What do you think?
Rate this book
Dinner Party
Never has an unexpected guest caused such chaos!
Three couples take it in turns to host a monthly dinner party.
Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends forever. Now they are grown up, with busy lives, busy husbands, busy kids… but they still find time to meet up over dinner once a month. A cosy, comfortable gathering of happy couples - or so they thought.
Until one night, someone brings along a last-minute guest whose wife has just left him.
Simon is standing on the doorstep in floods of tears. While the women do their best to console him, their husbands feel the need to mark their territory.
And as Simon becomes more involved with the group, his presence changes everything these three couples thought they knew about each other, leading to a final dinner party that no-one will ever forget.
From Amazon chart bestseller Tracy Bloom, Dinner Party is a funny and moving read that will make you see your marriage and friendships in a whole new light… and make you think twice about inviting your best mates round for dinner. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Nick Spalding and Gill Sims.
Three couples take it in turns to host a monthly dinner party.
Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends forever. Now they are grown up, with busy lives, busy husbands, busy kids… but they still find time to meet up over dinner once a month. A cosy, comfortable gathering of happy couples - or so they thought.
Until one night, someone brings along a last-minute guest whose wife has just left him.
Simon is standing on the doorstep in floods of tears. While the women do their best to console him, their husbands feel the need to mark their territory.
And as Simon becomes more involved with the group, his presence changes everything these three couples thought they knew about each other, leading to a final dinner party that no-one will ever forget.
From Amazon chart bestseller Tracy Bloom, Dinner Party is a funny and moving read that will make you see your marriage and friendships in a whole new light… and make you think twice about inviting your best mates round for dinner. Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes, Nick Spalding and Gill Sims.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2018
666 people are currently reading
328 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
November 14, 2025
3.5 stars
In this satirical comedy, a handsome stranger inadvertently wreaks havoc in the lives of three couples.
Beth and Chris, Sarah and Tony, and Marie and Duncan are three married couples with children who live in the English town of Morbeck. The adults have known each other for years, and socialize by hosting a monthly dinner party on a rotating basis.
Tonight's hosts are Beth and Chris, and Beth - who works as a nurse - is scrambling to get ready. As Beth dresses in her usual dowdy clothes she recalls a time - decades ago - when a cute boy called her cuddly. Beth interpreted this as chubby, and she still thinks of herself as frumpy and undesirable. Beth sometimes wonders if this is why she sticks it out with her postman husband Chris, who's good-natured but forgetful, annoying and dull.
Beth's negative mood is reinforced when Chris strolls in and announces - out of the blue - that he's invited a friend to the monthly dinner. The man, called Simon, is having a marital crisis and Chris thinks he'd benefit from a spot of company.
Beth is thinking about how to stretch dinner for six - including fondue, steaks, and lemon desserts - to feed seven while Chris is sent out to buy wine.
Meanwhile, Beth and Chris's couple friends arrive.
• Sarah and Tony: Pretty Sarah was a glamorous fashion buyer in London when she started an adulterous affair with Tony, a rich architect. The duo ditched their spouses to marry each other, and then moved to Morbeck. Sarah, now a stay-at-home mom, spends her time decorating their lovely home.....and is bored out of her mind.
• Marie and Duncan: Marie is a curvaceous sexpot who works in a woman's clothing boutique, and Duncan is the director of a call center. Duncan is an easygoing guy who takes it in stride when his wife flirts with other men.....just glad that she 'picked him' to spend her life with.
The six friends are chatting and sipping wine (or beer in Chris's case) when Simon arrives at the front door. As fate would have it Simon is a handsome, ripped fellow (in a tight shirt) who's in despair about the loss of his no-good cheating wife.
All the dinner guests, especially the women, are empathetic about Simon's plight, and - as things play out - the ladies offer sympathy, advice, a helping hand, a shoulder to cry on, and maybe a bit more (wink wink).
Chris is happy for his suffering friend, but Tony and Duncan are irked....and ALL the men inadvertently get sucked into Simon's affairs....especially as Simon is invited to subsequent dinner parties.
Things take unexpected - generally humorous - turns as the story unfolds. The funniest (and most frustrating) character in the novel is Chris, a clueless 'nice guy' who's always up for a good time - preferably in an eatery that serves beer, Pringles and dip, fish and chips, chicken wings, and mushy peas.
The book is structured around an interview by a journalist, who - months after the occurrences in the story - is speaking to some of the characters. As the people answer her questions, we also learn about past events in their lives.
All this rolls along to a fitting climax that's believable and satisfying.
The book is a light read that imparts some of life's hard truths. I enjoyed the novel and recommend it to fans of humorous literature.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
May 28, 2020
3.5*
I won't say this is a bad book. It's a happy, silly hilarious book about 3 married couples.
Not giving 5 stars because, the writing is simple, the story and characters though colorful and different are not memorable. But this book is not boring at all and is quite funny😁.
So the couples Chris & Beth, Marie & Duncan, Sara & Tony host dinner parties at their homes frequently. On one fine day, Chris unexpectedly brings his friend Simon along with him. How does it matter, right? But his presence causes a series of unexpected events that change the lives of all the characters involved.
Funny yet interesting take on relationships and marriage.
I won't say this is a bad book. It's a happy, silly hilarious book about 3 married couples.
Not giving 5 stars because, the writing is simple, the story and characters though colorful and different are not memorable. But this book is not boring at all and is quite funny😁.
So the couples Chris & Beth, Marie & Duncan, Sara & Tony host dinner parties at their homes frequently. On one fine day, Chris unexpectedly brings his friend Simon along with him. How does it matter, right? But his presence causes a series of unexpected events that change the lives of all the characters involved.
Funny yet interesting take on relationships and marriage.
August 28, 2018
This is Tracy Bloom at her best - funny, real people, fabulous situations and a hook that kept me intrigued until the end.
Who would have predicted that introducing one stranger as an act of kindness into an established group of friends, would have such far reaching consequences.
The three couples are friends due to the women Beth, Sarah and Marie who have known each other since school. The husbands, Chris, Tony and Duncan tolerate each other for the sake of the women. When Chris announces last minute that he has invited Simon to one of their regular dinner parties, its sets off a chain reaction of events that had me gripped.
Each chapter focuses on a different character, but at the end of each chapter there are what appears to be an ongoing interview between a journalist and members of the group - and it was those that had me intrigued first. I had to know why there was a journalist and from the hints in the answers to the questions, just what happened, as its clear something large occurred at one party but that is all I am saying on the matter.
All six of the main characters are so completely different, and with the exception of Tony, I tended to like or at least sympathise with all the others. I loved their various quirks from Tony's insistence on perfection and snobbery, to Chriss love of dips - I've never read a book featuring dips so heavily before - nor a group of people who appear to be addicted to them as the perfect opening to a dinner party
Then there is Marie's health and fitness obsession, Beth who really needs to believe in herself more, Dunan who has a great way of training new staff where he works, and Sarah who seems stuck in a rut. Each so different but their dinner parties in the past apparently have worked.
There are many laugh out loud moments and all the characters are just to realistic. The odds are you have met one or two of them yourself. For this is what Tracy Bloom does best, adds hilarity into situations involving just regular, believable people.
I loved every second of this fabulous book, its just a shame I had to reach the end. If you are looking for something fun, light hearted and purely entertaining then read Dinner Party!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Who would have predicted that introducing one stranger as an act of kindness into an established group of friends, would have such far reaching consequences.
The three couples are friends due to the women Beth, Sarah and Marie who have known each other since school. The husbands, Chris, Tony and Duncan tolerate each other for the sake of the women. When Chris announces last minute that he has invited Simon to one of their regular dinner parties, its sets off a chain reaction of events that had me gripped.
Each chapter focuses on a different character, but at the end of each chapter there are what appears to be an ongoing interview between a journalist and members of the group - and it was those that had me intrigued first. I had to know why there was a journalist and from the hints in the answers to the questions, just what happened, as its clear something large occurred at one party but that is all I am saying on the matter.
All six of the main characters are so completely different, and with the exception of Tony, I tended to like or at least sympathise with all the others. I loved their various quirks from Tony's insistence on perfection and snobbery, to Chriss love of dips - I've never read a book featuring dips so heavily before - nor a group of people who appear to be addicted to them as the perfect opening to a dinner party
Then there is Marie's health and fitness obsession, Beth who really needs to believe in herself more, Dunan who has a great way of training new staff where he works, and Sarah who seems stuck in a rut. Each so different but their dinner parties in the past apparently have worked.
There are many laugh out loud moments and all the characters are just to realistic. The odds are you have met one or two of them yourself. For this is what Tracy Bloom does best, adds hilarity into situations involving just regular, believable people.
I loved every second of this fabulous book, its just a shame I had to reach the end. If you are looking for something fun, light hearted and purely entertaining then read Dinner Party!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
January 9, 2019
Me[throughout the first 75% of this book]:
Me[reading the last 25%]:
THE PLOT :
Meet the leading trio – Beth, Sarah and Marie. They’ve been friends since high school. Now, in their late forties, they’re still friends and make it a point to dine at each other’s house with their husbands Chris, Tony and Duncan. Things get complicated when a young man named Simon is invited to one of their parties by an oblivious Chris. The woman all fawn over him, and to their pleasure, Simon’s wife had just left him for their neighbor. The husbands do not like the development between Simon and their wives, who all trying petulantly to help him cope with his grief. The sharp turn in their lives post-Simon is portrayed in a witty and humorous manner, with a thrilling end.
Frankly, it took me quite a while to get used to the tone of the novel. There were so many characters introduced at once; the narrative seemed a bit confusing. The characters were annoyingly stupid for their age, especially the ladies. I couldn’t gather whether the author intended for them to be that way, or if they were just that way. Speak of forty year olds seducing a twenty-something by showing cleavage in front of their husbands, and all other flirtatious attempts in a not-so-obvious way.
THE CHARACTERS :
All of the characters were stereotyped into one-dimension. They were all walking-talking-acting in a way that said they didn’t know to be anything else. Seriously, it was almost to the point of ridiculousness, the way Chris ALWAYS talked about food and dips, Marie ALWAYS seemed to be thrusting her breasts onto other men and how Beth was ALWAYS the voice of reason, even though she was flawed character herself. Here’s all you need to know about the characters in case you don’t believe me:
Beth : The reasonable, fat old lady with the most loving husband ever.
Chris : His sole purpose in life is to inhale dips and nachos and admire his ‘cuddly’ wife.
Sarah : The supermodel, the beauty who had it all – filthy rich husband, a loving daughter and huge ass home and dresses.
Tony : The curt, arrogant husband. Always showing off his earning and making sure others knew not to meddle with him.
Marie : The fitness freak; the flirt; who seeked everyone else’s attention except for her husband’s.
Duncan : Manager at a call center where he has a slightly awkward situation with his PA. Never bothering to respond to his wife flirting with other men.
Simon : The unintentional guest. Broken-hearted at his wife’s affair. Seeking solace from married woman nearly as old as his mum.
Candice : The passionate sex-seeker. Duncan’s employee. Her only purpose in life, according to the other ladies, is to ‘sleep with everybody’.
Another thing that bothered me a lot was how each of the characters treated each other. There was little to no compassion, no actual friendship, no reason why they’ve been doing their dinner parties for so long since none of them enjoyed it at all (except of Chris of course. He can never NOT enjoy food). And the way they took control of other people’s life, destroyed other’s marriages and said incredibly mean things about them – it was baffling. Are all adults this way? I don’t aspire to grow up anymore.
The ending was the only thing that makes me not one-star this book. It was interesting and unexpected, although a little too convenient. But I didn’t like how Marie and Candice were dismissed altogether from the epilogue.
I did not like any of the characters, nor did I laugh or cry at the moments that called for it. But somehow I was rather satisfied with the ending, considering it took me a while to reach there.
I haven’t read a book like this one, nor do I know who might enjoy this. Pick it up if you’re in for some humorous quirky characters and writing that tries in vain to be sarcastic.
P.S. HALF-STARS FOR THE DIP RECIPE!
*bored*
*what’s even happening*
*who’s the husband of who?*
*these grannies are worse than the teen movie chicks*
Me[reading the last 25%]:
Wait..?! Why is this getting interesting NOW?
THE PLOT :
Meet the leading trio – Beth, Sarah and Marie. They’ve been friends since high school. Now, in their late forties, they’re still friends and make it a point to dine at each other’s house with their husbands Chris, Tony and Duncan. Things get complicated when a young man named Simon is invited to one of their parties by an oblivious Chris. The woman all fawn over him, and to their pleasure, Simon’s wife had just left him for their neighbor. The husbands do not like the development between Simon and their wives, who all trying petulantly to help him cope with his grief. The sharp turn in their lives post-Simon is portrayed in a witty and humorous manner, with a thrilling end.
Frankly, it took me quite a while to get used to the tone of the novel. There were so many characters introduced at once; the narrative seemed a bit confusing. The characters were annoyingly stupid for their age, especially the ladies. I couldn’t gather whether the author intended for them to be that way, or if they were just that way. Speak of forty year olds seducing a twenty-something by showing cleavage in front of their husbands, and all other flirtatious attempts in a not-so-obvious way.
THE CHARACTERS :
All of the characters were stereotyped into one-dimension. They were all walking-talking-acting in a way that said they didn’t know to be anything else. Seriously, it was almost to the point of ridiculousness, the way Chris ALWAYS talked about food and dips, Marie ALWAYS seemed to be thrusting her breasts onto other men and how Beth was ALWAYS the voice of reason, even though she was flawed character herself. Here’s all you need to know about the characters in case you don’t believe me:
Beth : The reasonable, fat old lady with the most loving husband ever.
Chris : His sole purpose in life is to inhale dips and nachos and admire his ‘cuddly’ wife.
Sarah : The supermodel, the beauty who had it all – filthy rich husband, a loving daughter and huge ass home and dresses.
Tony : The curt, arrogant husband. Always showing off his earning and making sure others knew not to meddle with him.
Marie : The fitness freak; the flirt; who seeked everyone else’s attention except for her husband’s.
Duncan : Manager at a call center where he has a slightly awkward situation with his PA. Never bothering to respond to his wife flirting with other men.
Simon : The unintentional guest. Broken-hearted at his wife’s affair. Seeking solace from married woman nearly as old as his mum.
Candice : The passionate sex-seeker. Duncan’s employee. Her only purpose in life, according to the other ladies, is to ‘sleep with everybody’.
Another thing that bothered me a lot was how each of the characters treated each other. There was little to no compassion, no actual friendship, no reason why they’ve been doing their dinner parties for so long since none of them enjoyed it at all (except of Chris of course. He can never NOT enjoy food). And the way they took control of other people’s life, destroyed other’s marriages and said incredibly mean things about them – it was baffling. Are all adults this way? I don’t aspire to grow up anymore.
The ending was the only thing that makes me not one-star this book. It was interesting and unexpected, although a little too convenient. But I didn’t like how Marie and Candice were dismissed altogether from the epilogue.
I did not like any of the characters, nor did I laugh or cry at the moments that called for it. But somehow I was rather satisfied with the ending, considering it took me a while to reach there.
I haven’t read a book like this one, nor do I know who might enjoy this. Pick it up if you’re in for some humorous quirky characters and writing that tries in vain to be sarcastic.
P.S. HALF-STARS FOR THE DIP RECIPE!
September 29, 2018
I was immediately drawn to this book because the synopsis sounded hilarious. Sadly, I’m left disappointed. Recently I’m having bad luck with “Laugh out loud” stories, so it could be one of those “It’s me, Not you” situations. Also, I could not stand any of the characters and found myself only laughing a couple of times. I enjoyed it enough to at least say it wasn’t terrible, but not sure if I’ll be recommending to other readers.
Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2018
Guest reviewed for Harlequin Junkie website. https://www.harlequinjunkie.com
September 14, 2018
Be ware : Unexpected guests may lead to unexpected situations ...
This book was simply gorgeous. If you are looking for a workout for your laughing muscles, then this is a must read!
Behind all this laughter and fun there is a deeper meaning hidden. It's about love, betrayal and a lot more emotions that live throws at you. True friendship will pass the test of time and will conquer all and even if certain words are not always said out loud, the feelings can be very real.
This story is fluently written and you don't want to put it aside.
Thank you, Tracy Bloom, Bookouture and Netgalley
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
This book was simply gorgeous. If you are looking for a workout for your laughing muscles, then this is a must read!
Behind all this laughter and fun there is a deeper meaning hidden. It's about love, betrayal and a lot more emotions that live throws at you. True friendship will pass the test of time and will conquer all and even if certain words are not always said out loud, the feelings can be very real.
This story is fluently written and you don't want to put it aside.
Thank you, Tracy Bloom, Bookouture and Netgalley
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
August 17, 2018
This book is billed as a ‘LOL Romantic Comedy’ and it passes all 3 descriptions, LOL, Romantic and Conedy
The book is about 3 couples who in turn host a monthly dinner party and what happens when a ‘newbie’ recently single man is ‘allowed’ to attend one of the ‘do’s’
The 6 have all known each other forever, have issues ( with themselves and each other ) and worries, foibles, stresses, quirks and things that irritate each other 😃😃
The chapters are written by each of them and the lead up, the actual event and the consequences of each ‘dinner party’
The interloper causes choas, of course and people start to question things they hadn’t previously questioned
I had a soft spot for Beth whose indignation at life and herself was very funny but also very touching
There are times of farce which had me really laughing and also times of kinda sadness which had me really feeling for some of them ( some of the characters loved, some didnt!!!as was intended)
A real fun book that I felt at ease with,there were surprises at the end but I finished the book with a big smile and happy I had ‘met them all’ and been to these ‘dinner parties’
9/10 5 stars
July 17, 2019
“Dinner Party” by Tracy Bloom lives up to all the hype and more! This is an unputdownable delight of a book that will have you laughing at the foibles of the very human couples at one dinner party wrecked by one unexpected guest. I loved it! 5/5
Pub Date 26 Sep 2018
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#DinnerParty #NetGalley
Pub Date 26 Sep 2018
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.
#DinnerParty #NetGalley
September 3, 2018
Beth, Sarah and Marie are in their mid-forties and have been friends since school. Once a month, they and their husbands meet at one of their houses for a dinner party. When it's Beth and Chris' turn, he had forgotten to tell her that he had invited his friend, Simon. Simon and his wife had just split up (she had been cheating on him) and he was heartbroken. Beth has been exasperated with Chris for a while and it's all she can do to control herself. When Simon arrives, the three friends are drawn to him, something a couple of the husbands notice. As the months go on and the dinner parties continue to happen, Simon becomes more and more part of their lives and what is lacking in their own lives becomes apparent.
This was the fourth book I read by this author and I thought it was okay. I liked the writing style ... it's a quick easy read. It is written by an English author so there are some references and terminology I didn't get. It's written in third person perspective from different perspectives (the chapters are labeled so you know whose voice it is). In addition, Beth had won a dinner party hosted by a chef and leading up to that, a journalist would be interviewing everyone. At the end of each chapter, there is a short interview between the journalist and one of the seven main characters. As a head's up, there is swearing.
I wasn't crazy about the majority of the characters. The only ones I liked were Simon, Chris (though he seemed overly obsessed about dips), Duncan and Issy (Duncan's assistant). I don't know how these three women stayed friends all these years because they were usually nasty and snippy with each other. Tony, Sarah's husband, was an arrogant controlling jerk and I don't know why Sarah stayed married to him.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/09...
This was the fourth book I read by this author and I thought it was okay. I liked the writing style ... it's a quick easy read. It is written by an English author so there are some references and terminology I didn't get. It's written in third person perspective from different perspectives (the chapters are labeled so you know whose voice it is). In addition, Beth had won a dinner party hosted by a chef and leading up to that, a journalist would be interviewing everyone. At the end of each chapter, there is a short interview between the journalist and one of the seven main characters. As a head's up, there is swearing.
I wasn't crazy about the majority of the characters. The only ones I liked were Simon, Chris (though he seemed overly obsessed about dips), Duncan and Issy (Duncan's assistant). I don't know how these three women stayed friends all these years because they were usually nasty and snippy with each other. Tony, Sarah's husband, was an arrogant controlling jerk and I don't know why Sarah stayed married to him.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/09...
September 27, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.
Another fun filled romantic comedy which centres round three couples who have been long term friends. Suddenly a stranger is added to the mix and chaos ensues. This is a fast paced perfect for the beach read.
Another fun filled romantic comedy which centres round three couples who have been long term friends. Suddenly a stranger is added to the mix and chaos ensues. This is a fast paced perfect for the beach read.
October 30, 2018
Three couple's lives are turned upside down when an unplanned quest arrives at their dinner party.
I thought I might be in for a fun read when I found myself laughing on the very first page. And while there continued to be many laughable moments, there were also some serious times and in one instance, a tragedy. I don't know how Tracy Bloom managed to put this all together. The short chapters made the story move along quickly. I read this in one sitting and found it to be most enjoyable.
My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley.
I thought I might be in for a fun read when I found myself laughing on the very first page. And while there continued to be many laughable moments, there were also some serious times and in one instance, a tragedy. I don't know how Tracy Bloom managed to put this all together. The short chapters made the story move along quickly. I read this in one sitting and found it to be most enjoyable.
My thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley.
September 18, 2018
The most fun I have had reading this year. Highly recommend as a fun, fast-paced read with lots of laughs and eye-rolling! I thank Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 2, 2018
Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends since school. Now, once a month, they and their husbands, that truly don't have anything in common except their wives being friends, meet at one of their places for a dinner party, that usually run without mishaps and in a nice atmosphere. However, this time, when it's Beth and Chris's turn, he forgets to tell his wife that he has invited his new friend Simon. Simon and his wife have just split up and he's been since heartbroken. To be honest, nobody is too happy with the new addition but when he arrives, the three female friends find themselves drawn to him, which doesn't go unnoticed by their husbands. As the time goes on and the dinner parties as well, Simon becomes more part of their lives, however his presence also causes chaos and misunderstandings that eventually lead to a very dramatic finale.
There are six main characters in this book - yes, you could say it's a lot, but they're all so different and right from the beginning you get the feeling who is who and to whom they belong. All of them had perfectly distinctive voices, they had their quirks, flaws and secrets, some of them were too perfect and too snobbish, some of them really overdid with their love of dips - it was funny at the beginning but then it stopped being funny and started to feel irritating. Each chapter is told by a different character and all of them have a chance to tell us their thoughts, which was a brilliant way, as it was really great to see how each of them perceive the particular situation or what they really think.
Due to short Q&As at the end of each chapter between a journalist and one of the characters we quickly get the sense that something big has happened. Yes, it did, but it took the whole book to get to the point - a little too long for this story, to be honest, but I also understand that should it have been written differently, there wouldn't be the grande finale that the author presented us with. However, it just felt too short and too rapid in comparison to the whole story. On the other hand, it was truly surprising and unexpected what has happened at the end.
It was an interesting, sharp - observed read that for me lacked in the final touch, the wow - effect and the idea of mixing stories of three different couples was a brilliant one, and adding then an extra person to this mix was even better, as it was for sure going to steer problems and troubles, but it was not developed. I was all the time asking myself: and? Please don't get me wrong, I love Tracy Bloom, but this time I actually wasn't sure what she wants to tell us with this novel. It is also billed as a "LOL Romantic Comedy" however for me it was neither LOL nor romantic nor comedy. However, I DID enjoy the book. Even though I didn't sympathize with the characters, they were very well drawn and felt realistic. Why didn't I sympathize with them? Well, first of all, I truly wasn't sure why they're calling themselves friends, I didn't feel any bond between them, even between Beth, Sarah and Marie who have known each other since school, and well, Tony did admit, on many different occasions, that he actually has nothing in common with Chris and Duncan. They had many issues with each other and actually, they weren't friendly, they were nasty and jealous of each other.
This book is written in this lovely, light Tracy Bloom's writing style that I so much adore. She also for sure can create a bunch of regular, relatable characters with real problems and get them into some complicated and often hilarious situations. There is also so much depth to this story, as it touches upon love, betrayal, friendship and second chances. It makes me really sad that the book didn't work for me as much as I was sure it's going to, but Tracy Bloom stays at the very top of my auto - buy authors, I will read whatever she writes.
Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
November 5, 2018
Dinner Party by Tracy Bloom was the perfect escape from my usual, dark thrillers or emotional reads. The story begins at a dinner party hosted by Chris and Beth. They are soon joined by their friends Duncan, Sarah, Tony and Marie. The 6 usually have dinner parties once every month. They also have a hosting rota for each of the couples. A tradition that they have maintained for years. However, for the first time, a stranger joins them. Simon was invited by Chris who then forgot to tell the others. He doesn’t really know him but he thought the dinner would cheer him up. Little did the group know that their lives were about to change. All it took was one surprise guest.
This ended up being quite a delightful read. There were four main dinners held and each one proved to be explosive. Secrets were revealed while boundaries were crossed. New relationships were formed while old ones had to be reexamined. All this happened over the aroma of a variety of foods. Dip kept being mentioned at the dinners and people were a bit crazy over different types of dip. I don’t know what Dip is but it sure does sound delicious.
I only had one niggle with this book. For whatever reason, Sarah, Marie, Tony and Duncan confused me for most part of the story. I kept forgetting who was married to who and who worked where. I don’t know why the 4 had me mixed up. I remember standing over the kitchen sink yesterday thinking about the book, not the story but trying to remind myself who the 4 were. Something I should have know given that I was actually 50% into the story but my mind simply refused to differentiate them until the final chapters. Now I know Sarah is married to Tony and Marie to Duncan. Not sure why mind just couldn’t remember that.
Dinner Party was a great read. Although, light and fun for the most part, it tackled different themes to do with marriage. In a way, it kinda made me think about relationships and what it really means to find ‘the one’. It also made me think about Dip. What exactly is it? I have tried to Google it but it doesn’t look that yummy like these characters made it out to be. Anyway, I digress. This was indeed an enjoyable read.
This ended up being quite a delightful read. There were four main dinners held and each one proved to be explosive. Secrets were revealed while boundaries were crossed. New relationships were formed while old ones had to be reexamined. All this happened over the aroma of a variety of foods. Dip kept being mentioned at the dinners and people were a bit crazy over different types of dip. I don’t know what Dip is but it sure does sound delicious.
I only had one niggle with this book. For whatever reason, Sarah, Marie, Tony and Duncan confused me for most part of the story. I kept forgetting who was married to who and who worked where. I don’t know why the 4 had me mixed up. I remember standing over the kitchen sink yesterday thinking about the book, not the story but trying to remind myself who the 4 were. Something I should have know given that I was actually 50% into the story but my mind simply refused to differentiate them until the final chapters. Now I know Sarah is married to Tony and Marie to Duncan. Not sure why mind just couldn’t remember that.
Dinner Party was a great read. Although, light and fun for the most part, it tackled different themes to do with marriage. In a way, it kinda made me think about relationships and what it really means to find ‘the one’. It also made me think about Dip. What exactly is it? I have tried to Google it but it doesn’t look that yummy like these characters made it out to be. Anyway, I digress. This was indeed an enjoyable read.
August 14, 2023
Oh my, what a hoot this book was!!
I have to say, I absolutely LOVED Chris! The second he turned up wanting dips, my heart was stolen. If the biggest problem he has in life is whether there will be dips at a dinner party, then I am in. He was just sweet and a lot of the time naive, but he completely stole my heart and I loved him for it. Whenever he was about, he made me laugh so much! He just wanted to be a lad, with mushy peas and dips! I like Duncan too, well felt more sorry for him really and Tony, well he wasn't always the nicest of blokes, a bit pompous.
Beth, too, I liked her but she was way too harsh on herself, but then aren't most of us? Marie, god she riled me and Sarah, I would have loved to have been there for her.
The chaos of this book was because of one man, Simon! I have no idea how so much rife and chaos could be caused by a single heartbreak, but his did!
A complete misfit of friends but it worked for the story, and you know as well it happens every day. There is always one person who goes as it's obligatory, not because they like any of the other people, and it's always because it's the women who are friends.
I just adored this book, and I loved some of the ending, and appreciated another bit, despite it being sad. I even let the mini-me listen to the book, ignoring the swearing, she enjoyed it and was sad she didn't get a chance to listen to the end. I will let her know what happens.
I have a few more of Tracy's books on my TBR and I am excited to read them. This book is the tonic I needed and I would have devoured the audiobook quicker if I was able to. The narrator was spot on and the comedic timing was amplified with her.
Everything worked for me, a winner-winner chicken dinner!
I have to say, I absolutely LOVED Chris! The second he turned up wanting dips, my heart was stolen. If the biggest problem he has in life is whether there will be dips at a dinner party, then I am in. He was just sweet and a lot of the time naive, but he completely stole my heart and I loved him for it. Whenever he was about, he made me laugh so much! He just wanted to be a lad, with mushy peas and dips! I like Duncan too, well felt more sorry for him really and Tony, well he wasn't always the nicest of blokes, a bit pompous.
Beth, too, I liked her but she was way too harsh on herself, but then aren't most of us? Marie, god she riled me and Sarah, I would have loved to have been there for her.
The chaos of this book was because of one man, Simon! I have no idea how so much rife and chaos could be caused by a single heartbreak, but his did!
A complete misfit of friends but it worked for the story, and you know as well it happens every day. There is always one person who goes as it's obligatory, not because they like any of the other people, and it's always because it's the women who are friends.
I just adored this book, and I loved some of the ending, and appreciated another bit, despite it being sad. I even let the mini-me listen to the book, ignoring the swearing, she enjoyed it and was sad she didn't get a chance to listen to the end. I will let her know what happens.
I have a few more of Tracy's books on my TBR and I am excited to read them. This book is the tonic I needed and I would have devoured the audiobook quicker if I was able to. The narrator was spot on and the comedic timing was amplified with her.
Everything worked for me, a winner-winner chicken dinner!
September 30, 2018
This was a very interesting read for me - how the dynamics between three long-standing couples changes when someone else is introduced into the mix.
Sarah, Marie and Beth - three very different women who have been friends forever, and their husbands. Each couple has a different kind of history from each other and there are a lot of personalities to think about in this book, which makes it intriguing.
The couples have been taking turns in hosting monthly dinner parties and this has worked well, until one night when Chris introduces Simon to the mix. It brings out the best and the worst in the others and this is the start of a lot of changes for all of them.
I don't want to spoil the surprises which are in store for the reader, but I found this a solid read which left me thinking.
I give it 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.
Sarah, Marie and Beth - three very different women who have been friends forever, and their husbands. Each couple has a different kind of history from each other and there are a lot of personalities to think about in this book, which makes it intriguing.
The couples have been taking turns in hosting monthly dinner parties and this has worked well, until one night when Chris introduces Simon to the mix. It brings out the best and the worst in the others and this is the start of a lot of changes for all of them.
I don't want to spoil the surprises which are in store for the reader, but I found this a solid read which left me thinking.
I give it 4 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture.
November 18, 2018
I keep finding books lately with a character named after me ... Beth. i know it is totally the small things ...but we all can appreciate this and that. i am new to Tracy's writing ...love the cover. such a new fan. hilarious situations. I can sympathize or understand what these ladies are going through ...maybe that is why i enjoyed the read more?? not sure. 3 ladies are going through a mid-life crisis with their 3 husbands. & like always men are always totally clueless ...is that good for them or what?? lol! well written and the story flows so nicely.
January 26, 2021
An easy read. Not much happens. A very rushed ending! One thing I hate is a rushed ending.
September 7, 2018
This was a disappointing read for me as I expected more from it. Perhaps it was because it was billed as a ‘laugh out loud comedy’ I was wanting a lot more humour. Don’t get me wrong, it was an okay read, but I didn’t laugh all the way through as I had wanted to.
Weaving the stories of several different couples around their regular dinner party get together is a great idea, and the addition of an extra person into the mix creates an interesting dynamic. I enjoyed the addition of the little bits at the end of each chapter with the journalist questioning the dinner guests.
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.
Weaving the stories of several different couples around their regular dinner party get together is a great idea, and the addition of an extra person into the mix creates an interesting dynamic. I enjoyed the addition of the little bits at the end of each chapter with the journalist questioning the dinner guests.
Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for providing a copy.
August 27, 2018
So I reviewed The Last Laugh only the other day but I felt the need to get straight to this, The Dinner Party, which sounded like exactly what I was int he mood for. And it totally was! Sorry to tell you but the link will lead you to a pre-order link, so you’ve a little bit to wait before its release, but I think, at that time of the year, ie end September, a comedy such as this will be a treat to randomly arrive into your Kindle in-box, so I’m thinking of you here;)
As you see above, Beth, Sarah and Marie are old friends, but ones that don’t catch up that often anymore. There may be a reason for this as we are given three very different women, all with their own insecurities and all with ranging personalities. The book leans more towards Beth than the others, but we are nicely put into the shoes of the others and, in a nice twist, we get to meet their husbands too. Now I know people who read my reviews are about to say ‘oh no, here we go again,’ but it has to be done. I love love love multiple povs and a cast of characters that’s done well and they most definitely are here! Depending on your personality you’ll empathise with different people, but I have to say that the people I considered bang on were the husbands, and in particular Chris and Duncan. The women, on the whole, weren’t really my cup of tea and I have to say I was so disappointed that I leaned towards a full on dislike of Beth and could not get what everyone was saying about her being so amazing. Beth was one of these people who decided that everyone only saw her for her weight, and we heard about it very regularly. We were constantly told how lovely and helpful she was, but actually all I saw was someone who was meddling and way too critical of everyone else. Her blurts were mean and cruel at times and I got a bit tired of everyone acting like it was endearing that she was so upfront. Marie, was an, um interesting character, obsessed with how she looked and Sarah, well actually I loved Sarah who was having a crisis of confidence of her own.
The guys were brilliantly done, from Chris, who was so underappreciated, to Duncan who reminded me of one of the side characters in Notting Hill to Tony who played his role to a tee! Then there was Simon, lovely Simon, who I nodded along with. I loved the concepts of the dinner party and laughed along with the guys as they were aghast at all the etiquette involved (reminds me of previous rants I’ve had on how things have gone so crazy in terms of food and drink, how Gin and Wine are treated as if they’re not alcohol, breadsticks are acceptable while your sliced pan isn’t, people use the term ‘pan-fried’ and ‘rustic’ to make things sound posher -that sort of thing!) and the comedy flowed along. I’ll admit that (in the same way someone on eg the X Factor might give someone who sings like Leona Lewis a bit of advice-they know she’s the best at what she does but it’s just a little aside), the ending was a bit rushed or something, I’m not quite sure what it was, but I felt it could have been a bit more neatly parceled, and I think Duncan’s story could have flowed a little bit more and been rounded up nicer so we saw it happening, but as I’ve just said, this is just an opinion and all in all I loved this book. Very much recommended. Thanks so much to Bookouture and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5/5
As you see above, Beth, Sarah and Marie are old friends, but ones that don’t catch up that often anymore. There may be a reason for this as we are given three very different women, all with their own insecurities and all with ranging personalities. The book leans more towards Beth than the others, but we are nicely put into the shoes of the others and, in a nice twist, we get to meet their husbands too. Now I know people who read my reviews are about to say ‘oh no, here we go again,’ but it has to be done. I love love love multiple povs and a cast of characters that’s done well and they most definitely are here! Depending on your personality you’ll empathise with different people, but I have to say that the people I considered bang on were the husbands, and in particular Chris and Duncan. The women, on the whole, weren’t really my cup of tea and I have to say I was so disappointed that I leaned towards a full on dislike of Beth and could not get what everyone was saying about her being so amazing. Beth was one of these people who decided that everyone only saw her for her weight, and we heard about it very regularly. We were constantly told how lovely and helpful she was, but actually all I saw was someone who was meddling and way too critical of everyone else. Her blurts were mean and cruel at times and I got a bit tired of everyone acting like it was endearing that she was so upfront. Marie, was an, um interesting character, obsessed with how she looked and Sarah, well actually I loved Sarah who was having a crisis of confidence of her own.
The guys were brilliantly done, from Chris, who was so underappreciated, to Duncan who reminded me of one of the side characters in Notting Hill to Tony who played his role to a tee! Then there was Simon, lovely Simon, who I nodded along with. I loved the concepts of the dinner party and laughed along with the guys as they were aghast at all the etiquette involved (reminds me of previous rants I’ve had on how things have gone so crazy in terms of food and drink, how Gin and Wine are treated as if they’re not alcohol, breadsticks are acceptable while your sliced pan isn’t, people use the term ‘pan-fried’ and ‘rustic’ to make things sound posher -that sort of thing!) and the comedy flowed along. I’ll admit that (in the same way someone on eg the X Factor might give someone who sings like Leona Lewis a bit of advice-they know she’s the best at what she does but it’s just a little aside), the ending was a bit rushed or something, I’m not quite sure what it was, but I felt it could have been a bit more neatly parceled, and I think Duncan’s story could have flowed a little bit more and been rounded up nicer so we saw it happening, but as I’ve just said, this is just an opinion and all in all I loved this book. Very much recommended. Thanks so much to Bookouture and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5/5
September 24, 2018
The Dinner Party centres on three friends and their husbands who meet on a monthly basis for a get together. Everything has been going smoothly until one of the group invites a new person without any notice. This change in the dynamic highlights the cracks in their lives and their friendships changing things forever.
Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends since school and over the years their lives have taken different paths. The monthly dinner parties were started as an attempt to stay close to each other. Through the book you can see how different these women have become. Beth is a nurse who seems to lack self-confidence after a colleague called her cuddly, Sarah had been an important fashion buyer in London who gave it all up and moved back to the place she grew up after falling in love with her brothers friend, but despite looking like she had everything she was bored with her life and Marie worked in a fashion shop but thinks she looks the bees knees and always vying to be the centre of attention.
The husbands Chris, Duncan and Tony have absolutely nothing in common with each other but I guess it is a testament to how they feel about their wives that they are willing to endure the monthly gatherings to please them. When Simon is introduced to the group it begins to get interesting and they all start to show their true colours either by fawning all over him or resenting his presence.
I will admit that I took a total dislike to Tony out of the whole group. I am not sure if it was down to the fact that he left his first wife for Sarah, or the fact that he is a wealthy and successful architect but his possessiveness over her his attitude to others just left me cold. I could really feel for Sarah as she wrestled with telling him she had secured a part time job as she was not sure what his reaction would be. Although Beth’s husband Chris comes across as a bit absent minded you can see that he has a good heart by the way he tries to help Simon through his marriage breakdown and as the story progresses you find out that he totally adores his wife.
Having chuckled my way through No One Has Sex on Christmas Day I was looking forward to reading the Dinner Party. Once again I found myself chuckling at some of the situations that occurred at each new dinner party. I am certainly thankful that none of my friends have ever entertained such an idea as I would be scrambling to find ways to avoid them. Although you just know that things will not necessarily end well I was not expecting them to end the way they did. For fans of Tracy Bloom this is definitely one to add to your TBR pile.
Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends since school and over the years their lives have taken different paths. The monthly dinner parties were started as an attempt to stay close to each other. Through the book you can see how different these women have become. Beth is a nurse who seems to lack self-confidence after a colleague called her cuddly, Sarah had been an important fashion buyer in London who gave it all up and moved back to the place she grew up after falling in love with her brothers friend, but despite looking like she had everything she was bored with her life and Marie worked in a fashion shop but thinks she looks the bees knees and always vying to be the centre of attention.
The husbands Chris, Duncan and Tony have absolutely nothing in common with each other but I guess it is a testament to how they feel about their wives that they are willing to endure the monthly gatherings to please them. When Simon is introduced to the group it begins to get interesting and they all start to show their true colours either by fawning all over him or resenting his presence.
I will admit that I took a total dislike to Tony out of the whole group. I am not sure if it was down to the fact that he left his first wife for Sarah, or the fact that he is a wealthy and successful architect but his possessiveness over her his attitude to others just left me cold. I could really feel for Sarah as she wrestled with telling him she had secured a part time job as she was not sure what his reaction would be. Although Beth’s husband Chris comes across as a bit absent minded you can see that he has a good heart by the way he tries to help Simon through his marriage breakdown and as the story progresses you find out that he totally adores his wife.
Having chuckled my way through No One Has Sex on Christmas Day I was looking forward to reading the Dinner Party. Once again I found myself chuckling at some of the situations that occurred at each new dinner party. I am certainly thankful that none of my friends have ever entertained such an idea as I would be scrambling to find ways to avoid them. Although you just know that things will not necessarily end well I was not expecting them to end the way they did. For fans of Tracy Bloom this is definitely one to add to your TBR pile.
February 24, 2019
This is a story about 3 couples in their mid-forties who regularly take it in turns to host a dinner party until one day they are faced with an unexpected dinner guest which turns all the subsequent parties into chaos
Firstly I found the characters difficult to like or even relate to with the exception of Simon and Duncan. Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends since secondary school although Beth and Sarah grew up together. Their husbands although not friends seem to go along with the monthly dinner parties for the sake of their wives
Beth seemed to lack a lot of self esteem and self confidence and used blunt 'humour' as a way to deflect her thoughts and feelings. Since being described as 'cuddly' many years ago by a colleague that has stayed with her & she dresses in a way to hide her figure as she feels she is fat. She is married to Chris who really seems like a genuinely nice guy who clearly adores her but is boring and unexciting. He comes across as a bit simple and naive and is obsessed with dips. I've never read a book before that had such a focus on dips 🙄
Sarah is described as having it all. Beautiful, thin, a millionaire for a husband, a beautiful home, beautiful clothes and never needing to work again. Her issue is that she's very bored being a stay at home mum and is keen to go back to work. Unfortunately she's married to Tony who is a little bit older than her & comes across as a vile controlling bully who wants everything his own way. He seemed to think he was better than everyone & I'm not sure why Sarah fell for him in the first place
Marie comes across as vain, selfish, insensitive and self-absorbed. She's married to Duncan who is actually very likeable and he seems like a good guy
Then there's Simon the unexpected guest who is invited to the first dinner party by Chris due to his marital issues & his horrible wife Candice
This was billed as a hilarious laugh out loud story but I think I laughed twice throughout the entire book. It was easy to read but there were a lot of characters introduced at one time so it was initially hard to remember everyone. I feel that the premise of the story promised so much which was not delivered and that considering the characters, with the exception of Simon and Candice, were all in their mid-forties they were very childish
Firstly I found the characters difficult to like or even relate to with the exception of Simon and Duncan. Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends since secondary school although Beth and Sarah grew up together. Their husbands although not friends seem to go along with the monthly dinner parties for the sake of their wives
Beth seemed to lack a lot of self esteem and self confidence and used blunt 'humour' as a way to deflect her thoughts and feelings. Since being described as 'cuddly' many years ago by a colleague that has stayed with her & she dresses in a way to hide her figure as she feels she is fat. She is married to Chris who really seems like a genuinely nice guy who clearly adores her but is boring and unexciting. He comes across as a bit simple and naive and is obsessed with dips. I've never read a book before that had such a focus on dips 🙄
Sarah is described as having it all. Beautiful, thin, a millionaire for a husband, a beautiful home, beautiful clothes and never needing to work again. Her issue is that she's very bored being a stay at home mum and is keen to go back to work. Unfortunately she's married to Tony who is a little bit older than her & comes across as a vile controlling bully who wants everything his own way. He seemed to think he was better than everyone & I'm not sure why Sarah fell for him in the first place
Marie comes across as vain, selfish, insensitive and self-absorbed. She's married to Duncan who is actually very likeable and he seems like a good guy
Then there's Simon the unexpected guest who is invited to the first dinner party by Chris due to his marital issues & his horrible wife Candice
This was billed as a hilarious laugh out loud story but I think I laughed twice throughout the entire book. It was easy to read but there were a lot of characters introduced at one time so it was initially hard to remember everyone. I feel that the premise of the story promised so much which was not delivered and that considering the characters, with the exception of Simon and Candice, were all in their mid-forties they were very childish
September 27, 2018
Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.blogspot.com.
Once a month three couples get together for a dinner party. They are Beth, Sarah and Marie, and their respective husbands, Chris, Tony and Duncan. It is Beth's turn to host and Beth and Chris are quite frazzled. She is more than annoyed at his forgetfulness during preparation, and even more so when he suddenly mentioned he has invited a new friend to the party, Simon. Simon's wife recently left him, and Chris thinks Simon could use a pick-me-up. Simon attends and everything that could go wrong did go wrong, if not at that event, certainly to come.
There are a lot of chapters in Dinner Party. Each chapter is written from one of the group's point of view. We are also treated to an ongoing interview with the individual members by a journalist of some sort at the end of each chapter. Hints are given as the story goes along that chaos has ensued. It takes a bit of reading through to absorb all of the consequences that will occur by simply inviting one extra person to the dinner party.
Dinner Party is truly a character-driven story. We are easily drawn into the personalities and characteristics of each one in the group. There is a fair amount of humor in this story - let's just mention Chris and his obsession with dips. Yeah, definitely humor. However, it certainly is not the laugh-out-loud sort. As the connections are made with each character, there is also a fair amount of sadness, especially concerning specific individuals. This is an easy and pleasant read. I was able to enjoy this book and do look forward to reading more of Tracy Bloom in the future.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Once a month three couples get together for a dinner party. They are Beth, Sarah and Marie, and their respective husbands, Chris, Tony and Duncan. It is Beth's turn to host and Beth and Chris are quite frazzled. She is more than annoyed at his forgetfulness during preparation, and even more so when he suddenly mentioned he has invited a new friend to the party, Simon. Simon's wife recently left him, and Chris thinks Simon could use a pick-me-up. Simon attends and everything that could go wrong did go wrong, if not at that event, certainly to come.
There are a lot of chapters in Dinner Party. Each chapter is written from one of the group's point of view. We are also treated to an ongoing interview with the individual members by a journalist of some sort at the end of each chapter. Hints are given as the story goes along that chaos has ensued. It takes a bit of reading through to absorb all of the consequences that will occur by simply inviting one extra person to the dinner party.
Dinner Party is truly a character-driven story. We are easily drawn into the personalities and characteristics of each one in the group. There is a fair amount of humor in this story - let's just mention Chris and his obsession with dips. Yeah, definitely humor. However, it certainly is not the laugh-out-loud sort. As the connections are made with each character, there is also a fair amount of sadness, especially concerning specific individuals. This is an easy and pleasant read. I was able to enjoy this book and do look forward to reading more of Tracy Bloom in the future.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 19, 2018
The best way to describe Tracy Bloom's Dinner Party would be thus.
Take a group of kids who have grown up together.
Let's say...
As neighbors.
They have played together, fought, made up, their parents know each child's food allergies.
There may have even been a few sleep overs thrown in for good measure.
But then, one day a new kid moves in.
Which is an upset to the proverbial apple cart in and of itself.
But...
Adding insult to injury in this case?
The fact that this new addition comes with every new and shiny toy that everyone in our previously content group ever thought they wanted.
Got the picture?
Good.
Now grow the kids up a bit, pair them off, and add in seeds of self doubt, marital discontent, and general passive aggressive self loathing.
Add in the shiny new mystery guest.
And there you have it.
The Dinner Party of our discontent. With much mucking about in each other's lives, and an assortment of dips.
This story gives readers a very close-up and personal view of how unexpressed individual failings, desires, perceptions, and general boredom with routine can lead to a sudden, and sometimes irreparable rending of the group as a whole. If and when said hidden "room elephants" are ever given the means, opportunity, and time, that it would take for them escape their not so comfortable prisons. And make for the shops of Main Street as fast as their little destructive legs can carry them.
Though this book is quite funny. One would deem said "funny" as more of a "Hmmmm" than a "Haha".
It is the further opinion of this reviewer that this book would be much better served if it was marketed as Woman's Fiction; rather than Romantic Comedy.
Given the fact that the reader is most often feeling anything but jovial when reading it.
Take a group of kids who have grown up together.
Let's say...
As neighbors.
They have played together, fought, made up, their parents know each child's food allergies.
There may have even been a few sleep overs thrown in for good measure.
But then, one day a new kid moves in.
Which is an upset to the proverbial apple cart in and of itself.
But...
Adding insult to injury in this case?
The fact that this new addition comes with every new and shiny toy that everyone in our previously content group ever thought they wanted.
Got the picture?
Good.
Now grow the kids up a bit, pair them off, and add in seeds of self doubt, marital discontent, and general passive aggressive self loathing.
Add in the shiny new mystery guest.
And there you have it.
The Dinner Party of our discontent. With much mucking about in each other's lives, and an assortment of dips.
This story gives readers a very close-up and personal view of how unexpressed individual failings, desires, perceptions, and general boredom with routine can lead to a sudden, and sometimes irreparable rending of the group as a whole. If and when said hidden "room elephants" are ever given the means, opportunity, and time, that it would take for them escape their not so comfortable prisons. And make for the shops of Main Street as fast as their little destructive legs can carry them.
Though this book is quite funny. One would deem said "funny" as more of a "Hmmmm" than a "Haha".
It is the further opinion of this reviewer that this book would be much better served if it was marketed as Woman's Fiction; rather than Romantic Comedy.
Given the fact that the reader is most often feeling anything but jovial when reading it.
October 4, 2018
My Rating : 4.5🌟
"Dips are the greatest ever food invented. It's what marks a party night as different to a normal night. Dips are the ultimate mood setters"
This story revolves around 3 couples who take turns in hosting a monthly dinner party. Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends forever, but now they are grownup with busy lives. A cozy, comfortable gathering of happy couples - Until one night, a last-minute guest arrives with floods of tears in their eyes, leading to a dinner party no one will ever forget!
First thing i loved about this book is the friendship between the three females. General conception after marriage for any female is that they lose contact with their friend's circle and gets more attached to their husband's circle. But this books deals with the opposite. Though it's not unusual, it's not very common either!
The second is the character Chris. My food-bae. He is an absolute complete mess, with no pre-party communication skills whatsoever, has a positive take on anything & everything in this world, loves his wife Beth to death ,but loves dips more than anything else in this world. I mean who would'nt love a character like that? I really loved the contrast between Chris and Beth, and how they go through a rough situation that arises when an unexpected guest shows up.
This book has a good variety of characters involved, and how each person views the same incident differently. And this book is told in different perspectives. So it makes it even more interesting to read. It's not the repetition of the same incidents, but the aftermath that is discussed. The plot is nothing new, bu the take on the plot is really refreshing to read. This is my first Tracy Bloom book, and i am really excited to read other books by her!
Now the only thing that was disappointing was the fact that it was not a laugh-out-loud comedy. There were lot of humor spread across the whole book, but I felt that it was not strong enough. Other than that, the writing was really simple, the story development was gradually done, and the emotional conflicts were described in a really good way.
If you are someone looking for a humor sprinkled book with real-life scenarios that deals with three couples going through their normal drama lives (If you love Desperate Housewives, then i am pretty sure, you will love this book!), then i definitely urge you to pick this book up!
"Dips are the greatest ever food invented. It's what marks a party night as different to a normal night. Dips are the ultimate mood setters"
This story revolves around 3 couples who take turns in hosting a monthly dinner party. Beth, Sarah and Marie have been friends forever, but now they are grownup with busy lives. A cozy, comfortable gathering of happy couples - Until one night, a last-minute guest arrives with floods of tears in their eyes, leading to a dinner party no one will ever forget!
First thing i loved about this book is the friendship between the three females. General conception after marriage for any female is that they lose contact with their friend's circle and gets more attached to their husband's circle. But this books deals with the opposite. Though it's not unusual, it's not very common either!
The second is the character Chris. My food-bae. He is an absolute complete mess, with no pre-party communication skills whatsoever, has a positive take on anything & everything in this world, loves his wife Beth to death ,but loves dips more than anything else in this world. I mean who would'nt love a character like that? I really loved the contrast between Chris and Beth, and how they go through a rough situation that arises when an unexpected guest shows up.
This book has a good variety of characters involved, and how each person views the same incident differently. And this book is told in different perspectives. So it makes it even more interesting to read. It's not the repetition of the same incidents, but the aftermath that is discussed. The plot is nothing new, bu the take on the plot is really refreshing to read. This is my first Tracy Bloom book, and i am really excited to read other books by her!
Now the only thing that was disappointing was the fact that it was not a laugh-out-loud comedy. There were lot of humor spread across the whole book, but I felt that it was not strong enough. Other than that, the writing was really simple, the story development was gradually done, and the emotional conflicts were described in a really good way.
If you are someone looking for a humor sprinkled book with real-life scenarios that deals with three couples going through their normal drama lives (If you love Desperate Housewives, then i am pretty sure, you will love this book!), then i definitely urge you to pick this book up!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2020
Dinner Party by Tracy Bloom (2018) 4.5 star
I’ve read several books by Tracy Bloom and Dinner Party is probably my favourite. Dinner Party is a fast-moving story is centered around 3 couples who meet up for monthly dinner parties, each taking turns to host. The three women, all very different, have known each other for years.
The first party of the story shows quite how differently men and women prepare for a dinner party, yes ladies you will all identify with this one. However, out of the blue, a new guest has been invited at the last minute, cue the panic about enough food and place settings! Little did they know that this extra guest would upset the entire balance of the dinner party and their lives from that day forward.
I’m always a bit dubious when a book claims to be “Laugh Out Loud” but this has several moments in the first half. It reminds me very much of the sort of humour that you would find in Dinner Ladies with Victoria Wood or Abigail’s Party for those of you who remember the black comedy of the 70s. Then the book takes a more serious turn and it certainly brings home quite how differently people see themselves and their relationship compared with how other people see them.
I won’t give you any spoilers but I love how each chapter (and there are 60 of them!) ends with a hint that something more is about to happen, but you don’t quite know what. You are left guessing throughout the story. I really enjoyed this and am happy to recommend it as part of my Recommended Reading Section. Tracy Bloom really does write some great rom com books.
I’ve read several books by Tracy Bloom and Dinner Party is probably my favourite. Dinner Party is a fast-moving story is centered around 3 couples who meet up for monthly dinner parties, each taking turns to host. The three women, all very different, have known each other for years.
The first party of the story shows quite how differently men and women prepare for a dinner party, yes ladies you will all identify with this one. However, out of the blue, a new guest has been invited at the last minute, cue the panic about enough food and place settings! Little did they know that this extra guest would upset the entire balance of the dinner party and their lives from that day forward.
I’m always a bit dubious when a book claims to be “Laugh Out Loud” but this has several moments in the first half. It reminds me very much of the sort of humour that you would find in Dinner Ladies with Victoria Wood or Abigail’s Party for those of you who remember the black comedy of the 70s. Then the book takes a more serious turn and it certainly brings home quite how differently people see themselves and their relationship compared with how other people see them.
I won’t give you any spoilers but I love how each chapter (and there are 60 of them!) ends with a hint that something more is about to happen, but you don’t quite know what. You are left guessing throughout the story. I really enjoyed this and am happy to recommend it as part of my Recommended Reading Section. Tracy Bloom really does write some great rom com books.
October 2, 2018
I didn’t quite know what to expect when I first picked up this book but I really became quite hooked on spending time with this group of characters!
It was just like being a fly on the wall experiencing everything with the characters along with seeing all the drama that bubbles up. The story is told from different perspectives which for me really helped to create a more rounded story. This way you get to see the characters inner thoughts and feelings as well as seeing their actions play out. The pacing of the story was really good and I think the different view points helped to keep the story fresh keeping the momentum going. There is such a fun feel to this book with some amusing parts at every dinner party. This was well balanced with some more deeper moments as the characters are holding something back with the reader seeing it simmering below the surface waiting to burst out.
Dinner Party is an easy going kind of story that just gave me that opportunity to sit back and enjoy what I was reading. The writing felt down to earth and natural, kind of showing us snapshots into every day life for this group of friends. They felt real especially as they had their flaws and I easily became attached to them by the end of this book. I loved how I was kept wondering what would happen next and I wasn't quite sure what the ending would be which I thought was great!
Who knew dinner parties could be so troublesome!
With thanks to Kim at Bookouture for my copy via Netgalley.
It was just like being a fly on the wall experiencing everything with the characters along with seeing all the drama that bubbles up. The story is told from different perspectives which for me really helped to create a more rounded story. This way you get to see the characters inner thoughts and feelings as well as seeing their actions play out. The pacing of the story was really good and I think the different view points helped to keep the story fresh keeping the momentum going. There is such a fun feel to this book with some amusing parts at every dinner party. This was well balanced with some more deeper moments as the characters are holding something back with the reader seeing it simmering below the surface waiting to burst out.
Dinner Party is an easy going kind of story that just gave me that opportunity to sit back and enjoy what I was reading. The writing felt down to earth and natural, kind of showing us snapshots into every day life for this group of friends. They felt real especially as they had their flaws and I easily became attached to them by the end of this book. I loved how I was kept wondering what would happen next and I wasn't quite sure what the ending would be which I thought was great!
Who knew dinner parties could be so troublesome!
With thanks to Kim at Bookouture for my copy via Netgalley.
September 17, 2018
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review*
The synopsis for this book was great and I really thought it was a nice change from the other genres I’ve been reading. Because it takes place in a country that is foreign to me, I had a hard time with some of the figures of speech and vocabulary. The main characters are three best friends but if I had a best friend like either one of them I’d find a new one. All three ladies were snippy towards each other and didn’t seem very supportive. The way they talked to each other and about each other was a turn off towards the characters and the type of book I thought I was reading based on the synopsis. There was far too many references to “dips”. I think it was supposed to be funny but that joke must have slipped past me and I found it silly.
I did think the format of the chapters was enjoyable with one of the characters point of view alternating chapters. I also enjoyed the journalist asking questions and someone answering at the end of the chapter that might make the reader want to push on to find out what lies in store for this group next.
I see that many people enjoyed the book and found it funny based on other reviews but I wouldn’t recommend it to others as I didn’t find it funny or enjoyable at all :(
The synopsis for this book was great and I really thought it was a nice change from the other genres I’ve been reading. Because it takes place in a country that is foreign to me, I had a hard time with some of the figures of speech and vocabulary. The main characters are three best friends but if I had a best friend like either one of them I’d find a new one. All three ladies were snippy towards each other and didn’t seem very supportive. The way they talked to each other and about each other was a turn off towards the characters and the type of book I thought I was reading based on the synopsis. There was far too many references to “dips”. I think it was supposed to be funny but that joke must have slipped past me and I found it silly.
I did think the format of the chapters was enjoyable with one of the characters point of view alternating chapters. I also enjoyed the journalist asking questions and someone answering at the end of the chapter that might make the reader want to push on to find out what lies in store for this group next.
I see that many people enjoyed the book and found it funny based on other reviews but I wouldn’t recommend it to others as I didn’t find it funny or enjoyable at all :(
April 18, 2019
Beth, Sarah, and Marie and their husbands meet each month for a dinner party at one of their homes. They are all very different. but have been friends forever and accept each other's different little ways. Then out of the blue Chris invites a new person to a dinner party, newly single friend Simon, and everything is sent into disarray!
The chapters are split into characters, then at the end of each one is a short interview with a journalist. The reason for this doesn't become clear until much further into the book (and I am not going to stop you from guessing!)
I must admit I had trouble remembering who was married to who, and a fair bit of back pedalling was needed until I had them all neatly arranged in my pickled brain. The reason for this was that although they were all acquainted through friendship or marriage, they didn't necessarily seem to like each other!
There was much talk in the novel about dips, Chris in particular, loved a dip. I do too but although they are delicious I'm not really that bothered as long as it makes a carrot stick more appetising!
I found the humour a little dark. It wasn't 'laugh out loud until your sides ached' sort of funny but in true Tracy Bloom style it was beautifully written with relatable but equally quirky characters and a mouthwatering recipe for spinach and artichoke dip right at the end (which was a nice touch!)
The chapters are split into characters, then at the end of each one is a short interview with a journalist. The reason for this doesn't become clear until much further into the book (and I am not going to stop you from guessing!)
I must admit I had trouble remembering who was married to who, and a fair bit of back pedalling was needed until I had them all neatly arranged in my pickled brain. The reason for this was that although they were all acquainted through friendship or marriage, they didn't necessarily seem to like each other!
There was much talk in the novel about dips, Chris in particular, loved a dip. I do too but although they are delicious I'm not really that bothered as long as it makes a carrot stick more appetising!
I found the humour a little dark. It wasn't 'laugh out loud until your sides ached' sort of funny but in true Tracy Bloom style it was beautifully written with relatable but equally quirky characters and a mouthwatering recipe for spinach and artichoke dip right at the end (which was a nice touch!)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews