Great book , well written
Throughly enjoyed reading it.
Thank you to both NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review

This is a portion of the review on my blog Trails of Tales
There is crying with laughter. And then there is laughing with so much uncontrollable exuberance that the stich is not just limited to the side but your whole body is thrown into a state of paralysis and you start worrying that you might not come out of it.

The kind of laughter where the pain in your jaw prevents you from making a rhythmic ‘hahahaha’ sound so you settle for a seemingly endless and breathless ‘Haaaaaaaaaa…..’

Yeah, that kind of laughter is what possessed me while I read ‘Dumped, Actually’. And while I might like to indulge in the occasion bouts of exaggeration, this is me being completely honest.

Nick Spalding‘s ‘Dumped, Actually’ is an absolute laugh riot with a purpose. Through his inspired creation of Ollie, an amazingly ordinary character who is capable of holding a mirror to any and every kind of reader, Nick Spalding takes us all on the journey of self acceptance. And if you think that that would mean some parts of the book might turn out preachy, then you are utterly wrong. It is an exquisitely hilarious book through and through.

Ollie’s blundering experiences and uproarious moments of realization tries to make us understand the most fundamental of concepts in life- you cannot find the perfect love we all wish for if you have never truly loved yourself. Want to find the One? Start treating yourself like the One of your own life. No one else can be the center of your existence.

I really commend the author for being able to make a character as widely relatable as Ollie. His predisposition to entangle himself in the best of embarrassing moments will effortlessly enamour you. Ollie’s story is profound yet simple. It reminds you of all that is important in life and it does so while making you laugh like a maniac.

I have been reading sad and tragic books back to back the last few weeks and ‘Dumped, Actually‘ was exactly what I needed.

I really do want to share all that laughter with you, so pre-order ‘Dumped, Actually’ and get ready for the onslaught of hilarity.

Ollie Sweet has planned the perfect proposal for his dearly beloved long term girlfriend Samantha - so imagine his horror when she turns him down in front of hundreds of people! Dumped, Actually is the story of Ollie trying to put his life back together, sewed together by some other rather unexpected side characters.

This was a quick, mostly light read, with the occasional sombre moment thrown in too. I did struggle with it a bit initially as I just couldn't engage with Ollie - he was such a wet blanket that I repeatedly wanted to shake him. However, I started to like him and root for him more as the story progressed, and he started to show a bit more backbone.

Overall an easy and quirky read.

What a fun and heartbreaking story at the same time.
Firstly I have to admit that it’s the first book that I’ve read by the author but definitely won’t be able to pass another opportunity to read his books again.
The fact that is told in only his POV was also a great point for me as I don’t usually read books like this or I just couldn’t find anything close to it.
I loved the humour and how real it felt. I liked how much it reflects our contemporary life style with the office jobs and what is expected from us from the society.
I liked how he wasn’t over the top about himself and knew his strength points as well as he’s flaws.
It is a really enjoyable book that I am already recommending to all my book friends.


Thanks for the opportunity to read and review to NetGalley and the publisher.

I love Nick Spalding - he never disappoints and Dumped, Actually is no exception.

WARNING - don't read on public transport unless you can laugh quietly.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

Ollie's journey was... comical and interesting to say the least. Nick Spalding has a very unique writing style.. and this book was no different.. you definitely know what to expect when you read his books.

For me NIck Spalding is a go to author when I need a book that will make me laugh, he's the master of finding the funny in the everyday experiences that are universal, and in his latest , Dumped, Actually, he tackles the thorny subject of breaking up.
Oliver is a features writer for a website, and he feels like he is finally ready to pop THE question to his girlfriend Samantha, and he's determined to do it in the biggest way possible. He's secured the cooperation of a local theme park, hired a jazz band and bought the ring. Since Samantha loves roller coasters, he's decided that the perfect moment to pop the question is right after they step off the newest and most exciting one in the park. So what if he's feeling more than a little queasy - it will still be perfect, right?
Wrong, Things start to go wrong before they even get on the ride, but all that pales into insignificance when Samantha flat our turns him down, and ends the relationship.
Distraught, Ollie turns to his readers for advice on how to get over the devastating break up, and then has the harebrained idea to follow that advice and write about it. Cue being waxed by a ginger Scotsman, a surreal camping trip and various other adventures as Ollie tries to come to terms with being single before following the simplest and most valuable advice of all.
While this is a really funny book, some of Oliver's adventures do have real value and insight, and I appreciated that side of the book too. I also thought it was good that the story was told from a male perspective, again something a little different and interesting .
This is the perfect holiday read, made for sitting poolside with your shades on and a cocktail in hand.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGally and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

This book is cute. It sounds a bit wet and sappy but it's much better than the blurb offers.
The characters are cute and it's a good premise. Nothing special, nothing that breaks the mold, but just a bit of fun.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ollie Sweet has planned the perfect proposal for his girlfriend Samantha. A very public proposal. It never occurs to him that she might not say yes. In the aftermath of being publicly humiliated, and being dumped, he's finding it hard to move on. His boss, the editor at Actual Life lifestyle website, persuades Ollie that writing about his experience might be cathartic, and asking readers for their advice could even help him to turn his life back around. Following some of their advice leads to chaos and some hilarious outcomes, but will it help him with his ultimate goal of mending a broken heart and moving on?

I requested this off NetGalley after having read and loved Dry Hard, by the same author. I found Dumped, Actually marginally less amusing, but still a very entertaining read.

At first I thought Ollie was a bit of a wet blanket, and for the first few chapters found him a bit annoying. How could he be so clueless? He began to grow on me as the book progressed though, and by the end I was hoping things worked out for him.

I liked the idea of the story, and the suggestions that Ollie had for how to get over a break up were quite comical. Although a lot of the ideas were fairly standard for the advice you get after a break up, Spalding turns them into very funny escapades. I think part of why the book is so engaging is because you can empathise with Ollie, and a lot of the things he does and faces are things many people have done or gone through.

The only bit of the book that didn't work for me was the ending. It seemed really sudden and out of nowhere that Ollie realised he had feelings for someone new, and there had been no hints or build up earlier in the story. It just didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book. It's a minor complaint though in what was otherwise an enjoyable read.

I've given 3 stars, it's probably more like a 3.5 really. It's an entertaining and light hearted read, just didn't quite keep me as well entertained as Dry Hard did

Thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Lake Union Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review

After falling in love with Nicks writing after reading Mad Love I was excited to read his latest book and it didnt disappoint.
I don't think I've ever laughed as much reading a book as when I'm reading books by Nick Spalding and this one had me with tears rolling down my face at times.
The book follows writer Ollie and how he writes a column to help him get over being ditched by his latest girlfriend. It was refreshing to read a book on a man's point of view of being dumped and how he used other peoples experiences to help get over his latest loss (some not quite as successful as others)
If your looking for a laugh out loud book then this is the one for you. I loved it and will definitely be reading more by Nick!

This is the first book I have read by Nick Spalding but I am sure it won't be the last. Dumped Actually is the hysterical story of Ollie Sweet who is devastated after losing what he thought was "the one." In an attempt to get over her, Sweet, a writer, decides to write about the whole experience. His story quickly gains popularity and then he continues to write about trying out all of the various ways other people have suggested he get over this girl.

I was drawn to this novel because I found the title humorous. I stayed with the novel because I found myself frequently laughing out loud as I read it. I found myself having to explain parts to my husband because he wanted to know what had me so tickled.

Overall this was a fabulous, funny read! Get it when it comes out in July!

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A funny, witty book. Really enjoyed it!


Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

A light and entertaining and sometimes funny book. I'd say it's what you expect to get from this author. My problem was the lack of connection I had with the lead character. He was too much of everything including sometimes "too annoying". But no matter of that - it's an easygoing book we all sometimes need to have in the shelf.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley to give me the opportunity to read a copy!

Dumped, Actually follows ‘nice guy’ Ollie, who after being dumped by his girlfriend, sets out to change his life by following the guidance of the subscribers to his column. What follows is a funny, strange yet heartwarming story about the quirky nature of humans and how the kindness of strangers can lead to monumental life changes along the road to self discovery.

I instantly warmed to Ollie as a character. I found him genuine, if a little too ‘nice’. At times I wanted him to be a bit grittier, and a bit less pathetic - especially in the beginning. He’s a bit of a push over without a backbone, but as the story progresses Ollie starts come into his own, and it was nice to see the overall arc and character development. I find there’s not enough male characters like Ollie in contemporary fiction, so it was a refreshing change.

Some of the situations Ollie finds himself in are a little on the extreme and absurd, and at times I did have to suspend my disbelief, but the humour and warmth to the writing kept it on the right side of ridiculous. This is a definite feel good book. The plot does also get a little predictable, especially towards the end, and the conclusion was obvious, but I found myself not really that bothered by it.

A lighthearted, quick read, perfect for those looking for a couple of hours escapism in a humour filled journey in self discovery.

Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fast and fun read - it's been a while since I found myself guffawing out loud while reading, and that happened several times in the course of reading this book. Having said that, Ollie is a bit of a weenie and I felt his character struggled to carry the weight of an entire book on his shoulders. The book is well-written, and as the story develops and Ollie grows throughout the book, you can see him stretching out and taking up the space he should, rather than stooping and accommodating everyone else as he was before. I also liked the fact that there was no classic "happy end", but rather a hopeful open end.

Entertaining read, the story of Ollie, who proposed to his girlfriend but was dumped instead.
As a writer for an online publication, he writes about what happened to him, and then is encouraged by his editor to follow the advice of some of the readers who responded to the article, with ways of how to get over a broken heart.

A hard book to review. I had heard of this author before but never read anything of his so took the book for a bit of a laugh.

The book started off with a proposal gone wrong which left me wondering what was I getting myself into by choosing this book, however when Ollie started to publish his break up and request ideas on how to get over his heartbreak, the story picked up to be quite funny.

Some parts of the book were a little outlandish and try hard, in my opinion, such as Ollie’s discussion with Troy the Australian elephant and his clear belief that a boiled egg mad his parents mad but I did like the message within the book on how he found his way to self acceptance.

I’d like to thank Netgalley and Amazon Publishers for an advanced copy of this book in reply for an honest review.

This was my first Nick Spalding novel and I have to say, this MUST be read with an English accent! Oliver Sweet is a journalist who gets very publicly dumped while proposing to his girlfriend. He writes about it in the paper and asks the subscribers for advice. What ensues is the laugh-out-loud adventures of him following their advice. However his whole "woe is me" attitude, while entertaining at first, became old fast, especially in comparison to his friend Wimsy. Also, though I understood the ending I didn't like it and was left wanting more.

I couldn’t stand the whiny pathetic nature of the main character- Ollie! No wonder he was dumped!
I tried to see past the irritation of the main character but just couldn’t get into the story because I didn’t feel anything for Ollie, apart from frustration
Maybe you need to be a true Nick Spalding fan or a true Romantic to love this book. I dumped this book though!

Absolutely Brilliant, so much so I have already recommended it to a book group I'm part of. I love how nick spalding addresses issues people have been through and can relate to one way or another. I was up until 2am this morning finishing this! loved it. Also loved the subtle mention of Dry Hard!