*minor spoilers ahead* ad/gifted
Hello, Limerence follows Mika, who is on the brink of turning twenty-five and feeling like she has very little to show for it beyond a draining office job and what she sees as a deeply frustrating lack of romantic and sexual experience.
When her effortlessly confident best friend invites her to a summer beach party in Tokyo, Mika decides to step out of her routine. There, she meets someone who might finally blur the line between her intense, one-sided fantasies and something real, raising the question of whether what she feels is limerence or the start of a genuine connection.
I enjoyed the writing style as it feels sharp, current, and in tune with modern conversations around femininity, sexuality, and dating. The humour especially stood out, with a tone that reminded me a lot of Fleabag (which I love!), in the sense that sometimes it felt chaotic but also honest in its writing. The book doesn’t shy away from graphic descriptions of sex, which might not be for everyone, but it does feel aligned with its exploration of desire and identity.
All I want is for the people that I love most dearly to be abundant in both health and happiness and outlive me forever, so that I may never know life without them – is that too much to ask?’
At times, I found the pacing choppy, with frequent time skips that made the narrative feel disjointed. About halfway through, I found myself a bit confused about where things were going and a little lost here and there. Despite being a quick read on paper, it actually took me a while to get through because of this uneven flow.
I also found the inclusion of a pandemic element somewhat jarring. The way it was described felt unexpectedly graphic and quite a jump from the rest of the story. The book overall has a very chaotic energy, which some may enjoy, but for me, it made it harder to fully settle into.
While I appreciated the themes, particularly the discussions around sexuality and the moment towards the end of the book where Mika begins to discover a new side of herself, I wish the ending had been expanded on. It felt like an important turning point that deserved more space. Personally, I didn’t connect strongly with Mika as a character, which made it harder to stay emotionally invested.
‘I am a product ferried across space and time; a capitalistic good of relative value. No different from the cardboard packages shuttled from point A to B on airplanes and trucks. Same-day delivery.’
In some ways, it reminded me of Convenience Store Woman in its focus on a woman who feels out of step with societal expectations, though this book leans much more into messy desire and internal chaos. Overall, it’s an interesting read, even if it didn’t fully land for me.
Hello, Limerence comes out on 4th June 2026. I read this via NetGalley – thank you to NetGalley and Faber Books for the proof.
2/5 stars
Soph's Library 
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