‘The Education of Ivy Edwards’ is a real treat of a book and it’s taken me a little while to write a review because I actually wanted to reread it as soon as I had finished it.
When Ivy’s fiancé Jamie abruptly ends their relationship for no apparent reason, she is devastated and her personal life begins to spiral, as she tries to work out how she reached this point. She is supported by a wild and wonderful cast of supporting characters, from her eccentric friend Mia to her party drug swilling mate Dan.l to the elderly Maude whose care home she visits. What really makes this story, however, are Ivy’s family. Proudly Welsh, completely mad and very loving they were my absolute favourite part of the story, in particularly the foul mouthed Gramps with whom Ivy has watched Sleepless in Seattle dozens of times. Where the story could have fallen into cliche, the Edwards family help to make this a hilarious and poignant tale of surviving the unexpected whilst being a Millenial woman.
Thank you to Little, Brown Book Uk and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

THE EDUCATION OF IVY EDWARDS was months of a journey in Ivy’s life as she navigated some of the biggest life changes imaginable. Ivy was a thirty-something protagonist that was incredibly real, irritations to boot. The story started with a relationship break up and tracked her slow demise across the months of grief and trying to cope.

The narrative for Ivy’s life was witty, with inner monologue that kept you chuckling and endeared you to her, just when you were most irritated with her. Ivy was all about friendships and family and she leaned on them a lot in this time period.

"I sat down at my desk and closed my eyes. I can do this, I thought. I am an adult, I have a degree and I frequently make my own packed lunches."

I struggled somewhat with Ivy’s self-destructive streak and the friendships that came along with that, such as Dan and Rob. Her reliance on alcohol and drugs was frustrating but probably realistic of that 30-something professional, working in the big smoke and spiraling down, looking for a crutch.

As the story reached it’s culmination, I held my breath because I thought the journey might be for nothing, that Ivy had learnt nothing. I was satisfied however with the end.

If you’re looking for something real, less cookie-cutter and more sitting on gutter drunk, reciting your woes, then this is the read for you. It felt fresh and the writing was fun and willing to ‘go there’ with difficult topics and taboos.

Thank you to Piatkus Books for the early review copy.

This book is the story of Ivy, who's going through a life crisis. It's written in a very engaging way, I felt for Ivy and enjoyed reading about her. There are funny and sad parts as in normal life, and I think it was a very engaging plot.

Thanks a lot to NG and the publisher for this copy.

We meet Ivy at the beginning of her downward spiral. After her fiancé leaves her (5 minutes after sex) she starts her all consuming ..... drinking herself into oblivion, using drugs and sex to feel something. Fortunately she has a dependable, if somewhat eccentric family who she adores, especially her Gramps.

After she hits rock bottom the only way to go is upward, this is a slow process which is explored throughout the whole book.

Ivys life is filled with people who love her, but sometimes the love of those people just aren’t enough.

This was a hard novel to read. At times I felt completely unsympathetic for Ivy and I just wanted to shake her however the real life aspect of this story and Ivy’s growth was really emotional.

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more into crime/thriller books and even psychological thrillers too so I am extremely pleased and grateful to them for opening up my mind to something totally different.

I enjoyed this very much. 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Education of Ivy Edwards was a book that made me both laugh and cry.
At first I thought it wanted to emulate Fleabag a bit too much, but then as soon as Ivy and the other characters started "coming to life" I realised that although that might be true, it was also a special novel in itself.
Ivy is having a bit of a quarter-life crisis, and she tries her best to navigate through her professional and personal life as best as she can: I certainly can resonate with that feeling!
I really liked this book and definitely recommend anyone who feels kind of lost to read it: yeah, you might hit rock bottom, like Ivy did, but you can also try the best you can to move forward and live your life as best as you can.
Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown Books for the opportunity to review this book!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ivy Edwards is having a little bit of a late quarter life crisis - she doesn't like her job, and her fiance has just ended things with her after having sex with her five minutes prior. She is drinking too much, partying too hard, and her family and friends are starting to notice her spiral.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book, I felt they were well fleshed out and I could picture them in detail. I would recommend this to anybody who's feeling a bit lost (and I think we all are at the minute!) and I really liked the evolution of Ivy's character and how the ending was done.

I would definitely check out Hannah Tovey's next offering!

Rich in dialogue that makes the book flow and that will elicit a smile or two as you can’t help but feel Ivy’s pain as her world as she knows it comes undone. Ivy’s life is a bit of a mess to put it simply and her way of soothing the ripples tends to involve copious amounts alcohol, cigarettes and occasionally drugs.

It’s a novel about realising that sometimes your greatest enemy is yourself. The characters are outgoing and loving and soon you will be in love with all of Ivy’s family. It’s a great, quick read with characters that feel real. Recommended.

‘I don’t think I can see a future with you anymore.’ ⠀
‘You were literally just inside me.’ ⠀
‘I know how you like it in the mornings.’ ⠀
‘What?’⠀
‘I thought it would relax you.’ ⠀
‘What?’⠀
‘Ivy, I’m trying to be honest—’ ⠀
‘Hang on, is that why you wouldn’t look at my face?’ ⠀
⠀
31-year-old Ivy’s life is derailed dramatically when her fiancé dumps her, with no warning, just 5 minutes after they’ve had sex. Funny, smart and provocative, this is a story about going off the rails and pushing limits in the name of breaking up. Welsh gal Ivy is incredibly likeable and the closeness she has to her zany family add a lovely warmth and humour. Sex, drugs and bad advice - this story will have you laughing and cringing in all the right ways. I really enjoyed this read! A feel good and hilarious look at breaking up, self-indulgence and self-discovery.

'Look, it’s going to be really, really shit for a while. Then it will be less shit, and hopefully, one day in the not-so-distant future, it will be sort of OK.'

'Grief is nothing like we expect it to be. You can’t run from it, Ivy. You mustn’t try to fight it. It comes for us, wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, whether we like it or not.'

The Education of Ivy Edwards is a whirlwind of a read, and proved to be a great distraction from the current climate. The book examines grief in all its forms, particularly mourning the loss of a relationship. I’ve previously found that similar books of this genre often tend to rush over the aftermath of a break up and fast forward to our protagonist meeting another suitor, usually ‘the one’. In contrast, Hannah Tovey gets into the nitty gritty of heartbreak and all that comes with it: wallowing in self pity, pushing away loved ones when you need them most, loosing your sense of self. The narrative jumps around as Ivy attempts to navigate her life, capturing the tumultuous and confusing nature of a break up. One minute she’s desperate to hear from Jamie, the next she despises him. Friends give her differing (and sometimes really bad) advice. She goes on alcohol/drug-fuelled benders reminiscent of Laura and Tyler’s escapades in Emma Jane Unsworth’s Animals. Ivy is, in short, a hot mess. The Education of Ivy Edwards also explores familial bonds, how your family members can simultaneously drive you mad and be those you need most. Ivy’s mum might be my favourite character, she’s bonkers and I loved her!

Ivy Edwards is in the throes of a major life crisis. She hates her job, her fiancee has left her, her mother is a borderline alcoholic in denial, and her sister is having major fertility issues. How on earth do you deal with such a complicated time in your life? Ivy's answer is a combination of drugs, alcohol and some very ear friends to drag you back to real life.

This book isn't going to change your attitude to the world and it's not the best book I've ever read. There is no real meatiness or substance to the book, but it is an excellent method of escapism for the times we are in currently. It is a beach book- picked up in a hotel lobby at a book swap and devoured in an afternoon on the beach with a glass of sangria while the tops of your feet are burning.

I enjoyed Ivy tremendously, following her through her difficult times and watching how she dealt with it all. She is a likeable character and is well supported by other well-rounded, though not always that likeable, characters. The book stands up for itself, has a lovely structure and is a very enjoyable read.

Being the same age as Ivy, I could really empathise with the life she found herself in. The struggles of not belonging and trying to survive London when life has not gone to plan. This book really reminded me of Sally Rooney’s books Normal People and Conversation with Friends, so if you enjoyed those - you should pick this book up!

We meet Ivy Edwards at a bit of a crisis point. Her fiancie has just left her, she is miles away from home in a job she doesn’t like and things are not quite going to plan for the 31 year old. The book goes out to follow the messy life of Ivy, as she drinks, smokes and sleeps her way around London in the hop of salvation. Ivy is certainly trying to have fun at least as we encounter her random encounters and flamboyant situations. The book positions her London life and persona well with perhaps the true side of Ivy, the Welsh girl from the valleys. This is seen best with her relationship with her granddad, creating the only heartwarming moments in the book. It is targeted at fans of Dolly Alderton and Fleabag. In both of those its friendship that wins and with so many things going on in this book it is a shining light in a chaotic read. It is hard to symphisise with any of the messy situations she finds her self in and there is never enough in the text to care about it. The emotional tug that comes towards the end of the novel was so predictable and couldn’t quite salvage or redeem Ivy. Perhaps I am not the target market for this book and that relates to my feelings but Ivy Edwards was just a little boring for me and I was left disappointed.