“The Wedding People” by Alison Espach is the story of a woman who is at a very low point in her life and can’t see a way out. She finds herself in Newport at hotel that is fully booked for a wedding, she being the only person there that wasn’t an invited wedding guest. She meets the bride who is happily at the high point of her life. The journey that follows is about their unusual friendship which is very unexpected and moving. There are many life lessons in this book but I found it to be sad, possibly only my view of the issues but that is the reason for the 3 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really, really enjoyed this book! There are some trigger warnings involved: infertility, infidelity, depression, death, suicide, loss of a parent, and loss of a spouse. However, I thought these topics were handled beautifully.
Phoebe is an English professor who is struggling with infertility and depression. When she finds herself divorced and at a loss for how to keep going, she ends up at a stunning resort. Little does Phoebe know, there’s a wedding taking place while she’s there. After a chance run in with the bride, Phoebe’s plans change quickly. Lila, the bride, finds herself drawn to Phoebe while also worried about her, as she seems to be one of the only honest people with her. They form a strange, yet important, bond. With Phoebe, Lila finds herself needing to be honest with herself and what she wants. Lila’s soon to be husband Gary, who is a widower, has his own interesting story line that includes Jim (his best man), his daughter Juice, and his quirky sister, Marla. All of them are going through a hard time and trying to find happiness in this time in their lives. I truly just loved this story and the characters. They are all struggling and trying to find themselves in different ways. All searching for healing and I enjoyed every second of it. I truly adore the way Alison writes and this book will be one on my shelf! The Wedding People will be published July 30, 2024 so make sure you preorder!! Thank you so much to Holt Publishing and NetGalley for my ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own!!

We had our first winter snowstorm yesterday and I was lucky enough to have the perfect book to read during the storm. I intended to read The Wedding People for an hour or so and then put it down to do something constructive, but instead, I sat and read all day. That rarely happens but The Wedding People was unputdownable for me.

It's the story of Phoebe who has reached what she feels is the nadir in her life and Lila who thinks she is at her zenith. These two intersect at the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, along with other realistic and interesting characters, and the results are intriguing. This isn't a cutesy wedding story, but rather one about people trying their best, sometimes falling on their faces, and trying again. There is just the right amount of well-placed humor and great dialogue in the author's well-paced plot. I requested the book from NetGalley because I liked the cover and even Espach's acknowledgments were a pleasure to read. See what I mean about The Wedding People being the perfect book? I was not familiar with the author before reading this novel but I was glad to see that she has written others, and I've already started Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Co. and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. The Wedding People will be published on July 30, 2024.

I really loved this darkly funny book. It takes place in Newport Rhode Island, the state I grew up in, it’s always fun to read about places you know well. It was more than just your average “rom-com” with really great writing and a lot of insightful messages. I want to know what happens next!

I was hoping for a light read set during a wedding reception. What I got was a main character planning her suicide. It was very dark. I also didn’t care for the lack of chapter titles. I didn’t realize that I need to know the next chapter is starting. Not my favorite novel. I was rooting for Phoebe but she was a bit boring.

Unexpectedly just what I needed!
Though this is what I'd classify as an 'easy read,' there was more depth to it than I bargained for. Phoebe was an extremely relatable and likeable character. The other characters were all also very well developed in their own rite. The scenario of arriving into another social world and leaving Phoebe's old self behind was so easy & fun to dive into (even though her initial intent was not so).
Recommend!

How cute! I loved how adorable this one. It was a journey for the main character and she gained so much strength. You’ll learn lessons and enjoy life in this one.

The Wedding People by Alison Espach is a beautifully written novel and my first by this author. A touching story that is an emotional read, at times sad but with splashes of humor throughout the narrative. The author explores a variety of issues – depression, grief, infertility, infidelity, unfulfilled aspirations, and loss.

The main character Phoebe is so dispirited by life and believes there is nothing left to live for. We meet Phoebe, dressed in her most elegant dress, checking into the regal Cornwall Inn in scenic Newport Rhode Island. Her intention was to go to a place she always wanted to experience before ending it all. She arrived as the hotel was preparing for a six-day long wedding event. As fate would have it, Phoebe shared her plans with the most unlikely person, Lila, the bride to be. Lila had no intention of allowing her million-dollar wedding to be disrupted and tried to distract Phoebe from her plans by involving her in pre-wedding activities.

The Wedding People is perfect and an immensely satisfying read. This book is an interesting look at surviving the traumas of life, the journey of finding yourself and how accidental encounters can emerge as life affirming relationships. I loved watching Phoebe and Lila navigate their newfound relationship and supporting each other along the way even if they didn’t realize this is exactly what they were doing. The writing is solid with engaging characters and great character development. It is a wonderful story about a woman at the lowest point in her life, her journey of self-discovery, and the unexpected relationships that have profoundly impacted her life. I cannot recommend this story enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed The Wedding People quite a bit once I got past the beginning premise, which I didn't love. I considered not finishing this when I was in the first part of the book, because I had a hard time believing this character's actions in the start of this story. The fact that she came to the hotel to kill herself and then told the bride of the wedding her plan and the bride didn't tell anyone or do anything to stop her except to tell her not to do it because it would ruin her wedding...seemed like comedy. But the way that Alison Espach masterfully writes the minutia of human interactions and motivations made it not actually read like comedy...So, while tragicomedy is one of my favorite sub-genres, the start of this book didn't read that way for me. Instead, it felt like an unbelievable premise (especially since, as the reader, we never actually feel like there's a chance she's going to go through with it) with some funny lines here and there. That said...Once we get through the first night and it's clear that Phoebe herself no longer takes her suicide plan seriously, the story begins to take off. Espach is truly gifted at the precise ways she writes characters' motivations and everyday conversations. I do think the satirical aspects of the writing began to shine here, as many of the characters were almost caricatures of themselves (which felt real, because people on vacations, at weddings, and at family reunions are often exaggerated versions of themselves - and here we have people experiencing all three of these things at once!). I was invested in the characters and the happy endings for everyone that I wanted to see play out, but I thought it could have been considerably shorter for what it was. I adored Alison Espach's last book, Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, so I was excited for this one. While this one didn't have anywhere close to the emotional heft as that one, this one was a fun departure into more of a comedic style alongside her signature wisdom and insights into the human condition.

Enjoyable. Introspective. Some topics were on the heavier side. I did not get through the book as easily as I normally do. I almost DNF. I had to restart several times. It was OK but not fantastic

3.5
Thank you, NetGalley and Henry Holt, for the advanced copy of this book.
The cover and the description of this book pulled me in. From the description it seemed this would be a fun, fast paced rom com and it did get there.... But if I'm being completely honest the first 20% of this book was hard to get through. I was not expecting the book to start in such a dark emotional place. I was not in the right headspace to read this book initially so I almost a DNF'd (which I have never done before). Expecting a rom-com and being plunged into a narrative of suicidal depression with no warning was frustrating.

Overall I am glad I finished as it did become such a beautiful story. It was very well written. The characters are relatable and I felt like I knew each one. Alison did a great job setting the scene and making you feel connected to the story.

I never gave much thought to "trigger warnings" but I feel that this book should have one or at least have the blurb include something to tip off the reader.

This book deals with some of the heaviest topics but manages to convey so much warmth and wit. Phoebe has dealt with, among other things, infertility and infidelity, and goes to a fancy resort in Newport, RI, only to unexpectedly find herself entangled in the “wedding people” of Lila and Gary’s million-dollar wedding. I loved how all of these characters were allowed to be multi-dimensional people with relationships and interactions that feel lived-in and real. What a beautiful, life-affirming story that deftly avoids being corny or over-sentimental and treats all of its characters with such loving care.

What a read! I was intrigued by the title and cover of the book, and immediately hooked by the beginning. The subject of depression, suicide, and mental health can be tricky, and author Alison Espach handled the subject matter with care and grace crafting a funny and thought-provoking novel. It’s interesting how Espach takes us through Phoebe’s time at the wedding; it unravels almost like a mystery getting the different perspectives of the different people at the wedding and keeps you on your toes to see what will happen at the end of the week for Phoebe. The main characters growth and slowly gaining confidence feels earned and never feels rushed. The writing style Espach uses lends to the kind of inner monologue Phoebe has, highly intelligent and a classic overthinker.

This is a good read for readers who like a story of character growth and unraveling the relationships between people.

I loved this book! Yes, there was a bit of romance in it, but it focuses more on the female relationships. I didn't know what to expect going into this, but I will totally recommend this book to others. The ending was great, and I'm so glad the author didn't rush the relationships that were developing at that point. This was a book, I couldn't;t put down, and find myself thinking of the characters still.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for the ARC for an honest review!

Alison Espach writes a smart, propulsive novel about finding your way out of the dark.

We open to Pheobe Stone, professor, 19th century literature specialist checking into the famed Cornwall Hotel in Newport, Rhode Island. Dressed in a green formal gown and no luggage, she checks in. Her entire goal is to stay one night and kill herself after experiencing a crushing infertility journey, her spouse's infidelity with a close friend, and her divorce.

The lobby is abuzz with wedding guests as we learn that the entire hotel is booked for the wedding. She is the only guest not involved in the ceremony. Deeply funny and poignant, Phoebe is enveloped into this cast of characters and the result is masterful.

What I adored:
As aforementioned, the cast of characters were delightful, Lila and Gary. Peter. Marla. Juice. They were all fun and learned from themselves.
The blunt notion of mental health and grief was handled beautifully. More than just Pheobe struggled with this-- from many different angles.
The location of Newport was fun to explore with our characters.

Thankyou to NetGalley and HenryHolt for the advanced reader copy in exchange for a fair review. Wedding People debuts July 30, 2024.

I read this on a 4 hour flight. I assumed it would be a straight up romance book, but it was so much more.

Our protagonist - Phoebe - comes to an island and a beautiful hotel to grieve. Unfortunately she picks a weekend when a wedding is taking place and every guest aside from herself is a guest of the wedding. Lila the bride seems unsure about marriage and befriends Phoebe. Im using the word befriend loosely here.

At various points, I thought I knew where the story was going but the author showed remarkable insight and did not lead her characters down a predictable path.

It was a slow burn and I truly enjoyed savoring the story.

I thought this book was going to be a light and funny romcom.

It was not, to my surprise it was pretty dark, which I wasn’t mad about.

Unfortunately, at about 50% thru I started scanning the page for any to it of information that I could find, hoping something would peak my interest. Nothing did.

Sadly, this is a 2 star book for me and I feel like I’m being generous.

Wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but ended up loving it. Well written, great mix of characters, and lots of themes that hit close to home.

An easy dry, funny read. Reading Phoebe’s story unfold has surprises, laughs & some heart-warming human connections.

Phoebe has gone to the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island to end her life. After a divorce and struggles with infertility she feels hopeless. When she arrives she realizes she has inadvertently crashed a wedding weekend and she bonds with the bride, meets new people, develops new relationships and figures out how to start her life all over again. It’s funny and moving and relatable and I really connected with all of the characters. I enjoyed the ride. I would love to see this turned into a movie.