LoveReading Says
Tender and comic, with a devilishly addictive wry tone and incredibly drawn characters, reading Katherine Heiny's Early Morning Riser is akin to being transported to the beating heart of an eccentric, entirely relatable small-town community. It really does make for a headily blissful reading experience, as befits a story that delves deep into the heart of all forms of love and human connections.
Despite having had a whole lot of girlfriends who are everywhere around town (and beyond), Jane can’t help but fall for charismatic woodworker Duncan, though she’s less happy about the constant presence of his ex-wife, and it look like their love might be lost when he says he has no intention of getting married a second time. Then, a tragic accident sees them reunite in a way that will transform their lives forever, when they’re brought together with Jimmy, Duncan’s developmentally-challenged employee, in a truly unexpected, wondrous way.
Witty, with exquisitely fitting, perfectly-placed imagery, such as this evocation of Jane snatching a moment of peace on the fraught eve of her ill-fated wedding day, “The sky was lavender-colored now. The sun had set, but the light lingered, like a child reluctant to go to bed”, Early Morning Riser is a magical, absorbing feat of fiction, and incredibly funny with it.
Joanne Owen
Find This Book In
Katherine Heiny Press Reviews
'Gorgeous. Very, very funny, but so tender, so beautiful. I loved all the characters, I cared deeply' Marian Keyes, author of Grown Ups
'Glorious. I love how it evokes the rhythm of life in all its joy and ordinariness and chaos. I loved the dialogue, the relationships. I love the one-liners, the humour, the gorgeous detail, the food, the innermost thoughts, and the love.' Nina Stibbe, author of Reasons to Be Cheerful
'Charming and tender, an offbeat and original gem that cracks your heart wide open' Pandora Sykes, author of How Do We Know We're Doing It Right?
'Wise, sad and barkingly funny.
Katherine Heiny writes brilliantly about what we mean by the word 'family' and her novel is loving without being soppy and warm without being cosy - I didn't want it to end' Lissa Evans, author of V for Victory
'Katherine Heiny's books feel like spending time with a smart, funny and beloved friend who always has a million interesting things to talk about but always wants to know about you, too. She is a charming and insightful and unique writer and Early Morning Riser is every bit as good as Standard Deviation, if not better' Lisa Jewell, author of Invisible Girl
'Warm, witty, touching - and frequently hilarious' David Nicholls, author of Sweet Sorrow
'Heaven. Everything I have ever craved in a novel' Daisy Buchannan, author of Insatiable
'Heiny has smart and serious things to say about care and responsibility, even as she keeps things bubbly with a steady stream of comedy provided by the novel's gossipy close-knit community' DAILY MAIL
'Early Morning Riser is tender, funny and affecting, a charming friend of a book to ease the Covid blues' THE BIG ISSUE
'It's a heart-warming tale of flawed, fragile, funny characters who battle unruly emotions and disappointments to seize the chance of happiness when it comes their way' DAILY EXPRESS
