The book has so much potential but I feel it was written in very much layman’s terms with no punctuation was very poor and off putting.

I found this book hard to follow and I’m gutted because I was looking forward to it.

Thanks Netgalley and Claire for my copy of this book!

truly melancholic in some places, sally rooney is obviously the most easy comparison to reach to, it almost reminded me of the not terrible jco books.

This one really deserves all the hype it’s been getting - it’s a great read and super relatable. Recommend to anyone even if it’s not their usual genre.

A long, drawn out love story. The last quarter elevated my rating from three to four stars. It's a good enough read. I found Rosie pretty insufferable most of the time, so I really didn't care what happened to her.

My favourite romance novel since One Day. That's it, that's the review. Will and Rosie's story takes place over two decades and is told from both points of view - which is similar to Nicholls' novel, but different enough not to be too similar. The prose is profound and beautifully raw in places. The missed chances vibes is heartbreakingly strong and really does make you reflect. Highly recommended.

"But her voice keeps him awake that night. And again, the night after that.”

It took me a long time to pick up Talking At Night - so much so that the novel has been out for several months and is still in my ARC pile. But it turned out that I read it at the exact right time to be totally sucked into Rosie and Will's story - I devoured it in 24 hours, unable to put it down. It's a heart-wrenching read, and at times I found it genuinely upsetting, but it's also a gorgeous testament to the power of love.

Will is the local bad boy, and Rosie is a high-achieving loner. The two hit it off at a party and continue to orbit one another - but then when tragedy strikes, Will and Rosie's lives are turned upside down and they have to learn who they are - and who they are to one another - within a horrific new reality.

Talking At Night spans decades in the lives of its characters, lending the novel a decidely old-fashioned feel, but also leaving it indebted to Sally Rooney. Rooney's Normal People looms large over this one; it deals with lots of similar ideas, including love across social class, the lasting impact of trauma, and two people who can't stay away from one another. Though it's not as accomplished as Normal People, Talking at Night is nonetheless a quietly powerful read. Daverly tackles many difficult themes - and there are so many of them! - thoroughout the novel, and she mostly succeeds in taking a nuanced look at them. I could have done without Simon's arc; particularly as elements of it mirror my own story and so I found inconsistencies within it very frustrating. But I'll forgive that as Daverly manages everything else pretty well.

The prose is mostly lovely - if a little overwritten at times - and the small cast of characters are fully fleshed out and considered in their actions and motivations. If I was to sum this up, I'd definitely put it in the "quietly devastating" category. Tear-jerking and tragic, Talking at Night nonetheless had me turning pages until the wee hours; it's a compelling character study, deftly drawn, as well as a heartfelt romance.

Sorry, couldn’t carry on! The no speech marks irritated me so much I had to give up. Why has this become a thing? It isn’t cool it is annoying.
Gave up not even halfway through the first chapter as it bugged me so much.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Michael Joseph for approving me for an ARC of this book.

💖This slow burn, will they won’t they romance needs to be at the top of every romance reader’s pile. If you’re a fan of Where Rainbows End (Love Rosie) or One Day then you will love it!

⭐Spanning over many years we see the complicated relationship of Rosie and Will unfold. As they each face their own difficulties and challenges through the years they seem to be each other’s constant, safe space. There was so much beauty in their story and the way it was told.

😥On a few occasions I felt the inevitable tears rise to the surface. I defy anyone to not feel moved by this story. It poetically explores relationships, friendships and self-discovery, making it relatable in many ways.

The most peculiar thing happened with this book. I loved the plot, I loved the romance. I wanted Rosie and Will to end up together.

But I didn't like them. Or maybe that's strong. I was indifferent to them.

That said, I loved it. It was a 4* read only because it went on a touch too long. I loved the writing. It won't be for everyone, without speech marks but I just think writing like this - Sally Rooney does it too - adds to the romanticism.

It's a yes from me.

I have to confess it took me two attempts to restart this book due to the writing style where at first it is unclear who is talking as no quotation marks are used. However once you get used to this style it is worth sticking with.

A realistic love story from teenage years to their 40's, it is quite sad and shows life as unexciting and unfulfilled however the core story at the centre of this is captivating in it's own way.

Thank you to Netgalley for the copy.

Talking at Night by Claire Daverley was an incredibly heart wrenching and emotive story about Rosie and Will, two people whose lives are connected by a tragedy. Much like in Sally Rooney’s normal people, the story follows the pair at numerous points in their lifetime as the pair reach milestones in their adult life. We span the course of their relationship from the age of 17 to mid 30s and Claire cleverly brings us along to experience the highs, but also the tumultuous and emotional experiences they go through along the way.

Talking at Night is poignant and moving but so incredibly sad as we follow two people who the timing is never quite right for, but you follow their will-they-won’t-they with bated breath in case this is the time that it finally works out for them. I do feel as though the prose could have been tighter in some areas, and that sometimes certain aspects of the plot bled on for too long f without cause, but I did enjoy reading it.

Its worth mentioning that I did find the discussion around weight and calorie counting quite triggering as someone with history in this area, so definitely check trigger warnings first!

*Thank you to Netgalley and Michael Joseph for letting me read an early copy

Quiet, bookish Rosie Winters and notorious Will White have never even spoken to each other at school, but after they have a lengthy conversation by a bonfire at a party one night, neither can get the other out of their heads.

So begins a tentative friendship - Will wants more, but Rosie is focused on her studies and the plan she has set in place for herself. A notorious perfectionist and people pleaser, Rosie is also mindful of her twin Josh and how he feels about she and Will. Will says he'll wait - but they're still drawn to each other.

When tragedy strikes, Will blames himself. He and Rosie each need to find a way to deal with what has happened, before it destroys them both.

I tore threw this - for a 400 page book, I think I read it over a couple of hours in one sitting. I couldn't put it down. I didn't always like the characters or the decisions they made, but I think it was a really gripping read if you like character-driven novels that span a couple of decades. The whole Simon arc I could have done without - I just felt bad for him from the start.

The book has been compared to Sally Rooney (what hasn't been compared to Sally Rooney at this stage) - I can't speak to that, as I haven't read her books, but for me it was more reminiscent of One Day by David Nicholls. I really enjoyed it.

I’m really torn reviewing this book.

I had high expectations. Very high. Lots of advertising, social media discussion etc - setting it up to be THE romantic read of the moment. I was excited to read it, still breathless from One Day all these years later.

And perhaps this is where my standards are too high. The storyline itself just doesn’t feel fresh anymore.

Execution-wise, this is well written on the whole - but it didn’t keep me turning the pages throughout the night. I couldn’t fall in love with, root for or even make relationships with the characters. It is a lovely story, but perhaps highlighted for me that the “winner” behind this story will be for a slightly younger audience for myself, for whom the storylines are fresher?

I also feel like I’m the only person frustrated by the “Sally Rooney-Esque” style of writing, with no speech marks etc. Sometimes difficult to read.

Enjoyable, but not the page turner I expected.

I’m hesitant to write this review because I’ve got a strong sense of right book wrong time with this one. Talking at Night has all the elements of a book I should love, but unfortunately, it just didn't land. The beginning, with the initial introduction to the characters and the set-up of the plot was super intriguing to me, and I couldn’t wait to keep reading.

However, the storyline just became more and more implausible as it went on. I am a keen defender of the miscommunication in Sally Rooney’s Normal People and the justifications Marianne and Connell have for not being together, but here I just couldn’t seem to get behind Rosie and Will’s actions. It made them very unlikeable in my eyes, which affected my investment in them as a couple.

What I will say is that if you’re a fan of Normal People then this is absolutely the book for you. Rooney’s novel has become a sort of yardstick in literary fiction, and so many titles are compared to it, but I believe that if Daverley did not take direct inspiration from that novel, then certain elements of it subconsciously influenced this book.

I can’t wait to revisit this although it wasn’t a hit for me the first time around. I can still so clearly see its merit. I will be eagerly awaiting its release in paperback.

An utterly gorgeous love story, full of tenderness and passion. It feels like something you’ve read before but in all the right ways, you feel at home and immersed in the world Daverley has created. This is definitely one for fans of NORMAL PEOPLE, but Daverley has her own distinct and unforgettable voice. I’ll be thinking of this one for years to come.

A lovely soppy book with lots of romance and mixed with sadness. I wish I'd read this sooner. It will stay with me for a very longtime. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I first saw this book at the Michael Joseph showcase before it was released and the trailer they showed for it piqued my interest immediately. It turns out that the book was even more than I was hoping for and I enjoyed every bit of it. I purposely read it in smaller sections than I would usually as I wanted to digest and enjoy every bit.

I loved Will and Rosie and I was so frustrated with them both all at the same time. For two people that talked to each other so often and at such length, they were terrible at communicating their feelings. Out of the two, I think Will was more honest with himself about his life, his feelings and where he wanted to end up. Rosie was far too heavily steered by outside influences rather than following her own heart.

I didn't expect this story to be so emotional and it hit me like a tonne of bricks. There were beautiful moments and ugly moments and they all fit together to depict real life. Loved all of this book so much and I highly recommend it!

Talking at night is a powerful love story between will and Rosie a couple who meet as teens and despite a terrible accident when they are young they can’t let each other go I absolutely devoured this book it’s achingly beautiful the writing was Devine and it’s definitely one I will hold for a lifetime

Talking At Night

I have really taken my time with this review.. because I don’t think anything I say or suggest will do this book any justice.

It’s easily become my favourite 5star read of this year it was so beautiful, raw, honest and soul destroying but in a good way, it is an amazing perception of many reps from grief, OCD, depression, suicide, LGBTQ, Loss, cancer, honestly I could go on because it had everything and it was just stunning lyrical and I didn’t want the story to stop I felt apart of Rosie and Wills life by the end of you feel true love doesn’t exist I suggest you pick this up it’s just an honest in-site to how reality affects us day to day and how time doesn’t slow down for us or wait around it’s beautiful and I can’t quiet believe it’s Claire’s only Novel I hope she gives us more! She’s just an excellent writer!

I loved this book. It’s so well written and the characters are so well developed it is just lovely. Highly recommended by me.

A very intense and far-ranging book, with a teenage romance marred by tragedy that Will and Rosie never quite get over. There's a lot of very elegant and dense exploring of topics and there should maybe be trigger warnings for aspects of the story that catch you by surprise, but at the end you are just desperate for some sort of resolution as the 'will they won't they' stretches a little bit thin at times. An absorbing read.