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Probably Nothing
Bryony doesn’t mind being single. Which is why she doesn’t understand why she keeps seeing (ok, sleeping with) Ed… who is perfectly fine but also only ok. She resolves to end things only to unceremoniously receive a call whilst in the queue for what report to be the best noodles in town. The caller tells her Ed has died.
Worse yet, he seems to have represented her as his great love. Obviously, it would be rude to correct them. Then she’s invited to the funeral. It would be equally rude to refuse… right?
Probably Nothing is the answer to just how far sheer awkwardness can take someone. Peppered with Lauren Bravo’s irresistible wit it explores the relatable modern conditions of both health anxiety and people pleasing.
Worse yet, he seems to have represented her as his great love. Obviously, it would be rude to correct them. Then she’s invited to the funeral. It would be equally rude to refuse… right?
Probably Nothing is the answer to just how far sheer awkwardness can take someone. Peppered with Lauren Bravo’s irresistible wit it explores the relatable modern conditions of both health anxiety and people pleasing.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 4, 2024
121 people are currently reading
2387 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 156 reviews
May 15, 2025
It was fine. Sometimes very funny but at page 153 I started to wonder if the book really needed to be 437 pages long. It didn't.
July 6, 2024
Bryony’s casual boyfriend has died leaving his family believing she is the love of his life.
I loved Probably Nothing because it is witty, relatable and deliciously entertaining. The plot is so good as it encompasses events and situations any reader can identify with so that it is as if Lauren Bravo has written it just for the individual. This is a story of ordinary people, often doing ordinary things, told with humour and affection. Equally, Probably Nothing is a warm, mature and insightful exploration of relationships – relationships between friends and lovers, in marriages and families, in communities and workplaces so that there is a universal and identifiable appeal making for a really compelling read.
The characters are fabulous. Time after time I felt their actions could belong to any number of people I know because Lauren Bravo depicts them so realistically, and my poor husband was constantly interrupted as I read aloud the most perfect descriptions of very familiar behaviour. Bryony is a triumph as she finds herself embroiled in the family events that celebrate Ed’s life. As Ed’s family learn more about Bryony, so she gains a greater understanding of herself. There’s a vivid sense of growth and development that makes Bryony a rich and complex character. She’s no cardboard protagonist who is perfect in comparison to others, but her personality leaps from the page and I particularly relished her hypochondria and her need to please others all the time.
Indeed, I loved all the characters here. It’s a brilliant touch to make Ed the catalyst for the action and yet we never encounter him directly. Ann’s need to weave people into her family, Steve’s pragmatic approach, Kelly’s obsession with pregnancy, Annie’s ill fated attempts at being a grown up, Bryony’s inability to say no, are just a few of the traits that are so cleverly depicted so that it feels as if the reader is a fly on the wall, eavesdropping their lives rather than merely reading about them. The prickly, adversarial relationship between Bryony and Kelly is a touch of genius because it illustrates how we so frequently judge others without knowing the full facts, adding depth as well as fun to the story. I think Probably Nothing is crying out to be made into a television series because these are folk we care about and want to champion. There are no great heroes or villains, but rather flawed and messy personalities simply trying to get by who are hugely relatable.
Probably Nothing is a wonderful story. The twists and turns of the plot are fun, moving and brilliantly uplifting. The narrative shines an affectionate, funny and engaging light onto who we are as people. Lauren Bravo uncovers our fears and foibles in a way that not only entertains the reader, but gives them permission to be themselves too. I thought it was a belter of a book and absolutely loved it.
I loved Probably Nothing because it is witty, relatable and deliciously entertaining. The plot is so good as it encompasses events and situations any reader can identify with so that it is as if Lauren Bravo has written it just for the individual. This is a story of ordinary people, often doing ordinary things, told with humour and affection. Equally, Probably Nothing is a warm, mature and insightful exploration of relationships – relationships between friends and lovers, in marriages and families, in communities and workplaces so that there is a universal and identifiable appeal making for a really compelling read.
The characters are fabulous. Time after time I felt their actions could belong to any number of people I know because Lauren Bravo depicts them so realistically, and my poor husband was constantly interrupted as I read aloud the most perfect descriptions of very familiar behaviour. Bryony is a triumph as she finds herself embroiled in the family events that celebrate Ed’s life. As Ed’s family learn more about Bryony, so she gains a greater understanding of herself. There’s a vivid sense of growth and development that makes Bryony a rich and complex character. She’s no cardboard protagonist who is perfect in comparison to others, but her personality leaps from the page and I particularly relished her hypochondria and her need to please others all the time.
Indeed, I loved all the characters here. It’s a brilliant touch to make Ed the catalyst for the action and yet we never encounter him directly. Ann’s need to weave people into her family, Steve’s pragmatic approach, Kelly’s obsession with pregnancy, Annie’s ill fated attempts at being a grown up, Bryony’s inability to say no, are just a few of the traits that are so cleverly depicted so that it feels as if the reader is a fly on the wall, eavesdropping their lives rather than merely reading about them. The prickly, adversarial relationship between Bryony and Kelly is a touch of genius because it illustrates how we so frequently judge others without knowing the full facts, adding depth as well as fun to the story. I think Probably Nothing is crying out to be made into a television series because these are folk we care about and want to champion. There are no great heroes or villains, but rather flawed and messy personalities simply trying to get by who are hugely relatable.
Probably Nothing is a wonderful story. The twists and turns of the plot are fun, moving and brilliantly uplifting. The narrative shines an affectionate, funny and engaging light onto who we are as people. Lauren Bravo uncovers our fears and foibles in a way that not only entertains the reader, but gives them permission to be themselves too. I thought it was a belter of a book and absolutely loved it.
August 12, 2024
I bought this book at an event at my local independent bookshop, having had the opportunity to talk to its very engaging author. ‘Probably Nothing’ is a laugh out loud tale of a young woman trying to navigate her way through the trials and tribulations of life in present day Britain.
At the beginning of the book, Bryony has been dating Ed in a halfhearted sort of way for a few months and has decided to dump him, when she gets a ‘phone call out of the blue to tell her that Ed has died suddenly. She is horrified to find that Ed had given his family the impression that Bryony was the love of his life and that she will of course want to write the eulogy for his funeral .... she can’t bring herself to tell the grieving relatives the truth about her relationship with Ed, and then she gets in even deeper when she meets the family, who are somewhat eccentric but very welcoming.
This book was very satisfying for several reasons. Firstly it was a good story with a likeable heroine put in a difficult situation. Bryony is very much a people pleaser and always wants to be seen to be doing the right thing. She feels compelled to accept social invitations for fear of offending, even if she is bored silly by the talk/class she attends. With this type of personality it is easy to see how Bryony got into the situation she did.
Secondly it was hilariously funny. I just loved the writing style which had me laughing out loud frequently. A particular favourite was the description of Bryony’s increasingly ludicrous dreams where she sees herself either doing mundane tasks with Ed (building flatpack furniture) or having sex with him on a roundabout with the car drivers (who are all Ed’s mother Ann) cheering them on. At the beginning of the book when Bryony has just had the ‘phone call from Steve, Ed’s best friend, with the shock news that Ed is dead, she is out with a friend trying out a trendy new restaurant. She tries to play the grief-stricken girlfriend in front of her friend who says ’’You do not seem sad’. ‘Bryony, who had a drama A-level, felt mildly insulted’.
Thirdly, I just loved the character of Kelly who is a doctor’s receptionist. Her portrayal was so authentic I feel sure that the author has either been one or knows someone who has. As a medical secretary I know exactly what Kelly is going through with the regular attenders at the surgery. She christens one of them ‘Monica Munchausen’. I’ve certainly come across a few of those in my time! Medical websites can be very useful and informative but they can fuel the anxiety of many a Monica!
Annie, Ed’s sister, talks Bryony into joining a pyramid scheme selling a wonder food supplement that will cure all ills. The description of the seminar that Annie takes Bryony to where the great and glorious woman who has launched the product speaks to her faithful acolytes is one of the funniest but also authentic parts of the book.
Underneath it all, though, the book highlights a number of important themes, such as dealing with grief, the importance of family, the power of social media, health anxiety and peer pressure. Although I was mentally rolling my eyes at Bryony’s hypochondria, I could also feel sorry for her.
The book had a credible and optimistic ending and its characters were evolving at its conclusion. I think it’s a sign of a good book when you want to know what happens next to the characters. I certainly did!
At the beginning of the book, Bryony has been dating Ed in a halfhearted sort of way for a few months and has decided to dump him, when she gets a ‘phone call out of the blue to tell her that Ed has died suddenly. She is horrified to find that Ed had given his family the impression that Bryony was the love of his life and that she will of course want to write the eulogy for his funeral .... she can’t bring herself to tell the grieving relatives the truth about her relationship with Ed, and then she gets in even deeper when she meets the family, who are somewhat eccentric but very welcoming.
This book was very satisfying for several reasons. Firstly it was a good story with a likeable heroine put in a difficult situation. Bryony is very much a people pleaser and always wants to be seen to be doing the right thing. She feels compelled to accept social invitations for fear of offending, even if she is bored silly by the talk/class she attends. With this type of personality it is easy to see how Bryony got into the situation she did.
Secondly it was hilariously funny. I just loved the writing style which had me laughing out loud frequently. A particular favourite was the description of Bryony’s increasingly ludicrous dreams where she sees herself either doing mundane tasks with Ed (building flatpack furniture) or having sex with him on a roundabout with the car drivers (who are all Ed’s mother Ann) cheering them on. At the beginning of the book when Bryony has just had the ‘phone call from Steve, Ed’s best friend, with the shock news that Ed is dead, she is out with a friend trying out a trendy new restaurant. She tries to play the grief-stricken girlfriend in front of her friend who says ’’You do not seem sad’. ‘Bryony, who had a drama A-level, felt mildly insulted’.
Thirdly, I just loved the character of Kelly who is a doctor’s receptionist. Her portrayal was so authentic I feel sure that the author has either been one or knows someone who has. As a medical secretary I know exactly what Kelly is going through with the regular attenders at the surgery. She christens one of them ‘Monica Munchausen’. I’ve certainly come across a few of those in my time! Medical websites can be very useful and informative but they can fuel the anxiety of many a Monica!
Annie, Ed’s sister, talks Bryony into joining a pyramid scheme selling a wonder food supplement that will cure all ills. The description of the seminar that Annie takes Bryony to where the great and glorious woman who has launched the product speaks to her faithful acolytes is one of the funniest but also authentic parts of the book.
Underneath it all, though, the book highlights a number of important themes, such as dealing with grief, the importance of family, the power of social media, health anxiety and peer pressure. Although I was mentally rolling my eyes at Bryony’s hypochondria, I could also feel sorry for her.
The book had a credible and optimistic ending and its characters were evolving at its conclusion. I think it’s a sign of a good book when you want to know what happens next to the characters. I certainly did!
April 22, 2025
Relatable, hilarious and a total joy to read - a new go to author for me!
July 15, 2024
4.5/5
this was soooooo good and as a fellow health anxiety sufferer, i felt soooo seen lol
this was soooooo good and as a fellow health anxiety sufferer, i felt soooo seen lol
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August 9, 2024The premise of this book pulled me in: a comedy based on someone who is too embarrased to correct a grieving family on the real nature of her relationship with their dead son when they appoint her the role of grieving soulmate. It's something I can (almost) imagine happening and I wanted to see what Karen Bravo would do with the situation.
The first hour of the audiobook had me smiling. It was amusing, in a cruel-but-socially-acceptable-way to watch Bryony keep digging a deeper hole for herself because she doesn't want to be impolite or to upset anybody by telling the truth. The characters felt real and the situation was cringe-worthy but it felt like a one line joke, not something that would fill a thirteen hour audiobook.
As I read on, I understood that Lauren Bravo was aiming at something more complicated than squeezing laughs out of an embarrassing situation. As is often the case with English comedies, 'Probably Nothing' is a quietly serious book that looks at the impact on Bryony, a woman who was living a shallow, isolated but mostly contented life, of being embraced as a member of a large family. It explores identity, grief, the maelstrom of love and tension that a large family creates, the impact of being involutarily childless in a family that takes fertility for granted and the ways in which we accommodate one another by the truths we choose not to speak and the delusions we help to sustain.
'Probalby Nothing' was well writtne and well narrated. The humour was low-key and acute and mostly used to amplify the power of people's expectations on one another. The people felt real, but in a South of England way that I always find difficult to empathise with. I had no empathy at all for Bryony. She was weak, self-absorbed, knows that she's a little lost and that she hasn't quite reacged adulthood yet but she still looked down on everyone. That she annoyed me so much is a sign of how well-written the book is but it also made it hard forme to sustain my interest in what happened to her.
About a third of the way through, after the embarrassment of the funeral, I could see that the focus would now be on Bryony's acceptance into the kind of family that's she's never experienced before, one that gives her intimacy and a defined role but where everything she's being given is under threat from the fraud she's perpetrated partly through politeness, partly through weakness and parly because she doesn't want to let go of the identity the fraud has given her.
At that point, I decided to set the book aside. I didn't like Bryony and I found the family real but overwhelming. This is one of those cases where the book is good but I'm not the right audience for it.
The first hour of the audiobook had me smiling. It was amusing, in a cruel-but-socially-acceptable-way to watch Bryony keep digging a deeper hole for herself because she doesn't want to be impolite or to upset anybody by telling the truth. The characters felt real and the situation was cringe-worthy but it felt like a one line joke, not something that would fill a thirteen hour audiobook.
As I read on, I understood that Lauren Bravo was aiming at something more complicated than squeezing laughs out of an embarrassing situation. As is often the case with English comedies, 'Probably Nothing' is a quietly serious book that looks at the impact on Bryony, a woman who was living a shallow, isolated but mostly contented life, of being embraced as a member of a large family. It explores identity, grief, the maelstrom of love and tension that a large family creates, the impact of being involutarily childless in a family that takes fertility for granted and the ways in which we accommodate one another by the truths we choose not to speak and the delusions we help to sustain.
'Probalby Nothing' was well writtne and well narrated. The humour was low-key and acute and mostly used to amplify the power of people's expectations on one another. The people felt real, but in a South of England way that I always find difficult to empathise with. I had no empathy at all for Bryony. She was weak, self-absorbed, knows that she's a little lost and that she hasn't quite reacged adulthood yet but she still looked down on everyone. That she annoyed me so much is a sign of how well-written the book is but it also made it hard forme to sustain my interest in what happened to her.
About a third of the way through, after the embarrassment of the funeral, I could see that the focus would now be on Bryony's acceptance into the kind of family that's she's never experienced before, one that gives her intimacy and a defined role but where everything she's being given is under threat from the fraud she's perpetrated partly through politeness, partly through weakness and parly because she doesn't want to let go of the identity the fraud has given her.
At that point, I decided to set the book aside. I didn't like Bryony and I found the family real but overwhelming. This is one of those cases where the book is good but I'm not the right audience for it.
June 23, 2024
How far would you go to not hurt someones feelings? Are you a people pleaser? Well this book certainly goes to extremes, but with hilarious consequences.
Bryony is casually seeing Ed, or so she thought. Turns out he thought he was in love with her, but Bryony didn't find this out until his friend called her after the Ed dies.
And so begins a hilarious series of events, including going to a funeral because she feels bad and that she can't say no!
This books wasn't what i expected, there was a whole other storyline with Kelly, that could potentially be triggering to some people, but I liked the way everything joined together and how friendships were made in unlikely circumstances.
Bryony made for an amusing character, I loved the small village setting, which I am sure is doen the road from me - i need to know if im right!
Eds family were brilliant, Ann wad a force to be reckoned with.
This was an enjoyable read and didn't go the way i expected, which kept me on my toes and was a nice surprise.
Bryony is casually seeing Ed, or so she thought. Turns out he thought he was in love with her, but Bryony didn't find this out until his friend called her after the Ed dies.
And so begins a hilarious series of events, including going to a funeral because she feels bad and that she can't say no!
This books wasn't what i expected, there was a whole other storyline with Kelly, that could potentially be triggering to some people, but I liked the way everything joined together and how friendships were made in unlikely circumstances.
Bryony made for an amusing character, I loved the small village setting, which I am sure is doen the road from me - i need to know if im right!
Eds family were brilliant, Ann wad a force to be reckoned with.
This was an enjoyable read and didn't go the way i expected, which kept me on my toes and was a nice surprise.
September 7, 2025
Light and hilariously funny but with deeper rooted messages around mental health, loss, people pleasing and the “wellness” industry. I just loved it, probably not a 5* read for everyone but it did it for me!
October 12, 2024
Went on a bit but it was a pleasant easy read. Entertaining! I enjoyed it.
June 30, 2024
I loved Lauren Bravo’s debut novel Preloved and couldn’t wait to read her second novel, Probably Nothing. Would it live up to the first one? Well, yes it did. I adored this book too and raced through it in just a few days!
Bryony is a fabulous character. In her thirties, she’s got quite a casual relationship with Ed which she is about to end when she receives a phone call to say he’s died. Obviously, she’s quite shocked though not devastated, but she is very surprised to find that Ed’s friends and family, who she has never met, seem to think she’s the love of his life! Bryony is a bit like myself in that she always tries to be polite and please people and she can’t think how to tell this grieving family that actually, they’d only met a few times.
It was such fun to follow the awkward situations that Bryony then found herself in as she is taken to the heart of this family who treat her almost as one of them. The more it goes on, the harder she finds it to even think about telling them the truth. I’m sure we’ve all been in situations like that, perhaps not quite so extreme, where we’ve been too polite to contradict someone but then find it practically impossible to back down. Bryony was so relatable in this way. It was also interesting to see how she actually enjoyed feeling she was part of this welcoming and slightly bonkers family, and finding out why her own family background led to this.
Kelly is Ed’s sister-in-law and she and Bryony form what seems an unlikely alliance. They have actually met each other before in different circumstances and I feel I can’t tell you more for fear of spoilers! Many of the chapters are told from Kelly’s point of view and I really liked her too. She and Bryony form a tentative friendship, perhaps arising from both being on the fringes of the family, which grows into a very supportive relationship. Kelly’s job in a doctor’s surgery leads nicely into some themes surrounding health anxiety, fertility issues and more general anxiety.
Probably Nothing is another funny, warm and completely engaging read from Lauren Bravo. There are so many fantastic characters and great character development. Even the seemingly more minor characters add so much to the overall story. I loved this book and Lauren Bravo is firmly on my list of must-read authors.
Bryony is a fabulous character. In her thirties, she’s got quite a casual relationship with Ed which she is about to end when she receives a phone call to say he’s died. Obviously, she’s quite shocked though not devastated, but she is very surprised to find that Ed’s friends and family, who she has never met, seem to think she’s the love of his life! Bryony is a bit like myself in that she always tries to be polite and please people and she can’t think how to tell this grieving family that actually, they’d only met a few times.
It was such fun to follow the awkward situations that Bryony then found herself in as she is taken to the heart of this family who treat her almost as one of them. The more it goes on, the harder she finds it to even think about telling them the truth. I’m sure we’ve all been in situations like that, perhaps not quite so extreme, where we’ve been too polite to contradict someone but then find it practically impossible to back down. Bryony was so relatable in this way. It was also interesting to see how she actually enjoyed feeling she was part of this welcoming and slightly bonkers family, and finding out why her own family background led to this.
Kelly is Ed’s sister-in-law and she and Bryony form what seems an unlikely alliance. They have actually met each other before in different circumstances and I feel I can’t tell you more for fear of spoilers! Many of the chapters are told from Kelly’s point of view and I really liked her too. She and Bryony form a tentative friendship, perhaps arising from both being on the fringes of the family, which grows into a very supportive relationship. Kelly’s job in a doctor’s surgery leads nicely into some themes surrounding health anxiety, fertility issues and more general anxiety.
Probably Nothing is another funny, warm and completely engaging read from Lauren Bravo. There are so many fantastic characters and great character development. Even the seemingly more minor characters add so much to the overall story. I loved this book and Lauren Bravo is firmly on my list of must-read authors.
June 15, 2025
Took a star off for the (at least) unnecessary 100 pages in the first half which almost put me off continuing.
June 18, 2025
I absolutely adored this! I stumbled across it in a bookstore in Brighton and it just sucked me in. A delightfully neurotic narrator, exquisitely dry writing, and a really great story. I admit to being sad that we’re told Bryony and Steve got together on the second-to-last page, because that seemed like a lazy ending—but I’ll begrudgingly allow it, because we hardly hear anything about them getting together, so it’s really not a romance. Really a great novel, and now I want to read the first book this author wrote.
I noticed it took me longer to read this than it does most books, and I think it’s because I was reading slowly and savoring all the details! The writing is delightfully dry.
I noticed it took me longer to read this than it does most books, and I think it’s because I was reading slowly and savoring all the details! The writing is delightfully dry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2025
I really wanted to love this book as I really like Lauren’s other books and article writing. For me the story felt a bit less solid than some of her other work and although the characters were written brilliantly with such strong visualisation, I’m not sure the overall story arc was for me. It felt a bit meandering (maybe that was intentional and I’ve missed the point!) and I didn’t feel compelled to read on. A nice book if you want a gentle wander through some lovely characters and locations, with a few laughs along the way, but if you’re after something more compelling it’s probably not for you.
October 11, 2024
This one didn't do it for me, it was all simply too far-fetched. You're really going to tell me you'd go that far in the name of 'politeness'? and wanting to be "nice". Lol, no thank you. As a recovering people pleaser, I've been there but c'mon...
October 6, 2024
Probably Nothing by Lauren Bravo ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Not really my kind of book. Easy reading, likeable characters and it just jogged along but didn’t really go anywhere.
Not really my kind of book. Easy reading, likeable characters and it just jogged along but didn’t really go anywhere.
December 7, 2024
A funny, relatable easy read! Probably could be a bit shorter but I enjoyed it.
January 4, 2025
This is a perfectly written rom com - a bit of an initially silly but unique story, not too cheesy, some slightly predictable plot lines (but not in a way that makes your eyes roll, more of a slap on your own back) all without the ‘classic’ ending which I was overjoyed about.
I saw myself in so much of Bryony; it’s not often you read a book like this and find yourself screenshotting paragraphs or phrases that make you go “ah, I hadn’t thought of it like that” - especially the Marco line around how being nice doesn’t equal being kind (I’m paraphrasing!)
I also found the health anxiety descriptions incredibly comforting as someone who has experienced at least three of the symptoms (and subsequent Google results) and immediately thought I’ll be dead in a week.
Another thing I noticed about the writing is Vine is never cruel about her characters but instead shapes observations into an art of heroine self-reflection.
Lauren Bravo, much like Lucy Vine, is a master of the millennial chick lit and I hope she goes on to write many, many more books. Thank you, Lauren!
I saw myself in so much of Bryony; it’s not often you read a book like this and find yourself screenshotting paragraphs or phrases that make you go “ah, I hadn’t thought of it like that” - especially the Marco line around how being nice doesn’t equal being kind (I’m paraphrasing!)
I also found the health anxiety descriptions incredibly comforting as someone who has experienced at least three of the symptoms (and subsequent Google results) and immediately thought I’ll be dead in a week.
Another thing I noticed about the writing is Vine is never cruel about her characters but instead shapes observations into an art of heroine self-reflection.
Lauren Bravo, much like Lucy Vine, is a master of the millennial chick lit and I hope she goes on to write many, many more books. Thank you, Lauren!
July 1, 2024
Firstly thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book caught my attention right from the start and is filled with humour, wit and heaps of awkwardness. This definitely was relatable at times, we've all been people pleasers at one point or another in our lives I think. Agreeing or saying something just to keep someone quiet is definitely the easier option at times.
This story is also told from 2 perspectives which I was not expecting. I love books with multiple povs and seeing how they both linked together was quite beautiful and endearing.
An awkward yet inspiring story that will make you laugh out loud, cringe until your teeth hurt and also make your heart swell ❤️
This book caught my attention right from the start and is filled with humour, wit and heaps of awkwardness. This definitely was relatable at times, we've all been people pleasers at one point or another in our lives I think. Agreeing or saying something just to keep someone quiet is definitely the easier option at times.
This story is also told from 2 perspectives which I was not expecting. I love books with multiple povs and seeing how they both linked together was quite beautiful and endearing.
An awkward yet inspiring story that will make you laugh out loud, cringe until your teeth hurt and also make your heart swell ❤️
August 2, 2025
4.5
i found the first few chapters of this book a bit difficult due to a current loss i've had and the flippant look at death, but once i got used to it i was hooked. such a unique plot, not very neat which i like, a great cast of characters and some really amusing observations. i totally related to bryony's people pleasing being entwined with her health anxiety which i've never seen represented before anywhere. rounded down due to the pregnancy test blunder, i get so frustrated when characters do stupid things like this! am also craving quiche now. and for some reason can't seem to remember the title of this book for the life of me? if i could i would be recommending it in conversation often!
i found the first few chapters of this book a bit difficult due to a current loss i've had and the flippant look at death, but once i got used to it i was hooked. such a unique plot, not very neat which i like, a great cast of characters and some really amusing observations. i totally related to bryony's people pleasing being entwined with her health anxiety which i've never seen represented before anywhere. rounded down due to the pregnancy test blunder, i get so frustrated when characters do stupid things like this! am also craving quiche now. and for some reason can't seem to remember the title of this book for the life of me? if i could i would be recommending it in conversation often!
October 18, 2025
A very enjoyable, breezy book with short, quippy chapters about a passive people-pleasing hypochondriac young woman whose situationship dies, leaving his family under the (wrong) impression that they were an actual couple.
For what is somewhat (mostly?) a grief book, it’s very light and funny, with few moments of insight. I did find it compulsively readable, both because it’s very relatable to me (London, 30-something, the NHS) and because of the short chapters.
I found Bryony a compelling main character - her passivity is frustrating but layered, at times endearing. Her relationship with her flatmate was the best written in the whole book.
I do not think the second perspective (in a different tense. Whyyy) was quite as successful. You could have removed it entirely and the book would have been essentially the same, which makes me suspect that it was more about the author’s wanting to write about being pregnant than because the narrative needed it (the themes of parenthood are there in the whole book, sure, but flimsy).
This may not be a memorable read for me but I had a lot of fun with it.
3.5
For what is somewhat (mostly?) a grief book, it’s very light and funny, with few moments of insight. I did find it compulsively readable, both because it’s very relatable to me (London, 30-something, the NHS) and because of the short chapters.
I found Bryony a compelling main character - her passivity is frustrating but layered, at times endearing. Her relationship with her flatmate was the best written in the whole book.
I do not think the second perspective (in a different tense. Whyyy) was quite as successful. You could have removed it entirely and the book would have been essentially the same, which makes me suspect that it was more about the author’s wanting to write about being pregnant than because the narrative needed it (the themes of parenthood are there in the whole book, sure, but flimsy).
This may not be a memorable read for me but I had a lot of fun with it.
3.5
March 17, 2025
The concept of this was brilliant and played itself out in a nice mixture of expected and unexpected elements.
I wish the zany 'in-laws' were a bit more memorable? Other than Ann and Kelly they felt a bit like washed-out versions of similar characters in other stories. And there was a lot of people "belching" for various reasons which stood out as odd?
But both the point of view characters really worked for me and I just loved the tone of this more than anything. Sweet and sincere and grounded with funny touches, very real sadness without despair.
I wish the zany 'in-laws' were a bit more memorable? Other than Ann and Kelly they felt a bit like washed-out versions of similar characters in other stories. And there was a lot of people "belching" for various reasons which stood out as odd?
But both the point of view characters really worked for me and I just loved the tone of this more than anything. Sweet and sincere and grounded with funny touches, very real sadness without despair.
October 13, 2024
This was a banger!!! Listened on audio and had a million hours of travel this week and this was the perfect companion. Slightly dark humour but never crosses a line into uncomfortable. If you’ve ever googled a symptom of an illness and convinced yourself you somehow have 3 concurrent conditions you’d never even heard you will relate to Bryony.
January 29, 2025
When this book came out, I was excited. I have loved all of Lauren Bravo's so far, and now, I will read anything she writes. This book is everything I hoped it would be: light and wholesome. It is one of those books to read when the world is burning down because it is so cozy.
March 10, 2025
not an absolute page turner, but overall a really enjoyable book ! there was some really good character development and the book tackled some topics around mental health / childhood trauma very well and i didn’t predict the plot at all
March 8, 2025
I found this book hilarious, written in my kind of humor. It kept me thinking "where is this all going" while letting me get closer to the characters and understanding their layers.
May 25, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
July 22, 2025
Would have been a 5/5 if it wasn’t for the unnecessary baby side story what was the point!!
September 8, 2025
funny, witty and relatable as a fellow female millennial.
September 9, 2025
Was incredibly funny and had a great idea for a plot, but I really lost intrest after the first few hundred pages. Maybe if I were still in my crazy single era I could have related to this more.
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