Sadly, this was not for me. I had a hard time connecting with this story, probably because, while I'm an older "millennial", I've never had to do the modern dating thing (married 16 years). I was also a bit disappointed that a book about a food writer didn't have more food!! I wanted to hear more about all the good food Nina ate and cooked!!!
I saw another reviewer compare Ghosts to Bridget Jones's Diary and that really clicked with me. It has many of the same components: the zany-but-loveable mother, the close relationship with the father, and the sad-old-maid main female character looking for love. It's not a bad comparison (I loved BJD) but this book didn't have the same charm for me.

The book really hit on the truths of the ebbs and flows of relationships with friends and family. I found moments that made me laugh out loud and others that made me wiping my eyes. There were a lot of relatable moments. Nina was such an honest character. I read this book quickly. I really enjoyed the ups and downs. It felt very real. I look forward to seeing what else this author does in the future. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Wasn't sure what to expect in this book but I was pleasantly surprised with what I got. This may not be for everyone but was worth it for me!

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is an excellent book by an amazingly readable author, This book showcases the redemptive power of the human spirit. Alderton has the perfect elements to keep the reader absolutely enthralled —- long held beliefs questioned, conflicted relationship dynamics, dating in the modern era, and relatable characters.

The book features multiple strong female characters who are struggling with their current status. Nina Dean is a 32 year old food blogger who has deep relationships with family and friends but is looking for love. Her friend Lola convinces her to try a dating app. What follows is a lucky and unlikely match with Max. He is seemingly perfect and they quickly develop a relationship. But, Max has his own issues that cause him to break her heart and question much about her intrinsic beliefs. At the same time Nina is undergoing trauma as her beloved father is suffering from dementia while her mother, Nancy is struggling with her own issues.

The realistic character development and stress of trying to balance competing demands will have you riveted. All the characters are forced to navigate a whirlwind of emotions and drama to find their new normal. This book has such deep insights into why men get a pass, women are left to pick up the pieces and then feel grateful for scraps of affection. Nina, and Lola are navigating a new world where decency is no longer a given.

Ghosts provides outstanding storytelling with a few twists and a satisfying conclusion to much of the internal struggles, But, this is not an automatic happily ever after. She tells this story with exquisite detail and you feel true empathy. You know you are invested in the characters fully when you can’t help but ponder how you would handle this situation and if you would ever deviate so radically from your values just to find someone to share your life with.

I was provided a free advance reader copy from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review on Net Galley. The opinions shared in this review are my own.

2.5/5 stars

I truly wish that I had enjoyed this more. I requested it partly because of the hype, and partly because of the cover. I should have been a bit more selective though, as I just was not able to connect with this story very well. It is certainly an introspective work, which can be moving but can also be a bit of a drag, but I felt left on the outside, a bit. Perhaps it is simply because I am not the primary demographic that this story is geared towards, but I just did not feel attached to this story in any way. Despite this, I do believe that the writing itself is meticulous and poised, and will latch on to many readers. This may be the book for you, despite the fact that it was not for me.

I really enjoyed Dolly Aldertons first book, Everything i know about love (a memoir about Dollys life as a party girl, who's friends are starting to settle down) and so was really intrigued to see her take on fiction.
In a very similar vein, Ghosts is the story about a woman who finds herself one of the few singletons left in her friend group, when suddenly enter: Handsome man. Could he be The One at last?
Ghosts is a nice light read, witty and engaging, its an ideal summer holiday read.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is a good read. This book looks at many types of relationships people have, and I really enjoyed this aspect. Good writing and relatable experiences made this book a pleasure. Join Nina and her friends as they navigate their 30’s.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

I really, really wanted to like this book, but I didn’t. Pages and pages of musings with no dialogue made me feel extremely bored. I’m glad others liked it, but it just wasn’t for me. Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

A phenomenal book and I enjoyed reading it. The characters and storyline were really great. Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

Well it is different. The book is not really meant for my age group. Is everyone so unhappy with life? The book felt that way.

Fun read that is very relatable being a single woman using dating sites. Ghosting happens a lot lately and this was a great book to tackle that in a fun way. Read this in one sitting.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is a fun read. While I felt it started a bit slow, the relatability of Nina had me invested. I wanted her to win at life and this book made me feel all the emotions.

Lots of dry humor and more of a coming of age feel than an actual rom-com. Nina and Max had great chemistry. I didn't end the book feeling inspired but I did laugh. I think Nina's sense of humor missed the mark for me, so there were quite a few parts that just fell flat. This could also be due to the dialect/cultural differences.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Nina and Max’s characters. So many laughs during this book. I found myself rooting for Nina so much. 4 stars!

Ghosts starts and ends on Nina Dean's birthday but, in between, the reader gets to spend a year in the life of someone trying to figure it out. She falls in love and also out of it, she starts arguments and then reconciles them, she struggles and makes mistakes and realizes big things... and then the book ends. I fell into Dolly Alderton's writing like a warm bath, noticing often how eerily accurate she wrote about dating (online) in your thirties and reassessing priorities after they inevitably fail to live up to expectations. I thought the term ghosts would refer solely to Nina's romantic relationship, but I loved how it ended up taking on multiple meanings: the way we ghost childhood and high school friendships when they become too difficult to sustain; how, if we're lucky, we get to watch our parents age and then realize all the ways they'll haunt us when they're gone. Long after I've forgotten the characters in this book and what happens to them, I will remember the feeling it gave me, how apropos it was to the time and place in which I read it. The imprint of the memory will remain.

I would say this is much less of a rom-com and much more of a coming-of-age drama with plenty of dry humor. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys novels that fit that bill!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an opportunity to read this advanced digital copy.

Again, this novel was not my cup of tea. The characters were not likable. This novel is about a jewelry theft from a company that had never been robbed before and the ending did not make sense to me.

Perhaps I expected more from the story.

Girl meets Boy. They date for a few months and then he disappears. He has ghosted her.

Cute book. Set In London. A couple of secondary plot lines about family and friends to keep you interested.

I picked this up in the mistaken belief that it was a romcom, and that’s certainly how the prologue reads, albeit as a definite cut above and literary one. But then as I carried on reading I realized that this was more a slice of life novel, about a young woman in her early thirties living in London (just like the author it turns out not so coincidentally).

Much like Caitlin Moran turned her life into the novel How to Build a Girl this seems to be a somewhat fictionalized version of Ms Alderton’s life (how much is fact and how much is fiction will be revealed when I get to read her memoir, Everything I Know About Love). Does this matter? I don’t think so - I enjoyed this novel very much whether or not it’s fiction or fictionalized.

Nina is a food writer, has published her first cookbook/memoir and is about to publish her second. She has bought her own (small) apartment in a decent, if not chic, area of London, has good friends, and, after a long term relationship fizzled out, is single. The novel is set over the course of a year, though without the artificial construct of a countdown or months ticking by.

I can’t tell you how many times I nodded in recognition at the situations Nina finds herself in and her feelings towards them. That feeling of dread when your one remaining single friend starts dating, the antipathy towards your ex’s new girlfriend and how different he seems with her, the hell that is someone else’s hen party. All of this is observed with wit, acuity, some beautifully turned phrases, but no self-pity.

However, there is an underlying tragedy in Nina’s life: her father is suffering from dementia and it’s no longer possible to convince herself that it’s just forgetfulness. As my dad was similarly afflicted I found these sections very hard to read as, again, it is told with authenticity and truth (though judging by the author’s note this does not come from Ms Alderton’s experience) and is consequently very painful. The contrast between what he was and what he is now is acutely difficult to bear.

Nina tries online dating and seems to have struck gold with her first meet-up. Max is magnetic, funny, and they seem to click so easily. But the author has some truths to tell about today’s men-children and how society has set up women to do all the emotional work in relationships. This is echoed in her friend, Katherine’s marriage, as well as in her ex’s new relationship.

The only thread that struck an off-note for me is Nina’s relationship with her downstairs neighbor Angelo. Though it starts off with him being unreasonable and unpleasant, which feels true enough, their resolution seems awkward and not really credible.

I love all the things Ms Alderton has to say about 21st century London women and their relationships with themselves, their friends, and their parents. That she can do it with humor, vivid perception, and charm makes this an excellent, and highly recommended read.

Thanks to Knopf and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

I wish to thank NetGalley and Knoph Doubleday Publishing Group for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I must admit that I did not know what ghosting is until I read this book so I was not really sure the focus of the book. Perhaps the name of the book should have been Ghosting. I found it somewhat slow to get into but the main character is a delight and I did laugh out loud about a couple of her antics. Nina is 31 and has bought her first home. She has no one with whom to share her life so friends convince her to sign up with an online dating service and she meets Max. They immediately bond and she is totally consumed with him but once he declares his love for her he disappears and she does not know where he went. Nina is in her thirties and fears she will never really connect with “the one”. In addition she is forced to deal with her father’s dementia diagnosis and watching him slipping away from her. She fights with a bothersome neighbor and is trying to complete her latest book. That is a too much for any person to face. I found myself laughing at the feuds between her and her neighbor and the choices she makes. I found this to be a slow read but did stay with it to the end. I think I ended up cheering for the wrong people. I feel this book is for the younger crowd and that they would enjoy it more than I did.