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Esther Is Now Following You
You have one new follower.
Esther first sees Ted walking in a park in London. They lock eyes and for a fraction of a second, she feels something she’s never felt before.
She starts by reading up about his life in Canada and his work as an actor. Then she watches every interview with him online. It isn’t long before she’s joined Ted’s fan site online where her and the ‘Tedettes’ stalk his every move.
When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides that things have gone far enough. She leaves her husband, takes all their savings, and buys a one-way ticket to Canada.
After all, Ted might not know it yet, but they are meant to be together – he just needs a little bit of persuading.
Esther is Now Following You is an irresistible debut novel about obsession and celebrity fandom.
Esther first sees Ted walking in a park in London. They lock eyes and for a fraction of a second, she feels something she’s never felt before.
She starts by reading up about his life in Canada and his work as an actor. Then she watches every interview with him online. It isn’t long before she’s joined Ted’s fan site online where her and the ‘Tedettes’ stalk his every move.
When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides that things have gone far enough. She leaves her husband, takes all their savings, and buys a one-way ticket to Canada.
After all, Ted might not know it yet, but they are meant to be together – he just needs a little bit of persuading.
Esther is Now Following You is an irresistible debut novel about obsession and celebrity fandom.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 29, 2026
About the author
Tanya Sweeney
2 books15 followersFor the last fifteen years, Tanya has been a columnist in a number of Irish newspapers and magazines, among them the Dubliner, STELLAR, U, Irish Tatler, and the Irish Times Magazine.
She is currently a journalist and Weekend magazine columnist at the Irish Independent and is a regular contributor on Irish radio & TV. Her work in the music, film & TV industries helped inspire her debut novel, Esther is Now Following You, a funny, fresh and deeply affecting story about celebrity fandom and what happens when it all becomes a bit too real.
She is currently a journalist and Weekend magazine columnist at the Irish Independent and is a regular contributor on Irish radio & TV. Her work in the music, film & TV industries helped inspire her debut novel, Esther is Now Following You, a funny, fresh and deeply affecting story about celebrity fandom and what happens when it all becomes a bit too real.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 348 reviews
October 8, 2025
Esther is now following you …Ted Levy
If Esther appears on Mastermind her specialist subjects would be:-
1. Ted Levy, a Canadian actor
2. The following of Ted Levy on social media, obsessively ensuring she has seen every post, interview etc
3. Fantasising and fandom of Ted Levy ~ The Teddettes
4. How to do away with the competition so they can be together
5. Ted Levy, a Canadian actor
Well, that was different. I can’t say that I find the novel funny but I’m not even sure it’s actually meant to be. However, I do find the writing to be witty at times and the characterisation is excellent. I alternate between utterly despairing over Esther‘s actions as she implodes her nice life, exasperation (or admiration??) with some of her bolder actions which beggars belief, to wanting to hug her/shake her/boot her up the backside and everything in between. Her obsession with Ted seems inexplicable and her actions desperate and I don’t know what to make of it all. Then everything makes so much sense as the ending is reached and Esther is redeemed. It is deeply moving, very poignant and it all slots beautifully into place.
If you fancy reading something that doesn’t quite fit into any category, that’s a bit left field with a character that will baffle, irritate, annoy but also amuse and then make you shed a tear, then this is for you.
Great cover art too.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK/Transworld for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
If Esther appears on Mastermind her specialist subjects would be:-
1. Ted Levy, a Canadian actor
2. The following of Ted Levy on social media, obsessively ensuring she has seen every post, interview etc
3. Fantasising and fandom of Ted Levy ~ The Teddettes
4. How to do away with the competition so they can be together
5. Ted Levy, a Canadian actor
Well, that was different. I can’t say that I find the novel funny but I’m not even sure it’s actually meant to be. However, I do find the writing to be witty at times and the characterisation is excellent. I alternate between utterly despairing over Esther‘s actions as she implodes her nice life, exasperation (or admiration??) with some of her bolder actions which beggars belief, to wanting to hug her/shake her/boot her up the backside and everything in between. Her obsession with Ted seems inexplicable and her actions desperate and I don’t know what to make of it all. Then everything makes so much sense as the ending is reached and Esther is redeemed. It is deeply moving, very poignant and it all slots beautifully into place.
If you fancy reading something that doesn’t quite fit into any category, that’s a bit left field with a character that will baffle, irritate, annoy but also amuse and then make you shed a tear, then this is for you.
Great cover art too.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK/Transworld for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
February 20, 2026
Tbh I'm kind of torn. This book is completely bingeable — I flew through it — but it wasn't the book I thought I was signing up for. I expected a funny, chaotic, unhinged delulu parasocial/stalker situation. Instead, it leans much harder into trauma, grief, and loss. It's heavy. Like… quietly devastating heavy. Way more intense than the premise suggests.
Esther is a lot. One minute I wanted to hug her, the next I was internally screaming for her to get help. She's hard to root for, but you can't not feel empathy for her either. Her obsession feels both disturbing and heartbreaking — and Tanya Sweeney really nails that balance.
Overall, I didn't love it, but I also couldn't put it down.
Esther is a lot. One minute I wanted to hug her, the next I was internally screaming for her to get help. She's hard to root for, but you can't not feel empathy for her either. Her obsession feels both disturbing and heartbreaking — and Tanya Sweeney really nails that balance.
Overall, I didn't love it, but I also couldn't put it down.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Do not be fooled by the comic vibe of the cover, this is one dark and disturbing read.
This book was not what I was expecting at all. I thought it would a light, funny read about a celebrity obsession taken too far. It is that but without the light an funny. It is dark, it is sad and it is unsettling. I wasn’t too sure about it when I started but I continued after reading some reviews from trusted sources. I am glad that I stuck with it, to see what pushed Esther to go the extremes that she did, but she didn’t grow on me at all. She was frustrating and made some very very bad decisions for a 36 year old woman
The subject of online trolls and obsessive fans is a big part of this story and it add me really uncomfortable. Seeing the way people can treat other people that they don’t even know is just awful. There will be many triggers in this book for people so be careful before reading.
Thanks to Random House UK, Bantam, Transworld for my copy of this book that will be available January 29th. This will be a book that divides readers.
This book was not what I was expecting at all. I thought it would a light, funny read about a celebrity obsession taken too far. It is that but without the light an funny. It is dark, it is sad and it is unsettling. I wasn’t too sure about it when I started but I continued after reading some reviews from trusted sources. I am glad that I stuck with it, to see what pushed Esther to go the extremes that she did, but she didn’t grow on me at all. She was frustrating and made some very very bad decisions for a 36 year old woman
The subject of online trolls and obsessive fans is a big part of this story and it add me really uncomfortable. Seeing the way people can treat other people that they don’t even know is just awful. There will be many triggers in this book for people so be careful before reading.
Thanks to Random House UK, Bantam, Transworld for my copy of this book that will be available January 29th. This will be a book that divides readers.
September 6, 2025
Ho-ly Shit.
I think this is going to be a polarizing one and my one issue with it is that the cover holds not a single hint of the deep, dark journey you're about to go on.
But sometimes that can be a good thing.
Esther is a 'crazed fan' using fandom - as many do - to get through a dark time in her life. The girls that get it, get it. Both times I've found myself deep into fandom I've been going through something that I needed an escape from. And obsession can be a break from introspection and dwelling. It can give you a community with other fans.
It can drive you completely insane.
I can't speak to how this book handles the subject of pregnancy loss except to say I was deeply moved by it and empathised a lot with Esther, even when she was at her very worst. Which is a lot to ask of a child-free lesbian.
It's a must-read and I've never seen anything quite like it before.
I think this is going to be a polarizing one and my one issue with it is that the cover holds not a single hint of the deep, dark journey you're about to go on.
But sometimes that can be a good thing.
Esther is a 'crazed fan' using fandom - as many do - to get through a dark time in her life. The girls that get it, get it. Both times I've found myself deep into fandom I've been going through something that I needed an escape from. And obsession can be a break from introspection and dwelling. It can give you a community with other fans.
It can drive you completely insane.
I can't speak to how this book handles the subject of pregnancy loss except to say I was deeply moved by it and empathised a lot with Esther, even when she was at her very worst. Which is a lot to ask of a child-free lesbian.
It's a must-read and I've never seen anything quite like it before.
February 3, 2026
Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. It was much darker than I expected - the marketing campaign didn't align with the book at all. I went into it looking for a light, quirky read, but instead got a book that wasn't just about fandom and parasocial relationships, but also grief, mental illness, domestic abuse, and pregnancy loss. I do think content warnings should be flagged at the start of this book - authors like Abby Jimenez and Sophie White do it and, as a reader, I really appreciate it.
That aside, the concept for this book is interesting, but I couldn't get into it. I don't think the scene where Esther first met Ted had enough weight to connect me to her obsession, so I felt a bit distanced from the story throughout the book. I also think the author tries too hard to be sharp and witty, and Esther's inner dialogue comes across as snide and cutting as a result. I love an unlikeable, unrelatable narrator, but Esther just annoyed me too much, and I found it difficult to sympathise with or root for her.
I do think this book will be popular, owing to the huge marketing campaign and roll out across Bookstagram, but unfortunately I find the hype to be dishonest in favour of a spin.
That aside, the concept for this book is interesting, but I couldn't get into it. I don't think the scene where Esther first met Ted had enough weight to connect me to her obsession, so I felt a bit distanced from the story throughout the book. I also think the author tries too hard to be sharp and witty, and Esther's inner dialogue comes across as snide and cutting as a result. I love an unlikeable, unrelatable narrator, but Esther just annoyed me too much, and I found it difficult to sympathise with or root for her.
I do think this book will be popular, owing to the huge marketing campaign and roll out across Bookstagram, but unfortunately I find the hype to be dishonest in favour of a spin.
August 12, 2025
funny, great style of writing but the end left me disappointed. a big build up to ultimately nothing really ?
February 9, 2026
Did I like Esther?…..
It’s an interesting one as her character and choices had me so annoyed at times she was brusquely offensive in her determination to stalk Ted,her Canadian actor fixation,at other times ruthless in her actions and would smash through any relationship/friendship she previously had and any boundary to meet this man who she genuinely thought she was going to spend her life with…..and yet she was also fascinatingly readable,her razor sharp.and I mean sharp observational comedic was guiltily unbelievably intoxicating to read
However there was sadness,genuine grief and depression for Esther and events in her life and that did unsurprisingly overhwhelm her and was upsetting to read about
I didn’t really like her no,and certainly had no admiration for a lot she did but she was a fine fine character to read about and be grateful you didn’t know her IRL…..
This is a full on,next level tale of stalking and the extremes one person was willing to go to to satisfy every need that came from her obsession,based around the end of MYSPACE beginning of Facebook it gave a realistic and candid look at fan groups and the viciousness between supposed friends and the unfettered focus on one man that delusions can bring
It is a disturbing read yet full of dark delicious humour as well as a cautionary tale all made into an unsettlingly fascinating debut
It’s an interesting one as her character and choices had me so annoyed at times she was brusquely offensive in her determination to stalk Ted,her Canadian actor fixation,at other times ruthless in her actions and would smash through any relationship/friendship she previously had and any boundary to meet this man who she genuinely thought she was going to spend her life with…..and yet she was also fascinatingly readable,her razor sharp.and I mean sharp observational comedic was guiltily unbelievably intoxicating to read
However there was sadness,genuine grief and depression for Esther and events in her life and that did unsurprisingly overhwhelm her and was upsetting to read about
I didn’t really like her no,and certainly had no admiration for a lot she did but she was a fine fine character to read about and be grateful you didn’t know her IRL…..
This is a full on,next level tale of stalking and the extremes one person was willing to go to to satisfy every need that came from her obsession,based around the end of MYSPACE beginning of Facebook it gave a realistic and candid look at fan groups and the viciousness between supposed friends and the unfettered focus on one man that delusions can bring
It is a disturbing read yet full of dark delicious humour as well as a cautionary tale all made into an unsettlingly fascinating debut
October 9, 2025
Funny, unsettling, and emotionally impactful debut that will stay with you!
I’ll start this review by saying that ESTHER IS NOW FOLLOWING YOU is a book that was nothing at all like I thought it would be. Let me clarify: it was a MILLION TIMES MORE than my preconceptions! This is a book that blends genre and gets you thinking in so many ways. It’s simultaneously hilarious and heart-breaking. It’s chilling in many ways and also emotional jenga in others. I went into this book expecting to read about an unhinged, celebrity stalker - and whilst an element of Esther is exactly this! - this book isn’t a fast-paced crime thriller, it’s a book of huge emotional depth, with incredible characterisation, and the most remarkably human storyline. Sweeney manages to bring together so many elements to create a really intriguing and unique read. In some ways I was reminded of REALLY GOOD, ACTUALLY, but then there’s the added layer of the deception and tension around Esther’s obsession with Ted Levy. I was absolutely glued to Esther’s story, feeling all the suspense around her engineering herself into Ted’s life. I was waiting for the “bunny boiler” moments or for this book to slide into the farcical thriller territory of films like OBSESSED or THE BOY NEXT DOOR, but never did. The tension is definitely there, but this book is a whole lot more than that and for all the right reasons.
I don’t want to give away too much about the plot, because I feel my experience was all the better for having my preconceptions blown to smithereens! However, I want to talk about some of the themes that made this book so brilliant. Sweeney explores things like loss, grief, trauma (both past and present), and misplaced feelings all through the lens of celebrity obsession. The Tedettes Facebook group really highlights the vulnerability and mental fragility that can sit behind fandom. This is explored with humour, but also a genuine empathy. Esther and her fellow Tedette’s are bonded by their unsettling crushes on Ted Levy, but also their respective traumas and the emotional challenges they have all faced. The book explores how trauma can manifest itself into misplaced obsession and in a way, I found myself being emotionally manipulated by this into willing the story to become a romcom. At points I was desperate for Esther’s fantasy about meeting Ted and him falling madly in love with her to come true! This was so thought-provoking and really hammered home the idea that our emotions and perceptions can be so easily manipulated. This book was a fascinating exploration of mental wellbeing in the aftermath of a trauma and how sometimes losing yourself in a fantasy world is exactly what you need to protect yourself.
This is such a complex narrative, but also incredibly witty and easy to read. Sweeney has established an incredible style that I look forward to returning to in her future books. If Esther isn’t on your radar yet, she should be! Get following her at @estherfollowsyou 😉
I’ll start this review by saying that ESTHER IS NOW FOLLOWING YOU is a book that was nothing at all like I thought it would be. Let me clarify: it was a MILLION TIMES MORE than my preconceptions! This is a book that blends genre and gets you thinking in so many ways. It’s simultaneously hilarious and heart-breaking. It’s chilling in many ways and also emotional jenga in others. I went into this book expecting to read about an unhinged, celebrity stalker - and whilst an element of Esther is exactly this! - this book isn’t a fast-paced crime thriller, it’s a book of huge emotional depth, with incredible characterisation, and the most remarkably human storyline. Sweeney manages to bring together so many elements to create a really intriguing and unique read. In some ways I was reminded of REALLY GOOD, ACTUALLY, but then there’s the added layer of the deception and tension around Esther’s obsession with Ted Levy. I was absolutely glued to Esther’s story, feeling all the suspense around her engineering herself into Ted’s life. I was waiting for the “bunny boiler” moments or for this book to slide into the farcical thriller territory of films like OBSESSED or THE BOY NEXT DOOR, but never did. The tension is definitely there, but this book is a whole lot more than that and for all the right reasons.
I don’t want to give away too much about the plot, because I feel my experience was all the better for having my preconceptions blown to smithereens! However, I want to talk about some of the themes that made this book so brilliant. Sweeney explores things like loss, grief, trauma (both past and present), and misplaced feelings all through the lens of celebrity obsession. The Tedettes Facebook group really highlights the vulnerability and mental fragility that can sit behind fandom. This is explored with humour, but also a genuine empathy. Esther and her fellow Tedette’s are bonded by their unsettling crushes on Ted Levy, but also their respective traumas and the emotional challenges they have all faced. The book explores how trauma can manifest itself into misplaced obsession and in a way, I found myself being emotionally manipulated by this into willing the story to become a romcom. At points I was desperate for Esther’s fantasy about meeting Ted and him falling madly in love with her to come true! This was so thought-provoking and really hammered home the idea that our emotions and perceptions can be so easily manipulated. This book was a fascinating exploration of mental wellbeing in the aftermath of a trauma and how sometimes losing yourself in a fantasy world is exactly what you need to protect yourself.
This is such a complex narrative, but also incredibly witty and easy to read. Sweeney has established an incredible style that I look forward to returning to in her future books. If Esther isn’t on your radar yet, she should be! Get following her at @estherfollowsyou 😉
Read
January 23, 2026#Gifted
Esther is Now Following You has benefitted from having one of the best marketing campaigns I’ve seen for any book in recent times. Utilising both fun social media tactics and traditional snail mail to pique interest in Irish author and journalist Tanya Sweeney’s debut novel was clever, and thankfully after reading it, I can say that the book itself backs up the hype.
Esther is an Irish woman in her thirties, living a perfectly fine but boring life in London with her husband. That is until a devastating personal tragedy sends her completely off the rails.
While attempting a “mental health walk”, Esther makes fleeting eye contact with Z list Canadian actor Ted Levy in the park and immediately starts googling him, befriends him on facebook, and joins a fan page dedicated to obsessing over him.
With her marriage on the rocks she makes the bold decision (👀) to fly to Toronto to find him. Esther isn’t crazy, she knows they’re meant to be together. Now she just has to convince Ted.
This book!!! While I had to put it down several times and yell “ESTHER, NO!”, I was also desperate to see how it would end.
I’d say it’s not for the faint of heart, the main character is not particularly likeable a lot of the time and that added to her deranged behaviour might be a bit much for some readers.
I however thought it was brilliant.
Esther is deeply believable as a character; if you’ve spent any amount of time online you’ll have met an Esther. I wanted to step into the book several times and help her/give her a good shake; always a sign of a great read for me.
While this is absolutely a glimpse into the dangers of parasocial relationships, at its heart it’s really a character study about a woman on the edge. We get a lot of backstory as to why Esther is the way she is, and so it’s hard not to feel empathy for her.
There’s a lot more depth to this book than you’d expect from that bubblegum cover (which I also love). I think a lot of people will find it to be as compelling a read as I did, and I also think it’ll be a great choice for book clubs; SO much to discuss!
Recommend!
Esther is Now Following You has benefitted from having one of the best marketing campaigns I’ve seen for any book in recent times. Utilising both fun social media tactics and traditional snail mail to pique interest in Irish author and journalist Tanya Sweeney’s debut novel was clever, and thankfully after reading it, I can say that the book itself backs up the hype.
Esther is an Irish woman in her thirties, living a perfectly fine but boring life in London with her husband. That is until a devastating personal tragedy sends her completely off the rails.
While attempting a “mental health walk”, Esther makes fleeting eye contact with Z list Canadian actor Ted Levy in the park and immediately starts googling him, befriends him on facebook, and joins a fan page dedicated to obsessing over him.
With her marriage on the rocks she makes the bold decision (👀) to fly to Toronto to find him. Esther isn’t crazy, she knows they’re meant to be together. Now she just has to convince Ted.
This book!!! While I had to put it down several times and yell “ESTHER, NO!”, I was also desperate to see how it would end.
I’d say it’s not for the faint of heart, the main character is not particularly likeable a lot of the time and that added to her deranged behaviour might be a bit much for some readers.
I however thought it was brilliant.
Esther is deeply believable as a character; if you’ve spent any amount of time online you’ll have met an Esther. I wanted to step into the book several times and help her/give her a good shake; always a sign of a great read for me.
While this is absolutely a glimpse into the dangers of parasocial relationships, at its heart it’s really a character study about a woman on the edge. We get a lot of backstory as to why Esther is the way she is, and so it’s hard not to feel empathy for her.
There’s a lot more depth to this book than you’d expect from that bubblegum cover (which I also love). I think a lot of people will find it to be as compelling a read as I did, and I also think it’ll be a great choice for book clubs; SO much to discuss!
Recommend!
February 3, 2026
Was expecting to have some bat shit crazy fun with this but it was more sad and crass. And it felt like it didn't really hit with any of the themes in it, like the stalking wasn't really that crazy, the other women on the forum were the real crazy i wanted to see. The grief part felt half arsed. The parts about her dad just throw in. And it all just lead upto a bunch of nothing. Esther as a character wasn't very endearing either, i kinda didn't like her tbh, she was rude, mean and selfish. I get she was escaping her grief with this imagined scenario with Ted but I didn't understand how she even really came about the fascination with him, wasn't a strong enough feeling for the reader to go along with it. Also listened to it on audiobook, otherwise i definitely would have dnf'd it!
September 16, 2025
4.5/5
This was unlike anything I’ve ever read! Deeper than I was expecting, heartbreaking and funny at the same time. I loved it! Review on insta soon, thanks to Bantam for my copy x
This was unlike anything I’ve ever read! Deeper than I was expecting, heartbreaking and funny at the same time. I loved it! Review on insta soon, thanks to Bantam for my copy x
January 23, 2026
Damn, I wasn’t expecting this one to leave me feeling so emotional. The cover makes this look like a fun, satirical read but it is so much darker than you’d think.
It took me a while to get into, but I read the second half in one sitting - I just don’t know whether I’d necessarily categorise this as a thriller? It definitely has its suspenseful moments but wasn’t so “thrilling” in the end. There’s no plot twists, or big ending reveals or really any of the components that I associate with thrillers but I still enjoyed it. I sympathised with Esther, it’s difficult not to root for her after so much loss and heartache, even when she’s making such questionable decisions on her mission to befriend (and eventually marry) her new celebrity crush.
It took me a while to get into, but I read the second half in one sitting - I just don’t know whether I’d necessarily categorise this as a thriller? It definitely has its suspenseful moments but wasn’t so “thrilling” in the end. There’s no plot twists, or big ending reveals or really any of the components that I associate with thrillers but I still enjoyed it. I sympathised with Esther, it’s difficult not to root for her after so much loss and heartache, even when she’s making such questionable decisions on her mission to befriend (and eventually marry) her new celebrity crush.
February 20, 2026
I really wanted this to work out for me. The idea is relevant right now, and the emphasis on loss and grief should have been really impactful.
But I wasn't really convinced by the execution. The writing felt flat, the time jumps were more distracting than effective, and Esther as a main character never felt believable. Instead of building tension, the structure pulled me out of the story.
I got what it was trying to do. It just didn't work for me.
I've got a full review on my blog.
But I wasn't really convinced by the execution. The writing felt flat, the time jumps were more distracting than effective, and Esther as a main character never felt believable. Instead of building tension, the structure pulled me out of the story.
I got what it was trying to do. It just didn't work for me.
I've got a full review on my blog.
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January 19, 2026After hearing Sweeney discuss her debut at a Transworld dinner during the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, then seeing the bold colours of the proof and reading the blurb, I knew this was one I was looking forward to. I expected a fun read, and it is fun, but it’s also another beast entirely.
Esther is Now Following You is dark. This isn’t just a light take on celebrities, parasocial relationships and unhinged stalkers. When we first meet Esther, she’s in a comfortable, albeit slightly stagnant, phase of life with her husband. Until a traumatic event hits them both hard. We also learn about her difficult childhood. So you can understand, and maybe even forgive, when she so dramatically pulls the pin on her own life.
As a big Coupland fan, I was excited how the opening gives Esther’s friends Mastermind specialist subjects, like in Microserfs. I loved Sweeney’s writing style, there’s a dark humour running throughout. How Esther is written is fab: she’s funny, likeable, sarcastic and real. But she goes from casually using social media to check in on friends to being fully swept up in an obsession with a celebrity, Ted, after bumping into him one day and then stumbling across an online forum dedicated to him.
It’s filled with people like Esther (lonely, struggling and looking for a distraction) who label themselves the Tedettes and spiral into consuming everything they can about him, launching virtual attacks on any woman in his life and sharing increasingly unhinged fan fiction. Just what lengths will Esther go to in order to meet Ted again and change her life?
Esther is Now Following You is dark. This isn’t just a light take on celebrities, parasocial relationships and unhinged stalkers. When we first meet Esther, she’s in a comfortable, albeit slightly stagnant, phase of life with her husband. Until a traumatic event hits them both hard. We also learn about her difficult childhood. So you can understand, and maybe even forgive, when she so dramatically pulls the pin on her own life.
As a big Coupland fan, I was excited how the opening gives Esther’s friends Mastermind specialist subjects, like in Microserfs. I loved Sweeney’s writing style, there’s a dark humour running throughout. How Esther is written is fab: she’s funny, likeable, sarcastic and real. But she goes from casually using social media to check in on friends to being fully swept up in an obsession with a celebrity, Ted, after bumping into him one day and then stumbling across an online forum dedicated to him.
It’s filled with people like Esther (lonely, struggling and looking for a distraction) who label themselves the Tedettes and spiral into consuming everything they can about him, launching virtual attacks on any woman in his life and sharing increasingly unhinged fan fiction. Just what lengths will Esther go to in order to meet Ted again and change her life?
February 13, 2026
3.5 stars
This is Tanya Sweeney's debut novel and having finished it, that fact is hard to believe, as I thought this was a pretty good book.
The blurb really drew me in and it made this sound like it was going to be a really wild, absolute riot of a read and most of the time it was.
The whole book is really about obsession, fandom and the parasocial relationships we form with celebrities.
Straight away I liked the writing style and I was wondering if this was going to be 5 star read. Unfortunately it wasn't quite that but I did enjoy it a lot.
I liked our main character Esther at first, but after a while I did find her to be quite an immature, annoying character.
There are a lot of parts of this book that I found to be so unrealistic and some things that just would never be able to happen the way they did, which did spoil my enjoyment slightly. I had to really suspend my disbelief so that I could continue to enjoy reading.
Unfortunately I didn't like the ending very much, it felt a bit flat and I was disappointed, as I felt like the plot did just peter out, almost like the author had run out of ideas about where to take the story.
I have to say, I did want more from the plot as well, it felt like not that much actually happened.
Having said all that, for the most part I did enjoy reading it (I especially thought the start of the book was really good) but this wasn't the perfect book for me.
I would be interested in what the author writes next because I think I will REALLY enjoy her future work.
Thanks to Random House UK for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
This is Tanya Sweeney's debut novel and having finished it, that fact is hard to believe, as I thought this was a pretty good book.
The blurb really drew me in and it made this sound like it was going to be a really wild, absolute riot of a read and most of the time it was.
The whole book is really about obsession, fandom and the parasocial relationships we form with celebrities.
Straight away I liked the writing style and I was wondering if this was going to be 5 star read. Unfortunately it wasn't quite that but I did enjoy it a lot.
I liked our main character Esther at first, but after a while I did find her to be quite an immature, annoying character.
There are a lot of parts of this book that I found to be so unrealistic and some things that just would never be able to happen the way they did, which did spoil my enjoyment slightly. I had to really suspend my disbelief so that I could continue to enjoy reading.
Unfortunately I didn't like the ending very much, it felt a bit flat and I was disappointed, as I felt like the plot did just peter out, almost like the author had run out of ideas about where to take the story.
I have to say, I did want more from the plot as well, it felt like not that much actually happened.
Having said all that, for the most part I did enjoy reading it (I especially thought the start of the book was really good) but this wasn't the perfect book for me.
I would be interested in what the author writes next because I think I will REALLY enjoy her future work.
Thanks to Random House UK for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review
March 14, 2026
Far more depressing than I imagined. Initially this book reads as a woman who is utterly delusional. Yet as things progress you recognise that this is the result of trauma, confusion, loss and sometimes we just want to throw it all away and see what happens. We latch onto things that make no sense just so we can dim the pain but a fantasy world can only do that for so long until real harm comes about. It seems I was really moved by this book and all the tough emotions that go along with it.
April 23, 2026
A bingeable read, it wasn’t quite what I was expecting but kept me reading to see what Esther would do next.
February 17, 2026
It’s a real light weight book, found Esther frustrating , one of those books I ll probably forget I read
March 29, 2026
“I was free falling in my life and in my marriage, and I pressed the ejector seat on all of it.”
We follow Esther in the aftermath of a traumatic event, as she decides to completely upend her life - for a man she’s never even met 😂 Leaving behind a stable home and marriage, she takes celebrity obsession to a whole new level. The way she pours all her time and energy into actor Ted Levy is something else entirely. Alongside the other “Teddettes” she meets online, she makes some seriously questionable choice and just when you think she can’t surprise you, she absolutely will! This did have me laughing at times.
I really loved how the book explores Esther’s grief and confusion. It gives us insight into why she spirals so dramatically, helping us understand (if not fully agree with) her extreme decisions. I found myself feeling sorry for her, while also side-eyeing her for the sheer chaos of her choices.
The final 100 pages are wild. Part of me felt like the story went from 0 to 100 very quickly, but it was still such an entertaining ride. Overall, I really enjoyed spending time with Esther - watching her dream of riding off into the sunset with her celeb crush, and then face the crushing realisation that she may have gone wayyyy too far 😭
Themes: grief trauma, loss, identity, parasocial relationships, escapism.
We follow Esther in the aftermath of a traumatic event, as she decides to completely upend her life - for a man she’s never even met 😂 Leaving behind a stable home and marriage, she takes celebrity obsession to a whole new level. The way she pours all her time and energy into actor Ted Levy is something else entirely. Alongside the other “Teddettes” she meets online, she makes some seriously questionable choice and just when you think she can’t surprise you, she absolutely will! This did have me laughing at times.
I really loved how the book explores Esther’s grief and confusion. It gives us insight into why she spirals so dramatically, helping us understand (if not fully agree with) her extreme decisions. I found myself feeling sorry for her, while also side-eyeing her for the sheer chaos of her choices.
The final 100 pages are wild. Part of me felt like the story went from 0 to 100 very quickly, but it was still such an entertaining ride. Overall, I really enjoyed spending time with Esther - watching her dream of riding off into the sunset with her celeb crush, and then face the crushing realisation that she may have gone wayyyy too far 😭
Themes: grief trauma, loss, identity, parasocial relationships, escapism.
November 14, 2025
Wow, this book is so addictive and consuming! I have so many feelings about this story!
It really opens your eyes to how people can be online and how addictive it can become.
I think we're all abit guilty of doom scrolling and get sucked into our phones when we should be cleaning or doing those mundane tasks we keep putting off.
Esther basically takes that and mulplies by 1000 and in doing so, provides us with a dark and dangerous story you'll be so consumed you won't want to put it down.
This book is crazy and chaotic but at its heart, its a story about love and loss and it deals with some very difficult themes in a very delicate manner.
I knew as soon as I heard about this book that I would love it and I was definitely not wrong!
If you're a fan of YOU and Baby Reindeer then prepare for this book to be your next obsession 👀
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It really opens your eyes to how people can be online and how addictive it can become.
I think we're all abit guilty of doom scrolling and get sucked into our phones when we should be cleaning or doing those mundane tasks we keep putting off.
Esther basically takes that and mulplies by 1000 and in doing so, provides us with a dark and dangerous story you'll be so consumed you won't want to put it down.
This book is crazy and chaotic but at its heart, its a story about love and loss and it deals with some very difficult themes in a very delicate manner.
I knew as soon as I heard about this book that I would love it and I was definitely not wrong!
If you're a fan of YOU and Baby Reindeer then prepare for this book to be your next obsession 👀
Thank you to the publisher for sending me a proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 5, 2026
“Never judge a book by its cover.” Isn’t that what they say? And yet… that’s exactly what I did. I pre-ordered the audiobook before it was even released purely because of that brilliant cover and the bold marketing campaign. I was convinced this would be a funny, unhinged, lighthearted ride.
Well. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Behind the colorful cover lies a dark, disturbing, deeply uncomfortable story. There were countless moments where Esther’s actions made me physically cringe. I love an unhinged narrator—but this wasn’t chaotic-fun unhinged. This was sad. Troubling. Esther is unwell and instead of enjoying the ride, I often just wanted to step into the book and help her.
The premise centers on Esther’s obsession with a Canadian actor and how social media enables her to get closer and closer to him and his life. That aspect is genuinely unsettling. But beneath it all is a layered exploration of trauma, loneliness and escapism. When life becomes unbearable, Esther chooses fantasy over reality, and honestly? That part is understandable in a way, in this crazy dystopian world we live in.
The sections where she unpacks her pain and trauma felt raw, vulnerable and painfully real and those moments truly moved me. So, while this book was nothing like what I expected, I still ended up appreciating it for what it actually is.
🎧 Audiobook lovers: the narrator was perfect and I highly recommend this format.
Well. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
Behind the colorful cover lies a dark, disturbing, deeply uncomfortable story. There were countless moments where Esther’s actions made me physically cringe. I love an unhinged narrator—but this wasn’t chaotic-fun unhinged. This was sad. Troubling. Esther is unwell and instead of enjoying the ride, I often just wanted to step into the book and help her.
The premise centers on Esther’s obsession with a Canadian actor and how social media enables her to get closer and closer to him and his life. That aspect is genuinely unsettling. But beneath it all is a layered exploration of trauma, loneliness and escapism. When life becomes unbearable, Esther chooses fantasy over reality, and honestly? That part is understandable in a way, in this crazy dystopian world we live in.
The sections where she unpacks her pain and trauma felt raw, vulnerable and painfully real and those moments truly moved me. So, while this book was nothing like what I expected, I still ended up appreciating it for what it actually is.
🎧 Audiobook lovers: the narrator was perfect and I highly recommend this format.
January 23, 2026
oh my goodness. i did not expect to like this book as much as I did.
I first heard of the book because the bookstore I work at held the event of its release date, and hearing Tanya Sweeney talk about her book, and what her character was going through rendered me curious. i decided to read it.
the cover will fool you into believing it is a wild , funny, lighthearted novel about a Chamalet type club of a woman running after her celebrity crush, but it turned out so to be so much more than that. It actually was a really beautiful, bewildering story about loss, grief, and trauma. It talks about obsession, celebrity fandom and the fragile line between online escapism and real world delusion.
It was really well written, chef kiss dialogues and felt very real. The mc was frustrating in the choice of her actions, but at the same time you couldn’t help but fall into the madness of her mind’s illusions.
Despite the book being set in 2010, everything can be applied for today’s world, and that made the story even more realistic and interesting.
I first heard of the book because the bookstore I work at held the event of its release date, and hearing Tanya Sweeney talk about her book, and what her character was going through rendered me curious. i decided to read it.
the cover will fool you into believing it is a wild , funny, lighthearted novel about a Chamalet type club of a woman running after her celebrity crush, but it turned out so to be so much more than that. It actually was a really beautiful, bewildering story about loss, grief, and trauma. It talks about obsession, celebrity fandom and the fragile line between online escapism and real world delusion.
It was really well written, chef kiss dialogues and felt very real. The mc was frustrating in the choice of her actions, but at the same time you couldn’t help but fall into the madness of her mind’s illusions.
Despite the book being set in 2010, everything can be applied for today’s world, and that made the story even more realistic and interesting.
May 16, 2026
A three from me and that feels a bit generous.
I just found the whole experience a bit jarring, and many of the outcomes a little bit obvious and predictable.
I can't help thinking that there was nothing new here, and for me the saving grace was that it was at least a relatively short book, meaning I didn't give up on it or get too bogged down.
I just found the whole experience a bit jarring, and many of the outcomes a little bit obvious and predictable.
I can't help thinking that there was nothing new here, and for me the saving grace was that it was at least a relatively short book, meaning I didn't give up on it or get too bogged down.
April 26, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A solid lit-fic about obsession, celebrity culture and stalking. The main character is pretty much insufferable and lives in delulu land. This book won't be something I'll be constantly thinking about but it was a fun time. Not really a thriller or mystery but it kept my attention.
A solid lit-fic about obsession, celebrity culture and stalking. The main character is pretty much insufferable and lives in delulu land. This book won't be something I'll be constantly thinking about but it was a fun time. Not really a thriller or mystery but it kept my attention.
April 1, 2026
3.5
It took me a while to get into this book but it was def interesting as nothing like I’ve read before
It took me a while to get into this book but it was def interesting as nothing like I’ve read before
April 15, 2026
This is such a bingeable book, I just wasn’t in the mood for the intensity of it at the time.
March 9, 2026
Could not put this down 😳
March 21, 2026
Not good
Read
January 15, 2026This was so well written.
I went in thinking this would be a fun unhinged read. The marketing for this book is excellent
The writing gritty, raw and real.
Because of that, I had to DNF. Call it bad timing for when I started but the baby loss was unexpected and January is my own anniversary for my own baby loss and I was physically sick due to the emotions the book bought back.
I'm really upset that I had to stop. I was desperate and obsessed to read this.
I hope in the future I'll be able to pick this book up again..
I went in thinking this would be a fun unhinged read. The marketing for this book is excellent
The writing gritty, raw and real.
Because of that, I had to DNF. Call it bad timing for when I started but the baby loss was unexpected and January is my own anniversary for my own baby loss and I was physically sick due to the emotions the book bought back.
I'm really upset that I had to stop. I was desperate and obsessed to read this.
I hope in the future I'll be able to pick this book up again..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2025
Esther is Now Following You is the debut novel by Tanya Sweeney which is being marketed as perfect for fans for Baby Reindeer and Strange Sally Diamond. I haven’t actually watched Baby Reindeer yet, but adored Strange Sally Diamond, so I was eager to get to know Esther.
If you have read the blurb you (like me) would think this is about a delusional woman who gives up her seemingly perfect life with her husband, flies halfway round the world and starts to stalk a famous actor convinced he is the perfect man for her and the answer to all her problems.
I will admit that I really struggled to understand Esther and felt her behaviour and actions were rather extreme. It was quite obvious that she had some “issues” and perhaps her judgement was slightly askew, but it was only when you start to discover more about Esther and what she was going through that you understand why she did what she did.
There are some light moments of relief, but deep down this is a sad and sorry tale of mental health issues, chronic depression whilst coping with grief and loss.
If you have read the blurb you (like me) would think this is about a delusional woman who gives up her seemingly perfect life with her husband, flies halfway round the world and starts to stalk a famous actor convinced he is the perfect man for her and the answer to all her problems.
I will admit that I really struggled to understand Esther and felt her behaviour and actions were rather extreme. It was quite obvious that she had some “issues” and perhaps her judgement was slightly askew, but it was only when you start to discover more about Esther and what she was going through that you understand why she did what she did.
There are some light moments of relief, but deep down this is a sad and sorry tale of mental health issues, chronic depression whilst coping with grief and loss.
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