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.

4.5 ⭐️- This book was AMAZING!!! I’ve seen many mixed reviews about it over the last couple of months and by the time I got to it on my TBR I couldn’t remember what it was about so I went into it blind. I was drawn in from the first sentence and I truly enjoyed nearly every minute.
Phoebe Stone arrives at the beautiful Cornwall Hotel in Newport, RI dressed to the nines and without any luggage. She’s there for one purpose and one purpose only. As she’s standing on line waiting to check in she notices all of the guests around her are apparently here for the same wedding. Phoebe meets the bride, Lila, in the elevator and suddenly each woman becomes the other one’s confidant. During the 6 days that lead up to the wedding Phoebe is brought into the folds of the wedding and she knows Lila has changed her life in ways she never thought possible.
I loved so much about this. While the book deals with heavy topics the humor that is strewn throughout is provides a fantastic buffer. The characters are quirky and fun and the depiction of the many facets of women’s friendships is spot on.
My one issue is quite small, but it’s actually quite large to me. So much so that I am docking this 1/2 of a star. The only words used to convey dialogue were “says” and “asks”. I have never understood how an author who is creative enough to write a book can’t find better words for their characters dialogue. I know this doesn’t pop out to everyone, but it pops out to me and irritates me to no end.
Despite that one pet peeve this is definitely one of the top books I’ve read this year because everything else about it is truly fantastic. Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an advanced copy of this. I’m sorry it took me so long to get this to it. The Wedding People hit the shelves on July 30th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the ARC of The Wedding People by Alison Espach.

This one took me a minute to get into. I put it down and came back to it and boy am I glad I did! When I say this book is funny, it had be laughing out loud MANY times. All while it discusses subjects that are often taboo or stigmatized. I will say, if suicide is a tough subject for you to read about, steer clear of this book. No suicide is completed, but it is a main theme.

As the description tells you, Phoebe shows up at the inn full of “the wedding people” and she and the bride, Lila, become confidants. To the point, that now Phoebe has gotten herself entangled in the wedding…in more ways than one. Phoebe also meets Gary and has an instant connection, on the heels of her divorce, but this may not be a good thing while at a wedding she wasn’t even invited to. And these moments just keep spiraling along with the laughs. An enjoyable and fun read.

As someone from Rhode Island and who got married this summer, I loved the connection I instantly felt to this book! I appreciated the POV of someone who was adjacent yet extremely involved in the wedding.

The beginning delivered quite the shock factor, but it quickly moved to a more humorous, satirical like tone. I loved the growth and layers to this book as well as the development and destruction of the many different relationships.

It made me laugh out loud, empathize, relate, and smile while reading. It was something serious, yet very unserious and I loved it.

This book was not for me. It was too intense and the story didn’t end a way that pulled it together enough for me.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach was a raw examination of life, love, infertility, identity and how sometimes life takes to where we need to be. I’m so glad I went into this one blind. I knew nothing about this book when I got an ARC, but the title and cover art pulled me in. It was just a joy to read.

I know a review is necessary, but oh I how I wish you could go into this one blind as I did. This book is so much more than it appears. This story is a richly layered, emotional journey that features broken characters that come together for a wedding. The main character, Pheobe, is the only guest at this ritzy Newport hotel that is not there for the wedding. Awkward! Little do the other guests know that she is there to commit suicide after her husband left her for another woman.

When the bride, Lila, learns that this random woman is going to “unalive” herself during her wedding WEEK, she is over the top obsessed that she does this act somewhere else. Lila and Pheobe are characters that you won’t soon forget. Honestly, all the minor characters were memorable as well. The dialogue was so on point and the honesty that people often feel when talking to a stranger made for great transparency between characters.

I’m already giving far too much away. Just read this one. Great contemporary fiction.

This is a book with mass appeal. A great pick for book clubs and will be a good choice for folks of all ages.

This book was so incredibly special.
At the beginning, I wasn't completely sold on the writing style, and was a little confused at the jump. But once it got going, I found that upon reflection, the writing made since. In the beginning, Phoebe didn't know any of the characters, so referring to them in ways that made sense to her started to make sense to me. We didn't really need names if she wasn't going to learn them organically, and I think that little detail was genius.
Diving more into it, I loved Phoebe. I felt like she was so relatable, so real, and honestly her voice was so strong. She was likeable, her problems were very real, and I felt like her story never got lost in the craziness of her being thrown into this situation.
The story felt well paced, everyone had strong personalities without being painful, and the story was overall very heartwarming.

Only reason for 4 stars was that while the story was interesting, it didn't keep me from putting it down and not RUSHING to pick it back up.

I absolutely loved this book! It was the best of the summer! I love how this author approaches topics with ease and humor. As someone currently struggling with some of these same topics, it make me feel so much less alone while helping me figure out my own feelings. This book deserves all of the ✨

*The Wedding People* is a beautifully crafted novel that intertwines humor and heartbreak as it follows Phoebe Stone, an unexpected wedding guest in Newport, Rhode Island. Dressed to impress but carrying the weight of loss, Phoebe finds herself at a lavish wedding she didn't plan to attend, seeking solace after the death of her husband. What unfolds is a poignant connection between her and the meticulously prepared bride, revealing how two women from different worlds can confide in one another amid the chaos of a wedding weekend. Alison Espach's narrative deftly explores themes of grief, renewal, and the unexpected paths that lead us to new beginnings. Readers will find themselves drawn in by the depth of emotion and the relatable struggles of navigating life's surprises, making this novel a must-read for anyone seeking a thoughtful and engaging story about resilience and connection.

This was such an unexpected surprise and very enjoyable book! I really loved the setting and Phoebe’s character! It was funny and captivating and this is definitely one of my favorite new releases of the year! 4.5⭐️

It feels weird to say, especially if you've read the synopsis and know vaguely what happens in this book, but I had such a good time reading this. This book starts out feeling very serious, and I wouldn't really call any of this book "light", but the way that it was written was just entertaining and handled darker subjects with care but also humor (somehow?).

I loved Phoebe, I thought her growth felt realistic and honest and I also found her so funny. Her banter with all the characters was so clever but also thoughtful. The conversations around heavy subjects were handled with care but also with some humor, which made them feel less taboo (I guess?) to read about. The conversations about grief, especially, felt so poignant.

When the book ended, I found myself wanting to know more about every character and wishing I had more pages to read, I'd definitely read more writing from this author!!

I was not expecting this book to be what it was. While Phoebe's life is falling apart she meets this very eccentric group of people and decides to start anew. It was heartwarming and lovely. I was rooting for all of the characters to find what they were looking for and have a satisfying ending (which they did). I didn't want this book to end, I enjoyed the characters and the world so much.

I am so glad I went into this book completely blind, because it was absolutely not what I expected, in the best way possible. This book was so delightfully witty and full of heart. I fell in love with every last character. Before I even finished I had bought copies for my mom and bff! I can’t wait to devour more from this author.

this was so well done and made relatable for such a heavy topic book. Suicide is such a delicate subject to tackle but Alison did it with gentle precision and somehow made it an uplifting story. I love that she doesn't glorify it, but she talks about it in a way that makes you ache.
The settings and details are so well done that I truly felt transported into the story. Very well done.

Good contemporary fiction. I did struggle through most of this and was pretty frequently frustrated with a few characters.

Phoebe Stone arrives at the Cornwall Inn with the intention of one last splurge and then killing herself. She is immediately mistaken as one of the wedding guests who have booked the entire inn for the weekend. The bride has accounted for every detail of the wedding, except for Phoebe. The twist is that the two become friends and Phoebe's plans are foiled. This book details paths we never imagined and friends we find in unexpected places.

This was such a different kind of book that i loved more than i usually do for this type. So well written with great characters and fun setting but serious story. Loved it

I cannot believe it took me so long to read this one, I was missing out on a 5 star all along, but I also feel I read it at a perfect time. The cover is what first intrigued me to read this one, but the writing was so good! It is very witty and has a lot of dark humor, to which I enjoyed. I also love the characters in this book and how real (and fake at times) they all are. Juice was probably my favorite of all. This one is highly worth the read!!

I see why this book is everywhere right now! For me, it took a while to really feel 'into' the story but once I got there I loved my reading experience. When you finish this novel you will feel deeply connected to the main characters and not want to leave them. It does deal with some 'heavier' issues, so if you are a sensitive reader check before jumping in!