Square One

by Nell Frizzell

Everyone is moving on... and then, there's Hanna

By thirty, Hanna expected to have it all (or at least some of it)

· A fulfilling and successful career

· A healthy, long-term relationship, maybe even an engagement ring

· A house (or at least a flat) of her own

But in reality, she's back at square one...

· Single after breaking up with someone she's not sure ever loved her

· Flooded with wedding invitations and pregnancy scan pictures from friends

· Unable to afford to live on her own and forced to move in with her father who is also single and dating

Everyone moves at different paces, but Hanna's life is in reverse. With the pressure to keep up and her dad's insufferable musings on Tinder, will she be able to figure out what she really wants?

Genres: Fiction, Audiobook, Personal Development, Contemporary

352 pages, Hardcover

First published July 7, 2022

Reviews

[klaudia katarzyna · Rating 3 out of 5]

"There is time. There's always time. And you deserve to be loved. Don't settle for less than that."

this was... something. I'm not sure how I should word it but the book was somehow good and bad at the same time. don't get me wrong the story itself was good, something that I think many women can relate to (especially between the ages of 25-30 when everyone expects you to have everything sorted out in your life).
as a young adult, I enjoyed reading this book for sure, it gave me the feeling that I don't have to have everything figured out now, and no matter what will face me in the future it's not the end of the world.

"We need to teach our children - however old they are - that loving people is not a sacrifice but a freedom in itself."

in my eyes, Hanna is this little messy ball that needs to get her life in nothing actually goes her way (the apartment hunting, dating life, having a family). it can be a lot, but she managed to get it all in order.
there were scenes in this book that moved me: the argument between Hanna and her dad, Iain (it might seem crazy but I wish I could have that kind of argument with my dad but oh well..); the "break-up" conversation between Hanna and Tom, and that long-ish conversation between Mary and Hanna at Mary's home.

now the bad side - it took me a while to get interested in the book, the writing felt a bit messy at some parts but maybe it's because this book is a debut, that's why I'm willing to close my eye on that part.

rating: 3* - ★★★ good! It's a solid read, though not the most memorable.
thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Helen Stölting · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fine. First off, this is not a romcom (as I originally expected), but simply a book about a woman who feels like a failure because she is single and living with her dad at 30, and about how she may (or may not) come to terms with this. I was interested in this story because as someone single, in her late twenties and living in a shoebox in London, I thought I might be able to relate to the main character Hanna. However, even though Hanna is not entirely unlikeable, I just don't share her overly bleak outlook on life, and thus struggled to sympathise with her. Overall, however, the story is easy to read, there are comedic elements to it (Hanna and her family can be quite witty) and I don't regret reading it.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a debut fiction novel by Nell and I thought it was really good. At first i found it to be a bit slow but once I got into it I found myself flying through the pages. Square one was unique in that Hanna had the bf, the job etc and then her relationship breaks down and she finds herself having to move in with her dad. Life in reverse. Hanna was a lovely character and I enjoyed reading about her. Her dad on the other hand was really annoying he was just too much of everything(to say what I mean would be spoilers) I’m looking forward to reading Nell’s non fiction book Panic Years and I’m already looking forward to her next fiction book.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this via Netgalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I was delighted to receive this copy as a big fan of “The Panic Years”.

Charming, relatable, heartfelt and funny, Square One struck a chord with me as someone who moved back in with a parent after a significant life change (us even having the same name was weird) and has felt the pressure to be in a certain spot in their life by 30, comparing my life to my peers on Instagram.
I’m sure a lot of others can relate to this too.

Would happily read more by Nell, any day of the week.

[Judith Schwarz]

This was almost too relatable at times, but also quite therapeutic! Thanks for this realistic book and the happy ending (or beginning) 🙌🏼 I felt seen and understood and… thirty isn’t so very old after all! 🥰

[The Grim Reader Podcast · Rating 2 out of 5]

Who has their life sorted out? No one. Hanna has just broken up with her long-term boyfriend and has moved in with her dad. She’s lost and unhappy and can’t help feel that her life is not on track. Hanna tries to navigate this new chapter in her life but a new hurdle always seems to be popping up.

I didn’t fall in love with this book. I found that I didn’t connect with Hanna, not that she is unlikeable but there was a missing warmth from her character. Hanna seemed to constantly complain about things and this was draining as the book went on. Instead of sitting down and thinking of solutions for her problems or going to someone for help Hanna seemed to go around in circles. Maybe I had too many expectations for the direction this book would take. This didn’t take the route of a rom-com or an inspiring journey of picking your life up.

There are some aspects of the book that I loved. I adored the relationship that Hanna has with her dad. Her father is hilarious in the book and so vividly described that I could imagine meeting him on the street. He is a little eccentric with a wry sense of humour, and his habits can leave a lot to be desired. Along with this, some of the conversations that Hanna has with characters are truly inspiring, in particular her chat with Mary about life expectations and motherhood.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for the copy of this book. My review is honest and unbiased.

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a rom-com but a heartfelt, relatable and funny read, with some romance.

After splitting up with the non-committal and emotionally distant boyfriend she has been living with, Hanna moves back to her hometown of Oxford to live with her dad while she finds somewhere else to live.

Already wondering if she has made the right decision, she finds this is easier said than done as everywhere is so expensive. And to make matters worse she is horrified to discover that her dad is on Tinder and bringing dates back to the flat, while her own dating prospects seem to be going nowhere.

Hanna navigates coming to terms with her new job, her dad's girlfriend, her friends' marriages and pregnancies, and manages to create a better relationship with her parents and a clearer sense of herself and what she wants.

[Emandherbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this books easy enough to read and follow. I really felt connected to the main character and was invested in her story. I did however keep hoping something big was about to happen and it never really seemed to come. I felt very underwhelmed by the ending.

I’ve given this a 3/5 as if was a pleasant enough read but was expecting more.

[LaughterandThunderstorms · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and going on a journey with Hannah.
It was nice to observed the character development of Hannah. We really got to see how relationships and friendships evolved over time.
A fast paced and entertaining read

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

[Britt Croagh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable with a painful protagonist

[Lauren pavey · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.5 out of 5)

Oh Hannah! I want to be your friend so badly!!

Hannah is 30 and things are not going to the plan she had always envisioned.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it! I completely related with Hannah and how she felt pressured to have it all by her 30s, I’m 33 this year and completely understand her pain comparing where she is to where she thought she’d be.

This book is heartwarming, emotional and very funny. And I love how the character of endearing Hannah developed as the book continued as did her relationships . I love how the relationships explored were family and friends in addition to her not so great love life.

This book was very easy to read with a quick pace and I would recommend for anyone in their 30s.

[Bleu · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're taught that by the age of thirty, we should have: an established career, a successful relationship (maybe even a ring) and bought property.

Hanna is back at square one. She's broken up with her long-term but unfulfilling boyfriend, swamped by wedding invitations and pregnancy announcements and living with her single father, sleeping under Jungle Book bedding and with no prospect of finding somewhere else.

The writing style was the most compelling aspect of this book; it is poignant and meaningful but remains light and pacy. It's about 20% in that the plot truly begins so it was the writing that kept me reading. Hanna is a messy but honest main character, and while you don't root for everything to go well for her, you are genuinely interested in the turns she takes.

It is a humorous book, although this is in a literary fashion. Throughout, there are well-considered comments on life at thirty. Many of them leave you feeling thoroughly seen, as Frizzell has noticed elements of your life that you had never realised before but now can't ignore.

Hanna, a woman who finds drama in an M+S changing room and has insightful thoughts whilst having drinks at the pub, is such a relatable and, therefore, endearing character. She doesn't get her life neatly packaged in a bow, there isn't a beautiful romance to make it all better and there isn't a perfect solution to all of her woes, but she does her best to tackle it all with dignity.

[Papyrus and Peppermint · Rating 5 out of 5]

Admittedly, as I first began this book I thought ‘there are way too many similes and this book is too try hard’.

However, as we settled deeper and deeper into Hanna’s 30 year old 1/4 life crisis of rediscovering womanhood, singledom, her home town, career aspirations, bin sex with old high school flames and living with her father, I found myself charmed and warmed to this little witty book.

It reminded me very much of Adults by Emma Jane Unsworth. It’s dry, crude and does what it says on the tin. I really liked the characters, although not physically described I could see them and hear them and I really enjoyed them.

I ended up whizzing through this book in less than 24 hours on a weekday which is a rarity for me! Huge big thanks to the publishers and the author for my advanced copy, I didn��t read it before it was published so soz about that, but big five star thumbs up from me.

[Mel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could probably give this three stars if I was feeling more generous, but the characters were only somewhat endearing and the story very predictable.
Frizzell appears to have a weird preoccupation with describing bodily functions, and has strange taste and imagination in... inventive (?) metaphors and similes.

This was not the story it is advertised to be. I had expected this to be a different (and better) book based on the blurb. Had to force myself to go beyond the halfway mark where, thankfully, it actually did improve a little bit.

Someone needs to tell writers, editors, publishers that fiction novels do not need chapter titles!

[Hem · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice easy read

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com

What an entertaining, fun novel Square One is – and, with a protagonist of a very similar age to myself, I felt like I identified with Hanna despite some of her faults. We follow her in the aftermath of her breakup with long-term boyfriend as she moves away from London, back in her with dad, and laments the fact she is over 30, single, and living with her parents.

Hanna is acerbic, funny and very dry, and though I really didn’t like how she treated her dad at some points in the book, she is still (for me) an entertaining and fun character. She is not always likeable throughout the whole book but I also understand she’s having a difficult time and dealing with a lot. Her preoccupation with being 30 and single is completely understandable but I also wanted to shake her and say that it’s not the end of the world – and surely it’s better to be with no one at all rather than with someone who makes you feel rubbish?

I loved the relationships in this novel; Hanna’s friendship with Dom and Shazia particularly but also the way that other people from your childhood can make you feel and behave a particular way. Hannah’s relationship with her parents also reminded me how irritating people can be when you’re around them all the time, so I think we can let her off for some of her irritableness.

There were moments in Square One where I genuinely laughed out loud. It’s definitely crude at times but I loved it for that and would have happily read a lot more about Hanna – in fact, I’m crossing my fingers for a sequel!

Many thanks to the publisher, Bantam Press, for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest review.

4.5 stars bumped to 5/5

[Katy Chessum-Rice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanna has recently broken up with her long term boyfriend Joe. She has to move out of their rented flat in London and return home to Oxford to live with her dad (not an ideal situation for either of them now Iain has discovered the joys of Tinder). As Hanna struggles to adjust to going backwards in her life she is forced to work out what it is she really wants from life...

This debut novel was an absolute delight to read and I devoured it over the course of a few days. I really connected with the character of Hanna who is only a few years younger than me, so her struggles with work/career, all your friends getting married and having babies whilst also navigating getting on the housing ladder resonated.

I have reached my fill with seemingly every book about a young woman in her twenties being set in London 😬 There are other places to live!! Basically I'm trying to say that by living in a smaller city or town you have to get more creative with the plot 😄 so it was a relief that Hanna's story continued away from the capital in beautiful Oxford!

The writing was great, peppered with witticisms and snide remarks that made this Millennial laugh and nod my head in recognition. Square One reminded me that no one has The Stuff figured out by 30 and we are all on our own paths.

Huge thanks to @penguinrandomhouse and @beckyabshort for the advance review copy! I recommend Square One to fans of Ghosts by Dolly Alderton, Careering by Daisy Buchanan or What a Shame by Abigail Bergstrom.

[Harriet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

💬 “There is time. There’s always time. And you deserve to be loved. Don’t settle for less than that.”

💭 Square One is an engaging and amusing novel all about being in your thirties, and not quite being where you expected in life. It was a quick and easy read - one I enjoyed a lot and one which was perfect to get out of my little reading slump.

Meet Hanna. Recently split up from her long-term boyfriend, unemployed and back home living with her Dad. The story follows Hanna as she begins to navigate life as newly single and jobless - something that somehow isn’t quite as hard as living (and trying to date whilst living with) her, let’s face it, pretty disgusting father. It tracks the highs, the lows, and the even lower lows, all in a humorous, light-hearted way.

The thing I liked a lot about this book was its relatability. No matter if you’re twenty, thirty, single, married, jobless or in your dream job, I think aspects of this book will be relatable for nearly everyone. Also, desperate it’s sometimes laugh out loud moments, there was an emotional and poignant message behind it all, that it’s okay to not have it quite all figured out yet. There’s time to work things out.

I also loved the fact it was primarily set in Oxford, my nearest city, and somewhere I have spent a fair amount of time. I felt I could picture a lot of what was going on more vividly.

Square One is a witty, humorous and relatable read. I really enjoyed it and now I’m even more desperate to get my hands on a copy of Frizzel’s other book - The Panic Years.

[Jo Moone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, emotional and poignant is Square One by Nell Frizzell.

After her long-term relationship ends, Hanna finds herself forced to move back in with her Dad, Ian in Oxford (from London). She sleeps in his spare room, in his bachelor flat, navigating where she is, who she is and what she wants. It's deeply relatable, especially as someone who is approaching their 30s.

Hanna, in herself, grows as the book goes on. Her outlook, her attitude and how she feels about things changed and I found myself learning a lot along the way too. It's hard not to root for Hanna, and while at times I worried I was disconnecting with her, Nell did manage to scoop me back up. It's a very character-driven story, which I love, and this was no different. The ending is also so satisfying, showing how Hanna still has things to do but is in a much better place than she was at the beginning.

Julie was a standout character for me, mainly because I saw some similarities to my own Mum, my friends' Mum's and TV ones, that it made me chuckle whenever she said anything.

The book does a really good job at exploring all kinds of relationships, not just love-interest relationships, and I especially loved her and her Dad as I don't feel this is often explored.

It's a short, but enjoyable read, and one I'd recommend to anyone who feels they should have it all together but doesn't.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC, "Rock Tunnel, forever"

[Rachael Stray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hanna really is at “Square One” having ended things with Joe, leaving her life in London behind to move in with her dad and having to start all over again while everyone else seems to have “The Stuff” sorted in their 30s.
Square One really struck a chord with me as someone who moved back in with their parents, battled through a breakup while desperately trying to kick-start my career while my friends were getting engaged and moving on with their lives.
Charming, relatable, heartfelt and funny, Square One is a great read and
I’m sure a lot of others can relate to comparing your life to others around you, having to start again and find your way.
I loved how this book explored the father-daughter relationship, friendships and the non-traditional family dynamic.
Hanna is on a journey – healing after the breakdown of a long-term stifled relationship, trying to find her way again, having some sort of relationship with her parents especially her dad and trying to get her stuff together!
We’ve all been there comparing our lives with our friends and exes while scrolling through perfect feeds on social media.
There’s lots of funny moments in this book and really warm banter with Hanna and her dad and Hanna and her friends.
By the end of this book, I was really rooting for Hanna to succeed and I think you will too.
With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lucy Hampton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hana finds herself recently single, thirty, and living back with her Dad who has just discovered Tinder. We follow her as she overcomes the everyday challenges of trying to move on with her life, whilst working out what it is she really wants from life.

I really enjoyed the funny accuracy of detailed episodes of Hana’s life which we can all relate to. Especially her awkward first day in a new job when she must come across totally competent, despite having no idea what she’s doing, and IT support have failed to provide even a keyboard.

One problem I did have with the book was that I didn’t always warm to Hana. She was a bit like the friend who spends the evening whinging to you about how much her life sucks, leaving you feeling completely drained by the time you step through your front door. I think it stems from the fact her problems are pretty mundane e.g. her ex moving on, her Dad is involved in a new relationship. Sometimes I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and tell her to get a grip. But perhaps that’s also a positive, the book made me engage with Hana and find out what happens to her.

I would recommend Square One to readers who liked Lucky Cow and Olive for their accurate portrayal of navigating real life as a thirty something in the modern day.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Emma Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you loved Olive from Emma Gannon, then you’ll love Nell Frizzell’s fiction debut…

As expected from Frizzell, this fiction debut is poignant and sharp, hilarious and relatable. It tells the story of Hannah, who at 30 goes backwards (or a perceived trajectory based on societal expectations) - living at home with her dad (who is hilariously navigating Tinder), out of work, out of a relationship and flailing. She’s anyone who has had everything happen at once in their thirties and who, after being told she should have everything solved by this point, has nothing figured out.

I loved how this book explores relationships outside of the romantic (although do not fret, there are some sexy moments too!) with the re-calibration of the father-daughter dynamic when you are both adults, the rebuilding of friendships and the important relationship; the one Hannah has with herself outside of the long term romantic partnership she had previously found herself in.

Frizzell puts Hannah at the heart of the story and what I really loved was how her evolution was the key driver, as opposed to a love interest driving the plot forward. By the end of this book, I adored Hannah and was rooting for her to succeed. I think you will too.

[TrishAM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hannah really was back at square one, back living with her father Iain with all his disgusting habits.
Hannah had had enough of Joe, coming second to his band and his mates it was time for Hannah to leave London and her life with Joe and move back in with Iain in his small Oxford apartment.
Life with Iain was far from idea, he loved to cook but his hygiene and habits left a lot to be desired and to top it all he had discovered Tinder and was doing unspeakable things (in Hannah's mind) with a lady called Mary.
A hook up with an old school friend, Tom Moss rattled Hannah's ovaries but would it lead anywhere ? her old friend Shazia was happily married and even her best friend Dom was now happily in love and couldn't now be her stand by "plus one".
Hannah didn't want Joe but she was lonely and couldn't help staling him on social media.......bad idea.
This story follows Hannah's journey to find herself, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, the argument with Iain was classic. At times I didn't like Hannah, there were periods of "poor little me" but she fights her way through.
This is the first book that I have read by Nell Frizzel, very enjoyable.
I received a free copy of this book from Net Gallery and my review is voluntary

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Everyone moves at different paces, but Hanna's life is in reverse." I was drawn to this storyline...turning thirty and nothing really going according to the plan you had in your mind!

I did enjoy the novel, it did take a little while for me to get into it though so I went for 3 stars. Hanna is our main character, very likeable and relatable, we meet her as she is leaving the home she has shared with her no ex-boyfriend. She has to move back in with her Dad...who is also single and now on Tinder! Their relationship was definitely my favourite and a great source of dry humour in the storyline!

If you're looking for a novel that will leave you feeling like everything will work out just as it is meant to, this is definitely worth a read over the summer!

Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the opportunity to review. Out now in the UK.

#libraryatsevern #bookworm #book #reading
#bookstagramuk #londonreader #bookreviewfeature #bookreview #bibliophile #bookstagrammers #readersofinstagram #reader #igreads #squareone #bookblogger #goodreads #bookshelf #bookreviewer #randomhouseuk #netgalley #bookstragram #bookstagrammer

[Jade Wargate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Square One by Nell Frizzell. Meet Hanna, she’s in her early thirties, has just broken up with her boyfriend and is moving back home to Oxford to live with her single Dad. She had expected by the age of thirty, to have a successful career, be in a long-term relationship and at least have a home of her own. However, in reality this hasn’t gone to plan. Hanna is single, not knowing whether her ex-boyfriend ever really loved her, has been flooded with wedding invitations and pregnancy scan photos from friends and is unable to afford a place of her own. I loved this book.

It got me thinking that society really pushes expectations on to us as women. Marriage. Kids. Mortgage. House. A good career. It is these pressures that have us thinking we have to have it all in a certain timeframe otherwise we have failed. There is no right way of doing things, even if society pushes us in the ”traditional” direction. Unfortunately, we can’t have it all. There has to be sacrifices in place whether we choose to have kids or a career. It’s very difficult in this day and age to have children and at the same time be career focussed.

[Laura Doe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humourous yet true to life look at starting over after the break down of a relationship, from finding somewhere new to live and to learning to love again.
Hanna has just broken up with her boyfriend, and that means having to move out of the place that they share in London and move into her dad’s flat while she gets back on her feet. She runs into an old school friend and agrees to go for a drink with him and also starts a new job the same week, so things are looking up for her. Or are they?
This book was such a hunourous look at what it’s like to start over and what it’s like to attempt to be an adult in this day and age, from the challenges of starting new jobs (and being left to get on with it on your first day) to not being able to get on the property ladder (or even be able to rent somewhere where you can wash your dishes whilst having a shower without it costing over £1000 a month) it is a realistic look at what people of my age are going through.
I snorted with laughter quite a few times through this book and really enjoyed how easy it was to get into.

[Tamara (CoffeeOnABookshelf) · Rating 1 out of 5]

💭 ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
I don’t know what to say about this one to be honest. This was not the light Romance or inspiring story about picking up your life again from square one that I thought it would be. I did not need to read about every disgusting bodily fluid or noise in detail for 300 pages. It was super depressing and extremely negative. The only thing I did like was the snarky comments here and there and the last 2 chapters.
⭐️

🤓 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Short chapters
Disgusting humor

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘉𝘠 𝘛𝘏𝘐𝘙𝘛𝘠, 𝘏𝘈𝘕𝘕𝘈 𝘌𝘟𝘗𝘌𝘊𝘛𝘌𝘋 𝘛𝘖 𝘏𝘈𝘝𝘌 𝘐𝘛 𝘈𝘓𝘓 (𝘖𝘙 𝘈𝘛 𝘓𝘌𝘈𝘚𝘛 𝘚𝘖𝘔𝘌 𝘖𝘍 𝘐𝘛)
𝘈 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳
𝘈 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺, 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨-𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘮 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘈 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 (𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘵) 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯

𝘉𝘜𝘛 𝘐𝘕 𝘙𝘌𝘈𝘓𝘐𝘛𝘠, 𝘚𝘏𝘌'𝘚 𝘉𝘈𝘊𝘒 𝘈𝘛 𝘚𝘘𝘜𝘈𝘙𝘌 𝘖𝘕𝘌...
𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳
𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘴𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴
𝘜𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 (𝘢𝘭𝘴𝘰 𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨) 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳

[Mandy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Unfortunately, I felt uncomfortable reading "Square One" as I felt some of the descriptions completely unnecessary and rather crude. I understand that Hannah is 30 years of age, fed up, lacking direction, disappointed with the choices she has made, and that they have led her to moving back in with her Father. The narrative and descriptions of the characters were very visual, but I simply wasn't interested and struggled to grasp why I was continuing to read the book, and was very relieved when I finally reached the last page. I am really, really sorry.. I wonder if it is an age thing, as a young 50 year old (that's what I have always told myself), I am probably lacking in empathy?

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Square one is the first book I've read by Nell Frizzell. Thank you to netgalley for the e-arc.

The book tells the story of a newly single Hanna. She moves in with her father, grappling dating, family dynamics, house-hunting and rekindling old friendships after a breakup with her long-term boyfriend.

The book was heartwarming and easy to read with some funny anecdotes and relatable storylines. I found myself not particularly liking Hanna at some points, although that may have been the intention of the author. Hanna was depicted as a flawed main character, at times immature and cruel (mostly about her father). However, I was still rooting for her in the end.