I featured this book in a new release video prior to publication and was very excited to read a story about a messy [possibly unlikable lol] character. I love queer drama stories! Will update when final review posts, but I'm expecting 5 stars!

I wasn’t sure what to expect, and went in blind with Green Dot. Told with a dry wit and mostly unlikeable characters, I did struggle at times, but could see how many would love this story!

*many thanks to Henry Holt Co and Macmillan Audio/Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

✨ Review ✨ Green Dot by Madeleine Gray; Narrated by Sasha Simon

Thanks to Henry Holt, Macmillan Audio, and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!

24-year old Hera starts her first real job at a place filtering through comments on news articles. The book will have you laughing out loud from the first pages as she rolls her eyes at her supervisor, wonders why she's doing this job, and marvels at the oddities of working in an office. For me, these first 75 pages or so really made me laugh.

She attracts the attention of an older co-worker and they pursue a sort of relationship, and much of this is really frustrating and angsty but in all the best ways. Even though there's some morally grey stuff going on with this relationship, I still found it relatable and engaging (even while making me want to yell at her!)

I found the part set during covid times really interesting in how it compared life in London vs. Sydney during 2020 and how the entire atmosphere was different.

Overall, while this might be my normal reading necessarily I enjoyed it and the laughs along the way.

🎧 The Australian accent made me need to slow this down just a bit at first but eventually my ears caught up and I really enjoyed her narration. It was lively and the attitude was just right to convey the vibes of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.75)
Genre: contemporary fiction / women's fiction / romance-ish
Setting: Sydney and London
Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
Reminds me of: Bridget Jones Diary in tone and frustratingness and humor
Pub Date: Feb 2024

Read this if you like:
⭕️ morally grey characters
⭕️ digital world / capitalism zeitgeist
⭕️ coming-of-age stories
⭕️ bi representation

It’s an incredible endorsement of an author’s writing and ability to develop a character wine as a reader, you see this character as among the most relatable you’ve ever encountered despite having nothing in common with them in terms of their narrative and actions.

The protagonist of Green Dot’s life does not look anything like what my life does or ever did. Much of her story is focused on her affair with an older married man. I have zero personal experience with this situation, but the way she thinks and feels is so close to my own inner self that the story felt bizarrely and impressively personally relevant anyway.

I think that’s a triumph of character development. Easier to relate to directly (at least in my case) is the disgust over the futility of the workplace grind and the interest in academics over more practical concerns. The way Hera sees and approaches her office mates was eerily familiar to me in my own early workplace experiences.

But it’s her inner world and the way she thinks that really gets you, and that’s where this book really stands apart from most New Adult books and most Literary Fiction.

The secondary characters, too, are notably well developed. I loved her dad and her friends, but even the despicable, cowardly Arthur and the officious wet rag that is Allison are brilliantly drawn.

Truly an exceptional piece of fiction.

When aimless 24-year-old Hera decides to finally get a real job, she doesn’t expect to meet the love of her life in the office. But there’s a catch, of course, with the brilliant and kind older journalist she falls for. He’s married. Of course, that doesn’t stop Hera from pursuing what she wants, even at the cost of everything.

As a former 24-year-old (one year removed), this book felt very real and very true. I really loved Hera’s unique and funny voice, and it kept me engaged in the kind of story that normally I would find a bit dull (extramarital affair, like..... okay). She even made me actually like Arthur and root for their relationship, even though I know (we ALL know) how it must inevitably end. The confessional, conversational tone was also a great asset to understanding Hera’s development throught the course of this difficult, doomed affair. Overall, this book is 4 out of 5 Instagram messages.

Green Dot was a really fun listen. I loved the story and it kept me engaged. I would read more from Gray.

Hera is in a life slump,. and proceeds to make some really poor decisions. She does so in a way that elicits no sympathy from this reader, and to be honest I could have done without this one.

I really loved this. The narration was fun, the story was unique, and my god the cover! It was interesting to read an affair from the POV of the mistress. I’ve never read from her point of view

I am not fully sure how to rate this book. This felt like watching one of your best friends repeatedly make the dumbest choices but nothing you say will change their actions. They will do what they think they should. I think every women has been this delusional for a boy. And yes, a boy because men wouldn’t put a women in this position. I didn’t want to keep watching but I kept rooting for Hara to finally get her shit together. On the other hand, the way this book was written was phenomenal. This was a rollercoster because the writing was that good. It took me a while to get through this but mainly because I wasn’t in a place emotionally to finish it. I would recommend this book, especially to younger women. It’s so much easier to look at situations like this from the outside. The narrator fantastic and perfect for this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio-arc of the Green Dot.

The very first thought I had after finishing Green Dot was: "That book really messed me up."

And yes, Green Dot really messed me up, but in that very specific way in which I am okay being "messed up" by a book...

In this book, we follow Hera, a twenty-something woman who is just trying to get through life without succumbing to the existential dread of being in your early 20s, when she enters into a relationship with an older, married coworker. This isn't a spoiler. This fact, that Hera's story is about her illicit relationship, is established from the get-go. She is telling her story from the future, post-relationship. And this is important. This is what *makes* the story, because she has the perspective of knowing exactly where her story is heading. She frequently pauses to speak to the reader, to say, "Yes, I know that this was wrong. I know that this was stupid. But bear with me as I try to explain..."

I could not stand Hera's choices. They infuriated me. But...I LOVED Hera. I loved her fiercely, like a little sister I wanted to save from herself. I loved her like I would love a younger me. Because even though I can't imagine a younger me making her specific choices, I know that younger me absolutely made stupid choices in the name of love. I could relate to her heartache, to her longing for stability, to her loving someone who was not the right person for her.

I absolutely recommend this book. Not because it is a story about cheating, but because it is a story about young adulthood, a story about family and friendships and work angst and love and heartbreak and growing up. And it's beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley for my advanced reader copy.

This book is a fresh(ish) take on a common told story. It really captures what I fear a lot of people are feeling about how their life has turned out so far.
There were a lot of references that I fear may not age well but it was witty and an overall decent read.
I was surprised how much I connected with the FMC even though I found her rather unlikable for the majority of the book.
I did like the audiobook narrator and I feel she did a good job with this read.

"Green Dot" presents a familiar plot of a young woman in her twenties entangled in an affair with an older married man. Yet, what sets this book apart is the protagonist's wry narration and sharp wit. Filled with pop culture references and even a segment set during a pandemic, elements I usually avoid, I found myself unexpectedly charmed by Madeleine Gray's storytelling.

Hera, in her mid-twenties and armed with multiple degrees, finds herself trying to navigating the working world. Her involvement with a married journalist, however, left me with mixed feelings. While the writing drew me into Hera's world, her character often frustrated me, failing to live up to her proclaimed feminist beliefs. Despite these qualms, the novel's attempt to speak directly to the reader and its portrayal of modern feminism provide food for thought. Overall, "Green Dot" offers an engaging read, even if its protagonist's actions may not resonate with every reader.

I really enjoyed this one and keep thinking about it. Green Dot will not be for everyone and I think it will be one of those divisive books you either love for hate. For me, I felt this perfectly captured life in your 20s and the all-consuming feelings of a first love. Gray doesn’t shy away from showing all of the messy, selfish moments. Hera was a character I could relate to and while I found her rather unlikeable, I couldn’t help but hope that she would figure her stuff out and grow. The secondary characters were all interesting (except maybe Arthur lol) and I found myself invested in knowing more about them. I especially developed a fondness for Hera’s father.

I really loved the smart humor of this author’s writing style and was surprised to see this is a debut. The narrator of this audiobook was a fabulous choice and I really felt that she was Hera. I’ll definitely read more from this author again.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a review copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance audio copy of this title. Hera is a young woman living with her dad, and somewhat asea. She finally lands a job, and embarks on an affair with a co-worker. When she discovers he is married, she uproots her life and moves to another country. When COVID hits, she moves back with her dad for a short time, but then quickly resumes her affair. She is happier in a new job, but her personal life is a disaster.

The narrative of this story has a good arc and pacing, but the characters are unlikable, and unable to root for. Hera's decisions are stupid, and her rationale behind making them is weak.

What a phenomenal book! It was witty, sharp, hilarious and so damn relatable; it perfectly captured how messy and aimless your 20s can be (heck I still feel that way sometimes). Hera’s story specifically felt like watching a train wreck you can’t look away from and yet you can’t help but root for her. Every other chapter delivered so many quotable lines; my favorite has to be, “choose me so I don’t have to.” It felt like listening to a Taylor Swift song, which is probably one of the highest compliments I can give.

Green Dot by Madeleine Gray was not what I expected. I was engrossed by this audiobook the same way people rubberneck around car crashes. The Australian accents were a fun touch.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

It was a novel outside of my comfort zone. I am not comfortable with the actions of the character. The truth is that at some point I started to be so deep into the novel that even my moral compass was swayed for minute there.

It has a lot of comments on society and how it feels to not want to conform to the usual norm. It makes you think about the way other people may think about their role in society.

I enjoyed the audiobook narrator, it was a very easy and enjoyable reading experience.

Would recommend it!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This book felt very real and honest. Definitely not for every one but it kept me hooked! The narrator did a great job as well.

I am not sure what this book was going for. I picked it up because I saw mentions of it giving Fleabag vibes, and that is one of my favorite shows of all time. Hera had NONE of the relatability or charm as her. She was extremely unlikable and honestly just boring. Arthur...yawn. I am not sure why we were supposed to care about them or somehow justify their infidelity. They both just kind of suck?

Pass.

1⭐

Green Dot follows Hera as she has an affair with a married man--fully expecting him to leave his wife for her. Although this may seem like a story that has been told time and time again, Madeleine Gray certainly put her own spin on it! I found myself laughing numerous times and also feeling a bit heart broken for Hera occasionally. The writing style was great and I loved the character development as well as how the plot unfolded! I highly recommend reading this if you want to experience the best kind of emotional rollercoaster.