Morgan and Benji surprise their families with the news that not only are they dating but they are engaged. Their families have been entwined for awhile since Morgan was best friends with Benji's late sister, Alice. That loss, twelve years ago, deeply effected bother of their families Now everyone is coming into town for the wedding, carrying their questions about the nuptials and their secrets from twelve years ago.

This book was very somber, that's the best word to describe the mood. I thought Green reflected on grief in a really open way but I felt like we didn't get enough of Alice. Maybe that was the point- this was about the people left behind but I wanted to know Alice a tad bit more.

The World After Alice by Lauren Aliza Green is the story of families who hadn't seen each other for twelve years, not since the funeral of 16 year old Alice who had taken her own life. Her best friend and brother have decided to marry and they've called the family (who have no idea they're dating) together for their surprise wedding. Their grief is the main character here which is a good thing because I really didn't like most of the characters in the novel. They were self-important, vapid and I didn't want to know them. This wedding weekend is tragic in so many ways. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Something about this cover called to me the moment I saw it and I knew I had to read it. It was filled with both sadness and beauty with melancholy vibes and that’s actually how the story read as well.

Alice dies at the age of 16 under tragic circumstances and leaves a trail of grief behind. Twelve years later her younger brother and best friend announce they are getting married! Except their families had no idea they were even in a relationship. As the family gets together for their wedding weekend, lots of family drama ensues of course!

Families can be so complicated. Add grief, loss and secrets and complex factor immediately increases. The story slowly unpeeled layers of secrets and unexpected connections between various characters. Alice’s death changed each one of the characters in a different way and I especially enjoyed the parts of the story that revolved around how each character dealt with that. Yes this is a story about grief and loss but also one about love and moving forward! If you enjoy family dramas with interesting characters, you want to pick up this one!

A huge thank you to Penguin Group Viking and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Heartbreaking at times and beautifully written this is a portrait of life for those Alice loved after she took her own life. This book was quite sad while being lovely. The author did a great job of capturing so many emotions.
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Thank you #penguingroup and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I know this book had mixed reviews, but I thought is raw, edgy family drama. Of course, it was sad and easy to blame the parents, a teacher perhaps but sometimes depression is just what it is. The wedding of the year, one that will either bring a heartbroken family together or push them further apart. Benji the brother of Alice is marrying Alice's best friend, through their lost they lean on each other, then find themselves in love. But when they decide to get married how will they tell their family? Are they willing to open old wounds for the sake of love?

Twelve years have passed since the devastating tragedy that upended their lives, Benji is aware this wedding will come as a shock, but the couple decide to have their wedding in Maine and reunite the families since Alice's funeral. In this family drama secrets will be reveled and some more shocking than others. Can the family put behind them hurt of past to move bravely into the new future all of them?

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for copy of this book for my honest review.

Alice jumped off a bridge. Alice was Morgan's best friend. Alice was Benjamin's sister. Alice was in high school and a gifted musician. Alice's family grieved. Morgan grieved.

Twelve years later, Morgan and Benjamin invite both families and a plethora of friends to their wedding. It's happy. It's sad. It's a "bit" awkward because so many of the guests last saw one another at Alice's memorial. The reunion of those who loved Alice not only brings up joy for Benjamin and Morgan, but all the grief they felt when Alice died.

This book explores the dynamics of grief and anger, and moving on in the aftermath. Readers who enjoy complicated romantic relationships with a twist of mystery will enjoy this one.

I loved this family story filled with mistakes, regret, but love. What seems like a typical family- a husband, wife, a son, a daughter, is shattered when the daughter, Alice, dies by suicide. How does a family recover? The story follows their story and illustrates how life is full of several paths, and you have to be brave enough to simply choose one.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced copy of this book.

The World After Alice is a character-driven family drama that dives deep into the complex emotions surrounding grief, loss, guilt, and long-buried secrets. The story unfolds at the wedding of Morgan and Benji, where their families reunite for the first time since Alice's death. Through a dual timeline, readers experience both the present-day reunion and the past events that continue to shape the characters’ lives.

While the book is well-written and explores the emotional impact of Alice's death on her family and friends, I struggled with certain character arcs for different reasons; particularly Nick’s and Ezra’s. If you're looking for a slow-paced, introspective read about family, loss, and the weight of secrets, this novel offers an intricate portrayal of those themes. However, it may not be for everyone due to its sensitive subject matter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The World After Alice
By Lauren Aliza Green

The opening scene is of sixteen year old Alice jumping off a bridge to end her own life. From here on, Alice is the driving force of all that goes on – though this is the last time we meet her in the flesh.

This book, a first novel, is very much a character study. The pace is slow as is the build to the denouement. The characters here – Alice's father, mother and younger brother – have arrived in Maine to celebrate the nuptials of said brother, Benji, and Alice's best friend, Morgan.

The backstory – the dissolution of Nick and Linnie's marriage; Nick's affair with his current wife Caro; Linnie's "new man" Ezra (who also has a past with Alice); even Peter, Morgan's father who is in love with Linnie – all of this is affected by Alice's suicide. These characters experience, by turns, grief, guilt, and love – or some combination of these.

The writing here is spare. In view of all the secrets shared by this company, this is probably a good thing. Too much over-the-top lurid writing might have turned a reasonably good first novel into a bit of a joke. As written, this book deserves a second look.

This wouldn’t be my normal read to pickup but I found myself instantly intertwined in this story of loss.
As the title speaks for itself, this story follows Alice’s family and close friends after they lose her. While I won’t get into the details of what happened to Alice, I will say that loss affects everyone in this story and each person very differently.
Alice’s brother Benji and Alice’s best friend Morgan bring the family together for much of this story as they join to be married. From Alice’s mother to her teacher to her best friend’s father, nobody in this story is perfect and every one has a secret to keep. I found the characters and their perspectives in relation to Alice’s loss highly relatable in terms of the situation.
Overall, I would recommend this read as I think it was a well crafted story of individuals affected by loss and how they chose to cope.
Thank you Penguin Group and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an email about this book and thought I would give it a try. It's honestly been a little hard to get into, I have started it a few times and then get sidetracked. It's a little too slow for my liking because I read thrillers and fantasy / sci-fi more lately so I keep expecting it to pick up.
I'm still reading it and I'm determined to finish it but at most it's going to be a 3 star for me.
Thank you to Penguin Group, Net Galley and Lauren Aliza Green for giving me the opportunity.

Death impacts everyone differently. There are people laughing at memorial services. There are people who cannot stop crying. There are also who can get over in few days or never ever. This book in disguise of a wedding ceremony was a story of how immediate family members react to death of Alice: how and if they recovered, how they managed to go on. It was a loaded but slow story. Compared to how fast Alice disappeared from their lives, acceptance was quite slow

3.5/5
The characters I felt were well developed, but I guess I thought there would be more? I was rooting for Benji and Morgan. The story of grief, moving on, and family dynamics was well intertwined- but left me with more questions. Was this by author design? Maybe but I have a hard time with those endings.
I felt for each character.

I did not enjoy this book at all. I liked the premise but the story was just over the top for me. I did not like any of the characters or the event. A wedding or engagement. I don't think you would be totally centered on a death 12 years later. I found it to be unrealistic and was just not happy with it. I barely finished.

Sorry but it's a bad book.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc.

2.5 stars and those are for the effort.

12 years after Alice took her own life, her brother and best friend plan to wed in Maine and invite their unsuspecting families for the weekend event. Set over the course of a weekend, with flashbacks leading up to Alice's death, this book feels dry at times and hard to understand the decisions made by the characters. Good family drama, but maybe a little bit too much?

Don’t let the title scare you away—this book is a
family drama. I was initially hesitant about tackling a story focused on grief, but this one is truly unique and addictive, offering a fresh perspective that keeps you engaged. It’s surprisingly easy to breeze through.

The writing is excellent, and I ended up switching to the audiobook, which enhanced the experience significantly. The narration brings a great tone and feel to the story, making it even more enjoyable.

While it’s not exactly warm and fuzzy, this literary family drama is definitely worth checking out. Creative and well written.

DNF at 75 pages

I’m sad to say I couldn’t get into this. All of the characters were melodramatic yet boring. The “secret” relationship seemed unnecessary. Maybe they’ll explain it later but I couldn’t convince myself to keep reading.

THE WORLD AFTER ALICE confronts the pain, grief, heartache, and struggles of navigating life after losing a loved one.

Everyone has gathered for Benji and Morgan’s wedding. Twelve years ago, Benji’s sixteen-year-old sister Alice took her own life. Alice seems to be on everyone’s minds… and in their memories. Morgan’s dad seems to not want the marriage while Benji’s trying to survive with his mom (and her new boyfriend) alongside his dad and mistress. The story follows the ripple effect of Alice’s death on her family as you can feel her presence through flashbacks or the driving undercurrents in people’s lives. This beautiful, heartbreaking family drama shows how one life is woven into the fabric of many. It shows how grief can tear apart just as easily as it can bring together.

The World After Alice by Lauren Aliza Green. Pub Date: July 2, 2024. Rating: 2 stars. In this character driven storyline, the reader is taken on the journey of Alice's brother and friend Morgan as they embark on a marriage together. This centers around the fact that Alice committed suicide as a teenager and how her family and friends were affected by it in the short and long term. This story is a complex web of feelings, family, secrets and deceit. I had a tough time connecting with the characters and this story did not flow well for me. But, I did find the story very well written and can appreciate that. Thanks to #netgalley and #penguingroupviking for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the idea of this book- a surprise wedding bringing together a family for the first time since their 16 year old daughter died 12 years prior, but its execution just wasn’t for me. It was a slow burn, character driven novel that was so well written I had to stop and look up definitions every few sentences. I did enjoy the realistic portrayal of how complicated relationships of all kinds can be.

Thank you to NetGalley and Viking for the ARC.