I flew through this in a day! I just had to know what was going on. It starts off with a bang, had me completely invested from the start and I couldnt put it down until the end. Really good premise, original plot line, well written characters and oh so much tension, twists and turns! I absolutely loved every second of this book

Neither Annie nor Mark have had an easy road in life, something that has ostensibly brought them closer to each other. After all, they both have experienced tragedy and understand the impact that it can leave on a person's life, and that is a powerful bond.

After a chance encounter on a train, and the whirlwind romance that followed that meeting, they are now getting married in the expectation of their very own happily ever after.

The only problem is, things are not going according to their expectations. When Annie realises that a stranger has shown up to their wedding, she is unprepared for what will be revealed. And as questions are raised about the fate of Mark's first wife, things begin to unravel...

This story is smoothly written, which makes for easy reading. The references to some unusual elements - while a little unexpected - are incorporated in ways that do not make them stand out as seeming peculiar. The twist is satisfactory and overall, the plot works well.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Annie is about to marry her fiancé, whom she had a chance encounter meeting on a train one morning. She is totally in love with Mark. Until a stranger appears at the wedding, and questions start to arise. Especially surrounding the disappearance of Mark’s first wife.

I found this book quite an easy read, regardless of the subject. It was engaging and the writing was everything it needed to be. The characters were well written, and I really liked most of them, and found them very easy to read. This was a quick read for me, and I was determined to finish and find out exactly what happened. I look forward to more from this author.

A very addictive fast paced thriller which held my interest from the beginning until the end with great well described characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bloomsbury Publishing for this ARC which I can thoroughly recommend.

What a hook, what an opening! I love a thriller with a wedding/marriage element and I thought this was a very fresh take on that trope. I look forward to the author's next book!

What a thrilling story that is full of obsession, lies and mystery
Lots of storyines that were easy to follow.. Would highly recommend this book

This is a twisty, complex marriage thriller and a fun easy read.
The characters are well developed and richly drawn in this character driven novel.
Annie believes she will never get married until she sees Mark a handsome stranger on her commute to work. Both Mark and Annie have suffered tragedies in the past and are drawn together.
It is at times a tense and clever story, with interesting characters that are layered and well-drawn.
Tightly plotted and well written, the tale is skillfully structured and well-paced.
A gripping story that is full of intrigue, lies and obsession
Several timelines which are easy to follow.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley UK for the ARC.

The Stranger at the Wedding is an addictive, dark story of control and obsession. It’s a tale of love in all its forms, and it’s full of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end.

Annie and Mark are both layered, complicated characters with a lot of backstory and ambiguity. They never seem crystal clear, and that’s part of the fun of watching their story unfold. I liked both of them during certain parts of the book, while other times I was suspicious of their thoughts and actions. It takes a clever author to make me feel that way, so well done to A. E. Gauntlett for making me so on edge!

Straight away I loved the writing style, and how the narrative jumps between timelines. It’s a great way to explore Annie’s character, and everything life has thrown at her; whether it be good or bad, it’s all shaped her into the person she is in the present, and why she is how she is. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into her past family life and her relationship with her dad, and how everything started to unravel bit by bit. A non-linear timeline and flashbacks are two of my favourite narrative structures, so their inclusion here definitely added to my enjoyment of the book.

The Stranger at the Wedding is really worth going into knowing as little as possible, which will hopefully make the twists and conclusion that much more shocking. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I look forward to more from this author. If you like dark character studies and memorable thrillers, definitely add this to your reading lists — you won’t be disappointed!

This book is a captivating journey through the depths of imagination. Its rich storytelling and well-developed characters kept me engaged from start to finish. With its thought-provoking themes, it transcends genres and offers something for every reader. A must-read for anyone seeking a literary adventure.

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.