Wine, cheese and Alison Espach's book "The Wedding People"

We invite you to an engaging evening of wine, cheese and lively conversation around Alison Espach's The Wedding People, a propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew.

From Goodreads:

It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.

In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.

As always, please feel free to join even if you have not finished the book - no stress :-)

All attendees are asked to please bring one of the following:

1. A bottle of wine
2. Cheese and Crackers
3. An alternate beverage or nosh of your choice

Host will provide glasses, wine opener, plates & napkins.

To enhance the opportunity for great conversation, we would like to keep the group small. Please feel free to sign-up to meet us along with up to 2 friends.

📚 Exciting Updates for 2026 Book Club! 📚
Starting in January 2026, we’ll be implementing a new system for book recommendations that will make our reading selections even more collaborative and engaging!
Book Recommendations:
From January through October, members can submit book recommendations at each meeting, via email, text or Meetup DM.
All suggestions will be added to a shared Google Sheet, which will include links to Goodreads and other pertinent information for each book.
LINK to 2027 BOOK LIST
Voting for 2027 Reads:
Our voting for next year’s book selections will take place during the November 2026 meeting. Members in attendance will have the opportunity to cast 12 votes for their favorite picks. If you’re unable to attend the November meeting, you can still participate! Simply submit 6 votes via email, text, or DM through Meetup before the start of the November meeting.
Announcement of Selections:
The chosen books for 2027 will be revealed at the end of the November meeting.
We’re excited about this new process and can’t wait to see the amazing book recommendations you all have! 📖✨

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMMITTED TO ATTEND WHEN YOU RSVP FOR THIS EVENT. We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join us. In the event you do not communicate and are a no-show, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

If you are unable to join us in February, we hope you'll remain interested and join us for an evening in the future. Looking forward to wine & cheese with you soon - happy reading!