Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One had all the ingredients for a wild, weird romp—queer clown chaos, grief, and unexpected hookups—but it never quite found its rhythm for me. I appreciated the dark humor and some truly original moments, but I kept hoping for more forward momentum or emotional payoff. If you’re into character studies with a surreal edge, this one’s worth checking out, even if it didn’t fully land for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kristen Arnett for this ARC!

This one is fun, but (and I know this is going to sound really dumb considering this is a book about a clown lesbian with a lot of internalised issues) it didn’t take itself seriously enough. I would’ve loved it if Arnett would’ve taken a bit of time to completely drop the bravado. I think she definitely tried to, moments that refer to pain but that is still hidden under layers of a very cynical and slightly arrogant tone of voice. It would’ve been really impactful to have a point where there were no punchlines and no persona to hide behind. Otherwise I did enjoy it, it did feel like quite a unique story.

The cover. The artwork. The title. The contents. These ingredients made one tasty read!
It was brilliant and original. But it also felt relatable and understanding of so much we all cktnend with. But far enough away to not seem to stark on our own lives.
The writing was witty and tender all at the same time so the pages felt like humorous cuddles..
I loved our clown. She was so strong and seemed so able. But then she had her little cracks. And her need for success and need to be accepted.
And she had her little quirks thst got her into a wee bit of trouble. Not least when she falls for her fellow headstrong queen clown. It's then she really need to make decisions. On who she is. And what she wants before she changes too much. Or doesn't change at all.
The talent seeping from this book is just something else. This author was made to write these.

Kristen Arnett is back with Stop Me If You've Heard This One, a brilliantly bizarre and darkly hilarious book about art, ambition and the messy business of being human. Set in the vibrant and chaotic world of Orlando’s performance scene, this is the story of Cherry Hendricks, a professional clown trying to juggle her gigs, side jobs, and complicated relationships—all while chasing a dream she cannot quite define.

Cherry’s life takes an intriguing turn when she meets Margot the Magnificent, an older, successful magician who seems to have cracked the code of blending art with business. Margot is everything Cherry wants to be—polished, respected and entirely in control. She is also incredibly attractive, making Cherry’s growing admiration all the more complicated. But as Cherry dives deeper into Margot’s world, she is forced to confront what she is willing to risk for success and how much of herself she is willing to change in the process.

Arnett’s signature dark humour is razor-sharp, twisting the absurd into something deeply relatable. The book opens with an unforgettable, laugh-out-loud scene that sets the tone for a story filled with chaos, misfits and unexpected tenderness. Beneath the comedy, though, lies a heartfelt exploration of identity, self-worth and the pursuit of creative fulfilment.

This is a book that asks big questions while delivering punchlines that land with perfect precision. Whether you are here for the outrageous antics or the emotional depth, Stop Me If You've Heard This One is a must-read—smart, original and unmissable.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

A lesbian clown? What’s not to love. This book was super unique and I don’t think I’ve read anything like it before, it captivated me to say the least and I think when it comes out it’ll be a huge hit.

I really liked this one based on the title, cover and description but it just wasn't the book gor me. I loved the style of writing but something about the book stopped me from enjoying it.

Extremely funny, moving, and sometimes very bizarre - what else could you expect of a novel where the protagonist who is a professional clown?

3.5/4

This book is quite unlike any I've ever read.

Cherry is a clown. Not a foolish person. An actual clown.

While she holds down a "full time" job at an aquarium store, she perfects her act. And Cherry is old school. No tumbling, no flash, just a traditional clown called Bunko.

Of course Cherry's other weakness often coincides with the children's parties she clowns at. Because Cherry has a terrible weakness for other people's moms. It can get her into all sorts of trouble.

But Cherry's world is about to undergo drastic change. Her mom is in a new relationship, her best friend Darcy s being secretive and Cherry herself may have fallen in love with a woman who could catapult her career to new heights.

Cherry is a great character. Kristen Arnett has given us a woman who struggles with family life, never seems to have a clear direction but she's sure that she wants to be the best clown.

The book is funny but interspersed with moments of pathos. Cherry's relationships are the mainstay of the novel as she navigates her way to finding what she really wants to do with her life.

Thankyou to Netgalley and Little, Brown for the advance review copy.
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Comi-tragic queer clowning story.

I've not read the author before, and the idea of a plot about an aspiring clown intrigued me. This did delve behind the greasepaint into the fairly sad and underpaid world of professional clowning, at just how skilled these performers are - and a bit of a look at one clown's attempts to better her situation, wrestling with mother issues and the need to... date... older women.

Cherry (no Mum, it's not Cheryl) wastes hours working at an aquarium shop to fund her actual passion - clowning. She's good at what she does but in need of a break, a push up.

Always with an eye open for slightly older female dates (the book opens with a slightly graphic scene involving a young client's parent in a bathroom - yes this sets the tone), Cherry meets an idol, Margot the Magnificent, a talented and successful magician who may be able to fulfil both her needs.

With lots of memorable bit players - the mohawked best friend, lazy co-worker, cold mother, former performer and now guru/makeup provider - Cherry is living in her dead brother's shadow, living from paycheck to paycheck and forever working on her act.

It's a great sneak peek at a hard life, one that you have to respect. There's a lot of humour here as well as pathos - the core of being a clown.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

a lesbian clown? and a critique of late stage capitalism? what more could you ask for. loved this one - not a laugh a minute but definitely a 'hmmm that's a depressing yet pithy observation' a chapter. thank you netgalley for the early copy.

This is my first dive into Kristen Arnett's work, although I do have a copy of Mostly Dead Things sat on my bookshelf. Whilst I did enjoy elements of this book, I found the characters really unlikeable and cringy which, even though I'm sure they are supposed to be perceived that way, it made for difficult and slow reading at times. But I did like the exploration of queerness, and found some parts funny and relatable.

Kristen Arnett has a knack for creating characters that feel real, in their quirks and preoccupations, and their messy humanity. Cherry, the main character here, is the antithesis of the "model gay", and I'm honestly so grateful for some dirtbag lesbian representation in this our time of troubles.

Cherry is mourning the loss of her brother, half-assedly working a nothingburger retail job in an Aquarium supply store to keep a roof over her head and cover the costs of pursuing her real passions (clowning and MILFs). She has one best friend, one crush, and a mother who seems to feel like the wrong kid died.

This is a breezy, fun read that is often deeper than I've just made it sound. It's not all honks and greasepaint and buffoonery, though there is plenty of that. There's also a lot in here about grief and feeling lost, and not liking yourself enough to go after what you want (or even to figure out what you might want). This book made me verklempt over a post it note on a car dashboard, I loved it so. And you might love it too, unless you've got coulrophobia in which case you should probably avoid it.

Thanks to Little, Brown/Corsair and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting read! I thought the premise of it was very unique and really enjoyed the opening scene of the book. I did find the characters unlikeable, but they were definitely relatable. Loved the social and political commentary on being queer in Florida as well.

Thank you NetGalley for the early copy!

A lesbian clown in her late 20’s fumbling her way through life whilst dealing with grief, a society that doesn’t always accept her as she is, complicated family dynamics, a love of seducing moms, and a passion for clowning. What’s not to love?

Stop Me if You’ve Heard This One follows the life of Cherry, who we quickly learn loves women older than her, has a best friend called Darcy, a dead brother called Dwight, a tense relationship with her own mother, and works a day job she doesn’t particularly like to try and fund her real passion - being a clown.

There’s laugh out loud moments, and the clowning aspect of the book is so unique and really adds to the book and Cherry’s character as a whole, and made her more interesting.

But there’s also poignant moments. Cherry lives in Florida and throughout the book it touches on the current political scene regarding LGBTQIA+ people and discrimination that they’re facing, which I thought was really well done.

I also really liked the use of grief throughout the book, and the difficult relationship with cherry’s mother, which gave us some really meaningful and relatable words (I highlighted quite a few on my kindle).

Overall I really enjoyed this unique, funny, and poignant book and the social commentary it offered on today’s world. I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for something different, I’ve never read anything like it. 🤡

A big thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book!

I did not expect to like a book about a clown as much as I did. I loved this messy, dramatic main character as she stumbled through life as a birthday party clown who wants more from life. Her complicated relationship with her mother being reflected in her relationship choices, the fixation on her dead brother, the devotion to clowning all make a really interesting main character. I read it over an afternoon and it was a really easy read. I enjoyed it.

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest, unedited feedback. Stop Me If You've Heard This One is an absolute cringe-fest! Cherry/Cheryl is just trying to make her way in this world and find her path in life. We all know how difficult and fraught that can be. I liked Cherry. She wasn't an outright likeable character, but she was real. We can all relate to real. As much as I enjoyed the story and Cherry's journey, finding her place and voice, I had a couple of niggles. I didn't find there was continuity in some parts. This is one example: Cherry was severly allergic to peanuts and an epi pen had to be administered after she deliberately ate peanuts. She just came to and there was no mention of calling an ambulance or going to hospital (which absolutely needs to happen in that situation, btw). Later on we find out Cherry can't afford health care. Overall, a good, funny - sad, relatable read.

The lesbian clown book you didn’t know you needed. Whilst the character development felt a little lacking and Cherry wasn’t an especially sympathetic protagonist, she was a useful vehicle for a variety of philosophical ponderings about the world that I quite enjoyed. Whilst the town was broadly negative, the moments of humour made me genuinely laugh out loud quite a few times, and it ended nicely in a cautiously optimistic note.

I loved this highly original hilarious, serious, poignant and deeply felt novel. You'll also learn a great deal about the clowning industry which is a sentence I never thought I'd say. recommended

Funny, lovely, surprising and earnest! I wish we could have heard more about Miri or that she was a bigger part of this brilliant, sweaty, Florida tale.

This is a fresh and original book about a chaotic, queer woman in Florida who works in a run down exotic pet store but is also a clown.
I liked the characterisation, humour and the premise but the plot felt a but woolly in places and fizzled out.
Great to read a book about a proud queer woman and I liked the nods to the difficulties of life for queer people in the USA.
I did laugh out loud a few times.