The Happy Couple

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What to expect

'A brilliant contemporary novel' Colm Tóibín
'I am fully in awe of Dolan's talent' Douglas Stuart
'I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it' Marian Keyes
'Dazzling. Not a word is out of place' Katherine Heiny

Meet Celine and Luke. To all intents and purposes, the happy couple.

But Celine's more interested in playing the piano, and Luke's a serial cheater.

And as their big day approaches, the complicated lives of the wedding party begin to unravel. A fed-up bridesmaid, a lovesick best man, guests and family members all find themselves searching for their own happily ever afters.

From the author of Exciting Times, this is a sparkling ensemble novel about love and marriage, fidelity and betrayal.

Critics Review

I pure LOVED The Happy Couple. So witty, observant, wise and funny. Nihilistic about heteronormative relationships but so charmingly done I barely noticed. I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed it
Marian Keyes
Dolan, whose debut novel Exciting Times was a storming success, is sure to bring her sparkling wit and insightful understanding of human relationships to this second outing
Irish Independent
Sassy and smart and wickedly funny, Dolan's voice is uniquely her own. I inhaled every irreverent page
Ruth Gilligan, author of THE BUTCHERS
I just finished The Happy Couple and I loved it - an extremely funny examination of modern love, with depth, bite and poignancy
Daisy Buchanan, author of INSATIABLE
A cracking ensemble, The Happy Couple is a beautiful sonata about our relationships and a sad fugue for fear and loneliness. The book is a tough, all-engrossing love-test. Dolan's acerbic humour is unapologetically analytical. She breaks the rule of intimacy with wit and panache that are second to none. I was kept on tenterhooks till the last few pages and my heart wouldn't stop pounding afterwards. I don't want to say goodbye to Luke and Celine.
Kit Fan, author of DIAMOND HILL
Endlessly funny, endlessly inventive - a bold and stylish novel that slipped down and burned like a shot of something lovely
Rebecca Wait, author of I’M SORRY YOU FEEL THAT WAY
A sophisticated character study of a young couple coming to terms with their relationship, in this biting, whip-smart look at modern love and the tangled messes we leave behind us. I am fully in awe of Dolan's talent. And so glad my twenties are over
Douglas Stuart, author of YOUNG MUNGO and SHUGGIE BAIN
The Happy Couple is a dazzling follow-up to Exciting Times. Dolan spins her magic again with humour and insight and the sharpest of prose. Not a word out of place
KATHERINE HEINY, author of STANDARD DEVIATION and EARLY MORNING RISER
The Happy Couple is just as satisfying as Exciting Times, and deals with class, money, gender dynamics and bisexuality with similar ease. Set between London and Dublin, it is a beautiful exploration of love, fidelity - and whether either are compatible with marriage
Pandora Sykes
The Happy Couple is one of those rare novels that feel like it's been written just for you. It's precisely what I love to read: engaging, fast-paced, hilarious, but still tender and moving. Also, is Dolan an actual genius? The pages just sparkle with smartness. It's a true joy to read, I adored it from the first page to the last
Jenny Mustard, author of Okay Days
Using daring, exciting sentences and close, sharp observation, The Happy Couple is a brilliant contemporary novel
COLM TÓIBÍN
The Happy Couple hooked me the way that heteronormativity hooks its ambivalent protagonists. Dolan's prose absolutely crackles with wit, humour, and empathy
Clare Fisher, author of ALL THE GOOD THINGS
The Happy Couple reminded me of Muriel Spark in its precision of language and emotion
Emma Forrest, author of BUSY BEING FREE
Fun, addictive and laced with astute observations
Vogue
A deep dive into love, betrayal, monogamy and sexuality. Sensational
Daily Mail
One of the most talked about books for 2023
Stylist
A funny and perceptive play on the traditional marriage plot that cements Dolan as one of the cleverest, most amusing new writers around. Marriage, it seems, is a laughing matter
The i paper
The Happy Couple rises towards an affecting ending that asks what illusions and armour one has to shed in order to feel free
Observer

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