it's rare that you have so much immediate trust in an author that within the first 20 or so pages you can just sit back and let the narrative wash over you. Overspill is careful and unflinching in its structure, content and exploration. Part fully rounded and fleshed out romance, part deep and complex study of trauma, healing and discovery. There are elements of this book I really needed to hear, it's utterly heartbreaking for so many different reasons and yet I'm astounded at how the notion of hope is so gently provided to us. This is not a book to miss.

Brutal and devastating are definitely the correct terms to describe this book, I felt emotionally wrung out once I was finished.

I think it did well in tackling the topic of CPTSD and the affects it can have on the individual and those they have relationships with. It was messy, raw and shows that the healing process is not linear.

I would recommend checking any TW's before reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

3.5 Stars.

Everyone has been raving about this tender novel that explore the exact meaning of growing up and becoming your own person. This was stunning.

I don’t really know what to say about this book.
There’s nothing exciting about it, it’s a sad story.
It has sad vibes all the way through but then the reasons kind of erupt at the end and it’s nothing exciting. Just more trauma.
It’s well written and I’ll remember it but I don’t really feel like praising it.
Definitely check your trigger warnings.

It's hard to put into words how raw, powerful and devastating this book is. Tackling such difficult and brutal emotions and situations with some of the most beautiful writing I've read in a long while, it's impossible not to be drawn deeply into Sara's relationship with herself now, her past and her future. Challenging but also exquisite in it's bravery and directness.

Intimate and raw this story explored how past trauma can affect you in ways beyond your control.

I thought the author approached the subject matter really well and I could feel every bit of trauma Sara was going through. There were highs, there were lows, there was rage but there was lots of hope too.

I do love a story that isn’t shy about discussing deeply traumatic experiences.

Thank you to Charlotte Paradise, Random House UK and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Overspill was a much more raw, all encompassing and truthful book about female desire and trauma. Sara truly was a brave woman trying her best to feel whole in a relationship with a man she thought she trusted and could share all of herself with. Sara truly didn't realise how much she needed help deep down in her mind to feel pleasure and enjoy intimacy with another man. This book truly explores these desires in a safe and caring way. It’s a book that will stay with me for a while, but in a knowledgeable way.

This book was incredibly heartbreaking to read, following a young woman "Sara" who is going through her life discovering her issues stemming from PTSD & many different traumas and how impossible it feels to not put your entire life under the pressure of these issues. Her life through these pages is truly deep and meaningful and it reads like the reader has been invited into the main characters personal diary which leads to a truly emotional and hard hitting read.
It's very interesting to read a book with healing from trauma through the avenue of therapy, therapy is a huge almost, character of its own in this story which adds another layer of complexity in this read.
The main thing I really loved in this book was that the ending was something I didn't predict, I was really worried that the ending would 'magically solve all of her problems by just getting rid of them and yay everyone is happy" Which I think in this case would've been pointless and annoying however the author has done a brilliant service for the ending of this story by not just magically 'fixing' anything but reminding the reader and characters that everything is a process and that work and effort into any aspect of ones life is extremely necessary.

Overspill is a deeply poignant novel which highlights trauma and how your life, friendships and relationships are affected by this trauma. Sara tries to navigate a new relationship with Miles whilst struggling with her own PTSD, bodily detachment and grief. What I enjoyed about this novel was that Sara was not magically ‘fixed,’ and her healing process is not linear. You just wanted to scream and shake Miles’ shoulders for not understanding Sara nor giving her the bare minimum of what she needed. As a debut novel, Overspill is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking and raw. Paradise’s prose is spectacular and dazzling.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an early copy of this novel, and of course a massive thank you to Charlotte Paradise for writing this novel in the first place.

An upfront, brave debut that is an incredibly important and needed story. I read a mix of the ebook and the audiobook and both were great! It was well written and tackled some very difficult topics in a raw and factual way. I’m so glad that this book exists and I think it will resonate with many people in many ways. The book depicts self acceptance, self love, and overcoming trauma in a way that really brings the reader into the experience. It was complex and I appreciated that the relationship in this book was not perfect and that the difficulties were shown. I was also happy to see that Sara’s journey was the focus of the story. The depictions of anxiety, panic, trauma, and therapy were excellent, which was refreshing to see. I will definitely be picking up anything that Charlotte writes next!

Wasn't for me at all. The opening chapter was... not it. I didn't need to read it. I'm not a prude, just don't care.

25 year old Sara is disconnected from her body - she has never been able to use a tampon as she has panic attacks, and she can't have intercourse. She is also feeling the effects of trauma so deeply buried that she doesn't even know what the cause is. But she wants love and embarks on a relationship with Miles, with both of them really liking each other. Unfortunately her inability to be physically intimate with him, and his religious upbringing and self-disgust, means that their relationship will be tricky to say the least. Can it survive the obstacles they face?

This book was graphic mentally, emotionally, physically, and sexually. Sara is deeply traumatised, and the reader discovers along with her what the root of that trauma is during the course of the story. The novel and its themes are certainly confronting and made me question myself. Reading it I also became frustrated with many of the characters, and particularly with their lack of compassion for, and dismissal of, what Sara was experiencing. At times this was a hard read emotionally, but it was also enjoyable and well worth it.

This was a much more intense read than I anticipated, and it felt like I was carrying a boulder around in my chest for at minimum the final 30%. Probably the rawest portrayal of cPTSD I've come across in literature, I couldn't in good faith recommend it without advising you know exactly what you're getting into. I was sent an ARC based on my history of interest in litfic and I understand publishers have a job to do but . With the twist it was a lot to go into unprepared (outside of the synopsis, naturally) . It did take me a minute to finish.

I wasn't familiar with Charlotte prior to receiving my copy but I heavily fuck with her social media presence and will be familiarising myself with her short films/letting myself feel all of the grief and joy that comes with disability alongside her posts about it which make me feel so seen/cheering from the sidelines at whatever she does next.

**thank you Rachel Quin / HQ for the opportunity to read prior to release**

A beautifully written story based on tragic events and emotions. It was raw and emotional reading, but truly written well. A great debut.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Overspill is a debut novel by Charlotte Paradise that follows a young woman navigating trauma and self-acceptance in a relationship shaped by uncertainty.

This is the type of book that captivates you from the first page. What starts as a woman having a panic attack about a tampon, soon unravels into a beautiful exploration of grief and love in all its forms. The prose in particular is beautiful, and is one of the novel’s true highlights.

At its heart, the story centres on Sara and her trauma, particularly her grief. It builds gradually, and it’s in the last quarter of the book where the emotional weight fully lands, so have tissues at the ready. One of the most powerful aspects of Overspill is how thoughtfully Sara’s PTSD is portrayed. In particular, the conversations between Sara and her therapist in the second half of the book were handled with such care, and I appreciated how mental health and the process of healing was shown.

The development of Sara and Miles’s relationship felt incredibly natural. Their interactions were realistic and I appreciated how their relationship was not portrayed as perfect. Flaws are acknowledged as they both navigate their own fears, desires, and boundaries.

I believe this is a book that will stay with me for a long time, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in a character-driven story that explores grief and a modern relationship in a realistic and mindful way.

I would advise checking the content warnings before reading.

Overspill is a raw and tender debut about Sara, a 25-year-old woman living with complex PTSD, as she navigates life, trauma, and love in London.

This was a different read for me, but I’m so glad I picked it up. What a brilliant book. A real girls’ girl read - thoughtful and beautifully written. It tackles some brutal themes, but with care and authenticity. I loved how it didn’t waste time on filler, it moved between the moments that really mattered.

The relationship at the heart of this book felt refreshing in its honesty. No big drama, just two people figuring things out in a way that felt true. If you’re looking for something quietly powerful, Overspill is it.

Charlotte Paradise’s Overspill is a breathtakingly raw and intimate debut that examines the intersections of trauma, desire, and identity with searing honesty. Set in modern-day London, it follows Sara—a young woman navigating the complexities of intimacy, love, and self-ownership in the wake of deeply rooted psychological trauma.

Paradise’s prose is both lyrical and unflinching, portraying Sara’s journey with remarkable emotional clarity. Readers are drawn into the tender but tumultuous relationship between Sara and Miles, a man who respects her boundaries but wrestles with his own longing and confusion. Their dynamic is portrayed with nuance, allowing room for both love and frustration, miscommunication and care.

What makes Overspill so powerful is how it avoids easy resolutions. The novel refuses to simplify Sara’s trauma or romanticise her recovery. Instead, it leans into the discomfort, offering an authentic portrayal of healing as nonlinear, messy, and deeply personal. Through perspectives that alternate between Sara, Miles, and therapy conversations, the novel builds a layered picture of what it means to reclaim agency over your body and your story.

Many early readers have described Overspill as “devastating,” “suffocatingly real,” and “spectacular in its emotional depth.” It has drawn comparisons to works by Sally Rooney and Coco Mellors, but Paradise brings her own voice—one that is sharp, visceral, and deeply empathetic.

Trigger warnings apply, as the novel engages candidly with CPTSD, bodily autonomy, and psychological distress. However, for readers seeking a story that challenges, resonates, and ultimately uplifts, Overspill is a must-read.

A refreshing, raw portrayal of CPTSD. I really respect the openness and honesty of this book. I can really see this book leading to more open conversations amongst friends and partners. This was unfortunately a DNF for me as I couldn’t connect to the characters or to the setting but I am so grateful to have been given the chance to read this. Thank you so much for the arc. I can’t wait to see what Charlotte does next!

Truly devastating. Sara tries to come to terms with some uncomfortable truths about herself, and finds herself on a very dark journey to discover more than she realised. This is a very tough read, as Sara fights to free herself from the past through therapy and support from her mother and friends. As she starts a relationship with Miles, the full horror of her past catches up with her and she has to face this down before she will ever be able to move on. It is sensitively written but is very disturbing, so proceed with caution with this revelatory story.

Sara is 25 and for as long as she can remember she has struggled with the relationship between her and her body and he sense of self. Then she meets Miles who is patient, kind and willing to work within her boundaries. But both of them have never actually had a real relationship and the progression of theirs goes wrong eventually when both of them struggle to be honest with each other and themselves.

This book was really interesting. The exploration of trauma and sense of self was so fascinating. The writing was really beautiful and compelling. It just wasn’t a book for me, I can objectively see this was a really good book and I liked it well enough