'Such a Good Couple' is Sophie White's latest novel. Three couples in their forties who have been friends since college go on a summer holiday in Provincetown together. Carla and Ollie are struggling with a busy life with their three boys. Annie and Conor are trying to conceive for some time which puts a strain on their relationship. Maggie and Fionn are living the life of the rich and famous but that comes with it's own disadvantages. During their time away things are said and events happen that have further consequences on their lives. Truths are revealed and in unexpected twists their lives change. The book has a content warning for Infertility and Anorexia. Sophie White deals very gently with both subjects. It is a book about friendship, about life, about family, about good times and bad times. An interesting but at times tough read that I very much enjoyed.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Ireland for the ARC.

This was ultimately a book of two halves for me. The first half was incredibly enjoyable and I couldn’t help but become engrossed in the drama of the 6 main characters lives, I particularly felt myself most drawn to Clara and Ollie. Meanwhile the second half just didn’t absorb me as much even though a majority of the plot seems to happen then, I think it’s just the tone of the novel really shifted to incredibly serious and I found it rather overwhelming and upsetting. I know there were some advanced reader warnings at the beginning of the book however I think I would have found it helpful to have more warnings as I would not have read it when I did otherwise.
I would still read the authors other work as I did enjoy her writing style.

There are many Irish writers who I consider to be heir to Marian Keyes’ throne as the queen of contemporary women’s fiction - with her latest novel, Such A Good Couple, Sophie has cemented her place in the running. The novel is a fantastic blend of humour, social commentary and deeply serious issues, tackling tough themes with care and crafting a cast of characters that you’ll come to care about like pals.

Such A Good Couple is actually about 3 couples: Ollie and Clara (3 kids, living in Dublin, fighting for their lives and their marriage), Annie and Conor (no kids, deeply unhappy about the same) and Maggie and Fionn (celebrity millionaires split between LA and Dublin). The 6 have been friends since college, and are heading away on holidays together. Despite the fact that literally everyone is having relationship problems. You can see where this is going, until you don’t!

Sophie pulled the rug out from under me multiple times with this one; I knew I’d enjoy this book but I didn’t expect to be as sucked in as I was by the tribulations of this friend group. There’s a mix of banal problems to more serious ones explored, and while I couldn’t relate to all of them, I did find them all really compelling.

I want to keep this review deliberately vague so people can go spoiler-free but god, let’s say that SAGC will take you on a hell of a journey, sparking vitally important conversations.

At its core, Such A Good Couple is actually a novel about friendship, I think, though it has lots to say about the state of heterosexual partnership in the 21st century. The bond between Annie, Clara and Maggie is the beating heart of the novel; even when the women let each other down or are having their own relationship issues.

Overall, it’s a razor-sharp commentary on modern relationships and the things that get in the way - inside and outside the relationship. But there’s so much more going on - including a lot of talk about eating disorders and fertility issues, so if those things are upsetting to you, give this one a miss.

I’m such a fan of White’s: her colloquial style, which I also enjoy on the two podcasts she hosts, makes her my go-to author for fiction that’s not afraid to go deep - in this case, into eating disorders and infertility, in relation to which a sensitively-written trigger warning appears at the front of the book.
The characters in this one are a similar age to me, and they’re navigating the fall-out in their relationships of appearing to be ‘such a good couple’ (the title alone is so on point!). I rooted most for Annie, but all the women were relatable, and this confirms for me that White’s books are always worth seeking out for their emotional depth, funny bits (I highlighted ‘Old WhatsApp proverb’ immediately!) and essence of contemporary Irishness.

I say this is the top requested book on NetGalley right now and rightfully so. Sophie White is a force to be reckoned with. If you’ve read her previous books Corpsing, Snag List and My Hot Friend you’ll know she has an engaging colloquial relaxed writing style, but also that she isn’t afraid to talk about the tough subjects facing women today. This book comes with trigger warnings for infertility struggles and disordered eating, so please do be conscious and mindful of these.

On the holiday from hell, we meet three couples facing relationship struggles simultaneously. We see them concealing pee, revenge kissing, binging and purging and cracking under the pressure of being “such a good couple”.

This story is an emotional rollercoaster of highs and lows, happy tears and heartbreaking sobs. I gobbled it all up and didn’t want it to end!

This is a very good plot driven book, with some very dark elements which I think was handled very well. I really enjoy Sophie whites writing, and her characters are always different and well written. Its nice too see each character grow. Real everyday problems.

This is the first novel I’ve read by the author and my expectations were high after reading the advance praise. Such a Good Couple follows three couples - Maggie and Fionn, Clara and Oli and Annie and Connor, friends from university now navigating their lives two decades later. We first meet the couples as they prepare to holiday on Cape Cod together, a trip financed by Maggie and Fionn. The novel covers themes such as infertility, eating disorders and grief and explores relationships.
I found the characterisation to be excellent and it’s a well written novel that deals with the various themes with sensitivity. However, there was something missing for me and although I wanted to find out what happened to the couples I didn’t become immersed in the novel. This may be because it’s a little too long and slow paced. 3.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

what a beautifully written book and i just love reading this type of book and the layout of it. where we get to meet a group of people and see how their stories meet and also get to know them more both past and present lives. this book threw up a wonderful group and iwas here for all their interwoven parts. right from the start i new i would be hooked to this book and these people and wanted to know their stories.
and i was right about wanting to read this book because boy did it get under my skin. i could not help getting involved with the lot of them!
this is the story of three couples who make up a friendship group of six. and how this book brings us to them is truly heart felt and sometimes heart breaking. i sometimes felt sad for them, they all seem to be close. but could they be as they were clearly not showing or being themselves with eah cother. they certainly weren't sharing it. so could they be the friends they thought, or do we hide certain parts even from those closest?
there is huge and emotional themes to this book that Sophie handles with skill. that doesn't mean they are easy to read sometimes but nor should they be.
along the way we also have some light wit and hopeful moments.
we have a book that is written so well i felt it with my whole heart. i was feeling nervous for our characters because i cared what would happen to them and how it would all end. and by the end i neeeeeeded to know how it would all conclude.
superb book. just wow.
**i will say for some they might want to see what the book covers. as some themes in this book might be too hard. and this IS OK. to step away from things that might hurt our hurting parts is brave never weak. so if people have suffered with eating disorder it would definitely be something you know you can handle and not the strong part thinks you should handle. i mean that little voice at the back of your mind on your bad days can handle. also infertility. and both being so intertwined the obvious trigger warning are here. and they need to be listened to. please take care of yourself and protect the side that has been in pain and ill if you dont think you can read this book, its fine.

4.5 stars

When three couples - all best friends since university - reunite for a holiday, the cracks in their lives become apparent. Sophie White examines the messiness of being in long-term relationships in your early 40s. It's sharp, engrossing, and heartbreaking as she tackles serious subjects such as [infertility and eating disorders (hide spoiler)]. It's also funny (oh gosh the reality show hijinx had me laughing) but its also devastating (oh how I teared up in shock at one developments).

Go gentle with this book.

Thanks to Hachette Books Ireland and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is such a great book that showcases the life of three different two man and how they all are on different paths and journeys to find fulfillment and happiness.

Thank you to the author for opening with trigger warnings, I wish it were the norm. A beautiful book, ultimately championing adult friendships. It made me lonely for a gang of my own. If I had one criticism it’s that I wish it weren’t quite so long, but that might be my attention span more than the fault of the author!

te's novels come with beautifully written advance trigger warnings. An advance warning the story will always get under your skin and her newest story is no different (TW: fertility issues and eating disorders btw.)

This story of 3 couples made up of 6 close college friends is really impactful in ways it may not seem from the outset. While the friends share absolutely everything with each other on whatsapp chats, privately they are not being honest with each other or even themselves.

As with her last novel, White, covers important physical health topics whilst also holding a mirror up to the insidious impact modern life has on our mental health and happiness.

As to be expected the dark and emotional themes are dealt with sensitively and there's plenty of humour and wit in these pages. Real life in a nutshell.
A razor sharp observation of the state of the modern world and a reminder that we never really know what is going on behind closed doors.

Such A Good Couple- Sophie White

Beautiful. Heartbreaking. Hopeful. This book was utterly gorgeous. I was so sad to reach the final pages.
Trigger warnings 100 percent needed here in relation to eating disorders and infertility.
Both topics are huge themes in the book so it would be a very difficult read for anyone experiencing or having experienced either.
That said, the book is not heavy or overtly sad. While of course there are difficult chapters and heartbreaking episodes within the pages, there's a hopeful tone and plenty of that irrepressible Irish humour.

The book opens with 3 couples living different lives but connected by decades of friendship and experiences. Each couple faces their own challenges and you get a great insight immediately in the opening chapters into the lives of each couple and the current status of their relationship. I think the 3 marriages and the issues they grapple with, represent well the challenges that marriage and family life can bring.

The 3 couples embark on their now annual family holiday, paid for by Maggie and Fionn, their old friends turned millionaires, and it's on this trip that cracks in partnerships become apparent and deepen. Will any relationship still be intact on the flight home?

Sophie White has produced a masterpiece in these pages. It's tender and funny and a plot twist that I maybe could see coming but didn't want to. It was such a good read. Very emotional. Some really raw, heartbreaking passages. There were tears shed while reading this but a smile and a laugh were never far away. A beautiful depiction of enduring friendships and relationships.

Beyond grateful to @netgalley for this wonderful ARC. Thank you also to @hachetteireland for approving me to read and review this book and to @sophwhitewhoop for writing such a truly wonderful book.
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