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All Are Welcome
A darkly funny novel from a fresh new voice in fiction about brides, lovers, friends, and family, and all the secrets that come with them.
Tiny McAllister never thought she’d get married. Not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t think girls from Connecticut married other girls. Yet here she is with Caroline, the love of her life, at their destination wedding on the Bermuda coast. In attendance—their respective families and a few choice friends. The conflict-phobic Tiny hopes for a beautiful weekend with her bride-to-be. But as the weekend unfolds, it starts to feel like there’s a skeleton in every closet of the resort.
From Tiny’s family members, who find the world is changing at an uncomfortable speed, to Caroline’s parents, who are engaged in conspiratorial whispers, to their friends, who packed secrets of their own—nobody seems entirely forthcoming. Not to mention the conspicuous no-show and a tempting visit from the past. What the celebration really needs now is a monsoon to help stir up all the long-held secrets, simmering discontent, and hidden agendas.
All Tiny wanted was to get married, but if she can make it through this squall of a wedding, she might just leave with more than a wife.
Tiny McAllister never thought she’d get married. Not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t think girls from Connecticut married other girls. Yet here she is with Caroline, the love of her life, at their destination wedding on the Bermuda coast. In attendance—their respective families and a few choice friends. The conflict-phobic Tiny hopes for a beautiful weekend with her bride-to-be. But as the weekend unfolds, it starts to feel like there’s a skeleton in every closet of the resort.
From Tiny’s family members, who find the world is changing at an uncomfortable speed, to Caroline’s parents, who are engaged in conspiratorial whispers, to their friends, who packed secrets of their own—nobody seems entirely forthcoming. Not to mention the conspicuous no-show and a tempting visit from the past. What the celebration really needs now is a monsoon to help stir up all the long-held secrets, simmering discontent, and hidden agendas.
All Tiny wanted was to get married, but if she can make it through this squall of a wedding, she might just leave with more than a wife.
347 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2021
1212 people are currently reading
5537 people want to read
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August 3, 2021I don’t think a romcom is supposed to make me sad and angry. I get that All Are Welcome is supposed to be a critique of society, or of the WASP part of society, but it’s much too heavy-handed to be sarcastic. I don’t need all that homophobia and overall unpleasantness in my life. I almost never DNF, but I seriously considered it. I eventually kept reading and at least I got Tiny’s outburst out of it. Honestly, all these people deserve each other and it’s really sad.
I won’t rate this book, I’m sure others will like it.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
I won’t rate this book, I’m sure others will like it.
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
July 4, 2021
I didn't hate it but I felt annoyed with most of the characters, especially the two protagonists. Felt very predicable throughout, and the different voices/perspectives seemed flat
August 21, 2021
On my blog.
Actual rating 2.5
Rep: lesbian mcs, gay side character
CWs: casual homophobia, drug use, alcohol abuse
Galley provided by publisher
All Are Welcome is a quick read, filled with characters you might, on a good day, feel some sympathy for (Tiny aside, because she has all my sympathy). It’s a bit like Schitt’s Creek, but less overtly humourous. All in all, a read I liked, for definite.
The story follows Tiny and Caroline who are heading to their wedding. Unbeknownst to either of them, instead of the nice wedding they were anticipating, the weekend proves to be, to put it bluntly, a shitshow. A confluence of characters leading to all issues out in the open. It’s the kind of drama you might find yourself glued to in a soap. And, for a reader who isn’t me, perhaps it would work better here.
But the problem I found is that, firstly, I’m not the biggest fan of adult contemporary books. Yeah, I’ve enjoyed a handful—I’ve even enjoyed some recently—but I didn’t quite click with this one in the same way. Honestly, and perhaps oddly, it made me think of Dial A for Aunties, mostly in the drama-filled wedding kind of trope. Only, Dial A for Aunties was ridiculous and fully recognised that. This. Was not. And I think it could have stood to have been a bit more.
You see, I’m never really going to click with a rich family, unless they’re having the absolute shit ripped out of them. And these characters were not. Alright, so at times I felt sorry for them, but I think, unlike something like Schitt’s Creek, where the rich characters have their wealth taken away, it’s surrounded by humour, and it’s couched in trying to humanise them, here, I was never that interested in them. Really, what drove me reading this book was waiting to see whether Tiny would ever be able to tell everyone to go do one. Frankly, Tiny was the only character I remotely cared about.
Books about thoroughly dislikeable characters are, on the whole, not something I enjoy, and, while these characters were at least a little more likeable than that, I think that held firm here. It felt a little too much like the story going “rich people have problems too!”. And okay, sure, but I don’t have to care about them. Also you’re just never going to get me caring about homophobic parents, even if they do come to the conclusion that they’re in the wrong.
Perhaps the saving grace of the book was that Tiny got what she deserved in the end, got to tear a piece off Caroline (who, no offence Caroline except yes offence, spent the entire novel feeling sorry for herself when all she needed to do was show some backbone), and was freed of them all. That, really, is what drove me to round my 2.5 rating up to 3.
Actual rating 2.5
Rep: lesbian mcs, gay side character
CWs: casual homophobia, drug use, alcohol abuse
Galley provided by publisher
All Are Welcome is a quick read, filled with characters you might, on a good day, feel some sympathy for (Tiny aside, because she has all my sympathy). It’s a bit like Schitt’s Creek, but less overtly humourous. All in all, a read I liked, for definite.
The story follows Tiny and Caroline who are heading to their wedding. Unbeknownst to either of them, instead of the nice wedding they were anticipating, the weekend proves to be, to put it bluntly, a shitshow. A confluence of characters leading to all issues out in the open. It’s the kind of drama you might find yourself glued to in a soap. And, for a reader who isn’t me, perhaps it would work better here.
But the problem I found is that, firstly, I’m not the biggest fan of adult contemporary books. Yeah, I’ve enjoyed a handful—I’ve even enjoyed some recently—but I didn’t quite click with this one in the same way. Honestly, and perhaps oddly, it made me think of Dial A for Aunties, mostly in the drama-filled wedding kind of trope. Only, Dial A for Aunties was ridiculous and fully recognised that. This. Was not. And I think it could have stood to have been a bit more.
You see, I’m never really going to click with a rich family, unless they’re having the absolute shit ripped out of them. And these characters were not. Alright, so at times I felt sorry for them, but I think, unlike something like Schitt’s Creek, where the rich characters have their wealth taken away, it’s surrounded by humour, and it’s couched in trying to humanise them, here, I was never that interested in them. Really, what drove me reading this book was waiting to see whether Tiny would ever be able to tell everyone to go do one. Frankly, Tiny was the only character I remotely cared about.
Books about thoroughly dislikeable characters are, on the whole, not something I enjoy, and, while these characters were at least a little more likeable than that, I think that held firm here. It felt a little too much like the story going “rich people have problems too!”. And okay, sure, but I don’t have to care about them. Also you’re just never going to get me caring about homophobic parents, even if they do come to the conclusion that they’re in the wrong.
Perhaps the saving grace of the book was that Tiny got what she deserved in the end, got to tear a piece off Caroline (who, no offence Caroline except yes offence, spent the entire novel feeling sorry for herself when all she needed to do was show some backbone), and was freed of them all. That, really, is what drove me to round my 2.5 rating up to 3.
July 18, 2021
So. All Are Welcome. My thoughts on this one flip-flop a lot. On the one hand, it's fun, fluffy, a perfect beach read. (I mean, come on, a wedding weekend in Bermuda? Excellent!) But on the other, it's weak tea. By that, I mean that the plot is thin, the characters bland, the connection to the reader non-existent.
Although gay (ooh, a big scandalous twist there!), the drama consists of boring non-issues or forced plays. At the end of the day, it's all still the same White People Problems™ we've read a hundred times over in chick-lit.
I liked and disliked the ending (though I must admit I was nodding off during the climax. Yep, tea, not coffee). Unconventional endings are always my favorite, but I can't help but feel that the outcome wasn't right. Everything felt unplanned, rushed, and slapped together, as if even the author wasn't sure quite how to tie off the story. I appreciate the attempt to break the status quo, but I'm not sure it was the perfect solution in this case.
I wish there had been more substance and depth to this story. The passion was lacking.
But anyway, happy Pride!
Although gay (ooh, a big scandalous twist there!), the drama consists of boring non-issues or forced plays. At the end of the day, it's all still the same White People Problems™ we've read a hundred times over in chick-lit.
I liked and disliked the ending (though I must admit I was nodding off during the climax. Yep, tea, not coffee). Unconventional endings are always my favorite, but I can't help but feel that the outcome wasn't right. Everything felt unplanned, rushed, and slapped together, as if even the author wasn't sure quite how to tie off the story. I appreciate the attempt to break the status quo, but I'm not sure it was the perfect solution in this case.
I wish there had been more substance and depth to this story. The passion was lacking.
But anyway, happy Pride!
June 16, 2021
A great hybrid of "beach read" and character-driven, dysfunctional family story! ALL ARE WELCOME will transport you to the pink-sands of Bermuda under a sunny sky, with a plot full of character entanglements destined to turn dark and stormy (cocktail pun intended).
The book starts out as a character study of two very waspy families from Greenwich, CT as they convene for Tiny and Caroline's destination wedding. Here, the title "All Are Welcome" invites the reader to pick up on its irony -- are "all" really welcome in the country-club-membership-obsessed world of Connecticut WASPs? Can Tiny really trust her family's politically-correct but rather superficially-proclaimed acceptance of the LGBT world, and more importantly, of her, specifically? Insecurities abound in a culture where appearances matter most.
Then, about 1/3 in, the book takes on a light mystery element, as the reader starts to pick up on the fact that there may be some ulterior motives behind this wedding! I won't say more for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but it will keep you turning pages.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of Emma Straub's ALL ADULTS HERE and THE VACATIONERS, Georgia Clark's IT HAD TO BE YOU, and the recent holiday Hulu hit HAPPIEST SEASON starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis.
The book starts out as a character study of two very waspy families from Greenwich, CT as they convene for Tiny and Caroline's destination wedding. Here, the title "All Are Welcome" invites the reader to pick up on its irony -- are "all" really welcome in the country-club-membership-obsessed world of Connecticut WASPs? Can Tiny really trust her family's politically-correct but rather superficially-proclaimed acceptance of the LGBT world, and more importantly, of her, specifically? Insecurities abound in a culture where appearances matter most.
Then, about 1/3 in, the book takes on a light mystery element, as the reader starts to pick up on the fact that there may be some ulterior motives behind this wedding! I won't say more for the sake of avoiding spoilers, but it will keep you turning pages.
RECOMMENDED FOR: Fans of Emma Straub's ALL ADULTS HERE and THE VACATIONERS, Georgia Clark's IT HAD TO BE YOU, and the recent holiday Hulu hit HAPPIEST SEASON starring Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis.
July 7, 2021
After some of the positive reviews I thought I'd take a chance to read this book. Unfortunately, it felt like torture to finish the story at all. The characters were unlikable and the story predictable. I only continued reading to see if anyone in the story would do the right thing at the end. Thankfully the author wrapped it up decently which left me somewhat satisfied as the reader.
August 15, 2021
*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *
I understand that All Are Welcome was intended to be a satirical/sarcastic examination of WASP culture, but somehow the way it was written it just came across as incredibly whiny and terribly dull at the same time.
The characters just seemed like utter caricatures and stereotypes, and felt like plot devices moreso than anything, and got incredibly grating as the book went on.
I really struggled to get into this book - it really just wasn't my cup of tea at all.
I understand that All Are Welcome was intended to be a satirical/sarcastic examination of WASP culture, but somehow the way it was written it just came across as incredibly whiny and terribly dull at the same time.
The characters just seemed like utter caricatures and stereotypes, and felt like plot devices moreso than anything, and got incredibly grating as the book went on.
I really struggled to get into this book - it really just wasn't my cup of tea at all.
August 8, 2021
Well written but every single character is a frustrating train wreck. Not a feel good book.
December 21, 2022
Real Rating: 2.5* of five, rounded down because I hated it
The Publisher Says: A darkly funny novel from a fresh new voice in fiction about brides, lovers, friends, and family, and all the secrets that come with them.
Tiny McAllister never thought she’d get married. Not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t think girls from Connecticut married other girls. Yet here she is with Caroline, the love of her life, at their destination wedding on the Bermuda coast. In attendance—their respective families and a few choice friends. The conflict-phobic Tiny hopes for a beautiful weekend with her bride-to-be. But as the weekend unfolds, it starts to feel like there’s a skeleton in every closet of the resort.
From Tiny’s family members, who find the world is changing at an uncomfortable speed, to Caroline’s parents, who are engaged in conspiratorial whispers, to their friends, who packed secrets of their own—nobody seems entirely forthcoming. Not to mention the conspicuous no-show and a tempting visit from the past. What the celebration really needs now is a monsoon to help stir up all the long-held secrets, simmering discontent, and hidden agendas.
All Tiny wanted was to get married, but if she can make it through this squall of a wedding, she might just leave with more than a wife.
I CHECKED A COPY OUT FROM PRIME LENDING LIBRARY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Ineffectual Dick musing, "If Robbie didn't come home, it meant Dick couldn't disappoint him," drove the final nail in the coffin of my increasingly decaying readerly corpse. I was ready for this to be dark, and funny; instead it was sad, and sarcastic.
This had the ideas of an episode of Schitt's Creek, which was blessed with an amazing alchemical miracle of writers and actors and producers and directors. This is the story that didn't make the cut, got flensed in the writer's room and worked over by the showrunner, and now washes up here in front of me, homophobia and clueless rich privileged assholes *galore* sitting in the same seats.
If I'd paid for it, I'd be spittin' mad. As it is, I won't get those eyeblinks back but it was at the very least a cashless transaction. I don't recommend it to you.
The Publisher Says: A darkly funny novel from a fresh new voice in fiction about brides, lovers, friends, and family, and all the secrets that come with them.
Tiny McAllister never thought she’d get married. Not because she didn’t want to, but because she didn’t think girls from Connecticut married other girls. Yet here she is with Caroline, the love of her life, at their destination wedding on the Bermuda coast. In attendance—their respective families and a few choice friends. The conflict-phobic Tiny hopes for a beautiful weekend with her bride-to-be. But as the weekend unfolds, it starts to feel like there’s a skeleton in every closet of the resort.
From Tiny’s family members, who find the world is changing at an uncomfortable speed, to Caroline’s parents, who are engaged in conspiratorial whispers, to their friends, who packed secrets of their own—nobody seems entirely forthcoming. Not to mention the conspicuous no-show and a tempting visit from the past. What the celebration really needs now is a monsoon to help stir up all the long-held secrets, simmering discontent, and hidden agendas.
All Tiny wanted was to get married, but if she can make it through this squall of a wedding, she might just leave with more than a wife.
I CHECKED A COPY OUT FROM PRIME LENDING LIBRARY. THANK YOU.
My Review: Ineffectual Dick musing, "If Robbie didn't come home, it meant Dick couldn't disappoint him," drove the final nail in the coffin of my increasingly decaying readerly corpse. I was ready for this to be dark, and funny; instead it was sad, and sarcastic.
This had the ideas of an episode of Schitt's Creek, which was blessed with an amazing alchemical miracle of writers and actors and producers and directors. This is the story that didn't make the cut, got flensed in the writer's room and worked over by the showrunner, and now washes up here in front of me, homophobia and clueless rich privileged assholes *galore* sitting in the same seats.
If I'd paid for it, I'd be spittin' mad. As it is, I won't get those eyeblinks back but it was at the very least a cashless transaction. I don't recommend it to you.
August 28, 2021
‘All Are Welcome’ is the story of Tiny, who lives up to her name in both her size and her demeanor. Tiny is getting married in Bermuda to Caroline, who is the opposite of Tiny in both her stature and her presence. Coming from an 'old money' family in Greenwich Conneticut, their marriage isn't exactly the kind of thing celebrated in the society pages.
Each guest to the wedding has their own issues and their own tale to tell with plenty of skeletons in their respective closets. Trip, her big brother, has come to the wedding alone despite the fact that his own children are slated to be the ring bearer and flower girl. Tiny's best friend, Daisy totes her author husband around who has yet to publish a novel and is always 'tired'. And Tiny has invited a surprise guest to the wedding in the form of Connie, good friend of her fiance, but who still has feelings for Caroline.
This book is awash with flawed characters who you will genuinely despise for good reasons. None of them are appropriately redeemed in the end (but you do come to understand their motivations). This book was almost like a mystery, where I needed to keep reading to find out what each character was hiding.
It wasn't an especially humorous book (although it had its moments), but I found myself learning so much from the character of Tiny as she went along her journey of finding her own identity as a person and as a gay woman.
I'm so glad I read this book, as it gave me so much to think about, I'm not usually much of a highlighter of passages in my reading, but I found so many that spoke to me throughout this book.
Thank you so much to Jennifer Richards, Liz Parker, and Netgalley for the ARC copy given to me in exchange for my honest review.
If you’d like to hear my review on our podcast, check out www.3bookgirls.com (episode 255).
Each guest to the wedding has their own issues and their own tale to tell with plenty of skeletons in their respective closets. Trip, her big brother, has come to the wedding alone despite the fact that his own children are slated to be the ring bearer and flower girl. Tiny's best friend, Daisy totes her author husband around who has yet to publish a novel and is always 'tired'. And Tiny has invited a surprise guest to the wedding in the form of Connie, good friend of her fiance, but who still has feelings for Caroline.
This book is awash with flawed characters who you will genuinely despise for good reasons. None of them are appropriately redeemed in the end (but you do come to understand their motivations). This book was almost like a mystery, where I needed to keep reading to find out what each character was hiding.
It wasn't an especially humorous book (although it had its moments), but I found myself learning so much from the character of Tiny as she went along her journey of finding her own identity as a person and as a gay woman.
I'm so glad I read this book, as it gave me so much to think about, I'm not usually much of a highlighter of passages in my reading, but I found so many that spoke to me throughout this book.
Thank you so much to Jennifer Richards, Liz Parker, and Netgalley for the ARC copy given to me in exchange for my honest review.
If you’d like to hear my review on our podcast, check out www.3bookgirls.com (episode 255).
July 2, 2021
Fabulous beach read! Real page turner. Captivating story full of surprises. Tiny became my hero! Love how normal alternative has become. What is it about families? So many secrets. Liz Parker does a great job weaving a stormy mess of a weekend into a fantastic lesson for a few while others fall by the wayside.
August 2, 2021
Hard meh. Was excited for queer love and destination wedding, mostly lots of internal misogyny and homophobia driving the story- so really hard to be joyful. The end was a lot of yikes in about 5 waves. Lots of forcing and not enough character development for good underlying behavior motivation.
August 24, 2021
Dearly beloved readers,
We are gathered here today at the destination wedding of Tiny and Caroline in beautiful sunny Bermuda.
Where along with the luxurious wedding gifts from their wealthy, WASPy families, we’ll be unwrapping a heckuva-lot of secrets and dirty little lies.
Who is this woman, to be married to this other woman? Well it seems every guest would say something different. In fact, some of the guests are not even sure this wedding should even be happening… so much, that they didn’t even bother to show up. And with the impending monsoon, it clearly isn't the only storm brewing and a flood may be just what finally brings everything to the surface.
There’s old lovers, new drama, borrowed spouses, and in no time at all, everyone is blue.
Love is patient and love is kind… but what if both families are neither?
With this book, I seal my promise … it is family drama in the most dark and delicious of ways. Don’t let this cute, fun cover fool you!
Does anyone object? I didn’t think so.
Pack your bags and get ready for a trip like none other… because by the power vested in me I declare that ALL ARE WELCOME to read this one - and I highly suggest, you do.
We are gathered here today at the destination wedding of Tiny and Caroline in beautiful sunny Bermuda.
Where along with the luxurious wedding gifts from their wealthy, WASPy families, we’ll be unwrapping a heckuva-lot of secrets and dirty little lies.
Who is this woman, to be married to this other woman? Well it seems every guest would say something different. In fact, some of the guests are not even sure this wedding should even be happening… so much, that they didn’t even bother to show up. And with the impending monsoon, it clearly isn't the only storm brewing and a flood may be just what finally brings everything to the surface.
There’s old lovers, new drama, borrowed spouses, and in no time at all, everyone is blue.
Love is patient and love is kind… but what if both families are neither?
With this book, I seal my promise … it is family drama in the most dark and delicious of ways. Don’t let this cute, fun cover fool you!
Does anyone object? I didn’t think so.
Pack your bags and get ready for a trip like none other… because by the power vested in me I declare that ALL ARE WELCOME to read this one - and I highly suggest, you do.
August 6, 2021
An amazing mashup of a wedding that shouldn't be happening, two WASPy families that care more about appearances than anything else and will do anything to keep up appearances, and a woman who finally finds her place in the world. Tiny is tiny in both size and demeanor. She's marrying Caroline, who's the exact opposite in every way. Both growing up in high society in Greenwich, CT, it's a perfect marriage match for two families who are both already nervous that both of their daughters are gay.
Set in Bermuda, a hurricane comes both literally and figuratively. Every relationship is tested, and people have to actually face whats more important, appearances or family? I adored every page of this book and couldn't put it down. The LGBTQ representation is perfection and delves into the hard stuff. What do you do when your child stand out when all you want to do is perfectly blend in? I can't speak highly enough about this book. Five out of five stars!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Liz Parker for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Set in Bermuda, a hurricane comes both literally and figuratively. Every relationship is tested, and people have to actually face whats more important, appearances or family? I adored every page of this book and couldn't put it down. The LGBTQ representation is perfection and delves into the hard stuff. What do you do when your child stand out when all you want to do is perfectly blend in? I can't speak highly enough about this book. Five out of five stars!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Liz Parker for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
August 27, 2021
A destination wedding, a dysfunctional family AND skeletons in everyone’s closet? I really didn’t need to hear anymore before I added this one, and there was way more to this one that I had expected. This was full of dark humor and lots of drama and the kind of characters that you’ll hate, but damn will their messiness entertain you. A different kind of beach for sure!
July 17, 2021
Finding your voice
I read this in 2 days which tells you that it pulls you in. It was a fun romp on Bermuda as 2 women prepare to marry each other, but their invited guests bring along a lot of baggage...and I don't mean suitcases.
I read this in 2 days which tells you that it pulls you in. It was a fun romp on Bermuda as 2 women prepare to marry each other, but their invited guests bring along a lot of baggage...and I don't mean suitcases.
July 27, 2021
What was the point?
I did not like or understand this book. What was the author trying to do? Create a satire of modern society and the weddings and marriages that exist in it? If so it didn't work. The book is populated with annoying and sometimes offensive stereotypical people. The drug addicted half of a failed marriage. Wealthy people who value style over substance and scheme to stay even with each other. A missing brother whose presence in the plot contributes nothing. Worst of all the two brides (this is they story of a gay wedding). I found them, as written, to be painful stereotypes of gay women. One strong and
assertive, the other meek and compliant. Maybe there are lesbian couples like that, but not among the many I know and love. My gay women friends are equal partners in their relationships. The characters of Caroline and Tiny are like something created in 1950's movies and have nothing to do with society today.
I nearly didn't finish this book. In the middle of it another book by a favorite author of mine, Elin Hildebrand, became available. It was a pleasure to read that with it's genuine characters and real situations. I finished this book because I never like to leave a book unfinished, though with this one I was very tempted.
As I said at the beginning of this review, maybe I missed the whole point of this book. If I did I am sorry but I won't be reading anything else from this author.
I did not like or understand this book. What was the author trying to do? Create a satire of modern society and the weddings and marriages that exist in it? If so it didn't work. The book is populated with annoying and sometimes offensive stereotypical people. The drug addicted half of a failed marriage. Wealthy people who value style over substance and scheme to stay even with each other. A missing brother whose presence in the plot contributes nothing. Worst of all the two brides (this is they story of a gay wedding). I found them, as written, to be painful stereotypes of gay women. One strong and
assertive, the other meek and compliant. Maybe there are lesbian couples like that, but not among the many I know and love. My gay women friends are equal partners in their relationships. The characters of Caroline and Tiny are like something created in 1950's movies and have nothing to do with society today.
I nearly didn't finish this book. In the middle of it another book by a favorite author of mine, Elin Hildebrand, became available. It was a pleasure to read that with it's genuine characters and real situations. I finished this book because I never like to leave a book unfinished, though with this one I was very tempted.
As I said at the beginning of this review, maybe I missed the whole point of this book. If I did I am sorry but I won't be reading anything else from this author.
August 25, 2021
I have always dreamed of a destination wedding in a far away paradise so thank you Liz Parker for the invitation to Bermuda of all places...
I have packed my bags because this wedding is definitely my cup of tea - full of drama, hilarious characters, and the WASPiest of all WASP families are going to in attendance. You do not want to miss this one.
The debut novel "All Are Welcome" by Liz Parker was a fun read for me that I enjoyed from beginning to end. Having the pleasure of attending my sister's destination wedding in San Francisco with her lovely wife, there were just so many anecdotes I related to in this story that had me giggling, shaking my head, and enjoying and having a fun time reading this riot of a novel.
This was a great LGBTQ story that was not about coming out, but instead shone the light on the family that were coming into terms with their first gay child.
Simply well written and brilliant story line I highly recommend.
I have packed my bags because this wedding is definitely my cup of tea - full of drama, hilarious characters, and the WASPiest of all WASP families are going to in attendance. You do not want to miss this one.
The debut novel "All Are Welcome" by Liz Parker was a fun read for me that I enjoyed from beginning to end. Having the pleasure of attending my sister's destination wedding in San Francisco with her lovely wife, there were just so many anecdotes I related to in this story that had me giggling, shaking my head, and enjoying and having a fun time reading this riot of a novel.
This was a great LGBTQ story that was not about coming out, but instead shone the light on the family that were coming into terms with their first gay child.
Simply well written and brilliant story line I highly recommend.
September 7, 2021
2 stars
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing & NetGalley for letting me read read an advanced copy this book. All my opinions are my own.
CW: homophobia, drug & alcohol abuse
This book explores deeply dysfunctional family and relationship dynamics, set throughout the destination wedding weekend of Tiny and Caroline, two women from wealthy families. I liked that the author divided the plot into sections according to the wedding weekend itinerary, but that was I think the biggest highlight for me. Aside from Tiny, I did not empathize with any of the characters, I thought them very stereotypical and flat. They lacked nuance and depth even when reading through their perspective.
The silver lining to this book was Tiny's personal ending, which felt like the only possible conclusion for her messy familial and romantic entanglements.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing & NetGalley for letting me read read an advanced copy this book. All my opinions are my own.
CW: homophobia, drug & alcohol abuse
This book explores deeply dysfunctional family and relationship dynamics, set throughout the destination wedding weekend of Tiny and Caroline, two women from wealthy families. I liked that the author divided the plot into sections according to the wedding weekend itinerary, but that was I think the biggest highlight for me. Aside from Tiny, I did not empathize with any of the characters, I thought them very stereotypical and flat. They lacked nuance and depth even when reading through their perspective.
The silver lining to this book was Tiny's personal ending, which felt like the only possible conclusion for her messy familial and romantic entanglements.
July 24, 2021
Rich people are different. And homophobic.
This delightful trainwreck is the sort of book you burn through on the beach in a few hours, loathing almost all the characters, but too caught up in the drama to look away. A destination wedding, a pack of wealthy snobs with substance abuse problems, two brides (one edgy, one anxious), and a storm on the way. What could possibly go wrong?
Ever since Gatsby, authors have been taking potshots at the foibles of the monied class, usually making the same point: all the wealth in the world can't make you happy, or keep you from being a jackass. What's different about Parker's story is that it throws the upper classes' sotto voce homophobia into sharp relief. Tiny and Caroline are getting married in Bermuda because the country club their parents belong to wouldn't host their reception....but we don't talk about that. Bitsy, Tiny's mom, still can't cope with the fact that her daughter is queer, and Dick, her dad, still isn't comfortable with it either....but we don't talk about that. Robbie, Tiny's brother, refuses to attend the wedding because he thinks being gay is a sin....but we don't talk about that. Especially in front of Tiny.
You get the picture. The oncoming storm is a great, if unsubtle, metaphor for how all those rigidly repressed feelings will eventually boil over. Throw Connie, Caroline's ex-girlfriend, into the mix, and things get worse. Caroline isn't EXACTLY marrying Tiny for her money, but she's not NOT marrying Tiny for her money either. Too bad Tiny doesn't know that because she's actually invited Connie to the wedding...and Connie's not subtle about wanting Caroline back.
Other characters have their own shameful secrets and burdens to carry; in fact, the drama is piled on so thick that it veers into "oh come on now" territory. However, Parker redeems herself by sticking the landing on the main plot resolution, which avoids cliche but still allows Tiny to emerge triumphant. Everybody gets what's coming to them, some folks get second chances, and readers get a satisfying summer read that really should be called Raid, because it kills WASPS dead (in the roasting type way, of course, not literal murder).
Recommended for medium-to-large fiction collections. This would also make a good "buy at the airport bookstore and read on the plane" type novel for your next destination vacation, where it will hopefully not storm.
This delightful trainwreck is the sort of book you burn through on the beach in a few hours, loathing almost all the characters, but too caught up in the drama to look away. A destination wedding, a pack of wealthy snobs with substance abuse problems, two brides (one edgy, one anxious), and a storm on the way. What could possibly go wrong?
Ever since Gatsby, authors have been taking potshots at the foibles of the monied class, usually making the same point: all the wealth in the world can't make you happy, or keep you from being a jackass. What's different about Parker's story is that it throws the upper classes' sotto voce homophobia into sharp relief. Tiny and Caroline are getting married in Bermuda because the country club their parents belong to wouldn't host their reception....but we don't talk about that. Bitsy, Tiny's mom, still can't cope with the fact that her daughter is queer, and Dick, her dad, still isn't comfortable with it either....but we don't talk about that. Robbie, Tiny's brother, refuses to attend the wedding because he thinks being gay is a sin....but we don't talk about that. Especially in front of Tiny.
You get the picture. The oncoming storm is a great, if unsubtle, metaphor for how all those rigidly repressed feelings will eventually boil over. Throw Connie, Caroline's ex-girlfriend, into the mix, and things get worse. Caroline isn't EXACTLY marrying Tiny for her money, but she's not NOT marrying Tiny for her money either. Too bad Tiny doesn't know that because she's actually invited Connie to the wedding...and Connie's not subtle about wanting Caroline back.
Other characters have their own shameful secrets and burdens to carry; in fact, the drama is piled on so thick that it veers into "oh come on now" territory. However, Parker redeems herself by sticking the landing on the main plot resolution, which avoids cliche but still allows Tiny to emerge triumphant. Everybody gets what's coming to them, some folks get second chances, and readers get a satisfying summer read that really should be called Raid, because it kills WASPS dead (in the roasting type way, of course, not literal murder).
Recommended for medium-to-large fiction collections. This would also make a good "buy at the airport bookstore and read on the plane" type novel for your next destination vacation, where it will hopefully not storm.
February 12, 2022
I read this in under 12 hours, but it felt so laborious to read. Majority of the characters (especially 1 of the main characters) were horrible & whiny and never got any better. The attempt to humanize these privileged white families fell extremely flat. I was really excited to read a book that centers around queer women but the plot stalled & sputtered. I was very close to stopping mid book.
June 2, 2022
2 stars is generous here, as there was not a single likable character in this book.
August 3, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.25 stars
As this story opens, we meet Tiny and Caroline on the way to their destination wedding. There is already an incident on the plane where Tiny and Caroline have to stand up for themselves and so begins this debut book from Liz Parker. All Are Welcome is an interesting title choice because, from the beginning, it is clear that no one is truly welcome between these two families and there was never that pivotal point for me where the title came together with the story.
The story is told through multiple POVs with an ensemble style cast. We get insight through Tiny; Caroline; Tiny’s mother, Bitty; Tiny’s father, Dick; and Tiny’s brother, Trip. The stereotypes of a conservative, upper class family are alive and well and are vacationing reluctantly in Bermuda. From the start, I could feel the unease. Tiny and Caroline are not quite acting like a couple on their way to be married and it sets the tone for the larger story to come. Tiny’s family is physically present, but they are not much of a support and Tiny is mostly lost in a family that overwhelms every aspect of her life.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
3.25 stars
As this story opens, we meet Tiny and Caroline on the way to their destination wedding. There is already an incident on the plane where Tiny and Caroline have to stand up for themselves and so begins this debut book from Liz Parker. All Are Welcome is an interesting title choice because, from the beginning, it is clear that no one is truly welcome between these two families and there was never that pivotal point for me where the title came together with the story.
The story is told through multiple POVs with an ensemble style cast. We get insight through Tiny; Caroline; Tiny’s mother, Bitty; Tiny’s father, Dick; and Tiny’s brother, Trip. The stereotypes of a conservative, upper class family are alive and well and are vacationing reluctantly in Bermuda. From the start, I could feel the unease. Tiny and Caroline are not quite acting like a couple on their way to be married and it sets the tone for the larger story to come. Tiny’s family is physically present, but they are not much of a support and Tiny is mostly lost in a family that overwhelms every aspect of her life.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
September 14, 2021
Rich and Beige
I was excited to read this book. I love a destination trip wedding with issues. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single character to root for. Even with the various POVs.
If you've seen Dharma and Greg, this is basically Greg's family. Tony's mother was very Kitty. And Caroline's mom (Mabel) was someone that Alexis Carrington would eviscerate in 5 seconds flat. Add in a dash of Wes Anderson and you've got the basic tone of the book.
I couldn't enjoy but I kept reading to see what would come. I'm pretty sure the narrators were a bonus for the book. Much more engaging.
I was excited to read this book. I love a destination trip wedding with issues. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single character to root for. Even with the various POVs.
If you've seen Dharma and Greg, this is basically Greg's family. Tony's mother was very Kitty. And Caroline's mom (Mabel) was someone that Alexis Carrington would eviscerate in 5 seconds flat. Add in a dash of Wes Anderson and you've got the basic tone of the book.
I couldn't enjoy but I kept reading to see what would come. I'm pretty sure the narrators were a bonus for the book. Much more engaging.
July 14, 2021
This is a quick, fun book that I found mostly hilarious despite dealing with serious (and universal) issues. The characters here are the antithesis of the oft-repeated F Scott Fitzgerald quote about the rich being different. These people, despite having different aspirations and privileges, epitomize typical family problems of acceptance, ignoring, and posing. I found the plot mostly obvious but the writing excellent. The author really makes you relate to each character.
My favorite scene takes place at a Sandals Resort golf course—a short but very memorable emotional capture that everyone can relate to, even those who have never been to Greenwich, CT.
My sense is this book is targeted at the LGBTQ booklists. To me, this is just modern extended family, almost a 2021 version of Anna Karenina. OK, to be fair, this is a short beach read, but like so many other books, it delves into the same interpersonal problems of family.
I picked this up through Amazon First Reads. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have come across it.
My favorite scene takes place at a Sandals Resort golf course—a short but very memorable emotional capture that everyone can relate to, even those who have never been to Greenwich, CT.
My sense is this book is targeted at the LGBTQ booklists. To me, this is just modern extended family, almost a 2021 version of Anna Karenina. OK, to be fair, this is a short beach read, but like so many other books, it delves into the same interpersonal problems of family.
I picked this up through Amazon First Reads. Otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have come across it.
December 8, 2021
I didn't hate it but literally everyone was awful and I had no idea what a WASP was initially I thought it was an actual wasp lol I googled it though. I don't know how much of a rom com this is since I was mad the entire book though.
July 12, 2021
Just a lot of family drama
I did not enjoy this book. I personally don't care about clothing brand labels, which were used so often in the descriptions. It didn't add anything for me, but I think the repetitive use of descriptive labels were to just reinforce the fact that the people were snobs. The family dynamics were boring and predictable. From the beginning, far too much description was put on Tiny. I get it, she's small, move on. I felt no emotion for any of these characters.
I did not enjoy this book. I personally don't care about clothing brand labels, which were used so often in the descriptions. It didn't add anything for me, but I think the repetitive use of descriptive labels were to just reinforce the fact that the people were snobs. The family dynamics were boring and predictable. From the beginning, far too much description was put on Tiny. I get it, she's small, move on. I felt no emotion for any of these characters.
August 15, 2021
It was just ok. The was the story of a lesbian couple at their destination wedding. It was about relationships, lies, appearances and family drama. I liked the author’s voice and writing style but had trouble liking the cast of characters (which makes it difficult for me to like the book). It was light and many people might enjoy it was a beach read. I won this book in a GoodReads giveaway.
October 6, 2021
A fun story
A very entertaining read about a so called all inclusive wedding at the Coral Beach Club. The book is full of real family problems and people chasing true love!
A very entertaining read about a so called all inclusive wedding at the Coral Beach Club. The book is full of real family problems and people chasing true love!
November 23, 2021
this was just what i needed
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