The Bridesmaids Union: A Novel

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Iris Hagarty has just about had it with weddings. After witnessing one too many meltdowns over flower arrangements, she takes to the internet to vent about the trials and tribulations of being a bridesmaid to demanding and ungrateful brides. She finds she is not alone, and soon becomes the moderator of a Facebook group full of other bridesmaids, eager to share their own horror stories. Enter Iris's sister Jasmine, the golden child and their parents' obvious favorite, newly engaged and wanting none other than Iris to be her maid of honor. Knowing full well that Jasmine doesn't need a wedding to bring out her spoiled side, Iris buckles in for a bumpy ride. At least now she has an outlet-one full of new online friends hungry for juicy details. But as the Bridesmaids Union grows, Iris finds it harder to keep under control. And she even has some doubts about whether there will be a wedding after all. While Jasmine's fianc, David, seems smitten with his bride-to-be, Iris is less sure about her social-climber sister's intentions. Though that could just be because Iris is having trouble keeping her own eyes off of the groom. Brimming with family drama, and set in the ever-encroaching world of Instagram DM's and Facebook flame wars, The Bridesmaids Union shows the power and limits of alliances we form on social media, and how to make the most of the ones we're born into.

Reviews

Delightful. --New York Post

Sharply satiric....Vatner digs beneath the story's shiny rom-com surface to unearth some hard truths about weddings and family ties....Reading this spiky tale is like catching a beautiful bridal bouquet with thorns.
--Publishers Weekly

Entertaining....An amusing story with a host of intriguing personalities. --Kirkus Reviews

Sparkling....[With] plenty of weddling-inspired laughs. --Booklist


Praise for Carnegie Hill:

[An] effervescent debut...entertaining and profound. --People

Absolutely charming and heartfelt. --New York Post

A perfect beach read. --Town & Country Magazine

Sitting in the sun in between travel days with a glass of lemonade (or maybe a martini) with this book is an excellent escape. --She Reads

[A] charming, comically observant debut... it's [Vatner's] consistently wry wit and obvious affection for his deluded, struggling characters that are this novel's propelling forces, and which will win readers over with delight. --Booklist (starred review)

An excellent read. --Library Journal

Vatner's keen eye for domestic dissatisfaction will remind readers of Laurie Colwin. He populates the Chelmsford Arms with a delightful cast of characters, but best of all is Pepper herself, a charming, contemporary update of an Edith Wharton character. This debut will entertain and satisfy readers. --Publishers Weekly

Author Bio

JONATHAN VATNER, author of Carnegie Hill, is an award-winning journalist who has written for The New York Times; O, The Oprah Magazine; Poets & Writers; and many other publications. He is the managing editor of Hue, the magazine of the Fashion Institute of Technology, and teaches fiction writing at New York University and the Hudson Valley Writers Center.