Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler tells a twenty-something year old Adelaide Williams, who is living in London. She has a job, friends and a brighter life. She began dating an Englishman by the name of Rory Hughes. Adelaide considers him as a soulmate. Later on, the story shows the life through relationships, friendships, going through tough times and mentions of mental health.

I actually love the narration from the audiobook.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audiobook for a review.

This was like a much-needed hug to my 20-something self. Heartbreak is such a real and all-consuming obstacle and I felt Adelaide's so acutely.

We meet Adelaide as she checks herself into the hospital to avoid making a mistake she can't undo. Through flashbacks, we learn about Rory Hughes, a fairytale prince-like character, who seems like a perfect match to Adelaide's sunshiney care-taking personality. But it's clear that neither can offer just exactly what the other needs, and it's a slow trainwreck you can't stop.

Adelaide reads like a romance, but it's the friendships of this story give it heart. This is a lesson in taking control of yourself, asking for help, and learning to walk away, in a beautiful, I-wish-I-would-listen-to-the-wise-voice-in-my-head kind of way. Would absolutely recommend!

This absolutely shattered my heart. Interestingly, the writing manages to somehow simultaneously both very surface level and also really deep, almost a parallel for how Adelaide presents herself to the world vs how she actually feels inside…and just like, good lord…my heart hurts for this girl. The epilogue made me absolutely bawl because I was just so relieved for her to have things be ok. Sometimes I wonder why we read stories like this that are just so, so sad…but I think it’s because there is such validation and catharsis in knowing we’re not alone in our traumas, seeing our experiences and feelings and thoughts mirrored in a story. That we are not as isolated and alone as our mental health struggles would have us believe.

And I’m sorry but f**********ck Rory, I know he had his own traumas and I should have more empathy towards him but ughhhhhh, what a garbage human! The way he treated Adelaide was so upsetting!

I really enjoyed listening to this book. The narration was great, the performance kept me in the story throughout and I thought the narrator captured Adelaide really well.

Excuse me now while I go crawl under a blanket and just cry for a week.

I hate to say this but this was almost a DNF for me. The writing was fine, but Adelaide and Rory’s relationship was so toxic that it made them unbearable to me. I was really excited to read this one too because the other reviews I read were great, but this one just wasn’t for me.

I received an advance copy and am leaving my review voluntarily.

This book is the best book I have read this year. I can't stop thinking about the characters and their journeys, especially Adelaide's. I relate so much to her and her 'big feelings.' Can't wait for pub day!!!

Firstly, I really, really enjoyed this book.

The writing and the narration were so well done, and I love when a narrator can really bring out all the rawness of a story.

Adelaide is one to love everyone around her and in her life so fiercely. They never want to lose her, but also can't give back what she can. This story shows just how much she puts those around her first, but eventually she's pouring from an empty cup and has to prioritize herself.

Wheeler does an excellent job at being authentic about love, loss, mental health, moving away, and self discovery. Readers/Listeners should be aware that this is not a light fluffy read, it's emotional and so worth every page.

Thank you Net Galley and Macmillion Audio for the audiobook ARC and for allowing my honest review.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was a beautifully written story that really hit hard. I think a lot of people would relate to Adelaide and life can make you feel like you are not enough. I was worried that it would feel to "oh woe is me" reading this but it definitely did NOT, it was so well written that you really feel like you get to know Adelaide and are living through this issues next to her. The narrator was perfect as well.

4.5 stars!
Adelaide, a selfless and giving character who literally deserves the world but doesn’t think she’s worthy of if. She goes out of her way to provide SO MUCH, not just for those she loves but everyone. This book will not be for everyone, as it includes topics that are heavy and emotional. I read this while in a good place in my life, where this could be quite triggering/dragging if you are on the down. Please check trigger warnings before reading, please.

This book is charming, painful, and incredibly realistic. The characters are flawed, as we all are. It is heartbreaking but also hopeful.
Bad realtionships are shit and anyone who has been in them or experienced them will know this. This story shares the ins and outs of a major red flag relationship and how it can effect every aspect of your life. How it can make you feel unworthy when you are SO WORTHY of love. To give your complete and entire self to someone in hopes that they will love you back in the way you deserve is inspiring, yet incredibly heart breaking.
To love is to know that you may lose them.

This book is beautifully and uniquely written. You want to love the main character so much and if she’s not receiving the best, you hate everyone else that doesn’t provide that for her. There is also the mental health perspective to consider, and how she doesn’t think she deserves things, but it’s SO unique. I love how there were constants in the story, for example, how she straightened her hair whence got ready. There were many things that changed about Adelaide throughout the story, but some things remained the same
As I progressed through this story I just wanted her to have the world.
PS. I dont care what you say, a dog/cat/any comfort/support animal beats unreliable people every time, no if ands or buts

What is with 2023? So many amazing books!


This is the third book I read this year that gave me Queenie vibes. You know, the kind of contemporary fiction where we follow a character that is full of flaws, makes bad decisions, learns from them, and becomes super empowered?


I am loving this kind of book!
Read if you liked: Queenie, Maame, and Georgie, All Along.


The difference with this book is: it’s much heavier. Be cautious!!! There are so many trigger warning in this book and some of them are suicidal thoughts, miscariage, and toxic relationships.


Adelaide falls in love deeply with Rory. He’s English, and he looks like a Disney prince.
But this relationship is mostly one-sided. She’s willing to give it all for love, but Rory is not.


I felt like shaking her someonetimes and screaming “You deserve better!” (Which is something I feel like doing sometimes with some of my friends!)


But Adelaide's journey is AMAZING. I promise you’ll fall in love with her, and fall in love with this story.


4.5

Adelaide is a twenty-something American living and working abroad in London. She falls in love and soon is part of a toxic relationship leaving her feeling constantly like she’s “not enough”. Her roommates and friends are incredibly supportive of her and are they are there for her when she needs them most. I initially thought that this would be a lighter rom-com read, but it went down a different path. There’s a lot to reflect on, especially with regards to mental health, relationships, and grief. Also, be cautious reading this if you struggle reading about abuse and miscarriage. The audiobook was easy to listen to and the narrator was great.

Wow. What. A. Book. I listened to this one on audio and was captivated from the start. Truly there were days I needed to be pried out of my car because I did not want to stop listening. What a beautifully raw and real portrayal of mental illness. As a mental health therapist, sometimes it can be tough to find books that portray all the facets of living with a mental illness. There are times of darkness but also stretches of beauty, grace, and light and Adelaide tenderly portrayed that. Also, this is the first time I have listened to Caitlin Kelly and her narration was incredible! Definitely grab this one out 4/18!

5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the early copy.

Thank you @geewheeler for the beautiful and relatable story

This is an emotional story and from the very beginning grips your heart. Definitely felt heavier at times than the description let on, especially with the opening chapter dealing with suicidal thoughts. It was a little jarring to read right out of the gate and then quickly transition to the past. I really love how the narrator did the accents in this book! It was a nice twist and refreshing! Overall, a good story.

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler is the story of a young woman named Adelaide who feels everything deeply and with purpose. She loves openly, falls easily, puts everyone before herself, is thoughtful beyond belief and a do-it-all, never say no type. She is definitely a Virgo, in my opinion.

Wheeler’s debut is about Adelaide falling in love with Rory Hughes, the charming, Disney-prince look alike Londoner who is emotionally unavailable and to be frank, not that great of a person. Adelaide has ambitions and big dreams, she works hard and pleases everyone. She carries so much on her shoulders, her nightmarish past and her present struggles and all she wants is to be loved. But when she starts to carry Rory’s pain on her shoulder’s too, it all becomes too much.

Wheeler’s story is beautiful. It is honest and heartbreaking, sensitive and mildly tear-jerking. It comes with quite a few trigger warnings but I felt this too is handled delicately, as delicately as I wish Adelaide and her health were handled at times. This young woman who can’t catch a break and who just wants to be cherished. I loved the supporting characters in this book and the feeling of calm at the end. The only thing that frustrated me was the feeling that Adelaide needed to listen to her gut and not be so available all the time but I guess that’s the point. We always go above and beyond for those we love, even blindly, even when that love is not balanced, unrequited and often painful. Sometimes we give and give until there’s nothing left, until we find we are the ones lacking of what we seemed to have plenty of.

A lovely read for fans of Normal People and a great exploration of young love with important commentary about mental health.

Thank you #MacmillanAudio & #Netgalley for the Advance Audiobook Listening Copy of #Adelaide . The book publishes on April 18th, 2023!

Upcoming Release⁣
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𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞 by Genevieve Wheeler [Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress and @macmillanaudio for the gifted digital and audio copies, which release April 18, 2023.]⁣
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𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞 begins in a hospital. Adelaide is answering questions about her emotional state and how many pills she's taken. Her best friend is by her side. And Adelaide has realized what it feels like to hit rock-bottom. ⁣
"Internally, mentally, she was a mess of jagged disconnected pieces, and she didn't believe she was capable of putting herself back together...A handful of pills and a swig of water and she'd be free - her broken pieces swept up and transferred to another spiritual plane." ⁣
𝐀𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝𝐞 tells the coming-of-age story (the 20-something version) of how she got there, the events leading up to her cry for help, and how this cry for help eventually led her to happiness.⁣
Adelaide spent too long feeling undeserving of love and unworthy of happiness. And after investing so much of herself in a relationship of non-reciprocated love with Rory, she had depleted her sense of self-worth.⁣
I didn't love their relationship. But I did find it all too relatable to some of my own younger relationships and naive views on love.⁣
I, however, 𝘥𝘪𝘥 love following along while Adelaide rose from rock-bottom, and wish that part took up more space in this book, as there was much to admire and learn from watching her growth. I appreciate the author's openness in normalizing therapy and medication as a means to understanding and treating mental illness. I would be remiss to not say how I absolutely loved the mentions of some favorite book references throughout (Atticus Finch in 𝐓𝐨 𝐊𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐚 𝐌𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝, Elio and Oliver in 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐞 𝐁𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞, and so many others!)⁣
Adelaide was a character I felt drawn to and could root for, and I loved reading her story.⁣
⁣
TW: sexual abuse, sexual assault, rape, emotional abuse, gaslighting, panic disorders, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, mental illness, miscarriage

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I really felt for Adelaide but really despised Rory.

Thank you netgalley

The summary says “modern, yet timeless love story,” but this isn’t a romance—it’s more a deep dive into the emotional fatigue of continually showing up and supporting someone who can’t (or won’t) do the same for you.

This book begins with Adelaide checking herself into the hospital after a suicide attempt, and then goes backward to show all the events leading up to it.

The narrator did a wonderful job of voicing Adelaide’s story, but it isn’t an easy one to digest for many reasons. I really loved it, though, and was rooting so hard for Adelaide. Her journey touches on the life experiences of beginning college, living in an unfamiliar city, starting a career, and making lifelong friends.

All of these are exciting, but the stress that also comes with it is compounded by trying so hard to make a failing relationship work. And trying to be everything for everyone is something I think so many can relate to.

Definitely check this one out if you love emotional, raw stories about imperfect protagonists. This one will definitely stick with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook. This is my honest review.

This book is not for everyone - this book was not for me. I DNF at almost halfway through. While the premise was interesting, this was not what I expected reading the blurb. That's not always a bad thing, but there were so much heavy and hard and trigger warnings that I either missed somehow or were not there. There is enough hard in life, and some books I am inclined to learn from and lean in on, but this just wasn't the one for me.

Adelaide is a young 20 something-year-old woman living in London going to grad school if she meets a man who looks like a Disney prince. Unfortunately this isn’t your typical romance story but one steeped in reality and the old to sad scenario of someone who is not so perfect and sadly Adelaide is the only one who doesn’t see it. Her acceptance of his behavior isn’t all due to him though she has past trauma that she hasn’t dealt with nor given a name to not to mention she’s in a family full of women with mental health problems. This all makes for one interesting audiobook and one I think was greatly executed. I do want to say though I don’t know how he wasn’t in love with her because by the end of the book I loved Adelaide! And I’m not even a lesbian… Or at least I don’t think I am? Either way this was a great book I love Adelaide as I said I love her supportive friends and although this book was hard to get through only due to my own past, I am glad I finished it. They do have triggers such as sexual assault, suicide and mental abuse but if you can stomach all that you’re in for a treat I really enjoyed this book and glad I listen to it I also thought the narrator did a stellar job and kudos to her and I apologize for not remembering her name but she was just awesome! I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review book releases April 14, 2023.

This Book wrecked me. The story starts with the titular Adelaide checking her self into the hospital for suicidal thoughts due to a break up. The story then flashes back to when Adelaide first met her now ex boyfriend Rory. We see Adelaide fall in love with Rory, and the struggles of their relationship. We also get to meet the various people in Adelaide's life, and get glimpses into Rory's past. Through out the whole story we get to see Adelaide's struggles and joys.

This is a difficult read, Trigger warnings for sexual asualt, mental illness, suicide and death of a loved one. With that said I found the book beautiful, the slightly non-linear timeline really helped convey Adelaide and Rory's mental states. Adelaide's struggles with her mental health are written wonderfully and relatable, as someone who grew up in a family where many people have mental health issues like Adelaide and who also struggles with suicidal thoughts the way Adelaide does. While I hated the way Rory treats Adelaide and really resented what he did to her the way he was written made understand that while he was awful in their relationship I didn't completely hate him. Eloise, Adelaide's best friend, is wonderful the way she is completely on Adelaide's side really warmed my heart knowing that Adelaide even when she's feeling her absolute worse Eloise is still there fighting for her.

I really loved this one. I'm very glad I read it and i look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was so well done on audio. I really enjoyed listening to this book and I would come up with excuses to listen! So much of this book resonated with me and it was such a well written account of mental health.