This mystery keeps you guessing until the very end of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience. I was constantly trying to figure out who it was but kept getting it wrong. I will definitely read more by this author in the future. Until next time Happy Reading!

I want to thank Henry Holt and Co. for this ARC via Netgalley.

This one was tough. The beginning of the book certainly held my attention, but then it was honestly boring for much of the rest. The nonlinear timeline was confusing because it wasn't noted throughout the book, and at a certain point I wasn't sure where we were in the timeline or whose POV we were reading. I think the writing just was not my cup of tea.

Rating: 3.5 stars!

Imma be honest.. I did not see that one coming. The story of Annie and Mark, how they fell in love despite that fact that his wife mysterious disappeared before was a hook for this book! The background investigation that is running simultaneously with the primary plot line is an interested addition. The flip in the chapters between past and current timelines gets a bit blurry at points which brought my overall feeling on the book down.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Be sure you know who you are marrying, or you’ll end up like these characters. Second guessing your choices and who you should actually trust.

3.25⭐️

This was a rough one to get through. I feel like you could take at least 25% of the book out, and it would be great. There are parts that are not needed, in my opinion. This story has multiple timelines and multiple POV's, which I like in a book. Despite there being a lot of over describing, the story is good. I don't think a chapter needs to be 40 minutes long. I would rather have 80 short chapters than 40 long chapters. But that's my opinion.
The writing does get boring at times. The story is based in the UK, and you can tell, or I can at least just by the phrasing of some sentences. I am glad I finished this one. I was so close to abandoning this book. It did take until about 60% to 70% before it really picked up for me. The audio is what got me through the last 20ish chapters. That twist was twisting for sure.
The audio is done well. However, I wish that when there were different POV's, there were different narrators. If there is a man's POV, then a man should be the narrator and vice versa. But that's for all audiobooks, in my opinion.


The Stranger At The Wedding will be available September 13, 2024.

Thank you, NetGalley, Henry Holt & Company, as well as Macmillan Audio, for the opportunity to read and listen to this book ahead of its release.

"The Stranger at the Wedding" by A.E. Gauntlett is an intense psychological thriller that expertly weaves past and present, unraveling the seemingly perfect facade of a wedding. The story centers on Annie, who, after a whirlwind romance, marries Mark. However, on their wedding night, unsettling events begin to unfold.

Annie discovers that Mark has been hiding a dark secret. He is not who he claims to be, and his past is filled with deceit and dangerous obsessions. As the night progresses, the couple's relationship unravels, revealing Mark's manipulative and sinister nature. Annie is thrust into a nightmare as she realizes that there is more than one stranger at her wedding—unseen forces and hidden truths begin to surface, putting her life in danger.

The novel's strength lies in its character development and the atmospheric tension that Gauntlett masterfully creates. The shifting perspectives and timelines add layers of mystery and suspense, making the reader question who can be trusted. The climax is both shocking and satisfying, tying together the various threads of deceit, betrayal, and psychological manipulation.

Ultimately, "The Stranger at the Wedding" is a gripping exploration of how our pasts can shape our present and the devastating impact of secrets and lies. It’s a compelling read that will keep you guessing until the very end, making it a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.

I couldn’t get into this one, only made it about 25% of the way in before deciding to DNF. It sounded like something I could enjoy but it just never pulled me into the story or made me want to keep turning the pages. I wasn’t connecting to or becoming invested in the characters or the plot. I think maybe it needed a few more rounds of edits to really make it shine and draw readers in.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt publishing for the ARC of The Strabger at the Wedding by A.E. Guantlett.

Sadly, I did not finish this book. I kept trying to push through but at the halfway point I couldn’t keep reading. Initially the book was very captivating and had me wondering what the next step was going to be. After about the third or fourth chapter things started to get convoluted and I couldn’t really tell who was who, and if it was a present or past situation and the storyline kind of just seemed to fade. I generally try to finish reading books to be able to give an honest review however, this was just too painful to continue.

Pub Date: August 13, 2024
1/2 a star

3.5 stars. Although Mark and his wife were seemingly happily married, his wife mysteriously disappears without a trace. But, it’s been two long years, and now he is marrying Annie after a whirlwind romance. At their wedding, Annie notices a stranger watching her continuously. Who is the stranger? Why is this stranger at the wedding? What happened to Mark’s first wife? This is a well-plotted thriller and a good and quick read, one that is perfect for the beach or a summer vacation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this advanced copy. Annie is so happy to be marrying Mark. But, as she stands at the alter, she spots a stranger in the crowd. Who is he? What exactly happened to Mark’s first wife? This was a quick read thriller, and has a huge shocking twist at the end!

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

I tried really hard to enjoy this ARC which I brought on vacation with me. I'm usually a quick reader, but I found it dull and boring. The book failed to hold my interest and I gave up halfway through after reading other reviews and seeing how many people found it to be so negative.

2.5-3 star read for me. It took a while for anything to happen, and it felt like the author was trying to meet a word count requirement.

I was intrigued by the premise of this one, and overall, it delivered.

Loved the popcorn thriller style and how mythology is woven throughout. I didn’t guess the twist(s) until late in the book, so that’s a plus.

But I felt a bit cheated by the ending? It seemed like some context was missing and the ending felt open to me, which I wasn’t a fan of.

And it happens with thrillers sometimes, but I just didn’t particularly like or care about any of the main characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted copy!

This gets pretty dark, but it’s a page turner, for sure. I liked the tempo—if books have a tempo. It moved along, jumped around some, then went back to reveal more to the story. I figured out what was going on at about 75% in, but I’m pretty sure that’s where the author intended for the reader to consider a new theory.

Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC opportunity!

This is a contemporary thriller/mystery that is divided into 4 parts- the wedding day, the proposal, the honeymoon, and the happily ever after.

I liked the writers style- I found it to be descriptive and poetic. Though the story was lengthy, in particular the flashbacks, the talented descriptive writing made me want to keep reading. I also appreciated the Pandora’s box references as well as the nods to Greek mythology.

There are secrets and lies everywhere in this story about obsessive love and how these secrets will come to light. There is tension that keeps the reader interested. Would recommend!

This was a twisty thriller debut. Some of the sequencing felt odd yet once finished, the flow made sense. The twists were difficult to predict and very well planned out. Definitely a fan of this author now.

I get what the author was trying to do and like the concept of the book but I didn't care for the execution.

Here are my overall opinions:

*I found the writing style unnecessarily wordy. It made it hard to follow and muddled the story. This kind of prose would be excellent in a poem but not for a thriller with multiple characters and timelines. Would have been a better read if the author dialed it down a bit.

*The characters aren't memorable. They aren't good, they aren't bad...they are just there.

*Things I liked: the concept and the ending are good.

Thanks for the advance review copy. This one wasn't up my alley but I appreciate the opportunity to give my feedback.

Wow what a fantastic debut! AE Gauntlett is to be watched! The characters were strong and kept me flipping pages long into the night. Great game of cat and mouse with no shortage of herrings. Packed with tension and lies., impossible to know who to trust. The twists just kept on coming. Enjoyed it a lot.
Thank you NetGalley, AE Gauntlett and Holt for the opportunity to read and review this debut novel.

Annie is marrying the man of her dreams, Mark. His first wife went missing with no trace two years earlier. At their wedding, a stranger is present who gives her an unsettling feeling. Who is this stranger? What happened to Mark's wife? This was an amazing thriller! The more layers that were revealed the more shocked I became. This is definitely worth the read!