Mini Audiobook Review: I read my first Dolly book earlier this year and really loved her style of writing. I had heard good things about this book and figured why not now check it out. This was her debut and just like with her latest book, I would classify this as a literary romance novel.

The concept of this book was so unique and I feel like very of recent times. I think we all have experienced ghosting or were the ghoster and honestly it is a sucky feeling all around. I really love the trajectory of the story. We meet Nina who is dipping her feet into dating again, feeling the societal pressures of being in a relationship and just the trials of dating. I felt that Alderton portrayed such a realistic view of dating in your 30s. In addition to her dating life, Nina is also dealing with her aging parents specifically her father's whose health is deteriorating. It just felt relatable as I am getting to the age where I need to start keeping tabs on my parents. And then you have her relationship with friends and sometimes when your friends have children that becomes their life and as a childless adult need to find a place in their life.

I thought the narrator Holliday Grainger did a great job throughout the whole book. She sounded like a young, 30 year old going through real adult things. It made the listening experiencing really easy.

I do not want to give too much away with what happens with Nina but I can say that I empathize with her so much. Alderton had this great quote, “It’s easier, being heartbroken in your thirties, because no matter how painful it is, you know it will pass.” Now I haven't been heartbroken from a romantic relationship in my 30s but I think I would have better tools to get through it as oppose to in my early 20s when it was just heartbreak after heartbreak.

Alderton is a quote worthy writer and this book had a bunch of gems but these were two of my favorites that I grabbed:
“I prefer to live with a half alive version of him than admit that he was gone for good"

"Do you really want that from these men, their attention?"
"No"
"What do you want"
"Their love"