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emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Death, Terminal illness, Medical content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
SYNOPSIS
-Cornwall Inn, Newport, Rhode Island. Lila’s six-day wedding party is in full swing. She has planned every detail and spared no expense. Nothing can ruin it until Phoebe Stone shows up.
-Phoebe is not one of “the wedding people.” She is a stranger who somehow landed the best room in the inn, which was supposed to be reserved for Lila’s guests only.
-She is at rock bottom and wants to get as far away from her old life as possible. Years ago, she spotted this charming inn and planned to visit with her husband. They never made it, and now she is here with no luggage, just the clothes on her back, and no interest in anything wedding-related.
-When she checks in, the staff assumes she is there for the wedding. She does not correct them.
-On her way to her room, Phoebe ends up in the elevator with the bride. Lila sizes her up instantly, starts talking, and by the time they reach Phoebe’s floor, she knows exactly why Phoebe is there, and it is not for cake and champagne.
-What was supposed to be a one-night stay turns into a week as the two form an unexpected friendship, pulling Phoebe into the heart of a wedding she never planned to attend.
⸻
MY THOUGHTS
-Believe the hype. This book deserves every bit of its buzz. A 2024 BOTY finalist for BOTM, Goodreads Choice Award fiction winner, and named one of the year’s best by just about everyone.
-When this book first came on the scene, I assumed it was a rom-com because of the cover and title. It is not, which is a good reminder not to judge a book by its cover.
-Beautifully written. It’s sharp, heartfelt, and funny, with the perfect balance between dark humor and tough subjects.
-Phoebe is such a real, layered main character. I loved her, and I didn’t want her story to end. It was really cool seeing her mindset shift & change over the course of the week.
-The rest of the cast is every bit as memorable. They read like real people, each with their own quirks, mistakes, and charm.
-The story weaves depression into the plot so deeply it feels like it has its own role.
-Suicide comes up in the story, and it’s handled really well. It’s raw and real, but it also makes you feel like it’s okay to have the conversation. It’s not making light of it, but it opens the door for people to share without feeling judged.
-One of the other big themes is marriage struggles. Phoebe’s marriage keeps popping up in the story, and you really feel how much it shaped her. I think a lot of people will relate, especially if they’ve been in a relationship that just slowly fell apart.
-Transformative story. You can feel the shift happening as the story unfolds.
-The book is both painful and healing. It takes you apart and then rebuilds you.
-Deals with depression, infertility, marriage struggles, and suicide ideation in a way that feels honest but not overwhelming.
-I liked that people were drawn to Phoebe and shared with her so naturally. She didn’t see it as a talent, but it was. A quiet reminder of how much we can mean to others without realizing it.
-I loved the “High Bun” and “Neck Pillow” nicknames. It made me happy.
-There’s a line that stuck with me: “When you are happy, everywhere is a happy place. When you are sad, everywhere is a sad place.”
-I went from laughing to tearing up to wanting to throw the book at Phoebe’s husband.
-The story flowed so well, and the ending was both intense and understated, which made it stick.
⸻
TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars. Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful. So good. Funny, heartbreaking, full of hope, and characters you will not forget. Just read it. One of my favorite reads this year.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Death of parent
Minor: Cancer, Vomit
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Infidelity, Terminal illness
Minor: Vomit
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Miscarriage
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
The narrator really brought the characters to life. There are so many hilarious quotes:
Herbal essences.
I've personally participated in the sexual intercourse of at least 4 pandas across the world.
I'll take 2 weeds please.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went into this book blind and it surprised me in such a good way! As someone who has had depression, someone who constantly overthinks, someone who used to need everything they did to come out perfect, Phoebe was VERY relatable. Even if she's at a different age and life situation than I'm in. The plot in this book seemed secondary to how Phoebe interprets the events and that was so interesting to read, especially since it wasn't entirely done in first person pov. This book is poignant, it's heartfelt, and just the right amount of cheesy. There's female friendships (performative and otherwise), there's loss of a loved one, there's grief of different kinds, and the sense of grudging acceptance to keep going until we find the beauty in the life we're living, or have the courage to change it.
Overall I would warn people who are about to start reading this book: this is not a typical contemporary romance. I wouldn't even classify it as a romance necessarily. This book deals with a lot of sensitive topics, so please read the trigger warnings before you start. And finally, if you are reading it, go through your journey just like Phoebe and focus on the hope of it all.
Overall I would warn people who are about to start reading this book: this is not a typical contemporary romance. I wouldn't even classify it as a romance necessarily. This book deals with a lot of sensitive topics, so please read the trigger warnings before you start. And finally, if you are reading it, go through your journey just like Phoebe and focus on the hope of it all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Miscarriage, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Death of parent
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
i recommend! despite heavy subjects and themes, it was surprisingly easy going, feelgood and funny. i will definitely read more by AE
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Infertility, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Suicide attempt
Moderate: Animal death, Cursing, Infidelity, Sexual content, Death of parent, Alcohol, Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Drug use, Blood, Vomit, Pregnancy
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really loved the book, Phoebe was a wonderful character I liked every decision she made, was so loyal to her character. I don’t give it the five stars because some characters like Marla didn’t feel real, like their evolution. But otherwise it was a very good read ❤️🥹
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Suicide, Terminal illness, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Pregnancy
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage