The Name Game

by Beth O'Leary

'So gorgeously life-affirming and heart-warming' PAIGE TOON
'O'Leary at her surprising and heart-stopping best' GILLIAN McALLISTER
'A fabulous, playful, twisty ride' CAROLINE HULSE
'Fiendishly gripping and searingly romantic' ROSIE WALSH

Who's playing who?

The Isle of population 500, soon to be 501.

Charlie Jones has landed on the island to embark on her brand new life. As the manager at Ormer's only farm shop, this job will be her perfect next chapter. Good riddance to the mainland, this is it - fresh air, and a clean slate.

Except there is one small issue ...

Charlie Jones has also just arrived on the Isle of Ormer, to embark on his brand new life. His job at the farm shop feels like fate, and could not have come at a better moment. On Ormer, Charlie has promised himself he'll escape old friends, bad habits and heartbreak.

This second chance is the best thing that could have happened to Charlie . . . and Charlie.

That is, until they are introduced . . .

The Name Game is the brand new love story from the multi-million copy bestselling author of The Flatshare and Swept Away, about second chances, new beginnings and about love finding us in the most secluded of places.

EVERYONE LOVES BETH O'LEARY'S NOVELS

'Beth O'Leary crafts novels with such wit, heart and truth' SOPHIE KINSELLA
'That rare, one-in-a-million talent' EMILY HENRY
'No one writes falling in love like Beth O'Leary' ANNABEL MONAGHAN

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

Audible Audio

Expected publication April 7, 2026

About the author

Beth studied English at university before going into children’s publishing. She lives as close to the countryside as she can get while still being within reach of London, and wrote her first novel, The Flatshare, on her train journey to and from work.
You’ll usually find her curled up with a book, a cup of tea, and several woolly jumpers (whatever the weather).

Reviews

[jenny reads a lot]

omg. They have the same name and their both heading to a remote island to start the same job?!

MISTAKEN IDENTITY ROMANCE! GIMME

| IG | TikTok |

[hamna · Rating 2 out of 5]

*not really spoiler-y but don’t read if you want to go in completely blind*

still don’t know what to think about this book. let’s see: there’s a lot that genuinely shocked me to my core and also just made me so, appreciative of the sheer creativity involved in cooking up something like this book. i think it’s actually my favorite thing about beth o’leary, the stroke of genius she tends to imbue her books with. that said.. everything else. was so boring😭. i didn’t really care about the main characters or their budding romance, the plot twist had me feeling somehow even more off about them than i originally was, because well it does create a divide, doesn’t it? i don’t think i’m entirely comfortable with how the book ended up progressing in general idk, and the (original?) narrative was kinda clunky and too..plastic for my liking. i had this issue with beth’s last book too, where i ended up rushing the book just to get it over with. the name game is much better in that regard, at least, and the plot alone is i think worth reading the book for. how stunning, lol. but yeah, overall it just didn’t get me which makes me so sad (lmao) but it is what it is i guess. i didn’t know what to rate this, 2? or 3? 2.5? because i’m still so conflicted but sadly it didn’t deliver on the /romance/ part (for me) (highly subjective) which is the main reason i read romance soo.. 2 stars it is.
thank you to berkley for the arc.💚💚💚

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for this eARC!

I've loved a bunch of Beth O'Leary's books, including the No-Show, the book of hers that I think is closest to this one. She's kind of a genius for an interesting set-up and plot. This one, in which 2 Charlie Joneses show up on a small British island for the same job, almost crossed over into too tricky for me. There was a point that I was genuinely confused! BUT, Beth landed the plane, for the most part! This wasn't my favorite of her titles (and for those who want spice, this won't bring it), but I had a great time with the setting (take me there!) and the cast of characters. I'll leave it there so as not to spoil any of the twists the plot takes!

[Morgan Stoker Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beth O'Leary’s The Name Game is a sweet and entertaining read, although a bit slow moving at times. There is a surprising twist and a thread of mystery running through the story that made it feel more like The No-Show than her other books. It was not my favorite of her novels, but it was still a fun and engaging read overall.

🌶️½ — Heated but Harmless: Clear romantic or physical tension. Characters may pine after each other, make out, or have heated moments, but no sex happens on page or off page.

Read if you like:
•Forced Proximity
•Enemies to Lovers
•Sunny vs. Grumpy
•Workplace Romance

I received an advanced eBook copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two Charlie Joneses, one island, and two plans to take their lives back. With an entire community watching them stumble, fall, and compete for a single job at the general store - all while sharing a space and trying very hard not to fall in love- what unfolds is heartfelt, messy, and deeply human.

Beth O’Leary returns with stellar imagery and dual perspectives, partly told through letters that pull the reader into the murky self-reflection of two people desperate to reclaim themselves. Their need to evolve is intoxicating and real. O’Leary excels at writing characters with layered, complicated interiors, and this book is no exception. But the climax and its surprising fallout? Completely bonkers. Weird, disorienting, and honestly leaves you wondering what on earth you’ve been reading up to that point. I found myself asking, “What even is this novel? A romance? A mystery? Does it even work?” And honestly, I still don’t know.

What I do know is that I love Beth O’Leary, and I appreciate the risks she takes here. I may not know exactly how I feel at the end, but I smiled, I shook my head, and I’ll absolutely buy her next book, because she’s good at what she does. Always.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

[Madeline Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Name Game has a premise that undoubtedly stands out from other romance novels! Immediately, it sounded very interesting to me purely from reading the plot. Beth O'Leary did a great job of doing the plotline justice. It felt that every angle was covered, and the story just played out perfectly.

The structure and pacing lost me a bit. How the novel was laid out was not my favorite type of style, and I think it took away from the story at times. It was very sluggish at points, too. I think this novel could have been a lot shorter than it was due to this.

I did not see the subtle mix of genres! We got a hint of mystery, and it added the perfect touch to the story. This made learning about what was going to happen and the characters a lot more interesting.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley, & Beth O'Leary for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The Name Game is released on April 7, 2026!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This new novel from Beth O’Leary features two people, a woman named Charlie Jones and a man named…Charlie Jones. Both turn up thinking they’ve been hired to manage a farm store on a small British island, and both have their reasons for needing a fresh start. Now they’re competing for the same job and sharing a tiny apartment. The universe seems to be setting them up as enemies, but maybe they’re something else.

In trademark O’Leary fashion, this book will rip your heart right out, but it’ll be okay in the end. There’s a twist that shocked me in the best way. My only regret is that I read too fast and now I’ll have to wait ages for her next book.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

[LibraryLaur · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a unique premise -- and setting -- that really took me for a ride. Who knew a romance could have such an unexpected twist? No spoilers here, but I will say that I loved all the characters in this book -- they were unique, very human characters who all deserved their happily ever afters.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Another delightful novel from Beth O’Leary. Charlie Jones (female) is struggling and decides to move to a remote island in the English Channel to work at a farm store. But Charlie Jones (male) also is in a tough place and arrives to work at the farm store. So both Charlies share the job, an apartment, and try to win over the villagers. Highly recommend.

[Kath · Rating 3 out of 5]

won a comp to get a proof of this so thanks quercus!!

I think this is a book you gotta commit too, it grows on you rather than starts off strong straight away but I did think the ending was interesting / cute

[Medollga]

This is gonna be hilarious, if the blurb is to be believed🤣