Open Minded

by Chloe Seager

Chloe Seager creates a fun yet thought-provoking novel about two very different women, Holly and Fliss, who are grappling with drastic changes in their relationships after Holly’s boyfriend wants to “open” their relationship and Fliss’s boyfriend wants to “close” theirs. After nine years of dating, Holly is sure her boyfriend Will is going to propose. But instead of popping the question, he shocks her by suggesting they open their relationship to date other people. For the last three years, Fliss and her boyfriend Ash have been in a happily open relationship. But now that they’re turning thirty, he wants to close it, throwing Fliss’s whole ethos of living life on her terms rather than society’s expectations into question. When Fliss overhears Holly crying in the toilets during her first date in nine years, they decide to ditch their dates and have dinner together. They strike up an instant friendship with Fliss agreeing to teach Holly everything she knows about being in an open relationship, while Holly, who’s been with one person for almost a decade, can help Fliss try monogamy. Fliss is willing to give up dating other people if it means staying with Ash, and Holly is willing to try anything if it means she gets her happy ending with Will. But perhaps both Fliss and Holly will learn that there’s no one size fits all when it comes to relationships . . .

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Adult Fiction, Chick Lit, Adult

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 12, 2024

About the author

Chloe Seager grew up in East London with her Mum and much-loved cat, Katie. She studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, where she sadly realised she couldn't act, but did rediscover her love of children's books. Studying them on her favourite module, Children's Literature, made her wonder why grown-ups ever stopped reading them. She now works with them full-time as a YA/Children's literary agent at Northbank Talent, and lives back in East London with her boyfriend, three fish and her cat Edie. Editing Emma is her first novel and the sequel, Friendship Fails of Emma Nash, was published in 2018.

Reviews

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I appreciate that this book tackles the topic of open relationships in an overall sensitive way. There are important points made here about how cheating/falling in love with someone else can happen both in open and closed relationships, the importance of knowing your own desires regardless of what society says, and the healing benefits of friendship. I also liked that both characters, especially Holly, grew into their own by the end of the book and learned to self-advocate and be more self-aware.

That said, there were parts of this book that made me feel like I was reading an Open Relationships 101 text but in fiction form. The writing, unfortunately, felt plain and at times forced, so much so that the structure of the plot (i.e., a woman starting in a closed relationship opens it, another woman in an open relationship closes it) felt more visible and central than the actual characters themselves. Miscommunication was a huge driver of the plot in ways that felt repetitive and made me roll my eyes at times (though idk if miscommunication as plot device is just like, present in every romance book??)

So this was an okay book and I hugely respect Chloe Seager’s intentions with it, even if the prose mitigated my overall enjoyment.

[booktokandchill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really surprised me. I was intrigued after hearing Chloe talk about her book via video at the Harpercollins Date with a Book event. I was very lucky to go home with a copy of the book. The characters (EXCEPT ONE: YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE) were very likeable. I loved that this brought something different to the table and left you thinking about what you value from various relationships in your life... romantic and friendly.

One important message from this book is that love comes in many different forms and what works for you may not work for someone else.

My face at some points in this book was hilarious... Lets be real we ALL know a Will.

overall enjoyable read good book to just cosy up with

[Chelsea (chelseadolling reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars!

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Genuinely this was such a good read, it was really interesting to see different outlets from an Open Relationship on people going to and coming out of them. The different dynamics really were interesting to see and I think especially from Hollys side of things.

I found both Fliss and Holly pretty likeable from the offset (along with Henry and Liam) and it was so intriguing to see both sides.

What I did find I wanted more of was more of an open dialogue in the respective relationships. I wanted to know the whys especially between Holly and Will and why Will wanted to open the relationship in the first place. I think because there was so much miscommunication in different areas a few things that I'd of liked to have found out just kind of passed by.

Overall an interesting read, some things I do feel slightly unsatisfied by (BUT this is purely a personal front because I was rooting for someone SO BADLY). I think if there had been a bit more explanation I would of adored this but it was still very very enjoyable and I would highly recommend!

[bingsuu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In that moment, I hate Will for putting me in this position. I hate myself even more. For playing it down and for letting myself get carried along with this. I was so desperate to keep him that I'd do anything and now I'm so confused and I can't help but feel like nothing will ever be the same again.”

I feel like I’ve been reading a lot of repetitive plot books lately and this was a breath of fresh air, a unique concept of two women who are in the opposite crisis of one another. I love everything about the book, the emotions, the characters and their development. The ending was a little disappointing but it fit the story. I show parts of myself in Holly and parts of myself in Fliss. A woman who is a people-pleaser and a woman who tends to listen to the opinions of others to conduct their life. I love how the story break down Holly’s relationship with Will and show the ugly parts that she really had to discover. A good booooook!

and the taylor swift song that I would dedicate to this book is..

taylor swift - mirrorball

[Miriam Smith (A Mother’s Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this book not quite aware what an open relationship entailed, other than the obvious and I can honestly say I’ve learned so much regarding the procedures and the emotions of people who live in these relationships. Hearing all the young dating terms these days, for example - exclusive, open, ghosting, cuffing, friends with benefits etc, I knew I was behind the times but this book really opened my eyes but in a highly entertaining way. It was interesting to read why some people prefer not to be monogamous and listening to their thoughts and feelings I now understand why.

I instantly fell in love with Fliss and Holly, both in such different relationships and not realising deep down what it is they really want from their partners and life. Holly became such a strong person and I was pleasantly pleased with how her life finally turned out.

Chloe Seager is a new author for me but now I’ve found her I’ll be buying all her books, such fun to read and genuinely written with modern day characters, attitudes and situations. “Open Minded” was refreshing, witty and authentic, that actually feels like the people involved are your friends too. You’ll be nodding your head in agreement, shaking it in disbelief, laughing at some comedic scene and shedding tears of happiness. A five star read for me!

[Marloes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fliss en Holly ontmoeten elkaar op het toilet van een restaurant als Holly een paniekaanval krijgt tijdens haar eerste date in jaren. Een date met iemand anders dan haar vriend, welteverstaan. Na 9 jaar samen wist ze zeker dat hij haar ten huwelijk ging vragen, maar hij stelde voor om een open relatie uit te proberen. Fliss is al jaren gelukkig in haar open relatie, maar haar vriend wil juist erg graag een exclusieve relatie. Deze tegenpolen komen elkaar precies op het juiste moment tegen en met advies, humor en een luisterend oor slepen ze elkaar door dit proces heen. Kunnen ze gelukkig worden in een veranderde relatie zonder zichzelf te verloochenen?

In haar vlotte, luchtige en humoristische schrijfstijl neemt de auteur je helemaal mee in de levens van Fliss en Holly en in wisselende perspectieven biedt dit verhaal een interessante kijk op de verschillende vormen van relaties en de complexiteit daarvan, het belang van open communicatie en trouw blijven aan jezelf. De hoofdpersonages hebben totaal verschillende persoonlijkheden, maar hun proces kent overeenkomsten: ze moeten uit hun comfortzone stappen en ontdekken wat ze zelf graag willen, zonder zich te laten beïnvloeden door de meningen van anderen of de verwachtingen van de maatschappij.

Je leest dan ook niet alleen over hun relaties, hun dates, gênante, herkenbare of pijnlijke momenten, ook situaties op het werk, het onderhouden van vriendschappen en familiedynamiek komen voorbij, waardoor het een gelaagd, dynamisch en compleet geheel wordt. Hun persoonlijke ontwikkeling wordt sterk geschetst en gaat met vallen en opstaan, en hoewel enkele relaties verder uitgediept hadden kunnen worden omdat er terugkerende communicatieproblemen optreden en daardoor niet alle beweegredenen volkomen duidelijk zijn, leren ze zichzelf steeds beter kennen en durven ze grenzen te stellen, voor zichzelf op te komen en voor hun geluk te kiezen.

Het resultaat is een verfrissend, meeslepend en oprecht verhaal vol sympathieke, diverse en levensechte personages, mooi uitgewerkte karakters, boeiende overdenkingen en reflectie, tastbare emoties en een aantal onverwachte ontwikkelingen. Echt een aanrader!

3.5-4⭐

[Danielle Weiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wavered on this one being 4 or 5 stars, but I couldn’t go to bed without finishing, so thought 5 was more appropriate.
A unique concept, and really enjoyed the parallel experiences of Fliss and Holly. Going to look for more from this author, kind of reminded me of Emily Henry’s writing, which I really enjoy.

[Stefani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was fine, but I wish it was just about one character, Fliss, honestly I think I could have done without Holly.

Fliss is in an open relationship with her boyfriend, and Holly is in a monogamous relationship with hers. Then Fliss’ boyfriend wants to be exclusive, where Holly’s BF of 9 years suddenly wants to be in an open relationship. All fine, right? Not so much.

Holly’s BF is clearly using the open relationship label as an excuse to cheat, expecting Holly to just sit around and wait for him to sleep with a bunch of people and not actually meet anyone herself. He forces her into it, she just, goes along with it? And ugh, they’re exhausting. Will (her BF) is a tool, Holly is such a pushover and is so self-centered and this poor guy Liam who is so nice is brought into it and the whole thing is a mess.

Fliss on the other hand I felt like was a much better storyline, wanting so badly to make an exclusive relationship work for her when clearly it’s not, despite how much she loves her boyfriend. Their relationship needed some serious communication, but they got there in the end and were able to land on a solution that worked the best for both of them.

It was really interesting, and I hadn’t read a book like this with this topic before. I personally think it would have been better JUST with Fliss, and Holly could have been a side character best friend or something.

You can pick this one up 11/24! 📚

Thank you @williammorrowbooks for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Holly and Fliss annoyed me so much. Why couldn’t they just talk to their partners instead of keeping everything to themselves for so long. There was so much miscommunication in this book and I was getting so sick of it.

I’m glad that towards the end they started living how they wanted instead of how others wanted them to live.

[Brianna Abbate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that you miss when it’s over. Great characters. Great points about love and societal expectations. Great pop culture references. Really just beautiful story about love in all forms

[Helena · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5!
muito bacana a iniciativa mas as o desenvolvimento.... cansativo demais a cabeça delas. a flyss foi só burra e a holly evoluiu mas... a que custo! (minhas horas de leitura)

sinceramente divertido de ler mas raso. bom pra passar o tempo!

[Mikha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book immediately captured my attention after seeing it on Instagram, and the entire story lived up to expectations. First, I must applaud Chloe Seager's skillful writing in distinguishing between the two distinct points of view. Portraying two women in contrasting situations added depth and intrigue to the narrative.

In the book, I was captivated as I followed the lives of Holly and Fliss. Holly was navigating an open relationship with her boyfriend, Will, while Fliss's boyfriend, Ash, decides to transition from their open relationship to being monogamous. This parallel was so interesting to read as it creates a compelling dynamic between the characters. Despite their differing circumstances, the women seek advice from each other, though, in my opinion, they shouldn't have, given they couldn’t even fix their own relationship struggles. 😆

This book provided valuable insights into open relationships, shedding light on their complexities. It challenges conventional judgments, reminding us that monogamous relationships face similar issues. Effective communication, setting boundaries, and understanding personal preferences are crucial in both types of relationships.

Overall, it was a delightful and engaging read. Holly's and Fliss's relationship drama felt like juicy gossip, making the book addictive and entertaining. It offered a glimpse into their lives, leaving me thoroughly entertained. Can’t wait for its release on November! 🤍

[Sarah Kingsnorth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chloe Seager - Open Minded.

Audio Review.

I expected a light hearted fun listen from this one. And largely that’s exactly what I got, but it does have depth and poignancy.

Holly and Fliss are in what would seen to be two very different relationships, with two very different men.

When Holly expects a marriage proposal from Will, her long term boyfriend. The proposal he actually delivers is something very different.

Fliss and Liam have a very different relationship. But it’s not making them both happy anymore.

#OpenMjnded is an entertaining and thought provoking book.

The audio narration is fabulous and captures the spirit of the book perfectly.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Devika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Open-minded is het debuut van Chloe Seager. Dit boek is een romantische comedy die een luchtige blik schept op open relaties, daten en alles wat daarbij komt kijken. Wat als je partner opeens een open relatie wil proberen of wat als je partner juist exclusief met jou wil zijn? Chloe Seager neemt de lezer mee in de datewereld van Holly en Fliss, maar wat staat er op deze meiden te wachten?

Van begin tot eind wist dit boek mijn aandacht te trekken. Chloe Seager heeft een realistisch verhaal weten te creëren waarin de verschillende aspecten uit de dating wereld mooi aan het licht komen. Dit is een van de betere debuten die ik ooit heb gelezen en ik ben erg benieuwd wat deze auteur nog meer in petto gaat hebben.

Lees nu mijn volledige recensie op mijn blog Boekensteeg

[Imke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik vond het leuk om meer over open relaties te leren. Het verhaal is fijn en vlot geschreven, de meeste personages zijn leuk en het einde was top! Geef dit boek zeker een kans!

[Ailish Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook while struggling through an increasingly awful autoimmune flareup. I became wonderfully invested in both women’s lives and relationships and really looked forward to my nightly listening of this book. It was deep and poignant and distracted me from my own troubles. Beautifully written.

[Elvira_R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik ging blind dit verhaal in en wat heb ik genoten.
Een heerlijke roman over relaties.

Wat zou jij doen als je denkt dat je vriend je ten huwelijk vraagt, maar ipv dat je vraagt een open relatie aan te gaan.
En wat zou je doen als je al jaren in een open relatie zit, maar je vriend nu exclusief wil zijn.

Je volgt Holly en Fliss. Twee tegenpolen die onverwacht vriendinnen worden. Fliss leert Holly alles over een open relatie hebben en Holly leert Fliss alles over monogamie.

Maat eigenlijk wil Holly geen open relatie en wil Fliss dat niet opgeven. Hoe houden ze hun relatie stand?

Ik heb erg genoten van dit verhaal. De complexiteit, de humor en de vriendschap tussen Holly en Fliss was erg leuk om te lezen. Het is soms ook echt tenenkrommend pijnlijk omdat natuurlijk niet alles goed gaat.

Zeker een aanrader als een heerlijk tussendoortje.
Bedankt uitgeverij A.W. Bruna voor dit vermakelijke boek!

[Gigi Ropp · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshing, hilarious read, Open Minded really provided valuable insight into many different types of relationships while keeping me laughing with relatable characters!

[Nohely · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Open Minded" was a fascinating read, and TYSM to NetGalley for the eARC. This is a rom(ish)-com book that follows two women navigating their journeys from monogamy to open relationships and vice versa. The topic was unique and interesting since I know little of open relationships which made for great conversations. Overall a 3.5 for me.

Things I liked:
📝 Chloe Seager's writing was funny and fast-paced.
🫂Great descriptions of the characters' situations and feelings.
🇬🇧 Loved the London setting and pop culture references.
🤯 A shocking redemption/cathartic moment

Things I didn’t like:
😶‍🌫️ My lack of knowledge about open relationships left me feeling a bit lost. Some aspects didn't feel as "open-minded" as I expected which could be my own bias and I’d be willing to change this if I learn more.
‼️There was a lot of miscommunication, which is a trope I dislike. Even just bad comms at time.
🤦‍♂️One character was particularly frustrating, though well-written because I hated him so much.

Overall, the book made me think about the values of my own relationships with everyone. Despite its flaws, it was an engaging read that broadened my perspective.

[Dori Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, laugh out loud funny, relatable (even if you've never been in an open relationship), interesting and informative. Open Minded is about two women: Holly, whose long term boyfriend suggests an open relationship before getting married and Fliss, who is in a successful long-term open relationship -- until her boyfriend suggests closing their relationship. They meet in a restaurant bathroom and become friends and advisors to each other as they navigate circumstances neither wants to be in.

The book switches perspectives from Holly to Fliss, and the cast of characters are well developed and feel real. You do get a sense of where the book is going with Holly and Fliss, but it doesn't take away from the story. Written with heart and (British!) humor, I recommend this book.

Thank you William Morrow Books and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Amy Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who knew that a romance could make me so stressed, in a positive way - I had to know what happened next

[Hannah Pearson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I have read a romance book with representation of open relationships. I loved the way that the book portrayed two mirrored experiences with open/polyamorous relationships and truly dove into the complexities without making one relationship style seem better than the other. There were definitely times I wanted to yell all all of the main characters for different reasons, the story really drew me in and the internal monologues of the characters kept me reading no matter how much I wanted to say “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER OKAY”. Overall, loved the representation and a really new storyline I haven’t read before in any of my previous reads. Thanks NetGalley and the publishers and author for giving me the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

[Claudette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I entered this book without specific expectations but with an “open mind.” The book's unique concept caught my interest, and I was fascinated by its well-written content and in-depth exploration of relationships.

This book contained everything I didn't realize I was looking for – love, turmoil, companionship, deception, self-discovery, and many other elements. It would make an excellent choice for a book club.

Thank you NetGalley & Harper Collins for the ARC.

[Dina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected something different from this book and found myself disappointed in reading. This looked more like a rom com but with a twist of characters in open or polyamorous relationships. It just wasn’t for me. I didn’t like the characters and had a hard time getting into the story. Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader copy

[Merisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced e-arc and an Honest review. This was an unconventional story that was unexpected as from the synopsis, immediately drew me in. Holly and Fliss decide to be amenable to their partners and give them what they want by engaging in an open relationship (Holly) and a monogamous relationship (Fliss). Holly, having come from a 10 year monogamous relationship becomes the “coach” of Fliss after meeting her one night after her first failed date, which prompts Fliss to be Holly’s “coach” since she has been in an open relationship with her partner Ash for several years. The books focuses on the trials and tribulations of the two as they navigate what it means to be in these new versions of their relationships. For most of the book, the story felt incredibly flat and repetitive and I think what could have really given it some depth was the added perspective of their partners—Will and Ash. It wasn’t really clear why they wanted to change their relationship status, so instead, we got this one-sided narration from both women that left me feeling pretty bored and annoyed for most of the book as you watched them continuously compare the new men to their previous/current partners and make the same mistakes. The ending also felt rushed and while I guess there was a resolution, it still felt pretty flat overall.

[Lisa Foldi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik heb erg van dit boek genoten. De schrijfstijl is super fijn, ik heb wel de Nederlandse vertaling gelezen. Dus ik kan weinig zeggen over de schrijfstijl in het Engels. Maar in het Nederlands was het erg prettig. Ik heb het boek in 2 dagen uitgelezen.

In dit boek volg je 2 vrouwen. De een met een open relatie die naar een exclusieve relatie overgaat. En de ander met een monogame relatie die over gaat naar een open relatie. Je leest de struggles, maar ook de groei van deze vrouwen. De vriendschap die de vrouwen krijgen vind ik erg mooi.

In dit boek zit wel echt een miscommunicatie trope. Daar ben ik normaal geen fan van. En dat frustreerde me zeker. Maar je ziet ook weer heel erg in hoe belangrijk goede communicatie is. En hoeveel drama daarmee voorkomen had kunnen worden.

Dit boek heeft me positief verrast.

[Kat (BostonKatReads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the premise for this book and the representation for ENM relationships. The two MFCs are so different, but their friendship meet-cute and how they support and challenge each other throughout their stories was really interesting.

I did feel that it dragged on a bit longer than necessary in the middle, but my connection with the characters was enough to keep me going. By the climax of the conflict, I was mouth agape and gasping out loud while reading.

This isn't really a spicy read, but it will also challenge your perception of relationships, what's "normal" in them, and how everyone gets to decide and do what makes sense for them. If you only want to read about committed, monogamous relationships, then this isn't the one for you.

Some fun, non-spoiler quotes:
"What is in the water this week? Why are all the men being so needy?"

"When you can't think of anything helpful to say, hide behind a caffeinated beverage."

"Why must women be forever cursed to care about the feelings and opinions of others?"

"Why, even in my own daydreams, am I so awkward?"

"Human beings are strange, delicious cocktails of contradiction."

Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow publisher, and the author Chloe Seager for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Marijke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ik vind dit niet alleen een vermakelijk, maar ook een verhelderend boek. Het biedt via een toegankelijk verhaal verschillende perspectieven op relaties en oordeelt niet. De karakters worstelen met hun eigen vooroordelen en gedachten. Er wordt niet één relatievorm geprezen en ook de interne dialoog van de karakters laat zien dat als je ergens voor staat, je evengoed tegenstrijdige gedachten kunt hebben, die wellicht worden gestuurd door verwachtingen van buitenaf. Ik vond het fijn dat het herkenbaar was. Het niveau van het verhaal zelf ligt niet heel hoog, het is geen literatuur van de bovenste plank, maar dat is ook niet het doel van dit boek.

[minaal.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wonder how many of us are truly as open minded as we think we are. I think we only really know when our belief system is challenged. Have you ever been in a situation where your belief system has been challenged? Let me rephrase that. Have you given yourself the opportunity to be in a situation where your belief system has been challenged? 😉

And that brings us to this book. Open Minded brings a unique perspective into modern relationships and it had everything I want from what can be classified as a light-hearted read/a rom-com. We’ve got:
· Character development
· Gorgeous friendships and dialogue
· A diverse cast
· Conversations around emotions and really listening to each other
· And of course an insight into open-relationships

I literally hid in the bathtub for an hour to binge read the second half of this book. Chloe Seager, you’ve got a fan for life.