Another Review at MyShelf.Com

Publisher: Avon / HarperCollins
Release Date: February 17, 2004
ISBN: 0060571667
Awards:  
Format Reviewed: Paperback
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Genre: Adult fiction / Chick Lit. [Dublin, Ireland]
Reviewed: 2004
Reviewer: Lynda E. Lukow
Reviewer Notes: Sexual content: Sweet (mild) 
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Always the Bridesmaid
By Sarah Webb


       Amy O'Sullivan, the Story Princess in a Dublin bookshop, no longer believes in "happily ever after." Her thirtieth birthday is just around the corner. Her job is okay, but it's not how she dreamed of spending the rest of her life. Her ex-fiancé, Jack, has started dating one of her best friends behind her back, and they appear happier together than Amy and Jack ever were. Amy's younger sister and other best friend have found the men of their dreams, but her own love life has no viable prospects. So what does she do when both ask her to stand up at their weddings? She attempts to be the best bridesmaid she can, between her bouts with the blues.

      "Always the Bridesmaid" relates an embroidered look into Amy's unsatisfactory existence. Throughout the majority of the novel she languishes in self-pity and sabotages everyone's attempts to brighten her life. She eventually strives to improve her lot, but not until an unlikely source offers the right encouragement.

      Beautiful descriptions of life in Ireland, Amy's holiday in Rome, and the weddings almost compensate for the depressing, albeit honest, view of solo life. The few humorous scenes, especially Amy's attempt at revenge, save the novel from melodrama. Well-conceived characters shove the attentive plot along, but the end appears like a better place to begin. Newly single readers may find "Always the Bridesmaid" a great source for commiseration on a lonely Saturday night, but readers looking for "happily ever after" might want to wait for a (hopefully cheerier) sequel.