The Wedding People, this summer's much-talked about novel, is as funny as it is sad but ultimately an uplifting character study during one of the most stressful time in a person's life: their wedding. When Phoebe arrives at a famed hotel in Newport, Rhode Island, she has on thing on her mind-and it's not a wedding. As the only person in the hotel who is not part of the week=long wedding celebration, she is easily mistaken for a wedding guest. She has planned one-last (or maybe first) splurge just as the meticulous bride has accounted for every last detail in her wedding celebration-and she will not let anything or anyone ruin it. Alison Espach has created a character study that allows readers to peel back the layers of Phoebe's past and what led to her arrival in Newport. Lila, the heiress bride, is more than the one-dimensional persona she displays to most people. While the book felt a little lengthy at times I absolutely enjoyed meeting the wedding people and their journey along the way.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

The blurb said this one was “absurdly funny” and I disagree. For me it was a little sad, only a little funny and a little thought provoking. It’s a maybe for me. Don’t get me wrong, overall it was okay just really slow for me and not what I’m used to or expected.

The hype is indeed real with this book. I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did, and I didn’t expect it to hit me as deep as it did. It’s a dark comedy that focuses on grief and chaos and infertility and divorce and it is so brutally beautiful. I haven’t read a book that made me cackle one second and tear up the next like this one did. The characters feel like genuine people want to be friends with. And I can’t lie I was rooting for a certain pairing to happen. I really can’t recommend this one enough!!

I thought wedding people was a fun summer book and would recommend to my audience. The book starts out strong with dark humor, but lost me in the middle a bit. Some of the dialogue, for example in the car with the wedding people, wasn’t for me, but I thought the end picked back up again and I liked the more open-ended finish to the book. Three and a half stars

There’s a lot that I liked about this book. I found it funny, enjoyed the characters, and liked the mix of dark and light content. My issues with the book are that I didn’t love how the main character seemed to just move on from her suicidal thoughts, and I didn’t love the tidy ending. But overall, it was a good read.

"The Wedding People" by Alison Espach is a charming read that I thoroughly enjoyed, thanks mainly to the main character, Phoebe Stone. When Phoebe realizes she's the only guest at a boutique hotel in Rhode Island who isn't part of an upcoming wedding, she's determined to avoid the "wedding people" at all costs. But, of course, things don't go quite as planned.

From the moment she arrives, Phoebe gets pulled into the life of Lila, the bride, and suddenly, she's way more involved in this wedding than she ever intended—complete with unexpected connections, including a certain man in the hot tub.

Espach does a fantastic job of transforming Phoebe from someone who's struggling through a tough time into a woman who's slowly but surely finding her way again. Her journey is uplifting and relatable, showing that life doesn't have to end when a marriage does—it's just the beginning of something new.

The characters in this book are all wonderfully written, each adding something unique to the story. Espach's writing makes it easy to connect with them and the situations they find themselves in. It's a story filled with hope, humor, and a lot of heart, making it a thoroughly enjoyable read.

After finishing "The Wedding People," I'm looking forward to reading more from Alison Espach in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

This book started out super strong. I was pulled in right away and loved the main character. She was sad and funny at the same time--my favorite combo. I feel like this book could have been edited to cut length. It started to feel like it was going on and on. Overall, I did love the characters and enjoyed the story, just felt it lagged a bit in the second half.

I’m so confused about the marketing plan for this book. While I expected to enjoy it, it’s much darker and deeper than your traditional beach read in the best way possible. A very smart summer read for people who enjoy sharp literary fiction that may disappoint other readers. This book will stay with me for a long time.

After reading Allison Espach’s debut I was looking forward to what would be next. This totally held up to my expectations. I loved the plot, the friendships, the emotion. Perfection!
Looking forward to her next one!

✨ Review ✨ The Wedding People by Alison Espach; Narrated by Helen Laser

Thanks to Henry Holt & Co., Macmillan Audio and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

cw: suicide attempt

You know when you loved a book so much but you can't figure out how you'd possibly write a review of it -- that's this book for me. Nothing I could say could encapsulate how I felt reading it.

It was funny, clever, dark, and hopeful all at the same time. Phoebe arrives at this inn, the site of a wedding week celebration, and she's the only one who's not a wedding guest. She arrives planning to her enjoy her room for an evening before killing herself after a divorce that's revealed her life to be lacking in joy.

However, when she confesses her plan on an elevator to the bride, Phoebe becomes enmeshed in this giant group of family and friends of the bride and groom in such a wild variety of ways. From surfing to bridal showers to late night hot tub adventures and shopping trips, Phoebe becomes a listening ear, a problem solver, a life coach, and a tough love figure in these character's lives.

What I absolutely adored about this was how much it juxtaposed the darkness surrounding Phoebe with such insightful and silly levity. As she observes the "Wedding People," and becomes increasingly absorbed by their world, the dark and the light are forever interwoven.

Phoebe, also, as an English Professor, struggling to juggle all her responsibilities felt so relatable to me. The cutting asides about the frustration of slogging away from dissertation to book for over a decade also rang true. I loved this part of the book too.

This will be one of my favorites of the year I think!

🎧 I enjoyed the audio but found the writing so witty and clever that I wanted to absorb it on the page!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: literary fiction, contemporary fiction, women's fiction
Setting: a luxe hotel where a wedding is taking place
Length: 11 hours and 37 minutes
Pub Date: July 30, 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ love stories that aren't romances
⭕️ love stories that are equally about self love

When Phoebe arrives to the grand Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, she’s immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby as one of the wedding people. In fact, she’s the only guest that weekend not there for the big event. She’s dreamt of coming for years with her husband to experience a traditional East Coast vacation, but he isn’t with her. The bride has accounted for every minute detail, and Phoebe’s presence has thrown a wrench in her perfect wedding weekend already. At first she is upset, but quickly the two women start confiding in each other, revealing information they would never dream of sharing with anyone else. What follows is an absurd, heart wrenching, and hilarious story of winding paths and chance encounters that take us to exactly where we need to be.

This will be one of the most memorable books of the year for me. The heart mixed with dark humor has earned this book well deserved praise since its release last month.

While the cover is gorgeous, this story is not the lighthearted summer read it might at first appear to be. There are heavy topics covered from infertility, divorce, and death of a spouse, to suicide. If you’re not in the headspace for that I think it’s important to be aware but I hope in general that doesn’t deter people from reading this honest and vulnerable story.

I adored the quick relationship that was formed between Phoebe and Lila, the bride, as they opened up to each other. At times, you will want to hate Lila, but to me she was also such an authentic character working through her own grief. You’ll find yourself rooting for all of the characters to find what will make them happiest. The setting of a Rhode Island summer and a glamorous wedding made it a perfect read for this time of year.

Thank you to @netgalley and @henryholtbooks for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

4.75⭐️

Phoebe has just arrived at the Cornwall Inn in beautiful Newport, RI but not for rest and relaxation. She is there to kill herself. There are many reasons as to why she's come to this decision which I will let future readers discover on their own. Suffice it to say that she is tired, lonely, and feels invisible. She is furious with herself for the choices she has made but also the choices she didn't make. The idea of going to sleep to never rouse again is too delectable a thought. So she walks out of her St. Louis house one morning, books a flight, and leaves everything and everyone behind. She can't bare the pain any longer.

Upon arriving at the Inn it appears she chose an inopportune time to hatch her plan. There is a weeklong wedding and the guests are all in chipper wedding mode. It's fine she tells herself. No one will even notice her.

But someone does notice her. Lila, the bride to be.

What unfolds from that meet up in the elevator is one of the most enthralling stories I've read in a long while. This book is just so real. So messy. So raw. From the moment I met Phoebe I related to her and her thought processes immediately. I'm a natural born worrier, like her, and like her, I am my own worst enemy. Lila, while I often found her to be immature and overly dramatic, had her own lovely qualities as well. People aren't perfect. We're human. We all have dreams and fears. We all make mistakes. We all hurt people either intentionally or inadvertently. We can all strive to do our best and sometimes we'll fail but sometimes we'll succeed. That is life and that's what this book was to me. A story about how hard and messy life can be but also about how much we should cherish every moment we have. Rejoice in our messiness. We need to learn to forgive ourselves and others. This book had me laughing one minute and then crying the next. I loved everything about this book. It's truly a sparkling gem that I will cherish for a long time to come. ALL. THE. STARS!!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for my complimentary copy.

This book was 10/10 for me! Engaging, thoughtful, serious. The characters were very multifaceted and likeable. I would absolutely recommend this to a friend (and I have)!

The Wedding People was an unexpected delight! I was rooting for Phoebe all along and really enjoyed all the twists this story took. The setting was top notch too and made me want to plan a trip to coastal Rhode Island!

Many thanks to my friends at @henryholtbooks and macmillan.audio for the free #gifted copies of this book. 

Witty and wise.  Full of heart.  Deeply resonant.

Some books you read.  Others you experience. 

I finished this book more than a week ago, and I’m still actively thinking about it.  I don’t call many books perfect... but this one... it was absolutely PERFECT for me. 

From the compelling storyline to the inviting setting and the richly drawn characters. 

From the deep dive into hard places partnered with the space for growth and laced with abundant humor.

I was immediately immersed in Phoebe’s journey and swept away by Espach’s powerhouse writing.  So tender.  So vital.  So raw.  So relatable. 

With each turn of the page, I became more convinced that Espach had intimate knowledge of my soul.  The gut-wrenching pain of infertility and pregnancy loss.  The loneliness and yearning.  The utter heartbreak.

And then slowly, eventually... Learning to hope again.  Opening to connection and life again.  Finding the strength to laugh.  To love. 

There is startling beauty within the excavation of emotion in this read.  I laughed.  I cried.  I went through the entire gamut alongside Phoebe only to find myself laughing some more. 

But most importantly, as I closed the pages of The Wedding People, I felt seen.   

Not many authors have such an innate and easy ability to connect and uplift.  And as I pondered this book’s deep impact, I was reminded of the experience I have when reading Fredrik Backman.  His books are astutely observed, witty, wise, and full of humanity. 

So, too, is The Wedding People. 

Don’t be surprised when I- the person who has trouble picking favorites- names this book as my BOTY. 

🎧 I partnered my print copy with the audio, and Helen Laser nailed the execution of both the heartbreak and humor within this novel.  It’s a fully emotive listen, and Laser well embodies the variety of characters and tone within this read.

I was so excited about this book but couldn't finish it - too vulgar and that's just not my jam. DNF about 35% in.

Wow! The hype is real! After listening, I immediately said this might be my favorite book of the year. A week later, I still have that same thought.

I listened to Notes On Your Sudden Disappearance a couple of summers ago and found it a compelling exploration of grief and its non-linear healing process. Espach's writing skillfully balances the weighty subject matter with humor and lightness, making the story impactful and accessible.

And she does that again with The Wedding People. Now, after two books, I can safely say her writing is remarkably readable, easy yet thought-provoking, and sad yet funny. It's simply incredible, and now she's an autobuy author for me!

In The Wedding People, Phoebe’s depression is triggered by grief. She grieves for her baby (infertility and miscarriage), her marriage, her cat, and ultimately her own happiness. Espach captures the darkness, “stuckness,” and the ease and comfort of staying in your depression so well. But she also shows that it only takes one person to give someone a reason to be part of something - to be seen.

As Phoebe encounters all the wedding people, each moment offers a light of second chances, hope, and new beginnings. It is a reminder that everyone can do hard things and proof that even fleeting connections with other people can be meaningful and purposeful.

Helen Laser’s narration is simply superb! She highlights Espach's words with care, grace, and humanity while hitting the perfectly timed comedic moments. The book includes a large cast of characters, which Laser easily performed. I highly recommend this format!

Seriously rough start that eventually mostly balanced out, thank goodness. Decent readability, dark themes dealt with through humor, with longer chapters that help you settle into the narrative and characters .. but overall not a whole lot to say about what boils down to a completely average (not necessarily negatively meant) book. 🤷🏻‍♀️

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and Holt for an eARC of this book.</i>

4.5. Phoebe goes to Rhode Island to end her life and intersects with a group there for a wedding and her life veers off in a completely different direction.
This book was so funny and heart-warming, I was sad when it ended. I loved getting to know all the characters (Juice was my favorite). The premise made me think twice but being along on Phoebe’s journey to rediscover herself was so honest and poignant. Very close to five stars!!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for this ARC!

In an attempt to escape her disastrous life in St. Louis, Phoebe flees to a Newport, RI hotel she's wanted to visit for years. Upon arrival however, she discovers that she has unintentionally crashed the wedding of spoiled rich girl, Lila. As she spends the week with the bride and her guests, Phoebe begins to see a different path for her future.

This book was so beautifully written. Each character was so loveable and had so much depth to them. It was easy to somehow root for all of them despite many of them having conflicting goals. This crazy, lavish wedding is an excellent backdrop for all of these characters to come together.

This book deals with some heavy topics, but it's infused with the perfect amount of dark humor and sarcasm. It was really thought provoking and I know this book will stick with me for a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC!