Good Material

I enjoyed the book. The pace was fast, the characters were interesting and the theme of universal interest. There were twee moments and a bit of a predictable plot towards the book’s conclusion. However, the ending was superb. I was very impressed. It really made me think about the amount of control people really have in their destinies.

This was picked up because I was looking for a light and easy read as an interlude for the heavy-going book I was also reading, with that in mind I wasn't really looking for anything particularly groundbreaking and I expected that this would be just another general romantic fiction book aimed at 20-40 year old women. I was therefore pleasantly surprised when this book did go someway to breaking the generic mould of its genre with a plotline focused on a breakdown from the perspective of a male character with an interesting twist at the end where the reader got to hear the Jen the ex-girlfriend's side of the story. It was a little different, in a good way. By the end of the book I liked both characters. There wasn't really a goodie and a baddie as their often is in this genre, instead you had the story of two people who had grown apart and were wanting different things from their lives, its a realistic plotline and one that often happens in real life but seems to rarely be featured as a plotline in romantic fiction because it doesn't have the drama of having a plotline villian. I liked the stand-up comedy thread running throughout and I thought it was well-written, having read the acknowledgments at the end I saw that comedian Ivo Graham had advised on this aspect of the book and you can tell because it felt realistic, having read a recent book which also had a stand-up comedian central character I know that this is often not realistically portrayed. The book is well written and I think that is what elevates it from being just another generic romantic fiction book. I felt the first half of the book just plodded along and was quite generic but with the benefit of hindsight I can see that it was going through the motions and setting the scene for the final half which was more internally focused on the emotions experienced by each character. I enjoyed the more inward-looking aspects of the book and by the final quarter of the book I was finding myself crying at points which I wasn't expecting. If I were to be critical of the book, I felt that I could tell the male character had been written by a woman and I found that irritating at points as he felt so generic, a male character that had zero emotional support from his friends. Again from reading the acknowledgments I saw that the author had used her male friends for research into this aspect of the book, maybe I'm wrong or maybe she has used a narrow research pool but it didn't feel realistic to me. Overall I really enjoyed the book and would recommend to anyone after an easy fictional read.

I started this book and almost gave up on it after about 10 minutes. But actually, I just finished it and I really really enjoyed it. It has given me pause for thought. I think it would make a really good movie actually. Not your average rom com, it looks at a break up of a long term relationship at that age when you’re meant to settle down, with a female character who just doesn’t want to be in a relationship. Strange that it’s an unusual point of view for a female character really! Both characters annoyed me a bit but that didn’t affect the fact that it was a good read.

The annoying thing about this book for me was that the central character is supposed to be a stand-up comedian and we are told how funny he is and that he retells events that we have already seen as readers in a really hilarious way and everyone is laughing yet we are never shown that funnyness - why not give the reader a laugh as well? Instead it just doesn't come across and he actually seems a bit of a boring bloke. I did read this book to the end which is why I gave it three stars but I think it could be so much better

I love Dolly Alderton’s writing style and her ability to make jokes alongside the most heartbreaking paragraphs. This book encapsulates that perfectly. Throughout the long months following his breakup, Andy is so relatable and so irritating all at once. I really enjoyed how you can be infuriated by his moping whilst entirely understanding his behaviour. As a female author writing from a male perspective I found the believability of Andy’s character fantastic. The only reason this lost a star was the length of some of the sections. In areas I felt some plot points dragged on, but by the end I actually felt they conveyed the emotions effectively. Still undecided. This book will make you question so many things whilst reaffirming everything else. I absolutely recommend it.

I used to like reading books but in the past year and some, I’ve not been able to finish a book. I’m blame it on social media and my dwindling attention span like everyone else and I’ve been hoping I find a good book that helps me enjoy reading again. This book did it. I found it by accident at an Air BnB and was drawn in by the reviews and first few pages I read. I’d be honest that I found it difficult at some point for personal reasons but that’s got nothing to do with the writing or the setup of the story. I eventually got to the end and two things happened at the same time: First, I was sad when it occurred to me that I was getting to the end of it and second, I wished I had it read it all sooner. A very beautiful story well told. Ps: this is the first book I ever bothered to write a review.

I didn’t know what to expect w this book but know she’s funny. This made me put the book down laughing a few times and reread bits that were funny. It also made me really cry. Remembering a lot of aspects of a breakup when you both love each other but it really isn’t right and all the stupid human things you say and do to get by. It was so spectacularly written and the second ending was amazing. One of the best books I’ve read in ages, finished it in one go.

Phenomenal. Hilarious. Unforgettable. This book is a solid five stars. I learned so much about life, relationships, and love from this absolute masterpiece. The characters were lovable, the writing style was engaging, and the pacing never dragged. Each character felt real, and I especially enjoyed witnessing Andy’s journey as he heals from the breakdown of a four-year relationship. It’s heartwarming and bittersweet, and it ends on such a positive note. Loved it. Would highly recommend.

Painfully tedious story; a waste of time. It's described as funny, but it's just boring. Not even well-written.

It was a good read.

Humorous and satirical

Dolly’s writing is always such a lovely blend of wit and emotion. Overall, this is a light read, the characters have very clear personalities, and I actually quite enjoyed the ending. The only qualm I have is the size of this book, it’s literally the size of my head, plus the font and spacing is quite big so while it’s perfect for your next vacation - you’ll need both hands to read it 😅

It's a really enjoyable reading, I recommend!