Really Good, Actually
- Author Monica Heisey
- Narrator Julia Whelan
- Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
- Publish Date 17 January 2023
- Run Time 10 hours and 13 minutes
- Format x-book®
- Genre Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Humorous fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Interior life, Narrative theme: Love and relationships.
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What to expect
THE NO. 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER
LONGLISTED FOR THE COMEDY WOMEN IN PRINT PRIZE 2025
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
User Reviews
I really disliked Maggie who was constantly harping on about why she was depressed. Everyone was telling her to do things to help herself but although she started them, she was easily distracted back to her obsession m, her ex husband., who she only married because she thought she was being left behind.
I should be honest here, I have little sympathy for people like her. I really don't understand depression which probably doesn't help. My sister always tells me that other people don't think like me to which I say it's a pity.
When I was in hospital, a couple of the regular nurses told me that they rarely had a patient like me. Most people as close to death as I was would need bolstering up. The senior nurse (matron) said that my attitude was affecting the other patients. I apologised but she said it was a good thing.
They put a suicidal patient next to me and she eventually asked me why I was there. I told her and she said at least there was light at the end of the tunnel. My response was that I knew she couldn't understand but there had never been a tunnel, so it had always been light around me.
Maggie might have benefited from someone like me around her. However, if I had been there, I am not sure I would have stayed around. People have to want to help themselves.
The reader was someone I had listened to before and even that didn't help. I don't think I will attempt another of books.
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