"This is Gonna End in Tears" had all the elements of a great book, from its appealing cover to its evocative 80s setting. The story revolves around the lives of Miller, Ash, and Olly, three friends whose relationship spans decades, moving back and forth between the mid-20th century and the 1980s.

The novel's choice to shift between different time periods, however, can make the narrative somewhat challenging to follow. The plot primarily focuses on the deterioration of the trio's friendship, with Miller ultimately ending up with Ash after Olly's departure to Los Angeles. While the premise has great potential, it never seems to fully take off.

Several aspects of the book raised questions for readers, including the choice of names for the characters, which some found irritating and challenging to relate to. There's also the plotline involving Aunt Tassie's obsession with Billy Budd, which seemed implausible to some readers, leaving them expecting a more significant revelation.

Another dramatic inclusion that divided readers was the screening at Wonderland's town hall. The way the audience reacts and the actions of one character during this event were questioned for their realism and necessity in the narrative. Some readers felt that this part was shoehorned into the story late in the narrative and didn't work effectively.

While "This is Gonna End in Tears" is not a bad book, it doesn't work for everyone, and the plot might not satisfy those looking for a more compelling and cohesive storyline from the start. The deliberate, slow pace, rich character development, and the book's connection to the 1980s are elements that can be enjoyable for some readers. However, the tangents in the narrative and a swift conclusion at the end left others wanting more from the story.

In the end, this book is a matter of personal preference. If you enjoy coming-of-age nostalgia stories and have fond memories of the 1980s, you might find it to be a satisfying read. It beautifully captures the atmosphere of that era and delivers a slice of life from small-town America, making it a nostalgic trip down memory lane. But for those seeking a more tightly woven plot with relatable characters, this book may not fully meet your expectations.

A fab summer read in a similar style to Taylor Jenkins Reid. A fantastic story of friendship, betrayal, love, and the big disappointments of growing up. Fantastic.

An absolutely brilliant book set around 2 decades and following 3 friends. The story is about coming of age and how we evolve and change as we mature. This is a huge 5/5.

This was a great entertaining read, and really enjoyed it. Will definitely read more by Ms Klaussman in future.

I am a huge fan of Liza Klaussmann and think she has an amazing talent for creating interesting but flawed characters who draw the reader in. This book centres around three main characters, Miller, Olly and Ash who grew up together in a small town called Wonderland before setting up their own successful record label.
All three are currently back in Wonderland and the novel focuses on their individual relationships with each other as well as moving back in time to explore their teenage years.
This is definitely a slow burn novel with the focus being on the characters rather than the plot line with the added bonus of a dramatic event at the end.

Great read for summer.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read this title in exchange for my feedback.

An enjoyable story which takes us through the lives of a group of friends in the 60's and enables us to see the directions in which they go. This story had a lovely feel to it - full of nostalgia and beautifully written. It made me think about my own teenage years and the friendships I had. This is a wonderful book which is very easy to be immersed in.

Lovely fluid Klaussmann writing style with a languorous and evocative flow, but this didn't blow me away. It's good, but it's not brilliant. It shimmers behind a heat haze, it's like reading through Miller's green tinted glasses. Three friends return to their childhood home, a tidal island, and they have to unravel the way their lives turned out and friendship fell apart.

I really wanted to love this, given the premise. The novel focuses on the friendship between Miller, Ash and Olly, starting out in the mid-20th Century, and moving to the 1980s. The narrative moves backwards and forwards in time, which, to be honest, is not always easy to follow.

Here, there is a novel about a trio’s friendship that goes wrong. Miller ends up with Ash, after Olly leaves her to stay in LA. For me, the plot is lacklustre and never really takes off. Problems I have with the novel include:
-Klaussman’s choice of names - in addition to those already mentioned, there’s Blue, Cricket, Dutch…. Personally, I find the names irritating and quite challenging to identify with. Maybe this is deliberate but I’m not sure.
-The focus on Aunt Tassie’s obsession with Billy Budd which doesn’t seem plausible, certainly not to the extent it happens in the book. I was led to believe there was a bigger secret she was holding. Is this linked to the Olly/Miller/Nate back story?
-The dramatic inclusion of the screening at Wonderland’s town hall - firstly, how the audience reacts which I don’t think is realistic, and secondly, what Cam does to Aunt Tassie, Dick and himself. Is this necessary? It seems that the writer shoehorns this in late in the narrative and I don’t think it works.

This isn’t a bad book - it just doesn’t work for me and I don’t feel the plot really goes anywhere. I have read similar-genre books that are much more successful and I just wish this had been more compelling from the outset.

I received an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, John Murray Press, and the author Liza Klaussmann.
This novel was just a bit strange. I feel like there was real potential for the story and the characters but it just didn't really go anywhere. The denouement was also bizarre, totally extreme, and then passed over completely like it was just a usual dramatic occurrence. Overall, it felt disjointed and incomplete and as a result didn't grip me, however I can appreciate the writing which was very good. 2 stars.

What a nostalgic, close your eyes and take you back to your childhood piece of fiction this is.

An arresting tale of three childhood friends; Miller, Ash & Olly inseparable and marked for something special. From the small town of Wonderland, and a Quaker upbringing, to L.A, the creation of a record label and the lifestyle of the rich and famous..

But all of that is in the past, the glittering high life can be viewed in the distance, through the rear view mirror.. An affair, a marriage, a child, a business that wreaked destruction in the wake of its success....what do the three of them have left that is of any value?

There is Nate, the child, the next generation. On the cusp of adulthood, of his own adventure, with his own friends, Cam, Suki and Jess.

Two storylines, two generations, each with love, life and friendship at its centre.

For me, the strength of this book is in Miller and in Nate. Mother and son; their bond is clear and the maternal love is unflinching.

Where the characters of Olly and Ash are in techni-colour; fully formed in their inadequacies; Miller has a more ethereal quality, we see snapshots of who she is, but they are only ever a glimpse. A subtly clever device used by Klaussmann to mirror a woman's 'place' at that time. Peppered with misogyny and the female acceptance of her role, Miller portrays a poignant indictment of the time.

What is beautiful here though, is that we get to witness a change. For the most part, Miller is the typical dichotomy; she carries weight within that lifelong triangle, but is powerless beyond it, she is voiceless. We see the tide begin to turn, we see a woman regain control and we see it done with poise and with elegance.

Nate, on the other hand, is a beacon to the future. More self aware than his parents, more open, he and his friends, male and female, get to explore who they are, who they want to be or even, who they most certainly do not want to be. Young love blossoms, friendships are tested and the fallout from the potential damage heaped on them by the older generation proves to be incendiary.

A journey for them all, a visit to the excess of the 80's for us. A novel whose subtlety will have me pondering for a while yet. Always the sign of a book well written.

A gorgeous, lushly written love triangle set between the music industry of the west coast and a former Quaker town on the east coast. 'This is Gonna End in Tears' is romantic, vivid and moving, evoking sunny days, boozy nights and the heady, dreamlike state of youthful love.

If you like coming of age nostalgia stories and you can remember the 80s then I think you’ll enjoy this book.
It is slow paced, but deliberately slow.
All of the characters are deeply flawed, but utterly human.
The Moby Dick storyline and the hysteria of the town was interesting.

For anyone who was coming of age around 1984 this book will be a real trip down memory lane, studded with song titles and lyrics that you probably have forgotten about but will instantly root you in the time and place.
There’s a sudden huge event right at the end which is skipped through in a page or two. I would have preferred for more time to have been spent laying the groundwork for this, and delving into the aftermath. It’s like a grenade has been thrown and we don’t deal with it at all.

On the plus side - some beautiful writing, interesting ideas and the author is great at creating atmosphere. But this just didn't quite come together for me into something greater than the sum of its parts.
With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Liza Klaussmann writes so beautifully and atmosperhically, as a reader you are immersed in to the lives of her characters and the 60 / 70's and 80's in the USA as their story unfolds.
A story of growing up, love, friendship and life.

A fantastic summer read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read This is Gonna End in Tears

I really struggled with this book - I think this was mainly due to the way the story was told with a lot of back-and-forth between different times which I struggled to keep up with.

I liked learning the story between the three friends and how their interwoven relationship had far-reaching repercussions over the years. I can see this story working really well in either a film or tv series, I think the way the story is told would really lend itself to visual media.

However, I found that I didn't really care about any of the characters - they are all flawed in their own way and there are different revelations and realisations between them all and about them all over the course of the story - but I didn't empathise with any of them. I did finish the story, it just wasn't really for me.

This has all the elements of a great book - gorgeous cover, perfect 80s setting, a music theme running throughout with lyrics of 80s songs, some strong characters and great writing. It didn’t quite work for me, but it was an enjoyable read all the same.

Set in a US beach town called Wonderland, an old Quaker settlement, Ash and Miller are married with a teenage son Nate. Their estranged friend Olly (with whom they fell out many years prior) turns up in town when the production of a movie (Moby Dick) is being made and his Aunt Tassie needs caring for following her escape from a nursing home. Olly, Ash and Miller have history which seems about to unravel, but in unexpected ways.

I struggled with the tangents this book went on. Not all side stories were relevant and some took me completely out of the story and stalled the pace of the book. After quite a slow pace for most of the book, it reaches a dizzyingly swift conclusion that left me feeling mildly peeved.

The writing is wonderful though, and a good enough reason to pick this one up and see if it’s for you. It reminded me of a few books I’ve read over the past year - Mr Wilder and Me, Something New Under the Sun and The Seaplane on Final Approach. All of these were enjoyable reads but not quite great reads. And funnily enough, this one fell squarely into this category too. I’m 100% here for the 80s vibes though. 3-3.5/5 ⭐️

I was drawn to this book because of the cover - and it did not disappoint. Reminded me of Taylor Jenkins-Reed (who I adore) and the time setting was perfect (1980’s & 60’s) had a real small town feel to it too, and the relationships were beautifully drawn.

The 80s setting and the fab retro cover were the obvious pull for me towards this novel. (Using Lyrics from Talking heads early on was a winner for me)...

A time hoping story essentially about a love triangle involving Miller, Ash and Olly ...we bob back and forth in their lives making sense of their current situ (current being 1984)

There are numerous time lines, I actually think it would have been a much stronger story overall if a couple of the storylines had been ditched, the love triangle between Miller, Ash and Olly was what I was obsessed with, and I began to skim read other parts as they didn't hold my interest as much.... However I thoroughly enjoyed the story and felt it had a great vibe and feel to it.

Dreamy story of entwined friendship and love taking you through from the 1960s to modern day America, It follows Ash, Miller and Olly, childhood friends who become more and less to each other as they grow up. The writing is lovely and the characters are deeply realised, it's an emotional story of family ties and their impact on a wider community. From the rebellious filmmakers to the wonderful Billy Budd, the story carries you along with the joys and pains of the many characters in a very enjoyable and absorbing way - a lovely summer read.

I could not get myself to finish this book. The storyline is all muddled up and i actually pushed myswlf to read through but eventually gave up at around 30%.