Review: 'Don't Tell the Groom' by Anna Bell (2012)

Penny has big dreams for her wedding day. She wants an unforgettable celebration, perfect down to the last detail, and has been saving for ages to make her dream a reality. When Mark finally pops the question, it's the best moment of her life.
Until Penny checks her wedding fund and is horrified to discover that something has gone terribly wrong. There's far less money there than she'd thought... and it's all her fault. She can't tell Mark the truth about what she's done, he knows nothing about how much time she spends gambling online. Her only choice is to seek help for her addiction and get married on a drastically smaller budget.
Working under the pretense of surprising Mark with her plans on their big day, operation 'Don't Tell the Groom' rolls into action, with surprising, hilarious and often moving results.
Anna Bell's novel 'Don't Tell the Groom' was published in December 2012 by Quercus and I remember how incredibly excited I was about its release. I hadn't read any of Anna Bell's work before, but I knew her from the Novelicious website and I straight away fell in love with the absolutelu stunning book cover. From the lovely silhouette of the bride to the pretty colours and flowers to the gorgeous font and promising title... It took me way too long to finally pick up my copy of this novel, but when I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of the third part of Anna Bell's book series, 'Don't Tell the Brides-To-Be', I knew I had to start from the beginning and first read 'Don't Tell the Groom' before starting on the others!
Penny has always dreamed of having an unforgettable wedding with everything she ever imagined, including a big princess dress and flying doves. So when her long-term boyfriend Mark finally proposes, Penny's over the moon and can't wait to start planning everything. However, when she accesses their wedding fund she's shocked to only find a few thousand pounds in the account. Penny knows she might have played a few too many online bingo games in the hopes of adding more money to the fund, but she never expected things to be this bad. Penny knows she needs to find help with her gamble addiction, but at the same time she also knows she can't tell Mark about their slightly altered wedding budget. She decides to come up with a plan of 'Don't Tell the Groom', which provides her with the chance to organise their perfect wedding without Mark knowing the details. All she has to do is stay within budget and make sure no one discovers what is really going on...
I can't believe it took me so long to pick up one of Anna Bell's books, because I absolutely loved 'Don't Tell the Groom' from start to finish! The book is a great romantic comedy and just what a chick lit novel is supposed to be like. Penny is such a great and funny heroine whom I couldn't help but warm to from the very first page. She has managed to get herself in quite a situation, and I loved seeing her tackling her problems and making the best of things. I think many readers will be able to relate to her in one way or another, just like I did while reading the book. I really like novels about brides and weddings and this one had quite an original and entertaining storyline, focusing on the idea of a budget wedding, which I really enjoyed.
I loved Anna Bell's writing style; this book was so comfortable and easy to read, and the writing is well-paced and funny in just the right places. I don't often find books I really can't put down, but I just wanted to continue reading about Penny's adventures. I'm just incredibly excited this book is actually the first of a series and I can't wait to read the other two parts that have already been released. Overall, 'Don't Tell the Groom' is an amazingly enjoyable, fun, easy-to-read romantic comedy read; a book which chick lit fans simply have to pick up, you won't be disappointed!

Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads