A very funny lit fic type of book where you’re following a mess of a character with a heart of gold. I loved it b

Lucy Dillon's *Irresponsible Adult* is a witty and heartwarming exploration of modern adulthood, the messiness of relationships, and the struggle to find purpose in a chaotic world. Known for her insightful portrayals of characters navigating life’s ups and downs, Dillon once again delivers a charming yet thoughtful narrative that resonates with anyone who has ever felt like they just can’t quite get it together.

At the center of the story is Juliet, a woman in her late thirties who feels stuck. Despite her outwardly respectable life—stable job, home, and relationships—Juliet constantly battles the nagging feeling that she’s failed to become the “responsible adult” she’s supposed to be. This internal conflict sets the tone for a novel that is equal parts humor, self-reflection, and emotional honesty.

Dillon’s strength lies in her ability to create characters who are both relatable and deeply flawed. Juliet’s imperfections—her procrastination, avoidance of tough decisions, and desire to escape responsibility—make her an endearing protagonist. As the novel unfolds, we watch her stumble through awkward social situations, navigate tricky family dynamics, and deal with the pressure of societal expectations. What makes Juliet compelling is that she doesn’t always make the best choices, but Dillon treats her with compassion, allowing her to learn and grow without judgment.

The novel balances lighthearted humor with more serious themes of self-doubt, failure, and personal growth. Dillon has a knack for mixing everyday situations with moments of poignant insight, making the reader reflect on their own journey to “adulthood” and what that even means in a world where expectations seem impossible to meet. There’s a sense of authenticity in the way Dillon depicts Juliet’s life, and many readers will see a bit of themselves in her struggles to reconcile who she is with who she thinks she should be.

Though *Irresponsible Adult* has a leisurely pace and isn’t driven by a high-stakes plot, the heart of the novel lies in its character development and emotional depth. The relationships Juliet has—with friends, family, and herself—are the true focal points, and Dillon allows these connections to evolve naturally throughout the book. Some readers may find the story’s lack of dramatic twists underwhelming, but Dillon’s keen observations about life, identity, and adulthood provide more than enough substance to carry the narrative.

In conclusion, *Irresponsible Adult* is an engaging, feel-good novel that will particularly resonate with readers who have ever questioned their place in the world or felt like they’re failing at adulthood. Lucy Dillon’s humor, warmth, and understanding of human nature shine through, making this a delightful and ultimately uplifting read.

Excellent read, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this title in exchange for my feedback.

Absolutely fabulous! Devoured this in one day! Sisters Chloe and Robyn couldn’t be more opposite. Chloe owns a cleaning agency; which runs like clockwork; and Robyn has just been sacked from her job as an estate agent. Chloe offers Robyn a job; Robyn thinks she’s going to be a marketing manager, but ends up cleaning; working with ‘uptight’ Jim. Robyn thinks she above the role of cleaner; but after her huge mistake at work; she struggling to find another job. Meanwhile; she’s invested her savings in a scheme that seems too good to be true; and family secret explodes all their lives! This book was truly a fabulous read.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

"Irresponsible Adult" by Lucy Dillon is a heartwarming and humorous exploration of the ups and downs of adulthood, captured with honesty and charm. Dillon’s protagonist is delightfully relatable, navigating the messy, unpredictable nature of life with a blend of wit, vulnerability, and resilience. The novel is filled with moments of laugh-out-loud humor, balanced by touching reflections on love, responsibility, and the pressure to have it all figured out. Dillon’s keen observations on modern life make "Irresponsible Adult" a comforting and enjoyable read, perfect for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re still figuring things out, no matter their age.

Yet another fabulous well written book by Lucy Dillon.
The main storyline follows Robyn and Cleo two sister who are polar opposites. Robyn is a talented if chaotic successful Estate Agent who is dismissed in a very public and humiliating way. Having made a rash investment with her extremely healthy nest egg finds herself penniless jobless and her life is in complete crisis. Cleo is a very successful business woman owns her vey successful cleaning business ultra organised and bossy . She is married with 3 children but is having staffing issues and underlying marital issues . The sisters’ mother persuades Robyn to help her sister out Robyn turns up expecting to set up her sister online marketing for her sister only to be given the job as a cleaner and teamed with Jim organised and very regimented worker and taskmaster Robyn’s every nightmare.
As the story unfolds we find that nothing is what is it seems on the surface for any of the characters and there are many secrets being kept. Full of wonderful quirky ,funny, loveable and some very horrid and dishonest people. The book handles a number difficult topic extremely well. A great read and you will laugh and cry at the same time.. I read it in one sitting . Lucy Dillon didn’t disappoint 5/5

Irresponsible Adult by Lucy Dillon

I always know that I can look forward to a great read when I pick up a book by Lucy Dillon. This one certainly has an intriguing title and I was looking forward to seeing where it was going to take me. I was amused by the cover, but its message soon became clear once I met the lady depicted there. As I began to read, I was quickly absorbed into the lives of the main characters and was left wondering what their futures held long after I had finished the book.

The story introduces sisters Robyn and Cleo. Although from the same family, they couldn’t be more different from each other. Cleo is married with two children and a successful cleaning business. Estate agent Robyn, on the other hand, is messy and disorganised in her private and professional life and is constantly dodging her mother’s questions about her love life. When she is sacked in the most public and humiliating way, Robyn reluctantly accepts Cleo’s offer of a temporary cleaning job while she searches for something more suitable. Cleo wisely teams Robyn up with her best employee, Jim, who sets exacting standards for his new partner. As Robyn gradually learns the secrets for cleaning and tidying other people’s property, she thinks about how they apply to her life. She also unearths some unexpected things among the clutter in her home and some family secrets begin to be revealed.

I absolutely loved this book, with its strong characters, very amusing situations and messages for us all. Robyn was having a wonderful time to start with, floating along until suddenly life caught up with her and she had to grow up. It was funny watching her as she realised the meaning of organisation and responsibility as she had to do her job to a timetable and meet expectations. She learned some valuable lessons about herself and I found myself feeling happy that this knowledge was going to help her be OK in the future. Even though the sisters were so very different, there was a strong family vibe in the book and there was a lot going on within the family outwith Robyn’s development, adding other interesting threads to the story. A feature of the book that I really enjoyed was that each chapter begins with a cleaning tip, many of which I hadn’t heard before; I may just be referring back to some of these. This is definitely a book that I can recommend.

Robyn and her sister Cleo couldn't be more different. Cleo is a capable mother of three with a mortgage and her own successful cleaning business (which Robyn is privately convinced is a way of exerting control over the world by way of eradicating other people's cobwebs and ensuring their skirting boards meet her exacting standards). Meanwhile, Robyn coasts through life, hoping that no one will notice that she has no idea what she's doing. When her chaos catches up to her at work, Robyn is forced to turn to Cleo for help, promising that she'll finally start taking responsibility in return.

Robyn is a character who will be relatable to many readers who are at - or who have been at - a similar point in their lives: feeling directionless at work; making poor decisions in dating, and navigating complicated family relationships. She is incredibly frustrating at times, but as we come to learn more about her, her actions and responses make more sense. This is also true of Cleo, and of their mother, whose devastating back story is hinted at throughout the book and revealed towards the end in a sad, not entirely satisfying way that feels very true to life.

From the moment Robyn first describes her struggles with focus and organisation at work and at home, I guessed that she had ADHD, and I applaud author Lucy Dillon for highlighting this condition, which is consistently under-diagnosed in girls or women. Even if the book had concluded with Robyn single and still unlucky in love - which was never going to happen in this type of book - for her to reach the point of understanding that she isn't just as failure at life, and to discover strategies to help her is a happy ending in and of itself.

There is a romantic subplot, but I appreciated that it was not the focus of the story, but rather a manifestation of Robyn's struggles and then of the more settled place she reaches by the end of the book.

Dillon writes with warmth and humour, and this particularly shines through in some of the supporting characters, such as Jim, the serious, conscientious cleaner who is tasked with showing Robyn the ropes, and Terry, an elderly man who is one of their regular clients. It is through the relationships with these characters in particular that we see the caring, perceptive person that Robyn is at heart.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

Great read, makes you take a look at yourself and that what you see is not always what is going on beneath the surface. Great to escape with on the beach.

I enjoyed the book. Liked the characters, funny and lighthearted read. Great holiday read. Would recommend this book

Robyn has found herself in a bit of a pickle. After months of ignoring a growing mountain of paperwork, she dramatically ends up losing her job at an estate agents, just after her previously healthy savings accounts has been drained after choosing to invest in an up-and-coming housing redevelopment scheme, which won’t be helping her pay the rent anytime soon. However, Cleo, her older sister, is pretty desperate for extra workers to help out with her cleaning company…

This was so light-hearted and relatable. It was a very easy read and there was some humourous moments. Although it can feel very realistic, it's still so easy to sink into.

I am quite a slow reader, especially compared to some on here, but I devoured this book so quickly!

I haven’t read a Lucy Dillon book in way too long and am pleased to report that she hasn’t lost her touch on writing a great page turner!

Robyn’s career as an estate agent is in shatters, so she goes to work as a cleaner for her sister Cleo’s successful cleaning company. This is where she meets Jim, who shows her the ropes.
Robyn can’t seem to figure adult life out, Cleo seems to be angry all the time and their mum is hiding a whopper of a family secret!

There are so many wonderful characters in this story. I adored Robyn and absolutely loved the relationship between her and Jim. And then there’s Terry, Robyn is so sweet to him!

With great cleaning tips at the start of each chapter ~ ‘Tomato ketchup will lift rust from garden furniture and copper pans - dab it on, rub off, try not to think what it’s doing to your insides’ 🤣

This book had me laughing one minute and in tears the next.
I loved it! A well deserved five stars from me!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @hodderbooks for providing this advanced digital copy in return for an honest review via @netgalley. All opinions are my own.

#irresponsibleadult #lucydillon #hodderbooks #netgalley #netgalleyreads #netgalleyreview

I really like Lucy books and have read all up to date. This book was also highly enjoyable. I thought it was warm, uplifting and fun.

Great fun book I loved the characters of Cleo and Robyn, especially Robyn with her chaotic lifestyle, and the book just flows really well keeping your interest throughout. Definitely a perfect light summer read to brighten your day.

I loved this book. A joy to read and a compete change from my usual crime and thriller novels.

Robyn has a wonderfully creative imagination which is an asset as an estate agent. However real life is less successful as she has an aversion to practical things like housework and admin tasks.

Her sister Cleo has a family and runs a successful cleaning business but although close in age they are very different.

When Robyn's lack of organisation and inattention to detail catches up with her and she is publicly fired in the most humiliating way, her mother persuades her to help out her sister. Robyn assumes she will be helping with developing online marketing for Cleo's business. Wrong. The business has staffing issues and Robyn is roped in to clean (that would be my worst nightmare too!). It's a huge learning curve for Robyn.

Meanwhile, having sold her flat and is renting while looking for her next property, she's woo'd by property developer Mitch who wants her input on his next development.

Irresponsible Adult is an easy, but satisfying read - good storytelling, interesting and likeable characters and humour. Past family secrets are revealed which begin to shine a light on the current family dynamics. I loved it.

I had been sent an email link to download this book on the basis that I had read and reviewed a previous book by Lucy Dillon. I'll be honest, I couldn't immediately recall the previous title but when I checked back I had read “All I Ever Wanted” in November 2016 and I had given it 5 stars. So I'll be looking out for her next book and the titles I've missed.

Robyn is overwhelmed by work and life although an adult she just hasn't grown up yet and leads a chaotic life and when she suddenly gets the sack from her job she is left floundering .This is a cosy Family drama with a few secrets to be told .This is not the type of book I generally read but I did enjoy it .Thankyou to NetGalley for my ARC.

An easy read - lighthearted by dealing with serious issues. Really enjoyable, relatable and catches you up in it all. A feel good story. Perfect for the summer.

I really loved this story. Funny and touching as it follows 2 sisters who are very different in personalities! Cleo is doing the family thing, and Robyn isn't! Robyn is still waiting for that 'I feel like a grown up' moment and happy to see where life takes her.

She's also not very good at admin and lives day to day, which drives her sister mad! And when she loses her job and finds herself with no money she's forced down the route of working for her sisters' cleaning company - where she is paired with Jim who is Mr Organised on the cleaning front! He loves to restore order in hoarder houses and it's all very alien to Robyn. Her head is still in the clouds on the work/money front and that doesn't make her look into things with clarity as she should - maybe time with Jim will help her make more sense of her world!

i really enjoyed all the characters in this and it also made me want to blitz my house with all the little cleaning tips offered along the way! The author always captures characters really well and offers interesting insights into the quirks and ways of different people! Highly recommended!