What Is Wrong with You?

A Novel

By: Paul Rudnick

Narrated by: Erin Mallon

A Library Journal Best Book of 2025

“[A] rollicking farce about the things we do for love...A perfect book for this moment.” —People

“The genuinely hilarious Paul Rudnick” (Gary Shteyngart, New York Times bestselling author) returns with a witty, insightful new novel about the joy, delight, pain, and absurdity of love in an age of cynicism, divorce, and digital madness.

A tech billionaire and the flight attendant he’s marrying. A TV superhero who used to be married to the flight attendant. A Manhattan book editor and the sensitivity associate who got him fired. A twenty-three-year-old wild child prodigy who’s perhaps the savior of American literature. A vengeful Arkansas sheriff who sells a vitamin-enriched, ten-pounds-off-today demulsifier. A Wall Street bro who raps on TikTok. Two dentists—possibly stalking each other.

What do these people have in common? Invited or not, they’re all headed to the most anticipated destination wedding ever, on the billionaire’s private island, to seek romance, to cause mayhem, and to figure out everyone else’s futures and maybe even their own.

Find out what happens in Paul Rudnick’s heartfelt new novel, which dares to pose the question essential to anyone who’s ever been in love: What Is Wrong with You?

One of Rudnick’s best

Rudnick is one of the few novelists left who still practices the nearly lost art of the laugh-out-loud comic novel. But he also knows how to your heart. Love is the encompassing theme of this one, as demonstrated by an eclectic group of troubled souls who all unite in Chekhovian circumstances for a wedding of an island on the coast of Maine. This is smashingly well written, and very nicely read by the narrator, who is able to capture each character with distinct humor.

A Fun Romp That Takes a Minute to Get Going

“What Is Wrong with You?” is a bit of a slow starter, I’ll admit. But once Paul Rudnick gets rolling, he doesn’t disappoint. His prose captivates the way it always does—sharp, funny, and impossible to look away from.

The best part? The celebrity look-alikes. You can’t not put together who they are, and honestly, that’s half the fun. Rudnick isn’t trying to be subtle here, and the guessing game keeps you entertained throughout.

If you’re a Rudnick fan, you know what you’re getting: a fun romp through Hollywood absurdity with his signature wit. Stick with it through the slower opening, and you’ll be rewarded with exactly the kind of entertaining ride he’s known for.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Heartfelt story of friendship and love

Truly enjoyed reading this novel. Got it in a sale price … once I got used to the narrator voice I was able to relax.

Clever take on humankind

Amusing personalities. Wonderful take on the human experience. Well read. Well done. Dont have much more to say

Great story

Loved the writing and the story! Smart, funny & sweet. I did not love the narrator in the audiobook but the story was so compelling I got over her. 😉