BOOK REVIEW: Don't Tell the Brides-to-Be by Anna Bell

Don't Tell the Brides-to-Be is the third novel in Anna Bell's fantastic series (following Don't Tell the Groom and 2014 release Don't Tell the Boss). Both of Anna's previous books have been wonderful reads (so much so that Don't Tell the Boss was awarded Uncovered's Book of the Year!), and so needless to say, to receive a copy of the latest installment was quite exciting.

The Don't Tell series focuses on Penny Robinson, a former gambler turned wedding planner extraordinaire after the success of her budget wedding blog, Princess on a Shoestring. Happily married to Mark (after a wedding that almost didn't go ahead - which all becomes clear in Don't Tell the Groom!), everything in Penny's life is seemingly going well - after all, she managed to kick her gambling habit, her wedding planning business has well and truly taken off, and her blog is still a roaring success. Oh, and not only is she also a bridal magazine columnist, but Penny has also gained a literary agent for her wedding book. Having cornered the budget wedding market, Penny's diary is full for the upcoming year.

However, things are about to change for Penny when she receives some exciting yet life-changing news. Penny is going to be having a baby. A baby that's due in the summer - a busy time for wedding planning!

Just when things seem almost manageable, in steps rival Georgina - a high-end wedding planner who's awfully bitter about Penny's success. With Georgina fully intent on ruining Penny's business, and a host of brides-to-be insisting on summertime weddings, Penny feels that the sensible thing to do is to keep quiet about the baby. But how long can she keep it a secret?

Once again, Anna Bell has penned another fantastic tale about Penny, which I read in a very short time as the series is quite addictive. Anna is a great writer and the Don't Tell series is a must-read for chick-lit fans. The characters are great and (mostly) likeable (such as reformed gambler Penny, husband Mark and not to mention the brides...) - and by 'mostly' I'm talking about the ruthless Georgina, whose schemes to steal Penny's business kept me reading, to see what she would do next! Admittedly, I'm not usually drawn to books that focus heavily on weddings, which is just a personal preference, but Don't Tell the Brides-To-Be is a brilliantly fun read that I struggled to put down until I had finished. In fact, the whole series is like this. If you haven't read Don't Tell the Groom or Don't Tell the Boss, then you can still pick up on what has previously happened in the latest novel, however I would advise you to read all three as they're fantastic.

I'm already looking forward to the next book!

Rating: 5/5