Sophia Book Club
Hey book lovers!
Do you enjoy getting lost in a great story? Join the Sophia Book Club!
Four times a year, Julie Trites, Vice‑Chair of our Board of Directors, shares a meaningful, engaging book she’s loving — often connecting to themes of women’s wellness, resilience, and substance use challenges.
We also support existing or emerging book clubs by helping choose diverse, thought‑provoking reads and offering suggestions that spark rich, reflective conversation.
Whether you’re reading on your own or with a group, we’re here to help deepen connection and understanding through story.
Our Summer 2026 Book
The Wedding People
By Alison Espach
Published in 2024, The Wedding People is a hilarious and sneakily moving novel about friendship and identity. It won a Goodreads Choice Award for Readers’ Favourite Fiction in 2024 as well as being the Best Book of the Year for The Guardian, Time, Chicago Tribune, Elle, Real Simple, and Glamour.
Synopsis
Phoebe arrives at a luxury hotel with no luggage and no intention of leaving alive. However, she’s the only guest not there for a lavish wedding and when the bride learns of Phoebe’s plan, she pulls her into the celebration to avoid ruining her perfect wedding. What follows is a week of chaos, and an unlikely friendship that draws Phoebe back into her own life.
Trigger Warnings:
Death of a parent, Depression, Infidelity, Infertility, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts
Question Guide:
Consider these questions as you read Wedding People by Alison Espach:
- Several wedding people confide in Phoebe almost immediately, despite (or because) she's a total stranger. Why do you think people open up more easily to someone with no stake in their lives? Does Phoebe's outsider position make her a sharper judge of wedding people, or does her distance mean she's sometimes misreading them?
- What does the book tell us about the social roles people feel compelled to play and how we can be so different in various situations? What about the roles we are often unaware that we play?
- Would your early impression of Phoebe at the Cornwall Inn have changed if you'd known her full backstory from page one, instead of learning it gradually?
- How does Phoebe’s confessional spirit become contagious? Does her honesty and frankness start to rub off on the wedding guests?
- What are your thoughts about an author exploring heavy themes using dark humour? Consider the pros and cons of this approach. Where's the line between using comedy to make difficult subjects approachable and diminishing how serious the subject is?
- What does Lila get from Phoebe that she can't get from her actual friends or family?
- What does the book seem to argue pulls someone back from the edge, and does that argument hold up? Is there a specific moment where you felt Phoebe's shift toward wanting to live?
A conversation with the Author
Curious about the author’s inspiration for the novel? Watch this interview with Alison Espach on the wedding job that inspired The Wedding People
Praise and reviews for
The Wedding People:“It’s light enough to take to the beach, but it’s also packed with heart and depth that will keep you turning the pages long after the sun sets.”
—Indigo
“Espach’s sparkling social observations and deft prose make for a novel that’s sharp, funny and a joy to read.”
—The Guardian
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