Having read and loved Standard Deviation last year I was very eager to read whatever Katherine Heiny came out with next.
At first I really wasn't sure about this one but the more I read the more I enjoyed my experience. This book was extremely comforting to me and I don't get that from books all that often.

If you like a good slice (or in this case 'slices') of life story - this ones for you. I found the protagonist Jane very relatable and found myself rooting for her all throughout the book.

The thing I liked most about Early Moring Riser was the writing though, so impressive. I savoured every page.

I'll definitley continue to pick up whatever Katherine Heiny comes out with in the fututre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved, loved, loved it!

Early Morning Riser is a slim, 336-page book that took me longer than usual to read because I savored every word. Picking it up each night was like sliding into a bed made of clouds and floating on air. Comfortable… and comforting.

The novel is broken into seven parts, each a lengthy glimpse into the life of small-town elementary school teacher Jane in a given year starting in 2002 and ending in 2019. This style allows the author to go into great detail about Jane’s world, thoughts, and relationships over the span of two decades without turning the book into a doorstop.

While there is some tragedy, Early Morning Riser has a fairly low-stakes plot that falls somewhere between drama and uplit. I suppose “dramedy” is the descriptor that fits best. Remember that TV show “Northern Exposure?” It’s a little like that. Quirky characters, real-life situations portrayed in an honest way, and just good old-fashioned exceptional writing.

If you’re a reader that needs a compelling mystery to pull you through the pages of a book, this is probably not a great choice for you. But if you want to spend time in a gentle world at the end of a long day, this is the place.

My thanks goes to Katherine Heiny and 4th Estate / William Collins Books for the gifted advance copy via NetGalley to review. It’s been a pleasure.

Jane falls in love with Duncan.
Duncan, however came with baggage. An ex wife, a work colleague and the fact that most of the women in Boyne City had slept with him.
One tragic accident and Jane's life changes forever but could it be for the better.
Life is full of surprises but we can make the best of them and sometimes life will be better for it.

I loved this book. I was a real fan of Standard Deviation, so was eagerly anticipating Early Morning Riser. I wasn't as instantly gripped by the characters and the setting as I had been for SD, but as the novel progresses it is impossible not to feel for Jane, Duncan and Jimmy as they move through their lives together. It's sweet and sad and charming.

This was a weird one for me.
It was extremely enjoyable and I really liked all the characters (even with the odd dynamics); we definitely needed more of Gary. It was feel-good and had some genuine laugh-out-loud moments.
However, nothing really happened. There was no twist, there was no real storyline. It just kind of... went.
On the plus side, it does make it the perfect book for someone looking for to read something they don’t really have to concentrate on.
Perfect late night read.

I adored this book! It’s my first one by this author and will definitely look up her others.
This is a book to read slowly and to fully relax and unwind too, there is no great plot as such but the characters are so well developed that it’s easy to become invested.
For me it’s about how dysfunctional families can fit and find love and comfort. My favourite character was Jimmy, his innocent outlook on life was so heartwarming. I also really liked Jane and liked they we got to jump forward in her life rather than seeing a small snippet. Janes observations on the children in her class and small town life had me smiling throughout.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

I felt this book somewhat lacking and couldn't really decide if I was enjoying it or not. It didn't set the world on fire for me..

Thanks to 4th Estate for letting me read Early Morning Riser in advance. This was my first Katherine Heiny novel and, to be honest, I only requested it as I'd seen so many glowing reviews. It wasn't a book I was immediately interested in, and I feel like my enjoyment definitely reflected that...
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Early Morning Riser is about Jane, a second-grade teacher who moves to Boyne City in Michigan and immediately falls in love with Duncan - a woodworker who has apparently slept with every woman in the town. It's definitely heartwarming and immersive, but as someone who isn't a fan of heartwarming books or reading about small towns, you can see why I didn't fall in love with this one. But I definitely did enjoy Early Morning Riser - it's very readable, it's full of genuine friendship, and it paints an affectionate portrait of an interlinked community - without being twee or cutesy. Some of the characters feel a bit unbelievable, though, and I was never swept up or impressed by Katherine Heiny's prose - something which is always really important to me as a reader. 3.5 🌟

This was a really nice read. We follow the story of Jane and her move to Boyne City, we get to meet all of the quirky residents there and the author really manages to make you connect with them and feel for them. Although nothing too much happens throughout the story it is written in such a fun and witty way that you just want to keep on reading and following what the characters are up to and wanting them all to do well. I really enjoyed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny

Jane, a 20-something primary school teacher, moves to Boyne City, Michigan and falls in love with Duncan. The story follows them over several years.

I am so sad this wonderful book is over! I feel like I've spent a few hours in Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls) or Schitts Creek! I loved the story of the main characters, Jane and Duncan, but the supporting characters made the book shine! An amazing cast whose quirks made me laugh out loud sometimes, and yet there is real emotional depth to the book too. The perfect novel. Loved, loved, loved it - VERY highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book.

What if life is a journey full of love and lust and passion and friendship and family and tragedy and penance? 'She understood now that life was too valuable to deny yourself things that gave you pleasure'..
This is a deliciously crafted tale about life and relationships and the different ways in which we love..
The story is beautifully written, with quirky, unique characters.
This book will have you laughing out loud.

A nice easy light read, I enjoyed it but it wasn't really my normal kind of read. Nothing really happened, and although there was a definite tension under the surface, like a storm brewing in a teacup, there was no eruption. I felt uncertain whether to sympathise with or admire the characters for their ability to settle.

I had heard so much about this book and was delighted to be sent an APC by Netgalley. That being said I'm really sad to admit that maybe my expectations were too high. It was a pleasant book but I felt that there was not a great deal of storyline and while the characters felt well drawn, I struggled to stay invested. I may just be the wrong reader for this book but I'm sorry it was just not for me.

A light hearted easy to read novel about Jane and her relationship with Duncan.
Not really my cup of tea, I found the story too light weight and the characters not very appealing. Nevertheless, it was a smoothly written novel and I can understand why it is popular with so many readers.

I absolutely loved the characters in this book. The connected characters are authentic and truly like able. Katherine creates a dialogue that is entertaining. You will be able to relate to many of the issues covered. A great read.

Not what I expected when I started reading this book but what an interesting book. Jane moves to Boyne City & teaches at the local school. She meets Duncan after getting locked out of her house & her life changes. She makes friends with Freida, a music teacher & her mandolin & her life takes on a pattern that seems to fulfil her. This book rolls along nicely, that's not mean't as a put down but as a 'this book is good' way. Follow her life & enjoy.

Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny Pub Date 15 Apr 21
Jane quickly falls in love with Duncan: he's charming, good-natured, and handsome. He has also slept with nearly every woman in Boyne City, Michigan.
Jane sees Duncan's old girlfriends everywhere – at restaurants, at the grocery store, even three towns away. While she may be able to come to terms with dating the world's most prolific seducer of women, she wishes she didn't have to share him quite so widely. His ex-wife, Aggie, still has Duncan mow her lawn.
It is a heartwarming book about being human, centring on family life and the meaning of love. It's witty in places with some good one-liners.
Overall, a charming story with good characters.
An easy, lighthearted read.
I want to thank NetGalley, 4th Estate, Fourth Estate and author Katherine Heiny for a pre-publication copy to review.

This is almost less of a story and more of a stroll alongside Jane as she negotiates her small town life. The characters are warm and funny and the situations are relatively normal and commonplace but beautifully described as Jane negotiates relationships with men, her mother and the children in her class and finds her life turned upside down by a car accident that seems to decide her future for her.
A lovely gentle read that transports you to Boyne city and drops you into their way of life

I enjoyed reading Early Morning Riser, but found it very difficult to describe when telling my sister about it and I’m not even sure why I enjoyed it, really. Maybe writing this review will help me to understand.

It’s Jane’s story, a primary school teacher in a small town in Michigan. Jane meets Duncan when he comes to do a job at her house and she immediately becomes one of his many, many sexual conquests (the town and further afield is littered with them!). His libido seems to be what defines him and I disliked him greatly at first and found myself disliking Jane for her attachment to him. However, once I let them be who they are and accepted them for who they are, I became very fond of them both. They really step up to the plate when Jimmy, Duncan’s employee, needs more than average support, and their kindness to others becomes what defines them in the end.

Filled with quirky characters, I found it a humorous, heart-warming read. Writing this review has indeed helped me to understand why I enjoyed it.

This novel is a delight! I loved everything about it - the gentle humour, witty dialogue and memorable characters. Jane is a primary school teacher who falls for Duncan and then finds out that most of the other women in the town have done the same. Jane is a kind and appealing character and I really wanted her to have a happy life. I particularly enjoyed the relationship she has with her impossible mother! I laughed out loud many times and was sorry when I got to the end as I wanted to know the characters for longer. It’s a beautiful and uplifting novel. I highly recommend it.