A slow-burning beauty! I was apprehensive when I first started this one as the style is quite unique, but I eventually thoroughly enjoyed it. The premise, writing and characters were interesting and good food for thought too. Having read this novel, I’m definitely going to read “Standard Deviation” too, as I’m very much converted to Heiny!

What a joy this novel was! Having loved Katherine Heiny's Standard Deviation, I had huge hopes for Early Morning Riser and was not disappointed with this witty and uplifting novel.

Early Morning Riser tells the story of Jane, a teacher in gossipy Boyne City, Michigan. Jane meets Duncan, a carpenter with a reputation for being both late with the completion of various jobs, but also having slept with almost every woman in town. As their relationship grows, Jane's ideal of love, family and happiness develops, particularly when their developmentally slow neighbour Jimmy becomes a big part of their lives.

Heiny's depiction of quirky small town lives, where everyone knows each other, was full of humour. Her characterisation is warm and lively, so much so, I became incredibly invested in all their lives and their happiness. The perfect pick-me-up read for a gloomy year.

My thanks to NetGalley and 4th Estate for this ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Very unique premise for a book nothing like anything I've read before. However, I don't think it was for me I found myself getting a little bored but I did think there were some good humorous moments. I liked the small-town vibes and the characters were good.

Initially I really was not sure about the style of the writing, but this suspicion faded and what was underneath was a lovely, gentle, emotive, empathetic book with a decent edge. This is no weak woman moving along her life but a real person who tries. I also liked that the book allowed characters to express frustration (with big and small things) but didn't go too far and turn them into unreasonable villains. Great book, makes me want to go back and read her previous!

I could not decide what I thought about this book - having left it for a couple of days I have decided that I enjoyed it! Jane loves Duncan but so does or has most of the female inhabitants of their American small town! Jane has to come to terms with sharing him and deciding what real happiness and love are.

Do not expect lots of action but instead explore characters and come to care deeply about them

Honestly, Heiny is such a joy to read - especially in these difficult times. Her writing is so light and effortless and her dialogue is always sharp and funny. She is a master of character observation: with very few words she catches someone perfectly.

This is a gorgeous, war, funny novel set in a small Michigan town that channels Anne Tyler vibes. It's one of those books when you keep thinking about the characters when you're not reading it: Are they doing ok? What are they doing now?

It's about Jane, a primary school teacher who moves to a small town in Michigan and meets Duncan, the local furniture restorer and handyman - who has also slept with most of the local women. They hook up the day they meet and will remain in one another's lives for the rest of the book. Jane is the focus of the novel and it follows her over the coming years.

This is the second book I've read by Katherine Heiny (the first was Standard Deviation). Neither book has a strong plot but the characters are rounded and wonderful. You ache when they have setbacks and smile when things go right for them. It wasn't wondering what would happen next that had me picking this up as much as wanting to spend more time with Jane and Duncan and Jimmy and the rest of the crew. Again like Anne Tyler's books, sometimes they are quirky to the point of being slightly absurd, but you still enjoy them.

Heiny has a lovely sense of humour in her writing, not so much laugh out loud funny, more smiling to yourself. I particularly loved the sections when Jane is in the classroom and corralling her lively children (different children each year but similar patterns and issues).

While this is undoubtably a warm fuzzy read, it also makes you think about the nature of family and who becomes your family. It's simply lovely, a strong 4.5 stars.

I loved this book so much. The depiction of small town life, with all its entanglements and emotional complexity, is spot on. Jane is a great character - totally believable, doing her best, taking responsibility for things. We've all known a Duncan. We dip in and out of Jane's life, see her grow as a person, see her make mistakes and rectify them. It's just a great read. Thank you, Netgalley.

I absolutely loved this book. Telling the story of Jane and her unconventional family life, it is heart warming, sad and at times hilarious. I particularly loved the passages about Jane’s class in school. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

After seeing so many 5 star reviews for this book I was really excited to pick it up.
Sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations.
It's not your typical story in this genre and for that reason others may enjoy this more than I did.
But it felt a bit too long and as though it could have been significantly shorter and still have told the story well.
For that reason, parts of it dragged for me.
It was a nice/pretty average book but I doubt it will leave a lasting impression on me.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and 4th Estate and William Collins for gifting me a copy of this book for my honest review.

I had such high hopes for this book, as from other people who I had seen read it gave such rave reviews. Unfortunately this book just did not do it for me. I enjoyed the writing style of this book, and I'm sure it is the sort of books that many people will enjoy, just not me. It was enjoyable but not a story I will remember.

I felt like the story was a bit slow which just made me not want to pick it up, there are parts of the story that I felt didn’t add to the story. I didn’t get on with any of the characters, the relationships between everyone drove me a little mad. I think Jimmy had to be my favourite character, he was written well, and was central to the whole story. The story did seem to build, only for happiness to be taken from characters again. The ending was cute, but for me didn't bring enough to change my feelings for the book.

It’s a sweet book (which has had so much hype!), but I found it hard to follow and preferred Heiny’s Standard Deviation. Sometimes it covered an event so briefly - like I didn’t even realize Jane gave birth to a second child- that I could hardly notice what had happened. I enjoyed how caring the characters were with one another (especially with Jimmy), I think that was the best part of the novel for me.

Unfortunately I couldn't take to this book. Stuck with it as it was a review but had to give up half way through as I couldn't get into it. Don't think I've written that about a book before. Was looking forward to reading it

I was very grateful when 4th Estate approved me to read Early Morning Riser.

Having not read anything from the author before, the blurb intrigued me and the front cover sealed it for me.

The story tells us about a small town in the US, about the goings on in every day life in this inconsequential place.

This is a tale of friendship, of relationships, of hardships.

I said to someone when they asked how I was finding it enjoyable but it was quite a change of pace to the books I've read recently. I guess I'd say it is relaxed in its approach but really makes you pause to think about certain things.

We follow Jane and her journey to essentially being happy with her lot. Not all is plan sailing, her relationship with Duncan’s which also happened to involve his Ex wife and her new husband, as well as all of his previous girlfriends who they couldn't seem to avoid.

My favourite character had to be Duncan’s work colleague Jimmy, he was misunderstood but loved by all and I really adored how people cared for him and how he (in his own way) cared for them right back.

This novel is quietly comedic. Filled with wit and real hearty feels.

Not a typical love story but no less heartwarming.

Gentle, tender and loveable is how I'd describe Early Morning Riser. Funnily enough I did read a lot of this in the early hours and it was comforting at that time of the day.

This was a charming, funny, clever and romantic book, but one sharpened by a fine wit and a knowing smile. Really enjoyable and very modern take on an old theme.

I loved Katherine Heiny's Standard Deviation and Early Morning Riser did not disappoint. Filled with the same wry observations and wonderfully drawn characters, as well as humour that genuinely makes me laugh out loud, this was a joy to read. It took me a little while to get into this novel, compared with Standard Deviation (and I think SD is still my favourite), and for some reason I found the characters a little harder to immediately connect with, but by the end I had totally fallen in love with them and all their quirks. For the humour alone, Katherine Heiny remains one of my favourite authors and I would read and recommend anything written by her.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it stayed with me for days after finishing. The lanndscape becomes another character and transported me back to my brief time living in North America, with the bitter winters and beautiful summers.

I really loved this novel. It tells the story of a small town and the way families can come in different varieties. It was witty and made me smile so many times. I loved all the characters and I feel like I’ll miss them now I’ve finished it! A really lovely read.

Brilliantly written and witty from beginning to end!! I never would have thought I would love this book so much! It is not a genre I usually read but how wrong was I!? I could not even define this novel, it just felt like a soft summer breeze, warm and comforting. A feel good book that I heartily recommend!

A fantastic novel about a small town and a family. I loved the main characters and the dialogue was witty throughout. Brilliant insights into family life (I loved the headstrong toddler!) and heartwarming without being corny. Just brilliant.

Thanks to NetGalley for my review copy.