Always the Bridesmaid (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The paranoia all started to kick in when my "baby" sister Suzi came home from Australia last December at the tender age of twenty-four, with..." (more)
Key Phrases: Story Princess, New Year, Father Lucas (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Perfect to take on holiday for those none-too-taxing days by the pool' Ireland on Sunday 'A real girlie page-turner that keeps you amused, entertained and guessing until the final page Belfast Telegraph 'A rollicking hilarious romance. Definitely one to carry on to the plane' RTE Guide --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Description

It's bad enough when your love life is going nowhere fast -- it's worse when everyone else's is soaring!

That's the personal tragedy that appears to have befallen Amy O'Sullivan, asshe careens toward the "Big Three-O" with what she laughingly refers to as a "career" at a dead end. Amy's little sister has come home with her "Golden Delicious" Australian fiancé in tow. Amy's girlfriend Beth is also planning on tying the knot with her own Mr. Right in the near future. And another "friend" has just slept with the man Amy figured she herself might end up marrying! So what's a perennial bridesmaid to do . . . after she's spent more than enough time and energy lying in bed, wallowing in self-pity?Why, move on, of course! She's needed (sort of) at the bookstore where, as"Story Princess," she's expected to enliven young lives, even as her own sinks deeper in the mire.

Then again, perhaps there are actual Prince Charmings out there in the real world. And a pitiful princess never knows what -- or who -- is going to come walking in the door holding the hand of an eager little girl . . .

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Avon A; First Edition edition (February 17, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060571667
• ISBN-13: 978-0060571665
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #411,636 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not typical chick-lit., March 10, 2005

By	Tracy Martin "Grammar Geek" (Washington DC, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm surprised by all the negative reviews that this book has recieved. I will admit that it's not the best book I've ever read, but it's not as horrible as some reviewers make it out to be.

The heroine is not the typical chick-lit heroine, which is probably the reason readers don't like the book. Soon after Amy discovers that her best friend Jodie is sleeping with her ex-fiance, her sister and her best friend announce that they're both getting married within the same week - and they both want Amy to be their bridesmaid. Amy reacts the way that many people would when confronted with such a situation - she refuses to speak to Jodie, goes on drunken binges, and does her best to exact revenge. While she's dealing with this, she also has to help her sister and her friend Beth with their wedding plans.

Amy is not the typical saccharinely sweet chick-lit heroine. Like most real women, she has a mean streak, and can sometimes react to things in ways that aren't neccesarily rational. For me, this made her a character I could relate to, not a character I hated. Amy is unhappy with her job, her personal life, and her situation in general, and the book resolves all the problems in a realistic way, instead of tying them up neatly and unrealistically the way most fairytale chick-lit does. If you're looking for a book that will encourage you to change the things you are unhappy with in your life, I would recommend "Always the Bridesmaid".

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars I really tried....., March 15, 2004

By A Customer

to like this book, I did! However, being a big fan of this genre, this book sounded cute and I was anxious to read it.......well, after about 50 pages I gave up. As the previous reviewer noted, the main charachter is so whiny and complaining and unlikeable, if she sighed or groaned or grumbled one more time I was going to puke! Seriously, she is like one of those friends who is always negative and gets you down and drains the life out of you - aghghggh! Stay away! I think this could have been an enjoyable book, but unfortunately, reading it felt more like a chore. I recommend Rachel's Holiday by Marian Keyes - wonderful book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars serious chick lit character study, February 29, 2004

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

As she closes in on thirty, Amy O'Sullivan wonders how she failed at life. It is bad enough that she just broke up with her boyfriend who is sleeping with an ex friend of hers, but she now lives in her parents' home. Adding to her despondency is her younger sister Suzi has brought an Australian fiancé Matt Street to live with the O'Sullivans and Amy's best friend is engaged too. Perhaps her only satisfaction is her place of employment as the "Story Princess" telling tales to children, but depressingly to Amy none of her own.

Alcohol fails to take the edge off her jealousy that her sibling and buddy are both getting married while she will play second fiddle as a bridesmaid. Her dejection makes her miss a real opportunity with a hunk of a children's author who likes Amy even though she acts nasty towards him. Will she overcome her sad fog to see the light of love or will she remain a melancholy loser?

Sarah Webb enables the audience to see very deeply inside the soul of Amy, but that is a two-edged sword as the audience feels empathy towards her, but they will also dislike her destructive behavior especially how she treats the men in her relationships. Fans of a serious chick lit character study will enjoy this tale in spite of detesting Amy's behavior and hope she will find happiness.

Harriet Klausner