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As much as I’d like to sit here and say that this is just another book by a millennial written for millennials and all about them and their issues, I really cannot say that. Dolly Alderton centres the story on Nina Dean, a woman in her 30s living in London after finding a solid career in the food writing industry and having bought a house. Despite the strong friendship she has with her ex, she cannot help but feel like the world is moving faster than she can handle – her oldest friend is consumed by her motherhood, her ex is in a serious relationship and her father is slowly slipping out from himself. This book navigates love, dating, technology, friendships and identity in the modern world, placing the heart of the story in the busy, hustle-driven London.
I really was worried as I was starting this book as romance, especially London based romance novels aren’t my thing – I think they too often fall into cliches and promote toxic relations, as well as overhype London when I just find it overpriced, but I have to admire the warm and earthy feeling Alderton gave this book. I couldn’t put it down. Her attention to friendships and relationships have been so well thought out they are stunning to read.
My favourite aspect of the whole book was the focus she put on the protagonist and her fathers’ relationship. The unnamed dementia the father is suffering from really tugged at my heart and was a unique contrast to the technology heavy world she had as the foundation. By comparing stalking on social media and creating online relationships to your father losing his memory and trying to stay as present with him as possible actually went hand-in-hand as I think it gives way to poignant conversations about presence, connection and never being able to remove someone completely. The running theme throughout of ghosting* paired with this theme of dementia was one I would have never thought of and thought Alderton did a smashing job of having the two themes interweave but not dominate each other.
Additionally, Alderton managed to create realistic friendships, ones that aren’t always completely time-consuming and all-encompassing. Her ever-changing relationship with an old friend centres on the conversations of motherhood, presenting the impact that has on those around the new mother. I thought these flowing conversations of parenthood, adulthood and peoples place in their lives just came together really well, and the author uses locations in the UK as benchmarks of these changes, for example, London and Surrey.
Also, nothing beats subtle British dry humour, something I have very much missed after reading so many foreign books, so cheers to that.
Overall, this book has a beautiful air of nostalgia and warmth and love that I would compare to Out of Love by Hazel Hayes. This is sure to pull on heart strings and make you feel all fuzzy inside for things that aren’t always romantic love.
* a verb that refers to ending a romantic relationship by cutting off all contact and ignoring the former partner’s attempts to reach out - Valeriya Safronova, The New York Times (2015)
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5