"Spiky and bright this astute oh-so funny novel about the end of a marriage creates waves of emotions that crash through barriers to allow thoughts freedom to explore."
A simply fabulous howling banshee of a novel that whips into thoughts inducing snorts of laughter, many a raised eyebrow, and also waves of empathy. Spend time with 29 year old Maggie after the breakdown of her marriage, be by her side, explore her feelings and consider her actions. By the end of the first page I had fallen hook line and sinker in love with this novel.
It almost feels as though a dumper truck of Maggie’s emotions have been released onto the pages, and yet the spillage begins to create puddles of understanding. The flow of words filtered through my first thoughts into the space behind, and as I read it almost felt as though I was Maggie. The friendships spark with attitude, and the friends themselves are beautifully observed.
Monica Heisey has the most brilliantly wonderful and witty pen, I’m not sure that I’ve ever been so overwhelmed and yet felt so at home in a novel. I fell into chasms of heartbreak, and climbed up through layers of hope. The wonderful thing about this story is that it feels stark and real and raw, and simultaneously allows you to feel a real warmth and affection for Maggie.
No matter your personal circumstances, I’m quite sure that this wonderful novel will strike a chord, it just had to be chosen as a LoveReading Star Book and Liz Pick of the Month. Really Good, Actually fills my reading heart with joy, it's smart, bold, and absolutely blimmin wonderful!
| Primary Genre | Romance / Relationship Stories |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
Tell Us What Rosie Goodwin’s Books Mean to You and Win a Signed Book Bundle
Closing date: 31/10/2026
THE NO. 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERLONGLISTED FOR THE COMEDY WOMEN IN PRINT PRIZE 2025The Times Popular Fiction Book of the Year'A heartbreaker of a book'THE TIMES'Alarmingly relatable' MARIAN KEYES'Hilarious and profound' DOLLY ALDERTONThe 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?
Really Good, Actually features in the following genres: Romance / Relationship Stories, Humorous Fiction, Modern and Contemporary Fiction, Sharing Diverse Voices, Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Narrative theme: Death, grief, loss, Narrative theme: Interior life, Relating to bisexual / pansexual / polysexual people, Fiction, General Fiction, Fiction: narrative themes, Relating to LGBTQ+ people, Relating to specific groups and cultures or social and cultural interests, Interest qualifiers, Book Club Recommendations, Debut Books of the Month, Debuts, Liz Robinson's Picks of the Month, Recommendations, Star Books, LGBTQ+ Fiction
Paperback, Hardback. Not Available.
Really Good, Actually was written by Monica Heisey and published by 4th Estate an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Really Good, Actually has 384 pages
