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Really Good, Actually

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What to expect

THE NO. 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

The Times Popular Fiction Book of the Year

‘A heartbreaker of a book’ THE TIMES

'Alarmingly relatable' MARIAN KEYES

‘Hilarious and profound’ DOLLY ALDERTON

The hottest debut novel of 2023 from Schitt’s Creek and Smothered screenwriter and an Observer debut author of the year, Monica Heisey.

Maggie’s marriage has ended just 608 days after it started, but she’s fine – she’s doing really good, actually. Sure, she’s alone for the first time and can’t afford her rent and her obscure PhD is going nowhere… but at the age of twenty-nine, Maggie is determined to embrace her new status as a Surprisingly Young Divorcée™.

As Maggie throws herself headlong into the chaos of her first year of divorce, she soon finds herself questioning everything, including: Why do we still get married? Did I fail before I even got started? And how many 4am delivery burgers do I need to eat until I am happy?

Really Good, Actually is an irresistible debut novel about the uncertainties of modern love, friendship and happiness.

'Hilarious, heart-warming, wise' PAULA HAWKINS

‘Heisey makes me laugh hard and often’ ROB DELANEY

‘A Sex and The City for social media-obsessed millennials … Irresistible’ METRO

‘Wry, modern, self-deprecating’ INDEPENDENT

‘One of the most talked-about releases for 2023’ EVENING STANDARD

Critics Review

  • ‘Heisey’s adroit control of her narrative and wickedly funny turns of phrase mean Maggie can become monstrous as she flails from one disastrous choice to the next, but remains heartbreakingly relatable’ The Times

    ‘A smart and funny coming-of-divorce novel … with a likeable heroine to root for… full of millennial witticisms and reliably regular deadpan turns’ Guardian

    ‘Wise and funny … Heisey … announces herself not only as a comic literary voice who articulates the absurdity of finding yourself alone, again, but also as a deft satirist of the many ridiculous trappings of modern life’ Dazed

    ‘The book’s insistence on friendship being just as, if not more, important than romantic love is itself beautifully rendered… this book will be a balm’ i Newspaper

    ‘Wry, modern, self-deprecating’ Independent

    ‘Sharp and fast, the funniest book I’ve read in a long time’ Raven Leilani, author of Luster

    ‘You will fall in love with this protagonist and you will fall in love with Monica Heisey’s writing. I couldn’t put it down’ Dolly Alderton, author of All I Know About Love

    ‘An absolute effing delight … wildly funny and almost alarmingly relatable’ Marian Keyes, author of Again, Rachel

    ‘I absolutely loved it … Hilarious, heartwarming, wise’ Paula Hawkins, author of Slow Fire Burning

    ‘A rare and delicious treat. Monica Heisey is a genius‘ Nina Stibbe, author of Reasons to be Cheerful

    ‘Monica Heisey is one of the most exciting new voices in fiction’ Kirsty Capes, author of Careless

    ‘Heisey makes me laugh hard and often’ Rob Delaney

    ‘A smart, funny and warm debut with such a strong voice’ Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of Everyone Is Still Alive

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