The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night

by Lauren Farnsworth

Five lonely strangers join a bar trivia team in an effort to find friends, but end up on a path that will change each of their lives forever, in this heartwarming debut perfect for fans of Beth O’Leary and Sophie Kinsella.

How do you make friends as an adult? That’s one question lonely Londoners Bryony, Harry, Jaime, Luke, and Donna would really like the answer to. They tend to do better with questions of a different variety—trivia questions like How did prosecco get its name? and Which Mariah Carey song has topped the charts in twenty-six countries?

In an effort to meet new people, the five not-yet-friends answer an ad seeking members of a bar trivia team—the Red Hot Quizzy Peppers. As the weeks go on, the disparate band of unhappy strangers becomes swept up in both the buzz of winning and the way quiz nights start to bond them together in friendship . . . to the detriment of other parts of their lives.

Despite all odds, the Quizzy Peppers might just have a shot at making the London Pub Quiz League’s Grand Final, if only they can get past the Golden Girls, the Banana Splits, and the Bombay Bad Boys.

Utterly charming and uplifting, The Lonely Hearts’ Trivia Night is a story of finding friendship, love, confidence, and purpose—just right for fans of Jennifer Weiner.

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

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 14, 2024

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Five strangers team up to form a pub quiz team. Together, the characters form the Red Hot Quizzy Peppers, each contributing a unique skills to their team. Each of them also has personal issues and secrets. As the members come to know one another better over time, they discover that they have more in common than they first thought.

It's undoubtedly an easy and fun read! I really like the trivia part of the book; it gave the narrative a lovely playful touch. I also loved the special addition of each chapter beginning with a trivia question which relates to a scene that will come up later in a chapter. What a fantastic concept!

I liked how each chapter was told from a different character's point of view. It definitely helped with the development of an engaging narrative about the Quiz team members and showed their development as individuals and how they, initially connected only by trivia thing, evolved into each other's most important allies.

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and I really enjoy it. I think the narrator did amazing job bringing this story to live. I would absolutely listen to another book narrated by her.

Recommend for everyone looking for unique, cozy read!

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasant surprise! So tender. So charming. Responding to an ad searching for pub quiz teammates, five strangers join together as The Red Hot Quizzy Peppers. With all sorts of messy interpersonal and intrapersonal conflicts unraveling within the story, I adored seeing this lonely group of unlikely friends gain confidence, follow their dreams, and even find love.

The mental health representation was really heartfelt and candid. These characters had their struggles, and harsh words were definitely shared, but I loved the overarching support underneath their friendship. Each character offered something truly unique. Though there was one storyline I hoped ended differently, I was deeply invested in all their lives!

The trivia aspect was so fun. It added a wonderful touch of levity to the story. And I loved the special addition of opening each chapter with a trivia question, with the answer relating to an upcoming scene. I'm happy I read this! If you love a story of found family, this is a comforting one!

(heat level: fade to black)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Jonas Backer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for the ebook!

In this book we follow five characters in four POVs and it’s really hard to read a book when you basically don’t care about them for the biggest part of the book.

I’m getting closer to thirty myself and the characters were all roughly around my age and I just can help but mirror myself to how they act in certain situations and how childish they often seemed.

They know that what they’re doing is the wrong thing to do and yet they still do it and then mope about the consequences? Of their own actions???

Now, I may seem a bit harsh about this book, because it did grab me at certain times and I even chuckled now and then. I enjoyed the writing style and how often we switched between the characters and how they’re always drawn back together because of some trivia quiz.

[Gabby C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unpopular opinion apparently but I really didn’t like this at all. The only aspects I enjoyed were the actual pub quiz sections - but all of the character driven sections in between were not it. I really just couldn’t find a single character that I even remotely liked, which made this a real slog to get through. Lots of fun random trivia and the fact that I’d already dedicated a good chunk of time to this book were the only things that got me to the finish line.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I had no idea what to expect from The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night by Lauren Farnsworth since I picked it up based on the cover and title alone. This was an extremely emotional read with plenty of serious topics and a touch of humor as well. I loved the trivia throughout, both at the beginning of each chapter and when the group is competing on their quiz nights. We play trivia at Buffalo Wild Wings, and I kid you not when I say some of the questions in this book came up in theirs, so I was able to get them right. 🤣 #winning

I really enjoyed the various viewpoints, and the different topics touched on through each including mental health, moving on, and having the courage to go for what you want. The only narrator for the audiobook is Eva Feiler and I thought she did a lovely job conveying all of the emotions the characters were feeling throughout. A full cast would have been nice here, but I would still recommend the audio because Feiler was easy listening and perfectly paced.

Read this if you are looking for a genre mashup (romance, lit fic), a debut novel that doesn’t feel like a debut, and messy but relatable characters that you can’t help but commiserate with.

I received an advance listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night was actually really cute. In this, you will meet five strangers who became The Red Hot Quizzy Peppers. Each person is dealing with their own personal hot mess, but together they can do absolutely anything.

Throughout their time getting to know one another during these pub quizzes, they definitely start shedding some of their skins and becoming who they were meant to be in a way. Some gain confidence, some quit their jobs to follow their dreams, some want to find their dreams, and some just want to find love. There's definitely some drama floating around them, but it needed to happen. Sure, some of it could have been handled differently, but I don't think that would make them a better person overall.

Other than that, this book has plenty of mental health representation. Like I mentioned earlier, they were all dealing with their own shit. They had their fair share of struggles but leaned on one another for support. I also weirdly liked the trivia questions and tried to answer as many as I could before the answer was revealed.

In the end, I'm happy I decided to jump into this book today and can't wait for the next book (or trivia night) by this author!

[Ella bookishgymgirl · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - I couldn’t connect to the characters in this one 💔

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

This threw me right back to the days before I had kids when I would go to a pub quiz every week. I met my husband at a pub quiz so I always have a bit of nostalgic view of them! I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the way the author focused on 4 of the characters to tell the story. It shows that everyone has problems to deal with in life. Donna was harder to like especially until you find out about family mental health problems. I routed for Bryony all the way through but I did want to shake her at some points. Overall I really enjoyed this! Thanks for the advanced copy.

[Rhiannon Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adore this book about five strangers who meet up, drawn to enter a pub quiz league. The characters are so realistic and you really feel like you get to know them personally. Some I ended up rooting for and some less so!

It's definitely an easy read and the writing makes it the pages go by quickly. I can't believe that this is a debut when it's so polished. I'm looking forward to seeing more books from this author!

[Eleanore June]

Oh how I struggle with books about people not being self aware and making stupid mistakes.

I came for the lonely hearts (which I found disappointing at best)
I stayed for the trivia questions at the start of each chapter - and I skipped a LOT of the book because it was making me so mad.

I would have fully DNFed but I liked the trivia questions 🤣

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heartwarming story about a group of strangers who come together to compete in a pub quiz competition for a big cash prize. I liked each of the characters who each had their own life problems (some money, some marriage related, etc). There was a bit of romance too and I thought it was good on audio. Recommended for fans of authors like Clare Pooley or Freya Sampson. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: kissing only (more women's fiction than a true romance)

[Gem ~ZeroShelfControl~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 4*
Writing skill : 4*
Plot: 3*
Pace: 3*
Characters: 5*

I seem to have a thing recently for books involving puzzles, and quizzes and trivia, and I am here for it! How fun.
This books outstanding factor is the characters, and how well developed they are. There isn’t a lot of plot but how the characters evolve and grow was simply fantastic and they will all stay with me for a long time.
I love how each chapter starts with a quiz question, with the answer being the theme of that chapter, brilliant.
Fans of contemporary romance, with a subtle villain and some very funny scenarios, well, you’re going to love this!

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s a book that grows on you but it’s worth reading. So much jumping around between characters at first, it felt like having 4 major leads, Donna the group leader with some big challenges inside her head, Harry pining for his ex and working a humiliating job, Jaime who has a leech boyfriend and struggles with overwhelming self esteem, Bryony with a rebellious teen and distant hubby and awful mom, and supporting various family and cast of villains.

It was a lot to sort thru, some triggers like mental illness and depression, a lying-useless-feckless partner, but in the end it felt like they achieved some growth and made progress to better things ahead. Not that they all lived happily after but they could see the road ahead and it was paved with friends and trivia.

A great book and I truly enjoyed the trivia. Enjoyed the English pub setting and the familiarity of the characters as they thought thru their issues felt realistic. Even though you could see what they should do, but had to drag it out of themselves so it felt like their struggles were authentic. No heroes here just lonely hearts playing trivia.

[Topo Chicas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lauren Farnsworth’s The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night just hit differently. Seeing the cover and reading the synopsis, I was expecting a fluffy and funny book about pub quiz nights. Instead, I read this book that just knew my sensitive spots, but didn’t hit any of them too hard. This book gave my all the feels, and I Loved it.

I loved reading about how a group of strangers, some stranger than others, responded to Donna’s ad which appealed for quiz team members for a new squad to compete in her local pub. In today’s world, that doesn’t strike me as sad nor strange, as we also search for our partners online and everywhere else, and that’s far more intimate than answering odd questions for an hour or so once a week in a pub.

As we get to know the characters, we see that each one had different reasons for seeking new friends and the Red Hot Quizzy Peppers quiz team’s acceptance. Each character needed growth that such an experience would bring, as well as the unguarded, and often unsolicited, opinions of friends who grow close enough to become like family, over the course of months and years.

This book made me feel empathy for each of the characters, and the character development wasn’t ever “too much”. Even when involving discussions of mental illness and the fear that such topics can dredge up within a person, Farnsworth approached it with authenticity, sensitivity, and maintained the dignity of the character. The characters remained human. They didn’t magically heal or change over night. That restraint was appreciated.

This book was subtle, but absolutely amazing.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this fantastic audio ARC!!

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVE pub quizzes and really enjoy watching quiz shows on TV so this book looked great to me!

‘The Lonely Hearts Quiz League’ by Lauren Farnsworth tells the story of a group of Londoners who are collected together to become the “Red Hot Quizzy Peppers” team in a pub quiz league competition based on an advert placed in a local group. Unfulfilled young couple Jaime and Luke, frazzled mother Bryony and jobless Harry join Donna, who placed the ad but is herself on the brink of a breakdown, to compete for a £10,000 prize!

I liked the multiple perspectives throughout the novel, the growth of some of the characters and the way these individuals - bound together by initially loose ties - became each others key support networks and trusted advisors. I also loved the trivia questions sprinkled throughout the book - at the start of each chapter and in the dialogue for the quiz scenes - which was a fun way to test myself.

I did feel that the pacing was strange and I must admit that it took until about 30-40% before the story really drew me in. I also felt like the overall tone of the novel was more negative than implied by the colourful cover.

Overall, I’m giving this 3.5 stars (rounded up because the end was the strongest part and I’m glad I persisted).

I received a free review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest feedback. Thank you NetGalley and Headline Books!

[Tractor Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick read, with many funny and sad moments.

Donna advertises for a team to enter a Pub Quiz with a prize of £10k.

5 individuals all with their own problems form a formidable team-

Donna - tries to be a straight talking mouthy individual, refuses to have any strong relationship bonds.... including her parents and sister.

Harry a 31 year old who is unemployed and has lost his girlfriend to an ex work colleague and is still afraid of his mum,

Jaime and Luke, living in London from Keswick, who have no friends and the bright lights of the city are not all they are made you believe

Bryony, married since she was 17 to Glen with a 13 year old daughter and 10 year old son.

Together they form the Red Hot Quizzy Peppers.... with their own areas of expertise they take the quiz league by storm, while their own problems manifest themselves.

A fun book, showing how relationships can be forged, renewed and goals met.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story really engaged me.
It was so much more than I expected. Five strangers join a quiz league and this is their story.
What was clever for me was that I didn’t immediately engage with the quiz team until suddenly I found myself wanting them to succeed in their endeavours (not just the quizzing ones)

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night" by Lauren Farnsworth is not exactly a rom-com. It's an interpersonal drama, but that's not exactly a genre. 🤣

Four people respond to Donna's ad to participate in a Trivia Night at a local pub. Harry is unemployed and pining over his ex-girlfriend, Vivian. Jamie and Luke are a couple, but Luke is kind of out of it all the time. He just isn't invested in the trivia nor his relationship. Jamie wants to get married. And then there's Bryony. She got married young when she was pregnant at 17. She and Glen have two teenage children. Donna has work trouble and mental health challenges.

So everyone in the group has issues. They come together for trivia, but eventually, they develop strong friendships and work through some interpersonal things together.

The book starts pretty slow but gets more interesting as it goes along. It alternates points of view between four of the characters.

Eva Feiler did a great job with the narration and all the voices!

I recommend this book as a good fiction novel about friendships.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 3/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 32/8 = 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, and Lauren Farnsworth for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

[Rainy Day Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in just a few days - it's one of my favorite experiences to be so drawn into a story that you spend all day looking forward to the next time you can pick it up. Fully rounded and realised characters, the sort that drive you mad because you're rooting for them and can't bear to witness the mistakes they are making, but it's the mistakes and if/ how they're rectified that draws you in. The quiz scenes were superb, the tension was real! Enjoyed the touch of the themed quiz answers at the start of the chapter. Out of interest, I also listened to the audible sample after I finished to see how the characters appeared - the narrator was great, really enjoyed her characterisation and would recommend the audio too.

[Jaime · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook of The Lonely Hearts Trivia Night by Lauren Farnsworth.

Donna creates an ad for people to join her trivia group. This is where the story begins...all five team members meeting up at the bar. The group has a lot of baggage. As the trivia nights go on the more you learn about the cast of characters. This book delves into marriage, one night stands, loneliness, drinking, mental health issues and all sorts of issues. I feel like we got dragged into a foxhole with these characters. I did feel like the it ended well, so that was good!

[Lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this very endearing, very human book. The characters felt so real to me that it was as though I was sitting among them at their pub quiz, and I loved watching how their individual stories unfolded alongside their group performance as a quiz team. I felt slightly bereft to have finished the book and not be able to spend more time with them! A wonderful, heartening read.

[MrsD271015 D · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wasn’t want I was expecting but it was brilliant.
It was a much more serious book that I was anticipating but the depth it brought to the characters was wonderful. The book touches on serious issues such as mental health, teen pregnancy, debt and relationship issues. All of these things are covered in a realistic light of the pressures that they bring to everyday life but also the positives of seeking support.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Chloe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️
I had a love-hate relationship with all of the characters, but it was a fun, lighthearted read

[tarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn’t love the actions of some of the characters but this was fun and reminded me of Freya Sampson’s work a bit.

[Jazzy Lemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a weekly pub quizzer on the same team for 12 or 13 years now I really enjoyed this book> I'm going to recommend it to the other Swing Kids (we got our name from the style of dancing, not the kind who put their car keys in a fish bowl).Thanks so much for the arc/audiobook to NetGalley!

[Kathie Yang · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was better than i expected it to be. the problems were real and dealt with with the right amount of seriousness for the most part. also it was fun to do the trivia questions.

rating: 3.5 rounded down

[Danielle Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was bright and the characters were likable. Would recommend

[Alison · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 47%.

I really tried with this, but after seven months and at nearly halfway through I've got to say I just don't feel any sympathy for any of the characters. They are all deluded or just plain stupid and I can't bear to read them making bad decisions or setting themselves up for failure, I can see where it is all going and it doesn't end well.

Not for me.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

[Jen Adams · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at nearly 50%. All of the characters were boring and terrible. I couldn’t connect to any of them at all. The only good parts were the trivia questions. Literally. Found myself trying to answer them before the narrator gave the answers. So I guess it merits one star for giving me a mini-trivia game.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, covering heavy topics with grace. I really loved this book.