So Happy for You by Celia Laskey (Review by Taylor Bridgeforth)

“If you want to know the story of how my best friend and I ended up trying to kill each other, I should probably start with the night she asked me to be her maid of honor.” THIS WAS THE FIRST LINE and I was immediately here for the mess to ensue. Do I love going to weddings? Yes. Does the thought of PLANNING a wedding immediately makes me burst into hives? Yes. Robin and Ellie are best friends from high school. Ellie is a looking forward to a wedding, marriage and kids. Robin is happy just living with her girlfriend and their dog. Finding the relation as a reader, I’m Robin (except I live with my boyfriend, one dog and two cats). Until me and my boyfriend, you could not have paid me enough to want to conform into the hoopla of having a wedding—or marriage. But anyway, Ellie finally finds her man and asked Robin to be her maid of honor. Robin says no. IS THAT ALLOWED? Then Robin says yes. AND THEN Robin is put through what Laskey describes as ‘wedding charms.’ I.E. the extra-ness of wedding planning (wedding shower, bridal shower, cross country bachelorette trip, bachelorette fake kidnapping, trust fall into BROKEN GLASS, etc.). Robin plays along as long as she can until Ellie decides to go too far, an idea she got from a bride forum. In all honesty, this book was great! GREAAT! It was funny and made good points with the way it seems the wedding industry and society manipulates women and their worth. And it’s sad. I’ve known an uncomfortable amount of women whose value was only valid if they had a man—no matter their friendships or family, the idea of a partner was what would give them value. That’s why (in my unpopular opinion) it is so important to love yourself—duh, but also have passions and goals that are for you, friends for you that are just as important (if not more than) your significant other. Waiting around for someone to complete you may or may not have you trying to drown your best friend.