A review by booktalkwithkarla
The Wedding People by Alison Espach

emotional funny hopeful reflective sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Phoebe shows up at the Cornwall, a place she’s dreamed of being. There she is the only guest who is not part of the wedding of Lila and Gary. Shortly, after arriving while in the elevator, Phoebe confesses to Lila that she’s there to and her life. Lila says no, you can’t ruin my wedding week.

I read this quickly because I desperately needed to know what happened next and how it ended. This book has mire depth than the cover or description leads you to believe. I loved how Alison Espach gently and directly addressed deep loneliness. Espach gave each character humanity. Her treatment caused me to feel seen and known. I adored this book and highly recommend it!!! 

A few of the many quotes I loved:
“Love was an invisible wire, connecting them always.”

“Phoebe has become good over the years at detecting who has a loving mother and who does not, because Phoebe believes a loving mother gives a person the kind of confidence to exist that Phoebe never quite had.“

“That is how it happens, she realizes. One moment of pretending to be great leads to the next moment of pretending to be great, and 10 years later, she realizes she spent her entire life, just pretending to be great.”

“This is the gift random strangers can give you, Phoebe is realizing – the freedom to say or be anything around them. Because who cares? He doesn’t know her, will never know her.”

“A small step back into the world, a nice gesture, a fight against the entropy, something he could do to be human to another human.”

“She is so good at predicting what will happen in books, so bad at predicting what will happen in life. That is why she has always preferred books – because to be alive is much harder.”