One of the big things that didn’t work for me with this one was that it’s told in a nonlinear fashion, but the shifts in time aren’t noted at all. And since portions of it are told from Annie’s first-person POV and the character voices weren’t particularly strong, you have to wait for context to try and figure out where in the story you are (her childhood? Before the wedding? After the wedding? Somewhere in the decades in between?). I found this unnecessarily confusing, and it majorly detracted from my enjoyment of the story and any tension that could have been present in the primary timeline (was there even a primary timeline?).

The characters were not well written. Neither Annie nor Mark were compelling characters, and I couldn’t connect emotionally with anyone. There was one character who was decently written, but there weren’t many chapters told from his POV, which was unfortunate. There were really no elements of the book that were done well. And a random thing – there were many, many odd words in here to the point where I wondered if the author went back through after writing and decided to use a thesaurus for some reason.

This book seemed promising at the start, but it quickly went downhill and never redeemed itself. It became predictable, and the ending was so abrupt that I couldn’t believe we went through all that buildup for that conclusion. I honestly don’t recommend this one at all. My thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read this work, which will be published August 13, 2024. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This literary work evokes a range of emotions, from highs to lows. The protagonist, Annie, crosses paths with Mark and a passionate romance ensues, culminating in their union in matrimony. However, the groom's past is riddled with uncertainty as his previous partner has gone missing, and a mysterious figure surfaces during their nuptials. The narrative is nonlinear, offering insights into Annie and Mark's lives from varying perspectives. While Annie may not have been a relatable or endearing narrator to my discerning eye, I found the plot to be somewhat disjointed and lacking in depth. Despite this, I found enjoyment in the story's fluidity and the unexpected turns it took.

I wanted more from this book, but was let disappointed. I also had a hard time keeping all of the layers of this book in line. I wish the timeline of event was more clear. The twist at the end was good, but hard to follow along with.

Annie never much believed in love. That is, until meeting Mark. After crossing paths on morning commutes, they connect at a group counseling session for trauma survivors. Each recognizes something in the other, though both hide their own troubled pasts. It’s a whirlwind romance that propels Annie through their courtship, all the way to her wedding day—a day she couldn’t have predicted for herself once upon a time yet now feels surer about than anything in her life. But as Annie stands at the altar, casting her eyes over the rows of well-wishers, she spots a stranger in the crowd, and she soon learns that her new life isn’t going to be the happily ever after that she had planned. Who is the stranger at the wedding? What really happened to Mark’s first wife? And was Annie and Mark’s meeting as random as it first appeared, or is something more sinister at work? This is not a main character you will like but in spite of her the story is good. The writing style wandered a bit and parts of the story got too confusing but all in all it was time well spent.

I'm hovering between two and three stars for this one. The beginning of the book really pulled me in, but things got convoluted pretty quickly. The purple prose writing did not do the plot or the characters any favors. There were some shocking twists, but even so the ending managed to be unsatisfying. I read a lot of thrillers and while I love the concept here, it needed some work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for access to this arc.

This book was an up and down read!

Annie meets Mark and falls in love. Soon they’re getting married, but Mark has a questionable past with his previous spouse missing and a mysterious man is now lurking around their wedding. The story jumps around a lot as we learn different aspects of Annie’s and Mark’s lives from different points. Annie was not particularly like able as a narrator to me. The storyline felt random at times and like a lot of details could have been added to further the plot and draw a more detailed picture.

I did enjoy this book though as it was an easy read and was unexpected at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the opportunity to read the ARC before its scheduled publications date of August 13, 2024.

The Stranger at the Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett was a thriller in the beginning but sort of slowed down for me. It was a bit all over the place and the twist was easy for me to guess. It was still entertaining and a quick read for me. It just may not have been for me and I hope others enjoy it more. Thank you Netgalley for the eArc.

In The Stranger at the Wedding by AE Gauntlett, Annie and Mark are getting married after a whirlwind courtship. The small, intimate ceremony goes off without a hitch, but a strange face in the crowd rattles Annie. After the stranger introduces himself as a friend of the groom’s family, yet the groom claims not to know anything about him, Annie is wondering if he’s the only stranger at the wedding. As they leave the wedding reception, Mark turns to his new bride and mentions her he needs to tell her something.

The first 20% of the book had me hooked and I figured I would fly through the rest of the pages. Then <squealing brakes>, we flashback to not only the courtship, but also the true connection the stranger has to Mark as well as his apparent missing (murdered? lost?) first wife. This is where the book got a little muddled and I found my attention on the story struggling. I pushed myself through so I could finish my review for this ARC. I feel like Gauntlett was trying to pull a story a la The Silent Patient, but fell far short. ⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on August 12, 2024.

#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #TheStrangerattheWedding #AEGauntlett #HenryHoltandCo

I thought that this book was hard to follow and I never knew where I was at a given time. It was most likely a structure issue. I also found the twist to be predictable.

"The Stranger at the Wedding" by A. E. Gauntlett is a compelling and suspenseful novel that explores the complexities of love, trust, and the secrets that can unravel even the most seemingly perfect relationships. The story follows Annie, a woman who never believed in love until she meets Mark, with whom she shares a deep connection born out of shared trauma.

Gauntlett's writing is evocative and immersive, drawing readers into Annie and Mark's whirlwind romance and the uncertainty that follows. The novel's pacing is brisk, with each chapter revealing new twists and turns that keep the reader guessing until the very end.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its well-developed characters, particularly Annie, whose journey from skepticism to unwavering belief in love is both believable and compelling. Mark's mysterious past and the appearance of a stranger at their wedding add layers of intrigue to the story, keeping readers on the edge of their seats as the truth is slowly revealed.

"The Stranger at the Wedding" is a gripping and thought-provoking novel that will appeal to fans of suspenseful fiction. With its engaging storyline, complex characters, and unexpected twists, A. E. Gauntlett has crafted a compelling tale that will linger in the reader's mind long after the final page is turned. Dive into this captivating story and discover the secrets that lie beneath the surface of Annie and Mark's seemingly perfect relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy to review for my honest opinion.

This was a very quick read with some cool twists and turns. Overall, a really interesting premise- Annie and Mark have just gotten married and somehow both have dark secrets from their past. What could go wrong? This is primarily told from Annie’s point of view but it does jump around timelines and perspectives. I think this part could have been executed better- sometimes the changes were a little clunky and the voices not distinct enough to alert my brain we’d made the switch. All in all, beautiful prose, interesting plot, just a few struggles with execution and none of the characters were dynamic enough that I felt myself rooting for anyone in particular. In general, this is a good thriller if you like thrillers and I never wanted to stop reading. Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the copy of Stranger At The Wedding by A. E. Gauntlett. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Annie and Mark meet on a train. Before long, they are heading to the altar, both with secrets they want to keep. A stranger shows up at the wedding…..hmmmm. This book keeps you wanting more. A good solid book that I would recommend to others. Fast paced and an easy read. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the copy of Stranger At The Wedding by A. E. Gauntlett. I liked how this started out, but then the timeline/characters suddenly changed, and I lost the thread of what was going on. Unfortunately this kept happening as soon as I would start to get engaged in the story. This could have been a great read if the timelines had been organized/noted so it flowed better. The ending was a shocker, so I’m glad I didn’t give up!

Hmm. I really tried to like this one. I did. It was promising and plot was a good idea but I couldn’t get past the style of writing. It just wasn’t for me. It really took away from the story which I was enjoying. It was a bit choppy, the dialogue was kind of off, and the descriptions and details bordered on random. Ah well, I’m sure there will be many who will enjoy it. It just wasn’t for me. Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Stranger at the Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett is a mystery/thriller that I really wanted to like more than I did. It felt a little stale and predictable. Maybe another pass or two on the editing could've made it more interesting.

A quick and easy read. Very thriller-y and though I had it figured out rather early on, that didn't ruin my experience as I raced through it to make sure that I was right. There are still some surprises, even if you figure out whodunnit, so grab some snacks and some beverage of your choice and dive on into this one!

Thanks to Henry Holt and NetGalley for my early copy of The Stranger at the Wedding. This was fairly quick thriller for me and I liked it. I’ve never read this author before and I would try another of her books for sure.

It’s Annie’s wedding day and we are invited as voyeurs. She’s head over heels for Mark but his first wife went missing and was never found. He’s not over it but Annie thinks everything is perfect. That is until she sees an uninvited guest. Things get dicey from here.

This is slow burn that switches povs and time periods quickly and often. That was a bit confusing at times but I was invested. There is some mythology stuff seemingly randomly thrown in here at times and I like that stuff but felt it was unnecessary here and broke up the flow for me.

This is a twisty fun read overall and although I did see the ending coming (for the most part anyway), it was fun to go back and forth with my guesses. The characters weren’t that deep - and def not likable but I did enjoy disliking them.

I did enjoy this one and the twisty stuff is my jam! If you like a marriage themed domestic suspense, this is one to check out!

This book had me addicted from the start! It was so intense that I could not wait to see the twist. Authot knows how to deliver the breath taking, draw dropping twist that we all know and love and never expect the ending. I believe this book is her best one yet but I say that everytime I read one of her books. Thank you for allowing me to read your book in advance.

Dawn Angels

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. It seemed very impersonal and I couldn’t connect to the characters, they were not fleshed out. The timelines and POVs were confusing, overlapping, and sometimes felt unnecessary. I wish chapters were labeled because I needed to reorient myself within the story each time.

This was diabolical! I loved it from the very beginning. The synopsis says this book will make you think twice before saying, “I do,” and that is the understatement of the century.