Jayme's Reviews > The Wedding People

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.