This book started slow and ended horribly - to summarize I was pretty disappointed! I felt invested in the middle which is the only reason why I didn’t DNF. The “twists” were fairly predictable and I found myself wishing that things were more sinister and less fraudulent focused?? This story had all the potential to be edge-of-your-seat scary but in the end it was just a rich family with many dirty secrets…

The audio was very well done, the narrator kept the story alive and portrayed the character of Frank very well!

This book had a lot of promise but the twist kind of just fell flat This book kind of dragged for the last quarter of the book and I ended my read with more questions than answers.

I listened to the audiobook and did not enjoy the narrator at all.

Jason Rekulak writes another stunning thriller, The Last One at the Wedding. I listened to it on audio and I especially felt attached to Frank and everything he had been through. I found myself listening to it every chance I got to see how it would end. I’ll put this in with my other fave book by him Hidden Pictures. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. To be published October 2024. You’ll want to grab this one!

This is a fun book to read. I honestly had no idea where it was going for the first 3/4 of the book. The main character Frank is the salt of the earth, hard working, soccer dad that I can really relate to. An extravagant night out is Red Lobster, fashion supplied by Costco/Walmart and it is painful at times to see the story unfold through his naïve eyes.

His only daughter Maggie/Margaret has leveled up- she went off to college and now lives in Boston working for one of the largest tech start ups. Their relationship is estranged and we have no idea why, but Frank gets a call on the first page and draws the reader right in.

I didn't set the book down from there.

This book really boils down to the story telling and narration. I keep thinking about it and even though all the characters in the book infuriated me, that's what has me hooked. It was really really well written.

I'm giving it 4 stars only because I wanted a little more at the end.... I liked it. I accept the end. But selfishly want a little more.

I really really enjoyed this one! The cast of characters feels so real and relatable. The narration of the audio book is fantastic and truly makes Frank feel like a dad on a mission to save his daughter.

This is the epitome of twisty domestic thriller - wedding drama, relationship drama, corporate greed, and a whole lot of murder!

After reading Hidden Pictures and loving it, I knew I needed to get my hands on The Last One at the Wedding. Let's start with the positives. The narrator of the audiobook was wonderful and I enjoyed the way he really brought the characters to life. Our main character was really fleshed out by the author and I appreciated that because I felt so sorry for him as the story progressed.
Onto the not so great.. I was expecting this to be more of a thriller but it was a family drama instead with a little mystery. There was a point during the story that I found myself shocked. The shocking part, the narrator, and our main character is why this book is getting 3 stars. I appreciated Frank and how he never wanted to give up hope for a relationship that had clearly disintegrated.
If you are a fan of books by Sally Hepworth you will probably enjoy this. Don't go into this book expecting anything like Hidden Pictures or a fast-paced, nail-biting thriller.. you will be disappointed.

My review of Jason Rekulak's Hidden Pictures also applies to The Last One At The Wedding.

What was that review? "There were parts I liked and parts I didn't and I hated how the ending wrapped up."

Speaking of this ending... ummm that's it!? That's the ending? What was that? Needless to say, it wasn't fulfilling, or altogether fleshed out enough to make it completely understandable!

What about the plot? There was a twist that I just didn't get as there were no discernible clues to point me to that conclusion. Frank was a smarter person than I with how he leapt to figuring that one out!

Speaking of Frank... I liked him a ridiculous amount! He's exactly the kind of character I love and adore, holding a special place in my mind and heart. I will always love you Frank, even if your presence was often overlooked by other characters!

What about the audiobook? John Pirhalla quickly became one of my favourite narrators with this one! His voice fit Frank SO perfectly, sounding naive, fatherly and quirky as needed! His voice acting skills were truly a highlight of what I loved about this book!

One last thing: I don't think the title matches the plot.

Ya, that's about it for this review, which I feel like I wrote in a backwards order. I loved Frank, (he will go down in history as one of my favourite male characters of all time), and I loved the audiobook... I just really didn't like the book itself!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary audio copy to read and review.

Nicely done! This book was so different from Hidden Pictures. I liked them both, but I think this one will stick with me longer. There were plenty of characters you'll love to hate and a few that may win you over. And just like real life, there are one or two that I'm still a little mad at. 😂 John Pirhalla was the perfect choice for narrator of the audiobook. He really brought Frank to life in a way that created a vivid picture of the characters and scenes playing out. His performance definitely enhanced the reading/listening experience.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy.

This was a very good book!! I liked the narrator and the way they spoke! I loved the drama, the thrills, twists and turns, and the suspense that starts immediately!. It was fast paced and I liked the ending but it was still a bit rushed in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

Audiobook Arc Review-- 4 ⭐
Publication Date-- October 8, 2024

After reading seeing all the hype and praise for Hidden Pictures I expected this book to be a lot better than I found it to be. First of all--the narrator for the audiobook was fantastic--he had a great voice and nice range--I found him very easy to listen to. Second--the story was intriguing--it drew me in right from the start. Usually audiobooks are hard for me to pay attention to and I find myself going back and re-listening to things over and over again. I didn't feel the need to do that with this one, it kept me entertained throughout.

My biggest issue with the book was how early on the "big" twist was revealed. It left the rest of the book falling really flat for me and almost unneeded. The ending was very anticlimactic. I was left with so many more questions than I had answers to. I just felt like the author gave up and said "let's end it here". It didn't wrap anything up for me and I feel things could have been ended a chapter or two earlier with readers left to guess what happened instead of what we were given.

Overall this is a solid thriller from Rekulak and I would recommend reading it. It definitely has potential, I just would have liked more from the ending and last 1/3 of the book or so. \

✨Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books, and the author for an audiobook ARC in exchange for my review. ✨

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak is an thriller that combines family drama with gripping suspense. The story follows Frank Szatowski, a father estranged from his daughter, Maggie, who surprises him with an invitation to her lavish wedding at a secluded estate. What starts as a hopeful reunion quickly turns unsettling as Frank realizes that something is off with his daughter's new family, the wealthy and mysterious Gardners. Rekulak masterfully builds tension, immersing readers in Frank’s growing paranoia and fear, while navigating the complexities of fatherhood. This novel keeps you guessing, making it an entertaining read for fans of psychological thrillers.

Thank you Jason Rekulak, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

4.5 ☆
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This book was W I L D! How do you write a review without giving spoilers? Just read this book if you enjoy murder mysteries.
The audiobook was good, and I enjoyed that it was told from a father's POV. The narrator did a good job telling the story.
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Thank you, Netgalley, and MacmillanAudio for the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

In #LastOneAtTheWedding by Jason Rekulak, our main character, Frank, is a widower with a daughter from whom he has been estranged for the past 3 years. When his daughter, Maggie, calls to say she is engaged- Frank is thrilled to be getting another chance with his child. He drives up to Boston to have dinner with Maggie and her fiancé, Aidan Garden. The dinner doesn’t go as Frank hopes and he is concerned about Aidan and thinks something is off. But he doesn’t want to rock the boat and just wants to be in his daughter’s life. Frank and his sister drive up to the wedding in New Hampshire at the Gardner family’s summer camp. The Gardner’s are beyond wealthy and Frank is uncomfortable with the wealth and cryptic letter he received implying Aidan is responsible for the disappearance of a girl. Things go from bad to worse during the long wedding weekend and Frank is convinced he needs to get Maggie and get out of there. Obviously, that’s not what happens. I loved Frank and his sister. Thanks to #netgalley and #macmilanaudio for my advance audio copy.

I pleasantly enjoyed this audiobook. The storyline was a solid 4.5 stars for me. It kept my attention throughout. I did like the way it ended but it just felt cut short. Missing something. The narrator did a great job. Absolutely phenomenal with all the characters. I think this may be a book I recommend the audiobook over the physical book just for the experience. If you’re looking for a mystery thriller, this is a perfect read for those cool, spooky, fall evenings. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️

thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio copy. publication date is 10/08/24

i went into this book completely blind, after reading hidden pictures i knew i needed to get my hands on another one of his books. unfortunately i shouldn’t have done this because i was expecting a paranormal thriller and the last one at the wedding is not that. with that being said i did enjoy the book and really enjoyed the narrator, John Pirhalla. he did a great job with the book. i did enjoy the family mystery and family story. i liked that Maggie was a bit unhinged and wished we couldn’t have gotten a little more of that.

recommend? yes.

Story ⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I listened to Jason’s newest on audio and really enjoyed the audio.
Frank is ecstatic when his daughter Maggie finally makes contact after 3 years to invite him to her upcoming wedding. She explains they’ll be getting married after 9 months and slowly Franks becomes more and more suspicious of her daughters soon to be family. Starting with a mysterious anonymous letter indicating her fiancé is involved with a missing persons case. Is anyone who they seem?
I loved how this played out and enjoyed the plot. But really struggled with the characters. They all seemed so out of touch and I was just waiting for anyone to have sense. The ending however did redeem some of those characters. A fun read!

Frank hasn’t spoken to his daughter in three years so he’s ecstatic when she calls him. Having a highly respected and well paid job at a wealthy company, he knows she’s doing well but wasn’t expecting to hear she’s getting married.

As Frank travels to the site of the wedding, he’s surprised when he is rarely able to find time to spend with his daughter let alone his soon-to-be son in law, his father, or his mother. He understands they’re busy and are hosting a large number of guests but their families are about to merge - he’d like to get to know them. But the more he learns, the more he’s convinced he needs to get his daughter out of the situation! Will he be successful or will his daughter refuse?

This was a great read with lots of twists I didn’t see coming! I recommend checking this out when it releases!

Frank is called by his estranged daughter to attend her wedding. Of course, he is more than excited to repair their relationship. He was stunned to find out that his daughter is marrying a tech billionaire’s son. Frank feels something is off but is determined to focus on his daughter.

The narrator definitely did an excellent job bringing Frank to life. I had a hard time figuring out who was the “bad guy”. All of the mysteries are tied up with the ending. I just felt that this wasn’t the on the edge of my seat thriller I was expecting.

Thank you to Jason Rekulak, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Really solid story and I liked the writing. I think it was maybe just a bit lackluster, but it really kept my attention. Thanks to NetGalley for an ALC.

This book was okay. It definitely had a lot of appeal for me (I love rich white family drama) but I never really felt hooked. In fact, the story just sort of poked along with a few bouts of excitement. I kept waiting for some big crazy twist and just never really felt like the story got there. And the ending was just meh overall.

Oh well - not every book can be a winner.