Hey, Zoey by Sarah Crossan:

Dolores works in a comprehensive and David is anaesthethist. They have a nice house and good friends.  They’re also in a bit of rut.  Said rut becomes a rift,  when Dolores discovers her husband's animatronic sex doll Zoey bagged up in the garage.  

It’s an ingenious idea and one that has massive potential.  Sadly, it isn’t explored to the full extent of that.  The discovery of Zoey leads Dolores to re-evaluate her relationship (conclusion: not that great in the first place), plus the other aspects of her life (a sister with a burgeoning career  in the New York art scene/in a mental health crisis/ a mother with dementia).  The creepiest parts of the book is where Zoey becomes a BFF.  But again, the novel’s tone seems conversational, where it should be confrontational, seeming content to hint at things where it could and should have explored them further (IE Dolores considering taking her relationship with Zoey to a different level).  

It’s a high concept novel, in a year full of them.  Another fault is the novel seems glossy, yet unfinished.  And at 163 pages, some may admire the gloss, but others may feel as if playtime has ended prematurely.  It’s published by Bloomsbury on 23rd May and I thank them for a preview copy.