A Bigger Life

'A groundbreaking shift in how we talk about women, love and relationships’ – Marian Keyes

At 38, Louise O’Neill had the life she thought she wanted—until her long-term relationship ended, taking with it the home, future, and sense of certainty she’d built. Heartbroken but defiant, she made a radical decision: to say yes to everything, to take risks, and to reclaim her life—on her own terms.

What followed was a dating experiment that took her across Paris, London, New York, and beyond. Through the men she meets and the moments in between, Louise begins to challenge everything she’s been taught to settle for – in life, love, and in herself.

Part memoir, part manifesto, A Bigger Life is a candid, courageous exploration of modern womanhood, sexual freedom, and the myths we’re sold about what makes a life worthwhile. It’s about embracing uncertainty, finding joy after heartbreak, and creating space for the version of yourself that doesn’t play small.

Louise invites us to laugh, wince, and reflect as she asks the question at the heart of the book: What does it really mean to live a bigger life?

Reviews

'A groundbreaking shift in how we talk about women, love and relationships’ – Marian Keyes

'Beautifully written with generosity, candour, intelligence and wit. A Bigger Life reminds us all that hope exists, if we are brave enough to open our hearts to finding it' – Elizabeth Day

'Frank, fearless and unfailingly candid. As a dating memoir, it's both brutally honest and highly entertaining, but it's much more than that too: it's an exploration of female desire, a manifesto for female agency and a story about how sometimes losing a relationship can be the key to finding yourself' – Hannah Beckerman

‘I barely came up for breath. The honesty, the vulnerability…I inhaled it. This memoir has transformed my thoughts on love, sex and my own self-worth’ – Joanne McNally

‘So heartbreaking and uplifting. Though-provoking and beautiful. It’s perfection’ – Cecelia Ahern

‘A memoir that cracks your heart open but somehow still leaves you laughing. It’s fearless and gloriously human, and a reminder that our messiest chapters are often where the real magic lives’ – Angela Scanlon

‘A beautiful, hilarious, riot of a read. This book is a rallying cry to women everywhere’ – Salma El-Wardany

‘Raw, relatable and revolutionary, Louise O’Neill had me laughing and crying in the space of a page. A Bigger Life felt like more than a memoir, it is a call to action' – Jennie Godfrey

‘A brilliant, bold book which will give so many women the courage to rewrite their stories when they don’t go to plan’ – Bryony Gordon

'An extraordinary memoir that will make you laugh, nod your head vigorously and believe in people again. Louise writes with remarkable honesty and warmth, demonstrating perfectly how healing can be full of joy and pleasure. She captures your heart with both her raw moments and her profound epiphanies. A Bigger Life is everything it promises to be and more!' – Michelle Elman

About the author

Louise O’Neill is the bestselling and multi-award-winning author of Only Ever Yours, Asking For It, Almost Love, and Idol. Known for her sharp, fearless feminist writing, she has become one of the most important voices in contemporary Irish literature. Her work has been widely praised for its bold social commentary and emotional depth. A Bigger Life is her first full-length memoir.