Thank you to my partners, Kate Rock Book Tours, NetGalley, and Thomas and Mercer, and the author. I appreciate the gifted paperback and eARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

1. 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 - Set at the infamous Stanley Hotel, this story was bound to bring some mysterious events to the forefront. A perfectly chosen backdrop to this thriller.

2. 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 - Almost all of the characters seem to emit a sense of untrustworthiness. When Andi begins investigating, the shadiness of everyone seeps through the pages.

3. 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 - There wasn’t a detail that was missed in this one. I felt like I was investigating right alongside Andi and felt as flummoxed as she was. Like something was right in front of me, but it just wouldn’t show itself!

4. 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 - Wow - family issues everywhere in this one. Andi and her father, the Phoenixes and their background, Carrie’s family and their background, and more - all of these add to the intricacies of the story.

5. 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐧𝐝 - Even when it seems as if the case is wrapped up, Andi keeps digging because she knows there is something else to it. I love her tenacity in the face of uncertainty!

Unfortunately I think when romance authors switch over to thriller, there's this overlying element of romance and stupidity. I need to read the summaries better to avoid this.

This wasn’t bad but I also didn’t love it. I could not connect with any of the characters with the FBI profiler character being the worst and the writing was somewhat repetitive. Overall it was a quick easy read.

I recently had the pleasure of reading this, and I have to say, it exceeded my expectations in so many ways. From the very first page, I was hooked by the engaging style and the intriguing characters. The author does an excellent job of building a world that feels both immersive and believable, making it easy to get lost in the story. The plot was full of twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had it figured out, the story would surprise me with something unexpected. I highly recommend this and all their work.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I found this book to be highly entertaining and kept me engaged until the very last page. Loved the short chapters that made it such a quick read. I really enjoyed this and will for sure read more by L.R. Jones in the future.

I was so glad to be selected to review this book because it was a must-read on Booktok. Carrie and Oliver begins as the perfect fairy tale wedding at Colorado’s iconic Stanley Hotel but quickly turns into a nightmare when murder strikes the morning after. What was supposed to be a relaxing weekend for FBI agent Andi Castle becomes a high-stakes investigation as secrets surface, and everyone becomes a suspect. With sharp twists, a cast of intriguing characters, and a tense race against time, this suspenseful mystery keeps you guessing. Andi's relentless pursuit of the truth adds an edge of urgency to the story, making it an unputdownable read for fans of thrillers with plenty of secrets and intrigue.

Good twisty turny suspense. A compulsive read that doesn't quite stick the landing, but the journey is worthwhile.

The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones failed to deliver on its promise of an engaging and heartfelt romantic comedy. The plot felt predictable and formulaic, with little originality to set it apart from countless other books in the genre. The characters lacked depth, making it difficult to connect with them or root for their relationships. The banter, which was meant to be witty and charming, often came across as forced and unfunny, making the dialogue a chore to get through.

Additionally, the pacing of the story was uneven, with unnecessary filler scenes dragging the narrative while the actual romance felt rushed and underdeveloped. The conflicts, which should have added tension and stakes, seemed contrived and resolved far too easily.

Overall, The Wedding Party felt like an uninspired effort with little to make it memorable. It may work for readers looking for a quick, light read, but anyone hoping for something more substantial or impactful will likely be disappointed.

This story was ok! It captured my attention & did keep me guessing the whole way through though the ending was slightly disappointing!

I realized pretty quickly that this book was not for me. I didn't really vibe with the writing style and found the characters grating, and the stigmatization of additcts really, really irritated me. Not for me, but maybe for others.

Reality doesn’t dovetail with what’d you’d expect from an almost-married couple. Meet the bride and groom: Carrie Reynolds is a nurse at Denver’s Memorial Hospital and Oliver Phoenix is a wealthy entrepreneur. They’re clearly under some strain. Oliver blows off Carrie when she asks to see a wedding gift that he’s just opened. He says, “Not a chance. I’m not letting you see this.” Oliver claims it’s a gag gift from one of his groomsmen and picks up the box. Their intense conversation ends abruptly.

He doesn’t wait for a reply. He walks to his right and into his office, and to my shock, he shuts the door. He never shuts the door. The card for the gift is lying on the hall table, and I pick it up and glance at the front of the envelope. It reads “Oliver Phoenix,” not “Oliver and Carrie.” That gift was for Oliver, and the writing is distinctively female.

Secrets and lies. Not a great prelude to a wedding. The next morning Oliver is gone before Carrie wakes up. At lunch, Carrie unloads on her girlfriend Lana. The conversation heats up when Lana posits that Carrie’s combo bachelor/bachelorette/Halloween party at the Stanley Hotel in two weeks’ time, will most likely deteriorate into the guys slinking off to looking at naked breasts … Carrie’s not having it.

Andrea “Andi” Castle is having “drinks with a friend, with not a murder in sight.” Andi is an FBI agent—her drinking companion is Lana, “an old friend from college.” Small world! Lana tells her friend she looks beautiful, not bad for a “badass profiler.” Reeling from her recent divorce and burnt out from six months as an ER nurse, Lana relishes the girls’ night out and wants to keep the party going. Lana begs Andi to be her plus-one at a “party in Estes Park next weekend—it’s this combo bachelor/bachelorette party.” No way, but Lana persists.

“It’s at that hotel where Stephen King wrote The Shining. It’s supposed to be haunted, which is kind of cool.”



“The last thing I need is some killer I put away coming back to haunt me at some spooky hotel. No thank you.”



“Screw the ghosts. We’ll eat, drink, and shop. It’ll be fun.”



“The bride doesn’t know me.”



“The bride is supersweet and easygoing.”

Although Lana promises to keep on asking, it turns out she doesn’t have to. Andi goes to the bathroom and while she’s washing her hands, a reporter pumps her on Spider Man (the media’s name for a high-profile case Andi just solved). The reporter’s follow-up question is about Eddie Castle, Andi’s famous Teflon-tough PI father who was “kicked off the force for use of force.” After her unpleasant encounter with the nosy reporter, Andi tells Lana, “I will go. I’m off for two more weeks. Maybe if they can’t find me, the press will move the heck on, and I can go back to work in peace.” Let the partying commence.

That said, as Andi piles into Lana’s BMW for a “murder-free weekend,” guess what’s on her mind? Foreshadowing alert: murder!

The Stanley Hotel is everything: Lana has even signed up for a haunted room. Andi is having none of that: “I need a room that has never seen a ghost. Ever. And I mean never.” Andi meets the bride-to-be, Carrie, who is “starstruck” to meet an honest-to-goodness FBI agent. Andi sluffs that off: “I’m about as exciting as a Golden Girls rerun and a peanut butter sandwich, minus the jelly.” Carrie’s not buying it: she insists that Andi stay in #217, Stephen King’s room.

Andi is OK with the atmosphere—there are “lots of hospital jokes floating around,” naturally, but then the groom’s sister, Natalie Phoenix, singles her out for some pointed questions. Andi tries to bat them away, saying that as a profiler, it’s “basically a bunch of tedious paperwork.” But Natalie persists: “What type of criminals do you profile?” Andi tries to shut down the interchange, but Natalie is on a roll: “I’m a little shocked you came to the party, Andi, or really, I should say, Agent Castle. You don’t even know the bride.” Cut to Carrie’s jumbo margarita sloshing over Andi’s blouse and she’s out of there. Back in her room, her trained mind goes over what happened: “I think Carrie knocked that drink over on purpose, but with what endgame? To get rid of me or shut up Natalie?” The evening winds on—tours with an emphasis on haunted, increasingly lit conversations with this groomsman and that friend—but at last she’s back in her room and tries to rest.

I drift into a heavy slumber that ends when pounding on my door jolts me into a sitting position. “Andi! Andi!” At Lana’s frantic voice, I throw away the covers and race toward the door, expecting a tipsy, heartbroken friend.



Caution be damned, I throw open the door to find her tear-streaked face. “We need you,” she sobs. “Oliver’s dead and Carrie is missing.”

It’s astonishing how quickly Andi switches gears from exhausted partier to FBI agent. She grabs a small purse filled with crime scene supplies—yes, it was in her vacation suitcase. When the local police arrive and learn that she’s an FBI agent, they ask for her help. It’s not as if Andi can leave: the hotel is on lockdown. Given her seniority and expertise, she ends up leading the investigation.

If you like mysteries where you really don’t know whodunnit, The Wedding Party will be right up your alley. It’s witty, surprising, and full of surprises. I hope there’s another story with Andrea “Andi” Castle at the helm.

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3⭐️
THE WEDDING PARTY
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: mystery/thriller
📖 331 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: 📦 🩺🩸🚔🤫😱🗻🏨🔪🕸️🕵🏼‍♀️👻🔫

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ dual POV
◽️ who dun it
◽️ CLUE vibes
◽️ lots of suspects & revenge

🩷𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲🩷

Thank you pub that gave to me @thomasandmercer @netgalley for the #gifted copy!

THE WEDDING PARTY started out strong, with a gripping first chapter that immediately pulled me in. The plot gave off CLUE vibes, with its “whodunit” style & a setting inspired by THE SHINING’S eerie Stanley Hotel—something that resonated even more since I’ve stayed there myself. The mystery is packed with suspects, potential motives, & red herrings, making it hard to know who to trust.

The dual POV of Carrie, the bride, & Andi, the detective, added depth to the story. I enjoyed exploring Andi’s background, especially her history with a serial killer case & her complicated relationship with her father, a corrupt cop. Carrie’s past also contributed to the suspense, keeping me intrigued by her motivations.

Despite these strengths, the story ultimately fell flat for me. I didn’t connect with most of the characters, which made it hard to stay invested as the plot progressed. Some details about the characters felt unnecessary & didn’t contribute meaningfully to the resolution. By the end, the rushed conclusion left me feeling underwhelmed, as though the buildup deserved a more satisfying payoff.

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Carrie & Oliver are madly in love & hosting their dream wedding at Colorado’s iconic Stanley Hotel. The celebration is grand, with family, friends, & endless fun. But the joy turns to horror when a murder is discovered the next morning. FBI agent Andi Castle, attending as a guest, is suddenly thrust into an investigation. With the hotel on lockdown & secrets unraveling, Andi must find the killer before they strike again.

I received "The Wedding Party" by L.R. Jones as an ARC from NetGalley, and it was an engaging read. The novel is a psychological suspense set at the legendary Stanley Hotel in Colorado, known as the inspiration for Stephen King's "The Shining". The story revolves around Carrie and Oliver, a couple deeply in love, hosting a joint bachelor/bachelorette party at the hotel. What starts as a fairy-tale celebration quickly turns into a nightmare when Oliver is found dead and Carrie is covered in his blood. FBI agent Andi Castle, who was supposed to be a plus-one for a relaxing weekend, finds herself thrust into a murder investigation. The hotel is put on lockdown, and Andi must navigate through a web of secrets and lies to uncover the truth before anyone else gets hurt. The setting of the Stanley Hotel adds a chilling atmosphere to the story, enhancing the suspense and mystery. The character development is strong, particularly with Andi Castle, whose sharp instincts and determination drive the investigation forward. The interactions between the characters are well-crafted, adding depth to the narrative. Overall, "The Wedding Party" is a thrilling read with a captivating plot and a memorable setting. I look forward to reading more from L.R. Jones in the future. #netgalley #theweddingparty

The writing didn't manage to be up to the genre standards and it made it feel like it was a bit choppy. I would have loved to see this premise take form in another way but alas it wasn't the best

The cover is cute, but the synopsis reeled me in.

When a combined bachelor and bachelorette party turns into a murder mystery, I was all in. Trying to figure out who committed the murder and why was right up my alley. And the secrets that were revealed had me side eyeing some folks.

What can you do? Who can you trust? 🤔

I enjoyed reading this story. It was a quick and easy read that captured my attention. All in all, it was a good time.

The following statement resonated with me.
🥂 "I don't assume anything about anyone ever. I want to hear the story the people and the evidence tell me."

"𝙎𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣, 𝙣𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙬𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢."

It's a slow paced story with relatively short chapters, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. It explores themes of betrayal, hidden truths, and lies. The story is filled with twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end. It revolves around a dysfunctional family with their own conflicts and secrets, and there's a murder takes place on the lavishing bachelerotte party of Carrie and Andy. Some sections felt a bit repetitive, and a few characters lacked emotional depth. Additionally, I wasn't fond of how women were depicted in the story.

"𝙁𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙡𝙪𝙧𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨."

The Wedding Party was a thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat, never bored, wondering who-dun-it, the entire time I was reading! I flew through this book because it kept my interest and had me NEEDING to know who the killer was!

The Wedding Party follows the main couple Carrie and Oliver as they prepare for their wedding and have a joint bachelor/bachelorette party at a haunted house. During the party a murder is committed. Thankfully one of the attendees has invited their FBI profiler friend, Andi, as their plus one who is on hand to lock down the scene and start the investigation.

Throughout the book, many of the guests have means and motive to commit the murder and many secrets are revealed throughout Andi’s investigation. I really enjoyed the twists and turns of the story and it kept me hooked to the end to find out who had committed the crime and why.

The ending of the Wedding Party did feel a little rushed and could have been longer to tie up all the ends as it is all resolved within the last few chapters, otherwise I really enjoyed this book.

💍 Book Review: The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones 💍

I had such a blast reading The Wedding Party! 🎉 This story is packed with all the romantic tension, witty banter, and drama you’d expect from a rom-com set against the backdrop of a wedding celebration. L.R. Jones does a fantastic job of blending humor and heart, making this an irresistible, feel-good read. 😍💕

The chemistry between the main characters is off the charts 🔥, and I found myself laughing out loud one moment and swooning the next. Jones really nails that perfect balance between lighthearted fun and deeper emotional moments. Plus, the side characters bring their own charm and quirks, making the whole wedding crew so lovable! 👰🤵

Huge thanks to @ThomasAndMercer for granting me access to this gem! If you’re a fan of swoon-worthy romance, laugh-out-loud moments, and a healthy dose of wedding drama, this one’s for you! 💖✨

#TheWeddingParty #LRJones #ThomasAndMercer #RomComReads #BookReview #WeddingSeason #RomanticReads #Bookstagram #FeelGoodReads #SwoonWorthy

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced copy of this novel. I highly enjoyed it and will be recommending it to others.