have over the food/deserts & wine of Italy (oh, the profiteroles!). Knott’s description of the food & scenery make the reader feel like they are actually there (or want to travel there tomorrow!).

It does take a few chapters to become invested in the story however that all changes as Andrea (Andi) - who has a complete aversion to weddings & love - becomes her best’s friends maid of honor.

Alex & Charlie cannot wait to become wife & wife; they want their family & friends celebrating with them. Andrea’s life is filled with responsibility & really no fun. So, finding out the wedding is being held on the Amalfi Coast in Italy - for a week (!) - only ramps up her worries.

Owen, Charlie’s best friend, also has an aversion to weddings & love. It is only natural that Andrea & Owen hit it off & spend almost all of their time together. Watching their story unfold, their walls break down, handling the wedding mishaps & new feelings arising is delightful.

Again, this is a good & solid read. It will make you yearn for the smells, food & beauty of Italy.

I tried very hard to get through this book. I was starting to question why it is that if I'm not enjoying other activities I am willing to stop them, but why then do I not do the same with reading books I'm not enjoying.
The (Anti) Wedding Party starts with Andi's wedding day where she finds her bride to be having sex with her maid of honor. I hoped that this book would turn out like a Hallmark movie and in the end she wouldn't be such an awful character...maybe she does, I will never know.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced preview, sorry I just couldn't finish it.

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 3 stars ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

this was a fun and cute book. in my opinion, it was a bit slow in the beginning, but then it was easy and quick to read. i might add more to this review later.

˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to NetGalley and Lucy Knott for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

Unfortunately, this wasn't for me. The FMC was one of the most annoying characters I've read in a while and really, I'm glad I don't have friends like her. But on the bright side the parts about Italy, the sights, the food were so wonderfully written, it helped me through the book.

Again, it wasn't for me but I'm sure others will find it fun, the story itself gives a decent rom com.

✨Gracias a NetGalley y a Lucy Knott por mandarme un eARC a cambio de una crítica honesta
✨Me ha encantado, y la única razón por la cual no tiene cinco estrellas es porque algunas descripciones son muy pesadas. Hay adjetivos que se repiten un montón de veces a lo largo de la historia para describir a los personajes
✨Me gusta mucho el crecimiento que tiene Andi. Cómo los traumas de nuestra vida tienen efecto, y cómo estos efectos se ven años después. Cómo su cinicismo hacia el amor se va deshaciendo mientras se enamora de Owen
✨Owen es un amor, desde el principio me ha encantado. Su manera de ser, su manera de ayudar en silencio, su saber estar.
✨Y también decir que Charlie y Alex me han caído bien a pesar del papel secundario que tienen. Creo que me gustaría leer su historia

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

This book is about a wedding or scratch an anti-wedding duo. The book follows Andi who hates weddings by agrees to be her best friend Alex's maid of honour. She doesn't want the job regardless that it's her best friend getting married. So imagine her good luck when she finds out that the Best Man Owen also hates weddings. Seemi fly they find themselves enjoying each other's company. It's well written and quite humorous and perfect for fans of The Wedding Crashers.

Rating :3.5/5

This book is the perfect romcom for millennials, especially single millennials. The FMC, Andi, is 34, bisexual, and jaded when it comes to love. When Andi’s best friend Alex gets engaged to her gf Charlie, they ask Andi to be their maid of honor for their wedding in Italy. The best man, Owen, happens to also be jaded when it comes to love - hence the book’s title. He’s also a hunky carpenter that matches Andi’s love for food and is, himself, a complete cinnamon roll. He falls first - Italy - what more could you want from a romcom? Be warned, this book will make you hungry!

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for this book.
I loved the cover and because of the tittle and cover you could kind of guess what would happen, loved that it was set in Italy and italian was spoken a little.
It was a big surprised the beginning of this book and kind of makes the tittle unique but when we get to the love ibterest it was kind of bland, you could feel that the author wants you to feel something there but there's no chemistry even when we get to almost the end of the book I feel like nothing happens and everyone is acting a little childish, liked the story and setting but maybe the execution could have been better.