| Title | : | The Wedding People |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1250899559 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781250899552 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 |
| Publication | : | First published July 30, 2024 |
| Awards | : | Goodreads Choice Award Fiction (2024), She Reads Best of Award Book of the Year and Contemporary Fiction (2024) |
A Today Show #ReadwithJenna Book Club Pick
A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew.
It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.
In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.
The Wedding People Reviews
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She wonders how terrifying it felt . . . looking at the sea, feeling like she was at the very end of it all. She wonders what it was that made her realize there was somewhere else to go.
While The Wedding People wasn't a perfect read for me, it certainly was a darn special one.
Phoebe has always wanted to go to the grand Cornwall Inn in Newport, and now she is finally here. But it isn't at all the vacation she spent years dreaming of. For one, she isn't going with her husband because he is no longer her husband. For another, she didn't bring any luggage because, well, you'll have to read the book for that. And just as she has resigned herself to her decision, she unexpectedly meets the wedding people, all there to attend a week-long celebration. Soon she is swept up in their exuberance and drama, and just maybe this is the vacation she was meant to take after all.
This is definitely one of those books you read for the journey, not for the outcome. It's pretty clear right from the beginning where this story is going to go, because how else would you have a story at all? To follow Phoebe as she meets these strangers, see how they touch her life at exactly the moment she needs it, while she in turn touches theirs, brings a lump to my throat and a flutter to my heart.
There is something so inherently loveable and relatable about Phoebe, even if we have not all suffered the exact same terrible setbacks in life that she has. Her candidness and vulnerability seems like a breath of fresh air, inviting the reader into her heart and her mind, and we have no choice but to follow along.
No doubt Phoebe has been through a lot, more than anyone can be expected to endure. And yet, there is a quiet bravery and courage in how she approaches her life and in how the author chose to portray her. I can see how at the hands of a lesser wordsmith, this story could've easily turned maudlin or preachy, but no such fears here. For a story about such sad topics, I felt remarkably buoyant and hopeful while reading this.
There was so much heart and humor in here, I was often nodding and laughing along, surprised at all the little nuggets of wisdom and joy to be gleamed from these pages. If I were someone who marked up books (which I would never, the sacrilege!), I suspect I would've used up an entire highlighter trying to capture all the worthy lines.
I mentioned this wasn't a perfect read for me because while I particularly loved the beginning and the end, I did feel the middle sagged a bit. At times, it was a little overly long and meandering, with dialogue that was a bit too clever and may be verging on glib. And yet, the story continued to draw me in, even if the pacing wasn't quite even throughout.
I will say, I think this is a story best enjoyed with a reader's full and undivided attention. Often it feels like there were a multitude of things going on at the same time—the rapid-fire dialogue on the surface, the emotions underneath, and the wisdom to be sussed out if looked carefully. Unfortunately, it's hard for me to find solid chunks of uninterrupted reading time nowadays, so the book did lose some of its potency for me read in bits and pieces, a few lines at a time, especially in the middle there. But that's really my bad and not the story's fault.
I feel like the most resonant books are always the ones that address the human spirit—its unfailing desire to endure, to belong, to love and be loved, and to find meaning. And if you can sprinkle in a dash of humor along the way, all the better. Well, if that's the case, then one cannot ask for a better story than this.
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if i'm not supposed to judge books by their covers, why do they have such beautiful ones?
and i have to call this installment of picking reads based on visual aesthetic a success. what a damn good time!
there is no medicine quite like the subgenre of book club fiction in which everything starts out completely terribly and then is incontrovertibly solved within a few hundred pages. it's restorative, like a good haircut, or a well-toasted bagel. keeps ya going.
this is a great example of that especially, because it's funny. books are rarely funny. i'm a really big fan of them (and i have the serial killer-adjacent level of meticulous goodreads history to prove it) but even i have to admit it. not exactly the go-to location to laugh any harder than when you kind of puff air out of your nose.
but this was funny, and soul-healing, and (although predictable in its plot points and its half-twists) pretty unique.
bottom line: a pretty big win for judging by covers, i have to say.
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc) -
Ok so it took me a minuteeee to get into this one and I was so afraid I wouldn’t like it, but I LOVED it!!! I don’t know how a book with such heavy subject matter also happens to be laugh out loud funny, but I just adored every second of this and didn’t want it to end 😭
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I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! i am so sad it’s over and i know it will stick with me for awhile—the best feeling ever if you ask me 🫶🏼
i loved so much about it—the characters, the message, the topics, the humor, the storyline, the ending 🙌🏼👏🏼 and Helen Laser (narrator) brought the humor and all the personalities to life SO well—all the characters were iconic and hilarious and necessary in their own way and they truly depicted “wedding people” to a T. plus it ended EXACTLY how i wanted it to.
i binged the audiobook in under 24 hours but would have finished in one sitting if i could have. if you’re an audiobook girlie, definitely do that route for this one. some parts will have you laughing until you cry (true story… i found 1 specific scene so funny i kept rewinding it to laugh again and had tears streaming down my face and the girl next to me on the plane was deff concerned😂)
the author covers many heavy topics with such grace and in delicate way, yet makes the overall situation so relatable and humorous. and can we talk about the overall theme behind treating strangers with kindness? in today’s world this is more important than ever.
this book was perfect—there was truly nothing i would change 🥹 it’s been a minute since i’ve felt this passionately and happy about a book and if you’ve been following me for awhile, you know my 5 stars are rare.
i also loved the quotes here and there about the monotony of life and what happiness truly means. two of my fave quotes:
“This is exactly what Phoebe has always hated and about life—how unpredictable it is. How things can change in an instant.”
“Life is strange. Always thinking that this one thing is going to make you happy. Because then you get it. And then you’re maybe not as happy as you imagined you would be. Because every day is just every day. Like the happiness becomes so big you have no choice but to live inside it. Until you can no longer see or feel it. And so you start to fixate on something else.”
1000/10 folks!! pick it up!!!!
*also if you’re reading this and can relate to Phoebe (trying to keep spoiler free), please know you are loved 🫶🏼 i hope a stranger smiles at you at the airport or the coffee shop and turns your day around 🤍
thanks to Henry Holt for the gifted ARC and LibroFM for the gifted ALC! -
The Wedding People
Arc Review- 5 Stars
Publishing Date 7/30/2024
“But life is strange, always thinking this one thing is going to make you happy, because then you get it, and then maybe you’re not as happy as you imagined you would be, because everyday is still just like everyday. Like the happiness becomes so big, you have no choice but to live inside of it, until you can no longer see it or feel it. And so you start to fixate on something else”
I’m obsessed. I found a new comfort read. I immediately pre-order this book once I was finished.
The Plot-
Phoebe hits rock bottom, She always wanted to travel to Newport, Rhode Island, so she decides to go and she rents a room in an expensive hotel, but when she gets there she realizes she just crashed a wedding weekend.
What To Expect and Content Warnings:
🍾Mental Health Representation
🍾Dark Humor
🍾Wedding Week Vibes
🍾Infidelity
🍾Depression
🍾Death of a Spouse/Parent
🍾Suicidal Ideation
“Nobody can take care of you the way you need to take care of yourself. It’s your job to take care of yourself like that”
My Thoughts-
This book is absolutely amazing. This would be an amazing movie that I would pay top dollar to watch. This is one of my favorite books this year. The story is captivating, the writing is beautiful. This book is filled with humor and heart. This book at its core is about human connection that we all crave and everyone we meet is for a reason.
All the characters in this story were well liked. They all had a story to share. And I was so invested in each story. I had empathy for all of them. The characters were flawed but yet relatable. You really see how most people you know are lonely and miserable but put up a facade that everything is okay.
Going to touch on the two FMC
Phoebe- my black cat sassy protagonist. I LOVE her. She is such a well written character you can’t help but fall in love with her. I really wanted to take her under my wing. Her character development was top tier.
Lila- ahh the spoiled rich girl that’s getting married. Honestly I adore her. She was so delulu and comical. I was really rooting for her happiness as well.
I think that both these FMC complimented each other so well. You have two ladies that are polar opposites but mesh so well. I love their weird friendship
“At night she stared at her sagging breast and her thin skin over her hand and wondered what happened to her” “I had been too embarrassed then,” she says. “Simply put, I thought I was fat, but what a shame because now I see that I was too young and beautiful then not to be naked all the time” 🥹😭🥹😭
The authors writing style really stood out to me. I really felt like I was throw into the world of Phoebe walking besides her while she survived the wedding week. The dialogue was incredible. Filled with so much charm, humor and meaningful conversations. I see some complain they didn’t know what chapter they were one but that didn’t bother me at all cause everything meshed together so well, the narrative was crafted well that I was emotional connected.
Overall I would recommend this read. I really hope the book gets the hype it’s deserves. I can sit and break down this book chapter by chapter and rave about it, but I truly think this is a book a lot of people will enjoy and relate too.
“It’s all about moving on. Saying goodbye to whoever you thought you would be”
Playlist-
💍Never Felt So Alone- Labyrinth
💍I'm Only A Fool For you- Dybbukk
💍Down Bad- Taylor Swift
💍When The Party Is Over- Billie Ellish
💍Happiness Is A Butterfly- Lana Del Rey
💍Water Under The Bridge- Adele
💍Lost- Frank Ocean
💍FOURFIVESECONDS- Rhianna
💍Fix You- Yellowcard
💍I Feel It Coming- The Weekend
💍Landslide- Fleetwood Mac
💍Somebody I Used To Know- Gotye
💍Champagne Problems- Taylor Swift
💍Lose You To Love Me- Selena Gomez
💍Bejeweled- Taylor Swift
✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Henry Holt & Company for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ✨ -
Words cannot do justice to how brilliant this book is. The author left me speechless, a blubbering machine like those waving cat statues you see in Eastern places, with the exception that I kept repeating, "I love it! I love it! I love it!"
Phoebe is real! She's not an ordinary book character. You can easily see parts of her that are similar to you: resonating, bluntly honest, depressingly expressive, a woman who finally dares to say enough is enough, leaving her old life with only a dress and uncomfortable shoes, without looking back, just aiming to cut away the pain like a rotted piece.
She's smart, sarcastic, depressed, exhausted, trapped in her unhappiness like a hamster stuck in a treadmill going nowhere, counting her steps as she keeps counting the days passing without hope, plans, or desires.
Have any of you turned into Phoebe, who stopped seeing her value, drawn into self-suffocation as if you have full of options, have so many talents you didn't explore, a brain that holds encyclopedic knowledge but still seeing yourself from a cracked mirror perspective, dulling your motivations? This book is for all women who are stuck in the routine of life, preferring not to talk about their honest opinions, putting others' needs first!
When Phoebe Stone, in her mid-forties, is dumped by her husband of two decades, having gone through IVF treatments, miscarriages, losing the charm of her job as a literary (Victorian era) professor to interact with students, and her unfinished thesis about Jane Eyre, a tragedy pushes her to the limit. She leaves her house wearing only a green dress she bought for a special occasion but never had a chance to wear, and gold heels that probably create blisters on her feet. Without a bag in sight, she finds herself at Cornwall Inn, a luxurious hotel with nightly costs around $800, located in Newport, Rhode Island. She has a secret that she blurts out in the elevator to Lila, who has paid to close the entire hotel for wedding festivities: Phoebe is going to kill herself with pills she's carried to her ocean-view expensive room.
Of course, Lila the bridezilla, at age 27, has her own problems besides organizing her dreamy wedding without hiring a wedding planner because she cannot trust anyone not to ruin things on her special day. She misses her father who recently died from cancer, and his dying wish was to see his daughter as a happy bride. But now she's dealing with her eccentric, daily-drinking artist mother who keeps telling her she's making a mistake marrying the older Gary, choosing an incompatible guy just as she did with Lila's father. Gary's sister Marla, who was involved in a sex scandal, cheating on her husband, keeps nagging her with inappropriate, grumpy comments. Her teenage stepdaughter Juice/Melanie acts like she hates her guts. Her mother-in-law thinks if they don't marry in a real church, her wedding will be ineffective. On top of that, there's a wedding crasher in the hotel called Phoebe who plans to take her own life, adding more tragedy to her perfect day! How dare she!
Interestingly, Lila keeps knocking on Phoebe's hotel room door to get advice because this stranger might be the only honest person who can tell her the truth, including if there's a piece of food stuck in her teeth.
Phoebe also realizes that talking with Lila and finding herself involved in the wedding drama helps her get out of her dark space. She finds herself fraternizing with the guests, turning into a priest who listens to anyone's confessions without being stuck in a booth, including the bride's mother, sister-in-law, Gary's ex-brother-in-law Jim (who might have feelings for the bride), and of course Gary, the groom, with whom she becomes friendlier than she could ever imagine.
What if she can have other chances to grab in life, leaving her old self hanging on the coat racks of her closet and jumping into a new life? What if Lila is also rushing into the wedding to realize her late father's wishes without thinking it through? What if there are other paths to follow which will force them to face what they really want to do with their one precious life?
This humorous satire balances drama and humor perfectly, just like life itself! Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the top ten books of the year you shouldn't miss! The characters, the plot progression, the blossoming friendship of two polar opposite women (smart, snarky, self-reliant Phoebe and controlling, perfectionist, slightly superficial white privileged princess Lila), the promising romance parts, the irony, the heartfelt moments, self-awareness about mental health, learning to let go, and being brave enough to start over messages are perfectly developed!
This is a MUST-READ that you shouldn't dare to skip!
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The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Narrated by Helen Laser
Expected Publication Date: July 30, 2024
Smart, Honest and Hopeful
Forty-ish Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn and checks into the most expensive room for one night. She is wearing her green dress and gold heels, so she looks the part of a wedding guest-but she isn’t there to celebrate the start of a new life-she is there to END hers.
Infertility, Infidelity, Depression, Divorce and now the death of her beloved cat.
That is what has led to this tragic decision.
Meanwhile, the 28 year old bride, Lila has planned the PERFECT six day wedding, booking the entire Cornwall Inn for her “once in a lifetime” event. So it “just won’t do” that there has been a mix-up which allowed one random guest to check-in-even if it was just for the first night.
And, it’s definitely UNACCEPTABLE when she meets Phoebe and learns of her intent. NOBODY will ruin her wedding!
A chance encounter, an unlikely alliance, an unexpected friendship.
Sometimes vulnerable people make the WRONG decisions. But, if you are lucky-you can still end up with the RIGHT outcome.
This is the kind of book that you will still be thinking about long after you finish-Especially if you are a woman of a certain age-or a certain stage of your life. And, even, if like me, you hate “sex themed” bachelorette activities, and don’t really even enjoy weddings!
Of course, there are some of these things to endure in this book, and my personal preference is to read about this “well intentioned” pre-wedding fun without resorting to the unnecessary use of the more vulgar sexual terms to drive your point home-the three “C” words. They didn’t seem to fit with the more reflective conversations that characterized the rest of this story. (- .5)
The ending wasn’t completely unexpected, though it is one that I hoped for, and the wisdom of the parting words shared between Phoebe and Lila, brought a tear to my eye, and is the reason I rounded up instead of down. I will remember the story.
I’m glad there wasn’t an epilogue and that the reader can envision what they think happens next…
4.5 stars ⭐️
I listened to the Audiobook, provided by MacMillan Audio through NetGalley, which was expertly narrated by Helen Laser who delivered a wide range of voices and accents to the diverse cast of characters! This has been optioned for film and I look forward to watching too.
The book and Audible are both available NOW!
These are my Candid thoughts. -
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY***
***Tri-Star pictures has already acquired the rights to this novel !!
I have been holding off on writing this review because I’m afraid that I won’t do it justice!! I went into this one thinking it might be another vapid rom-com. I couldn’t have been more wrong!
We begin at a beautiful old hotel, the Cornwall Inn, in Newport, Rhode Island, on the ocean.
Phoebe Stone arrives without any bags and dressed in a beautiful green dress and gold heels.
She quickly realizes that she is surrounded by people here for the wedding between Lila and Gary, a grand affair that will take place over a week’s time.
Over the course of the book we will get to know these characters well - they are so well described that I felt that I knew them and wanted the book to continue.
Phoebe is at the lowest point in her life, failed IVF rounds followed by her husband leaving her for another woman. Lila is at a high point, finally the big day has arrived, she has been planning this wedding for over a year.
These two characters are thrown together and find friendship, acceptance and understanding. They become each others “sounding board” for lots of repressed feelings.
There are many stories about life in these pages; marriage, infidelity, infertility, loneliness and disappointment. There is the message of friendship and love, death of loved ones, career challenges - the list goes on and on.
There literally wasn’t a slow or disappointing moment in this novel.
This is what great contemporary adult fiction should be!! So pitch perfect that I can’t find a single fault with it.
You can read the blurb for a summary, I don’t want to spoil a single moment of your enjoyment of this novel.
*Author’s Notes - just as good as the book. So sincere, so thankful to her friends, family, readers, even her cat. Have to love someone who writes “. . .to my cat, who I realize will never read or understand this, but who quite literally sits by my side and keeps one supportive paw on my forearm while I write”. Cat lovers can understand this but I’m sure you could insert “dog” and it would be just as meaningful.
I recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a well written, fun and relatable novel with characters you can relate to.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It was my great pleasure to read and review this novel. -
"𝒮𝒽𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓈𝑜 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝒶𝓉 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓅𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈, 𝓈𝑜 𝒷𝒶𝒹 𝒶𝓉 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓅𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓃 𝓁𝒾𝒻𝑒. 𝒯𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝓌𝒽𝓎 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝓈 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈 𝓅𝓇𝑒𝒻𝑒𝓇𝓇𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓀𝓈 - 𝒷𝑒𝒸𝒶𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝓉𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝒶𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒹𝑒𝓇." - 𝒜𝓁𝒾𝓈𝑜𝓃 𝐸𝓈𝓅𝒶𝒸𝒽, "𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒲𝑒𝒹𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒫𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒" 𖠋♡𖠋
I had to take the night and let this one marinate in thought. I'm still not quite sure where to start - it covered so many bases, in such a broad and significant spectrum.
When her life takes a drastic turn, Phoebe Stone spontaneously decides to get away from it all and take the trip she has dreamed of taking with her now ex-husband. The Cornwall Inn in beautiful Newport, Rhode Island, is brimming with guests when she arrives- dressed to the nines and when she’s mistaken for one of them, Phoebe’s swept up in all the pomp and circumstance.
As the story evolves, we see Phoebe transform from a depressed and constricted individual to a disarmingly honest personality that touches people. This was an enjoyable character study covering themes such as suicide, infertility, abandonment, life goals, sexuality, and relationships.
The setting and the wedding week atmosphere adds a touch of lightness, humor and chaos.
I love dark humor and the author really delivered, I found myself cracking up and really appreciating each and every one of the characters. All of the personalities are so refreshing and realistic.
╰⪼ Smart, laugh out loud funny, emotional - this book has range! Highly recommend!
“𝐼 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝒾𝓉’𝓈 𝒶𝓂𝒶𝓏𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒽𝑜𝓌 𝓂𝓊𝒸𝒽 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓀 𝓌𝑒’𝓁𝓁 𝒹𝑜 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝓎𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒 𝒽𝓊𝓂𝒶𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉.”
「 ✦ A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help us start anew. ✦ 」
╰┈➤ 𐙚 𝓘𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒞𝒶𝓃 𝐸𝓍𝓅𝑒𝒸𝓉... 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡꒱
°˖➴🥂Whitty
°˖➴🥂Dark Humored
°˖➴🥂Feel Good
°˖➴🥂Wedding Week Vibes
°˖➴🥂Exceptionally Well Written
╰┈➤ 𐙚 𝓒𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓽/𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼 𓍯𓂃𓏧♡ ꒱
°˖➴💍Infidelity
°˖➴💍Infertility
°˖➴💍Unfulfilling job
°˖➴💍Divorce
°˖➴💍Suicide
°˖➴💍Depression
°˖➴💍Death/Grief.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Alison Espach for the last min complementary audio copy in exchange for an honest review. 💐 -
5 Stars
Being the quintessential dumbass that I am, I decided to start this at 7:30PM last night...and proceeded to stay up until close to 1AM to finish it in one sitting. Never mind my 4:30 wakeup today.
And thus my dumbassery. Because I know I have a tendency to do this, I try to avoid starting new books right before bed on work nights. So I'm super tired today.
But?
I loved everything about this book. And I felt so unbelievably connected to Phoebe. And Lila. And the setting. And all things. My favorite book I've read this year thus far, for sure. -
Although I haven't had much time to post reviews, I wanted to take a moment to share how original, impactful, and inspiring this read was.
I highly recommend this one. -
This book is absolutely brilliant.
It's beautifully written, and the character work is incredible. It's deep, and so full of heart, but also funny, sweet and very hopeful.
Every character felt so real and complex, I was almost instantly attached to them and felt like I knew them in real life.
I listened to the audiobook version and the narrator was absolutely fantastic and the experience really immersive.
I highly recommend this book, and especially in the audiobook version. -
Yes, believe the hype for this book because this book is wonderful!! I absolutely fell in love with our main character Phoebe Stone, and I was sad to see this book end. I will admit that I was hesitant to read this book as the title did not appeal to me at all, but after seeing all the glowing reviews- I had to see for myself what everyone was talking about. This book also came up as my BOTM choice for August, 2024 and I definitely picked a winner! 🥳🍾
This story starts off with Phoebe Stone checking herself into the Cornwall Inn. Little does Phoebe know that she will be the only guest at the hotel who is not there for a week-long wedding. In what was only supposed to be a one night stay, turns into a week long duration as she becomes friends with the bride-to-be, Lila.
During Phoebe’s stay at the Cornwall Inn, we learn a lot about the lives of Phoebe, Lila, and many of the guests, including family members and the groom-to-be. What I enjoyed most was Phoebe’s interpretation of “High Bun” and “Neck Pillow”.🤣 Like Phoebe, I also enjoy giving people names like that.
This story was full of emotion. I laughed out loud numerous times, I was sad, I also became angry at a particular character (Phoebe’s husband). I also felt like this book captured what it’s like to be a true human being. I loved it!
This is one book that I highly recommend as I think that there is something in here for everyone!
(Although, I will admit that were some parts of the book that made be blush. 🫣) -
Many thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC via NetGalley and to Henry Holt and Company for the gifted finished copy! All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This novel was published on July 30, 2024.
4.5⭐
Revolving around themes of friendship, family, personal growth, self-acceptance and human connection, The Wedding People by Alison Espach is a beautifully written novel that will strike a chord in your heart.
As the story begins, we meet Phoebe Stone, an adjunct professor in literature in her forties, as she arrives alone at the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, with a heavy heart. This was a place that she had hoped to visit with her now ex-husband, but here she was, in a green dress and heels with no luggage. Phoebe’s room is the only one not booked for the wedding of twenty-eight-year-old Lila, who has meticulously planned a week-long sequence of pre-wedding activities leading up to the day of her nuptials. Initially mistaken to be one of the wedding people, the misunderstanding is soon cleared up, but much to Lila’s dismay, she realizes that Phoebe’s plans for her own stay would surely ruin her wedding. The narrative follows as Phobe and Lila strike up an unlikely friendship as Phoebe soon becomes one of the wedding people – an experience that might just be the nudge she needs to rethink her own priorities.
There is a lot about this book that is praiseworthy and the glowing reviews are more than justified. The description of the book suggests that this might be a light-hearted read, but this novel proved to be much more than I had expected. The author writes with heart, wisdom and humor. The narrative does suffer from minor pacing issues, but overall, the story flows well. Each of the characters was well thought out - authentic, relatable and endearing. I adored Phoebe and loved how she bonded with a complete group of strangers showing kindness and empathy to those who needed the same but also being strong and forceful in situations that demanded attention. Lila did strike me as a tad immature at times, but I could understand her motivations and why she behaved in certain ways. I loved the coverage of the pre-wedding activities – the chaos, confusion and unforeseen complications – which result in situations both humorous and heartwarming. The author’s strength lies in her characterizations and depiction of complex human emotions and I enjoyed following both Lila's and Phoebe's individual journeys over the course of the events described in this story. The author addresses several sensitive topics such as infidelity, bereavement, infertility, mental health, depression and suicidal ideation with insight and compassion. The story emphasizes the importance of being kind – to one another and oneself – the latter being something many of us forget.
Overall, I found this to be an evocative and thought-provoking read that I would not hesitate to recommend to those who enjoy character-driven fiction.
I listened to the audiobook brilliantly narrated by Helen Laser who made the characters and this story come to life. I couldn’t recommend the audiobook enough!
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4.5 ⭐️ (I reserve the right to up this to a 5 ⭐️ after sitting with it)
The writing. The characters. The plot. The themes. Brilliant. 💛 -
This was satisfaction served up on a silver platter. Phoebe is on a mission to end her life at a hotel comprised of wedding people! Such irony for a joyous occasion contrasting with that of a darker one.
This was charming and clever, With characters like High Bun and Neck Pillow. Unlikely friendships develop in an unlikely setting. What started off as the end was actually the beginning.
It made me laugh; made me somber but most of all, made me sad when it was over.♥️
5⭐️ Well played Espach. Well played -
Phoebe checks into a luxury hotel without luggage, intending to end her life, and quickly realizes upon arrival that the rest of The Cornwall Inn has been booked out for a wedding. When Lila, the bride, discovers Phoebe, the one thing she hasn’t accounted for in her meticulous planning, Phoebe’s plans begin to change.
I wanted to love The Wedding People after all its recent hype but I just did not. While I liked Phoebe, and Gary, as well as some of the secondary characters, I did not find the story “absurdly funny” as the blurb notes. This story does deal with some difficult subjects and it’s best to know that heading into the book.
I enjoyed some aspects, including the Newport, Rhode Island setting, but I was expecting more humor and as a character-driven, literary fiction lover, to like the story more overall. The Wedding People is well-liked by many other readers so don’t let my more of a miss deter you!
Thank you to Netgalley and Henry Holt for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. -
![len ❀ [hiatus]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1727066740i/51318038._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
Confession: I skimmed most of this novel and you wouldn’t be able to convince me that I missed anything.
One thing about me is that I love sad novels. I love books that deal with grief, depression, suicide, mental health, flaws, complex relationships, and overall the diverse and range emotions of human struggles. It’s realistic, poignant and gives a thorough feeling. It makes the reading a fictional escape but still resonates with tough realities that make the reading experience all the more realistic and relatable. And The Wedding People should’ve been that. Instead, it falls as a cliché tale of a girl who overcomes her suicidal ideation in pretty much one day to less than a week with absolutely no struggles whatsoever. And I’m not about that bullshit.
I’m all for using humor as a coping mechanism. I do it, too. I’m all for using humor as a way to deal with the harsh realities of life; of using it to paint a more raw portrayal of the struggles of mental health; of using humor to combat the physical and mental struggles of suicide thoughts and depression. But what I’m not for is using suicide as a plot device to bring in the attention of readers only to throw it out the window and add in a loose tale of a woman finding herself giving life a second chance because she…made some friends and ended up crushing on the groom/husband to be. It’s weak, ignorant, and disappointing.
There’s absolutely no feeling and emotion in this novel. The writing was a bit robotic from the start, and while it did start making sense after 40 pages or so due to how the main character, Phoebe, is feeling, it doesn’t add any more emotion as the story progresses. Phoebe doesn’t change much throughout the novel besides admitting to herself she was never going to actually kill herself to begin with because *GASP* she isn’t that type of person. How surprising. This was probably one of the weakest stories I have ever read regarding suicide and suicide attempt. The attempt was actually there. The entire execution of feelings was not, however. Adding on to that, Phoebe remains the same almost the entire way. It feels as if her character development is non existent because all there really is to her character development is the literal fact that she doesn’t want to end her life anymore. There’s no growth or even remorse. The concept of suicide in this “laugh out loud” novel is entirely shortened. We just end up in a boring, character driven story of a woman as she proceeds in life for that whole week.
Lila’s character is absurdly immature. I could not believe this grown woman was actually getting married. If she’s getting married, does that mean there’s hope for some of us out there? Just kidding! I don’t wanna get married! And honestly this novel has reaffirmed my decision on that. You cannot trust anyone. And as much as I didn’t like Lila, her relationship with Gary is definitely hanging on my a thread, with absolutely no going back and saving it because it was never loyal to begin with. This novel doesn’t show anything good for love. It just shows the negative sides of marriage, in my opinion. There’s no love and loyalty throughout anyone.
I don’t know what I was supposed to feel, but humor and emotion are not words I’d use to describe this weak voice at all. Apparently this was dark for some readers but not for me. It was weak, boring, and so underdeveloped. The tenses change between the past and present in a way, showing how and why Phoebe gets to where she is. And honestly, the concept of this is original and I don’t think it had been done before, but the issue is that the way the author started it isn’t how she follows through. I wish she had kept it going the sarcastic lit fic way, where we follow a mentally unwell woman who is multilayered and complex. Instead we continue learning more and more about her life, her failing marriage and ex-husband, what he did. There is absolutely nothing else that adds to Phoebe’s feelings and sadness besides her broken relationship with her ex-husband and how he cheated on her. Literally. That’s it. That’s what made her book the hotel room so she can kill herself. And some may say there’s more to it, but is there really? Even as we’re learning about her past and sad life, it all circles back to her husband—how they haven’t had sex, how he hasn’t complimented her, how he cheated on her, how they haven’t gone out together, how he hasn’t looked at her, etc, etc,. I mean, sure sure, there’s more to it, but that way *I* saw it, it’s mostly tied into her failing marriage. So many of Phoebe’s thoughts just circle back to her ex-husband. It’s so miserable and pathetic. If I’m reading a story about these heavy themes, I expect more heavy emotions.
Overall, disappointed but not surprised that I didn’t enjoy this. Mostly everyone does, and seeing the hype it has been receiving, I wanted to give it a chance. Clearly that didn’t work for the best. On to the next! -
Phoebe. Her life is a mess. I won’t give you the details so you can discover for yourself, but she’s had enough. She can’t take it anymore
* don’t read the synopsis and think this is a depressing read. I promise you it is not. It’s joyful and life-affirming.
Phoebe goes to the swanky Inn in Newport RI, the Inn she expected to visit with her husband.
Things don’t quite go as Phoebe intended. Turns out she won’t have a final blow-out splurge before departing this world. Instead she’s the only guest at the Inn who is not part of the wedding party and she can’t even get room service for a final meal.
Lila, the bride, isn’t thrilled that Phoebe may ruin her wedding and has a heart-to-heart with her. She has no boundaries and is disarmingly honest. Which makes her completely endearing.
Phoebe suddenly finds herself caught up in the wedding people, the wedding party that are at the inn for a week long celebration prior to Lila’s OTT nuptials.
I won’t ruin the fun but I’ll say this was completely delightful! It was fabulous and completely entertaining with plenty of humor & heart. The dialogue was snappy & witty. And not to be maudlin, but the overriding message was wise and tender and wonderful.
The characters were all delightful. 100% refreshingly funny and tender.
Don’t miss this one. A 5+ star read!! I loved everything about this story and was sad when it ended. It’s a rare book that completely captivates me the way this book did.
* I received a digital review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own -
Welp I’ve done great this summer loving all the new releases that have been so well-received by the masses so I should have known my wrongreading gene would rear its ugly head eventually. And here it is. This new Read With Jenna selection has been ALLLLL OVER The ‘Gram with everyone and their brother touting “the hype is real!!!” Then there’s me . . . .
So I’m just going to “spoil” something that comes out instantly, but apparently has peeved certain readers off about not being disclosed. Phoebe arrives at her vacay destination the Cornwall Inn in Rhode Island because it was always her dream to go there with her husband – but said husband left her for another woman so now Phoebe is there to end her life. Little does she know the entire hotel was supposed to have been rented out for a real shin-dig of a wedding. The blurb says Phoebe and the bride (Lila) “keep confiding in each other” – which I guess is true, but only because Lila literally keeps letting herself into Phoebe’s room with a master key she acquired from the hotel when she booked the whole place.
This one did not work for me whatsoever. From the “lighthearted” suicide attempt (Really? You’re going to off yourself with your cat’s pain medicine??? Did you bring eleventy pills to get the job done???) – to Phoebe accidentally crushing on the groom . . . but then absolutely NOT stopping communicating with him (Really? You want to kill yourself because of your husband’s affair and now are 100% developing some sort of emotional affair with a taken man on your own? Yuck.) – to Lila being a self-centered turd (Really? You have the nerve to complain about your mother nonstop when obviously the apple did not fall far from the tree.) – to SO. MUCH. NAVEL. GAZING.
Thank you, next. -
3.5*.
Last 20% was a drag for me and cost the rating a precious star. -
I loved this book!! ❤️ Thank you sooo much to @henryholtbooks for this absolutely gorgeous gifted copy
Sooo you know when a book ends.. and you miss your new book friends?!! 🥹You know the fictional ones you just made?? THIS was that book for me. I miss you Phoebe girl!! 😘 Call me! 😂😂 Pub date is July 30th!! 🥳🥳
There’s a wedding 💍 this week at the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island..😍 Phoebe has dreamed forever of staying there….so here she finally is… for one last night… of glitz.. glamour.. luxury… before… WELL… I will let Phoebe tell you.. since this is her story..😉… However she arrived with NOTHING other than her dress 👗… hmm 🤔
Guys… I loved this book!! The gang was all there.. well the wedding party gang… 🥂🥂although.. Phoebe doesn’t know a single person… 😳…she had no idea that the entire place was booked up for a week long wedding… 🤷♀️… apparently a glich in the system let Phoebe in too.. 🤔… but she rolled with it….Hot tub and all…🤭
This vast array of characters checked every box. ✅.. Even our spoiled and sassy bride 👰♀️ to be… Lila… sweet as can be… if and ONLY if… she gets her way! 😂
This book tackles some deep subjects and it’s really true to life. The pressures… the up’s and downs… and what it’s like to be a survivor and come out on the other side. ❤️Sprinkled with snarky humor… this made for a perfect read. Five wonderful stars. ⭐️ There are some TW so lmk if you want to know. I feel it is a potential spoiler so am not including it.
🥂🥂🥂 Is this on your list?? How about this amazing cover?? -
4 solid stars for the "Wedding People". I enjoyed this story about Phoebe, a divorced & childless cat lady professor who wants to end it all & instead gets swept up into a week-long Newport wedding extravaganza, becoming a part of it and growing in the process along with her new "found family". Lots of charm, humor and warmth, but also much insight along the way. Really loved the endings, my only quibble was it was a bit slow in the middle third.
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4 stars!
A thought-provoking, character driven story.
Phoebe checks into a posh seaside hotel with the intention of quietly ending her life. She has nothing left to live for. A wedding party is checking in at the same time which changes everything for Phoebe.
This book was much different, much more serious, than I expected. This is a wedding storyline, but the wedding is not the main focus. The plot is heavy with many thought-provoking themes that were relatable. This book explores familial relationships and friendships and the expectations behind them. I enjoyed experiencing the unexpected relationships unfold while the characters moved toward a better sense of self.
This is a slow burn. I found myself enthralled for the first third, my attention lessened slightly in the middle, but picked back up toward the end. I was invested throughout and curious to see how all things would come together in the end. Even though there are many hard and heavy themes within these pages, I found it an easy read - the writing was smooth. The author presents countless questions that made me stop and think about how I would react.
I enjoyed the characters and thought they were well developed, each adding an important layer to the story. I laughed out loud a few times at the witty inner thoughts and happenings. There was something very fresh and “real feeling” about the writing and inner thoughts of the characters. There are several ramblings and tangents which some readers may find distracting, but I enjoyed these and all that they brought to the storyline. Though this book didn’t “blow my mind” as I had expected, it took me on an unexpected slow burn journey with a cast of characters I won’t soon forget.
Overall, I really enjoyed this! It isn’t gripping or suspenseful. It’s a slow burn, moody, character driven exploration of one woman’s quest to self discovery and true happiness. I think most readers will get some great take-aways from spending time within these pages. I look forward to reading more by this author. -
It’s hard for me to believe that the same author who wrote Notes On Your Sudden Disappearance wrote this book. Although I can recognize a writer’s talent in embracing different tones in different novels, it wasn’t the more comical approach that upset me with The Wedding People. It was that this felt like an extremely callous and inauthentic exploration of important and delicate themes.
I struggled with the narrative’s rather flippant attitude regarding suicide. I can handle a humorous framing, as this was executed well in books like A Man Called Ove. In that, we witness true character growth that takes place over time. This simply used a suicidal person as a vehicle for what was ultimately more of a romantic comedy. I found it quite tacky. But I did not realize this would be so initially. In fact, when the idea of suicide was bluntly introduced, I cried. I was struck by its stark hopelessness. I thought this story was going to shake and touch my core.
But it didn’t. It rolled into a tidy and predictable tale. Even though the author inserted a claim to understand that depression isn’t cured overnight, she did not actually provide any supporting evidence of this understanding. Her suicidal character is, essentially, changed in less than an entire night’s sleep. Once it becomes a story of self-discovery, all that discovery is ridiculously easy. I was infuriated.
Lilah (I’m assuming the spelling since I listened to the audio and her full name is Delilah) was not remotely enjoyable, either. She did not seem to grow at all. The author wanted the readers to believe she was a multi-faceted character, and I know she wanted that because she kept telling us Lilah was more than this, but it was all talk and no show. Actions speak louder than words. Lilah was incredibly shallow, and I felt nothing beyond annoyance for her.
Phoebe’s growth, on the other hand, was quicker than the gestation period of a possum. No one is fully formed that quickly (not even those infant possums). I want a novel of healing that spans through years of trial and triumph, not a convenient cliche that fails to deliver life lessons in a meaningful way.
I am terribly disappointed in the choices Espach made in her creation of The Wedding People. There wasn’t anything cute or touching about it and, despite enjoying her previous novel, this was enough to turn me off from her writing for good. I think this was an irresponsible story.
I am immensely grateful to Macmillan Audio for my copy. All opinions are my own. -
Everyone is absolutely right about The Wedding People. I could not have loved this book more.
Phoebe, a recently divorced adjunct college professor, has arrived at the Cornwall Hotel, a place she’s dreamt of visiting for years. Leaving her entire past life behind, literally walking away, she is struggling hard with her mental health. Upon arriving at the hotel, she discovers it’s been almost entirely booked for a wedding party… She is the lone person not a member. She meets the bride, Lila, and from there forms a friendship and so much more than that.
In The Wedding People, the darkness of mental health struggles is not the focus. Instead, it’s connection. Humor. Growth. Understanding. Love. So much love. There’s so much to love about these characters. This story will make you feel good, but it’s not in a high (only one) note, easy story way, though it’s highly readable and perfectly written. This is a carefully, tenderly drawn story with substance out the wazoo. I’m on a reading roll right now, and this was another favorite for me this year. Phoebe’s insights into marriage and separation made me feel seen, and this story of opening her new chapter gave me a lot of hope for my own.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog:
www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram:
www.instagram.com/tarheelreader -
Don't kill me, but I didn't love it?
The story is good, the writing is solid.
I would be interested in trying another book by the author.
I did like the way the story took a turn, and how the fmc got invested in the lives of others (and herself's too honestly). And there were some good moments, where had I read the book on Kindle, I might have highlighted them.
But I didn't really like any of the characters, and I was a little blindsided because there were no TW for depression or attempted unaliving of one's self.
ALSO, WHY WERE THE CHAPTERS SO LONG?
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Please let me have a good wedding-related 3 book strike 🙏 -
Why I Love It
Regina Montoya
Stories that find hope in life’s cracks and imperfect places are some of my favorites, and Alison Espach’s The Wedding People demonstrates every reason why.
After years of wanting to go to the grand Cornwall Inn, Phoebe finally decides to book a stay for herself. She arrives at the expensive seaside hotel on a beautiful day, luggage-less. Divorced, depressed, and grieving her cat’s death, Phoebe has booked the hotel room to end her life, but her plan is derailed by a bubbly (and delusionally out-of-touch) bride-to-be, Lila, who talks her out of suicide and into being her maid of honor.
As Phoebe becomes increasingly involved with Lila’s friends, family, and groom-to-be, she reflects on the trajectory her own life has taken. This unlikely and wonderfully ridiculous weekend might just remind her of all the good, amidst the disappointing and the painful, life has to offer.
Alison Espach has written a deeply relatable, painfully honest, and ultimately hopeful story of self-realization and personhood—and I cannot recommend it enough. The Wedding People and its cast of flawed and lovable characters took me on an emotional journey I did not anticipate, but am happy I experienced. Earnest, moving, and hilarious, this book and its surprising bits of wisdom will stick with me for a long time. -
Phoebe has just arrived at the Cornwall Inn in beautiful Newport, RI but not for rest and relaxation. She is there to kill herself. There are many reasons as to why she's come to this decision which I will let future readers discover on their own. Suffice it to say that she is tired, lonely, and feels invisible. She is furious with herself for the choices she has made but also the choices she didn't make. The idea of going to sleep to never rouse again is too delectable a thought. So she walks out of her St. Louis house one morning, books a flight, and leaves everything and everyone behind. She can't bare the pain any longer.
Upon arriving at the Inn it appears she chose an inopportune time to hatch her plan. There is a weeklong wedding and the guests are all in chipper wedding mode. It's fine she tells herself. No one will even notice her.
But someone does notice her. Lila, the bride to be.
What unfolds from that meet up in the elevator is one of the most enthralling stories I've read in a long while. This book is just so real. So messy. So raw. From the moment I met Phoebe I related to her and her thought processes immediately. I'm a natural born worrier, like her, and like her, I am my own worst enemy. Lila, while I often found her to be immature and overly dramatic, had her own lovely qualities as well. People aren't perfect. We're human. We all have dreams and fears. We all make mistakes. We all hurt people either intentionally or inadvertently. We can all strive to do our best and sometimes we'll succeed but sometimes we'll fail. That is life and that's what this book was to me. A story about how hard and messy life can be but also about how much we should cherish every moment we have. Rejoice in our messiness. We need to learn to forgive ourselves and others. This book had me laughing one minute and then crying the next. I loved everything about this book. It's truly a sparkling gem that I will cherish for a long time to come. ALL. THE. STARS!!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Co. for my complimentary copy. -
5 very strong stars! The Wedding People was the second book that I had the pleasure of reading by author, Alison Espach. I had read Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance several years ago and enjoyed it, so when I saw that Alison Espach had written a new book and that it was getting a lot of good reviews I jumped on the bandwagon, too. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pleasantly surprised how fast I was able to immerse myself in the plot. It was primarily set in Newport, Rhode Island with its posh mansions, spectacular beaches and a full service inn called the Cornwall Inn. I listened to the audiobook that was brilliantly narrated by Helen Laser. She was able to capture the individual nuances of each of the many characters in this most sweet yet humorous book.
Phoebe Stone had just received the most devastating and unexpected news of her life. She knew that she wanted to get as far away from previous life as possible. Phoebe knew exactly where she wanted to go. Years ago, Phoebe had found a charming inn in Newport, Rhode Island that she wanted to go to with her husband. Phoebe and her husband never got there but Phoebe would go now. It was the perfect spot for what Phoebe was contemplating. Phoebe arrived with only the clothes she was wearing. She had no luggage or anything of impotence with her. When Phoebe checked in, she learned that the whole inn had been reserved for a wedding. The person who had checked Phoebe in just assumed that Phoebe was a guest that was attending the wedding. Little did they know but Phoebe had other plans for herself. She wanted nothing to do with a wedding. As luck would have it, or maybe it was fate, Phoebe found herself face to face with the bride to be, Lila, in the elevator as she was on her way to the room that had been assigned to her. Lila started a conversation with Phoebe and soon learned about the plans Phoebe was intending on carrying out. This admission led to a very unconventional friendship of sorts. After that, Phoebe became more involved in the wedding plans and decisions than she ever would have expected or imagined.
The Wedding People was clever, humorous and touching. I really enjoyed all the characters and missed them when I finished the audiobook. They were authentic and made me feel like I was right there by their sides. I enjoyed the setting very much. It is a place that I would love to see and explore. The ending was perfect and quite satisfying. I can’t say enough good things about The Wedding People except read it or listen to the audiobook of it. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to the audiobook of The Wedding People in exchange for an unbiased review.
