ADELAIDE
In love . . .
For twenty-six-year-old Adelaide Williams, an American living in dreamy London, meeting Rory Hughes was like a lightning bolt out of the blue: this charming Englishman was The One she wasn’t even looking for.
Is it enough?
Does he respond to texts? Honor his commitments? Make advance plans? Sometimes, rarely, and no, not at all. But when he shines his light on her, the world makes sense, and Adelaide is convinced that, in his heart, he’s fallen just as deeply as she has. Then, when Rory is rocked by an unexpected tragedy,
In love . . .
For twenty-six-year-old Adelaide Williams, an American living in dreamy London, meeting Rory Hughes was like a lightning bolt out of the blue: this charming Englishman was The One she wasn’t even looking for.
Is it enough?
Does he respond to texts? Honor his commitments? Make advance plans? Sometimes, rarely, and no, not at all. But when he shines his light on her, the world makes sense, and Adelaide is convinced that, in his heart, he’s fallen just as deeply as she has. Then, when Rory is rocked by an unexpected tragedy, Adelaide does everything in her power to hold him together—even if it means losing herself in the process.
When love asks too much of us, how do we find the strength to put ourselves first?
With unflinching honesty and heart, this relatable debut from a fresh new voice explores grief and mental health while capturing the timeless nature of what it’s like to be young and in love—with your friends, with your city, and with a person who cannot, will not, love you back.
- St. Martin's Press
- Hardcover
- April 2023
- 304 Pages
- 9781250280848
Buy the Book
$27.99
About Genevieve Wheeler
Genevieve Wheeler is an American writer and communications manager. Her bylines have appeared in publications like VICE, Vogue Business, Teen Vogue, Elite Daily, and POPSUGAR, with her work and words cited in The New York Times, Vox, the BBC World Service, Cheddar News, Jezebel, and beyond. She holds an MA in marketing communications from the University of Westminster in London and a BS in Advertising from Boston University. She’s currently based in London. Adelaide is her debut novel.
Praise
Named Most Anticipated by: Goodreads・Zibby Magazine・SheReads・BookShop.Org
“A beautifully-written, deeply-felt exploration of what it means to love and be loved.” –– Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost
“Wheeler’s debut is searingly raw…Her whole soul is poured out onto the pages, and you’ll find it hard not to feel your own heart crack and stomach turn as Adelaide tries without avail to win the love of someone who simply can’t give it. Wheeler deftly relates Adelaide’s journey of unbending friendship, grief, and passion, and for many readers, her tale will strike a resonant chord. Vulnerable, tender, and impossible to put down.” –– Kirkus (starred)
“Heartfelt…This is a portrait of a woman struggling with her empathic desire to be all things to all people and realizing that she is allowed to put herself first…Fans of The Midnight Library will identify with Adelaide’s journey.” –– Booklist
“Wheeler perfectly captures her protagonist’s depression, anxiety, and negative self-talk—not to mention her keen agony of unrequited love—and a solid supporting cast provides Adelaide with ample emotional support. The complex heroine animates every page.” –– Publishers Weekly
“Emotional and poignant, Genevieve Wheeler has made a remarkable debut with her fresh, modern voice. I was charmed. Adelaide exposes the raw edges of early adulthood and unrequited love, ultimately showing us that the true magic of life is that it’s always worth living.”–– Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times bestselling author
Discussion Questions
1. In Adelaide, mental health is an integral part of the narrative. How does Adelaide’s relationship with her own mental health transform over the course of the novel? Which relationships are most important to supporting Adelaide’s mental health throughout? How did your understanding of mental health change (or not) after reading the novel?
2. The novel’s structure shifts in both timeline and viewpoint, featuring snippets of Adelaide and Rory’s past relationships—as well as Rory’s perspective— throughout. How does this structure shape your reading experience and inform your understanding of the characters overall? Does it enhance or detract from your ability to empathize with them?
3. Adelaide attempts to rationalize and excuse Rory’s behavior on a number of occasions. Why does she do this? What does it say about her character, and about his? Were there moments in the novel where you felt compassion toward Rory? Why or why not?
4. On page six, Adelaide notes “she’d never known that a metropolis could become a booming, integral character in your life” before living and studying in London. Would you say that the city of London is a booming, integral character in Adelaide? What role does the setting play throughout the story, and how does being an American in London shape Adelaide’s outlook and behavior? Is there a place in your life that has become an integral character?
5. How is the character of Nathalie presented in the novel? What does Adelaide’s perception of and response to Nathalie suggest about her own character, and does it suggest anything more broadly about how women respond to—and even mythologize—other women, particularly in the context of dating and past relationships?
6. Continuing from the previous question, how do Adelaide’s relationships with other women throughout the story—from her sisters to her close friends to her colleagues—shape and inform the development of her character? How did the novel’s emphasis on female friendship serve the narrative as a whole?
7. Dating apps play a key role in driving the plot of Adelaide forward. Why do you think this is? What does it imply about modern dating culture?
8. Adelaide is twenty-six years old when the novel opens, yet in many ways this is a coming-of-age story. In what ways do you agree with this statement? What does she have to learn and reckon with in this new stage of adulthood? And what does this indicate about the nature of coming-of-age stories in general?
9. Flowers are often present throughout Adelaide. What themes do they symbolize and represent at various points in the novel? Do these themes change and evolve as the story progresses? If yes, how so?
10. The idea of fate also comes up throughout Adelaide. Why do you think this is? How does Adelaide’s interpretation of fate inform her decision making, and even distract her from the rest of the scene? Is fate in the eye of the beholder? Why or why not, and how does Adelaide support your own interpretation of fate?
11. The end of the novel hints at both resolution and uncertainty. From your vantage point, what does it say about Adelaide’s story? And how does it make you feel about your own? What emotions did the ending of Adelaide make you feel?