Loved this suspenseful thrilling tale of a father daughter relationship gone wrong.
I read a lot of thrillers, and this one was truly out of the box unique.
When Frank is invited to his estranged daughter’s wedding he doesn’t quite know what to think. When he meets her fiancé and his family, he questions their relationship even more. The secrets are piled high, the story is twisty, and still has moments of such human sensitivity in it.
Loved every second of this one.
Hidden Pictures has been on my TBR for a while, and after reading this, it totally makes me want to finally pick it up.
Thank you netgalley for the AAC

A bunch of toxic people walk into a wedding…

There’s bound to be a punchline somewhere!

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t it for me. The ultimate twist was on a level of cringe that my eyes could not roll hard enough. Narrated from a widowed father’s perspective, the reader expected some sort of redemption. But all we got was some strange, money-obsessed mid-life crisis mess. The rest of the characters are abhorrent. The only one that maybe deserves attention is the 10 year old foster kid envisioning a fairytale, but given a nightmare.

The audiobook read by John Pirhalla seemed fitting for the salt-of-the-earth character. He was also easily understood at faster speeds.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and author Jason Rekulak for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for this one after loving his last book but I found this one kind of disappointing. The characters just didn't do anything for me.

I saw a lot of comparison before I started this one to the authors first book so I tried to go into this story with fresh eyes and I’m glad I did. I enjoyed it a lot.

Frank has been invited to his estranged daughter’s wedding and she is marrying into a family he has never met that has an intimidating amount of money. He brings along his sister and her newly placed foster daughter. Someone is missing, death, and just overall strange occurrences ensue….

I enjoyed Frank trying to be an active parent in all of the plans while also kind of giggling to myself at the amount of times he was like what the hell? I also enjoyed the storyline including the foster niece and his interactions with her.

The creepiest part to me about this book was the lice 😂 While not creepy or really thriller the story was suspenseful and I enjoyed it.

4.5 stars rounded up!
This was my first Jason Rekulak novel, so I had no idea what to expect. I was VERY pleasantly surprised with The Last One at the Wedding. The story hooked me from the very beginning. It covers a lot of ground from Frank raising Maggie as a child all the way to present day as she's about to get married. I loved the twists and turns throughout the book and how pretty much every character is morally grey. Rich people drama and flawed characters is right up my alley. It only lost half a star because it got a little plot hole-y at the end.

I can't say enough good things about John Pirhalla as the narrator of this audiobook. I rarely enjoy a book that's not from a female perspective, let a lone a middle aged white guy. John really brought Frank's Szatowski to life. I felt every emotion along with Frank. This might be one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC!

Frank thinks his relationship with his daughter may be over until one day he gets a call from her. He is shocked, but even more so when she tells him she is getting married and wants him to come to the wedding. He is so happy to make things right with her and to meet his future family. Until he does meet them. His future son-in-law is stand offish and he feels very out of place with the rest of them. Also his daughter, Maggie, doesn’t seem to have time for him. He starts to really worry when things start coming to light and the locals seem to be hostile with the family his daughter is marrying into.

This was told from the perspective of Frank, which I appreciated since he was the most likeable character. Most everyone else was not likeable, which is fine with me. This is not creepy, but a good domestic thriller. It felt like a slow burn, although it didn’t drag on.

The dynamic between Frank and Maggie is very interesting. As is the dynamic in the Gardner family. I thought I knew exactly what was going on, but I didn’t except for a little bit. I was definitely surprised. The ending was a little unresolved and not totally satisfying. The narrator did a really good job with this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the advanced audio copy of this book!

Read Completed 10/3/24 | 3.25 stars

I had mixed feelings about this book throughout my whole read, but it was very easily readable. It started off as a 4 star read, jumped to a 3 star, then a 3.5 star, and then ended up at 3.25 stars. THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING was an easy read, but nothing really stood out to me, and a lot of it felt a little underdeveloped. I think this can be a fun popcorn read, but it just wasn't a favorite of mine.

I really liked the story of "rubbing elbows with the rich" but from the father's POV. I liked Frank as the narrator and I liked that he was neither the rich guy nor the one being wooed by the rich people. I really liked that he was a UPS truck driver and genuinely just an average, normal guy. He's been estranged from his daughter Maggie for three years and is very happy to be invited to her wedding, but red flags fly as he spends more and more time with Maggie and the new in-law family to-be.

Mostly, I just felt like a lot of things were underdeveloped. It's hard to talk about it all without sharing spoilers, but nearly all of the characters weren't very details or deep. I feel like we didn't really get to know anyone, but especially Maggie. There are some stories about her past that give us some insight, finally including the incident that caused the three year rift, but it just didn't really connect. I feel like there still wasn't a lot of explanation about why she makes the decisions she makes and we're just kind of told to accept it.

A big part of the story -- in content, but not necessarily plot -- is that Frank's sister, who helped raise Maggie after her mother died, comes to the wedding as well and she brings her new foster daughter Abigail. Abigail came from a rough background -- she doesn't know how to behave in social situations, came to Frank's sister (and the wedding) with head lice, and consistently becomes an uncomfortable situation for Frank as he's trying to barely keep up with the new part of the family. I don't have an issue with Abigail being a part of the story and her behavior is totally understandable, especially after the trauma she's been through, but I just didn't really enjoy her part in the story. Sometimes I just don't enjoy kids being a big part of an adult thriller and this just happened to be one of those cases.

The ending had some high-stakes moments but it was kind of too little too late, and even then, some things just didn't really feel like they jived with the rest of the book. I just felt like a lot of these plot points and twists were still stuck in the outline phase and we didn't really get the meat and potatoes that fleshed out that whole story.

The very end got a little more exciting and that was when I thought I might end up rating this 3.5 stars, but then we lost the momentum again and it kept going and going. Then I lost interest and steam and the book just kind of... ended and I didn't get why.

AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS: John Pirhalla was the narrator for this book and I really enjoyed his narration! I wouldn't say he's a new favorite but I did like his voice and narration style. My only complaint was that most of his women sounded pretty similar and his voices weren't *super* varied, but I did have a good time listening to him and I really liked his tone of voice.

Narration was spot on. The story, not so much. I was shocked maybe once and otherwise this felt like it dragged on forever and wasn’t super suspenseful. It felt very anticlimactic and I didn’t feel connected to any of the characters. Just such a different vibe and kinda boring.

I was so excited to read this one! I loved Hidden Pictures. This book was very different. Definitely a slow burn mystery! But it still kept me hooked and I loved it!

After years of being estranged, Frank is delighted to receive a wedding invitation from his daughter Maggie. But things go wrong from the start. Frank’s sister needs to bring her foster daughter. The groom’s family won’t let Frank pay for anything, and is rude about it. Then there is a missing girl who was last seen with Aidan – the man Maggie is about to marry.

Turns out that Aidan’s family are not good people and are hiding secrets. Frank is concerned that Maggie doesn’t know what she is getting in to.

It was good in the beginning and then there were some ick parts, and then there were the twists that I never saw coming. Ah, so good. I did the audio version and the narrator was perfect for the POV of Frank. The author’s previous book Hidden Pictures is so good as well.

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TheLastOneAtTheWedding in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for allowing me to listen to this audio book prior to release/ARC.
I immediately felt vested in this story. The narrator did a great job keeping the reader tied to the story and eager to learn what happens next. While the storyline is of course a little far fetched, it is still a suspenseful nail biting mystery. The protagonist was portrayed well and thorough and making it easy to like him. The twist of the story was surprising and well thought out. I thoroughly enjoyed it and finished the book in 2 days.
I enjoyed the author's first book but I truly think this one is even better!

A very different book than his first! This one felt like more of a family drama than a mystery or suspense. I was very intrigued by the premise and the beginnings, but by the end I was less enamored. There were a few points that grossed me out (IYKYK). The point of view was interesting and makes for good conversation of to what lengths will parents go to for their children.

The audio narration was okay. The narrator had a distinct voice that seemed fitting to the character.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advance audiobook.

This book was great, my first of his to read (listen to).
I have Hidden Pictures (horror) and reading The Last One at the Wedding (mystery/thriller) these are 2 different styles of writing genre.
Jason Rekulak really has a talent!

This book has some turns I was not expecting and really wowed me a few times.
Really enjoyed it and will be recommending it.

I've also listened to another book by John Pirhalla and really like this voice for audio books

This story takes unexpected turns throughout the story while also being highly entertaining. I initially wasn't sure about the main character, but the doubt in him is what allows the story to weave the way it does. He works as an amazing, unreliable narrator about his own family. Definitely recommend for a fun, darkly absurd book.

I think I just need to accept that this author is not for me. I did not enjoy this in the slightest. The characters were all absolutely awful people, and even Frank was not redeeming. The twist with Margret sleeping with her fiance's dad wasn't shocking in the slightest and just felt like 'rich white people' nonsense. It all felt very 'been there done that'. I'm glad I gave it the old college try, but he's just not for me.

The author, Jason Rekulak, wrote an amazing book called "Hidden Pictures" a few years back. I think many readers are expecting this to follow the same suit, but it does not. There is no paranormal aspect and this doesn't have any horror to it either. None of this takes away from the story in any way, and I think it's more of a testament to the author's talent to successfully tell two different stories so well.

John Pirhalla narrates this audiobook. He does an excellent job bringing Frank to life. Frank's character is, above anything else, a dad. Even though he's been estranged from his daughter for a few years, he's still elated when she calls and tells him she's getting married. Maggie is still evasive and somewhat cold with him and Frank desperately wants to apologize and make up for lost time, but he can't help but feel something is a bit off with the wedding and the new family that Maggie is marrying into.

This story seems simple enough: a father and daughter reconnecting over her wedding, but there is a bad history that we never really get the full story of. The author does a nice job at leaving the reader guessing because Frank seems like a great father, but he's constantly trying to appease Maggie and she never wants to have a serious conversation with him. What could Frank have done that was that bad? And why does everyone seem to either love or completely hate the Gardners?

The ending of this story was done well. All aspects of the story receive resolution, and this story would also be great for a book club since it leaves room for discussion.

I could ramble on but then I'd be spoiling the entire book for you. If you enjoy tense and unsettling settings with family secrets all around, you'll enjoy "The Last One At The Wedding".

Okay it's official... if Jason Rekulak writes it, I will read it!

The Last One at the Wedding went in a direction I never would have expected and I absolutely loved the ride. Rekulak gives his readers twists they didn't know to look for and my jaw hit the floor on more than a couple occasions!

I really loved the characters in this novel. They were all surprising, and complex, and so human. I loved trying to navigate Maggie's motivations and learn about her past. Tammy was a conundrum to me and it was impossible not to love her though during the wedding there were moments where she definitely baffled me. She was smarter than she let on but I didn't always agree with her choices or how she chose to react to things. Abigail was a unique addition to the storyline and added so much. There were moments during the wedding weekend that I was laughing out loud and I could literally smell the mayonnaise being spread throughout her hair on the porch!

Frank was a wonderful character. He felt so authentic and genuine. His love and care for Maggie came through the pages and I respected him so much. He was strong, brave, and always trying to do the right thing. There were times I felt he bumbled a bit, but his intentions felt so pure that I couldn't fault him. It also felt completely relatable that he could never truly see any faults in Maggie and that he loved her so unconditionally.

The setting of this book was also great. I could envision the penthouse apartment in Boston and the sprawling "camp" estate at the lake. Rekulak didn't bog us down with details but he painted a perfect picture that transported me to New Hampshire and had me celebrating Maggie and Aidan's nuptials right alongside them.

I listened to this book on audio and really enjoyed it. I had heard the narrator before and thought he played a perfect Frank. His voice and inflection were on point and never felt overacted.

All in all, this book was a homerun. I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to see what else Rekulak comes up with!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the copy.

3.75/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

I just could not stop listening to this one -- I was hooked! I think John Pirhalla was a great narrator and did a fantastic job encapsulating Frank Szatowski. Frank was soooo annoying at times and so dense it was frustrating. While his desire to be there for and protect his daughter was admirable, it also got to the point where I wanted to scream "take a hint dude!!!" Some of this story felt pretty obvious to me and I was disappointed to be proven correct, while other parts were HUGE surprises and great twists. The setting was really cool; I love when books take place in remote, grand and/or opulent settings and this was all of those! While this book was a bit of a letdown in terms of the climax, it was still super entertaining and interesting to listen to, and I'd recommend it.

SYNOPSIS -- Frank Szatowski is thrilled to hear from his daughter, Maggie, for the first time in three years. He's less thrilled, however, when she announces she's getting married - after only 6 months - to her boss's son. For the sake of their relationship, Frank is willing to put his reservations aside and attend the wedding on the Gardner's very luxurious and secluded estate. Desperate to get to know the people Maggie loves so much, Frank seeks to gather information about the Gardners, only to find out they're extremely elusive and hared to get a read on. With the locals' disdain for the family and a missing girl in their past, Frank is determined to figure out who his daughter is marrying before he loses her forever.

The Last One at the Wedding beginning was weak and revolved around this annoying sanctimonious father, who is invited to his estranged daughters’s wedding. I w1s hesitating about this book until he and his entourage arrived at the wedding location. OMG, there it is: the intrigue, suspense, and unreliable characters that I loved about Hidden Pictures. The camp turned out to be a genius choice for a setting and I LOVE the addition of the little foster girl. I can definitelysee Relulak evolving as a writer. I did not see the twists coming near the end Bravo! Thank you to .Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Great, fast-paced read or listen in my case and narration was well done. Our MC, Frank, is trying to be a good Dad and mend his relationship with his daughter by attending her wedding after not speaking for 3 years. Frank has concerns about the family she is marrying into as a dad would and he starts snooping into some incidents that lead him to learn some hard truths about his daughter that made for a great twist and an excellent ending.