Everything I Know about Love by Dolly Alderton Summary

Everything I Know About Love is a memoir exploring love in all its forms—romantic, platonic, and self-love—through Dolly Alderton’s humorous and heartfelt experiences. It chronicles her chaotic twenties, friendships, disastrous dates, and personal growth, framed by her evolving understanding of intimacy versus fleeting intensity. The book celebrates female bonds and was adapted into a BBC/Peacock series.

Millennials, young adults navigating relationships, and fans of candid coming-of-age stories will find this book relatable. It’s ideal for readers valuing female friendships, self-discovery, and witty reflections on modern dating. Those who enjoy memoirs like Wild or Bridget Jones’s Diary will appreciate Alderton’s blend of humor and vulnerability.

Yes—it won a 2018 National Book Award and became a Sunday Times bestseller. Readers praise its raw honesty, laugh-out-loud anecdotes, and emotional depth about friendship and aging. With over 430,000+ Goodreads ratings averaging 4 stars, it’s lauded as “Sex and the City for millennials”.

• Female friendship as the cornerstone of love and support.
• The distinction between intense romances and meaningful intimacy.
• Self-acceptance and navigating adulthood’s uncertainties.
• Nostalgia for youth contrasted with the rewards of maturity.

• “Nearly everything I know about love, I’ve learned in my long-term friendships with women.” (Viral on TikTok for celebrating girlhood.)
• “I hadn’t ever thought a man could love me the way my friends love me.” (Highlights prioritizing platonic bonds over romantic ideals.)

Some note its focus on heteronormative relationships and privileged perspectives (e.g., affluent London life). A few readers find the early chapters overly chaotic, though this mirrors the author’s intentional portrayal of her tumultuous youth.

The BBC/Peacock series expands on the memoir’s themes, dramatizing Alderton’s friendships and dating misadventures. While the book offers deeper introspection, the show captures its humor and emotional core. Dolly Alderton herself served as creator and writer.

Alderton is an award-winning British author, Sunday Times columnist, and podcast host. Her works include the novel Ghosts and agony-aunt collection Dear Dolly. She holds a master’s in journalism and often explores love, loss, and millennial life.

Alderton discusses therapy, quitting drinking, and shedding destructive habits to embrace self-worth. Her journey underscores that stability often comes from within, not external validation.

It sparked global conversations about redefining love beyond romance, resonating in 2025 as societal views on relationships evolve. Its TV adaptation and viral quotes cement its status as a millennial touchstone.

The memoir uses essays, lists (e.g., “Things I’ve Been Called While Walking Home at Night”), and anecdotes. This fragmented style mirrors the unpredictability of youth, transitioning into cohesive reflections on maturity.

• Courage to Be Disliked (self-growth focus).
• Tiny Beautiful Things (raw, episodic storytelling).
• Expectation by Anna Hope (female friendship dynamics).

Alderton poignantly describes friendships evolving as lives diverge (e.g., her best friend’s engagement). She frames change as inevitable but not tragic, emphasizing growth over loss.