The Wedding People: A Novel Hardcover – July 30, 2024

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.

This is a great book. The characters are relatable and, although there are serious situations included in the plot, it is balanced by humor. I appreciated that some the characters develop and learn as the book progresses and how the writer, while setting up the usual rom com situations, did not have them develop in the usual way. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it for someone looking for a nice summer novel.

“There is no such thing as a happy place. Because when you are happy, everywhere is a happy place. And when you are sad, everywhere is a sad place.”⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️ - I don’t know how to rate this. There aren’t explicit spice scenes but there are a lot of explicit discussions about sex, sexuality, and sexual fantasies.I’ll also say - if you have triggers check trigger warnings. Otherwise you can just dive in head first without even reading the blurb and experience pure shock. It was an incredible exercise in my opinion. Also, I went in (again without checking) off pure vibes and thinking this was a contemporary romance but it’s really contemporary or literary fiction.All that to say The Wedding People was so unexpected. It was funny, dark, witty, and deeply human. Phoebe really captured my heart as she finds herself and takes a look at her life through a new lens.There isn’t a lot I want to say about this book except to read it if you want to experience one of those stories that connects to the real life. It truly captures the balance of happiness and sadness that life brings.*the audiobook of this is done SO well! The narrator really captures all of the personalities.

This book was funny, well written and had great characters. The story was fun because it wasn’t necessarily predictable. It could have gone a couple different ways and had a satisfying ending. I love a wacky protagonist and lots of humor. This book delivers!

I enjoyed this summer read that was on first glance a fluff book, but hits some really difficult topics. The characters are very funny and I found myself rooting for them in their personal mess. I liked the Newport setting and found the book was true to the area. If you need an easy read on the beach this Summer I recommend!

I almost stopped reading this book a third of the way through it because it was whiny and depressing but I soldiered on and it got better, more interesting, more real. I still think the first third was too long and could have been trimmed. I could see the ending coming with one exception but I won't reveal it so you can be surprised too. Persevere. It is a good story in the end.

Wow. I loved this book so much. Phoebe, Lila,Matt,Jim,Gary and the other characters brought so much life into this book. The Wedding People is not basic by any means. The deeper meaning it invokes is “ Keep moving Forward” which is a quote that keeps getting repeated in the movie :Meet The Robinsons. Phoebe wants to die,but who doesn’t when the love of their life leaves and their cat Harry dies? However Phoebe is changed by the bride Lila and finds her will to live again! She even becomes a part of the wedding people. This book is about the complexities of life, whether it’s marriage, being you authentic self and friendship. I wish it was faster paced but other than that it was beautifully written and a great story.

This was the perfect book to kick off my summer reading. It was both funny & uplifting, yet dealt with serious subject matter, with a gentle honesty that I really appreciated. You will not regret reading this book, meeting these characters… & believe me they are some real characters…. but best of all, it will make you look at the people you see out & about in life, as real people, with their own real lives & worth.