While this book left me thinking, it was a tough one to finish for me. I really loved Adelaide, but felt more relatable to her friends - nothing terrible there and I truly appreciate that there was genuine acceptance of who she was with her friends. I struggled to find the good or redeeming moments for Adelaide and Rory and by the end really disliked them.
As others have said this is not a love story, but rather a coming to terms with mental health and all the things we accept as coping mechanisms in that process. All true and a times gritty, but it seemed almost secondary to her spiral down.

This book was incredible. Every single character felt like a real person and I think that can be hard to do. Also, every interaction between humans felt so authentic. Found myself really relating to a lot of the characters and just loved every minute.

Didn't know I needed this heartbreak. Its such beautiful novel. Crying never made me feel so seen. Thank you Genevieve Wheeler.

Adelaide is beautiful and heartbreaking—definitely prepare yourself to cry as you're reading. I really enjoyed this debut novel and am looking forward to whatever Genevieve Wheeler writes next!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the writing style and I really found myself within Adelaide. I will defiantly be rereading in the future.

This book was truly so unbelievably gorgeous and spoke to me in a way very few other books have. Adelaide became a special part of my heart during this experience and I sincerely look forward to reading Genevieve Wheeler's future works. My favorite book of the year so far.

Before I even opened this book, I wrote in my notes, “This is definitely going to break my heart.” And it did. I felt shattered when I finished this book. But I also felt seen. And I felt hopeful.

Adelaide Wheeler is a 26-year-old American communications student living in London whose relationship history is tragic. She’s been abused and taken advantage of, she’s done the casual sex thing, and she wants so desperately to be loved. She lives life at full speed, giving everything she has. So when she meets Rory Hughes, who just so happens to look like a Disney prince, all Adelaide sees is her happily ever after. But after a couple of spectacular dates, it turns out this prince might be more of a villain, although Adelaide can’t quite see it — he won’t communicate or commit, he’s hung up on someone from his past, and he’s using her to make himself feel whole. This relationship is a recipe for disaster because Rory is happy to take and take, and Adelaide is someone who gives and gives and gives… until there’s nothing of herself left. Rory won’t commit, but he won’t let her go, either.

Genevieve Wheeler does a remarkable job of capturing the millennial relationship angst and the way it’s easy to lose yourself in another person. Adelaide tries so hard to do the right thing, to be the right person, that she allows herself to get swept away by the intensity of this relationship and her devotion to making it work, even when the signs that it’s breaking are everywhere. Wheeler captures the book’s time period nearly perfectly that she makes it easy to be swept away in the setting she’s created — with the references to FlowerBomb perfume, the Caroline Calloway jump scare, the mentions of Sally Rooney and “Call Me By Your Name.” And some of Wheeler’s writing stunned me. Wheeler’s characterization is also strong, if a little heavy-handed. Adelaide is sweet and excitable and loyal and eager and endlessly positive. She glitters. She’s also obsessive and allows herself to be treated a bit like a doormat, and it’s easy to be frustrated with her while still rooting for her. Rory is the quintessential pretty boy who only wants what he can’t have and treats all the people around him like they’re his supporting cast. (Wheeler does include some chapters from Rory’s perspective that I thought did nothing to further the book; his emotions or motivations never really get explored.)

This book was originally marketed as a romance, and I’m glad someone finally got their head screwed on straight and fixed the description. This isn’t a love story. This is a hard read. It’s messy and beautiful. But it’s relatable. So many of us have been in or have seen a similar one-sided relationship. Wheeler doesn’t give us a Prince Charming and a fairy godmother. This book doesn’t have a happily ever after. But sometimes, that’s life, isn’t it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler is the book I'm currently recommending to all my friends. This coming of age book takes you back through all those pivotal moments in your own life. Beautifully written and engaging. A five-star read.

In her debut novel, Genevieve Wheeler tackles the complexities of love for young people and what it’s like finding your way in life. Adelaide, which comes out April 18th, is already getting critical acclaim and I anticipate even more praise for this story.

This book is so unique and moving that I don’t even know where to start this review…

This story isn’t a romance, but it is. This story isn’t a tragedy; but in some ways it is. It’s just a story about a woman’s life and how she interprets and tackles the things life throws at her.

This debut novel is just so honest in its approach to love and youth and trying to find your way in life, even when it feels like the world doesn’t love you back. This book touches upon a lot of heavy subjects like grief, loss, death, mental health, and toxic/abusive relationships, but also highlights the beauties of the world like love, music, literature, traveling, friendship, and found families.

The non-linear timelines and alternating POVs make this book more engaging and kind of mirror Adelaide’s thoughts and philosophy about living life in the moment.

If you’re looking for your next book club read or a book with a realistic storyline and an honest take on romance, then check out this book!

*I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 Stars round up to 5! This book has multiple content warnings that should be reviewed prior to starting!

Adelaide, the main character of this book, is a young American living in London. Adelaide's narration is difficult to endure at points, but not because of how its written, but of how the character views the world. We all encounter people in our lives that don't value themselves as much as they should or are battling with mental health, and Adelaide is no exception. Although it is difficult to read, it does provide insight into how someone like Adelaide might think and operate.

Other characters that are worth noting are Rory (the absolute worst), Celeste, Madison, and Eloise (the absolute best). Rory is "the boy" that is noncommittal and still in love with his ex, a theme that sadly continues throughout the continuation of the book and was extremely frustrating for me as a reader. The shining characters are Adelaide's friends Celeste, Madison, and Eloise, each of which are great examples of lifelong friends that continue to pick up Adelaide regardless of what has gone on/what is going on currently.

This book is filled with heartache, mess, and trauma. It is dark and sad but it has it moments of sun shining through, and I think that is the point of it. For many people, this is how their life is, dark and sad with little moments that bring the sunshine. This book has stuck with me after reading it, and to me that is always the sign of a good book.

Phenomenal debut novel by Genevieve Wheeler!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my complimentary copy.

This is a painfully accurate first-person view of a) dating in the modern world and b) living with undiagnosed mental health challenges. The characters are by turns loveable and totally unlikeable and the author makes it totally worth it to stick with them until the end.

I really did not enjoy this book. It was so slow. The last few chapters when Adelaide decided to address her problem, rather than just use some outside force as a buffer, we're much easier to read. I'm glad the character got to that point. I know people who have experienced depression and I think this type of media is important. However, I still wouldn't recommend it. I read for enjoyment and I would not have finished this book had I not needed to provide a review.

This is definitely not a rom com, but a heavy contemporary fiction novel that covers some pretty serious topics – and I loved it so much. Adelaide is a 26 year old American expat in London who meets the guy of her dreams, and she falls hard. But as Adelaide tries harder and harder to make Rory happy, he doesn’t give the same effort back – leaving her to question whether she’s the problem. I couldn’t get enough of this book, and really empathized with Adelaide, even / especially as she revealed herself as messy and imperfect. (She felt like a real, flawed human rather than the “hot mess” caricature I loathe in many novels.) I can’t recommend it enough!

Adelaide was raw and relatable. It wasn’t an easy read all of the time because it hits some heavy topics, but it was good.

Be prepared to cry. This book is incredibly moving and hits home as someone who struggles to realize what they deserve. I wish I could have been Adelaide’s friend so I could yell that Rory was trash from the beginning. But so happy she got her happy ending. Great mental health rep, but TW for suicidal ideation.

Oh. My. God. I cannot love this book enough. Frustrating, sad, heartbreaking and so relatable.

"She was always going to jump into this lake, no matter how dark or dangerous it turned out to be; she was too intrigued by its shimmering surface to even consider turning away. There was no world in which she wouldn't dive headfirst in love with Rory Hughes. This was the only way."

MY HEART.

I'm feeling very anxious lately and I'm not sure this is the story to read because reading how Adelaide is treated by Rory is anxiety inducing on its own. Rory does not deserve one bit of love in his life. He needs to be in a relationship where he gets back exactly what he dishes out. I never believe anyone should be strung along. If you're not into someone like they are into you just be honest for f*cks sake. This story is a shining example of loving someone with your whole heart and getting minimal effort in return.

This book hooked me right from the start. The main character was extremely relatable. The writing kept me on the edge of my seat. I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop, so to speak.

This was one of my most anticipated novels of the year, and it did not disappoint. This definitely isn’t a light, rom-com-style read, but the way the author writes about depression, grief, first loves, and heartbreak is so poignant, realistic, and relatable. This is a book I’ll be thinking about for a while. If you’re looking for an emotional read that feels real, raw, and even painful at times, but also leaves you with hope, Adelaide should be on your list. A beautiful debut!

This book was not for me, and I think it has been improperly marketed. Though I will admit that it elicited strong emotions in me. In fact, I found the discussions and writing in the last 20% of the book dealing with mental health to be enlightening and accurate. It was by far the best part of the book. Unfortunately, by that time, I was so put off by Adelaides decisions, that I had lost any empathy I had for her. I think a discussion of mental health earlier in the book would’ve gone a long way to provide more understanding in Adelaide’s motivations and subsequent decisions.

I did love the parts that included her friends, and I thought the character study of friendship was interesting and endearing.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.