Wow, what a journey this book took me on! Guy’s Girl is categorized as a New Adult Romance, and that’s certainly true, but it’s WAY more than that. Emma Noyes, the author, explores love, self-esteem/self-love, anxiety, friendship, grief and PTSD, with a deep dive into the world of anorexia and bulimia. An author’s note at the beginning of the book explains that Noyes has dealt with these eating disorders herself, so the book comes from someone with personal knowledge of these things.

I loved both main characters, Ginny and Adrian. They both felt very real, with all their strengths and weaknesses. While Ginny is the one dealing with anxiety and bulimia, Adrian has buried his feelings (from childhood trauma, including being suddenly uprooted from his native Hungary at age 9) so far down that he has trouble reaching them. The “guys” referred to in the title include Ginny’s three brothers as well as a trio of young men she met in college. Tristan, Clay and Finch were each well-defined, with very different personalities, which was great. I also loved how her older sister, Heather, came through for Ginny, much to Ginny’s surprise. And I can’t forget Adrian’s fabulous Hungarian grandparents, whose kindness to Ginny just about did me in.

I could relate to hanging out more with boys than with girls, as I grew up as the youngest cousin and only girl in the family other than one who was ten years older and therefore wasn’t even in my consciousness for the most part. I always played with my brother and male cousin, the son of a family friend and the boys who lived around-the-corner. I had to make an effort to find a girl to play with when I was young!

The story is written in the third person POV for Ginny and Adrian, along with excerpts of Ginny’s journals, which is how we really come to understand what’s going on in her mind and body. This technique was very effective is explaining these two eating disorders to this reader.

Noyes’ descriptions of places I know well (New York City) and places I don’t know at all (Budapest, Hungary and environs) were wonderful. Her portrayals of the life of young professionals in NYC was spot-on, from what I know of it.

Guy’s Girl was such an emotional story. I learned a lot about eating disorders along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Thanks to Berkley for the copy of this book!

Sad romance is one of my absolute favorite genres, and Guy's Girl falls directly into that category. Ginny struggles with eating disorders her whole life, and since the author drew on her own experiences, this storyline was absolutely perfect. I haven't personally struggled with this, but heard from a few friends who read that it was done well, and I learned a lot and related heavily to the "not happy with your body" / body dysmorphia piece. The romance between Ginny and Adrian was a lot of skirting around each other for their entire friendship / relationship. It's definitely a slow burn, but I like that Adrian's character had a lot of depth and we got a look into his past as well. I really loved the last 25% and how everything ended up. Honestly, I think this is one that will come back to my mind for awhile after finishing, as there's quite a bit to unpack. This is perfect for anyone who's ever felt like they're not enough.

Guy's Girl
Author: Emma Noyes
Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley

Guy's Girl is a beautifully written exploration of romance, with a deep component of eating disorders and self-love. Noyes writes with passion and rich character development, giving readers the story of Ginny and Adrian.
Author Noyes was very open the in the author's notes with her own struggle with anorexia and bulimia. I commend her with her honesty and vulnerability.

Thank you to Catherine Barra, Berkley, and Net Galley for an advance reader's copy. My review is my own.

I cannot believe this is a debut novel. Guy's Girl is easily in my top 5 of reads this year. I will sell my soul to read more of Emma's books in the future. This book is so beautifully written and I could really feel the characters struggles. You can feel the internal struggle Ginny has with her self, you feel how badly she's hurting in her recovery, you feel her struggles with food as if they were your own. Adrian's grief is your grief throughout the story. The characters seems so real and that's not easy to do.

Writing about toxic relationships, eating disorders and family matters can sometimes come off as glamorizing in some books, Guy's Girl really shows you how when you're in it, you're all in but how easy it is to recognize things were off after the fact. It really paints a picture that everyone's struggles, everyone's stories are unique and that's what makes them who they are.

Thank you Berkley, Emma Noyes and NetGalley for my copy of Guy's Girl to review.*

I fell in love with the blurb for this story and I *HAD* to read it. This is my first novel from Emma Noyes and I quite enjoy her writing style. Bless her for adding a bit of her personal story to the novel--that was extremely brave. Please note that the main character of this novel is battling with an eating disorder. It is highly descriptively present throughout the novel, so be mindful before reading.

Ginny has always gravitated away from female friends and instead found herself more comfortable among the guys. She was extremely close with her brothers and found a great friend group of guys in college at Harvard to keep her company. This story is Ginny's journey in finding herself after college and how the people around her play a part in her story.

4 out of 5 stars.

Broke my heart and put it back together! With a "New Girl" setting (ie a girl living with a group of guys), this book beautifully tells the story deep connections in family and friends. The cast of characters and friend group are so well developed and definite stand outs in this one!

The FMC's struggles with disordered eating was exceptionally well done. The author made me uncomfortable in a way that was very effective in allowing me to truly connected with Ginny and I think captures the real struggles that come with this type of illness. The author herself suffered from eating disorders and the own voices representation really shines through.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Happy Pub Day!

Guy's Girl was such a phenomenal book. The synopsis sounded good but this book was so much more than a romance. This was a book about loving yourself, self-discovery, adulthood, friendship and love. While I loved this book and it was so powerful, it was also so hard to read. Ginny, the main character has an eating disorder and the book is real and raw.

While this is non-fiction the author used writing this book as part of her recovery from her eating disorder, which I think helps you feel so immersed in this book is that she is writing Ginny from a place of courage.

The writing and story was beautiful. I'm struggling to put into words my thoughts on this book but it was such a beautiful book of loving yourself. I highly recommend reading Guy's Girls.

I didn't know what to expect when I picked up Guy's Girl, but I'm so glad that I did. I went in expecting a lighthearted romance about a couple of 20somethings, but this was something more. At it's heart, Guy's Girl is a romance, but it's also a novel of friendship, self-discovery and learning how to love yourself. If you've ever dealt with anxiety or felt unlovable this book will really hit close to home and break your heart into pieces.

Ginny has always been a guy's girl. Growing up in a house full of brothers (and one aloof older sister), it's no surprise that she grows close with a group of guys when she starts attending Harvard. Ginny moves to NYC to start a new chapter of her career and doesn't anticipate forming a connection with Adrian, the one member of the friend group who's never fully let the others in. Ginny begins to fall in love with Adrian, but she struggles with disordered eating and soon it begins to consume her whole world. Adrian has never vowed to fall in love, but he doesn't understand what this hollow feeling is when Ginny isn't there.

I read most of Guy's Girl in one sitting. Once I grew to know the characters a bit more I was completely invested in their stories and needed to see how this one would end. This book is incredibly raw and authentic, which makes it a little hard to read at times. The author really poured her heart and soul into Guy's Girl and you can tell. My heart broke for Ginny and the way she viewed herself and also for Adrian, in the way he didn't believe himself worthy of love. The ending had me in tears.

I'll mention that Ginny's struggles with her eating disorders are a massive part of this storyline. Just something to be aware of it that's something that may be harmful or triggering to you.

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for a review copy. I can't wait to read from this author again.

What strength it took to write a book about bulimia and turning it into a novel. I give kudos to Emma Noyes for bringing awareness to this disease and for shedding light on an issue that not many people talk about.

I am thrilled to share Guy’s Girl with you. It is the story of Ginny, a 20-something year old woman who really only gets along with the guys. Ginny is not only struggling with adulthood and a new relationship with Adrian, a man who just can’t seem to love, she has an eating disorder that is controlling every aspect of her life. I loved the realness of this book. The emotions are all so raw, the pain so realistic and the horrors of an eating disorder are on full display. Nothing is sugarcoated here and it makes the characters so believable and relatable. I really enjoyed this story of growing up, healing and self love. Thank you so much to @berkleypub for my gifted copy.

This coming of age story definitely took me by surprise! The cover has one thinking we are in for a cutesy romance story but as the saying goes, Never Judge A Book By It's Cover!

This story follows Ginny and Adrian, two college grads trying to adjust to life and relationships after college. Always being labeled a guy's girl, Ginny harbors feelings for an old fling and finds refuge with her best guy friends. She's also carrying a big secret that unravels into a serious threat to herself: she has been suffering from disordered eating.

Adrian who has sworn off love and has vowed to never have a serious relationship after seeing his mother go through such heartbreak when he was a child, is persistent in keeping that lonesome vow. That is until Ginny walked into his life. Both dealing with trauma and grief, Ginny and Adrian have to fight against their inner demons and ultimately fight for each other.

This is a tough read at times but an important look at mental health and disordered eating. The author shares that although this book is fiction, she took many aspects of her own past sufferings from disordered eating into account as she wrote this. I feel this is a story rich with coming of age, suffering, passion, and self growth. I also loved all the Michigan references!!

While the cover may initially draw readers in I think the story is so much more. While pretty on the outside, there is so much darkness and depth layered deep within. Add this to your TBR today!

The boy who couldn’t love and the girl who wouldn’t.

Oh my heart. I am not sure I have ever wanted to jump inside the pages of a book more to hug a character the way I wanted to hug Ginny. This story was actually quite heavy, very emotional, and also educational in a way. I have never suffered from an eating disorder so I can’t possibly understand it or what causes it. I almost feel like I do now, though. So thank you for that enlightenment into the struggle that so many women face.

This audiobook gutted me. The raw emotion in the narration was something special. I was choking up by the last few chapters and I’m not one to cry. If there was a way to give a book more than five stars I would. For this one, I would. Nicely done Lori Prince!

Thank you for the free #audiobook @prhaudio #PRHAudioPartner and to @berkleypub, @netgalley, and @emmanoyes for the ARC.

4.25 stars

“You’re not just lovable; you’re f---- sunshine. That’s what he was going to say.”

Guy's Girl is the kind of novel that will slowly rip your heart out piece by piece before mending it in the end. Even though I’d classify this book more as women’s fiction as opposed to romance, I think readers will find the ending satisfying and true to the characters.

Author Emma Noyes provides a searing, potentially triggering, look into the depths of an eating disorder, explores the trauma of losing a loved one, and examines the effects of crippling anxiety. This is not an easy read by any means, but the characters feel rich and honest. In fact, I wouldn’t mind reading more about some of the secondary characters in the book.

Typically, third person present POV does not work for me, but Noyes uses it to her advantage in this particular text. It provides readers with a sense of removal from the difficult subject matter, while ensuring that the characters’ thoughts and feelings are still immersive and affecting.

I won’t lie; I cried a lot in this book. It’s super difficult to read in some places. And it grapples with some really heavy themes. That being said, I think readers will emerge on the other side feeling edified. I only wish we could have seen more of the “happy” that comes after all of the sad. Which is one of the main reasons why this book felt more like women’s fiction or even general fiction with a romantic subplot. As long as readers go into the book with that expectation, I think that reading it will be a worthwhile experience.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for generously providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

CW: anorexia, bulimia, anxiety

Guy's Girl is a new adult, coming-of-age story. It features Ginny through her post-college journey to finding herself.

I would not really call this a romance novel. To the extent that it is, I'm not impressed with the romance. There's a love triangle with a heavy lean towards cheating. And the male main character, Adrian, isn't as well developed as Ginny. Together, their romance didn't feel authentic to me.

However, one of the author's stated purposes for this book is to help those who have struggled with eating disorders feel seen. In that, I think this book excels. I recommend any for whom that might be a trigger be careful in reading this book. I was impressed that it doesn't glamorize or romanticize eating disorders. But at least for when I was anorexic and bulimic, this could have been an unhealthy read for me.

The book doesn't include chapters. Instead, it just has five long parts. That made it a bit tough to sync, as I switched back and forth between the ebook and audiobook versions. Lori Prince narrated and created such amazing emotion with her voice. I especially appreciated the audio format.

The whole book featured a conversational tone in third person with a matter-of-fact voice that often switches to break the wall and directly address the reader. I loved that writing style.

I am grateful this book now exists but have so many mixed feelings. I cried and felt seen. I wanted more, especially at the end. But I also struggled with aspects. I recommend this as a deeply emotional women's fiction. Take care of yourself if reading it.

Rounded up to 4 stars

𝐆𝐮𝐲’𝐬 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥
𝐁𝐲 𝐄𝐦𝐦𝐚 𝐍𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐬
𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: 𝐁𝐞𝐫𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐲
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝟏𝟎.𝟐𝟒.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐻𝒶𝓅𝓅𝓎 𝒫𝓊𝒷 𝒟𝒶𝓎!

Thank you @berkleypub and @penguinrandomhouse for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.
🎧Thank you @PRHaudio for a complimentary audiobook.


Growing up with two older brothers, I always felt I could relate better to guys, and that’s precisely how Ginny, the MC, feels.

After college, Ginny moves in with her guy pals as they navigate the working world. She has always felt comfortable around guys, and the boys treat her as one of their own. But as the story progresses, it becomes painfully evident that Ginny has other thoughts on being “just one of the guys.”

Not only is this a heartbreaking romance between people who believe themselves to be unloveable or incapable of loving, but it also addresses eating disorders in a raw and genuine way.

This is not a rom-com; this is a story of a young woman struggling with anorexia and bulimia, hiding it from everyone until she lets him in. It is a love story between hurting people with trauma and pain. It is about friendships and those who stand by you during your lowest moments and for the fun.

The writing is intoxicating: the author pulls you in, rips your heart out, and then lets you smile, only to break your heart again. And this continues until you think you can’t take anymore, but trust me, it’s so worth it in the end.

Ginny feels her friendships with "guys" are less judgemental and easier to maintain. The core group has been friends for many years and shared experiences that have cemented them into their own support group. But support groups only work when you tell each other the truth. Ginny's experiences have led her to doubt her self worth and become so critical of herself, that her conflicted body has developed an eating disorder. She has so far been able to keep this hidden from everyone around her but it's only a matter of time until her bulimia will no longer be a secret. As she develops a personal relationship with one of the guys, it will become harder and harder to keep her secret.
The story centers around friendships and the support they can provide. Secrets have a way of exposing themselves to those closest to you. You must learn to trust your friends and yourself in order to feel better about the choices you make.

The book is emotional and completely raw. The main character hides her eating disorder in plain view. Many people don't recognize the signs and miss someone having anorexia and bulimia from just a casual relationship. When you have these, you get very good ay hiding it. It was not an easy book to read. I've never personally known anyone with these but the descriptions in the book broke my heart. I've learned a lot about these eating disorders through this read. The book is eye opening. I want to thank the author for writing this book and I am hoping it inspires others who have these to get the help that they need.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Guy’s Girl is a unique romance centered upon deeply rooted themes of self-love and acceptance. The main characters' stories were very emotional and, at times, incredibly intense—but their connection was so sweet and undeniable. It was a story that was tough on the heart and full of emotion!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.*

4.5 stars

I was instantly drawn in by the author's writing style and format-- and by both Ginny and Adrian.

Ginny is in her early twenties, living in Minnesota, but visiting her best guy friends in New York City. While there, she connects with the boys' roommate, Adrian.

This is an honest, raw look into a bulimics' life, the binging/purging lifestyle. and her "relationship" with her buy friends and Adrian. Adrian's past has led him to not want to be in love or in a relationship. He didn't think he was capable of love-- even with Ginny. She is special to him and he likes being with her and supporting her, but he doesn't think he is capable of giving her more.

I really didn't expect to enjoy this story as much as I did. Once I stared it, I didn't want to stop. I loved Adrian's quiet, strong character. I needed to see this couples ending - even if it wasn't happy.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was definitely not your typical romance novel. It was real and raw. it explored friendship and love and being an adult who has lived through trauma. I learned a lot through this tale about eating disorders. At times this was a very heavy read.
I loved the friend group and their relationship throughout the story. I also thought Ginny and Adrian were wonderfully real characters that they was rooting for.
I recommend this moving story, just know it is not a lighthearted read.