Phoebe checks into a luxury hotel without luggage, intending to end her life, and quickly realizes upon arrival that the rest of The Cornwall Inn has been booked out for a wedding. When Lila, the bride, discovers Phoebe, the one thing she hasn’t accounted for in her meticulous planning, Phoebe’s plans begin to change.

I wanted to love The Wedding People after all its recent hype but I just did not. While I liked Phoebe, and Gary, as well as some of the secondary characters, I did not find the story “absurdly funny” as the blurb notes. This story does deal with some difficult subjects and it’s best to know that heading into the book.

I enjoyed some aspects, including the Newport, Rhode Island setting, but I was expecting more humor and as a character-driven, literary fiction lover, to like the story more overall. The Wedding People is well-liked by many other readers so don’t let my more of a miss deter you!

<i>Her whole life felt like work now. Even the parts that used to be the most fun, like reading over the summer or orgasming during sex or having conversation with her husband at dinner. They felt like things she had to be really good at now, in order to prove that everything was normal.</i>

When her fifth try with IVF ends in miscarriage, Phoebe falls into a funk and drinks too much. Her husband falls into Mia, a pregnant colleague. Since Phoebe and her husband both teach at the same university (although he has tenure and she's an adjunct), it's awkward. After the divorce, Phoebe is left with a job that can't pay the bills or even provide health insurance, and a cat. So once the cat dies, she decides to spend a night in a small, luxury hotel on the coast and commit suicide. The problem is that the hotel is otherwise completely filled with a wedding party and Phoebe is pulled into their orbit despite her best efforts.

<i>She looks out at the ocean spread before her. From up here, the water looks calmer than it does in movies. It looks like a flat and reliable rug, as if it knows nothing about what is to come. And it's true that Phoebe expected more from the ocean, maybe because she read too many Herman Melville books in which the ocean knows everything about the future--foreshadows death with every wild and loud crash of a wave.</i>

As Phoebe learns to say what she means, she's drawn into the lives of the wedding people, from the bride determined to make every detail perfect, to the tween daughter of the groom, to the bride's mother, Phoebe becomes important to helping them work through family dynamics and communication failures. As for Phoebe, she's pulled back into life despite her best efforts and wondering what trying again will mean for her.

This novel straddles the line between humor and brutal honesty with an assured deftness. More than anything, this is a novel about failures in communication between people, and in people's failures to communicate with themselves. Phoebe is a great protagonist; her years of measuring her words and actions have made her a keen observer of human relations and her newfound willingness to say what she means gives the people she's interacting with a lot to react to, both positively and negatively. But while Phoebe now speaks her mind, she's never cruel and she might be what the members of this wedding need.

Thanks, Henry Holt and Co., for the advanced review copy via NetGalley. Also, thanks, Macmillan Audio, for the advanced listening copy of the audiobook! What a treat to read this in both formats.

Allow me to add my voice to all the others praising this novel. Personally, when I saw Jenny Jackson (PINEAPPLE STREET) and Catherine Newman (SANDWICH) gushed over it, I didn’t even stop to read the blurb. If those two authors loved it, I would as well.

Phoebe arrives in a gorgeous gown with no luggage at a posh Rhode Island hotel. Everyone assumes she’s one of the “wedding people” there to witness a week-long destination event orchestrated down to the tiny palette cleansers by the bride, Lila. To Lila’s horror, Phoebe’s plans for her first (and only) evening in the hotel (with a bottle of cat tranquilizers) would cast a pall over her meticulous plans.

You might expect Lila to be a “Bridezilla,” and she is. You might expect Phoebe to be depressed, repressed, and melancholy, and she is. But what you might not expect is their surprising friendship, support of each other, and the way their quick but deep relationship reshapes everything they thought they knew.

I loved watching Phoebe bloom, opening herself up to new people and experiences and ultimately recasting her future in a new light. I loved watching Lila refocus on what was actually important. A full cast of fascinating, funny, and witty side characters rounded out a story that left me smiling weeks after the final page.

This is the first novel I have read from Alison Espach and won't be the last! I loved her writing style and thoroughly enjoyed this book. This touches on mental health, depression, death and infidelity, so please make sure to keep that in mind before diving in. I thought it was very well written, I love books with a strong mental health representation. 10/10 would recommend.

Really liked this book - the characters were refreshing and played into certain stereotypes with great success. I really need to know what happens with these characters down the line...where are they 3 months from now - 6 months from now - a year from now - Can one hope for a sequel?

The wedding people was an unexpected great read! Starting off the bat with the main character about to commit suicide you would think the book is going to go one way, but it goes towards the unexpected, It was so much fun to watch all the characters relationships change throughout the book, even though I spent a lot of time wanting to yell at some of them on what they should actually do... The ending nailed it and wrapped up everything very well and with limited yelling from my side. Highly recommend for a fun yet sort of deep and reflective read.

The Wedding People is dark, touching, surprisingly funny, and life affirming. It made me feel every emotion. I cried, I raged, I laughed, I celebrated. It is real and raw while also having all the best parts of a Hallmark movie. I loved the way the author wove the story through past and present showing the events that lead Phoebe to this place (both the actual place and the emotional one). I have so much tenderness in my heart for Phoebe and see so much of myself in her. Her journey of self discovery feels so well earned. This is a book of beginnings, of joy, of hope, of fear, of all the ordinary parts of life that somehow make it magical.
Chef's kiss to Alison Espach's writing, especially the dialogue. It manages to feel real without being cringy or overly modern. It helped bring the characters to life in such vivid detail. She manages to make you fall in love with every character despite their flaws - or maybe because of them.
So excited the rights have already been acquired for this book because it is going to make a great movie.

Phoebe Stone is a 40 year old professor who skips out on her life and checks into a fancy hotel in Newport, Rhode Island. She’s the only guest who isn’t one of the wedding people, yet she gets sucked into all the wedding drama during the week-long wedding party. Amongst all these quirky, disfunctional and rich people, Phoebe is able to find herself and who she wants to be. A clever and entertaining story.

I’m late on reviewing this one, but I absolutely *adored* this book. The writing, the characters, the emotion…to me this is the definition of the perfect smart summer read. Set in RI’s famed Newport at a luxury seaside hotel, the novel follows fortysomething adjunct professor Phoebe Stone who, suffering from depression and recently divorced, has plans to end her life. It’s not spoiling anything to say that Phoebe does not go through with her plan, partly because she runs into twentysomething bride-to-be Lila Stone, who at first comes across as spoiled little rich girl who does not under any circumstances want a middle-aged lady’s dead body ruining her Perfect Wedding.

ALL of the characters surprise you, nothing is trite or saccharine, it’s so funny and so moving. My favorite scene was one where the bridesmaids (yes, Phoebe ends up a bridesmaid) visit a tarot reader and she reads Phoebe’s cards and says: “You keep coming up. This is so unusual. You are so present in this reading. It’s like the cards are telling me that no matter what happens, you are here. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific than that. That is all I can gather. You are here. Does that have any meaning to you?”

Readers, I am not a crier, but I cried at this passage which is so resonant for anyone who has ever struggled with depression or sadness or just plain life… and remained here.

Phoebe and Matt Stone are both professors teaching at the same college. They have been trying for years to have a baby but Phoebe’s IVF treatments have not been successful. Their lives are fairly predictable and even their occasional vacations are always simple. Phoebe has always wanted to go to an extravagant hotel and be treated to the best, but Matt shoots it down.

When Matt tells her that he has fallen in love with Phoebe’s best friend and another professor, Mia, she is heartbroken. However, she agrees to his request for a divorce. Loss of health insurance from Matt has put a stop to Phoebe continuing any more counseling.

One day, she hops on a plane and heads to the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island where she has reserved the penthouse suite. She arrives with only a beautiful dress she has always wanted to wear and her cat’s pain pills. Her plan is to enjoy a decadent dinner, swallow the pills, lie down on the bed and die. Upon arrival at the Inn, she realizes that all of the people staying there are to celebrate the wedding of Lila and Gary.

When Phoebe happens to meet Lila who then learns of Phoebe’s plans, she tells her she cannot ruin her wedding by committing suicide. Soon, they become friends and Phoebe is absorbed into the huge number of family members with their own problems.

How can Phoebe go from being suicidal to supposedly turned around and solid? I didn’t find this a fun read, but rather a group of people all with problems and much sadness. It's a book that is too long with way too many words and plain long-windedness. This is a pet peeve of mine. I wish that book editors would realize that sometimes less is more.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I loved this novel, for its insight, characters, and literary references. Phoebe is supposed to start the new semester teaching college literature, when she walks out, flies to Newport Rhode Island, and checks into a fancy hotel suite, intending to kill herself. That sounds like the premise of a sad book, but Phoebe’s surprise inclusion as a member of the wedding at the hotel after meeting Lila, the bride, begins a transformative series of events for Phoebe. I highly recommend this absorbing, unique book. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This novel is much deeper than I expected, and I appreciated that. The reader meets Phoebe who goes to the fanciest hotel she is aware of with the intention of ending her life. When Phoebe arrives at the hotel, there is a wedding party arriving, and as she gets to know the people in the wedding party, Phoebe realizes what she wants out of life.

I found this novel honest, funny, and moving. It was thought-provoking, and meaningful without being over the top and preachy. I connected with each of the characters, and understood their thoughts and feelings. I look forward to reading more from Alison Espach.

This book caught me off guard at first, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about it. But then I was hooked! Without giving too much of the premise away, this book was a unique romance, coming of age story that stayed with me for a few days after I finished.

At the center of this novel, the question of how to find hope when all seems lost is explored in a deeply touching, yet delightfully humorous, manner. The story begins with a woman contemplating suicide, but quickly transforms into a story rich with wit and warmth. The interactions between Phoebe and the various wedding guests are engaging, but it's the unexpected friendship between Lily and Phoebe that truly stands out. This is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the final page – particularly if you’re a woman navigating a particular stage of life. With its blend of humor, heart, and fresh perspectives on life and love, I highly recommend it.(Content warning for suicide, infertility, divorce, and infidelity.) For fans of Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine and Meredith, Alone.

In a word....FABULOUS!
This novel will definitely appear on my best of 2024 list!

How can a novel that begins with the protagonist in such a depressed state that she intends to commit suicide - turn out to be.... uplifting? Well I don't know how the author managed it, but she did.

This novel walks a fine line between literary fiction, women's fiction, and love story. The plot was riddled with wise insights about life, about relationships, about change, and about being true to yourself.

The Rhode Island setting, in an elegant hotel which is situated so that it has ocean views, marked a stark contrast to the bleakness, and despondency of the main character, Phoebe. A university literature professor from Missouri, she is very intelligent and knowledgeable, especially about all things from the 19th century. However, she has lost her passion for teaching and her personal life has hit an all time low. Her loneliness is palpable. Her husband left her for her best friend, she is childless even after myriad rounds of IVF, and, the straw that broke the camel's back... her cat Harry has just died. She goes to the hotel for one last decadent night before killing herself.

Then... she meets the bride. Lila is somewhat of a 'bride-zilla'. She has spent a million dollars on this week-long wedding at this posh hotel. She wants everything to go just as she has planned. However, she didn't plan on Phoebe.

In a roundabout way, her decision to end her life causes Phoebe to come to the realization that she is free. Free to say what she thinks, do what she wants, when she wants to do it. This freedom is intoxicating and begins, slowly, to heal her depression. Her burgeoning friendship with the dreadful Lila also makes her see life through a different lens. Phoebe realizes that to be truly brave, you have to break free from the habits, the 'ruts', that you let rule your existence.

"Phoebe is starting to understand that on some nights, Lila is probably the loneliest girl in the world, just like Phoebe. And maybe they're all lonely. Maybe this is just what it means to be a person."

Written with skill, great insight into human nature, and also some moments of quiet hilarity, this novel is a 'must read'.

Highly, highly, recommended!

Oh my gosh - I loved this one so much and read it in a day! When I first started reading I thought it might me depressing - but it was so funny and real. Phoebe checks herself into the Cornwall Inn thinking her life is over and she is going to end it. But she then finds that everyone at the hotel is there for a million dollar wedding - except her. The bride takes her into the fold and in a weird twist of events she not only becomes the maid of honor but falls for a man she meets in the hot tub. This book says a lot about relationships and family and bridezillas and more. I think you will love it too.

Honestly, the way the cover describes the story. It’s absolutely brilliant.

Phoebe is drowning in loss: failed IVF, divorced, her career is stalling . She books a room at a hotel with plans to end her life. Except everyone else in the hotel is there for a large, obnoxiously over the top, wealthy wedding. And no one is happy.
Lila is grieving the death of her dad. She’s micromanaging her wedding, waiting for something to go wrong, drowning in her grief and the expectations of others. When Phoebe, the rogue guest shows up, she opens up to this stranger in a way she can’t with her mother, friends or fiancé.

The story is sometimes absurd, sometimes funny, completely dysfunctional, but Phoebe comes to realize that sometimes choices can lead us to new paths and a new life.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to loved this one but I ended up dnfing around the 40% mark. It started off a bit slow and to be honest somebody spoiled the book for me, that the main character goes to commit suicide, and I feel that’s a huge part of the plot so I don’t know, I felt I already knew what was coming. So disappointing

Phoebe Stone comes to The Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island with a specific plan. When she runs into strong-willed bride Lila, who has rented the whole hotel, minus the one room occupied by Phoebe, there are words! And oh, what words. One of my favorite things about this novel was the witty repartee. Remember the old movies from the 1940s with the sharp and funny dialogue? That's what this book has in spades, laugh out loud funny moments. And as others have mentioned, the audiobook narration is fantastic.

The whole time I was reading this, I thought it would make a wonderful play at the theater. There is only one setting, the hotel. There is a colorful cast of characters, each distinct and sharply defined. As already mentioned, there is fantastic conversations between the characters. And the story line ultimately uplifts.

Do give the book a chance, as I admit, it took me two or three chapters to fully come on board. But once I did, I flew through it. The Wedding People is utterly charming and entertaining, and also a "smart" book. I applaud Allison Espach's command of the English language.

I would rate this book a strong 4.5 read, and will round up to 5 stars because it deserves it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Allison Espach, and Henry Holt & Company for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I first started this book I wasn't sure if it was right for me. The topic sounded depressing but I continued to read it. This was a deep character study of all the people in the story. Each individual seems to experience a transformation as they examine their own lives and what truly matters to them. This book has many amusing as well as sad moments as they all evolve not always knowing what their future holds. Well written and thought provoking. Thank you to Henry Holt and NetGalley for an advanced readers e-book. All opinions expressed are my own.
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