I really loved this book. I haven't heard of this author before but I kept seeing this cover on Booksta for a bit. I think its a nice mix of literary fiction, with a bit of chick lit mixed in. It's deff a moody vibe kind of read. My only bone to pick is that the ending is a little vague but thats a personal preference.

My Take: 4 out of 5. This is a book that is hard to fit into a category. Lets leave it at literary fiction, and in that its a great exploration of character. All these characters are so flawed yet quite endearing and the growth they do together is lovely. It's a bit weird, a bit emotional and a quick read. Along with my obsession with the Gilded Age, this book is reiterating my need to go check out Newport, as I've never been! TW: there is quite a bit of mental illness that could be triggering, so proceed with caution.

To be honest, it took me a while to really get into this story. Protagonist Phoebe is recently divorced and depressed, and I was pulled down by her in the early chapters; she was such a wet blanket of a character. But, I got sucked into her story and as she begins to interact with the bride, Lila, I found that their unusual relationship was compelling enough to continue reading. As at all weddings, there is an interesting cast of characters and the activities of the wedding week were pretty entertaining. In the end, this turned out to be a heartwarming story and I would recommend it to other readers. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

After an earth-shattering divorce and a slow-growing hatred of her job, Phoebe Stone makes an impromptu decision to fly to Rhode Island and stay at the Cornwall Inn so she can have a perfect last day before attempting suicide. However, her plans go awry after being mistaken as one of the wedding guests and the hotel and meeting the bride, Lila, who ropes her into the wedding as a means of begging her not to ruin her big day. Phoebe quickly gets wrapped up in the festivities, especially after meeting the groom Gary and his family.

I loved the writing; you really feel like you’re in Phoebe’s head as she falls into a depression after a seemingly-out-of-nowhere divorce. This book also touches on the pandemic, which usually bothers me, but it’s a necessary part of this story since it reinforces the isolation that she goes through that culminates in her decision to attempt suicide. Phoebe’s narration is also very witty amidst the awkward situations that come up during the wedding.

All of the characters felt so real too. Phoebe’s an English professor who is very good with people and just trying to find what makes her happy after she realizes that what she was told would complete her life won’t. Lila is a spoiled, neurotic bride who is used to getting anything she wants, but through Phoebe’s eyes, you also see how her need to control everything masks her insecurity. Gary is a widower and fundamentally a good man who understands everything Phoebe means without her having to say it.

This book is more introspective than a straight-up filled with hijinks, but I did find it to be funny at times because of how realistic it was. There are so many awkward, stilted moments that felt real and organic.

At its core, The Wedding People is about the realization that small interactions with people can change your life and that we need other people in order to feel like we’re actually living. Even when Phoebe (rightfully) can’t stand Lila, she also helps her realize that she does, in fact, does not want to die. With every passing moment and interaction come more reasons that Phoebe wants to live for. I was tearing up as she grew to realize this; I just really do enjoy books that remind you what it is to live and to love.

Potential readers should know going in that The Wedding People is not a rom-com or romance. It deals with some dark subject matter, including suicide, infidelity and infertility. But it also has a lot of heart and humor in it. It was a bit predictable, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

I really enjoyed the setting and the idea of serendipitously meeting people who just might end up changing your life.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

Phoebe Stone arrives at a beachfront hotel in Newport, Rhode Island with plans to end her life (not a spoiler), but her plans are quickly hijacked when she becomes entangled with a group of wedding guests staying at the hotel. Initially I was skeptical of some rom-com elements to the story, including a bridezilla character and an insta-love interest for Phoebe. But Alison Espach manages to take that backdrop and deliver a book full of depth and heart. Several characters (including the bridezilla character that I wanted to hate) have compelling development arcs, which was especially impressive given the book only takes place over a week. The Wedding People is a unique story about people that are real and whole…people you will want to root for. Out July 30, 2024, this will make a fantastic summer read.

This novel is hysterical and deeply satisfying at the same time. I am always amazed by Espach's writing and can't wait to pick up more from her.

Imagine planning a stay at a beautiful oceanside inn to end your life and instead you find life there? Phoebe does exactly that! Well-written characters and an engaging plot. I adored the novel.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach
5/5 Stars
July 30, 2024
Women’s Fiction

Touching, witty, and wise, The Wedding People by Alison Espach examines life, love, loss, and how life’s little moments can change a person’s life.

Phoebe is unhappy. Her IVF treatments failed. Her husband left her for their colleague. Her dissertation is going nowhere. She’s an adjunct professor with no benefits, teaching classes to students who may or may not care about what she’s saying. In short, Phoebe has forgotten what it means to be alive. For years, she’s been dreaming of visiting the Cornwall Inn, located in Newport, Rhode Island, with her husband. Instead, she finds herself visiting alone, with the intention of ending her life. The hotel is filled with “wedding people” and Phoebe is the only outlier. She soon befriends the bride, and becomes immersed in the lives of the wedding guests. In an environment where Phoebe has nothing to lose, she becomes more comfortable with herself, and quickly becomes a confidante for just about everyone attending the wedding.

The characters in this book are so well-written that I felt like they were real people. Like the friends of friends that you hear about through casual conversation.A ability to capture the way people are so forthcoming with strangers is reflected in the organic interactions between the wedding people and Phoebe.

The setting of Newport is another prominent character, giving Phoebe an opportunity to see and experience a life quite unlike the one she had in St. Louis, Missouri. The juxtaposition of the ordinary life with which Phoebe is accustomed and the opulence she experiences in Newport allows her to appreciate the little things in life, such as the saltiness of the ocean, or the way she is able to feel present in any situation.

For me, the most moving part of the book occurs when Phoebe goes surfing with Gary and Juice. It seems to me that Espoch uses the ocean as a symbol of Phoebe’s unhappiness. It’s noted that Phoebe sees how easy it would be to just float away in the ocean, but she continues to ride the waves on her surfboard: “Each time she falls, she’s overwhelmed by the white foam, the sand in her ear. But she emerges.” Little moving scenes like this are sprinkled throughout the novel, such as Phoebe’s repeated use of the phrase, “I am here,” serving as a reminder that she almost lost everything by taking her own life.

While not a romance, this book is undoubtedly a love story - a book about falling in love with life, and all of the little (and big) things it has to offer.

I loved Alison Espach's previous book, "Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance," so "The Wedding People" was a must-read for me. The characters she creates in this novel are on par with her other in that they are relatable, messy, and authentic. Although the setting and circumstances are different, Espach's writing style and general insight into the human experience kept me interested until the lasts page. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach. Witty dialogue, mental/emotional growth, and developed characters.

I rate this 4.25 stars.

Originally went into this book thinking of a silly little wedding crasher story. But it is so much more than that. Our main character, Phoebe, arrives to a hotel in Newport, RI and is mistaken as a wedding guest but is the only real guest at the hotel not apart of the wedding. Unbeknownst to the other wedding guests Phoebe was not there to celebrate the Bride and Groom but to end her own life.

Alison did a wonderful job creating a story with tough topics without making this too heavy. An immersive story to make you feel all the emotions. Love, loss, grief, new relationships and finding happiness in yourself.

Thank you, NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

It's amazing how one incident can change a person's life while setting off a domino effect. Phoebe was living her married life, thinking all was going to plan. Until she got news that completely gutted her. In an effort to take action, she take, what she thinks is one last trip to a place she's dreamed of. Arriving at the Cornwall, she discovers she's the only hotel guest not attending the wedding that has overtaken the hotel. The bride, Lila, now feels Phoebe's presence creates a wrinkle in her perfect wedding week. Yes, an entire week of activities and celebrations leading up to her nuptials.

Lila wants nothing to distract from her wedding and Phoebe wants nothing to do with it. However, after another turn of events, the two women start to confide in one another. Life is complex and , no how hard we try, we just need to accept the simple truth. I loved the beautiful journey of each character. Alison Espach's exquisite writing is smart and funny at the most unexpected times..

A journey through heartache, self-loathe, and ultimately redemption and reformation of spirit and of self. This book doesn't shy away from hard topics, and it could be sensitive content for some readers. But if you stick it out and get through the struggles, the story is beautiful at the end. Phoebe is all of us in some way or another, and this book ends with so much hope that no matter what point you are in your life, there is always a future ahead. The characters, even though fictional, are so familiar. We all know someone like each of the characters, and it helps to think of their personalities from different perspectives. Not everything is as it seems on the surface level, but it can all work out if we are honest with ourselves and those around us.

Oh, I loved this. It was so quirky. The setup was unique and unexpected. I went in thinking I’d hate all the “wedding people” but the author gave each character endearing qualities and rich histories. I want a sequel! I need to know more about who these people are outside the walls of a six-day wedding.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an early arc, which turned into my first solid five-star read of 2024.

I really, really enjoyed this book and absolutely flew through it! It takes place during a couple's wedding week. Yes, they decide to celebrate their wedding for a whole week, booking an entire luxury hotel and planning events for every day leading up to the big wedding. It's... a lot.

But somehow Phoebe, who has nothing to do with the wedding or these wedding people, is able to book a room at the hotel; a luxury suite. And she's there for a very different reason than the others who are there to celebrate love. I don't want to give anything away since the synopsis doesn't, but I will say you should get trigger warnings if you have any concerns at all as there are some pretty big ones in this. Honestly, there were a couple things in the beginning of the book that I thought came off as pretty insensitive and I almost DNFed this... I was also worried about there it was going to go.

But as the story went on, I started to feel better and I was happy with how things evolved. And though there's definitely a layer of heaviness throughout the book, there are also lots of light and fun moments. I enjoyed getting to know the people in the wedding party, but especially enjoyed getting to know Phoebe.

I think The Wedding People is really cleverly written and would make a fantastic television series or movie!

The premise of The Wedding People certainly intrigued me, and yet at the same time I wasn't sure where this ride was going to take me, or how on earth it was going to end! I have never read anything by Alison Espach before, but now I most certainly am going to seek out her other titles.

I really enjoyed reading from Phoebe's point of view, for she reminded me somewhat of myself at times. Always doing what is expected of her or sometimes just doing the bare minimum to stay afloat. As I read about her marriage to Matt and how things in her life had unfolded and brought her to that moment when she walked through the doors of of the Cornwall Inn, I felt immediately sucked in to her life and her current predicament. I found myself laughing along with her interactions with Lila, and her conversations with "Juice" and the other wedding people. Yet, at the same time there were many heartfelt and brutally honest moments as well that left you aching with sympathy for Phoebe and her plight. It's been quite some time since I have read a book in which I have found myself shouting out loud at characters in the book, or just full on busting out laughing. I thoroughly enjoyed The Wedding People and the entire cast of characters that graced the pages in Alison's book. I am very excited to read more of her work and will highly recommend The Wedding People to others!

Thank you to NetGalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Wedding People was eye-opening in best possible way.

It was crazy to read to how different stories of different people tie together with a wedding in the middle and all the crazy repercussions, along with all the different meanings behind some of it too.

The only thing I have to complain about is, the writing style was not my favorite and sometimes I would have to re-read a sentence or paragraph again to get what the author or characters were trying to say.

4.5 stars

Phoebe’s self pity party was a bit much in the beginning, but I found her turnaround to be very comforting. I love when a woman comes to realize the value in herself and stops giving a shit about the perception of others.

This story made me think of many of the obscure relationships I’ve formed throughout my life that had much more impact than I would have ever anticipated. Nostalgic in a sense.

Five, Very Big, Laughter Filled, Stars!!!
This book is delightful. That’s what I kept thinking as I read it. I was emotionally invested from the first chapter. I laughed so hard! It is hard to explain why I loved this so much. I just felt everything the characters were feeling in such a real way. There are points to this book which are so important for us, as humans, to learn as soon as we can in our lives. The most important one is not to get lost in pretending to be someone you’re not just to make people like you. It never works! It makes us miserable and no one really likes us, because they can’t see us. Also, never settle.
I don’t want to give anything away about the plot. I went in blind and I think that’s was the best way. Just let it unfold. I have a really good feeling that this book will win awards. It’s so good. So, so good. This is one to be reread, and I will.

Thank you Holt and NetGalley for this wonderful experience.

A good book, a nice read. The story is interesting, and the author writes beautifully. I wanted to know what was going to happen, and I loved what occurred at the end. 4/5