Really easy book to get into. An interesting and relevant story to how things is with dating now. This is the second book I have read by this author, and I thought this was better than her first.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Nina Dean is a 32 year old successful food writer. Following her break up with her ex, whom she is still on good terms with, it is just her and her consistently single friend Lola, who seem to have not settled down. With a little encouragement from Lola, Nina starts using a dating app called ‘Lynx’, where she meets Max. Things seem to spark between Nina and Max and he even tells her on date one that he will marry her.

Whilst it appears Nina’s love life is blossoming, everything else feels like it is falling apart around her. Having moved into her new flat she discovers her downstairs neighbour is extremely inconsiderate playing music at all hours and trying to make everyone in the blocks life a living hell, her Dad is slowly vanishing to dementia which has spurred on her mum’s mid-life crisis as she is in denial, and all her friends are either getting married, having children or moving to the suburbs – or all three!

Ghosts is a modern novel which taps into the world of modern dating as it delves into what relationships have become and how quickly we dispose of other humans in this tech fueled world. In the story it is referred to how in the past, before technology if you told someone you would be somewhere; you would stick to that arrangement. Whereas in today’s modern world people just delete conversations, like it never happened, like you never existed. And whilst ghosting in the traditional dating form occurs in the book, Alderton’s narrative tackles a vast range of other ways Nina is ghosted- ghosted by her old friendships which appear to be hanging on by a silver thread, ghosted by the person her father once was as he becomes more and more distanced from the person he used to be, and ghosted by her childhood memories as she holds on to them for comfort.

Throughout this novel I feel like Alderton really shows growing up for what it is. So many people fear that they are not at the same stage as friends and inevitably friendships do stop serving the purpose they may have served in the past. Aside from growing up, other themes in the book included memory, identity, relationship, change and hope. I particularly enjoyed the avenue Alderton explores of memory and food as Nina serves her Dad foods he enjoyed from his childhood to help bring back memories to him. I found this really interesting and was determined to read up on this more upon completing the book.

The only reason I would give it four instead of five stars is because of something which happens near the end. Without giving away any spoilers, the thing which happens just seemed unrealistic and a bit misplaced. Aside from that I loved it!

Overall a brilliant first novel, relatable, moving and full of humour.

I absolutely flew through this book. It was such a joy to read, even when the subject matter wasn't joyous at all, and deserves all the many accolades it's getting.

I thought I'd love this book, as I adore Dolly Alderton's podcast and column. But it was such a disappointment.

Quick plot summary: Nina has a great life as a food writer, having published several books. She owns her own flat and lives a pretty great lifestyle with her friends in London. But she starts dating, meets Max, and things go awry,

Her dad has dementia, which is by far the most real and touching bit of the story, although the way she treats her mum -- who looks after her dad on a daily basis while she's swanning around London and analysing her feelings to the nth degree -- is awful.

Nina isn't a likable character. She's smug, superior, and judgemental while completely lacking self awareness. I wondered if it was the author projecting all her insecurities and judgements through the character. It is also not very current and relevant. Dating has moved on since this book.

I felt like it was trying too hard to be edgy and relevant and, for that reason, ended up feeling forced and false. Even the writing style felt unnatural as if the author were trying to emulate her favourite writers (we all know she loves Nora Ephron) rather than using her own voice.

There are many much better, much more real and raw books out there about dating, family, and life as a millennial.

I really enjoyed this book. As a young woman in her thirties having to negotiate the world of dating I can certainly relate to the protagonist.

Do we face responsibilities head on, or do we run away from them, dodging their realities?
Ah....poor Nina, so many ghosts, in many different forms; a dad who’s descending into the confusion of dementia, a seemingly thoughtless, off hand mum, and a disappearing boyfriend.
I really liked her, she’s ‘normal’, likeable, intelligent. It’s a great story.

So, 2 days ago I finished Ghosts by Dolly Alderton. I have to say thank you to @netgalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book. I’ve seen it everywhere on Instagram at the moment and so many people are looking forward to reading Dolly’s next book.

Can I just say, the beautiful mint green cover is so eye catching. Personally I think because of the hype I was expecting so much more from this book. I think I was expecting to come away from it really positive about female empowerment. However, I found the book quite upsetting. It is perhaps realistic though, which I think is important to point out. I think it addresses important issues which a woman faces in her thirties such as parents getting older, her clock ticking and wondering whether she will ever have it all.

I would rate this a 3🌟 but I think it’s because I didn’t enjoy Nina and her need to be validated by Max but I did feel for her. I saw a quote the other day because talked about stop expecting women to have everything and be everything at the same time and this book made me think about that.

Nina is a 32 year old cookery writer, she is looking for love so for the first time she tries online dating. After several failed attempts she meets Max and he is everything that she thinks she needs.
This book looks at relationships in real detail from parents, to friends with children, friends who are also single and ex loves, plus neighbours. This was a really enjoyable read, which was a real education for a 40 something like me with no experience of this type of dating and made all the more enjoyable by being part of the #readalong

What a beautifully written book. I loved the story, the characters and details - I didn't want it to end! I found the frank and honest story of Nina uplifting and enlightening, the modern take on dating and life as a single woman was so accurately observed. I loved the honest look at friendships and family dynamics, I can't wait for more novels from Dolly!

Dolly Alderton is a very different writer when tackling fiction than she is when writing her column for The Times, and she’s good at both.
The main character in the book goes through the obligatory journey in the course of a year and, while some aspects of the plot are pretty predictable (spoiler alert - I was mentally screaming at her not to give the flaky guy another chance!) it was enough to hold my interest and keep me reading. Though some parts stretch credibility a little, at least for me. As for the characters, the men in the book don’t get a good press at all, and some of the women don’t do much better! Heaven knows how Nina puts up with some of them!
It’s a book worth reading, it taught me some things about modern dating (I’m so glad to be ancient!!) and the entertainment factor is high.

I really enjoyed this! I recognised the voice and a few jokes in the early chapters from being a listener of The High Low podcast, but as soon as I relaxed into the book I stopped noticing this so much and was fully bought into Nina’s story. The family story behind it really grabbed me and I definitely agreed with the struggle Nina has to form these new adult relationships with her parents.

I enjoyed this; a funny and relatable look into dating in the 21st century. Food writer Nina is 32; when she meets Max on a dating app, it goes swimmingly until he ghosts her. When he turns up months later, should she give him another chance? A glimpse into modern day dating and what life throws at you between balancing your love life with your family responsibilities.

Well, I loved this. Have to admit to having used dating apps and this made me laugh so much - it was so true. But it was so much more than just dating, the relationships between the main characters were fab. Great debut novel by Dolly Anderton, looking forward to her next.

Ghosts, the witty and whimsical debut novel from journalist Dolly Alderton, follows a year in the life of Nina Dean, a thirtysomething food writer, who is looking for love.

All of Nina’s friends are coupled-up and settling down. At 32 she’s one of one two singles in her friendship group, along with Lola, a ten-year-veteran of the online dating scene. Nina spent most of her twenties coupled-up with safe-but-boring Joe, until they mutually realised, as long-term couples often do, that they had firmly entered the friend zone. In the time since their split, Nina hasn’t dated anyone, Joe is soon to be married, and they remain firm friends.

With a happy home and work life in place, Nina is ready to re-enter the dating scene. And so she downloads an app.

Nina’s very first match is a guy called Max. Max is ruggedly handsome, charming in his way, and on their first date, he tells Nina he’s going to marry her (run, Nina, run!) Nina doesn’t run. Instead she finds herself falling fast for Max. Weeks turn to months, and then one night, Max tells Nina he loves her. The very next day he goes cold on her, taking hours to respond to her texts. Then one day, Max simply stops returning her calls. He won’t answer her texts either. He simply cuts off all contact. Over a few bottles of wine, Lola tells Nina she’s been ‘ghosted.’ She needs to move on with her life; forget about Max. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

Nina’s got bigger things to worry about than men that seemingly vanish into thin air. Namely her dad, whose memories are being consumed by dementia, making their relationship one where time is rapidly running out, and every time might be the last time. Secondary to this, Nina’s relationship with her one-time best friend Katherine has taken a hit since Katherine became a mum. Now their weekly catch-ups are about as much fun as a trip to the dentist. Simply put, at this point in their lives, Nina and Katherine have nothing in common. Nina thought that her friendship with Katherine was something she could rely on, a constant in her life. Now she’s not so sure. It’s seems like everyone is moving on, everyone except for Nina. Even Lola has a new boyfriend. And there’s still no sign of Max. The absence of Max in Nina’s life is really no loss. The men in this novel, it must be said, are all-round awful.

As a long-time reader of Dolly Alderton’s journalism, and a fan of her memoir Everything I Know About Love, I had high expectations for her debut novel. Maybe, in fact, I set my expectations too high. Alderton stays firmly in familiar territory in Ghosts as she details the lives, loves and tribulations of online dating in your early thirties. Hen parties and weddings are covered in detail, as in her memoir, and female friendships factor hugely; female friendships and the dialogue surrounding them is something Alderton excels at, but I have to admit I was hoping for something new and different from Ghosts.

Despite my quibbles, I found Ghosts to be an overall enjoyable read, maybe not as standout as I was hoping for, but heart-warming and humorous in all the right places, nonetheless.

I look forward to reading whatever Dolly Alderton writes next.

Great writing but ultimately not a book for me. I would still recommend it however, as the themes are resonant and , as I said, it is very well written.
Thank you to NetGalley fro the ARC in exhange for review.

I liked this story. Nina is a young woman with a successful career. She meets a man and all seems to be going well until he ghosts her. I thought the books was well written and the characters funny and likeable. I was touched by the situation with Nina's dad having dementia, although I didn't see quite how it all fitted together in the plot and that felt a little jarring. But there's enough good stuff in here to make this an enjoyable read.

I should begin by saying that I'm in my late 40s and probably not the author's audience for this particular offering on love, dating apps and what's important in life in your early 30s when you are wealthy and entitled ensconced in North London. Nonetheless many friends have enjoyed the author's columns and previous non fiction offering, so I wanted to give it a try. It isn't for me. The protagonist is strikingly (painfully) similar to the author herself. . . not that there is anything wrong with that but as others reviews have mentioned it feels like that at times it is possibly a rehash of columns and other features she has written. I've often noticed that when established columnists turn to write fiction they stick to what they know, namely their own lives ... and it doesn't always work. Even worse there doesn't seem to be a strong enough narrative around which the book hangs. I did think about whether to leave a review or not, but I want to be honest and I have no doubt the author will progress and evolve with her fiction writing career.

Not for me.
I hadn’t heard of this author, but the synopsis was appealing and I thought it would be a book I would enjoy.

I really struggled with this book – it just didn’t hold my interest. I’m quite surprised with the high ratings this book has received as I found it hard going and found it quite boring. .The story didn’t have a plot and as such doesn’t have a strong storyline - and flits from one thing to another, which makes it difficult to keep engaged.

I received this book from NetGalley in return for an unbiased review. Thank you NetGalley.

Gobbled it in a day!
I hadn't read a single book in lockdown (2020) despite averaging 1-2 books a week in normal times. So when I was reminded I had preordered 'Ghosts' many months previous (love Dolly Alderton from the High Low podcast) I had a looming sense of sadness it would sit on the shelf gathering dust like the rest of my unread books. When it arrived on publication day I absent mindedly read a few pages of the prologue. 2am and I had devoured the whole thing! Unputdownable! I really liked the main character, Nina, for her strength and humour, and the subject matter is surely one close to a lot of the hearts of us singles. The descriptions of vapid and cruel nature of online dating were painfully true, though I think there are regional variations (i.e. if you're not a Londoner). It was so relatable I just had to read one more chapter until there weren't any left! I had to see how it played out between Nina and Max, though if you've ever spent any length of time in that world.. you probably know. I'm glad the author gave the protagonist some sort of cathersis, even if it wasn't directed towards the source of her own pain. I also liked the subplot with Nina's noisy downstairs neighbour, Angelo, which really did keep me guessing (hint: it is NOT Emily in Paris!). An engaging and addictive tale about a sadly increasingly common phenomenon in modern dating, glued together with the signature friendships where the authors heart really shines through. Thanks Dolly for reminding me of my love of reading!

I was in two minds over what I thought about this book.

On the one hand was the more humorous, feisty millennial protagonist, Nina, who was balancing her career, her changing friendships, her aging parents and her need for a relationship.

On the other, was the needy and selfish millennial protagonist, Nina, who was obsessing over a man who has ‘ghosted’ her, focuses on how she feels abandoned by her friend (who is now married and has a child) and doesn’t seem to view the world beyond herself.

There was some wonderful, laugh out loud moments, particularly from Lola, Nina’s only single and very outspoken friend (‘Lola, what’s your love language?’ Franny asked, her chin coyly resting in the palm of her hand. Lola shrugged. ‘I don’t know. Anal, probably), and these just about managed to balance my frustrations at, what I felt was, a lack of real character from Nina.

I did like the story line about how Nina learns to cope with her dad’s dementia and is the only time I really had sympathy for her. However, I wanted to shout at Nina for her selfishness, complaining about the changes in her best friend, Katherine, and her mum and how it has affected her, but not thinking that maybe there were reasons behind this and by just being supportive and asking after them, she could maybe find out what had caused this and maybe support them.

An okay book, but not one I would recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC, read in exchange for an honest review.