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Esther Is Now Following You
Not yet published
Expected 29 Jan 26You 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
Expected publication January 29, 2026
37 people are currently reading
1405 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 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.
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.
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.
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 😉
August 12, 2025
funny, great style of writing but the end left me disappointed. a big build up to ultimately nothing really ?
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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!
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
Read
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
December 27, 2025
3.75⭐️💫 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 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 & 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.
I was lucky enough to grab a copy of this title at Harrogate earlier in the year, where I also got to listen to the author talk about this unique book.
Firstly I have to admit this wasn’t quite what I was expecting, however not in a bad way as I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s captivating writing style - I truly felt I was living this crazy life with Esther throughout thanks to the descriptive, engaging prose.
What I thought was going to be a comical outlook into the obsession with the celebrity lifestyle, actually turned to be a much darker, in-depth journey covering important issues such as loss, grief and a breakdown due to the inability to deal, please do check relevant triggers for this title as some readers might find certain elements difficult.
Whilst I did enjoy the writing and the title overall, I sometimes struggled to find the balance between the laugh out loud comical moments, Esther’s overall delusion, and the tragic, devastating elements that showed the rawness of characters completely. That said, it is always a nice surprise when a book doesn’t always take the route you thought it would, and the author has done a fantastic job of executing this here. Definitely intrigued as to what comes next from Tanya!
I was lucky enough to grab a copy of this title at Harrogate earlier in the year, where I also got to listen to the author talk about this unique book.
Firstly I have to admit this wasn’t quite what I was expecting, however not in a bad way as I thoroughly enjoyed the author’s captivating writing style - I truly felt I was living this crazy life with Esther throughout thanks to the descriptive, engaging prose.
What I thought was going to be a comical outlook into the obsession with the celebrity lifestyle, actually turned to be a much darker, in-depth journey covering important issues such as loss, grief and a breakdown due to the inability to deal, please do check relevant triggers for this title as some readers might find certain elements difficult.
Whilst I did enjoy the writing and the title overall, I sometimes struggled to find the balance between the laugh out loud comical moments, Esther’s overall delusion, and the tragic, devastating elements that showed the rawness of characters completely. That said, it is always a nice surprise when a book doesn’t always take the route you thought it would, and the author has done a fantastic job of executing this here. Definitely intrigued as to what comes next from Tanya!
January 11, 2026
Wow. This book was a wild ride. Esther felt like a burning car speeding straight toward a gas factory, and I was strapped in just waiting for the inevitable explosion. I honestly don’t even know how to categorise this one, it sits somewhere between unsettling, fascinating, and completely unputdownable.
It all starts when Esther sees Ted walking through a park in London. They lock eyes, and in that split second, she feels something she’s never felt before. From there, things spiral quickly. She starts researching his life in Canada, his career as an actor, and then moves on to watching every interview she can find online. Before long, she’s joined his fan site, fully immersed with the other “Tedettes,” tracking his every move and feeding the obsession.
When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides things have gone too far. She leaves her husband, drains their savings, and books a one-way ticket to Canada.
By the time I finished, I was honestly sitting there wondering what I even felt. This was not what I expected in the best and worst ways. I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or just stare into space thinking about Esther. The writing style really worked for me. There were so many moments that felt painfully relatable, mixed in with a whole lot of moments that made me go, “oh no… please don’t.”
This is absolutely not a bad book (quite the opposite) but it is uncomfortable in a way that feels very intentional. I still don’t know whether I wanted to hug Esther, shake her, or gently (to be read as violently) slap some sense into her. The ending, though, really pulled everything together for me and felt satisfying in a way I wasn’t expecting.
Messy, unsettling, and strangely compelling, this one definitely stuck with me and should definitely be added to your TBR.
It all starts when Esther sees Ted walking through a park in London. They lock eyes, and in that split second, she feels something she’s never felt before. From there, things spiral quickly. She starts researching his life in Canada, his career as an actor, and then moves on to watching every interview she can find online. Before long, she’s joined his fan site, fully immersed with the other “Tedettes,” tracking his every move and feeding the obsession.
When Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides things have gone too far. She leaves her husband, drains their savings, and books a one-way ticket to Canada.
By the time I finished, I was honestly sitting there wondering what I even felt. This was not what I expected in the best and worst ways. I didn’t know whether to laugh, cry, or just stare into space thinking about Esther. The writing style really worked for me. There were so many moments that felt painfully relatable, mixed in with a whole lot of moments that made me go, “oh no… please don’t.”
This is absolutely not a bad book (quite the opposite) but it is uncomfortable in a way that feels very intentional. I still don’t know whether I wanted to hug Esther, shake her, or gently (to be read as violently) slap some sense into her. The ending, though, really pulled everything together for me and felt satisfying in a way I wasn’t expecting.
Messy, unsettling, and strangely compelling, this one definitely stuck with me and should definitely be added to your TBR.
November 9, 2025
2.5 stars
Thanks to Bantam for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review. I was lucky enough to receive a proof of this at the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Festival 2025.
This is a tale of two books. The cover has bright colours, a funny design, and it suggests a funny, quirky, dark humour. But the story itself is less comic thriller and more thriller thriller, it's dark and really quite worrying at times.
My first thought was that Esther was wonderful. She'd been through some tough times and I loved her all the more for that. I feel I shouldn't feel that way given her obsessive nature but I did. I wanted her to have her happily ever after. However, my love for her dwindled and it dwindled quickly. I found myself feeling a bit disgusted and uncomfortable with her. It's obvious what Tanya wanted her to be as a character and she has achieve that creepy, obsessive nature, but I think it was too much too quickly. There was little build-up from uninterested to stalker, and I think it would have been more organic if it had been paced a bit slower.
It was said that it was a funny thriller but I can't say I found it funny in any aspect - I was a bit lost there trying to find the humour.
Whilst I am not a prude in any way, I felt there was too many mentions of sex in this. I have absolutely no issue with there being sex in books, I welcome it in a lot of books, and I do understand she's using it to represent the health of the marriage, but sometimes it felt like she had shoehorned it in because she felt it wouldn't be a grown-up novel if it didn't have it in.
The ending was flat. It got going really quickly and full-on almost instantly, and then there was this huge build-up only for it to end quite disappointingly.
It isn't an overly long book and I am someone who can read a book in a matter of hours, but this took me about 3 or 4 days because I just couldn't stay with it for long periods of times. I admit I did consider DNF-ing several times but I wanted to know what happened in the end, even if I wasn't keen on reading the rest to get there.
I enjoyed parts of it, but I felt very uncomfortable reading it. I'm sure that was probably the aim of it, but it wasn't a pleasant experience. I don't mind feeling uncomfortable about books or characters, but this was too much and it took me out of the story.
I've seen five star reviews and I've seen two star reviews, and even some DNFs. I think it'll definitely be a book to split the readers.
It is an interesting debut and there is promise there. Even though I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted, and I felt it was flat at times, I do think it's a promising debut and it will be interesting to see what comes next.
Thanks to Bantam for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review. I was lucky enough to receive a proof of this at the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Festival 2025.
This is a tale of two books. The cover has bright colours, a funny design, and it suggests a funny, quirky, dark humour. But the story itself is less comic thriller and more thriller thriller, it's dark and really quite worrying at times.
My first thought was that Esther was wonderful. She'd been through some tough times and I loved her all the more for that. I feel I shouldn't feel that way given her obsessive nature but I did. I wanted her to have her happily ever after. However, my love for her dwindled and it dwindled quickly. I found myself feeling a bit disgusted and uncomfortable with her. It's obvious what Tanya wanted her to be as a character and she has achieve that creepy, obsessive nature, but I think it was too much too quickly. There was little build-up from uninterested to stalker, and I think it would have been more organic if it had been paced a bit slower.
It was said that it was a funny thriller but I can't say I found it funny in any aspect - I was a bit lost there trying to find the humour.
Whilst I am not a prude in any way, I felt there was too many mentions of sex in this. I have absolutely no issue with there being sex in books, I welcome it in a lot of books, and I do understand she's using it to represent the health of the marriage, but sometimes it felt like she had shoehorned it in because she felt it wouldn't be a grown-up novel if it didn't have it in.
The ending was flat. It got going really quickly and full-on almost instantly, and then there was this huge build-up only for it to end quite disappointingly.
It isn't an overly long book and I am someone who can read a book in a matter of hours, but this took me about 3 or 4 days because I just couldn't stay with it for long periods of times. I admit I did consider DNF-ing several times but I wanted to know what happened in the end, even if I wasn't keen on reading the rest to get there.
I enjoyed parts of it, but I felt very uncomfortable reading it. I'm sure that was probably the aim of it, but it wasn't a pleasant experience. I don't mind feeling uncomfortable about books or characters, but this was too much and it took me out of the story.
I've seen five star reviews and I've seen two star reviews, and even some DNFs. I think it'll definitely be a book to split the readers.
It is an interesting debut and there is promise there. Even though I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted, and I felt it was flat at times, I do think it's a promising debut and it will be interesting to see what comes next.
January 22, 2026
This isn’t a book that would be life altering, it was an easy fun read. Would definitely be a good palate cleanser for if you wanted a break from books that are heavier and need your full attention.
i was slightly expecting more in a sense that i would label the main character as crazy/delusional when i sort of wanted to be able to call her PSYCHO lol, but then again moving from london to canada and becoming friends with an actors step sister just to meet him cause you think you have a chance with him is kinda psychotic…
Overall i didn’t hateeee it but it isn’t a book i would shout from the rooftop about
i was slightly expecting more in a sense that i would label the main character as crazy/delusional when i sort of wanted to be able to call her PSYCHO lol, but then again moving from london to canada and becoming friends with an actors step sister just to meet him cause you think you have a chance with him is kinda psychotic…
Overall i didn’t hateeee it but it isn’t a book i would shout from the rooftop about
December 4, 2025
I really enjoyed this, I felt for the main character Esther and the writing makes you feel like you are part of the story. The dark humour made this very easy to read despite the difficult topics and themes in this book. Please check your trigger warnings. This touches on child loss and grief. I would recommend this.
November 5, 2025
This was NOT what I expected. I think a lot of what I took from this is the way that Esther dealt with her grief, and that was obsession, which I think is highly relatable. This was such a good read, an took a darker turn than I thought it would!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Esther’s admiration for Canadian actor Ted Levy escalates quickly from curiosity to fixation, pulling her into a series of increasingly questionable choices. What begins with regular online searches and fan-based social media groups, soon spills into real life, culminating in her striking up an online friendship with Ted's sister and abandoning her husband in London for Canada, convinced she can insert herself into the orbit of someone who doesn't know she exists.
Esther seems slighty unhinged, obsessed and occasionally downright inappropriate. Every now and then there appears to be a hint of empathy and common sense, but those moments are quickly replaced by self-justification.
On one hand, this book feels like a guilty pleasure, compelling in its depiction of Esther digging herself ever deeper into a hole of lies, deceit, betrayal, and hyper-fixation. On the other hand, it’s an unsettling read, confronting the reader with the disturbing extremes to which fandom can lead. Esther’s story will stay with me a for a while.
Esther seems slighty unhinged, obsessed and occasionally downright inappropriate. Every now and then there appears to be a hint of empathy and common sense, but those moments are quickly replaced by self-justification.
On one hand, this book feels like a guilty pleasure, compelling in its depiction of Esther digging herself ever deeper into a hole of lies, deceit, betrayal, and hyper-fixation. On the other hand, it’s an unsettling read, confronting the reader with the disturbing extremes to which fandom can lead. Esther’s story will stay with me a for a while.
January 13, 2026
woah. what a book.
September 20, 2025
When I first clocked the cover and title of Esther is Now Following You, I thought I was in for something fizzy and satirical about influencer culture. Instead, Tanya Sweeney pulls us into something darker, richer, and far more unsettling — a layered exploration of grief, obsession, and the fragility of a life that suddenly comes undone.
Esther is stuck — in her job, her marriage, her day-to-day existence. But online, in the company of the Tedettes (a fan group for actor Ted Levy), she finds something to keep her upright. Watching Esther dive headfirst into the Tedettes’ world is wild — you’re half-amused, half-horrified, and fully invested in every minor drama she obsesses over. After a heartbreaking miscarriage and the slow unravelling of her reality, that spark grows into a full-blown fixation. With her marriage in tatters, her savings cashed in, and her hope hanging by a thread, Esther heads off to Canada, convinced Ted is her future… even if he doesn’t know it yet.
I was torn the whole way through: one minute wanting to hug Esther for the pain she’s endured, the next wishing she’d give her head a wobble. At times she’s away with the fairies, but you can’t help rooting for her all the same. Her grief, her hope, her utter refusal to see the world as it is… it’s heartbreaking, hilarious, and utterly compelling all at once. Sweeney nails that balance — Esther’s obsession is both terrifying and devastatingly believable.
This isn’t the straight-up thriller the blurb hints at, but something rawer and more human: an exploration of how grief and trauma can warp the world around you. Funny in places, poignant throughout, and always sharp-edged — this is a debut that feels anything but. Sweeney writes with journalistic clarity but a novelist’s heart, and I’ll be first in line for whatever she turns her hand to next.
A wild ride of a read — yes. But also an intimate portrait of loneliness, loss, and the messy, desperate ways we try to cope. Obsession, grief, and questionable life choices — Esther’s got it all.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read via NetGalley.
Esther is stuck — in her job, her marriage, her day-to-day existence. But online, in the company of the Tedettes (a fan group for actor Ted Levy), she finds something to keep her upright. Watching Esther dive headfirst into the Tedettes’ world is wild — you’re half-amused, half-horrified, and fully invested in every minor drama she obsesses over. After a heartbreaking miscarriage and the slow unravelling of her reality, that spark grows into a full-blown fixation. With her marriage in tatters, her savings cashed in, and her hope hanging by a thread, Esther heads off to Canada, convinced Ted is her future… even if he doesn’t know it yet.
I was torn the whole way through: one minute wanting to hug Esther for the pain she’s endured, the next wishing she’d give her head a wobble. At times she’s away with the fairies, but you can’t help rooting for her all the same. Her grief, her hope, her utter refusal to see the world as it is… it’s heartbreaking, hilarious, and utterly compelling all at once. Sweeney nails that balance — Esther’s obsession is both terrifying and devastatingly believable.
This isn’t the straight-up thriller the blurb hints at, but something rawer and more human: an exploration of how grief and trauma can warp the world around you. Funny in places, poignant throughout, and always sharp-edged — this is a debut that feels anything but. Sweeney writes with journalistic clarity but a novelist’s heart, and I’ll be first in line for whatever she turns her hand to next.
A wild ride of a read — yes. But also an intimate portrait of loneliness, loss, and the messy, desperate ways we try to cope. Obsession, grief, and questionable life choices — Esther’s got it all.
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read via NetGalley.
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.
November 29, 2025
2 ⭐️
I really didn’t love this😬 it was super weird, and all that build up for pretty much nothing? Nah, unfortunately this wasn’t for me
I really didn’t love this😬 it was super weird, and all that build up for pretty much nothing? Nah, unfortunately this wasn’t for me
dnf
August 20, 2025I received a copy of this book via Netgalley.
I am DNFing this at 52%, but I need to explain why. This is by no means a bad book. However, I was drawn to this by the cover, thinking it would be an OTT, rather zany read. It is not that at all. At all.
While Esther the main character, is not at all lacking in humour, this is a decidedly bleak read. There are some emotions I really don't like to feel while reading. Disgust is one, wincing for the main character is another. It was physically painful reading this because I would be frowning/wincing/cringing at Esther's choices.
I tried interspersing reading it with other books. I tried only reading one chapter at a time. I couldn't do it. It says a lot about the quality of the writing that Esther feels so vivid and that this feels like more than words on a page, but I just could not persevere any longer. I've unfollowed and unsubscribed.
I am DNFing this at 52%, but I need to explain why. This is by no means a bad book. However, I was drawn to this by the cover, thinking it would be an OTT, rather zany read. It is not that at all. At all.
While Esther the main character, is not at all lacking in humour, this is a decidedly bleak read. There are some emotions I really don't like to feel while reading. Disgust is one, wincing for the main character is another. It was physically painful reading this because I would be frowning/wincing/cringing at Esther's choices.
I tried interspersing reading it with other books. I tried only reading one chapter at a time. I couldn't do it. It says a lot about the quality of the writing that Esther feels so vivid and that this feels like more than words on a page, but I just could not persevere any longer. I've unfollowed and unsubscribed.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Esther is sleep walking her way through life when she first lays eyes upon Ted Levy in a London park. When their eyes connect for the briefest of seconds, Esther feels something ignite inside her.
She begins researching him, everything from his career as an actor, to his friends and family, and what started out as a quick google search, soon turns into a multi-platform obsession. Every morning, Esther begins her day by checking for all and any updates on Ted, and continues these checks throughout her working day. She joins a fan group, the “Tedettes“ and strikes up online friendships with other Ted-obsessed fans. All the while feeling sorry for them, because of course she is the one that Ted will want to be with forever.
When Canadian Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides to book a one-way ticket to Toronto, taking her life savings with her but leaving her husband behind. Esther burrows her way into Ted’s inner circle, bracing for the chance to meet him so they can finally be together.
Esther is Now Following You is like no other book I have read before. Don’t be fooled by its bright, colourful cover (which I’m obsessed with btw!!). This book has real grit and depth, and is full of emotion. I went into this thinking that this sounded like a highly unlikely situation, and ended up seeing exactly how celebrity obsessions and para-social relationships can deeply impact the lives of people in crisis.
Esther’s story is very well fleshed out. I enjoyed how we were drip-fed bits of her backstory, starting with brief references, slowly building in detail to get the full picture. I felt so much empathy for Esther, while also wanting to shake the living daylights out of her at times. I think her personal story is one that so many women will relate to. And while she comes across, honestly, as quite mad at times, it becomes clear that she is on a quest to feel something so that she can heal from her past traumas.
The “Tedettes“ facebook group really gave me an insight into how some people can become hyper-obsessed with celebrities, to the point of harassment, stalking and seriously harmful behaviour. It also felt important that the Tedettes were not all celeb-obsessed teens, but a mix of ages and backgrounds, including Esther, a woman in her late thirties. It emphasised the state of crisis that Esther was in. And while one can think that this sort of thing doesn’t happen in real life, we only have to look at the big Tattle exposé from last year to see that people really do get so hung-up on celebrities and influencers, watching, critiquing and obsessing over every word they say and every move they make. This book highlighted for me the impact that para-social relationships are having across generations and the harm these types of forums can cause. You never know how far these “keyboard warriors“ will go.
I really mean it when I say that I did not want to put this book down. It drew me in and kept me hooked. I filled every possible pocket of time reading this book. I adored the shortish chapters, it was really well paced, and there was nothing left in the book that didn’t need to be there.
A truly sensational debut from Tanya Sweeney. I’m so thrilled to see another talented Irish female author entering the mix.
With sincere thanks to NetGalley, the publishers @bantambooks and the author @tanyasweeney for the opportunity to read and honestly review Esther is Now Following You. @estherfollowsyou
Esther is Now Following You is published today, 15th January.
She begins researching him, everything from his career as an actor, to his friends and family, and what started out as a quick google search, soon turns into a multi-platform obsession. Every morning, Esther begins her day by checking for all and any updates on Ted, and continues these checks throughout her working day. She joins a fan group, the “Tedettes“ and strikes up online friendships with other Ted-obsessed fans. All the while feeling sorry for them, because of course she is the one that Ted will want to be with forever.
When Canadian Ted gets a new celebrity girlfriend, Esther decides to book a one-way ticket to Toronto, taking her life savings with her but leaving her husband behind. Esther burrows her way into Ted’s inner circle, bracing for the chance to meet him so they can finally be together.
Esther is Now Following You is like no other book I have read before. Don’t be fooled by its bright, colourful cover (which I’m obsessed with btw!!). This book has real grit and depth, and is full of emotion. I went into this thinking that this sounded like a highly unlikely situation, and ended up seeing exactly how celebrity obsessions and para-social relationships can deeply impact the lives of people in crisis.
Esther’s story is very well fleshed out. I enjoyed how we were drip-fed bits of her backstory, starting with brief references, slowly building in detail to get the full picture. I felt so much empathy for Esther, while also wanting to shake the living daylights out of her at times. I think her personal story is one that so many women will relate to. And while she comes across, honestly, as quite mad at times, it becomes clear that she is on a quest to feel something so that she can heal from her past traumas.
The “Tedettes“ facebook group really gave me an insight into how some people can become hyper-obsessed with celebrities, to the point of harassment, stalking and seriously harmful behaviour. It also felt important that the Tedettes were not all celeb-obsessed teens, but a mix of ages and backgrounds, including Esther, a woman in her late thirties. It emphasised the state of crisis that Esther was in. And while one can think that this sort of thing doesn’t happen in real life, we only have to look at the big Tattle exposé from last year to see that people really do get so hung-up on celebrities and influencers, watching, critiquing and obsessing over every word they say and every move they make. This book highlighted for me the impact that para-social relationships are having across generations and the harm these types of forums can cause. You never know how far these “keyboard warriors“ will go.
I really mean it when I say that I did not want to put this book down. It drew me in and kept me hooked. I filled every possible pocket of time reading this book. I adored the shortish chapters, it was really well paced, and there was nothing left in the book that didn’t need to be there.
A truly sensational debut from Tanya Sweeney. I’m so thrilled to see another talented Irish female author entering the mix.
With sincere thanks to NetGalley, the publishers @bantambooks and the author @tanyasweeney for the opportunity to read and honestly review Esther is Now Following You. @estherfollowsyou
Esther is Now Following You is published today, 15th January.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Dark story about celebrity obsession.
Not read anything quite like this before. Closest I've seen on screen is Baby Reindeer, but this story is the fan who's obsessed with a celebrity. In this case a minor celebrity on the rise.
And Esther doesn't start obsessed. She's married, in a fairly dull data job, trying for a baby. Things are... okay. The job's alright. Marriage is a little pedestrian but fine. She sights a familiar face on the street - realises it's an actor she's seen in things, looks him up. Follows him on social media. Nothing out of the ordinary.
But it's when Esther's life is turned upside down and she's at her lowest ebb, drowning in sorrow and self-recrimination that the Ted Levy fan groups and following his every move allow her some fantasy, some release, some purpose.
Along with the Tedettes, who goad each other on to greater love (and hate) for Ted, his girlfriends, his career moves, his news articles, Esther makes a decision to take her funds, leave her husband and move to Canada... to the city Ted and his sister live in. Hoping to meet him and make him see they are meant to be together.
It's such an unbelievably over-the-top situation, but somehow realistic at the same time. The world of social media and global nearness make this a situation you can imagine happening, and sometimes see reported. It's just not a plot of a fictional book that I've come across before.
It gets MAD. Crazy mad, how far Esther will go to get close to her beloved. And the reader sees what Esther refuses to, both things about herself and about Ted. Through the eyes of the family Esther is using to work her way closer as well. And the grief and sadness of both herself and others and how different people are coping with often very unhealthy attempts to get by. There is insight into more than one struggling woman and their sad situations in this story.
I had no idea how this was going to go for Esther, I raced to the end tense with worry - for her and Ted's family to be honest. As well as the other superfans.
It was a story that pulls you up short, that makes you evaluate your own little obsessions and crushes, your own online opinions and uses of time. And what it might take to send you into a spiral.
Utterly impossible to forget, all too real feeling, I was so glad to get to the end and see the author's measured and realistic conclusions to everyone's stories, I felt so invested and upset for many of the characters.
Wonderful writing, fantastic idea.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Not read anything quite like this before. Closest I've seen on screen is Baby Reindeer, but this story is the fan who's obsessed with a celebrity. In this case a minor celebrity on the rise.
And Esther doesn't start obsessed. She's married, in a fairly dull data job, trying for a baby. Things are... okay. The job's alright. Marriage is a little pedestrian but fine. She sights a familiar face on the street - realises it's an actor she's seen in things, looks him up. Follows him on social media. Nothing out of the ordinary.
But it's when Esther's life is turned upside down and she's at her lowest ebb, drowning in sorrow and self-recrimination that the Ted Levy fan groups and following his every move allow her some fantasy, some release, some purpose.
Along with the Tedettes, who goad each other on to greater love (and hate) for Ted, his girlfriends, his career moves, his news articles, Esther makes a decision to take her funds, leave her husband and move to Canada... to the city Ted and his sister live in. Hoping to meet him and make him see they are meant to be together.
It's such an unbelievably over-the-top situation, but somehow realistic at the same time. The world of social media and global nearness make this a situation you can imagine happening, and sometimes see reported. It's just not a plot of a fictional book that I've come across before.
It gets MAD. Crazy mad, how far Esther will go to get close to her beloved. And the reader sees what Esther refuses to, both things about herself and about Ted. Through the eyes of the family Esther is using to work her way closer as well. And the grief and sadness of both herself and others and how different people are coping with often very unhealthy attempts to get by. There is insight into more than one struggling woman and their sad situations in this story.
I had no idea how this was going to go for Esther, I raced to the end tense with worry - for her and Ted's family to be honest. As well as the other superfans.
It was a story that pulls you up short, that makes you evaluate your own little obsessions and crushes, your own online opinions and uses of time. And what it might take to send you into a spiral.
Utterly impossible to forget, all too real feeling, I was so glad to get to the end and see the author's measured and realistic conclusions to everyone's stories, I felt so invested and upset for many of the characters.
Wonderful writing, fantastic idea.
With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I absolutely loved this debut novel! Tanya Sweeney has written such a clever, powerful, emotional and poignant story that had me hooked from the very first page.
The main character of the book is Esther. Esther is a wonderful character whose evident vulnerabilities are matched by her heart of pure gold. Esther has faced grief and trauma in her past that have profoundly shaped her future and how she copes with life. We all have our own coping mechanisms to help us. I have never met a character as unique and unforgettable as Esther - for many reasons.
We first meet Esther in a London park. And then we meet Ted. Ted is a Canadian actor. From the very first moment Esther lays eyes on Ted, that is it. Esther has fallen deeply, hopelessly and completely for Ted.
What follows is nothing short of stalking. Esther’s days are consumed by Ted; she lives, breathes, and dreams only of Ted. She is obsessed! It starts off with the harmless following of Ted on social media, watching him on TV and becoming a Tedette! But then it goes out of control and well - you will not believe where it goes from here! Esther firmly believes that Ted is her soulmate and that she will do everything and anything to get him!
Unbelievable, insane and uncontrollable, Esther stops at nothing! Oh, my goodness, Esther was simply extraordinary in her endeavours! On one hand you think what is she doing and then on the other hand you are in her world, and you start to get really invested in what she is doing. In the end you will have to decide if you are rooting for her or, or not? I certainly did worry about her. You cannot help but feel for Esther as her vulnerability is laid bare with such honesty. Esther has experienced trauma and loss in the past which has affected her in so many ways and this does understandably impact on the choices and decisions she made. You may or may not agree with them but Esther's story will move you regardless.
A gripping, emotional, and unforgettable read with tough topics dealt with so sensitively. Esther is Now Following You is a 5 star read for me. Tanya Sweeney writes so brilliantly and I cannot wait to read her next book!
Thank you very much to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Books, for my advanced copy. This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
The main character of the book is Esther. Esther is a wonderful character whose evident vulnerabilities are matched by her heart of pure gold. Esther has faced grief and trauma in her past that have profoundly shaped her future and how she copes with life. We all have our own coping mechanisms to help us. I have never met a character as unique and unforgettable as Esther - for many reasons.
We first meet Esther in a London park. And then we meet Ted. Ted is a Canadian actor. From the very first moment Esther lays eyes on Ted, that is it. Esther has fallen deeply, hopelessly and completely for Ted.
What follows is nothing short of stalking. Esther’s days are consumed by Ted; she lives, breathes, and dreams only of Ted. She is obsessed! It starts off with the harmless following of Ted on social media, watching him on TV and becoming a Tedette! But then it goes out of control and well - you will not believe where it goes from here! Esther firmly believes that Ted is her soulmate and that she will do everything and anything to get him!
Unbelievable, insane and uncontrollable, Esther stops at nothing! Oh, my goodness, Esther was simply extraordinary in her endeavours! On one hand you think what is she doing and then on the other hand you are in her world, and you start to get really invested in what she is doing. In the end you will have to decide if you are rooting for her or, or not? I certainly did worry about her. You cannot help but feel for Esther as her vulnerability is laid bare with such honesty. Esther has experienced trauma and loss in the past which has affected her in so many ways and this does understandably impact on the choices and decisions she made. You may or may not agree with them but Esther's story will move you regardless.
A gripping, emotional, and unforgettable read with tough topics dealt with so sensitively. Esther is Now Following You is a 5 star read for me. Tanya Sweeney writes so brilliantly and I cannot wait to read her next book!
Thank you very much to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Bantam Books, for my advanced copy. This review is based on a NetGalley ARC provided in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I think we all judge a book by the cover. That first glance often tells us so much about what we are going to find inside. I looked at this one and saw fun, humour, maybe a love story? Well, yes, there are some of those, but there's so much more too.
There’s something quietly unsettling about the book and the story, and that’s very much its strength. Tanya Sweeney’s debut is one of those novels that slips under your skin almost without you realising, you are nudged into uncomfortable territory yet it's so readable and so compelling at the same time.
At first glance, the premise feels familiar: obsession, celebrity culture, fandom taken too far. But the author really doesn't sensationalise. Instead, she has produced a wonderful, intimate portrait of a woman whose inner life is far more fragile and complex than the surface narrative initially suggests. Esther is not an easy character to like, and I don't think that she is designed to be. I often found myself questioning her decisions, feeling frustrated by her beliefs and uneasy with the choices she makes. And yet, as the novel unfolds, it becomes harder to dismiss her as simply 'unhinged' or delusional.
The novel is paced so well. This is not a breathless thriller, but it is a slow, psychologically driven exploration of loneliness, longing, and the human need to be seen. There’s a quiet sadness at the heart of the story that lingers long after the final page, balanced with moments of sharp observation and the occasional wry note of humour.
The novel deals with modern fandom and online spaces, where connection and validation can feel so close, yet are ultimately hollow. Esther’s relationship with the digital world feels authentic and frighteningly plausible, particularly in how it feeds both her hope and her isolation.
Esther Is Now Following You is a quietly powerful debut, more melancholic than shocking, and far more empathetic than I expected from the blurb. It’s a novel about obsession, yes, but also about grief, depression, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. Not an easy read, but a rewarding one.
There’s something quietly unsettling about the book and the story, and that’s very much its strength. Tanya Sweeney’s debut is one of those novels that slips under your skin almost without you realising, you are nudged into uncomfortable territory yet it's so readable and so compelling at the same time.
At first glance, the premise feels familiar: obsession, celebrity culture, fandom taken too far. But the author really doesn't sensationalise. Instead, she has produced a wonderful, intimate portrait of a woman whose inner life is far more fragile and complex than the surface narrative initially suggests. Esther is not an easy character to like, and I don't think that she is designed to be. I often found myself questioning her decisions, feeling frustrated by her beliefs and uneasy with the choices she makes. And yet, as the novel unfolds, it becomes harder to dismiss her as simply 'unhinged' or delusional.
The novel is paced so well. This is not a breathless thriller, but it is a slow, psychologically driven exploration of loneliness, longing, and the human need to be seen. There’s a quiet sadness at the heart of the story that lingers long after the final page, balanced with moments of sharp observation and the occasional wry note of humour.
The novel deals with modern fandom and online spaces, where connection and validation can feel so close, yet are ultimately hollow. Esther’s relationship with the digital world feels authentic and frighteningly plausible, particularly in how it feeds both her hope and her isolation.
Esther Is Now Following You is a quietly powerful debut, more melancholic than shocking, and far more empathetic than I expected from the blurb. It’s a novel about obsession, yes, but also about grief, depression, and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive. Not an easy read, but a rewarding one.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
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, but it isn’t long before she’s joined Ted’s fan site where the ‘Tedettes’ stalk his every move. When Ted gets a new 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 not what I expected at all - but in a way, that became its greatest strength. It was less of a thriller and more of a complex, emotional character study about trauma and the often irrational lengths people go to in order to mentally protect themselves.
Esther is a brilliantly written character and narrator. I really felt for her, and at times I wanted to reach into the pages and hug her, and at other moments I wanted to shake some sense into her. Yet for me, that mix of frustration and empathy only further highlighted how strong the characterisation was.
Tanya Sweeney handles the themes of loss and grief with sensitivity and honesty, making the story feel raw and human. It’s darker than I expected, and rather than relying on twists, the tension builds slowly, creating an uncomfortable, affecting atmosphere. My only slight reservation was the ending, which felt a little flat compared to the rest of the novel.
Overall, Esther Is Now Following You is an impressive debut, and it’s clear a huge amount of thought has gone into both the narrative and the presentation of the book. I absolutely applaud the marketing behind it, and I look forward to what Tanya Sweeney writes next.
Thank you so much to Bantam Books and Tanya Sweeney for sending me this copy to read and review, and of course to Esther for recruiting me to be a Tedette! My opinions are my own.
Esther Is Now Following You is not what I expected at all - but in a way, that became its greatest strength. It was less of a thriller and more of a complex, emotional character study about trauma and the often irrational lengths people go to in order to mentally protect themselves.
Esther is a brilliantly written character and narrator. I really felt for her, and at times I wanted to reach into the pages and hug her, and at other moments I wanted to shake some sense into her. Yet for me, that mix of frustration and empathy only further highlighted how strong the characterisation was.
Tanya Sweeney handles the themes of loss and grief with sensitivity and honesty, making the story feel raw and human. It’s darker than I expected, and rather than relying on twists, the tension builds slowly, creating an uncomfortable, affecting atmosphere. My only slight reservation was the ending, which felt a little flat compared to the rest of the novel.
Overall, Esther Is Now Following You is an impressive debut, and it’s clear a huge amount of thought has gone into both the narrative and the presentation of the book. I absolutely applaud the marketing behind it, and I look forward to what Tanya Sweeney writes next.
Thank you so much to Bantam Books and Tanya Sweeney for sending me this copy to read and review, and of course to Esther for recruiting me to be a Tedette! My opinions are my own.
January 25, 2026
When I say don’t judge a book by its cover, I mean this one. Marketed as a social media parody, they said it was a funny and fluffy comedy about Esther, who goes obsessively looking for a celebrity with whom she falls in love.
Don’t get me wrong, it is most definitely that. But it’s also so much more. Tanya Sweeney used a fictional story to bring out themes which are all too real in our lives.
In the face of tragedy, Esther seeks solace in a local actor who is gaining momentum: our very own Ted Levy. Seeing him on a tiny screen wasn’t enough for Esther. She leaves her life in London, all the broken and mending bits, and heads to Canada to be with him. Ted becomes her entire world.
She joins an online community of Ted ‘fans’. She’s a Tedette in all the life-consuming ways one could be. And if you ever have been obsessed with a celebrity like I have, then we are all in some way, shape, or form, a Tedette. But Esther’s story rather tells the tale of Baby Reindeer but from the stalker’s perspective, which makes it a page turner as any!
Esther Is Now Following You deals with themes of grief, loss, and how one person’s coping mechanism can upend somebody else’s life.
Esther thought she was seeking an escape from a tragic incident, but her method to grapple with life’s heartbreak is a major cause of Ted and his family’s invasion of privacy. In between the words is a social commentary on never getting over a troubled childhood. Esther never had support growing up, and so she didn’t recognise it when she needed it the most. She’s manipulative, she’s witty, but she’s also broken and unable to put herself back together.
Esther’s ways of mentally protecting herself became a seedy underbelly of obsession and lack of accountability. It’s what made it such a good story to tell, but also what brought out thematic nuances of ‘Oh god, Esther, stop’!!
Do yourself a favour and READ THIS!!
Don’t get me wrong, it is most definitely that. But it’s also so much more. Tanya Sweeney used a fictional story to bring out themes which are all too real in our lives.
In the face of tragedy, Esther seeks solace in a local actor who is gaining momentum: our very own Ted Levy. Seeing him on a tiny screen wasn’t enough for Esther. She leaves her life in London, all the broken and mending bits, and heads to Canada to be with him. Ted becomes her entire world.
She joins an online community of Ted ‘fans’. She’s a Tedette in all the life-consuming ways one could be. And if you ever have been obsessed with a celebrity like I have, then we are all in some way, shape, or form, a Tedette. But Esther’s story rather tells the tale of Baby Reindeer but from the stalker’s perspective, which makes it a page turner as any!
Esther Is Now Following You deals with themes of grief, loss, and how one person’s coping mechanism can upend somebody else’s life.
Esther thought she was seeking an escape from a tragic incident, but her method to grapple with life’s heartbreak is a major cause of Ted and his family’s invasion of privacy. In between the words is a social commentary on never getting over a troubled childhood. Esther never had support growing up, and so she didn’t recognise it when she needed it the most. She’s manipulative, she’s witty, but she’s also broken and unable to put herself back together.
Esther’s ways of mentally protecting herself became a seedy underbelly of obsession and lack of accountability. It’s what made it such a good story to tell, but also what brought out thematic nuances of ‘Oh god, Esther, stop’!!
Do yourself a favour and READ THIS!!
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