Review: Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid by Jennifer Rae

Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid by Jennifer Rae
Publisher: Harlequin KISS
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781460324196
Release Date: January 1, 2014
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N

Olivia Matthews is ready to let loose! Armed with tight dresses and a perfect tan, the Aussie bridesmaid is ready to take England by storm. Or at least ready to have a good time at her best friend’s wedding. But from the first, nothing goes as planned. The only appealing part of the weekend is the groom’s brother, the sexy Mr. Darcy-ish Edward Winchester. Now if only Olivia could convince Edward to give into their mutual desire and enjoy a fling that could turn into so much more…

Society weddings and familial tension are a combustible pairing before you throw in an outsider, so it’s no surprise that Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid has drama to spare. Romancing blooming in the midst of a chaotic wedding weekend is nothing new, but author Jennifer Rae makes it feel fresh, thanks mostly to her leading lady. Olivia just about broke my heart. She’s always been seen as second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) best when compared to her near-perfect sister and her friends. As a result, Olivia is insecure about her looks and is determined to try and be the kind of woman men find attractive. Needless to say, it’s Olivia’s true self Edward falls for and what I liked best about Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid was watching him peel back the party girl persona Olivia wears like armor to find the woman underneath.

While Olivia herself made Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid impossible to put down, the story as a whole was a bit of a letdown. I grew frustrated with the push-pull between Edward and Olivia and their romance never quite drew me in. The secondary characters (Edward’s sister, Bunny, in particular) grated on my nerves more often than not. Still, Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid wasn’t a bad read, just not a story I think I’ll re-read. However, I liked Olivia so much that even though Confessions of a Bad Bridesmaid wasn’t for me, I’ll be giving another one of Ms. Rae’s books a try.