This book took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions! It was heartwarming and yet heartbreaking at the same time. Adelaide is an American living in London who has brought a lot of mental baggage across the pond with her. But she has a kind and generous personality that has provided her with a wonderful group of friends both in America and London. Her loyal friend groups bring stability to her life and she leans on them just as much as they lean on her. One night she sees a man a the bar who she believes looks like a Disney prince and because she is a bit tipsy she has the courage to go and tell him about her observation. Nothing comes of this interaction that night but when she crosses paths with him again she can only explain their relationship as fate. This belief pushes her to begin a relationship with this man named Rory and even though he does not always return her texts and often vanishes for weeks at a time she still invests herself into the relationship 100%. Rory is a complicated character and although we don't know his whole story we do learn a bit about his past, especially his last relationship. Rory takes everything emotionally from Adelaide rarely offering much in return. But she keeps giving until there is nothing left to give putting her in a very dark place that she has to find a way out of or pay the ultimate price.
The writing and plot development is flawless. The storyline does bounce back and forth between time periods and point of views but it is done so well that the story flows seamlessly. I enjoyed getting to know Adelaide and her friends in both the past and the present. Learning about her experiences growing up made it easier to understand how she was dealing with the emotions that came with falling in love with her Prince Charming, Rory.
Adelaide's story deals with emotional and sexual abuse, mental illness, grief and suicide in a very respectful manner.
I easily listened to this within a day thanks to the engaging storyline and wonderful narration by Caitlin Kelly.
I am extremely grateful to MacMillian Audio and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this emotion filled story with superb narration in exchange for an honest review.

I was hesitant because I saw some very mixed feedback on this book, but I loved it. It was heavy and raw, but in a good way. I think this is one of those books that you need to be in a certain headspace to enjoy.

I listened to the audiobook of this story. The narrator was excellent and definitely conveyed the persona of Adelaide. I think this is an important story, focusing on the struggles of those with mental illnesses.
I’m glad I listened to it. However, I did find it difficult to get through at times. As the story progressed I found it hard to stay invested because there were so many extreme emotions. Obviously that is part of the purpose of the story, it was just heavy. I did read through to the end and I enjoyed the ending.
Readers should definitely read the trigger warnings and go into this knowing it is not a lighthearted story. 3.5 stars rounded up.

4.5

Adelaide will break your heart.
This story follows Adelaide, a twenty-something American living in London. She has some heavy baggage from her past. When she sees a man who looks like a Disney Prince, she's sold. We follow her through the beginnings of her relationship with Rory, who is decidedly not a prince, but who Adelaide will put on a pedestal and then serve as an emotional crutch for in spite of him repeatedly proving he's not worthy of her love. Adelaide will give and give, and she will feel that she is never enough.
MANY trigger warnings in this book, I found it to be a raw and real look into Adelaide's sacrificing herself for a love that's not there.
The narration was excellent.

"My brain has been to this incredibly dark place now, and that darkness is always kind of lingering at the periphery,... no matter how much light is in my life... Your mind knows where it can go, it knows that no recesses are out of bounds or off limits. You have to learn to live with the darkness instead of fearing it."

Thank you to Macmillan audio and NetGalley for this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

An amazing debut novel that will stay with me for a while. We have all met and probably dated a Rory before in life. This book is beautiful and heartbreaking and makes you feel everything Adelaide does but just a heads up it probably has every trigger warning you can think of. Thank you to St. Martins Press and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

I liked it, I didn’t love it. This book tackled incredibly hard topics and was very character driven - unfortunately, my main issue was I didn’t particularly find any of the characters that compelling. I know it happens more frequently than I’d like to imagine in real life, but Rory’s blatant disrespect for Adelaide was just painful to read - I had a hard time relating to what she saw in him even from the beginning. While him treating her horribly was 100% not her fault, her doubling down on him and making excuses every time he did something terrible made her hard for me to empathize with.

What I did like however was the realness of it. Wheeler showed the more ugly side of relationships and life where there isn’t always a happy ending. I thought her writing style was phenomenal and she made you feel the vast emotions Adelaide was experiencing. I also appreciated the mental health awareness and how it showed not all experiences are the same.

Personally, it wasn’t a 5-star read like I’ve been seeing so many of the reviews have been, but I did enjoy it and think it’s worth a read!

Thank you Netgalley, Genevieve Wheeler, and Macmillan Audio for this audio in exchange for an honest review.

I truly don’t get the hype surrounding this story. I hated the narrative and the dialogue formatting just made me mad. I never knew if the characters were conversing or if we were internal. The timelines were all over the place; I couldn’t put it together.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Ehhhh. I understand why some people might love this book, but it just didn't do it for me. I might have enjoyed reading it more than listening to the audiobook (which I did). I found it difficult to connect with Adelaide or find her particularly likable even though she is overly described as being such. Again, my experience may have been different if I read instead of listened. I did find that the book's discussion of mental health was well done and probably its strongest point.

I will start this review by telling you this is not a romance book. This book takes you on a journey through different points of Adelaide's life where mental health, friendship, and personal strength are at the root of the story.

I loved Adelaide! She is such a relatable character, but I didn't quite understand why she would let a guy treat her like garbage. He could go weeks without replying to her texts, asked her to sleep on the floor, compared her to past girlfriends, and was an all-around huge jerk. There were so many red flags when it came to this guy and I couldn't understand why she'd continue to make excuses for him until we learn of her past trauma and emotional abuse. She wants nothing more than for him to love her, the way she loves him, but he continuously shows that he is emotionally unavailable.

The power of this book lies in watching Adelaide completely break, pick up her pieces, and slowly put herself back together. The ending was my favorite part. The book wrapped up nicely and it leaves you rooting for Adelaide and her future.

The narrator did a great job and brought Adelaide to life! Her voice perfectly depicted Adelaide at her best and at her worst. She really did a fantastic job!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for an ALC of this book.

Short synopsis: Adelaide thinks she’s found “the one” in Rory Huges, she falls fast and hard for him. But his mostly unreturned texts, and cold demeanor might mean he might not share the feelings.

My thoughts: It took me quite a bit to get vested in this story. Don’t let this pretty cover fool you, this is a heavy read! We start off with Adelaide going to the hospital because she’s having suicidal thoughts. There are many possible triggers throughout, so make sure and check them in advance!

Adelaide suffers from Mental Heath which runs in her family, but she’s a huge people pleaser. She falls so instantly in love with Rory that she fails to see all the red flags being flung her way left and right. Also, I think she felt like in a way she was getting “what she deserved” because she failed to find her own worth.

Read if you love:
- Coming of age stories
- Character driven stories
- Books about mental health, grief, and healing
- Learning your own worth
- Therapy positive

I did a mix of audio and physical on this one. The audio was so well done, I felt like the narrator voiced Adelaide very well. My biggest complaint with the print version is there’s not quotations in the verbal speaking. They did italicize it which helps, but also a peeve of mine.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for this ALC!

4 stars!

What a wonderful, soul-wrenching book. I enjoyed "Adelaide" by Genevieve Wheeler quite a bit. Be aware going in, though, that it is *deeply* depressing as it deals with some of the heaviest topics imaginable. Think "Normal People" by Sally Rooney levels of depression. Don't go in thinking this is a romance. It's *about* a relationship, but it's *not* all that romantic. It's complicated, a punch in the gut, heartbreaking, and intricate, and it will make you reflect on how you may have been treated in your past relationships. Were you the doormat who couldn't stop going back to someone who didn't deserve you? Have you ever been someone who loved another person so deeply, only to receive nothing or nothing but the bare minimum in return? I know I have been! "Adelaide" is the book for you if you can relate to these feelings. It feels like a lived-in story, wholly birthed from reality. That didn't stop me from wanting to slap Adelaide and tell her she deserved better! SO MUCH BETTER! Caitlin Kelly does a decent job narrating this book, but her character voices don't change all that much. I'll be thinking about this book for months to come.

Thank you to NetGalley, Genevieve Wheeler, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

Huge thank you to netgalley for this audiobook!
This book is so different from what I typically read and I am SO glad I gave it a chance. It was refreshing, fast paced, but engaging. You really felt as if you knew Adelaide and her surrounding friends. I loved how raw and real and emotional this book was. It addressed so many emotional highs and lows of college aged students going into that 25 years old + age range. The mental health aspect of this book was also so nicely done. Trigger Warnings: R*pe, suici*de, miscarriage, and there is some mental and emotional abuse but done in a way that it provided insight to the character itself. Adelaide is truly a must read for any female!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Netgalley and Genevieve Wheeler for the honor of reading this book!

I finally finished this amazing book Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler. It was a heavy read for me so it took me time to read it but I'm so happy I finished it. At times I had to put it down for a bit to clear my head and read something more cheery. This book made me think alot about my past and hardships that I have gone through in my 28 years of life. Adelaide was so relatable that I could see myself a lot like her. The wanting to feel loved, accepted, important to someone is something we all want in life. Sometimes as humans we give all we can to a person and the feeling of not having it be reciprocated back is just devastating. The doubting, worrying, anxiety and thoughts that Adelaide goes through made me feel like I'm not alone in the world. Other people struggle just like me but just like the book kept saying "it will be okay" things do always work out. Sometimes we just don't see it until it does. I love that this book has lots of strong and supportive women for Adelaide to rely on though out her life. I also like how this book depicts and handles health issues and mental illness. It was done really well and helps break the stigma of both of them. I rated this book 4 stars on my goodread account.

Thank you again for the honor of allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Look at me reading a character driven book! I’m so proud 🥰

Adelaide is an American woman living in London. When she meets the dashing Rory Hughes she knows he’s The One. But when Rory’s life is rocked by tragedy Adelaide does everything she can to hold him together even if it means losing herself in the process.

Oh boy y’all this one is heavy! My heart just hurt for Adelaide. The loneliness and despair she felt from loving a person who will not love her back is devastating. I appreciated the care that was taken to explore this aspect of a relationship and the mental health rep.

This is a wonderful story that will lift you up and break your heart all at the same time. Adelaide, an American, lives in London and comes across a man who she approaches and calls “Prince Charming”…some time later, her and Prince Charming cross paths a second time (thanks to a dating app!) - and she learns that his name is Rory.

Rory and Adelaide’s relationship takes you on a wild ride - bringing up pain from her past, and bringing to light that she is more like her siblings and mother than she thought she was. It was a lovely listen, and I would definitely recommend it - it drew in my attention quickly and kept it for the duration. The narration was great, along with the plot development.

TW: Mental illness, sexual and mental abuse

Whoa. This book is an intense read.

Adelaide is an American living and working in London and seemingly living the dream. She meets Rory and thinks that this could be her HEA. However, Rory is her dream man when he is around saying the things that Adelaide wants/needs to hear and taking her on elaborate dates, but then ghosting her for long stretches of time and playing with her mind and emotions. Without giving away too much of the story, this book focuses on Adelaide’s journey to find herself and her worth in the midst of her relationship with Rory.

This book is powerful and raw and real. Speaking from experience, the way Rory sucks in Adelaide with these elaborate dates and sweet words is so honest and realistic to how situations like this can unfold. Part of what keeps Adelaide coming back despite Rory’s treatment of her is knowing how good he “can be”. I felt so much of this story and truth and depth of the characters.

I will not lie, this can be a touch read. There are a million CWs and I would suggest checking them out. This book starts with a suicide attempt and is somewhat shocking if you aren’t prepared for the heavy topics covered in this book. But I think the author handled the topics in the book with grace and care and the utmost honesty in how these issues are addressed.

I listened to the audio book and absolutely loved the narration by Caitlin Kelly. She handled the tough topics in this book with so much emotion and read with such a beautiful narration that it made the story even more heart breaking.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warning: suicidal ideation, sexual abuse, miscarriages, and episodes of mental breakdowns.

We meet Adelaide Williams on the worst day of her life. Her rock bottom. The day she attempts suicide.

The book traverses in time to illustrate how unhealed trauma and misdiagnosed mental illnesses can lead to someone wanting to end it all. While Adelaide has a community of friends and family all over the world, she can’t seem to get past the feeling that she is not and will never be enough.

To some it may appear that Adelaide’s story is deeply depressing and shrouded in gloom. However, if you look deeper, you will see that it serves as a lesson. She teaches those that read or hear her story, that while life can be terribly unfair and filled with unimaginable heartache; if we push through our darkest moments, find our inner strength, and seek help, we can come out on the other side.

Genevieve Wheeler is a master writer. They way in which she uses time to tell Adelaide’s story reinforces that healing doesn’t happen in a linear way. In fact, most are caught off guard when a stuffed memory surfaces after a smell, noise, or action triggers it. Having access to Adelaide’s past, present, and future gives readers a true Birds Eye view.

It should be mentioned that I loved the narrator and audiobook as a whole. With that being said, I feel I would have best enjoyed it if I had read the physical book. Thus, I will be purchasing a copy, as this is in the running for my favorite book of 2023.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: OMG!!! This book!! I will be thinking about this book for months! I gobbled it up in one sitting because I couldn’t stop listening to it. The whole thing was just so incredible! I felt like the author was talking about my life at times! The last line of the book, “She didn’t know any of this. All she knew is that she was okay.” Gave me goosebumps! I want to listen to this book again and again and again! Wheeler did such a great job at portraying depression and anxiety and the struggles someone who has those goes through. She talks about how when you get to the place where you feel like dying, it’s hard not to continue going back there when times get tough. I just loved every minute of this book! I recommend everyone to read this!! What an incredible story!

26-year-old American expat Adelaide Williams lies in a hospital bed after a failed suicide attempt. She has nothing left in her tank, and no emotional reserves to ground her or push her forward.

When a nurse asks her a series of questions, the novel rewinds to 2018 to tell the story that leads Adelaide to this revelatory point in time.

In London, during 2018, Adelaide met Rory Hughes on a dating app. She then realises she first saw the charming Englishman at a boat race, two and a half years ago, when she had told him he looked like “a Disney Prince”.

After a very short “honeymoon period”, Rory begins to treat Adelaide badly, leaving her confused and unsure as to the status of their relationship. They are unofficially dating. Certainly, they are sleeping together, but Rory has a habit of missing text messages and disappearing for four or five days at a time. He refuses to introduce her to his family, fails to make plans more than a day or two in advance, and defers special occasions at the last moment.

As a reader, I hurt for Adelaide, for her hopefulness and persistent efforts to change the way Rory feels about her. He only offers her crumbs of affection. His behaviour causes her to feel unloveable and question her self-worth. She feels she will never be enough for him. Anyone who has experienced unrequited love or been in an unhealthy relationship will find some part of this book relatable.

The moments that shine off the pages for me include: Adelaide’s journey to self-actualization; her great friendships, and her joy at living in London, a city she loves. The narrator Caitlin Kelly is convincing as a lovestruck twenty-something. She allows the story to come to the fore as does every great narrator.

A huge thank you to @macmillan.audio and @netgalley.

About the Author

Genevieve Wheeler is an American writer and communications manager. Her bylines have appeared in publications like VICE, Vogue Business, Teen Vogue, Elite Daily, and POPSUGAR, with her work and words cited in The New York Times, Vox, the BBC World Service, Cheddar News, Jezebel, and beyond. She holds an MA in marketing communications from the University of Westminster in London and a BS in Advertising from Boston University. She's currently based in London. ‘Adelaide’ is her debut novel.

Oh, Adelaide. How my heart breaks for you.

From my understanding the original description of the book had it a bit more flouncier and fluffier and full of romance. This couldn’t be further from what it truly is. This is a story about how a heart can break a million ways. How to love someone and feel like you’re never good enough for them, but what if both people never feel like they’re good enough for each other but never fully address it?

While the characters were a bit flat at times, and near the 70% mark it felt like things were getting rushed, this entire book was relatable; how to love someone through grief while they’re actively grieving, how to work through trauma and the triggers that resurface from it, how to love yourself when you’ve settled for bad experiences at love and aren’t sure what “real” love is.

As someone who’s experienced a fair share of trauma, this book is entirely relatable. To people giving one and two star reviews, I understand, it’s very emotional and if you’ve never dealt with a (to quote BoJack horseman) “I’ve had a lot of what I thought were rock bottoms, only to discover another, rockier bottom underneath” type of depression, this is heavy. When you didn’t think your heart could break more, it did.

I felt like there could’ve been parts that were better written, areas explained in more detail and that this book was entirely an emotional experience. If you need a book to feel something, this is it.