I can't really post a full review because I ended up DNFing this one quite early. The premise is very interesting but the writing didn't work as well for me, and the story did not keep me engaged enough to read over the 100 pages. 3 stars because I can see why people like the book, it just didn't click for me.

I absolutely adored the concept of this book. It is light hearted in many ways, yet raw and honest around the exploration of a woman's decision to be child-free.

I hand on heart believe that every person with a uterus reading this book will see themselves portrayed in some way. I could definitely relate to that feeling of being 'behind' in life compared to others my age, which is quite mad at the age of 26, really? I am sure we've all been in that situation of people discussing their 'life' as a mother and feeling as though you are an outsider looking in. Now, relating to Olive in some ways was just my journey throughout the book. Each woman in the friendship group has a different experience when it comes to being a parent. Becoming a new parent, struggling with fertility and IVF, and one navigating being a parent in a complex marriage. I am sure there is going to be one character that each of us can relate to in one way or another - and that is what made the book so sentimental to me.

The bond between Olive, Bea, Cecily, and Isla was something that stood out to me. Despite their differing experiences and wants in life, they stuck by one another. The love, the loyalty, the trust. It was so evident throughout. A very true and meaningful portrayal of modern-day friendship.

The book is written with such sensitivity and empathy for the struggle that each character is experiencing. Gannon explore different ideas of motherhood in a variety of ways with such sensitivity, with no path feeling less significant than the other.

"Women are made to feel guilty for everything. The food we eat, the bodies we have, the relationships that don't work. We must accept the challenge and refuse to take on this guilt."

Enjoyed this one - wanted to stay glued to it, to be honest. Olive's take on children was one I haven't come across a lot in fiction, and I wanted to see how that played out, how she was going to come out of it all as authentically herself. I'll admit I did get exasperated with Olive many times during the read, but here's the thing - she's authentic. Olive makes no excuses for being who she is, and that was refreshing. Borderline unlikeable at times, but the author (imo) didn't feel the need to make her totally unlikeable and then add some moments when she seems human (I see soooo many characters written that way!) There was a level of 'real' in this one, and that proved refreshing. It was very chick-lit of the earlier decades, but tackling a novel and even difficult theme, that of being childless by choice, which is still frowned upon in today's world.
I still would've loved more about her personal life in the second half of the book (not going to spoil, but those who've read will know what I mean, because her personal life gets a noticeable change in its chugging along), and the timing of the book was also very fluid and overly so at times - I had no idea what season it was, how much time had passed between instances, that sort of thing
Still, it was a storyline and persona that resonated with me, and I wanted to know what would happen to Olive and how it would all end - gotta say I wasn't disappointed!

I'm really sorry but this one was not for me.
Olive was a character made to make you hate her, i mean i couldn't stand 90% of the things she said or did.
I don't think it was a good representation of child free people. It made them look bitter, almost hateful toward everyone.

Firstly I’d like to say I really struggled with the topic of this book. I feel like Olive and some of her thoughts were very close to home. It was a bit sad that her best friends weren’t really respecting her choices and sometimes held some resentment towards her. But this book really gives a voice to countless women and it shows you the tests if friendships. I enjoyed the honesty the whole way through and the heavy topics were written about lightly

Olive by Emma Gannon is essentially marmite in novel form. You're either going to fall in love with this unreliable narrator and connect to the woeful plights or positively despise the clunky prose and find yourself detached.

I, personally, am extremely indifferent when it comes to this book. It's a take it or leave it novel. I, unfortunately, found the story itself to be weak and unrelatable. Some of the novelty and humour of the anecdotes obviously went over the top of my head and I found it difficult to connect to the four women that Olive centres around. Maybe this book wasn't written with me in mind and perhaps I may enjoy it at an older age?

It wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't a good one either.

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½⭐️ (3.5 stars)

Olive and her three best friends have always done everything together. So, in her thirties, when all her friends are married with children (or at least trying for them), Olive can’t help but feel like she’s being left behind. While her friends are preoccupied with managing their households, scheduling playdates, and the daunting process of IVF, Olive has no interest in those sorts of things.

After breaking up with her boyfriend of many years for that exact reason, Olive feels even more adrift than ever. And each other's judgment over their different life choices has caused a rift between her once inseparable group of friends. So, when Olive is tasked with looking into the reasons why some young women choose to be child-free for an article at work, she can't help but see herself in them, and is forced to reconcile the different path her life has taken compared to her friends'.

I think Olive is a really great book for any young woman in her twenties or early thirties to read. Between the variety of different personalities and life choices showcased through each one of the quartet of friends at the center of this story – Olive, Bea, Isla, and Cecily, that is – any woman reading this book could find someone to relate to. And whether you relate to them or not, it’s easy to empathize with each and every one of them, as Gannon demonstrates skill in crafting realistic, rounded characters with complexity that mirrors real life. Each woman is experiencing her own form of growing pains as she tries to figure out her role in life.

Above all, Olive is a story about loving and accepting who you are and your own journey, no matter what it looks like, or how it compares to others.

I think the concept behind this book was a really great one because I’ve never read a story from the perspective of a woman who was child-free by choice, and that in itself is shocking. I found it really refreshing to follow Olive as she navigated her thoughts and feelings around having children and reconciling her own wants with the pressures she felt from society and her friends (unintentionally).

The only aspects that kept me from rating this book higher were that everything just seemed to resolve itself in the end without too much effort on the part of the protagonist. The last bit of the book felt a little rushed, and like things were happening without a lot of precedence compared to the beginning of the book. And, like a few things were simply thrown in randomly near the end to amp up the drama, but weren’t elaborated on in enough detail to satisfy compared to the rest of the story.

Nevertheless, this was a really sweet, heartfelt novel that I think many women would enjoy. It gave me similar vibes to other stories written by Sophie Kinsella, Sophie Cousens and Josie Silver.

Thank you to the publisher, Andrews McMeel Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.

We meet protagonist Olive in her early 30’s as she's lacking the maternal urges she presumed she'd have by this age, feeling that actually she doesn't want children after all.

I was really intrigued by the subject matter of this book and as a childless woman in my early 30’s, I could relate to some aspects of Olive’s character. There is definitely societal expectations to get married, buy a house, have a baby as if those are the only things that matter in life. When friends settle down and have children, it’s hard to maintain the same friendship as before.

Olive is a brilliant, endearing and heartfelt story of female friendship and how it evolves over the years as people's lives grow and change. You'll find yourself rooting for Olive, Bea, Isla and Cecily.

I'm sorry, but I was not able to finish this book. I tried twice and made it about a third of the way through each time. I found the MC completely unlikeable and unrelatable. Her lifestyle choices, her opinions, and her actions all aggravated me and I was not able to bring myself to care about her enough to finish the book. I'm sure the voice will connect with some readers, it just didn't resonate with me at all.

As a 31 year old married woman, I identify as CFBC (according to the book) and am always questioned for this decision. My husband is in the same camp, and receives the question of kids ONLY when we're together. Any other time the topic is brought up, it's usually to me, by myself, asked by people who consider themselves my friend. The most recent comment said to me is that "I'll never know love until I have kids."

This book was NEEDED for people like me, for people who feel pressure to have kids because they're supposed to. For people who had kids and now question why, for anyone dealing with society's archaic expectations of motherhood and women.

Being a mother of two, you would think I wouldn't relate to the main character, Olive, but that is so far from the truth. For the longest time, I didn't want children. I loved children, but never thought that was in the cards for me. I love how Gannon tackled this very sensitive topic. Some find it very hard to understand why a woman wouldn't want children. I think it's completely up to you as a woman; it's your life, your body, your choice. I loved the friendship dynamics between the four friends. Refreshing read and highly recommend!

*Thank you @netgalley and @andrewsmcneel for the ebook and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

Such an incredible debut novel that really resonated with me, in part because of the fantastic characterization of Olive a woman in her 30s who doesn't want children and has ended a long term relationship for this very reason. while all her close friends are at that stage of having or wanting children. I really enjoyed how the outcomes were different for everyone and it was refreshing to read a book that had woman with other aspirations and the various outcomes.

Really fantastic debut novel on a subject that is really talked about.

Thanks to netgalley for providing a copy for review

I love when I can relate to characters in the books I read. In the case of Emma Gannon's debut novel Olive, the reason WHY I can relate has a tendency to raise some eyebrows. I, like the book's main character Olive, am a woman in my 30s who has decided that I do not want to have kids. As demonstrated in Gannon's book, women often receive pushback when they take this stance, and the feedback they get from family, friends, coworkers, and even virtual strangers can be quite harsh and critical ... rarely is it supportive or taking into consideration the reason why a woman might make this choice. Not that it matters. The choice IS solely hers. Which is why I am happy that Gannon has chosen this topic for her first novel. Women who choose to be child-free will find their lone voice being echoed in this reflective book about love, life, and friendship.

UK journalist Olive has found herself at a bit of a crossroads in her life. She has just broken up with her boyfriend of 9 years (the reason why is revealed early on in the novel, but no spoilers here) and she is having a hard go of it. Nevermind the fact that her best friends seem more and more distant lately as they try to juggle their own family responsibilities. Olive is feeling physically and emotionally alone - she has just lost the love of her life and she can't relate to her friends on certain levels because they want/have kids ... and she doesn't. Olive does not want children ... EVER. Which makes her feel rejected and ridiculed in a world that too often believes that a woman's main purpose on this Earth is to go forth and procreate. When she takes a writing assignment on why Millennial women are choosing not to have children, Olive gets to explore her own life choices in depth, and learns much about herself and where her life is headed over the course of this thought-provoking novel.

Emma Gannon's Olive is going to appeal to a certain type of reader. If you are part of Gen Y, AKA the Millennials, and are on the fence about having kids or have chosen not to have any, then you will find this novel affirming. On the other hand, women who HAVE chosen to have children may find Olive to be self-absorbed and tedious. That isn't the case in my opinion, but unfortunately, too often women who put themselves first are called selfish. Decisions about children aside, Olive also realistically portrays the heartache of a break-up and the difficulties that come with maintaining friendships while also trying to manage a family and home.

This was an interesting story about deciding what one wants in life.
I liked how this book explores the expectations of society on women to have children and how those who choose a child free life are viewed as well.

Many thanks to the Publisher and to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love how this book spoke to both the 20 and 30 year old me and kept on along that spectrum and it's such a delight because it explores female friendship, expectations of society on women to have children and how those who choose a child free life are viewed as well.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

A compelling read. Beautifully written, well-thought-out characters, and a developed setting. Tackled some tough issues but in a digestible and conversational manner. I truly enjoyed this one!

This was an interesting story about deciding what one wants in life. Do you want children and why? Do you not want children and why? Olive has to follow her own path. It was very well written, and I enjoyed it.
Many thanks to Andrew McMeel Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

3/5 stars
It was a nice read. It took me some time to get into the story and hence the 3 stars. But overall it was a nice read. Touches on topics like woman fertility, friendship and marriage.

A timely exploration of the choice to remain childless, and so much more. Olive is finding her footing in adulthood. When her friends begin drifting away into cookie cutter lives that include 2.5 children, husbands, wives, and a straight and narrow path, Olive's pretty sure she doesn't want to follow - even though it might be the life everyone *assumes* is the easiest, most rewarding path.

Bringing to light just how taboo it is to be a woman of a certain age who isn't interested in getting married and having babies, Olive is a breath of fresh air for any woman on the brink.

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel for advance access to this title!

i was really interested in this book because of the topic - the author explores what it means for a woman to choose to be child free. i think it’s a topic that no one ever discusses and as a person in that category, i felt very seen. however, much of the book is dedicated to how Olive’s choice to be child free plays out amongst her friend group, who all want to or do have children. there’s some back and forth between the history and the present that just seems irrelevant or maybe superficial to me? i don’t know. such a deep topic that was not explored in a deep or meaningful way. i feel it was mostly spent exploring how this impacts female friendships and skips over everything else