Rating: 2.3/5

Immediately prior to reading this I had just completed "The Guilt Trip" by Sandie Jones, which has a similar setting and also a similar premise in many respects. The subject matter will also lead to understandable comparisons with Lucy Foley's "The Guest List".

Lucy (the character is this book, rather than the aforementioned Ms Foley) has long been planning her dream wedding to Jason. Now they find themselves about to tie the knot on the Greek island of Kefalonia in the company of an assorted group of friends, relatives and acquaintances. There would be no story if everything ran smoothly and there was absolutely no tension surrounding any of the guests - and, sure enough, it isn't long before things start to go awry.

The book has a reasonably large cast of characters and the story is told from the viewpoint of several of them. Additional parts of the narrative come from "Therapy Journal" sections (the provider of which is initially anonymous) and extracts from witness interviews conducted by the Kefalonian police. (We learn at the outset that a body has been found, but we don't know whose.)

As I indicated at the start of this review, the premise is far from unique and there are plenty of similar examples out there. That, in itself, doesn't really matter. The setting chosen by Tammy Cohen is appealing and - as if a wedding isn't potentially stressful enough anyway - there are more than enough historical tensions, secrets and yet-to-be-discovered backstories among the dramatis personae to give the author plenty of scope to work with. But, having said that, "The Wedding Party" didn't consistently draw me in, captivate me and hold my attention.

There are certainly some appealing elements: Tammy Cohen's writing is wonderfully descriptive at times. The use of the witness interviews and the "Therapy Journal" sections works well. Aspects of the characterisation are quite tongue-in-cheek and amusing. On the one hand, this last point was a nice touch, but on the other hand, it was illustrative of part of the problem ... namely that it wasn't always clear what the author wanted the essence of the book to be. At times it had this light-hearted element of poking fun at the characters, that seemed to invite the reader to not take the book too seriously, while on other occasions it appeared to be positioned more as an earnest psycho-drama. There were even sections that read as though they could have been lifted straight from a piece of "chick lit". I am not suggesting that writers can't successfully incorporate variations of style and tone into a novel, but it needs careful handling in order to work well - and I am not sure that it passed muster in this instance.

In summary, "The Wedding Party" has lots of good ingredients, but, somehow, the overall recipe doesn't quite work as well as it could have.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Firstly, after a year of restrictions, heading off to Kefalonia was a very welcome escape and going to Lucy and Jason's wedding sounds idyllic, that is until you scrape below the surface of this dysfunctional family and their wedding party.

Lucy has planned the wedding down to the minute, with every detail covered even if that means going well over the budget. She imagines how perfect it will be, how many likes she'll get on her Instagram posts, how it will be the truly happiest day of her life.

What she hadn't bargained for was the secret extra baggage her guests were bringing with them.

Weddings tend to bring out either the best in people or the worst - this wedding certainly brings out the worst...if fact it's more like one wedding and a funeral as a body is found at the foot of the cliffs just after the wedding and one of their wedding party is missing...

We know from the prologue about the body and then there are police interviews with selected members of the wedding party to give their view of events, we are left to work out who the victim may be before it is revealed at the end of the book.

Really enjoyed this read, thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book, this is my honest opinion.

I couldn't put this book down as I needed to know what has happened. It moved between the two timelines seamlessly and kept you guessing as to who the body was and how everyone was interconnected without knowing it. And with all good books, it unravelled everyone else's secrets along the way.
Just wish I had been lying on a beach reading it rather than on my sofa!

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. I read this book pretty much in one sitting there were lots of twists and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend it.

Tammy Cohen never fails.Another true page turner a book that took me from my home to gorgeous Greece.The characters the story loved from beginning to end.Will be recommending.#netgalley#randomhouseuk.

An excellent read which held my interest from the very beginning until the end with a satisfactory ending. All the characters were good and believable and I can thoroughly recommend this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley. I am a massive fan of Tammy’s so was thrilled.

How lovely it was to be transported to another location especially in lockdown and where better than beautiful Greece.

Weddings are always eventful even when you plan things to the t.. what could go wrong ? It’s all so perfect right?

Well secrets are revealed and cracks begin to show .We know something happens to involve the police but what exactly so this layers the suspense and intrigue for the reader.

Family secrets rivalry, jealously and lies are all bubbling away under the heat . What is going on? Will the wedding go ahead?


A thought provoking exciting read about family and the dilemmas they are dealt with .

Published 24th June and look at this stunning cover.

The Wedding Party is the first book I have read by Tammy Cohen and it was an excellent read. I was drawn to the book because I lived on Kefalonia for over twelve months.

Lucy is marrying Jason and wants her day to be perfect so books an elaborate, expensive wedding in Kefalonia for her close family and friends. She utilises the services of a wedding planner, Nina, who has an excellent reputation.

The mixture of guests and secrets provides electric twists and turns throughout the novel. Lucy’s parents both have secrets which spill over into the day and her sister, Jess, brings a stranger to the wedding who is not who he claims to be. Lucy’s best friend, Shelly, is hiding her background and the reasons she is at the wedding whereas Jason and his mother, Cora, have a dark background.

The tribulations between Nina and her husband add to the disclosures providing an insight into living on a Greek island.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Black Swan for my ARC of The Wedding Party in return for my honest review.

Highly recommended

Tammy Cohen has long been my go to author for psychological thrillers and fantastic.stories but The Wedding Party just didn’t gel with me. It was lacking in suspense and felt as if it had been written by an entirely different author. But saying that I do think it would make a very good TV series.

Tammy Cohen is back to her sizzling best with this audacious thriller, hitting the heights of The Mistress's Revenge and The Broken. Instagram-loving Lucy wants her Greek island wedding to be perfect, but there is trouble on the horizon, with friends and family members all under suspicion. The Wedding Party is an unputdownable beach treat and should be required reading for anyone lucky enough to be getting away from it all this year!

Lucy wants her wedding to Jason to be memorable. It is but not for the reasons she hopes. She has planned the perfect getaway wedding. The perfect Greek island. The perfect hotel and spa. The perfect blend of guests and the perfect dress. But before the perfect day is over, secrets are revealed, friendships are strained, marriages are nearly imploded and someone is dead.

All the wedding guests have brought secrets as well as gifts. What Lucy’s mother Hazel is hiding may affect the course of the wedding while her father Dom’s secret may affect his marriage. Jason and his mother Cora have a secret from their past, the wedding planner has her own serious problems and Lucy’s friend and bridesmaid Shelly has had interesting life experiences. Her sister Jess had brought a stranger as her guest while Jess’ former boyfriend is accompanied by his wife. Before you can even wonder what will go wrong first, the fireworks start.

The Wedding Party is a quick, enjoyable read. Although you know from the prologue that a body has been found on the beach, you won’t find out who has been killed until the final chapters. Believe me, there are many candidates. This is a well-written, tightly plotted mystery. 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House UK and Tammy Cohen for this ARC.

Lucy is someone who has planned her wedding day – her wedding week in actual fact – down to the minutest detail. It is meant to be a week-long celebration of her and her fiancé, just her family and close friends, holidaying on a Greek island. It sounds like perfection and she’s certainly paid enough for it. But when her sister arrives with a plus one that no one knows, or expected, and her parents aren’t being as considered as they usually are, plus there’s a woman who continuously pops up when they least expect, and Lucy’s week is fast becoming something you wouldn’t mention on a postcard home. Her best made plans are dissolving around her – while others, including the wedding planner, aren’t full of the joys that a wedding should bring. It’s definitely going to be a day to remember, but perhaps not for the right reasons. I love Tammy’s books because they’re so layered – little by little she builds a complete picture of each character and their circumstances, so you feel almost part of each chapter.

I found this to be an enjoyable, slow burner of a novel in the psychological fiction genre.

Lovely bride Lucy brings her small wedding party to Greece, early on we learn (through police interview snippets) that not everyone will make it home unscathed!

This is a slow burner in the sense that there is a big build up focusing on the relationships between the characters, and I constantly found myself wondering who would be the victim of the crime that is eluded to!

For one wedding party, there are a LOT of potential perpetrators! It seems everyone has a dark secret.....Bridesmaid / sister Jess meets a mysterious man the night before the trip to Greece and randomly invites him along....Mother of the bride, Hazel and husband Dom are experiencing all sorts of marital discord, then there is Nina, wedding planner who is proving rather unpopular with the locals! Not forgetting the mysterious Vivienne, a holiday maker who seems to be taking a little too much interest in the party...

This is a well written novel, it is enjoyable and contemporary. I am happy to recommend it.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers for the arc of The Wedding Party by Tammy Cohen

3 stars- this follows Lucy whom has dreamed for her wedding day for so long and the day is upon her and her wedding is on a greek island so to her it is perfect, but why are Tammy's parents acting so wierd for and there is a rather strange lady loitering around the airport.

Such a great well written book, had me hooked right to the end and on edge and tense!
recommend
3 stars⭐⭐⭐

This was exactly the book to read while stuck in lockdown, with blue skies, sparkling seas and lots of intrigue. The characters jumped off the page and I stayed up far too late to find out where they were all going. I loved it.

The Wedding Party takes place on a Greek Island, Kefalonia. There's an array of characters, some more likeable than others and plenty of twists and turns. I found the story a bit predictable, but it kept me interested and I did enjoy it. And easy summer read.

The Wedding Party by Tammy Cohen
I give this book 3.75 stars

Till death do us part . . .
Lucy has always dreamt of her wedding day and now the day is almost here. Everyone is gathered on an idyllic Greek island and she just knows it's going to be perfect. It has to be.
But even the best-laid plans can go horribly wrong. Why are her parents behaving so strangely? Why won't the rather odd lady from the airport stop hanging around? Who is the silent stranger her sister brought as a plus-1?
And then they find the body......lts going to be a day to remember!

I found this book well written and easy to read.There are a vast array of characters for you to love or hate,and in their own way they all add to the story coming together in different ways.The tension,suspense and mystery gradually build up to what really happened.Families,friends and secrets it has it all.
With thanks to Netgalley,Tammy Cohen and Random House UK,Transworld Publishers for my chance to read and review this book

Lucy just wants her dream wedding to be perfect. Her wayward and headstrong sister Jess is a constant cause for concern but when one of the wedding party is found dead on the beach Lucy has much bigger things to worry about and the wedding guests may find out more than they bargained for.

This is a really well written book. It's difficult to give a synopsis without encountering any spoilers so I have kept it very brief but don't take that as a negative for the book. I was pleasantly surprised at how much depth was given to such a large number of characters. I often want to know more about the "bit players" to see how they impact the story but in this novel, they all have their own back stories that tie together to make the twists and turns more realistic. This is a well thought out take on family dynamics and family secrets. It's a book where the story really develops throughout rather than a rush of twists at the end. I have read a couple of other books by this author and enjoyed them but this is even better than the others I have read. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Transworld publishers for allowing me to preview this book.

Outstanding! One blockbuster of a psychol0gical thriller. Lucy has assembled her family plus a few extras in Greece for her dream wedding. She wants her wedding to be talked about for a long time - careful what you wish for Lucy!
As the story unfolds and the characters become more interesting, so the tension builds. We know there is a murder, but don't yet know who, why or how? Its all very intriguing and there is lots of drama and surprises.
I have read all of Tammy Cohen's books and this one doesn't disappoint. She has a wonderful understanding of human relationships, the intricacies, what makes people act the way they do. This one doesn't disappoint. It builds to an amazing climax, one that I didn't predict. Highly recommended.

Another corker from Tammy Cohen. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy. I've never been disappointed by a book by this author and this one was just as good.

Lucy has planned her dream wedding in Greece down to the last detail so what could possibly go wrong? It seems that everyone is hiding a secret and then a body is found. Was it an accident or has something more sinister happened? Could Lucy's wedding day end up to be the worst in her life instead of the best?

This book was brilliant! The story is told from the perspective of each character leading up to the fateful day. The tension, questions and secrets slowly build up keeping you guessing all the way to the end. Most definitely a page turner.

A very highly recommended 5 stars.