'Were she to slip into a Groundhog Day dream state, this is the day she would choose to live over and over and over again, These were the memories- -painful though they were- -that she never, ever wanted to forget.'

'You look like a Disney prince,' Adelaide Williams drunkenly declares to an amused Rory Hughes when they first meet. As someone who believes strongly in fate, Adelaide is sure that the universe is telling her something when, years later, the same handsome face appears on Tinder. A mutual swipe and her fate is sealed: she is destined to fall unreservedly, irrevocably in love with Rory Hughes.

What follows is a painfully real portrait of a relationship which, we are told from the start, is doomed to fail. When we first meet Adelaide, she is at her lowest ebb - admitting herself to hospital plagued by thoughts of harming herself - and we know from the outset that she is reeling from having her heart broken. It is quite the feat then that first time author Genevieve Wheeler manages to capture so convincingly the heady feeling of intoxication synonymous with the beginning of a new relationship. 'It seemed so intentional,' she writes, 'the way their lives had been woven together. Like some deity had spent centuries writing their story, meticulously planning the details and paving their paths.' Even though the reader knows it's all going to come crashing down, it's impossible not to get caught up in Adelaide's giddy optimism. Anyone who has experienced the thrill of staying up all night talking, delighting in common ground and fizzing with excitement at a new connection will be drawn back to that time in an instant.

It is at times almost unbearable to read the story of Adelaide and Rory's relationship, as we see pathological people pleaser Adelaide devote herself to being the perfect girlfriend, determined to prove herself worthy of the love which Rory continues to withhold. Both have complex histories with family and relationships, and these are revealed gradually through flashback chapters, helping us to understand the events which formed our protagonists and shaped their attitude to relationships. These are important particularly for making Rory a more-developed character, rather than just a selfish, oblivious arse. A supporting cast of Adelaide's friends are a bright spot in the book; the love Madison and Celeste, Eloise and Nico clearly have for her is a balm to Rory's callow, thoughtless treatment of her.

Adelaide as a book is also a portrait of a specific time in life which will resonate with many readers: when your friends are starting to settle down or move away; when you feel an increasing pressure to have figured out what you want to do with your life in terms of relationships and children, career and location.

The book's treatment of mental illness is sensitive and true, if at times very difficult to read because of this. I was relieved to finish feeling hopeful for Adelaide, and pleased with the message the author chose to send about the possibility of experiencing joy even when your past experience makes it impossible for you to ignore the possibility of despair.

Thank you to NetGalley and Aria & Aries for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve just finished Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler and it is an honest exploration of unrequited love, relationships, mental health, grief and the struggle to maintain one’s own well-being in the face of adversity.

I enjoyed the raw honestly of this book and that the author wasn’t trying to evoke the reader to feel one particular way about a character, it’s just completely what each person is experiencing allowing the reader to see their perspectives and draw their own conclusions.

I think people who like story’s like Cleo and Frank, that follow characters though the highs and lows of life will enjoy this one but I do strongly suggest checking trigger warning as there are lots of potential triggering elements.

Thank you @headofzeus for my review copy

not only the cover gets 5 stars but the entirety if this book is fabulous. i love the modern take on literature and Genevieve Wheeler has written a beautiful story, I love love love reading about love and falling in love and the deep emotions that come with it. this book is beyond my wildest dreams (and heartache hopefully)

Brilliant. Wonderful

Rating: 5⭐️

Wow, where do I even start with this book?? In this book we follow Adelaide, a 26 year old American living in London. For the past year she’s been dating Rory, the charming yet non-committal man she’s convinced is the one.

- This book felt incredibly relatable to me, pretty much from page 1! Figuring out your life and career as a young adult in London. Dating, watching your friends do the same and move on with their lives, sometimes in different directions to you.
- This book was captivating. It held my attention and I felt drawn to read it every free moment I had. I think the interesting writing style contributed to that.
- I felt that this book really celebrated female friendships and emphasised how important these relationships are, especially when you live far from family.
- There was a large focus on mental health and I feel like this was handled well and really showed the profound impact it can have on people’s lives.

⚠️ Please note that this book touches on many extremely heavy topics, and I would definitely recommend people check out trigger warnings if necessary ⚠️

Overall, I loved this book! I have no dislikes to talk about. It was unique and impactful, it is a story that will stick with me and I’m positive I will reread it again in the future!

Thank you Head of Zeus & NetGalley for the ARC.

An absolute certainty about me is that I cannot resist a character driven novel, and Genevieve Wheeler’s debut Adelaide delivers everything I love in literary fiction: a heartfelt prose, sharp emotional insights, and deep exploration of identity and self-discovery while navigating through mental health issues.

At the heart of the story is Adelaide, a vibrant and vulnerable woman, dealing with the highs and lows of love, friendship, and the weight of her internal battles. Adelaide is imperfect and messy, achingly human and, most of all, relatable to many of us. Her experiences feel authentic, which made me cry many times because you can understand her and yet, feel seen.

This is an emotional book, to be savored and not rushed, and while we feel invited to reflect on our own past and experiences, we are also reminded of the resilience of the human spirit and all the possibilities open to us.
This is a must read!

P.S: Wheeler treats mental health with sensitivity, shedding light on some often-hidden aspects of depression and anxiety without romanticizing them, and this is wonderful.

<i>I would like to thank Aria & Aries | Aria and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for an honest review</i>

Wow - what a book.

Adelaide, by Genevieve Wheeler, follows American ex-pat Adelaide, living in London for school, and her tumultuous relationship with Rory Hughes - her dream partner who struggles to express his feelings for her. If he even has any.

I’ve been sitting on this book for a week or so since I finished it. I keep coming back to it, keep thinking and uncovering more. Wheeler has written a heartbreakingly beautiful, and incredibly relatable story. It found it near impossible to put down - I devoured it from start to finish, and was devastated when it was over.

I’ve been calling it Sally Rooney Lite - with Adelaide, Wheeler has proven herself capable of keeping up with the likes of Rooney and shining brightly. Her work is nuanced, carefully crafted, compassionate, complex, and smart. It is clear she cares deeply for her story and characters, which in turn impacts me as a reader to also care so deeply.

A great read for anyone in their 20’s struggling to find ‘the one’ in a world where our media tells us we must. A great read for anyone, no matter their age, feeling pressured to fall in love and be in love and be comfortable in love, even if you aren’t. A great read for anyone hurt by someone you loved, seeking catharsis and the reminder that you are not alone, and you never will be. Love sucks, love is hard - but you are enough.

I really really really want to thank the publishing house, the author and Netgalley for this ARC.

My favourite read of the year. It was one of the rawest book on traumas that read since a long time. I was totally empathetic to Adelaide, even if equally mad at her. The beautiful writing style served all these atrocities. First the London setting was here to take me, but the friendships, the relationships between all of these characters but mainly her attention seeking for Rory was so real. I found a part of myself in her and her devotion to be loved. I LOVED the interaction between humor and sadness of old traumas to explain her current actions !
The only one point was the bipolarity rep near to the end which ostracize her a bit. Even if the next part showed that life is possible even with this mental illness. It is not a love story but a commentary on toxic love and what we allow others and ourselves to accept. It's a take on what we think we deserve, especially love and pain.

26-year-old American expat Adelaide Williams walks into a London hospital and asks for help. Something's not right. She doesn't feel like herself any more. For the past year, she's been dating Rory Hughes, the charming man she met. Does he respond to texts? Honour his commitments? Make advance plans? Sometimes, rarely, and no, not at all. Despite everything, Adelaide is convinced he's The One. But when tragedy strikes unexpectedly, their relationship crumbles, and Adelaide realises she doesn't want to live without him. Because how can you move on from a love that's changed you forever?

I thought this sounded like my perfect book! I liked the storyline (but some points not so much) and I really liked the way it was only over a short period of time.

This is definitely my type of book in the sense it’s quite a sad book but realistic (well, most of it because I found some parts a bit too much 😂). I loved the character of Adelaide because I found myself getting so frustrated with her decisions then realising I probably would have done the same had I been head over heels for someone! As much as Rory infuriated me, I feel he was realistic and he acted the way you’d except.

Overall, I definitely liked this book and found the start really strong. I also kept wanting to read on and struggled to put it down. I loved the characters and really liked the story. I found the back and forth in the beginning a bit tricky to follow but I can see why it might have been done.

I’d recommend this book!

This is the book I've been waiting for. It's so honest, moving and deeply relatable. I loved every page and I'm going to be talking about this book for a long time to come.

This book was an emotional whirlwind that I read in one sitting with quite loud reactions. You are given a full account of the before, during, and after Rory Hughes, all of which filled with so much pain that you just want to hug Adelaide Williams forever. She is the biggest sweetheart, and you can heartbreakingly understand why she gives Rory so many chances, no matter how many times he ignores her. You can tell from the very beginning that he is not the one for her and yet you long for him to change— He does not, and that is the most realistic part. Rory was not the best, nor he was not the worst, but he simply did not deserve her. Adelaide had so much love and kindness, but that was not enough. The hinting towards every bad occurrence, especially for Rory’s ex, in the book became so brutal, I simply could not put it down until I had devoured every single word. You can feel the agony of each scene as if it were your own. This book is so raw with emotion and reads very well— I would definitely check out the author’s other works.

Trigger warnings for ‘Adelaide’ involve emotional abuse, sexual abuse, miscarriage and death.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for kindly giving me an arc of this novel. I cannot wait to get my own copy and annotate it once I am emotionally healed <3

Unfortunately, I DNFed this at 45%. I didn't gel with the writing style and found it overly descriptive, which prevented me from getting into the story.

Genevieve Wheeler’s “Adelaide” is a beautifully crafted novel that delves into the intricacies of love, mental health, and self-discovery. Wheeler’s writing is both evocative and heartfelt, making it easy to connect with the protagonist’s emotional journey.

One of the most striking aspects of the book is its honest portrayal of mental health. Wheeler approaches the subject with sensitivity and depth, offering a realistic depiction of the struggles and triumphs that come with it. This adds a layer of authenticity to the narrative that many readers will appreciate.

The character development in “Adelaide” is exceptional. The protagonist’s growth throughout the novel is both inspiring and relatable, making her a character that readers can root for. Wheeler’s ability to convey complex emotions and inner conflicts is truly commendable.

While the novel is emotionally intense, it is this very intensity that makes it so compelling. The themes of self-love and personal growth are woven seamlessly into the story, providing valuable insights and reflections. The friendships and relationships depicted in the book are also well-developed, adding richness to the overall narrative.

Overall, “Adelaide” is a powerful and moving read that will resonate with anyone who has ever faced the challenges of love and self-acceptance.

This was quite a heartfelt and heavy read for me personally as I really felt for Adelaide. She is young and falls in love but the main question is does he feel the same way about her?

Adelaide deals with a fair lot of issues that maybe triggering to some but I feel that it was a beautifully written novel and author Genevieve Wheeler has done a tremendous job of capturing Adelaide's feeling and putting it out raw for the reader to feel.

I would love to read more from this author as the writing is beautiful.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I'm really sorry, I couldn't finish this book due to some of the topics that were triggering and I didn't see coming. I thought the writing style was beautiful and it reminded me a lot of Normal People, however I just couldn't finish it. I'm going to give it four stars because I can't judge the story but I can judge the characterisation and writing style which I enjoyed. I thought the characters were flawed whilst still being believable and I think a lot of people will be able to relate.

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler.Publication Date : Nov 7th Ire/Uk* I believe this book was released last year in the US/Internationally.
Adelaide is a 26 year old American woman living in London. Adelaide is funny, bright, a little chaotic, enchanting with a big heart and a strong circle of friends. Adelaide is one of the most relatable characters I have read in ages and this debut novel is a startlingly accurate portrayal of life in your 20s.
This novel follows Adelaide over a period of about 18 months where she is finding her feet in the world and falling madly in love with a man who she believes is the one for her. Despite its premise, this is not a romance novel. The book opens with Adelaide no longer wanting to live and then tracing the path that has led her to this point. I really appreciated the writing in this book and it wove its way under my skin. This is a book about mental health, love, heartbreak, grief, hope, looking for the fairytale, friends as close as family, connections, the meaning we place on signs and people and how one woman navigates it. There is light and levity as well as darkness in this book and it was impossible not to become hugely invested in this frustrating, messy, lovely character. It made me miss my life of twenty years ago and be so deeply grateful for my life now in equal measure. Adelaide is a character you will want to hug, comfort and be friends with.
A sparkling , relatable, sometimes crushing and all times engaging, read. I really enjoyed this and I am looking forward to reading more from Genevieve Wheeler.
* Adelaide is out tomorrow. I received an arc with thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Aria. As always, this is an honest review.

Adelaide Williams was the ideal main character for me, I felt so seen, a lover of classical films, good literature, an original dream of working in publishing, a chronic people pleaser with endometriosis and a terrible judgement in men. I felt so deeply in love with this character that I couldn't stop reading about her life and willing her to survive throughout it all.

This book was not necessarily an easy read, there were a lot of content warnings that should be flagged and I'd recommend researching before reading but if you can make it through the content warnings then the story is really worth it. Despite knowing where things were going, because the inevitability of Adelaide's relationship with Rory was painfully clear, it didn't stop me from being enraptured with their story together, seeing how fate had intertwined them and as Adelaide believed, the universe put them in each other's lives when one of them needed it the most. Through it all, the ups and downs, the heartache and the love, I was so happy to see that Celeste, Madeline and Eloise stood by their friend, it was heartwarming to see a solid friendship unit in a narrative that could have so easily abandoned Adelaide during the years she spent in London and enthralled with her relationship.

I appreciated that the narrative was not necessarily linear and that we were shown different aspects of not only Adelaide's life but Rorys as well, these interjections really helped to build their characters and their motivations. I can't be sure if it is my love for Adelaide and my awareness of men like him that fuelled my dislike for Rory or whether it was Wheeler's intention to set him up to be an unlikable character. The story was so painfully real, it was easy to see the mistakes that both characters were making in their life and relationship and it was so understandable to see how Adelaide fell into this cycle and spiral.

I could talk for hours about this book, but have no one to talk to about it and I don't think everyone will have the same opinions as me however this book touched my soul very deeply, Adelaide Williams felt like a version of myself that could occur in an alternate universe, and yet she is also a version of me that existed in my previous relationships. Reading Adelaide was an experience that left me feeling very seen and understood and I value that so much.

Easily one of my favourite books of this year.

Wheeler truly depicts the realities of relationships, self-reflection, mental health, and everyday experiences. I don't think I've read a book where I've related and felt so strongly for the characters. From being frustrated with both Adelaide and Rory, hating Rory, and feeling empathy for Rory and Adelaide (whilst also questioning Adelaide's decision-making), every single chapter had me engrossed.

I FLEW through this book and can see why it is being compared to Normal People. It is Normal People with a sprinkle of Cleopatra and Frankenstein in my opinion. Both of which I also enjoyed.

100% would recommend. PICK. THIS. UP.

Thank you to Aria & Aries for providing me with an arc of this book and thank you to Genevieve Wheeler for writing this masterpiece.

This novel follows Adelaide Williams, 26 years old, from America but currently living in London. One evening she meets Rory Hughes, a charming English man, who Adelaide becomes infatuated with…but he’s not good for her. He sucks at communication, he never makes plans and never responds to texts, always leaving Adelaide hanging, but despite all this she’s still very much in love with him. And then one day tragedy strikes Rory’s world. Adelaide does everything in her power to keep him together…but at what expense?

You know when you read a book and it’s scarily relatable? That’s how I feel about Adelaide. Don’t get me wrong this book is so damn brilliant, but it was scary how it felt like Genevieve Wheeler had written down so many experiences and feelings on paper that were so similar to my own. It’s not often that I cry at a novel, but this one just hit so close to home, and at times that made it quite difficult to read.
There’s a lot in this book. It’s a lot to read. It’s a lot to handle emotionally. But the writing and the prose is just so beautiful and those last few pages were filled with words that I needed to hear so badly.
Genevieve Wheeler, you are insane…and I hate that I loved a book like this, I hate that sent me into floods of tears so many times, but I’m so glad I read this when I did. If that isn’t a testament to how good this is, then I’m not really sure what is.

If you do read this, please check trigger warnings before you do so <3

3,5 stars.
We all want to love and to be loved. What happens when one loves and the other doesn't? What happens when one loves too much and the other doesn't even care? This is the story of Adelaide, a girl who loves too much.
All of the above sounds very cheesy, girly, plastic. But it's not because nothing in this story makes sense until the end. If you love but you aren`t loved back you won`t waste your time, will you? You'd move on. If you love too much would you allow the other to step on you? Yes, you might. Adelaide allowed too much. She suffered a lot in the name of love and acceptance. But there`s an explanation for this.
It's a sad story full of darkness, thankfully with some sunshine at the very end. It`s hard to keep reading and watching this young and smart woman being used and ignored by some "·%)"$!· (a bad word of your choice). Why is she blind, why does she allow all of that to keep happening? The explanation doesn`t work for me. It somehow suggests that anyone who is stuck in an abusive relationship must be having mental health issues, because no normal person would be this delusional. To some degree, it is true, I suppose, but still, it lets the thought linger.
The fact that Adelaide is perfect, has the best friends and family in the world, amazing career (yet it`s not her dream job) is so unrealistic. The often hungover helps to put the character in a more realistic light, but that`s still unbelievable.
The feminism here is a perfect example of a man-bashing ideology without reason. One of the characters is proud of herself for being well-educated, successful and bookish, but more importantly, she highlights that she reads no more than two books written by men per year. Right... eye roll once, twice... Adelaide herself - minor spoiler - wants to work in a presidential campaign in the USA for a woman, she wants to see the next American president being a woman. The candidate's political views, plans, ideas, etc are not important at all, there`s no mention of it at all. The gender is all there is. Well, if that is what today's feminism is then I don`t want to be a woman anymore!

Adelaide is a twenty something American living and working in London. It’s love at first sight when she meets Rory Hughes. Unfortunately, as their relationship develops, although she is convinced that he’s ‘the one’, the feeling clearly isn’t mutual. Adelaide is very much the giver, buying him gifts, cooking for him and generally going over the top trying to please in the hope she can make him fall in love with her. Her behaviour at times feels smothering, although to a degree understandable, as the story moves between past and present and we learn of events that have brought her to where she is today.
Rory’s behaviour, is at times both rude and selfish – disappearing for days, cancelling arrangements to meet at short notice, and not introducing her to his friends. By chance, Adelaide meets a past lover of Rory’s. Someone he clearly has had difficulty forgetting. Once more her confidence is shattered. How can she possibly compete? But there is even worse to come; events that send her life spiralling out of control.

The one positive in Adelaide’s life were her friends. Long term and close, they are the ones who rescue her and help set her life on a different and more positive course. Is there a happy ending? Well, yes there is, although not quite in the way I expected.
An emotional story. Highly recommended.

I would like to thank Aria and Aries, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of Adelaide in exchange for an honest review.