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Evening Zoom Book Club

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Calendar of Events 

Always once a month.

The Evening Book Club is a friendly, laid-back space for readers to come together to enjoy a good story and share thoughts, laughter, and conversation.

We meet on the last Friday of each month via Zoom, making it easy to join from the comfort of home.

At the end of each meeting, members help choose the book for the following month—so everyone has a voice in what we read next.

June Selection:

The Wedding People
Author by Alison Espach
DB Number: DB 123160

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, without luggage, alone. Everyone in the lobby mistakes her for one of the wedding people at an impending wedding on the site, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t there for the big event.

Phoebe is there 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.

Discussion Highlights:

Discussion questions are included below. Participants are welcome to review them in advance, write down responses, or simply use them to guide conversation during the meeting.

All are welcome. Bring your curiosity, your favorite beverage, and your love of books—we look forward to reading with you!

For more information, please call Blagica at 201-996-9100 ext. 115.

Discussion questions

1.The Choice of Destination: Phoebe goes to the Cornwall Inn with no luggage, planning for it to be her final night. Why do you think she chose a luxury hotel she had always fantasized about visiting with her ex-husband to end her life?

2.An Unlikely Confession: When Lila realizes Phoebe’s plan, her reaction is totally self-centered: “You can’t kill yourself during my wedding!” Why do you think a stranger’s blunt, unfiltered panic snapped Phoebe out of her plan when traditional interventions might not have?

3.The Weight of Loss: We learn early on about the compounding grief that brought Phoebe to rock bottom—her divorce, stalled career, infertility struggles, and the death of her cat. Which of these losses do you think had the most profound impact on her identity?

4.The Outsider as Maid of Honor: Phoebe quickly morphs into Lila’s de facto crisis manager. Why do you think Lila leans so heavily on an outsider rather than her own lifelong friends and family? What does Phoebe gain by focusing on Lila’s chaos?

5.Connecting with Juice: Phoebe forms a deep, instant bond with Gary’s teenage daughter, Juice. How does Phoebe’s own grief—and her unresolved longing for motherhood—shape how she treats Juice?

6.The Mass of “Jims”: Phoebe frequently lumps the loud, partying wedding guests into an undifferentiated mass of “Jims.” What is the book saying about the performative, exhausting nature of destination weddings?

7.The Tangled Web with Gary: As Phoebe and Gary spend more time together, their mutual attraction grows. Were you rooting for them, or did you feel uncomfortable given the timing and the circumstances?

8.Matt’s Arrival: Were you surprised by her ex-husband Matt’s behavior when he unexpectedly showed up? How did his presence highlight just how much Phoebe had already changed in only a few days?

9.The Non-Wedding: On the day of the ceremony, Lila finally calls off the wedding. Were you expecting her to actually cancel it? Do you view this choice as a sign of growth for Lila?

10.The Final Hot Tub Scene: By the end of the week, Phoebe and Gary are right back in the hot tub where they first flirted, but everything has shifted. Do you think their relationship will last in the real world?

11.The Ultimate Verdict: How would you rate this book? Since it balances such deep sorrow with sharp humor, did it earn a permanent, cozy spot on your bookshelf, or did you find yourself wanting to close the book on these characters after a chapter or two