A review by bookedbymadeline
Disappoint Me by Nicola Dinan

emotional funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Thank you NetGalley and The Dial Press for the eARC!

Disappoint Me has discussions of gender, identity, expectations, relationships, and the  questions of "should people be judged by who they were in the past? Can people really change?"

I laughed, I cried, I nodded my head in agreement shouting "yes!" and dropped my jaw in shock throughout the novel. I loved that Max is 30 and it felt like I started this at the perfect time; the week I turned 30.

I marked so many sentences- really beautifully written, relatable, and funny! The characters are flawed and complex, with moments that make you question how you would’ve handled the situation. 

Despite Max being trans and me being cis, we both experience the mental gymnastics around pregnancy and kids. It’s easy for many people but for others, it’s something you really have to work for and hope that everything you do works out. Those moments made me feel closer to Max and pulled at my heartstrings!

I also related to her feelings around her parents-there was a great quote about feeling bad that she isn’t closer to her parents and that her childhood was difficult but others had it so much "worse" so how bad could it really have been?

I flew through the second half! These characters and their lives and relationships had me fully invested. 

Immediately after finishing this book I thought “Shut the fuck up this was incredible!” and started crying which does not happen for me often! The discussions and explorations of relationships plus following our main characters, seeing their flaws, reminds me a lot of Greta & Valdin. I think fans of that will enjoy Disappoint Me! This is my favorite for March and I can’t wait to read more from Dinan 💗
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