This was a slow burn but had a good bit of twists! I really enjoyed the narrator. They did a great job. My only qualm with this one was at times it was hard to follow because of the pov shifts and timeline changes without stating so.

This book just wasn't for me. I really tried to like it, but it just didn't stick with me in any way. I was confused more than half the time. Unfortunately not for me.

This was another one I jumped right into without a glance at the synopsis, but I took one look at the fun cover and was excited to see what it was about.

It was a slow burn thriller that had plenty of twists, and I thought the narrator choice was great.

*many thanks to Macmillan audio, Henry Holt & Co and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

The Stranger at the Wedding by A. E. Gauntlett is a gripping psychological thriller that explores love, secrets, and the chilling consequences of buried truths. The story follows Annie, a woman who never believed in love until she meets Mark, a man with his own hidden past. Their connection blooms quickly, and soon Annie is preparing for a wedding she once thought was impossible. However, just as the day arrives, Annie spots a mysterious stranger in the crowd—one who will unravel the very life she thought she had built.

Gauntlett masterfully weaves tension and suspense throughout the narrative, making the reader question everything they thought they knew about Annie and Mark's whirlwind romance. The pacing is perfect, with revelations and twists keeping the story fresh and unpredictable. As Annie uncovers more about Mark's past, the book delves deep into the darker side of relationships, exploring how secrets can shape—and destroy—lives.

The novel’s portrayal of trauma, healing, and the search for happiness is both poignant and unsettling. Gauntlett excels in creating complex characters whose motivations feel real and raw, adding depth to the suspenseful plot.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers that keep you on edge, The Stranger at the Wedding will leave you second-guessing every interaction and wondering if anyone truly knows what’s lurking beneath the surface. It’s a twisty, fast-paced read that will make you think twice about love at first sight and question whether the perfect life is really as perfect as it seems.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an advance listener’s copy of The Stranger at the Wedding!

Annie and Mark meet randomly on their morning commute, and then find each other again at a trauma counseling meeting. Mark is a widower and Annie is a non-believer of love. However, after a whirlwind romance, they decide to get married. However, during their vows, Annie sees someone in the crowd that she doesn’t recognize. Their marital bliss ends before it begins as the secrets and dark pasts start to seep out.

I will preface that while I did enjoy the narration (Sophie did a great job!) that it does get confusing at times because of the timelines. I never understand why dual/multi timeline/POV is not indicated at the start of new chapters in audiobooks, but here we are again

I’m really enjoying this era of unhinged domestic thrillers that we’re living in. The story was fun and the big twist was good. I’d love to see this one as a movie or Netflix series.

This one does move at a slower pace, so if you’re looking for an adrenaline thriller, this isn’t it. But I enjoyed the creeping suspense.

Annie and Mark have suffered tragedies prior to their marriage, but keeping secrets from your spouse is never a good way to start a relationship. At the wedding, Annie sees a stranger in the crowd who later turns out to be a friend of Mark's father. The stranger has some interesting things to say about Mark's previous marriage.

The book wasn't' exactly what I thought it would be, it was kind of slow to get into but I did find it interesting close to the end. The story goes through different POVs which makes it intriguing but also confusing. I listened to the audio version of this book and I found it hard to determine which of the two women were speaking as the voices were very similar for each. For this reason, I found it slightly harder to follow along and found it confusing. Overall, I'd say this was a good book for the twists as it doesn't go where you expect it to go.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

While The Stranger at the Wedding promises intrigue and suspense, it ultimately falls short of delivering a satisfying story. The title feels like a misdirect, as the so-called “stranger” plays a minimal role in the larger narrative. The plot meanders through Annie and Mark’s whirlwind romance, only to end on an abrupt and underwhelming note. Questions linger unanswered, and the pacing feels rushed in key moments. Honestly, Jane Eyre did it better.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance read. While this one didn’t quite work for me, I appreciate the opportunity to give it a try.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* This was an interesting read, would love to see this as a show!

Thank you going out to Netgalley.com for allowing me a chance to read before publication!!
The story seems like fate mixed with a husband's loss of his first wife. Tale gets so much better the last 10 chapters of the book.....

THE STRANGER AT THE WEDDING by AE Guantlett was a twisty thriller with some twists that surprised me. I listened to this one and have to admit I had to replay parts of it because I felt like I missed something. Annie thought once she and Mark were married that they would live happily ever after, but a stranger whispers something in Mark’s ear, and something changes. Does Mark really know who Annie is? What happened to Mark’s wife? That’s what Cameron is trying to figure out, after Mark’s Dad convinced him to look for her. What did Cameron tell Mark? What did Cameron find out?
The story was interesting and unexpected, but I had a hard time connecting with the characters, neither Annie nor Mark were particularly likeable. Cameron was a little more so, but he was also hard to get a handle on.
Overall, this was a good story, but harder to listen to and keep track of everything going on. I do wonder if reading a physical copy may have helped me keep track of what was going on in the story.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to listen to an advanced copy of the novel. All opinions are my own and freely given.

I was excited to listen to this audiobook! But once I started listening, I struggled to finish, It was really slow. The dual POVs made it hard to follow, it was all over the place. I think the narrator did a wonderful job. I’m not sure if I would have enjoyed reading the book more instead of listening to it but I’m glad I finished it.
Thank you NetGalley, A.E. Gauntlett , and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

This is the perfect fit for people who like drama fill, twisty wedding themed thrillers, which seems to be a big hit this year.

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!