This week has been perfect reading for me as there are so many brilliant books out at the minute. The story follows Jane’s life and how she meets the love of her life. The only thing is Duncan likes to share his love out amongst many. Duncan is the easiest going bloke that I have ever read about and never argues or fights. He is kind and does things for people on the quiet, as he doesn’t like the fuss. He also has an unbreakable connection to his ex-wife, although she has re-married) and still does her garden. Jane thought he would eventually marry her, but it hadn’t happened. Jane had to make a decision and leave him if she was ever going to marry.

What I loved about this story were the people that surrounded Jane and Duncan too. I loved the quirky characters, the hilarious situations and how they all come together for each other. When you first meet someone and fall in love, you don’t always think of all of the other people that come along with them. The aunties, best mates, responsibilities in their lives and of course the ones that came before you. What a mixed bunch they all are!

Duncan is a cracking character, so open and honest about his past, his present and how he sees his future. A real chilled out dude. The story takes place over a number of years, not months, as the dynamics of the group change and re-arrange. There are so many light-hearted moments that made me chuckle and laugh out loud. I listen to my books at work when the place is closed. We work on our own but within hearing distance. It was one of those times that me randomly laughing out loud at the story only I could hear, became infectious for everyone nearby me.


A brilliant story, that has so many of life’s hurdles to relate to. I loved Duncan and Jane, the perfect match for each other and their crazy friends. Excellent reading.

I wish to thank Net Galley and the publisher for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.

I really enjoyed this book. It is beautifully written and instantly transported me to the sleepy american town with its quirky inhabitants so that I felt every emotion along with the main character. It isn't a dramatic story, but more a gentle, thoroughly enjoyable read.

Didn’t think I was going to like this book at the beginning, but it was actually totally charming. Set in a small town in Michigan it tracks the life of a young teacher called Jane. Jane falls in love with Duncan who appears to have slept with every woman for miles around. Duncan has been married to Aggie who he remains close to, even though she has remarried but Jane would prefer it if he wasn’t so close to her. Jane feels Aggie is a hard act to follow as she is a great cook, good organiser and attractive to look at, always looking her best. Duncan’s relationships with women, particularly Aggie leave Jane feeling anxious and it is very easy to understand how she feels and she is very easy to relate to. In many ways this is quite a slow story other than one major event which changes Jane’s life for ever and makes her feel responsible for Jimmy, a vulnerable young man who works with Duncan. However, it is so beautifully told with humour and sadness that I would thoroughly recommend it. I love the fact that each chapter has a heading giving the year so the reader is in now doubt about what stage the book is at – there is no going backwards and forwards as seems to be the case in many books these days. The characters are wonderful with so much detail you feel as if you know them personally. Even Jane’s children are so well depicted, particularly the differences between them, that you feel you really know them. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me an ARC of this lovely book.

Thank you to netgalley and the author and her publisher for allowing me to read this book. It’s so fantastically written. I really enjoyed reading it. Thank you

Early Morning Riser is a pithy and perceptive read, full of wry observations about human behaviour, and the trials and tribulations of family and marriage.

Jane moves to small town Boyne City (pop. 3000). She meets Duncan who is kind and wonderful and passionate. But it soon becomes apparent that his passion has been shared amongst most of the female population of Boyne City. Not to mention he still mows the lawn of his ex wife Aggie. When he tells Jane he's never getting married again, she tries to move on, but circumstances lead them back to one another and they marry and raise a family, including Jimmy, an adult physically, but mentally in need of constant care. It turns out that Jimmy teaches Jane more about love and friendship than any other person in her life, and the closing scene is perfectly heart-warming.

A thoroughly engaging and enjoyable read. Many thanks to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this title in return for an honest review.

You can’t help who you fall in love with right? Even if you know you’re going to have to share that person with a whole host of other people. That’s exactly what happens to elementary school, second grade teacher Jane when she moves to the small town of Boyne City, Michigan. Accidentally locking herself out one day, the charismatic, laid back, handsome Duncan comes to her rescue, immediately stealing her heart and the rest as they say is history. If like me you haven’t yet discovered the glorious delights of Katherine Heiny’s writing then this novel will leave you wondering why. Funny, tender, upbeat, charming and bittersweet Early Morning Riser is vibrant with life, making your spirits soar.

Everyone knows Duncan,particularly all the women of the town, and some further afield, since he’s slept with most of them. Acquiring girlfriends with just a twinkle of his eye, this ladies man flits from one woman to another, never wanting to commit, at least not since he’s become divorced from wife Aggie. Yet he’s incredibly lovable with not a bad bone in his body which means very few harbour bad feelings towards him. Our cheeky, mischief making casanova spends his days pretending to restore furniture in his workshop alongside assistant Jimmy or acting as a handyman to Boyne City’s damsels in distress so you can understand his allure. He even still mows Aggie’s lawn despite the fact she’s now married to Gary, whom I can only describe as the bluntest tool in the box!!! But can Jane capture his heart in a way no other woman has managed to do or will it always be a case of ‘wherever he lays his hat that’s his home??’

It might not be all a bed of roses for these two who hold opposing views of love and marriage but as the seasons flow Duncan and Jane find themselves like magnets drawn together inexplicably despite their differences. Unconventional their relationship may be, overcrowded with exes, plus a cognitively impaired assistant who encroaches on their time alone but this imperfect state of affairs further hampered by a tragic accident turns out to be perfect for them, much to Jane’s surprise. Happiness comes in many forms and although it takes years for Jane to discover this revelation, together with Duncan and the rest of the inhabitants of Boyne City they provide the reader with so many hilarious anecdotes, you will be smiling from ear to ear for the rest of the day.

Oh how I laughed my way through these pages as Katherine Heiny regales you with the comings and goings in this small American town. From Jane’s class of students, to her fellow teaching colleagues, best friend Frieda Fitzgerald( who I wanted to smash over the head with her wretched mandolin...but in a good way!), to her nemesis Aggie and her hilariously daft husband Gary, the humour never stops. This is an author who keeps on giving! They all delight with their eccentricities and their (more or less) wholesome goodness. Aggie, super organised, best home cook ever micro manages Gary to within an inch of his life and as a couple they are an absolute scream so why can’t Jane shake off the feeling Aggie may be biding her time, ready to lure Duncan back with her womanly charms? I reserved a soft spot for Jane who just about manages to keep a hold of her less than harmonious thoughts and feelings towards the characters who constantly lay claim to Duncan’s time and attention, forever taking a backseat in their relationship. How she retains her dignity in the face of all this rivalry is a marvel! Jane is the lynchpin of this ‘family’ and I loved her all the more for her conflicting emotions because time and time again her love and kindness and wicked sense of humour shines through her actions even if she feels like strangling the lot of them!! I can’t forget Glenn and Patrice ( Jane and Duncan’s offspring) who as well as adding the cute factor to the narrative are equally hilarious with their differing personalities, one sunny and light and the other dark and grumpy. But it is Jimmy Jellico who earns first place in my affections, my feelings towards him a mixture of love and tenderness. He may not be the brightest spark but he probably has the most open, biggest heart out of all these wonderful characters put together, uniting Duncan and Jane in his own special way and cementing their future as one big, unconventional, happy family. Jimmy is a dream character in terms of his uniqueness and I think he enhances other characters lives in a way that only he can. Round of applause to the author for bringing these characters so vividly to life and into mine. I won’t forget them in a hurry!

I loved the anecdotal style of this novel, giving it a carefree and breezy vibe reminiscent of Fannie Flagg’s writing. Katherine Heiny has taken the ordinary lives of those living in small town America and elevated them to the extraordinary with characters that are all just a little bit larger than life, but gloriously so. Boyne City may be considered a small town but it’s heart pulsates with so much love, friendship and loyalty. Radiating warmth, wit, and vibrancy reading this novel is like holding a piece of sunshine in the palm of your hands. The set up between Duncan and Jane may be unconventional but their ‘family’ of oddbod, quirky friends makes the narrative sparkle.
Early Morning Riser is a sheer delight from beginning to end, you couldn’t wish for a more pleasurable, happy read. Katherine Heiny’s writing is so uplifting, charming and positive, overlaid with a quirky sense of humour and tenderness that makes you just want to read more books like this and forget about all the rest! I’m now off to buy Standard Deviation just so I can gorge myself on another slice of the feel good pie. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

Katherine Heiny is just so brilliant at characters, and their relationships. This is not a dramatic page turner but who cares when the characters are so fantastically drawn and so unusual. I loved this, just as I loved Standard Deviation.

I have never read any of Katherine Heiny's previous novels so really didn't know what to expect. I don't usually judge a book by its cover but I particularly liked this one and the title certainly intrigued me. The story follows the story of Jane, a school teacher who has moved to a small town in America and her burgeoning relationship with Duncan, who seems to have been in a relationship with everyone in Michigan! Knowing that Duncan has so many previous suitors and his life seems to be intertwined with his ex-wife Aggie's, Jane finds the relationship a tad tricky. Heiny is a comedic writer - she has a certain dry humour to her characters' exchanges although some parts are quite tragic. Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Katherine Heiny for the ARC in exchange for my opinion.

A witty, engaging love story. A variety of colourful characters. A heartwarming read with clever dialogue.

This book is wonderful. I found the start a little slow but by halfway I couldn’t put it down. The characters are expertly formed, the phrasing is exquisite. When I started, I thought I had a standard turbulent love-life tale from the perspective of a female protagonist but it develops into so much more. It’s told with great fondness. It’s not heartwarming in the tired book blurb sense - my heart genuinely feels warm. Recommend highly.

I had high expectations for EARLY MORNING RISER after reading STANDARD DEVIATION, which quickly became one of my favourite books of all time. Heiny is a master of dialogue and characterisation - I defy you to find an author with characters quite so comical yet vivid. I could read endless pages of her descriptions - they are wicked and thrilling, but always warm and heartfelt. Heiny is gifted at humanising the flattest of stereotypes. I love her and love this book.

Early morning riser is the story of Jane, a second grade teacher settling into life in a small town in Michigan. The day she moves in she starts a relationship with Duncan. She falls head over heels only to discover that Duncan has had a fling with pretty much every woman in Boyne city. His ex girlfriends are everywhere and he is constantly at his ex wife's house. Is Jane willing to put up with this to have Duncan in her life?

This book started off as a five star book for me straight away - I really enjoyed Katherine Heiny's style of writing and loved learning about the quirky and eccentric group of people Jane finds herself in. Duncan who is charming and oblivious to the chain of broken hearts he leaves in his wake. Aggie, his ex wife who is overbearing but nurturing. Gary, Aggie's new husband who has a list the length of Boyne city of things he takes issue with - chocolate chips in ice cream, leaf blowers, lightbulbs they all confuse and/or disgust Gary. Frieda who will accompany any conversation with a tune on her mandolin and some apt lyrics. Frieda's husband who must not be called by his first name. Jane's mother who will say the absolute worst thing at the worst time. And lastly Jimmy who needs love and guidance through his sheltered life but who unites them all and gives the group purpose. I really enjoyed the anecdotes from Jane's classroom and the antics of her students.

At the beginning of the book I laughed out loud a lot and was charmed by the groups eccentricities. Favourite moment: The Grateful Dead comments made by Duncan at the dinner party.

However, somewhere around the middle of the book, the humour and charm fell away for me. Like the string of failed flings in Duncan's past, the things that first attacted me to the story became the things that started to irritate me and I lost the love for the story that I had at the beginning.

Having said this, I really did enjoy the author's style of writing and would like to read more of her work. This is a book for a reader who loves quirky characters, the romance genre, tales about small towns and sububia and fiction about friendship groups.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Fourth Estate for the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The slowest book I’ve read in a long time. That fact might suit other readers more than me.

Set in a small town, the book follows the lives of Jane and Duncan, an unlikely couple who have their ups and downs, (mostly because Duncan has already slept with nearly every woman in town).

It’s the kind of unremarkable plot where you wonder how the author (Heiny) decided to where to end it. I was left with a bit of a confused, unsatisfied feeling once it was done, which only added to the slog of completing it.

It just wasn’t for me.

If you’re looking for a slow paced book where you get to know a lot of local characters and their criss-crossed lives within a small town, you might enjoy dipping in and out - or even reading yourself to sleep!

A big bonus was the beautiful way in which Heiny describes Jane’s love towards Duncan, such as how much she hates missing out when they’re not together…

Favourite quote:

“Jane noticed that he had new lines around his mouth. Just imagine: lines carved by experiences that Jane knew nothing about.”

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc. Early Morning Riser will be out on the 15th of April, 2021.

When Jane moves to small-town Boyne City to teach in the local primary school, she quickly falls for handsome, laid-back Duncan, but soon finds out that he has slept with almost every woman in the area and sees himself as someone that women stay with for a while before moving on to someone more permanent. Unfortunately most of them are still part of his life, particularly his bossy ex-wife Aggie. Jane, seeing no future for the relationship, ends it, but a tragic car accident changes her perspective on things and her life takes a turn she would not have predicted, or indeed chosen. This book was a joy to read and the characters delightful (if sometimes irritating) company. It reminded me of a lighter, more humourous version of my favourite author, Anne Tyler, and I can’t give higher praise than that. Heiny excels at portraying the frustrations and pleasures of living in a small community, where all the residents know each other’s business and have an opinion on it, but care for each other in times of need. The characters are quirky but believable, from sweet man-child Jimmy through Jane’s insensitive but vulnerable mother to Aggie’s vacuous husband with all his strange routines and food aversions. The children in Jane’s class are amusingly and accurately depicted, with the trip to a farm a particular highlight. Sorrow and struggle are very much part of the story, but the overall effect is a reminder that life might not turn out as planned and hoped for, but happiness and love can be found in the most unlikely situations and when you least expect it. Wonderful!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ebook proof in exchange for an honest review.

Early Morning Riser follows Jane over the course of 17 years as she falls in and out of love with Duncan, the village Romeo. A tragic accident throws Jane's life off course and nothing will be the same. We follow all the ups and downs of everyday life.

I can't even put my finger on why I enjoyed this so much other than saying, this is truly heartwarming. The plot felt genuine and the characters realistic. I am now Jane's number one fan, what a woman!

Plot wise this might not be the most action packed but I still couldn't put it down. If you love character focused books, I definitely recommend this one.

This will have you laughing one minutes and crying the next but it's worth the ride!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and 4th Estate for providing me with a copy to review.

The main character in this book finds herself in such strange situations all the way through the book. She goes from dating a lovely guy, who has apparently dated everyone in the town, to sharing a deep bond with some of these exes.
I found I laughed out loud at many points, sometimes the book seemed so weird, it could be real life
A very entertaining read. One, in a weird way, we can probably all relate.

I enjoyed reading this story & liked all the characters. I will look out for more books by this author. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was sent a copy of Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny to read and review by NetGalley. At first I couldn’t quite get into this novel but I soon found myself relaxing into it and then just kept on reading! It is a funny, tender, romantic and at times somewhat unrealistic story about Jane, a teacher, and her motley group of friends. While I didn’t find it ‘hilarious’ as some reviewers have remarked I did still thoroughly enjoy it. A great holiday read.

Jane, a teacher, moves to Boyne City, Michigan where she meets Duncan, a woodworker, who restores people's items although he seems to keep them for a lot longer than expected! She falls into an easy relationship with him, but what is not easy is that he has slept with nearly every woman in Boyne City and also further afield and still mows the lawn of his ex wife!
It is a funny yet poignant tale of life in hometown America with lots of good additional characters; Aggie, Duncan's ex wife, her husband, Gary who doesn't appear to be able to think for himself, Jimmy, Duncan's co-worker who needs taking care of and Jane's mother, who doesn't change as she grows older!

I enjoyed reading this book and didn't need to think too much about it - it's just a lovely read of day to day joys and troubles.

Just what I needed, a funny, gentle, uplifting story of family life in all its forms. Jane is a great character, a big heart but totally irritated and short-tempered at times and jealous of her husband's ex-wife. She feels guilt, love, hope and despair pretty much every day but essentially she has her extended family that she loves. A really good read that will brighten up your day.