Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook. I've already heard great things about this book, but I was hesitant as fair warning, it starts out with a woman who is going to commit suicide. Well, do not let that turn you off from reading this book. This book is amazing. Although, yes, Pheobe Stone is checking into the grand hotel as the only guest NOT part of the wedding as she only there to commit suicide, this book is SO MUCH MORE than that. This book is at parts HILARIOUS. Let me just say, that poor vintage car.... I'm still laughing. And at parts, yes, tearful and extremely moving. And at parts, this book makes you realize that the people around you can really affect you, good AND bad. This book was SO GOOD and so much more than I expected. Will be thinking about this one for a while and I definitely re-read this again.

Phoebe has arrived at her end. She finds herself at the end of divorce and checked into a hotel with no bags and the intent to end her life. To her surprise, she is the only hotel guest NOT there for the apparent wedding of the year. Who does she accidentally share her plan with? The bride! The bride is quick to insist she can’t do this on her special wedding weekend. She makes it her mission to save her wedding, and hopefully a life too.

Phoebe and the bride quickly find themselves quick friends and phoebe gets invited to partake in wedding events. She even meets a man in the hot tub that she finally feels interest in since her ex husband. The only problem? You guessed it… he’s the groom.

This is such a feel good book with some sadness, some comedy, etc. I very much related to Phoebe’s life planning, spreadsheet organizing self. Narration was 10/10!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, I want to say that once this book started, I had to keep going. I had to see how Phoebe's story ended. I listened to this book via audio, and I just want to say that the narrator was EXCELLENT. This book needed an excellent narrator to navigate the reader through the dark moments and into the humor and all the personalities of the guests in The Wedding People.
This book deals with depression and suicide in the beginning, but do not get bogged down in that. The dark humor from the start of Phoebe's inner dialogue will have you chuckling for sure.
Phoebe the main character is suffering from depression, a failed marriage, infertility issues, and feels like she doesn't want to be in this world. Phoebe travels to a luxury hotel on the ocean front of Rhode Island to spend her last days at, but she does not know that the wedding that is taking place at the hotel will change her life.

I knew this book was funny when Phoebe refers to the gossiping wedding duo of high bun and neck pillow. I laughed out loud! Phoebe's inner dialogue with herself about the characters is hilarious. Then Phoebe meets the bridezilla Laylah on the elevator who is so self-absorbed and has spent a million dollars on this wedding. Laylah wants to know who Phoebe is and why is she in the wedding hotel that is only supposed to have her guests. She also wants to know how Phoebe has been able to get the best beach patio view in the hotel too.
Phoebe is then immersed into the wedding of Gary and Phoebe. You will chuckle as we learn who high bun, neck pillow, Jim, Juice, Marla, and Phoebe's mother. These wedding guests have all kinds of issues and Phoebe realizes that everyone wants to tell her their story. I really enjoyed this book, and the ending is what really pushed me to five stars. I had to re-listen to the last chapter twice.
If you're a fan of Chick Lit, literary fiction, humor and contemporary romance this is your book.
Thank you Net galley; Macmillian audio, and Henty Holt & Co for the opportunity to listen to this arc. If you are a fan of audiobooks like me this is a very good one to listen too. I highly recommend. Also, I love the cover!

I loved this so much, I had to reread on audio! The narration was fantastic and made me love the story even more, which I didn’t think was possible. Helen Laser’s performance was so moving and infused with humor, tenderness, and immense warmth.

Espach’s writing is sharp, insightful, and deeply human in this story of how moments with strangers can become a catalyst to change our lives, to start anew, to provide the hope and connection we might desperately be searching for, and to give us the permission to feel everything and be ourselves.

Through these characters, Espach dives into the conversation of how it’s hard to be a person at times- how waking up, completing the same tasks, and just existing can feel daunting when we’re also juggling all feelings of being alive. How loneliness, even when in the company of others, can be overwhelming and consuming, and that we’re all at some point seeking connection and the chance to be heard, validated, and seen. I thought the wedding setting worked so well for this story because it was a melding of different personalities and pasts where the characters could let their guards down - it can be easier to open up and share your insecurities, deepest feelings and desires with strangers than it is with friends and family closest to you.

The Wedding People speaks to the power of small gestures and interactions with strangers. Sometimes we forget how these seemingly small, inconsequential actions can create ripples that impact our lives and those around us. I loved how Espach shared personal experiences in the acknowledgments and mentions the interactions had with people in airports, coffee shops, and on planes where they took a moment to acknowledge her existence, made her laugh, and shared a smile.

This story was heavy at times, but it was also incredibly hopeful filled with many moments of heart and humor that were affirming, vulnerable, and honest. I truly loved this story, and this collection of strangers turned friends were such wonderful company to spend time with, get to know, and bear witness to their lives and stories.

I listened to the Audio book and from word-one it was perfect. Great story, packed with a great cast of characters, a ton of laughs and a great ending.

This book was not exactly what I was expecting. I was expecting the female friendship and the self reflection elements, however I think this book could do with a trigger warning about suicide. Maybe there is/will be one, but the audio version I listened to did not. I thought it was very jarring when Phoebe declared that she was there to kill herself. It made me feel like "this is not what I signed up for" and made me question if I wanted to continue reading the book. In the end, I did finish the book and I did enjoy the characters and their growth. Ultimately, this book is about regular people just being people and learning about themselves and what they want. I would still recommend this book, as long as you know what you're getting yourself into.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

I went into The Wedding People blind, but I had heard only great things about it. I quickly fell in love with our main character Phoebe and saw part of myself in her.

Alison writes of heavy topics like grief and suicide in a funny and heartfelt way. I enjoyed all of the characters and how their lives were meshed together in this story.

This was my first read by Alison, but I’d love to read more from her in the future.

The Wedding People and I go back a long way despite the fact it hasn't yet released to the general public. Months ago this one arrived at my home from the publisher, and, little book cover judger that I am, I was not at all drawn to it. That's me - a reader who begins a relationship with a book based on the cover MAKING me want to open it. This cover was a miss. So, the book was resigned to the netherworld of my tbr and just stared at me. But, also me, guilt set it. Unsure how I was tagged to be an early reader, but when I saw The Wedding People offered by Netgalley as an audio, I pulled the trigger.

And, as will happen with a book you didn't expect to like.....I was immediately drawn in.

The Newport city of uber money at a resort most of us cannot imagine.....a week (excuse me, 6 days of a wedding), a main character planning su-cide (TRIGGER WARNING), wealth, sadness, isolation, bridezilla.....Alison Espach gives the reader so much to digest and I was there for all of it.

Well done. New, to me, author I will now explore. Lesson learned - the judged cover might have kept me from a great journey. Don't be Sue.

This book was not at all what I expected, but in a good way!

Phoebe escapes to enchanting Newport, RI after a series of unfortunate events lead her to become clinically depressed. Her career as a professor is stalled because she never managed to publish her dissertation, she has been diagnosed with infertility, her husband left her for another woman, and her cat, her only companion left in the world, dies. While we think Phoebe is just booking a break from reality, we quickly learn that she is suicidal and plans to end her life in a luxury seaside hotel room. While checking in to the resort, she realizes that all the other guests are here for a glamorous destination wedding.

In the elevator, Phoebe has a chance encounter with the bride (Lila) and is presumed to be one of “the wedding people.” With nothing to lose, she confesses that she is not a wedding guest and reveals her plan to commit suicide to Lila. Though briefly shocked, Lila refuses to accept this outcome, as it would "ruin her wedding." Thus, Lila embraces Phoebe as one of the wedding party, eventually making her the maid of honor.

As the wedding week progresses, we follow Phoebe's story of self-discovery and found family. While the topics were heavy (grief, infidelity, mental health issues, etc), I really enjoyed the dark humor and dirty jokes scattered throughout the novel, as well as the unexpected romance element. If you're looking for something a little deeper and more rewarding than your typical summer beach read, I can't recommend this one enough!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook in exchange for my opinion.

This book is absolutely brilliant.
It's beautifully written, and the character work is incredible. It's deep, and so full of heart, but also funny, sweet and very hopeful.
Every character felt so real and complex, I was almost instantly attached to them and felt like I knew them in real life.

I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was absolutely fantastic and the experience really immersive.

I highly recommend this book, and especially in the audiobook version. Thank you Macmillan audio.

THE WEDDING PEOPLE has the charm of a Nancy Meyers movie, wit that’s drier than a Chardonnay, and heart that sucks you in over its final pages.

Alison Espach’s novel has quite the explosive premise: Two women arrive at a Newport five-star hotel: One is ready to start a new chapter of her life (through marriage) and the other is ready to close out a dark chapter of her own. So when Phoebe, a flailing academic with a failed marriage checks into the Cornwall Inn with her green dress and gold heels, she’s mistaken as a wedding guest at Lila’s six-day wedding event. Phoebe gets roped into a wedding where everything must be perfect. As both women take stock of their lives with the help of doubtful guests, scorned lovers, and Stepford staff, this wacky, wise journey of womanhood illustrates the ways that we find ourselves drifting away amidst life’s milestones.

This creme brulee of a novel is light and thin on the surface but rich, gooey, and a little messy upon consumption. The story packs a ton more weight that the plot points suggest (I’m going spoiler free here!) While this novel doesn’t take on the Wedding Industrial Complex head-on, it does offer a humorous read of the process of marriage and the rituals that plague brides-to-be on the days leading up to it. There’s fun unexpected romance in here and an ending deeply satisfying to even the biggest cynics. Phoebe is a character you want to root for the whole way through: Her aloofness and irritation at her situation becomes her biggest strength as the harder, warmer parts of the story come together. I savored this novel over a long period, but this is a tale that you can really dive into this summer. THE WEDDING PEOPLE is a wise, warm, witty delight.

Trigger Warning : There are mentions of suicide, loss, grief, infidelity, infertility, miscarriage.

This was a beautifully written story about second chances and human connection. Phoebe’s character had such a character growth and I loved seeing her grow from the beginning to the end. Lila’s character annoyed me a decent amount of the time but I did love seeing her and Phoebe’s connection grow.

Although it was beautifully written, I found it quite predictable and often was waiting for it to get to the point. I listened to this book fast, but it wasn’t because I couldn’t put it down but rather exicted for the next.

Thank you to Netgalley & Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ARC.

Phoebe has nothing left in her life, except a dream to go to Newport, Rhode Island. What she didn’t know when she booked a room at an elaborate oceanfront hotel was that she’s the only person there NOT attending a wedding. Her plans are changed when an encounter with the bride begins a strange and complicated friendship, and Phoebe finds herself right in the middle of all the other wedding people.

This book was unexpected! I had read Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by this author, so when I saw the ARC available on NetGalley it looked good, and I had liked her other book. But I did not want to stop listening to this one! I was already texting friends to tell them they had to add it to their TBR, because it was incredible. The humor and characterization and the drama between all the characters just came to life. The narrator, Helen Laser, did an excellent job distinguishing all the unique personalities. I highly recommend this one, and it is easily one of my top books of the year so far!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook!

It is difficult to put into words how much I loved this book, without also giving anything away. I went into it mostly blind, other than the synopsis, which I think was important to full react and really feel the story as it happened.

I absolutely loved Phoebe, the FMC. That's all I'll say, to avoid spoilers.

This was a quirky story about moving on, making life changes, family, and love. It was messy, it was funny, and it was very real. I loved every single character (even Marla started to grow on me by the end, the setting, and the story itself. This is one of my top reads of 2024.

Thank you to the publisher for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

The characters are wonderfully drawn and so real as they engage in the wedding events amidst the messiness of life. I had all the feels as my heart ached for Phoebe and then cheered her on. I wanted to shake some sense into Lila, but also tuck her into bed and tell her she would be alright! Both Phoebe and Lila make brave choices to live their lives and I enjoyed every minute of it. The Wedding People is a endearing read and a testament to the notion that life really can be what we choose to make of it. Look for it July 30, 2024. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the chance to read this arc and this is my honest review.

The Wedding People
by Alison Espach
4/5 ⭐

Phoebe Stone arrives at the Cornwall Inn with a specific purpose in mind. She has long dreamt of this vacation, but now she is taking it alone after her husband left her. Upon arriving at the bustling Cornwall Inn in Rhode Island, she is mistaken for a wedding guest, but in reality, she is there to end her life.

When Phoebe meets the bride in the elevator and confesses her plan, Lila refuses to let Phoebe ruin her wedding. Lila quickly forces Phoebe to join the festivities and interact with her and the other guests. This unlikely friendship evolves quickly, and Phoebe finds herself embraced by the wedding party and taking another chance on life.

The Wedding People is a beautifully written story about human connection and second chances. Phoebe is a well-written character that is unforgettable. Her growth in the book is incredible! She transforms from an absent and depressed woman to an awake and honest soul who energizes the people around her. I cheered her on from beginning to end. I felt that the first half of the book was better-paced than the second half. At times, I found myself saying, "Get to the point already." The ending was predictable and left too many loose ends. Overall, I found this book very entertaining and thought-provoking.

Thank you to @Macmillan.Audio and @netgalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review. All my opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 30, 2024

ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 𝔽𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕥: 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀

ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨: 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧! 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐢𝐭, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐨𝐫, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐮𝐥𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭. 𝐈𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐧-𝐩𝐮𝐭-𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞!

𝐁𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐲, 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲-𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝; 𝐈 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐩𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲.

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑷𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞—𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝-𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐡𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝. 𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤-𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐧: 𝟐𝟖-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝—𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐚. 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐚 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫.

𝐻𝓊𝑔𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃𝓀 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓉𝑜 𝒜𝓁𝒾𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝐸𝓈𝓅𝒶𝒸𝒽, 𝑀𝒶𝒸𝓂𝒾𝓁𝓁𝒶𝓃 𝒜𝓊𝒹𝒾𝑜, & 𝒩𝑒𝓉𝒢𝒶𝓁𝓁𝑒𝓎 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒜𝑅𝒞! 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝓅𝒾𝓃𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝑜𝓌𝓃.

Phoebe arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn, intending to have a solo getaway to deal with her personal struggles. Instead, she’s mistaken for one of “the wedding people” attending a lavish event. As she navigates this mix-up, Phoebe forms an unexpected bond with the bride, Lila.

Wow wow wow, I absolutely loved this book! It’s so real and relatable—the mix of dark humor and raw emotion was perfectly balanced 🖤. While it definitely tackles some heavier themes, I found myself constantly smiling and laughing throughout. The characters are so well-developed, and their interactions felt incredibly real. I was completely engrossed and didn’t want it to end. It’s a perfect read if you’re looking for something both entertaining and thought-provoking! 💒🥂✨

While I am glad the plot turned around for Phoebe in the end I just did not love this book. I do not know why though. Maybe because some of it has been done so many times before. Bride and groom do not get married and end up with other people. Lila was so annoying too. There were so moments that were funny though and I did enjoy the overall feel of the story. It just was not my favorite.

Phoebe Stone goes to the Cornwall in with one intention…to die that night. She has come prepared with some pills to take and this resort is her last splurge. Phoebe is sick of her husband, who she is separated from, for his cheating and how he never seemed excited about her ideas. She was not expecting the whole place to be rented out for a wedding and the Bride to make it her mission to make sure that Phoebe does not take her own life and instead joins in on the wedding festivities.

I was really not expecting to like this book as much as I did. When I go to the part about Phoebe going to the Cornwall Inn with plans to end her life, I was really not looking forward to listening to that, but I was pleasantly surprised at the friendship that formed between Phoebe and the bride, Lila. Lila was your typical “over the top” bride. All the weeks events were over the top and she was just a little extra which made it perfect for her to be the one to connect with Phoebe who I would say is more of a plain Jane. Overall, this story surprised me and I did enjoy it.

Thanks to @macmillan.audio for this advanced listening copy. #MacAudio2024