The Paid Bridesmaid by Sariah Wilson is a contemporary romance. Rachel Vinson runs a successful events planning company that offers their wedding clients the option of having professional bridesmaids as part of their wedding party.

Hired by social media It Girl influencer Sadie to be her bridesmaid at her wedding to a founder of an up and coming tech startup. With the run-up to Sadie’s wedding being filmed and the wedding day itself being live-streamed, the social media star want to ensure that everything runs smoothly to keep her sponsors happy and her influencer brand intact. For Rachel, this means ensuring that Sadie’s alcoholic mother is kept away from the bar and running interference for any problems that creep up and is all business ensuring, all while pretending to be Sadie’s childhood best friend.

Unfortunately for her things aren’t going according to plan as the groom’s best-man and business partner, Camden Lewis is suspicious and believes her to be a corporate spy, keeps digging to uncover Rachel’s secrets. Camden is charming and handsome, making it extremely difficult for Rachel to stick to her no-dating at weddings rule.

The Paid Bridesmaid is a great vacation read, it’s extremely chilled and is a low drama contemporary romance, in fact for me it was a little too low drama and felt that in some places it could have done with a little more punch.

Excerpt from The Paid Bridesmaid by Sariah Wilson

“I travel a lot for work, so it hasn’t really been practical. I have thought I’d like to get a cat. They seem more independent than dogs.”

“And more rewarding, in my experience.”

“What do you mean?” He finished off the last of his drink before he answered.

“There’s something triumphant about a little sociopath deigning to cuddle with you. It’s like winning a prize. Dogs love everybody. Too easy—”

“That’s not true,” I interrupted. “My mom’s three rescue dogs hate me. She got them because I won’t give her grandchildren. She treats them like they’re her babies. They’ve gone on more vacations than I did growing up and I’m pretty sure they have nicer bedrooms and better food.”

Realizing that I might be revealing a bit too much about my issues with my mom, I shook my head. “But enough about that. I’m more of a cat person, too.” It seemed like I was talking a lot. Was I talking a lot?

“I feel like I should grab a notebook so that I could make a list of all the things it turns out we have in common.”

“A list?” I echoed, my heart racing.

“I like making lists. It gives me the illusion of being in control.”

That was seriously the sexiest thing a man had ever said to me. I could only sit there with my mouth hanging open. He briefly brushed his fingers against the side of my hair.

“My guess is you’re that way, too. Everything about you seems a tad controlled. Even your hair.”

Without thinking, I reached up to touch the same spot on the side of my head that he had. This wasn’t about control, was it? It was about convenience. It took far less time to twist my hair and put it up than it would to leave it down and have to curl or straighten it. And I liked being in control. Who didn’t?

“I can be flexible. Totally flexible. Just as long as everything is going exactly the way I want it to.”