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I'm a bit conflicted when it comes to Nicola Dinan's novel Bellies. On one hand, it's a tender and profound story filled with relatable and realistic characters. It's composed of beautiful writing and nuanced discussions on identity, gender, and attraction. Yet, on the other hand, it is simply too slow and mundane for my personal tastes. Not that slow and character-driven stories are a bad thing, but I simply felt like there was something missing from the book, something that would have made me care about the characters and their lives just a little more.

I would still recommend picking this up if the premise appeals to you—there is a definite audience for this type of novel, but I am just not it. I still enjoyed it though, I just didn't love it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers (Hanover Square Press) for the ARC!