Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

I know so many are fans of Rekulak's debut HIDDEN PICTURES and for good reason. While I enjoyed that one, I think I liked this one even more, but they couldn't be more different!

I absolutely LOVED that this whole story was told in first-person from one person's POV. I feel like many authors are straying away from a singular point of view lately (which is fine), but in this case, it really helps me as a reader to feel connected to the main character and his thoughts.

If you follow my reviews, you know that slow-burn family suspense/drama is my JAM and this book 100% scratched that itch for me. I may not have been on the edge of my seat plot-wise the entire time, but I was glued to the characters and finished this book in a day.

If you're hesitant to pick this up because (like me) you think the wedding thrillers have been OVERDONE, please do not let that stop you. This isn't your basic island wedding thriller we've all read SO MANY TIMES. This book confirmed what HIDDEN PICTURES had me thinking, which is that Rekulak is about as original as they come! Can't wait to see what he writes next!

The narrator was absolutely perfect. There could not have been a better person to voice Frank Szatowski;s character!

I really appreciate the ending and had to just sit with it for a while.

Highly recommend.

4.5 stars

*The Last One at the Wedding* by Jason Rekulak follows Frank Szatowski as he navigates the complexities of family estrangement and an unexpected wedding invitation from his daughter, Maggie. While the premise holds promise, Frank's character often detracts from the story; he comes across as unlikeable and astonishingly dense, making it hard for readers to root for him.

The writing itself isn't particularly remarkable, but it remains readable, allowing the plot to unfold without becoming tedious. As Frank delves into the unsettling dynamics of Maggie’s new family, the tension builds, albeit in a somewhat predictable manner. While the novel has its moments of suspense, it ultimately feels like it misses the mark in character development and depth. For readers looking for a quick thriller, it offers some entertainment, but it may not leave a lasting impression.

Jason Rekulak has done it again!! This book had my attention from the beginning. Narrators also amazing!

This book tests how far a dad will go for his daughter. Frank Szatowski is a hard working UPS driver who we learn had a bit of a falling out with his daughter, Maggie. To his surprise Maggie calls to say she is marrying a young wealthy son of a thriving tech company. Frank is excited to attend the wedding, but things seem a bit off to him when he arrives. He starts realizing people might be hiding something and then when two deaths occur that seems suspicious he is convinced something is not right. Is his daughter getting involved with the wrong family or is Magie not what she seems?

I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down. It’s a great edge on your seat thriller and I would recommend it. The audio book is fantastic, I have listened to other books by John Pirhalla and they have never disappointed. His narration really adds to the story and helps the story move along.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

The Last One at the Wedding suffers from the same issue I had with Hidden Pictures. The build up of a story and creepy characters are SO there, but the ending fizzles out. The first 75% of this book is a solid 4 star read, but unfortunately the conclusion in a mystery/thriller is SO important and it can really affect your overall enjoyment.

I really enjoyed the character of Frank, the UPS driver dad who is wholeheartedly dedicated to his daughter as well as his foster parent sister and her current foster. They're all people you definitely have met in real life. I love reading about solidly good people who stand by their morals.

The ending for me was a little too finger-twirling moustache bad guy silliness, but I still liked the book overall. The plot had me fully interested and I always love a story about the dark side of the super-rich.

If it weren’t for the amazing narration I would have given up on this one entirely.

This was about a bunch of insufferable people acting insufferable. There was one solid twist but the rest was quite boring.

I loved this authors previous book so I would love to give him one more chance in the future.

Kudos to the amazing narration though.

2.5

The Last One At The Wedding, written by Jason Rekulak, is a mystery thriller that I could not put down! This was my second book by this author, and it did not disappoint.

Frank Szatowski is a hard worker and loving father and brother. But he had lost touch with his daughter after a falling out, and was pleasantly surprised when his daughter Maggie contacts him. She tells him she is getting married, and would like him to come to her wedding. But right from the beginning this is mysterious, with Frank asking if this is the right thing for Maggie, or for their family.

I loved the characters in this book, and the variety of backgrounds that they came from. I feel that this really added to the storyline! I also really appreciated the plot and character development, and how Frank shows his soft side through some various interactions. I definitely recommend this book to any mystery fans! Thank you to NetGalley, and to the author, publisher, and narrator of this book for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Though the quite predictable mystery unfolds at an incredibly slow pace, I found myself appreciating the rhythm of the story once I accepted that the focus was less on the mystery itself and more on the complexities of parenting. I wouldn’t categorize this as a thriller; instead, it focuses on “How far would you go for your child?”

At times, the protagonist’s behavior felt a bit off, with certain cringe-worthy comments making him seem more like a much older man than his 50s. I enjoyed the narration overall. While the ending left me unsatisfied, I appreciated the book’s tone, humor, and relatability.

That said, there are a few triggering elements that should be disclosed.

This book is quite different from the last I read by this author, and I enjoyed it so much more. I was hooked right from the start. This is more a delicate story of suspense, not a thriller per say. The pacing is still fast, and the tension is high, it just felt different than what I expect from a straight thriller, and it wasn’t a bad thing. The setting was great, and I feel that this author does a fabulous job of creating a creepy atmosphere. I remember this from their previous works as well, so I would consider them a master at creating unsettling vibes. The plot was great, and I was engaged the entire time. This plot is delicately layered and slowly builds, which is fine because it doesn’t feel slow due to the pacing, we just nicely get pieces of the puzzle along the way, and it worked for me. The twists were fantastic, and I loved them as they unfolded.

I listened to this one via an ALC copy, and it really made the book that much more unsettling. The narrator did a fantastic job creating the tension and atmosphere that I think the author was going for. It was fabulous.

This book was so much more than I was expecting!

Frank Szatkowski is a lovable, and at times infuriating, overprotective father. He wants nothing more than to mend his relationship with his estranged daughter, so when she calls out of the blue after three years of silence, he is thrilled to be invited to her wedding. However, as the date creeps closer Frank can’t seem to shake the feeling that something seems… off. Wanting only what’s best for his daughter, Frank does a little digging to put his worries to rest, but discovers too late that he may not like all of the answers that he finds.

Jason Rekulak knows how to write a page turner! Truly a whirlwind of a story with gripping characters that all have their part to play. I flew through this novel and at times felt so frustrated with this dad and daughter duo that I wasn’t sure if I would finish. BUT I AM SO GLAD THAT I DID 🙌

Thank you @netgalley and @flatiron_books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! @jasonrekulak is quickly becoming one of my ‘preorder authors.’

To start, I’d like to say I really enjoyed “Hidden Pictures” by this author so I wanted to read another book from him. But this book was confusing. I’ve read a lot of thrillers and I feel like this one just threw in a bunch of random things to throw you off and make you think different things were happening but in a weird way that looking back on it, is even more confusing every time I go through it all. 😭 I feel like the title had nothing to do with the storyline of the book and didn’t even make sense also. And the story kept seeming like something big was gonna happen but in the end there was barely a big reveal and then the last chapter was also just…. Anticlimactic and of course confusing again. 😣

The Last One at the Wedding
Jason Rekulak

Having enjoyed Hidden Pictures, I was glad to receive this audiobook for review. Quite different from his debut, this is more suspense/thriller, rather than horror. Frank, the narrator, is invited by his estranged daughter to her wedding.

The summer camp setting in New Hampshire brings the same vibes as “God of the Woods,” one of my favorite releases of the summer. Similarly, it involves family secrets, as Frank tries to get to know the family her daughter is marrying into. The similarity ends there, sadly.

I found this to be a slow burn, thankfully resuscitated by the excellent narration. The plot is quite predictable. The first POV narration tends to get longwinded and blabby. Interesting read, but this is one that you speed up just to get to the end.

Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio.

2.5 stars rounded up.

I absolutely could not put this book down!! I started the audio the same day I got approved for the ALC and definitely finished it all in the same day 😂 I just needed more and more and more so I kept going. I needed to know the whole story! This story is full of family secrets and plot twists. A few times I was thinking to myself man am I the crazy one?? Who do I believe?? Who do I trust!? This was a wild ride!!

The narrator was phenomenal! He definitely made the audio version more interesting. This is a slow burn thriller, but really the narrator made this. This is nothing like Jason’s first book, but I really enjoyed it!

Thanks to Macmillan audio for the ALC. I have been trying to get a copy of this because I loved Hidden Pictures by this author. I will start that the audio was done wonderfully and was engaged with the narrator the whole time.
It was well written, with unlikeable characters but was not scary like their first novel. It was a great domestic thriller. There are many layers to this story and I would definitely recommend.
4/5

Thank you to Macmillan Audio/NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook early! I was really excited to listen to The Last One at the Wedding because of the raving reviews for Hidden Pictures, which I have not listened to yet but it's on my TBR list! I enjoyed the narrator for this book, he's great! I was hoping for a big twist in the story and there were some smaller twists that I didn't see coming but I never felt like there was a huge "wow" moment. Overall I did enjoy the story and I do recommend giving it a read!

I snagged this off Netgalley, because I had read a previous book by this author.
This time I took this journey in the audo form, and loved the narrator.
Sometimes a voice makes or breaks a audiobook, at least for me.

Be warned this is a slow burn, in every sense of the word, do not go into this thinking it's gonna be break neck or a thrill from the second it's in your hand.
This is good however, as the burn pays off.

I preferred this over Hidden Pictures, this was well written and had me invested in Frank from the start.

What would you do to protect your child?

The narrator was exceptional! He really gave life to the main character, Frank. I liked reading this story from Frank's perspective, and I enjoyed the slow burn of the first 70 percent.
It seemed like everything fell apart and got very far-fetched towards the end, and I'm not even sure what happened on the last page. It was confusing.

Frank Szatowski is a kind, widowed UPS driver, with an immense fatherly love for his daughter, Maggie. After a loooong period of not talking to her father, Maggie surprises him with an announcement of her upcoming wedding to one of the most eligible bachelors in the country. Is this a dream come true for all? Author Jason Rekulak does an excellent job with character building in this mystery suspense novel. There's humor, especially with daddy long legs, and heartbreak for how much love Frank has to offer from beginning to end. I would highly recommend this novel.
Thank you NetGalley for the advance audio.

I love this authors writing and it’s quirky and different then most thrillers but when you finish listening it all clicks together! 10/10 recommend listening it makes the story so much better!