A very enjoyable read. The title itself makes the premise clear. But it’s a rollercoaster. You will not see what is coming! Told via different views and a diary entry….my favourite way of getting to know the characters it is a definite must- have book. I am really impressed and look forward to more by this talented author.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.
This started well, and then I felt it went a bit off and then came back, but was long winded and could have been shorter.
A good storyline though and good characters if a bit predictable.
I wanted to give 3.5 stars but can't hence the 3 stars.

The story follows a mentally unstable lady and whilst this isn’t immediately obvious, as the story progresses you get a sense that things aren’t right. This was a fast paced read, one you could read in a sitting. The twist is executed to perfection! I will be recommending.

Good read. Enjoyable. Would find it what was described as not able to put down although enjoyed the storyline

This contemporary thriller is set in London and follows Mark, a surgeon whose wife Hope mysteriously disappears, leaving behind only whispers about their troubled marriage.

The story introduces Annie, a History and Mythology professor who encounters Mark during her commute and quickly falls for him. They marry, and the book unfolds in four parts: Wedding Day, Proposal, Honeymoon, and Happily Ever After. The narrative takes on a new meaning as the story progresses, showcasing superb construction and a gripping twist on expectations.

3.5/5.

Started well - kept me engaged - but the twist was a bit predictable - & bit long winded - but still very readable

Struggled a bit with this one - on the face of it, sounded like a fast-paced thriller type read so I dived in.

The author I think has tried to create that kindof feel across multiple POVs and feed the reader snippets of info by jumping back and forth between different times. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't quite gel and there were a few occasions I had to re-read a bit to get the gist of what was going on.

I did finish and I did enjoy the end which I didn't see coming - might work better as an audio book.

I really struggled with this. It was extremely confusing - multiple heads and multiple timelines. Plus the characters occasionally behaved in very very weird ways that were highly unbelievable.

Thank you Netgalley, A E Gauntlett and Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK & ANZ) for the eArc of The Stranger at the Wedding.

This is one of the first books I have read by AE Gauntlett and I really enjoyed the story as a whole. I found the characters were well developed and interesting. The overall pace and plot of the book was good, The intrigue was there and the pay off was well executed. I loved the twists and the final pay off I didn't see coming.

I felt what let the book down a little, was the past and the present was a little choppy and not set out as clear as it could have been. Luckily, I can quickly catch hold of what timeline was where but it took me a few sentences to make sure.

Saying that, I would actually like to listen to the audio version of this book in the future.

3.5 stars rounded down to 3 for Netgalley/Amazon

The Stranger at the Wedding by A.E. Gauntlett is a carefully crafted novel that offers a thrilling blend of mystery and emotional exploration. With its well-drawn characters, intricate plot, and evocative writing, it is a book that will captivate readers from beginning to end. Whether you are a fan of suspense, romance, or richly detailed storytelling, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Description sounded good but I'm afraid this book was a DNF for me, I couldn't keep up with the flipping between time zones and the characters weren't well developed or interesting.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

This was a quick fun read for me, I thought it was entertaining and well written, so I enjoyed it a lot

Despite having quite a good intrigue at its core, I found the twist quite easy to predict from the start and the disjointed narrative unfortunately made it easy to disengage from the storyline and its characters. I did not get the Pandora’s box reference at all in relation to the events of this story other than the name of the disappeared wife being Hope.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of this book.

This is the debut book for A E Gauntlett so I feel bad for not enjoying it, but I felt that the author has tried to throw too much at it, with yet another twist at the end, which is really just yet another idea that doesn’t tie into anything else. I felt like the author had read a lot of books in this genre and taken ideas from each, leaving it disjointed but with no depth or character development. A disappointing one star from me.

Two years ago, Mark’s wife, Hope, disappeared. Eighteen months later she was declared “presumed dead”. A few months later Mark marries Annie. Annie met Mark on their daily commuter train and it was love at first sight for her, less so for him since he appears to be still in the grief stage. However, love will find a way (so they say). However, at the wedding a strange man is spotted in the crowd, who turns out to be Cameron an old friend of Mark’s father, a former police officer and part-time private detective. He has been hired to try and trace Hope. He hasn’t solved the mystery yet, but intends to continue investigating.
The story is related mainly from Annie’s point of view, and involves flashbacks to her traumatic childhood. We also learn about Hope’s life with Mark (declining due to his drunkenness ) and Cameron’s investigation (a bit sketchy). None of the main characters is very likeable, and everyone seems to be behaving irrationally and inconsistently. The initial problem seems to me to be the precipitate haste with which Hope was presumed dead because, under English Law, the period before presumption should be seven years unless there are exceptional circumstances. A suicide note would be such a circumstance and a note was found, but it seems she was leaving Mark with her great friend, Charlotte. However, the note is equivocal and Charlotte is untraceable which, I think, would make the ‘death’ suspicious. If you can ignore the holes in the plot then it’s a psychological thriller, or a domestic drama, but not a great example of either. I can just about scrape 2.5 stars, rounded to 3.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A mixed bag of a book.
The author gives a masterclass in unease in this novel.
The protagonist is very easy to relate to in the beginning. The dating life is initially identical to that of most 20-something Londoners. A story of love in London so relatable it wallops you in the head with how samey most experiences of London are.
Initially the reading pace was good, it felt like a quick read, with the story progressing in a flurry of pages. But the multiple timelines did feel a little clunky, and caused me to withdraw from the story somewhat.
Some of the characters felt a bit underdeveloped, not having developed personalities, just present as plot devices.
I usually enjoy the inclusion of Greek mythology in stories but it seemed ill fitting here.
This book moved from love story to thriller in an okay manner.
The first half seemed a bit more well thought out than the second. But I did find the protagonist worryingly relatable for half the book.

My first book by this author and I really enjoyed it.
A gripping story full of intrigue, lies, obsession, thought provoking themes and with complex characters and a brilliant plot full of good twists that keep you guessing till the end.

Annie is about to marry her fiancé Mark, who she met on a train while commuting to work one morning. She’s totally in love with him, that is until a stranger appears at their wedding and questions start to arise, especially surrounding the disappearance of Mark’s first wife.

I liked the authors writing style and that the story was told through different timelines which adds to the suspense. I also enjoyed the Greek mythology parts which just adds something extra to the story. Well written characters and most are likeable.

Overall, Its a tense, engaging and easy to read thriller I found hard to put down. Well worth a read. Just brilliant.
If you love gripping thrillers then you’ll enjoy this book.

With thanks to #NetGallery @BloomsburyPublishing for an arc of #TheStrangerAtTheWedding in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 25 April 2024.

The Stranger at the Wedding by AE Gaunlett

Whilst I really enjoyed the writing style, I found the plot and constant back and forth too confusing.

Although I found it hard to settle into this book initially with alot of moving between timelines, I did settle in and was glad I'd persevered. It was dark and twisted and just a bit different. I liked the two different viewpoints (though would also have liked to hear from Mark - although that may just have made the confusion initially worse) and the endings came as a complete surprise.

But of a disjointed, meandering book that I can't say I got a lot of enjoyment from. Not enough of a story for me and a thin plot. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.