Dolly Alderton

fiction - a (not very successful) stand up comedian Andy in 2019 London, England, UK copes with the sudden end of his 4-year relationship with Jen, who won't explain why she broke up with him.

Andy's not all that likeable (or funny), but he's not terrible either--mostly he mopes/whines about the breakup, and he is only tolerable because he knows he's wearing on his friends. Despite Andy's shortcomings, his story is mildly interesting, and as the months pass from summer 2019 to fall/autumn 2019, Andy's paranoid landlord/housemate Morris points out that something big is about to happen to the world; the pre-COVID timeline adds an extra layer of urgency. I liked the ending, but it was maybe a lot to drudge through to get there.

the twist at the end is that we finally hear Jen's side of the story, and she just does not feel the need to be someone's girlfriend, wife, or mother. With her home mortgage covered by tenant renters and having amassed significant savings, she decides to quit her high-paying job that she really doesn't like in early 2020 and plans to spend a year traveling the world in late March 2020 (!) as a 35 y.o. woman without the obligations to family/kids that her friends now all share. … (més)

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (Harper Perennial) for promotional purposes.

I previously read Dolly’s memoir, “Everything I Know About Love,” and loved it, so naturally I also enjoyed this one.

This book is a collection of selected responses from her Dear Dolly column. I’ve never read her column, so all of these were new to me. The responses are divided into 7 sections: Dating, Friendship, Relationships, Family, Sex, Break-ups & Exes, and Body & Soul. I liked that they were organized in this way; it gave the book structure.

Like her memoir, Dolly’s responses to her readers are very conversational. Reading them feels like talking to an old friend. Her advice is very practical and real, but she’s never judgmental. She seems to really understand what her readers are asking and gives relatable advice. She also knows how to incorporate pop culture references (like when she mentions listening to a Lana Del Rey album) without seeming like she’s trying too hard.

This is a great book to pick up if you’re looking for some life advice, especially when it comes to dating or love. As someone still looking for love, I found quite a bit of her advice helpful.

Overall, if you’re a fan of Dolly’s work, you should definitely give this book a read!… (més)