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This was a unexpected gem of a story loved it!

Caution… unpopular opinion ahead… I didn‘t love this book as much as everyone else… I didn‘t hate it either… it was just kind of blah for me…

A high pick! It‘s just as good as I hoped it would be! I‘ll say the beginning was starting to feel like a slog-the parts where we learn about why Phoebe went to the hotel to end her life. But I think that‘s because I was busy and stressed myself. Once I sat down to read with an open mind, I really appreciated Phoebe‘s story. The author really nailed some of the same thoughts we all have about womanhood, mental health, family. Felt very true.

“Life is strange. Always thinking that this one thing is going to make you happy. Because then you get it. And then you‘re maybe not as happy as you imagined you would be. Because every day is just every day. Like the happiness becomes so big you have no choice but to live inside it. Until you can no longer see or feel it. And so you start to fixate on something else.”

I have today off from work and what a glorious way to start my day! 🐾 📖 ☕️

It‘s my 27th wedding anniversary today and instead of a more traditional celebration, I am driving my husband to/from his dental surgery appointment 😂 Poor guy!

I‘m 1/4 into this book and I have high hopes for it based on so many positive reviews! I‘m taking it with me for reading in the waiting room.

What started feeling like light chic-lit was actually quite a sweet story. I came to love Phoebe, who arrived at the Cornwall Inn suicidal and left a different person. The description of how she contained her whole life by just wanting to be “normal” was very astute and gave this more depth than it initially appears, yet at the same it‘s completely silly - the combination worked for me.

Loved this one!

Such a good uplifting character focused fiction.

4.5⭐️/5⭐️

“Everyone” seemed to be reading this on Litsy a few months ago and loving it. I‘m so glad it was put on my radar.

A year after her divorce, Phoebe travels to an expensive hotel across the country to end her life. Once she arrives there, she discovers that everyone else is a part of a wedding and soon she is more involved in this wedding that she expected.

Today is the first day of my summer holidays and it is 30 degrees Celsius of perfection on my deck. Just finished this book which was 80% delightful and 20% 🤷‍♀️, which makes it a pick for me. We'll be discussing it at bookclub on Monday night.

I got this for free from #botm since it was the book of the year for 2024…I wanted to see what all the hype was about. At first, I wasn‘t sure if I was going to like it (it‘s character driven which isn‘t my preference) but I ended up enjoying it. I was entertained!

#bookspinbingo - got a bingo!

Just finished this and I hate that it‘s over!

✅ Read it

✅ Loved it

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

6-8-25: My 39th finished book of 2025! Phoebe, a divorced professor, travels to the Cornwall Inn in Rhode Island to splurge on herself. Depressed and at the end of her rope she encounters the wedding people. Gathered at the Inn for Lila and Gary‘s wedding week. When Phoebe and Lila encounter one another in the hotel elevator their lives become entwined for the better. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📖#️⃣3️⃣9️⃣

I found a main premise of this book ridiculous (the maid of honor thing), but the good writing and fun characters made me enjoy it anyway. Soft pick.

Up next

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This audiobook lives up to all the hype. After weeks on hold I finally got it on my Libby App. What happens when a suicidal English professor meets a possible Bridezilla in the elevator of a swanky hotel? You have to read this funny novel - I was listening in my car and snorted my soda out while laughing too hard. There‘s some serious stuff mixed in with the fun. I want to know what‘s happening to all these people now 😹👍👍🐉❤️

It really was a tough call this month between Fredrik Backman‘s MY FRIENDS and Alison Espach‘s THE WEDDING PEOPLE. I went with WP basically because it was the first book I‘ve read by this author, whereas I‘ve read several Backmans so I sort of knew what to expect.

#bookbracket #ReadingBracket
#ReadingBracket2025

February 2025 Book #7

Sorry, unpopular opinion here. I think this book was overhyped for me. That situation at the hotel was so unrealistic to me. Then, we have a character not only with suicidal ideation but also a plan to do it and it was ignored? I have read books with morbid humor like Hagman by Maya Binyam but from the beginning you see the absurd tone. I didn‘t see that in this novel. It was tragic so sad her situation but ignored⬇️

#Two4Tuesday @TheSpineView

1. The Wedding People was my first book by Alison Espach and I loved it. I now have Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance on my TBR.

2. Tagged.

A woman who wants to kill herself gets stuck at the most perfectionist bride's wedding. Great setting but it just became toooo preachy at some points. Great characters though, them being the reason I kept on reading. I for sure know this is gonna be a great movie and I'd love it more than the book!
3.5/5🌟

Unsurprisingly, given all the Litsy love for this one, I loved this book! I love how Espach took contemporary comedic fiction tropes and found genuine humanity underneath. The day drinking mother of the bride, the uptight sister of the groom, the perfectionist verging on bridezilla? They are all wrestling with their own vulnerabilities and trying to get through their days.

Cont'd

4⭐
•The overall theme at work here was solid, but sometimes it went off on unnecessary tangents that pulled me out of the story entirely too often.
•Helen Laser‘s narration was fantastic.

It's a beautiful day to read outdoors!

The first few chapters I was skeptical but I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Female friendships are complicated and adult life is hard!

Can't remember it that well, but at the time it was ok.

May #bookspin

Once again I‘m skidding into bookspin at the last minute and I‘ve yet to complete a spin pick in the last couple of months but hey, it‘s fun to try!

Definitely in the minority on this book, but I lost interest halfway through. I didn‘t connect with any of the characters and the “I don‘t like this” vibes started to outweigh the “I love this!” vibes. #HailtheBail 🚀

Getting ready to start the tagged book while sitting at this lovely location! #happyplace #campfire #deweys24HourReadathon

Cheers to the weekend!! 🍻📖🎉 I made it to 5 o‘clock 😅

Add me to the list of folks who didn‘t expect to like this book based on the cover. 😆

Phoebe is deeply depressed when she walks out of her job and books one night at a fancy hotel on the Rhode Island coast. She finds she is the only person in the hotel who isn‘t part of a wedding. She meets the bride in the elevator, and her plans start to go awry.

Funny and quirky, I really enjoyed it. Great narration too. Thanks for the recommendation!

This was not quite what I expected (the hype passed me right by). Phoebe, desperately sad and struggling inadvertently crashes a week long wedding and through the connection she makes finds new purpose. I loved some of her relationships and conversations with the wedding people but felt less invested in the overall story. I think the cast of characters was strong and would happily have read more about any of them

I enjoyed this book but it was hard to get invested in. I tried reading the physical book and couldn't. I ended up with the audiobook and liked it better. 3.5 🌟 #Read2025 @DieAReader

##WhereAreYouMonday @Cupcake12

Currently in New Port, Rhode Island. It is one of the few states I have not been to. Hope to make all 50 before I die.

Yes, I devoured THE WEDDING PEOPLE. This book is an absolute banger.

I loved Phoebe‘s dry wit & humor. Taking joy in your passions but also not having to stay the course in your life especially if it‘s not making you happy. I like the whole idea of finding joy in what brings you joy, not what society tells you will make you happy (young people & their obsession with perfection & an IG curated life). Speaking your mind & finding a sense of relief from not having to make everyone happy…all the time.

I wasn‘t sure if I was going to like this since contemporary fiction is hit or miss for me, but I‘m pleased to say that this was a hit! I felt so much for Phoebe, her story, and the many quirky characters she met along the way. I really got both the heart and the humor of this book, and it never got maudlin or preachy in its message. It‘s really about how the human spirit can endure and find meaning when things look bleak, and I loved it.

#WeeklyFavorites

Highly recommend.

I was afraid this would be one of those “what is all the hype?!” books where I have the unpopular opinion. However, I really liked it and all of the emotions the various characters felt throughout. Not overly fluffy or heavy. Just a nice balance & a book that made me think about enjoying this journey.

#DynamicDs Day 2: #DoubleLetterTitle and it happens to be DD too! Awesome. I am still disappointed this did not win over James, but c‘est lavie. 💕

Finally got around to this one for #TOB25

I assumed this would be total fluff (not that there‘s anything wrong with that) but it was pretty deep albeit in a fluffy way. I liked what it had to say about taking care of yourself, finding the true you as you get older, loneliness, and grief. I loved how the author handled the pandemic. It made me laugh too.

Not my favorite short list title, but I can see why so many people love it.

A suicidal divorcee arrives at a hotel and ends up being the catalyst for a weeklong wedding extravaganza. Recommended for anyone whose ever felt lost in their own life.

It was to be expected that The Book Censor‘s Library didn‘t stand a chance against The Wedding People. So we‘re left with two very popular books left in the #LitsyToB25: TWP and James (James is a finalist in #ToB25 too).

Please vote one more time for your favorite and I‘ll see you on Monday for the final match! Have a good weekend. https://forms.gle/QksJX14ZcJMmmYij7

Happy birthday Jen 🎈!

Another very hard choice in the #LitsyToB25: The History of Sound vs The Wedding People, two absolute favorites. An almost equal score, but The Wedding People has won in the end.
It's not the end though, for The History of Sound. It will return as a zombie!
I'll annouce both 🧟 🧟‍♀️ shortly - along with another GForm for you to vote.
In the #ToB25 we were facing Irena vs Margo and again Irena wins. What‘s happening?

Today we had another obvious winner: The Wedding People. It is remarkable popular on Litsy and it's the #LitsyToB25 favorite of Myra, Care & Theresa. However, many will be sad to see Margo go (Chelsea & Carolyn's favorite book).
Fortunately, Margo advances in the #ToB25 where it knocked-out Liars.

🚨It is time to vote for the Semi Finals! 🚨Please fill in the form today as the tournament continues tomorrow! https://forms.gle/crtE6SZcqVW1fkid9