Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is my first novel by this author. This book was first published back in 2020 and was republished again to come out on August 3, 2021. I have to say his book was not what I expected. I found it very hard to engage with it and found I was putting it down and trying to pick it up again. Written about a female food writer who broke up with her seven year boyfriend and is trying to get back into the dating scene through a dating App! Then she adds an Alzheimer’s diagnosis of her father she has to come to terms with! This story just did not just do it for me!

Thank you NetGalley, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group and Dolly Alderton for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
#ghosts #dollyalderton #netgalley, #knopfdoubledaypublishing, #arc

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. I just did not find Nina to be a strong main character. One minute, she's all feminism, go me for being single, judging parents who can't hang, and then the next she's pursuing dating apps and falling head over heels wanting babies with some hairy guy. If you like millennial rom-com's that take place in London, you might enjoy.

GHOSTS By Dolly Alderton
Romance comedy
336 pages

Nina Dean is a 32 yr old woman who after 2 years of being single decides to try dating apps. She meets a great guy named Max. They have a great first date but after dating for a month or two he suddenly ghosts her. What did she do?? Did she imagine their connection? Has something happened to him?

Dolly Alderton's debut novel is adorable!! I read it in one sitting. You fly right through it. I laughed out loud so many times in this book. The wit & humor is so refreshing in this book. I highly recommend this book.

3.5 stars for me.
The promos for Ghosts bill it more as a dating story about Nina who is dealing with the challenges of dating in these times. The relationship with Max was interesting but I was more drawn to Nina and her friends, family and life beyond dating. Sometimes the book felt a bit long for the premise and I struggled to get back to it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know that I would call this as a romantic comedy, but I really enjoyed it’s exploration of all the highs and pitfalls of a life that does and doesn’t go “according to plan.” Had a bit of a modern day, feminist Bridget Jones vibe.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 stars

Ghosts is a situation of “it’s probably not you, it’s me”. I have seen many glowing reviews for this book and can see many loving it, but it was just not for me. Ghosts is about Nina Dean, a woman in her early 30s, who falls in love with the mysterious Max. However, when he ghosts her, Nina is left trying to figure out what she did wrong.

Alderton’s writing is sharp and strong, but I had difficulty connecting with Nina. This led to me not becoming invested in the story. The story is very heartbreaking and infuriating, so I found myself not wanting to dive back into it often. I know many others will enjoy the story and the writing, but unfortunately it was not a fit for me. However, I will be interested in seeing what Alderton writes next.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

🌟🌟BOOK REVIEW🌟🌟
Half way into Ghosts by Dolly Alderton, I was thinking about the 2000s sitcom How I met your mother- the story of an aspiring architect in New York City searching for his perfect one- the story was never about the mother or their romance- it was the journey, the friendship and small anecdotes which made it memorable. Ghosts similarly is not just a rom com about a guy from a dating app ghosting our protagonist, it’s more about friends and family.

The story is about Nina Dean, a 32 year old, Food/cook book author, and her friends, Lola- a 30s something romantic who has had her heart broken multiple times but doesn’t give up, Katherine, who is about to move to Surrey to welcome her 2nd child, Meera- who wants to enjoy a final independent stint with her husband before they have their kid and her parents trying to come to terms with her father’s Alzheimer’s. Add to this is the cracking relationship with her downstairs Italian neighbour, Angelo and her ex- boyfriend Joe which truly give some of the most LOL moments in the book.

Character wise, Lola and Nancy/Mandy were the ones I had most fun reading about- a 32 year old central protagonist was a welcome change amongst all the YA love stories but Nina accepting Max(pretty much a douchebag) only to be ghosted again, was a bit of a damper. The relationship between Nina and her parents was a major positive.

The bitter sweet moments are definitely the highlight of the book. However there lies the problem with the book as well. With so many subplots, they feel like isolated events and just when you seem to be getting invested in 1 plot, the narrative jumps to something else. Nitpicking aside, Ghosts is a sweet tale of friendship and family but don’t be tricked into thinking it’s a rom com.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thank you Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the copy in exchange for my honest review.
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I didnt love this as much as I expected to or hoped. But I have to say that it was still an enjoyable time read. While the romance was what I was looking for, the self development and family aspects were what really hooked me. I feel like the story was really well rounded and balanced.

My favorite part of this book was the witty British verbage throughout. I just couldn't get enough of the language the author used. I craved more! However, as much as I loved the author's writing style, I found the story to be going nowhere. I did understand that there are many kinds of love, and that the main character, Nina, experienced all of them, throughout this book. But honestly, nothing really happened or was resolved. The ending left me staring at my Kindle thinking, this is it? I do understand that the struggle for a thirty something woman to find a perfect match is real, I just kept waiting for something to actually happen. It didn't. The book was well written and proofed, it just wasn't for me. Possibly its for you though!

Ghosts was fun, laugh out loud funny and infuriating all at the same time and it felt like that was the point? IF so...bravo Dolly, bravo!

I think we've all been ghosted in one way or another in our lives and that is why this was not only relatable, but refreshing to read about.

Setting a book in London makes me instantly fall in love - I've only been once, but I cannot wait to go back after reading about Nina's adventures!

I really enjoyed this book! The writing was witty and smart, the pacing was solid, and the plot and story were real and vulnerable, but not too serious! I think this would be fun to discuss in book club or with a friend because there are so many layers, if a reader wants to access them.

Ghosts is the story of Nina navigating life in her early thirties in London, as friends around her are getting married and having babies, or at least trying to couple up, and she's newly ready to date again after ending a lengthy relationship with her still best friend. She's also feeling her way into becoming more of a caregiver for her aging parents, especially her dad who's had some health issues and is experiencing worsening dementia. Drama ensues, Nina makes it both comical and relatable, and this book was a joy to read!

As a woman in her late thirties who is married with children, I very much appreciate the perspective of a single woman navigating friends coupling and having babies, and just living single life when most of her friends are not. Neither perspective is made to be the "right" or "better" ideal, even though Nina wants to be married and have children. She's just a fantastic guide of a narrator on the journey she's undertaking. As an adult who's had loved ones with dementia, I adored the inclusion of Nina's dad and his illness in the story. Millennials are being sandwiched with the needs of kids (if we have them) and the needs of aging parents and it's just hard. Alderton takes this very real struggle of figuring out how to balance it all and brings it to life through Nina's struggles to be a good daughter, girlfriend, friend, godmother, neighbor and professional. It's hard, as she shows us, but also funny if we chose to have that attitude.

I requested the ARC months ago and didn't remember or review the marketing copy before I started. Having done so before writing this review, I'm pleased I didn't. The marketing copy refers to this book as a romantic comedy, but it's more of a comedy about romance (as, sorry, it is not a romance novel), or as the last line of the copy nails it - "Ghosts is a whip-smart tale of relationships and modern life."

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

This is a tale of ghost-ing, of having people disappear on you without explanation. While ghosting originated with romantic hook-ups, it has become a useful term for all sorts of relationships when one person just disappears completely. In this book, GHOST, a year in the life of our protagonist, all of her relationships seem to blink out when she’d like them to remain strongly in place. The book has very strong vibes of Bridget Jones, the single girl struggling, theme. But the humor is barely there. I found the pathos in the tale interesting but not particularly engaging. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

This is what I got out of this - there are many types of ghosts.
Nina Dean deals with the ghost of her past (her father’s health is slowly deteriorating due to dementia or Alzheimer’s). The father she adored growing up is leaving her. Present: Meet Max. Things get hot and heavy quickly and then he “ghosts” her. No more calls, no more texts.
People drop in and out of your life all the time.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is a contemporary chicklit novel with a touch of romance and an even bigger touch of heartache.

I'm not sure what to write about this book. I liked it, but the more I thought about it I'm not sure what it was. It seemed to be a book of self-discovery through fictional characters, specifically Nina George Dean. While trying to find someone to date after recovering from her ex (although they stayed friends), she seemed to grow through bad dates, relationships, some friends that basically sucked and some good friends (although there were periods of pure bitchiness from one and incessant craziness/desperate for love from another). I thought this book would have HEA at the end and it did, but not in romance. Things I dealt with in my own life were in these pages and it was strange and surprising to see that from a fictional book. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised, but because of bad things that happened when I was child, I guess I still thought it was me, choices I'd made, etc. I didn't blame myself per se (anymore), just thought it was me protecting myself by building a wall. Now, I think they were ghosts, a couple in particular. Basically, this book, although fictional, helped me realize some things and helped me psychologically. I know this isn't a typical review, but I want readers to understand what it was for me, not light reading. So many things mirrored my life, I had a Max with some Jethro throw in, and therefore probably many others will feel the same. I was glad to see Nina realize she didn't have to have a man in her life and maybe someday she will if it happens, but she was done searching. It was heart-wrenching what was happening to her dad throughout book as well. In the end, Nina worked through a number of problems and she came out better for it on the other side. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of the book for an impartial review.

Ghosts is the first book I have read by Dolly Alderton. It is a smart, cosmopolitan comedy written for a hip urban crowd. Uniquely written about love and life in the world of a thirtyish successful woman. Only maybe life is not so wonderful. This is her story of what happens after the seemingly perfect male ghosts her. From that she begins to see the need to deal with other life issue and relationships. Nina Dean is likable for the most part. However, the men she knows, well, not so much.. Not exactly a happy ending but perhaps one of acceptance.

An ARC of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Relatable and consuming in way that made it difficult to keep going and impossible to stop. The compelling and clever slice of life walk through Nina’s world will surely stick with me.

A refreshing a realistic story about dating as a 30 something in a 21st century world whilst dealing with family struggles, maintaining changing friendships and valuing oneself whilst trying not to fall victim to comparasonitis. I thoroughly enjoyed Dolly Alderton's Ghosts and highly recommend it.

I was invited to view this book by the publisher, Knopf Doubleday and NetGalley. Many thanks for an advance copy of the book.

I should have known I was in trouble when I read the editor's note stating that this was a rom com and comparing the author to JoJo Moyes and other authors who write books that have romance in them but are not themselves romance novels. The book description also claims this is a sexy laugh out loud rom com.

It is in fact, none of those things. It's not a romance. It's not a comedy and it's definitely not sexy. Every single character is a damn twat, there is absolutely nothing funny and there's a whole entire sub plot dealing with the main character's father's memory loss from a stroke and her mother's inability to properly care for the father. Throw in her mother's identity crisis and are we laughing yet?

There is no happily ever after or even a happy for now. There's also a scene pitting the main character, Nina, against her best friend since childhood because the two of them won't talk like grown-ups and instead resort to the single friend vs. the married mom friend and tear each other apart.

I almost stopped reading this book a zillion times because it wasn't going anywhere and Nina, Max and all of her friends were just awful. I really wanted to see some sort of character redemption but it never happened.

Incredibly disappointing. I was hoping for an actual rom-com. Can we stop throwing that term around, especially when it's not a romance or a comedy but instead women's fiction?

Ghosts is an interesting take on dating in your thirties, dealing with aging parents and changing friendships.
Nina George Dean is a 32 year old writer, single and living in London. Over the years she's watched her good friends find love and move on with their lives, save for her last remaining single friend Lola. Lola convinces Nina to sign up for a dating app where she meets and falls for the mysterious Max. Spoiler alert: it doesn't go well. Nina is also dealing with her ailing father and her mother who is seemingly trying to turn back the clock and ignore what is going on with her husband.
There is a lot of Nina that I could relate to. Ms. Alderton nails exactly what it feels like to be the last single gal in a group of married friends and feel as though you've been left behind. But Nina's behavior with Max really angered me. She seemed so strong with her family and in defending her friend but this man that ghosted her really turned her into someone sad and pathetic. And there was a similar and equally frustrating scenario with Lola. It seems like a sad commentary on dating in your thirties. But it shouldn't deter you from picking up a copy. There are some funny moments and some heartbreaking moments with Nina and her dad that provide a well rounded story. Overall 3.5 stars.
Thank you to Knopf Doubleday Publishing and Netgalley for a chance to read and review this book.