4.5 Stars! This book was a gem! I thought it was a romcom going into it and it IS NOT. The Wedding People is a novel of Contemporary Fiction with a touch of laugh out loud humor. And when I say "laugh out loud" I mean it. I was cackling at some parts.

Phoebe's life is a mess. She escapes it on a trip to Newport, Rhode Island at the Cornwall Inn. Upon her arrival she is mistaken as a guest of the wedding taking place over the course of the next week at the Inn. What happens next is a series of getting to know one self, discovering self worth, making friendships you didn't anticipate and celebrating life(living) as one always should.

This book was so raw, it really had me reevaluating my own life and whether to hold onto or let go of things that have been plaguing me. I started this book thinking it would be a satirical romance and was surprised to find out it was more aligned with literary fiction. There are quite a few content warnings which normally worry me, but the themes of depression, suicide, miscarriage, and betrayal were all so well thawed out and thoughtfully written that it felt more like listening to a friend detail her life than it did a traumatic or cautionary tale. I do wish there had been more romance, this was more of a breakup story than a love story, but it was also almost a love story of the main character learning to love herself again. I really enjoyed this book and the narration; it was unexpected in the best way.

"The Wedding People" is a delightful summer read about finding yourself and living happily after a depressive episode. I really loved the main character and found her relatable and engaging. The other characters were interesting but a little less developed. The story was fun and bittersweet at times, and the author did a great job with the setting.

Happy pub day to The Wedding People by Alison Espach!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve been eyeing this one up ever since the cover reveal, and am so thankful to have been gifted an advanced audiobook copy from Macmillan Audio!

If you are going into this book hoping for an easy breezy beach story, this is not that. It navigates heavy themes including thoughts of suicide, self-discovery, grief, infidelity, and starting over. HOWEVER, it’s all worth it. This is an amazing story and I highly recommend it!

Phoebe, whose marriage has just gone up in flames, among other earth-shattering developments, books an extravagant suite at her dream vacation destination in Newport, RI with a plan to end her life. However, when she arrives at The Cornwall Inn, she realizes she is the only person there who is not a part of a huge six-day wedding week. She accepts her death at this point, and because of this, surrounded by the drama of “the wedding people,” she is finally being honest, saying how she feels, and realizing there may be much more to live for. When Lyla, the bride, finds out that Phoebe is unexpectedly staying at the hotel, she confronts her, and the two forge a snarky, hysterical unlikely friendship in which the two women bond over their problems.

Alison Espach handles suicidal ideation and what comes after in the most graceful way possible, with just the right about of dark humor sprinkled throughout the story. You will fall in love with these characters, along with all of their flaws, and come out on the other end a better person for having read this.

The Wedding People was a great audiobook experience. Helen Laser’s narration was a perfect fit for Alison Espach’s writing, including all of the sarcasm and unique voices for all of the wedding people, making it a must-listen for any audiobook lover!


The Wedding People released today!

Read if you like…
-unlikely friendships
-books that tackle grief and loss
-dry/dark humor
-wedding weekend settings
-heavy but ultimately hopeful stories

Phoebe, following a divorce and general dissatisfaction in life, travels to the historic Cornwall Inn in Newport, RI to quietly commit suicide. When she arrives, she find herself smack-dab in the middle of Lila and Gary's wedding with all of their friends and relatives and is quickly swept up into the wedding craziness. When Phoebe realizes that Lila is as lost as she it, the two quickly form a bond. All of the characters seem so real with their good and bad parts. .The book moves really quickly and it was fascinating to see the characters grow and change. One small complaint, I really wish authors would do the age-math when writing a book. The book is set post-pandemic and Lila's mother is around 60. No way would she have been of age to feel like she was missing out on Woodstock; she would have been around 5 - 6 years old. Still, I can forgive this, because the story and characters were so great.

"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴?"

I see everyone talking about this book and it's for good reason! I loved it so much. It starts out pretty bleak as main character Phoebe checks into a fancy hotel suite with plans to kill herself. She's the only guest on the premises not involved in a week-long wedding celebration. After a chance encounter with the bride, Phoebe's plans unexpectedly change in many ways as she becomes involved with the 'wedding people.'

I loved both Phoebe and rich bride Lila. By the end I was really rooting for both of their happiness and I loved their scenes together. Their opposing personalities were entertaining but they also complimented each other well. I thought the ending was semi-predictable but perfect. I loved the lack of an epilogue so we could imagine ourselves what Phoebe's future would look like.

I started this on audio and enjoyed the narration so much that I never switched to my physical copy. So I do highly recommend as an audiobook if you enjoy listening 🎧 Overall, it wasn't what I was expecting but it ended up exceeding my expectations. Perfect book for Summer! ☀️

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝:
💍 wedding celebrations with bridezella moments
👰‍♀️ dark humor
💍 East Coast Summer vibes
👰‍♀️ mental health representation
💍 making new friends

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Thank you @macmillan.audio for the gifted ALC of THE WEDDING PEOPLE!

I impulse requested this title on Netgalley because the cover looked fun and I am so freaking happy they approved me. The audio of this book is hilarious. Phoebe’s snarky and dry humor comes off so perfectly with the narration. I was constantly smirking as I listened.

THE WEDDING PEOPLE deals with some incredibly difficult topics (cheating, infertility, death of a spouse, depression, divorce, and suicidal thoughts just to name a few) but it is done in such a raw and honest way that it doesn’t make the book emotionally challenging to read.

This book is about hope and joy. And how messy people can make the wrong decisions but in the end things might just turn out okay. It’s witty and full of heart.

I don’t often jump on the celebrity book club picks but THE WEDDING PEOPLE is not one you are going to want to miss!

THE WEDDING PEOPLE is out today!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6675443770
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C-DW6FdJ2ne/

A top read of 2024 for sure!!

I had no idea what to expect when I picked this up, but had seen a few social media posts about loving it. I was a little bit unsure when Phoebe arrived and Newport and I discovered why she was there, but knew there was a lot of story left to be told. As I learned about what drove Phoebe to be in the position she was in, I grew to love her character and really sympathize with her. Then I realized a loved all of the characters more, the more I learned about them; Lila the demanding bride that constantly found ways to let Phoebe know she cared, Juice the moody teenager that was still morning the loss of her mom, even Gary and Jim worked their ways into my heart. Still not sure about Matt, though!

But what I loved most about this story was the way it made me feel. Everyone can relate to having days where they feel sad, but Espach focused on the ways the relationships we have (even with people we don’t know yet!) can pick us up and put us back on our feet. Phoebe found friends that became family and put her back together, which left me with warm fuzzy feelings!

THE WEDDING PEOPLE review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

🍾Happy pub day to my latest five star read!! This book has so many raaaave reviews, that I knew I needed to prioritize it on my tbr! Having just been in Newport, Rhode Island a couple weeks ago, this book felt like the epitome of summer and I loved every second of it!

🍾Here’s a summary of the plot:👇
At 38, Phoebe’s life isn’t going the way she planned. She decides to switch things up and book a vacation at a luxury hotel in Newport. But when she checks in, she realizes all the other guests are there to attend a wedding. And the bride is less than thrilled that a non-wedding guest will be at the hotel too. Phoebe wants to leave well enough alone, but she finds herself wrapped up in the drama of the wedding weekend.

🍾I laughed out loud so many times while reading this book! Omg Alison Espach’s writing style is hilarious and I highly recommend the audiobook! The themes of this one were so dang good too! There isn’t anything I would change about this book! Please do yourself a favor and pick this one up!

🍾Huge thank you to MacMillan Audio for my advanced digital copy!

Wow! I absolutely adored this audiobook. It is perfect--I wouldn't change a thing. At turns hilarious, poignant and wise.

I loved Phoebe; she was so relatable, so vulnerable and real. Some of the subject matter was a bit tough, but it was handled with compassion and humor.

I absolutely will recommend this book, and will purchase for my library. I think it would make an excellent book club pick!

This was such a surprising read! I figured it would be sharp and witty- commenting on the types of people who are “wedding people” in glamorous Newport. Yeah, I was flat wrong, and honestly, I’m so happy about that!
The story is endearing, reflective and so full of heart- it’s like watching a Hallmark movie that actually has depth and relatability. I can’t imagine anyone reading this fully and not feeling uplifted.

We follow Phoebe, who feels like she has nothing left to give. She’s treating herself to one last hurrah at a fancy inn by the sea that she has always wanted to visit. She has a plan for her future……but- plans change when the universe throws her a curveball, and she is mistaken for a wedding guest. Pretty soon she finds herself in the center of all the wedding week festivities, and finds out a lot more about herself than she ever knew before.

This book is reading magic. It didn’t drown me in trauma, but it made me cry. It wasn’t a romcom, but it gave me those flutters. It wasn’t political, but it had depth and insight that was on the nose. The story has stuck with me all week since finishing it, and I’m certain it will have been the best book I read this summer, and top likely five all year. 4.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook, in exchange for my unbiased review!

The Wedding People by Alison Espach was a fabulous audiobook read. The narrator did such a great job at giving each character life.

This book was not so much a romcom as it was a coming-of-older-age story. It was deep, and dark; it actually caught me off guard with how dark it was. There was so much love in this novel, and it was mostly from the main character beginning to love herself. I love that message and thought it was a really great read. I loved the setting in Newport, RI, and how Espach detailed the characters outfits, food, and drink. The banter and dark humor were great.

This is not my typical read but I really enjoyed it.
This is a story about re-finding yourself once the life you built falls apart. A great reminder you can start over at any age and change the direction of your life.

Mostly contemporary with a dash of comedy, romance and found family.

Phoebe is the only guest at an expensive exclusive hotel not part of the week's weeding. At first she is content with her interest in people watching then she quickly is pulled into the gravity of the weading people. She may even find new reasons to live.

I would definitely read more from Alison Espach.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an advanced audiobook for review.

4.5 stars. In turns heartbreaking and absurdly funny. Phoebe Stone arrives at the Cornwall Inn in RI ready to kill herself, She shows up in her fancy green dress and gold heels, during the week that was rented out for a high-end wedding. Phoebe gets mistaken for one of the wedding people and instead of going ahead with her initial plan, she gets bamboozled into joining the wedding party and really finding herself. Do yourself a favor and read this one.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

3.75** During the first 25% I thought this might not be my cup of tea, but I ended up enjoying it. Reads a bit like a rom com that’s light on the com and a bit more reflective than you’d expect.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook.

Highly recommend the audio version - you really get the sarcasm of Phoebe & the shrill, fake niceness of Lila. Loved it!

When I first began to listen to this book, I thought it might be too depressing. I'm glad I didn't turn it off!

The main character, Phoebe, has had a rather depressing life. Her husband left her for her best friend and her beloved cat has just died. She decides not to go to her job as a college instructor and instead hops a plane to Newport, RI, where she plans one last splurge. Not my idea of a fun read. But, she finds a huge wedding affair going on at the hotel and is told in no uncertain terms by the rather entitled bride that she cannot kill herself and ruin her wedding. The two of them begin a rather unusual friendship and Phoebe becomes enmeshed in the wedding events. Along the way, she meets a very interesting man who seems to relate to her.

All sorts of things could happen from this scenario and you can probably guess that most of them do happen! The story is filled with unique characters: a rebellious teenager who wants to be called Juice, a mother of the bride who is the subject of a nude painting that was unwittingly given to the groom, a bride who has no filter, and many others. Expect lots of humor, self-examination, and opulence. A great story to which I hope there is perhaps a sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advance review copy of this audiobook. My opinions are my own.

When a newly divorced university professor ends up being the only guest at the Cromwell Inn not a part of the wedding slated for the week. Her last-minute booking, gets her mistaken as a part of the wedding crowd, and soon she finds herself accompanying the bride and the rest of the bridal party, as they celebrate the impending nuptials.

Well, this book was nothing I expected and everything I could want. I adored our main characters and their differences - the complex emotions, feelings, and thoughts they all had made them entirely realistic and enchanting. I loved the way Espach tackled tough subjects while also bringing plenty of humor and snark. And the honesty within these pages left me with a whirlwind of emotions.

This character driven story was absolutely wonderful, and I think so many will be able to relate to parts or all of the story. While it can be a heavier read, the story itself was a breath of fresh air and I still find myself missing this story. The audiobook is also excellent and really any way you consume this story will have you hooked.

TW: suicide, infertility


The Wedding People comes out July 30, 2024. Thank you to Henry Holt and Co for my advanced copy in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my
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Pheobe Stone’s life is in shambles, and all she has ever wanted to do is see the sea. She’s dreamed about the Cornwall Inn since reading about it once and decides she’s going. With no bags, wearing a fancy green gown she bought on impulse years ago, Phoebe shows up at the same time as several other guests there for a wedding. The wedding people assume she is one of them, and across the span of a week she does indeed join the foldb.

Crashing Lila and Gary’s wedding is the restart Pheobe-in-crisis didn’t realize she needed. While quickly becoming the bride’s person she begins to evaluate her own history and relationships. Working through her depression, infertility, infidelity, and recent divorce surrounded by a cast of characters that force her to gain perspective is both difficult and cathartic.

Pheobe is a character readers won’t soon forget. She is witty, broken, inspiring, and real. It’s no surprise that TriStar pictures has already acquired the film rights. Do yourself a favor and listen to this one—Helen Laser does an excellent job of narrating Phoebe’s whirlwind week.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author Alison Espach for the advanced copy of the audiobook. The Wedding People is out tomorrow! All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved “The Wedding People!” One of the most enjoyable, relatable, introspective, and funny books I’ve read in a long time. This is one of those rare book I will re-read!

The story centers around Phoebe Stone, an adjunct literature professor, who is recently divorced after a long battle with infertility. She comes to a crisis point in life, and decides she wants to die. She books a one way plane ticket a one night in a hotel she’s always dreamed of staying in, so she can end her life in. There she immediately runs into a large wedding party, and a bride who needs a confident…

This book was absolutely captivating; it’s funny, emotional, and pulls you right into the story. In many parts I laughed out loud. The author did a wonder job capturing the complex nature of friendship, marriage, and family dynamics, the family we imagine for ourselves, who we are vs who we want to be, and how our hopes and dreams shape our identity.

I listened to the Audiobook, narrated by Helen Laser, and provided by MacMillan Audio through NetGalley. The narrator did an excellent job; there minor are some issues with sound quality/ consistency, but it doesn’t detract from the book. Many thanks for the advance copy. All thoughts are my own.