I had a feeling Green Dot by Aussie writer Madeleine Gray would make for a great poolside read this summer and I wasn’t wrong!

I was up north in Queensland for a few days and this was one of the books I packed, hoping for a funny and fresh take on sad-girl lit. And in fact it was the voice that sold me from page one. I must admit I’ve been a little bit wary of this genre lately - as you get further away from your twenties, it’s harder to remember all that angst, and perhaps I’d read a few too many of the same-sounding book.

But a novel always wins me over when it can make me laugh out loud, I found myself reading passages to my friend so we could both laugh over the accuracy of some of Gray's observations (she immediately borrowed the book from me too, so she was also sold!)

Our protagonist is Hera Stephen, a perhaps directionless young woman not so very keen on the prospect of having to work to make money, but also with some deep-seeded wounds that she probably hasn’t tended properly. At her new job as an online comment moderator for a newspaper she meets Arthur, a married journalist in his 40s, and falls head over heels into an affair doomed to fail. That’s not a spoiler, we know it from the start because Hera tells us…and because everyone knows no man ever leaves his wife.

Although I was predictably frustrated by Hera, I was also compelled to hear her out. As I mentioned, it was the voice in this that won me over. There’s no doubt Gray is a smart and capable writer, and her darkly funny and dry humour definitely aligns with my own. Hera is relatable in that she channels her feelings of loneliness and aimlessness into something totally misplaced. At the end of the day, who hasn’t done that in some form or another?

For lovers of Genevieve Novak and Dolly Alderton. Its a brilliant character study of some truly insufferable people. I hated them all and could not put it down.

A honest relatable look at floundering in your 20s, it's crazy how human Madeleine Grey has made someone who has become the other woman. Entertaining!

Once in a while, a book comes along that grabs you from the first few pages and you know you’re in for a real treat. A book that makes you want to push the pause button on life for a moment because you just can’t bring yourself to put it down. Green Dot is precisely that kind of gem. Madeleine Gray, in her debut novel, introduces us to the unforgettable Hera, a character whose humor, quirks, and vulnerabilities make her an instant favorite. Hera's journey, her friendships, and the touching bond with her dad create a hilarious and charming story. While this had me laughing out-loud, it is also so much more, delving into universally relatable themes that tug at your heart strings. Gray's writing is sharp, confident, and as hilarious as Hera herself. I loved it.