This novel is hysterical and deeply satisfying at the same time. I am always amazed by Espach's writing and can't wait to pick up more from her.

Imagine planning a stay at a beautiful oceanside inn to end your life and instead you find life there? Phoebe does exactly that! Well-written characters and an engaging plot. I adored the novel.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach
5/5 Stars
July 30, 2024
Women’s Fiction

Touching, witty, and wise, The Wedding People by Alison Espach examines life, love, loss, and how life’s little moments can change a person’s life.

Phoebe is unhappy. Her IVF treatments failed. Her husband left her for their colleague. Her dissertation is going nowhere. She’s an adjunct professor with no benefits, teaching classes to students who may or may not care about what she’s saying. In short, Phoebe has forgotten what it means to be alive. For years, she’s been dreaming of visiting the Cornwall Inn, located in Newport, Rhode Island, with her husband. Instead, she finds herself visiting alone, with the intention of ending her life. The hotel is filled with “wedding people” and Phoebe is the only outlier. She soon befriends the bride, and becomes immersed in the lives of the wedding guests. In an environment where Phoebe has nothing to lose, she becomes more comfortable with herself, and quickly becomes a confidante for just about everyone attending the wedding.

The characters in this book are so well-written that I felt like they were real people. Like the friends of friends that you hear about through casual conversation.A ability to capture the way people are so forthcoming with strangers is reflected in the organic interactions between the wedding people and Phoebe.

The setting of Newport is another prominent character, giving Phoebe an opportunity to see and experience a life quite unlike the one she had in St. Louis, Missouri. The juxtaposition of the ordinary life with which Phoebe is accustomed and the opulence she experiences in Newport allows her to appreciate the little things in life, such as the saltiness of the ocean, or the way she is able to feel present in any situation.

For me, the most moving part of the book occurs when Phoebe goes surfing with Gary and Juice. It seems to me that Espoch uses the ocean as a symbol of Phoebe’s unhappiness. It’s noted that Phoebe sees how easy it would be to just float away in the ocean, but she continues to ride the waves on her surfboard: “Each time she falls, she’s overwhelmed by the white foam, the sand in her ear. But she emerges.” Little moving scenes like this are sprinkled throughout the novel, such as Phoebe’s repeated use of the phrase, “I am here,” serving as a reminder that she almost lost everything by taking her own life.

While not a romance, this book is undoubtedly a love story - a book about falling in love with life, and all of the little (and big) things it has to offer.

I loved Alison Espach's previous book, "Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance," so "The Wedding People" was a must-read for me. The characters she creates in this novel are on par with her other in that they are relatable, messy, and authentic. Although the setting and circumstances are different, Espach's writing style and general insight into the human experience kept me interested until the lasts page. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach. Witty dialogue, mental/emotional growth, and developed characters.

I rate this 4.25 stars.

Originally went into this book thinking of a silly little wedding crasher story. But it is so much more than that. Our main character, Phoebe, arrives to a hotel in Newport, RI and is mistaken as a wedding guest but is the only real guest at the hotel not apart of the wedding. Unbeknownst to the other wedding guests Phoebe was not there to celebrate the Bride and Groom but to end her own life.

Alison did a wonderful job creating a story with tough topics without making this too heavy. An immersive story to make you feel all the emotions. Love, loss, grief, new relationships and finding happiness in yourself.

Thank you, NetGalley and Henry Holt and Company for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

It's amazing how one incident can change a person's life while setting off a domino effect. Phoebe was living her married life, thinking all was going to plan. Until she got news that completely gutted her. In an effort to take action, she take, what she thinks is one last trip to a place she's dreamed of. Arriving at the Cornwall, she discovers she's the only hotel guest not attending the wedding that has overtaken the hotel. The bride, Lila, now feels Phoebe's presence creates a wrinkle in her perfect wedding week. Yes, an entire week of activities and celebrations leading up to her nuptials.

Lila wants nothing to distract from her wedding and Phoebe wants nothing to do with it. However, after another turn of events, the two women start to confide in one another. Life is complex and , no how hard we try, we just need to accept the simple truth. I loved the beautiful journey of each character. Alison Espach's exquisite writing is smart and funny at the most unexpected times..

A journey through heartache, self-loathe, and ultimately redemption and reformation of spirit and of self. This book doesn't shy away from hard topics, and it could be sensitive content for some readers. But if you stick it out and get through the struggles, the story is beautiful at the end. Phoebe is all of us in some way or another, and this book ends with so much hope that no matter what point you are in your life, there is always a future ahead. The characters, even though fictional, are so familiar. We all know someone like each of the characters, and it helps to think of their personalities from different perspectives. Not everything is as it seems on the surface level, but it can all work out if we are honest with ourselves and those around us.

Oh, I loved this. It was so quirky. The setup was unique and unexpected. I went in thinking I’d hate all the “wedding people” but the author gave each character endearing qualities and rich histories. I want a sequel! I need to know more about who these people are outside the walls of a six-day wedding.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an early arc, which turned into my first solid five-star read of 2024.

I really, really enjoyed this book and absolutely flew through it! It takes place during a couple's wedding week. Yes, they decide to celebrate their wedding for a whole week, booking an entire luxury hotel and planning events for every day leading up to the big wedding. It's... a lot.

But somehow Phoebe, who has nothing to do with the wedding or these wedding people, is able to book a room at the hotel; a luxury suite. And she's there for a very different reason than the others who are there to celebrate love. I don't want to give anything away since the synopsis doesn't, but I will say you should get trigger warnings if you have any concerns at all as there are some pretty big ones in this. Honestly, there were a couple things in the beginning of the book that I thought came off as pretty insensitive and I almost DNFed this... I was also worried about there it was going to go.

But as the story went on, I started to feel better and I was happy with how things evolved. And though there's definitely a layer of heaviness throughout the book, there are also lots of light and fun moments. I enjoyed getting to know the people in the wedding party, but especially enjoyed getting to know Phoebe.

I think The Wedding People is really cleverly written and would make a fantastic television series or movie!

The premise of The Wedding People certainly intrigued me, and yet at the same time I wasn't sure where this ride was going to take me, or how on earth it was going to end! I have never read anything by Alison Espach before, but now I most certainly am going to seek out her other titles.

I really enjoyed reading from Phoebe's point of view, for she reminded me somewhat of myself at times. Always doing what is expected of her or sometimes just doing the bare minimum to stay afloat. As I read about her marriage to Matt and how things in her life had unfolded and brought her to that moment when she walked through the doors of of the Cornwall Inn, I felt immediately sucked in to her life and her current predicament. I found myself laughing along with her interactions with Lila, and her conversations with "Juice" and the other wedding people. Yet, at the same time there were many heartfelt and brutally honest moments as well that left you aching with sympathy for Phoebe and her plight. It's been quite some time since I have read a book in which I have found myself shouting out loud at characters in the book, or just full on busting out laughing. I thoroughly enjoyed The Wedding People and the entire cast of characters that graced the pages in Alison's book. I am very excited to read more of her work and will highly recommend The Wedding People to others!

Thank you to NetGalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Wedding People was eye-opening in best possible way.

It was crazy to read to how different stories of different people tie together with a wedding in the middle and all the crazy repercussions, along with all the different meanings behind some of it too.

The only thing I have to complain about is, the writing style was not my favorite and sometimes I would have to re-read a sentence or paragraph again to get what the author or characters were trying to say.

4.5 stars

Phoebe’s self pity party was a bit much in the beginning, but I found her turnaround to be very comforting. I love when a woman comes to realize the value in herself and stops giving a shit about the perception of others.

This story made me think of many of the obscure relationships I’ve formed throughout my life that had much more impact than I would have ever anticipated. Nostalgic in a sense.

Five, Very Big, Laughter Filled, Stars!!!
This book is delightful. That’s what I kept thinking as I read it. I was emotionally invested from the first chapter. I laughed so hard! It is hard to explain why I loved this so much. I just felt everything the characters were feeling in such a real way. There are points to this book which are so important for us, as humans, to learn as soon as we can in our lives. The most important one is not to get lost in pretending to be someone you’re not just to make people like you. It never works! It makes us miserable and no one really likes us, because they can’t see us. Also, never settle.
I don’t want to give anything away about the plot. I went in blind and I think that’s was the best way. Just let it unfold. I have a really good feeling that this book will win awards. It’s so good. So, so good. This is one to be reread, and I will.

Thank you Holt and NetGalley for this wonderful experience.

A good book, a nice read. The story is interesting, and the author writes beautifully. I wanted to know what was going to happen, and I loved what occurred at the end. 4/5

I loved everything about this story. I laughed a lot, cried, got philosophical and thoroughly enjoyed all the characters. Without giving anything away, this story will hook you from the first chapter. I loved the ambiguity of the ending but also how you know it’s going to work out the way it should for all of them. This book was so much more than I expected and a complete pleasure to read. Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC. When this book is released, do not hesitate. This is a story that will stick with you for a long time.

Phoebe Stone arrives in beautiful Newport, Rhodesia Island to escape from life. Her life is in shambles but a huge wedding is happening. They think she is part of the party. She ends up becoming friends with the bride and one thing after other occurs. This was a fun read that had many twists and turns. This book will be a great book club discussion book on so many levels.

Phoebe decides that she is done. Post pandemic her husband abruptly announces that he is in love with another woman (their friend) and leaves her. She struggles to return to face to face teaching as an English adjunct. She can’t write - she has been trying and failing to convert her PhD thesis into a book for years, and so she can’t land a full professorship. After a long and discouraging day she returns home to find her cat dead. Phoebe books an outrageously expensive room in the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Isand and intends to end her life there. Instead she finds the rest of the Inn booked for Lila’s wedding. Lila is appalled at her presence there and her plans for suicide - how that would ruin her perfect wedding! What follows is touching and funny.

I have all kinds of reasons to love this book. Like Phoebe I was an English teacher. All the literary references, metaphors, etc. were spot on for me and added another level to my reading. But note - if you are not a lover of the classics, the book would read just as well, and who knows, Espach might just lure you into some additional reading. I love a good wedding, reading about them, seeing them on TV, and so on. Quite honestly I am fascinated with the setting. I have long been fascinated by the Vanderbilts and the gilded age, so much here to read and wonder about. I have never really stayed at such a swanky place and the depiction of it is just so funny…someday. I love character driven novels, and Phoebe is just so incredibly illustrated here. The author does a remarkable job of showing not telling. I find Phoebe’s journey 100% believable. Espach creates a lovely cast of wedding people to surround her. Lila is so annoying, but hard not to love. Her family and friends are well drawn. We even get to know the inn staff just a bit. She juggles a number of people with ease, and I began to feel like I knew them all by the time I was done. I also appreciated the incredible tightline Espach walked on between sorrowful angst and humorous ironies.

Phoebe’s journey just absolutely touched something in me. While my marriage is intact, I can relate to much of what Phoebe struggles with in the sense that she has lost her way. She has been a people pleaser and is just exhausted with it and finding that such behavior has not really brought her to her goals or to a sense of happiness. Anybody who has made big changes will appreciate her sadness and rejoice in the changes her experience at the inn and with these people bring. I am in the middle of big changes. Sometimes I feel so stuck in my patterns and the place where my choices brought me…not unhappy, just a bit unsettled. As I work to change, the example of Phoebe’s growth is a gift. And for me - her analyses in light of the literature that she loved (used to love? still loves in a different way?) was a delightful bonus for me. And certainly the idea that the literature we love can shape our point of view resonates with me. I have to explore that further in my own life to be sure. If you are in a place of change - forced or needed - give The Wedding People by Alison Espach a read. You will appreciate the insight and the hope. If you just love a good book that will make you chuckle and introduce you to some fine fictional folks, give it a read too!

A fabulous tale and a perfect beach read! Memorable, fascinating characters. Humorous. Well plotted. Thought provoking and insightful. And transportive to its appealing setting at a luxury resort by the ocean in Newport, Rhode Island. This beautifully crafted novel will surely be one of the hottest books of Summer ‘24.

Many thanks to Henry Holt and Co. and NetGalley for a complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

This was really relatable and utterly sweet.

I loved the underlying themes of loss and life not going to plan, and then finding new friends/purpose and somehow learning to enjoy the ride.

Not usually a fan of the "so-and-so decides to kill themselves but then a series of events or meeting a particular person helps them to realize the beauty in their unique life" genre, but I requested the arc because I kept hearing buzz about The Wedding People. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth and complexity of the characters - even those beyond the main characters - and the unique plot. Some parts, particularly at the beginning, were not the easiest read. Espach captured the unique experience of being human and navigating various types of relationships. I particularly liked the way the ending was handled.