The Wedding People: A Novel

I really enjoyed this story. I caught myself laughing out loud a few times throughout. If you’re looking for a book that is wickedly funny, deeply moving, and entirely unpredictable, The Wedding People needs to be at the very top of your TBR. It’s messy, tender, brilliantly character-driven, and a total unforgettable read!

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were fun, endearing, and interesting. The plot was a little predictable, but in the best way. I think everyone should be able to relate to at least one character or life circumstance in this book. A fun, sad, and human story.

When reviewing a book I often think of this truism: there is the truth and then there is everyone's perception of the truth. Most if not all of us bring our own experiences and life choices to what we read as well. Hence, divergent opinions from readers about any selected book being reviewed at the time. Fortunately there are thousands upon thousands of authors writing books from which we can choose. So, then, one person may think there is too much descriptive material which slows the narrative down while another will want more. Of course some authors are better than others at writing narratives about places, clothes, food and the like but if they did not include such tangible items then we would all be reading nothing but short stories. Another divergent point is how realistic should the narrative be? In my opinion, an author has done his/her job when some facet of the human condition, whether negative or positive but certainly negative, is turned into a great read as nuanced, as wise and as powerful as THE WEDDING PEOPLE: A NOVEL by Alison Espach. Even though suicide is a serious topic and is not treated lightly in the book, it should be noted that those suffering depression have our concern and our hope for those needing it to seek help. On a positive note however, statistics show that people who were saved or rescued from the final act are grateful that they did not succeed regardless of how the "rescue" happened. Add Phoebe Stone, the MFC, to such a "literary" saved list! I try not to include spoilers but Phoebe's intentions for checking into the exclusive Victorian Hotel have been mentioned several times already so consider that even though she meant it, she did not realize she had checked into the hotel with improper equipment for such a final act. However, regardless of her plan, the contrast is startling between her self-agonizing, self-criticism and constant worry about how others see her compared to the bombastic over-the-top, her-first-concern-is-herself, Lila, the bride. What better way to lift Phoebe up than being put in a position to help others with less weighty concerns than her own--or are they less weighty to each particular individual? Phoebe's upbringing was so quiet and calm that she could not step outside what she assumed others thought of her, even when she was married. Once she met the crew in Lila's wedding party, Phoebe started broadening her outlook for the first time in her life. How all this happens is a serious, laugh out loud, shed a few tears very believable fictional narrative about self discovery and self determination. Each character contributing to Phoebe's evolution is fully presented as being different from one another with each having their own quirks, hangups and personalities. Then there is Clay, the groom, a person Phoebe could look in the eye and be totally honest with about her feelings and opinions. Phoebe's growing relationship with each person is clever. Special note: there is a scene about a vintage car that will have readers laughing for days. Books that have stood the test of time are not compact, quick reads though many of us enjoy those too but rather are about the difficulty we have growing up then living a "normal" life (whatever that is) or that are written about unforgettable subjects i.e. the orphanages of Dickens day and then the "snake-pit" mental hospitals in the early 20th century (and do not forget the future--1984) and so on. One of the reasons so many of those books are still being read today is that they took a terrible situation and turned it into a story most of us could relate to while being grateful the situation(s) were eventually adequately resolved. I believe we will be reading this book for a long time. I loved it, read it in a day and will read it again, something I have only done one other time in all the centuries I have been an avid reader (LOL). With no hype or personal fixations, just simply my truth: the best book of the year.

I am fully prepared to take the heat for this unpopular opinion as I completely missed the mark on the hype for this book. Going into this read, I was anticipating a breakout experience because of how much praise it received across the book community. While the writing itself was undeniably good and Alison Espach has a beautiful way with words, the actual execution just did not land for me. 😔 To give credit where it's due, the story tackles some heavy topics that deserve recognition and I will give the author her flowers. I connected with the FMC, the supporting cast, and the setting of the book was a nice touch. This story leans heavily into a sad, more melancholy tone and I did not mind it at all, but the narrative felt a bit stagnant. There just wasn't enough happening to propel the story forward, causing the overall arc to fall flat. I finished this book feeling underwhelmed and wishing the pacing had matched the potential of the characters. 💐 The Aftermath 🌷: Ultimately, this settled into a middle-of-the-road, three-star read for me. I liked it well enough to finish, and I respect the depth of the themes, but it stands as a reminder that a well-written book can still miss the mark if the plot doesn't hit. It’s a solid contemporary piece, but it just didn’t deliver the major impact I was expecting based on the rave reviews! 👰🏾‍♀️

This ended up being a great book but it took a while for it to hit its stride. [SPOILER] It's about a woman contemplating suicide. I don't normally spoil things but I went in wanting something light and that's not what I got. It's billed as a comedy but after the first set of pages, it goes dark exploring what led her to this place until near the 20% mark. Plus, there's heavy discussion of the pandemic, which is something I didn't need reminding of. The author eventually finds a way to balance humor with cynicism but I didn't expect it to take so long. With that being said, once it gets going, I was thoroughly hooked. The characters are distinct and I found myself really appreciating Phoebe's perspective on the world (even though we approach life differently). I'd recommend this book but warn you that you need to get past a significant chunk of moroseness before it gets into high gear.

I absolutely loved this book. It was heartfelt, hilarious, and was geared specifically toward my age group so I found it particularly relatable and that much funnier. I literally laughed out loud while reading this book on my kindle, and I am so happy I decided to see what was making people talk about this book so much. Now I know! Definitely an easy beach read, and one can easily see become a movie.

The Wedding People didn't hook me at first, but once it did I found it hard to put down. It was really heavy in mental health issues toward the beginning and brought up things for myself I hadn't thought of in a while, and parts of the story really resonated with me. Phoebe's character felt real and relatable, and I found myself rooting for her for almost the whole book. Overall the pacing was good, and the ending felt cathartic. It's definitely a book that I'll be thinking about for a while.

The characters are real—they are all of us—they hate themselves, love themselves and grow, not into a predictable happy ever after, but more like real life. The future is what it will be but the characters walk forward into it with all the happiness, fear, courage and dreams that make life interesting and scary all at the same time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book as a good yarn with a bit of romance thrown in. The two women, Phoebe (the narrator character) and Lila (the bride) form the irresponsible dual focus of this escapade, with the men thrown in as supporting, but timid and weak, characters. Other women are portrayed with bit parts and only the receptionist, Pauline, seems to have grown up. The child "Juice", a progeny of the widowed groom's first marriage, also seems to exhibit maturity denied to the adults. The characters are all caricatures like in a cartoon, and bash each other in the same way. It contains a fair bit of American style humour (humor) like altering the hotel decor to fit personal style, and American style assertiveness, particularly in Lila whose personal insecurity is manifest in demanding thoughtless behaviour. The crass adults all have tragic backstories which might go some way to explaining their idiosyncrasies, but the main driver is merely the screenplay like a theatre farce, to drive the rapid progression of one slapstick to another. However, the yarn is supported by an excellent understanding of human behaviour, and thoughts and emotions, and these are expressed by the characters in highly unlikely private discussions, or in Phoebe's own thoughts rendered into text to convince the reader that she is a real person. In addition, most, if not all the adult characters indulge in episodes of coupling, which personality attribute is further enhanced by the booking of a sex lady for the hen night. These insights make the book much more enjoyable than if it was merely the child's cartoon that the actions alone might portray. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but you must take it on the level it is written and don't reject it simply because real people are not like these characters at all; it is a good story, just enjoy it.

I ordered this and came the next day.. immediately read it They're all just people trying to get through life, broken, confused, and figuring things out. That's what made this book so relatable. This story resonated with me through its themes of depression, art, books, and loneliness. I also loved how the author balanced humor with heartfelt moments. Phoebe was easily likable. She's observant, witty, and the kind of character who stays with you. I also saw a bit of myself in Patricia's perspective on femininity, womanhood, and vulnerability. Overall, this was such an enjoyable read. It was easy to get immersed in the story, and every character felt like someone you could know in real life. I wouldn't exactly call it a light read, but it's definitely one l'd recommend.

I really enjoyed this book. It manages to balance emotional and heavy topics with humor in a very natural way. The story starts in a way that feels a bit intense and unusual, but the characters quickly pull you in, especially the dynamic between them. I also loved the writing style — it was engaging, easy to read, and emotional without feeling overly dramatic. Overall, it’s one of those books that makes you laugh, reflect, and feel attached to the characters at the same time. Definitely recommend it if you enjoy contemporary fiction with emotional depth and a bit of dark humor

If you are in a reading slump, without a second thought, pick this one up. There was so much hype about this book, yet I somehow didn't believe it. So finally when I decided to read the sample, ahem! Ahem. Rest was history. Phoebe Stone a divorced English Professor, decides one moning to walk out of her home, work - basically life. She flies to Newport, Rhode Islands to stay at this luxurious 19th Century Hotel. Enter bride Lila and her grand six days wedding with her extended family. And boom! Every plan that Phoebe had turns upisde down. What I really loved about the book was Phoebe's character arc - she wore her emotions on her sleeve and was so real and relatable. The story was filled with witty banter, emotional, reflective conversations and so much drama. There wasn't a moment of dullness. The plot was packed with tiny twists and surprises that I thought were going to follow a predictable line of conduct, then it totally twisted. After finishing this book, I found myself smiling and feeling sad that it ended. That's how beautifully written this story is. Everyone needs to read this book, I cannot reiterate that enough!.

A fun read, beautifully written and close to what life is like