I have mixed emotions about The Wedding People - I enjoyed reading, but the theme of suicide is always a tough one for me. Here's the set up: Phoebe, the main character, has suffered from depression and has made the decision to end her life. Over the past few years she has suffered infertility, miscarriage, her husband's infidelity, and the end of her marriage. Her career as an adjunct professor is in a stalemate - she is unable to finish her dissertation. When her beloved cat dies, Phoebe becomes focused on a plan to end her life. She chooses a beautiful Newport hotel, does not pack a bag, and flies off to her destination.
Once at the exclusive hotel and booked in the Penthouse, Phoebe discovers that literally every other guest is there for a wedding between a young socialite named Lila and her doctor finance, Gary. Lila and Phoebe meet, and of course Lila is aghast at Phoebe's plans - feeling that her suicide, no matter how discreet, will ruin her elaborate wedding.
After talking, and Phoebe's failed attempt at suicide (after taking her cat's pain killers???). the two form a friendship - sharing secrets, fears, and truths. I don't want to give too much plot away - it's better to go in cold. Despite the suicide theme, there are many funny moments. Some frank talk about sex and sexuality as well. I do get frustrated at these books (Think a Man Called One) where a suicidal person gets in a new situation, meets new people, and POOF - their depression and suicidal thoughts are gone. Some very unlikely plot lines, too - but I went along for the ride. A good read for the middle of summer. I did a combination of audio book (solid narrator) and digital ARC - thank you Netgalley.

Publishing July 30th

After several failed attempts at IVF, an early pregnancy loss, her husband leaving her for a close friend with a child, and her beloved cat dying, Phoebe decides she's had enough of this life. In the middle of a workday, she leaves to travel to a place she's never been, a splurge hotel she'd envisioned as her happy place for ages.
Arriving at the hotel, Phoebe is initially mistaken as a wedding guest until she meets the bride, Lila. Lila is young and wealthy and has planned every aspect of her perfect wedding week, and she's not about to let Phoebe ruin it by dying. Somehow, these two women find the comfort of sharing their hopes, disappointments, and regrets. And as the wedding week continues, they learn to be more present for themselves and to find their own paths.
These characters were rich and complex, and so very easy to love.
The narration by Helen Laser was impeccable.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for this Audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Love it!
I listened to the audio version. The narrator was excellent!
This book was so well written, the characters so developed.
I fell in love with each and every character in the book.
This book touches on so many deep and painful topics such as infidelity, death, suicide, infertility just to name a few. The characters struggle with the meaning of life and what “happiness” truly means.

Thanks for this eArc Netgalley and Macmillan Audio!

Welp, that was something. Best way to describe it is absurdist black comedy, I think. And it’s fantastic!

Phoebe shows up at the Rhode Island’s Cornwall Inn dressed to the nines, carrying nothing with her. She’d once dreamed of spending time at the extravagant hotel with her husband, but they’re not married anymore, so she arrives alone, for one last hurrah.

Phoebe is going to kill herself. (I struggled with whether or not to include this but it happens in the opening pages and I don’t consider it a spoiler.)

In the lobby, it’s assumed she is one of the wedding people and is quickly swept up into all of it.

And that’s because the rest of the estate has been rented out to Lila, a bride with bottomless pockets and a lot on her mind.

In fact, Lila has planned everything and planned for everything - except Phoebe.

Without apology or authority, Lila refuses to let Phoebe ruin her wedding with a suicide, knocking on the door of her suite and just…never really leaving.

Phoebe quickly gets caught up in the intricacies and dramas of the wedding people over the course of the week. In fact, she befriends first the groom, then his preteen daughter, and ends up as maid of honor to Lila.

Following a symbolic death, it’s a rebirth for Phoebe. As she watches the utter craziness of wedding preparations, she’s able to gain perspective of her own life and what she wants.

And it’s delicious in a way you wouldn’t expect a novel that begins with the threat of a suicide to be.

The narration by Helen Laser is perfect. She’s able to capture both the despair and the humor, darkly chuckling when the narrative calls for it, whimpering in quiet tones at others.

I loved this one. Went in blind, left feeling all the better for having walked beside both Phoebe and Lila.

Thanks to @netgalley and @macmillanaudio for the early audiobook to read and review. This one comes out July 30, 2024.

Phoebe checks into a luxury hotel which she has chosen as her "happy place," in order to commit suicide. She ends up meeting the bride and is included in the "wedding week" festivities.

This is an interesting premise, and the narrator does a great job, but I feel this book is too lighthearted for a suicide topic. Suicide is a dark, deep , devastating thing. I would have liked to see less wedding-related activities and delve more into Phoebe and her thoughts at that time.

Overall, though, it is an enjoyable read. I think I would have liked it better if suicide wasn't even part of it.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from Macmillan Audio. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was wonderful. I loved the characters and humor even amidst the seriousness of some of the book. Some of it was predictable but always with an additional twist that I didn’t see coming. I loved this one and will look for more by the author. Highly recommend!

Loved this one.

There’s a wonderful rhythm to Alison Espach’s writing. I was drawn into this book right away and didn’t want it to end!

The Wedding People is perfectly paced. I Loved the setting, the structure of the story, and especially the character development. None of the characters in this book are great people, yet I was somehow rooting for all of them by the end. They’re layered and complicated in ways I found both entertaining and relatable. Phoebe, the protagonist, delivers the perfect amount of sarcasm. Chef’s kiss.

This book is funny without the dumb wit and emotional without the cheese. Highly recommend.

4.5 rounded up to 5.

Best book I have read this year, and I don't fee presumptuous saying it will be in top 10 of the last few years. Loved the characters, the theme, the pacing, the narration, all of it. 5 well deserved stats. Bravo.

🍾 The Wedding People - Alison Espach

3.75 ⭐️ - Part of me didn’t like this one as much as I wanted to, but also I did enjoy it? I’ve been feeling a little undecided since I finished. It’s very character driven with wonderful messages, so maybe it’s just a me thing?

I enjoyed this one. There were some parts that felt wordy or lost my attention but overall it’s good. I could really relate too - I’m in my “wedding people” era as I’ve been in lots of friends weddings, especially recently. It was funny to “hear” about it from an outsiders point of view as the wedding people run around for a week before trying to make sure everything is perfect. I’ve been there. But aside from that, the messages in this book are really important. Finding things in life that make us happy, that drive us to keep going, is so important. Anyone who needs that, needs to read this book.

Thank you Netgalley, Henry Holt, and Macmillan Audio for the early ARC and listener copies. This one walks down the aisle on 7/30!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook. A ridiculously expensive 6 day destination wedding rented out an entire resort only for the guests but Phoebe somehow got a reservation and was moved into all the hoopla. Overall fun characters great narration.

Wow, I really loved “The Wedding People” by Alison Espach, skillfully narrated by Helen Laser. I can see why this book is getting so much buzz. A great summer read about an adjunct literature professor, Phoebe Stone, who goes to Newport, RI, planning to end her life after some great disappointments. She winds up being the only guest at a hotel who is not there for a lavish wedding. Phoebe’s unlikely friendship with the bride Lila is a heartwarming and laugh-out-loud funny tale. Great side characters including the groom Gary and his daughter "Juice." Is it too much to hope for a sequel? Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the eARC.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan for the free ALC. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I was very surprised how well this one turned out. I was very close to throwing in the towel and dnf it but kept going and I'm glad I did I loved the twists I loved the turns I poved the characters and the entire plot worked for me.

This book belongs on my shelf

5/5☆

Phoebe, depressed and unsure what to do with life, goes to the Cornwall Inn to take her life. While there she accidentally gets mistaken as a guest for the wedding that has taken over the hotel. She develops a connection with the bride Lilah and associated “Wedding People”. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

This book was cute and the characters were very likable. I found myself rooting for everyone (except Matt). I loved seeing Phoebe’s transformation but I found the book predictable. There were a few surprises but I saw the end coming a mile away. Still an enjoyable book and great summer read!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy of this book!

Phoebe checks into a hotel with nothing but a pocket full of her dead cat’s pain killers, ready to end her life. She’s the only guest who is not a member of a week long wedding celebration, of which she finds herself quickly embedded within. Surrounded by “wedding people” - chaos ensues. This book was an absolute delight. Funny and touching. Perfect summer read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audiobook. I've already heard great things about this book, but I was hesitant as fair warning, it starts out with a woman who is going to commit suicide. Well, do not let that turn you off from reading this book. This book is amazing. Although, yes, Pheobe Stone is checking into the grand hotel as the only guest NOT part of the wedding as she only there to commit suicide, this book is SO MUCH MORE than that. This book is at parts HILARIOUS. Let me just say, that poor vintage car.... I'm still laughing. And at parts, yes, tearful and extremely moving. And at parts, this book makes you realize that the people around you can really affect you, good AND bad. This book was SO GOOD and so much more than I expected. Will be thinking about this one for a while and I definitely re-read this again.

Phoebe has arrived at her end. She finds herself at the end of divorce and checked into a hotel with no bags and the intent to end her life. To her surprise, she is the only hotel guest NOT there for the apparent wedding of the year. Who does she accidentally share her plan with? The bride! The bride is quick to insist she can’t do this on her special wedding weekend. She makes it her mission to save her wedding, and hopefully a life too.

Phoebe and the bride quickly find themselves quick friends and phoebe gets invited to partake in wedding events. She even meets a man in the hot tub that she finally feels interest in since her ex husband. The only problem? You guessed it… he’s the groom.

This is such a feel good book with some sadness, some comedy, etc. I very much related to Phoebe’s life planning, spreadsheet organizing self. Narration was 10/10!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First, I want to say that once this book started, I had to keep going. I had to see how Phoebe's story ended. I listened to this book via audio, and I just want to say that the narrator was EXCELLENT. This book needed an excellent narrator to navigate the reader through the dark moments and into the humor and all the personalities of the guests in The Wedding People.
This book deals with depression and suicide in the beginning, but do not get bogged down in that. The dark humor from the start of Phoebe's inner dialogue will have you chuckling for sure.
Phoebe the main character is suffering from depression, a failed marriage, infertility issues, and feels like she doesn't want to be in this world. Phoebe travels to a luxury hotel on the ocean front of Rhode Island to spend her last days at, but she does not know that the wedding that is taking place at the hotel will change her life.

I knew this book was funny when Phoebe refers to the gossiping wedding duo of high bun and neck pillow. I laughed out loud! Phoebe's inner dialogue with herself about the characters is hilarious. Then Phoebe meets the bridezilla Laylah on the elevator who is so self-absorbed and has spent a million dollars on this wedding. Laylah wants to know who Phoebe is and why is she in the wedding hotel that is only supposed to have her guests. She also wants to know how Phoebe has been able to get the best beach patio view in the hotel too.
Phoebe is then immersed into the wedding of Gary and Phoebe. You will chuckle as we learn who high bun, neck pillow, Jim, Juice, Marla, and Phoebe's mother. These wedding guests have all kinds of issues and Phoebe realizes that everyone wants to tell her their story. I really enjoyed this book, and the ending is what really pushed me to five stars. I had to re-listen to the last chapter twice.
If you're a fan of Chick Lit, literary fiction, humor and contemporary romance this is your book.
Thank you Net galley; Macmillian audio, and Henty Holt & Co for the opportunity to listen to this arc. If you are a fan of audiobooks like me this is a very good one to listen too. I highly recommend. Also, I love the cover!

I loved this so much, I had to reread on audio! The narration was fantastic and made me love the story even more, which I didn’t think was possible. Helen Laser’s performance was so moving and infused with humor, tenderness, and immense warmth.

Espach’s writing is sharp, insightful, and deeply human in this story of how moments with strangers can become a catalyst to change our lives, to start anew, to provide the hope and connection we might desperately be searching for, and to give us the permission to feel everything and be ourselves.

Through these characters, Espach dives into the conversation of how it’s hard to be a person at times- how waking up, completing the same tasks, and just existing can feel daunting when we’re also juggling all feelings of being alive. How loneliness, even when in the company of others, can be overwhelming and consuming, and that we’re all at some point seeking connection and the chance to be heard, validated, and seen. I thought the wedding setting worked so well for this story because it was a melding of different personalities and pasts where the characters could let their guards down - it can be easier to open up and share your insecurities, deepest feelings and desires with strangers than it is with friends and family closest to you.

The Wedding People speaks to the power of small gestures and interactions with strangers. Sometimes we forget how these seemingly small, inconsequential actions can create ripples that impact our lives and those around us. I loved how Espach shared personal experiences in the acknowledgments and mentions the interactions had with people in airports, coffee shops, and on planes where they took a moment to acknowledge her existence, made her laugh, and shared a smile.

This story was heavy at times, but it was also incredibly hopeful filled with many moments of heart and humor that were affirming, vulnerable, and honest. I truly loved this story, and this collection of strangers turned friends were such wonderful company to spend time with, get to know, and bear witness to their lives and stories.

I listened to the Audio book and from word-one it was perfect. Great story, packed with a great cast of characters, a ton of laughs and a great ending.

This book was not exactly what I was expecting. I was expecting the female friendship and the self reflection elements, however I think this book could do with a trigger warning about suicide. Maybe there is/will be one, but the audio version I listened to did not. I thought it was very jarring when Phoebe declared that she was there to kill herself. It made me feel like "this is not what I signed up for" and made me question if I wanted to continue reading the book. In the end, I did finish the book and I did enjoy the characters and their growth. Ultimately, this book is about regular people just being people and learning about themselves and what they want. I would still recommend this book, as long as you know what you're getting yourself into.