Ghosts

A Novel

By: Dolly Alderton

Narrated by: Holliday Grainger

INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLER • From the author of Everything I Know About Love comes a smart, sexy, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about ex-boyfriends, imperfect parents, friends with kids, and a man who disappears the moment he says "I love you."

“An absolute knock-out. Wickedly funny and, at turns, both cynical and sincere… feels like your very favorite friend.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of Malibu Rising

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: NPR, VOGUE, PEOPLE

Nina Dean is not especially bothered that she's single. She owns her own apartment, she's about to publish her second book, she has a great relationship with her ex-boyfriend, and enough friends to keep her social calendar full and her hangovers plentiful. And when she downloads a dating app, she does the seemingly impossible: She meets a great guy on her first date. Max is handsome and built like a lumberjack; he has floppy blond hair and a stable job. But more surprising than anything else, Nina and Max have chemistry. Their conversations are witty and ironic, they both hate sports, they dance together like fools, they happily dig deep into the nuances of crappy music, and they create an entire universe of private jokes and chemical bliss.

But when Max ghosts her, Nina is forced to deal with everything she's been trying so hard to ignore: her father's dementia is getting worse, and so is her mother's denial of it; her editor hates her new book idea; and her best friend from childhood is icing her out. Funny, tender, and eminently, movingly relatable, Ghosts is a whip-smart tale of relationships and modern life.

©2021 Dolly Alderton (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

• A People Best Book of the Week • An Entertainment Weekly Best New Book to Read

"A funny, touching take on modern relationships, the struggles of adulthoodand embracinglife as it unfolds."—People

"An astonishingly assured debut... Deftly observed and deeply funny, Ghosts considers where we find, and how we hold onto love with what might well be described as haunting precision."—Marley Marius, Vogue

"Hilariously accurate... Powerful... Alderton brings her British wit and fresh writing to online dating and all its ups and downs."—Karin Tanabe, The Washington Post

Wonderful story: not a retread!

Though the topic of being “ghosted” feels overdone, this wise, humorous and ultimately heartwarming novel feels fresh and appealing. The characters are interesting and feel authentic, and the observations of relationship dynamics and life changes are intelligent and satisfying. I highly recommend this novel!

The beautifully tender, humane and empathetic writing !

Loved every word & beautiful deliver of each thoughtful line, reflecting the shared vulnerability of life & love !

Somewhat disappointed

The performance was fine. Some parts were a little shrill for the woman's characters and men's character's were a little stoner sounding (Max). I kept looking for the funny parts unfortunately I didn't find any. All character's seemed a little sad and life was very disappointing for everyone in the book. I was hoping for a brighter side for any of the character's situations but sadly there were none. I also didn't learn any lessons to make the book worth sharing with others. If you are interested in reading this book understand there will be no bright sides.

Achingly Real

Ghosts is beautifully written, a visceral and sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes hilarious story about life, love, and the torment of online dating over thirty. I related to this so much and really enjoyed the narration.

I figured it out…

Having read and LOVED Dolly Alderton’s ‘Everything I Know About Love’, I couldn’t wait to dove into Ghosts. From the start, though, there was something off-putting about the story. I realized quickly that, while all of the amazing trappings of Dolly’s storytelling are present, the narrators performance feels grating. Like an innocuous phone conversation with a seductive voice on the other end- it doesn’t match and leaves you feeling uncomfortable and distracted. If you love Dolly like I do, this one is best enjoyed via kindle or print.

Good Narrator and Relatable Story

Great narrator. Fun and Relatable story to women over 20+ like many dolly alderton books. The endings was not the best but it did wrap off the story.

Incredibly surprised

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The development of the characters from start to finish was thought-provoking and emotional. It was refreshing having a brutally honest love story. The author covered relationships and affection between friendship, lovers, families, and acquaintances seamlessly- and each were just as important to the story/life.

:,)

This book captures the reality of dating men (though EQ-wise; boys) as an adult woman. Alderton exposes the power imbalance between those with a biological timeline and those who can afford to love bomb and retreat to come back only once they’re ready… This points to the pervasive reality of being ghosted today without feeling preachy or whiny (which would also be fair). This story features the messy and human realities of adult friendships and how they change over time and through various milestones. We witness parents ageing and changing due to illness and an imperfect and realistic mother-daughter relationship. There’s this frustrating neighbour that inspires comedic moments… I also genuinely appreciate that this protagonist is a writer without falling into easy “I’m a writer!” tropes. And the realistic depictions of motherhood and sex and life… Apologies about the ramble. I fear I’ll love all of Dolly Alderton’s books. Touching, funny, compelling, realistic, yet hopeful. I needed this read, thank you.

It’s okay but it’s not the best

Part 1 really makes the main character seem awful and just judgmental of other women. Made me almost want to stop listening but then part 2 began and it picked up speed. You begin to understand why she is the way she is and realize her insecurities. She’s not written to be the best human being in the world, but pretty relatable to an extent. I probably would not recommend this to a friend just cause it’s a slow burn, nothing happens worth having a conversation about, and I think there are better books out there that share the same narrative.

Book isn’t funny or witty either - kind of just sad.

Lonely search for love in the digital age

If your “hot vaccinated summer” has closed with little victory, the idea of still swiping on someone new this autumn too daunting, and spending another night alone in your one-bedroom apartment feels almost haunted by your own disappointment, this is the book that understands you.

“Ghosts” is a sobering Bridget Jones’ Diary for the 2020s single thirty-somethings, a meditation on the isolation of adulthood that no likes to talk about — can you be happy being single if no one is happy with you? Or for you?

Charming, insightful, and honest, Alderton captures the double edge of being intellectually progressive while still secretly, and sometimes openly, yearning to be swept off your feet.