| Title | : | It Takes Two (Bridesmaids Behaving Badly, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 385 |
| Publication | : | First published June 26, 2018 |
All's fair in love and war
Wendy Liu should be delighted to be her best friend's maid of honor. But after years spent avoiding the bride's brother - aka the boy who once broke her heart - she's now trapped with him during an endless amount of wedding festivities. Luckily she's had time to perfect her poker face, and engaging Noah Denning in a little friendly competition might just prove that she's over him for good...
Noah Denning is determined to make his little sister's wedding memorable. But it seems Wendy is trying to outdo him at every turn. Challenging each other was always something he and Wendy did right, so when she proposes they compete to see who can throw the best bachelor or bachelorette party in Sin City, Noah takes the bait - and ups the stakes. Because this time around, he wants Wendy for keeps. And when you're fighting for love, all bets are off. The Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series: One and Only It Takes Two Three Little Words
It Takes Two (Bridesmaids Behaving Badly, #2) Reviews
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Favorite Quotes:
Maybe this hadn’t been a good idea. Maybe the correct number of times a man should accompany his little sister wedding dress shopping was actually zero… And, ignorant as he was about such matters, he’d had no idea how long it took to put one of those things on— or how many helpers it required. Each new dress required a small army of overly Botoxed women in Chanel suits to carry it into the fitting room, and, from the sound of things, to hoist it onto Jane.
She still thinks she’s doing the ‘low-key’ thing… So she can’t get too out of control because that will violate her image of herself and create a disturbance in the force.
“One and done. Two and through.” That was Gia’s motto…
“We have a nice ‘hot for teacher’ experience. Or we do a Los Alamos package— your dancer will arrive attired in a scientific lab coat and hand out sex toys emblazoned with the phrase ‘Caution: nuclear fallout.’” Wendy cracked up. A person really could order up anything in Vegas, it seemed.
“I have no plans to get married either.” Gia raised her glass again as if to punctuate the point. “But ‘spinster’ implies, like, dust and cobwebs.” She made a vague gesture at her body. “Ain’t nothing getting dusty here.”
My Review:
I have hit my favorite jam with this delightful series and will profess to be near gleeful with the knowledge of having the next book already locked and loaded on my kindle for immediate perusal. Every book in this beguiling series has been an expertly balanced mix of clever levity; smart, endearing, yet somewhat emotionally damaged characters; insightfully observant, smooth and alluring writing that hits all the feels; volcanic sensual scenes; and engaging and Pez related storylines. It feels like nirvana. I do hope Jenny Holiday isn't easily startled, as she seems to have gained a rather rabid fangirl. -
Jenny Holiday is a new to me author that I started reading a couple of months ago. Her new series, Bridesmaids Behaving Badly centers around a group of friends who are bridesmaids in each other’s weddings. I really liked the first book in the series, One and Only, and of the standout characters I enjoyed in the book was Jane’s best friend, Wendy and her unrequited feelings for Jane’s older brother Noah. It Takes Two is their story. And let me tell you: I swooned and cried and smiled all the way because this book was fabulous.
“Was this what being in love was like—being in a musical?”
It Takes Two has everything I want in my romance:
Firstly, it features a stubborn, prickly heroine who is hiding a soft gooey center. Wendy has abandonment issues and a slew of other issues that made me want to give her a hug. She’s also smart, loyal, and a good friend to her girlfriends.
Secondly, Noah is a caretaker hero who is endearing and solid, and just an all around great guy to have in your life. Sure, he was a bit clueless in the beginning (hello! He’s a guy!) but I never got the idea that he was hurtful or mean towards Wendy.
Thirdly, and my most favorite of all, is the strong bond between these 4 female friends. I LOVE female friendship in books. Seriously. Romance books should feature more women supporting other women. This book is filled with so much love and affection between female friends. I just loved reading about these girls and their devotion to each other.
And last but not the least, it has two of my favorite tropes: unrequited love and in-love-with-bestfriend’s-brother. I, a seasoned romance reader who loves her tropes, am predisposed to like this book. No question about it. This book was written for readers like me.
My only gripe about this book, and this is a minor one and it’s probably just me, is that the middle and towards the end lagged a bit in terms of pacing. It rebounded with the ending but I just noticed how the story slowed down a bit in the middle. While it didn’t affect my enjoyment for the book that much considering I still really enjoyed it, I’m mentioning it here to give other readers a heads up.
Other than that, It Takes Two was everything I was hoping for. I enjoyed it and if you like the things I mentioned above, you might enjoy this one, too!
I voluntarily accepted and reviewed an ARC provided by the publisher. -
DNF at 31% (after initially quitting at 17% and then trying again)
I know, I know. I said I was thisclose to DNFing the first one and how amazed I was that it got better and how glad I was for not quitting on it but oh man. This one feels worse. We have yet another bridezilla but this time she's convinced she's subverting all bridezilla tropes by being obsessed with doing things lowkey -- including creating a wedding website full of lowkey information and lowkey questionnaires and lowkey portraits and omg; this is, of course, Jane, from book one, who just experienced similar nonsense with the first bridezilla. Cue eye twitch from basically page one.
I was not drawn in by Wendy or Noah, Jane's protective and caring and Man of the House brother, and the unresolved but mutual (?) childhood crush or 'woe is me he did this not really all that terrible thing when we were eighteen I must avoid him for the rest of my life' issues Wendy keeps fixating on. I'll admit the extra fifteen-ish percent didn't annoy me overly much but neither was it interesting and to be honest I mostly skimmed it. There was a Josh Groban concert and an epiphany where Noah realized the cologne he'd been wearing since he was a teen actually smelled like pine. Sigh.
I'm also disappointed because in less than twenty percent I went from liking Jane (from book one) to.. not liking her at all anymore. So I'd rather keep my happy feelings of the first book intact and just throw in the towel here.
I think I'm tapping out of this series. -
This is second in a series and I think the friend setup and developments from the first are important before starting this one.
I kept reading this long after I was done with it, if you know what I mean. There are two aspects of this that grated on me and I could only edit one in my head. We're all affected by painful events in our pasts. Things that happen when we are young sometimes have profound life-altering effects and that shows up in romances all the time. As it should. But sometimes, authors want us to buy characters who haven't substantially changed in literally half a lifetime. This story has thirty-somethings who are in the same emotional place they were in high school. Which means that they haven't evolved or learned or recovered for over a decade and a half. And that's just too stinking long. Yeah, people plod on in ruts but they don't stay in the exact same emotional place. Life is too dynamic to remain still so having these characters still on the same trajectory without realizing that's what they're doing? Yeah, that doesn't work for me. Fortunately, I can generally edit that in my head by mentally subtracting a decade and moving on.
What I couldn't edit in my head is that these two idiots just don't talk. Which is ironic because they're both lawyers and essentially make their living by talking. Having them both be complete cowards unable to simply discuss things that are important to them was frustrating by the novel's midpoint. I have no idea why I continued as far as I did (I'm past the three quarters point before finally giving up).
Additional aggravations were the stunningly poor cover copy (which mentions stuff that still hasn't happened at the three-quarters point, namely ). And developments that were awfully sophomoric for supposedly successful attorneys who go on and on about how smart they are and how much each loves that the other can "challenge" them intellectually. Oh, and this book has to make Jane stupid and petty so that she can become the bridezilla of the story. And I kind of hated that (though Cameron is still worth swooning over).
It's not all bad. There are some excellent exchanges and some of the challenging of each other does sparkle. Still, it's not enough to justify having pushed on as long as I did, let alone trying to give this more than the one-star I'm ending up with. -
I have so many issues with this book. :(
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It Takes Two by Jenny Holiday is the second delightful romance in her Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series. This one is a best friend’s sibling trope romance and again revolves around what happens with a group of women friends in the weeks leading up to a wedding.
Wendy Liu is happy for her best friend Jane, she really is – or at least she’s trying to be. Jane is marrying Cameron (they met in the first in the series One and Only), someone Wendy isn’t sure is suited to Jane. Wendy and Jane have been friends since they were kids, members of the Dead Dads club, and supportive of each other throughout all their troubles. In fact, Jane’s older brother Noah had taken on the responsibility of caring for Wendy like another sister, though as Wendy became a teenager her feelings towards Noah had become decidedly not brotherly. When Noah agrees to take her to the prom but then ends up working a double shift, the humiliation is the beginning of a transformation for Wendy. She’s never forgiven Noah for the slight, and the approaching wedding means she’s going to have to play nice with him until it’s over.
Noah is a lawyer, like Wendy, though they are on opposite sides of the bench as Noah is a prosecutor and Wendy is a defense attorney. They’ve scarcely seen each other for the last several years, though when they are in the same room they spar like worthy adversaries. In fact, it sets off some other sparks as well. A trip to New York where ‘what happens in New York stays in New York’ results in some sexy times, and the start of a secret affair. As Jane and Cameron’s wedding gets closer, will Wendy find a way to let go of the hurts of the past and take a chance on a future with Noah?
The concept of this series is really fun! I loved the first in the series, and this one is equally good. The women friends are all coping with the bride’s determination to pull off the perfect wedding. Jane’s ‘low-key’ wedding keeps ramping up a notch, a very amusing turn of events after the more ‘bridezilla’ type of bride in One and Only. The friendship between the now two unmarried women, Wendy and supermodel Gia is one where they can commiserate over being single and all that entails – including the desire for some uncomplicated sex. For Wendy of course, sleeping with Noah is anything but uncomplicated.
Wendy’s painful memories of being stood up for the prom by Noah, things she never shared with him form the basis of her emotional struggles with her feelings about him now. It takes some time before she expresses her real thoughts on what happened to him in some emotionally laden and tear inducing scenes. Noah was in a position as a teenager where he really was focused on one thing, and one thing only – helping his sister and mother to survive financially after the death of their father. He had no idea that his actions had affected Wendy so deeply. That singlemindedness of purpose has translated into a continued workaholic personality, and a need to see Jane looked after, something he is relieved to relinquish to Cameron who will be his new brother-in-law. He views the upcoming marriage quite differently from Wendy, who sees it as the loss of another person in her life with which she is also struggling.
The combination of laughs and emotional moments is what makes me love picking up a romance by Jenny Holiday. She plays with the reader’s emotions equally as well as the characters themselves, making the resolution of the romance very satisfying. Wendy and Noah have chemistry that results in great banter and hot sex and when they finally admit their true feelings to themselves and each other, it paves the way for a wonderful happy ending. With engaging secondary characters, a fun and timely plot (wedding fever!) and a sexy romance, It Takes Two is a delight. I can’t wait to read the next in the series!
This review also appears at Harlequin Junkie:
http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-it-...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for review. -
DNF @46%
I loved the previous book, but force is to admit I've had a hard time getting into this one. The chemistry between the main couple is as exciting as a flat line. I'm not feeling the push and pull between them at all. -
The Good
Sometimes you want it to hurt so good.
So when I started reading It Takes Two, and realized that there’s this deep thread of longing between Wendy and Noah, man did it stir up my angsty cravings. There’s just something about connecting with a character that has that deep down desire for someone that they think they can never have that. Make it BOTH lead characters feeling that way and lawd, that just makes me want to get my groove on.
That’s the kind of angst I can get behind (heh). I think the Firsts (meet, kiss, love scene) were great and helped to keep me invested in what happened with these two. The little nuggets of history that Ms. Holiday drops along the way really set the scene for said longing and I was dying to find out just why these two never got together. In that respect, the story worked well for me.
And finally, I usually struggle with romances featuring lawyers because I work as a criminal defense paralegal. It’s like doctors reading doctor romance, you can’t help but nitpick the inaccuracies. It takes me out of the moment and no one wants that when you’re trying to immerse yourself in a romance. While there were a couple of things that were a bit off, for the most part their attorney shop talk as foreplay really did work and I loved Wendy’s response to someone who doesn’t understand why she does what she does. I think she handled it admirably and I was happy with the way their profession informs their characters and their interaction with each other.
The Bad
This pains me a bit. I mean, the ‘verse, the characters, the longing, it all drew me in and I enjoyed my time with Wendy and Noah. And yet, there are several plot devices that drove me a little batty, so I wasn’t as into this book as I was One and Only, the first book in the series. Both are runners, literally and figuratively. Both struggle with being frozen by events in their past that they’ve hung onto that have colored all of their actions to the present day. It’s part and parcel of the angst and I get that. It didn’t stop me from wanting to smack them upside their heads at different times, especially when the conflict felt drawn out just for the sake of drawing it out.
I understood their issues and sympathized with most of it, however, I think there were several scenes that were a bit repetitive and considering how intelligent I thought these characters are, just don’t make sense. Which leads me to the ending - I will say, I’m not exactly sure if I’m satisfied with that resolution. There’s a big gesture, and yes you get the climactic scenes that gets everything out in the open. I was just left wanting more, in the not as good as it could be way.
Everything in Between
This group of friends is so believable and well drawn that their individual dynamics feel very familiar. I myself am part of a quad of girlfriends and we have our own subgroups that have changed over time because of relationships, children and general interests not being the same. But we’re all tied to each other through memories and our love for each other. The family we chose, not the family we were born with, but still important. In that respect, this ‘verse continues to resonate with me and I want it to continue. Gia needs her story stat, especially since I have no idea who is going to be her partner at this point, but I’m dying to find out.
3.25-3.5 stars
I liked Wendy and Noah’s romance. I liked Wendy and Noah and their journey to an HEA. I just didn’t love it the way I wanted to. The angst and the buildup to the confrontation was captivating and while it’s flawed, I did ultimately love revisiting this cast of characters and I want to keep visiting this world. I’m so ready to get to Gia’s story.
**ARC provided by publisher via netgalley for review**
For more reviews, visit
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This series, as the name suggests, is built around weddings, bridezillas and how each pairing is cemented in this heightened time of blustery emotions spiking high and low…along with random crying spurts. Jenny Holiday’s ‘One and Only’ set the precedent. ‘It Takes Two’ continues it in a different way, and had me on tenterhooks for a while. Well, most second-chance romances do actually, because I’m always looking for a satisfactory explanation of the pairing’s history before I can believe in the way it all comes together in the present.
A ruined teenage crush that had been elemental in some ways and a man who’s nothing but oblivious to what he’d done—his mind was simply on responsibility and not much else—do after all, make for interesting reading. In this case, the best friend’s brother returns home and Wendy’s constant avoidance of Noah Denning—through the years—is no longer possible. That childhood, familial bond has since devolved into uneasy tension, layered over by sniping and oneupmanship that happens during a wedding that neither can avoid.
Wendy’s history with Noah is thankfully, not made out to be a something that she hasn’t ever gotten over, but rather, a hurtful and never-forgotten experience cementing a personality that solidified in the many years after Noah left. And because Holiday hasn’t made this momentous event akin to the most epic heartbreak of Wendy’s life, this is fertile ground for a so-called second-chance that I think I can get on board with. Still, blaming Noah for the entire change in her adult outlook on dating however, seems extreme, seeing as Wendy’s combative stance stemming from her (somewhat unfairly) padded memory of prom night when she’d deliberately remembered him as someone he isn’t.
The amount of self-reflection that Holiday writes into the story and the tightly-controlled amount of angst, I think, make this better than the average rom-com for me. There are odd bits though, that threw me off: the flashbacks that aren’t demarcated but pop into a scene unannounced, the somewhat awkward dance between Wendy and Noah that hops from taunting to a huge step into bed. But to the even more awkward and unbelievable realisation that the thing between them had always been love despite 17 years of separation and nothing but big-brother-type protection before? Gobsmacked doesn’t quite cover it.
In all, there were parts I liked and parts that caught me frowning. I would have preferred a more iron-clad HEA in a conclusion that seems more like a HFN here; this is, like the previous book, an abrupt one that leaves the couple standing at a precipice of change just as the credits start to roll.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley -
It Takes Two is the second book in the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series. Like its predecessor, once again another bridesmaid will have a hot romance just before the wedding.
Wendy Liu and Noah Denning had known each other for a long time. Wendy and Noah's sister Jane, are best friends. As teenagers, both girls bonded after the passing of their fathers.
For Noah, losing his father forced him to grow up. He had to be there for his mother and his sister. He was there to protect them and to keep them solvent. He worked all the time and even in the present, he's still a workaholic. He's a prosecutor in New York City but he won't miss his sister's wedding in Canada. Noah doesn't want to admit it, even to himself, but he also wants to see Wendy. He loves to verbally spar with her and he's eager to do it again. Years ago, they almost had something together but Noah doesn't think it's a good idea to rehash it now.
Wendy Liu is a defense attorney. She's smart and dedicated to her job. She's also sucking at being her best friend's bridesmaid. She knows Jane wants to have a low key wedding (or so she says) but Wendy wants to avoid Noah as much as she can. Noah was the boy who broke her heart and over the years, she has made herself scarce when he comes visiting. Wendy's not sure how can she avoid him at Jane's wedding.
Noah and Wendy have always had a competitive streak. They used to run together and race each other. When the time to plan the Bachelorette/Bachelor party arrives, a new bet begins. Wendy discovers that Noah plans to have theirs in Las Vegas. She can't let Noah beat her. She jumps to the idea of having the bachelorette party there too. A trip to Las Vegas ensues and Wendy and Noah can't remember why sleeping together is such a bad idea. After all, what happens in Vegas stays in Las Vegas, right?
It Takes Two was a cute romance novel. I love Noah. He was such a good brother. He had made many sacrifices for his family. He always put them first. He was happy for Jane and Cameron. He knew Cameron will have Jane's back. He was finally able to relax and not worry about Jane's future.
Wendy had been running away from Noah for years. She has meaningless relationships because she didn't want to get hurt again. After seeing him again, it was easier for her to downplay her feelings for Noah than to face the truth.
It was nice to see how they both realized what was keeping them from moving forward. Both Noah and Wendy were marked by their past. Sometimes it takes someone else to make you realize what are you going to miss out in life if you keep on running.
Thank you Forever and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of It Takes Two in exchange for an honest review.
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
A complimentary copy was provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It |
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MY RATING: 4.5/5 STARS
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a honest review.
Okay, this is my second book ever from Jenny Holiday and if you haven't read One and only (the first book in the Bridemaids Behaving Badly series) then you really need to reconsider your to be read pile. Seriously. One and Only released earlier this year and it blew my mind. It was simply a romance novel filled with richness and depth.
It Takes Two is the second novel in the Bridemaids Behaving Badly series and unlike the second one, I found Jenny Holiday taking a lighter edge to her main characters, Wendy Liu and Noah Denning. Unlike One and Only featuring Jane and Cameron, Wendy and Noah were cut from the same cloth but when compared to them, they don't hold as much emotional baggage. Where Jane carried guilt over her alcoholic father's death, Wendy had a father that passed away too young and a mother too absorbed with earning a living than focusing on raising her child. While Cameron was deemed the black sheep of the town let alone his family for misdemeanors that were really unfortunate accidents, Noah lost a father, grew up too fast when he was too young to take care of Jane, his younger sister, and his depressed mother. Sure, it was sad but it wasn't as complex or it didn't knock out the breath from my lungs like Jane and Cameron's backstory.
However, it does not mean It Takes Two wasn't still a good book. It Takes Two felt like a solid book. It just felt right. I'm being an awful reviewer but have you ever read a book and you're nodding your head along because the story is compelling, the pacing is perfect, and the characters can be your best friends? This was what I felt for this novel. I really enjoyed the troupe this book followed which was childhood crush on your best friend's brother only to have it carry over in your adulthood years.
Wendy has had a crush on Noah since she was still in high school. Her crush had developed naturally over the course of time instead of it being based on superficial reasons like he was super hot even though he was. She liked how dependable he was or how they just simply understood each other without getting all the right words out. They seemed to be on the same page so when Jane suggests to have Noah take Wendy as a date for Prom, they're both secretly thrilled and delighted. However, when Noah stands Wendy up, she is humiliated and heartbroken. She becomes a difference person after that traumatic event. Hardening herself, she grows out from her wallflower personality to become a fearless, smart, independent woman that swears like a sailor. I have to note that it was slightly frustrating that Wendy kept putting the blame on Noah for how she is in the present. Because of Noah standing her up, Wendy built this hard exterior. She makes emphasis about how she used to be shy and undetermined but what's seriously so bad about being a bad ass now? There's nothing wrong with being shy and there's definitely nothing wrong with being a super talented lawyer who grinds out the hours and argues till their last breath to ensure a fair trial has ensued. However, I am super pleased that Jenny did a fantastic job at character development and made Wendy realize there is no shame in who she is now because of her past.
She's a good friend through and through so when the idea that her best friend will be getting married and entering the newlywed life, she's not so sure. Wendy becomes weary of Jane's new relationship, secretly resenting her fiance, Cameron, and berating herself for every negative thought that comes into her mind about them. It's silly but all this roots from the insecurities of her being left behind. Because without Jane, she feels she is utterly alone in this world. I totally cried like a baby when Wendy and Jane had "the talk." They were so open with each other and I just feel my throat constrict whenever I think of how powerful friendship can be. I just love these girls.
Noah, on the other hand, is noble and steady as a rock. He doesn't do casual so he's shocked when he discovers that her little sister's best friend is a firecracker instead of the wallflower he remembered growing up. Ever since his father died, Noah took over the responsibility of being the sole provider in the Denning household. He worked himself to the bone while in high school to pay for the bills at home and to put food on the table. He also worked hard in his studies, making sure he followed a career path that was stable because stable meant little to no anomalies that could potentially leave him with no resources to take care of those around him. Noah has been programmed to think of others first before him and we can see how uptight or stiff he can get. However, his relationship with Wendy sparks on the pages. They bicker, banter, and have intelligent conversation with each other. They're clearly the same. They're both lawyers. They're both runners. They have similar personalities. It's just so obvious that they're made for each other.
They enlist in casual sex but obviously soon emotions get involved which triggered the conflict in this novel. Main conflict themes in this novel included misunderstanding and miscommunication. Both parties could have communicated better. Wendy often gave a stand offish attitude towards Noah because of what happened at prom and Noah needed to take a moment before he actually speaks because word vomit got the best of him a lot of the times. Due to not communicating, they both seemed to tip toe around each other which can be frustrating. I also realized I started having a pet peeve in romance novels which is the idea that you didn't realize you loved someone until a pivotal moment. I'm not saying it's unrealistic and I'm definitely not saying, I hate it whenever it happens but when it's done correctly and well, I'll enjoy it. It's just hard for me to feel the powerful emotions of love when all I felt from a character was indifference or them being flat-out clueless, it's hard for me to believe. I'm not saying this was 100% what happened with Noah and Wendy but it irked me a bit that Noah just seemed so clueless towards Wendy's feelings for him. After Noah has the epiphany, it got better for me. We saw the domesticated side of Noah who daydreamed about waking up with Wendy beside him or moving in with her, or even being open to the idea of being a father.
Finally, this book is sexy. There's sex. And it's hot. And totally not suitable to read in the workplace unless you want HR to give you a call. Also, it's freaking hilarious. I cackled while reading Jenny Holiday's dry wit.
MY RECOMMENDATION
UM HELLO. If you're a huge fan of contemporary romance, look no further. It Takes Two is an intoxicating read I could not put down. Jenny Holiday is an amazingly talented author who writes stories that just grips you from the first page to the last. -
Sadly going to DNF this one. I struggled massively with the first one (I found it slightly boring and the characters were unlikeable), but I desperately wanted to try this because it seemed like something so up my alley. But unfortunately it wasn’t — I don’t care for the characters, they’re incredibly flat, and their chemistry is non existent. Even though these stories are often formulaic I could see what was coming from a mile off and I just wasn’t excited by it and didn’t feel the compulsion to continue. I was close to DNFing at around page 100, but carried on and actually added a note saying “finally something is happening” on page 117, but then that quickly fizzled out and I was back to reading pages and pages of inane details. There is too much detail about small elements and very little plot/action. It’s honestly just not for me.
I’m not rating this one because I don’t think it’s fair. I just don’t gel with the characters or the plot; and I don’t know if it’s just me or the book (though I have been comforted by other reviewers saying similar things). -
DNF at about 50%. Couldn’t face any more immature and nasty competitive games.
Book 1 in this series was ok but this one put me off. -
This was such a sweet read!! I adore the best friend’s brother trope. This also had a bit of a second chance romance and enemies to lovers. I definitely recommend this book if you love rom-coms and wedding romances!!
Review to come!
Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review. -
Another winner from Jenny Holiday! Holy cow, this series is the bomb. I connected with Wendy's character and thought that her love and heartbreak over Noah was handled so well. I loved the both of them, even when I wanted to smack some sense into them. I really loved seeing Wendy and Gia's friendship blossom into something stronger than what they had in One and Only. The girl squad is such a huge part of this series and I am so here for it. On to the next one!
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Well. This is one of those books I went into knowing my friends didn't like it that much, so I was wary. But then I liked the first half! But then . . . my friends turned out to be right!
The "heartbreak" from the past is silly. I mean, it's not silly for her to have been heartbroken at the time of the actual event, but it's silly for it still to be a big thing. All of the wedding stuff was silly. (I mean, I get that weddings are kind of the premise of the series, but STILL.)
His reaction to her was bad! You are allowed to have complicated feelings, but this was not well done.
I also wasn't a fan of this "joke" (line not exact): "You're so happy. Did they give you antidepressants?" THAT IS NOT HOW ANTIDEPRESSANTS WORK.
Anyway, overall, I continue liking Jenny Holiday's writing more than her actual stories. -
It Takes Two follows Wendy as she prepares for her best friend’s, Jane’s, wedding. Friends since grade school, Wendy and Jane have seen each other through everything. But there are some secrets even best friends don’t share with each other. Like how Wendy had a bit whopping crush on Jane’s older brother Noah when they were growing up.
When Noah’s dad died in a car accident, Noah felt obligated to take on the responsibility of caring for his mother and sister. He has always been there for them, providing for them both financially and emotionally, and now that his little sister Jane is getting married, Noah wants her wedding to be nothing short of unforgettable. But when he and Wendy make a wager as to who can throw the best bachelor and bachelorette parties, things take a turn he wasn’t quite expecting (but one he certainly isn’t saying no to).
I really enjoyed this one! I love unrequited love stories and this really fit the bill. There is a special kind of vulnerability when it comes to your teenage crush finding out you liked them – even if it’s a decade later. I felt for Wendy throughout the story and how she wanted to protect herself from being hurt again. She didn’t have a lot of family growing up. Her father died when she was young and her mother had to take over running the family convenience store, leaving Wendy’s aunt to do a lot of the caretaking. All of this has made her independent but has also caused her to guard her heart perhaps a bit too much. And now that Noah, aka the boy who broke her young heart, is constantly around pre-wedding, she’s feeling extra vulnerable.
Noah puts a lot of pressure on himself to be this perfect and dependable guy, particularly for his mother and sister. He is not a very carefree person and certainly doesn’t allow himself to let loose very often – at least not until he plans his soon to be brother-in-law’s bachelor party in Vegas.
I really liked how the relationship developed between Wendy and Noah. Like I said before, unrequited love stories are one of my favorite tropes of romance and I feel like this one was a great example! -
Having enjoyed One and Only, I was very eager to read It Takes Two, even more so after I took one glance at that adorable shippy cover. While I didn't like It Takes Two as much as One and Only, I was still invested in the bridesmaids and their friendship.
I was curious about Wendy ever since we met her in the first book. In It Takes Two, my curiosity and interest in her only grew. She was not the most conventional heroine in that she was prickly and cold at times. Let me tell you, I was here for that. She was a little guarded with her emotions and she had her reasons for why she was that way. She did open up a little more as the story progressed and I also loved how even though she was very happy about her best friend getting married, she wasn't entirely gaga over her fiance. We don't always love every person we meet in real life and I found that aspect of her personality to be very relatable. I was hoping that I would like Noah as much as I liked Wendy, but that didn't quite happen. For some reason, I had a tough time connecting with Noah on any level. He was a workaholic, uptight and very protective and loving of his sister. These are personality traits I should have liked, but I never quite warmed up to him.
As a result of me not loving him, I wasn't completely invested in the romance - part of me felt like my girl, Wendy deserved much better than him. Wendy and Noah had some animosity between them and there were also second-chance romance vibes here. Growing up, Wendy had a huge crush on him, but he ended up breaking her heart which results in her feeling very cold towards him despite her never-quenching attraction to him. I thought the chemistry in It Takes Two was well-written. The banter, the back-and-forth quips between the two really made them flame as a couple. The sexy scenes nearly set my book ablaze! They also openly conveyed the hurt they experienced which I very much appreciated. What stands out for me about the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly is the unbreakable female friendships between Wendy and her best friends. These girls were so supportive and loving of each other. There was a comfort level in their relationship that honestly made me envious as I have yet to find a relationship like that.
It Takes Two was a solid addition to the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series. If you enjoy romantic comedies with a touch of angst, steamy romances, and positive female friendships, you should most definitely give this series a try. I'm excited to read the next book, Three Little Words, which is Gia's book, who I already love. -
It Takes Two Jenny Holiday by Jenny Holiday is book Two in the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly Series. This is the story of Wendy Liu and Noah Denning. I haven't yet read the previous book in this series, so for me this was a standalone book.
Wendy and Noah have always liked each other but nothing ever really came of it. Now his sister is getting married and Wendy is there front and center. Will this be their chance to work things out and follow their feelings?
Really enjoyed their story! -
I loved One And Only (the first book in this series) and had to pick up It Takes Two immediately after. I loved the angst and competitive banter between Noah and Wendy.
I laughed at Jane and her denial towards her "lowkey" wedding LOL but I do have to say that I didnt enjoy this book as much as I did the first one. I was bored at times 😫 and it took me a lot longer to read. Heres hoping Gia's story can get me back on track with this series. *Fingers crossed* -
Defense lawyer Wendy Liu is happy for her best friend who's getting married but sad because she knows it won't be the same for their friendship. As if it wasn't stressful enough, Jane's brother, aka the guy she had a crush on and who stood her up at prom, is in town for his sister's wedding, and Wendy hasn't forgive him yet. For Wendy and Noah, everything has always been a competition. The readers will witness lot of sparring and bickering. The hero left Toronto for New York almost two decades ago and also became a lawyer. He's clueless about being the reason for Wendy's prickly attitude, but I can't blame him because it also mean he accept her like she is, even if she's not like the girl he used to know. Her own insecurities take up a lot of space in her life but she doesn't know it yet.
"Things can happen that calcify you. Actually change the kind of person you are."
I always have trouble when one of the MC previously considered the other like a brother or sister. Even if it was years ago, Noah still was kind of like an honorary brother and caregiver for Wendy so that may explain why it took me a lot of time before feeling invested in the romance and thought it was slow to begin. It's strange because while I didn't find this book particularly entertaining, I thought it was a pretty good book. Jenny Holiday impressed me with her writing style in the first book and I found it again in this one. I think what made it so great is that her characters felt like real people I could pass on the street, with situation that could happen in real life. And also Wendy's human reaction, like for instead her envy about certain things in her friend's life and the things she learned from it and how she finally opened her eyes on her denial about things in her life. It makes me realize I probably enjoyed the MC's journey more than their romance, but I can't say I was not happy about their HEA.
I think this author bring something interesting to the genre. You should give it a try. -
LOVE LOVE LOVE. I'm super stingy with my 5 stars, but man oh man if this one isn't SO close!
full thoughts to come! -
It Takes Two was romantic novel full of angst and entertaining banter! This was a fun and quick read that made me feel the warm and fuzzies.
Wendy, the main character, was a sweet and easy character to root for. Even though she had a lot of feelings building up inside her, she was someone that hated showing her true emotions. She was a strong woman who never wanted anyone to control her or her emotions. I admired her strength and determination, but I also loved watching her open up to Noah throughout the book.
The romance between Noah and Wendy had so many sweet moments, but also a lot of tension and longing. The angst added a lot of entertaining elements to the story, but there were times when the drama felt a bit ridiculous. There was a competition elements that felt a little repeatitive, which was frusterating. However, as a whole, the romance was still a cute romance!
Overall, this was a cute and quick romance novel! If you are looking for a fun way to escape, I would recommend checking this book out!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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I admit I was very curious to try a Jenny Holiday’s romance, after hearing Twitter-praise amidst murmurs of rom-com … BUT, I’m not a rom-com fan. Sex and the City is puerile (Holiday takes a sentimental nod to it here). I like some gravitas to my roms; I like wit, but not humour. With lawyer (*moue of disappointment*) romantic leads, Holiday had several prejudicial strikes against her. Add protagonists who watch baseball over hockey (even though, as a Toronto-set romance, *shudders* that would mean Leafs), I can’t really say I was disposed to love this. I’m also not a fan of wedding settings, especially contemporary wedding settings, with their propensity for destination, vineyards, officiates in place of synagogues, rabbis, priests, and churches, imams and mosques. I sound like a cranky, old lady, but I might as well own it and enjoy it. It’s my crank and I’ll cackle and snark if I want to. So, the series premise: weddings of (best) friends, wedding planning, brides and maidens of honour, dress disasters, bachelor and bachelorette parties. In the case of series novel #2, It Takes Two, the heroine is Wendy Liu, best friend to bride Jane. The hero? The bride’s brother, Noah Denning, the guy who took care of Wendy when her father died, the guy Wendy’s been sparring with for years … and the guy who also stood her up at the high school prom.
Holiday develops Wendy and Jane’s friendship, which I enjoyed. I like it when heroines have important relationships outside of the hero. Wendy and Jane, other than a childhood propensity for being bookish and studious, were linked by a common tragedy. They lost their fathers and bonded in their exclusive “Dead Dads” and “Lost Girls” Clubs. In stepped older brother Noah to take care of them (as well as his grieving mother). This heightened sense of responsibility is Noah’s characterization’s sole “humour”. Holiday’s romance is very much about the heroines. I am happy to say, however, that this is not women’s fiction. It’s very much Wendy’s story: her vulnerabilities, her weaknesses, her hurts, but also her strength, humour, hard work, and honesty, with herself and others, but also her come-to-Wendy moment with Noah and all the emotional baggage it entails.
Jane’s wedding brings Wendy and Noah together time and again as the narrative follows the wedding plans, the bride’s brother and best friend’s roles tantamount to its success … throwing two antagonists together. Why the antagonist when Noah was as “there”, supporting and cheering Wendy through her high school years, as he was for his sister. It goes back to the night Noah stood Wendy up at the prom and broke her heart. As a result, Wendy is hesitant with her feelings and carefree about her lovers, thanks when she fell in love and was, as she perceives, rejected. Noah, needless to say, in a duh-dude way, hasn’t a clue why Wendy is either scarce through his Toronto visits (he lawyers in NYC), or antagonistic. The wedding, however, sees them spending more time together than they have since he moved to NYC seventeen years ago. This is how and why Noah and Wendy’s romantic roosters come home to, well, um, roost, though they have way more wild monkey shenanigans than they do sleep.
The great strength of Holiday’s romance isn’t the pranks and upman- and -womanship Wendy and Noah share, it’s Wendy and her honest, raw, uncomfortable feelings. As someone who’s watched a lot of friends marry and/or partner (’tis a spinster’s lot), the changes in those relationships are complex and contradictory. On the one hand, you love your friend and celebrate her happiness; on the other, you’re no longer the primary relationship in his/her life. You’re caught amongst love, jealousy, regret, fear, and guilt. All the while, when you’re hurt, you in turn have to put on the celebratory mantle, “rah rah” and even, *gasp*, plan things like showers and bachelorette parties, write toast speeches and put your vulnerable self into a wedding planner’s vision of a *shudder* bridesmaid’s, or maid of honour’s, dress. Wendy is “selfishly, sad that Jane was getting married.” Wendy’s brave-strong-woman face crumbles as she thinks she’s losing her friend and being overwhelmed by her yearning for Noah.
With the death of her mother, Wendy has only her Aunt Mary. As a girl and now woman who earned everything she has on her own, success, apartment, wardrobe, life-style, she sure knows how to put up a mask. Her thoughts are often less than honourable about Jane and Jane’s lovely, poor fiancé, Cameron. In a way, sparring and competing with Noah is a relief, it’s familiar, an outlet and fun. It allows Wendy to hide her hurt, hurt over the changes to her relationship with her best friend and the return of the man she’s still in love with. All of this Holiday does well. The writing is smooth, droll, and pithy. Noah and Wendy banter and contend, challenge and dare each other to the culmination of their rivalry: the bachelor and bachelorette parties.
By besting Noah, Wendy can subsume her confusion and shame over her feelings about Jane’s wedding and yearning to be with Noah. Wendy’s bachelorette party planning borders on the uncomfortable. Wendy doesn’t seem to get any satisfaction, instead ” … she was… ashamed. Ashamed for shit-talking Cameron. Ashamed of wishing Jane wasn’t getting married. Ashamed she was jealous over it. Ashamed of the stupid, juvenile bet with Noah that had inspired her to bring the bachelorette party to Vegas … ” This honesty and delving into her character’s vulnerabilities are what I enjoyed most about Holiday’s romance. All the fun and games of the first half give way to an honest poignancy that I thought beautifully developped. The romance with Noah was less interesting than Wendy’s growth, stumbles and stubbornness, strength and humour. Noah paled in comparison. In the end, I thought he was an instrument to give Wendy everything she wanted and, admittedly, deserved. With Miss Austen, we say that Jenny Holiday’s It Takes Two offers “real comfort,” Emma.
Jenny Holiday’s It Takes Two is published by Forever Romance (Grand Central Publishing). It was released on June 26th and may be found at your preferred vendor. I received an e-ARC from Forever, via Netgalley. -
Here are some of my thoughts:
• Definitely not as good as the 1st book. Admittedly, I am simply not a fan of romances where the girl has loved/pined after the guy for yearsss. In this case, I really do appreciate how hardworking and genuinely kind the guy though. I can’t say that I am 100% into the romance b/c of this imbalance of power, but at least it is with someone who is outstanding and family-oriented as Noah.
• As someone who also holds grudges, I understand how Wendy came so bitter and why she resorted to making herself hard so it would like she didn’t care after someone hurt her. Her emotions are rather sad, kinda pathetic, but also truly realistic and relatable.
• Wendy can get frustrating in that she gets all prickly about Cameron. However, her feelings of envy and guilt for feeling that way against her best friend’s fiancé are realistic. It must be unsettling to have your best friend get married, especially in Wendy’s case where she doesn’t have much people in her life left – besides Jane and her aunt Mary. I love seeing this side of their friendship because it is true that you can’t help but feel resentment when the person you have loved most finds someone else to also love. Wendy is aware she is being unreasonable too. It is wonderful when she finally understands that Cameron IS a good guy and is worthy of her best friend.
• I’m sad that Elise and Gia are put aside here. Perhaps it is because Wendy is closest to Jane and doesn’t connect with the other girls as much. However, I thought it was weird that she sometimes to forget to include the other girls in her speech of who she has left in her life. On the other hand, she does get closer to Gia in this book. Gia seems to be shocking both Jane and Wendy in how perceptive, considerate, and loyal she is as a friend. She is that one friend who is so fuckin’ perfect and beautiful that you kinda hate her – but because she’s also so damn nice that you can’t help but love her and feel guilty for having any sort of bad feeling. It is great to see Wendy and Gia connect in this book, even though I would have liked to see Elise and Gia in general be more prominent.
• Aunt Mary – aw. I get a little emotional in that moment when Wendy realizes how much Mary has meant to her in her life.
• It is very rare that I see an Asian protagonist in a romance book. Especially for an adult romance book, I’ll say this is perhaps only my 3rd time seeing an Asian female protagonist. (and possibly first or second time ever for me to see an Asian female character who is not half-Asian/half-white)
So overall, I like it. There are some really good, raw moments with Wendy’s increasing appreciation for her friends and family. 3 stars
Things that you might want to know (WARNING: Spoilers below)
Happy/satisfying ending?
Love triangle? Cheating? Angst level? Other things to note?
Tears-worthy?
Humor?
Favorite scenes? -
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*3.5 Stars!*
Right after I finished One and Only, I decided to pick up It Takes Two to continue all the wedding fun. I gotta say, I'm really loving the titles for these books and these covers are so adorable! I get all the summer weddings vibes from them and it makes me want to go crash a wedding or two, lol.
It Takes Two is a romance about unrequited love. As a teen, Wendy Liu had the biggest crush on Jane's older brother, Noah Denning. But those feelings went away after he left her heartbroken on prom night...or so she thinks. Years later, Noah has come back home for Jane's wedding and Wendy knows she can no longer avoid the man who once owned her heart. Deciding to put things in the past, Wendy and Noah start a little competition to see which one can outdo the other when it comes to Jane's wedding. But what started out as a friendly competition turns into a whole new game when one of them crosses the lines that neither of them can come back from.
While I liked the second book in the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series slightly better than the first, I didn't like it enough to give it that full four star rating. I don't know what it is, but I just can't connect with the Denning siblings. Noah is a nice guy who loves his sister and mother dearly and will basically do whatever it takes to make them happy, but I just felt like his character was a bit bland. I know that sounds harsh, but I thought Noah would've been more charming but instead we got an overprotective brother who needed to stop worrying and just have fun for a minute. I know Wendy's character might rub some people the wrong way, but I really liked her. She can be a little ice cold when you first meet her, but once she warms up, you see that she has her reasons for being guarded. Wendy is so used to people leaving her, she never let's anyone get too close. Letting her walls down around Noah was not something that came easy to her, especially after being burned once before. But once she does, that's when the story really picks up. Although I wasn't Noah's biggest fan, I did still enjoy the romance and seeing these two try to outdo one another. Also the banter was entertaining and since it's a slow-buring romance, you're gonna need some patience before you start getting any makeout action from these two. There were also more wedding shenanigans in this book than the previous book and some of these scenes had me dying with laughter. I'm telling y'all, these ladies are great entertainment and if Jenny Holiday wrote a book with these four alone getting into trouble, I would totally read it. Gia's story is the next book in this series and I can't wait for it! I'm excited to know more about the model and I curious to see who she gets paired up with. -
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I had some mixed feelings about the first book in this series because I didn't love that one as much as I was expecting to. Even though I still enjoyed it. But I was extremely excited about this pairing and couldn't wait to dive into it.
IT TAKES TWO is about Wendy and Noah. They've known each other their whole lives and have always played an important role. Wendy is Noah's sisters' best friend and that is Jane, the heroine from book one. They're forced into some proximity due to Jane's wedding coming up and that stirs up feelings long thought buried between them. I loved stories like this. Trope catnip for me.
I started reading IT TAKES TWO and I didn't want to put it down until I finished it. It was addictive and I just couldn't get enough of it. Wendy is so very independent and also shows a carefree side to the world. Noah is the rock, the dependable and responsible one. They could both be more like the other and circumstances in life are what shaped them. I adored how clueless Noah was (most of the time) and how Wendy pushed him out of his comfort zone on more than one occasion. These two were the perfect sparks for an adorable read.
I can't wait to read more from this series and I hope I enjoy it as much as I did this one.
*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Francesca❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts?
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I loved the first book in this series featuring Jane and Cameron and really looked forward to this second entry featuring her best friend Wendy and her brother Noah.
It was fun seeing Jane again, but she seemed to have undergone a personality transplant which was troubling. This book centers around plans for Jane and Cameron’s wedding, and Jane, who hated all of the stuff involved in the first wedding, has turned into a bit of a bridezilla herself. Sure, she keeps telling everyone the wedding is “low key,” but then turns around and is incredibly demanding with the “low key” events.
Wendy and Jane were childhood best friends, bonding over the fact that both their fathers had died, calling themselves alternately members of the “Dead Dads Club” or the “Lost Girls” (Peter Pan, Wendy, Jane….) Noah was like a surrogate big brother to Wendy, but he broke her heart in high school (apparently never knowing about the major crush Wendy had on him) and Wendy has avoided him ever since.
In addition to having trouble dealing with Noah back for the wedding, Wendy’s also having trouble dealing with Jane’s happiness and upcoming marriage. Now that Jane has Cameron, is Wendy the only Lost Girl?
The book takes place over the weeks leading up to the wedding, with Wendy and Noah thrown into ever-increasing contact with each other. Wendy’s an interesting, prickly character who has spent most of her life protecting her heart. She and Noah are super competitive and have a lot of fun conversations. Since Noah’s father died he’s tried to take care of his mother and sister, working incredibly long hours even while in high school. As a high-powered lawyer in New York City, he still sends money back to his sister and mother. Noah’s almost too perfect a character.
I liked this second entry in the Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series, but nowhere near as much as the first. I would give it a B- here, so rounding to four stars. -
Well, I went into this knowing that it probably wasn't going to be something I super enjoyed given friends' experiences of it, but it somehow managed to duck below the very low bar I set for it.
There are a couple major issues so let's jump in. First, the attempt to take Jane from the first book and mold her into some sort of bridezilla? I never bought it. Not only that, but the insistence by the other bridesmaids that it was somehow not a low key wedding when Jane just happened to change her mind on a few things and didn't have them making goddamn paper from scratch or taking calligraphy classes reflected so badly on them as friends.
Then we get to Wendy. I have not disliked a heroine so much in recent memory. I wanted to shake her senseless. Look, it sucks that you got stood up at prom, but to hold on to it for so long—to the point that you avoided seeing him for LITERAL YEARS—without ever addressing it is ridiculous. I'm sorry, but his father passed away, his mother was deeply depressed, it definitely sucks but he kind of had more important things going on! And then it's revealed, at 75% no less, that he actually apologized to her the next day and she said it was fine! And sure that's a teenage reaction to have—you pretend it's fine and pack it away—but then you cannot expect him to know it really hurt you and then just cling to it as a grudge for the rest of time!
And Noah had some protective/possessiveness moments that weren't great, but at least they were constantly happening. The biggest problem with him came at the end with the dumb Plan B plot point. Every part of it was nonsensical from the fact that she forget the pill in the cab (idek) to his pissed internal reaction that he didn't want her taking it. There is actual nuance to be had in that discussion, but a) this is not it b) maybe actually have them talk about it instead of it being all in his head? c) THIS IS NOT IT.
I have positive hopes for the next book, but this was a giant miss. -
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kimberlyfaye reads.
I'm loving Jenny Holiday's Bridesmaids Behaving Badly series so very much! It's fun, swoony and sexy and Wendy and Noah gave me all the feels in the latest installment, It Takes Two.
I'll never not love the best friend's big brother trope, especially when it's done as well as it was with Wendy and Noah. I loved these two characters so much. Their history was rather complicated, so it was a bit enemies to lovers with a hint of a second chance romance. Noah was such a sweet, protective and caring guy. It was so easy to crush on him. Wendy was a little prickly at times, but she was also a good friend to those she loved. She'd suffered a lot of loss in her life and her walls were definitely up high and tight. But, Noah always did seem to find a way through them. He always had, for better or worse.
Wendy and Noah's story was sweet and a little sexy and I just couldn't get enough of them. There was a bit of a slow burn as these two came to terms with their feelings, but it felt right and natural. Things definitely heated up, too. Their "what happens in New York stays in New York" fling was SUPER hot, but it was also obvious there were some very real feelings underneath it all. I was happy to see the more casual agreement move into a deeper connection. Wendy and Noah were so perfectly suited, I can't imagine them NOT together.
The other fun part about It Takes Two was the secondary characters. First off, we get to see Cam and Jane, of One and Only fame, in the lead up to their special day. And, well, the special day itself. We also get a chance to learn even more about Gia, the last woman standing, which just made me want her book even more. Three Little Words just can't get here soon enough. I'll be waiting with total grabby hands until I get it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for review consideration. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
FAVORITE QUOTES
There was no universe in which Noah Denning was going to be the "milk" Wendy Lou Who got for free.
This was why he avoided casual sex. It so often came with all these confusing emotions. You didn't know where you stood. You had no control over how things were going to go.
"You're Jane's person. Jane's my person. Therefore, you're stuck with me. Simple logic."
Jesus Christ. He almost felt like bursting into song. Was this what being in love was like—being in a musical?
