i have never hated every character in a book - congrats to this book for being the first lol. i can take unlikeable characters, matter of fact, i love unlikeable characters. but usually unlikeable characters have some redeeming quality. the three main characters in this book babes? absolutely none. they were all insecure, whiny, and just unbearable to read about. the pacing was agonizingly slow and to pair that with three terrible characters? lol okay.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC copy of How to Fall Out of Love Madly, author, and publisher.

It was a DNF for me
I can see this can be a relatable story, just not a fun read for me. Portrays women as insecure and annoying. Some decent writing specially at describing/expressing emotions.

a refreshingly honest and humorous exploration of love and self-discovery. Its sharp, witty prose and relatable characters make it a standout read that balances heartfelt moments with clever insights. It’s a delightful journey through the complexities of the heart that’s both entertaining and thought-provoking.

I think Jana Casale had the right idea when writing this book, but definitely did not execute it well.
The problems that the characters were all valid and relatable. But to center so much of the book on these very small parts of women's lives was exhausting. As a fat person, I could not get through all the self hatred and low self worth.

i bought this book for myself after not downloading it in time on netgalley. i realized i could still submit feedback so here i am!

i enjoyed this lit fic and i could connect with the women's different POVs all in different ways. women in general tend to be extremely hard on ourselves and our appearance and it ends up affecting every part of our life.

i think if you enjoy lit fic reads with not much plot, but a lot of inner monologue from characters then you will like this one! solid 3.5 stars from me!

love love love, so well written, and infuriating. cuts so close to the cloth, and shows the back end of female love and female companionship. I loved the dueling narratives, as well as the complicity of the male partners.

men sucks, girls rule (okay sometimes girls suck too but usually they’re going though something)

Thank you net galley for a copy of this book! This book was told from the point of view of three women with three different body types and are all unhappy with their body image and life. This isn’t really a plot to this book or any deep meaning that comes out of this story. I didn’t like the characters, nor could I relate to them and I just didn’t feel like there was any real growth to them by the time the book ended.

I felt so called out with this book lol! I’m now 30 & I related so much. The insecurities and faults these women had were so close to home! I enjoyed this I did struggle to get through this book but enjoyed it a lot.

I was initially drawn to this one because of the gorgeous cover, but I ended up really enjoying the story, too! I love character-driven litfic about flawed, messy, often unlikeable female characters, and that's exactly what I got from HOW TO FALL OUT OF LOVE MADLY. I often found Joy, Annie, and Celine frustrating to read about—it was a little sad to see how they tended to reduce their experience of womanhood to worrying about their bodies and getting validation from men—however, I still enjoyed following their journeys, and think that so many readers will be able to find bits and pieces of people they know and maybe even themselves reflected in these characters. Jana Casale does a fantastic job of developing them and their complexities, making them feel all the more real. The writing style of the book was also a definite highlight for me—it was so engaging and readable, and made me even more excited to see what Casale writes next! I'd definitely recommend this for fans of Dolly Alderton, Sally Rooney (honestly, I personally preferred this book to what I've read from Rooney), and the TV show Girls. Thank you to NetGalley, Random House, and Dial Press for the ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for this copy of How to Fall Out of Love Madly.

I gave this book 3.5 stars that I rounded up to 4 stars. I had a difficult time getting started with it because I really disliked Joy and Annie. I almost wasn't going to keep reading it but I'm glad I did. The characters ended up growing on me and I felt like I could relate to a lot of the situations that were brought up in the book. I feel like this is a great read for women because it talks about so many things that we go through everyday. I really enjoyed the ending because it left me feeling hopeful for these characters.

This review will be cross posted on my social media accounts.

I sadly DNF’ed this one - just too hard for me to get into, and I found Annie in particular very unlikeable but not interesting enough to want to read about. Some good themes about young women, maybe I’ll pick it up again at some point! Thank you for sending over a copy.

dnf. even from the first 50 pages, i knew i wouldn't like this. all the female narrators are insufferable, and it honestly wasn't funny. don't need to waste my time on this.

This was a pretty good book. For some reason, I expected it to be a romance, but it was more about three different individuals in their early 30s, and each person's inner monologue. At first, I thought I could really relate to some of their thoughts. As the book went on, I started to really dislike Joy. She was kind of... pathetic. I still found her storyline somewhat interesting. I got pretty invested in the story, though I felt it was a little too long and I wish there had been more action in Joy's life. It was well-written enough to keep me reading, and it was even riveting at times. Each character was distinct and had a believable personality and story. To be honest, I'm not sure I'd recommend it, but I enjoyed it for what it is. I think the author is very talented, and I'd read more from her.

How to Fall Madly Out of Love by Jana Casale delves into the intricacies of modern relationships through the intertwined lives of Joy, Annie, and Celine. Casale's perceptive narrative skillfully dissects the compromises women make in the name of love, navigating themes of self-discovery, empowerment, and the elusive quest for validation. With its mordant wit and poignant exploration of female bonds, this novel offers a compelling reflection on the complexities of love and the journey to reclaiming one's agency.

My thoughts:
I quite liked this book. The whole idea behind it was just so intriguing. I could relate to all three of those women at different times in my life. But here's the thing, I do wished the whole story was told from a first-person perspective all the way through. It just made it more captivating. Still, I did appreciated what the author was aiming for, and overall, I really enjoyed diving into this read.

All for unlikeable characters, however three in this book... not for me.

The main (huge) turn off(s) for me, is that this whole book was about women hating their body, always thinking about men, or hating other women.

What ever happened to having a human experience? What happened to not always being a total b*tch? What happened to supporting other women? What about allllll the other things in life that doesn't revolve around men?

In this book, the women only have those three things, and to me it was really hard to read. Not only was that not relatable (sure at times I don't like how my body looks, it's called bloating), sure sometimes I think about men (uh hello my handsome fiancé), and I ENVY other women, but that is not my entire existence on this planet.

The book has the same three perspectives, but they are all the same (victim of the patriarchy).

I really wish this was more relatable for millennial women (which is what the book is based on...).

Thank you netgalley and publisher for my E-ARC (is it an ARC if it is already out? I don't know what else to call it but you get the point) in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a must-read for millennials! It follows Joy, Annie, and Celine as they navigate city life, careers, and relationships. With relatable and entertaining scenes, it delves into the struggles of dating and career goals. Despite some frustrating moments, it's well-written and unforgettable.

Any story that has to deal with friends is generally a must read for me. How To Fall Out of Love is a great example of this. The connections and relationships are heartfelt and completely realistic. I fell in love with all of these characters but really connected to Annie. Each characters inner thoughts made me feel as though they could be friends that I’ve known forever. The wit and sarcasm were very funny and made reading this book a complete treat.

I really enjoyed this one! I loved getting the perspectives of all the women in the story, and found each of them relatable in their own way. Casale captured so much of what it means to be a woman navigating life through work, romance, and friendship. I would recommend this title to my peers - it probably resonates best with women in their twenties and thirties.

Such an interesting story! I loved the writing and characters. I had heard lots about it and I'm so glad I got a copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Jana Casale!

I think this book would be a good recommendation for fans of Dolly Alderton and Sally Rooney.

This very much felt like a story about what it means to be a woman: a woman in love, a woman at work, a woman at home. I thought there were some incredible scenes (when Joy finally gets her own place and becomes excited by the idea of solitude). This book definitely focused on themes of womanhood. I liked many of the moments that touched on female friendships, women caretaking in relationships, and women having complicated relationships with their own self-image and body positivity.