This was such an interesting read and I can't quite figure out what I felt about it. At some parts I was extremely compelled, during others I found myself wondering where the scene fit into the larger narrative. Overall, the writing quality was excellent and the writing style enticed me, but not my favorite recent read.

Relationships are complicated. People are complicated because they have pasts, ambitions, emotions. This is a great story about Max, a trans woman, who thinks she has life figured out and meets Vincent who has a complicated past with trans women. Humanity in all of its love, loss, fun, anger, and traditions is represented in this book. The good and the bad, but mostly the good and the love and the fun. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC.

I greatly enjoyed this novel and hope to hear much more about it in the coming months. Like many novels these days, I think Nicola Dinan is attempting to "elevate" genre here (in this case romance) by using the tropes and trappings of a cliche storytelling but injecting them with a more literary sensibility (i.e., damn good writing). I was less intrigued by Bellies as a premise than Disappoint Me, but now I'm going to have to go back and read it very soon. Dinan's writing just goes down so easy, she's become another Sally Rooney for me, I'm simply going to pick up whatever she writes.

Nicola Dinan’s Disappoint Me is not your typical love story. In fact, it’s not a love story at all, and that’s exactly what makes it brilliant. This isn’t about finding “the one,” it’s about trying to find yourself in the rubble of all your attempts to feel whole. It’s about relationships, yes, but mostly the ones we have with our worst impulses, our past, and our sometimes unbearable longing to just feel normal.

Max is thirty, trans, and exhausted. She’s lived with dysphoria, with dissatisfaction, and with the haunting noise of exes and expectations echoing in her mind. After a literal and metaphorical fall on New Year’s Eve, Max decides she wants to give heteronormativity a try—just to see if life might feel more... functional that way. Enter Vincent, a man who shouldn’t make sense on paper but somehow fits into the temporary shape Max wants to build for herself.

But here’s the thing: this isn’t a romance. You will get none of the comforting tropes here. No sweeping declarations. No emotional catharsis tied up in a bow. This is a book that sits in the discomfort of what it means to want something you don’t fully believe in, and to ache for connection while questioning your own worth the entire time.

Max doesn’t love herself. Vincent is haunted by a past that’s uglier than he’s willing to admit. Their relationship isn’t about falling. It’s about negotiating space between two people who are more “half to the other” than whole. And that dynamic? It’s what makes this novel so compelling. It’s sticky, it’s complicated, and it’s brutally human.

What makes this book sing, though, is Dinan’s voice. It’s sarcastic, razor-sharp, and so observant that I found myself rereading passages just to sit in the detail. There’s a kind of narrative intimacy here that doesn’t shy away from awkwardness, especially around eating, bodies, and desire. The way meals and silences shape entire conversations without the characters fully realizing it? That’s the kind of subtle brilliance that elevates the story beyond its surface.

Dinan writes with the kind of clarity that makes you feel like you’re sitting across from Max, listening to her unpack her cynicism one layer at a time. She nails the millennial angst, the trans panic, the internalized mess we carry, all while dropping lines that sting because they’re true.

This is not a book that tries to fix its characters. It doesn’t offer closure. Instead, it offers something more honest: reflection, discomfort, and a little bit of clarity wrapped in sharp prose. I finished it knowing I wanted to read whatever Dinan writes next. There’s something about their command of character, voice, and emotional timing that left me craving more.

I recommend Disappoint Me to readers who crave contemporary fiction that’s smart, voice-driven, and unafraid to sit with emotional contradictions. If you love stories that are more about being than becoming, that observe people rather than resolve them, this one is for you. Just don’t come in looking for a love story. Come for the ache, the honesty, and the kind of storytelling that lingers after the last page.

Thank you #netgalley @netgalley for this copy of #disappointme by #nicoladinan

A tender gut punch wrapped in fragile masculinity and more shit than I signed up for. . . For real.

We’ve got:
⚠️ Trans trauma
⚠️ Weaponized guilt
⚠️ “I’m not gay!!!” meltdowns
⚠️ illness, metaphorical and literal
⚠️ Unnecessary, graphic shitting (Vincent, are you okay???)

Max is a beautiful, thoughtful, poetic trans woman who deserves the moon and instead gets Vincent, a cis man who thinks introspection is just sulking while pooping. He’s a walking red flag with constant vomit of the mouth micro aggressions against trans people.

By the halfway point I was BEGGING Max to leave this man stat.

It’s slow to start, but then it spirals into regret, confrontation, and poetic ambiguity.

Kinda spoilery but not really:
I wish we got an Alex POV after it all went down. 🥺

#transrightsarehumanrights #lgbtqiaplus

I was immediately drawn into the narrative and how strong the voice of each POV was. It was easy to visualize scenes as if it was being played out in a movie. There was a lot wrapped up in this book, and I liked how the author got into the minds/feelings of each character while also keeping a lot of the dialogue lighter or snarky so the topics didn't feel as heavy as they were. Typically, I'm more of a plot-driven reader, but I appreciate the character development and this author's style of writing. I'm putting her debut on my TBR.

This book was amazing! It took a bit to get into but once the story sunk its teeth into you it was hard to let go and stop reading. The characters are messy and complex, unlikable but also loveable.

This book tackles profoundly important and timely themes around gender identity, intimacy, and the complexity of the transgender experience. The writing is emotionally heavy as the MC, Max, journeys through numerous major life experiences. Ultimately, for me, the pacing lagged in spots and the heavy atmosphere made it difficult for me to engage for long periods.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House, and The Dial Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the different POVs in the book. I am glad that this was a slow paced book or so it felt, because it gave me more of a chance to understand all the emotions going through everyone. The vulnerability to allow others to truly know how we feel and what we think doesn’t come easy. But Max and Vincent do the best to respect and love each other, despite the tough events that happened in the past. I paired the audiobook with the ebook and of course it was an amazing experience. I definitely recommend you listen to it.

This novel was... a journey. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, though I'll say it took me forever and a day to actually find myself in the characters and the progression of the plot. Genuinely, I was over 50% done with the book by the time things achieved a level of interesting to keep me engaged. Overall I enjoyed it, and loved getting to follow along with Max's story. The time jumps were a fun intermission to the linear plot, but I don't think Vincent's entire story was necessary. A single timejump to describe what happened with Alex would've been enough. I did enjoy the insight that the novel gives, and the takeaway which was, for me: people can change. Even if the plot fell a little short in terms of movement (or plot events at all), I the writing and prose was absolutely phenomenal. The ending, however, was lackluster. An enjoyable read, but not something I would recommend to anyone who isn't a die-hard litfic fan.

This was so so good!

Disappoint Me is about Max, a trans woman who decides to start dating again after a fall down the stairs that makes her question how she is living her life. Then, Max meets Vincent and they hit it off. But when Max goes through a health scare and an incident in Vincent’s past comes up again, Max has to figure out what love and forgiveness really mean.

This novel explores family, relationships, and what it means to be a trans woman, even in an environment of acceptance. Disappoint Me delves into Max’s feelings about starting a family and meeting the parents of her boyfriend as a trans woman. It also explores the people in Max’s life that have let her down in one way or another and what it means to forgive and move forward, especially when things are extremely complicated.

The writing has a dry humor that I adored. I laughed out loud multiple times. I loved Max and her friends and the reality of how friendships evolve as we grow older. I also loved how complex Max’s family was but how you could tell that even though everyone was really messy, they were really just doing their best.

I loved this and I recommend it highly!!

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC to read and review.

Tropes/Themes: Self-Reflection and Self- Acceptance, Gender Identity, Friendship

CW: Transphobia, Alcoholism, Racism, Abortion, Health Issues

I will start by saying I was scared to read this because it is WHOLEY outside my usual genre's, but I really enjoyed the story. It was gritty and relatable, and I enjoyed the growth of the characters throughout the book.

I enjoyed reading the family dynamics and how complex they were. The scene with Max and her dad was heartwarming. I also liked the discussion of the expectation for women to have children, and how a lot of times we are removed from the conversation. That came up a few times, and it is an important point because some people just assume everyone wants a kid at some point in their life or ask questions that aren't any of their business.

I really did not like Vincent's friend but I did enjoy the dual timeline POV with him reflecting on his behavior in the past.

I did the audio of the book and I highly recommend. If you enjoy stories of self exploration and the complexities of relationships I would suggest this one.

This was biting, funny, and unexpectedly tender!!! A love story wrapped in cynicism and self-protection. It captures the messy in-between of wanting connection but fearing the cost of vulnerability. Sharp with its humor, but soft where it counts. I LOVED IT.

This was a big reflection of not only romantic relationships but familial ones. How we are always almost performing what is expected of us from our loved ones. It was beautifully written and there was some traumatic reveals that made the characters more real and complex. It was a little slow but emotionally touching.

This book was gorgeous and emotional. The main character, Max, is sharp, funny, snarky, sarcastic, and insecure, yet never irritating. She felt immediately familiar, like the kind of friend I’d love to have in my life. I also fell hard and fast for Vincent. The relationship navigation in this book, the anxieties around the future, the desires, and the insecurities, felt painfully relatable. Without giving anything away, the rollercoaster of feelings made me fully invested not just in Max and Vincent, but also in Alex and Simone. The conversations around wanting children, especially, not just whether you want them, but whether you would want them if life’s barriers didn’t make it a painful, complicated decision. This is the kind of book I wish I could read again for the first time. I’m begging you to pick it up, not just because of the moving story but because I believe this book could shift perspectives and fuel empathy.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Dial Press for access to this book.

Max is celebrating New Years, trying to figure out where she fits in her life. A quick fall down the stairs and ER trip later, she's thrown into the new year in a way she did not expect. Then, Vincent shows up. Is he the solution to all of her problems? Some of them? Go along on the adventure with her.

I really enjoyed this book! This new to me author wrote a dual timeline and dual POV book with ease and expertise, and really tied the multiple streams together flawlessly. I really cared about Max and Vincent, and cheered for them the whole way, despite their obvious flaws. This book does not have a clear cut ending, and that just left me hanging in a way I didn't enjoy. Definitely suggest for people who enjoy more lit-fic romance type books, fans of LGBTQIA+ books, and those that enjoy a multi-POV book.

Thank you to the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Really enjoyed this book. A complicated but touching read. Maxine’s point of view chapters read so beautifully. The stream of consciousness just worked well. Vincent on the other hand…ugh. The man needs to grow up.

Such good writing! DISAPPOINT ME is a book for people who enjoy rereading lines - there were so many times I found myself stopping, just to appreciate Nicola Dinan's writing.

I also really felt for the main character, Max, who's got "a lifetime of dysphoria and irritating exes rattling around in her head." She's a British-Chinese trans woman and lawyer working for a tech company where she impersonates AI (they claim to have AI that can review contracts, but don't, so she is "the robot"). Her story takes place in 2023, where she's met someone new.

And then there's also a timeline set in 2012, focused on Max's love interest's past.

I'd have followed Max anywhere. This is a thoughtful book about relationships (romantic and familial), identity, and forgiveness.

I read a lot of this one on my e-reader while listening to it. Mei Mei MacLeod and Martin Sarreal both felt appropriate for the story.

Beautiful writing. Diverse characters. Looking forward to reading more from this author.
Max, our main protagoist, is a 30-something trans woman who works as a lawyer in a tech firm in the UK, a job that pays extremely well but that she finds ludicrous. Max meets Vincent, the son of Chinese immigrants, who is also a lawyer. It appears Max and Vincent have a strong heteronormative relationship when Vincent's complicated past with another trans woman resurfaces and brings Max's feelings towards him into question. Questions about whether people grow and learn from their past mistakes, questions of whether they can be forgiven for the baggage they carry into new relationships, after all, don't we all have baggage. These characters are messy but I found them endearing and there is no definite conclusion so if you require your books to have neat tied up loose ends, this will not be for you, but I absolutely loved it.

With thanks to Netgalley for the book arc in exchange for an honest review.

Max, a transgender woman, is having a tough year already having fallen down the stairs at a New Year’s party. Surrounded by discourse of traditions of marriage and children Max isn’t sure where she fits.

When Max meets Vincent she grapples with these questions. As they grow closer we are introduced to his past via his point of view. When the past meets present Max is faced with a choice…

Beautifully written similar to the writing of Hello, Beautiful and Tom Lake. Gripping narrative, characters are complex and likable. A unique mixture of existential crisis with complex themes of cultural parental appeasement and navigating relationships as a transgender woman. Poignant and humorous; Nicola highlights universal experiences while also delving into the specific, nuanced point of view of each character. Highly recommend.