This book was not for me. I went into this with the impression that this was a book featuring a story focused on modern dating (and it was? but also wasn’t). This book is not fun or light, it is heavy with strong themes of mental illness (including suicide ideation and attempt) and grief. Aside from the content I didn’t enjoy the style of writing. I didn’t care for all dialogue and thoughts being Italicized. I struggled with how the narrator presented the story and found the book to drag. I think my expectations were off going in and would only recommend this to folks who are looking for sad literary fiction.

*I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

I’m fine being an outlier here. And I’m sure there’s an audience for this book out there, I’m just definitely not part of it.

It’s just felt very lazy to me. I can’t even count the times that we had to explicitly be told things like “little did she know” and “but she was wrong” and “if she only knew what was coming”. Make me feel suspense in more subtle ways or don’t at all and let me feel surprised instead!

There was a cheesiness that I just could not get over, and it permeated almost every single page. It was really just too sickly sweet in ways that I can’t even really describe. Almost like those TikTokss where people talk about how cringy millenials can be except it was an entire book’s worth. Like friends and romance being described in the surfacey way of a made for TV romcom and not in ways that are truly, deeply relatable.

Not to mention how nauseating it was to watch a woman drive herself into oblivion over some absolutely horrid man who wouldn’t love her back.

And while I’m glad that mental illness and even suicidal ideation was brought into the story, in what was obviously a well-meant effort to make it normalized to a degree, it was done so in such an awkward and clunky way. In some ways completely inaccurate, too — like literally saying that the main character has OCD because she doesn’t like that her couch colors don’t match or having “unwanted waves in her hair”. Let me tell you, I wish my OCD was that simple.

Again, this obviously has a receptive audience, but it’s not for me.

Tough and depressing at times, but such a great story if you loved "Tell Me Lies"! Highly recommend.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW TO FOLLOW.

This was the story of Adelaide, a 25 year old in an extremely toxic relationship and a look in to mental health and relationships. *Trigger warning: suicidal ideations*
All I can ask the author is, um, have you met my ex-boyfriend from my 20s and created this male character based on him? The ghosting, lying, manipulating and gaslighting were traits I’ve learned too well, so woo- this was a tough read at times.
But I wish I had this book back then. To have another reminder that things can get better. That your best friends can be your soulmates. That you should be the most important person in your own life. Thank you so much to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Genevieve Wheeler for an early copy. Absolutely check it out when it’s released April 18!

Adelaide follows a period of time in the life of Abigail Williams, the before and after time of meeting Rory Hughes, a man who created a turning point in her life. The story is told in third person omniscient, which was a good choice for this story and really worked, especially with the asides.
It was gripping, a study of love and grief and caring. The characters felt real, their stories immediate, their flaws and challenged real and relatable.
I felt for Adelaide, for how much she gave and often how little she got in return. The portrait of a people pleaser, of someone who gives and gives and believes their worth lies in how much they give, was truly deftly delineated here.
I greatly appreciated the friendship between Adelaide and her best friend Eloise. The female friendships in this book were supportive and caring and that was meaningful.
I read it over a 48 hour span, so it definitely was engaging. There were difficult parts and situations Adelaide found herself in and they were sensitively handled by the author. This book touches on grief and loss and sense of self but it reminds us that there is always hope.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC. This is my honest review.

First and foremost I want to thank Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Adelaide is is your best friend. She is the woman who does so much for others; from parties, to balancing a social life and maintaining a job.

But she also gets taken advantage of. Especially when it comes to men.

I think what I loved about this novel was the fact that Adelaide was able to bounce back from all of the lows in her life, her love life to be exact.

You want to hug the main character, cry along with her… you want to tell her constantly that she is good enough and she has a purpose in this world.

I really enjoyed this novel and the character development. It just goes to show that you can surround yourself with so many amazing people who you do so much for, but your heart still wants to help that one person you know you couldn’t help.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. 40% of the way through I said “oh no” and related to Adelaide instantly. My world is very small, too, Adelaide. I really enjoyed this story. I love a flawed protagonist and messy (yet realistic) story. Is there a more frustrating man than Rory Hughes? I also saw the ending coming from early on and was delighted to be correct. Also, PLEASE MORE STORIES LIKE THIS WHERE WE NORMALIZE MENTAL HEALTH.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a beautiful love story. Nope.

This is a well drawn study of the challenges of mental health. Nope.

This is a well developed character study of female friendships. Not that either, although it gets a star for positive female support roles.

This was a hot mess. Yep.

This is a debut?!? How?! This book, and the MC Adelaide, captured my heart from the very beginning. Adelaide (and all of the characters) is written so realistically; she’s fun, she’s warm, she’s messy, she’s relatable, and she’s just like someone you’re probably friends with. I was rooting for her so, so hard throughout this book, even when I thought she was making terrible choices. I thought the back and forth between her and Rory was enticing (and at time, infuriating), and didn’t feel at all repetitive. I also enjoyed how Adelaide’s female friendships were such a big part of the story, and I loved what Madison, Celeste, and Eloise brought to the plot. This book is dark and sad at times, but then funny and sweet the next moment. Overall this was a fantastic book that I couldn’t put down, and I can’t wait for what Wheeler will write next.

I would give parts of this.book five stars (the accurate and heartbreaking depiction of mental illness, the well-written ending, etc) however I found the middle part of the book to just be a little too much in terms of Rory and Adelaide’s relationship.

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler was an absolute gut punch in the best way. The characters she created are so real and raw, I was immediately hooked. This book dives into a lot of heavy topics, so I'm glad I had access to content warnings. If you've ever been involved in a toxic relationship or friendship or been the friend outside trying to support, this book will resonate with you. This is a stunning debut and I can't wait to read what Genevieve writes next!

This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story. -500 Days of Summer

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler is a story about love...but not so much a love story.

This book gave me vibes along the lines of Normal People (it's even mentioned in the book), Sex and the City, and, in part, 500 Days of Summer, all of which I LOVE. So to say I love this story would be accurate. It is also accurate to say that this story is heavy, and deep, and realistic, and frustrating...and beautiful.

Adelaide is a 20 something American living and working in London. She is looking for love whilst also looking for herself. A traumatic high school relationship followed by a series of meaningless flings have left her in a vulnerable state. When she meets Englishman Rory she envisions a future with him. One of happiness and love and babies together. Rory on the other hand is emotionally unavailable. Hung up on past relationships and quite possibly more in love with the idea of Adelaide than the woman herself. It seems as if everyone around them can see the relationship for what it is. But what will it take for Adelaide to see it?

The writing style of this book is unique. While it may not be for everyone, it definitely worked for me. I am generally not big on third person but this book flowed so well. Thoughts, dialog, and narration all jumbled together made for a quick paced read.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Publishing April 18, 2023. 4.5 stars.

Adelaide is a woman in her mid-twenties, an American living in London who is successfully pursing her career in communications. She meets Rory on a dating app, feels like he’s a perfect match and falls hard for him. Unfortunately, he’s noncommittal and inconsistent toward her,

What follows is a painful story of obsession, grief, mental health crises, loosing oneself.. there’s a lot of really raw emotion and painful content - please look out for trigger warnings.

While parts of Adelaide were poignantly written, relatable or moving, I didn’t love this book. There was a lot going on, it’s quite dark, and there’s just so much that happens to her and by her. It’s honestly quite a painful read. The format of the book, for me, didn’t do the storyline any favours.

I think that if you are well aware of what this book is about, set your expectations accordingly, and still want to read it - you may find it a beautiful read in its rawness and exploration of a woman finding her way through darkness.

Overall, an interesting read but not one I would recommend widespread. I think some will really connect with and enjoy this one.

Thank you very much to the publisher and to NetGalley for access to an e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Who doesn't love a good character driven, UK based, novel?

Twenty-six-year-old Adelaide is finishing her Master's degree in London when she meets, and falls head over heels for, Rory. What ensues is a very one-sided relationship, one that she manages while maintaining her close friendships and making advances in her career. Eventually, everything comes to a head and the reader learns whether Adelaide is able to overcome her demons.

There were a few things I really liked about this book. I loved the healthy female friendships, and how they stayed consistent throughout. The setting felt very authentic, and I personally love reading books set in the UK. I also like how raw and unique Adelaide's character is. She made me furious, physically cringing at time, and I wanted to write her off as just a pathetic girl. But the truth is we have all been young, pathetic and misguided, and she was actually quite authentic in that way. While maybe not to that extent, it likely is a painful look in the mirror for many of us! I do think her behaviour would have been more believable if she was in her teens or early 20s.

This was such a character driven novel, yet I found Adelaide's character to be inconsistent at times. Every human contains multitudes, and can excel in some areas while struggling in others, but the lack of consistency kept taking me out of the story. There were many times when we were told she was a certain way (e.g., ambitious, cries easily) yet her behaviours up to that point didn't show it. While we got some chapters from Rory's perspective for backstory, I don't feel that he ever fully made sense either. The 'tragedy' did not work for me at all. I'll avoid spoilers, but a more realistic reason for his grief would have helped. I also had some trouble with how the dialogue was written, and the switch between limited and omniscient POV.

This is one of those books I really wish I could have been a part of the editing process for. Wheeler is a talented writer with a unique character, it just needed a little more to bring it all together. Overall, it's definitely one to read if you enjoy character driven, literary novels a la Sally Rooney. It is released April 18th, 2023 so look for it then!

There are many trigger warnings with this one, so be sure it is for you before reading.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Genevieve Wheeler for this ARC. It was a pleasure to read and offer feedback on.

this book DESTROYED me in the best way. the female friendship was my favorite and really warmed my heart. Rory literally has zero redeeming qualities and i wish it didn’t spend so much time on him.

I was really blown away by this book. The writing is so compelling I couldn't put it down. Rory is written so well, he's easy to fall in love with and toxic. Check all the trigger warnings, but I highly recommend.

💐 Adelaide - Genevieve Wheeler

4 ⭐️- A story about grief, love, friendship, finding yourself, and mental health struggles. Honestly, there’s something for everyone to identify with in this book. I was happy, sad, angry, annoyed, and excited all at different times through this story. Adelaide surprised me and I think she’ll surprise others too.

Adelaide is a 26 year old American girl, fresh out of graduate school, living in London. She meets the man of her dreams, finds job opportunities, and travels, but is that enough? When Rory, her man, is struck with tragedy, Adelaide does everything she can to hold him together, but is it worth losing herself? How do you keep yourself together when the ones you love are falling apart?

As a debut, this was really good and I did enjoy it. At times it read like a memoir of Adelaide and I felt I could really connect with her. Other times, I felt sad or angry for her. This is not your typical love story, it’s much deeper than that. It had an important message about finding yourself, the important of mental health, and is incredibly raw and honest about romantic relationships.

Thank you Netgalley, St Martin Press, and Macmillan Audio for the advanced reader copy and audiobook!

This was a very interesting story. It's sort of romance but not the traditional romance. The author addresses a lot - issues mainly dealing with mental health and some things were quite triggering. This was raw and real and relatable and deals with first love, complex relationships and so much more. This would make an excellent book club discussion book. Don't go into it expecting a traditional romance. This was a powerful story but I'm still unsure what I thought. I couldn't put it down but I was also screaming at it - it invoked a lot of emotions.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

I truly don’t get the hype surrounding this story. I hated the narrative and the dialogue formatting just made me mad. I never knew if the characters were conversing or if we were internal. The timelines were all over the place; I couldn’t put it together.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.