The Bridesmaid - Nina Manning

Genre: Mystery | Womens Fiction | Adult Fiction

Release Date: Expected 27th May 2021

A lot has changed in Sashas life as the years passed but one thing has always remained - Caitlin. They've been best friends since the moment they met as children and Sasha knew she would always do whatever it takes to make sure Caitlin is happy - from sneaking in magazines she wasn't allowed to read to keeping her darkest secrets.

Caitlin is the type of woman everybody is drawn to - she's successful and wealthy, but there's also just something about her that draws people in. She's the life and soul of every room she walks into, but she still chooses to be with Sasha even though she's the complete opposite of everything Caitlin is.

And now, Caitlin is getting married and it goes without saying that Sasha is going to be by her side and make sure the wedding is as perfect as Caitlin is. But as the day draws nearer, cracks start to appear in the foundation of their relationship and it doesn't matter how hard she tries she just can't seem to make Caitlin happy anymore. But Sasha thinks she might know exactly what's coming between them.

Their secrets have always kept them together - but could they be the thing that finally breaks them apart?

The Bridesmaid is a story about obsession and compulsion - about the intense power dynamics and toxicity that can seep into relationships and take over. Could a lifelong friendship really be something more sinister than it seems on the surface, and why? The stark contrast between our friends and illustrated expertly to an uncomfortable intensity - their class divide, their wealth, their hopes.

Journeying through the different timelines in their lives - their present day lives getting ready for the wedding and many years ago when their friendship and their secrets first began and we slowly unravel their history and learn the things they're hiding from the world and from each other.

This was an excellent and tense depiction of toxic, obsessive friendships and betrayal - the characters both utterly detestable and lovable all at once and I loved the idea of this story. But for me, as I progressed through the pages I slowly began to become less enthralled in their world. I found it moving too slowly and as we approached the conclusion there wasn't the climax I was hoping for and instead an unquiet calm when the final secrets come to the surface - it felt like nothing was resolved and left me feeling slightly deflated. But all in all, this was a great mystery - and I think it will hit hard for a lot of readers.

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Nina Manning, Boldwood Books, and Netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

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