While this was not an enjoyable read, Adelaide's story really gripped me, and I have continued to think about it long after putting it down. It was uncomfortable to read because of just how relatable and raw it was. It's a strong character-driven story that explores the challenges of loving the wrong people and navigating your twenties and all of the uncertainty and loneliness and pressure that can hold. As a novel I just wish that it had a little bit more of a takeaway at the end, but I could still see this being an important read for someone going through anything remotely similar.

This story is incredibly important for young women, that a love story is not your story, and you can't lose yourself. This is a coming of age story about being in your 20s and figuring out life, friendships, jobs, and relationships. This would be incredibly powerful to read with friends and discuss, but reading it alone is important too.

This is a truly captivating book which comments on intergenerational mental health, the complexity of grief and moving on, and lovesickness in its most destructive form. Adelaide is one of the most compelling characters I’ve ever read about with her hopelessly romantic outlook and deep well of emotion. Wheeler’s prose is as dreamy as it is tense paralleling Adelaide’s wavering mental stability, and the weaving of past, present and future creates a rich story. The narrator of the audiobook did a fantastic job of expressing the inner torment and darkness hiding behind Adelaide’s optimistic shell, and I was so deeply moved. A story as brilliant and heartbreaking as its protagonist, Adelaide is a FANTASTIC novel. (Side note: she would adore ‘Better Man’ by Taylor Swift).

A beautiful coming of age novel full of raw experiences and emotions all young adults feel at one time or another. A heavy but enjoyable read, highly recommend!

Thanks you NetGalley for this Arc!

WOW!, this book covers so many issues and handles them well. Enjoyed the growth and development of the protagonist.Thanks NetGalley for the audio eArc.

This book really spoke to me, like really. I don't know why because it is fully character development, which is not my style; however, this book was so well done! Bravo!

Adelaide is an American expatriate living in London with her friends when she meets Rory and falls helplessly in love. But she soon learns he cannot, will not, love her back.

This is not a love story; it’s actually quite complicated. Their relationship is toxic, messy, and for Adelaide - an all-consuming love. She’s a girl with a big heart in love with a man who doesn’t have space for her in his.

Adelaide’s journey was so relatable. Remember your first heartbreak with a boyfriend that you just couldn’t get out of your system? Trying so hard to get him to love you back? Reading this felt like THAT. It had all the emotion and rawness of a young woman who was too emotionally and mentally unstable to realize that she deserved better.

I can’t believe this was a DEBUT. 🙌🏽 The audiobook narration is fantastic as the emotion emanates from Adelaide’s voice. The story was so deep, powerful and heavy with mental illness representation. There is heavy content: suicide attempt, miscarriage and sexual assault.

4.5 ⭐️

Thinking that this is was going to be a friendship, relationship book it had notes of this. There are a lot of triggers that should be noted. Abuse, rape and mental health. If you were looking for a light read this is not for you. Adelaide first experience with her high school boyfriend ends with him not taking no for an answer which leads her on a path of celibacy. When she is ready to finally try dating again this leads her to her life going off the rails more than once. Wanting to please everyone but forgetting about the most important person herself. After her attempt at suicide she is diagnosed bipolar with a few changes in that include including dumping her one way longterm boyfriend and moving forward with life.

Thank you NetGalley for the advance listen.

I was intrigued by everyone's love for this book and the gorgeous cover. I will admit to loving Adelaide -- she was kind, always tried to be her best self, and took such good care of everyone, except herself. I will also admit that in many ways I related to Adelaide too much; there were so many times I wanted her to put herself first but she was more concerned about not disappointing those around her -- at work, friends, boyfriend, etc. Since that part was so long I found myself struggling through. I also felt like this was an adult, would-be 13 Reasons Why -- when books start with a character discussing suicidal ideation it feels like the rest is a justification for it. Any of the things Adelaide experienced could have been "enough" reason for her struggling mental health and at times it felt like overkill, like the author felt like she needed more and more reasons. I did love the end -- it really brought it around for me. I love how realistic the mental health portrayal (at the end) was, although she was extremely privileged in terms of time off. Overall, I felt for Adelaide, I appreciated the way the story was told (especially in the second half), and I loved the mental health rep at the end.

This was such a fun debut. The narrator of this audiobook did a really good job, and I loved her accent. The MC, Adelaide, is an American and living in London. She meets Rory Hughes and really falls for him hard. She pours herself into this relationship, and supports him during the hard times that he experiences. He, on the other hand,does not reciprocate the effort. I was really rooting for Adelaide. I really felt she deserved so much better than what she was settling for. You read about how Adelaide deals with mental health and self worth issues. Some triggers in this one are grief, suicide, and sexual abuse, and the author handled those topics thoughtfully. I am happy that I chose to go with the audiobook as it was a really entertaining listen while out for my walks!

Out NOW.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Oh Adelaide. We would've been bffs, I'm sure of it.

Reading Adelaide was like catching up with an old friend. Something about the writing of this book made the desperate, all consuming desire to be the object of someone's love and adoration feel so much realer and more relatable than say The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth. Where Hepworth's grown ass protagonist is pathetically attached to her husband for no explicable reason other than he's beautiful, Adelaide is young and flawed and dealing with past traumas that just bring her to life on the page. Her affixation to "Disney prince" Rory Hughes makes sense when you begin to learn about Adelaide and her relationships.

This story will resonate for any 20something (presenter or former) who's just trying to find their path through this mad maze.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian audio for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC of "Adelaide" by Genevieve Wheeler. This has been a lovely listen. I had heard the physical book was written in the style without quotation marks so I opted for the audiobook and I am so glad I did. I wasn't distracted by the writing style and was able to just enjoy the writing. Adelaide was a likeable character who struggled with life situations. I couldn't help but cheer for her to succeed although I would have given her advice on doing some things differently. The varying timelines was difficult to follow, at first, but once I got my mind in the right place, I was able to effortlessly follow along. I considered this a book about relationships, but not neccesarily a love story, The most important relationship was the one Adelaide with herelf.

The narration was perfect for this book. Caitlin kelly had the perfect accent for this beautiful novel. I truly enjoyed this audio with the book. She made me feel like I was listening to a friend tell me a story.

As far as the book, it pulled my heartstrings a little too much. 🥹 It followed Adelaide and Rory's relationship. It went from past to present. At first, I was very annoyed with Adelaide because her choices didn’t make sense to me. But I warmed up to her as the book started to unfold layers of her past. I felt physical pain for Adelaide during her most challenging moments. The beauty of her struggles where all worth it in the end, and I shed tears 😭. This book was well-written, the characters were all well-developed, and it was an authentic, heartfelt novel.


Thank you Mcmillian audio and the author for this ARC.

♥️BOOK REVIEW♥️

Adelaide - Genevieve Wheeler
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️

“He missed her so much now. Even more than before. It’s interesting, isn’t it, how easy it is to care for something once it’s no longer ours.”

This book caught me totally off guard in all the best ways. Adelaide is a 20-something American living in England. She meets a man named Rory, who she realizes she actually had bumped into years before. She takes this as some sort of fate they should be together. Rory is distant, disconnected and ignores her for days on end but in all her kindness, Adelaide continues pouring more and more of herself into the relationship. She supports him in multiple hardships and not once does he ever show up for her in any meaningful way. She eventually breaks up with him, after finding him on a dating app, and has a downward spiral after.

Throughout the story, we get glimpses at the mental health struggles of Adelaide’s family. We eventually learn Adelaide is struggling with mental illness, as well. I loved how this book dealt with mental health issues - not ever using them as an excuse that she’s “unlovable.”

I related to Adelaide way too much and have definitely encountered my share of Rorys. The friendships in this book were absolutely beautiful and my favorite part of the story.

I listened to this as an audiobook - with narration by Caitlin Kelly - and it was so great! Definitely checking out more of her audiobooks.

♥️ What character did you last relate to the most? Or your last 5 star read?

Thanks to @netgalley, @macmillan.audio and the author for this ARC!

#adelaide #audiobookreview #bookreview #audiobookstagram

I cherished this book. I listened to the audio thanks you netgalley. It’s 3 am and I’m feeling all the feels. What a relatable beautiful story.


Oh Adelaide we can be friends. I love your vulnerability, big love and empathy .

For those that love hard and with fervor


I’m so grateful to have read this and I look reading more from Wheeler

This book is easily one of my favorite books of all time. It was heart wrenching and raw while the characters were so lovable. It was deeply moving and very lovely at the same time. I especially enjoyed the audio version!

Adelaide moves from New York to London and has so much going for her: amazing friends, good job prospects, etc. When she meets Rory Hughes and falls helplessly in love with him it must be fate. It doesn’t matter that he won’t text her back for days at a time or ever prioritize her-she justifies all of it. I wanted to shake Adelaide through so much of the story, but I can relate to her. This story does get really dark as Adelaide struggles with her mental health. This reminds me of Dolly Alderton’s memoir in that I felt like I was listening to Dolly when I listened to this story. Overall such a beautiful story.

I enjoyed this book. Adelaide was very likeable and I rooted for her to be able to stand up for herself. I enjoyed the writing of the story and the narration.

WOW just WOW! Adelaide was such a heartbreakingly beautiful book and one I wish I would've had the pleasure of reading this in my early 20's. Adelaide is such an incredibly relatable character. She's loving, caring and so fun but is also struggling with her mental health.

Genevieve Wheeler wrote an incredible story and Caitlin Kelly brought it to live in the audio. The heartbreak, the struggles, the highs and lows, the stunning friendships Adelaide has with her girlfriends, everything was just wrapped up so beautifully and heartbreakingly and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This book is truly for any woman that has struggled with insecurities, mental health, standing up for herself in a relationship and truly honoring and valuing her worth and what it means to be equal in that relationship without judgement or fear of what their partner may think once they take that step. It is one of the most honest, raw, and heartfelt books I've read.

4,5 rounded up to 5! Please search trigger warnings before reading the book.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for my ALC.

Adelaide was a brilliant journey into self discovery, boundary setting, and letting go.

We grow up with Adelaide. From her teen years and abusive relationship that permiates her psyche for a long time…through a relationship that definitely has the reader alternating rooting and angry at and back at rooting for our character.

I loved the development of Adelaide. This book reminded me of the Meatloaf Song “I’d Do Anything for Love (but I won’t do that)”…..what a beautiful story of discovering oneself.

#Adelaide #NetGalley