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Guy's Girl
AN UNFORGETTABLE NEW LOVE STORY THAT WILL MAKE YOU CRY, BREAK YOUR HEART, AND PIECE IT BACK TOGETHER
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The boy who couldn't love and the girl who wouldn't.
Ginny Murphy is a total guy's girl. She's always found friendships with boys easier to form and keep drama-free - as long as they don't fall for her, and she doesn't fall for them. She and her best guy friends have stuck to that. But then she meets Adrian Silvas, the only one who's ever made her crave more, and Ginny begins to question her own rules.
Piece by piece, Ginny and Adrian begin to fall into something intoxicating, something dangerous. Ginny threatens to destroy the belief Adrian's held ever since witnessing his own mother's that love isn't worth the risk. For Ginny, the stakes could be even higher. Letting Adrian get close could mean exposing a secret she's long her disordered eating.
Ginny isn't looking to be saved by someone. But maybe she and Adrian can help each other - if they don't destroy each other first.
Heartfelt and evocative, Guy's Girl is a powerful story about true love, self-love, and growing up.
----
The boy who couldn't love and the girl who wouldn't.
Ginny Murphy is a total guy's girl. She's always found friendships with boys easier to form and keep drama-free - as long as they don't fall for her, and she doesn't fall for them. She and her best guy friends have stuck to that. But then she meets Adrian Silvas, the only one who's ever made her crave more, and Ginny begins to question her own rules.
Piece by piece, Ginny and Adrian begin to fall into something intoxicating, something dangerous. Ginny threatens to destroy the belief Adrian's held ever since witnessing his own mother's that love isn't worth the risk. For Ginny, the stakes could be even higher. Letting Adrian get close could mean exposing a secret she's long her disordered eating.
Ginny isn't looking to be saved by someone. But maybe she and Adrian can help each other - if they don't destroy each other first.
Heartfelt and evocative, Guy's Girl is a powerful story about true love, self-love, and growing up.
282 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 24, 2023
166 people are currently reading
20405 people want to read
About the author
Emma Noyes
4 books656 followersEmma Noyes is the author of HOW TO HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT, GUY'S GIRL, and the Sunken City trilogy. The first book in her next YA romantasy series, SOUL OF SHADOW, comes out July 2025. She lives in Chicago with her Swedish husband and their accident-prone Pomeranian.
Author also writes under Emma V.R. Noyes
Author also writes under Emma V.R. Noyes
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 782 reviews
November 10, 2023
**Many thanks to Catherine Barra at Berkley and Emma Noyes for an ARC of this book provided via NetGalley! Now available as of 10.24!**
Being herself and being truly comfortable in her skin has been a lifelong struggle for Ginny, but she never feels more at home than when she's allowed to drop the pretense, kick back, and hang out with "the guys." Her group of friends make the perfect roommates: she can be authentic, have fun, and never have to worry about the awkward tension that comes being around potential boyfriends. Of course, one of her roommates is her ex Finch, but he's moved on to a new girlfriend Heather, and all of their tortured romantic push-and-pull is in the past...at least, Ginny THINKS so.
But when mysterious and handsome Adrian joins their circle of friends, and the two end up spending an evening together in Adrian's room after a night out clubbing, even though nothing seriously physical happens between the two...they both experience butterflies and an almost magnetic, magical pull they've never felt before. As much as they deny their feelings, they can't help but grow close to one another. But Adrian has been terrified to fall in love ever since he witnessed his mother's heartbreak when his father died...and he promised himself he would NEVER let himself get in that position. And Ginny is carrying an even darker secret...after a long battle with anorexia, she has now found herself grappling with bulimia...and desperate to keep this dark descent into her own personal hell from EVERYONE.
As time passes and feelings grow, Ginny finds it increasingly difficult to keep the monsters in her head at bay...and Adrian is still waging the war against his own feelings, trying to suppress them at all costs. But when Ginny's disorder reaches its highest peak, will she finally allow someone in and fight to take her power back from the beast ripping her apart? Can Adrian put aside his fear and simply let love in? Or will a bit of unfinished business from Ginny's romantic past tear these Ginny and Adrian apart...for good?
This book starts off with a VERY prescient trigger warning, one that gave me immediate pause but also was COMPLETELY warranted for the tale ahead. This book deals with anorexia and bulimia in an authentic, gritty, honest, and often disturbing way, and Noyes warns the reader from the off that reading this story could be triggering. She makes it clear she is not attempting to glamorize either disease, but I have to say after finishing this book, the word 'glamorous' will be the furthest thing from your mind after reading Ginny's experience.
Emma Noyes herself struggled with eating disorders, and as such, is able to take you into the mind of an anorexic/bulimic in a way I have NEVER experienced before. It is SO real, so tortured, and so gripping that at times, I actually felt like *I* was having some of the thoughts the character was experiencing. I felt sick to my stomach on some level more than once, but I also want to emphasize this was not necessarily off-putting...it's just a LOT. It takes an immeasurable amount of bravery to sort of expose your darkest and most private moments to a reading audience, but Noyes was up to the challenge, and completely delivered. I felt so heartbroken for Ginny, and above anything, as a reader I was BEGGING for her to reach out to those in her network, let them in, and just receive the help she needed (and deserved!) I can't tell you the last time I wanted to hug a fictional character so much, but Ginny was so clearly battling an invisible monster feeding her lie after lie, and I would have done anything to help her banish those negative thoughts, because there is oftentimes NOTHING more crippling than the harsh words we tell ourselves.
That's not to say this ENTIRE story revolves around the eating disorders, although it is a large component. There is also a beautifully told love story, and Adrian has his own demons to acknowledge and conquer. Like so many, he has become an expert in repression and keeping his heart safe just by burying emotions and pretending oftentimes that they don't exist...but it's also clear from the very beginning that he has a wealth of love to give. While it would have been easy for the two to engage in a one night stand at the beginning of the book after a fun, alcohol-fueled night out, Noyes makes you wait and get to KNOW the characters first. Adrian is a puzzle up until nearly the end of the book, and as a reader, I was completely committed to seeing the relationship through, no matter what the end result.
Noyes also uses Ginny's former boyfriend Finch to explore the sort of toxic mind games that men (particularly men in their younger 20s who believe themselves to be pretty charming) can play and how difficult it can be to leave the past in the past, ESPECIALLY when you are at your most vulnerable. Despite all of these plot lines going at once (including some emotional scenes between Ginny and sister), I never felt like there was too much happening at once, and though the book hopped forward in time multiple times, it gave me more of a "One Day" feel rather than a disjointed feeling, and I felt like I was watching the characters grow and evolve through real time. I would also classify this book as "New Adult" rather than adult. only because the characters are in their 20s and it feels appropriate...but unlike most New Adult books I've read, this one had a MUCH appreciated air of maturity to it. There are moments of fun and levity, but also a heartfelt, serious through line that will capture the hearts and minds of older AND younger readers alike.
And while I can't say whether or not Ginny ends up with Adrian, she DOES discover that one relationship in her life is more important, lasting, and fundamental than any other, and only through prioritizing THAT one does she have a chance at success in all others.
And no, it isn't with food, a friend, a parent, a sibling, or even a man.
It is in the beauty and power of her relationship with herself.
4 stars
Being herself and being truly comfortable in her skin has been a lifelong struggle for Ginny, but she never feels more at home than when she's allowed to drop the pretense, kick back, and hang out with "the guys." Her group of friends make the perfect roommates: she can be authentic, have fun, and never have to worry about the awkward tension that comes being around potential boyfriends. Of course, one of her roommates is her ex Finch, but he's moved on to a new girlfriend Heather, and all of their tortured romantic push-and-pull is in the past...at least, Ginny THINKS so.
But when mysterious and handsome Adrian joins their circle of friends, and the two end up spending an evening together in Adrian's room after a night out clubbing, even though nothing seriously physical happens between the two...they both experience butterflies and an almost magnetic, magical pull they've never felt before. As much as they deny their feelings, they can't help but grow close to one another. But Adrian has been terrified to fall in love ever since he witnessed his mother's heartbreak when his father died...and he promised himself he would NEVER let himself get in that position. And Ginny is carrying an even darker secret...after a long battle with anorexia, she has now found herself grappling with bulimia...and desperate to keep this dark descent into her own personal hell from EVERYONE.
As time passes and feelings grow, Ginny finds it increasingly difficult to keep the monsters in her head at bay...and Adrian is still waging the war against his own feelings, trying to suppress them at all costs. But when Ginny's disorder reaches its highest peak, will she finally allow someone in and fight to take her power back from the beast ripping her apart? Can Adrian put aside his fear and simply let love in? Or will a bit of unfinished business from Ginny's romantic past tear these Ginny and Adrian apart...for good?
This book starts off with a VERY prescient trigger warning, one that gave me immediate pause but also was COMPLETELY warranted for the tale ahead. This book deals with anorexia and bulimia in an authentic, gritty, honest, and often disturbing way, and Noyes warns the reader from the off that reading this story could be triggering. She makes it clear she is not attempting to glamorize either disease, but I have to say after finishing this book, the word 'glamorous' will be the furthest thing from your mind after reading Ginny's experience.
Emma Noyes herself struggled with eating disorders, and as such, is able to take you into the mind of an anorexic/bulimic in a way I have NEVER experienced before. It is SO real, so tortured, and so gripping that at times, I actually felt like *I* was having some of the thoughts the character was experiencing. I felt sick to my stomach on some level more than once, but I also want to emphasize this was not necessarily off-putting...it's just a LOT. It takes an immeasurable amount of bravery to sort of expose your darkest and most private moments to a reading audience, but Noyes was up to the challenge, and completely delivered. I felt so heartbroken for Ginny, and above anything, as a reader I was BEGGING for her to reach out to those in her network, let them in, and just receive the help she needed (and deserved!) I can't tell you the last time I wanted to hug a fictional character so much, but Ginny was so clearly battling an invisible monster feeding her lie after lie, and I would have done anything to help her banish those negative thoughts, because there is oftentimes NOTHING more crippling than the harsh words we tell ourselves.
That's not to say this ENTIRE story revolves around the eating disorders, although it is a large component. There is also a beautifully told love story, and Adrian has his own demons to acknowledge and conquer. Like so many, he has become an expert in repression and keeping his heart safe just by burying emotions and pretending oftentimes that they don't exist...but it's also clear from the very beginning that he has a wealth of love to give. While it would have been easy for the two to engage in a one night stand at the beginning of the book after a fun, alcohol-fueled night out, Noyes makes you wait and get to KNOW the characters first. Adrian is a puzzle up until nearly the end of the book, and as a reader, I was completely committed to seeing the relationship through, no matter what the end result.
Noyes also uses Ginny's former boyfriend Finch to explore the sort of toxic mind games that men (particularly men in their younger 20s who believe themselves to be pretty charming) can play and how difficult it can be to leave the past in the past, ESPECIALLY when you are at your most vulnerable. Despite all of these plot lines going at once (including some emotional scenes between Ginny and sister), I never felt like there was too much happening at once, and though the book hopped forward in time multiple times, it gave me more of a "One Day" feel rather than a disjointed feeling, and I felt like I was watching the characters grow and evolve through real time. I would also classify this book as "New Adult" rather than adult. only because the characters are in their 20s and it feels appropriate...but unlike most New Adult books I've read, this one had a MUCH appreciated air of maturity to it. There are moments of fun and levity, but also a heartfelt, serious through line that will capture the hearts and minds of older AND younger readers alike.
And while I can't say whether or not Ginny ends up with Adrian, she DOES discover that one relationship in her life is more important, lasting, and fundamental than any other, and only through prioritizing THAT one does she have a chance at success in all others.
And no, it isn't with food, a friend, a parent, a sibling, or even a man.
It is in the beauty and power of her relationship with herself.
4 stars
March 28, 2024
2.5/5 ⭐️
Found myself really bored of this one and I feel like it’s because I went into this story expected a romance. It felt like I was reading more contemporary fiction than anything. I also couldn’t stand how Ginny was giving pick me girl because she only had guy friends… like girl come on
Would have loved more scenes with Adrian because he really was the backbone of the story. He was so steady and grounded. Love that we got a little peak into his culture too.
I loved the ED represention in this and I’ll definitely recommend to others for that reason! I haven’t found another book with a more accurate representation than this one!
Found myself really bored of this one and I feel like it’s because I went into this story expected a romance. It felt like I was reading more contemporary fiction than anything. I also couldn’t stand how Ginny was giving pick me girl because she only had guy friends… like girl come on
Would have loved more scenes with Adrian because he really was the backbone of the story. He was so steady and grounded. Love that we got a little peak into his culture too.
I loved the ED represention in this and I’ll definitely recommend to others for that reason! I haven’t found another book with a more accurate representation than this one!
October 26, 2023
Wow, what a journey this book took me on! Guy’s Girl is categorized as a New Adult Romance, and that’s certainly true, but it’s WAY more than that. Emma Noyes, the author, explores love, self-esteem/self-love, anxiety, friendship, grief and PTSD, with a deep dive into the world of anorexia and bulimia. An author’s note at the beginning of the book explains that Noyes has dealt with these eating disorders herself, so the book comes from someone with personal knowledge of these things.
I loved both main characters, Ginny and Adrian. They both felt very real, with all their strengths and weaknesses. While Ginny is the one dealing with anxiety and bulimia, Adrian has buried his feelings (from childhood trauma, including being suddenly uprooted from his native Hungary at age 9) so far down that he has trouble reaching them. The “guys” referred to in the title include Ginny’s three brothers as well as a trio of young men she met in college. Tristan, Clay and Finch were each well-defined, with very different personalities, which was great. I also loved how her older sister, Heather, came through for Ginny, much to Ginny’s surprise. And I can’t forget Adrian’s fabulous Hungarian grandparents, whose kindness to Ginny just about did me in.
I could relate to hanging out more with boys than with girls, as I grew up as the youngest cousin and only girl in the family other than one who was ten years older and therefore wasn’t even in my consciousness for the most part. I always played with my brother and male cousin, the son of a family friend and the boys who lived around-the-corner. I had to make an effort to find a girl to play with when I was young!
The story is written in the third person POV for Ginny and Adrian, along with excerpts of Ginny’s journals, which is how we really come to understand what’s going on in her mind and body. This technique was very effective is explaining these two eating disorders to this reader.
Noyes’ descriptions of places I know well (New York City) and places I don’t know at all (Budapest, Hungary and environs) were wonderful. Her portrayals of the life of young professionals in NYC was spot-on, from what I know of it.
Guy’s Girl was such an emotional story. I learned a lot about eating disorders along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
I loved both main characters, Ginny and Adrian. They both felt very real, with all their strengths and weaknesses. While Ginny is the one dealing with anxiety and bulimia, Adrian has buried his feelings (from childhood trauma, including being suddenly uprooted from his native Hungary at age 9) so far down that he has trouble reaching them. The “guys” referred to in the title include Ginny’s three brothers as well as a trio of young men she met in college. Tristan, Clay and Finch were each well-defined, with very different personalities, which was great. I also loved how her older sister, Heather, came through for Ginny, much to Ginny’s surprise. And I can’t forget Adrian’s fabulous Hungarian grandparents, whose kindness to Ginny just about did me in.
I could relate to hanging out more with boys than with girls, as I grew up as the youngest cousin and only girl in the family other than one who was ten years older and therefore wasn’t even in my consciousness for the most part. I always played with my brother and male cousin, the son of a family friend and the boys who lived around-the-corner. I had to make an effort to find a girl to play with when I was young!
The story is written in the third person POV for Ginny and Adrian, along with excerpts of Ginny’s journals, which is how we really come to understand what’s going on in her mind and body. This technique was very effective is explaining these two eating disorders to this reader.
Noyes’ descriptions of places I know well (New York City) and places I don’t know at all (Budapest, Hungary and environs) were wonderful. Her portrayals of the life of young professionals in NYC was spot-on, from what I know of it.
Guy’s Girl was such an emotional story. I learned a lot about eating disorders along the way.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
December 11, 2023
✰ 3.5 stars ✰
“Sometimes,” Ginny says, “the loneliest place isn’t standing by yourself. It’s standing just a few inches away from what you want.”
“Ginny—” Adrian starts.
“I’m just . . .” She shakes her head. “I’m just sick of it.”
“Of being the only girl?”
“No.” She shades her eyes with one hand, looks right up at Adrian. “Of never being the one that they choose.”
The words pop into Adrian’s head unbidden.
'I would choose you.”
The cover of Guy's Girl certainly does give off the impression that it's a feel-good kind of romantic story; but, it's certainly so much more than that. There were two distinct facets about this story that I very much related to. And while I won't say it's a perfect read, the fact that it did resonate with me on a personal level in how she depicted certain aspects of the story - in such a realistic, candid and genuine manner - that I can't help but appreciate her efforts in doing so.
“None of them asked him so many questions about Hungary that he ran out of stories to tell. None of them made him forget the need to pretend.
Ginny is the first girl who’s made him want to stay.”
The writing was very solid, the premise unique. Ginny and Adrian were interesting characters and I liked how their dynamic unfolded - hesitant but wanting. Ginny yearns for love, Adrian's reluctant to pursue a steady relationship, despite how comfortable he is with Ginny and the one memorable night that they shared. 'Maybe that’s why he’s never been in love. Maybe love is a choice. One he’ll never be able to make.' And for all that Ginny craves that romantic kinship to be loved and wanted - not to be seen as a girl worthy of love - to have affection she so much craves directed towards her, it's that very pursuit that pushes her to make some rather hasty and inappropriate actions - in the face of love and in regards to her health, as well.
“The thing about being a woman in a group of all men is that no matter how close you are —you’re still a girl. And you will always be a girl; and for that one simple, stupid, arbitrary fact, you will never be fully a part of them.”
Throughout school, I was very much the girl that got along best with all the boys - I was their 'dude' - the one who could talk to them easily without fear of the accursed cooties fear, be more at ease around them - to the extent where the girls in my class waged an all-out war with me for favoring the boys in my class over them. Kids, right? 😅 But, even as I entered middle school and high school - even on Valentine's Day, when I would be the one the boys declared as the best girl in the class - I was always the one wistfully looking at all the girls who would receive roses and gifts and chocolates on Valentine's Day. It would be that I would never be the one who boys would ever be attracted to. 😞
And that's something about Ginny's character that connected with me deeply; her insecurities about female friendships, how comfortable and at ease she is more with her male college friends - being the only girl - and still feeling in her heart that she would never be the one who they would fall in love with. 'What do you do when the person you love cannot love you back?' 😔 It was hard to stomach - painful to see how broken-up she was about always feeling that she would never be good enough for their romantic affections - despite how pretty she was or perfectly tuned - she would always be one of the guys - and that searching to find someone who would see more than just that, is where Adrian really stepped up.
“But it’s never enough. You will fail. You will eat. You have to if you want to stay alive. And when you do, your eating disorder will punish you.
She will yell. She will hit. She will tell you that you are nothing without her. That, on your own, you are ugly, fat, unworthy of love. And you will believe her. And you will return to her. Over and over. Over and over.”
When I was younger, I was very self-conscious about my weight - still am, but not to the extreme that I was then. And certainly not the extensive way in which Ginny's eating disorder consumed her, thankfully. But, I remember those days when I would reduce my eating intake just to save up on calories - only to follow up with the next day of gorging out on foods - just to fill up that depletion. The guilt and shame that follows was perfectly captured here. "I am so sick of having an eating disorder. I don’t know what to do with all of this body. I think I’ll just break it instead.' 💔💔 It hits you - that need to expunge - to not only eat to hide your pain and heartbreak away, but then to let go of it - simply to control your body - it really was so honest and hard-hitting. Ginny's voice echoed a lot of those memories, fortunately, ones that I don't have anymore - not that I'm any thinner - just that I am more comfortable with myself. But, her thoughts, that self-deprecating resolve, 'that you can have the best of both worlds', and suffer the consequences of it later with the inevitable guilt and remorse that envelops the stomach at how to rid all that has been consumed - hauntingly raw and viscerally real. 🥺🥺
And that scene - uff, that scene where Adrian found her in the bathroom - gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. Adrian's thunderstruck reaction, Ginny's horrified expression - the shame at being caught - his fierce resolve to protect her and shield her- the entire build-up to that pivotal moment was exquisite. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 I could picture it in my head as it happened, so jarringly perfect it was. It was also this crucial moment that Adrian ceased to be this laidback, uncaring and impassive character for me - the way he comforted her, strove to make her see how much she's hurting herself - the tender way in which he took her to his grandparents' house to look after her. Honestly, the entire trip to Hungary was beautifully written - detailed with imagery and vivid descriptions that brought the city to life and capturing with the utmost care at how Ginny and Adrian found ways to change themselves - for the better. 🤍🤍
I liked Adrian and Ginny together; they were very cute, very warm, and very honest with each other - a candidness that they both appreciated and welcomed without pretense, without fear of being yourself and being judged by it. Ginny's situation really propelled the both of them to examine their own personal issues with a clear mind-frame and gave each of them an opportunity for change. I liked how natural it all came together, even if it took awhile for them to get there. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“I have one.”
“What is it?”
“Szöszmötöl. It’s a verb that describes when you’re doing something and get so involved in it that the entire rest of the world falls away.”
As much as I did enjoy this, there were still a few grievances that affected me. I would have liked a little more depiction into Ginny's friendship with her roommates - yes, it is enough to know that it's from college that their deep-rooted friendship began, but the love triangle sorta took such a precedent that I didn't get to see much interaction or focus of the other's relationship with her. 🙍🏻♀️ I would have liked a little more of that. The ending also was - a little too abrupt; I appreciate that Ginny and Adrian both have learned something about themselves - for the better - but, it became a bit rushed and slightly, argh, don't make me say it, but cheesy.
For me, it didn't quite tie into the personalities that they had and just - no, it was abrupt. I know that there might be a philosophy that life doesn't have an epilogue - it's still ongoing for us and the characters so why do we need one - but, I think it gives closure to the relationship and their story. And it would make me happy to know that their future is a happy one. Plus, as much as I did feel for Adrian and understand his reluctance and hesitancy in not having a more committed relationship - I think it was something that could have been easily resolved much earlier and much sooner in his own life, so he wouldn't have been so forlorn and lonesome for so long. It just seemed a bit - hmmm, not ridiculous, but a bit unbelievable to me. 🤔
“Anxiety is a surgeon skilled at carving things open that were never meant to be touched in the first place.”
Despite my few grievances, it was still a new experience for me to read, one with a lot of heart to it, even with it's heavy undertones. It's also an honest and deeply moving portrayal of mental illness and eating disorders that I think those who do suffer from it will deeply resonate with them, as well. For it not only shows the destructive side of it, but also the hopeful promise that one can heal from it, too. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
“Sometimes,” Ginny says, “the loneliest place isn’t standing by yourself. It’s standing just a few inches away from what you want.”
“Ginny—” Adrian starts.
“I’m just . . .” She shakes her head. “I’m just sick of it.”
“Of being the only girl?”
“No.” She shades her eyes with one hand, looks right up at Adrian. “Of never being the one that they choose.”
The words pop into Adrian’s head unbidden.
'I would choose you.”
The cover of Guy's Girl certainly does give off the impression that it's a feel-good kind of romantic story; but, it's certainly so much more than that. There were two distinct facets about this story that I very much related to. And while I won't say it's a perfect read, the fact that it did resonate with me on a personal level in how she depicted certain aspects of the story - in such a realistic, candid and genuine manner - that I can't help but appreciate her efforts in doing so.
“None of them asked him so many questions about Hungary that he ran out of stories to tell. None of them made him forget the need to pretend.
Ginny is the first girl who’s made him want to stay.”
The writing was very solid, the premise unique. Ginny and Adrian were interesting characters and I liked how their dynamic unfolded - hesitant but wanting. Ginny yearns for love, Adrian's reluctant to pursue a steady relationship, despite how comfortable he is with Ginny and the one memorable night that they shared. 'Maybe that’s why he’s never been in love. Maybe love is a choice. One he’ll never be able to make.' And for all that Ginny craves that romantic kinship to be loved and wanted - not to be seen as a girl worthy of love - to have affection she so much craves directed towards her, it's that very pursuit that pushes her to make some rather hasty and inappropriate actions - in the face of love and in regards to her health, as well.
“The thing about being a woman in a group of all men is that no matter how close you are —you’re still a girl. And you will always be a girl; and for that one simple, stupid, arbitrary fact, you will never be fully a part of them.”
Throughout school, I was very much the girl that got along best with all the boys - I was their 'dude' - the one who could talk to them easily without fear of the accursed cooties fear, be more at ease around them - to the extent where the girls in my class waged an all-out war with me for favoring the boys in my class over them. Kids, right? 😅 But, even as I entered middle school and high school - even on Valentine's Day, when I would be the one the boys declared as the best girl in the class - I was always the one wistfully looking at all the girls who would receive roses and gifts and chocolates on Valentine's Day. It would be that I would never be the one who boys would ever be attracted to. 😞
And that's something about Ginny's character that connected with me deeply; her insecurities about female friendships, how comfortable and at ease she is more with her male college friends - being the only girl - and still feeling in her heart that she would never be the one who they would fall in love with. 'What do you do when the person you love cannot love you back?' 😔 It was hard to stomach - painful to see how broken-up she was about always feeling that she would never be good enough for their romantic affections - despite how pretty she was or perfectly tuned - she would always be one of the guys - and that searching to find someone who would see more than just that, is where Adrian really stepped up.
“But it’s never enough. You will fail. You will eat. You have to if you want to stay alive. And when you do, your eating disorder will punish you.
She will yell. She will hit. She will tell you that you are nothing without her. That, on your own, you are ugly, fat, unworthy of love. And you will believe her. And you will return to her. Over and over. Over and over.”
When I was younger, I was very self-conscious about my weight - still am, but not to the extreme that I was then. And certainly not the extensive way in which Ginny's eating disorder consumed her, thankfully. But, I remember those days when I would reduce my eating intake just to save up on calories - only to follow up with the next day of gorging out on foods - just to fill up that depletion. The guilt and shame that follows was perfectly captured here. "I am so sick of having an eating disorder. I don’t know what to do with all of this body. I think I’ll just break it instead.' 💔💔 It hits you - that need to expunge - to not only eat to hide your pain and heartbreak away, but then to let go of it - simply to control your body - it really was so honest and hard-hitting. Ginny's voice echoed a lot of those memories, fortunately, ones that I don't have anymore - not that I'm any thinner - just that I am more comfortable with myself. But, her thoughts, that self-deprecating resolve, 'that you can have the best of both worlds', and suffer the consequences of it later with the inevitable guilt and remorse that envelops the stomach at how to rid all that has been consumed - hauntingly raw and viscerally real. 🥺🥺
And that scene - uff, that scene where Adrian found her in the bathroom - gut-wrenching and heart-breaking. Adrian's thunderstruck reaction, Ginny's horrified expression - the shame at being caught - his fierce resolve to protect her and shield her- the entire build-up to that pivotal moment was exquisite. 🤌🏻🤌🏻 I could picture it in my head as it happened, so jarringly perfect it was. It was also this crucial moment that Adrian ceased to be this laidback, uncaring and impassive character for me - the way he comforted her, strove to make her see how much she's hurting herself - the tender way in which he took her to his grandparents' house to look after her. Honestly, the entire trip to Hungary was beautifully written - detailed with imagery and vivid descriptions that brought the city to life and capturing with the utmost care at how Ginny and Adrian found ways to change themselves - for the better. 🤍🤍
I liked Adrian and Ginny together; they were very cute, very warm, and very honest with each other - a candidness that they both appreciated and welcomed without pretense, without fear of being yourself and being judged by it. Ginny's situation really propelled the both of them to examine their own personal issues with a clear mind-frame and gave each of them an opportunity for change. I liked how natural it all came together, even if it took awhile for them to get there. ❤️🩹❤️🩹
“I have one.”
“What is it?”
“Szöszmötöl. It’s a verb that describes when you’re doing something and get so involved in it that the entire rest of the world falls away.”
As much as I did enjoy this, there were still a few grievances that affected me. I would have liked a little more depiction into Ginny's friendship with her roommates - yes, it is enough to know that it's from college that their deep-rooted friendship began, but the love triangle sorta took such a precedent that I didn't get to see much interaction or focus of the other's relationship with her. 🙍🏻♀️ I would have liked a little more of that. The ending also was - a little too abrupt; I appreciate that Ginny and Adrian both have learned something about themselves - for the better - but, it became a bit rushed and slightly, argh, don't make me say it, but cheesy.
For me, it didn't quite tie into the personalities that they had and just - no, it was abrupt. I know that there might be a philosophy that life doesn't have an epilogue - it's still ongoing for us and the characters so why do we need one - but, I think it gives closure to the relationship and their story. And it would make me happy to know that their future is a happy one. Plus, as much as I did feel for Adrian and understand his reluctance and hesitancy in not having a more committed relationship - I think it was something that could have been easily resolved much earlier and much sooner in his own life, so he wouldn't have been so forlorn and lonesome for so long. It just seemed a bit - hmmm, not ridiculous, but a bit unbelievable to me. 🤔
“Anxiety is a surgeon skilled at carving things open that were never meant to be touched in the first place.”
Despite my few grievances, it was still a new experience for me to read, one with a lot of heart to it, even with it's heavy undertones. It's also an honest and deeply moving portrayal of mental illness and eating disorders that I think those who do suffer from it will deeply resonate with them, as well. For it not only shows the destructive side of it, but also the hopeful promise that one can heal from it, too. 🙏🏻🙏🏻
March 15, 2024
4.25 stars.
Reading this book was a challenge. I thought it was going to be a cute romance book about a girl meeting a boy and you all know how stories like that go. But, this was such a serious book, dealing with many heavy difficult themes.
It took me almost half of the book to finally get into it, this may be an unpopular opinion, but Ginny's personality felt so annoying to me, but I'm glad she eventually got that character development that she needed. On the other hand, her struggles with eating disorder felt too real to me, her not wanting to accept that she needs help or is afraid to talk to her close ones about her struggles. They were all too relatable.
Her guy best friends were amazing, expect for Finch or whatever his name was, he needs to go to treatments about not lying and leading people on.
I loved Adrian, despite him being emotionally unstable, he was so good to Ginny, he wanted to take care of her and be there for hereven especially at her worst times. His grandparents were definitely the stars of this book.
Oh, and Heather, Ginny's older sister, deserves her own book! That woman knows what she wants and does what she wants. We need more sisters/friends like her in our lives.
How can I describe this book? Imagine contemporary books where there's also romance in it as a subplot, where you expect the girl and the boy get together at the end, but end up choosing to go their own separate ways. However, thankfully, this book does have a happy ending, well more like the beginning of a journey to happiness, but you get what I mean.
****************************
I've been looking forward to Guy's Girl's release date for some time now, but I'm still not out of reading slump. So I'll try to take my time with this book and not to rush it by finish reading it fast.
Reading this book was a challenge. I thought it was going to be a cute romance book about a girl meeting a boy and you all know how stories like that go. But, this was such a serious book, dealing with many heavy difficult themes.
It took me almost half of the book to finally get into it, this may be an unpopular opinion, but Ginny's personality felt so annoying to me, but I'm glad she eventually got that character development that she needed. On the other hand, her struggles with eating disorder felt too real to me, her not wanting to accept that she needs help or is afraid to talk to her close ones about her struggles. They were all too relatable.
Her guy best friends were amazing, expect for Finch or whatever his name was, he needs to go to treatments about not lying and leading people on.
I loved Adrian, despite him being emotionally unstable, he was so good to Ginny, he wanted to take care of her and be there for her
Oh, and Heather, Ginny's older sister, deserves her own book! That woman knows what she wants and does what she wants. We need more sisters/friends like her in our lives.
How can I describe this book? Imagine contemporary books where there's also romance in it as a subplot, where you expect the girl and the boy get together at the end, but end up choosing to go their own separate ways. However, thankfully, this book does have a happy ending, well more like the beginning of a journey to happiness, but you get what I mean.
****************************
I've been looking forward to Guy's Girl's release date for some time now, but I'm still not out of reading slump. So I'll try to take my time with this book and not to rush it by finish reading it fast.
November 25, 2023
CW: Disordered eating (shown, active), death of a parent (discussed)
It's not like me to offer CW, I know, because I never want people to think they are complete, but I will offer them here. Those things above are not why I think you shouldn't read this book, or you won't enjoy this book. I don't even know if you should. When I saw this author came from YA fantasy, I was kind of shocked by the style because it's sparse, choppy, and very straightforward. I didn't personally hate the style, until...well, I did.
For a minute, I was like hey, maybe this is a clever ironic kind of use of not like other girls, but maybe it's just...not. At one point, the hero describes the heroine as weird because she lived in Minnesota, rollerbladed, and could beat the guys at poker. I feel like these are normal things, but congrats I guess. I know I should have known from the title, but I was hoping this was CLEVER. And I think it's literally just the heroine is presented to us as not like other girls to make the boy incapable of loving love. I think there's no more to it than that.
Have you read Old Man and The Sea? Do you remember how much the one character's thoughts cycled? This was...wildly uninteresting to me. "Oh, you wish the boy were here, do you. Well he isn't. Move on. YOU ALREADY SAID YOUR HAND HURTS."
If you don't like that book I do not think you will like this one. Why? Because this heroine cannot go 15 seconds (1-3 pages) without mentioning her miserable existence and move from Minnesota, her Harvard education, or the fact that she is now a New Yorker. I'm sad/impressed/glad for you, girl, I just don't want to hear about it anymore.
DNF 20%
Also, cheese curds are Wisconsin's thing. A delicious Wisconsin thing, but they don't get to claim our honeycrisps and we won't take credit for their curds. It's a sibling arrangement. A correction is in order.
It's not like me to offer CW, I know, because I never want people to think they are complete, but I will offer them here. Those things above are not why I think you shouldn't read this book, or you won't enjoy this book. I don't even know if you should. When I saw this author came from YA fantasy, I was kind of shocked by the style because it's sparse, choppy, and very straightforward. I didn't personally hate the style, until...well, I did.
For a minute, I was like hey, maybe this is a clever ironic kind of use of not like other girls, but maybe it's just...not. At one point, the hero describes the heroine as weird because she lived in Minnesota, rollerbladed, and could beat the guys at poker. I feel like these are normal things, but congrats I guess. I know I should have known from the title, but I was hoping this was CLEVER. And I think it's literally just the heroine is presented to us as not like other girls to make the boy incapable of loving love. I think there's no more to it than that.
Have you read Old Man and The Sea? Do you remember how much the one character's thoughts cycled? This was...wildly uninteresting to me. "Oh, you wish the boy were here, do you. Well he isn't. Move on. YOU ALREADY SAID YOUR HAND HURTS."
If you don't like that book I do not think you will like this one. Why? Because this heroine cannot go 15 seconds (1-3 pages) without mentioning her miserable existence and move from Minnesota, her Harvard education, or the fact that she is now a New Yorker. I'm sad/impressed/glad for you, girl, I just don't want to hear about it anymore.
DNF 20%
Also, cheese curds are Wisconsin's thing. A delicious Wisconsin thing, but they don't get to claim our honeycrisps and we won't take credit for their curds. It's a sibling arrangement. A correction is in order.
October 31, 2023
This new adult romance was interesting. I like the idea of highlighting/normalizing eating disorders as there is far too much shame mixed in with those. I struggled with the book a little because I didn’t like any of the characters and usually with romance I want to like at least the two love interests. I think I could like Ginny in the future, but it is hard to like someone so caught in the quicksand of hating themselves and making all of the most self-destructive choices. Adrian also had potential but even if he had good intentions caused so much harm I just couldn’t like him. The writing was decent and the description of the mental health issues and eating disorders were amazing. But as a romance it just didn’t really work for me.
December 15, 2025
TW/CW: Language, smoking, drinking, eating disorder, cheating, toxic friendships, toxic family relationships, death of parent, depression, vomit, body shaming
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Ginny Murphy is a total guy’s girl. She’s always found friendships with boys easier to form and keep drama-free – as long as they don’t fall for her, and she doesn’t fall for them. She and her best guy friends have stuck to that. But then she meets Adrian Silvas, the only one who’s ever made her crave more, and Ginny begins to question her own rules.
Piece by piece, Ginny and Adrian begin to fall into something intoxicating, something dangerous. Ginny threatens to destroy the belief Adrian's held ever since witnessing his own mother’s heartbreak: that love isn’t worth the risk. For Ginny, the stakes could be even higher. Letting Adrian get close could mean exposing a secret she’s long protected: her disordered eating.
Ginny isn’t looking to be saved by someone. But maybe she and Adrian can help each other – if they don’t destroy each other first.
Release Date: October 24th, 2023
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 384
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. The book cover
2. Book was floppy
3. Writing style wasn't terrible
What I Didn't Like:
1. Boring
2. Basic
3. No character development beyond main character
4. Lacks an actual plot
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Loving that the author give us a page with one side what guinea was like and on the other side we get Adrian's point of view of why he doesn't want love. I like that
Part I
Tristan is obsessed with planes and he's going through withdrawals from not being on a plane for a month and I'm just over here like we have to hook up Tristan with Linda from Sky Daddy. I feel like they would really hit it off even though her interest is in Planes but maybe he can get like a weird fetish too since he kind of seems like he does have one.
The whole explanation of her job is confusing. She talks about how she got this job and she was a senior in college and it was six figures but then she says that she didn't want to take it I don't know it just didn't feel like any of that made sense and I have no idea what she does. Very confusing.
We learn they met in Harvard. And Ginny & Finch have slept together.
It seemed so convoluted to write that Adrian didn't live with his mom but lived with his sister but she works a lot so really he mostly lived with his grandparents. That was a lot to describe.
Whoa so Finch cheated on his girlfriend of 6 years with Ginny. So Ginny is one of those girls. I didn't think she would be.
For some odd reason after coming back from the bar Ginny can't sleep on the couch. She has to bunk with one of the guys and I don't understand why. They knew she was coming and they have an air mattress but no one set it up or even had a conversation about where she was sleeping. Also also Ginny is an adult that makes six figures why wouldn't she have gotten a hotel room? Who would want to sleep in a gross dudes bed?
Part II (Six months later)
Fitch didn't cheat on his girlfriend they were broken up and got back together after he slept with Ginny.
I hate the reference to New Girl because I was thinking while reading this how much these characters remind me of the show. Ginny even reminds me of Jess in that "quirky, she's not like other girls way". She even rollerblades to her "date" with Adrian the 23 blocks. Who is rollerblading nowadays? Plus now you'll have to carry these heavy rollerblades everywhere you go.
Sorry I had to laugh that all these guys aka her roommates would actually care about what was going on with Ginny and Adrian. They meet her at the door with wine and asking if he kissed her. I've had big groups of male friends and not one of they gave a damn about what's going on in my life like that. I just mean you can tell these dudes were written by a woman because they are acting like a bunch of female friends chewing at the bit for the date gossip. There is a running joke about how men don't even ask their male friends what's going on in their male friends lives, but these dudes just over her wanting the tea.
Also also I hate how before the men seemed to have these personalities and lifes outside of Ginny but now they become these mindless side characters with nothing going on but waiting on her to show up and activate them.
Vivid vomit scenes. Ew. Vomiting into bottles and cups.
Final Thoughts:
Sigh. I hate to say this BUT I dnfed this book 30% in (page 150). This book was putting me in a reading slump.
There just wasn't anything here that I felt could save this book from how utterly boring it was. I clearly lacked the eyesight to see what made Ginny so special and unique that men were throwing themselves at her. All the quirkiness of the book felt forced and not natural. Sorry but having an ED does not suddenly give you a personality and make you more interesting.
The characters were so one dimensional that I wish we would have gotten more from the friends other than shallow one liners. They deserved more and so did we as readers.
No offense to the author but I won't remember this book in a year. Forgettable.
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Ginny Murphy is a total guy’s girl. She’s always found friendships with boys easier to form and keep drama-free – as long as they don’t fall for her, and she doesn’t fall for them. She and her best guy friends have stuck to that. But then she meets Adrian Silvas, the only one who’s ever made her crave more, and Ginny begins to question her own rules.
Piece by piece, Ginny and Adrian begin to fall into something intoxicating, something dangerous. Ginny threatens to destroy the belief Adrian's held ever since witnessing his own mother’s heartbreak: that love isn’t worth the risk. For Ginny, the stakes could be even higher. Letting Adrian get close could mean exposing a secret she’s long protected: her disordered eating.
Ginny isn’t looking to be saved by someone. But maybe she and Adrian can help each other – if they don’t destroy each other first.
Release Date: October 24th, 2023
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 384
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. The book cover
2. Book was floppy
3. Writing style wasn't terrible
What I Didn't Like:
1. Boring
2. Basic
3. No character development beyond main character
4. Lacks an actual plot
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Loving that the author give us a page with one side what guinea was like and on the other side we get Adrian's point of view of why he doesn't want love. I like that
Part I
Tristan is obsessed with planes and he's going through withdrawals from not being on a plane for a month and I'm just over here like we have to hook up Tristan with Linda from Sky Daddy. I feel like they would really hit it off even though her interest is in Planes but maybe he can get like a weird fetish too since he kind of seems like he does have one.
The whole explanation of her job is confusing. She talks about how she got this job and she was a senior in college and it was six figures but then she says that she didn't want to take it I don't know it just didn't feel like any of that made sense and I have no idea what she does. Very confusing.
We learn they met in Harvard. And Ginny & Finch have slept together.
It seemed so convoluted to write that Adrian didn't live with his mom but lived with his sister but she works a lot so really he mostly lived with his grandparents. That was a lot to describe.
Whoa so Finch cheated on his girlfriend of 6 years with Ginny. So Ginny is one of those girls. I didn't think she would be.
For some odd reason after coming back from the bar Ginny can't sleep on the couch. She has to bunk with one of the guys and I don't understand why. They knew she was coming and they have an air mattress but no one set it up or even had a conversation about where she was sleeping. Also also Ginny is an adult that makes six figures why wouldn't she have gotten a hotel room? Who would want to sleep in a gross dudes bed?
Part II (Six months later)
Fitch didn't cheat on his girlfriend they were broken up and got back together after he slept with Ginny.
I hate the reference to New Girl because I was thinking while reading this how much these characters remind me of the show. Ginny even reminds me of Jess in that "quirky, she's not like other girls way". She even rollerblades to her "date" with Adrian the 23 blocks. Who is rollerblading nowadays? Plus now you'll have to carry these heavy rollerblades everywhere you go.
Sorry I had to laugh that all these guys aka her roommates would actually care about what was going on with Ginny and Adrian. They meet her at the door with wine and asking if he kissed her. I've had big groups of male friends and not one of they gave a damn about what's going on in my life like that. I just mean you can tell these dudes were written by a woman because they are acting like a bunch of female friends chewing at the bit for the date gossip. There is a running joke about how men don't even ask their male friends what's going on in their male friends lives, but these dudes just over her wanting the tea.
Also also I hate how before the men seemed to have these personalities and lifes outside of Ginny but now they become these mindless side characters with nothing going on but waiting on her to show up and activate them.
Vivid vomit scenes. Ew. Vomiting into bottles and cups.
Final Thoughts:
Sigh. I hate to say this BUT I dnfed this book 30% in (page 150). This book was putting me in a reading slump.
There just wasn't anything here that I felt could save this book from how utterly boring it was. I clearly lacked the eyesight to see what made Ginny so special and unique that men were throwing themselves at her. All the quirkiness of the book felt forced and not natural. Sorry but having an ED does not suddenly give you a personality and make you more interesting.
The characters were so one dimensional that I wish we would have gotten more from the friends other than shallow one liners. They deserved more and so did we as readers.
No offense to the author but I won't remember this book in a year. Forgettable.
IG | Blog
November 2, 2023
Ginny Murphy is a pick me girl. I mean a guy's girl. No, I don't.
Guy's Girl is about Ginny, a young woman battling an eating disorder, and her quest for love. She's desperately searching for it wherever she can when she should be concentrating on her self and recovering from her bulimia.
I have many thoughts on this but I'm not sure how I feel about this. I should have realized this wouldn't be for me from the title alone but I'm a sucker for books about eating disorders so I had to pick it up. I feel like this would have been far stronger, narrative wise, if this was told in the first person from Ginny's perspective and Adrian's sections were cut. Or maybe do away with Adrian entirely? I feel like this shouldn't have been a romance. I do feel the author was speaking authentically from her own experience but it was so desperately uncomfortable to watch the protagonist be so desperate for love from external sources, rather than focusing on herself and her recovery. I also found all sections that made Ginny out to be "not like the other girls" to be eye-roll inducing. Truth be told, Ginny is just like any other girl, any other human. She craves connection and love, which isn't a bad thing. But it is dangerous to frame a love interest as making a huge difference in her recovery - not in getting well period, but in recovering enough to decide she needs to be in treatment.
So I have no clue how I feel about this. Because ultimately the portrayal of Ginny's eating disorder was authentic - and Ginny as a whole - but the quest for love and overall romance novel was a detriment to the story as a whole, for me.
Rating: 3 / 5
Guy's Girl is about Ginny, a young woman battling an eating disorder, and her quest for love. She's desperately searching for it wherever she can when she should be concentrating on her self and recovering from her bulimia.
I have many thoughts on this but I'm not sure how I feel about this. I should have realized this wouldn't be for me from the title alone but I'm a sucker for books about eating disorders so I had to pick it up. I feel like this would have been far stronger, narrative wise, if this was told in the first person from Ginny's perspective and Adrian's sections were cut. Or maybe do away with Adrian entirely? I feel like this shouldn't have been a romance. I do feel the author was speaking authentically from her own experience but it was so desperately uncomfortable to watch the protagonist be so desperate for love from external sources, rather than focusing on herself and her recovery. I also found all sections that made Ginny out to be "not like the other girls" to be eye-roll inducing. Truth be told, Ginny is just like any other girl, any other human. She craves connection and love, which isn't a bad thing. But it is dangerous to frame a love interest as making a huge difference in her recovery - not in getting well period, but in recovering enough to decide she needs to be in treatment.
So I have no clue how I feel about this. Because ultimately the portrayal of Ginny's eating disorder was authentic - and Ginny as a whole - but the quest for love and overall romance novel was a detriment to the story as a whole, for me.
Rating: 3 / 5
November 22, 2023
Não se deixem levar pela capa cor de rosa e bonitinha (sim a capa está perfeita 🤌🏻🌸), a verdade é que esta história é tudo menos cor de rosa e bonitinha - é crua, dura, um murro no estômago e dos livros mais surpreendentes e difíceis de ler que já li...portanto sim, é um livro que merece destaque, merece atenção e carinho porque o que nos revela é algo de único e de muito especial ✨️
Descrever este livro não é algo fácil...fez-me sentir muitas emoções, nem todas elas boas. Mais que tudo senti-me vista e compreendida quanto à solidão que por vezes sinto - criar uma empatia assim com histórias só torna tudo mais especial.
Nesta história conhecemos a Ginny e o Adrian e ambos carregam bagagem bastante pesada e sofrida - falamos de temas que são por vezes desconfortáveis de ver discriminados - bulimia, anorexia nervosa, solidão, incapacidade de amar ou ser amado, sentimento de constante inferioridade...é um murro no estômago deparamo-nos com questões assim; e sim, senti-me representada na história, revi-me em ambos os protagonistas mas em especial no Adrian...custou-me ver assim expostos alguns dos meus receios mais profundos.
É um desvendar de mentes e de corações. É expor a alma e desejar a felicidade para nós, porque nós merecemos ser felizes, merecemos amar e ser amados. A coragem dos protagonistas ao longo de todo o livro é de louvar, faz-me crer num futuro melhor 🩷
É uma leitura vital. É daquelas histórias que vai ficar comigo para sempre. Uma das maiores surpresas que tive a ler este ano. Um livro que por vezes custa a ler, mas que reconforta...é belíssimo 😭 por favor dêem-lhe uma oportunidade 🩷
Descrever este livro não é algo fácil...fez-me sentir muitas emoções, nem todas elas boas. Mais que tudo senti-me vista e compreendida quanto à solidão que por vezes sinto - criar uma empatia assim com histórias só torna tudo mais especial.
Nesta história conhecemos a Ginny e o Adrian e ambos carregam bagagem bastante pesada e sofrida - falamos de temas que são por vezes desconfortáveis de ver discriminados - bulimia, anorexia nervosa, solidão, incapacidade de amar ou ser amado, sentimento de constante inferioridade...é um murro no estômago deparamo-nos com questões assim; e sim, senti-me representada na história, revi-me em ambos os protagonistas mas em especial no Adrian...custou-me ver assim expostos alguns dos meus receios mais profundos.
É um desvendar de mentes e de corações. É expor a alma e desejar a felicidade para nós, porque nós merecemos ser felizes, merecemos amar e ser amados. A coragem dos protagonistas ao longo de todo o livro é de louvar, faz-me crer num futuro melhor 🩷
É uma leitura vital. É daquelas histórias que vai ficar comigo para sempre. Uma das maiores surpresas que tive a ler este ano. Um livro que por vezes custa a ler, mas que reconforta...é belíssimo 😭 por favor dêem-lhe uma oportunidade 🩷
May 19, 2024
4.5 Sterne - geht unter die Haut und ist unfassbar tragisch schön und realitätsnah geschrieben. Triggerwarning jedoch für alle mit einer Essstörung, doch vielleicht hilft es euch gerade dann. Bin direkt Fan von der Autorin geworden
February 27, 2024
Desengane-se quem olha para esta capa e pensa (como eu) que vai ler um YA fofinho. Trata-se de um livro duro e poderoso sobre saúde mental - perturbações alimentares, ansiedade, depressão e luto. Um dos meus favoritos do ano ❤️
November 4, 2023
4.5 emotional stars
This book was an emotional one. Emma Noyes doesn't shy away from the all the emotions surrounding mental health issues and eating disorders. The story centers around Ginny and Adrian but there are some great secondary characters as well that really stand out.
Ginny and Adrian both have emotional demons they are battling. They have an amazing connection with each other but their struggles get in the way of their relationship. Ginny suffers from eating disorders and anxiety. Adrian has built emotional walls around himself, keeping people at a distance. The portrayal of Ginny's eating disorder really touched me and I felt so much for her character. I adored Adrian for stepping in, with the help of his grandparents (I LOVED them so much), and forcing her to admit her problem and begin to get help. Their relationship was not easy but it was real.
Their journey was one filled with self discovery, acceptance and love, both of self and others. I respected that they each had to come to a place where they were better on their own, before they could be good together. That is REAL! It was about so much more than a HEA.
This book is one that will undoubtedly touch your heart. It captured mine. I honestly didn't expect it to be so captivating and raw, but it's a book I will not soon forget.
This book was an emotional one. Emma Noyes doesn't shy away from the all the emotions surrounding mental health issues and eating disorders. The story centers around Ginny and Adrian but there are some great secondary characters as well that really stand out.
Ginny and Adrian both have emotional demons they are battling. They have an amazing connection with each other but their struggles get in the way of their relationship. Ginny suffers from eating disorders and anxiety. Adrian has built emotional walls around himself, keeping people at a distance. The portrayal of Ginny's eating disorder really touched me and I felt so much for her character. I adored Adrian for stepping in, with the help of his grandparents (I LOVED them so much), and forcing her to admit her problem and begin to get help. Their relationship was not easy but it was real.
Their journey was one filled with self discovery, acceptance and love, both of self and others. I respected that they each had to come to a place where they were better on their own, before they could be good together. That is REAL! It was about so much more than a HEA.
This book is one that will undoubtedly touch your heart. It captured mine. I honestly didn't expect it to be so captivating and raw, but it's a book I will not soon forget.
November 28, 2023
terminó siendo un libro mucho más profundo de lo que pensé… me encantó
January 1, 2024
Im Jahr 2021 wurden in deutschen Krankenhäusern insgesamt 9.622 Fälle von Anorexie und 1.453 Fälle von Bulimie diagnostiziert. (Statistisches Bundesamt)
In dem Buch »Guy‘s Girl« leidet Ginny zuerst an einer Magersucht und verliert sich dann in der Bulimie. Da die Krankheit so detailreich erzählt worden ist, war mir schnell klar, dass die Autorin Betroffene sein muss. Der Einblick in die Krankheit war erschreckend und traurig.
Die (Liebes)Geschichte von Ginny, Adrian und Finch fand ich so spannend und realistisch. Es beschreibt Dating in 2023 - Man(n) denkt, er findet eine bessere und lässt sich Optionen offen, Traumata verhindern eine gesunde/glückliche Beziehung, niemand redet über Traumata / Gefühle und verarscht letztendlich sich selbst.🤡 Die Liebesgeschichte hat mir „Sally Rooney but make it New Adult“ vibes gegeben und ich mochte es.
Eine Weiterempfehlung!🌟An alle Betroffenen: Das Buch könnte echt doll triggernd sein, daher würde ich euch ehrlicherweise von der Geschichte abraten.
In dem Buch »Guy‘s Girl« leidet Ginny zuerst an einer Magersucht und verliert sich dann in der Bulimie. Da die Krankheit so detailreich erzählt worden ist, war mir schnell klar, dass die Autorin Betroffene sein muss. Der Einblick in die Krankheit war erschreckend und traurig.
Die (Liebes)Geschichte von Ginny, Adrian und Finch fand ich so spannend und realistisch. Es beschreibt Dating in 2023 - Man(n) denkt, er findet eine bessere und lässt sich Optionen offen, Traumata verhindern eine gesunde/glückliche Beziehung, niemand redet über Traumata / Gefühle und verarscht letztendlich sich selbst.🤡 Die Liebesgeschichte hat mir „Sally Rooney but make it New Adult“ vibes gegeben und ich mochte es.
Eine Weiterempfehlung!🌟An alle Betroffenen: Das Buch könnte echt doll triggernd sein, daher würde ich euch ehrlicherweise von der Geschichte abraten.
October 9, 2023
This is definitely a completely original romance. At the center of it, is an female MC with an eating disorder.
Because of the nature of this story, it won't be for everyone. It's graphic, intense, horrifying and gut wrenching all at once. But it is also hopeful and for me personally, it was cathartic.
Because of the nature of this story, it won't be for everyone. It's graphic, intense, horrifying and gut wrenching all at once. But it is also hopeful and for me personally, it was cathartic.
February 20, 2024
skandalozno loše
April 10, 2023
OH. MY. LANTA.
Emma Noyes does it again y’all. Are we surprised? No we are not 😭
First of all, thank you SO MUCH Emma for the e-Arc. You know I love your work and can’t wait to watch you continue to grow and shine ❤️ you’re amazing, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Your writing makes me so happy, getting the arc from you in my email was the high of my day.
I would love to write the most spoilery review because Guy’s Girl is BEAUTIFUL, but I think it’s better if the future readers get the full experience. I knew only the synopsis/what’s been on Emma’s socials and I loved it that way. So I am going to be very vague (ish)
What I absolutely loved about this book is it felt so real and raw. You know sometimes you read fiction and you are like “this would never happen” (and ofc that’s okay, that’s why it’s fiction) but this book felt so human and so open that I actually believed the story. Now I know this story is a personal one, so that could be why it felt so amazingly real, but I also just think that Emma is a phenomenal writer. She definitely has a gift and I’m glad she is using it. So yeah it’s a tribute to Emma’s writing and the personal nature of this work.
Another thing, is Emma makes you feel for Ginny. I personally have not struggled with Anorexia or Bulimia, but reading the book I felt for her. I could put myself into Ginny’s shoes and her mindset.
The beginning was sorta slow but also not if that makes sense. Like I felt more engaged with the last half than the first half, but I think that was necessary to establish the second half. (If any of that makes sense).
I honestly wish there was more after the ending but at the same time I think it was a perfect ending. I’m torn.
The characters? Out of this world. I loved them. I do wish my girl had some girl friends (because there are some things guys can’t understand), however, I think her being a guys girl is something important for telling this story.
Okay but can we talk about how Emma can write a variety of genres very well??? YA fiction (fantasy) and Adult fiction. I’m stunned and I’m such a fan.
Again, thank you thank you Emma for the arc ❤️ AND FOLKS READ THIS BOOK WHEN IT COMES OUT IN OCTOBER 2023!
Emma Noyes does it again y’all. Are we surprised? No we are not 😭
First of all, thank you SO MUCH Emma for the e-Arc. You know I love your work and can’t wait to watch you continue to grow and shine ❤️ you’re amazing, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Your writing makes me so happy, getting the arc from you in my email was the high of my day.
I would love to write the most spoilery review because Guy’s Girl is BEAUTIFUL, but I think it’s better if the future readers get the full experience. I knew only the synopsis/what’s been on Emma’s socials and I loved it that way. So I am going to be very vague (ish)
What I absolutely loved about this book is it felt so real and raw. You know sometimes you read fiction and you are like “this would never happen” (and ofc that’s okay, that’s why it’s fiction) but this book felt so human and so open that I actually believed the story. Now I know this story is a personal one, so that could be why it felt so amazingly real, but I also just think that Emma is a phenomenal writer. She definitely has a gift and I’m glad she is using it. So yeah it’s a tribute to Emma’s writing and the personal nature of this work.
Another thing, is Emma makes you feel for Ginny. I personally have not struggled with Anorexia or Bulimia, but reading the book I felt for her. I could put myself into Ginny’s shoes and her mindset.
The beginning was sorta slow but also not if that makes sense. Like I felt more engaged with the last half than the first half, but I think that was necessary to establish the second half. (If any of that makes sense).
I honestly wish there was more after the ending but at the same time I think it was a perfect ending. I’m torn.
The characters? Out of this world. I loved them. I do wish my girl had some girl friends (because there are some things guys can’t understand), however, I think her being a guys girl is something important for telling this story.
Okay but can we talk about how Emma can write a variety of genres very well??? YA fiction (fantasy) and Adult fiction. I’m stunned and I’m such a fan.
Again, thank you thank you Emma for the arc ❤️ AND FOLKS READ THIS BOOK WHEN IT COMES OUT IN OCTOBER 2023!
July 19, 2023
Many, many thanks to Berkley for my gifted copy. Pub date 10/24/23
OMG, this book!!!! It was truly AMAZING and probably my top 5 of all time! This book is a romance, but also so much more than that. It is so deep and raw that I connected and felt for every single person in the book.
It centers around 2 main characters and told from their POV:
Ginny, 24 years old, moves in with a group of friends in an apartment in New York. Her friends happen to be all boys (New Girl vibes). Ginny is carrying around a dark secret. She is anorexic.
Adrian, he has a great job. He is more reserved and to himself than his friends, but something in his past has kept him from feeling love.
The connection and friendships in this book were so real that I am truly going to miss all of them. I also absolutely loved Adrian's grandparents. Emma's writing style was absolutely superb and will have you feeling all the ups and downs they are all going through. This was not an easy read, but it is definitely important, and you learn a lot about anorexia, bulimia, and anxiety. The author actually suffered from these diseases in real life, and you can tell she put her heart and soul into this book. I personally never truly understood what a person with those diseases actually went through until now, but I have so much respect for Emma Noyes and anybody going through it. You are beautiful, and thank you for writing this absolutely amazing book! Oh, and that ending, THE BEST, I was in tears!
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would! It's definitely a must-read for EVERYBODY. I am already so excited for Emma's next book, How To Hide In Plain Sight.
OMG, this book!!!! It was truly AMAZING and probably my top 5 of all time! This book is a romance, but also so much more than that. It is so deep and raw that I connected and felt for every single person in the book.
It centers around 2 main characters and told from their POV:
Ginny, 24 years old, moves in with a group of friends in an apartment in New York. Her friends happen to be all boys (New Girl vibes). Ginny is carrying around a dark secret. She is anorexic.
Adrian, he has a great job. He is more reserved and to himself than his friends, but something in his past has kept him from feeling love.
The connection and friendships in this book were so real that I am truly going to miss all of them. I also absolutely loved Adrian's grandparents. Emma's writing style was absolutely superb and will have you feeling all the ups and downs they are all going through. This was not an easy read, but it is definitely important, and you learn a lot about anorexia, bulimia, and anxiety. The author actually suffered from these diseases in real life, and you can tell she put her heart and soul into this book. I personally never truly understood what a person with those diseases actually went through until now, but I have so much respect for Emma Noyes and anybody going through it. You are beautiful, and thank you for writing this absolutely amazing book! Oh, and that ending, THE BEST, I was in tears!
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would! It's definitely a must-read for EVERYBODY. I am already so excited for Emma's next book, How To Hide In Plain Sight.
May 13, 2024
Heart-wrenching, tears streaming, nose sniffling, Guy's Girl is a powerful story about true love, self-love, and growing up.
When the author’s note hits you and makes it seem like it’s written just for you, you know the story will destroy you.
At its simplest, Ginny joins her college best friends in New York City to pursue a new life.
But Ginny is grappling with a secretive all-consuming eating disorder. But then she starts noticing Adrian — the aloof one of her friend group that she’d never quite clicked with in college.
This is not a romance. Not really. This is a book on not feeling worthy enough, not feeling old enough, not feeling settled, able, healthy.
Add in her a totally realistic portrayal of a friendship group and really snarky and witty characters and dynamics?
This is a winner and a killer.
Anxiety is a surgeon skilled at carving things open that were never meant to be touched in the first place. She will examine your life from every angle. Look for cracks, abrasions, weak spots, doubts. And when she finds one, she will pick it apart, bone by bone, worry by worry, until you can no longer tell truth from fiction.
Trigger warnings: there is some graphic imagery of disordered eating behaviors in this book.
That said, Guy’s Girl is an excellent representation of what it is to struggle with an eating disorder. The thoughts that run through your mind, the physical aches and pains. It is raw, honest, brutal.
If you are unsure about the TW I would say to skip this and take care of yourself! This book handles these topics really authentically and this can be quite triggering if you don't know yourself and your limits.
However, the inner dialogue and her writing is really beautiful. It's kind of like picking a scab?
Damaging and healing?
But it's never enough. You will fail. You will eat. You have to if you want to stay alive. And when you do, your eating disorder will punish you.
She will yell. She will hit. She will tell you that you are nothing without her. That, on your own, you are ugly, fat, unworthy of love. And you will believe her. And you will return to her. Over and over. Over and over.
This book is also about relationships. About connecting with people on a deep and real level. From platonic to love. From just being comfortable and understanding and compassionate.
Bookstagram
When the author’s note hits you and makes it seem like it’s written just for you, you know the story will destroy you.
At its simplest, Ginny joins her college best friends in New York City to pursue a new life.
But Ginny is grappling with a secretive all-consuming eating disorder. But then she starts noticing Adrian — the aloof one of her friend group that she’d never quite clicked with in college.
This is not a romance. Not really. This is a book on not feeling worthy enough, not feeling old enough, not feeling settled, able, healthy.
Add in her a totally realistic portrayal of a friendship group and really snarky and witty characters and dynamics?
This is a winner and a killer.
Anxiety is a surgeon skilled at carving things open that were never meant to be touched in the first place. She will examine your life from every angle. Look for cracks, abrasions, weak spots, doubts. And when she finds one, she will pick it apart, bone by bone, worry by worry, until you can no longer tell truth from fiction.
Trigger warnings: there is some graphic imagery of disordered eating behaviors in this book.
That said, Guy’s Girl is an excellent representation of what it is to struggle with an eating disorder. The thoughts that run through your mind, the physical aches and pains. It is raw, honest, brutal.
If you are unsure about the TW I would say to skip this and take care of yourself! This book handles these topics really authentically and this can be quite triggering if you don't know yourself and your limits.
However, the inner dialogue and her writing is really beautiful. It's kind of like picking a scab?
Damaging and healing?
But it's never enough. You will fail. You will eat. You have to if you want to stay alive. And when you do, your eating disorder will punish you.
She will yell. She will hit. She will tell you that you are nothing without her. That, on your own, you are ugly, fat, unworthy of love. And you will believe her. And you will return to her. Over and over. Over and over.
This book is also about relationships. About connecting with people on a deep and real level. From platonic to love. From just being comfortable and understanding and compassionate.
Bookstagram
September 21, 2023
TY Chelsea/Berkley for sharing this insanely amazing book. The love, the friendships, the trauma, the challenges....all of it....was extraordinary. I felt every word, every emotion, and I'll be shouting this one out on pub day! Congratulations Emma Noyes on BOTH of your journeys--the one toward recovery and this beautiful book.
January 24, 2024
First of all the main character is completely portrayed as the irritating cliché of "not like other girls". All because she hangs out with boys, rollerblades and plays poker...
But what annoyed me the most about this book was that instead of focusing on the main character's mental health recovery and road to self-love (which would have been much more interesting), it is instead twisted into a sick romance story, where the main characters happiness and self worth seems to be completely dependent on love interests for constant approval and reassurance. This is totally the wrong message to be expressing in my opinion.
But what annoyed me the most about this book was that instead of focusing on the main character's mental health recovery and road to self-love (which would have been much more interesting), it is instead twisted into a sick romance story, where the main characters happiness and self worth seems to be completely dependent on love interests for constant approval and reassurance. This is totally the wrong message to be expressing in my opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2023
Other thoughts can be found in this vlog.
To be fully transparent this book only came on my radar after the author emailed me and offered to supply me with a copy. With it being the holiday season and me being horrible about getting back to my emails I wound up purchasing the book myself at my local Books-A-Million.
In the email Noyes told me other people had compared this to things like Sorrow and Bliss or Romantic Comedy and while I definitely see how other reviews landed there, in my mind it reminded me more of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty or Seven Days in June; partially because at least the latter are at least romances with a literary edge that delve into harder hitting topics.
Of the tough things that exist in books the one thing that always hits a little too close to home is characters battling with an eating disorder, and much like with Choi's Yolk that is something that was front and center here. I was able to make it through the novel, and I was engrossed the entire time. Noyes does give a lengthy warning before the book and that helped, but I was still unprepared for the journey that Ginny went on in the book with that particular part of her life.
Her love interest Adrian, was an interesting character. He was an immigrant in a job that he wasn't particularly invested in and so seeing him deal with that was something I thoroughly enjoyed because I love when characters have things outside the romance going on and clearly that was at play here. I also appreciated the way that both of the approached the relationship and it was messy and imperfect but I was still pulling for them even with the romance was in the background and other aspects of the narrative were in the foreground.
Noyes is definitely an author I will keep an eye on and the excerpt from their next book included in the back of this definitely sounds like a book that's right up my alley. This wasn't on my radar, but it's definitely one I think should be on yours.
To be fully transparent this book only came on my radar after the author emailed me and offered to supply me with a copy. With it being the holiday season and me being horrible about getting back to my emails I wound up purchasing the book myself at my local Books-A-Million.
In the email Noyes told me other people had compared this to things like Sorrow and Bliss or Romantic Comedy and while I definitely see how other reviews landed there, in my mind it reminded me more of You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty or Seven Days in June; partially because at least the latter are at least romances with a literary edge that delve into harder hitting topics.
Of the tough things that exist in books the one thing that always hits a little too close to home is characters battling with an eating disorder, and much like with Choi's Yolk that is something that was front and center here. I was able to make it through the novel, and I was engrossed the entire time. Noyes does give a lengthy warning before the book and that helped, but I was still unprepared for the journey that Ginny went on in the book with that particular part of her life.
Her love interest Adrian, was an interesting character. He was an immigrant in a job that he wasn't particularly invested in and so seeing him deal with that was something I thoroughly enjoyed because I love when characters have things outside the romance going on and clearly that was at play here. I also appreciated the way that both of the approached the relationship and it was messy and imperfect but I was still pulling for them even with the romance was in the background and other aspects of the narrative were in the foreground.
Noyes is definitely an author I will keep an eye on and the excerpt from their next book included in the back of this definitely sounds like a book that's right up my alley. This wasn't on my radar, but it's definitely one I think should be on yours.
October 24, 2023
4.5 stars
I was instantly drawn in by the author's writing style and format-- and by both Ginny and Adrian.
Ginny is in her early twenties, living in Minnesota, but visiting her best guy friends in New York City. While there, she connects with the boys' roommate, Adrian.
This is an honest, raw look into a bulimics' life, the binging/purging lifestyle. and her "relationship" with her buy friends and Adrian. Adrian's past has led him to not want to be in love or in a relationship. He didn't think he was capable of love-- even with Ginny. She is special to him and he likes being with her and supporting her, but he doesn't think he is capable of giving her more.
I really didn't expect to enjoy this story as much as I did. Once I stared it, I didn't want to stop. I loved Adrian's quiet, strong character. I needed to see this couples ending - even if it wasn't happy.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I was instantly drawn in by the author's writing style and format-- and by both Ginny and Adrian.
Ginny is in her early twenties, living in Minnesota, but visiting her best guy friends in New York City. While there, she connects with the boys' roommate, Adrian.
This is an honest, raw look into a bulimics' life, the binging/purging lifestyle. and her "relationship" with her buy friends and Adrian. Adrian's past has led him to not want to be in love or in a relationship. He didn't think he was capable of love-- even with Ginny. She is special to him and he likes being with her and supporting her, but he doesn't think he is capable of giving her more.
I really didn't expect to enjoy this story as much as I did. Once I stared it, I didn't want to stop. I loved Adrian's quiet, strong character. I needed to see this couples ending - even if it wasn't happy.
Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
July 17, 2024
Emma Noyes is SO DAMN BRAVE for writing this. 😭❤️
March 11, 2024
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
Lori Prince really hit the narration on this book! She was clear and concise and very easy to listen to for hours at a time. The story was equally sweet and heartbreaking, made me feel happy and sad, as a good book should put you through a range of emotions. The eating disorder really runs the whole book, as it so often does the people’s lives that are affected by it. I love stories of people overcoming hardships and this one did not disappoint! I would highly recommend if you like reluctant romance!
Lori Prince really hit the narration on this book! She was clear and concise and very easy to listen to for hours at a time. The story was equally sweet and heartbreaking, made me feel happy and sad, as a good book should put you through a range of emotions. The eating disorder really runs the whole book, as it so often does the people’s lives that are affected by it. I love stories of people overcoming hardships and this one did not disappoint! I would highly recommend if you like reluctant romance!
November 7, 2023
4.5 STARS
Guy’s Girl is Emma Noyes’ adult debut novel and wow, does it pack an emotional punch! I was sold on the book as soon as I read the first line of the synopsis: “The boy who couldn’t love and the girl who wouldn’t.” I felt myself getting invested in the characters as soon as I read that line and knew I had to find out more about Ginny and Adrian. I became all the more invested when I read the author’s note and learned just how much of her own personal experience was the basis for Ginny’s journey. While I’ve not personally struggled with an eating disorder, I’ve known a few people who have and appreciated that this book gave me a little more insight into what my friends might have been going through on their path to recovery.
The story is presented across multiple timelines and I thought this was such an effective way to follow Ginny’s journey. The path to recovery is rarely ever linear and the author uses the multiple timelines to show Ginny at various points in her life and her successes and setbacks with respect to her eating disorder. Ginny also struggles with anxiety, which has only compounded the problem over the years and led to her feelings of self-doubt, as well as her feelings that no one could possibly ever love her. Ginny’s journey over the years is a heartbreaking one at times, full of raw emotion. I definitely shed a few tears watching her struggle and make frustrating choices that sometimes just didn’t make sense, but I loved Ginny and these struggles and poor choices made her feel all the more real to me, and I was fully invested in seeing her journey through to the end.
While Ginny’s journey to recovery takes center stage, I also enjoyed the exploration of her personal relationships. As the title states, Ginny is a guy’s girl. She has always found it easier to make friends with guys and loves that their friendships are usually drama free, as long as there’s no romance involved. When she meets Adrian, however, that line gets blurred because Ginny feels so much more than just friendship for him. Adrian is battling his own personal demons though and has no interest in romance. He believes it isn’t worth the heartache he witnessed his own mother experience, and therefore, refuses to let love in. While both Ginny and Adrian clearly need to work through their own issues before a healthy relationship is possible between them, I still love watching the two of them together. I would definitely consider the romance a slow burn but watching Ginny and Adrian grow to become each other’s biggest supporters is just beautiful to watch.
Guy’s Girl is a powerful story that is also beautifully written, filled with raw emotions that just felt so authentic. It’s an emotionally heavy read at times, but it’s also a story that is filled with healing, hope, and love.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Guy’s Girl is Emma Noyes’ adult debut novel and wow, does it pack an emotional punch! I was sold on the book as soon as I read the first line of the synopsis: “The boy who couldn’t love and the girl who wouldn’t.” I felt myself getting invested in the characters as soon as I read that line and knew I had to find out more about Ginny and Adrian. I became all the more invested when I read the author’s note and learned just how much of her own personal experience was the basis for Ginny’s journey. While I’ve not personally struggled with an eating disorder, I’ve known a few people who have and appreciated that this book gave me a little more insight into what my friends might have been going through on their path to recovery.
The story is presented across multiple timelines and I thought this was such an effective way to follow Ginny’s journey. The path to recovery is rarely ever linear and the author uses the multiple timelines to show Ginny at various points in her life and her successes and setbacks with respect to her eating disorder. Ginny also struggles with anxiety, which has only compounded the problem over the years and led to her feelings of self-doubt, as well as her feelings that no one could possibly ever love her. Ginny’s journey over the years is a heartbreaking one at times, full of raw emotion. I definitely shed a few tears watching her struggle and make frustrating choices that sometimes just didn’t make sense, but I loved Ginny and these struggles and poor choices made her feel all the more real to me, and I was fully invested in seeing her journey through to the end.
While Ginny’s journey to recovery takes center stage, I also enjoyed the exploration of her personal relationships. As the title states, Ginny is a guy’s girl. She has always found it easier to make friends with guys and loves that their friendships are usually drama free, as long as there’s no romance involved. When she meets Adrian, however, that line gets blurred because Ginny feels so much more than just friendship for him. Adrian is battling his own personal demons though and has no interest in romance. He believes it isn’t worth the heartache he witnessed his own mother experience, and therefore, refuses to let love in. While both Ginny and Adrian clearly need to work through their own issues before a healthy relationship is possible between them, I still love watching the two of them together. I would definitely consider the romance a slow burn but watching Ginny and Adrian grow to become each other’s biggest supporters is just beautiful to watch.
Guy’s Girl is a powerful story that is also beautifully written, filled with raw emotions that just felt so authentic. It’s an emotionally heavy read at times, but it’s also a story that is filled with healing, hope, and love.
Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2023
This book broke my heart a thousand times. The extremely graphic detail of the FMC's binge/purge lifestyle was *almost* too much, but I loved Ginny's story and her connection with Adrian was adorable. If you enjoy New Girl vibes, this is a good one to read! One girl, three guys - one of them is her confidant, one of them is an ex, and one is the "Schmidt" of the group, with everyone else constantly telling him to shut up about everything he thinks he knows. It was a sweet story and I loved "meeting" Adrian's grandparents in Budapest! I went into this story completely blind, and I'm glad I did! I enjoyed this book so much more than I anticipated I would.
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an early e-arc to read and share my thoughts!
4.25 stars out of 5 (rounded down)
Many thanks to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for an early e-arc to read and share my thoughts!
4.25 stars out of 5 (rounded down)
April 13, 2023
Thank you so much to Emma Noyes for sending me an advanced copy of this book. I am not obligated to write a review and am leaving one voluntarily.
As someone who has struggles with an eating disorder, this book made me feel so seen. I haven’t read any other book with a character who has an eating disorder.
I felt that Emma was able to really capture what it felt like to have an eating disorder and the struggles that come with it.
I also really enjoyed the friendship group and often felt like I was part of their group when they were hanging out because of the way it was written.
I definitely recommend reading this 🥰
As someone who has struggles with an eating disorder, this book made me feel so seen. I haven’t read any other book with a character who has an eating disorder.
I felt that Emma was able to really capture what it felt like to have an eating disorder and the struggles that come with it.
I also really enjoyed the friendship group and often felt like I was part of their group when they were hanging out because of the way it was written.
I definitely recommend reading this 🥰
December 1, 2023
This was an absolute rollercoaster of a ride. What a unique story that explores grief, trauma, and love. Ginny and Adrian are so easy to root for. They're deeply flawed but they both try to hard at being better. I dare you to get through this without shedding a tear.
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