Really Good, Actually

(Hardback)

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The No. 2 SUNDAY TIMES Bestseller

An Observer Best Debut of the Year

Intoxicating heralds a really good author to watch The Times

Hilarious and profound Dolly Alderton, author of Everything I Know About Love
Wildly funny and almost alarmingly relatable Marian Keyes, author of Again, Rachel

Monica Heisey is a genius Nina Stibbe, author of Reasons to be Cheerful

One of the most hotly anticipated, hilarious and addictive debut novels of 2023, from Schitts Creek and Workin Moms screenwriter and electric new voice in fiction, Monica Heisey.

I feel like when you get a divorce everyones wondering how you ruined it all, what made you so unbearable to be with. If your husband dies, at least people feel bad for you.

Maggies marriage has ended just 608 days after it started, but shes fine shes doing really good, actually. Sure, shes alone for the first time in her life, cant 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 Divorce.

Soon shes taking up sadness hobbies and getting back out there, sex-wise, oversharing in the group chat and drinking with her high-intensity new divorced friend Amy. As Maggie throws herself headlong into the chaos of her first year of divorce, she finds herself questioning everything, including: Why do we still get married Did I fail before I even got started How many Night Burgers until Im happy

Laugh-out-loud funny, razor sharp and painfully relatable, Really Good, Actually is an irresistible debut novel about the uncertainties of modern love, friendship and happiness from a stunning new voice in fiction, Monica Heisey.

'Hilarious, heart-warming, wise' Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train

Monica 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

Already one of the most talked-about releases for 2023 Evening Standard

Reviews

Heiseys 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 books 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

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

Author Bio

Monica Heisey is an author and television writer from Toronto, now based in London, UK. Her writing has been published in The New Yorker, the New York Times, The Cut, Vogue, the Guardian, VICE, and elsewhere. She was previously an Editor at Large at Broadly. Her first book, an acerbic collection of essays called I Can't Believe It's Not Better, was published in Canada by indie Red Deer Press. She has written on shows including Schitt's Creek, Workin' Moms, Baroness von Sketch Show and Gary and his Demons.