I read this on a 4 hour flight. I assumed it would be a straight up romance book, but it was so much more.

Our protagonist - Phoebe - comes to an island and a beautiful hotel to grieve. Unfortunately she picks a weekend when a wedding is taking place and every guest aside from herself is a guest of the wedding. Lila the bride seems unsure about marriage and befriends Phoebe. Im using the word befriend loosely here.

At various points, I thought I knew where the story was going but the author showed remarkable insight and did not lead her characters down a predictable path.

It was a slow burn and I truly enjoyed savoring the story.

I thought this book was going to be a light and funny romcom.

It was not, to my surprise it was pretty dark, which I wasn’t mad about.

Unfortunately, at about 50% thru I started scanning the page for any to it of information that I could find, hoping something would peak my interest. Nothing did.

Sadly, this is a 2 star book for me and I feel like I’m being generous.

Wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but ended up loving it. Well written, great mix of characters, and lots of themes that hit close to home.

An easy dry, funny read. Reading Phoebe’s story unfold has surprises, laughs & some heart-warming human connections.

Phoebe has gone to the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island to end her life. After a divorce and struggles with infertility she feels hopeless. When she arrives she realizes she has inadvertently crashed a wedding weekend and she bonds with the bride, meets new people, develops new relationships and figures out how to start her life all over again. It’s funny and moving and relatable and I really connected with all of the characters. I enjoyed the ride. I would love to see this turned into a movie.

"There is no such thing as a happy place. Because when you are happy, everywhere is a happy place. And when you are sad, everywhere is a sad place."

What a gift it is to read one of my favorite books for the year during the last few days of the year. This book was such a journey and so unexpected.

"I think we talk about happiness all wrong. As if it’s this fixed state we’re going to reach. Like we’ll just be able to live there, forever. But that’s not my experience with happiness. For me, it comes and go. It shows up and then disappears like a bubble.”

It's the story of Phoebe who is at a particularly low moment in her life and can't see a way out. It's the story of Lila who is at a particularly high moment in her life about to get married. And how their lives clash and entangle in the most unexpected of ways.

"They get back in the car. She wonders if her feelings for Gary could be a new form of love, one she’s never known before: love without expectation. Love that you are just happy enough to feel. Love that you don’t try to own like a painting. But she doesn’t know if that is a real thing. She hopes it is. She looks out to the side of the road, like she’s a kid going on an errand with her father, announcing whatever billboard she sees."

There are so many "life" stories in this one book. And it's not about any one of them as much as it is about all of them. Infertility, infidelity, marriage, getting old, getting married, losing a parent, feeling lonely, death of a loved one, disappointment, loss, suicidal ideation, friendship, connection, lack of connection, art, literature, and so so much more.

"It is not an easy thing to do, walk away from what you’ve built and save yourself. It is so much easier to sit in things and wait for something to save us."

At its core, it's about what all good books are about, for me, it's about humans trying hard to be humans in a world that's hard, confusing, complicated and complex. It's about trying to understand what cannot be understood. Life is not simple. Humans are not simple. We can't even understand our own feelings let alone predict what others' are feeling.

"Because Gary is not wrong—becoming who you want to be is just like anything else. It takes practice."

I loved every one of the moments I spent with these flawed, confused characters. It all seemed real to me, and I loved the brutally honest conversations and the confused ones and the fake ones because they all seemed part of life for me, too. I just felt for all of them because I could see their struggle. Because I could see how hard it was to be a human.

"She is so good at predicting what will happen in books, so bad at predicting what will happen in life. That is why she has always preferred books—because to be alive is much harder."

I cannot recommend this story enough. It was deeply moving and meaningful to me, what a gift it is to get to read stories like these.

with gratitude to Henry Holt & Company and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

This book has all the ingredients for a lovely story. There’s a lavish wedding in Newport, Rhode Island, a beautiful seaside inn, and a cast of lost characters that find meaningful connection with one another.

Even though I did enjoy reading this, there was something maybe in the tone of the book that made it hard for me to connect to the emotional beats of the story. I still highly recommend this one, as I think that this will likely work much better for others. Just take care and mind the content warnings.

Many thanks to Henry Holt and Co and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 ⭐

Perfect for fans of Britt Marie was Here, A Man Called Ove, and All the Lonely People. This character driven novel caught me by surprise and I ended up loving it.

Phoebe books a fancy hotel, wears a gorgeous gown, and packs no luggage. She is on her way to end her life and she has created the perfect moment. When she arrives at the hotel, she realizes the entire hotel is booked for a wedding, except her room.

When she runs into the bride, Lila, in the elevator, she is upset that Phoebe is even there. Lila rented the entire hotel, nobody else is supposed to be there. When Phoebe tells her she plans to kill herself, Lila quickly informs her that she absolutely will not ruin her wedding with a suicide. She can kill herself later that week when the wedding is over.

This book is full of unlikely friendships, soulmates, and learning to truly live again. The dialogue is so well done, I felt like I was there. It wasn't awkward or clunky and the characters came alive on the page.

Thank you to netgalley for an eARC to review.

sensitive topics: infertility & suicide

Thank you NetGalley/ Henry Holt for providing this ARC to me!

This book was such a refreshing take on the idea of “one moment can change everything”. This book was messy, but beautiful. The pace was enjoyable and provided you just enough time to ask yourself what you would do if you were in Phoebe’s shoes.

I really enjoyed the relationship between Phoebe and Lila. A wedding can truly bring out the best or worst in people and this book conveyed that in the more realistic way - the family conflict was just enough to keep you wanting to know…what now? The characters felt real and I know a few of them reminded me of a few people I know or have met. The writing was enjoyable - It was a fun read with solid dialogue that was witty and interesting.

Wedding People is a breath of fresh air. Phoebe goes to a fancy hotel with plans to end her life - she’s tired and can no longer feel passion for her adjunct English professor work, her husband Matt had an affair and has divorced her, and her cat Harry has passed away. She is ready to end it all.

But instead, Phoebe gets tangled up in the week-long wedding that’s being held at the hotel. All the wedding people - bride, groom, bridesmaids, the guests - are such vibrant characters. I loved seeing Phoebe get roped into getting to know these people on a deeper level, and I loved seeing Phoebe become known to others as well. It was a deep look into the hardships of being human in a world that can be depressing, turbulent, confusing, beautiful, awful, hilarious, and (even though Phoebe doesn’t like this word!) fun.

I loved seeing Phoebe and all the other characters, Lila and Gary especially, get to know themselves better and reach deeper into themselves about what they truly want in life. The dialogue is so natural between them all and the quick wit doesn’t go unnoticed - It’s a brilliant idea that leaves you with food for thought. I’d highly recommend this book!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

The Wedding People is a charming story of Phoebe, who, after life doesn’t go as expected, finds herself the only non-wedding guest at a hotel booked for a week. When the bride learns of Phoebe’s plans for her stay, an unlikely friendship is formed. As Phoebe gets to know the wedding people, she learns about herself and what steps she next wants to take with her life.

There are many things I enjoyed about this book. The characters all have their own quirks and are real and likable, even when their quirks are making them quite annoying. It’s easy to see how they earned Pheobe’s affection, and as Phoebe grew why they would in turn be enamored with her. The relationships, even though developed quickly, felt real and understandable.

The humor throughout is light but fun. Phoebe’s newfound honesty really put things out there that had characters saying things that made me laugh, and otherwise probably would not ever be said out loud.

The ending was not by any means forced, and though it wasn’t wrapped up with a tidy little bow, I am satisfied in knowing what comes next for Phoebe, Gary, Lila, and everyone, will be perfect. They’re all on the right path towards happiness, whatever that may be, if it truly exists.

I would recommend this book for readers of The Midnight Library or Tuesdays With Morrie.

This book really surprised me! While the premise sounds like it might be a sad book, it turned out to be so much more. I loved the character development so much!

The Wedding People

THE WEDDING PEOPLE is a smart, fun and compelling story weaving together the lives of so many interesting characters who never should have met. Phoebe Stone is at a complete mess when she arrives at the Cornwall Inn. It does not take long for her to realize that she is the only guest at the Inn who is not there for a very elaborate and carefully choreographed wedding. Lila, the bride, who has micromanaged every detail realizes this and quickly seeks Phoebe out and an unlikely relationship unfolds.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Wedding People. I was immediately drawn to the setting of this book, a beautiful resort on the Rhode Island coast, but this novel offers so much more. Alison Espach did a beautiful job creating a story around some difficult topics without it feeling too heavy. The writing is equal parts can’t put the book down and laugh out loud funny. The characters all feel so genuine and the plot is well-paced. I especially loved how the author ended the story as I was unsure how things could be wrapped up with a realistic feel but it was done perfectly. Highly, highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co. and Alison Espach for allowing me a preview e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. Alison Espach is a genius and can do no wrong in my book - I always eagerly anticipate any new release from her and this was an intriguing departure from her previous book, which I also loved. Even though this also dealt with heavy subject matter, the tone was almost light or I guess darkly comedic, you might say. I thought that juxtaposition made for a unique and engaging reading experience. I also loved seeing the way the main character grew and changed throughout the novel, and I thought the supporting characters were compelling as well. It really was a perfect mix of light and dark. I loved the setting as well. I can’t wait to buy a copy of this for my shelves!

Wow! This book was so unexpectedly brilliant. The first quarter of the book is so tragically beautiful when describing Phoebe’s state of mind and why she wants to commit suicide. The resolve that Phoebe shows is only rivaled by Lila’s boisterous personality. I loved the connections Phoebe makes with people and the banter between the characters. It’s a nice reminder of the fact that one interaction can change someone’s life for the better. The dialogue was fresh and comical even in the face of difficult subjects. The sex woman part was genuinely SO hilarious. I also loved the message of Phoebe gaining confidence and learning to live again throughout the book. I will say her husband coming back made me actually mad. Then I was rooting for Phoebe all over again! I loved the ending. Expected but still unexpected in a way. Especially since you only get a tease of what is next in her life.
One big critique is that the phrase “the wedding people” is used too often. Maybe try to change some of it to the wedding party, the wedding attendees or something to diversify it.

Phoebe’s life has fallen apart. COVID, failing to write her book, infertility, her husband’s affair, the death of her cat… She has failed at everything. Too smart, too anxious, too normal, too much, not enough… She’s spent years constantly waiting for someone to tell her what she is, what she can be, what she can do. Until she ends up at the Cornwall, the week of Lila Rossi-Winthrop’s wedding, and her plans to end it all are trumped by the presumptuous bride-to-be.

The Wedding People is a bright novel about the pressures we put on ourselves, as women especially, to be and do what is expected - for fear of rejection, disappointment, judgment. It’s also about how we should really just do what makes us feel alive, happy.

I really liked the idea of this book but didn’t end up loving it. The beginning felt like woah how did we get here.

Wow, wow, wow. 5 STARS! I'm still processing. I finished this book last night and needed some time to wrap my head around all that was this FANTASTIC story. First of all, I absolutely adored Phoebe. A very lovable, honest, relatable character. I mean, Espach did a phenomenal job with all of the characters, honestly. There was SO much character development in this story that I can honestly say I miss them now that it's over. I miss the wedding people! Ha! Also, the down right, laugh out loud moments in this book were spot on, I had to read a whole section to my husband because I was laugh SO HARD and needed to share the pure joy with someone else. I will be shocked if this doesn't win some awards in 2024 when it's released. Thank you SO MUCH to Net Galley for this ARC. And most of all, thank you to Alison Espach for this beautifully woven story.

The simplest way to sum up this novel is just "Perfectly Imperfect'. Phoebe is a mess if we're completely honest but that makes her so endearing. I absolutely adored where this story went. I am a sucker for a novel set at a wedding and especially a dysfunctional novel at that. This book blew all my expectations away. I really loved it from start to finish.

Throughout this book, there are unexpected moments. Phoebe was about to take her own life at the hotel filled with wedding guest. Her husband left her. She had to leave her job. The wedding guest mistakenly thinks that she is also a guest. Afterward, there is a change of heart for Phoebe.

Thanks to the publishers at Henry Holt & Company and also NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and do a review.