This review may contain spoilers. Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group For the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Nina Dean is a thirty-two year old successful food writer. She also happens to be single, and surrounded by married and partnered friends. This books follows her journey as she navigates the world of love – and not just romantic love. While we see her enter into a romantic relationship, we also see her love for her family and friends, and how she navigates the ups and downs that come with living as an adult.

I adored this book. Personally, I felt it was a very poignant read, a well written commentary on all aspects of love. We see how love effects herself and her mother, while they work through his deteriorating mental state. We see how love effects her friendships, as they all move through different points of life at different times. And we see how love effects her ability to see clearly when dealing with a romantic connection brought about through online dating. I found myself relating to many aspects of this book, and I think that is evidence enough of how well done it was.

In reality, I don’t think there is anything negative to say. I thought the plot flowed well, the writing was clear and dynamic, and the themes relatable and desirable of a read by a late twenties, early thirties reader who is just trying to figure things out.

In the end, I would suggest everyone pick up a copy of this book, because I am sure they will find themselves relating at some point in their lives.

I was intrigued by the description of this book as "laugh out loud funny." But the story didn't live up to the description. I found it tedious. Lots of backstory and description of previous events and not much action happening in scene. I stopped reading at about 15% through as the story didn't grab me.

The writing itself was accomplished, but the story didn't have enough stakes and the main character wasn't interesting enough for me to continue.

Wanted to like this more. It was well written, but rather depressing! The relationship development towards the end was pretty weird too.

I rarely read rom-coms and when I see the term I put the book back on the shelf, literally or virtually. But I heard a review of "Ghosts" and decided I'd not put the book back without a second look. I'm very glad I did. I wouldn't describe this as a "rom-com, " but a poignant novel with engaging characters. I read it in two sittings and enjoyed it very much. Touching, funny and well plotted.
If you're looking for "beach" or "plane" reading or a good novel, highly recommend "Ghosts." It transcends the genre, the age range (30's), and even if you've never been ghosted, it's a great read. Many thanks to Doubleday (Canada) for introducing me to Dolly Alderton.

This was a thoughtfully written and thought provoking book. The themes were familiar to anyone who has faced the issues of aging parents, being single in a world where most of your friends have married, ticking biological clocks, online dating, and reluctantly trusting someone only to have it abused. The book pointedly explores the vast differences between the worldview of men and women dating at a certain age, and many of the male characters don’t fare too well in comparison - thus the title.
But the book is far from a feminist screed. It is entertaining, sometimes funny, and always heartfelt. To me, the core of it was the search we all have, male and female, for a lasting connection with others, and to know who we are and what makes us happy and content.
I highly recommend this good for anyone who wants to read a good story that is filled with interesting characters, has a well paced plot, and will leave you with a sense that reading it was not just an entertaining few hours but also time well spent.

I think this was a case of what was advertised and what the book actually was.

I think I was hoping for a cute/sweet romcom and...that's not what this is. This is a book about the ebb and flow of love in all relationships (friend, family, romantic), which I think would be okay, but it just felt like it was missing something for me.

One of the main issues for me is how much we're in Nina's head vs experiencing the world through her eyes. There's so much exposition, the telling of events in Nina's head rather than showing us on page and getting to have conversations, and I, personally, can't really get into a book that's a catalogue of events rather than an experience of them.

Also, there needs to be a sensitivity read. There's a weird sentence or two about cis people not needing to state their pronouns that's totally off-base. I'm hoping that gets fixed and the author does some research before the final release of this book.

Thank you to the author, Knopf Doubleday Publishing, and Netgalley for an advanced ereader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Knopf Publishing and Dolly Alderton for this ARC in return for my honest review. I enjoyed this book immensely. I think it is a story that many will be able to relate to. At times humorous, at times bittersweet, definitely better than your average romance/chick-lit book.

After reading Dolly Alderton’s memoir, I had high hopes for GHOSTS, her first novel, and I was not disappointed. GHOSTS is a delightful, bittersweet, real depiction of a year in the life of Nina Dean, as she navigates her early thirties. The novel touches on the complexities of friendship and growing apart, of modern dating, of aging parents, of love and loss. GHOSTS made me laugh and cry and smile, I recognized myself and my friends in so many of the lovely, well formed characters. I didn’t want this one to end. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC which I received in exchange for my honest review.

What happens when the person you’re dating decides to abruptly end your relationship? No explanation. No goodbyes. Just disappears. What happens when the other relationships in your life become shadows of their former selves? Can they ever be the same? Nina is facing these questions after what seemed to be a promising start to her 32nd birthday. Nina has a successful career she loves, a flat she owns, and a budding relationship. But Nina is quickly learning the one constant in her life is change. She definitely does not like change but Nina’s slowly coming to the realization that it is inevitable.

Friends are getting married, having children, moving away. Her parents are getting older. Time is being unkind. It will move on without you.

I related to Nina’s story. There were quite a few LOL moments as I was reading through. I enjoyed her friendship with Lola. Lola was a delight; as were her Schadenfreude Shelf stories.

I couldn’t get behind the storyline between Nina and her neighbor Angelo. What the heck was that. Also, so much alcohol. Maybe it’s living life as we have this past year but whew they drank a lot. 3 drinks and I am done for. 3 drinks is just the start of their night. #ghosts

This is not your typical romance novel.. it's more of a 'Chick-Lit' read. It is written strictly from Nina's (the Heroine) POV, as she goes through life in her thirties while still single and dating (or more specifically, dating dilemmas.) All her relationships are quite interesting. From her ex (and his new GF) to her new neighbor (and his rude behavior.) From her Dad (and his ailing health) to her Mom (and her apparent lack of caring.) There is humor, but not really the Laugh out Loud sort. Its more of a sarcastic or self-deprecating kind of humor. If you are looking for a HEA, you are in the wrong place. There is no real ending to the story as far as her dating life goes. While she may not have found her soulmate in the pages, she found a happy contentment at where she is in life. The book is filled with plenty of deep thoughts on many subjects as Nina does lots of soul searching. I admit, I went into this book expecting it to be more about the romance, but what it really was was more of her inner thoughts. At first I was a bit put off, because it seemed like there was a lot of rambling, and I just wanted to get on with the love story, but after awhile I realized that this book was not that kind of story, and understood and appreciated the writing better. It did take me a bit to get invested in the story. There is some sexual content, not too graphic, but it is there.

*I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley.

DId not finish. I thought this might be a fun, light, romantic romp. Not my usual reading fare, but fun now and then. I did try. Got 20% through. Characters just didn’t interest me. And their conversations were tedious and a bit whiny. I’m just not the target audience for this one. Others may enjoy it. Thx to Netgalley for a review copy.

Given the opportunity to read the first novel by this author, I did so with a totally open mind. I was drawn into the story right from the start! I loved the very British banter between Nina and her other 30 something women friends, Lola and Katherine as they compared their life decisions, their men friends, their life’s dreams as well as the pitfalls of those choices.

I was also moved by Nina’s very realistic descriptions and reactions to her dad’s decline into the world of dementia. It brought a sad and necessary highlight to something that is becoming more and more important in so many people’s lives. It made Nina factor her family into her hopes and dreams for herself.

Quirky antics, lots of second guessing choices, plenty of booze and some sizzle made for an entertaining story!

All in all, a great read!

Ghosts by Dolly Alderton is a completely relatable story. I feel a lot of women in the 30s who are single can relate to the main character Nina Dean. Being successful in a career with everything going for you except the relationship. Things are moving quickly in her life and she needs to step back and do a “make over” of herself.

For this being her debut novel, this author definitely delivers.

Ghosts by Dolly Aldreton was such a fun read!! I've never read the author's column but I might have to start! The theme of ghosts was fully-fleshed and repeated in several different ways. I definitely enjoyed with the novel and look forward to reading more from her in the future!

Nina Dean is a single woman with a full life: friends, career, internal happiness. She meets a great guy, Max, and thinks he may be the one, but he ends up ghosting her.

This was just an ok story for me. I couldn't really connect with Nina; she made some odd choices and didn't stand up for herself enough, in my opinion. The other characters seemed sort of one dimensional, especially her friend Kat, who I really didn't like.

The writing was solid, but I went into this thinking it'd be more of a romance than what the book actually was. It wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but overall solid.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

This is the first I have read by Dolly Alderton. While I did enjoy some of the story, I felt some of it was a bit too wordy and drawn out. I found myself thinking at times “ok enough let’s move on”.
It’s not to say that I didn’t like it, it just was a bit drawn out in some parts.

Nina Dean is 31, single, with some annoying self centered friends. She doesn’t yet have children and is starting to feel the pressures of finding her forever love and settling down to have a family. She’s also dealing with her father being ill with a deteriorating condition.

In a day and age when dating apps are how everyone seems to connect she decides to give it a try. Enter Max...tall, hard features, not overly emotional...things seem to go well, until they just don’t anymore...

The title Ghosts had me expecting something different... I honestly don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t what I got.

At some points in life I guess we do all become ghosts of our former selves. And those bits and pieces left behind are make us up of who we are now.

I thought it was interesting in the way the story was told to bring me to that conclusion.

This book is good for what it is , a thirty year old woman's search for self and happiness despite the pressures of the world that impede her happiness. It is not as good if you are expecting what is being advertised: "wickedly funny",or "a mood enhancer that will leave you bubbling with joy for days" It is decent story about a woman who has a great job that she loves, a home that she owns, friends that she can depend on, family that loves her without asking much of her , a woman who says that she refuses to apologize for being single and yet throughout the book she whines incessantly about it all. I read that it was a rom-com , however , there was no electricity,no chemistry between the two supposed romantic leads from the start so I knew immediately that their story would evolve or that I was reading another tale where a single woman wanted to bash men for not growing up, bash mothers for not caring well enough for a father without understanding the day to day emotional toll of caring for an Alzheimer patient, bash every married woman with children as self-obsessed idiots without a thought in their heads. Rather than a mood enhancer, I found it all to be quite depressing and sad. Yes, Nina saddens me. Perhaps , some of my emotions were built upon my own personal knowledge and experience with Alzheimers . Lately, it seems , "womens fiction" must throw in every trope in one story and see what sticks .If it good fiction, it doesn't need to be labeled "women's fiction" just fiction ( a pet peeve of mine, I suppose). The book had lines which moved me, scenes that were emotionally charged and thus written well. I will say that if this book was written as a cathartic for the author then I hope that it did its job. Sometimes one just needs to rant even in a "fictional" setting. I am sure that many people will enjoy the book and agree on every or most level with the author and perhaps that I am not of the correct generation to have enjoyed it. I do not find most books dependent on the age of the reader , but let's say that is the issue here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Alfred A. Knopf (a division of Penguin Random House LLC) for providing this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review. This book is scheduled to be published in 8/3/2021.

This type of book that is beautiful and rare- a combination of complex and wonderful characters, a heartbreakingly real story, and descriptions that you just want to soak in. Readers will love the commentary on aspects of society that women in their 20s and 30s face every day, including life milestones, friendship, career, aging parents, and dating.

The main character of Nina could be my sister or best friend. Her heartbreaks, family struggles, and professional triumphs were all plot points that made me cry or cheer right along side her. The book was filled with poignant observations on life that I paused to re-read as I moved through the novel. I especially loved Nina’s female friendships- as the women moved through life some friendships were strengthening, some were requiring a lot more work, and some she was simply witnessing and commenting on.

If you read Bridget Jones a few decades ago and want an updated version for the 2020s, but with a much more realistic and charming heroine, this book is a must-read! I can’t wait to read more from author Dolly Alderton!

This story is about Nina as she starts a new relationship through a dating app. Nina is battling the ghosts of her father as he suffers with dementia, and the changes in her friendships as people get married and have kids. There is so much heart in Dolly’s writing style. Definitely recommend and thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

Dolly Alderton's Ghosts perfectly encapsulates the viewpoint of a single woman in her early 30s. It's such a well-defined POV with a lot of insight into the kinds of relationships - between friends, family, lovers - that largely take place during this period of time, particularly a woman who is struggling in relationships and so desperately wants to thrive and pursue the well-trodden "next steps in life" that so many people follow.

I liked the undercurrent of hope that runs through the entire story regardless of the hardships in pretty much every single relationship. It's not exactly a comfort read, but I could very much relate to a lot of the thoughts of the heroine so this struck a chord for me.