I was so happy to get to be in Nina's universe again. Adult Assembly Required centers around Laura, who comes to LA 1. to go to school and 2. to escape her past traumas.

She receives an instafamily when Polly invites her to live in the same house. Here she will heal and fall in love.

I love how Abbi Waxman develops characters. I love how absorbed I get in this world and how she nuanced each person and make them all fit like putting a puzzle together.

Fantastic read.

Laura suffered a series of unfortunate events after relocating to Los Angeles for a fresh start. What seemed like misfortune at the time ended up being a serendipitous surprise as she discovered many things about herself while muddling her way the landscape of the Adulting world.

I may not have seen where this story was heading at all times, but I throughly enjoyed the journey. Waxman’s books are always a delight for me, and Adult Assembly Required had all those trademark elements that drive me to read anything Waxman writes.

One of the ways for an author to win my heart is to feature beloved characters from their other books. You cannot imagine how I squealed when, early on, Laura entered a bookshop. And, this was not just any bookshop, it was Nina Hill‘s shop!!!! As if I was not already a giddy fool, I discovered Polly and Impossibly Handsome Bob were there as well. I mean, I would have known to expect this had I read the book summary, but because this is an Abbi Waxman book, I felt confident going in blind. Needless to say, there were several other characters from another Waxman book in the story, and it was so wonderful to catch up with them all.

As much as I love cameos, I love found family even more, and Laura was so fortunate to be taken in by a fantastic group of people. These people were of different ages and walks of life, but they formed a solid circle of love and support for each other. It was tons of fun being in the house with them all. The “family” dinners and other shenanigans made me wish I could rent a room there. They all played a major role in Laura’s process of healing and self-discovery, and the mix of humorous and heartwarming events was one I enjoyed immensely.

And, what about Bob? So much about Bob. The friendship (and more) that grew between him and Laura had me grinning like a fool. The mutual pining and tenderness between them filled my big, sappy heart with joy. But, it wasn’t all giggles and googly eyes, these two encouraged each other to chase down their dreams and search for their happy. Finding a person who can affect your life in that many ways is like winning the lottery – rare, but stupendous.

Overall, another outstanding book by Abbi Waxman. It was a treat spending time with these quirky characters, old and new, and I hope Waxman continues to expand this world in her forthcoming books.

If you loved Nina Hill you’ll love this book as well (especially since she’s in this one for a good chunk of it!). The multiple POVs could get confusing at times though so I would have preferred specific chapters with the characters name at the beginning so I know right away whose chapter is whose.

I want to be friends with Laura and Bob, Maggie, Asher, Liz, Polly, Nina, Anna and Libby. I want to move into the house most of them live in in Larchmont and go to the bookstore where Nina, Liz and Polly work. I want to cheer on Nina and Laura’s Trivia team. I want to garden with Bob and Edward and Lili. In short, I want to live in an Abbi Waxman book.

I doubt there's anything Abbi Waxman could write that I wouldn't love.

On the mend (physically and mentally) from a terrible car accident, Laura Costello moves to LA to attend grad school (and to escape her opinionated family on the East Coast). After a fire in her apartment, she happens along Polly, who invites her to live in the boarding house she resides in, with quite an eclectic cast of characters. Laura starts to make friends and even joins a trivia team. With this new support system in place, Laura continues her next phase of healing.

I really enjoyed going on this journey with Laura as she opened herself up to new people and experiences and learned to accept help from others. It is not just a story of tremendous growth but of finding oneself along the way.

Note: The change of POV mid-chapter did confuse me at times, as I’m personally not used to reading such abrupt changes in POV without a section or chapter change.

I hope we hear more of Laura’s fellow boarding house residents in the future. Perhaps Polly’s story could be next?

Special thanks to NetGalley & Berkley for a free ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I didn’t realize this was a follow up to another book. I don’t know if it was that, or, the way it was written but I couldn’t get into this book at all. It had multiple view points and multiple characters and I found it very hard to follow. I did not enjoy.

After falling in love with Abbi Waxman's quirky writing style in The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, I could not wait to get my hands on this one. And I had no idea, it was a spin-off. Imagine my delight when I got to revisit Nina and the bookstore again. Adult Assembly Required is a delight in every way, with charming but complicated characters, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and original observations. The slow burn romance between Laura and Impossibly Handsom Bob tugged at my heartstrings. While reading, I almost wished I also lived in a boarding house with a cast of quirky housemates like Maggie, Bob, Polly, Asher etc al.

Readers: prepare to be dazzled!

After loving Abbi's last few books, I had high expectations for this one. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into the story. I felt like I was caught off guard from the very beginning since we were introduced to Nina and Polly, but then Laura turned out to be the main character?

Since that point, I had trouble keeping Polly and Nina separate - they seemed like versions of the same character without much development.

Laura and Bob's relationship seemed to trudge along and ultimately coasted to an ending. Overall, sadly this one didn't capture my attention!

Thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. I really enjoyed The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, and I had no idea when I picked this up that it takes place in the same world and with some of the same characters! It was fun to see Nina as a side character in this one, and I really liked Laura, the main character. She has moved to LA from out east for grad school, and right after she moved her apartment building burned down. She found herself in Nina's bookstore, where the staff got her what she needed, including a new place to live in Maggie's boardinghouse. She comes with extra baggage - troubled family relationships, an ex who just won't quit, and recovery from a traumatic car accident. Through her new friends, she learns to live life her own way and heal herself. This does have some closed door romantic elements, but I wouldn't call it a romance. I giggled every few pages - I really hope Waxman writes many other books with these characters! It was a delightful comfort read - though the parts where Laura recalls her car accident and its effects could be triggering for some readers. 4 stars.

This book, once again like Nina Hill, has filled my bookish heart and brain with such an enjoyable cast of characters I CAN'T EVEN. I love all of Waxman's books for different reasons, but this one really hit home for me - I think because I could relate to Laura a lot. This book follows Laura starting fresh in CA, who is from an uppity family of doctors (not medical, but professors) in NY city, as she is attempting to break away from family expectations, an ex-fiance who doesn't seem to get the word 'no', and start school to become a physical therapist, and to also attempt to overcome her issues with cars/car riding/driving a car from a very serious accident. Oh - and her new CA apartment had a fire so NO BIG DEAL, girl has a lot to figure out. You are kind of like 'whoa, poor Laura' but immediately Waxman brings in Polly and poof - the dialogue and character development and plot just take off. Laura finds herself renting a room in the same house as Polly, along with a few other characters, one who happens to be a very handsome, somewhat shy gardener. :) Their slow burn friendship/relationship/overall chemistry was perfection. You just want to smash these two together and tell them to makeout already, but of course, that doesn't happen. Nina appearances are a plenty as is trivia night. I adored this book and Laura in every way.

Adult Assembly Required
by Abbi Waxman
Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley
Pub Date: May 17

Abbi Waxman writes the most delightful books and Adult Assembly Required fits that description perfectly.

MC Laura Costello escapes her controlling family and the memory of a traumatic accident by moving to L.A. But bad luck follows her, as she's homeless within a week. Bring in the most caring group -- a book owner and her fun friends -- who help her find shelter, a berth on their trivia team, and a new life filled with hope. Plus, the possibility of new romance. Funny (Waxman's trademark), quirky, and heartwarming, Adult Assembly Required also handles mental health issues with care, adding more depth to a story I loved!

Thanks to Abbi Waxman, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#AdultAssemblyRequired #AbbiWaxman #berkleypublishinggroup #NetGalley #LAfiction #womensfictionnovel #funnyfiction #quirkycharacters #mentalhealthfiction #romanticfiction
#thebookishlifeofninahill #bookstagramcommunity

It took me a little bit to warm up to this book but I ended up really enjoying it. I liked the character development and that not everything was completely obvious like in some romances novels.

This was a good enough read but not my favorite unfortunately so f as r this year. Thank you for the Arc though

My awkward little heart absolutely adored this story. This was my first time reading a book by Abbi Waxman, and dare I say, it won’t be the last.

This story line is fast paced with an eclectic set of endearing characters. Laura has moved from New York to California, hoping to get away from her overbearing family, continue her grad schooling and hopefully to get over her traumatic car accident. But now, she suddenly finds herself homeless – her apartment building has gone up in flames. Polly, a complete stranger and employee at Knight’s Bookstore has adopted her, of sorts. Polly brings her to an illegal boardinghouse that happens to have an open room for rent. Here is where the cast of characters are quirky and just as lively. They draw her in without preamble and gentle bring her into the fold. But there is something about Bob, you can’t quite put your finger on it.

Gah! - the angst between these two characters was often times frustrating – their insecurities played the part well. Their attraction became more and more palpable as their story progressed. I just wanted to shout – can’t you see he’s into you? Bob! Just invite her to go out with you! But don’t worry, they figure it out in the end. As I stated earlier, my geeky little heart was so happy. You’ll definitely want to pick this book up immediately.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Pub for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I tried but I couldn’t get into this book. I never related to the characters. The story is told from multiple viewpoints which was confusing. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Abby Waxman is the perfect author when you need something heartwarming, light and fun, but not insipid or silly.
Laura Costello has just moved to LA, looking to start anew after ending her engagement. She’s also looking to escape her overprotective family and ex-fiancé. But within a week, her apartment building has burned down and she’s homeless. Next thing she knows, she’s made several new friends, she’s moved into an illegal boarding house and joined a trivia team. Did I mention there’s also a cute guy in the mix?
I love Waxman’s writing. She’s a master of the perfect turn of phrase to capture a situation. She also creates characters that are quirky yet totally believable. There was a bit of romance here, but not overwhelming. More importantly, there are a variety of friendships, of people holding each other up and helping each other out. These are folks I’d love to be friends with.
I’m not sure this is considered a sequel to The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, although Nina does overlap between the books. This can easily be read as a stand-alone.
My thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book.

Abbi Waxman’s new book Adult Assembly Required is a love letter to Larchmont Village and the quirky characters that surround it.

This book follows Laura Costello, a tall, active, grad student who escapes her overprotective family in New York to make a new life for herself in Los Angeles. In the process of overcoming past trauma, she is adopted by an eclectic group of characters who challenge her and support her. It reminded me of my early days in Los Angeles, living in a massive house with all my best friends. I’m a sucker for the worlds Waxman creates because her characters are relatable and real. You do not need to read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill to enjoy this one, however, it will make you love the story even more if you do.

My favorite thing about this book is that it normalizes the conversations around mental health while being clever and sweet. The only thing I wish was different was the multiple POV, the constant shift of perspective was confusing at times. While I dearly loved this book, I do not think it’s for everyone. There is some romance, but it is not the focal point of the story. It’s more about breaking old patterns and finding out what’s next.

I highly recommend Adult Assembly Required if you love relatable awkward characters going through transitional life phases.

Abbi Waxman has, once again, written a stylish, hilarious and emotional book. Picking up the lives of a few characters from The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, Adult Assembly Required is about Laura, who just moved to LA from NYC for grad school. Laura has mostly physically recovered from a very serious car accident two years ago but she has a lot of residual and untreated anxiety and poor self image. Her family and ex-fiancé have been a huge obstacle to her mental health wellbeing and continue to try to control her.
Laura moves to a house in an upscale residential neighborhood in LA shared with a large and fabulous cast of characters….too many to describe here, please read the book! She gains self assurance, starts to overcome her anxiety, becomes a pub trivia maven and talented potter, and maybe falls in love….with herself, her quirky friends and a man who truly listens to her.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book!! Laura moves to LA to escape her overbearing family and heal from trauma after an accident. She ends up living in a house with a great set of characters (who I want to be roommates with!). She really connects with one roommate but they question their past experiences and if it’s the right time for them to get involved.

Fans of Abbi Waxman’s other books will recognize (and cheer!) when they see familiar characters show up in this book!

This was absolutely adorable and so enjoyable! I sped through this and couldn’t get enough!! I believe it’s set in the same world as some other books by the author, which i have not read, but with how much I enjoyed AAR, i’ll definitely have to pick them up!