A review by amy_alwaysreading
The Wedding People by Alison Espach

5.0

Many thanks to my friends at @henryholtbooks and macmillan.audio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Witty and wise.  Full of heart.  Deeply resonant. 

 

Some books you read.  Others you experience.  

 

I finished this book more than a week ago, and I’m still actively thinking about it.  I don’t call many books perfect... but this one... it was absolutely PERFECT for me.  

 

From the compelling storyline to the inviting setting and the richly drawn characters.  

 

From the deep dive into hard places partnered with the space for growth and laced with abundant humor. 

 

I was immediately immersed in Phoebe’s journey and swept away by Espach’s powerhouse writing.  So tender.  So vital.  So raw.  So relatable.  

 

With each turn of the page, I became more convinced that Espach had intimate knowledge of my soul.  The gut-wrenching pain of infertility and pregnancy loss.  The loneliness and yearning.  The utter heartbreak. 

 

And then slowly, eventually... Learning to hope again.  Opening to connection and life again.  Finding the strength to laugh.  To love.  

 

There is startling beauty within the excavation of emotion in this read.  I laughed.  I cried.  I went through the entire gamut alongside Phoebe only to find myself laughing some more.  

 

But most importantly, as I closed the pages of The Wedding People, I felt seen.   

 

Not many authors have such an innate and easy ability to connect and uplift.  And as I pondered this book’s deep impact, I was reminded of the experience I have when reading Fredrik Backman.  His books are astutely observed, witty, wise, and full of humanity.  

 

So, too, is The Wedding People.  

 

Don’t be surprised when I- the person who has trouble picking favorites- names this book as my BOTY.  

 

🎧 I partnered my print copy with the audio, and Helen Laser nailed the execution of both the heartbreak and humor within this novel.  It’s a fully emotive listen, and Laser well embodies the variety of characters and tone within this read.