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Străinul de la nuntă
Annie n-a crezut niciodată în dragoste. Asta până să-l cunoască pe Mark. După ce drumurile li se intersectează în timpul navetei matinale, se revăd la ședințele unui grup de consiliere pentru supraviețuitorii traumelor. Fiecare recunoaște ceva anume în celălalt, deși amândoi își ascund trecutul tulbure.
Povestea lor o poartă pe Annie ca o tornadă, de-a lungul lunilor de curtare și până la ziua nunții – o zi pe care n-ar fi putut-o visa odinioară, dar care acum i se pare cel mai sigur lucru din viața ei.
În timp ce stă în fața altarului însă, privindu-i pe invitații binedispuși, zărește un străin în mulțime, și curând află că noua ei viață nu va fi atât de fericită pe cât își imaginase. Cine este străinul de la nuntă? Ce s-a petrecut în realitate cu prima soție a lui Mark? Și oare întâlnirea lor chiar s-a produs din întâmplare așa cum păruse, sau a fost rodul unor intenții malefice?
Cu o intrigă incandescentă, Străinul de la nuntă de A.E. Gauntlett vă va face să vă gândiți de două ori înainte de a spune „Da“.
Povestea lor o poartă pe Annie ca o tornadă, de-a lungul lunilor de curtare și până la ziua nunții – o zi pe care n-ar fi putut-o visa odinioară, dar care acum i se pare cel mai sigur lucru din viața ei.
În timp ce stă în fața altarului însă, privindu-i pe invitații binedispuși, zărește un străin în mulțime, și curând află că noua ei viață nu va fi atât de fericită pe cât își imaginase. Cine este străinul de la nuntă? Ce s-a petrecut în realitate cu prima soție a lui Mark? Și oare întâlnirea lor chiar s-a produs din întâmplare așa cum păruse, sau a fost rodul unor intenții malefice?
Cu o intrigă incandescentă, Străinul de la nuntă de A.E. Gauntlett vă va face să vă gândiți de două ori înainte de a spune „Da“.
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 7, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews
August 6, 2024
Arc Review
Publishing Date: 8/13/2024
My Rating: 2.5 stars .
The Plot-
Annie is standing at the alter when she looks to the crowd of people attending her wedding she notices a strange man, that she never invited and has no idea who he is. Annie’s paranoia seeps out and she begins the realize maybe her happy ending is not gonna go as planned.
My Thoughts-
This is a quick decent thriller. It kept me engaged enough for me to want to know how the story was going to end. Although the ending was predictable the very last piece of the puzzle did throw me for a loop.
The pacing was okay. Slow at the beginning but once it picked up it was an enjoyable ride. The writing is what really dragged this book. Told in multiple POVS and dual timelines, which I love in books, but for this one there was no separation. It was sometimes hard to tell who was telling the story.
I also hoped that the last piece of the puzzle was touched on more. Instead of just ending.
Overall- if you are looking for a quick thriller with unhinged characters this book is for you.
✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Henry Holt Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review✨
Publishing Date: 8/13/2024
My Rating: 2.5 stars .
The Plot-
Annie is standing at the alter when she looks to the crowd of people attending her wedding she notices a strange man, that she never invited and has no idea who he is. Annie’s paranoia seeps out and she begins the realize maybe her happy ending is not gonna go as planned.
My Thoughts-
This is a quick decent thriller. It kept me engaged enough for me to want to know how the story was going to end. Although the ending was predictable the very last piece of the puzzle did throw me for a loop.
The pacing was okay. Slow at the beginning but once it picked up it was an enjoyable ride. The writing is what really dragged this book. Told in multiple POVS and dual timelines, which I love in books, but for this one there was no separation. It was sometimes hard to tell who was telling the story.
I also hoped that the last piece of the puzzle was touched on more. Instead of just ending.
Overall- if you are looking for a quick thriller with unhinged characters this book is for you.
✨Thanks to NetGalley, The Author, & Henry Holt Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review✨
August 13, 2024
May I kindly suggest a different title for this. To me it just didn't fit with the story.
So Annie marries Mark, but Mark has been married before, his wife vanished! We don't know what happened to her, till someone starts digging around into her disappearance and uncovers that Annie may have a few questions about her past that need to be answered!
Good attempt at a mystery, but it does fall flat with a few of its plots. yes I would recommend this.
Solid 3 stars!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for this ARC! Beyond humbled
The Stranger at the Wedding out Aug 13th 2024!!!
So Annie marries Mark, but Mark has been married before, his wife vanished! We don't know what happened to her, till someone starts digging around into her disappearance and uncovers that Annie may have a few questions about her past that need to be answered!
Good attempt at a mystery, but it does fall flat with a few of its plots. yes I would recommend this.
Solid 3 stars!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for this ARC! Beyond humbled
The Stranger at the Wedding out Aug 13th 2024!!!
March 26, 2024
On the day Annie marries Mark all seems wonderful until a strange man shows up in the church and later at the wedding reception. So far, you would expect it to be a story about a secret in the bride’s past. No such thing! This story goes a whole other way, when we slowly learn about how Annie met Mark and why she was so insistent to marry him, although his first wife only disappeared not two years ago.
We read this story from different POV’s but I would have liked Mark to be one of them. There is virtually no information about why Mark behaves as he does while we later learn why Annie is busy trying to make this marriage a big success. Neither of them were very likable or even trustworthy. The stranger turns out to be Cameron, an old friend of Marks’ father, who’s still not given up at finding Marks first wife. So, you may think, now we know where the story is going… but it isn’t. Not exactly.
Anyway, it was a nice enough read and it had the kind of ending I liked.
Thanks to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for this review copy.
We read this story from different POV’s but I would have liked Mark to be one of them. There is virtually no information about why Mark behaves as he does while we later learn why Annie is busy trying to make this marriage a big success. Neither of them were very likable or even trustworthy. The stranger turns out to be Cameron, an old friend of Marks’ father, who’s still not given up at finding Marks first wife. So, you may think, now we know where the story is going… but it isn’t. Not exactly.
Anyway, it was a nice enough read and it had the kind of ending I liked.
Thanks to Bloomsbury and Netgalley for this review copy.
August 11, 2024
Unhinged, slow-burn, and twisted describe this thriller. It was slow initially but eventually pulled me in. The ending was shocking and somewhat abrupt. The narration added intensity and emotion to this unpredictable story. The dual timelines could be a bit confusing and the narration added clarity. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook.
August 25, 2024
This book wasn’t exactly what I was expecting from the title but it was an interesting suspense story. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a good job, but the story shifts narrators and timelines without any indication which made it very hard to follow the story. This wasn’t the narrator’s fault and I do think they brought the main character to life well. Before she saw Mark Annie didn’t believe in love at first sight. The story centers around Annie and Mark’s wedding but it goes before and after as well. A man no one recognizes does show up at the wedding (but this wasn’t exactly the lynch pin to the story I thought it was). There was one very small thing that surprised me as I read this one, but mostly I found the story to be predictable. The writing was ok, but the characters were all either flat or unlikeable so it was hard to get engaged in the story. Overall I gave this one 2.5 stars which I rounded up because it did reach an appropriate level of creepy. Some of the foreshadowing (which I thought was a little strong) was well and truly creepy.
August 24, 2024
Won via goodreads giveaways, all my opinions are my own.
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Not one I'll remember down the road awhile but I did enjoy this one. (Would make a good movie methinks. I know my mom would enjoy this one.)
I guessed a couple things right but it didn't dampen my enjoyment at all.
It's written well but I never felt the chills I wanted to (I've read alot of thrillers so that may be why).
It's not a bad book, just not a big hit for me. Still a good book in its own way.
Pictured Jessica Chastain as Annie and Channing Tatum as Mark :).
The ending wasn't what I was expecting. Thought was going in a different direction.
Give it a chance if it interests ya :) 👋
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Not one I'll remember down the road awhile but I did enjoy this one. (Would make a good movie methinks. I know my mom would enjoy this one.)
I guessed a couple things right but it didn't dampen my enjoyment at all.
It's written well but I never felt the chills I wanted to (I've read alot of thrillers so that may be why).
It's not a bad book, just not a big hit for me. Still a good book in its own way.
Pictured Jessica Chastain as Annie and Channing Tatum as Mark :).
The ending wasn't what I was expecting. Thought was going in a different direction.
Give it a chance if it interests ya :) 👋
March 28, 2024
It is really quite hard to enjoy a book where none of the characters are particularly nice or even relatable. I found the characters in this book all a little too one dimensional to really enjoy it.
The action sort of starts in the middle and apart from one or two forays into the past it stays there. I felt like I was forever grasping for something that turned out not to be there. The story revolves around Annie and Mark. Annie falls in love with Mark at first sight but it isn't until later that they become a couple.
We then wander about in their past loves and lives for a bit before the conclusion which, for me, was somewhat silly. Also, quite oddly for me, I was paying attention at the start so there were no surprises later down the line.
A decent story with forgettable characters. I did like the bits of Greek myth which were parachuted into the narrative to make a point.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the advance review copy.
The action sort of starts in the middle and apart from one or two forays into the past it stays there. I felt like I was forever grasping for something that turned out not to be there. The story revolves around Annie and Mark. Annie falls in love with Mark at first sight but it isn't until later that they become a couple.
We then wander about in their past loves and lives for a bit before the conclusion which, for me, was somewhat silly. Also, quite oddly for me, I was paying attention at the start so there were no surprises later down the line.
A decent story with forgettable characters. I did like the bits of Greek myth which were parachuted into the narrative to make a point.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for the advance review copy.
April 30, 2025
Un thriller banal foarte ușor de deslușit chiar dacă autorul s-a străduit să tot adauge detalii.
Foarte multe salturi înapoi în timp și o delimitare foarte slabă între planuri.
Străinul de la nuntă a avut un rol mult prea mic în poveste.
Foarte multe salturi înapoi în timp și o delimitare foarte slabă între planuri.
Străinul de la nuntă a avut un rol mult prea mic în poveste.
July 8, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
The Stranger at the Wedding.
I've never read anything by this author before so I was excited my request was approved.
** Minor drama-free spoilers ahead **
I won't read another book by this author.
First, the writing style is formal, more like a summary of events as they happen or how the characters are feeling.
I'm not a fan of this kind of writing but I understand authors each have their unique styles.
Second, the flashbacks and present timelines were not woven properly into the narrative, lacking headers denoting this chapter was in the past so I was often confused as to what was happening.
Third, like most readers mentioned, this is a slow burn since nothing really happens until more than midway through the book.
There's exposition about the wedding and Annie and her husband, too much exposition that read as filler.
I still don't get the point of the filler; that Annie had a wonderful childhood until her daddy died and perhaps she's the way she is because of Daddy issues? Tell me something new.
Not surprisingly, the most interesting character is Cameron, since Annie and her husband are barely fleshed out.
That's why the ending feels so far out of left field.
I guessed most of the twists (not that abrupt ending which I'm still not sold on) because I read SOO many of these books, but it also made no sense.
There's no hint or foreshadowing that Annie is a sociopath or someone we should be aware of so it was difficult to believe she would do something terrible like this.
It just made me dislike Annie more.
I don't mind unlikable characters, especially devious, sly, manipulative characters a la Tom Ripley.
But Annie is no Ripley. She did all this just because she wanted to get married?
The entire narrative was messy, unstructured, and BORE-RING!
I've never read anything by this author before so I was excited my request was approved.
** Minor drama-free spoilers ahead **
I won't read another book by this author.
First, the writing style is formal, more like a summary of events as they happen or how the characters are feeling.
I'm not a fan of this kind of writing but I understand authors each have their unique styles.
Second, the flashbacks and present timelines were not woven properly into the narrative, lacking headers denoting this chapter was in the past so I was often confused as to what was happening.
Third, like most readers mentioned, this is a slow burn since nothing really happens until more than midway through the book.
There's exposition about the wedding and Annie and her husband, too much exposition that read as filler.
I still don't get the point of the filler; that Annie had a wonderful childhood until her daddy died and perhaps she's the way she is because of Daddy issues? Tell me something new.
Not surprisingly, the most interesting character is Cameron, since Annie and her husband are barely fleshed out.
That's why the ending feels so far out of left field.
I guessed most of the twists (not that abrupt ending which I'm still not sold on) because I read SOO many of these books, but it also made no sense.
There's no hint or foreshadowing that Annie is a sociopath or someone we should be aware of so it was difficult to believe she would do something terrible like this.
It just made me dislike Annie more.
I don't mind unlikable characters, especially devious, sly, manipulative characters a la Tom Ripley.
But Annie is no Ripley. She did all this just because she wanted to get married?
The entire narrative was messy, unstructured, and BORE-RING!
November 8, 2024
Am citit cartea în limba română, dar la acest moment, nu este urcată încă pe Goodreads. Povestea mi-a amintit pe alocuri de Verity, dar nu are aceeași intensitate, pentru că adevărul ne este dezvăluit mult mai devreme. Știm de la trei sferturile cărții cine este vinovat și ce s-a întâmplat, ne rămâne doar de văzut dacă personajul negativ va fi pedepsit până la final sau va scăpa basma curată.
Per total, o poveste ușor încâlcită, care nu cred că va fi pe placul majorității. Însă merită o șansă, dacă vă plac poveștile în care personajele nu sunt ceea ce par la prima vedere.
Per total, o poveste ușor încâlcită, care nu cred că va fi pe placul majorității. Însă merită o șansă, dacă vă plac poveștile în care personajele nu sunt ceea ce par la prima vedere.
August 11, 2024
The Stranger At The Wedding by AE Gauntlet, When Annie sees a stranger at her wedding it’s not just the fact she doesn’t know him but the way he’s looking at her just gives her the creeps so later on when she learns he was asking one of her relatives questions about her and their past she is even more alarmed. Annie and Mark has had a whirlwind romance despite recently having his wife disappear and possibly commit suicide Mark is finally rebounding and getting back in the swing of things with unassuming Annie. Both have things in their past their trying to keep covered up but when the secrets start being uncovered it will be devastating for all of them. This is the book that definitely got me out of a reading slump. I listen/read books from the time I wake up until I go to sleep unless I am reviewing but recently I couldn’t find one I could really get into but OMG if this wasn’t that book. From the very beginning to the lock on the basement door I was paralyzed by the narrative and just wish I could read faster. I know I’m going to be sad this book is over and will probably think of many questions I have about the story afterwords but I digress this is definitely a great story and there’s no way someone can figure out the end because OMG I had multiple scenarios and none of them were what happened at the end. This was so good and a book I definitely recommend… Totally loved it! Not to mention her great intertwining of the great Greek myths were so expertly done so kudos to Miss Gauntlett what a great read! #NetGalley,#Henry Holt and Company, #AE gauntlet, #the stranger at the wedding,
March 3, 2024
This was a decent thriller that I finished pretty quickly. It centers on Annie, who meets Mark on a train and is immediately drawn to him. Less than a year later, they are getting married but they both have secrets to hide which threaten to come to light when a stranger named Cameron shows up at their wedding. The story is told primarily from Annie’s POV, though it does jump between timelines.
Neither character was super compelling and I actually found Cameron to be my favorite character in the book. I felt like the relationship between Annie and Mark just didn’t make much sense- not sure if it was the writing style or if it was supposed to come off that way but it just felt weird to me. The unclear transitions between timelines and the reference to various stories involving Greek gods took me out of the narrative at times. I actually didn’t find the ending super predictable, as I had thought there was going to be a different (even more predictable) ending, so I really liked the way it ended and I liked the book better because of it.
Overall, the story was pretty good but there is a little bit of “noise” that I could’ve done without. I’d give it 3.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Neither character was super compelling and I actually found Cameron to be my favorite character in the book. I felt like the relationship between Annie and Mark just didn’t make much sense- not sure if it was the writing style or if it was supposed to come off that way but it just felt weird to me. The unclear transitions between timelines and the reference to various stories involving Greek gods took me out of the narrative at times. I actually didn’t find the ending super predictable, as I had thought there was going to be a different (even more predictable) ending, so I really liked the way it ended and I liked the book better because of it.
Overall, the story was pretty good but there is a little bit of “noise” that I could’ve done without. I’d give it 3.5 stars, rounded up. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 16, 2024
What a messed up, wild ride. I really enjoyed the twists. I loved the velveteen rabbit tie in and now I want to run and read that to my kids ha! I really enjoyed the narrator but how the book was written the flashbacks were a little confusing to hear, it took me a while to catch on to what was going on. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to review!
May 9, 2025
3,5⭐️/5⭐️
October 5, 2023
I really enjoyed this book.
I found this novel was one of those that I didn’t want to put down. It was quite a nice & easy read with some more challenging bits that didn’t make it so easy as to be average or boring. The characters all felt quite distinct and interesting and this made them nicely engaging. The book does jump around a little but not so much that it would be distracting & starting it about 3/4 of the way through the characters’ stories was, I felt, a good touch.
There are references to mythology in this (which may be off-putting to some) but I think it only enhanced what I was reading. I also didn’t see the plot twist coming. All in all, very enjoyable.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for access to this arc to review.
I found this novel was one of those that I didn’t want to put down. It was quite a nice & easy read with some more challenging bits that didn’t make it so easy as to be average or boring. The characters all felt quite distinct and interesting and this made them nicely engaging. The book does jump around a little but not so much that it would be distracting & starting it about 3/4 of the way through the characters’ stories was, I felt, a good touch.
There are references to mythology in this (which may be off-putting to some) but I think it only enhanced what I was reading. I also didn’t see the plot twist coming. All in all, very enjoyable.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for access to this arc to review.
March 28, 2024
Thank you Henry Holt & Company for this widget.
This is a contemporary thriller set in London, UK. We are introduced to Mark, a surgeon married to a woman named Hope who disappears from everyone's lives overnight. No one knows what happened to her, what led to her disappearance, except for rumors about Mark and Hope's marriage not working out.
Then we have Annie, a History and Mythology professor who is (happily) single and who, one day, sees Mark during her commute. She experiences an insta crush and, long story short, they end up getting married. The book is divided in 4 parts. Part 1 is the Wedding Day. Part 2 is the proposal, part 3 is the honeymoon, and part 4 is the happily-ever-after. I cannot recall another book title that meant one thing prior to the reading, and a totally different thing after the read. The narrative construction is superb. It is so well done that for a moment I got bored reading because I thought I knew where the story was going and I kept asking myself what the point was reading it, when whammm! There came the unsuspected twist that completely threw me off the loop. Very well done! I also enjoyed the Pandora's box references and other Greek mythology figures. What a treat for me!
The reason why I gave this a 3..5 stars is because the flashback parts were too long, too regular, and not interesting enough. I wish I had experienced more thrill.
This is a contemporary thriller set in London, UK. We are introduced to Mark, a surgeon married to a woman named Hope who disappears from everyone's lives overnight. No one knows what happened to her, what led to her disappearance, except for rumors about Mark and Hope's marriage not working out.
Then we have Annie, a History and Mythology professor who is (happily) single and who, one day, sees Mark during her commute. She experiences an insta crush and, long story short, they end up getting married. The book is divided in 4 parts. Part 1 is the Wedding Day. Part 2 is the proposal, part 3 is the honeymoon, and part 4 is the happily-ever-after. I cannot recall another book title that meant one thing prior to the reading, and a totally different thing after the read. The narrative construction is superb. It is so well done that for a moment I got bored reading because I thought I knew where the story was going and I kept asking myself what the point was reading it, when whammm! There came the unsuspected twist that completely threw me off the loop. Very well done! I also enjoyed the Pandora's box references and other Greek mythology figures. What a treat for me!
The reason why I gave this a 3..5 stars is because the flashback parts were too long, too regular, and not interesting enough. I wish I had experienced more thrill.
June 26, 2024
The Stranger At The Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett
⭐️⭐️ (2/5)
Genre: Thriller
About 275 pages
Annie’s wedding day should be the happiest day of her life, but when she sees a stranger in the crowd, she can’t help but feel unsettled. Her relationship with Mark was a whirlwind that resulted in a fast engagement, but post-wedding, Annie can’t help but feel like maybe she doesn’t know Mark as well as she thought she did. His ex-wife is missing and there is more to that story than meets the eye and everyone is trying to figure it out.
I will admit that I was shocked by the twist in this book! However, that’s my main positive note… 😕 This was a slow-burn suspense where not much happened till the very end, so despite its short length, I struggled through this one. Furthermore, I had trouble keeping track of who was narrating and what timeline we were on as the author switched these around without clear indications or changes in tone. While this one was a miss for me, I sincerely appreciate Henry Holt and Co. sending me my first ARC🤍
Favorite Quote: “The truth is not fixed, it is as shifting as the sands. It is the product of a negotiation, and it is all a matter of perspective.”
⭐️⭐️ (2/5)
Genre: Thriller
About 275 pages
Annie’s wedding day should be the happiest day of her life, but when she sees a stranger in the crowd, she can’t help but feel unsettled. Her relationship with Mark was a whirlwind that resulted in a fast engagement, but post-wedding, Annie can’t help but feel like maybe she doesn’t know Mark as well as she thought she did. His ex-wife is missing and there is more to that story than meets the eye and everyone is trying to figure it out.
I will admit that I was shocked by the twist in this book! However, that’s my main positive note… 😕 This was a slow-burn suspense where not much happened till the very end, so despite its short length, I struggled through this one. Furthermore, I had trouble keeping track of who was narrating and what timeline we were on as the author switched these around without clear indications or changes in tone. While this one was a miss for me, I sincerely appreciate Henry Holt and Co. sending me my first ARC🤍
Favorite Quote: “The truth is not fixed, it is as shifting as the sands. It is the product of a negotiation, and it is all a matter of perspective.”
July 5, 2024
I won an advanced reader copy of this book.
Reading this book was like going to a dinner party that sounds interesting until you open the door and realize that you have nothing in common with anyone there and end up spending the evening wondering how early you can leave without appearing rude.
My eyes started glazing over around page 51. There was so much gobbledygook I just started skimming. This book is chaotically written. It jumps between characters; between the future, past and remembering the past; diary entries; myth and children's classics.
The ending was not a shocker. It's more like a yeah. That would happen to that kind of people. Law & Order did it better and in an hour.
Reading this book was like going to a dinner party that sounds interesting until you open the door and realize that you have nothing in common with anyone there and end up spending the evening wondering how early you can leave without appearing rude.
My eyes started glazing over around page 51. There was so much gobbledygook I just started skimming. This book is chaotically written. It jumps between characters; between the future, past and remembering the past; diary entries; myth and children's classics.
The ending was not a shocker. It's more like a yeah. That would happen to that kind of people. Law & Order did it better and in an hour.
April 25, 2025
using a thesaurus as much as possible does not a good novel make
i honestly didn't enjoy a single part of this but i kept reading because i'm stubborn and i wanted to know if there was at least going to be a decent twist. this story is confusing to read with all the different perspectives and the jumping around in time, the plot moves forward agonizingly slowly but there's not enough interesting characterization to make up for it. i also guessed the twist at least halfway through and i just have to say,, of course this was written by a man. of course the 'other woman' is actually a sociopath who kidnapped and killed the main guy's true love. it literally couldn't have been anything else, even though there's still laughably little setup for it.
i honestly didn't enjoy a single part of this but i kept reading because i'm stubborn and i wanted to know if there was at least going to be a decent twist. this story is confusing to read with all the different perspectives and the jumping around in time, the plot moves forward agonizingly slowly but there's not enough interesting characterization to make up for it. i also guessed the twist at least halfway through and i just have to say,, of course this was written by a man. of course the 'other woman' is actually a sociopath who kidnapped and killed the main guy's true love. it literally couldn't have been anything else, even though there's still laughably little setup for it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2024
This is one of those convoluted-plot novels that I love as they twist my brain into something resembling a pretzel! We are introduced to Mark and Annie at their wedding and then go back and forth in time to see what secrets each is hiding. Of course each has a "back-story" that compels the reader and had me racing through the pages as I couldn't believe the two stories would have much in common. And believe me...there are secrets and lies everywhere! I also loved the mythological references that the plot lines referenced so easily and am still breathless after finishing this gem of a book!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
February 14, 2025
Реалната ми оценка е 3,5 звезди заради начина на разказване. Като цяло сюжетът е интересно заплетен, има достатъчно обрати и в нито един момент не можах да предположа кой е убиецът. Прочетох я бързо, историята е динамична и бързо увлича читателя, но като че ли има една идея повече герои, отколкото на мен ми допада.
June 15, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆ (4/5)
„Străinul de la nuntă” de A. E. Gauntlett este o combinație surprinzătoare de mister, dramă psihologică și tensiune subtilă, desfășurată într-un decor intim: o nuntă în care fiecare invitat pare să ascundă ceva. Cartea m-a prins încă de la primele pagini — nu printr-un ritm alert, ci prin atmosfera apăsătoare și prin întrebarea care persistă până la final: Cine este, de fapt, străinul?
Personajele sunt bine conturate, iar dialogurile naturale, chiar incomode uneori — ceea ce le face cu atât mai credibile. Străinul care apare la nuntă devine un catalizator pentru tot ce iese la suprafață: secrete vechi, relații fragile și decizii care n-au fost niciodată complet uitate.
Mi-a plăcut mult modul în care Gauntlett construiește suspansul: nu e o carte cu „twist-uri” explozive la fiecare capitol, ci una care te ține într-o tensiune mocnită, ca o tăcere încărcată înainte de o ceartă. Finalul e satisfăcător, deși poate un pic grăbit. Mi-ar fi plăcut o rezolvare mai amplă pentru câteva dintre firele narative secundare.
Per total, o lectură captivantă și elegantă, perfectă pentru cei care iubesc misterele „liniștite”, cu substrat psihologic și multă atmosferă.
„Străinul de la nuntă” de A. E. Gauntlett este o combinație surprinzătoare de mister, dramă psihologică și tensiune subtilă, desfășurată într-un decor intim: o nuntă în care fiecare invitat pare să ascundă ceva. Cartea m-a prins încă de la primele pagini — nu printr-un ritm alert, ci prin atmosfera apăsătoare și prin întrebarea care persistă până la final: Cine este, de fapt, străinul?
Personajele sunt bine conturate, iar dialogurile naturale, chiar incomode uneori — ceea ce le face cu atât mai credibile. Străinul care apare la nuntă devine un catalizator pentru tot ce iese la suprafață: secrete vechi, relații fragile și decizii care n-au fost niciodată complet uitate.
Mi-a plăcut mult modul în care Gauntlett construiește suspansul: nu e o carte cu „twist-uri” explozive la fiecare capitol, ci una care te ține într-o tensiune mocnită, ca o tăcere încărcată înainte de o ceartă. Finalul e satisfăcător, deși poate un pic grăbit. Mi-ar fi plăcut o rezolvare mai amplă pentru câteva dintre firele narative secundare.
Per total, o lectură captivantă și elegantă, perfectă pentru cei care iubesc misterele „liniștite”, cu substrat psihologic și multă atmosferă.
August 17, 2024
For some reason, I thought I had already read this book, so I’m glad I caught it before it left NetGalley! I was thinking of a book I read earlier this year that also had a “stranger at the wedding”, but having someone you weren’t expecting at your wedding is where the similarity ended between that book and this one. This is about Annie and Mark’s wedding, where yes, they see a stranger who claims to know a member of the family, yet nobody knows who they are, so they are asked to leave.
The wedding comes first in the book, and then we go back into the past to see how the couple met, and how their childhoods made them the people they are today. Annie is a mythology professor and Mark, a surgeon. They meet while commuting, and after a few weeks they finally get the courage to go on a date.
Mark is hesitant because of Hope, his first wife. A couple years prior, she left one day, leaving everything behind, including a note basically saying she was done. What did she mean? Done with the marriage, or life in general? The police gave up the case, as people who knew her don’t think she would have harmed herself - she obviously ran off in search of a new life. A part of Mark is still wondering where she is, or if she’s even alive, but when he and Annie meet, the relationship felt very natural and they quickly got married.
Now that the wedding is over, Mark has changed, seemingly overnight. No longer silly and impulsive, he is now brooding and isolating himself from his new bride. Annie is trying to be understanding, but he isn’t making it easy, and she begins to worry. Is it possible that their wedding crasher caused some kind of a change in Mark? Is he missing Hope more than he is excited to be with Annie? Has she made a huge mistake?
There was a lot of the past in this book, and I’m not sure that most of it was necessary to tell the story. Their childhoods were unique, but everyone’s childhoods are, in some way or another, and some of it felt like it was just filler. The present is definitely where the mystery and thrill is, and it was good; I didn’t see the ending coming at all. I don’t think I’d call this a page turner, but it was a very quick, entertaining read. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Henry Holt & Co., A.E. Gauntlett and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
The wedding comes first in the book, and then we go back into the past to see how the couple met, and how their childhoods made them the people they are today. Annie is a mythology professor and Mark, a surgeon. They meet while commuting, and after a few weeks they finally get the courage to go on a date.
Mark is hesitant because of Hope, his first wife. A couple years prior, she left one day, leaving everything behind, including a note basically saying she was done. What did she mean? Done with the marriage, or life in general? The police gave up the case, as people who knew her don’t think she would have harmed herself - she obviously ran off in search of a new life. A part of Mark is still wondering where she is, or if she’s even alive, but when he and Annie meet, the relationship felt very natural and they quickly got married.
Now that the wedding is over, Mark has changed, seemingly overnight. No longer silly and impulsive, he is now brooding and isolating himself from his new bride. Annie is trying to be understanding, but he isn’t making it easy, and she begins to worry. Is it possible that their wedding crasher caused some kind of a change in Mark? Is he missing Hope more than he is excited to be with Annie? Has she made a huge mistake?
There was a lot of the past in this book, and I’m not sure that most of it was necessary to tell the story. Their childhoods were unique, but everyone’s childhoods are, in some way or another, and some of it felt like it was just filler. The present is definitely where the mystery and thrill is, and it was good; I didn’t see the ending coming at all. I don’t think I’d call this a page turner, but it was a very quick, entertaining read. 3.5 stars, rounded up.
(Thank you to Henry Holt & Co., A.E. Gauntlett and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)
October 2, 2024
4.25/5
The Stranger at the Wedding is A.E. Gauntlett's debut novel and DANG! It had a couple of twists that made my mouth drop open, as well as being a book I could not put down. I saw readers saying there was nothing groundbreaking here, and while I agree to some extent, it still threw me for a loop, and I loved the deviousness of one of these characters. I don't think I actually liked a single person in the story, but that was fine by me and definitely kept things interesting.
I loved the audiobook and thought Sophie Rundle did a fantastic job. There are a few different viewpoints with quite a few characters, and I will admit it was sometimes hard for me to keep track of them all while I was listening. However, once we were introduced to each of them I found it a bit easier though it may be helpful to keep a list if you go the audiobook route. Overall, I was incredibly satisfied with this domestic suspense (I wouldn't call it a thriller) novel, and I will be looking forward to seeing what else Gauntlett writes!
I received an advanced listening copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The Stranger at the Wedding is A.E. Gauntlett's debut novel and DANG! It had a couple of twists that made my mouth drop open, as well as being a book I could not put down. I saw readers saying there was nothing groundbreaking here, and while I agree to some extent, it still threw me for a loop, and I loved the deviousness of one of these characters. I don't think I actually liked a single person in the story, but that was fine by me and definitely kept things interesting.
I loved the audiobook and thought Sophie Rundle did a fantastic job. There are a few different viewpoints with quite a few characters, and I will admit it was sometimes hard for me to keep track of them all while I was listening. However, once we were introduced to each of them I found it a bit easier though it may be helpful to keep a list if you go the audiobook route. Overall, I was incredibly satisfied with this domestic suspense (I wouldn't call it a thriller) novel, and I will be looking forward to seeing what else Gauntlett writes!
I received an advanced listening copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
May 11, 2024
In The Stranger at the Wedding by AE Gauntlett, Annie and Mark are getting married after a whirlwind courtship. The small, intimate ceremony goes off without a hitch, but a strange face in the crowd rattles Annie. After the stranger introduces himself as a friend of the groom’s family, yet the groom claims not to know anything about him, Annie is wondering if he’s the only stranger at the wedding. As they leave the wedding reception, Mark turns to his new bride and mentions her he needs to tell her something.
The first 20% of the book had me hooked and I figured I would fly through the rest of the pages. Then , we flashback to not only the courtship, but also the true connection the stranger has to Mark as well as his apparent missing (murdered? lost?) first wife. This is where the book got a little muddled and I found my attention on the story struggling. I pushed myself through so I could finish my review for this ARC. I feel like Gauntlett was trying to pull a story a la The Silent Patient, but fell far short. ⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on August 12, 2024.
#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #TheStrangerattheWedding #AEGauntlett #HenryHoltandCo
The first 20% of the book had me hooked and I figured I would fly through the rest of the pages. Then , we flashback to not only the courtship, but also the true connection the stranger has to Mark as well as his apparent missing (murdered? lost?) first wife. This is where the book got a little muddled and I found my attention on the story struggling. I pushed myself through so I could finish my review for this ARC. I feel like Gauntlett was trying to pull a story a la The Silent Patient, but fell far short. ⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt & Company for the advanced copy. Opinions expressed are my own. This book will be published on August 12, 2024.
#netgalley #arc #bookstagram #TheStrangerattheWedding #AEGauntlett #HenryHoltandCo
November 18, 2024
This was a gripping thriller that truly kept me guessing until the very end. The story hooked me right from the start, blending the aspects of romance and suspense perfectly. Annie and Mark’s love story, stained with dark undertones, was both gripping and chilling. The setup at the wedding, with the mysterious stranger disrupting Annie’s big day, gave the book so much tension. Who is the stranger? What does he want??
The authors ability to weave twists into the narrative is impressive. Just when I figured it out, another layer is revealed and I was completely wrong, keeping me invested in Annie’s journey. The themes of love, trust, and cryptic, buried secrets are explored in ways that still have me thinking about them.
However, the pacing was occasionally frustrating. The chapters often jumped between timelines or perspectives without any clear notice, which made it difficult to follow the flow of the story at times. A bit more structure could have made the reading experience smoother. The chapters were also very long.
However, I did enjoy the story and the outcome. The very ending was one I was definitely not expecting!
The authors ability to weave twists into the narrative is impressive. Just when I figured it out, another layer is revealed and I was completely wrong, keeping me invested in Annie’s journey. The themes of love, trust, and cryptic, buried secrets are explored in ways that still have me thinking about them.
However, the pacing was occasionally frustrating. The chapters often jumped between timelines or perspectives without any clear notice, which made it difficult to follow the flow of the story at times. A bit more structure could have made the reading experience smoother. The chapters were also very long.
However, I did enjoy the story and the outcome. The very ending was one I was definitely not expecting!
Read
November 17, 2024DNF at 4%
June 9, 2025
2,5⭐️
👰Îmi plac thrillerele psihologice, dar acesta a fost mult prea simplu și mi-a dat o senzație de déjà vu (referire la cartea „Surpriză la altar”). L-am început fără așteptări, știind că e un roman de debut. M-a atras titlul, mi-a plăcut tare mult intriga, însă continuarea poveștii nu m-a convins. Pur și simplu, nu am rezonat. Totuși, nu am renunțat la carte. Voiam să „văd” cu ochii mei deznodământul.
👰Puncte forte:
- misterul ce plana la începutul romanului despre străin - asta m-a făcut și curioasă de poveste;
- avem mai multe perspective, mai multe planuri;
- ultimele 6 capitole au avut un ritm mai alert, am simțit mai multă tensiune, acțiune mai dinamică;
- cartea este structurată în 4 părți, fiecare parte reprezentând un moment important din viața protagonistei - aduceau și întrebări;
- s-au făcut referințe la mituri (cutia Pandorei) și legende grecești (povestea lui Tithonus);
- deși finalul a fost previzibil, mi-a plăcut că am avut acele fluctuații ale acțiunii: s-au mișcat lucrurile, nu s-a mai continuat pe liniaritate.
👰Puncte slabe:
- din partea a II-a, nu am mai simțit drama și tensiunea. Static;
- perspectivele și planurile nu prea sunt bine delimitate;
- multe aspecte haotice, fără o liniaritate, totul la grămadă. I-a lipsit coerența;
- momente care ar fi putut fi scoase din poveste (pierdeai interesul pe parcurs);
- deși era un personaj cheie, Mark nu mi s-a părut așa bine construit (situațiile lui nu duceau la nimic concret);
- mult prea grăbite evenimentele din final;
- nu am avut o concluzie clară, bine definită în privința acțiunii, a personajelor.
👰Nu e printre preferatele mele, dar mă bucur că i-am dat o șansă.
👰Îmi plac thrillerele psihologice, dar acesta a fost mult prea simplu și mi-a dat o senzație de déjà vu (referire la cartea „Surpriză la altar”). L-am început fără așteptări, știind că e un roman de debut. M-a atras titlul, mi-a plăcut tare mult intriga, însă continuarea poveștii nu m-a convins. Pur și simplu, nu am rezonat. Totuși, nu am renunțat la carte. Voiam să „văd” cu ochii mei deznodământul.
👰Puncte forte:
- misterul ce plana la începutul romanului despre străin - asta m-a făcut și curioasă de poveste;
- avem mai multe perspective, mai multe planuri;
- ultimele 6 capitole au avut un ritm mai alert, am simțit mai multă tensiune, acțiune mai dinamică;
- cartea este structurată în 4 părți, fiecare parte reprezentând un moment important din viața protagonistei - aduceau și întrebări;
- s-au făcut referințe la mituri (cutia Pandorei) și legende grecești (povestea lui Tithonus);
- deși finalul a fost previzibil, mi-a plăcut că am avut acele fluctuații ale acțiunii: s-au mișcat lucrurile, nu s-a mai continuat pe liniaritate.
👰Puncte slabe:
- din partea a II-a, nu am mai simțit drama și tensiunea. Static;
- perspectivele și planurile nu prea sunt bine delimitate;
- multe aspecte haotice, fără o liniaritate, totul la grămadă. I-a lipsit coerența;
- momente care ar fi putut fi scoase din poveste (pierdeai interesul pe parcurs);
- deși era un personaj cheie, Mark nu mi s-a părut așa bine construit (situațiile lui nu duceau la nimic concret);
- mult prea grăbite evenimentele din final;
- nu am avut o concluzie clară, bine definită în privința acțiunii, a personajelor.
👰Nu e printre preferatele mele, dar mă bucur că i-am dat o șansă.
January 7, 2025
Girl WTF
Stranger at the wedding was a lot. It was hard to understand how Annie & Marc ended up together.
Like how!? But the more their story unfolded and you really find out who’s unhinged and how bad.. I just couldn’t believe how unnoticed it went. Cameron, I felt bad for him, but those decisions!? Poor.
Not too much can be said without giving the book away, but I am curious as to how many bodies the offender actually has….
I received a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.
Stranger at the wedding was a lot. It was hard to understand how Annie & Marc ended up together.
Like how!? But the more their story unfolded and you really find out who’s unhinged and how bad.. I just couldn’t believe how unnoticed it went. Cameron, I felt bad for him, but those decisions!? Poor.
Not too much can be said without giving the book away, but I am curious as to how many bodies the offender actually has….
I received a copy of this ARC from NetGalley.
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