Title Bridal Boot Camp
Author Meg Cabot
Description from Amazon
Looking for a tropical escape?
Welcome to Little Bridge, one of the smallest—and most beautiful—islands in the Florida Keys, home to sandy white beaches, salt-rimmed margaritas, stunning sunsets, and some of the quirkiest—but also kindest and most resourceful—people you’ll ever meet.
Physical trainer Roberta “Rob” James moved to Little Bridge hoping she’d found paradise, but things haven’t turned out quite as she’d hoped. The closest Rob has come to her “happily ever after” is happy hour at the Mermaid Café with her buddy Bree, the bartender slash waitress who’s got romance problems of her own.
But Rob’s situation suddenly changes when sheriff’s deputy Ryan Martinez accidentally enrolls in her bridal boot camp class. Turning mush into metal in time for the big day is Rob’s passion (because even the happiest bride could use a little toning).
But what happens when a guy who’s all mush meets a girl who’s all metal?
They discover they have a lot to learn . . . about each other, themselves, and the island paradise they’ve come to call home.
Release Date May 28, 2019
Initial Thoughts
I was looking for a quick read to round out October 2020 and I am a big Meg Cabot fan. This sounded like a fun read.
Some Things I Liked
- Novella prequel to a series. I love when authors write bonus novellas to established series. It’s the perfect way to test the water to see if the reader wants to know more.
- Tourist / Bridal theme. I think the theme of this novella (and I’m assuming the series in general) makes for a lot of fun plots.
Some Things I Wasn’t Crazy About
- Due to the length of the novella, the romance was very undeveloped. Since I haven’t read the rest of the series, I’m not sure if the romance is fleshed out more in subsequent sequels but as a story on its own, this romance is not all there.
- Dialogue that was annoying rather than sassy. I found the interactions and particularly the dialogue to be cringeworthy and not fun. This was a huge disappointment since I love the banter in The Princess Diaries.
Series Value
I’m not sure if I’d read this series. It sounds interesting enough but this novella was not my favorite. It certainly did not leave me dying to read the other books.
Final Thoughts
This book was ok. It’s an ambitious undertaking to write a fleshed out romance in such a small number of pages and I don’t think it was completely successful here.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Recommendations for Further Reading
- Island Affair by Priscialla Oliveras – if you enjoyed the island vibes try this full length novel. It’s slated to be the beginning of a series.
- Not That Kind of Guy by Andie J. Christopher – if you liked the bridal and vacation themes, try this standalone novel.
Books Over Everything 