Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The description of this audiobook caught my interest. The actual audiobook was a bit confusing and hard to really get into. Wasn’t for me. Narrator was ok.

I couldn’t get into this one, only made it about 25% of the way in before deciding to DNF. It sounded like something I could enjoy but it just never pulled me into the story or made me want to keep turning the pages. I wasn’t connecting to or becoming invested in the characters or the plot. I think maybe it needed a few more rounds of edits to really make it shine and draw readers in. The narration was fine, it was the story itself that I wasn't enjoying much.

On your wedding day you should be happy and proud of your marriage. When Annie married mark it seems all is good until a mysterious man shows up out of the blue. You think you know where this is going but that isn’t the case. Slowly we learn why Annie was such in a hurry to marry mark even though his first wife disappeared. This was a great read!

The premise of this book was super interesting! A wife missing, a new wife, a stranger at a wedding! This sadly fell completely flat for me.

The multiple POVs on different time lines made this audiobook very confusing. It took quite some time to figure out who everyone was and who they are to certain people. It wasn’t explained very well. Maybe this would have been better physically read instead of listened to.

The characters weren’t relatable, likeable, or redeemable. You weren’t rooting for anyone & there wasn’t a lot of character development. The mythology aspect was boring and just seemed to be added to create length to the book.

This was not for me.

2.5 stars - rounded to 3 stars.

Holy smokes this was a wild ride! It took me a a bit to figure out who each of the characters were and where they fit in the whole story, at the halfway point I finally got it sorted. Once the story started coming together it was enjoyable and the twist at the end was, to me, unexpected. I wasn't super impressed with the ending either - I wanted something more there.

Overall, I didn't hate this book, but I didn't really love it either. None of the characters were really likeable or super well developed. But, the story did keep me engaged and entertained and I'm not sorry I listened to it - even though it was a rough start. If you're a psychological/domestic thriller fan, check it out. It's got a different spin from the same old, same old.

I requested this book because I usually love mystery/thrillers about couples or weddings and something goes wrong or the bride or the groom is full of dark secrets. So, I'd say this book had a big chance to be a hit for me.
Sadly, it wasn't. For basically 2 reasons: I didn't like or care for any of the characters (not a single one), and that whole Greek mythology aspect? Nope, not for me. I genuinely dislike when authors bring Greek myths into a 'realistic' story.
Also, I can safely say nothing about this story kept my attention or made me feel invested in any way.
I didn't dislike this author's writing, which was fortunate.
And the audiobook narrator, in my opinion, does a very good job by giving different voices to different characters, so at least the audiobook production wasn't disappointing.
I'd actually only recommend this book with the audio format.

There’s a bag of problems for me: none of the characters are likable or people I want to spend time with. I can sometimes read a book with characters I don’t like if it’s relatable or I want them to eat a shit sandwich. That’s not happening here. I also find it rather slow moving and the narrative style isn’t working for me. With the flashes and different POV Oh well. Thanks netgalley!

Book Title: The Stranger at the Wedding
Author: A.E. Gauntett
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Sophie Rundell
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Pub Date: August 13, 2024
My Rating: 3.16 Stars
Pages 288

Annie Clark and Mark Lane met on an uneventful morning on a train when Mark asked to sit next to Annie. . Now less than a year later, they are getting married but they both have secrets to hide which threaten to come to light when a stranger named Cameron shows up at their wedding.

We find out that Mark had been married before to a woman maned Hope. She disappears overnight. No one knows what happened to her, or what led to her disappearance, except for rumors that things were not going well in their marriage.
Cameron, the stranger is an old friend of Annie’s father-in-law-Marks’ father, who has not given up on finding Mark’s first wife.

Although I was curious, I just did not love these characters.

The ending was a surprise but not a shock!

Want to thank Macmillan Audio for this early audiobook.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 13, 2024.

I’m grateful to be able to review the audio version of The Stranger at the Wedding. This was a thriller that kept me listening until the very end. This book will have you thinking twice before you decide to get married. I highly recommend it.

Secret marriages and past secrets all tangled up—it’s the kind of plot that can drive you to the brink of insanity, but it’s precisely what makes this story so gripping. As I delved into the narrative, I found myself continuously intrigued by the twists and turns that kept unfolding.

The central theme of hidden relationships, whether they're marriages kept under wraps or long-buried secrets from the past, creates a web of intrigue that is both intricate and compelling. The author masterfully interweaves these elements, ensuring that each revelation propels the story forward, making it impossible to put the book down.

What struck me most was the depth of the characters. Each one, with their secrets and motives, felt real and relatable. The protagonist's journey through this maze of deceit and truth was particularly engaging. I found myself rooting for them, feeling their frustration and elation as they uncovered each piece of the puzzle.

The climax, where all the secrets are laid bare, is both satisfying and surprising. The resolution ties together the various threads of the story in a way that feels both inevitable and unexpected. It’s a testament to the author’s skill that the ending doesn’t just resolve the plot but also provides a deeper understanding of the characters and their motivations.

In conclusion, the blend of secret marriages and hidden pasts in this book creates a riveting tale that kept me hooked from start to finish. It’s a story about the complexities of relationships and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets, and it’s one that will stay with me for a long time.

The twist was shocking. But it took too long to get to the point. It felt like a slow burn, in the worst way.

4.5 rounded up. If you love domestic thrillers, this one is for you!

Premise - Annie wasn't a romantic until she met Mark, a grieving widower who immediately sweeps Annie off of her feet. His traumatic post, and her own dark history, are never far out of the picture, however, and when she spots a stranger at their (pretty frickin' premature) wedding, it's time for everyone's secrets to come out... with sinister results.

I loved the voice in this, it's confiding, real, and absolutely bingeable - A. E. Gauntlett will have to go on my insta-buy list going forward. *SIIIIIGH* There are worse problems to have! :p

I listened to the audiobook version and can whole-heartedly recommend that method of enjoying the story, as well. The narrator, Sophie Rundle, has a lovely voice and does a great job of capturing the characters' emotion without overshadowing the text. She's an actress from 'Peaky Blinders' and clearly very talented! She also has a very charming accent and is so engaging I never wanted to hit pause, even in some of the slower moments in the story.

Thanks, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.