Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my free digital ARC!

Bellies was one of my favourite reads of 2023, and I always think a second novel on the heels of an excellent debut must be one of the scariest things to write! But Nicola Dinan has risen to the challenge, cementing her in my eyes as one of the most exciting authors writing today.

Disappoint Me follows Max and Vincent as they navigate turning 30 and all of the expectations that come with it. Vincent is also grappling with the past, something terrible he did that he’s managed to keep secret. This is probably one of my favourite things about this book, the nuance with which Vincent’s bad thing is written. Because it is bad. Very bad. But people aren’t (generally) all bad or all good, they occupy a space in between and Dinan writes that space so beautifully.

As I’m writing this, I actually think Vincent overshadowed Max in terms of character development, but I still loved her. Max often gets sort of dimmed by the people in her life; she seems more defined by her relationship to Vincent, her brother, and her best friend (who is awful lol). This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as these relationships are so exquisitely written. But Max as a whole entity, undefined by those around her, remains a little out of reach.

But overall, gorgeous, stunning, already eagerly awaiting book 3!