Nina is a thirty-something who is successful in most aspects of her life, but is unlucky in love. She decides to give the dating apps a try as her maternal clock continues to count forward. Nina meets Max, who is all of the things she is looking for. They date for months and then suddenly he ghosts her and completely disappears without any rhyme or reason. Understandably, Nina goes into a bit of a spiral after Max vanishes, continuing to attempt contact frequently without luck.

What an interesting book! I wasn't sure what to expect based upon the cover and title, but was pleasantly surprised by the writing style.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for honest feedback

Nina is 32, and recently single again following a break -up with her long - time college boyfriend. Alderton’s prose is sharp, witty, and laugh - out loud funny. Ghosts is also a thoughtful and at times, simply heartbreaking look at struggles that come with long friendships and aging parents. When Nina ventures onto a dating app, she meets a too good to be true hunk and after several moths of bliss, he tells her that he loves her and promptly ghosts her. Many readers will identify as “ghosting” seems to be a universal dating experience these days for all ages.

“Ghosts” is engaging storytelling at its best. Highly recommended.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is a witty and poignant novel that explores love, friendship, and the complexities of modern life. The story follows Nina, a woman in her thirties navigating the challenges of her career, relationships, and the overwhelming presence of technology in her personal life. Alderton’s writing is sharp, relatable, and often humorous, tackling themes of loneliness, self-worth, and the search for connection. With its mix of lighthearted moments and deeper emotional insights, Ghosts is a refreshing and thought-provoking read for fans of contemporary fiction.

It was good but a bit lackluster. There wasn't anything keeping me wanting to read it. The MC is decent enough to read about but goodness... I just wanted things to end.

After finishing I read other reviews and I feel like I originally got it right. There's something missing here. Sure the MC is having a tough time, yada yada, the guy ghosted her, blah blah... like I still felt as all this was going on she didn't actually GET upset. I've been in this emo depressive state since I was in my teens, and she just did not feel like she ever was sad. I don't even know how to express this, especially since I've read two other books since that have hit the mark more and are now in my head. But this just... lay flat for me.

And then the ending. Gahhh! She does have enough going on that when the ending happened I wanted to shake her. Girl, have some respect for yourself. Of course that's easier said than done, especially in relationships. Not my favorite. It was okay, and I didn't want to DNF it, but once I figured out I had the wrong idea in my head I also sort of didn't care.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review.

With “Ghosts” Dolly Alderton has unquestionably cemented herself as the voice of a generation of single millennial women.

“Ghosts” is a story of thirty something food writer Nina Dean, her dating life, her friendships, her work, and her attempts to support her aging parents. Alderton writes Nina so well that you absolutely feel like you know her and everyone in her life.

For better or for worse, every aspect of this book will be thoroughly relatable for single women in their 30s and is a must read not only for women in that demographic but for those who love them.

4/5 stars. I am disappointed that it took me so long to pick up this book. It was such a unique voice and writing style, and a great and hopeful novel about life in our 30s. Ready to read more from this author..

Ghosts feels like chick lit with heavier themes. A few humorous lines sprinkled in kept my attention, but ultimately it waned and felt too long.

Nina is 32. She is independent with a good job as a food writer. It's like living in Nina's shoes as she navigates life. Friendships, dealing with aging parents and finding love. It's very relatable and fun, but for me it wasn't a quick read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf.

This book was a lot more boring than I expected it would be. I’ve once again fallen prey to my own lack of reading any kind of synopsis. Beware: this book has nothing to do with supernatural entities and everything to do with disappearing love interests.

This is very much women’s fiction. Not really romance, comedy, or thriller. It is life and drama. It’s family and figuring out what you want in life. Not that any of this is bad. It’s a good book if you know what you’re going into.

Overall though, this book was good. The characters were flawed and things weren’t wrapped in a neat little bow, which I appreciated. Again, this wasn’t a romance. It was a life story. It was raw. It was heartbreaking and frustrating. It was really lovely, in the realest way.

I had not heard of this author before so I tried to read the book, then I tried to listed to the audio. The book was clearly not meant for me, maybe because I’m not in my 30’s and married. I never had to go through the relationship- men suck phase.

"Ghosts," a debut novel by Dolly Alderton, follows the life of 32-year-old Nina Dean, a successful food writer navigating the complexities of modern dating, friendships, and family dynamics. The story is set against the backdrop of contemporary London and captures the essence of what it means to be single in your 30s. The plot centers around Nina’s experiences with online dating, particularly her relationship with Max, a man she meets on a dating app who tells her on their first date that he’s going to marry her. However, the novel’s title is a nod to the phenomenon of "ghosting" — when someone you're dating suddenly cuts off all communication without explanation — which Nina experiences with Max.

"Ghosts" delves into several themes, including love, friendship, and family. The book examines the impact of ghosting on one's psyche and the shifting power dynamics between men and women in their 30s. It also touches on the generational conflict between Nina and her parents and the poignant experience of witnessing a loved one’s decline due to dementia. The themes intertwine to create a narrative that is both nostalgic and forward-looking, making readers reflect on their own lives and relationships.

"Ghosts" by Dolly Alderton is a humorous and heartfelt exploration of love, friendship, and family in the digital age. With its relatable protagonist, sharp observations, and a blend of humour and emotion, it offers a compelling read for anyone navigating the complexities of modern relationships. While it may not break new ground in its genre, it stands out for its authentic voice and engaging narrative.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is a great novel. It shows both the positives and negatives of online dating. Nina's other struggles seemed very reflective of real life. This book managed to be humorous while still showing the more serious sides of life. Nina was very fleshed out as a character, and I loved both her flaws and her strengths in equal measure. I wish there had been a bit more focus on her friendship, but other than that I really enjoyed this book.

I loved the way this book explores the way we ghost each other when we want to disappear. It is both frustrating and funny but oh so relatable.

This book is NOT what I thought it was going to be. I can't even really tell you where I thought it was going--maybe a typical rom-com? But this wasn't it.
In a GOOD way, though!
I really love books that focus on us older women (okay, so I'm still quite a bit older than Nina, but you get my point). It makes for a refreshing change from the normal romances revolving around 20-somethings who don't really have a clue. Not that those stories don't have their place, of course!

This book, while packaged as a rom-com, has so much more depth than that. Rom-coms don't usually get me thinking as much as this one did. And maybe that's just the evolution of the rom-com? Maybe it's because Nina was an "older" heroine.
But there were definitely moments in this one where there wasn't a lot of romance or comedy. It turned more towards realism in a way that kind of made me sad.

Alas, that's life.

Dolly Alderton is an excellent writer. I was able to feel all the emotions that she was going for.

Loved this one. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review.

This is the story of a year in the life of a 30 something year old woman finding her place in the world.

While Nina's job is flourishing and she's proud that she's been able to purchase her own flat in London proper NOT the burbs, she is constantly having to defend herself against those that have partnered off in life and are on the 'traditional' track. Eventually she does find a person, possibly HER person, who clicks with her but after a short time together he ghosts her. The remainder of the story is struggling to come to terms with that along with other life-lifeing things that happens as we get older.

It's a poignantly told tale that sometimes I struggled to be emotionally connected to.

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

First book by this author for me and I really enjoyed her writing style! The book felt a little slow but mainly because the subject matter was a little bit of a bummer. But I like that the character wasn’t whiny despite her circumstances. She was more reflective and bold in her decisions. Really enjoyed!

I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I waited way too long to read this. It was so beautiful. In just two novels, Dolly has made it on to my list of auto buy authors. In my Dolly era indeed.

Dolly Alderton has quickly become an auto-buy author for me. I loved her memoir, Everything I Know About Love, and her novel, Ghosts, was a fantastic debut. It is rare for a book to have me laughing out loud but this one managed to do just that. I loved the character of Nina and Lola had me cracking up. From online dating, to aging parents, to the shift of all your friends getting married and having kids, this book did such a great job of making you love the characters, cry with them and root for them.

Thirtysomethings feeling like their life is merely passing them by, regardless of where they seem to be at from the outside... will resonate with this one in a big way. Ever witty, heartwrenching, and whimsical as ever, Alderton does not disappoint.