This book was fun and humorous while also being sad and heartwarming. I loved the characters in this story. I kind of didn't want it to end. I think listening to this one is the way to go. I could just picture the characters and was so immersed in their stories.

4.5 stars rounded up!

Phoebe is a depressed woman who is 2 years out from her beloved husband leaving her for his mistress. Phoebe is feeling lost and alone, particularly given her prior struggles with infertility. She heads to a fancy hotel in Newport, Rhode Island to attempt suicide but her plans are disrupted when she inadvertently crashes a wedding taking place that week. As Phoebe gets to know these ‘Wedding People,’ her own view on love and life will be forever altered.

This was a delightful novel that was rich with characters and development. The cast was fully fleshed out and I found myself rooting for every single person. I loved the message this book conveys and felt it did a great job doing so. I do wish there was an epilogue at the end to tie everything together!

Highly recommend this to all! May especially be great for fans of Elin Hilderbrand and anyone who is feeling a bit lost in life. I look forward to picking up more by this author!

On a side note, the audio book was a bit strange in that - while I loved the narrator and thought she did a great job bringing these characters to life - the lines delivered were at times different quality. It felt like they had gone back to re-record lines but not melded the different recordings together well. While a bit distracting, this didn’t necessarily preclude me from enjoying the audiobook. Just good for thought for those trying to debate which format to enjoy this book with!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Every once in a while, I read a book that so perfectly captures what it means to be human -- the vulnerability, the messiness, the mistakes and contradictions, the joys and heartbreaks, the moments you get it all so right and so spectacularly wrong -- that it takes my breath away. The Wedding People was one of those books for me.

Phoebe thought she'd be visiting the Cornwall Inn in Rhode Island with her husband, but, well, things didn't work out that way. Instead she arrives by herself, in a fancy green dress with no luggage. She plans to spend one night at the Cornwall -- and has no plans for her life after that. When she checks in, she realizes she's the only guest at the hotel who isn't there for a week-long wedding celebration. Phoebe is determined to stay away from the wedding people...but a chance encounter with the bride changes everything.

Alison Espach accomplishes quite the balancing act with The Wedding People. The book deals overtly with suicidal ideation and depression; many characters struggle with dark thoughts and bleak feelings, and the narrative doesn't shy away from any of that. But at the same time, it's one of the most life-affirming novels I've ever read. I don't think I would call it "heartwarming," which implies a purity that I don't think it has. It's irreverent and wry, unflinchingly honest and so incredibly genuine. The character development is phenomenal, and so is the dialogue; there are lots of conversations in this book, and they felt so authentic.

I love how Espach explores the idea that a random encounter with a stranger can prompt genuine connection, how we can sometimes be more vulnerable with strangers than with our loved ones, because who cares what a stranger thinks of us, right? Espach answers that question in The Wedding People, when the strangers Phoebe encounters become so much more than that, when the truths that are shared become the building blocks for real relationships.

I listened to the audiobook read by Helen Laser, who did a phenomenal job of bringing the characters to life. The Wedding People is so smart and hopeful, and is a book I'll be recommending and gifting to all the readers I know. Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the complimentary reading opportunity.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced audio copy of “The Wedding People” by Alison Espach in exchange for a review.

I saw somewhere that the best way to go into this book is completely blind, and it’s the best advice I’ve gotten! The cover gives off lighthearted romance vibes, but this book is so much more than that in the best way.

I loved everything about it. The characters were amazing, real, and age appropriate. Phoebe is everything. I loved that she was messy and incomplete, even at 40.

I don’t want to give any of the plot away, so I’ll just say that it’s a must read. I wanted to do house chores to have time to listen to this. That says it all.

This is a summer must listen! The narrator Helen Laser was excellent, This book was unexpected and beautiful. Alison Espach’s characters are flawed and relatable I did not want this book to end and I am hoping there will be a second book following Phoebe and her latest adventure.
This book started out a bit slow and depressing for me and at times I thought can I continue but hang in there listeners because it will be worth it I promise. By the end I was laughing and smiling!

Moving and life-affirming. Be aware of the TWs but so glad I read this! A summer read with some heft. Sad but funny!

First of all, I loved this book. It was hilarious and creative and amazing. I am kind of surprised more people aren't commenting on a couple things, so I'll address that first.

1- the suicidal character was actually sarcastic, hilarious, and full of life and it seems like a callous way to portray depressed people. that said, I am sarcastic and I loved the dark humor.
2- the writing style was extremely basic. since I did audio, I can't really provide examples, but it just felt like a lot of short sentences. It totally worked for this book, but it was something I could see bothering people.

So now that that is out of the way, we are presented with our main character Phoebe who is at a crossroads in life. Her husband left her for a coworker, her cat has died, her job is a dead end. With nothing left to lose she books a room at a fancy hotel and becomes the only guest not there for a wedding. She meets the bride in the elevator and drama and hilarity ensues. I don't want to give away the rest, it was such a fun story and I actually took my time finishing it because I never wanted it to end, which is super rare for me. I would even read (listen) to it again, I liked it so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

OH MY GOD I LOVED EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF THIS BOOK!!!!

I had no idea what to expect going into this book (please read the trigger warnings if you follow my lead), but I’m so glad I gave it a chance.

I loved Phoebe and her mind, and felt every single emotion she was going through right along with her. I want to give her all the hugs and tell her how special she is. Because she really is—and deserves better.

I don’t want to say much else because everyone should experience this book without spoilers, but I will just say I absolutely loved the found friendships and banter.

I wish I could read this for the first time all over again.

(Thank you, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

4.5*

"She is so good at predicting what will happen in books, so bad at predicting what will happen in life. That is why she has always preferred books--because to be alive is much harder."

i really enjoyed this book! this was sad and funny all at the same time. content/trigger warnings for suicidal ideation, infertility, mentions of sex, and language.

Phoebe is a character that i can see a lot of people connecting to, and i really connected to her love of books and thinking of everything around her through the lens of literature. the characters are all quirky in their own ways, and you see the character dynamics change throughout the book. while i was invested in what would happen with Phoebe, the plot is fairly predictable and similar to other stories i've read before.

the setting was also gorgeous and made me feel like i was in an old castle on the breezy and rocky Newport coast. it definitely gave the same vibe as the song "the last great american dynasty" by Taylor Swift.

there were so many great quotes in this book, and i would love to get a physical copy to reread and annotate it. the writing was very good (although i felt like Phoebe's name was repeated a bit too many times). i had a copy from my library, but mostly listened to the audiobook. i would definitely recommend the audio! Helen Laser did an amazing job.

i would recommend this if you like:
- sad yet funny books
- coastal settings
- stories about women discovering what they want out of life
- characters who love books
- flawed and fun characters

thank you to Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

A woman deciding to commit suicide, a bride not sure of becoming a wife, a fancy hotel with a slew of wedding guests and of course bridesmaids adds up to be a fun trip to the altar (maybe!).

When Phoebe (the would be suicide) and Lila (the would be bride) meet up at the hotel in Rhode Island, there becomes a link between them. Both seem to be on a path to save one another from disastrous results. However, all the razzmatazz that accompanies weddings puts both ladies in a mostly fun and snarky situations. However there are some serious themes going on and although the language was often offsetting, ( and not especially needed), I did enjoy the story of how decisions can change and make things definitely better.

Thanks to Allison Espach, Macmillan Audio for the ability to listen to this story.

The book has all of the feels. It’s a perfect romcom! The protagonists come from different stages of life experiences, ages, weath and is very complex. It is a perfect “beach type” read/listen. The narrator did a really good job bringing the characters to life too.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MacmillianAudio, #AlisonEspach, #HelenLaser and #TheWeddingPeople for the advance listeners copy for my honest review.

Really cute little beachy read. I thought from the blurb this would be corny, self help coded, but it was quite the opposite. I loved how you hated some characters in moments and loved them in others. I loved the miscommunication and the drunken antics, and dare is say, the edibles chapter wasn’t cringey! (Take note Emily Henry)

he Wedding People by Alison Espach

All I’ve seen is positive reviews for this book and here’s another one. I started off a bit unsure as it’s quite dark and I was nervous I wouldn’t get it - character driven fiction is not usually my favourite. But this one continuously surprised me with wit and so much heart.

I knew nothing about the story really, and liked it that way so won’t describe it, but check trigger warnings, and I can say that it’s about a woman who becomes incredibly invested in a stranger’s wedding.

This book had such perfect social commentary, amazing look at life through completely different perspectives. I never tired of hearing someone rant and how complicated all the different relationships were. It really captures how the same situation can be different depending on a point of view, and how life looks and feels different for everyone.

This was a fresh, beautiful and smart story.

I have to say audio is THE way this book should be consumed. It captured the humour, sadness and wit perfectly. I don’t know if it would crackle with spark the same way in print, and I doubt a movie would ever live up to it.

Thanks to @macmillan.audio for my audiobook, this one is out on July 30th!

🥂THE WEDDING PEOPLE🥂
𝒽𝓊𝓂ℴ𝓇ℴ𝓊𝓈/𝓌ℴ𝓂ℯ𝓃𝓈 𝒻𝒾𝒸
𝙿𝚞𝚋 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎: 𝙹𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝟹𝟶, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟺
𝕄𝕪 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: 𝟝 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕤!★★★★★∞︎︎

🤏𝚃𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚋𝚒𝚝...Phoebe is in her darkest days & has decided to end her life at her dream vacation spot only to realize she is the only guest NOT there for the weeklong wedding. The bride & Phoebe become the unlikeliest of friends….

🌻𝙼𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜...This is officially my fav book this year!! 🙌Guys, this one is absolutely life changing or it was to me! I just loveeeeddd it! 🩵I laughed out loud so much…the audio version was practically perfect in every way! 👌 I purposely would stop myself so I could keep this one going as long as possible! 🥰The characters are so well developed & I loved them all in their different ways! The humor is def dark humor & covers some big-ish topics(check TW if you do that..I do not 🙃), but everything was beyond relatable & the wit that came with it just made me smile so much! 😁I am a better person after I finsished this book..not even kidding. Please please please give this one a read/listen too asap! 🍾 @macmillan.audio
@henryholtbooks thanks for my gifted copy and @alison.espach you are such a fav! 🩵 Bravo👏🌺

This was my first book by the author and I went into it without reading the synopsis but immediately felt drawn into the story. I really liked the author’s writing from the start and found myself not wanting to put the book down!

I found the characters interesting and well developed and found myself really caring about what happened to each of them! Phoebe was such a great character and I found myself really feeling for her as the story unfolded and we found out more about her past and what has led her to where she is now. The premise of this book is really unique and I liked going in blind and finding out what was happening as the book went along.

The wedding setting was really fun and there was a lot of humor mixed in with some pretty heavy topics. I highly recommend this one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!

As Phoebe Stone arrives at her happy place, the grand Cornwall Inn, she quickly realizes she is surrounded by The Wedding People. As the only non wedding guest in attendance, she and the bride quickly cross paths and a unique relationship forms. This book is a great mix of humor, and some pretty heavy life topics as well, but they are interwoven by Alison Espach in such a way that I didn't want to stop listening to this book. I really enjoyed this book and felt like it served as a great reminder that even at our worst times, you never know what opportunities could be just around the corner for you. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance copy of The Wedding People by Alison Espach in exchange for an honest review. I especially appreciated getting both the audiobook and the print copy so I could go back and forth.

I almost gave up on The Wedding People. The characters were annoying and flawed - and that is precisely what made me love them and want to know what happened to them. The narrative takes place over the course of six days at a historic hotel in Newport, Rhode Island, where Phoebe Stone, an adjunct professor of 19th century literature, comes on what she thinks will be a quick solo trip and finds herself deposited in the middle of a week-long wedding celebration - the only non-wedding guest in the entire hotel. As Phoebe, the bride, the groom, and the guests all interact, they become a community caught up in one another's drama. The author does a terrific job at painting the characters in many layers, exploring their motivations, dreams, fears, and in the end, asks one of the most universal questions: what is true happiness, and how do we find it?

Four stars for this surprising and enchanting novel.

I loved this book so much. So much so that I’m ordering a physical copy now. I went into this novel blind, and I am so happy I did because I am not sure I would have chosen to read it otherwise. I will be reflecting on this story for awhile; it is a story about love, friendship, and life. Mostly life. I loved the characters and pleasant pace of the story as well as the plot’s balance between living through the hardest parts of life and the comedic relief. So very well done. I will certainly want to reread this in 5, 10, 20 years.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

The Wedding People is a fantastic read- even if you’re someone like me, and don’t enjoy weddings. Filled with dark and absurdist humor, heartwarming and poignant moments, heartbreak and mental health issues, family drama and unexpected friendships, this book really has it all. And I loved every minute of it. So much so that I expect I’ll re-read it sooner rather than later. It’s just that delightful.

Helen Laser did a pitch-perfect job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Alison Espach, Henry Holt Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ARC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 stars! This book was so enjoyable and unexpected! Phoebe was likable and even if you can’t relate to why she visits the hotel, she is relatable as someone who is figuring out themself. This is a book about new beginnings, friendship and loss. I listened to the audio version in which I found the narrator pleasant to listen to.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC.