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The Wedding People
Win a free print copy of this book!
20 days and 05:00:57
25 copies available
U.S. only
A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help us start anew.
It's a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamt of coming for years―she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she's here without him. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe―which makes it that much more surprising when the women can’t stop confiding in each other.
In turns uproariously, absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach's The Wedding People is a look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined―and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.
It's a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamt of coming for years―she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she's here without him. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe―which makes it that much more surprising when the women can’t stop confiding in each other.
In turns uproariously, absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach's The Wedding People is a look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined―and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.
384 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication July 30, 2024
About the author
Alison Espach
8 books507 followersAlison Espach grew up in Trumbull, Connecticut, where she lived for most of her life. She earned her BA from Providence College and her Masters in Creative Writing from Washington University in St. Louis. Her writing has appeared in McSweeney's, Five Chapters, Glamour, Salon, The Daily Beast, Writer's Digest, and other journals.
She is currently teaching in New York City.
She is currently teaching in New York City.
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January 30, 2024if i'm not supposed to judge books by their covers, why do they have such beautiful ones
May 1, 2024
The Wedding People
Arc Review- 5 Stars
Publishing Date 7/30/2024
“But life is strange, always thinking this one thing is going to make you happy, because then you get it, and then maybe you’re not as happy as you imagined you would be, because everyday is still just like everyday. Like the happiness becomes so big, you have no choice but to live inside of it, until you can no longer see it or feel it. And so you start to fixate on something else”
I’m obsessed. I found a new comfort read. I immediately pre-order this book once I was finished.
The Plot-
Phoebe hits rock bottom, She always wanted to travel to Newport, Rhode Island, so she decides to go and she rents a room in an expensive hotel, but when she gets there she realizes she just crashed a wedding weekend.
What To Expect and Content Warnings:
🍾Mental Health Representation
🍾Dark Humor
🍾Wedding Week Vibes
🍾Infidelity
🍾Depression
🍾Death of a Spouse/Parent
🍾Suicidal Ideation
“Nobody can take care of you the way you need to take care of yourself. It’s your job to take care of yourself like that”
My Thoughts-
This book is absolutely amazing. This would be an amazing movie that I would pay top dollar to watch. This is one of my favorite books this year. The story is captivating, the writing is beautiful. This book is filled with humor and heart. This book at its core is about human connection that we all crave and everyone we meet is for a reason.
All the characters in this story were well liked. They all had a story to share. And I was so invested in each story. I had empathy for all of them. The characters were flawed but yet relatable. You really see how most people you know are lonely and miserable but put up a facade that everything is okay.
Going to touch on the two FMC
Phoebe- my black cat sassy protagonist. I LOVE her. She is such a well written character you can’t help but fall in love with her. I really wanted to take her under my wing. Her character development was top tier.
Lila- ahh the spoiled rich girl that’s getting married. Honestly I adore her. She was so delulu and comical. I was really rooting for her happiness as well.
I think that both these FMC complimented each other so well. You have two ladies that are polar opposites but mesh so well. I love their weird friendship
“At night she stared at her sagging breast and her thin skin over her hand and wondered what happened to her” “I had been too embarrassed then,” she says. “Simply put, I thought I was fat, but what a shame because now I see that I was too young and beautiful then not to be naked all the time” 🥹😭🥹😭
The authors writing style really stood out to me. I really felt like I was throw into the world of Phoebe walking besides her while she survived the wedding week. The dialogue was incredible. Filled with so much charm, humor and meaningful conversations. I see some complain they didn’t know what chapter they were one but that didn’t bother me at all cause everything meshed together so well, the narrative was crafted well that I was emotional connected.
Overall I would recommend this read. I really hope the book gets the hype it’s deserves. I can sit and break down this book chapter by chapter and rave about it, but I truly think this is a book a lot of people will enjoy and relate too.
“It’s all about moving on. Saying goodbye to whoever you thought you would be”
Playlist-
💍Never Felt So Alone- Labyrinth
💍I'm Only A Fool For you- Dybbukk
💍Down Bad- Taylor Swift
💍When The Party Is Over- Billie Ellish
💍Happiness Is A Butterfly- Lana Del Rey
💍Water Under The Bridge- Adele
💍Lost- Frank Ocean
💍FOURFIVESECONDS- Rhianna
💍Fix You- Yellowcard
💍I Feel It Coming- The Weekend
💍Landslide- Fleetwood Mac
💍Somebody I Used To Know- Gotye
💍Champagne Problems- Taylor Swift
💍Lose You To Love Me- Selena Gomez
💍Bejeweled- Taylor Swift
✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Henry Holt & Company for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ✨
Arc Review- 5 Stars
Publishing Date 7/30/2024
“But life is strange, always thinking this one thing is going to make you happy, because then you get it, and then maybe you’re not as happy as you imagined you would be, because everyday is still just like everyday. Like the happiness becomes so big, you have no choice but to live inside of it, until you can no longer see it or feel it. And so you start to fixate on something else”
I’m obsessed. I found a new comfort read. I immediately pre-order this book once I was finished.
The Plot-
Phoebe hits rock bottom, She always wanted to travel to Newport, Rhode Island, so she decides to go and she rents a room in an expensive hotel, but when she gets there she realizes she just crashed a wedding weekend.
What To Expect and Content Warnings:
🍾Mental Health Representation
🍾Dark Humor
🍾Wedding Week Vibes
🍾Infidelity
🍾Depression
🍾Death of a Spouse/Parent
🍾Suicidal Ideation
“Nobody can take care of you the way you need to take care of yourself. It’s your job to take care of yourself like that”
My Thoughts-
This book is absolutely amazing. This would be an amazing movie that I would pay top dollar to watch. This is one of my favorite books this year. The story is captivating, the writing is beautiful. This book is filled with humor and heart. This book at its core is about human connection that we all crave and everyone we meet is for a reason.
All the characters in this story were well liked. They all had a story to share. And I was so invested in each story. I had empathy for all of them. The characters were flawed but yet relatable. You really see how most people you know are lonely and miserable but put up a facade that everything is okay.
Going to touch on the two FMC
Phoebe- my black cat sassy protagonist. I LOVE her. She is such a well written character you can’t help but fall in love with her. I really wanted to take her under my wing. Her character development was top tier.
Lila- ahh the spoiled rich girl that’s getting married. Honestly I adore her. She was so delulu and comical. I was really rooting for her happiness as well.
I think that both these FMC complimented each other so well. You have two ladies that are polar opposites but mesh so well. I love their weird friendship
“At night she stared at her sagging breast and her thin skin over her hand and wondered what happened to her” “I had been too embarrassed then,” she says. “Simply put, I thought I was fat, but what a shame because now I see that I was too young and beautiful then not to be naked all the time” 🥹😭🥹😭
The authors writing style really stood out to me. I really felt like I was throw into the world of Phoebe walking besides her while she survived the wedding week. The dialogue was incredible. Filled with so much charm, humor and meaningful conversations. I see some complain they didn’t know what chapter they were one but that didn’t bother me at all cause everything meshed together so well, the narrative was crafted well that I was emotional connected.
Overall I would recommend this read. I really hope the book gets the hype it’s deserves. I can sit and break down this book chapter by chapter and rave about it, but I truly think this is a book a lot of people will enjoy and relate too.
“It’s all about moving on. Saying goodbye to whoever you thought you would be”
Playlist-
💍Never Felt So Alone- Labyrinth
💍I'm Only A Fool For you- Dybbukk
💍Down Bad- Taylor Swift
💍When The Party Is Over- Billie Ellish
💍Happiness Is A Butterfly- Lana Del Rey
💍Water Under The Bridge- Adele
💍Lost- Frank Ocean
💍FOURFIVESECONDS- Rhianna
💍Fix You- Yellowcard
💍I Feel It Coming- The Weekend
💍Landslide- Fleetwood Mac
💍Somebody I Used To Know- Gotye
💍Champagne Problems- Taylor Swift
💍Lose You To Love Me- Selena Gomez
💍Bejeweled- Taylor Swift
✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Henry Holt & Company for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ✨
July 6, 2024
***Tri-Star pictures has already acquired the rights to this novel !!
I have been holding off on writing this review because I’m afraid that I won’t do it justice!! I went into this one thinking it might be another vapid rom-com. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
We begin at a beautiful old hotel, the Cornwall Inn, in Newport, Rhode Island, on the ocean.
Phoebe Stone arrives without any bags and dressed in a beautiful green dress and gold heels.
She quickly realizes that she is surrounded by people here for the wedding between Lila and Gary, a grand affair that will take place over a week’s time.
Over the course of the book we will get to know these characters well - they are so well described that I felt that I knew them and wanted the book to continue.
Phoebe is at the lowest point in her life, failed IVF rounds followed by her husband leaving her for another woman. Lila is at a high point, finally the big day has arrived, she has been planning this wedding for over a year.
These two characters are thrown together and find friendship, acceptance and understanding. They become each others “sounding board” for lots of repressed feelings.
There are many stories about life in these pages; marriage, infidelity, infertility, loneliness and disappointment. There is the message of friendship and love, death of loved ones, career challenges - the list goes on and on.
There literally wasn’t a slow or disappointing moment in this novel.
This is what great contemporary adult fiction should be!! So pitch perfect that I can’t find a single fault with it.
You can read the blurb for a summary, I don’t want to spoil a single moment of your enjoyment of this novel.
*Author’s Notes - just as good as the book. So sincere, so thankful to her friends, family, readers, even her cat. Have to love someone who writes “. . .to my cat, who I realize will never read or understand this, but who quite literally sits by my side and keeps one supportive paw on my forearm while I write”. Cat lovers can understand this but I’m sure you could insert “dog” and it would be just as meaningful.
I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a well written, fun and relatable novel with characters you can relate to.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my great pleasure to read and review this novel.
I have been holding off on writing this review because I’m afraid that I won’t do it justice!! I went into this one thinking it might be another vapid rom-com. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
We begin at a beautiful old hotel, the Cornwall Inn, in Newport, Rhode Island, on the ocean.
Phoebe Stone arrives without any bags and dressed in a beautiful green dress and gold heels.
She quickly realizes that she is surrounded by people here for the wedding between Lila and Gary, a grand affair that will take place over a week’s time.
Over the course of the book we will get to know these characters well - they are so well described that I felt that I knew them and wanted the book to continue.
Phoebe is at the lowest point in her life, failed IVF rounds followed by her husband leaving her for another woman. Lila is at a high point, finally the big day has arrived, she has been planning this wedding for over a year.
These two characters are thrown together and find friendship, acceptance and understanding. They become each others “sounding board” for lots of repressed feelings.
There are many stories about life in these pages; marriage, infidelity, infertility, loneliness and disappointment. There is the message of friendship and love, death of loved ones, career challenges - the list goes on and on.
There literally wasn’t a slow or disappointing moment in this novel.
This is what great contemporary adult fiction should be!! So pitch perfect that I can’t find a single fault with it.
You can read the blurb for a summary, I don’t want to spoil a single moment of your enjoyment of this novel.
*Author’s Notes - just as good as the book. So sincere, so thankful to her friends, family, readers, even her cat. Have to love someone who writes “. . .to my cat, who I realize will never read or understand this, but who quite literally sits by my side and keeps one supportive paw on my forearm while I write”. Cat lovers can understand this but I’m sure you could insert “dog” and it would be just as meaningful.
I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a well written, fun and relatable novel with characters you can relate to.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my great pleasure to read and review this novel.
December 8, 2023
What do we do when we’ve lost our way and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel? The Wedding People answers this question in a lovely, touching, heartwarming way while also being humorous and witty. This is one of my favorite reads in a long while and I believe it will be a grand success!
Dealing with life (infidelity, infertility, unfulfilling job, divorce) has left Phobe depressed and ending it all seems the best option. She flies to Newport, RI to a luxiorious inn to spend her last night in a beautiful place. That’s when she meets Lila, bride to be and sheer force of nature. Phoebe is sucked into Lila’s life and bridal party before she knows it! It’s not what Phoebe expected but “if the last few years have taught her anything, it’s that you can’t ever know who you are going to end up becoming.”
We then get to follow Phoebe as she becomes herself! The characters are wonderfully drawn and so real as they engage in the wedding events amidst the messiness of life. I had all the feels as my heart ached for Phoebe and then cheered her on. I wanted to shake some sense into Lila, but also tuck her into bed and tell her she would be alright! Both Phoebe and Lila make brave choices to live their lives and I enjoyed every minute of it.
The Wedding People is a endearing read and a testament to the notion that life really can be what we choose to make of it. Look for it July 30, 2024. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the chance to read this arc and this is my honest review.
Dealing with life (infidelity, infertility, unfulfilling job, divorce) has left Phobe depressed and ending it all seems the best option. She flies to Newport, RI to a luxiorious inn to spend her last night in a beautiful place. That’s when she meets Lila, bride to be and sheer force of nature. Phoebe is sucked into Lila’s life and bridal party before she knows it! It’s not what Phoebe expected but “if the last few years have taught her anything, it’s that you can’t ever know who you are going to end up becoming.”
We then get to follow Phoebe as she becomes herself! The characters are wonderfully drawn and so real as they engage in the wedding events amidst the messiness of life. I had all the feels as my heart ached for Phoebe and then cheered her on. I wanted to shake some sense into Lila, but also tuck her into bed and tell her she would be alright! Both Phoebe and Lila make brave choices to live their lives and I enjoyed every minute of it.
The Wedding People is a endearing read and a testament to the notion that life really can be what we choose to make of it. Look for it July 30, 2024. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the chance to read this arc and this is my honest review.
July 7, 2024
I loved this book!! ❤️ Thank you sooo much to @henryholtbooks for this absolutely gorgeous gifted copy
Sooo you know when a book ends.. and you miss your new book friends?!! 🥹You know the fictional ones you just made?? THIS was that book book for me. I miss you Phoebe girl!! 😘 Call me! 😂😂 Pub date is July 30th!! 🥳🥳
There’s a wedding 💍 this week at the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island..😍 Phoebe has dreamed forever of staying there….so here she finally is… for one last night… of glitz.. glamour.. luxury… before… WELL… I will let Phoebe tell you.. since this is her story..😉… However she arrived with NOTHING other than her dress 👗… hmm 🤔
Guys… I loved this book!! The gang was all there.. well the wedding party gang… 🥂🥂although.. Phoebe doesn’t know a single person… 😳…she had no idea that the entire place was booked up for a week long wedding��� 🤷♀️… apparently a glich in the system let Phoebe in too.. 🤔… but she rolled with it….Hot tub and all…🤭
This vast array of characters checked every box. ✅.. Even our spoiled and sassy bride 👰♀️ to be… Lila… sweet as can be… if and ONLY if… she gets her way! 😂
This book tackles some deep subjects and it’s really true to life. The pressures… the up’s and downs… and what it’s like to be a survivor and come out on the other side. ❤️Sprinkled with snarky humor… this made for a perfect read. Five wonderful stars. ⭐️ There are some TW so lmk if you want to know. I feel it is a potential spoiler so am not including it.
🥂🥂🥂 Is this on your list?? How about this amazing cover??
Sooo you know when a book ends.. and you miss your new book friends?!! 🥹You know the fictional ones you just made?? THIS was that book book for me. I miss you Phoebe girl!! 😘 Call me! 😂😂 Pub date is July 30th!! 🥳🥳
There’s a wedding 💍 this week at the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island..😍 Phoebe has dreamed forever of staying there….so here she finally is… for one last night… of glitz.. glamour.. luxury… before… WELL… I will let Phoebe tell you.. since this is her story..😉… However she arrived with NOTHING other than her dress 👗… hmm 🤔
Guys… I loved this book!! The gang was all there.. well the wedding party gang… 🥂🥂although.. Phoebe doesn’t know a single person… 😳…she had no idea that the entire place was booked up for a week long wedding��� 🤷♀️… apparently a glich in the system let Phoebe in too.. 🤔… but she rolled with it….Hot tub and all…🤭
This vast array of characters checked every box. ✅.. Even our spoiled and sassy bride 👰♀️ to be… Lila… sweet as can be… if and ONLY if… she gets her way! 😂
This book tackles some deep subjects and it’s really true to life. The pressures… the up’s and downs… and what it’s like to be a survivor and come out on the other side. ❤️Sprinkled with snarky humor… this made for a perfect read. Five wonderful stars. ⭐️ There are some TW so lmk if you want to know. I feel it is a potential spoiler so am not including it.
🥂🥂🥂 Is this on your list?? How about this amazing cover??
November 7, 2023
Wedding People is a breath of fresh air. Phoebe goes to a fancy hotel with plans to end her life - she’s tired and can no longer feel passion for her adjunct English professor work, her husband Matt had an affair and has divorced her, and her cat Harry has passed away. She is ready to end it all.
But instead, Phoebe gets tangled up in the week-long wedding that’s being held at the hotel. All the wedding people - bride, groom, bridesmaids, the guests - are such vibrant characters. I loved seeing Phoebe get roped into getting to know these people on a deeper level, and I loved seeing Phoebe become known to others as well. It was a deep look into the hardships of being human in a world that can be depressing, turbulent, confusing, beautiful, awful, hilarious, and (even though Phoebe doesn’t like this word!) fun.
I loved seeing Phoebe and all the other characters, Lila and Gary especially, get to know themselves better and reach deeper into themselves about what they truly want in life. The dialogue is so natural between them all and the quick wit doesn’t go unnoticed - It’s a brilliant idea that leaves you with food for thought. I’d highly recommend this book!! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion. This comes out 7/30/24 and I know a lot of people will love it.
But instead, Phoebe gets tangled up in the week-long wedding that’s being held at the hotel. All the wedding people - bride, groom, bridesmaids, the guests - are such vibrant characters. I loved seeing Phoebe get roped into getting to know these people on a deeper level, and I loved seeing Phoebe become known to others as well. It was a deep look into the hardships of being human in a world that can be depressing, turbulent, confusing, beautiful, awful, hilarious, and (even though Phoebe doesn’t like this word!) fun.
I loved seeing Phoebe and all the other characters, Lila and Gary especially, get to know themselves better and reach deeper into themselves about what they truly want in life. The dialogue is so natural between them all and the quick wit doesn’t go unnoticed - It’s a brilliant idea that leaves you with food for thought. I’d highly recommend this book!! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion. This comes out 7/30/24 and I know a lot of people will love it.
May 27, 2024
4.5 stars. A delight!
Phoebe Stone shows up at a hotel and mistakenly gets swept up into wedding festivities right when she is at her lowest. This book is so engaging, heartwarming, and hilarious. I loved everything about it - the characters, the plot, the intergenerational friendship, and the book’s resolution. For fans of well-written books with a lot of humor and heart.
This is one of my 2024 Summer Reading Guide Preview selections. Check out the preview for more great summer reads: https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com/blo....
Phoebe Stone shows up at a hotel and mistakenly gets swept up into wedding festivities right when she is at her lowest. This book is so engaging, heartwarming, and hilarious. I loved everything about it - the characters, the plot, the intergenerational friendship, and the book’s resolution. For fans of well-written books with a lot of humor and heart.
This is one of my 2024 Summer Reading Guide Preview selections. Check out the preview for more great summer reads: https://www.thoughtsfromapage.com/blo....
March 5, 2024
"Every wedding, even a successful wedding, is a waste."
There are some books that you just forget, even if they were "good", and some like The Wedding People, where you simply wished never ended.
Phoebe decides to book the most expensive room at a Victorian Hotel in Rhode Island for the night, not to vacay, but to commit suicide. After a failed marriage, she decides she wants to end her life by taking all of her cat's medicine, that smells like tuna. She has a chance encounter with Lily in the elevator, who has booked a wedding WEEK, and they quickly become friends, much to Phoebe's dismay. Soon, they become the "best" of friends, all to heartwarming and hilarious results.
Despite the topics of suicide, failed marriages, IVF, and death, The Wedding People is still a humerus read and excelled in so many ways. Often hilarious, but still touching, the characters just bounced off the page. The characters were completely relatable, never were annoying, and even though there are a handful of characters, you were never lost or confused by back storylines.
The impatient bride - Lily while completely self absorbed with her overpriced affair, was hilarious. A daughter of a former waste management company owner, who was given an inheritance - to spend on a wedding, and this wedding did not hold back. I loved the Rhode Island setting.
"But how many times do I have to explain that I'm godless? That I can't get married at a church, because what church?"
Insert Gary, Lily's soon to be husband, who is introducded in the most surprising of ways. Wedding People is all one big surprise. While you think you know what is going to happen, it never does, and the banter between this virtual stranger Phoebe and the wedding people was never completely unrealistic.
The blended families were fun, witty, and hard to dislike. Gary's daughter named "Juice", while is only 11, is smart beyond her years. The staff at the hotel reminded me of some of the employees on White Lotus.
Phoebe, was one of the smartest characters I've encountered in awhile. Espach wrote her knowing we had to take her wisdom seriously. She's a professor specializing in 19th century literature and she definitely proved her worth.
"You have to pluralize the head noun, not the modifier."
"Blond and dazzling in the way that suggests she's never bough a loaf of bread at the store. And Gary, so handsome and sturdy, a man who is always bringing bread home from the store."
"I mean, I never think of historical figures as hot. They're just these bodiless, dusty, sepia-toned entities."
"She devoted her career to these books because she needed them. She didn't care that most of the other graduate students thought this was boring. These stories were like little bibles to her, teaching how to be normal, how to dream, how to believe that happiness and a new family would arrive in a single moment, on a single page, like the sudden crescendo of a symphony."
By the end of the book, I did not expect it to turn full circle the way it did. There is plenty of humor to be had, a few tears to be shed, and you will root for everyone in this book.
"A story can be beautiful, not because of the eay it ends. But because of the way it's written." This sums up the Espach's book when she wrote The Wedding People. Can't wait for her next one, and the inevitable movie just picked up with Nicole Holofcener adapting.
There are some books that you just forget, even if they were "good", and some like The Wedding People, where you simply wished never ended.
Phoebe decides to book the most expensive room at a Victorian Hotel in Rhode Island for the night, not to vacay, but to commit suicide. After a failed marriage, she decides she wants to end her life by taking all of her cat's medicine, that smells like tuna. She has a chance encounter with Lily in the elevator, who has booked a wedding WEEK, and they quickly become friends, much to Phoebe's dismay. Soon, they become the "best" of friends, all to heartwarming and hilarious results.
Despite the topics of suicide, failed marriages, IVF, and death, The Wedding People is still a humerus read and excelled in so many ways. Often hilarious, but still touching, the characters just bounced off the page. The characters were completely relatable, never were annoying, and even though there are a handful of characters, you were never lost or confused by back storylines.
The impatient bride - Lily while completely self absorbed with her overpriced affair, was hilarious. A daughter of a former waste management company owner, who was given an inheritance - to spend on a wedding, and this wedding did not hold back. I loved the Rhode Island setting.
"But how many times do I have to explain that I'm godless? That I can't get married at a church, because what church?"
Insert Gary, Lily's soon to be husband, who is introducded in the most surprising of ways. Wedding People is all one big surprise. While you think you know what is going to happen, it never does, and the banter between this virtual stranger Phoebe and the wedding people was never completely unrealistic.
The blended families were fun, witty, and hard to dislike. Gary's daughter named "Juice", while is only 11, is smart beyond her years. The staff at the hotel reminded me of some of the employees on White Lotus.
Phoebe, was one of the smartest characters I've encountered in awhile. Espach wrote her knowing we had to take her wisdom seriously. She's a professor specializing in 19th century literature and she definitely proved her worth.
"You have to pluralize the head noun, not the modifier."
"Blond and dazzling in the way that suggests she's never bough a loaf of bread at the store. And Gary, so handsome and sturdy, a man who is always bringing bread home from the store."
"I mean, I never think of historical figures as hot. They're just these bodiless, dusty, sepia-toned entities."
"She devoted her career to these books because she needed them. She didn't care that most of the other graduate students thought this was boring. These stories were like little bibles to her, teaching how to be normal, how to dream, how to believe that happiness and a new family would arrive in a single moment, on a single page, like the sudden crescendo of a symphony."
By the end of the book, I did not expect it to turn full circle the way it did. There is plenty of humor to be had, a few tears to be shed, and you will root for everyone in this book.
"A story can be beautiful, not because of the eay it ends. But because of the way it's written." This sums up the Espach's book when she wrote The Wedding People. Can't wait for her next one, and the inevitable movie just picked up with Nicole Holofcener adapting.
May 18, 2024
Life is looking bleak for Phoebe Stone. Her mother died when she was born, she was raised by her depressed father, never progressed further than being an adjunct instructor, IVF has failed, her husband left her for one of his associates, and now her beloved cat has died. She decides to put on an elegant emerald dress that she bought but has never worn, book a room at a high end resort in Newport that she had wanted to go to with her husband, and take her life. At check in, she learns that the entire resort, except for her room, has been taken over by Lila for her million dollar destination wedding.
Initially she is mistaken for one of “the wedding people”. When Lila learns Phoebe’s intentions which will ruin the wedding, she befriends the lonely woman. And thus the reader is off to a rollicking six day visit with “The Wedding People.”
It took a while for me to get into this book, but once I did I found it a witty, satisfying contemporary read. I loved the colorfully, well developed characters and the astute, sometimes painful, often cleverly funny observations of life, family and relationships. Readers will find themselves cheering on Phoebe as she learns a lot about herself and comes into her own.
Incidentally, Tri Star has already acquired the rights to this novel.
Thanks to #netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the DRC.
Initially she is mistaken for one of “the wedding people”. When Lila learns Phoebe’s intentions which will ruin the wedding, she befriends the lonely woman. And thus the reader is off to a rollicking six day visit with “The Wedding People.”
It took a while for me to get into this book, but once I did I found it a witty, satisfying contemporary read. I loved the colorfully, well developed characters and the astute, sometimes painful, often cleverly funny observations of life, family and relationships. Readers will find themselves cheering on Phoebe as she learns a lot about herself and comes into her own.
Incidentally, Tri Star has already acquired the rights to this novel.
Thanks to #netgalley and @henryholtbooks for the DRC.
December 10, 2023
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for this advance readers copy, in exchange for an honest review. The Wedding People opens with our main character, Pheobe, who arrives at a luxurious hotel in Newport, RI, and is immediately mistaken by everyone else as one of the “wedding people”, who is there to celebrate the wedding of Lila and Gary. However, Phoebe is actually there to live out her dream vacation, one she initially had dreamt of taking with her husband, but she ultimately ends up getting swept into the many happenings of this elaborate, over the top wedding.
This book was so absolutely heartwarming and enjoyable; I read it in a sitting and finishing it felt so bittersweet. There are many complex questions raised in this book and some tough topics brought up but, the author handles them so well and seamlessly incorporates them as facts of life throughout the story. It was easy to get swept up in the story and I genuinely liked all of the characters, even the seemingly unlikeable ones, because the author gave us a holistic view of all the complexities that made them act any certain way. This book also had funny moments throughout and was coupled with lots of witty back and forth dialogue, along with some really candid conversations that felt like a breath of fresh air.
I was touched by the story and ended up enjoying it much more than I thought I would, based on the description. The author gives you a lot to root for here and I think regardless of where you are at in life, anyone could find something to relate to in this story; it is very hopeful, despite some truly low moments, and I think very beautiful. I would absolutely recommend this book and I look forward to reading the authors previous works soon, as well!
This book was so absolutely heartwarming and enjoyable; I read it in a sitting and finishing it felt so bittersweet. There are many complex questions raised in this book and some tough topics brought up but, the author handles them so well and seamlessly incorporates them as facts of life throughout the story. It was easy to get swept up in the story and I genuinely liked all of the characters, even the seemingly unlikeable ones, because the author gave us a holistic view of all the complexities that made them act any certain way. This book also had funny moments throughout and was coupled with lots of witty back and forth dialogue, along with some really candid conversations that felt like a breath of fresh air.
I was touched by the story and ended up enjoying it much more than I thought I would, based on the description. The author gives you a lot to root for here and I think regardless of where you are at in life, anyone could find something to relate to in this story; it is very hopeful, despite some truly low moments, and I think very beautiful. I would absolutely recommend this book and I look forward to reading the authors previous works soon, as well!
July 8, 2024
4.5 stars.
I never thought a book opening with a woman contemplating suicide could be so fun, witty, and moving. At first, I thought Phoebe would be another doormat of a character. At first, she was. But then, she encounters a lonely and rather neurotic bride and is pulled into her orbit. The women are polar opposites, but as Phoebe sheds her inhibitions and finds the courage to speak her truth, I found myself rooting not only for her but for all the characters whose lives had somehow gone astray.
At times funny, at times deeply sad, this book had many levels. I especially loved the literary references, especially since they included some of my favorite female authors like Bronte, Wharton, Austen, and Wolfe. The subltle comparisons beween Phoebe's life and weddings, marriages, and women's roles in these classics was very well done.
I never thought a book opening with a woman contemplating suicide could be so fun, witty, and moving. At first, I thought Phoebe would be another doormat of a character. At first, she was. But then, she encounters a lonely and rather neurotic bride and is pulled into her orbit. The women are polar opposites, but as Phoebe sheds her inhibitions and finds the courage to speak her truth, I found myself rooting not only for her but for all the characters whose lives had somehow gone astray.
At times funny, at times deeply sad, this book had many levels. I especially loved the literary references, especially since they included some of my favorite female authors like Bronte, Wharton, Austen, and Wolfe. The subltle comparisons beween Phoebe's life and weddings, marriages, and women's roles in these classics was very well done.
November 25, 2023
Wow! This book was truly like no book I’ve ever read before and I read a lot. The plot instantly drew me in.
Funny, witty, sweet, raw, real, sad.
The characters felt so real and were so multidimensional. Each twist and turn along the way was a pleasant surprised. This book covers real topics, real people, and real situations. It’s raw and although a work of fiction, it was so real. The setting was perfect (hint, takes place in the ocean state)!
I highly recommend this book once it is released next summer (July 30, 2024)! Definitely add it to your TBR if you haven’t yet. So happy/thankful to have received an ARC from the publishers.
Easily a 4-5 star book!
I am giving a 4 simply because the narration was different than what I’m used to. Not so much a con, but I did have to reread a few sentences here and there to make sure I knew which character was being referenced. But once I really dove in, the words were more seamless!
Funny, witty, sweet, raw, real, sad.
The characters felt so real and were so multidimensional. Each twist and turn along the way was a pleasant surprised. This book covers real topics, real people, and real situations. It’s raw and although a work of fiction, it was so real. The setting was perfect (hint, takes place in the ocean state)!
I highly recommend this book once it is released next summer (July 30, 2024)! Definitely add it to your TBR if you haven’t yet. So happy/thankful to have received an ARC from the publishers.
Easily a 4-5 star book!
I am giving a 4 simply because the narration was different than what I’m used to. Not so much a con, but I did have to reread a few sentences here and there to make sure I knew which character was being referenced. But once I really dove in, the words were more seamless!
April 27, 2024
“Lila, every day this week, you gave me a reason to get up in the morning, to put on a beautiful dress and be part of something, and for that I will always be grateful.”
This was truly delightful and I loved every minute of it. I was drawn to this right away by the beautiful cover! The Wedding People is raw and emotional and funny. It follows two women from completely different walks of life and their unlikely friendship that grows over the span of a week. The women are complete opposites to one another, yet complement each other perfectly.
I don’t always love character-driven books but I think the characters are written really well; they feel very realistic and human. Phoebe is very raw and you get a really good sense of how she feels and thinks. Lila is somewhat unlikable as a character, but also perfect for the story. You do find yourself rooting for her. Both of these main characters grow a lot throughout the story. The overall story is quite predictable, but there were a few things that left me surprised! I love the friendship, the healing, the self discovery. There’s even the right amount of romance. I absolutely vibed with the author’s writing style. Heavy topics are expressed, but the overall tone is quite light-hearted. I found myself laughing at the banter between characters. I was left feeling extremely satisfied.
“I just mean, a story can be beautiful not because of the way it ends. But because of the way it’s written.”
I would definitely recommend this one! Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Co for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Content warnings: suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, depression, grief, cancer, infidelity, divorce, infertility, miscarriage
This was truly delightful and I loved every minute of it. I was drawn to this right away by the beautiful cover! The Wedding People is raw and emotional and funny. It follows two women from completely different walks of life and their unlikely friendship that grows over the span of a week. The women are complete opposites to one another, yet complement each other perfectly.
I don’t always love character-driven books but I think the characters are written really well; they feel very realistic and human. Phoebe is very raw and you get a really good sense of how she feels and thinks. Lila is somewhat unlikable as a character, but also perfect for the story. You do find yourself rooting for her. Both of these main characters grow a lot throughout the story. The overall story is quite predictable, but there were a few things that left me surprised! I love the friendship, the healing, the self discovery. There’s even the right amount of romance. I absolutely vibed with the author’s writing style. Heavy topics are expressed, but the overall tone is quite light-hearted. I found myself laughing at the banter between characters. I was left feeling extremely satisfied.
“I just mean, a story can be beautiful not because of the way it ends. But because of the way it’s written.”
I would definitely recommend this one! Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt & Co for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Content warnings: suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt, depression, grief, cancer, infidelity, divorce, infertility, miscarriage
March 30, 2024
I am not sure what I was expecting really based on my book cover snap judgments, but this was not it in the very best way. The book was simply lovely. Each character was written well and I, alongside Phoebe, felt the shift and chemistry with them immediately. The vibes of our protagonist were spot on, even in her most tumultuous moments. This is what it means to write complicated women and weave stories that go well beyond the surface chatter. This is a feat in itself given the book's setting at a luxury hotel with people attending a week long wedding. Would have loved to have been at this pitch meeting.
Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2023
A Wedding Story like no other!
Welcome to Newport, Rhode Island. Phoebe Stone books a suite at the Grand Cornwall Inn planning to end her life. Instead she finds she had grabbed the only non-wedding guest room in the luxurious hotel and is immediately swept up in a million dollar wedding. As she grows closer to Lilah and her entourage she cannot help but think that at least one person this week is making a mistake - maybe it is her!
There is no way to explain how hilarious, how touching and how real this story is. Pick it up because you love weddings, you love gossip about family, and finally you love an underdog story. You will not be disappointed, one of my favorite books of the year! w#Henryholt #TheWeddingPeople #AlisonEspach
Welcome to Newport, Rhode Island. Phoebe Stone books a suite at the Grand Cornwall Inn planning to end her life. Instead she finds she had grabbed the only non-wedding guest room in the luxurious hotel and is immediately swept up in a million dollar wedding. As she grows closer to Lilah and her entourage she cannot help but think that at least one person this week is making a mistake - maybe it is her!
There is no way to explain how hilarious, how touching and how real this story is. Pick it up because you love weddings, you love gossip about family, and finally you love an underdog story. You will not be disappointed, one of my favorite books of the year! w#Henryholt #TheWeddingPeople #AlisonEspach
July 8, 2024
wooooow this such a surprising read for me! I went in totally blind with this one and picked it up purely based on the cover.
From the first chapter, I was so interested and eager to learn about Phoebe and her story. When we meet her, she's at the lowest point in her life and came to the Cornwall Inn to... end her life. She quickly discovers that every guest but her is at the Cornwall Inn for a huge wedding, and thus begins Phoebe's journey with The Wedding People. One thing I loved about this book is it did not shy away from the dark topics. Phoebe is at the point where she's essentially saying "f*ck it" to everything and everyone because she thinks, "how could it get any worse anyway?"
Even though this book takes place over the course of just a week, I truly feel like we got to know every character so deeply and that the connections made were strong and genuine. This story is captivating, its beautiful, its funny, its touching, and its emotional. It's about human connection and how everyone craves being loved and wanted.
I listened on audio and it was PHENOMENAL. The narrator absolutely knocked it out of the park. Thank you Libro FM and Macmillan Audio for this ALC!
From the first chapter, I was so interested and eager to learn about Phoebe and her story. When we meet her, she's at the lowest point in her life and came to the Cornwall Inn to... end her life. She quickly discovers that every guest but her is at the Cornwall Inn for a huge wedding, and thus begins Phoebe's journey with The Wedding People. One thing I loved about this book is it did not shy away from the dark topics. Phoebe is at the point where she's essentially saying "f*ck it" to everything and everyone because she thinks, "how could it get any worse anyway?"
Even though this book takes place over the course of just a week, I truly feel like we got to know every character so deeply and that the connections made were strong and genuine. This story is captivating, its beautiful, its funny, its touching, and its emotional. It's about human connection and how everyone craves being loved and wanted.
I listened on audio and it was PHENOMENAL. The narrator absolutely knocked it out of the park. Thank you Libro FM and Macmillan Audio for this ALC!
March 22, 2024
Fantastic book! Don’t miss this.
Two women arrive at lush hotel in Newport, RI; one to end her life, the other to start a new one.
They meet sort of accidentally, Phoebe is the only guest not there for the wedding, and Lila, the bride, wants to know why.
Phoebe’s marriage has ended in divorce and she’s distraught; Lila, whose family is wealthy, has rented out the entire hotel for the week.
Tons of great characters and tons of fun with a smart take on life, relationships and family. Lila and Phoebe become friends who help each other discern real love versus not just being alone.
Thank you Edelweiss and Henry Holt and Co.
Two women arrive at lush hotel in Newport, RI; one to end her life, the other to start a new one.
They meet sort of accidentally, Phoebe is the only guest not there for the wedding, and Lila, the bride, wants to know why.
Phoebe’s marriage has ended in divorce and she’s distraught; Lila, whose family is wealthy, has rented out the entire hotel for the week.
Tons of great characters and tons of fun with a smart take on life, relationships and family. Lila and Phoebe become friends who help each other discern real love versus not just being alone.
Thank you Edelweiss and Henry Holt and Co.
February 23, 2024
“I think it’s amazing how much work we’ll do just to feel something. I don’t think there is anything more human than that.”
THE WEDDING PEOPLE is one of the first books I read this year, and it will definitely be one of my favorite books of 2024! This novel is funny and wise and tender, and I had so much fun reading it. The book opens with Phoebe’s arrival to a fancy hotel in Rhode Island that is completely booked with wedding guests. Phoebe is mistaken for a guest herself, checks into the inn, and unexpectedly forms connections with the wedding people over the course of the week. The setting, writing, characters, and premise of the book are all fabulous and entertaining and everything I love in a book. And there’s also a beautiful message about what it really means to live—to feel, to try things, to be honest about what we know and what we don’t, to love. This one is out July 30, and I think you’ll be seeing it everywhere! Until then, pick up @alison.espach previous novel, NOTES ON YOUR SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE, which was one of my favorite books of 2022!
#theweddingpeople #alisonespach #henryholt #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #amreading #booklover #bookreview #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #bookrecommendations #bookrec
THE WEDDING PEOPLE is one of the first books I read this year, and it will definitely be one of my favorite books of 2024! This novel is funny and wise and tender, and I had so much fun reading it. The book opens with Phoebe’s arrival to a fancy hotel in Rhode Island that is completely booked with wedding guests. Phoebe is mistaken for a guest herself, checks into the inn, and unexpectedly forms connections with the wedding people over the course of the week. The setting, writing, characters, and premise of the book are all fabulous and entertaining and everything I love in a book. And there’s also a beautiful message about what it really means to live—to feel, to try things, to be honest about what we know and what we don’t, to love. This one is out July 30, and I think you’ll be seeing it everywhere! Until then, pick up @alison.espach previous novel, NOTES ON YOUR SUDDEN DISAPPEARANCE, which was one of my favorite books of 2022!
#theweddingpeople #alisonespach #henryholt #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #amreading #booklover #bookreview #booksbooksbooks #bookworm #bookrecommendations #bookrec
November 15, 2023
Thank you so much to Henry Holt & Co and NetGalley.
This was such a wonderful read.
CW: Suicide & infertility
Phoebe is going to kill herself. Her husband has left her. She has had several failed IVF cycles. Her job sucks, and it's where her husband and his new woman (her former friend) work. She flies to a place she has never been and stays at an inn. This is where Lila is having her wedding. The other guests at the inn are for her wedding. Lila cannot have a death ruin her wedding.
What follows is a story where Lila and Phoebe both learn about themselves. They both are faced with decisions that will impact them and need to figure out what they want. They'll learn about themselves, together, along the way.
This was such a wonderful read.
CW: Suicide & infertility
Phoebe is going to kill herself. Her husband has left her. She has had several failed IVF cycles. Her job sucks, and it's where her husband and his new woman (her former friend) work. She flies to a place she has never been and stays at an inn. This is where Lila is having her wedding. The other guests at the inn are for her wedding. Lila cannot have a death ruin her wedding.
What follows is a story where Lila and Phoebe both learn about themselves. They both are faced with decisions that will impact them and need to figure out what they want. They'll learn about themselves, together, along the way.
December 4, 2023
Loved this hilarious book about a wedding gone awry with all its crazy repercussions. Phoebe goes to the famed Newport Hotel to kill herself (not a spoiler) but meets an attractive man in the hot tub and then runs into the woman who's getting married in a week and has booked the hotel for all of the festivities. And so begins the snarky humor, the heartbreaks of attendees, and all of the fun watching the interactions of the "wedding people" as they each prepare for the exciting event. It's a great look at how ordinary (and extraordinary) people react to and anticipate celebrations that are for all the right (or wrong) reasons!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
July 7, 2024
This book deals with infidelity; infertility; unfulfilling job; divorce; suicide; depression; death/grief. Don’t read if any of these is a trigger for you.
Book covers can be so deceiving sometimes. I went into this one thinking I was in for a lightheaded RomCom but this was not it at all and in the very best way.
I loved the colorfully, well developed characters and the astute, sometimes painful, often cleverly funny observations of life, family and relationships. Phoebe, was one of the smartest characters I've encountered in a while. I was so touched by the story. I know this book won’t be for everyone, but it was right up my alley. A solid golden 5 stars from me!!
“You can be married and be very alone,” Phoebe says. “More alone than you are when you’re, well, alone. Trust me.”
“Phoebe had been so jealous – but not just of Mia. Her husband felt alive again. She couldn’t even imagine it.”
“That is why she has always preferred books-because to be alive is much harder. To be alive, she must leave this hotel, despite the uncertainty of everything. Walk down the long hallway of that mansion come winter, not knowing what will become of her, which is a thing that does scare her.”
Thanks @libro.fm for this ALC. Your kindness is always appreciated 🙏🏻
Book covers can be so deceiving sometimes. I went into this one thinking I was in for a lightheaded RomCom but this was not it at all and in the very best way.
I loved the colorfully, well developed characters and the astute, sometimes painful, often cleverly funny observations of life, family and relationships. Phoebe, was one of the smartest characters I've encountered in a while. I was so touched by the story. I know this book won’t be for everyone, but it was right up my alley. A solid golden 5 stars from me!!
“You can be married and be very alone,” Phoebe says. “More alone than you are when you’re, well, alone. Trust me.”
“Phoebe had been so jealous – but not just of Mia. Her husband felt alive again. She couldn’t even imagine it.”
“That is why she has always preferred books-because to be alive is much harder. To be alive, she must leave this hotel, despite the uncertainty of everything. Walk down the long hallway of that mansion come winter, not knowing what will become of her, which is a thing that does scare her.”
Thanks @libro.fm for this ALC. Your kindness is always appreciated 🙏🏻
December 8, 2023
What do we do when we’ve lost our way and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel? The Wedding People answers this question in a lovely, touching, heartwarming way while also being humorous and witty. This is one of my favorite reads in a long while and I believe it will be a grand success!
Dealing with life (infidelity, infertility, unfulfilling job, divorce) has left Phobe depressed and ending it all seems the best option. She flies to Newport, RI to a luxiorious inn to spend her last night in a beautiful place. That’s when she meets Lila, bride to be and sheer force of nature. Phoebe is sucked into Lila’s life and bridal party before she knows it! It’s not what Phoebe expected but “if the last few years have taught her anything, it’s that you can’t ever know who you are going to end up becoming.”
We then get to follow Phoebe as she becomes herself! The characters are wonderfully drawn and so real as they engage in the wedding events amidst the messiness of life. I had all the feels as my heart ached for Phoebe and then cheered her on. I wanted to shake some sense into Lila, but also tuck her into bed and tell her she would be alright! Both Phoebe and Lila make brave choices to live their lives and I enjoyed every minute of it.
The Wedding People is an endearing
read and a testament to the notion that life really can be what we choose to make of it. Look for it July 30, 2024. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the chance to read this arc and this is my honest review.
Dealing with life (infidelity, infertility, unfulfilling job, divorce) has left Phobe depressed and ending it all seems the best option. She flies to Newport, RI to a luxiorious inn to spend her last night in a beautiful place. That’s when she meets Lila, bride to be and sheer force of nature. Phoebe is sucked into Lila’s life and bridal party before she knows it! It’s not what Phoebe expected but “if the last few years have taught her anything, it’s that you can’t ever know who you are going to end up becoming.”
We then get to follow Phoebe as she becomes herself! The characters are wonderfully drawn and so real as they engage in the wedding events amidst the messiness of life. I had all the feels as my heart ached for Phoebe and then cheered her on. I wanted to shake some sense into Lila, but also tuck her into bed and tell her she would be alright! Both Phoebe and Lila make brave choices to live their lives and I enjoyed every minute of it.
The Wedding People is an endearing
read and a testament to the notion that life really can be what we choose to make of it. Look for it July 30, 2024. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Henry Holt for the chance to read this arc and this is my honest review.
July 6, 2024
Listened to this one and really enjoyed. Went into it not knowing what to expect and just went in a completely different direction than I had anticipated. Great characters.
May 21, 2024
This book won’t be for everyone, but it super was for me. ♥️
(My thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy.)
(My thanks to the publisher for an advanced copy.)
November 4, 2023
Cute little feel good story!
November 9, 2023
Let me start by saying, this will be one of the year’s best novels. I was totally engaged in the story of Phoebe, a deeply depressed and lonely woman, who becomes a “wedding person” by accident. Despite coming to the very upscale hotel to commit suicide, she is swept into the preparations for a lavish wedding. Phoebe becomes a friend and confidante of the guests and the bridal party.
This is written beautifully, using language that drew me into the festivities. Phoebe is a very likable heroine, and the bride is appropriately depicted as immature and confused. I have the feeling that this novel will quickly be dramatized in some form.
Despite having many characters, the author draws them with such clarity that there is no confusion. There is a huge likability quotient which makes the reader wish for the inevitable happy ending.
Thank you Netgalley for this delightful, brilliant and well written novel. Honestly, I was so involved, I wish I could have kept reading. Bravo for this mature and compelling novel.
This is written beautifully, using language that drew me into the festivities. Phoebe is a very likable heroine, and the bride is appropriately depicted as immature and confused. I have the feeling that this novel will quickly be dramatized in some form.
Despite having many characters, the author draws them with such clarity that there is no confusion. There is a huge likability quotient which makes the reader wish for the inevitable happy ending.
Thank you Netgalley for this delightful, brilliant and well written novel. Honestly, I was so involved, I wish I could have kept reading. Bravo for this mature and compelling novel.
November 8, 2023
The Wedding People by Alison Espach. Thanks to @henryholtbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
When Phoebe shows up at the grand, expensive Cornwall Inn, she quickly realizes she’s the only resident not a guest of a wedding at the inn. She meets the bride who has planned for every possible disaster; except Phoebe.
This is one of those special reads that does not come about often. It’s meaningful and covers some deep topics, realistic and true to life, but also absolutely hilarious. The characters are all perfectly done and fully dimensional. I adored Phoebe’s story and how she as changed from the people she met and her interactions.
“… becoming who you want to be is just like anything else. It takes practice. It requires belief that one day, you’ll wake up and be a natural at it.”
The Wedding People comes out 7/30/24.
When Phoebe shows up at the grand, expensive Cornwall Inn, she quickly realizes she’s the only resident not a guest of a wedding at the inn. She meets the bride who has planned for every possible disaster; except Phoebe.
This is one of those special reads that does not come about often. It’s meaningful and covers some deep topics, realistic and true to life, but also absolutely hilarious. The characters are all perfectly done and fully dimensional. I adored Phoebe’s story and how she as changed from the people she met and her interactions.
“… becoming who you want to be is just like anything else. It takes practice. It requires belief that one day, you’ll wake up and be a natural at it.”
The Wedding People comes out 7/30/24.
December 25, 2023
Throughout this book, there are unexpected moments. Phoebe was about to take her own life at the hotel filled with wedding guest. Her husband left her. She had to leave her job. The wedding guest mistakenly thinks that she is also a guest. Afterward, there is a change of heart for Phoebe.
Thanks to the publishers at Henry Holt & Company and also NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and do a review.
Thanks to the publishers at Henry Holt & Company and also NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and do a review.
April 11, 2024
✨Every now and then a book comes along that just speaks to you and moves you in a deep, deep place – one that earns a place on your shelves next to your most cherished reads. This is that book. I loved it so, so much.
✨This is a character-driven novel with beautifully drawn, fully dimensional characters, each with expertly written character arcs. I started this book not fully connecting with any of them – and by the last page, I knew and loved and wanted to be friends with all of them. ALL OF THEM. (Okay, there’s one who doesn’t deserve our friendship. You’ll see….)
✨It’s wise and tender, and equally hilarious. I laughed so hard – with literal wheezing, real tears and slapping my leg like a seal for long periods of time.
✨At its heart, this is a story of losing yourself – then finding yourself all over again. A story of love, loss, family, found family – and a story of becoming. It’s a truly meaningful and beautifully written love story to oneself and a primer on how to be a person. I don’t know how else to say it; it’s profound in its simplicity.
✨There are some deep topics here, so be sure and take note of the trigger warnings. I’ve listed them at the bottom.
✨ On a personal note, I didn’t think a book was going to come along this year that would top NIGHTWATCHING for me in its ability to thoroughly entertain while imparting a deeply significant message – but HERE WE ARE!!
Don’t miss this one. It’s an absolute must read!!
My thanks to @henryholtbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.
TW: suicide, infertility, infidelity, death of spouse, death of parent
✨This is a character-driven novel with beautifully drawn, fully dimensional characters, each with expertly written character arcs. I started this book not fully connecting with any of them – and by the last page, I knew and loved and wanted to be friends with all of them. ALL OF THEM. (Okay, there’s one who doesn’t deserve our friendship. You’ll see….)
✨It’s wise and tender, and equally hilarious. I laughed so hard – with literal wheezing, real tears and slapping my leg like a seal for long periods of time.
✨At its heart, this is a story of losing yourself – then finding yourself all over again. A story of love, loss, family, found family – and a story of becoming. It’s a truly meaningful and beautifully written love story to oneself and a primer on how to be a person. I don’t know how else to say it; it’s profound in its simplicity.
✨There are some deep topics here, so be sure and take note of the trigger warnings. I’ve listed them at the bottom.
✨ On a personal note, I didn’t think a book was going to come along this year that would top NIGHTWATCHING for me in its ability to thoroughly entertain while imparting a deeply significant message – but HERE WE ARE!!
Don’t miss this one. It’s an absolute must read!!
My thanks to @henryholtbooks and @netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book before its publication date.
TW: suicide, infertility, infidelity, death of spouse, death of parent
July 8, 2024
Go into this one blind!
Even with knowing the blurb, I didn't expect it to be what it is, which is a read on the human experience and the ups and downs that come with it and how we can lose ourselves but ways to get back to who we are truly. Espach writes a thoughtful read that provides nuanced characters, welcome perspective, laughter to break up so much tension, and a note on the importance of community and to just keep going.
I really enjoyed each character. Phoebe is an unforgettable MC. I rooted for her from start to finish! I found the premise, even with the inclusion of covid, to be engaging and relatable. hello, we've all been "wedding people"! And even when one subplot ended, I was excited for whatever came next. Pick this one up!
Read For:
- Character Driven Read
- Dual Timelines
- Fast Friendships
- Complicated Family/Friend Relationships
Thank you to the publisher for my gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Even with knowing the blurb, I didn't expect it to be what it is, which is a read on the human experience and the ups and downs that come with it and how we can lose ourselves but ways to get back to who we are truly. Espach writes a thoughtful read that provides nuanced characters, welcome perspective, laughter to break up so much tension, and a note on the importance of community and to just keep going.
I really enjoyed each character. Phoebe is an unforgettable MC. I rooted for her from start to finish! I found the premise, even with the inclusion of covid, to be engaging and relatable. hello, we've all been "wedding people"! And even when one subplot ended, I was excited for whatever came next. Pick this one up!
Read For:
- Character Driven Read
- Dual Timelines
- Fast Friendships
- Complicated Family/Friend Relationships
Thank you to the publisher for my gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review.
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