"Bellies" by Nicola Dinan is a poignant exploration of self-discovery and the complexities of queer relationships. Set against the backdrop of a tender romance between Tom and Ming, the novel delves into themes of identity, desire, and the quest for self-acceptance.

Dinan's characters are rendered with depth and nuance, grappling with their own struggles and insecurities as they navigate the challenges of transitioning into adulthood. The decision by Ming to transition creates tectonic shifts in their relationship, forcing them to confront their desires and fears.

The novel's exploration of hunger, both literal and metaphorical, adds depth to the narrative, particularly in its portrayal of Ming's identity as a trans woman of color.

While some of the narrative can be predictable, the emotional impact of Tom and Ming's journey is undeniable. If you loved A little life or Detransition Baby, this book is for you.

I had a great time with this queer modern love story and I will be definetely be sharing it with many of my queer friends.

I loved this sensitive, nuanced novel. I felt Nicola Dinan balanced the two narrative voices of Ming and Tom beautifully. It was emotionally honest and she gives equal weight to both characters as they go through huge changes. More than a love story, it felt like a queer coming of age story for the two lovers/friends. Touching and surprisingly funny at times.

I’m sorry but I DNF’d this book quite early in to reading it. It was far too slow paced for me unfortunately

A modern look at life and romance, Bellies is brilliant - funny, thought-provoking, and fantastically written

A worthwhile read but a slow burn.

On the surface it may seem as if Ming is the character with more depth and Tom is just a one dimensional ‘lad’ but both characters carry their own demons and insecurities however these are presented in a completely different manner depicting the complexities of humans.

The story itself was a good read but the characters I found myself less attached to. Nonetheless, this was a new type of coming of age story which I would recommend.

There aren’t many well realised queer love stories but this one surpasses all expectations. It explores serious questions, but never preaches. It is fun, funny, and full of hope and courage.

Bellies - showing vulnerability
Ming a Malaysian student and Tom meet at University, they are both gay, but it is taking Tom more time to settle into his status, he has been seeing Sarah and was in a relationship with her. When Tom finally admits his attraction to Ming, they get together, seemingly happy with one another, Ming is dissatisfied with his body and takes steps to change it. Although Ming goes ahead with transitioning, Tom is not comfortable with it, Ming has difficulty coming to terms with Tom's job as a city boy.
Tom and Ming have a wide circle of friends, Rob is Toms oldest friend and one time roommate and confidante, Tom is also protective of his ex Sarah who is in a relationship with Lisa. Ming's friendship with Cass is difficult as she has fallen for Rob, who does not return her feelings to the same degree.
After Tom and Ming split up Ming goes to New York and continues to write plays.
Tom gets involved with Marco but is disappointed in the level of commitment.
Whilst trying to sort out their separate lives a tragic accident happens which brings all of the friends together, misunderstandings are aired and bridges built.
Throughout the book we are witness to many bleak, moving moments but also happy, life affirming scenarios. The family relationships for both of them are a source of amusement and regret
There were a few things in the book that I did not understand, I put this down to my age, but it did not spoil the story.
Thank you NetGalley and Dinan for the ARC.

This book was difficult for me to rate. I went into this thinking that I would love it, but I didn't as much as I thought I would.

I enjoyed the exploration of 'what happens if you're gay but your partner is a transwoman' and the difficulty for not just the people in the relationship but their friends as the dynamic of the relationship changes. It was heartbreaking how love can change over time and that it may only exist in a certain state and once that changes it can't be recaptured. Whilst I enjoyed the subject matter and the themes explored, I didn't necessarily enjoy the characters or connect with them emotionally which affected my rating and enjoyment of this.

It could've been beautiful, but with my lack of affection for the characters and the slowness of the story in some sections, I couldn't fully love it.

I read this book after seeing a glowing review from a fellow bookstagrammer and I wasn't disappointed. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. I loved both characters equally. I found both perspectives emotional and interesting. Would fully recommend!

DNF'd at 37%. I could not get into the style of this book. I was enjoying getting to know the characters and their arc was interesting but the pace and prose didn't work for me. I put it down and I didn't want to pick it back up, and that's never a good sign. Not for me.

This story presents a poignant and deep narrative with relatable characters and insightful discussions on identity, gender, and attraction.

The writing is beautiful, and the characters feel realistic.

However, the slow pace and focus on everyday life make it less appealing to my personal taste.

While it may resonate with those who enjoy character-driven narratives, I felt there was something missing that would have heightened my connection to the characters.

Despite this, I'd recommend it to those intrigued by the premise, as it still has its merits, even though it didn't fully captivate me.

A beautiful, compassionate queer read. I adored Ming and Tom’s story - especially the importance of the relationships that you make in your early 20s, no matter how many things might change. One of my favourite books of this year! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

Nicola Dinan's "Bellies" provides a lackluster reading experience. The plot unfolds without much excitement, and the characters fail to leave a lasting impression. The writing is serviceable but lacks the spark to elevate the narrative. Overall, it's a forgettable read that doesn't offer much to distinguish itself in the literary landscape.

This reads like a modern classic and is the best kind of queer love story. It's a beautiful coming of age story and I've already recommend this to several people.

Not my usual type of book but I was engrossed.

A classic coming if age story of love and heartbreak, very enjoyable.

This was a fantastic debut novel which centres around Tom and Ming, a typical boy meets boy story but evolves into a tender yet raw and sometimes messy story of love and friendship, identities and self worth, the intricacies of transitioning and the intense, often messy feelings and that come with it.

The writing was at times poetic and the reference to the title Bellies was lovely - the fact that there is a certain vulnerability in showing our bellies to people.
It was both heart breaking and heart warming.

As well as the 2 main protagonists, there were fantastic characters throughout the book who added to the greatness of the story.

My only issue was although it was written in a dual point of view, at times it wasn’t always clear who’s view it was until you were a few pages into the chapter but other than that I really really enjoyed it and know it will stay with me for a long time 🥰

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to read it in return for an honest review.

An absolutely amazing debut! The way Dinan writes characters is just beautiful and although it wasn't faced paced I was invested in the relationships and keen to see how these developed over time. It was a wonderful coming of age story and I loved witnessing Ming's journey. I don't want to spoil anything for future readers but the end was very emotional! Absolutely a five star read and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

A touching British coming-of-age story showing.The insecurities of young people at university coming to terms with her homosexuality and gender dysphoria.
The character, who transitions is a playwright, and then writes a play about his relationship, and how it was damaged by his transitioning.
The sex scenes are messy and feel real rather than romantic
Is it meaningful that partner of the transgender woman keeps referring to him in his narration as he?
This is the authors first novel she writes with skill and has the ability to describe peoples character and the minutiae of peoples lives with perfection. The novel as well crafted what is an accompliced piece of writing.
I’d recommend the novel to those who like a character driven novel. Not much actually happens in the book, but at the end, you feel that you really do, understand the main two characters in great depth. The book remind me a little of the writings of David Nichols, this is us, or perhaps hanya Yanagihara A little life if you like either of these novels, and I think you would enjoy this one
I read an early copy on NetGalley UK, the book was published in the UK on 29th June 2023 by Random House, UK
This review will appear on NetGalley UK. Goodreads and my book book bionicsarahsbooks.wordpress.com. the review will also appear on Amazon UK.

It begins as your typical boy meets boy. While out with friends at their local university drag night, Tom buys Ming a drink. Ming is the perfect antidote to Tom’s awkward energy. But shortly after they move to London to start their next chapter, Ming announces her intention to transition.

I absolutely loved this book. I laughed, I cried, I stayed up way too late to finish Bellies.

It's a beautiful, beautiful coming of age story. I'll recommend this one until I'm blue in the face

This has become the book I enjoyed the most recently, it was written in such details that I will never get over with. The inner struggle of someone going through trauma, mental crisis, the difficulties facing at certain points of your life. It was all so real and human and I loved that in a book.