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Disappoint Me

Name: Disappoint Me
Rating: 4.05 (441 reviews)
ISBN: 9781529930641

By Nicola Dinan

Publisher Description

A funny, moving and poignant exploration of modern romance and the allure of domesticity from the Polari-prize-winning author of Bellies

Chosen as a ‘Best Book of 2025’ by Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Stylist, Elle, Dazed, Vogue, AnOther, and GQ

'One of the UK’s most perceptive young novelists with her finger firmly on the pulse of contemporary behaviour' Guardian

'Riveting, funny and devastating' Shon Faye, bestselling author of The Transgender Issue

Max didn’t mean to fall for Vincent – a corporate lawyer and hobby baker whose trad friendship group are a world away from her life as a trans woman. But after years of bad dates and dysphoria he’s a breath of fresh air. Their connection seems genuine, his care feels real.

But Vincent is carrying his own baggage. On his gap year in Thailand a decade prior, he vies for the attention of a gorgeous traveller, Alex, with secrets of her own. Is Vincent really the new face of the Enlightened Man, or will the ghosts of his past sabotage his and Max’s happiness?

Disappoint Me is an incisive reckoning with forgiveness and the complexity of modern relationships, told with Nicola Dinan’s trademark wit and heart.

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Disappoint Me Reviews

4.0

Charlie Bee

Created about 23 hours ago

Believable Diverse representation

nia eleri⭐️

Created 1 day ago

Skylar Neuber

Created 2 days ago

Grace

Created 3 days ago

“I read this book after watching a book-tok Reel recommending books that read like the show Fleabag. Diann’s writing style is very similar to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and I was engrossed in these complex themes surrounding grief, transition, and love, while also being enamored by such visual descriptions of ordinary life. Ordinary relationships. There is something so relatable about the characters in the writing, but also so fresh and new as someone who is not trans. Such an incredible story that encapsulates your 20s, and how different that can look for so many different identities. Also, as a writer reading about a character who is also a writer (a poet), I thought that it was incredibly poignant and contained a level of depth that I think is very hard to achieve. Writing about writing can feel so vulnerable and trite, and at times, so childish. But reading this book as a fellow writer and poet, I felt nothing but pride for our main character and it released some of my own feelings of imposter syndrome, to watch Max grow into someone who acknowledges that she is a writer. That she is worthy of sharing this with other people. I’m sure a bit of the book was autobiographical by Dinan, and I admire her greatly for writing it.”

Change and grow Diverse representation Minor characters stand out Morally ambiguous Original Strong relationships Unforgettable protagonist Clever plotting Gripping/exciting Steady pacing Well-structured Beautifully-written Descriptive Witty Abuse Bigotry Transphobia Violence

Daniela Santos

Created 3 days ago

Believable Diverse representation Morally ambiguous Strong relationships Beautifully-written Witty

About Nicola Dinan

Nicola Dinan grew up in Hong Kong and Malaysia and now lives in London. Bellies, her debut, was nominated for six literary prizes and won the Polari First Book Prize. Disappoint Me, her second novel, won the New Adult Book Prize.