"𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺?" ~𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙚

From the moment Frank answers Maggie’s phone call - his seemingly quiet life becomes upended indefinitely. They haven’t spoken in years and yet all of a sudden, here she is extending an olive branch in the form of a wedding invitation. While Frank is beside himself with joy, he is also hesitant in many ways. It was a whirlwind romance according to Maggie but there are things that don’t sit right with him. When Frank finally meets Aidan - he is perplexed. He seems nice enough but Aidan is a man of few words and incredibly distant. Maggie’s soon to be in-laws also show no desire to meet before the wedding. Each time a question is answered - another question presents itself!

Frank wants nothing more than to reconcile with his only daughter but it comes at the cost of compromising his character and going against every parental instinct he has especially when he discovers Maggie has secrets too!

❥Frank is only a couple of years older than me and while my oldest son is 3 years younger than Maggie - I completely understood his willingness to do anything to have a relationship with her. He struggles with trying not to be “𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙧” or “𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙙 𝙜𝙪𝙮” - and any parent knows how challenging this can be but when it walks like a duck…well.☠︎︎

This was a wild ride with plot twists galore! I absolutely loved this story! It’s very different from Hidden Pictures but I enjoyed it just as much! @jasonrekulak is my new auto-buy author!

Rating: 4.5 stars

The Last One at The Wedding
Jason Rekulak
In The Last One at the Wedding, we meet Frank Szatowski, a widower, an employee of UPS, the father of Maggie; he is a grouchy male desperate to make amends with his daughter. After several years of no contact, he receives a phone call from Maggie, telling him she is getting married and inviting him to the wedding at Osprey Cove, New Hampshire. Osprey Cove was formerly a summer camp. There is a lodge and several smaller cottages. The compound is surround by a forest. Of course, Frank wants to help with the cost of the wedding, but Maggie is marrying Aiden, the son of the very wealthy Errol Gardner. The Gardners insist on paying for the three day wedding extravaganza and holding it at their private estate.
Frank receives a mysterious letter and a photograph in the mail before the wedding. Frank, his sister, Tammy and her foster child, Abigail stop in town before heading to the estate. They quickly realize a lot of the citizens are not fond of the Gardners. When they arrive at the compound, they are forced to sign a 56-page NDA. Everywhere Frank turns he sees red flags telling him his daughter is making a big mistake. There is a missing girl, a murder, the mother of the groom that rarely shows her face at the wedding due to migraines, and a hoard of grandaddy long legs.
I didn’t care for any of the characters except Abigail. Frank was constantly fussing at Abigail and Tammy. I didn’t like the way Frank talked or treated Abigail. He refused to ask for any help no matter what! He came across as bullheaded and a man that was insecure. Tammy seemed to come across as a know it all. Abigail was a little girl with lice and an eating disorder. Maggie is cold. I could not figure out why she invited Frank to the wedding when she didn’t really seem to want him there. Aiden is secretive and not trustworthy. The Gardners were wealthy snobs. The staff were very protective of the Gardners.
Thank you NetGalley for providing a review copy.

Jason Rekulak's The Last One at the Wedding is perfectly twisty. Unlike his last book, Hidden Pictures, this one isn't "scary" in the traditional sense, but it's more character driven, focusing on UPS driver Frank Szatowski, who just wants to be a part of his daughter, Maggie's, life. When he's invited to her wedding after a period of estrangement, he sees it at a chance to repair the relationship. No spoilers, but it doesn't go quite the way he hoped, and I found myself listening at every available opportunity. I just had to know. After loving both Hidden Pictures and The Last One at the Wedding, Jason Rekulak has become one of my newest must-read authors.

This book is a suspenseful tale of a father trying to save his daughter from a life-altering decision. Maggie is marrying into a wealthy family, and she wants to reconnect with her father Frank after being estranged for several years. Frank is ecstatic, and determined to finally make things right. Frank arrives to find that the wedding is at a private estate. Feeling desperately out of place, Frank focuses on reconnecting with Maggie and getting to know her new family. But it’s difficult: her fiancé is withdrawn and evasive; Maggie doesn’t seem to have time for him; and he finds that the locals are disturbingly hostile to the whole family. Frank needs to know more about this family his daughter is marrying into. What I liked was the fresh perspective where the protagonist was the brides father and the stuff that happens at the secluded estate is just the beginning of the mystery behind what is really going on.

This was so much fun. I loved the dad and his sister, the little girl, all the characters were very relatable. It was quite light up until 50% ish, it build up tension slowly which I appreciated, because it wasn't super tense all the time. as I said, Dad had a lot of heart warming moments, some funny ones too. Really enjoyed this one. Recommend to anyone wanting a mystery that is not too dark or too heavy.
Also: the narrator is very good, since the story is quite linear, you won't get lost with the audiobook. I usually can't read a book solely on audio but I did with this one and I don't feel I lost anything or that my attention drifted, which is very rare to me.

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak is not the type of thriller that will have you hiding under the covers, but it's jaw-dropping enough to keep you glued to the pages.

This is an absolute treat as an audiobook, and I highly recommend listening to it! Narrated by John Pirhalla, his voice brings Frank Szatowski's character to life, capturing every bit of the emotion and tension in this gripping family drama-meets-thriller.

Frank Szatowski finally gets a call from his estranged daughter, Maggie, after three years of radio silence—what’s the occasion? Her wedding! Excited to mend their broken relationship, Frank shows up at a secluded luxury estate only to realize Maggie is marrying into some serious money.

Think tech-billionaire money.

Naturally, Frank feels like a fish out of water, but things get weirder when the groom-to-be, Aidan, turns out to be more evasive than mysterious, and the locals treat the family like they’re harboring dark secrets.

The tension builds as Frank figures out if his daughter's fiancé is shady or just socially awkward. And then—boom—a cryptic letter warns Frank not to trust Aidan because his ex-girlfriend vanished under suspicious circumstances. Is Frank's fatherly protectiveness spinning out of control, or is he onto something? The twists sneak up on you, and it’s impossible not to feel like something sinister is lurking just beneath the surface.

Pirhalla's narration adds so much to the atmosphere, making every twist feel even more intense. The pacing is perfect, and while the tension builds slowly, it keeps you wanting more right up until the end. If you’re into audiobooks that blend family drama with suspense, this is one you don’t want to miss!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me an audio ARC of the latest book by Jason Rekulak, perfectly narrated by John Pirhalla. I loved Rekulak’s debut book, The Impossible Fortress, and somehow missed reading Hidden Pictures (I’ll rectify that mistake soon!). All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars rounded up!

Frank is a UPS driver whose wife died, leaving him to raise their daughter, Maggie, mostly by himself, with the help of his sister. But an incident three years ago caused a rift between father and daughter, that no amount of trying on Frank’s part has been able to resolve. Out of the blue, Maggie contacts him to tell him that she’s getting married and she wants him at her upcoming wedding in New Hampshire. She doesn’t immediately mention that she’s marrying Aidan Gardner, the son of a tech billionaire. When he arrives at the exclusive wedding at their secluded compound, with his daughter and her foster child in tow, there are lots of red flags and uncomfortable moments. But Frank is desperate to make things right with Maggie and not lose her again.

This is definitely a slow burn but gripping mystery with plenty of twists and turns. You can’t help but feel for Frank who’s trying so hard to things right again with Maggie. There are plenty of family secrets on both sides of the aisle that will leave you shocked. Full of characters that will divide easily between those you love and those you hate, I couldn’t put down this domestic suspense book. It’s atmospheric, complete with creepy crawlies, and a remote setting.

HAPPY PUB DAY!!!!!!

Big thanks to both NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC copy of Rekulak's newest work!

Unfortunately this was mediocre for me. I wanted so badly to love this, but it is almost identical to another book I recently watched the show adaptation for, so I just could not get on board with it. I knew what was coming, the characters were bland and the story just did not keep me intrigued enough.

I can appreciate the ending and how certain things turned out for certain characters, but I disliked most of the characters. I don't think I really enjoyed the relationships in this one either.

As always, the audio was done really well. I appreciated the tones and could feel some of the passion, but it wasn't enough to push me into loving this one.
Lots of people have really enjoyed it, so I would say check it out for yourself. It just unfortunately did not work out for me as much as I'd hoped.

So different from Hidden Pictures, in a very good way.
Some characters were well developed, while others had many secrets. The main character injected humor into the story.

I really enjoyed this one! The narrator kept me engaged and wanting more from beginning to end! I loved seeing the growth of Frank over time. From being in denial and blinded by the love for his daughter, to his openness to new love and seeing her true colors. This was such an enjoyable ride and cannot recommend it enough!

When I discovered that Jason Rekulak, the author of one of my last year’s five-star read “Hidden Pictures,” was releasing a new novel in October just in time for spooky season, I rushed to NetGalley to request it. I was so thrilled to be approved for the audiobook!

“The Last One at the Wedding” is narrated from Frank’s perspective, and the first half of the book delves into his fragile relationship with his estranged daughter, Maggie. After years of silence, Frank receives an unexpected call from Maggie inviting him to her wedding at a luxurious campground. Maggie is marrying Aiden, the son of a wealthy family that owns a tech company as well as the campgrounds who have unsettling ties to a woman’s disappearance. As Frank grapples with his feelings of denial regarding Maggie, he becomes determined to uncover the truth about both Aiden’s family and the missing woman.

The second half of the book is packed with revelations and plot twists, and unexpected scenarios that genuinely caught me off guard.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the intricate plot and the twists that unfolded. The story feels contemporary and realistic, with characters who resonate deeply, especially Frank. He is a father caught in a constant struggle to gain his daughter’s approval while trying to do the right thing, which adds layers to his character and shows how complicated family matters can be.

The storyline keeps you guessing for the truth till the very end!

In comparison, “Hidden Pictures” leans more toward a creepy thriller, while “The Last One at the Wedding” is a gripping murder mystery.

Audiobook Review: Narrator John Pirhalla did an exceptional job capturing Frank’s voice and personality. His smooth narration made the story feel authentic and engaging. I would rate the narration five stars.

P.S. I can’t shake the feeling that both books might be connected in some way—though it’s probably just me being delulu lol !!

The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak is a heartwarming and bittersweet story about love, second chances, and the unexpected twists of life. Set during a chaotic wedding weekend, the novel follows a cast of flawed yet endearing characters as they navigate unresolved feelings, hidden desires, and life-altering decisions. Rekulak’s sharp, witty writing brings humor and warmth to the story, while also capturing the emotional weight of pivotal moments. The blend of lighthearted banter and poignant reflection makes for an engaging read that balances both fun and depth. The Last One at the Wedding is a charming exploration of love’s unpredictability and the power of human connection.

I loved Hidden Pictures, one of my favorite reads from last year. I was excited to see a new book from the author. I’ve seen many mixed reviews and unfortunately, The Last One at the Wedding just didn’t have the “edge of your seat” creepy thriller factors like HP. I liked the premise of the story and actually listened to the whole book in one day because it felt like something big was going to happen. There were several times the potential was there for a big jaw dropping twist but, unfortunately, the few twists that did unfold, while shocking and icky, just didn’t seem to go anywhere.

The story’s genre(s) had my brain all confused which is why I think I didn’t like it as much as I had anticipated. I had pretty high expectations after HP but this was definitely different, not in a bad way, but just know going in that they aren’t comparable. In my mind I was anticipating more thriller, but it was a slow burn mystery suspense with a few heartwarming moments thrown in. It kept my interest, but it left me hoping & wanting more.

There were a lot of unlikable characters due to lack of morals. There were several unhealthy, estranged family relationships, where the term ‘money is the root of all evil’ was clearly portrayed. Ridiculously rich people who thought that they would be safe from the consequences of their actions. The only likable and innocent character I cared for was the foster child.
My heart broke for her because she was pulled from an unstable home to be placed with a foster family who put her into another unstable environment.

The rushed, unresolved ending left me confused and frustrated. I reread the last 2 chapters several times thinking I missed something.

Pirhalla does a fantastic job with the audio narration and helping drive the story as the voice of the MMC. The story is told in first person and is written as if he is talking directly to the reader.

Thank you @NetGalley and @macmillanaudio for the #gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was good and completely different than hidden pictures with no supernatural vibes. I was hooked and finished this in one sitting. The narration was good and he did a good job of making me feel like frank was relatable. This is definitely a slow burn trust no one.

What would you say if I fell in love with a 50 year UPS driver who loves Farmers Omelette from the Waffle House, gets his hair cut at supercuts and and buys fire extinguishers for his daughter? Let's add on top my favorite child character has a bad case of lice, loves Stitch and Math Jokes?

You would say I'm crazy right?

Well I dare you to read this book and NOT fall in love with Frank and Abby! Jason Rekulak absolutely built up the characters in this Domestic Thriller. The story alone was good enough to keep my interest but the characters were what made this a gem of a book.
When I first started I thought Frank was just over protective and desperate but as you work your way through the book and Abby starts to melt Frank's heart I guarantee you too will feel the same way.
Moving on to the actual STORY, it was very interesting, you could smell trouble the second you are invited into Maggie and Aiden's Penthouse Apartment in Boston. Its pretty obvious their relationship is more than just odd. Thankfully UPS Frank has Spidey Dad Senses and tries to find out what is exactly going on.
But as the wedding week approaches and the 300+ Wedding Guest arrive to Aiden's family "Camp" (I love rich people) accidents happen, weird interactions and even people die, tensions build. Will Frank be able to inact his fierce love? Save his daughter from something dangerous......
You must read to find out!
I was surprised at the end at actually how. much I was kinda touched. the transformation and display of parent/child relationship was pretty cool!
If I didnt have a Ted for a dad I would pick a Frank! (but I have Ted- Trumps all other! )

John Pirhalla did a fantastic job narrating this book. His performance alone added a 1/2 star!

All of my thoughts and opinions are my own, I was not influenced or paid for this review. Thank you Net Galley and Jason Rekulak for allowing me to review this advanced audio book of The Last One At the Wedding which publishes October 9, 2024.

The Last One at the Wedding witten by Jason Rekulak is a story that immediately had my undivided attention from the opening chapter. Frank Szatowski had not heard from his daughter in three years when he received a phone call from her relaying surprising news. Upon his visit to see his daughter, subtle perplexing happenings begin to swirl around Maggie. As Frank spends more time with Maggie, Frank realizes these inexplicable occurrences are quickly adding up to equate to a potentially disastrous future for his daughter. Nothing is as it seems and Frank tries to protect Maggie from making what he thinks could be the biggest mistake of her life. Frank tries to discover the unexplained, but unearths (and sees a disturbing event 🫣) layers and layers of one big secret.

I absolutely loved Frank’s character. He is a supportive, hardworking, down to earth father who is trying to rejuvenate his relationship with his daughter. The other characters, such as the Gardner family and their workers/friends, and Tammy, along with her foster child Abigail, were complex and entertaining. This story had it all! A great premise, compelling and mysterious characters, troubling happenings, and shocking events throughout!

I had the pleasure of listening to this novel thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. The narrator, John Pirhalla, was astounding and most impressive! This is the second novel I listened to that Mr. John Pirhalla had narrated. I thought the first time I heard him he was great, but WOW! The accents he created, the change of voices, the expression…I just cannot say enough about his performance throughout the entire novel! He is a narrator I will be looking out for in the future, as I could not get enough! Jason Rekulak imagined and created a great novel, and John Pirhalla knocked his narration out of the park! Well done gentleman. What a winning combination!

The Last One at the Wedding is out for publication Tuesday, October 8, 2024. If you read Hidden Pictures by Rekulak, you will undoubtedly enjoy this next book! #netgalley #macmillanaudio #thelastoneatthewedding #mystery #jasonrekulak #johnpirhalla #fallreads

ARC Review:
3.5⭐️
Excellent narration, but the plot was just okay. I kept expecting to be thrilled or shocked or have huge twists and turns, especially after reading Hidden Pictures, but this just felt like a rich family's secrets/drama, which is exactly what you'd expect in any story like this I suppose.

Thank you MacMillan audio for this ALC.
Audio was great. The story kind of fell flat for me though. I wasn't overly wowed by anything. I was hoping for more from the twists. I could have done with more thriller vs back story. It was a decent read just not my fave.

First and foremost, this one is NOTHING like Hidden Pictures so don’t go in expecting the same vibes or you’ll be disappointed. This is lands solidly as a slow burn mystery.

Read if you like books with:
😬 Feeling on Edge
🚪 Locked Room Vibes
🔥 Slow burn storytelling
🔎 Amateur Detective Vibes
👴🏼 Father of the Bride as the Single POV
💔 Strained Father/Daughter Relationships
💰 Ultra Wealth versus Blue Collar Family Dynamics

Frank is a blue collar worker at UPS that prides himself on his work ethic, safety, and commitment to hard work, who also happens to be estranged from his daughter Maggie. So when she calls up to say she is getting married soon, of course he wants to take the opening and meet his future son-in-law but Maggie definitely is cagey about the situation and won’t even tell her dad his name because he is high profile.

Turns out that she is about to be marrying a tech billionaire’s son, and upon the first meet and greet red flags that soon Frank can’t ignore starting to pop up left and right.

When Frank, his sister, and her foster kid (who he is perturbed is joining them) arrive at the wedding, even more weirdness starts to pop up when they can’t even enter the luxurious private estate without signing a 56 page non-disclosure that they won’t even give him time to read since he is holding up the entry line. The estate not only houses the family mansion but also has a private lake, with its own community of camp-like cabins which becomes more problematic when they take the keys to his Jeep and he is essentially locked in with no way out.

This is when the story telling starts to ramp up as Frank starts to investigate the red flags that continue to pop up, and have since he learned about his daughter’s upcoming wedding.

Frank truly wants what is best for Maggie and is also walking on eggshells trying to stay in her life after the wedding, which sets the core of the storyline around navigating complex parent-child relationships, wanting to always see the best in your child, trying to do right by them, while also honoring yourself, and the lengths parents will go to, to protect their children.

Overall, I enjoyed this one and it kept me engaged as I really enjoyed the story being told from the Blue Collar Dad, Frank’s perspective, but I wanted more with the ending and kinda feel like it fizzled in the end and didn’t leave me with the ending I felt had to have been coming with an explosive reveal that just didn’t quite occur, despite some of the twists and turns.

If you are a fan of The Mrs. Parrish books, I’d recommend this one for the vibes! Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for my gifted audiobook!

Pretty good overall. The book sure took it’s time getting to the real story, but it was good overall. I think it’s just important to not compare it to Hidden Pictures as it is a totally different kind of book. Still a good read!