This book is about Annie and Mark who are about to get married. At their wedding, Annie looks out into the crowd and notices a man that she doesn't know and who was not invited to the wedding. Annie becomes paranoid because Mark was married before and his first wife disappeared. As someone starts digging into the disappearance of his first wife and uncovers that Annie may have a few secrets of her own that need answering.

This book was a good attempt at a mystery, but the plot fell kind of flat for me. There where multiple POV's and dual timelines and that just made things a bit confusing for me. Maybe if I had read this book physically instead of on audio I wouldn't have been so confused. I also felt like it was the slowest of slow burns and took forever (with unnecessary delay) getting to the point and predictable ending. I also felt like this book while it took forever to get to the end, ended rather abruptly.

Read if you like:
-Multiple POVs
-Dual timeline
-Unhinged characters
-Slow burns
-Mystery

Thank you @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copy.

When I first picked up "The Stranger at the Wedding," I anticipated a gripping mystery based on the intriguing title. However, the story quickly took an unexpected turn that didn't match my expectations.

Overall, I found it to be a decent read, though not particularly suspenseful. While the mystery elements were enjoyable, they lacked the excitement I was hoping for, leaving me feeling a bit underwhelmed.

The plot was well-constructed, featuring a diverse set of characters and some clever twists that added depth. However, it didn’t have that compelling "wow" factor that would have made it truly memorable. I’d classify it as a lightweight suspense novel, suitable for newcomers to the genre. While I appreciated the premise, I wished it had been developed in a more captivating way.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Annie Clark liked being alone. She wasn’t one of those women who was always wanting to get married. She was fine with being single. She preferred it. And then on a morning commute, she saw Mark. Annie didn’t know his name, but as they caught the same train every morning, she couldn’t help but notice him every day. And then, just as Annie was getting up her courage to talk to him, he disappeared.

Many months later, Annie spotted him again. She had been at her grief group, a support group for those who had lost someone they loved. For Annie, it was her sister. For Mark, it was his wife. She said she was leaving him, taking the weekend for herself before resolving things in their relationship. But she never came back. She didn’t use her phone or her credit cards. Mark is convinced that something bad happened to her. But he has no proof. All he knows is that he has to move forward. Starting with a way to manage his grief. However, he never gets in the building. Instead, he meets Annie in the parking lot.

While Annie feels like she’s in love immediately, Mark struggles. It’s clear he’s attracted to her, but he’s still dealing with complicated feelings around his wife’s disappearance. Annie is patient with him, and eventually it pays off. Mark decides to put his whole heart into the relationship and they decide to get married.

Annie, who didn’t expect to ever have a wedding, plans out a perfect day for them. And everything goes just as it should, until Annie notices the stranger. There is a stranger at her wedding, a man, and no one seems to know who he is. Annie isn’t sure how to feel about that, but she did just get to marry the love of her life. Annie and Mark leave for their honeymoon, to start their life together.

And everything changes.

Annie is looking forward to a relaxing time on the honeymoon, but Mark hardly talks to her. Annie can’t figure out what’s going on with him, but she worries that it has something to do with that stranger from the wedding. Annie tries to think of what she can do to get her marriage back on track. But when they get back from the honeymoon, the stranger shows up at their house.

What does he want? What will it take to make him go away? Just what does Annie have to do to make her marriage work?

A Stranger at the Wedding is a slow burn domestic thriller all about the secrets we carry and the lengths we go to for the people we love. Author A. E. Gauntlett has crafted a tingly story filled with layers of secrets and an unreliable narrator. I listened to the audio book, narrated beautifully by Sophie Rundle, from Peaky Blinders. She brings Annie to life, her struggles and desires, her secrets and her truths.

I listened to this in one weekend, racing to find out what was going on with the stranger and getting completely caught up in this story. I thought Annie was a compelling character, but I did wish I could have known more about Mark’s experience. It felt a little like his secrets were never revealed, and I would have loved to know more about what was going on in his head and heart. But I still enjoyed this book, from the beginning to end. If you like a chilling slow burn thriller, then it’s time to meet The Stranger at the Wedding.

I won a copy of The Stranger at the Wedding from a Goodreads giveaway, and I got an early copy of the audio book from Macmillan Audio through NetGalley, with many thanks.

"If the truth stings for a little while, lies sting for a lifetime."

I thought I knew the mind blowing twist ending to The Stranger At The Wedding, by psychological thriller author A E. Gauntlett, but I was completely wrong and couldn't be more happy about it.

Annie and Mark have a whirlwind romance and before they, or we know it, their wedding is happening and everyone seems happy for them. Well, maybe not the stranger Annie notices at the reception. When she asks him who he is the man claims to be a friend of the grooms. Later Mark says he doesn't know him. Of course the stranger is gone before they confront him.

Voice actress Sophie Rundle is almost too good at sounding truthful even when she's lying. As each character reveals their true self I was gobsmacked by the ending twist. The writer dissected the truth with exacting sharp dialogue.

The middle was a little muddled for me as I had to catch up when timelines changed almost too quickly but slowing down the speed and replaying the chapters helped me.

Instead of going forward the story goes back to Annie's POV of her life before her and Mark met; then how they found each other. But then the stranger's story comes to light and it seems both Annie and Mark have hidden secrets and many lies. Perhaps they are the real strangers at the wedding.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

This audiobook was okay for me. It didn't draw my attention with the narrator or the storyline. It was hard to keep up with the 3 characters via audio because my ALC didn't have chapter titles to help decipher what character we were following. It could be a totally difference experience with a physical book or if the character names are in the titles on the finished audio version.

The Stranger at the Weddings was a thrilling 4 star read!

There's a new marriage built on lies, a stranger who comes to the wedding and cracks the new couple's world wide open, and a wife who disappears. Someone is NOT who they say they are!

I really enjoyed this enthralling and thrilling novel which is the first book I've read by A.E. Gauntlett. I'm certainly excited to check out other works by the author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an advanced audio copy of The Stranger at the Wedding, in exchange for an honest review.

"In 'The Stranger at the Wedding' by A.E. Gauntt, the story unfolds in a rather dramatic way as Annie stands at the altar, ready to say her vows. However, her joy quickly turns into apprehension when she spots a mysterious, uninvited man among the wedding guests. This unexpected presence triggers Annie's paranoia, causing her to question if her happy day is about to take a sinister turn.

The book offers an easy-to-read decent thriller that kept me engaged, and eager to uncover how the story would unfold. Although the overall ending was somewhat predictable, the final twist managed to catch me off guard. The pacing started a bit slow, requiring some patience, but it gradually picked up, taking me on a ride full of suspense and mystery.

However, one aspect that held the book back was the complicated way it was written.. I found myself a bit lost while reading it due to the use of multiple POVs and dual timelines. The story lacked clear separation, making it challenging at times to differentiate between the voices of the characters telling the story. Despite this flaw, 'The Stranger at the Wedding' offers an interesting plot and suspenseful moments that will keep you hooked.

3.75 Stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an early copy of this audiobook! All opinions are my own!

I don't even know where to start with this book. It was a wild trip to say the least, and I am left speechless at the end of it.

It felt very slow for most of the book, but then once the twist is revealed, I was absolutely hooked and shocked. I needed to fully understand right then and there. And it did not disappoint in its revelations!

I liked the way that the book switches POVs and timelines, it makes everything fall into place so much easier, and it really helps with the big reveal making more sense.

I can't say much more without revealing too much, but if you're looking for a thriller that will shock your socks off, look no further!

Twisty, domestic thriller/drama! This started out feeling all over the place due to changing POV without indicating the narrator and a nonlinear timeline. However once pieces came together it was twisty and unexpected!

4.25/5

The Stranger at the Wedding is A.E. Gauntlett's debut novel and DANG! It had a couple of twists that made my mouth drop open, as well as being a book I could not put down. I saw readers saying there was nothing groundbreaking here, and while I agree to some extent, it still threw me for a loop, and I loved the deviousness of one of these characters. I don't think I actually liked a single person in the story, but that was fine by me and definitely kept things interesting.

I loved the audiobook and thought Sophie Rundle did a fantastic job. There are a few different viewpoints with quite a few characters, and I will admit it was sometimes hard for me to keep track of them all while I was listening. However, once we were introduced to each of them I found it a bit easier though it may be helpful to keep a list if you go the audiobook route. Overall, I was incredibly satisfied with this domestic suspense (I wouldn't call it a thriller) novel, and I will be looking forward to seeing what else Gauntlett writes!

I want to start by saying I enjoyed this book and the storyline. It had an intriguing plot and good bones to it. However I listened to this one and I found it difficult to keep up with who the chapters were about and characters straight. I’m wondering if by physically reading this one I would be able to follow that better. Nevertheless I did enjoy it.
I gave it 3.5 stars partly due to following of characters/timeline and partly due to certain parts being drawn out and others I felt were skimmed over.

I love books with multiple POVs but this one was not my fave. It was hard to follow at times but it was interesting. 3.5 stars!

I really did not enjoy this one. It was all over the place and hard to follow. I didn't think the ending had the impact the author was hoping for. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was very hard for me to get into. The narrator was great, but the story was just a little boring to me. By about the middle of the book it started to get more interesting, but I felt like it lacked the wow factor. I also kept getting confused by the different point of views. Thank you for the ARC!

This was a decent thriller—here’s what I loved and here’s what didn’t work.

Loved—the characters were mysterious and weird. They both had backgrounds that were talked around instead of noting anything suspicious head-on. The premise of a prior wife always fascinates me in the most sinister of ways. The narrator brought these completely unhinged characters to life!

Didn’t—the timeline was both nonlinear (not a drawback on its own) but also jumped around without any indication of where we were from basically birth to wedding. Piecing together the timeline was a true source of frustration while listening. I also got super tired of the book not addressing the characters’ background holes and continually talking around them. It was repetitive and annoying. Treat the readers like adults and tell us *something* new!

Would I recommend this? The end was abrupt but good, so…maybe? If you’re in the mood for a quick thriller and go into it with low expectations? Sure.

I really enjoyed this one! Thank you netgalley for the advanced audiobook copy. I will be telling my friends!

I walked into this one thinking it would be centered more around a wedding, but found multiple timelines surrounding the wedding instead. The title is a bit misleading, but the plot is captivating. Plenty of unlikeable characters, but no one who is particularly memorable. The audiobook is well narrated and makes for an entertaining listen!

An enjoyable psychological thriller that kept me guessing until the end! Kind of stretched the limits of believability, but a fun escapist read.

I wanted to love this one so much, I really did. I love a thriller, and I typically enjoy multiple timelines and POV's which this book has. But I had such a hard time getting into this one as (I hate saying this) the writing just didn't hold my interest and it took me most of the book to care at all about the storyline. The writing just didn't seem to flow smoothly, but it was disjointed to me. At first I thought, "Wow! This should be good!" because Mark and Annie were at their wedding when she spotted a man that obviously disturbed her.

Soon thereafter we find out that Mark had a wife named Hope but somehow she's missing. She did, however, leave a diary that I hoped was going to pick up the pace for me. As I read, I began to suspect that perhaps Mark had done something to her. Picking up another place in the book when I thought, "Here it is," and I had hopes that I was going to now gain more interest. Sadly, I really didn't even though the "stranger at the wedding" showed up at their home after Mark and Annie got married. We learn that Annie has some secrets.

I had both the audiobook and e-book but I had a difficult time listening to the narrator. Most of the time if I have a hard time reading a book if I have the audiobook too it helps me get into it; however, in this case I had a difficult time understanding the narrator so it didn't give me that extra pickup.

I will say that there was a good twist and I enjoyed that. Plus, I thought the premise was promising and I think it will be a pleaser to others, but not me.

I was completely hooked by this thriller! The blend of romance and suspense had me on edge from the start. Annie's whirlwind romance with Mark seemed perfect, but things take a dark turn when a mysterious stranger appears at their wedding.

The suspense builds as Annie uncovers unsettling truths about Mark’s past and the strange coincidences surrounding their meeting. The tension between their seemingly perfect relationship and the hidden secrets made for a riveting read. The twists kept me guessing, and the dramatic finale was both unexpected and satisfying. If you enjoy a thrilling mix of romance and intrigue, this book is definitely worth diving into!