REVIEW: Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen

In Wedding Dashers by Heather McBreen, Ada has been dreaming of traveling abroad for years, tolling around the UK and Europe, taking in the sights, sounds, and foods. But her dreams never included being so broke she had to get a ticket on a super low-brow airline. Or that her connecting flight would be canceled and she’d be stranded with nowhere to stay in London. Her one lucky moment comes after Ada is embarrassed with the contents of her luggage sprawled out on the floor and a handsome stranger comes to her rescue. Then he offers to buy her a drink. Liquid courage is definitely in order after the day she’s had so Ada agrees.

“If you’re worried about me looking at you, maybe don’t prance around half naked!”
I wait for a bruised look, or at least a whiff of embarrassment. Instead, his smirk only deepens. “So you admit you *were* checking me out?”
My God. The nerve of this man. His ego must have its own zip code.

But the deluge of details Ada throws Jack’s way soon becomes another reason to cringe when they figure out they’re heading to the same wedding–her sister’s and his best friend’s wedding in Ireland. Unfortunately, this is after referring to him–unknowingly–as a womanizer. And possibly having also put down his best friend. At least Jack has a sense of humor once the initial awkwardness subsides. Then he offers Ada the best option she has to get to Ireland: travel across the UK together and pool resources to make it on time. But issue after issue waylays their progress. And on top of it all, they seem to have some kind of intense attraction neither of them can shake. Neither of them is looking for a relationship. Although it seems like fate might have other plans.

‘Our pain might come in different shapes and sizes, born of different circumstances, but here, in the shadows, fingers intertwined like lifelines, it’s hard to see where my hurt ends and his begins.’

A debut romance about a road trip across the UK where Murphy’s Law reigned supreme and miscommunication led to a whole lot of awkwardness and laughter, WEDDING DASHERS was a wonderful introduction to Heather McBreen’s writing.

‘Maybe the biggest risk we can take is remaining hopeful in a world that often feels hopeless.’

CW: View Spoiler »Death of a parent (historical), gaslighting, emotional abuse, stalking, depression. « Hide Spoiler

Anyone who has traveled and had some (big or small) speed bumps along the way will be able to commiserate with Ada and Jack in WEDDING DASHERS. Told from Ada’s POV, we followed her on her mad dash across the UK to make it to her younger sister Allison’s destination wedding at an Irish castle. To say things went wrong for Ada is putting it very mildly. From the time she left Seattle, everything was flipped upside down over and over again. The least of which was her meet-cute with Jack.

I loved how McBreen turned their first meeting into a mix up that was worthy of a Shakespeare play, complete with fun chemistry and a gaff that would trail Jack and Ada the whole trip. While one calamity after another befell them, we slowly got to know more about the duo. Ada had some major life changes that took place over the past year or so and it was easy to see why she would be out of sorts or a bit depressed. My only slight issue was how hung up she was on her ex-boyfriend Carter given that–in my humble opinion–he didn’t deserve her. Because Ada was a pretty selfless person. She gave and gave to those she cared about, almost to the point of martyring herself. But I so enjoyed her personal growth and how she learned to stick up for what she needed and for her dreams.

Jack was harder to get to know. He seemed like a player but there was something else in the background that made it feel like he was going through his own personal issues. It took quite some time to narrow it all down. But once it was explained, I was happy Jack turned out to be the good guy I hoped he was. As was evident when they finally (!!!) made it to Ireland, where the shenanigans didn’t stop, and everything grew to a fever pitch before settling down to a sigh-worthy finale.

QOTD: Have you ever had any setbacks or mishaps while traveling that are funny now but weren’t at the time?

Book Info:

Publication: Published: January 28th, 2025 | Berkley |

After a case of mistaken identity and an almost one-night stand, two stranded wedding guests have to find their way to their final destination together, in this riotously fun debut romance.

Ada’s little sister is getting married. Which should be a happy thought, right? But the once close sisters have been in a year long fight, the wedding is all the way in Ireland, and Ada is so broke that she just barely managed to get a ticket on a budget airline. And as if things couldn’t get worse, said airline just cancelled her connection. Which means Ada is stuck in London with no way to make it to the wedding.

Surely she’s hit rock bottom?

So, there’s no reason for her not to spill her heart out about the over-the-top wedding, her sister’s worryingly quick engagement, and the womanizing best man she’s dreading meeting to a handsome also-stranded stranger at the bar. Until she realizes the stranger is headed to the same wedding. Oh, and he’s the infamous best man.

Now, Jack and Ada must put their simmering attraction behind them to make it to Belfast before they miss the nuptials. But between flat tires, missed trains, and suspect hostels, Jack and Ada start to question whether their feelings are worth going the distance, or just a distracting detour along the way.