A lovely story about rediscovering yourself, family, friendship and strong women. I really enjoyed it. It was a warm, gentle and comforting read and one I recommend.

This was such a wholesome read about falling back in love with yourself and with life. If you’ve ever felt lost in life, unsure of where your path will lead, then this is the book for you.

This story is filled with the most wonderful characters, from Carla who is just a straight up superstar, to Pen the straight talking no nonsense best friend, each character shows that love doesn’t just manifest in one form, it’s different for everyone and that is ok. You shouldn’t judge anyone’s story from the outside because you may now know what is actually happening behind closed doors.

This really is a modern love story and the romantic partner doesn’t always have to be someone else!

I really enjoyed this author’s previous work-Olive and so I was excited to read her latest. I was really attracted by the cover if I’m honest, It doesn’t give much away and, having read the book, I can say that it really doesn't give you any indication as to what is going to happen in this plot.

Willow is an interesting character to spend this novel with. She is most definitely flawed and at the beginning of the book when she is working on being a bit of a stepford wife and turning down opportunities for herself in favour of supporting her partner, you kind of struggle to get on side with her. Similarly, when she finds herself alone again, the choice she make are most definitely flawed and so once again, she is a little bit difficult to like. But she is someone that every reader will be able to empathise with and the fact that she is flawed makes for a good connection.

Moving forwards from the heartbreak that willow experiences, this book has a little bit of everything. It explores themes such as navigating friendships into adulthood when everyone is so busy and everyone is going in different directions; starting over again when it was the last thing you wanted to do; dealing with struggles within a family and everything that brings with it bit this book finds the humour and the human-side of all of those things. It really is a book about being an adult in England today.


This book also dives into influencer culture a little and the darker side of the media now that it is so entwined with social media. Willow finds herself involved in that world never having asked to have been part of it and faces some ethical dilemmas because of it and I found that really interesting to read about. Willow brings an interesting perspective to the influencer world since she has previous worked in traditional media and so you get a glimpse of that world not only through your eyes as a reader but also through her eyes.There were moments in the book where I cried and moments where I laughed an I love that balance when I pick up a book.

I felt so seen ! yeah the MC can be irritating/annoying at times but it didn't bother me that much.
The characters' personalities were so well written, they felt real !
Comforting and relatable, loved it

thank you netgalley for the copy

A story about learning to love yourself and becoming happy in your own skin. Table for One was surprisingly emotional, and I think that was largely down to the warmth of the key characters.

Our main character is Willow, a woman who seems to have everything she thought she wanted—a good career, a flourishing business, a new home that she shares with her boyfriend Dom, and a close circle of friends. Yet it doesn’t take long for us to realise that Willow is incredibly lonely, that she has lost track of who she is and what she truly aspires to be. Her search for herself begins in earnest when her boyfriend dumps her (which, to be fair, we could see coming a mile off).

After some much-needed wallowing, Willow starts to take steps to find out who she is and what she wants from life. Much of the book centres on Willow’s journey, and there are definitely some sincere moments as she throws herself into new activities. However, at the heart of all of Willow’s efforts is her Aunt Clara—a woman who has truly found peace in being alone.

The relationship between these two women, who are at very different stages in their lives, was, for me, the heart of the book.

Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this.

A story about learning to love yourself, and to become happy in your own skin. Table for One was surprisingly emotional, and I think that was down to the warmth of the key characters.
Our main character is Willow, a woman who seems to have everything she thought she wanted. A good career, a flourishing business, a new home that she shares with her boyfriend Dom and a close circle of friends. Yet it doesn’t take long for us to realise that Willow is incredibly lonely, that she has lost track of who she is and what she aspires to be. Her hunt for herself starts in earnest when her boyfriend dumps her (which we could see coming a mile off).
Following some wallowing, steps are taken by Willow to find out who she is and what she wants to be.
Much of the book is focused on Willow’s journey and there’s definitely some earnest moments of her taking part in activities. However, at the helm of all Willow’s activities is her aunt Clara…a woman who truly found peace in being alone. The relationship between these two women at very different stages of their lives was, for me, at the heart of the book.
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the chance to read and review this.

This was a fantastic read with humour, love and relatability. It shows how sometimes the one we need to connect with is ourselves.

Having enjoyed Emma Gannon’s previous book Olive (which frighteningly was almost 5 years ago!) I request an advance review copy of her book ‘Table for One’ from Net Galley. Here’s the blurb:

“Willow has everything worked out.
*The steady partner
*The successful career
*The grown-up house
Until she doesn’t – and she’s cast adrift on the sea of heartbreak, grieving a future with no clear path.
With her life transformed beyond recognition, and her friends busy ‘moving forwards’, Willow has never felt more alone.
But she’s in good company.
And when inspiration arrives from an unlikely source, she rekindles the relationship she longs for – but has long neglected… The one with herself…“

At the start of the book Willow is living and working with her boyfriend Dom. I have to say he comes across as a complete dick from very early on – and Willow being dumped by him should (and eventually is) the making of her.

Willow doesn’t really seem to have a depth of friendships with people – even though she’s been friends with them a long time (weirdly I remember this from Olive too – which makes me wonder if the author has been burnt by ‘friends’ in the past?)

Then Willow is given a writing assignment by a previous employer – to write about her seemingly ‘smug married’ life (she has neglected to mention she’s single again) compared to Naz, an influencer who’s USP is that she’s happily single by choice. Willow and Naz do get to know each other – and Willow is let behind the social media curtain that Naz lives through.

The one constant in Willow’s life is her Aunt Carla, who has been a mother figure to her for a very long time. Their relationship was really lovely – and I think Carla was my favourite character in the whole book.

Overall the book shows that Willow needs to be happy and content in herself, not just with the expected accoutrements of a 30 something life. I though the ending was really clever – as if Willow was sitting down to write this exact book!

I enjoyed this – and thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC.

"So, Willow, if you are ever struggling, just think of the caterpillar. The struggle might be hard and painful, but you will come out the other side stronger, with better vision and with beautiful thick wings, I promise you."

Following writer Willow in her mid-thirties after her boyfriend and business partner of ten years leaves her. She relies on her beloved auntie Cara (who brought her up with her mum absent) and best friends Pen, Lola and Alice, but their lives are going in different directions. New friend, singleton influencer Naz, appears to be at a similar stage in life, but appearances can be deceptive.

As with the author's debut novel, Olive, the focus is on engaging, female characters and their friendships, exploring societal expectations of women. The reader is drawn into Willow's world at a time of turmoil and change and we wish her well, want her to thrive. There's drama, secrets, humour and poignant moments in this love letter to women finding their own, independent way supported by other women.

I enjoyed this so much! It was refreshing and uplifting. A story about Willow whose life unexpectedly turns upside down and her journey of self discovery and rebuilding herself. This book explores themes of societal norms and the ‘expectations’ of women. I found this so genuine and relatable. If you love a character focused read, this is one for your 2025 reading pile

I absolutely devoured this book! A relatable story of a woman whose life suddenly is turned upside down and she has no idea what her future looks like anymore! Emma is a loveable FMC who has strong morals, integrity and is someone I’d want to be friends with. Emma meets Naz, a 20 something influencer, whose entire brand is about loving being single. Emma learns so much about herself from Naz, while also recognising that not everything is what it seems and life isn’t a one size fits all. This book is uplifting, inspiring although emotional at times. I loved this and can’t wait to read more of Emma’s books!

Willow and her partner Dom have it made; the business they started is flying, they have moved to a new home, the next step is surely marriage and children. But slowly it dawns on Willow that Dom is moving on without her, that he has plans for the business that don't involve her and that their perfect relationship is starting to crumble.

Faced with having to make a new start, she's offered a writing post in an 'opposites attract' style. She, seemingly happily settled, is going to shadow influencer, Naz the poster girl of singledom. The two of them couldn't be more different, but slowly Willow sees what is lying ahead for her if she embraces her single life.

For me, the strongest character was Willow's aunty Carla, who has been Willow's rock through her life. Her life on the Sussex coast seemed idyllic, surrounded by friends and going to the sea every day. I would read more about her any day.

Its an easy holiday read which I enjoyed, and read fairly quickly.

I loved this book! I really enjoyed Emma's previous book The Success Myth so was looking forward to reading her fiction esp when I found out what this book was about. Very refreshing and relatable.

Emma Gannon is a new writer to me but I gobbled up this first novel in less than 2 days.
It flashes back and forwards in the life of Willow, who has been unceremoniously dumped by her boyfriend and co-founder of their business. Adrift in the sea of singleton life with everyone else around her coupled up, she seeks refuge in her first career love: journalism.

As the story goes back and forth from the present to the past Gannon skilfully uncovers layers of Willow’s character and backstory. It was a quick read for me as I was drawn in to the story and wanted to discover how long Willow’s new found singleness would actually last. I enjoyed her journey of self-discovery and particularly the life-affirming relationship she had with her aunt Carla.

Many thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for an early release copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you enjoyed I’m a fan by Sheena Patel or Ghosts by Dolly Alderton, this one is for you.

So I really wanted to love this book. The premise had me intrigued and after hearing someone I follow’s review I was intrigued and wanted to read it immediately! So thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-Arc.

I was initially hooked at the start of the book, wanting to see how our main character’s life changes from being in a decade-long relationship to coming to terms with the single life and their own company.

However, there are just a few things I can’t get past which is why I have unfortunately decided to DNF this book.

1. Our main character, Willow, is so irritating. I understand she’s feeling a massive loss after her breakup with her long-term partner, Dom, but I can’t deal with the wallowing and self-pity. The way Dom handled things was terrible, to put it simply. But how can she not see how much she lost herself during the relationship? How little he cared for her? Willow had no backbone and just accepted everything. I think even if she had a tiny bit more fight in her, this would have been a better read for me.
2. Her friend’s babying her through the break up. I understand wanting to be there for her and trying to pull her back out of her breakup blues, but it turned into a pity party. So much so that they kept exciting news from her so she wouldn’t feel bad. But surely, for a book about friendship, they should all be supportive no matter the circumstance?
3. The constant name drops. Brands, singers, tube lines, you name it. Every few sentences there was a name/brand mention and I don’t think it was needed and I’m not sure the point of it. It’s bugged me and took me out of the story every time.

I realise I’ve gone on a bit of a rant here, so here’s some positives.

1. The characterisation. Each character was so distinct and I read and felt every emotion they were feeling, even when it switched up in a sentence.
2. The direction it went. I loved seeing Willow’s passion for the article she was writing and I think that was a great plot point.

I think this book would be wonderful for a lot readers, it just wasn’t for me unfortunately.

This book had a lot of potential and while I enjoyed the story and the direction it was taking, I found the writing and execution a bit lacking. Judging from the plot, I thought the book would be about our MC finding agency after her breakup, but it isn't until the very end that she decides anything for herself.

In that sense, I didn't see much character development, and throughout most of the book, it felt like the plot was moving for her - e.g. she incidentally comes across a writing opportunity, she randomly bumps into an influencer she's meant to interview, her friends initiate all their conversations - and it left me feeling really frustrated with her. At the same time, I also felt like the story tried to do too much, from overcoming a breakup, to challenging social views of marriage, to the authenticity of online personalities, and grieving a parent... it just felt a bit messy. There were also a lot of unnecessary side descriptions that came out of nowhere, e.g. tangents about some friend's random cousin or a restaurant cashier, that just left me confused.

Again, I definitely feel like there was a lot of potential with this book and it was good enough that I didn't want to DNF it, but unfortunately not something I really enjoyed.

Another hit from Emma Gannon! Table for One is a beautifully written, thoughtful story about what happens when the life you planned suddenly shifts. It’s about fresh starts, finding your way, and — most of all — the power of friendship and learning to enjoy your own company. Heartfelt, honest, and quietly inspiring! Just what I needed to read!

This is a perfect read for appreciating what you have, and for looking forward to new parts of your life. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone!

It follows Willow through one of the most turbulent periods of her life, and how she deals with the aftermath. I loved the interactions between Willow and Naz and how their opinions on each other and the ‘right’ way to live life changed as the story progressed. I found this part of the story really interesting, as most people will firmly agree with one girl or the other, but their budding friendship allowed us to see that both their opinions are right. Willow’s character development was excellent and felt realistic, especially with the flashbacks giving her more depth.

This book is full of sadness, joy and hope and I loved it!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I found this highly engaging, the writing style had me enraptured. Irreverent and commentary but not too heavy handed or nihilistic. I enjoyed this.

I began reading this book realising that it probably wasn't primarily for my generation (65).

I found the first section of the book quite compelling and page turning even though we were obviously in a "having it all" trope. From there on I found it rather a cliche. Longstanding group of friends moving through their thirties with the incipient baby time bomb, breakups, marriages. Throw in a return to journalism abandoned many years before and a family crisis and we have the crucible Willow, our protagonist has to transit in order to understand herself and re-build.

I was constantly wondering about this group of friends and however long their friendships, how little they understood one another. I also wondered if the feminism of my younger days has been completely packed away.

So, not really the book for me but nonetheless probably an easy, compelling.
read for younger women.

With thanks to #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for the opportunity to read and review