Olive cover art

Olive

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Olive

By: Emma Gannon
Narrated by: Sian Clifford
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About this listen

*The audiobook includes an exclusive interview between Emma Gannon and Dawn O’Porter* The debut novel from the Sunday Times bestselling author, Emma Gannon.

‘Thoughtful, funny, and honest’ Elizabeth Gilbert

‘Brilliantly observed’ Sophie Kinsella

‘It'll give a voice to countless women’ Marian Keyes

Olive and her friends have shared every milestone.

From first loves and first heartbreaks to flatshares and the first scary steps into the real world, they’ve been through it all – together.

But in the maze of life, through the winding paths that lead to different choices and different futures, will the bonds of friendship hold strong when Olive needs them most?

Moving, memorable and a mirror for anyone at a crossroads, OLIVE is a love letter to the life raft of female friendship and reminds us how, with a little courage, we can all follow our own paths.

©2020 Emma Gannon (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers Limited
Contemporary Contemporary Romance Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Literature & Fiction Romance Friendship Comedy Heartfelt

Critic Reviews

‘It explores such an important topic with a lightness and warmth’ Dolly Alderton

‘Gutsy and refreshing’ HEAT

‘It's warm and charming and yet VERY brave in its honesty about having children and how that impacts female friendships. I suspect a lot of women will feel relieved and seen when they read it’ Holly Bourne

‘Important themes explored by a true champion of women’ Nina Stibbe

‘Thought provoking with a wonderfully relatable hero’ Good Housekeeping

‘So fresh and funny and utterly distinctive . . . I loved it’ Emma Jane Unsworth

‘A delicate, heartbreaking and delicious story that will bring a pang of delightful recognition to every woman who reads it’ Scarlett Curtis

‘A witty, tender portrayal of female friendship under pressure’ Mail on Sunday

‘Honest, relatable, and incredibly real, Olive is going to resonate with an entire generation of young women’ Louise O’Neill

‘In Gannon’s capable hands, women are not so much divided along their disparate lines – but united’ Pandora Sykes

‘Cuts rights to the heart of conversations around women and the stereotypes we either adhere to – or reject’ Cosmopolitan

‘I raced through this brilliant, brilliant book, feeling more thoroughly seen than I have in years. Olive's story is big and bright and beautiful, and holds up a much-needed mirror to society’ Lucy Vine

‘Incredibly warm and loveable, you won’t be able to put Olive down’ Bustle

All stars
Most relevant  
I absolutely loved this. Narrator was excellent, and I guffawed aloud in public a number of times while I was out walking and listening. So relatable and feels like your own group of friends.

Faultless story

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If you're young, considering a family or not, then this book would be a good read for you. I felt a little old for it to be honest. A nice story of friendships though.

Took me a While to get into this

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Loved the book, a topic that has not been explored much and it gave me a in-site into a whole new world. Highly recommend reading.

Very interesting topic, loved it!

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Thank you. I finally felt seen and my life choices treated in a respectful manner. A must read for anyone who is contemplating or has chosen to be child free by choice.

I finally felt seen and heard

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Easy to listen to, I enjoyed it especially closer to the end. Think I may be a little old (at 37) for some of it as the language was a bit ‘young’ and I found some of it a little cliched but maybe I’m cynical! Good holiday read.

Enjoyable

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So nice to listen to a story where many personal views on children are shared and normalised. Really felt the genuine connections created between the characters. Highly recommend.

Refreshing listen

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I adored everything about this. nuanced story and a great performance. please read this now!

great performance and story

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Great read honest raw glad to finely find this book wish there were more similar highly recommend

Honest loved the characters refreshing

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I adored this book, so thrilled to read a book with a different sort of protagonist, with different challenges and goals. She's NOT a ditzy hopeless mess type like Bridget Jones, she hasn't gotten herself into a crazy madcap scenario, nor is she pining away for a man. Olive is a woman you'll relate to and love, even if you're not facing the same decisions or have the same attitudes.

Love Emma's voice and ideas. She does a podcast (I immediately subscribed) and has a great Instagram and blog (I am now following). She looks like someone I want very much to be friends with, hope she writes more books.

As for the narration - Sian Clifford!! What a privilege. She is simply wonderful.



Hallelujah! Love, love, love this book!

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Such a gorgeous book. As a mum with two children who in the early days asked my self every day “WHY THE FUCK did I decide to procreate?”, I got this book. It resonated, haaaard!
Love/hate all the characters. I want to send it onto all my child free friends and I will be more mindful of the language I use when talking about this topic.

Loved it!

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