The Wedding People
A Novel
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4.3 • 3.3K Ratings
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- $2.99
Publisher Description
The runaway New York Times bestseller
A Today Show #ReadwithJenna Book Club Pick, New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and a #1 Indie Next Pick
Named a Best Book of the Year by The Guardian, Time, Chicago Tribune Biblioracle, HuffPost, US Magazine, Elle, Real Simple, and Glamour
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.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In this thoughtful, funny novel, a woman discovers all the ways a wedding can go wrong—and right. In the wake of her broken marriage, Phoebe Stone arrives at a luxury hotel in swank Newport, Rhode Island, with plans to end her life. Instead, she finds herself wrapped up with Lila, a well-intentioned but high-strung rich girl whose upcoming wedding is planned to perfection…except for the part where she isn’t crazy about the groom. The unusual friendship that develops between Phoebe and Lila is truly heartwarming, bringing them each face-to-face with what they really want and need. The result is a fantastic buddy comedy with two strong and relatable leads. We simply loved spending time with these two, whether we were learning about Phoebe’s history or navigating the increasingly complex activities for Lila’s wedding. The Wedding People is a delightfully warmhearted read.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Espach (Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance) offers a sparkling and slightly macabre novel of a 30-something woman finding a new lease on life. After adjunct English professor Phoebe Stone's husband leaves her for her colleague, she declines an invitation to return the next semester, unable to stomach seeing her husband's new lover. Unable to find another teaching job, she checks into a luxury hotel in Newport, R.I., where she's always wanted to stay, and plans to end her life with her cat's painkillers. She doesn't count on the hotel teeming with wedding guests, or meeting the 20-something bride, Lila, who, after hearing of Phoebe's plans, does everything she can to keep Phoebe alive, worried a suicide would mess up her perfect wedding. During an early morning soak in the hotel's hot tub, Phoebe is drawn to a handsome stranger and buoyed by their connection, even though he lets her know he's taken after she brazenly hits on him. The next day, Phoebe learns he's the groom. Over the course of her brief stay, Phoebe, having chosen to stay alive, musters the courage to break her old patterns and stop letting people walk over her, which leads to a triumphant finale. Readers are in for a treat.
Customer Reviews
Loved the characters, easy read
This book surprised me—in the best way. It’s darkly funny and quietly devastating. Weird, sad, funny, and kind of magical in that offbeat, low-key way I didn’t know I needed. Not a typical love story at all—it’s more about the spaces we make for ourselves when we’re lost, and the strange, unexpected ways we connect with others. The characters felt so real—messy, confused, but still trying. I loved it. I’ll be thinking about it for a while.
Not what I expected. So much better.
I literally adore this book.
Excellent
I seldom give five stars, but this I believe deserves it. So thoughtfully and intelligently written. Left me wanting more. Left me feeling hopeful.