Adele and Jason have known each other since childhood when Adele's boyfriend, Jason's friend, died tragically at the coast where they all grew up. They have returned 12 years later for Adele and Jason's wedding. This time everyone has secrets, someone is lying, and the wedding may not happen at all.

The last 25% of this book was worth the very long lead up. The ending was everything I wanted it to be. There was drama, justice, and a surprise ending I didn't see coming. This thriller will keep you guessing to the last sentence.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the ARC of The Wedding Party.

Rebecca Heath's "The Wedding Party" invites us to a seemingly idyllic wedding on the Australian coast, a reunion of old friends meant to celebrate love and new beginnings. But beneath the surface of sunny skies and champagne toasts, old tragedy casts a long shadow, and the air is thick with unspoken secrets and outright lies.

Adele and Jason, the picture-perfect childhood sweethearts, are the center of attention, but it quickly becomes clear that Adele is hiding the truth about their relationship. Her deception is just one thread in a tangled web of secrets held by the wedding party, a group still grappling with the loss of a friend a decade ago.

Everyone agrees that what happened on the jetty all those years ago was an accident. Or do they? Heath masterfully sows seeds of doubt, hinting that the past is not as settled as everyone wants to believe. The narrative skillfully alternates between the present-day wedding festivities and fragmented glimpses of that fateful day on the jetty, ratche creating a sense of unease and building suspense with each turn of the page.

As the celebration unfolds, tensions rise, and the carefully constructed facades of the wedding guests begin to crack. Old resentments resurface, loyalties are tested, and the truth about the past threatens to explode, shattering the present. "The Wedding Party" is a compelling mystery that explores the corrosive power of secrets, the weight of grief, and the lengths people will go to protect themselves and those they love.

With a cast of complex characters, a stunning coastal setting that belies the darkness within, and a plot that keeps you guessing until the very end, Rebecca Heath delivers a gripping and atmospheric tale. If you enjoy mysteries where the past refuses to stay buried and every character seems to be hiding something, then you're cordially invited to "The Wedding Party." But be warned: you might not like what you find.

Great book brilliant storyline. I didn’t expect some twists in there. Kept me hooked , I couldn’t read fast enough to find out what happens next.
Will look for more from this author she really painted a good picture.

Adele is getting married, and is looking forward to it. Her fiance is Jason Ellingworth, a wealthy young man who has encouraged her to invite family and even friends from their shared past when both experienced a horrible incident -- the tragic death of Adele's then boyfriend Oliver -- to share in their happy day.

The novel opens with the wedding party members arriving at the cottages they'll be staying at, and we meet Oliver's sister and still grieving mother, as well as Adele's self-obsessed mother and father, and Jason's best man and Jason's domineering grandmother.

We quickly realize that everyone has secrets, some much worse than others, and all have been affected to greater and lesser degrees by Oliver's death years ago.

We get Adele's an, Melanie's (Oliver's mother) points of view, and see the increasing tensions and angers amongst the party, and begin to wonder just what is really going on, as things seem to be misplaced, confrontations occurring, and contradictory feelings exposed. We also get flashbacks to the days leading up to Oliver's death, giving context to the tensions and jealousies.

Adele seems both eager and strangely reluctant, despite given several outs, to halt the wedding, and it's clear she and Jason share a secret from their adolescence.

This was not a particularly thrilling thriller. I found it difficult to connect with any of the characters, and was not particularly surprised by the twists that happened, having figured out what was at the heart of all the acrimony between Melanie's and Adele's family early on.

I did like Jason's grandmother, though, who comes off as strongminded, and surprisingly ruthless.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Aria & Aries for this ARC in exchange for my review.

This was fun! I loved the setting, the characters, and the twist caught me off guard! I thought this one was done really well!

The Wedding Party by Rebecca Heath

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Blurb

A group of old friends. A grieving mother. A lying bride.

Adele and Jason are childhood sweethearts. Their wedding day on the sunny Australian coast is a chance to reunite and celebrate with friends and family.

But Adele isn't telling the truth about her relationship. And some of the wedding party – still reeling from a tragic death in the group a decade before – hold secrets of their own.

What happened on the jetty all those years ago was an accident, everyone agrees.

Or do they?

My Opinion

The Wedding Party was an entertaining thriller. A quick and fun read with short chapters. Rebecca Heath uses different perspectives and different timelines to help the reader get the full story.

Rating 4/5

A psychological thriller set around a wedding on the Australian coast. I got very overwhelmed by the many characters and viewpoints and could not finish the novel

The Wedding Party was a suspenseful ride with complex characters that kept me guessing the entire time. It left me with more questions than answers, and I can’t decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. What were Adele’s and Jason’s motives? Why was Pip so absent for much of both parts of the novel? Why were Sophie and her mother so involved in Adele and Jason’s wedding? These are questions I will continue to ponder as this book keeps me thinking.

Wasn’t able to read this one digitally but I did order a copy of the book so will be reviewing it after I’ve read it. I’m really excited for it as I’ve only heard great things about it.

Told over 3 POVs, Adele the bride who has a secret to hide, Melanie the mother of Adele's childhood boyfriend who died in an accident 12 years ago & Sophie, Melanie's daughter.

Adele & Jason are set to be married in 3 days but someone doesn't think it should go ahead. The perfect wedding is almost here but Adele is starting to get cold feet & thinks someone is trying to warn her off the wedding.

Melanie is still grieving the death of her son Ollie who died in an accident 12 years ago. She can't help feeling like it should be her son marrying Adele.

Sophie's POV is set in the run up to Ollie's death. Her brother is the golden child who can do no wrong in their parents eyes & feels pushed out.

I really enjoyed the alternating POVs, most of the characters are unlikable which normally puts me off but in this case it works.

I felt like there was a really strong premise and idea to the book, but the execution fell a little short for me. So many different POV's kind of detracted from my engagement in the story.

Enjoyable and engaging read.

This was an easy book to read and follow as it quickly grips your focus from the get go.

Was a wonderful read.

While I wasn’t a huge fan of this book, it is still entertaining and worth the read. I found myself having a hard time keeping track of the characters as there were so many.

This book blurb instantly drew me in; the storyline sounded like it would be a great thriller with twists and action and it has a great cover.

The story is about Adele and Jason, who have returned to their childhood home for their upcoming wedding. The story is told from several different viewpionts, some who have strong feelings about others, all of the characters animosity is from when they were teens. .

This was not as much of a thriller for me as I thought it would be. There wasd family drama and the ending was not what I expected but iverall, thsi was kind of a let down fo me. I found some fo the characters hard to like and hard to connect with. I struggled finishing it as I lost interest in the storyline mid way through the book.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read a complimematary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This is a gripping thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish
The plot is filled with unexpected twists and turns, the writing is both engaging and suspenseful, with well-developed characters that add depth to the narrative.
The pacing of the novel is perfect, with just the right amount of tension to keep readers hooked without feeling overwhelmed.
Really enjoyable

A perfect beach read. If you can’t afford the beach then read it anyway. Great thriller and lots of thrilling twists. Well worth a read.

This was such a twisty book! I never guessed who the killer was. I liked how fast paced the book was too. I'm glad that the characters were able to overcome their guilt some way or another. The twist at the end was really good too! I would highly recommend this twisty thriller.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

What a twisty read with some questionable characters. The book is set at a wedding where a terrible secret hangs in the balance. Nothing is what it seems with the characters. It is well written and perfect for fans of multiple people narrating .

accidentally submitted a review for a different ARC!

Might be the best ARC I’ve ever read?
All of the characters were pretty shitty people and I felt suspicious of the all 100% of the time, which is what made me like it
The characters were misleading, as they ALL felt like the bad guy for 80% of the book
I loved the jumping back and forth in time, which sometimes falls flat for me
A fast, fun, intriguing read that I blasted through. All set in the space of like 3 days in the present, plus the flashbacks to 12 years ago
Definitely interested in reading Rebecca Heath’s others books after this!

I enjoyed the ease at which this was laid out, each character was announced at the beginning of each chapter so you always knew who’s pov it was. Same with the timeline, always knew if it was past or present!
The storyline was interesting, wasn’t particularly fast paced but it was still good and there was a nice build up around what was actually going on and who you should trust etc. The suspense was pretty good and I didn’t guess the ending at all. I did feel as though all the ends weren’t tied up though and because I’m nosy I would have preferred if they were!
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