The Guest List

By: Lucy Foley

4/5 Weddings

The Guest List is told from the point of view of five people: Aoife, the wedding planner; Olivia, the bridesmaid; Jules, the bride; Johnno, the best man; and Hannah, the plus-one. Aoife's island has never hosted a wedding before, but as the wedding planner, she's determined to throw the best wedding known to man. Jules, a perfectionist at heart, is determined to have the wedding of everyone's dreams - especially because she is marrying Will. Will is a TV star and his huge following will help Jules business. Olivia is the half-sister of Jules. She'd like to be anywhere but here, but Jules and the pair's mother made it clear that wasn't an option. Johnno is Will's best friend and best man, and he's going to ensure everyone has a good time. Finally, Hannah is married to Charlie, Jules' best friend and best man. Hannah doesn't know anyone at the wedding and immediately feels out of place.

Everyone is running around trying to control themselves and the guests, but there is something darker about the island. Will everyone's dream wedding turn into a nightmare? Nothing on the list is what it seems.

While Lucy Foley's writing was a little difficult to get into at first, I devoured this book once I got used to it. Never before have I hated characters so much, yet felt so invested in the story. These characters really made my blood boil (minus Hannah and Olivia), and I found myself rooting for the "dark thing." These characters have such intricate lives. Normally, I would hate the introduction of so many people at once, but Foley doesn't disappoint with the character development. She could have added less background characters, but their addition didn't hinder the story in any way. The plot twists at the end really bring it all together. It's simply a good book until the last 10 pages make it a wonderful book. Excellent and fast read!

Suggested Pairing: Big Little Lies - Liane Moriarty