An absolutely gorgeous read! Fabulous insight, and thoroughly enjoyable. I really enjoyed following Max and Vincent's journeys and timelines and navigation of love within a queer space. Would highly recommend!

Disappoint Me is a gorgeously sporadic novel. Max wants these to be the best years of her life but they, quite simply, are not. Just when you think you're falling in love, how do you confront what lies deeper in a person you thought you knew?

Nicola Dinan's novel encapsulates everything that makes the present interesting, fast-paced, and exciting. She delves into everything from loss and love, to trans panic, articulating all the relationships that form a person in all of its ugly, but beautiful, mess.

I'm always excited to read more from Nicola Dinan so this did not disappoint!

This was my first Nicola Dinan book and I was drawn to it from the blurb.

Max and Vincent are both imperfect, realistic characters and I enjoyed being able to see both of their perspectives, both in the present day and the past.

The book makes you question what is and isn't forgiveable, if people can really change and grow, It gave an insight into what trans people go through without being wholly negative and violent.

I didn't mind the book but I think I was expecting a bit more. I actually decided not to read Bellies after this, even though it was on my TBR. Not because this book was bad at all, but because there are others I'd rather spend my time on.

Nonetheless thank you NetGalley for my advance copy - all opinions are my own.

Wow. Just... wow. Dinan's book knocked me completely sideways in the best possible way!

The writing? Pure magic on the page. One minute I'm cackling like a fool, the next I'm ugly-crying into my sleeve. How does someone manage to do BOTH to a reader?!

These characters, though... they're not just characters. They’re so genuine, so messy, so perfectly imperfect—they practically leap off the page and plop down next to you for a heart-to-heart.

The way this story navigates the tangled web of love, figuring out who you truly are, the complicated dance of friendship, and the beautiful chaos of family? Absolute perfection.

I could ramble on forever, but honestly? Just trust me on this one.

a sensationally good book. devoured this.

a really strong follow up to bellies, which was astonishing! nicola dinan has That Gift of giving voice to things you've never thought about, finding the uncomfortable, ruinous places, the light. she's also very funny.

4.5 stars.

Dinan’s choice of two narrators and non-lineal timelines was perfect: we fall for both characters, sympathise with both characters and want the best for both characters (even when they can both be annoying or problematic at times!), which is testimony to Dinan’s snappy dialogue and nuanced narration. I wanted more from the ambiguous ending but it worked so well! Would obviously love a sequel but I feel that would defeat the point…

Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolutely beautiful, brilliant and poetic book. I love Dinan‘s writing style which brought me both to laughter and to tears and the novel‘s characters are some of the most real, touching and raw. A touching and magnificent exploration of love, identity, friendship and family. I can‘t really say much more other than you must read this book

Dinan does not disappoint with ‘disappoint me” beautifully written with realistically messy character. Similar to her first book, DM discusses class, queerness, race and more and is once again a split POV between Max, and Vincent (a guy she meets on a dating app). Whilst it is poignant and discusses womenhood, forgiveness, acceptance and the messiness that comes with existing in a cis-het world, I did prefer bellies. In parts I struggled to keep up with some of the different plot points and characters, but none of the critique takes away from the fact that Dinan is a good writer of queer realistic stories.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

So, I originally requested this as a friend was highly anticipating this book so it had caught my interest. Unfortunately this one didn't work for me this time. I feel like I was not the target audience for this book, and I'm definitely in the minority for people who did enjoy this so I encourage others not to take my review as advice not to read this. There were certainly some thoguhtful and moving passages here, but overall this was just one of those stories that didn't click for me.

Unfortunately I think this is a right book wrong time situation, I felt that the start was quite similar to Nicola's previous book, Bellies, the way it through you into the story and the way the main character comes across. I felt like it would be one I'd enjoy but after reading about 20% I've not felt compelled to pick it back up to find out how the story progresses. Maybe I'll go back to it but I can't see that happening right now as I just don't feel like I care too find out enough right now. I won't let this deter me from her future releases however as I do feel Nicola writes with a rawness that I admire.

Most of the time, I know more or less how I feel about a book pretty early on. This time, I didn't know what to make of it until around the halfway mark, when it started to really grab my attention. Frankly, I'm still not quite sure what to make of this, but in a good way, I think. I sometimes struggle reading about characters I find unlikeable, but there was something compelling about this story that kept me interested, and it was certainly thought-provoking.

Another excellent novel from Nicola Dinan. This is a smart and razor sharp deep dive into heteronormativity from a trans perspective, as well as analysing the way we pin dreams and expectations on new relationships, regardless of gender.

Beautifully written, intensely moving.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced reading copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Max is a trans woman looking for a heteronormative relationship. Vincent seems to be perfect for her but he is hiding something from his past which will call their relationship into question and challenge Max's trust in him.

This is a beautiful depiction of a new relationship. It captures the hope and vulnerability that comes hand in hand with emerging love but also the pressures that family expectations, cultural differences and past mistakes can bring to the table. It's character driven, complicated and full of emotion. I loved it from start to finish.

Similarly to Bellies, Disappoint Me considers location, queer identity, class, race, assimilation, vulnerability, urban loneliness, womanhood, and more, with introspective prose and distinctive characters. With that being said, Bellies felt far more poignant and indelible. I'm very sad about this because Bellies was my favourite book of 2023 and is one of my favourite novels of all time, but Disappoint Me just did not leave a lasting impression on me.

I love the way Nicola Dinan writes romance, complete with messy personal histories and dealing with trauma through relationships. This is very readable, and as always I enjoy the writing, but for me wasn't quite as hard hitting as her first novel, Bellie (which I ADORED!). Still would highly recommend reading.

After recievimg an arc of this book I went in completely blind. I really wasn't expecting the book to have the story line it did but I absolutely loved it.

On New Year's Eve, Max has a stumble and sustains a head injury. She wakes up in hospital alone and decides it is time to change. She meets Vincent on a dating app and immediately sparks fly. However as we progress through the book we find out more truths about Vincent, and maybe how he isn't as ok with Max being trans as he first let on. As life continues with it's ups and downs the truth continues to unravel to us, but will Vincent ever tell Max.

I thought this was a great book. It has some really meaningful topics but also showed the humour of life, even in the really tough times. I can't wait to read more from Dinan.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐¼ (4.25/5)
Having heard so much about Nicola Dinan, particularly her debut novel Bellies, I was thrilled to be approved for an advance copy of Disappoint Me.

Told through multiple POVs and timelines, the novel primarily follows Max and Vincent. Max, a thirty-year-old published poet and highly paid legal counsel for a tech company finds herself reevaluating her life after a dramatic fall at a New Year’s Eve party, which lands her in the hospital. She decides to attempt a more conventional path in a bid for change.

Meanwhile, Vincent, a corporate lawyer with a passion for baking, struggles with the expectations of his traditional friend group and his Chinese parents, neither of whom envisioned him dating a trans woman.
From the very first page, this novel captivated me. While both Max and Vincent are deeply flawed, their imperfections make them all the more compelling, keeping me hooked as I uncovered the secrets of Vincent’s past and Max’s response to a revelation from a decade earlier.

This thought-provoking and emotionally charged novel explores identity, love, and societal expectations. Dinan’s writing is powerful, evoking a range of emotions—from anger to heartbreak—making it impossible to put the book down. I deeply admire the author’s ability to craft such an intricate and resonant story, and I was left wanting more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Transworld Publishers | Doubleday for providing me with an e-ARC of Disappoint Me in exchange for my honest review.

Dinan’s writing absolutely shines. I raced through this! I really loved the dual perspective through different time periods and loved the little sprinkling of poetry.

‘You can fall in love with an outline, you can even make a home with one, but there will come a time when you can’t deny the bones their flesh.’

Somehow, Dinan’s sophomore novel is even more brilliant than her first. Disappoint Me explores transgender identity, race, bourgeois domesticity, and relationships in a way that is quietly hopeful and beautifully expressed.

Both central characters have distinctive voices and multitudes, coming alive from the page and standing behind us in the queue at the supermarket, or sitting across from us on the train. Dinan probes our morality and explores the human condition in a way that inspires self-reflection from the reader, no matter their identity.

My experience reading Disappoint Me has secured Nicola Dinan as one of my favourite authors. I’m already highly anticipating whatever’s coming next.