*Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

3.5 stars

This is the type of book I recommend for anyone who wants to read a cute, quick and charming romance.
The book has a very romance movie premise and events that sometimes leave you in disbelief, but the romance movie vibe is so present in the book that you end up finding what happens funny and charming.
I saw a lot of people saying that it's an instalove romance but I didn't think so, the book takes place over a short period of time and our characters fall in love quickly, but I thought the development of their romance was very well done, I found it very believable and really enjoyed the story.
I highly recommend it if you want something cute, quick and fun to read.

This was a sweet romance. The plot was interesting. Would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the ARC.

Read with Netgalley. I enjoyed the story, It was adorable, with Hannahs shy personality and Melis constant encouraging her that she is great just the way she is no matter what her fiancé nor family says. I Will say I wish I got more of Hannah and Meli being together and got to see more into their relationship once they decided to be together. And more of their individual growths. But if you are looking for an easy read, that will make you laugh and go aww this is a good one to go for.

The plot of this book seemed far fetched. A socially anxious bride to be has no friends. So, her husband to be, hires 4 women to be her bridesmaids on an all expense paid trip to an island, where the wedding will be.
Hannah is the bride. She connects instantly with Meli, her fake bridesmaid. These two spend more time with each other than Hannah does with the other bridesmaids. The more time they spend, they realize that there is more between them than faking that they are close friends.
I would recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Very quick and easy read. Both main characters very likeable. Eric was hideous but I guess that was the point! I’d have liked a longer story with more substance but it was sweet

A super sweet book that was easy to read and left me feeling all warm and cozy inside.
I look forward to more from this author

This book is a very sweet easy read Meli is to get paid 10k for acting as Hannah's bridemaid for upcoming wedding only problem the groom isnt the nicest of people and Hannah doesnt want to marry any man.
There is issues with Hannah's parents being religious and Hannah being socially awkward. Meli is the person she has been waiting for and she opens up her eyes to a world that she never thought she could have. Thankyou for advanced copy.

Only a Bridesmaid was a really cute fun ad funny read. Extremely light hearted and a quick and unique story. I love a good WLW romance that stands on business. Especially one that is like... kind of friends to lovers. This was a very sweet and short romance. However, i did find there were a couple of problematic plot points that could have been improved on. The main characters fiancé, Eric, was simply just a mean guy. Not a single substance to his growth or personality. The side characters / other bridesmaids weren't very present with their personalities. Those side characters were simply that, characters put to the side to be there for the simple idea of numbers. it would have been nice to have gotten a bit more out of them. Maybe built their personal stories more. There was no resolution with Hannah's parents and not enough physicality between Melli and Hannah. It was good, just no great. But for a short story of just 160 pages, it did stand out.

Quite a sweet story. Certainly the shy lead comes across as rather endearing and the confident one sounds like quite a catch. You have to suspend some disbelief over how quickly they fall for each other, especially given the circumstances, but there again Eric sounds like a man you would want to escape from. A nice enough read, but could have done with a few more bridesmaid scenes and a bit more humour.

A quick and easy read. Overall, a happy story even though I kept scratching my head wondering why Hannah would agree to marry Eric in the first place.


Thank You NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this ARC copy. 3.5 stars

Ten grand to play a fake bridesmaid and a week on a tropical island? Sure! Too bad the groom is an ass and the actual bride is the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen…

I received an advance copy from Netgalley for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the weirdest acting job Meli has ever been offered. Be a bridesmaid to a bride who has apparently no friends of her own. It’s a destination wedding in a tropical paradise and the pay is very, very good. So what’s wrong with this woman? She’s supposedly so socially awkward she needs a professional bridal party. When Meli meets Hannah for the first time, it is at once startlingly clear. Hannah, might have difficulties speaking to people, but she is gorgeous and amazing. It’s clearly the groom, Eric, who is at fault here. Why on earth would someone as special as Hannah even want to marry a guy like that?

Hannah is left by Eric at the meeting with her hired bridesmaids. Oh god, so embarrassing. She could not feel any more awkward, but this is what she has to endure to satisfy her very demanding parents and her extremely controlling fiancé. There are actually four bridesmaids at the table. One who is clearly a superficial bitch, two others who seem nice, and then there is Meli. Somehow Hannah feels immediately at ease with her. Even when Hannah suddenly flees the cafe during an uncomfortable game of truth or dare, Meli has a way to make her feel better. Why would anyone as cool and beautiful as Meli ever want to be friends with Hannah? Is it just because she gets payed to do so?

This is Haley Donell’s debut and let me tell you, she is one new author to watch. This story dives deep into the realities of what it means like to suck at being social. The story is told from both Meli’s and Hannah’s perspectives and that gives an excellent glimpse into their internal processing of the same events. Hannah might be a disaster in social situations, she is very outspoken in her own head. The longer she knows Meli, the more she realizes that she can do so much better than getting stuck in a loveless marriage just to be paraded around to impress Eric’s business contacts.

As Hannah grows more into herself she embraces the fierce woman she actually is. On the inside. Now if only she could be fierce on the outside as well. That’s where Meli comes in. She has a natural understanding of how Hannah seems to work. She is supportive, patient and accepts Hannah exactly as she is. That is just what Hannah needs.

There are a lot of sapphic romances out there where couples just don’t communicate. Only A Bridesmaid is a great example of the opposite. Even though communication isn’t nowhere near Hannah’s strongsuit, these women find a form to communicate openly and honestly despite that. If you expect very explicit spiciness though, you’re not going to find it. For me that wouldn’t have been right for this story anyway.

Let’s talk a little about controlling, deeply religious parents and misogynistic, selfish men. While reading I was horrified to realize these people actually exist in the real world. Parents that do not love their children unconditionally and men that see women as props on their stage. It was very empowering to see Hannah finally breaking free from those chains. She’s a literal ball buster when it comes down to it.

Only A Bridesmaid is a very strong debut novel. It’s sweet, it’s vulnerable and endearing all at the same time!

If you are looking for a shortish novel with pretty much off page intimacy, a bit of personal development and an obvious baddie to dislike this should fit the bill. The book I don’t think is aimed at YA, but it reads like that. Not a criticism, sometimes light and short is ideal.
A reference to the Potterverse, with this writer making their feelings on that writer known. And some other books I didn’t know.

Sometimes you want a novel that is rich in world building and has stakes that are intense and sometimes you want a story about two unlikely people getting together against all odds. Only a bridesmaid is strictly in the second category and while I normally like my romance with a side of vampire slaying, I found myself charmed by its simple premise.
Meli is a struggling actress who is offered one of her most unexpected roles, that of a bridesmaid to a quiet and shy bride Hannah. Meli is hired by Hannah’s fiancé to play the part of a long-time friend to keep up appearances at the wedding but from the moment the two meet there is a spark. The feelings are mutual but for it to go anywhere Hannah is going to have to overcome not only the expectations of her family and fiancé but also the inner doubts that plague her in social situations.
Only a bridesmaid is not a perfect book. The author tell the story using first person perspective for both main characters with them alternating between chapters and I found it took away from the book as the two characters interior voices and the fact that both of them were constantly worried about the thoughts of the other character kind of pulled me out of the story. Also, most of the side characters are not particularly developed but all of this is balanced out by the sheer charm of the banter between the Hannah and Meli. Almost from the start we are rooting for the two of them to get together and for Hannah to be saved from the nightmare that would be her marriage. Donnell also does a masterful job of portraying someone with social anxiety and how that can keep you from sometimes even realizing what could make yourself happy. The book is a light read and is great for anyone who is a fan of the will they or won’t they school of Rom-Coms. This is Helen Donnell’s first novel and I look forward to checking out her future work.

The main characters Meli and Hannah were OK, as the book goes along though there chemistry just doesn't seem to develop as much as I would've liked it to. I get Eric is supposed to end up being the "bad guy" but his entire personality was not my cup of tea but that does make him the right person for a side character named Courtney. The spicy scenes are fade to black, some people like those and some don't, I just happen to fall in the category of those who would rather have the open door scenes if you will. For a debut novel it's good, I would give another chance to the authors future books.

Thanks to NetGalley, Haley Donnell, and Bold Stroke Books for the ARC.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author and unfortunately it will more than likely be the last. The writing was, to be perfectly honest, rough. There was a general lack of description giving it a very rushed feeling and from the very beginning the dialogue was cringe.

Given the plethora of good romance books out there (even sapphic) I cannot recommend this book. This was a dnf after a couple chapters for me.

This is a debut novel by Haley Donnell, without being harsh it does reflect in the style of writing.

The story of shy bride Hannah and rent a bridesmaid Meli, both characters and likeable and they bond as soon as they meet up.

There are secondary characters, but I think HD missed a great opportunity to expand on these.

The story is straightforward and doesn't have much depth to it.

he contents of the book book lack detailed action.

Would I recommend: great if you're looking for a quick, carefree read.

I was given an advance copy to offer an honest review.
Hannah, a very shy woman, is about to be married to the ideal man. The perfect man in her parents' eyes, at least. With the wedding approaching and no close friends, Hannah's future husband hires her bridesmaids, introducing Hannah and Meli. Trouble is, Meli develops a fast crush on the future bride.
This book brings us a love story between two very easily liked main characters, that need to overcome some obstacles to find their way to each other. I'm giving it three stars as for me the best thing about books is how deeply we can explore the characters, their personalities, and their feelings, and there could have been bigger things for them to go through.
Overall, this books is an excellent light read for people who are only looking for a feel-good book with a happy ending.

A very sweet, quick and easy read. This was my first wlw book and it didn’t disappoint! The main characters were so cute and complemented each other really well. The writing is a bit simple and there were times where I wanted a bit more elaboration on scenes or relationships to get deeper into it, like more depth to her parents or fiancée would have been nice. There was also an unrealistic amount of winking but maybe that’s just me lol. The biggest thing for me was that the epilogue felt a bit rushed and I would’ve liked to see more of their new lives, as what did happen was a little predictable (but not bad!), but their new jobs etc would have been interesting as the ending fell a tad flat. It was a bit underwhelming without some elaboration on certain relationships and, as I said, a bit simplistic in nature but still quite enjoyable to read. The MCs are just so cute they distract you from the lesser points, I think. Either way, it was funny and cute and a great book considering it’s the authors debut. I would definitely read another book by her in the future! — thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🤍

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.

Meli is an actress who gets hire by the fiancé of Hannah to be her bridesmaid. It’s not a bad gig because she gets to spend it in Caribbean. Hannah is very shy and basically getting married to Eric for her parents not for herself. Hannah and Meli spend time together and makes Hannah wonder if she should for once follow her own heart or will she let expectations of everyone get in the way. It’s was ok read I like Hannah and her journey her parents and Eric are the worst.

The style of this story has been somewhat childish, in its development, in the behavior of the protagonists, in the profile of the protagonists themselves. All very black or white, good or bad.

It has been difficult to follow Hannah's efforts to fit into her family's standards, despite a distant relationship between them, mainly because the parents are superficial and disrespectful to their own daughter. Shy, introverted Hannah thinks she must marry Eric or she won't have any more chances, she has such low self-esteem. But having to hire bridesmaids because Hannah doesn't have friends who can fill that role is very sad. Hannah has low self-esteem, but lower is the ethics of those around her, family or not.

Meli, one of the bridesmaid for hire, is the opposite of Hannah, open, outgoing, and empathetic, especially with Hannah's social struggles, but she is not as sympathetic to the abusive attitudes of Eric, the groom, and another of the bridesmaids, Crystal. And she managed to get one of her friends, Jen, to also accept the role and accompany her to the Caribbean island where the wedding and its festivities were to be held.

Once everyone was on the island, things became a bit unbelievable, reaching the point of absurdity, and from there until the end it was expected and without surprises.

It's quite confusing that each chapter is written from the point of view of one of the two main protagonists, which is why the first-person paragraphs have been difficult to place.

It hasn't been anything to write home about.