I've never felt so seen by a book. As a 24-year-old ex-pat with mental health issues trying to find love and navigate adulthood in a foreign country.... wow.

Adelaide Williams is a 20-something American living in England, trying to find love and navigate her adult life while experiencing extreme highs and lows and feeling everything so so so deeply. I've never felt so seen by a character, never had my feelings so well articulated. I felt this book deep in my bones.

This book is not a romance, though it does have a happy ending. This is a book about a woman falling apart and picking up the pieces.

CW: Suicide, bipolar disorder, depression, miscarriage

I absolutely LOOOOOVED this book, completely devoured it. Adelaide is such a well developed character and the evolution of her as a person was so fascinating to see. This book may just be one of my favorite books of 2023 thus far.

What a stunning debut novel! I see big things from Genevieve Wheeler in the future. This was an awesome book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an impressive debut! The book is a character study that takes a look at the interior life of the title character, Adelaide. The novel follows her as she navigates young adulthood, non-reciprocal "love" affairs, family dynamics, mental health, and building a career as a young writer.

With beautiful prose and vulnerable storytelling, Adelaide takes a compassionate look at love, the lack of it, and the consequences of attempting to prove your worthiness to receive it. There were moments when the author seemed to pluck thoughts from my mind and put it on the page, a sign of great writing!

However, the book was slow and repetitive at times, which could be grating on some readers. (One could argue this was intentionally employed to showcase Adelaide's unhealthy patterns.) Additionally, the movement of the story/characters was confusing at times.

Overall, a great novel for lovers of literary character portraits.

Toxic love is hard to read about sometimes… I think we all want to forget times we participated in a relationship like this. Adelaide was frustrating but I think a lot of women will see a version of themselves in her.

This was a difficult yet heartfelt book to read. Approximately 1 in 5 people live with mental illness which makes Genevieve Wheeler's book extremely relevant. It is not a book about romance but of relationships, both good and damaging. It is about inner strength and support networks. It is mostly a realistic story and an honest portrayal of life with pain. Thanks #NetGalley

Honestly, the trajectory of Adelaide and Rory’s relationship was tough to read, which I guess makes this book very realistic. It was definitely a darker book than I expected. However, a promising debut from Genevieve Wheeler.

An achingly lovely book- Adelaide was such a lovable character and also SO painful to read through. If you've had some troublesome relationships that haven't left your mind- you're going to relate to Adelaide. This one took me awhile to read, not because I didn't love it but because it was just so heavy and relatable. Thanks to the publisher and net galley for the e copy. This is one of the first books that I then went and got the physical copy too <3

This is such an amazing debut novel and I was blown away by Genieve Wheeler’s writing! Wheeler made it so easy for everyone to find a little bit of yourself in Adelaide. Throughout the whole book I was cheering for Adelaide and hoping she would see that Rory didn’t care about her the same way she cared about him. I wished I could tell her myself that she could do so much better than him. I thought the way the story was written was unique and not like a lot of other books I read which I really liked! I can’t wait to read future books by Wheeler!

This was a strong 4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I became engrossed with this story as soon as I picked it up.

It perfectly captures the fact that loving someone can almost destroy you.

I highly recommend this book and suggest researching all trigger warnings. Wonderful debut!

I absolutely ADORE this book. It is my favorite of the year so far, and the only one I’ve considered buying a print copy of for my shelf.

I’ve seen a lot of people say that if you love “Normal People”, you’ll love Adelaide. I see the connection, even though I disliked Normal People. But where Normal People only exists to depress me, Adelaide (both the book and the character) bring lightness, fun, and a whole personality to a story of intense emotion and heartbreak. Also, Adelaide’s friends?!?! Perfection.

The preface totally grabbed me, and the twist of Nathalie’s death yanked my chair from underneath me. I was engaged the entire time. I felt every emotion as if the events were happening to me, or to a close friend.

My only real (minor) gripe with the book is that I feel that alcohol played such a heavy role in the story. Being drunk often was treated as a cute, quirky personality trait rather than something that maybe needed kept in check, with how often it was mentioned. But that’s merely my perception.

Genevieve writes really beautifully and I cannot wait to read more of her work in the future!

I enjoyed receiving this book as an ARC. At times I had so much compassion for Adelaide and other times I wanted to shake some sense into her. But, we've all acted like Adelaide or had a friend like her. No one could make us see our horrible relationship (situationship) or we couldn't convince our friends to leave their bad relationship, either. It's a lesson people have to learn on their own.
After a certain point though, the pacing was a tad slow.
Also, the cover and NetGallery description for this book were a bit too light and breezy. I believe they both should reflect the more darker tone of the book so as to not upset readers going into this book thinking this is a light read.
Overall, I would recommend this book.

However, I have a few nit-picky critiques (warning: spoilers ahead).
- A bit after Nathalie's death, the pace was too slow. Painfully slow. Up until their breakup and her breakdown.
How Adelaide compared being with Rory to her heart being slowly grated is how I felt with my patience. I couldn't help but skim after chapter 20. The pacing really needed to pick up there.
- After he told her to leave his apartment and walk to the bus in the rain, AT midnight, I was like girl? Seriously? You need some self-respect. But I do have great empathy for feeling so crazed in love and not leaving when he obviously doesn't care about you.
- I knew she was going to end up with Brennan the moment she saw him coming out of the shower (the other meetings were good clues), but I am amazing at picking up plot twists that no one else sees coming.
- I really wish we could have seen more of her relationship with Brennan. It would've balanced out the book nicely.
- And if the omniscient narrator could add forewarnings about Adelaide and Rory's doomed relationship (and Nat's death and her friends' futures) then I don't understand why that same narrator wouldn't add some foreshadowing comments about Brennan, as well. Didn't quite add up there.
- Great emphasis about mental health at the end. However it left the book off-balance once again. Would've liked that thread weaved a bit more throughout the novel.

I was not expecting to love this book, but I listened to it and it was so well-written and narrated so perfectly that I listened to it a second time. Adelaide is a character that I adored, but I was frustrated by her lack of inner strength and sense of self-worth so many times in this book. She surprised me with her resilience and courage in the end. Rory is the key to bringing about this change and while I detested him and the hold he had on Adelaide, I enjoyed seeing her move her beyond that experience to become the person she wanted to be. It's a thought-provoking story that may be triggering to some, so check the trigger warnings, and I enjoyed discussing it with a fellow book lover.

This book was not at all what I expected but I loved it more for that. I'm just going to admit it, I really hated Rory and Adelaide together from the beginning. I found myself screaming "oh my gosh just break up with him already" at my book way too often, in a great way though. This book kept me hooked and I enjoyed it for that. It was refreshing to have a couple in a book not be "goals" and instead a brutally honest portrayal of a woman madly in love and a man who refuses to commit. I was rooting for Adelaide the whole time and honestly just wanted her to finally love herself enough to leave. This book was the perfect mix of enraging, heartbreaking, and touching. I will definitely be reading Genevieve Wheeler again and absolutely loved this book.

Don't let the pretty pink, floral cover fool you. This is not a Romance. Overall my impression is that it's a challenging story, that has pace and is well written, but essentially these characters just weren't for me. They really lacked depth; because of the characters the story itself felt unrealistic within a realistic context. I was surprised by this because I have so much in common with Adelaide in a general way, so I thought I'd feel a certain level of kinship, but mostly I just felt uncomfortable.

I have mixed feelings about the story itself. I think I will always struggle with stories that have such heavy content, but don't seem to offer much in the way purpose. Unless you just enjoy reading about someone else's sad and depressing life, being frustrated at their choices, with no apparent silver lining. It wasn't a bad book, it just wasn't good, does that make sense?

The book revolves around a toxic relationship. One that brings its central character to her knees. The writing is what kept me motivated in reading, along with my hope for some kind of breakthrough for the main character. Said main character, Adelaide, wasn't very likeable to me. Her willful ignorance, people pleasing, and over bearing optimism that borders appearing false are not qualities I find endearing. Reading her acknowledge, rationalize, and ignore red flags in her relationship is mostly just exhausting and didn't invoke compassion for her, just pity. Her friendships felt too unrealistically supportive and something about the entire book felt very...white.

At the end of this one I felt a lot like I did after reading A Little Life. Just tired.

Adelaide is one of those books that once you start reading you won't want to put it down. It's not a love story, or an easy read, but I loved every minute of it. Fabulous debut from Genevieve Wheeler, and I can't wait to read more from her.

Well written and engaging story of a girl named Adelaide. She is going to school in London and gets a job so she is able to stay there. She starts dating Rory and thinks she has found her Prince charming. unbeknownst to her, he is still in love with his ex. It goes through the saga of their relationship and what she finally decides to do.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Adelaide feels like the most millennial book I’ve ever read. The protagonist, Adelaide Williams, is a 20-something living and working in London when she falls for the elusive Rory Hughes.

Rory Hughes, Adelaide’s “Disney Prince” is supposed to be the man she falls head over heels in love with and they live happily ever after.

But Rory Hughes isn’t a Disney prince - he’s flaky, self-centered and probably a narcissist, but when he makes time for Adelaide, her entire world is turned upside.

Running from her own past trauma and inability to find her own self-worth, Adelaide frantically spirals out of control in her relationships with Rory and her friends and co-workers, and within her own mental capacity until she is forced to reckon with herself.

Adelaide isn’t for the faint of heart - and I would actively encourage anyone who might feels a kinship to her character to potentially skip reading this. I think the best way to describe this was like reading Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, but for the grown up millennial. Was it absolutely beautiful? Yes. Did it make me question my own mental stability - possibly.

Proceed with caution - but if you do read, it’s one for the ages.

Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Genevieve Wheeler for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

*4.5 STARS*
Adelaide Williams is a 26 year old American living the dream in London. She falls head over heels in love with
Rory, a charming Englishman, and we are taken through their tumultuous love story from beginning to end.

This is a heartbreaking and heartwarming story of love, loss, grief, friendship, and more. The gripping details of walking through the mental health journey of both Adelaide and Rory are relatable for so many and is an interesting perspective into relationships that many can find parallels to. This is NOT your typical love story!

The writing is really interesting and refreshing. It reads as both a memoir and a conversation with a friend. It broke my heart and engulfed me in a hug all at the same time.

My only complaint is it felt a little too drawn out in spots and ran a teeny bit long for me. Overall I loved it.

Truly a beautiful debut by this author!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I finished Adelaide last week and haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I’m certain it will be one of my favorites of this year.

🌸 It’s a sobering read that’s simultaneously heartwarming and speaks to issues so many people are facing today. It’s so realistic that while it’s fiction, I often felt like I was reading a biography or memoir.

🌸 I think this will be a fit for fans of Sally Rooney, as the story touches on heavy subjects while still managing to tell a love story that ultimately feels optimistic.

🌸 I imagine a lot of people, particularly the people pleasers who always put others before them, will see parts of themselves in Adelaide. I really admire how Wheeler was able to make a story that is so specific (grad students in London in 2018) feel so universal.

Adelaide is out today. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!