“Nicola Dinan’s first novel, the Lambda finalist Bellies, was a gorgeous tale of platonic entanglement and first love. In Disappoint Me, Dinan builds on her astute portraits of romance to tell the story of Max, a trans woman in her 30s fed up with the way her life has turned out.”—Vulture
“[A] humorous but heartfelt look at finding love in your 30s and breaking free of the conventions —climbing the career ladder, getting married—that box us all in.”—PopSugar, “32 Essential Books by Trans and Nonbinary Authors to Add to Your Reading List”
“Nicola Dinan’s novel about a trans woman in a new relationship delivers devastating one-liners, a perfect social read of the queer-literary scene, and a second-act twist. It also provides an irresistible critique of contemporary wedding culture, which is probably relevant for your summer plans.”—W Magazine
“[Disappoint Me is] smart, funny and razor-sharp throughout. Mostly I was taken by how realistic it is, managing to gather all manner of contradictory, complicated feelings into a miasma of effortless prose. I hated having to finish this one.”—Vogue (UK)
“This book promises an engaging and insightful look at relationships, exploring the kind of growing up you do when you are already an adult.”—them, “Staff Picks: Our 10 Most Anticipated Books of 2025”
“Dinan portrays her characters with staggering depth and sharp nuance as they grapple with each other’s complexities and frailties.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Effortlessly readable and relentlessly quotable.”—BookPage, starred review
“Bursting with big questions about the politics of romance, family, and care, this novel navigates moral and emotional complexity with grace, nuance, and real storytelling nerve.”―Oisín McKenna, author of Evenings and Weekends
“Hilarious and heartrending in equal measure, with lines so unforgettably funny and true you’ll be sending them to your group chat immediately.”―Elaine Castillo, author of How to Read Now
“A charming, big-hearted love story unlike any I’ve read before . . . Dinan forces us to ask ourselves: Are we more than the worst thing we’ve ever done? An absolute knockout.”―Marisa Crane, author of A Sharp Endless Need
“A study in human frailty that is riveting, funny. and devastating . . . Nicola Dinan [brings] an incisive wit to the big questions of modern relationships.”―Shon Faye, author of The Transgender Issue
“So beautiful, so affecting it left a lump in my throat.”―Annie Lord, author of Notes on Heartbreak
“Immersive, perceptive, and layered with nuanced truths about friendship, family, queerness, and real romantic partnership.”―Jules Ohman, author of Body Grammar
“An addictive read that I really did not want to end.”―Travis Alabanza, author of None of the Above
“Disappoint Me is a mature and assured novel. I admired Nicola Dinan’s work in elaborating the growing pains of a trans experience muddled by race, class, and changing public attitudes.”—Mendez, author of Rainbow Milk
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