This book took me far longer to read for how much I enjoyed it. I think the subject matter was a bit heavy for what I was experiencing in real life. That being said, I found the story so hopeful and enchanting. The characters were so complex and interesting. Overall, I’m very glad I finished it and really took my time to read it.

I was surprised by this one. Not the kind of book I usually read, but gave it a shot after seeing a lot of positive reviews. So glad I did. Such a lovely novel of personal growth, filled with unique characters, hard decisions, subtle humor, and a bit of romance. Highly recommended.

Sometimes when a book gets a lot of attention and buzz, I avoid it until the buzz dies down. I did that with this one, even though I have had an ARC since before it was published. I just picked it up and flew through it in no time at all. Like everyone else, I loved the characters and the tone, I laughed, I got a little emotional, etc. My only beef with this book is this habit the author has of inserting information between pieces of dialogue as though the characters are saying it. Hard to explain, but it annoyed me several times. Regardless, I will be reading more of this author's work.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm now an Alison Espach fan! This novel is unique and unlike anything I've ever read before. I will definitely be recommending this book to my followers and I plan on keeping an eye out for any future works. Thanks!

I really liked Wedding People. It started out a bit darker than I expected, but it ended up being a really heartfelt and lighter book overall. I had no idea what to expect going into it, but was pleasantly surprised.

Phoebe's life is a disaster. She has struggled with infertility, her husband left her for another woman, she lived through the pandemic, and now her cat has died. She books a room at the Cornwall Hotel and plans to kill herself using her cat's pain killers. But then she meets Lila, the bride of the wedding party staying at the Cornwall. Lila I diets she cannot kill herself because it would ruin the wedding. The two women strike up a weird friendship that helps them both cope with the things happening in their lives. There were times I wasn't sure I liked this book, but the characters and their stories compelled me to keep reading. It is sad, funny, and everything in between.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I read 65% of this book in 2024 and finished it on January 1, 2025. Either way, it's worthy of being a favorite of both years.
This book was so close to perfect for me. It made me laugh, almost made me cry, and just flat-out entertained the hell out of me. I loved it.
I am so thankful NetGalley and Henry & Holt gave me the chance to read this one. I have immediately gone and purchased a physical copy for my shelves.

I think this is a great cover, however the cover doesn't match this story. I was caught up in this story and all of the characters. I would have liked an epilogue to get a glimpse of their futures. I am recommending to all ages and types of readers as I don't feel like this one falls into just one category. I think those that enjoy literary fiction will enjoy this one. I look forward to what is next from Alison Espach.

I started this once - gave up and came back to it. The beginning is pretty dark and heavy. Read the trigger warnings on it. However once it gets going I really loved the growth of the lead and seeing how the story played out.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC! What’s not to love?! The book cover and the story is spectacular

I loved this book. This was immersive from the start. I loved the journey and character development that Phoebe went through. I didn’t see this type of story coming! It handled heavy/serious topics in such a sensitive and yet humorous way. One of my top reads this year.

A fantastic book where the protagonist discovers the joy of being alive slowly and confidently. Superb, and can't wait to see it on the screen!

Full review to come.

The Wedding People is delightful in so many ways. The characters are well-developed (I loved Phoebe, Gary, Juice, Pauline, Patricia!). The novel follows Phoebe, recently separated from her husband, as she books a hotel room and contemplates suicide only to be saved by Lila, a bride whose wedding guests occupy the rest of the hotel. As the wedding approaches, Phoebe learns a lot about herself, her failed marriage, and her newfound friends. This novel has it all---humor, romance, drama. I was sad when. It ended!

How to review this book?! Easily one of the best of the year. What sounds at first like a dark, depressing book turned out to be a heartwarming hug of a novel. Phoebe travels to the Cornwall Inn for one purpose....to end her life. Things do not go as planned as she arrives only to find out she is the only guest in the Inn who is not there for a wedding. On her way to her room, Phoebe accidentally gets sucked into the bride's life and wedding drama. Before she knows it, she is not only a guest of the wedding but the maid of honor.

I loved this look at people and connection. The idea that, even when we are at our lowest of lows, there is always someone out there to listen and believe that we have purpose is found within these pages. I loved Phoebe's outlook on the bride and her wedding party. I laughed so many times right along with the main character. I cried for the hurts she has experienced. I championed the wins she found during this crazy, beautiful week at the Cornwall. I simply couldn't get enough.

This is a book for everyone. That being said, please take care of yourself and preview the content warnings as these characters go through some real trials in life. If you find yourself able to go through Phoebe's experience, I promise you will come out with a smile and a life-affirming outlook on life. I am so glad to have read this book and will be sure to return to it in the future.

After initially giving up on it I went back to it after it won the Good Reads best fiction award. I have to admit it I gave up too soon and it ended up being a satisfying read. Life comes at you fast and we all have to find ways to deal with it.

This was everything I look for in a book - Relatable, flawed characters. Humor. Real=life circumstances. Hope. I couldn't ask for anything more in Alison Espach's The Wedding People.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach 🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

I would like to thank NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

This is one of my favorite books of the year. It’s funny, sad, heartwarming, and honest. I loved the banter between the characters. Alison Espach has become one of my favorite authors. I loved her previous book, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, too.

[B]ecoming 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.”
— Alison Espach, The Wedding People

I loved reading The Wedding People. I loved the dedication.

Phoebe’s story starts out rather dark, as she is depressed and has experienced enormous change and pain in her life. As soon as she intersects with the wedding people, the reader can almost envision the release as Phoebe is distracted from her dark introspection.

The story includes both dark humor and great tenderness. The author beautifully expresses the pain of divorce and pregnancy loss. (Potential triggers include these topics as well as infertility, suicide, and depression.)

As a literature professor, Phoebe has many allusions and interesting facts to sprinkle amidst her conversations with others. I love reading her interactions with the wedding people. The dialogue is amusing and a joy to read.

The setting of the story, and the wedding, is so easy to picture–Newport, Rhode Island, in a grand hotel.

This novel is a great mix of grief and levity. Phoebe observes the wedding people in a way that notices some of their self-absorption and shallowness but also sees the depth of their humanity and their vulnerabilities. I love that Phoebe befriends the bride despite her imperfections and their differences.

This story shows the beauty of human connection to people whose paths cross ours sometimes for just a moment (or a week at a hotel)

The Wedding People by Alison Espach was a profoundly moving experience that masterfully blends humour, heartache, and hope. The novel follows Phoebe Stone, a literature professor in her forties, who arrives at the opulent Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, wearing a green dress and gold heels—but without any luggage. This trip once envisioned as a romantic getaway with her now ex-husband, becomes a solo venture marked by her deep despair and a drastic plan.

Upon arrival, Phoebe is mistaken for a guest attending a lavish wedding taking place at the inn. This case of mistaken identity leads to an unexpected and transformative friendship with the bride, Lila. Their candid conversations and shared vulnerabilities provide both women with new perspectives on their lives and choices.

Espach’s writing is both witty and tender, capturing the complexities of human emotions with remarkable authenticity. The novel deftly explores themes of loneliness, the search for meaning, and the serendipitous relationships that can alter our life’s trajectory. Phoebe’s journey from the depths of despair to a renewed sense of purpose is portrayed with sensitivity and insight, making her a relatable and compelling protagonist.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a huge Alison Espach fan and am excited to see her wonderful, perceptive writing reaching a wider audience. This book is a real crowd-pleaser as well as being well-written and inspiring. The concept of accidentally being the only guest at a hotel not there for a wedding is hilarious and its message about the impact of human connection is great.