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cassire's review against another edition
4.0
Always a Bridesmaid was a cute read. The hero is a firefighter. Yum! The heroine is in town visiting her sister and niece. Life has gotten her down. She is taking some time to be with family and help redesign her sister’s bakery. This book gave me all the small town romance vibes. Plus it has cute puppies. The characters have roots. Friends and family are woven throughout the book. I closed this book feeling light and happy with a smile on my face.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
kidisitor's review against another edition
4.0
This is filled with lots of sweet cuteness! There are puppies and babies involved afterall! :) Him and her both have an aversion to love. Her, because of a past relationship gone bad and him because of the environment he had while growing up. They both also seem to be the 'black sheep' not only of their families but also of the town. The outcasts if you will. Not really due to any fault of their own. Neither are looking for anything, but after constantly being thrown together, they form a friendship of sorts and slowly let the walls crumble around them, but only one will be strong enough to sweep away the rubble completely. Both are good, kind people. Both struggle with their own personal demons. There is a lot of humor throughout the book. Lots of awwww moments. The story flows smoothly and quickly. While the characters may have lots of internal turmoil, it is a light-hearted read. And as I mentioned, sweet. There is minimal sexual content. While this is a stand alone, it follows 'Just One of the Groomsmen' and you'll see many of the same characters.
*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.
*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.
amyma's review
5.0
Always a Bridesmaid (Getting Hitched in Dixie #2) by Cindi Madsen was a thoroughly fun and engaging read that did get steamy a couple of times. This is the second in a series, but would work perfectly as a standalone. I have read the first book and appreciated the expanded backstory from doing so. Always a Bridesmaid kept me wanting to come back for more to see what was going to happen next in the lives of Violet and Ford. I loved the main characters, Violet was quirky and adorable, while Ford was a super handsome firefighter and loves dogs and puppies. The small town where they live, Uncertainty, seems like a cute place, especially with the descriptions given of a few of the shops and areas. I sure hope there is a third book in this series, there is a police officer that could use a romance next time around. Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC and NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions stated are mine.
mags_louise's review against another edition
4.0
4.25⭐
Always a Bridesmaid is the perfect book to take with you, if you're spending the day at your local beach or even in your local park. As it's such an enjoyable, engaging, and amusing read, full of varied and interesting characters, and it has a romance that's fun, light, and sweet. Not to mention it's whimsical and charming, and just everything a small town story should be. And I was completely enamoured throughout.
Would happily recommend.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review**
Always a Bridesmaid is the perfect book to take with you, if you're spending the day at your local beach or even in your local park. As it's such an enjoyable, engaging, and amusing read, full of varied and interesting characters, and it has a romance that's fun, light, and sweet. Not to mention it's whimsical and charming, and just everything a small town story should be. And I was completely enamoured throughout.
Would happily recommend.
**I was kindly provided with an ARC via Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review**
aliciasplendeur's review against another edition
5.0
Violet has been a bridesmaid seven times. She was sure her wedding day was near until she found her fiance with another woman in his arms. She heads to Uncertainty to help her sister redesign her bakery, spend time with her niece and to try to find her muse again. Upon arriving she almost starts a fire.
Ford Macguire does search and rescue, trains puppies and fights fires, so he doesn't have time for distractions. But she's a really cute distraction. And he gets her to help him with the puppy training and his "man of honor" duties just to spend more time with her. As they begin to fall in love he lets his insecurities push her away.
Loved their banter and how he just accepted who she was, unlike her ex. The scenes with the puppies are of course adorable. Especially Trouble.
This is the second book in the Getting Hitched in Dixie series and can be read as a standalone.
I'm looking forward to the next book and now I'm going to go back and read Addie and Tucker's book.
ARC provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley
Ford Macguire does search and rescue, trains puppies and fights fires, so he doesn't have time for distractions. But she's a really cute distraction. And he gets her to help him with the puppy training and his "man of honor" duties just to spend more time with her. As they begin to fall in love he lets his insecurities push her away.
Loved their banter and how he just accepted who she was, unlike her ex. The scenes with the puppies are of course adorable. Especially Trouble.
This is the second book in the Getting Hitched in Dixie series and can be read as a standalone.
I'm looking forward to the next book and now I'm going to go back and read Addie and Tucker's book.
ARC provided by Entangled Publishing via NetGalley
annarella's review against another edition
4.0
The perfect story for this bleak times: sweet, entertaining and engrossing.
I liked the lovely setting and puppies, the likeable characters and I couldn't help rooting for them, the well crafted plot that flows.
I can't wait to read another story by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
I liked the lovely setting and puppies, the likeable characters and I couldn't help rooting for them, the well crafted plot that flows.
I can't wait to read another story by this author.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
oncemorewithreading's review against another edition
4.0
Always a Bridesmaid is the second book in Getting Hitched in Dixie series but can be read as a standalone which is what I did. I never once felt like I missing information or plot points from not reading Just One of The Groomsmen but I can assure you that I’m going to be picking it up very soon because I absolutely adored this group of friends and these main characters.
Violet is an incredibly likeable character who is easy to relate to. She’s been hurt but she’s still so strong and stands up for what she believes in. I also really liked Ford and how hard he tries to prove that he isn’t like the rest of his family. He works hard and is so caring that he honestly screams ‘perfect man’, at least for me! However, lets be honest that real shining star of this novel was Trouble. That German Shephard stole the show and I couldn’t help but smile when he was in the scene.
This was a super cute, steamy and romantic book that I would definitely recommend if you’re a fan of banter, adventure and friendships. This was my first Cindi Madsen book and it will not be my last. Always a Bridesmaid was a well written and fun read that I already want to read the next book in this series (as well as Just One of The Groomsmen).
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Violet is an incredibly likeable character who is easy to relate to. She’s been hurt but she’s still so strong and stands up for what she believes in. I also really liked Ford and how hard he tries to prove that he isn’t like the rest of his family. He works hard and is so caring that he honestly screams ‘perfect man’, at least for me! However, lets be honest that real shining star of this novel was Trouble. That German Shephard stole the show and I couldn’t help but smile when he was in the scene.
This was a super cute, steamy and romantic book that I would definitely recommend if you’re a fan of banter, adventure and friendships. This was my first Cindi Madsen book and it will not be my last. Always a Bridesmaid was a well written and fun read that I already want to read the next book in this series (as well as Just One of The Groomsmen).
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
adventureinlit's review against another edition
5.0
Through many breakfasts, lunches and dozens of cups of cozy coffee, I felt a fondness for Violet Abrams that was very much like reading my own story. A quirky woman who struggles to pay attention but is amazingly artistic, has her heart broken by the man she devoted so many years of her life to when she catches him in the act of cheating on her.
After that horrifying experience changed the entire course of her life and has put a huge dent in her own creativity, she relocates back to her families hometown of Uncertainty, Alabama. This comes with many challenges as she’s actually the illegitimate daughter of the town’s Mayor and has a very strained relationship with her family there, but it’s the only place she can go.
Her first day back and she’s trying to lay low, but she sets a small fire in her half sister’s bakery and the responding firefighter Ford Maguire is more than she ever bargained for. Navigating their attraction to each other and all the strings that are attached will be the biggest challenge either of them have had to face.
While these characters are part of a contemporary romance, I would say they provided a unique experience of character flaws and quirks that I greatly enjoyed. Violet is presented as this incredibly distracted and quirky woman who likes to experience freedom but has lived this life of always having to fit some expected standard and Ford brings out her more adventurous side.
Ford has his own set of challenges as well and that comes in the form of being scared to death of commitments because he watched his drunken father go through several failed marriages and his brothers didn’t fall far from the family tree either.
These two love interests have a lot of hurdles in front of them and their journey of exploring desire, attraction and longing were a fantastic ride of emotions and excitement. The sex was hot and the attraction palpable through each page.
This is a 2020 romance release you won’t want to miss out on!
Trigger warnings worthy of mention include alcoholism, infidelity and broken families. These are not heavily focused on throughout the story and don’t make up too much of it, but these dynamics are present, so if any of these are an issue for you, I’d say tread lightly with this book but they shouldn’t be a problem.
After that horrifying experience changed the entire course of her life and has put a huge dent in her own creativity, she relocates back to her families hometown of Uncertainty, Alabama. This comes with many challenges as she’s actually the illegitimate daughter of the town’s Mayor and has a very strained relationship with her family there, but it’s the only place she can go.
Her first day back and she’s trying to lay low, but she sets a small fire in her half sister’s bakery and the responding firefighter Ford Maguire is more than she ever bargained for. Navigating their attraction to each other and all the strings that are attached will be the biggest challenge either of them have had to face.
While these characters are part of a contemporary romance, I would say they provided a unique experience of character flaws and quirks that I greatly enjoyed. Violet is presented as this incredibly distracted and quirky woman who likes to experience freedom but has lived this life of always having to fit some expected standard and Ford brings out her more adventurous side.
Ford has his own set of challenges as well and that comes in the form of being scared to death of commitments because he watched his drunken father go through several failed marriages and his brothers didn’t fall far from the family tree either.
These two love interests have a lot of hurdles in front of them and their journey of exploring desire, attraction and longing were a fantastic ride of emotions and excitement. The sex was hot and the attraction palpable through each page.
This is a 2020 romance release you won’t want to miss out on!
Trigger warnings worthy of mention include alcoholism, infidelity and broken families. These are not heavily focused on throughout the story and don’t make up too much of it, but these dynamics are present, so if any of these are an issue for you, I’d say tread lightly with this book but they shouldn’t be a problem.
saschadarlington's review against another edition
3.0
I really (mostly) enjoyed this second book, Always a Bridesmaid, in Cindi Madsen’s Getting Hitched in Dixie. Ford, a fireman/paramedic/S&R/little league coach/puppy trainer, is sexy and sweet and Violet is warm, smart, self-aware; her ADD adds a quirky layer to her character.
Trouble and his littermates and Pyro, the S&R dog, all add such a wonderfully sweet dimension to this book. And, I was so very happy to see the extent that Addie, the MC from the previous Getting Hitched book Just One of the Groomsmen, participated in this book. She is probably my favorite ever Madsen character.
read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2020/06/04/review-of-always-a-bridesmaid/#.Xtlc1jpKhPY
Trouble and his littermates and Pyro, the S&R dog, all add such a wonderfully sweet dimension to this book. And, I was so very happy to see the extent that Addie, the MC from the previous Getting Hitched book Just One of the Groomsmen, participated in this book. She is probably my favorite ever Madsen character.
read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2020/06/04/review-of-always-a-bridesmaid/#.Xtlc1jpKhPY
lenoreo's review
4.0
https://celebrityreaders.com/2020/05/26/always-a-bridesmaid-by-cindi-madsen/
I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4.5 stars — The banter and playfulness between Violet and Ford was BAR NONE my favourite part of this book. It just delighted me the witty rejoinders they would come up with. I laughed out loud at a few of them. They both had stellar senses of humour.
I felt for the number that Violet’s ex had done on her self esteem — and not just on her appearance, but on her quirks too. I loved the way her ADHD was portrayed, because lately I’ve come to believe that perhaps I suffer in a very similar way. I always thought there was just something wrong with me, and like Violet I felt HORRIBLE when my mind would wander and I couldn’t stop it. Basically I related to her a LOT. I loved that she really put herself out there with Ford — she was wary and scared, but she didn’t let that stop her from a potential for something good. That was really refreshing.
The funny thing is, often it’s the heroine’s hang ups that get in the way of the couple, and it totally could have gone that way with these two. But it was Ford who couldn’t get out of his own head and messed things up. I was a bit bummed with how long it took him to figure things out, and that he didn’t go to his friends about his problems. I sort of got it from his childhood perspective, but it just bummed me out a bit, you know? I guess I just didn’t feel his hang ups as much as I probably should have I think. Not sure if that makes sense. It felt like his problems with his dad and brothers were more told than shown. I needed something more to really connect with him on that, and not just be annoyed with him. Despite all that, Ford was ridiculously adorable. He was funny, caring, a great friend, and very motivated to help others.
Obviously I loved the two of them together, when they were really together and not worrying. They had great chemistry, from friendship to more.
I loved learning about Violet’s past, and seeing how she and Maisy were developing a relationship. I loved that side story. I always love the group of friends that Ford has, and I loved seeing Violet welcomed into that. The wedding stuff was hilarious at times, and provided a lot of opportunities for fun and hijinks. And I LOVED the puppy training, particularly Violet’s love affair with Trouble.
So yeah. It was definitely what I was needing to read — something with both lightness and depth, something to make me feel good.
I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.
4.5 stars — The banter and playfulness between Violet and Ford was BAR NONE my favourite part of this book. It just delighted me the witty rejoinders they would come up with. I laughed out loud at a few of them. They both had stellar senses of humour.
I felt for the number that Violet’s ex had done on her self esteem — and not just on her appearance, but on her quirks too. I loved the way her ADHD was portrayed, because lately I’ve come to believe that perhaps I suffer in a very similar way. I always thought there was just something wrong with me, and like Violet I felt HORRIBLE when my mind would wander and I couldn’t stop it. Basically I related to her a LOT. I loved that she really put herself out there with Ford — she was wary and scared, but she didn’t let that stop her from a potential for something good. That was really refreshing.
The funny thing is, often it’s the heroine’s hang ups that get in the way of the couple, and it totally could have gone that way with these two. But it was Ford who couldn’t get out of his own head and messed things up. I was a bit bummed with how long it took him to figure things out, and that he didn’t go to his friends about his problems. I sort of got it from his childhood perspective, but it just bummed me out a bit, you know? I guess I just didn’t feel his hang ups as much as I probably should have I think. Not sure if that makes sense. It felt like his problems with his dad and brothers were more told than shown. I needed something more to really connect with him on that, and not just be annoyed with him. Despite all that, Ford was ridiculously adorable. He was funny, caring, a great friend, and very motivated to help others.
Obviously I loved the two of them together, when they were really together and not worrying. They had great chemistry, from friendship to more.
I loved learning about Violet’s past, and seeing how she and Maisy were developing a relationship. I loved that side story. I always love the group of friends that Ford has, and I loved seeing Violet welcomed into that. The wedding stuff was hilarious at times, and provided a lot of opportunities for fun and hijinks. And I LOVED the puppy training, particularly Violet’s love affair with Trouble.
So yeah. It was definitely what I was needing to read — something with both lightness and depth, something to make me feel good.