Well, it’s been almost 2.5years since I last read a Rooney and my life, and reading tastes, have changed somewhat, so I admit that I was nervous to pick this up should it disappoint me. But no, I read this extract hungrily and now I’m only disappointed that it wasn’t longer. Brilliant start. I’m already sucked into these characters and I need to know what happens next.

Of course this is only the first chapter, and I don’t usually make snap judgments based on the first chapter, but I’ll do my best.
First and foremost, I have point out the thing that bothered me the most. THERE ARE NO QUOTATION MARKS!!!! Nothing noting when someone is speaking. It just threw me off. The formatting didn’t look like a yet-to-be-edited version. It looked quite finished. Sooo… Is this a new trend?! I’m sorry as an editor, writer, and grammar nerd, this bothers me to no end. Have we just given up on decent grammar rules?!!

Okay, now that I have that out of my system, I can move on to talk about the chapter.
It had the feeling of a sepia toned opening scene to a movie that then flashes forward a couple decades to the real meat of the story. That was the pacing and the feel.

I don’t know if I’d read the whole book after this chapter or not. It was kind of a toss up. Interesting but I don’t know if it was interesting enough for me.

I have enjoyed Sally Rooney’s books so far and judging from the sample chapter I’m sure I will look forward to buying it.

She;’s done it again! A brilliant opening chapter where nothing and everything happens. A writer meets a man on a date in an anonymous hotel. The air of foreboding and tension is palpable. Both know where it should end and the dance towards that inevitability is excruciating. The tension builds sentence by sentence. The chapter could end in murder or consummation. But Rooney does something else,. The cliffhanger is not physical it;s emotional and it’s devastating.
I can’t wait to read more,
Thank you Net Galley and her publishers.
A smash hit again

Ooohhh Please please can I have more….. An amazing first chapter which has left me thinking, what? When? How? And why… looking forward to reading the full book

Sally Rooney has such a power to intrigue, I could tell just with one chapter that this was a book I would be tempted to devour in one sitting. I am really excited for the release of the full novel and think I will definitely be purchasing.

With just one chapter Sally Rooney reminded me why I just love her writing style. I consider Normal people to be one of the best books I have ever read. That book had very real characters and a storyline. After reading just one chapter I have a feeling this one will not let me down and have all the things that made me fall in love with Normal People and Rooney’s writing in the first place; real, flawed characters and a storyline that will not disappoint. This chapter was just a glimpse but it drew me in and I wanted more. It was perfect.

With only the first chapter in, it is quite hard to make up my mind on this book. We discover two of the characters, Félix and Alice, and we know from the start that their relationship is going to be bumpy, chaotic but oh so intriguing. Alice is witty and Felix is not afraid to let out his thoughts.
The setting is also promising: a big, empty house by the sea, Alice being a writer newly settled in town, and Felix an established local.
I can’t wait to read more of it and discover how their relationship will evolve, and the philosophy behind their story.

Sally Rooney has the ability to get me interested in her novels right from the beginning and this one is no exception. We get a brief glimpse into the meeting of two characters and I can't wait to see what happens next!

Loved this first chapter and I can't wait to read the rest of the book. Sally Rooney's language and character development are always top rate.

As a fan of both 'Normal People' and 'Conversations with Friends'. this is a book I'm eagerly waiting for. I feel very fortunate to be able to read the extract early, pre-publication and it already reads as well as her previous two books. I've always been moved by how she explores and writes about loss and love. About the messiness of being a human. Whether we like her writing style or not, we often find a part of ourselves in her characters. I always cried and I think this book will just be as great!

This little snippet of chapter one just has me even more excited for the release date!
I love Sally Rooney’s style and realistic viewpoint of how complicated life and love can be and after reading this extract I am left with so many questions about these characters and how their worlds are going to entwine. I am sure this will be a page turner for fans and new readers of Rooney’s beautiful prose.

It's a thrill to read the first chapter of this book by Sally Rooney, I loved ' Conversations with Friends' and 'Normal People' . It's clear she's a master of exploring relationships and the complexities they contain. I'm already hooked on the characters and will definitely be buying this book on release. September can't come soon enough.

Thank you for chapter 1 of one of my most anticipated books of the year! Im even more excited to read it now!

A short chapter from the new book by Sally Rooney, beautiful prose but as usual in her writing not much happens and the fragment is too short to appreciate the book. I'm pretty sure that when I requested the title it did not mention the fact it was an extract, so I was disappointed to see only such a snippet.

I loved this extract and desperately want to read on!
It’s beautifully written, engaging and intriguing,
I can’t wait to get the chance to read the full book.

Feels like this has the bones of a great book.

I predict another Sally Rooney hit on the horizon.

The excerpt was only the first chapter but the characters have already sucked me in and I'm eagerly anticipating September 7!

10/10 loved this (even though it was just 1 chapter) I can already see myself absolutely devouring it once it is fully released!!
So excited to finish this one!!

Looks worth reading! Need the whole book to be able to review fully. I didn't realize it was just a sample when I asked for it.