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When I saw The Wedding People by Alison Espach everywhere — Book of the Month, TikTok, bestseller lists — I’ll admit I was skeptical.
I usually am if something’s really popular. But when I spotted it at the library, I grabbed it immediately. (The best kind of surprise find.)
I went in expecting a breezy summer read, but The Wedding People is a little darker — in a good way. It’s funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly moving. It’s one of those books that makes you laugh and ache at the same time.
What The Wedding People is about
The story follows Phoebe Stone, a recently divorced professor who travels to a seaside hotel in Newport, Rhode Island, intending to end her life.
But her plan gets derailed when she walks straight into a wedding weekend.
At the hotel, Phoebe meets Lila, the young bride, along with a mix of wedding guests who are each dealing with their own heartbreaks and insecurities.
Over the course of the weekend, Phoebe’s story becomes tangled with theirs — in ways that are dark, awkward, and strangely beautiful.
Espach blends humor and grief in a way that feels very real. Even when the subject matter is heavy (suicide, divorce, loneliness), there’s wit and absurdity woven throughout.
My thoughts
I was excited to read this book, and honestly, I really enjoyed it. I found myself laughing out loud at times, and at others, pausing to take in a line that just hit.
The characters felt like real people — complicated, flawed, sometimes ridiculous, but deeply human. Phoebe’s friendship with Lila was one of my favorite parts of the story. Their dynamic shifts between humor, honesty, and heartbreak.
There’s a quote I saved that perfectly captures the tone of the book:
“She laughs again and it’s good to hear Lila make fun of herself. But Phoebe is starting to understand that on some nights, Lila is probably the loneliest girl in the world, just like Phoebe. And maybe they are all lonely. Maybe this is just what it means to be a person. To constantly reckon with being a single being in one body. Maybe everybody sits up at night and creates arguments in their head for why they are the loneliest person in the world.”
That passage sums up so much of what makes this book special. It’s about the quiet, universal loneliness that sits underneath even our happiest moments.
A few mixed feelings
Part of me worries that the novel sometimes trivializes a serious subject — suicide — or at least brushes past its gravity.
There are moments when Phoebe’s depression feels like it’s being framed as just a “rough patch,” and that can feel a little off. But I also understand that Espach might be trying to explore how humor and absurdity coexist with real pain — how people often laugh when they’re at their lowest.
The tone occasionally jumps from dark to funny so fast that it can feel disorienting. But overall, I think the mix of humor and heaviness is what makes the book stand out.
Would I recommend it?
Absolutely. The Wedding People is one of those rare books that manages to be both sad and light. It’s introspective without being slow, and entertaining without being shallow.
I also couldn’t stop picturing it as a movie or limited TV series — and it turns out, film rights have already been optioned. It makes total sense; the hotel setting, the ensemble cast, and the dialogue-driven writing all lend themselves perfectly to a screen adaptation.
Final thoughts
Reading The Wedding People reminded me that even when life feels dark, there’s always room for connection, humor, and hope — sometimes found in the most unexpected places (like a wedding you didn’t mean to attend).
This book isn’t perfect, but it’s memorable, heartfelt, and full of emotional truth. It’s a story about loneliness, friendship, and rediscovering yourself when you least expect it.
⭐ Rating: 4 / 5
💬 Best for: Readers who love dark humor, character-driven fiction, or books that balance heartbreak and laughter.
📍 Where to read: Your local library — if you’re lucky, you’ll find a copy like I did!
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