“The World After Alice is a lovely debut novel that glimmers with fine writing and notes of human insight. There's a quiet beauty to Lauren Aliza Green's work, and I am now a fan.”
—Ann Napolitano, New York Times bestselling author of Hello Beautiful
“A page-turner of a family drama. The World After Alice is at turns brutally honest, funny, and deeply empathic.” —Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake
Named One of Forbes’s 2024 30 Under 30 in Media
For readers of Seating Arrangements and The Most Fun We Ever Had, a gorgeous and gripping story of two families brought together to celebrate an unexpected marriage, twelve years after a devastating tragedy upended their livesWhen Morgan and Benji surprise their families with a wedding invitation to Maine, they’re aware the news of their clandestine relationship will come as a shock. Twelve years have passed since the stunning loss of sixteen-year-old Alice, Benji’s sister and Morgan’s best friend, and no one is quite the same. But the young couple decide to plunge headlong into matrimony, marking the first time their fractured families will reunite since Alice’s funeral.
As the arriving guests descend upon the tranquil coastal town, they bring with them not only skepticism about the impromptu nuptials but also deep-seated secrets and agendas of their own. Peter, Morgan’s father, may be trying to dissuade his daughter from saying “I do,” while Linnie, Benji’s mother, introduces a boyfriend who bears a tumultuous past of his own. Nick, Benji’s father, is scheming to secure a new job before his wife—formerly his mistress—discovers he’s lost his old one. Morgan, too, carries delicate secrets that threaten to jeopardize the happiness for which she has so longed. And as for Benji—well, he’s just trying to make sure the whole weekend doesn’t implode.
As the whirlwind weekend unfolds, old passions reignite, deep wounds resurface, and unearthed secrets threaten to shatter the fragile peace the wedding promises. With each new revelation, the to-be-weds and their complicated families are forced to question just how well they know the ones they hold dear.
"When Morgan and Benji invite their families to their wedding in Maine, they know the news will come as a shock after keeping their relationship secret. Twelve years have passed since the stunning loss of Benji's sixteen-year-old sister Alice, who was also Morgan's best friend, and no one is quite the same. But the young couple decide to leap headfirst into marriage and have asked their fractured families to finally come together, marking the first time their parents and loved ones will be gathered since Alice's funeral. The arriving guests bring with them long-held secrets and a healthy skepticism about the looming nuptials. Peter, Morgan's father, may be trying to talk her out of walking down the aisle; Linnie, Benji's mother, is accompanied by a new boyfriend with his own messy past; Nick, Benji's father, is scheming for a new job offer before his wife, once his secretary and mistress, finds out he lost his old one. Morgan has delicate secrets of her own that threaten to jeopardize the happiness she has so longed for. And Benji is just trying to make sure the whole weekend doesn't implode. As the whirlwind wedding weekend unfolds, old flames are rekindled, deep wounds resurface, and unearthed secrets threaten to shatter the fragile peace the wedding represents. With each new revelation, the bride and groom and their complicated families are left wondering just how well they know their loved ones"--