Ghosts

Nina Dean is a food writer in her early thirties navigating the modern dating landscape in London. After meeting Max through a dating app, she experiences the highs and complications of a new relationship while trying to maintain her career momentum. Her father's declining health and her mother's increasingly erratic behavior force Nina to confront family obligations alongside her romantic pursuits. Meanwhile, her best friend Katherine's traditional life choices and other friends' marriages create tension in Nina's social circle. The novel tracks Nina's attempts to balance her professional success with her personal life as she faces disappointments in love and changes in long-term friendships. Her observations about contemporary dating culture and social media interweave with deeper questions about family bonds and growing older. At its core, this book examines how people disappear from our lives - both literally through ghosting and metaphorically through illness, distance, and the passage of time. The story speaks to millennial experiences of dating, friendship, and family dynamics in an increasingly digital world.

Readers call this a relatable portrayal of modern dating and ghosting, though many found the protagonist Nina frustrating and self-absorbed. Positive reviews highlight: - Sharp observations about social media and millennial relationships - Authentic depiction of friendship dynamics - Humor and wit in the writing style - Accurate portrayal of grief and family relationships Common criticisms: - Nina's privilege and lack of self-awareness - Repetitive internal monologues - Slow pacing in middle sections - Abrupt ending that left questions unanswered Average ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (110,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (9,800+ ratings) Reader quotes: "Captured the anxiety of modern dating perfectly" - Goodreads reviewer "Nina needed therapy more than a relationship" - Amazon reviewer "Expected more depth from the ghosting storyline" - Waterstones reviewer The book resonates most with female readers in their 20s-30s who have experienced online dating.

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🌟 The term "ghosting" - the book's central theme - only entered mainstream vocabulary around 2015, despite the practice existing long before digital dating. 💫 Author Dolly Alderton previously wrote the bestselling memoir "Everything I Know About Love," which was adapted into a BBC TV series. 🌟 The protagonist Nina's career as a food writer was inspired by Alderton's own experience as a dating columnist for The Sunday Times. 💫 The book's exploration of modern dating resonated so strongly with readers that it became an instant Sunday Times bestseller upon its 2020 release. 🌟 Before becoming a novelist, Alderton co-hosted the hugely successful podcast "The High Low" with journalist Pandora Sykes, which discussed pop culture and current affairs.