This book has fully convinced me to be a Nicola Dinan fan. It feels like languishing in the summer heat by the pool while also asking some really deep questions about life and love. Are you the same person you were 10 years ago? What can you forgive? It had me hooked, & I can’t wait to see what Dinan writes next

Disappoint Me is a rare gem in the literary romance space—smart, tender, and refreshingly honest. At its core is Max, a trans woman, reluctant lawyer, and one-time poet who’s still figuring out how to live fully in her own skin.

Enter Vincent: a corporate lawyer with a charming exterior and a complicated past he’s not quite ready to unpack.

What makes this novel stand out isn’t just its beautifully drawn queer characters (though that alone would be reason enough to read it). It’s the way it captures the universal anxieties around love, identity, and forgiveness, without ever losing its sharp wit or emotional precision. Max’s internal monologue is wry, vulnerable, and painfully relatable, especially as she second-guesses whether she can truly be loved or if she’s just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Meanwhile, the dynamics with friends and exes add texture that feels delightfully messy and real.

While Disappoint Me doesn’t shy away from heavy themes like grief, queerness, and the ghosts of our past, it does so with a deft, literary hand—and just enough humor to keep things buoyant. It’s not a fairy tale romance, but it is something rarer: a story about imperfect people trying to make something meaningful out of the mess. And honestly? That’s the kind of story that stays with you.

Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan is a heartfelt novel filled with fully fleshed out characters and deep empathy. If you’re looking for a book this summer that is centered around relationships without feeling overly formulaic, but resembles real life, be sure to pick it up.

Max and Vincent meet at a time when Max is feeling less than inspired by life. Her soul-sucking job and a New Year’s Eve injury are not helping the situation so when Vincent shows up, Max welcomes the change and before she knows it she’s falling for him. As things become more serious between Max and Vincent, a major mistake from Vincent’s past comes to haunt him and has the potential to drive Max away. Max is forced to try to reconcile her feelings for Vincent and her identity as a trans person, after learning about his past.

The story flashes back and forth between the past and present, told from dual perspectives. Sometimes I feel like this format can cheapen the experience, but due to Dinan’s excellent writing it ended up adding to the authenticity and tenderness within the storyline. It helped create understanding and empathy for Vincent once his mistake is revealed rather than having the reader simply write him off as a jerk.

The build of the relationship between Max and Vincent felt real. I would not say that Dinan And Sally Rooney have similar writing styles, but the level of intimacy between the two main characters, I could liken to a Rooney-esque relationship — but make it queer. Dinan shapes what makes each character human, perfectly. They are flawed and not always likable, but always relatable. I thoroughly enjoyed being in their heads and understanding their motivations.

Nothing like a funny and witty and slightly depressing literary fiction to remind me that to be a woman is to forgive and suffer and fantasize / harp on domesticity at all times 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

I thought this was incredibly well done and the characters were really intriguing to read about. Def going to check out her first book, Bellies!!! Thank u to the author and publisher for the advanced reader copy, this was such a good read 😛😍😇🤭

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. The cover of this book grabbed me immediately, but unfortunately, I think the cover was ultimately more interesting than the story. Nicola Dinan writes beautifully, but the characters all fell a bit flat for me. The book is very readable, and I appreciated the dual POVs, but I wasn't particularly invested in any of the characters and I’m not entirely sure why. I also did not care for the ending. It didn’t need to be a poem. That felt like trying a little too hard to be literary and Dinan’s writing is strong enough on its own that she didn’t need to resort to that.

I was charmed by Disappoint Me, much more so than Dinan's first book, Bellies. Max and Vincent are the two main characters. Max is a trans woman, a lawyer who analyzes contracts as an AI, and is in between boyfriends, bored by the queer London scene. She falls down some stairs on New Years Eve and decides that she's going to make the effort to date -- she will try heteronormativity.

She meets Vincent--a corporate lawyer. Both are biracial Chinese and white, and she is impressed by the fact he has mended his sock, which she notices when he takes off his shoes at her place. The narrative shifts to Vincent's perspective, from the year he took a gap year and spent it in Thailand with his best friend, Fred. There we learn his secrets, about his previous experience with a trans woman.

Max feels out of place with Vincent's friends--all in hetero relationships, but she also feels out of place with her own friends who are partnering off, having destination weddings that just seem pointless. And she is thirty and the questions of kids comes up over and over--but as a trans woman, is she entitled to want kids--does she? Her brother has gotten a girlfriend pregnant, and he doesn't react well, and then Vincent's father has a heart attack. So life is happening for these two, and when Max finds out what really happened with that other trans woman he was with, can she ever forgive him? Are any of us the same person that we were ten or twelve years ago?

Dinan's writing is beautiful and perceptive, and I loved this book! I loved the fact that Max was a lawyer who really wanted to be a writer (same!) and that it's about forgiveness on so many levels--related to family and friends--and how our relationships are what is really important in our lives. I loved the fact that Max is a trans character and the book had nothing to do with his transition--we don't learn about that process for Max at all, because it's not relevant to the story, even though Max's trans identity is very important. It's very character-driven, but there is a huge development for Max that is put in place at the very beginning, driving the book forward.

A tumble down the stairs convinces Max that it's time for a change: time for a stable relationship; time to settle down; time, perhaps, for a bit of heteronormativity. Enter Vincent.

On paper—and in person—Vincent seems like the perfect fit. Attractive, good job, good listener; he's Chinese enough to make Max's mother happy and unfazed by Max being trans. But behind all that there's something else: there's who Vincent was when he was younger, and the choices he made then. And these are neither things he wants Max to know about nor things he can hide forever.

"I decide not to say anything, buckling under the pressure to upgrade by palatability." (loc. 758*)

The book weaves back and forth between then and now: now, from Max's perspective, starting to build this new life with Vincent; and then, from Vincent's perspective, when Vincent is young and stupid and backpacking through Asia. In places I found the book slow going just because Max's side of things is so much easier to take—Max is no saint, but she has her head basically screwed on right, and she has (usually) a strong sense of right and wrong. Vincent was harder to handle; young-and-dumb-tourist is not one of my favourite character types (though it's in here for a reason), and I could feel the Bad coming well before I had a sense of what shape it would take.

Max—and by extension the reader—is asked, then, to decide: what transgressions can be forgiven, and by whom? That is: even if Max decides that she can look past the things Vincent did in his youth, what right does she have to forgive? How do they move forward? And (largely unasked, in the book) is there an element of atonement in Vincent's relationship with Max?

I love how messy things get, if not the things themselves—I don't like my characters squeaky-clean and perfect, because shades of grey make for more realistic and more interesting reading. It helps that Vincent's transgressions are not the worst of the book, but also that there are other characters (e.g., Simone) operating in shades of grey, or rather doing both good things and bad. Max does have to make decisions about the relationship, and what to do with it, as the book nears its end, and I had mixed feelings about the way things pan out. There are a limited number of ways the book could go there (the relationship could end; the relationship could continue; the book could end without the reader finding out what happens). I suspect that I was never going to be entirely satisfied with any of those options, which is actually a good thing in terms of the book—again, grey area. It'll be interesting to see where Dinan goes next.

Thanks to the author and publisher for inviting me to read a review copy through NetGalley.

*Quotes are from an ARC and may not be final.

Wow! What poignant read that encapsulates the queer experience of becoming comfortable in your identity in your late 20s. The author really nailed this book and through Max’s character we were able to explore and experience a story that’s so inherently queer and meaningful. Not only is this book about finding love and acceptance of love (both in friends and in partners) but also about how the experience of Trans people navigating love and partnership. I really felt so deeply for Max and her progression through the story just felt so genuine and real. This story also did such a good job of exploring grief and mortality.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. “Disappoint Me” will be published May 27, 2025.

[3.5 stars]

Max has decided to make the most of her thirties, beginning with finding someone who loves her for who she is. After years of figuring out who she is, Max is ready to live her life as her true self. Vincent could be her perfect match. He's a fellow lawyer; does not shy away when she reveals she's a trans woman; and openly loves those he surrounds himself with. However, he's hiding a dark secret that could drastically alter his relationship with Max. When this information comes to light while on a semi-romantic trip, Max second-guesses everything. Is Vincent as wonderful as he seems? Can she be with someone who has been hiding this secret? Not to mention, this comes amid a medical crisis. With everything taking such a quick turn, Max isn't so sure her thirties are going to be her best years yet.

I loved Bellies, so I was extra excited to have received this one. However, it didn't quite have the same impact as her debut novel. I was a little annoyed by Max, which was a bad foot to start off on. The writing is absolutely beautiful, however. Nicola Dinan truly has a gift, and I will continue to read anything she publishes. The story was absolutely heartbreaking, and I just wish I connected with the characters a bit more. This would be a fantastic novel for anyone who is still chasing the high of A Little Life! It may fill the void a little bit - lol. Overall, I would have no problem recommending this book to anyone looking for a queer book full of angst, heartbreak, and soul searching.

This was really good and feeds my mood for these types of books. Give me all of these books!! I love the cover and then the story just kept me intrigued the entire time.

!!! OUT MAY 27th !!!

thank you net galley, random house & nicola dunn for the arc!!!

* the satc Kristen Johnson scene reference was iconic hehe
* there were so many raw and vulnerable moments from both mcs in their pov’s that really made me feel connected to them and all those in their lives
* the real housewives mention also iconic & loved lol
* the trans representation is so important (especially with the current political climate) & i just deeply appreciated the commentary and insight that was given throughout max’s pov/ story
* max & her dad’s scene in last chapter was so tender and unexpectedly beautiful
* very multi-layered story with themes of forgiveness, love, growing and identity
* such stunning writing, i need to get my hands on a physical copy asap & also will be reading bellies immediately!!!

quotes:
“When you can’t turn the world to mush, make everything dissolve and stop making sense. When the mind can’t crowd itself, where is it left to wander?”
“our skin contact is feigned closeness through shared experience.”
“being loved is a good thing- it’s just hard for people like us to fully believe that someone will be there.”
“we all want to do better, but what does better even mean?”
“there are a million ways in which i’m not the same person that i was ten years ago, and a million ways in which i’m the same.”

Once again, Nicola Dinan has written a thought-provoking literary novel that doesn't shy away from exploring complicated issues, particularly around trans experiences.

Disappoint Me follows the relationship of Max, a trans woman, and Vincent. There's a secondary storyline from Vincent's point of view set ten years prior, and over time you see how the storylines fit together as Vincent's past threatens his future with Max.

Although there is a romance, there's also a lot of time spent on Max's relationships with friends and family, and as you'd expect, they're also complicated and nuanced. This is literary fiction, which might mean it's not your cup of tea, and that's okay - I do feel like I need to go read something fast paced and silly now as a palate cleanser. But I found myself highlighting a lot and think there's SO much here that you could easily discuss with a book club. I really enjoyed her debut, Bellies, and look forward to continuing to read her work.

Disappoint Me is literary romance at its best. The story centers Max, a trans woman, a poet, and a reluctant lawyer who has had no luck in her love life, and Vincent, a corporate lawyer with a secret he’s been sitting on for years and which threatens to topple their developing relationship. The story is told in alternating timelines, Max in the present day as she struggles with family problems and how to manage her new relationship, and Vincent years before on a trip, where we learn of the past he desperately wants to keep hidden from Max. Through the discovery of Vincent’s secret, Disappoint Me begs the question what happens when someone no longer live ups to our perfect ideal of them? How do we forgive each other’s pasts? And that is what makes it so successful as a literary romance, because Max and Vincent emerge as complex individuals that feel real in their faults and their triumphs, and their relationship offers an exploration of their characters as individuals, but also as a pair in ways that left me thinking about this book for long after I had finished it.

Relationships are a struggle for everyone - or you're not being honest.

Disappoint Me is a book about relationships - with ourselves, with others. Max is a woman who recently split up with her boyfriend. Simone, her best friend, never really like the ex. Max doesn't really like Simone's girlfriend. That's how it is sometimes.

When Max meets Vincent, it's not like she suddenly knows he's the one. They are very compatible. He with his Chinese parents and corporate law career. She with her sort-of Chinese mother and tech firm law job. Max is also a one-time published poet. Vincent is very kind. He seems to truly dote on Max. Their relationship feels very traditional and quite nice. Max, though, is constantly wondering when the other shoe is going to drop. It's not a traditional relationship, because Max is trans. Vincent knows this, but it clearly does not bother him at all. So why is it plaguing Max so?

This is a really lovely book about the inner conflicts we all face daily. Regardless of your gender identity, it is hard to be fully accepting of who you are and sometimes of the love given to us. Seeing Max and Vincent reflect on past choices, and seek not only others, but their own forgiveness, is a lesson for everyone.

While this book definitely is not for everyone, due to it's themes of queerness and violence, it's actually a book that is so touching and thought provoking.

This review will be posted on BookwormishMe.com today.

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Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan tells the story of Max, a trans woman who has an unexpected fall at a New Year’s Eve party resulting in the realization that she wants to connect with others. After coming out of a two year relationship, Max wasn’t ready to let anyone in but after her fall, she started dating again and soon enters into a relationship with Vincent, a cis man. Much of the novel is about that relationship and its layers of complications as well as Max’s friendship with Simone, her oldest friend.

I enjoyed that the novel is told in Max’s voice but also alternates with Vincent’s past and comes together in an unexpected manner. The story is engaging and the characters are well-developed. This was my first read of this author and I will definitely be reading more from her.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and The Dial Press for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Honestly it was a whole lot of nothing. It took me most of book to realize Max was female. might have been due to speed reading. I lost interest pretty quick due to it being set in London. It just wasn't for me but it might be for you.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC

I loved Max. I would have loved a more in-depth character study of her. I wanted to know everything about her. This messy, lit fic romance was so good. The dialogue, the flashbacks of Vincent's summer of regret, the complicated friend groups. The dichotomy of Vincent's past mistakes paired next to Max's best friend's PR nightmare. It was so interesting that Max could forgive her best friend for verbally assaulting young women but didn't want to forgive (if forgiveness was even hers to give, as she acknowledges) Vincent's mistakes when he was young. I relate to Max's dad, that people change and Vincent seems to have changed for the better. And that it's ok for her to forgive him, it doesn't make her weak.
The friend groups were my favorite because they are all crazy! Vincent's friends are rich and need to touch grass. Max's friends, seem to have better intentions but not any better.

I thought this was a really realistic look at relationships and how things come up that we have to grapple with. Max had to grapple with some really heinous things that Vincent and his friend had done and reconcile that with how kindly he had treated her.

“I don’t know if it’s hurt more to see him with a cos woman or another trans woman. Either would make me feel like I wasn’t enough, maybe because the brain searches for the reasons it wants, caught in a strange loop of self-reinforcement.”
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“It’s a terrible feeling, being outside of a life you shouldn’t have to justify your claim to.”
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“This is also the world where people, often women, are doomed to spend most of their lives forgiving errors of others and suffering for the sake of other people’s growth.”
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Disappoint me follows the POVS of two characters over different time periods. First is Max, a 31 year old transgender woman who is entering in a new relationship. Second is Vincent, who Max is entering in to a new relationship with, only his life 10 years prior to meeting Max. I think the dual POV was very interesting to get insight to each of the characters, both also having Chinese backgrounds.
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This book explores romantic partnership between men and trans women, platonic relationships, family trauma, and the journey of forgiveness. First and foremost, this is a book of forgiveness, can we forgive people’s worst moments? Can we forgive people’s worst versions of themselves that do not accurately portray their best versions? Can we forgive a mistake someone made in the past? Do we even have the right to be forgiving someone for harm they may have done to someone else? Or forgetting?
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Disappoint me is all the ways we disappoint each other. Even down to seeing your best friend act like a bitch at work, thats like really bad? Even almost hooking up with a guy who admitted he just cheated on his girlfriend and that’s why they broke up, yikes! But he’s so hot though and giving me attention. People are walking mistake makers, it’s hard to find one perfect person out there, so coming to terms with flaws and mistakes of those we love is part of personhood.
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“It’s hard to digest these uncomfortable collisions with the past, to not take them as evidence that we haven’t change munched at all, those extra layers are just onion skin. Translucent, immaterial.”

Publishing May 27

With dual timelines and perspectives, we are led into the lives and minds of Max and Vincent.

I could feel that Vincent's unknown past was going to be critical to the person he was with Max in the present, but I really didn't expect it to have been so painful and resounding.

I really enjoyed this one, there are some incredibly frank and poignant passages about a woman's life experiences that feel applicable to anyone who identifies as female.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.