Preview
  • The Wedding People

  • A Novel
  • By: Alison Espach
  • Narrated by: Helen Laser
  • Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (3,357 ratings)

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The Wedding People

By: Alison Espach
Narrated by: Helen Laser
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Publisher's summary

Long-listed, Time Magazine Best Books of the Year, 2024

Long-listed, Amazon.com Best Books of the Year, 2024

"As narrator, the terrific Laser, an actress and puppeteer, only enhances the swoon-worthy quirks and romance."—Vulture

A Today Show #ReadwithJenna Book Club Pick

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt & Company.

©2024 Alison Espach (P)2024 Macmillan Audio
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Critic reviews

A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice
The #1 Indie Next Pick for August 2024
One of The Washington Post’s 10 Noteworthy Books for July and August
Named a Best Book of Summer 2024 by People Magazine, Bustle, Star Tribune, Goodreads, and LitHub

The Wedding People is the perfect book to wrap up your summer reading. . . . heartwarming [and] hilarious.”
—Jenna Bush Hager, The Today Show's #ReadwithJenna

The Wedding People is so much more than a funny story (though it is very funny). Espach has penned a keenly observed novel about depression, love, the ways women make themselves small, and how one woman got over it. Fully realized and completely memorable.”
Booklist (starred review)

“Espach’s wit and warmth deliver a gratifying story about how people who have given up might find a reason to start caring again.”
—Becky Meloan, The Washington Post

Editorial Review

I’ll toast to that!
Feeling salty about beachfront displays of affection? As am I, along with Phoebe Stone, the spiraling protagonist of Alison Espach’s latest novel, who, newly single and depressed, has hot summer plans to self-sabotage in style at an elegant Newport resort. However, upon her arrival, she unexpectedly befriends a cohort of, you guessed it, wedding people, who would rather count Phoebe as an extra head for the caterers than have her potentially ruin the ceremony by being left unattended while erratically heartbroken. It doesn’t take long for Phoebe and the bride to bond over their underlying anxieties, and narrator Helen Laser’s spot-on delivery of all the witty insights embedded in this novel certainly makes it easy to fall for the vibrant cast of characters. So, if you too are in need of a summer pick-me-up, take a page out of Phoebe’s book and vicariously masquerade as a posh, pearl-clad sophisticate while opening up to this cynical yet ultimately heartfelt listen. — Haley H., Audible Editor

What listeners say about The Wedding People

Average customer ratings
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What a beautiful book

Absolutely loved everything about this book… so many trigger warnings but touched on everything that is, well, life. Life is hard and it has so many ways of knocking us down. I loved the characters, even the seriously flawed ones, and am so happy with the way this author weaved their stories together. Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year and definitely a 5 star read.

The performance was perfect as well. Idk that I’ve listened to anything by this narrator yet, but will definitely seek out more books read by her.

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7 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Would have preferred a paper copy

I liked this story. It had several laugh out loud moments. But I was a bit thrown off by the narration. The editing spliced in sentences quite often which didn’t match the overall tone and inflection. It made me wonder if those sentences were in italics in a paper copy. But nice story, overall good quality.

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3 people found this helpful

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Perfect!

1000 x 5! Darkly funny. Purely honest. Bravely starting again. I need to go back and gather all the amazing quotes and write them all down.

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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Smart funny and deeply human.

So refreshing to have a smart, witty female lead. My favorite book so far this year.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fun Very Realistic Romp

Fun Very Realistic Romp through people’s fears insecurities and most importantly opening their hearts to greater love❤️ and all the while exploring these issues at one of life’s biggest emotional roller coasters.

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Such a great book

First time with this author- I throughly enjoyed this story. It was unique- kept me interested and it didn’t have a sappy ending- more of a beginning. I’m going to read more of her books.

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  • Overall
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More profound than I expected

This book was a surprise. I expected it to be a little trivial and fun and lighthearted, and they’re definitely worth those moments, but it was deeper and more meaningful than I expected. I really enjoyed it and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

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  • Overall
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Great characters

Loved the protagonist finding herself with the backdrop of privilege. The intricate weaving of sorrow and joy is a delight to read.

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  • Overall
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Excellent read

Loved. Sound character development — with a sad start and a better than happy . Loved the story!

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More insightful than first impression

I could really relate to the complex emotions dealt with in this entertaining book.

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