'Brilliant' book with near-perfect 4.1 rating named 'best' of 2024

Every year brings with it a handful of novels that capture readers' imaginations, but few have made an impact in 2024 quite like this sensation by Alison Espach. The Wedding People, which has been chosen as Goodreads' 'Readers' Favorite Fiction' in 2024, currently holds an impressive 4.1 out of 5 star rating - based on an astonishing 810,000 reviews.

At the heart of the novel is Phoebe Stone, a woman who arrives at a hotel - as a customer - but is mistakenly thought to be one of the invited guests to a posh wedding that is being held there. Suddenly thrust into the world of "wedding people," Phoebe's unexpected presence sets off a chain of events that turn the bride's big day upside down, but also lead to surprising connections, moments of humour, and life-changing self-discovery. On Goodreads, one reviewer admitted they were left overwhelmed by the emotional force of Espach's storytelling, writing: "Words cannot do justice to how brilliant this book is."

"The author left me speechless, a blubbering machine like those waving cat statues you see in Eastern places, with the exception that I kept repeating, 'I love it! I love it! I love it!' Phoebe is real! She's not an ordinary book character. You can easily see parts of her that are similar to you: resonating, bluntly honest, depressingly expressive, a woman who finally dares to say enough is enough."

Another highlighted the journey at the heart of the story rather than its conclusion: "This is definitely one of those books you read for the journey, not for the outcome. It's pretty clear right from the beginning where this story is going to go..."

"To follow Phoebe as she meets these strangers, see how they touch her life at exactly the moment she needs it, while she in turn touches theirs, brings a lump to my throat and a flutter to my heart."

For some, it was a read so immersive they struggled to let it go: "I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! I am so sad it's over and I know it will stick with me for awhile - the best feeling ever if you ask me. I loved so much about it - the characters, the message, the topics, the humor, the storyline, the ending... plus it ended EXACTLY how I wanted it to."

Others praised Espach for her deft handling of difficult themes, noting how authentic the characters felt: "This book was so human. I loved every single character, and the dialogue felt so authentic and genuinely FUNNY. All of the depictions of depression were so spot on, and I especially appreciated the way that no two characters experienced it in the same way."

While The Wedding People snatched the Best Fiction crown, Intermezzo by Sally Rooney got second place, followed by Hwang Bo-Reum's Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop.