On the surface, Alice has her life together. She's got a job in music she loves; she's firmly sober; and she's grateful to be back in the good graces of her ex-girlfriend-once-best-friend-now-literal-only-friend Gin. Just in time, too, because Gin's getting married this summer! And Alice gets to be a bridesmaid.
If only the maid-of-honor wasn't Renee Type-A, the opposite of her in every way, and a long-time Alice-hater who's clung to her animosity like a leech. Every second Alice spends around Renee makes her feel like who she used to be, rather than the person she’s spent years trying to make herself into—and she doesn’t want to be reminded of her younger self any more than she wants to be thinking, more constantly than she wants to admit, about her hair, her lips, her wit.... No, Alice has her own stuff to figure out. She still loves music, but her career feels directionless. She’s grieving the loss of her father just a year ago, to alcohol. And then she finds out that her mother's started to date her father’s ex-bandmate, which sends her reeling…and with the wedding just around the corner, she doesn't want to bother Gin about any of it.
It's pure chance that Renee runs into Alice, just when she needs someone the most—and suddenly, everything shifts. Neither of them are what they assumed the other to be. Over the days and nights they’re spending helping Gin throw a DIY summer wedding of epic proportions, Alice and Renee discover that though they have nothing in common—that might be precisely what each of them need.
Heartfelt and hopeful, For the Bride is a banter-filled sapphic romance with deep emotional resonance about found family, second chances, and finding love in the unexpected. (Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.)
For the Bride was one of those reading experiences that flowed effortlessly for me. Alice had a lot of wit and charm, making it easy to fall into her as the primary character, with plenty of flaws that made me want to know more about her. We learn that she’s been grieving hard after the loss of her father, seeing a lot of herself in the choices he’d made. It’s what makes her want to focus on sobriety. For so long she’s been classic Alice; the one who parties into oblivion and causes all sorts of chaos for those around her. But a lot can change and she’s been sober for three years. Not everyone has gotten the memo, though.
Renee can’t stand Alice. She remembers how Alice used to be, particularly with her close friend Gin, so there is absolutely no way she’ll ever give Alice any slack. It was obvious that there is no love lost between the two characters, with Renee coming on as a very opinionated and at times, overbearing personality, and Alice fledgling around, trying desperately to prove how much she’s changed. Ultimately, one moment provides both of them the clarity they need to see that there is more to it than previous judgements and conclusions, and slowly over the chapters, they develop a closeness between them.
Watching them fall for one another was really sweet to read. I also appreciated how old habits can die hard, making it tough for Alice to trust in Renee fully. It was also interesting how Renee had some secrets of her own she wanted to keep hidden, highlighting even more on the vast differences that make up this budding romance. It was nice to see that despite their contrasting economic backgrounds and how Renee is type A and Alice is type B (maybe with a little C mixed in for good measure), they still try. Without trust, though, it might be tough to ever move forward.
The romance was beautiful, but the friendships and partnerships were even better. Alice comes full circle with former bandmates, friends, and even family members, trying to get past her grief and live as fully as she can. Writing notes and letters to her dad was a nice touch, allowing her to keep who he was alive through her memories and the music he created. The ending felt well-deserved and worth the space Alice needed, making me yearn for my own place like The Outpost–it’s Alice’s home away from home, the dwelling her father and his bandmates have made Alice’s sanctuary, and the place where she will always be herself–not classic Alice, but the real Alice. For the Bride is a worthy five-star read!
Thanks to Viking for the book in exchange for an honest review.
Also by Becca Grischow: I'll Get Back to You
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