Unfortunately this book didn’t live up to the expectations I had from the synopsis. This book lacked the depth I wanted from the characters and the back story behind their storyline

I wasn’t expecting at all the turn that this book took and it was amazing. I had to finish and find out what had happened. No spoilers but please read this book

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

I believe this book has an alternative title of "Hey Zoey".

I enjoyed this book, One of the themes is how lack of communication and silence can adversely affect people's lives. It is also unflinching it its description of the casual misogyny women had to endure in the past and the different but still present, misogyny they endure today.

There is a lot which has to be read between the lines and deduced rather than being told directly but it is not obscure. I felt for Dolores and, like her, I cannot understand why her husband would do such a very hurtful and disrespectful thing to his wife.

The "character" of Zoey raises many thing to think about and I was very uncomfortable thinking about the existence of these ghastly items, let alone the fact that they can be customised. I knew that they exist having been morbidly fascinating by a newspaper article a couple of years ago but I had blocked the knowledge out until I read this book - thanks for that Sarah lol! I feel that these items reflect very badly on men who must surely be the target market and I find the cynicism of the creators and manufacturers to be quite appalling. Apart from anything else it is awful to think that men might just want a companion who agrees with them all the time.

Women, in the shape of Dolores' mother are shown in a poor light too. The mother knows what is happening to her daughters but does not seem to make much of an effort to stop it, at best preferring not to rock the boat, at worst, putting her own happiness before that of her daughters who, after all are young and vulnerable. I suppose it makes a change that the stepfather is not the villain of the peace.

On a lighter note, most of the things Dolores deals with at school are described in a very matter of fact, humorous and realistic way. She is certainly a force for good and for change at school.

How on earth can you get a good story about a blow up doll? Well read this book and find out.

A marriage breakdown blamed on this sex toy, but was it doomed from the start? How to turn betrayal into your advantage and how to start a new life.
Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book.

An unusual subject and interesting storyline, I never would have thought of this story's progression so surprised me throughout. Weirdly addictive and voyeuristic.

This book is beautifully written and there's a well sustained feeling of numbness running through. When Dolores discovers just what her husband has been hiding in the garage, her marriage implodes.

Over the coming months, she explores what it is to be a wife, sister, daughter and head of school. She eventually comes to terms with what has made her who she is. It's a book you'll continue to think about once you've finished.

Sarah Crossan‘s Hey, Zoey is a powerful and delicately written novel that invites readers into the quiet chaos of a woman’s life as it begins to unravel. What starts as an ordinary morning in an ordinary household quickly turns into a turning point for Dolores, the main character, when she discovers something unexpected in her garage: a sex doll belonging to her husband.

Rather than relying on shock value or sensationalism, the novel takes a more introspective, psychological route. Dolores isn’t thrown into a whirlwind of drama — instead, she finds herself slowly and painfully peeling back the layers of her own life. The writing drops clues gradually, like breadcrumbs, drawing the reader further into her world and the trauma she has tried to keep buried. Even by the end, it feels as though we’re still learning who Dolores really is.

What makes this story so effective is its restraint. It doesn’t deliver a twist for the sake of it — the discovery of the doll isn’t a climactic shock, but the beginning of a subtle, painful reckoning. Dolores, once comfortable in a passionless but orderly marriage, begins talking to the doll — Zoey — in a way she never managed to speak to her husband. Zoey becomes a mirror, reflecting Dolores’s repressed emotions and long-silenced voice.

Sarah Crossan’s writing style is spare and elegant. The short, punchy sentences conveys not only the tone of Dolores’s inner world but also the emotional void in her relationships. The novel says a lot in what it chooses not to say directly, trusting the reader to read between the lines.

There’s a quiet discomfort running through the narrative — it doesn’t shy away from difficult subjects like emotional repression, sexual trauma, and toxic family dynamics. Yet, amid the bleakness, there's a current of hope, of a woman slowly coming to terms with herself. Dolores is at once sharp, funny, and deeply unaware of just how disconnected she’s become from her own desires and history.

The subplot involving Dolores’s job as a teacher — particularly the issues surrounding inappropriate images among students and problematic staff behaviour — adds another layer to the story, grounding it in the realities of everyday emotional labour and the blurred lines of responsibility and judgement.

Hey, Zoey is not the story you might expect from its premise, and that’s part of its brilliance. It’s not really about the doll — it’s about what the doll reveals. This is a novel about silence, shame, and the slow, difficult process of coming back to yourself. It’s a quick read, but one that lingers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Dolores is a schoolteacher, who has found a rather sophisticated AI doll her husband David has bought. Taken back by her discovery, she throws him out but keeps the doll. As she begins to navigate her new situation, she finds that she leans heavily on “Zoey” for companionship and comfort, buying clothes for her and carrying her around the house.

As the plot progresses, we see she still has an emotional pull and love for David but has an inability to openly discuss their situation or how they arrived there: their love life was functional and there was no Communication between them.

With the separation she realises just how lonely she is. Her interactions with others leave no lasting impact on her; friendships and work life are alien. She is literally performing a functional role which we can’t help but compare with the doll whose creators have a very specific task to fulfil. While her sister is incapacitated in a psychiatric ward, Dolores steps in as the rational one with a safe pair of hands.

This was an insightful read which delves into several topics like childhood trauma, human relationships and modern technology that we are beginning to use as substitutes for human contact. I really liked the characters, especially her mum’s no-nonsense, get on with it attitude. Although sometimes brutal, she was a spicy character. This is a novel that stays with you long after the final page. I will definitely be reading more of her work.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ahead of publication.

Are You Awake? offers an irresistible premise, so my interest was immediately piqued, then I started reading and was instantly hooked!

When Dolores discovers a secret her husband has been hiding in their garage, things are simply never going to be the same again as she's forced to confront her past, her present and her future.

Centered around themes of trauma, loneliness, relationships and morality, using an AI doll as a catalyst, we watch as Dolores life implodes.

I really enjoyed the writing style which is a series of vignettes and short paragraphs, going from past to present, keeping the reader engaged and the story paced. There's a stunning reveal later on in the book which really pulls all the elements together and gives us the insight into why Dolores is the way she is.

It's very thought provoking, introspective and darkly humourous, whilst also tender, raw and a bit sad, which makes for a completely compelling read.

Quietly brilliant, very clever and highly recommended - I can't wait to see what Sarah writes next.

it a deep and raw book. it looks into the dark and lightness of your soul and life. some people can go a lifetime without asking or thinking on these questions. some people can go a lifetime without looking inwards. is that better or worse for us? is there a balance to be had somewhere? because you can see the complete turn around or insight when people finally ask themselves why they are, usually comes after a main event or tragedy? when you might find answers for yourself, how you've always felt, how you've behaved? and as you can see this book did indeed make me think. an books are so great for that. all books can pose questions for the characters. and sometimes it ripples out for the reader to. even if we only ask it in terms of the character!
and i am never quite sure of our character in this book but im not sure i have to be. because i so enjoyed reading her own story and what came up for me and her was obviously much needed.
its an honest book. with an honest but sometimes raw view into our characters life. it can be sad it times and pull at the heart. because Dolores is so complex. but boy was i rooting for her and wanted her so much to not blame but heal from all that had happened and come to her. and you can so see how it formed the woman she is.shes there in front of us hurting too which isn't easy to read. and shes got so much inside her which dictates how she acts and how others can or cant penetrate that wall.
and voids that are filled without healing are never actually filled not by substance, people, or things. reading what happens in this book is unsettling and exposing. but you are hooked. you cant put it down. you definitely need to see where this will go and how it might be dealt with. what comes next after this kind of thing is exploded into a marriage?
Sarah manages this book with such care and knowing. she somehow makes this deep deep book into something you dont feel bogged down or depressed by. she creates hope or chinks of it amongst her words.
this book is gorgeous. in all its honesty.

Ohhhh I loved this!! Thank you for letting me read it!
It was so unexpected, so beautiful and sorrowful and just everything in one!

Dolores, I wasn’t sure whether or not to like her, such a complicated character, so random and so hurt.
David tried so hard to love her, but she didn’t know how to be loved.

Zoey taught her, even though she was a sex doll. I loved the little insights especially- ‘We are replaceable. All of us. And not simply by other people. By things too, like alcohol and fibre optic broadband’

On an ordinary morning in an ordinary house, a woman discovers a secret her husband has been keeping. It is a secret that explodes their marriage.

Such a captivating, thought-provoking story. It's such a quick read; the writing and the plot itself are so engaging, and they make for such an unputdownable book. There is a lot about it that's so uncomfortable and unsettling, it doesn't shy away from any of it, but it also carries a sense of hopefulness and a certain light.

Im not sure this one really worked for me, I found it quite hard to get into but I did enjoy the story

The book is raw, thought-provoking and deeply touching. It’s easy to read and author’s writing will pull you in as soon as you will start reading it. Characters have so much depth and emotions. Author has done deep exploration of emotions we go through, relationships, and human nature. Dolores character was intriguing and loved that she bonded with Zoey. After discovering her husband’s secret, she addressed her trauma’s and emotions she was going through. Not only our childhood shape us into who we are today but emotions we go through also transform us into a person we are meant to be. there was a twist I didn’t see coming. This was such a unique and thought provoking read. The book did remind me of Hey Zoey.

Thanks to the Publisher

Dolores appears capable and tough to those around her. The sort of woman who isn't needy and props everyone else up. But Dolores doesn't feel very much, and hasn't had any deep or meaningful conversations with her husband or dysfunctional family for a while. Her sister moved to New York and has no intention of returning.
Avoiding spoilers means I must tiptoe around the main plot. It's an unusual storyline and very thought provoking. There's a big reveal as to why Dolores is the way she is at 97% of the book. Everything slots into place. I loved it.

So interesting, tense and thought provoking. I really enjoyed this.

Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Thank you for a chance to read this novel. I'm a bit confused as I thought it was Sarah Crossan's new novel, but it's actually a release of paperback edition of Hey, Zoey. I've read it before and enjoyed the blend of dark tones and themes with some funny edges, and the use of AI in the collapse of Dolores's marriage. It runs true to life, as there have been instances when marriages do end up in divorce and AI is involved. The prose is poetic and easy to read. I hope it does well!

This title has been reviewed as part of a monthly reading wrap up of mini book reviews https://youtu.be/IDq3b873KMY

Really liked. this, especially the dark overtones. There was a definite creepiness to this story. I liked it as a thriller, and would recommend it to others who like a darker story, as well as one based on a dystopian future.

The blurb gave me expectations the book sadly didn't live up to.

I feel like Zoey, the AI bot with whom Dolores' husband is cheating, could have been taken out of the story and removed with a human character and there would be little to no difference. There wasn't a whole lot of focus on the AI, and I feel that could have been explored much more than it had been.

The writing style is really disjointed here and takes a LOT of time to get used to.