I have loved Paul Rudnick's books (and plays) over the years for their wit and their heart. His latest has much of his trademark charm and snark and the many flawed characters are endearing in their confusion and are well-developed. Unexpectedly, the novel focuses mostly on a straight couple where the divorced wife, Linda' formerly married to Sean, is getting remarried. In fact, all of the characters and their stories converge at this wedding. Her husband-to-be is a Jeff Bezos/Elon Musk type billionaire. Rudnick also juggles the back stories of several other characters, chief among them, a sixty-ish gay book editor (Rob) who has recently lost his husband (Jake) to ALS. We learn about their happy relationship in flashbacks. Rudnick takes on and skewers many things: the techbro world, extreme political correctness, the dating life of dentists, low-budget action hero TV shows among them. Rudnick's take suggests that the book was written prior to the last election--now it appears slightly tone-deaf. One character is praised for writing a Hillbilly Elegy-type memoir and the techbro gets off too easily in light of Elon Musk's current destructive rampage. The "villain" of the piece is an over the top DEI advocate.

While it was a quick and at times a delightful and a heartbreaking read, I found the ending unsatisfying. The main gay character is in despair for most of the book which limits his arc.. The wedding, after all the build-up, seemed to me a letdown--almost like the author created all of these fun characters and then didn't know what to do with them. We see love in many forms but the author gets preachy about the nature of love and what it means to be in love. This novel works best when Rudnick sticks with the endearing and comic foibles of his characters. I wished for a more satisfactory resolution of their stores.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I AM OBSESSED!! The author was reading his own characters to filth which made it so entertaining while taking a blunt and open look at humanity.

The simplest way to describe it is a adventure between a self-proclaimed old gay and his personal trainer best friend. Ensemble casts can be intimidating but the writing is so genius, it's easy to follow along as Rob & Sean reflect on 20 years of friendship while running off to crash Sean's ex-wife's wedding. This is not a romance but it's totally a love story that celebrates the many loves in our lives with a self-depricating, almost self-incriminating comedic style.

Sean's ex-wife Linda is marrying a tech superdaddy who is basically Apple on steroids and against all logic SHE INVITES SEAN to the wedding! With the personal drive of the energizer bunny, Sean convinces best gay friends to rally and help him win his woman back. Rob has zero faith in this plan since (1) it's crazy and (2) Linda is not, but he's got nothing better to do since he's a depressed widow who just got fired by some millennial at work. Also attending this wedding? Said millennial who believes in her heart that the billionaire groom is her soulmate despite never having met him. When news of Rob's firing reaches the debut author he was working with, she also plans to crash the wedding to find out what is going on. Tremble is an ballsy, queer, women of color and she is ready to fight for the nice editor that gave her manuscript a chance. She's the character most people would look down on in real life but she was the total hero of the story! In my unbiased brown opinion lol. All these hilarious characters meet up and the drama that unfolds is hilarious.

Like any narcissist, i mean billionaire, Trone Meston combines his business and personal life by promising to launch his latest invention at his wedding ceremony. No one knows what it is or what it does but it became one of my favorite plot points in the 11th hour. I had a blast and if I could convince my own GBF to read this I would but he is sick of listening to me lol. I hope this books finds the people who will love it.

Fun character study of many characters who were all so unique. While I enjoyed this, I felt I probably wasn't the target audience and that audience may enjoy it much more than I did.

dnf at 30%

this was slog to get through. it's too dense in character introduction. a lot of telling and not showing. absolutely nothing happens. too many character perspectives for it to be this long.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this advanced copy. You can pick up What Is Wrong with You on March 25, 2025.

This book is chock full of niche, dark humor and intense character studies about people who are lowkey (and highkey) the worst. While the billionaire destination wedding is the "focal point" or main setting, we spend most of this book exploring each character's backstory and what led them to the present day.

Though the premise sounds funny and intriguing, this story is a bit darker than you'd expect. I also struggle with unlikeable characters, so I wasn't always motivated to pick this one up and keep reading. But if you enjoy stories full of messy and chaotic people, this might be your book!

3 ⭐️ Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Looking for character development, look no further. In What Is Wrong With You, Paul Rudnick, transports you onto a billionaires island for a wedding with a handful of characters that all intertwine together. I truly enjoyed the light humor around such heavy topics such as divorce and death.

Rating this book 3 stars as it took me a while to fully understand where this book was going but once I could piece everything together I truly enjoyed it.

Looking forward to what this author has in store for the future.

This book is in many ways fluff, yet it also has some meaningful thoughts about relationships, love, and death. There is a friendship between a gay man and his straight trainer that is the perfect example of how people can just get along because they enjoy each other’s company. And there are many brutal barbs directed at Gen Z as represented by the over-the-top character of Isabelle.

Did I mention the book is really funny? There is a childbirth scene that is so hilarious it made me laugh out loud - on an airplane.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a pivot from the author’s previous works, but still brings in the social aspect from his last one that I loved so much. Reminiscent of Steven Rowley’s The Celebrants, fans of Rudnick will continue to enjoy his works. I’m curious if the author will continue this route instead of full fledged romance.

3.5/5

Thank you @atriabooks @netgalley #partner for the gifted copy of this book!

This one was more of a character study with a very unique and somewhat wordy style of writing. I grabbed this one because I was hoping to have some laugh out loud moments but I think I may not be the target audience for this one. The characters were meant to be funny and be portrayed with humor surrounding stereotypes. At times I would chuckle and other times it felt a little too much, possibly offended? I didn’t like any of the characters due to their personality but I can say with confidence that was the point. I do think this book is going to be a hit for some due to the writing style and humor. I do think my favorite part of this book was the portrayal of friendship over the long run!

As a flight of characters descend upon the wedding of tech billionaire Trone Meston and divorcee Linda Kleinschmidt, hilarity ensues in this witty, wandering human experiment of a novel, equal parts absurd and affecting. In attendance – Linda’s ex-husband, aged hunk Sean Manginaro who’s determined to win her back; Sean’s best friend Rob Barnett, a year into grief over the loss of his partner, Jake; Isabelle McNally, the sensitivity associate who just fired Rob; and Tremble Woodspill, Rob’s author determined to get him his job back. What could go wrong? And with Trone’s latest love inspired invention, is love really something that can be quantified, or is a blind shot in the dark?

Rudnick’s novels are always filled with questions. This one starts with the title: “What is Wrong With You?” and never really lets up. It’s chaotic. At times, it meanders and threatens to lose itself. At other times, it inspires, such as a soliloquy by Rob in the latter half that hits like an 11 o’clock number, a eulogy to life and the beauty of love. Perhaps lacking are the answers. The characters are as unpredictable as we are and the ending is hardly decided upon. But at the same time, it’s because of this that What is Wrong With You? feels more honest, more free. Life is messy, and disappointing, and leaves us awe-struck, fulfilled, heartbroken, healed. But what’s the alternative?

Delighted to include this title in the March edition of Novel Encounters, my column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction for the Books section of Zoomer, Canada’s national lifestyle and culture magazine. (see column and mini-review at link)

This book is difficult to classify. Is it contemporary fiction? Is it a love story?
Without love, the characters in this book would not exist. Paul Rudnick explores both the messiness and beauty of love as it culminates in a destination wedding between a tech billionaire and Linda, the ex-wife of a TV superhero.
This picked up speed in the last half or so, and I found myself missing the wedding party when it was over.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I expected a lot more out of this book as a funny wedding shenanigans with a mismatched group of people, but all you really get is a deep dive into what got all of these people to this event without much comedy at all. I'm not sure if I misinterpreted the marketing or if it was done poorly. This book was fine, but definitely not what I thought I signed up to read.

absolutely insane set of characters. really awesomely done and has super cool vibes. 5 stars. tysm for the arc, would recommend.

This is a character study about people who are mostly miserable, kind of bad people who definitely all need therapy.

I didn't particularly enjoy this book which I was bummed about because I've like some of Rudnick's other works. I think that the dark humor and character examination just wasn't right for me. I tend to like a more plot driven narrative and this didn't have much of a plot. That being said, I don't think this was a bad book. I think it was personally just not to my tastes.

*thank you to NetGalley and the publishing team for providing me early access to this title in exchange for an honest review*

People say the right book always finds you at the right time. That doesn't accurately describe my experience with this book. I may need to attempt this one again later in a different format. I absolutely could not get into this one and I just wasn't retaining the writing at my typical caliber. That said, the writing wasn't bad. I did catch myself laughing at points. I think the book was well written with a very unique sense of humor.

Admittedly, I am a plot girly over a character analysis girly. This book is plot-lite and mostly an analysis into the question what is wrong with (them)? This is relatable, as it is a question I frequently ask myself. But these people were absolutely beyond.

I did like the character introductions that occured early on in the book. But once the characters started inter-weaving and time passed by I really had a hard time keeping everything straight. So, I am leaving this book with no idea what is wrong with these people lol. My own conclusion: they're just bad people that need therapy.

I would still recommend this one for people who like character based books.

Paul Rudnick's What Is Wrong with You was a delightful, frank, and colorful look at humans in love. I enjoyed Rudnick's writing, and really loved the varied perspectives with such wildly different characters.

Rudnick’s screenwriting talents really come through in this book. It felt like watching an over-the-top TV show. The first two-thirds focus on backstory and character development, which makes it impressive that it still manages to feel like it’s moving quickly. There's not a lot of plot, but there is a LOT of character. Rob, Sean, Linda, and the whole cast are eccentric, yet sympathetic.

I’m hesitant to compare it to the movie You're Cordially Invited, which I watched last night, because What Is Wrong With You has stronger writing and more emotional depth. But the weddings in the book and the movie share a screwball feel. If you're looking for something with that vibe but more, this is for you.

I will start this by saying I absolutely LOVE Paul Rudnick’s books.
Paul Rudnick just knows how to grab attention and keep it throughout every single one of his books. He has such a way with words and conveying emotions that will pull everything from laughs to the occasional tears from readers. #WhatIsWrongWithYou is no exception! If you don’t get his city brand of humor or writing style, I can see this book not exactly landing as a five-star read for you, but if you do, you’ll love this one as well. The book follows a handful of characters who are attending a destination wedding. Without giving anything away, I loved learning about the characters, connections, and their future. Definitely an engaging, funny, and smart read.
Thank you to #NetGalley for an advance review copy of #WhatsWrongWithYou. All feedback is my unbiased opinion, not paid, and simply for the love of books.

Thank you Netgalley and Atria for the eArc in exchange for a honest review
This is a 4 ⭐️ read for me. My second book of Paul Rudnick. This was such a fun but also heart wrenching read. The book deal with different people in different stages of their life. Some characters i started with loving them to hating them. Some i hated from the start. And some not that interested in them to loving them. I got the chance to see them going through love, lost, grief, friendship sickness and death. I saw them ridden with guilt over their choices and some making mistakes that could have prevented or idk if your weren’t an asshole. It shows you people you might know in real life, situations that you or closed one may have lived. It is also a funny book, with full belly laughs and absurdity happening. The witty dialogues, the flawed characters, the banters everything was so well put together. This will be a reread for sure. There’s different way to love someone and this depicted in such way that i had to question myself “What is wrong with me?”This book is about life, love, loss, friendship and drama .
Fav characters : Tremble, Paolo
Fav moment: The rehearsal dinner, Tremble and Rob 😂, Tremble and Isabelle🤣
Fav quotes: TBA
Song: Better Days by Dermot Kennedy