I enjoyed this novel--the story is different than anything I've read. Phoebe leaves her life to go to a hotel in Newport, Rhode Island, where she has a specific plan to accomplish, but when she arrives at the very expensive hotel she finds out it has been taken over by a wedding party. The 'wedding people' pretty much take Phoebe in and she learns about them and about what she wants out of her own life (I am being vague because anything else would be lots of spoilers). The characters are good--I really liked Phoebe, and I didn't like Lila which is fine--and I liked the setting. If you've ever been to an 'overdone' wedding you'll appreciate the details in this book. That said, there are themes which made me uncomfortable, and the first part of the book made me really uncomfortable. I'm glad I kept going but it may not be for everyone.

I did not expect to love this book nearly as much as I did. A dark, funny, ultimately hopeful and redemptive book about a woman who accidentally goes to a wedding, with the intent of a much different week for herself. The things that affect our lives drastically can be so minor and so inconsequential to someone else. Beautifully drawn characters with complex lives and motivations, plot points with consequences but nothing too outrageous, and serendipitous coincidences that are a little out there but all part of a good story. No one in this book in a caricature or inconsequential - everyone and every moment has a tidy purpose. A lovely book that is much more powerful than what I thought was going to be a light summer read, but still very accessible. And much, much more funny than a book with that subject matter has any right to be. This book does talk about infertility, suicide, depression, death, and infidelity. I have been enthusiastically recommending this book to friends since I was about half-way through. Definitely a title to keep an eye on and I will be reading other titles from Alison Espach.

I was a bit hesitant to start The Wedding People, as I liked, but didn't love Espach's debut. This one, however, I LOVED. Thoroughly more propulsive and enjoyable than Notes, it is a somewhat light character-driven look at a depressed and desperate woman, and a week that changes her life. I didn't know anything going in, and loved it for that, as each new event was a delightful surprise. Espach's writing is wonderfully relatable, and I truly did not want this novel to end. It is definitely a contender for best of the year, as it has the perfect combination of light and substance, with wonderful well-drawn characters and excellent descriptions of the wedding in the title.

This book was exactly what I needed this week. It's definitely one of my favorite books of the year, so far. I loved all these characters, and the main character in particular. The plot might have been a little contrived, but I loved the magical feeling of it. I mean, real life does seem suspended when you're at a wedding. I loved how crazy things started happening when Phoebe finally threw caution to the wind and started saying things that she wouldn't have had the confidence to say in the past. I loved watching her growth through the book as she realizied she could stand up for herself and the world wouldn't end. 4.5 stars rounding up because I could not stop reading!

The Wedding People is a masterpiece. I’ve read 40 books this year this far and this is my favorite. It’ll be a favorite for a lifetime. Espach’s writing is effortless, witty, imaginative, insightful. Her references range from the mundane to the exquisite with enviable ease. This is beautifully told story about life and all of the messy, heartbreaking, captivating, quiet moments worth living for. It is about people, always growing and changing and learning. It is never too late to become who you want to be. It is never too late to find the people, places, spaces, things that make you feel authentically you—even when you feel like all is lost, [SPOILER ALERT] your husband is a cheater, your job doesn’t value you, you don’t connect to your work, you can’t get pregnant, your therapist stops taking your insurance, and your cat dies. Everything can come crashing down and then there’s a light, a spark of what’s left to live for. This novel struck a very personal chord and I am sure it will for many, because there is just so much to connect to. What a story, what writing, what a page turner.

This book made me laugh but it also made me want to cry at times. It was beautifully written and I was entranced with every page turn. Espach’s writing is captivating, and I can’t wait to read more of her works.

This book was so much fun. I loved seeing Phoebe grow throughout the novel. The story was told well between flashbacks and present tense. Each of the characters was explored well and nuanced. There was humor sprinkled throughout, as well as some dark topics. I would recommend for fans of The Midnight Library.

“Phoebe had been so jealous – but not just of Mia. Her husband felt alive again. She couldn’t even imagine it.”

Phoebe is not doing well. Failed IVF, stalled career, divorced from her cheating husband, dead cat. Stuck in a major depression, she heads to a gorgeous resort in Rhode Island she previously wanted to visit with her husband. Everyone is there for a wedding except for Phoebe. She is there to kill herself.
Over the course of the week, Phoebe connects with the bride and the other “wedding people” in a way she hasn’t connected with anyone in years. Maybe ever. She finds a new way to be in the world.
I absolutely loved this book. Incredibly well written, with dialog that sounds exactly how people talk. It was funny and tender and heartwarming and all the things you want in a book. I was so sad to see it end. I adored Phoebe and the rest of the cast of characters who all seemed so flawed and wonderful and real. I’ll be seeking out everything written by Alison Espach.

There was such a beautiful message about what it really means to live and how the way you feel one day won’t necessarily be the way you feel on another day. I recommend this book to everyone!

Thank you to @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for an advanced reader copy.

I had impossibly high hopes for “The Wedding People,” and Alison Espach still managed to blow me away.

I had really enjoyed “Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance” even though it’s not my usual taste in books. But Espach’s voice is addictive, and she crafts characters in a way that makes them real enough to step off the page.

Like “Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance,” “The Wedding People is a study of grief. It manages to be heart wrenching and life affirming at the same time. I was obsessed with Phoebe’s story from the very first page. The coastal Rhode Island setting was a fabulous bonus to an incredible cast of characters and storyline.

This is one of my 2024 favorites.

This book walks the tightrope between light and dark, fully belly laugh and crying your eyes out, moments of pure unconditional love and moments of suicidal ideation with such frankness and grace that you cannot stop reading and thinking about the book.

The premise of the book is a suicidal forty something divorcee named Phoebe runs away from her problems to a fancy hotel on the other side of the country and intends to kill herself on the night of her arrival. Bride-to-be Lila intends on having the best and fanciest six day wedding celebration and does everything she can to convince Phoebe that she can’t ruin her wedding by killing herself. The book is witty and craftily juxtaposes rich people problems and depressed people problems in a way that nuanced and shows us that we’re all people who are hurting (our hurt just doesn’t look the same).

On a personal note, I’m so glad I read this book at this pivotal moment in my life (two months away from my own wedding day). I felt so deeply connected to both the main character Phoebe and bride-to-be Lila.

I was Wary of this book when it started with suicide ideations. Trigger warning, hello!

However, I have never read anything quite like it. I love the disruptive bride, the cast of characters you'd only encounter over "a wedding week", and the liminal space a hotel always provides—especially for one booking their stay during a time of personal turmoil.

I loved The Wedding People.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a total surprise! I thought it'd be a classic cutesy summer romance but it was really very heartfelt and deep, thought provoking. I'm going to add it to my book club list it was such a well rounded, well thought out story.

4.5 stars

I loved Alison Espach's THE WEDDING PEOPLE publishing July 30, 2024. Light enough for summer reading but deep enough for those who are looking for insight in their books.

1. This is a unique premise. Phoebe Stone, after a failed marriage and the untimely death of her beloved cat Harry, retreats to an upscale hotel in Rhode Island to commit suicide. Once she gets there, Phoebe finds a fancy wedding has booked the rest of the hotel, and she gets swept up in their festivities once she meets the bride Lila.

2. While a bit farfetched of a plot at times (for example, Phoebe fills in for the maid of honor who can't make it after knowing the bride a day), these characters are so REAL. Phoebe has taken several personal hits, compounded by the years of lockdown, and she needs the distraction of these zany characters along with a platform for her to find her next steps. Lila is excited to be married and put on the wedding of the century, but is she really excited about her groom Gary? Gary's daughter is none-too-excited for her father to be marrying again in an authentic tween way. I loved how Phoebe connected with Gary's daughter.

3. At first I thought this novel might be too "sad girl," but it truly is one of the funniest books I've read in a while. It's not funny in a rom com way. I'd say it's funny in a more insightful way that may not resonate with ALL readers, but it certainly resonated with me.

4. I really want to see where the characters of Phoebe and Lila go next. I want to check up on them and see where they are in a couple of years, and that indicates to me when a novel has really impacted me.

#netgalleyreview #bookstagram #theweddingpeople #alisonespach

I think if there was one book I could push into people's hands this summer, it would be Wedding People. It's the story of Phoebe, a woman who has reached a crossroads in her life. She leaves her marriage and job and winds up at a hotel in Newport, Rhode Island where she accidentally becomes involved in a wedding taking place there. It's the perfect mix of funny and serious, filled with light-hearted moments that counteract the heaviness of reality for these characters without diminishing the importance of what they're going through. I thought Espach walked that tightrope beautifully in this novel. Added points for the portrayal of the tween daughter in this book. How authors write kids can be tricky and I thought Juice felt very true to her age.
Thank you to Netgalley for this title. Wedding People publishes on July 30th, 2024.

Thank you the publisher and netgalley! This touches on some really difficult topics with humor and love. I loved the two characters of Phoebe and Lila our two fmcs! It’s an inspiring read that really touched my heart!!

4.5 stars !!! I loved Alison Espach's last book so much, This one was so different but so good. The characters are so relatable and all going through their own struggles. It is nice to follow Phoebe during her journey of finding herself again. I wish the story kept going, I did not want it to end. All of Phoebe's interactions with the wedding guests were so entertaining and made me laugh out loud so many times while reading. The setting of the hotel on the coast is perfect. This novel will stay with me for a long time. I highly recommend giving this a read this summer.


Thank you Netgalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

What a refreshing book. The life lessons and wisdom sprinkled in was tasteful and impactful as we follow the main characters journey of finding herself again. This book reminded me the power of challenging oneself, being real and never overlooking the relationships that can come from strangers.

Each character in this book is authentically themselves, and yet it felt effortless for the author Alison to create them.

You can read this book when you’re happy, sad, or lonely. You’ll probably pull different perspectives with each emotion but you definitely won’t regret reading it.

Thank you Alison Espach and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Warning: Not a romance book! Also, the first 25% is very depressing.

Don't be fooled by the cute cover and the GoodReads tag of "Romance." This is not a romance book at all. It's Women's Lit, and the central relationship is between Phoebe and The Bride. Unfortunately, that's my fault for expecting one thing, not reading the genre classification, and then feeling disappointed. Managing expectations is everything.

The first quarter of the story is all about Phoebe's marriage falling apart and all the horrible things that have cascaded down on top of her (emotionally) to be in the place where she decides to go to the fancy hotel. It's super depressing, but it's needed for the story to work. Be mentally prepared for that slog.

Then we pass through the darkness and enter the light: joining the wedding people. This is a comedy. The writing and situations at the wedding are hilarious. There's a hint of romance, but the central pivot revolves around Phoebe and The Bride discovering what they truly want.

There was one writing stylistic choice I found odd. It won't bother most people, but it stood out to me as distracting. When in a scene where two characters are talking to each other through dialogue, between two statements in quotes will be a short paragraph describing in summary the dialogue that was omitted for time or space. But this summary is written in the POV of the speaker, not Phoebe. The switching of POVs was so noticeable that it took me out of the story for a second. I'd have to reread and remind myself this is a style choice.

I did end up enjoying this book, but it took a while to not feel depressed.

I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Story: 3 stars
Character development: 4 stars
Writing: 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for providing me an ARC of this book.

I stepped away from The Wedding People feeling a mix of emotions. The book balances dark elements, such as infertility, infidelity, depression and suicidal ideation with good humor and a big heart.

The philosophy of the book is pretty straightforward: people-pleasing doesn’t actually endear yourself to the people around you, and you sacrifice your own wants and needs in the process of trying to make other people happy. Phoebe spends much of her life trying to be what she thinks other people want her to be. She goes through challenging times with her husband, but doesn’t want to burden him with her depression for fear of pushing him away. When he ends up cheating on her and leaving her, she bottles up her feelings to try to be amicable. It is only when she is at her lowest and feels that she has nothing to lose that she lets herself be open and honest with other people and herself, and this is what starts the chain events that begin the story. The growth of Phoebe as a character felt heartwarming.

I think this story offers a lot of insight that many people will love. Phoebe as a narrator offers a lot of wisdom to the reader through her own experiences and mistakes. The tone of the story is ultimately hopeful, and I liked that the author didn’t have a man come into Phoebe’s life and magically fix all of her deep seated issues. If you’re looking for a story that offers insight and humor after dark times, this is for you.

"Every wedding, even a successful wedding, is a waste."

This is one of my favourite reads of the year so far! It is touching, refreshing, and hilarious at times. I didn't expect to like it as much as I did honestly but I quickly liked the main character Phoebe and her unlikely friendship with the bride-to-be. My heart broke for Phoebe and I just became invested in her journey. In the end, I'm so happy she got out of her comfort zone and learned to choose herself again. Thanks so much for the eARC!