Well Sophie Gravia sure knows how to hook you in to a story! Having read chapter 1 of her latest novel, The Dicktionary Club and being introduced to Ella, Katy and Zola, I’m certainly looking forward to seeing what comes next for them and finding out about how they create their website. You can tell from the start that this is going to be a riot of a novel, backed up with what I imagine will be incredible female friendships

Update (now I’ve read the whole novel)

The Dicktionary Club, from Sophie Gravia, is a brilliant summer read; this is the kind of book that’ll have you howling with laughter by the side of the pool!

The Dicktionary Club follows best friends, and colleagues, Ella, Katy and Zola. They, like many others they know, find themselves totally fed up with the Glasgow dating seen. After Katy is unceremoniously dumped the trio decide to take matters into their own hand and create The Dicktionary Club. It’s an exclusive, women-only website dedicated to exposing Scotland's worst serial swipers with brutally honest reviews. Their mission is to help women spot the red flags, dodge heartbreakers, and take back control of the dating scene. But as the site goes viral, so does the drama in their own love lives. And when one of them starts falling for a guy she's been warning others to avoid, things get even messier and more complicated than ever.

The Dicktionary Club is multi POV, but with the emphasis being on Ella’s first person narration. We do hear from Katy and Zola but less so and in third person. This worked well as it was Ella’s story that drove the novel and it was hers that I felt more invested in. Katy and Zola were great characters but felt more like supporting ones, but ones that we got to delve deeper into the story of. The friendship between the women was excellent and is the absolute bedrock of this story.

The Dicktionary Club itself was really interesting. They came at it with the best of intentions to protect women, and though they considered the men from a litigation perspective it was only when things started to get messy did they consider the harm it could cause. I found this interesting to read and think about, I mean they’re trying to protect other women but yet are writing up men in a way I’m sure they’d hate to be written up themselves! You don’t, however have to ponder on this, you can just enjoy it for what it is.

I enjoyed the developing romance plot for Ella, though I won’t name with whom for spoilers. I also appreciated the exploration of Zola’s relationship and the desperate need for communication between her and her finance.

Overall this was a fun read that I’ve no doubt will be enjoyed by many!

The Dicktionary Club 🍆 is a hilarious and banterful, beauty!
I was legitimately crying with laughter all throughout and the amount of highlights I have made throughout this read is out of this world! I have never highlighted so many sentences but this read was pure comedy! I loved the entire storyline, the banter and love between friends, the men that the girls met - if you need a pick me up, this book is the BEST thing for it! 🍆🩷

This was honestly such a fun read! Literally the perfect, binge-worthy beach read.

I thought the premise of this sounded super fun and initially found it a bit slow in the beginning. However, when I picked it back up at around the 30% mark, I ended up bingeing the rest of it in one sitting. I really had a fun time with it. The story and characters just make it so fun and <I>easy</I>.

I also loved the bit of romance we got in the book. Ella was definitely the storyline I cared about the most (hello, can I get my own Philip?), but the two other girls were fun to read about as well. Aside from the very start, there was never really a boring moment in the book.

I will say, the book could frustrate me at times - the characters do play into some overdone stereotypes, some of the plot points were overdramatised a bit, and the way these girls could simply draw upon personal data from dating sites with no problem in one evening? A bit unlikely. However, that's also what made for such a fun read. You can really just turn off your brain and have a fun time with this book, and it's honestly been a while since I've read a book like that which was SO nice.

10/10 recommend as a fun, easy summer read!

A laugh-out-loud romance book with friendship, work place drama and a hint of spice.

This was a very quick read! I was hooked immediately and fell for the characters. They felt like my best friends and I just loved them! They each had their quirks but together they blended to make the perfect trio. Zola was the no nonsense one who took charge, Ella was the one always in the middle and Katy just took the brunt of it all.

Each girl had their own unique story line and it was great to follow along. I loved the humour from Katy’s chapters, the emotional ups and downs of Zolas and the chaos of Ella’s. I found a lot of one liners in this book that had me curled up laughing, and the British references were a fantastic addition which made it relatable.

I loved the concept of The Dicktionary Club. Whilst I’ve never online dated myself, I thought it was such a fantastic idea and so realistic. There was always going to be trouble though. I predicted the storyline rather early on, and I’ll be honest when it got to ‘that scene’ it broke my heart! I just wanted it all to go smoothly. I thought it was really clever how it was revealed and it all linked together well.

The book was set in Scotland which made a lovely change, I haven’t read many books based there but the author made it a vibe. The music scene, bars and scenery were definitely appealing.

This was a great spin on the normal books with feminist energy. The women were able to get their revenge without murder and I really appreciated the difference. This book has the perfect ratio of plot and smut, it was romantic and spicy without it being cringy.

Very funny book,had me lol ing quite a few times throughout it and proper lol img not just saying I had and slightly giggling this was a real LOL quite a few times
Engaging characters and quick witty dialogue made it altogether a fun good read that will cheer anyone
Perfect for holidays or tbh staying at home,so anywhere 😊

I LOVED this book!

I have read another book by this author and enjoyed it too.

This book was told from three perspectives, I felt fully invested in the characters and the storyline.

Easy 5 stars for me and well recommended!

Thank you publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

This was a really fun read!
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. It was witty, funny and it definitely kept me engaged and wanting to read more.
This was exactly what I needed to drag me out of my reading slump. and I will definitely be recommending this to friends.

It started off so well but I did start to lose interest in the middle. The body shaming for the males did not sit well with me.

The Dicktionary Club | Sophie Gravia ⭐️ 4 Stars ⭐️

Set in the vibrant city of Glasgow, Scotland, the story revolves around three friends navigating the complexities of their relationships while working at a PR/Marketing company. Each character's relationship status is uniquely different.

Ella, the main lead character, has been single for three years after a painful breakup with a man she once believed was “the one”. Zola is engaged and has relocated from London to Scotland for her job and is stuck in a rut with her fiancé. Then there’s Katy, who has experienced a string of fleeting romances, always encountering the wrong men in the dating scene.

In a bid to empower Ella and other women, to help the combat the challenges of modern dating, the trio launches “The Dicktionary Club,” a website aimed at alerting women about players, liars, and catfishing men found on dating apps. This venture leads to significant transformations in all their lives.

Ella begrudgingly dives into the world of dating apps to help vet and review potential matches, but with a deadline approaching, she finds herself relying on an influential businessman for assistance, who seems to be enamoured with her indifference regarding his status. Meanwhile, Zola takes a bold step by impersonating Ella on the dating apps to a potential date, prompting her to reevaluate her own desires. Katy, on one of her disastrous dates, has a chance encounter with a mysterious man that leaves her intrigued, but all she is left with is his name. Their intertwined stories culminate in an entertaining and lighthearted read.

While I personally struggled with the switch between first-person narration for Ella and third-person perspectives for Katy and Zola, Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Sophie’s engaging and fast-paced writing style, peppered with delightful references to popular British culture, such as Lush bath bombs, Nando’s, and Ross Kemp! This book is undoubtedly a perfect companion for a relaxing holiday read or a cozy evening in with a glass of wine.

finding the one is hard. but finding the one in a book is harder. this book wasn't hard. at all. it was utterly charming. just filled with so much heart and beautiful moments all the way through. i thought it was going to be clever and sarky(something i can also love) but it was so much more than that. it was thoughtful and thought provoking and touched on some important and relatable themes.
the fact that ive recently heard of just such a dating site red flag group existing made me dive straight into this. and seeing some of the questions that site has faced i wanted to know how this would tackle it and perhaps give me new perspective the way story form always can.
this book gives us three girlfriends who are wading around and out of modern day dating scene. its a mess, often much worse and darker than that too. so they decide to take action and this is where we get our Dicktionary Club. its a site where woman and review dates and save others hearts.
but things dont always go to plan in love. and nor do they here.
the characters were all so brilliantly fleshed out. i felt like i could almost picture them both in sight and heart. they are all coming to this scene in different mindsets and circumstances too which gave you the multiple view points on this and therefore a good look onto the topic.
it also help in pov's that you can decipher the voices telling us their parts.
there is so much honesty in this book. both raw and fun. both serious and light.
loved it

Fun beach treat. Perfect for day by the pool or when on vacation.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I loved this! Such a funny read at times, I love Ella, Katy and Zola's banter, their friendship is strong and it shows!

Wanting to help out other women on the dating scene and wanting honest thoughts on dates and how the guys come across, the girls had the idea to launch The Dicktionary Club, what a venture that turns out to be!

I love how you get sucked into the drama, the emotions run high and you can binge half the book in one sitting! Well worth a read if you was an honest book with the odd swear word slipped in, excited to see more from Sophie in future! Go read it for yourself! You can tell from the cover that it's going to be a laugh and full of fun and mischief from start to end!

This was such a fun and lighthearted read that had me laughing out loud at parts.

It follows Ella, Katy, and Zola, who are tired of the below-par standards of modern dating. They decide to create The Dictionary Club, a website where you can post reviews of the men you’re dating, or look up reviews to save yourself heartbreak. Sounds great, right? Well, turns out it’s not that simple.

The friendship between the three women is honestly so wholesome and heartwarming. They’re the kind of girls you instantly become best friends with in a nightclub toilet. Between their group chats and FaceTimes, there’s a genuine friendship there full of support and empowerment.

This book took me back to my early 20s at uni, when me and the girls would sit swiping Tinder with way too many glasses of wine. Then, if anyone of us went on any dates, we’d all get together in one of our bedrooms for a debrief on all the juicy details. We would have run to the Dictionary Club to share our stories!

I really enjoyed the ending, it had me giddy & love the fact it’s has been left with potential for more

Recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy and humorous read!

Thank you Netgalley, Zaffre Books & Bonnier Books for Arc in exchange for a review.

Publish Date: 19th June

Not my usual genre but the title made me laugh so put in a netgall request...so glad I did. This is hilarious! I loved the dynamic between the 3 best friends Ella, Katy and Zola. Their joint story as well as their individual escapades flowed so well and I'm hoping there will be more to come from this trio.

Just brilliant!! Enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed the last 4 books. Could not put this down. Highly recommend!
I’m hoping with the ending we will see a second book!
10 stars!!

Cannot wait tonread the full story, absolutely brilliant sample, I am on a tour with love book tours on this so look forward to completing the full book and sharing a full review going forward

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Release date 19th June!

Absolutely hilarious—just like Sophie Gravia’s other books! As a Glasgow gal myself, I truly appreciated all the brilliant Scottish nods throughout—Wunderbar being a personal favourite. Just genius.

The story had me laughing out loud from start to finish, with characters you can’t help but root for and moments that perfectly capture the chaotic joy of female friendship. It’s smart, cheeky, and oh-so-relatable.

Run, don’t walk, to get your hands on this one!

Huge thanks to @sophiegraviaauthor, @zaffrebooks, and Bonnier Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Follow me on tiktok for more 🩷 Laced in Lit

Initially, I loved the book and I got over halfway before finally calling it quits. I wish I hadn't bothered with the offensive, immature tripe, quite frankly.

The introduction was really strong and I found Ella's narration funny and easy to read.
The story follows three friends working in marketing - Ella, the single-by-choice main character, Zola, the tech genius who's happily engaged, and Katy, the friend who falls hard and fast, but keeps getting screwed over by fuckboys. Tired of seeing Katy messed around by dickheads on the Glasgow dating scene, they plan to launch the "Dicktionary Club", a website dedicated to rating men in and around Glasgow. It makes sense, given Katy's horrendous mid-sex dumping. I understood why they wanted to get their own back, and I felt awful for Katy because who the fuck breaks up with someone they're still inside?
Gravia describes it as "TripAdvisor for men."
I enjoy reading multiple point-of-views stories, so have triple narration was fine. It was odd to have one POV in first person while the others are in third, though. I think it would flew better if they were all the same.
As I said, it initially seemed lighthearted and easygoing.

I feel like the author wanted to write 2025's answer to Sex and The City. You know, women being wonderfully candid about sex without judgement or patriarchal input. That is not what she wrote.

I started to feel uncomfortable fairly quickly. Whilst trying to market an energy drink to a local gym, Ella and Katy engage some local women to write reviews for the club.

The way that Ella focuses on their appearance made me feel really uncomfortable. She mentions, for absolutely no reason, that they "all seemed to have had some work done, and I wasn't sure if it made them look older or younger."
There's absolutely no need for this random misogyny to be dropped into the narration and I'm honestly surprised that it made it in at all. It's jarring and out of place, and her follow-up thought that they're all beautiful in their own way felt really hollow to read.
Coupled with the fact that Ella regularly infantilises the women she's getting huge amounts of adult content from, I was feeling pretty uneasy.

I convinced myself that I was overreacting and I tried to push on with the read because I was still enjoying the premise, and I hate leaving a book unfinished.

Unfortunately, it continued to go downhill for me when Katy went on a date with someone with a bigger head than she'd imagined. Katy and Ella are both going on dates at the same cafe, albeit at different tables, and Zola goes along for moral support.
When Katy's date arrives, the first thing Ella says is his head is "fucking huge. Like, monumentally noticeable." The next sentence mentions again that it's massive and, shock horror, it's shiny.
"Poor Ali must have photoshopped his bonce smaller..."
"If you shrunk the noggin or put an extra-large hat on him"
"She most definitely got the temu version."
"Eyes still spanning over Ali's vast dome." Because his head is big. Did you know that Ali has a big head? I don't know if it was mentioned enough, but he's got a huuuuuge head.
Katy, Zola and Ella laugh hysterically and start texting each other to mock him for his appearance, at one point even comparing him to Skrek. They're vile about him, and Katy absolutely trashes him in her review, all because his head is big. Ok, yes, online dating can be a minefield and I've been on bad dates, but writing that a grown woman was crying with laughter over it was ridiculous and vapid.
I wish I'd listened to my gut and put the book down there, because it just kept going even further downhill.

It felt like Gravia thought body shaming was OK because it's male characters she's doing it to.

Katy obviously doesn't go on a second date with Ali, and there are more head puns to put up with over the next few pages, because there's clearly nothing funnier than body shaming.
Her next experience is with Harry, for whom she entirely changes herself. She pretends to enjoy football and Rod Stewart because he likes those things, and of course, the basis for any healthy relationship is to pretend you like everything they like instead of being your own person.

Katy and Harry develop and incredibly intense (but incredibly fake) bond over the space of a fortnight that culminates in him professing his love for her after two weeks. Two weeks. These are adults, and yet we're expected to believe this is normal behaviour? Honestly, I was so concerned that he was love-bombing her that his actual indiscretion makes Katy seem like a shallow arsehole when she finally reveals it.

After their first night in bed together, Katy storms into the office, absolutely furious. The horrible betrayal Harry has inflicted on her?
He's got a small penis.
Quick, let's slag him off on the website, ladies! Lets reveal an intensely personal detail about him because he "lied." Never mind that Katy lied first or anything. No, of course, Harry is in the wrong for not telling her about his small dick.
Cue yet more body shaming and hysterics from all three women.

Ella was just as frustrating to read. She's been single for three years and insists she's fine with it, even though she's not. She's extremely distrusting of anyone outside the three main characters, and she absolutely despises men. I get that the men she's seen Katy date are terrible and her ex was a dick, but her internal monologue is very two-dimensional. She's either super distrusting or she's horny. That's it.
She is pursued by the mysterious millionaire, Philip Khan. After a chance meeting, Khan decides he's interested in Ella and starts pushing for a date.
It's weird.
Ella's clearly disinterested in dating him, but he either ignores her signs, or he's too acclimatised to the Glaswegian climate to pick up on her frosty reception.
At one point, obviously thinking he's being charming and disarming, he shows up at her office after hours, totally unannounced. Ella, for good reason, finds this incredibly uncomfortable. I don't know what happens with the rest of their story because I stopped reading at about page 287.
However, Ella's constant stream of paranoia is very dull to read, and doesn't really add anything to the story apart from confusion. I'm supposed to believe that the same woman who gives out fake names lest she be stalked is also willing to get into Philip's car without location sharing with her friends? Nope.
I'm guessing they get together because he proves he's actually a Good GuyTM.

Zola doesn't get as much page time as the other two, but when she does, she goes from happily engaged, to resenting her fiancee, to outright cheating on him, to breaking up in about 4 interactions.
Look, I understand wanting more from your partner, and nobody likes coming home to a flat that stinks of farts, but the 180 her character does is really contrived. It's also incredibly predictable.
From the second Zola volunteers to answer Ella's Tinder messages for her, it's blatant that she's going to end up cheating. There's absolutely zero surprise there.

For some reason, despite all this I kept reading. Why? I don't actually know. So what made me want to throw my tablet across the room? What made me so fucking angry I never want to read Sophie Gravia's writing again?

It was the moment when Katy's latest date reveals that he's attracted to men and women and Katy is equal parts biphobic and fetishistic.
First she's totally turned on, and then she's taken aback and stutters out "Oh ... sorry. You're bi? You're bisexual?" As if it's a shock that he's not straight.
THEN she has the nerve to think to herself "I'd say you were a greedy bastard, Dominic!" Hardy fucking har.
It's just so clever of Gravia to resort to the age-old stereotype that bi+ people are greedy. Nobody's ever written that before!
So original!

If you're going to write offensive, dated rubbish like that, at least have the courtesy to not publish it during Pride month, hmm?
The greedy line made me so angry that it brought me to tears. It was disgusting, uncalled for and wildly bigoted and it came out of nowhere.

As a bisexual woman who has been subject to those exact kind of comments before, I am not about to let people write that way without at least trying to address it. She doesn't give Katy any sort of self-reflection on her twattitude. There's no condemnation of her ignorance and that's unacceptable.

I'll be perfectly happy never reading another word Gravia writes, thank you very much.

I’m a huge fan of Sophie Gravia and her previous books and the dicktionary 🍆 did not disappoint!

This book will make you laugh, cry and swoon all at once. The friendship between Ella, Zola and Katy is so relatable and there are so many similar conversations in my own girl group chats! Being a fellow Glasgow girl, I feel like this book has nailed what the dating scene is like in glasgow and I always enjoy reading about places that I have been to many times! You really get the full picture and almost feel part of the story.

The ending was perfect and I hope there will be another book in this series in the future! The subtle nods to Sophie Gravia’s other series, a Glasgow kiss, were brilliant and maybe a future cross over with Zara and the girls is on the cards!

Can someone please take inspiration from this book make the dicktionary come alive, it’s just what the Glasgow dating scene is missing!

Thanks to NetGalley, Bonnier books, Zaffre and Sophie Gravia for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶️🌶️ | ARC Review – Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the early copy!

This book had me howling. The Dicktionary Club is hilarious, sharp, and surprisingly heartfelt, a perfectly chaotic (in the best way) blend of dating drama and female friendship. Think group chat energy meets vengeance with a vengeance. 🫶💕

Ella, Katy and Zola are the kind of ride-or-die besties we all need. From dating disasters to launching a website that publicly reviews Scotland’s worst men (yes really), their bond is fierce, funny, and SO relatable. I laughed out loud, swooned, and yes… launched my Kindle into a cushion at one point. IYKYK!! 😏

This isn’t just a romcom — it’s a celebration of friendship, boundaries, and refusing to settle for mediocre. The dialogue is whip-smart, the spice is flirty, and the pacing? Chef’s kiss, this book is slow burn done right. 🥵

Sophie Gravia just gets it. - Can we get a Netflix series please?

Absolutely recommend!! 💕🍆