Solid three stars for this book. I Was originally going to give this book 2 stars because I was not a fan of the amount of language or sexual references. I did find the narration of the story and the cast of crazy characters quite enjoyable, so I did continue the story, even though I wasn't immediately drawn in. I wanted to give this book Four stars so much by the end! Alas, itnis not meant to since the language and sexual content was much more than I personally choose to read, and found that it detracted from what I loved
about this story. I did end up loving the main character and her journey along with the friends she made along the way and how they evolved through connecting with her. This book had a lot more depth than I originally thought it would, and that was an unexpected but welcomed surprise. The Wedding People made me laugh many times and cry a few too. Thank you, NetGalley McMillan audio for the ARC of this audiobook.

The Wedding People was a very literary audiobook! I feel like everyone will be talking about this one!

Went in completely blind and I'm so glad I did. This has to be one of the realest books I've read in a very long time. The characters are so relatable, all with very unique personalities. I loved the way their stories all intertwined with such ease. They say what everyone is thinking which makes it even funnier. I laughed out loud more than once.

But what truly sets this book apart is its depth. Amidst the humor, Espach tackles serious themes with grace and sensitivity. She explores the complexities of love, commitment, and the pressures that come with planning the “perfect” wedding. It’s a poignant reminder that behind every celebration, there are real people with real struggles.

True page turner that I wasn't ready to end! This is one of those books that you wish you could read again for the first time! If you get a chance to listen to the audio you wont regret it! Loved every minute! Highly recommended one of the Best 2024 Books by far!

The Wedding People, by Alison Espach, is an audiobook I went into blind. (or, since it's an audiobook, is more appropriate to say deaf?) I knew it had been chosen as a featured monthly book club pick by Jenna, Barnes & Noble, Book of the Month, etc. So, I knew I would probably like it. But this summer has been so busy that I honestly had no idea what it was about (besides "wedding people" which could mean just about anything) before pressing play as I got in my car for yet another road trip. Helen Laser is one of my favorite narrators and within minutes, I was absolutely hooked. The premise is both simple and unconventional. The authors voice, as well as the story itself felt completely fresh. It was funny and emotional and irreverent and deeply intuitive. I absolutely loved it. Highly recommend!!!

I highly recommend "The Wedding People" by Alison Espach!! It is classified as women's fiction, and it concerns many issues women may go through in relationships. Trigger warnings include infertility, miscarriage, cheating, and divorce. Other topics include weddings, being honest, and knowing who your person is or isn't.

Phoebe is in a very low place, and she goes away to a place she thought would be a happy place for her. She has plans to end her life, but she meets Lilah, who is getting married and needs a friend to be honest with.

The transformation Phoebe goes through as she lets go of her ex-husband and learns to love herself again is remarkable. I found it very uplifting.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 5/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 5/5
Enjoyment - 5/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 37/8 = 4 5/8 rounded up to 5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, MacMillan Audio, and Alison Espach for providing me with this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach is one of my favorite books of summer 2024! It’s equally funny and complex as it helps us examine the characters’ lives (and reflect on our own).

The novel is so well-written; it grabs you from the very beginning, and then when the story sets one women character up against another, I was hooked!

I listened to the audiobook of this one, and I just have to say, the narrator did a stellar job.

I loved it so much that I went out and bought a copy! Can’t wait for me from this author.

I was surprised at some of the twists and turns of there realizations of the bride and groom for sure. I also did not expect Phoebe's husband making a reappearance, but it was all a part of the character development. It was a great story of the FMC finding herself and realizing what it is that she needs to make herself happy and not other people. Although I do wish more had come of Gary and Phoebe in the end, but I know it's open to interpretation. Overall, it's a pretty great book and perfect for a summer read!

Really REALLY enjoyed this very complex but heartwarming book. I haven't had a cast of characters that sucked me in like this for a while. Each character was so nuanced and complex, but also endearing that it made this a fantastic book! I found the story to be full of some dark humor. Phoebe as the main character was great, especially when her tone was brought out by the narrator. She did such a good job of bringing this story to life. I enjoyed Phoebe's character arc so much, and the ending was incredibly satisfying. There were so many important themes in this book that ensured this is one of those that I am going to be thinking about for a long time. I can't wait to see how they adapt this as a film! Highly recommend this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy of this book. All opinions within this review are my own.

A woman checks into a small inn. Her mission - to commit suicide. Meanwhile, a wedding has taken over the entire inn. The woman meets the flighty bride in an elevator. The bride is taken aback by hearing that the woman has the best room at the inn. The woman tells her that she is there for one reason - to end her life. Later, just as the woman is about to take care of business, the bride enters the room like a windstorm. She tells the woman everything that is going on in the wedding. Before we know it, the woman ditches her mission and becomes the Matron of Honor. There is an even bigger surprise at the end, which I will keep to myself. Take it from me; it's a good one. I loved this book - it was so fun and a refreshing Summertime read! The narration was outstanding.

4.5⭐

Revolving around themes of friendship, family, personal growth, self-acceptance and human connection, The Wedding People by Alison Espach is a beautifully written novel that will strike a chord in your heart.

As the story begins, we meet Phoebe Stone, an adjunct professor in literature in her forties, as she arrives alone at the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, with a heavy heart. This was a place that she had hoped to visit with her now ex-husband, but here she was, in a green dress and heels with no luggage. Phoebe’s room is the only one not booked for the wedding of twenty-eight-year-old Lila, who has meticulously planned a week-long sequence of pre-wedding activities leading up to the day of her nuptials. Initially mistaken to be one of the wedding people, the misunderstanding is soon cleared up, but much to Lila’s dismay, she realizes that Phoebe’s plans for her own stay would surely ruin her wedding. The narrative follows as Phobe and Lila strike up an unlikely friendship as Phoebe soon becomes one of the wedding people – an experience that might just be the nudge she needs to rethink her own priorities.

There is a lot about this book that is praiseworthy and the glowing reviews are more than justified. The description of the book suggests that this might be a light-hearted read, but this novel proved to be much more than I had expected. The author writes with heart, wisdom and humor. The narrative does suffer from minor pacing issues, but overall, the story flows well. Each of the characters was well thought out - authentic, relatable and endearing. I adored Phoebe and loved how she bonded with a complete group of strangers showing kindness and empathy to those who needed the same but also being strong and forceful in situations that demanded attention. Lila did strike me as a tad immature at times, but I could understand her motivations and why she behaved in certain ways. I loved the coverage of the pre-wedding activities – the chaos, confusion and unforeseen complications – which result in situations both humorous and heartwarming. The author’s strength lies in her characterizations and depiction of complex human emotions and I enjoyed following both Lila's and Phoebe's individual journeys over the course of the events described in this story. The author addresses several sensitive topics such as infidelity, bereavement, infertility, mental health, depression and suicidal ideation with insight and compassion. The story emphasizes the importance of being kind – to one another and oneself – the latter being something many of us forget.

Overall, I found this to be an evocative and thought-provoking read that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy character-driven fiction.

I listened to the audiobook brilliantly narrated by Helen Laser who made the characters and this story come to life. I couldn’t recommend the audiobook enough!

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The main plot was a little predictable but this book is all about the journey. The main character is experiencing the end of her marriage in a traumatic way. It is enough to cause her to drive to a fancy hotel to end her life. Pure luck brings her to a life changing week where she decides she needs to be here. The story came together so well, with so much insight along the way. Infertility, parent death, grief, infidelity, suicide, panda sex, this book has it all. Truly enjoyable and highly recommend.

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I loved the dark humor - it had wonderful engaging characters that kept me turning the page until the very end.

I can’t stop thinking about this book! It’s such a beautiful story and I loved how the characters lost and found themselves. Phoebe and Lila are especially well written and I loved how their relationship and personalities came across. A great read.

The Wedding People is a witty book that’s a must read for those who love dark humor. The journey of growth and discovery in this story is relatable and entertaining, making this an unputdownable story.

I really loved everything about this story. The writing is excellent, and the characters are vibrant.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story which was well done. I listened at 1.75x speed (my normal audiobook listening speed is 1.75-2x speed).

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook copy.

The opening of the book is relatively common...husband goes through a mid-life crisis, dumps his wife, beds another woman, and eventually moves in with her. What is not common is the wife's reaction. Not being able to shake her depressed state, she books a room at a swanky resort and plans to kill herself with feline tranquilizers. What she does not plan on is being instantly dropped dead center into a wedding party where the bride practically takes over life. During her stay with the wedding people, the protagonist's, Phoebe's, life is turned upside down, and this also holds true for other members of the party. Read to find out the profound messages and tidbits of wisdom sprinkled throughout Alison Espach's novel.

This was really quite good (and really should have had a content warning at the top - perhaps it will be added when it’s out in the world?).

Phoebe is the only guest at a very fancy hotel who isn’t one of the wedding people – she’s there because she long dreamed of going on a fancy vacation there with her husband, and now he’s left her. Mistaken for one of the wedding people, Phoebe’s plans (the relaxing and then the very, very dark) are repeatedly interrupted by a bride who simply can’t fathom anyone who might inflict the tiniest imperfection to her wedding week. On the surface, Lila (the bride) is a nightmare, her relationships to friends and family just an inch deep, and her relationship with her older fiancé – well, at least he treats her well.

The Wedding People isn’t really a romance: It’s a story of a woman discovering who she wants to be and learning to fight for that version of herself, and to be seen and valued for who she is. The writing is so self-assured, funny, dark and sweet rolled into one. Told alternately between the wedding week and in flashbacks to earlier in Phoebe’s relationship, it pulls no punches. Yet instead of checking if I’ve got a bloody nose, I want to give Alison Espach a hug for gifting us with this gem.

Narrator Helen Laser is just the right touch of sardonic for a woman who’s at the end of her rope - and finds herself badgered by a bridezilla back into herself.

CW: Suicidal ideation (on-page attempt), infidelity, death of a spouse.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 very strong stars! The Wedding People was the second book that I had the pleasure of reading by author, Alison Espach. I had read Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance several years ago and enjoyed it, so when I saw that Alison Espach had written a new book and that it was getting a lot of good reviews I jumped on the bandwagon, too. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised how fast I was able to immerse myself in the plot. It was primarily set in Newport, Rhode Island with its posh mansions, spectacular beaches and a full service inn called the Cornwall Inn. I listened to the audiobook that was brilliantly narrated by Helen Laser. She was able to capture the individual nuances of each of the many characters in this most sweet yet humorous book.

Phoebe Stone had just received the most devastating and unexpected news of her life. She knew that she wanted to get as far away from previous life as possible. Phoebe knew exactly where she wanted to go. Years ago, Phoebe had found a charming inn in Newport, Rhode Island that she wanted to go to with her husband. Phoebe and her husband never got there but Phoebe would go now. It was the perfect spot for what Phoebe was contemplating. Phoebe arrived with only the clothes she was wearing. She had no luggage or anything of impotence with her. When Phoebe checked in, she learned that the whole inn had been reserved for a wedding. The person who had checked Phoebe in just assumed that Phoebe was a guest that was attending the wedding. Little did they know but Phoebe had other plans for herself. She wanted nothing to do with a wedding. As luck would have it, or maybe it was fate, Phoebe found herself face to face with the bride to be, Lila, in the elevator as she was on her way to the room that had been assigned to her. Lila started a conversation with Phoebe and soon learned about the plans Phoebe was intending on carrying out. This admission led to a very unconventional friendship of sorts. After that, Phoebe became more involved in the wedding plans and decisions than she ever would have expected or imagined.

The Wedding People was clever, humorous and touching. I really enjoyed all the characters and missed them when I finished the audiobook. They were authentic and made me feel like I was right there by their sides. I enjoyed the setting very much. It is a place that I would love to see and explore. The ending was perfect and quite satisfying. I can’t say enough good things about The Wedding People except read it or listen to the audiobook of it. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Wedding People in exchange for an unbiased review.

The description sounded lighthearted and fun; this book was anything but. I kept listening waiting for it to get funny but it went from depressing and sad to a book about nothing really. It felt like a long, drawn out episode of Seinfeld, which I am not a fan of. I felt for Phoebe and Lilah, as they were both in rough situations but I found the story to be slow and heavy.

I absolutely loved everything about this book. I hated when it ended and would have kept reading even more hours. As a "woman of a certain age" I get it. I SO get it. I loved the cast of characters, from Juice to Jimmy. The tuna flavored pills made me giggle. I want a bath in that tub and to sleep in that bed and to go back again. It was delightful!

This read was different than what I was expecting but that’s not a bad thing. The story took on a life of its own and was funny and thought provoking. It dealt with real feelings and all the hard stuff around life, because let’s face it, life it hard-with a capital HARD!
The narrator was so good that I forgot she was reading me a story.
I will highly recommend.