A quick, twisted popcorn thriller told in dual timelines. As Annie is set to Marry Mark, a stranger appears at the church and cast unease. The bride and groom both harbor secrets and Mark’s previously wife is missing. Who is responsible for her disappearance? Twist and turns, and a shocking ending! Great audio narration. Thank you @macmillan.audio for the ALC

📚 #BOOKREVIEW 📚
Stranger at the Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / Pages: 288 / Genre: Psychological Thriller
Audiobook Narrator: Sophie Rundle
Duration: 9 hours

Annie and Mark are getting married! This story opens on their wedding day and moves back and forth between before and after the wedding. The wedding where a stranger appears dredging up the past for both the bride and groom. Why? And what are they both hiding?

I enjoyed this thriller. There was always something that’s being kept from you. A lot of hinting and mysterious happenings. Characters that slowly tarnished before your eyes. And a sudden and fabulous twist!

The only thing I didn’t care for were the boring and unnecessary mythological tales in the chapters before each new Part started. I guess it’s foreshadowing but they seemed out of place and broke the flow of the story. Other than that though, I found this to be a really good thriller.

Sophie Rundle did a great job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you, @NetGalley, @HenryHoltBook, and @MacmillanAudio for my gifted copies.

I listened to the audio of this book and it was great. The distinct narrators had lovely voices that didn’t put me to sleep—excellent voice acting! Plot-wise it was filled with just the right amount of twists, turns, and confusion (it’s ultimately resolved! Don’t worry) to keep me invested! It took me a while to finish because I have a newborn but I kept coming back to it religiously until I finished and I loved it.

What a thrill ride. I was on the edge of my seat with this one. So strange and wild. Different from what I usually read, but glad I did.

The Stranger at the Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett. Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan Audio and Macmillan Publishers for my #gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!

Annie and Mark had a whirlwind romance that quickly leads them to the alter. As survivors of trauma, Mark and Annie have had their fair share of heartbreak. Mark’s 1st wife disappeared without a trace. He was left with so many unanswered questions. He thought they had the perfect marriage.

Unfortunately, Mark starts to change. The stranger at their wedding whispered in his ear. A secret that Annie did not want revealed. Mark becomes standoffish. He doesn’t consummate their marriage, he becomes distant until Annie can’t take it anymore and confronts him.

So many secrets between the two of them. They both have a secret past, but whose is worse.

My thoughts:
☁️☁️☁️
I was NOT expecting that ending! It was a complete SHOCKER! I want to say so much about this book but it would give it away! If you was a fast-paced domestic thriller that will leave you saying “WTF”, then this is the one for you! Freida McFadden and Kiersten Modglin fans should run to go grab their copy!

Short synopsis: At Annie and Mark’s wedding, a stranger shows up. Who is he and what really happened to Mark’s first wife.

My thoughts: While the premise wasn’t hugely unique, but a fun ride overall.
I did have a bit of a struggle with the multiple POV and time changes, but once I got the hang of it the I couldn’t help but be sucked into this story. I just had to know the secrets each character was hiding.

It’s really hard to root for characters when they are all completely unlikable, but I think in this instance that was the point.

The audio was really well done, the narrator told the story in a way I couldn’t stop listening. I think with the multiple pov it would have been helpful to have multiple narrators.

Read if you love:
- Unlikable characters
- Wedding settings
- Missing people
- Multiple pov

Get ready for a slow burn with this one, and once it got going, it definitely got going! I enjoyed this story, even was surprised of the route the author took and surprisingly I enjoyed it. I hate when authors twist and turn a character for the sake of wanting us to squirm and be surprised, but I was glad this author did this with this story.

The odd thing about this book, however, was that there was not one likable character for me. Yet, I liked the book overall, which was odd to me. Typically I wouldn't care of what happened by midway through the book if I didn't care for any of the characters, but I wanted to know what happened in this one. So this was an outlier for me. The characters weren't so deep; there were lack of explanations plenty of time (i.e. husband Mark) and even less explanations or explorations to the outcome of some of the characters. Without giving away most of the plot, this was an enjoyable read for a typical domestic thriller. Too bad the characters were just so forgettable.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an audio copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Such a twisty turny story! Listening to the audiobook, it was sometimes hard to know who was speaking as the narrator didn’t change the tone of her voice throughout. Maybe that was purposeful, but I like my audiobooks to have a little more personality from the narrator. Overall the story was good- I was able to guess it fairly early on but enjoyed listening to it play out.

May I kindly suggest a different title for this. To me it just didn't fit with the story.

So Annie marries Mark, but Mark has been married before, his wife vanished! We don't know what happened to her, till someone starts digging around into her disappearance and uncovers that Annie may have a few questions about her past that need to be answered!

Good attempt at a mystery, but it does fall flat with a few of its plots. yes I would recommend this.

Solid 3 stars!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for this ARC! Beyond humbled
The Stranger at the Wedding out Aug 13th 2024!!!

👰🏼‍♀️Book Review👰🏼‍♀️
*
Summary-
Annie never believed in true love. Not until she caught sight of Mark on a crowded commuter train. It wasn't until months later that they finally had their picture-perfect first date and after a whirlwind romance, they are now about to tie the knot.

Both Annie and Mark have suffered tragedy – their shared experience of sorrow has brought them together, but at times the pressure of those losses has also threatened their happiness. Today they will leave all of that in the past, and forge a new life. But not everyone gathered here has come to toast the new couple.

And Annie quickly realises that her new life isn't going to be the happily ever after she had planned.
*
Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*
My thoughts- thank you @henryholt for the advanced copy, this one released today. I really enjoyed this and flew through this book. I had a hard time putting this down and I really found the twists to be insane. It’s not often that a book surprised me, but this was such a fun ride. This one switches perspectives between Annie in the past/present as well as the stranger. This was highly enjoyable, I definitely recommend it as a solid thriller!
*
QOTD- in this book, Annie and Mark met at a bereavement group. how did you meet your significant other if you have one? My husband and I met in middle school and high school, we were always friends but started dating after college 🥰.

On Annie’s wedding day everything should be perfect, but there’s a stranger in attendance who might change everything. Annie and Mark had a whirlwind courtship after the disappearance of his first wife, and some think their decision to marry was too quick. Your wedding day isn’t the time to question everything, but Annie can’t help wondering about the stranger who opens up a whole hive of questions. Like what really happened to Mark’s first wife? And was Annie and Mark’s meeting as random as it first appeared, or is something more sinister at work?

This story is told in a back and forth timeline (it moves around a lot so it’s not just dual) from multiple points of view, and I was very engaged in the story. I was dying to get to the end to find out what happened. The author did a great job building tension and making me suspect everyone. And there was definitely an explosive ending, but after finishing the book I wasn’t completely sure what had happened. I definitely got the main plot points, but there were a lot of stray story line threads that left me confused. This definitely could have been a me problem. I didn’t have a physical copy of the book to refer back to and I might have missed some details I didn’t realize were important, but I definitely ended the book with a lot of unanswered questions.

Sophie Rundle does a great job with the narration for the book. She definitely pulled me into setting and mindset of the characters and I really enjoyed the cadence of her voice so listening was a delight. It might be good to have access to a physical copy along with the audio in case you, like me, want to go back and reread sections after you get to the end.

I don't know where this one was going. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC. Had a hard time knowing what was going on and following the storyline. The foreshaddowing is odd.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Co., Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the free e-copy/audiobook for review.

I must admit, this book threw a curveball I didn’t see coming.

Listening to the audiobook, I was effortlessly drawn into the lives of Annie, Mark, and Hope. Sophie Rundle's narration, masterfully capturing both Annie and Hope, ensured I never mistook one for the other, making for an effortless listening experience.

The question posed in the title—“Who is the Stranger at the Wedding?”—kept me turning the pages. Even after the stranger's identity is revealed, the final twist is genuinely surprising.

As a domestic thriller, Gauntlett delves deeply into the characters' relationships. Annie carries a tragic past and a guilt that has haunted her throughout her life, alongside the dark secrets she keeps hidden. Meanwhile, Hope grapples with her fragile state, her strained marriage, and the heartbreak of being unable to conceive.

Despite its somber moments, the story remains entertaining, filled with twists and red herrings that build toward an ending where the villain meets their well-deserved comeuppance.

Though I enjoyed the premise of this book, I just could not get into the story at all. I found myself speeding up the audio because I just wanted to ge through it. i was really looking forward to this one but it just wasn’t for me. I have seen many who loved this book though, so I’m sure I am just not the right reader.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the ALC.

I thought that this one might have been an easier read if I hadn't listened to the audio. It was tough to follow the timeline and the switch in characters with the single narrator.

I enjoyed the idea of this one and the plot twist at the end. I didn't see the plot twist coming. However, it may have been because I struggled to follow the story.

A fairly interesting story, though it could have done with a bit more streamlining. The characters aren't very likable, but sometimes we don't like people in life. That's okay.
The multiples POVs were fine, but Mark was never one of them, so it was hard to know what he thought/felt about anything and for him to develop as a character. The nonlinear timeline wasn't as clear as to when it was taking place so I had to listen carefully and sometimes go back because I was lost.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for my advance copy of this audiobook

Unhinged, slow-burn, and twisted describe this thriller. It was slow initially but eventually pulled me in. The ending was shocking and somewhat abrupt. The narration added intensity and emotion to this unpredictable story. The dual timelines could be a bit confusing and the narration added clarity. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook.

This thriller was okay, it's not one I would reread but i did enjoy the plot twists. I liked that it was dual timeline it was just confusing at times on who was narrating, or if it was before or after the wedding. The back and forth was a little confusing. I also wasn't a huge fan of the Greek Mythology info at times it felt like too much. The audiobook was good, I enjoyed the narrator.

I've not read any of this author's work before but was very intrigued with this one. I'm very glad I decided to read it.
I absolutely loved the narrator. I think she did a great job of holding my interest and keeping me turning the pages.

This is a very good and intense story. It's a bit of a love story and also a family story. With family drama and several deaths. Though none in great detail. In this book you meet Annie. Annie who has fallen deeply in love with Mark. Mark was married before and his wife Hope had gone missing presumed dead. That is the only part of this book that had me scratching my head. How Mark was able to remarry in about a year when his wife's body was not found. How can he do that? Do they not make you wait for a period before declaring a person truly deceased? But that is neither here or there with how the story moves forward.

I enjoyed reading this book. There are a few twists and turns. Annie has a few secrets. She is determined in what she wants and stops at nothing to get it. You learn about her and her sister's childhood. About them as young adults and interaction with their mother and dad. Their grandmother also. You get to know Annie quite well. But not completely. She's something else. Maybe a bit misunderstood. Perhaps underestimated.

Did Mark and Hope really have a great life. Were they honestly madly in love and trying hard to have a child. Or was that just what he wanted you to believe... Or was someone else pulling the strings. Did someone else do something and possibly put the blame on Mark. I have to admit that I didn't see it coming. I missed the twist completely.

While I was hoping for a few loose ends to be covered I did like the ending. I thought it was appropriate. Sometimes in life you get exactly what you deserve. In this case I believe someone did.

Thank you #NetGalley, #AEGauntlett, #HenryHolt&Company, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Four stars.

A suspenseful story full of twists and turns. This is about how a tragedy at a young age can shape you for better or worse. Full of stories of Greek mythology that can be paralleled with today’s times. So much back and forth that it kept me guessing throughout. A cleverly written book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was gifted with the audio version of this book. I thought the narrator did an excellent job.Thank you to NetGalley for the free advanced copy, I’m leaving this review voluntarily.