Content note: this review discusses suicide and depression.
When people start arriving for a lavish, million-dollar wedding at the Cornwall Inn in Newport, Rhode Island, Professor Phoebe Stone is quickly mistaken for a guest.
She's dressed to the nines, wearing a stunning silk dress and heels, but she's alone, heartbroken and depressed. She has only one goal – to end her life.
From the get-go, you realise The Wedding People by Alison Espach is not your usual romantic comedy. It's messy, it's sad and it's very, very human.
Our heroine Phoebe has always wanted to stay at the luxurious Cornwall Inn with her ex-husband, but she never got the opportunity. She's decided she wants to splurge on this once-in-a-lifetime holiday before she enacts her plan.
She does not realise, however, that the entire hotel has been booked out for a wedding. When Phoebe runs into the bride, Lila, and reveals her plans, Lila is shocked and horrified. She is determined Phoebe will not ruin her wedding.
A battle of wills ensues between these two strong-willed and opinionated women, and they eventually become confidantes – Phoebe reveals her pain from her broken marriage and Lila shares her misgivings about her impending nuptials. Before long, Phoebe gets pulled into the strange, chaotic, and very entertaining world of the wedding party - she becomes one of The Wedding People.
One of the unique aspects of The Wedding People is its ability to walk a careful line between different emotional tones.
There is a very serious side to the story. As Phoebe's backstory unfolds, it deals sensitively with her depression and grief over her failed marriage.
However, there are also some scenes that are laugh-out-loud hilarious. There are two scenes involving a vintage car and some pandas that had me clutching my sides.
The book also explores female friendship and there's also some romance. However, the romantic plotline is handled with subtlety – it's not the forefront of the story. The heart of the novel is Phoebe rediscovering herself and her love of life.
I really enjoyed The Wedding People. It's a real page-turner, but it has a lot of emotional depth. It's a great book to cosy up with on the couch with a cup of tea.