Author: Whitney Lyles
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: February 2004
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Buy the Book: Amazon | BN
Description: What do you do after you walk down the aisle in four weddings in a few months-none of them your own? What's left after you've donned the must-have-not dresses of the season, forked over your cash, and fake-smiled your way through countless photos? After you've dealt with the smashed guest, the smooshed cake, the dashed hopes, and the missed bouquets? That's what Cate Padgett is starting to wonder, as she embarks on stint after stint on the sidelines, watching friends swap bar-hopping for baby-naming...while her own love life goes nowhere fast. But is Cate unwilling to settle down-or just unwilling to settle? And can anyone really judge her if they haven't walked in her dyed-to-match shoes?
Wild, witty, and full of weddings to cry over, Always the Bridesmaid is an endearingly romantic comedy about standing out in the crowd even when everyone's wearing the same celery-green dress...and daring to make every day The Happiest Day of Your Life.
My Thoughts: In Always the Bridesmaid, new-to-me author Whitney Lyles introduces Cate Padgett, a teacher and budding photographer whose résumé could easily include “professional bridesmaid.” After several weddings in as many months, she’s an expert at walking down the aisle—just never toward her own groom. She and her boyfriend, Paul, have been dating for nearly a year, yet neither the “L” word nor a conversation about their future has made an appearance. His cavalier attitude grated on me: Cate seemed less like his partner and more like an optional accessory. Thankfully, she isn’t a pushover. I loved watching her speak her mind and make it clear that a relationship requires more than simply keeping her on the guest list.
During one of her bridesmaid stints, Cate discovers that the caterer is Ethan, an old friend from high school who would happily trade the friend zone for something more. As they reconnect, Ethan shows her what being treated with care actually looks like—a refreshing change from Paul’s approach. I appreciated her reluctance to send mixed signals, but I suspected her certainty was more self-protection than a settled verdict. After Paul, letting someone in probably feels about as sensible as catching a bouquet with a warning label.
I enjoyed the parade of weddings, especially the Halloween celebration where costumes replace the usual wedding finery. That’s one way to make a bridesmaid outfit worth wearing again. This book has been buried in my to-be-read mountain for decades, and now I’m kicking myself for leaving it there so long. It’s the first in a three-book series, which should be read in order—so apparently my reading pile has just acquired two more guests.
Overall, this was a thoroughly fun read with characters I loved—Paul being the conspicuous exception. Weddings are meant to be joyful, but the planning can serve up enough chaos to rival the reception’s open bar. Lyles captures that hilarity beautifully, making Cate’s trips down the aisle entertaining even when they aren’t the trips she hoped for.
My Final Verdict: I happily RSVP “yes” to this funny, charming romance. Between Cate’s backbone, Ethan’s thoughtfulness, and the wedding chaos, there’s plenty to love—Paul can sit at the table nearest the exit. If you enjoy romantic comedies with heart and a heroine who refuses to settle, move Always the Bridesmaid up your reading pile. Mine waited decades for its turn; don’t make yours catch that same bouquet.
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