Phoebe Stone has wholly resolved to give up on life. Things just haven't turned out the way she'd hoped, and it's all gotten to be a bit much. When she arrives at the luxurious oceanfront Cornwall Inn on Newport, Rhode Island, she's surprised to find that she's the only guest staying at the property who isn't one of the wedding people.

Phoebe couldn't be further from one of the wedding people; you see, Phoebe came to the Cornwall Inn to end her life.

But in a most unexpected whirlwind of events, Phoebe becomes swept up in the wedding weekend by the glamorous young bride herself. Lila gets what Lila wants, and what Lila wants very much is to not have her wedding tarnished by Phoebe's death.

And just like that, "The Wedding People" soars without question into my top 10 books of 2024, readers. This is a hilarious, heart-wrenchingly tender story about the messiness of life and the chance encounters that--in the course of a single wedding weekend--have the power to change our course in ways we never thought possible.

The characters in "The Wedding People" are masterfully written: complex, deeply-human, all imperfect. And together, they weave a perfect story (with a lovely, well-formed plot I might add) about love, love lost, hope lost, and hope found. If life to you has ever felt like an ocean of loneliness, I implore you, read this book. Through Lila and Gary and most especially Phoebe, "The Wedding People" in a great big lungful of fresh air that reminds us: no matter the broken pieces that are your life, there is always, always a way for them to come back together. We just may not see it right away.

I've been reading this book on and off since December and now it's April. Although it is well-written, I just couldn't connect with it. The characters are flawed, some more insufferable than others, and it overall felt like it was moving so slowly. I can see why some people could enjoy it but the tone of it just wasn't for me.

I randomly came across this book when looking at books to request on net galley. I had never heard of the book, nor the author. With the word "wedding" in the title, I quickly jumped to read the synopsis and a story that takes place over a wedding week? I'm sold.

This is the story of Phoebe, who has come to the Cornwall Inn to live out her dream when her life has fallen to the depths of despair. When she arrives at the hotel she sees that a wedding has taken over the establishment for the week and she is the only guest who is not a part of the wedding. Phoebe "befriends" the bride and is somehow an intricate part of the wedding festivities and the wedding party.

I absolutely adored this book! At first, I thought it would be a typical rom-com/chicklit type of novel (which I'm always down for) but the author has a dark and witty undertone in her writing which made for a more intriguing tale.

Normally, this is the part in my book reviews where I answer the question, "Would this book make for a good movie?" Considering I read that the rights of this book have been sold, we know it is going to be a movie, but I am ecstatic about seeing the pages come to life, side bangs and all.

The Wedding People drew me in from the opening scenes when we are introduced to Phoebe a character that will take your hear.We follow her through sadness and joy.Allthe characters are so well drawn there are laughter tear’s friends that become family a total delight to read.#netgalley #henryholt

To be entirely honest, I don't know how I feel about The Wedding People. It was a bit slow for me (and I'm in a reading slump, so it didn't help), but it was also kind of beautiful. It's one of those books that you finish and you're left with a "Hmm" face because you can't figure out your own feelings...

The Wedding People is a wonderful, poignant and touching book. It started off slowly but as the book progressed I could not stop reading. The story begins with Phoebe, an English professor, reeling from a recent painful divorce who decides to travel to Newport, Rhode Island to kill herself. At the hotel Phoebe becomes entangled with a bride at the beginning of her week long wedding and quickly becomes an integral part of the wedding party.
This book deftly explores many different issues; living a life of meaning, finding happiness, learning to express your needs and desires. I loved Alison Espach’s previous book, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance. This book is very different but equally as good.
Thank you to Henry Holt and co. and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not at all what I expected. It was so much more. It is a wonderful story of different people at different points in their lives, I loved the main character Phoebe. She begins her journey in the story at the lowest point in her life but having accidentally crashed a wedding, she discovers more about herself. All the other characters are well developed and their relationships believable. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC

This is going to be one of the best summer reads of 2024! Professor Phoebe is watching her life fall apart little by little - her husband left her (for someone they BOTH work with), she's stuck on her dissertation, and her cat Frank died. Phoebe decides to run away from everything and end it all… but the gorgeous hotel she checks into is booked with a wedding that she quickly gets swept into. These ‘wedding people’ help her get a new perspective on life and see things more clearly and learns to live again,

The Wedding People was such a breath of fresh air. The characters were so well-written, honest and raw. I so appreciate Espach's ability to write truly complicated women without casting them as as just another trope. Overall, just such a lovely novel capturing the full range (and messiness) of human emotions in both life's brightest and darkest moments.

Meh.

First of all, thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I always look forward to reading a new book by an author whose past works I've enjoyed. There are times when I've loved their newest and other times when I'm disappointed. In the case of The Wedding People, I'm disappointed. I enjoyed the quiet, slow story of Espach's Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, and was ready to declare myself a full-fledged fan, but now I'm just in the land of meh and feeling so sad about it.

The Wedding People was a rollercoaster, and not a super fun one. It was one that left you feeling confused about why you thought it was going to be a good idea to ride the rollercoaster. I do have a hard time not finishing a book I've started and I held on because I wanted it to get better. But the characters raked at my nerves and the decisions made across the board were just so bad and jarring, I couldn't handle it. I was unable, at the end, to even feel any joy for the main character, who absolutely did deserve it given what she went through in her previous life and what she planned to do at the hotel once she got there. The supporting cast of characters were very hard to like, and maybe that was the point. I don't know.

I wanted to like this, but I just couldn't.

This novel was darker than I expected—and had some potentially triggering plot lines concerning infertility, suicide, and adultery. I did enjoy the interactions between Phoebe and Lila throughout the novel—a highlight.

This was so good!! I was absolutely enthralled and totally into this story. I couldn't stop reading it. I loved the writing style and they story and I can't wait to read more by Alison Espach. I had such a great experience reading this. Loved it!
I just reviewed The Wedding People by Alison Espach. #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

This was a fun read that was in many ways a breath of fresh air where an individual in the triumph of everything falling part, there can be surprising aspects waiting on the other turn.

Wow, this book ended up being so much more than I expected! I don't know how Alison Espach did it, but she effortlessly shifted from serious to laugh-out-loud funny moments and then back to serious. I found each of the characters and their stories deeply relatable, and continued to think about this book in the days, even months, after I finished reading it. There's something so profound and beautiful in the way this story unfolded for me and I've deemed this a book that everyone should read because I truly think there's an important message embedded in the relationships we see develop, change, or end. Definitely want to read more from this author.

This was nothing like what I was expecting, but like the book’s main character Phoebe, “I will read any book to the end if it promises a wedding.”

I found myself drawn to Phoebe’s story from the second she spilled the reason for her trip in the first chapter. The dynamic between Phoebe and the bride-to-be, Lila, was so entertaining, and I enjoyed their banter. Several characters stole my heart along the way, but none more than Gary’s daughter “Juice.”

The author broached difficult topics without the book ever feeling too heavy. It made me think about my own life and how little moments can change the course of your life entirely. I can’t wait to recommend it to everyone this summer.

I had a slow time getting into this book, but once I was in, I was in. Perhaps it was that I didn't feel too much in common with the main character at first, a mousey adjunct professor with a list of (valid) complaints. But as the story unfolded, it was easy for me to become invested in the whole cast, crew, and setting. Especially the setting, as I've been to Newport and could envision the harbor, the sailboats, the traffic, the art gallery. I applaud the author for not tying up the story too easily (I thought that's where it was heading, but the plot softened, and I appreciated that), but there were a few loose ends that left me hanging (what happened to Tom? why does he disappear entirely after the first few chapters?). A good read for a summer vacation!

I absolutely LOVED this book. Many heavy topics were explored such as grief, infertility, loneliness and mental health. I appreciate the portrayal of these topics and how relatable it can be for the reader.
When Phoebe arrives at the Cornwall Inn, a hotel thousands of miles from home, she is feeling hopeless, lost and confused. Until she meets Lilah, the bride, and her wedding guests. Through interacting with the wedding people, Phoebe explores self-reflection and begins to form new friendships with these strangers. I adore Phoebe and Lilah, their developing friendship was unique and full of humorous, lighthearted moments. This is one of those reads that will definitely stay with me. I highly recommend giving it a read.

This book is so, so good. It blew me away, if I’m being totally honest. I expected a well written summer read about a wedding gone wrong, but instead was totally immersed in a. Beautiful character study and the most incredibly well described cast of characters. Phoebe is my favorite protagonist of the year so far—-she is dark, funny, brilliant, sensitive, and just so very human. I loved living inside her head for every page of this novel. I’m so sad it’s over.

This book was a really fun read! I loved the Rhode Island setting and the characters were enjoyable. The story is well written and you will find yourself rooting for all of the characters. This book is going to be a great summer read.

3.5. I went into this thinking “Oh, my wedding is so soon this could be a fun read”. Now, it was not that kind of read after all, but it was still a pretty good read. Content warnings including suicide attempt, suicidal ideation, infertility, miscarriage, and loss of a spouse/parent/family member. This book is about how Phoebe and Lila meeting changes the courses of their lives entirely. They have so much to figure out about themselves, and figured out more in that week of Lila’s planned wedding than they had in several years. The ending is both sad and hopeful, which was really interesting. The writing style is really unique, which I noticed in the author’s other novel Notes On Your Sudden Disappearance. I think it got slow at times, and the literature discussions got to be a bit much. But overall it was a solid read! Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for this ARC.