Finishing this book also meant finishing my first buddy read with my mom, which was a fun experience, and I enjoyed the book. In a time of crisis, main character Phoebe has booked an expensive hotel, and upon arriving learns that due to a hotel oversight, she is the only guest who is not there for a wedding. Phoebe is grieving the end of her marriage, among other losses, and soon comes into contact with the bride, Lila. Through Lila, Phoebe slowly becomes sucked into the world, and the drama, of the wedding guests.
We spend the most time with Phoebe (the book is 3rd person POV from her perspective) and Lila. I liked Phoebe and the way she evolved after a decision she made early in the novel. She’s learning to be herself, particularly to speak her mind, and I loved that for her. Lila was an interesting and at times aggravating character given her combination of entitlement and insecurity. In general, I enjoyed the interactions between Phoebe and the various guests, especially Lila’s future stepdaughter, Juice.
The novel brings up some heavy themes (see content warnings below), and while they don’t exactly get short shrift, the focus is much more on the interpersonal dynamics between Phoebe and the “wedding people” and among the wedding people themselves. So while mental health is discussed, don’t expect a nuanced exploration of it or the other themes. You may also have to suspend your sense of disbelief, especially upon reading Lila’s reaction to Phoebe’s disclosing why she came to the hotel.
Overall, I really liked the book, especially the interpersonal relationships that were explored. There were also some funny and meaningful quotes that stood out to me (e.g., “Nobody was ever really watching, except Phoebe. Phoebe was the only person waiting in the dark to condemn herself for every single thing when the day was over”). I rated it 4.25 stars.
CW for suicidality, infertility, infidelity, and deaths (of pet, parents)