*Thank you to Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review*
The synopsis for this book was great and I really thought it was a nice change from the other genres I’ve been reading. Because it takes place in a country that is foreign to me, I had a hard time with some of the figures of speech and vocabulary. The main characters are three best friends but if I had a best friend like either one of them I’d find a new one. All three ladies were snippy towards each other and didn’t seem very supportive. The way they talked to each other and about each other was a turn off towards the characters and the type of book I thought I was reading based on the synopsis. There was far too many references to “dips”. I think it was supposed to be funny but that joke must have slipped past me and I found it silly.
I did think the format of the chapters was enjoyable with one of the characters point of view alternating chapters. I also enjoyed the journalist asking questions and someone answering at the end of the chapter that might make the reader want to push on to find out what lies in store for this group next.
I see that many people enjoyed the book and found it funny based on other reviews but I wouldn’t recommend it to others as I didn’t find it funny or enjoyable at all :(

A fun look at how one person- just one- can shake up the lives of six others. Simon was not a part of the couples who hold dinner parties with one another but now he's there, a solo diner, and everyone has to pose a bit. It's funny and entertaining. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Oh my, what a hoot this book was!!

I have to say, I absolutely LOVED Chris! The second he turned up wanting dips, my heart was stolen. If the biggest problem he has in life is whether there will be dips at a dinner party, then I am in. He was just sweet and a lot of the time naive, but he completely stole my heart and I loved him for it. Whenever he was about, he made me laugh so much! He just wanted to be a lad, with mushy peas and dips! I like Duncan too, well felt more sorry for him really and Tony, well he wasn't always the nicest of blokes, a bit pompous.

Beth, too, I liked her but she was way too harsh on herself, but then aren't most of us? Marie, god she riled me and Sarah, I would have loved to have been there for her.

The chaos of this book was because of one man, Simon! I have no idea how so much rife and chaos could be caused by a single heartbreak, but his did!

A complete misfit of friends but it worked for the story, and you know as well it happens every day. There is always one person who goes as it's obligatory, not because they like any of the other people, and it's always because it's the women who are friends.

I just adored this book, and I loved some of the ending, and appreciated another bit, despite it being sad. I even let the mini-me listen to the book, ignoring the swearing, she enjoyed it and was sad she didn't get a chance to listen to the end. I will let her know what happens.

I have a few more of Tracy's books on my TBR and I am excited to read them. This book is the tonic I needed and I would have devoured the audiobook quicker if I was able to. The narrator was spot on and the comedic timing was amplified with her.

Everything worked for me, a winner-winner chicken dinne

I tried reading this book a couple of times and couldn’t get into it and have finally got back around to trying again. The story is based around three couples who have a dinner club going. Beth and Chris, Sarah and Tony and finally Duncan and Marie. The three couple take it in turns to host a dinner party but when Chris decides to invite a friend Simon who is newly separated to one of their dinner parties things start to get interesting.


The overall story and writing was easy to read and flowed well. Each chapter and character revealing more and more about them all as individuals as well as couples. There were some funny moments but generally this was just a book that was okay in my opinion. Some of the characters just really irritated me and I couldn’t get my head around not liking them which made it hard to have an opinion about what happened to them. Not a terrible book but not amazing either!

Great read! Looking forward to reading more from this author! I highly recommend this book and author to all!

I liked this book although it wasn’t quite like the other books I have read by Tracy.

Reading about a group of friends who hold dinner parties for each other sounds like a great way to have a catch up until someone extra turns up and events take a bit of a twist. All the guests are married yet here is a stranger to most of the group who turns up having just split up with his wife….awkward!

There is a relatable couple for everyone whether you are that couple (or your other half is that person) or you know that couple in your circle. It was funny Tracy’s books always are although the format was a little different. It told each chapter from the different couples side and had a journalist interview at the end of it which is part of the story but the questions asked made you start thinking about what was to come next.

The fact that chapters were written from a different couple each time didn’t take away from the story and it was still easy to read. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and it wasn’t predictable which I liked as I wasn’t sure how it would all turn out.

As always a fab read from Tracy, her books never disappoint.

Oh dear I had high expectations for this book, especially with a tag line of laugh out loud comedy. While I finished the book because it was easy reading it was in no way funny, in fact it was quite repetitive in places. I have liked Tracy's other books but this one was not the best.

Beth, Sarah, and Marie and their husbands meet each month for a dinner party at one of their homes. They are all very different. but have been friends forever and accept each other's different little ways. Then out of the blue Chris invites a new person to a dinner party,  newly single friend Simon, and everything is sent into disarray!

The chapters are split into characters, then at the end of each one is a short interview with a journalist. The reason for this doesn't become clear until  much further into the book (and I am not going to stop you from guessing!)

I must admit I had trouble remembering who was married to who, and a fair bit of back pedalling was needed until I had them all neatly arranged in my pickled brain.  The reason for this was that although they were all acquainted through friendship or marriage, they didn't necessarily seem to like each other!

There was much talk in the novel about dips, Chris in particular, loved a dip. I do too but although they are delicious I'm not really that bothered as long as it makes a carrot stick more appetising!

I found the humour a little dark. It wasn't 'laugh out loud until your sides ached' sort of funny but in true Tracy Bloom style it was beautifully written with relatable but equally quirky characters and a mouthwatering recipe for spinach and artichoke dip right at the end (which was a nice touch!)

I'm a big fan of Tracey Bloom's 'No-One Ever...' series, as well as her standalone books. Her writing is always so hilariously addictive and exactly what I need sometimes, so I couldn't wait to read Dinner Party. Written in the same style as Tracy's much-loved series, this novel focuses on a group of forty-something friends - Sarah, Marie and Beth - who take it in turns to host dinner parties in their respective homes.

The chapters alternate between characters in this novel, which makes it all the more intriguing. Plus, there's a journalist questioning them about the party, hinting that something rather unexpected has gone down...
The monthly dinner parties are going swimmingly - that is, until another guest turns up. A guest that quickly changes everything...

Admittedly, at first I thought that some of the characters were quite stereotypical, but I quickly warmed to them. Tracy Bloom has a way of making her characters relatable and realistic. Reading this novel, I did question 'why are they friends?' but let's face it, we've all had friends like this; friends you've drifted apart from over the years, or who have partners you're forced to endure. I loved how realistic this portrayal was, and how ultimately, how the friendship between Sarah, Beth and Marie was ultimately tested. This is a fantastically funny, light-hearted read that I thoroughly enjoyed, and can't wait to read more from Tracy Bloom.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Another fun filled romantic comedy which centres round three couples who have been long term friends. Suddenly a stranger is added to the mix and chaos ensues. This is a fast paced perfect for the beach read.

An easy reading non offensive book, mildly amusing and interesting characters (some likeable some not!) I wouldn’t say it was my fav book but it had a story and was a relaxing read!

Meet the leading trio – Beth, Sarah, and Marie. They’ve been friends since high school. Now, in their late forties, they’re still friends and make it a point to dine at each other’s house with their husbands Chris, Tony, and Duncan. Things get complicated when a young man named Simon is invited to one of their parties by an oblivious Chris. The woman all fawn over him, and to their pleasure, Simon’s wife had just left him for their neighbor. The husbands do not like the development between Simon and their wives, who all trying petulantly to help him cope with his grief. The sharp turn in their lives post-Simon is portrayed in a witty and humorous manner, with a thrilling end.

Frankly, it took me quite a while to get used to the tone of the novel. There were so many characters introduced at once; the narrative seemed a bit confusing. The characters were annoyingly stupid for their age, especially the ladies. I couldn’t gather whether the author intended for them to be that way, or if they were just that way. Speak of forty-year-olds seducing a twenty-something by showing cleavage in front of their husbands, and all other flirtatious attempts in a not-so-obvious way.

Another thing that bothered me a lot was how each of the characters treated each other. There was little to no compassion, no actual friendship, no reason why they’ve been doing their dinner parties for so long since none of them enjoyed it at all (except of Chris of course. He can never NOT enjoy food). And the way they took control of other people’s life, destroyed other’s marriages and said incredibly mean things about them – it was baffling. Are all adults this way? I don’t aspire to grow up anymore.

The ending was the only thing that makes me not two-star this book. It was interesting and unexpected, although a little too convenient. But I didn’t like how Marie and Candice were dismissed altogether from the epilogue.

I did not like any of the characters, nor did I laugh or cry at the moments that called for it. But somehow I was rather satisfied with the ending, considering it took me a while to reach there.
I haven’t read a book like this one, nor do I know who might enjoy this. Pick it up if you’re in for some humorous quirky characters and writing that tries in vain to be sarcastic.

P.S. HALF-STARS FOR THE DIP RECIPE!

Three couples take turns hosting a monthly dinner party. The three women have been close friends for a long time. Their husbands aren't as close. Unexpectedly there is an unattached male introduced into the group at one of the dinner parties by one of the husbands. The interactions at that dinner party and afterward for up to a year make up the story, the good and the bad.

The book bills itself as a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy. I didn't find it so funny. It seemed more of a dark kind of comedy to me. Overall, I give it 3 out of 5 stars. I liked it enough to read on to find out what happened to the characters, but not enough to seek out other books by the same author.

Dinner Party by Tracy Bloom was released September 26th, 2018 from Bookouture.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions herein are my own and freely given.

I really enjoyed this book, laugh out loud in places with good characters, I will definitely be reading more by this author

Dinner Party by Tracy Bloom was the perfect escape from my usual, dark thrillers or emotional reads. The story begins at a dinner party hosted by Chris and Beth. They are soon joined by their friends Duncan, Sarah, Tony and Marie. The 6 usually have dinner parties once every month. They also have a hosting rota for each of the couples. A tradition that they have maintained for years. However, for the first time, a stranger joins them. Simon was invited by Chris who then forgot to tell the others. He doesn’t really know him but he thought the dinner would cheer him up. Little did the group know that their lives were about to change. All it took was one surprise guest.

This ended up being quite a delightful read. There were four main dinners held and each one proved to be explosive. Secrets were revealed while boundaries were crossed. New relationships were formed while old ones had to be reexamined. All this happened over the aroma of a variety of foods. Dip kept being mentioned at the dinners and people were a bit crazy over different types of dip. I don’t know what Dip is but it sure does sound delicious.

I only had one niggle with this book. For whatever reason, Sarah, Marie, Tony and Duncan confused me for most part of the story. I kept forgetting who was married to who and who worked where. I don’t know why the 4 had me mixed up. I remember standing over the kitchen sink yesterday thinking about the book, not the story but trying to remind myself who the 4 were. Something I should have know given that I was actually 50% into the story but my mind simply refused to differentiate them until the final chapters. Now I know Sarah is married to Tony and Marie to Duncan. Not sure why mind just couldn’t remember that.

Dinner Party was a great read. Although, light and fun for the most part, it tackled different themes to do with marriage. In a way, it kinda made me think about relationships and what it really means to find ‘the one’. It also made me think about Dip. What exactly is it? I have tried to Google it but it doesn’t look that yummy like these characters made it out to be. Anyway, I digress. This was indeed an enjoyable read.

What a wonderfully different book. Love how the book flicked between the different dinner parties and you got to hear how each of the couples felt about the dinner parties and each other.

An unexpected guests ruins more than a dinner party but the lives of 3 other couples too. It was an okay read--I found several plot points a bit unbelievable and it wasn't all that funny.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Three couple's lives are turned upside down when an unplanned quest arrives at their dinner party.

I thought I might be in for a fun read when I found myself laughing on the very first page. And while there continued to be many laughable moments, there were also some serious times and in one instance, a tragedy. I don't know how Tracy Bloom managed to put this all together. The short chapters made the story move along quickly. I read this in one sitting and found it to be most enjoyable.

My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley.

I was a bit bummed reading this book, I thought it would going to have my LOL'ing but it didn't. I wasn't a fan of most of the characters (loved Beth & Chris) and the whole thing seemed pretty unrealistic to me. Just a lot of drama for a group of adults who I thought were supposed to be good friends. I found myself skimming a few chapters but I did want to see how it all ended so I finished it, glad I did because it ends in the future which I love when books tie it all together.

Dinner Party is a wow wow wow read for me that will have you laughing a plenty .
This is the first book I’ve read for a long while by Tracey Bloom and I’d forgotten how easy it is to finish a book by her, her writing style, her ability to make you laugh out loud and her ability to get a book based around six people and them all be totally different.
As the title suggests the book is based around a dinner party or parties as there are three couples which take turns once a month to hold a dinner party, this has been a thing they do for ages until the apple cart starts to be upset by someone inviting another person to the party who isn’t in a couple, has just split up from his wife and seems to be able to do nothing wrong. It is amusing to see the dimensions of the couples lives change and you get to see their hidden characters come forward for better or worse both in the males and females. This was a really good read that was devoured in less than a day.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.