I'm not a fan of romantic comedies, as I have said in past reviews. They make me cringe and I quickly get annoyed and stop reading them. But that changed when I read Until We Collide by Charlotte Fallowfield, which had me rolling on the floor with laughter. And now I'm thrilled to say that the author is back with with a new book called Never The Bride, and I can't believe I'm saying this, but this book is even better than Until We Collide.

Abbie Carter has suffered through so many duties as a bridesmaid, that she thought she would never find her mister right. But until then she has Georgie (her best friend) her Neighbor Daphne, who was like a surrogate mother to her and Sumo her bull dog, that seemed to have a grudge against her. And add to that high arch nemesis Fifi, Abbie's live in Dilbury was a simple one. But Abbie wondered if she would be stuck clutching bouquets and walking up the aisle in awful bridesmaids dresses for the rest of her life.

But one wedding reception she met the amazing American, Miller Davis, who was simply perfect for her, and luckily for Abbie, he thought she was perfect too! There was just one thing that stood in their way... the Atlantic Ocean, see you I left wondering? Will Abbie keep her man? or will she always be the bridesmaid??

OMG!! This book is so freaking amazing!! I love it so much! It truly is a masterpiece. I love Abbie, with her self-deprecating humor, and willingness to make a fool of herself, to show someone how much they mean to her. I love Miller's vulnerability and uncertainty to romance and trust. And Daphne and George's character just really perfect the book.

The author's writing is witty, heartwarming and the plot had me doubled over with laughter! This book is simply perfection and one of my favorites of all time.

I give Never the Bride 5 stars!! ( )

OK, this chick-lit "romance" probably has way more than its fair share of gross humor, although some of it was actually funny in context. Vulgar, but funny!

Abbie attended a girls' school, and her cohort therein swore a solemn vow to each be bridesmaids at every one of their weddings... and there were 13-14 in the group.

Abbie has been collecting hideous bridesmaid dresses for years now, even as she loses hope in finding a groom of her own. This is important, since apparently if a girl has been a bridesmaid 13 times, she id DOOMED to spinsterhood!

Yes, silly. But it is a silly book.

Abbie is not always a doormat, but she does respond excessively upon occasion. Miller, her on-again, off-again boyfriend is rather too perfect, even when being unreasonable- and that's not handled well.

I enjoyed this book for the most part, but doubt I will read more in the series. ( )

Started out interesting but fell off quickly and never quite recovered for me. Maybe because it is the first book in the series and so lots of explanation seemed necessary--why she lived where she lived, how she got there, etc. And it just didn't capture my attention. ( )

I’m sorry, Charlotte Fallowfield. I don’t know what else is on your schedule, but you need to cancel it and sit down and write the rest of the novels in this series right now! Never The Bride works wonderfully well as a standalone story, but it's also the first in the Dilbury Village series of romantic comedy novels. After discovering Dilbury Village and Abbie Carter, I can’t wait to go there again – NOW!

This book is perfect. I didn’t want it to ever end and as soon as I finished I could have picked it up and read the whole thing again, it’s that good. It has everything. It’s funny, laugh out loud funny. Wait, what am I saying, laugh out loud funny? It’s snort out loud, wipe your eyes and blow your nose funny, touching, poignant, sweet, sexy, hot, and delightfully disgusting in places.

Abbie Carter feels rather unfulfilled in her life. She could be one of us, lying on the floor trying to zip her jeans, worrying about her looks - full mouth, pouty lips that looked like a trout’s apparently. She has a good job and nice home and a close friend to talk to, but she misses her dad so much, and her smelly dog Mr. Sumo doesn’t treat her very well. And even worse, Abbie made a pact with her boarding school classmates to be bridesmaids at each other’s weddings. Well, she’s heading to #9 now and her own Prince Charming is nowhere in sight. She is convinced if she gets to #13 all hope will be lost.

Never the Bride starts out as gently funny, stressing friendship and family and love for Mr. Sumo (dog walkies on a skateboard?) and the beautiful English countryside. But it soon moves to wildly funny and never slows down. Well, except when it’s so sweet and sad it makes you cry.

I know I might be overusing the word, but the phrasing is perfect. And the love . . . sigh. Well, with Miller, not with the horny dolphin. When Miller looks at Abbie at wedding #9 and winks she’s lost, in the best way. Of course there’s some flailing up the aisle, sprinklers, an electric fence, and much more, but with Miller, even though she hardly knew him, it was like she’d known him for years. But can they make a relationship work across an ocean?

You must read Never the Bride. The descriptions of the beautiful English countryside were so vivid and real I felt as if I was back there working as I did many years ago. And the story just makes you feel good. Abbie and Miller at Dilbury Village made me feel like I did when I first read Dorothy Cannell’s Ellie and Ben at Merlin’s Court. Not the story, Charlotte Fallowfield has made Dilbury unique, but the feeling of being with people you want to be surrounded by again and again and again. Even when weird or sad or funny things are happening, you are where you want to be and not leave.

I received an e-book ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review, but I will be purchasing the print copy as soon as it is available. ( )