Named as “One of the 25 Best Books of Summer 2021” by Frolic
“An appealing debut with depth and heart that fans of Jennifer Weiner will enjoy.” —Library Journal
“Whether you’ve been a bridesmaid a dozen times or somehow avoided the whole mess, For the Love of Friends is not to be missed. Funny and touching, Sara Goodman Confino has created a story that’s as wild as a good bachelorette party and as romantic as a first dance. I gobbled it up like wedding cake!” —Kelly Harms, Washington Post bestselling author of The Overdue Life of Amy Byler
“When Lily Weiss agrees to be a bridesmaid in five weddings over six weeks, she finds herself and her bank account stretched to the breaking point in this hilarious novel filled with bridal meltdowns, handsome and obnoxious groomsmen, meddling mamas, wayyyyy too much Spanx, and one supposed-to-be-anonymous blog that allows Lily to vent. Sara Goodman Confino hits every note just right, with pitch-perfect dialogue and a healthy, fun dose of snark, along with plenty of love and warmth. A laugh-out-loud read.” —Maddie Dawson, Washington Post bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners
“For the Love of Friends is a delightful escape from reality—27 Dresses meets Mean Girls. The perfect mix of hilarious, outrageous, and thoughtful, with a deeply relatable heroine. An unputdownable must-read!” —Suzy Krause, bestselling author of Sorry I Missed You
“Amid a flurry of ‘I dos,’ bridesmaid Lily Weiss navigates five weddings in six weeks—her saving grace the Bridesmania blog she writes exposing the high stakes and high costs of wedding culture for those in the throes and woes of love. With Lily’s love life woven throughout, our bighearted heroine’s misguided attempts at bridesmaid wizardry will engage readers invited to attend this rollicking—and at times emotionally bruising—march down multiple aisles. Say yes to this story about self-reflection, forgiveness, and, ultimately, courageous leaps of faith, written with wit and razor-sharp truth. A real gem of a bridesmaid tale!” —Julie Valerie, bestselling author of Holly Banks Full of Angst and The Peculiar Fate of Holly Banks
07/01/2021
DEBUT Lily Weiss, a single 32-year-old, writes press releases for a science foundation in Washington, DC; it pays the bills but isn't exactly exciting. Lily's work bestie is the first to ask her to be a bridesmaid. Then Megan, Lily's best friend from childhood, asks her to be the maid of honor in her wedding. A third request comes from her college roommate. Then in short order, both of Lily's younger siblings get engaged. That makes five weddings (and five wedding roles for Lily) in six weeks. As Lily navigates the fraught waters of the weddings, the brides demand more and more of her time and money. Lily quickly realizes she's going to need more cash— and fast. To generate income and flex her creative writing skills, Lily starts a blog in which she vents about the brides. She begins to resent these close friends, and the tone of her blog gets snarkier. When her posts go viral on Buzzfeed, Lily must figure out how to make amends and maintain a burgeoning romantic relationship. VERDICT This is an appealing debut with depth and heart that fans of Jennifer Weiner will enjoy. Recommended for all public library fiction collections.—Kristen Stewart, Pearland Lib., Brazoria Cty. Lib. Syst., TX
2021-03-17
Demanding brides, body-shaming bridesmaids, momzillas, and one woman caught in the middle of it all.
Lily Weiss is a 32-year-old aspiring writer who has a gift for turning the complicated scientific discoveries at the foundation she works for into digestible press releases. When Lily, single, much to her mother’s dismay, finds herself as a bridesmaid in not one, not two, but five weddings (including both of her younger siblings!), she decides to take matters into her own hands and creates a blog about her experiences. Documenting every cruel jape from entitled brides and fellow bridesmaids and the thousands of dollars she is compelled to spend on dresses, lavish bridal showers, and minimizing bras, Lily does not hold back about her experiences: “Bride A, which apparently stands for Asshole, went so far beyond the realm of human comprehension today....Not only did she suggest I get Botox—literally, she told me to put poison in my face—but she also expects me to shell out two grand for her bachelorette weekend AT THE RITZ.” But as Lily’s love life becomes more complicated—a drunken night with a creepy groomsman makes her hesitant to take a chance on recently divorced Alex—and as her moral compass starts nagging at her (should she really be anonymously documenting the private lives of those involved, including members of her own family?), Lily begins to realize she is not blameless in this bridal party hell. Frequently mistaking nastiness for wit, Lily’s blog and inner monologue can be difficult to read. However, the author does a decent job of bringing Lily to a moral reckoning that is ultimately satisfying.
A "What Not To Do" for any prospective bridesmaid.
