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.

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler

I read this book in less than 24 hours as I just couldn't put it down.
I was totally drawn in to the story and at times felt like shouting at the book to get Adelaide to see things more clearly.

Adelaide is living in London, working hard and dating Rory Hughes who is sometimes her "disney prince" and other times missing in action. After tragedy strikes Adelaide works hard to support those around her.

I loved the way the story jumped in time and location as I felt it really gave depth and understanding to the story and timeline.

With strong themes of friendship, grief and mental health, Adelaide is an exceptional debut novel.

Thank you to negalleyuk, the publishers and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#Scottishreader #irishbookstagram #Adelaide

Was this an easy read? No, it’s bound to be one that will be triggering for some because it deals with some tough topics. However, for me this was a masterclass in characterisation. Adelaide is imperfectly perfect, the kind of character you fall in love with and ride the highs and lows with. Her relationship with Rory and her wonderful friendship group provide light and shade bringing this story to life. It goes to dark places, but it also feels relatable and full of hope. I loved every second of Adelaide.

First of all, thank you, thank you, thank you @headofzeus for approving me on NetGalley for this one. I whizzed through this in 2 days, unable to put it down. Adelaide made me feel every emotion possible and I loved it so much more than I was expecting to. I would highly recommend you give Adelaide a read, but make sure you've got some tissues handy as it is bound to make you well up.

Adelaide is the most selfless, pure, thoughtful, kind person to ever exist. She falls in love quick and hard and ultimately ends up giving her all to someone who doesn't even give her the bare minimum in return. Wheeler did a fantastic job at making the reader feel heartbroken, confused, and frustrated along with Adelaide, and despite knowing from the start that this relationship wasn't meant to last (this isn't a spoiler) you can't help being shocked at the actions of Rory and devastated for Adelaide. This was so well written and laid out that at times I even questioned if I was overreacting to these situations, which just highlights that sometimes you can't see things for how they truly are when you are in the middle of them and so in love that you're willing to sacrifice yourself to make your partner happy.

Honestly this one was a rollercoaster and I'm just going to finish this off by saying Adelaide, you deserve the world! (yes I know she's fictional)

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for my ARC copy.

This is without a doubt one of the best books of 2024. I am completely obsessed with Adelaide and her story. From the first page I was hooked, and found the book to be completely unputdownable. It is such a gorgeous yet heartbreaking tale, and a poignant and compelling read. I actually found it really relatable and moving, and I know that I will be thinking about Adelaide for a long time to come.

Wow. This book gave me a whole lot more than what I was expecting. I expected it to be heartbreaking, but the levels of frustration, anger and hurt the author manages to portrayal is exceptional.

Adelaide falls head over heels in love with story Hughes the moment they meet. However, this definitely isn’t a love story. It’s quite obvious to the reader which way the story is going to go but I actually appreciated this. It solidified the fact that when you are in love, it’s hard to see how you are being treated, emotionally abused and walk away from that. Rory Hughes was a little shit (to put it nicely) OH MY GOD I wanted to punch him, so hats off to the author for stirring up this anger in me. I became so immersed in Adelaide’s story and wanted to protect her at all costs, how much she tried to make the relationship, the kindness and support gave hurt my heart. AND THEN, the outcome of Rory’s life angered me even more, that man should have been unhappy for eternity (!!!!).

But I honestly was so invested in this book I struggled to put it down. The ending was the perfect and I loved the style it was told in. There are a lot of heavy topics addressed but if you like stories about complicated relationships, messy characters who go on a rollercoaster of a journey you will thoroughly enjoyed this one I think.

Look, I was Adelaide at some point in my 20s. I am sure many women will have/would have had similar experience: the girl who gives her all to someone who doesn’t want it, respect it or appreciate it. Yes, this is another ‘sad girl’ book, but I don’t know what else to say.

The mental health rep in the book is really good.

My big issue with this read, has nothing to do with the book…this is not a love story, but I feel like it’s being marketed as one. This is a heavy book. It rarely felt happy. It rarely felt light. Now, with the benefit of the knowledge I have, my advice to Adelaide (and her friends) would be to wake up: if you aren’t getting anything, then don’t give anything. The friends….please, give different advice. I know in our 20s we are prone to do the relationship dissection and try to bolster our friends, but honestly, what we all actually need is a dose of reality and honest communication. Yes, I know it’s an age thing and Adelaide had a lot of things going on but honestly, I got annoyed and frustrated here and there.

I think, for me, this book was raw, real and relatable so if real life isn’t your thing, then maybe it won’t be for you. It started strong and finished strong, but the middle frustrated me at times.

I absolutely adored this book. Lost two sleepless nights to it in fact because I couldn't stop reading. The author's voice is so unique, warm and funny you fall in love with Adelaide instantly even as she's car-crashing her way through life. The writing is off the scale fantastic and the blend of humour and heartbreak along with the unforgettable cast of characters put me in mind of Sorrow and Bliss. It's that good. Can't wait to see this book fly.

This raw and emotionally loaded novel really blew me away. It nearly brought me to tears on multiple occasions, as well as to laughter. The way that Genevieve Wheeler depicts friendship, love and heartbreak is truly phenomenal. I can already think of multiple people who will love this and who I will be recommending it to. Trigger warnings to bear in mind are grief, suicidal thoughts and sexual abuse, and this is at times, quite a heavy and hard hitting book. It is, however, a beautiful rendering of what it means to go through your 20s, feeling everything, both the highs and lows, to the fullest.

My heart ached for Adelaide, someone who tried so hard and felt she was either too much or not enough! This book covers some heavy subjects, please check yes. I read this one very quickly and it definitely is an emotional read.

📚 review 📚
adelaide - genevieve wheeler

where do i even start with this book? we all know by now that i am a sucker for a #sadgirlnovel and you don’t get much sadder than this. for me, adelaide is a modern day esther greenwood - this is a very raw, very real and so millennial it hurts story of a girl living in london just trying to be enough and feeling like she is failing miserably.

if you’ve ever felt inadequate - this book will bring you to your knees. i think we’ve all been adelaide at least once in our lives and as bleak as her story gets at points,
there is a resounding no hopefulness that shines through.

there are quite a few content warnings so look after yourself and check before diving in. adelaide isn’t always an easy read but one that will leave an impact and me being the lover of #sadgirlnovels that i am devoured it.

this was originally indy published but now has a rerelease and a new cover (ngl i preferred the original!) adelaide is out on 7th november, big thanks to @netgalley
for the early copy.