Reading Between the Wines book review #73/130 for 2024:
Rating: 4 🍷🍷🍷🍷
Book: The Stranger at the Wedding
Author: A.E. Gauntlett
RELEASES August 13, 2024! Get your copy NOW!!!

Sipping thoughts: Oh my!! I was not expecting that to happen! I couldn’t wait to see why there was a stranger at the wedding and if he had ill will against Annie, Mark, or both. I would have never guessed what the stranger’s master plan was and why he was there. The last 20% of the book just blew my mind.

Cheers and thank you to @MacmillanAudio and @Netgalley for an advanced copy of @TheStrangerAtTheWedding.

#TheStrangerAtTheWedding #AEGauntlett #MacmillanAudio #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThrillers #GeneralFictionAdult

Twisty and enticing. I had no idea what was really going on until the big reveal. And it will leave you shocked.
Annie is so excited to be marrying Mark. Surrounded by family and friends, it promises to be a beautiful day. However, as she stands at the alter, gazing adoringly into Mark's blue eyes, she notices that there is a person attending that was not invited. A person who will bring the whole love story crashing down.

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

This novel has a promising start, and there’s some emotionally powerful phrasing in the chapters that examine the psychologically complex relationships that Annie, a most unreliable narrator, has with her family and new husband. Greek mythology is repeatedly used in allegorical ways throughout the novel. Unfortunately, the book as a whole feels choppy. The rapid changes of character perspective feel like suspense, but the pacing and depth change in the middle section of the book and feel more like literary fiction or a psychological novel (this section isn’t bad in itself, as the writing has emotional power; the relationship with Annie’s father is beautifully rendered in short scenes). The “stranger” of the title is a likable, compelling character with whom the reader gets to spend far too little time. --- SPOILER: -- it would have been enjoyable to follow his investigation, because the way he thinks and approaches people is so interesting! The ending provides the kind of twist many readers seek, but I found it too quick and out of step with the author’s demonstrated ability to craft scenes with complex interpersonal relationships. Caution to readers: brief description of domestic violence (not between main characters) that some will find unsettling.

This was a psychological thriller for sure and had so much going on in it that I am still recovering. I do think at times the back and forth can be confusing though I see why it was needed. I also gotta say the author did great getting us to like the main character right from the start and all the cutesy things we read at the beginning had me double checking if I was reading a thriller or romance book.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacMillianAudio for the book #TheStrangerAtTheWedding by #AEGauntlett. Annie and Mark meet on a train and then again at a grieving group. Soon after they are married and should be happy. But something is not right. Is it something to do with a stranger that was at their wedding? Or could it have to do with Marks first wife? Something is definitely wrong.

1 ⭐️ This is my first one star review, I really hate to do it but this book just wasn’t for me but I wanted to finish and not DNF since I was graciously gifted a copy by MacMillan Audio and Netgalley. For starters I had no idea what was happening most of the time, it is told in multiple POVs and multiple timelines with NO indication as to when timelines and narratives shift. I had to really listen to what was happening to figure out who was narrating, it was so so confusing! Also, the voice narrator never changes her inflection for character changes (men or women) so it made it 10x worse. I did not like the writing style or the plot of this book. No characters were relatable or even interesting to really dive into the story… it was 100% predictable with no twists I didn’t see coming. The random greek mythology inserted into the book was even more perplexing, I wasn’t a fan. I cannot recommend this book at all in any format given the problems with the writing style, plot and narration.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for the advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, A.E. Gauntlett & MacMillan Audio for an audio ARC of The Stranger at the Wedding in exchange for an honest review.

This one sounded extremely interesting, however, after attempting to listen to this audiobook FOUR separate times, I finally gave up and marked it as DNF. I got 60% before I finally called it quits.

The beginning was VERY confusing. I thought maybe it would be one of those things that was meant to be confusing and then get quickly explained. It didn't. I felt lost the entire time, not ever really 100% sure of what what happening & with whom. The transitions from past to present were not at all separated. They just flowed together & that made it super hard to follow & what caused the confusion. I am definitely not a fan of this.

I really don't know what else to say because my entire focus was on trying to figure it out enough to at least follow the story. I don't like to DNF a book, but after four attempts & no closer to understanding what was happening in the story, I was done.

I'm sorry - I tried.

This is a slow burn but a quick read. The action doesn't really start until halfway through, but then the pace is not bad.

None of the characters were likeable. You couldn't really trust anyone. At ever turn there was a new secret or lie. I thought it had great potential to be an amazing book. The story was decent, but it just didn't grip me the way I want a thriller too. It lacked true tension for me between the characters.

I did really enjoy the use of mythology referenced throughout to help drive a point home!

This book was decent and a quick read, but not a favourite of mine.

I’m so confused!
And believe me, that’s NOT a good way to start a book review…

Once again, although the premise of the book sounded good, I feel like it did not live up to the hype. Especially when I had such a hard time trying to figure out what the heck was going on!! 😮

The book literally jumps back and forth with no insight as to where we are on the timeline…

It basically revolves around Annie and Mark, the two main characters. Annie seems to fall for Mark immediately, but Mark is still grieving the loss of his first wife…and the big plot hole is that no one seems to know exactly what happened to her (Hope).

We go back and forth to when Annie was a child, growing up on a farm with her parents and sisters. But there’s a tragedy mixed into the fold here, and we revisit that timeline a lot!

And then there’s Mark. Outwardly he seems like a great guy…but the picture of him changes as well…

I didn’t particularly care for ANY of the characters, so that did not add to my scoring either.

#TheStrangerAtTheWedding by A. E. Gauntlet and narrated nicely by #SophieRundle.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. And sorry, this time, imo, it was not great…

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.

It is due to be released on 8/13/24, so if it sounds good to you, please look for it then!

Feel free to like, follow and friend me on: Goodreads,
IG @ #BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine.

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, and click ‘LIKE’ below!! 📚⭐️

I was really rooting for Annie…. I will admit I did not see this story going this way! Although it was an amazing twist, I couldn’t help but feel a little upset about Annie!!

There is a lot going on in this book, you really dive into the history of the main character. Once I started this book it stayed on my mind until I was able to listen to it all.

Will be recommending this book.

The narrator was really good, very easy to listen to.

Did I mention how mad I am at Annie!!! We were rooting for you Annie.

I enjoyed this twisty thriller. Even though it was a little bit predictable, I still enjoyed the writing. I love an unreliable narrator, so I really liked the main character. This story is not a super unique story at its base, but I still liked the narrative.

What a Cluster f. I didnt know what the point of the book was until about 85% into it and even then I was lost. There was no separation of POVs/timelines so it took awhile to figure out what was going on. It would have been better if it was a duel narration. The narrator didn't have much emotion behind her voice. Hell, the writing didn't have much emotion either. Each character sounded the same. My recommendation was to at least format it differently (add characters names for the chapter pov changes) I probably wont purposely read this author again.

I snatched this title based on its cover alone without reading the description beforehand. I wanted to go in completely blind. At 288 pages I figured it would be a fast thriller and even quicker with audio. Its narrator and setting is British which meets my expectations and bonus points for mentions of Greek mythology and a favorite children’s classic, The Velveteen Rabbit.

The chapters alternate timelines switching up POVs quite frequently and this can get confusing as to who is speaking over time. A large chunk of this book deals with Annie’s grief and memories of her father. Mythology also takes another chunk of the read and the references to that and Annie's childhood can altogether become redundant. The suspense/build up is gradual which can make this a slow-burning thriller as it’s story-heavy than action. And lastly, the ending is surprisingly abrupt. It will leave readers either to wonder or with a mixed bag of feelings.

This was very enjoyable and I couldn’t put it down but I feel like there was more that could have been wrapped up. Like I have questions but maybe it’s just me and they are answered and I missed it.
The story begins with Annie and Mark’s wedding day and all seems well except for an unexpected guest. At the wedding Annie’s mom finds out that Mark’s been married before which seems weird for her mom not to know.
The story jumps around from there. It goes into Annie and Mark’s past until it comes to a surprising head.
The narrator was really great!

I am not sure why the Greek mythology had to be added into the book. It took away from the story at least for me. Also the timeline of the story was a bit confusing so maybe if I had the book it would have been easier to follow along. I also really did not like the narrator and the lack of voice changing. There were some thrilling bits to the story but overall there were too many misses for me to enjoy.

I just have to start by saying, this book wasn’t anything like I was expecting… This new thriller by A. E. Gauntlet focuses mostly on Annie, whose life takes a definite turn when she first spots Mark on the train during her daily commute.
Their whirlwind romance leads to a wedding day which includes an unexpected twist when a mysterious stranger named Cameron is present not only at the wedding but also the reception!

We learn that not everyone is quite what they appear to be, and there are a lot of dark secrets hidden in the past. But the biggest question of all is where is Mark's first wife? And who knows the truth behind her disappearance?

The narrative cleverly intertwines Greek mythology throughout, which added depth to the suspense. The characters are interesting, and the plot had me unsure right to the end. If you're looking for a unique read with a touch of mythology, this just might be the one for you!

This one is not for me. Slow and non exciting narrator and it just did not grab me. I really tried to listen to this but it just not get better for me. I am sure other might enjoy. I have read so many great thrillers this year

Thank you so much to Macmillan for the gifted audiobook!

Unfortunately as far as the audiobook production on this one, it is definitely what is bringing my rating down. I was too distracted by the narrator's accent to get locked into the story. Not that she's bad it's just that it's not my preference to listen to audiobooks read by narrators with such a strong accent. It takes away from the story which already was struggling in this case.

I did love the cover though and hope this one is still a success!

This is out on August 13th!

What starts out as a fun, popcorn thriller, morphs into a long lecture on Greek mythology with an ending that left me questioning ‘why’?

When Annie marries the man of her dreams, she spots a stranger at their wedding and gets super spooked

The unclear transitions between timelines totally worked for me and kept me on my toes. From reviews, I know some readers were thrown with the lack of clarity, but I kinda liked the quirk

We had bride Annie, present and past. Then her childhood and a couple of other people’s point of views - I’m all for that and always love hearing from other characters

However, Annie kept whittling on with her Greek mythology stories and I was just not onboard. They totally took me away from the narrative and it felt like two competing genres - domestic thriller vs mythology 101

I struggled to get to know who the real Annie was . I wanted to understand her, but I know I didn’t. The rest of the characters felt like extras as I was unable to get to know them either

On the one hand I wanted to know more and found the pace fast. But somewhere in the middle, it slowed and confused me. Even when the twist arrived and I was surprised, I was left not knowing ‘why’. It’s hard to predict something if the clues and motives aren’t provided

The book has high reviews and I was reminded of Alex Michaelides and his love of Greek mythology.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an early release of The Stranger At The Wedding.

Annie sees Mark everyday on her daily train commute and one day she finally gets the nerve to give him her number. Then that sets off a very quick romance and eventual wedding. Annie is unnerved to see a man at the wedding no one seems to recognize and requests he be escorted out. As soon as they begin their honeymoon Annie notices a change in Mark and that makes Annie nervous. What did that stranger say to Mark to make him be so cold to her. She has not worked so hard to just let everything slip through her fingers. Will the past stay buried where it belongs?

I listened to the audio of this book and it was very difficult to follow. It jumped from past to present and it was sometimes hard to distinguish who was speaking at any given time. I could not get into this story and it was kind of predictable.