Order Adelaide, my debut novel (and whole heart poured into a book!), today.
Adelaide Williams is a 20-something American living in dreamy London. With wonderful friends and fierce ambitions, Adelaide has little interest in finding “The One” right now. But when she meets Rory Hughes on a dating app — a charming Englishman who’s been placed there by fate, she swears — that all changes. All of a sudden, Adelaide finds herself completely in love.
Does he respond to texts? Honor his commitments? Make advanced plans? Sometimes, rarely, and no, not at all. But Adelaide is convinced that if she just tries and fights and loves a little harder, he’ll fall for her as deeply as she’s fallen for him. (He has to… right?) Because it’s clear to Adelaide that their fate was written in the stars. Why else would they have attended the same play last fall, or that Yankees game in 2016? Their paths never crossing until just the right moment.
Their relationship is made all the more complicated when Rory is thrust into a season of unexpected mourning, and soon Adelaide — the ever-supportive Adelaide — begins to fall apart herself, while striving to hold him together.
A millennial love story, Adelaide explores the complexities of grief, the power of friendship, and the nuance of mental health. With unflinching honesty and zany warmth, this raw, vulnerable novel captures 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.
A ‘Book of the Month’ selection for April and Marie Claire‘s #ReadWithMC book club pick for May.
Advanced Praise for Adelaide
“Adelaide is a beautifully-written, deeply-felt exploration of what it means to love and be loved. In it, Genevieve Wheeler perfectly captures the exquisite pain of being head-over-heels in love with someone whose feelings don’t match yours and poignantly celebrates the people on our journeys who make life worth living. A remarkable debut.” — Jill Santopolo, New York Times bestselling author of The Light We Lost
“Emotional and poignant, Genevieve Wheeler has made a remarkable debut with her fresh, modern voice. I was charmed. Adelaide explores 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 of Other Birds
“Impossible to put down. I saw myself and all of my past mistakes reflected back at me on every page. Genevieve Wheeler writes with brilliant clarity and specificity. I feel like I’m longtime friends with every one of her characters. I’ve been recommending this book to every one of my female friends who knows what it is to love too quickly and too deeply, with the wrong person. Adelaide is achingly beautiful, and heartbreakingly relatable.” — Dana Schwartz, New York Times bestselling author of Anatomy: A Love Story
“Sharp-eyed and big-hearted, Adelaide dives headfirst into the tidal pulls of love, friendship, grief, and mental health. Wheeler captures the lively adventures of an American 20-something trying her best in London with dazzling humor and dizzying aplomb. This is a can’t-miss, can’t-put-down debut.” — Beck Dorey-Stein, New York Times bestselling author of From The Corner Of The Oval
“Genevieve Wheeler’s Adelaide puts the heartbreak of loving the wrong person and the healing powers of friendship on magnificent display. With whimsical prose and a charming London backdrop, this deeply relatable novel infuses even the most painful moments with hope. I savored every single page of this beautiful book.”
— Hannah Orenstein, acclaimed author of Meant To Be Mine
“Adelaide is a fearless portrayal of unrequited love — the kind that thwarts us, flattens us, and ultimately has something to teach us. Wheeler’s debut is engrossing and poignant, full of grit and vulnerability. I devoured it.”
— Carola Lovering, acclaimed author of Can’t Look Away
“I fell head-over-heels in love with Adelaide. Featuring an unforgettable main character, this debut bursts with warmth, while offering an unflinching look at heartbreak and mental health. Genevieve Wheeler’s writing had me cackling, crying, and nodding in recognition so vehemently that I almost gave myself whiplash.” — Laura Hankin, acclaimed author of A Special Place For Women
Genevieve Wheeler 