Brilliant novel! Loved it. I actually went back and forth between this audio copy and the physical copy and it was perfect. Great narration though and wonderful character development. I adored this book!! Thank you so much for this opportunity, I’ll be sharing my review soon on social media and will tag you all🖤

This was weird and interesting and a lot of fun to read. I would highly recommend anyone who enjoys suspense with some comedy and reading about cults. Very fun.

I'll be honest . . . I don't know what the purpose of this story was. And, for some reason, I thought there'd be a sci-fi aspect to it (there definitely wasn't, but that's on me for not paying more attention to the synopsis).

So many times I would pause in listening to Cult Classic and actually wonder out loud: "Where is this book even going? What's the point?" Normally, the point of the book would come around sooner or later and sometimes there would be a great payoff coming from nowhere at the very end that would make the book worth it. That was definitely not the case here. In fact, I totally guessed what would happen.

Sloane Crosley narrates the story herself and, while not awful, it was a struggle to understand conversations - she had absolutely zero character voices. I like to give authors credit for at least trying to narrate their own books because it's not an easy job.

Cult Classic follows Lola who is surprised to see her ex-boyfriend. Then she sees another, and another, and then she figures out that there’s a reason why and it’s bizarre, for her and for the reader.
I finished this and thought, “what did I just read?” It was filled with humor and witty banter. Lola is quick, off the wall and ready with a barbed response. She’s funny in a way that makes you laugh, but also keeps everyone at a distance. I guess makes sense in the story and how she keeps anyone from really getting to know her.
I’m not making any sense here, I know! But this is one of those books that I’ll be thinking about for a long time—weirdly brilliant.

Many many thanks to Farrar, Straus, and Giroux; Macmillan; and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this crazy read! I was so excited about this book that I really wanted to get a review out near publication day.
To start off, let's go to one of my favorite lines in this novel: "Romance is the world's oldest cult." I'm inclined to agree with this statement. We are taught from a young age that love and romance are one of the core quests of personhood and that they are vital for our longterm happiness and satisfaction. How do we know this is true? Does friendship and passion for other things in life fail to provide that same satiety upon attainment? Potentially not. I'm not totally decided. I'm also living in the society that has appointed love as one of its favorite inventions. So I'm not without bias. And romances, including several notable ones of which I have been part, can be so all-consuming that one can struggle to see the point of anything on the edges of that love. The leader (either you or your partner or the two of you as one conjoined being) sucks the glow out of anything that isn't the relationship, defiles anything threatening to violate the sanctity of the coupling. And, once one emerges from the rubble of what once sustained them, the world looks totally changed, like you are a time capsule from just before you fell into whatever it was that you were in. Frankly, it's terrifying.
This novel almost counts as a romance novel because it is the aggregated recollection of all protagonist Lola's relationships prior to her engagement to a man mysteriously nicknamed (and only referred to as) Boots. After a few chance encounters with exes in New York City's rapidly-gentrifying Chinatown neighborhood on consecutive days, Lola falls into the world of her former boss and several coworkers, who have somehow created a cult-like following of people who's only goal is closure (????? why????) with former romantic partners. Maybe this confuses me because I am a known ghoster and fickle with my feelings. I don't like neat bows on things; I prefer my endings incomplete and re-visit-able. Has this proved beneficial without challenge? No. My ex showed up on my doorstep in a blizzard on New Year's Day this year. I was hungover and pissed. But I liked knowing that he still thought about me and that his feelings had compelled him across the country, even if I didn't feel the same way.
This novel was sort of a more predictable Ghosts-of-Girlfriends-Past version of Freaky Friday. It became somewhat redundant because we knew that we were going to meet someone who Lola had been with, that it would be awkward, and that we would learn very little about the importance of that person. Sometimes, multiple people were only given a paragraph each in a long line of these men. I couldn't tell if the reader was supposed to conjure meaning out of the sheer number of men (and if so, what does that say about others of us with high body counts?) or read them and forget about them. Should we track them? Make a spreadsheet of what Lola could have (but ultimately didn't) learn from each of them? Unclear.
The most illuminating thing that any of them said was that "To not know you is to love you." I think that highlights the sublime of meeting someone new, not knowing where things are going, overlooking any potential flaw or ick because everything is green and wonderful and full of possibilities. But love is, as the novel also states, "agreeing to live in someone else's narrative." Too often we try to fit ourselves into the lives of others without contemplating what we lose of ourselves when we do that. The thing that pissed me off the most about this novel, though, was that Lola literally tries to get out of a toxic relationship, so toxic that this person is literally controlling her, and she doesn't leave him. I find stories like that borderline unforgivable and too real to count as fiction, no matter what kind of other literal mind control is happening. So problematic!!!!
In summation, this book was just okay but I hated the ending, which is my right, as someone who almost exclusively loves the beginning and middle of a book and finds a reason to detest it 95% of the way through.
As I said, I've never wanted relationship closure that bad like ever. Just ghost me and let me get over it. To force someone into encountering that many exes in a row? Criminal. For instance: Last summer, I was driving home from Whole Foods when I saw an ex walking down my block, directly past my building, looking up AT my bedroom window. He'd been there before only once or twice and lived in the boonies of Colorado or something at that time. We hadn't spoken since we split 3.5 years prior and I hadn't seen him in almost 4 (the demise of the LDR). When I chased him down the street to say hello and ask him what he was doing in my city, let alone in front of my house, he was like, "OH! I wondered why this area looked kind of familiar to me." And then tried to ask me how I "really" was doing. Can you believe men? Just let it lie. Jesus Christ.

Darkly comedic and a wonderful example of how a cult mentality can stick to the best of us.

When Lola runs into one ex boyfriend it seems like just a coincidence, but as she continues to cross paths with another and then another… etc, she begins to realize that this has to be orchestrated in a way she doesn’t quite grasp.

With sharp wit and a fun multi perspective narrative this one kept me entertained throughout. Great narration as well.

I won’t lie, the cover and description of a cultish story really drew me in to begin with, it as I started reading, it really wasn’t the story I hoped it would be. I loved the first chapter, but then the slow burn tone was not the right fit for me unfortunately. I will say that I loved the audiobook narrator, Sloane Crosley, and because of her I continued reading.

*many thanks to Macmillan Audio/Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

I really wanted to love this book and I know others have, but I just don't think this one is for me. The author's audiobook narration was not the best. I wish there was a bit more differentiation between the way she narrated all of the voices--given how many characters there were. This is the first I'd ever heard of or read Sloane Crosley, so I had no fandom or expectations for her narration or writing style going in. I was simply interested in the concept of modern dating meets A CHRISTMAS CAROL, and so requested the ARC, but I felt the execution fell short..

My highly-subjective take is that I found the Clive's psychology start-up plot to be initially interesting, but ultimately superfluous. I was willing to suspend disbelief and watch this woman run into a billion exes, because that happens to people all the time in New York, algorithm/manifestation-supported or not. I thought Boots' actions were manipulative and strange considering his distaste for Clive & Co. I thought it was very obvious that Lola and Boots should not be together--what with the manipulation and lying--and for them to end up together was strange to me. Even stranger was Lola's ultimate "please don't leave me" breakdown--after she'd firmly decided to break up with Boots. Stranger still was Clive's oh-so-symbolic death-by-elevator at the last minute, for seemingly no reason (for plot? was it for character development? emotional impact on the reader?). I was so disappointed and confused by the way this book ended that any enjoyment I'd had at hearing some of Lola's stories or the novelty of Clive's business was immediately forgotten. I felt, in the end, as if I'd sat through hours of someone I just met at a party's quirkily-embellished and overly-detailed dating history stories (which are really only interesting to listen to for maybe 10 minutes).

This was a very literary listen, though pretty short.
Lola is a woman living in New York who starts to suspiciously run into her exes as she goes about the city.
The writing is quite descriptive and thoughtful but sometimes overrides the bigger concept of the story, which is a fascinating idea.
I found my mind wondering sometimes as I listened to this book, so might be a better one to read. But overall I enjoyed the change of pace in the writing style and the ponderings of Lola in this confusing stage of her life.
It was quite good and very thought-provoking.

An enjoyable book, whose ideas about relationships and love go beyond the plot of the story. It's a fun story, about a girl who mysteriously can't stop bumping into her exes, but what it has to say about modern dating and love is the real hook. The audiobook version was fantastic, and I would recommend this to others. The ending felt a little rushed, but the ideas and concept were fun and it was a breeze to listen through.

This book is truly fun to go in blind and just going along with the story so I’m gonna be vague but insightful (if that’s possible):

Lola (our MC) starts to bump into her exes in a way that doesn’t seem normal rate and it all connects to a bigger move happening…..

I honestly loved the writing style because it really came off as if Lola was a real person sharing her self with you in bits and pieces. Reminded me of how TJR sets her characters up and that was pleasing to read. The message the story carries about love and relationships molding us and how they live on in our lives was really insightful and emotionally raw in many ways.

Loved the audiobook and the narrator ALOT; definitely want to get my hands on a physical copy because too many quotes hit close to home for me✨Definitely worth the read for those of us who love a good take on what love could truly mean….

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.

I got 10% into this audiobook before I couldn't listen anymore. It is very slow and there are so many details that I don't care about; if they're important then we should have gotten them after we learned why and not at the very beginning of the book.

Cult Classic has proven to be a truly unique reading experience with a wealth of thought-provoking material. Sloane Crosley's brilliant writing kept me interested even when I was completely confused. Lola is confronted by the ghosts of her dating past on the streets of Manhattan, reflecting on her past relationships while questioning the viability of her current engagement.

"Love is agreeing to live in someone else’s narrative."

Lola explores the depths of her romantic consciousness and the possibility of coincidence to determine if she can finally let go of the past, aided by an obsession with the emotions of the past and the power of suggestion. Each encounter with one of her former relationships adds something new to her journey through her memory pathways, revealing something new each time. Perhaps this book tried too hard to integrate a wide range of genres cohesively, resulting in a slower pace. However, the way everything came together for a spectacular denouement only added to the story's incredibleness. I don't think this book is for everyone, but I strongly recommend reading it with an open mind.

What an unexpected surprise? I don't know what I expected, but this wasn't it.
Lola runs into two of her exes back to back, and this begins a journey through the past.
Ex boyfriends? A cult? A deep dive into the complications of dating?
Woah, lots to think about. Lots to unpack.
"Romance may be the world's oldest cult."

This was definitely a fun read, and while I knew what the book was about I also felt confused for much of it... but in a good way? Such an interesting concept but it also felt a little unsatisfying.

So imagine your past loves started popping up at a rate that could not be a coincidence... Yeah, it sounds like an absolute nightmare! Damn, was this a witty, silly and beautifully written nightmare though! I have to say I really disliked everybody in this book, yes I said everybody. Maybe it was the power of great writing, but I loved this book despite feeling no connection to any character in it. I am giving it 4 stars.

One more note, the author narrated the audio, which I personally feel is a mistake 99% of the time. This was the 1% though she did a great job!

Thank You NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance arc in exchange for an honest review.

"Perhaps the Internet had spoiled us more than we suspected and we already suspected quite a bit."

Enjoyed the audiobook narrated by the author herself! I saw this book described as an "unromantic comedy" and you can take that how you like, but I rather found this book to be romantic! Just not in the conventional sense.

Lola is a dissatisfied New Yorker, engaged to be married to Boots, a glass blower who attended Brown University and who seems on paper to be the perfect partner. Why then is Lola feeling so discontent in her relationship? Is it just plain old cold feet? When Lola starts running into all of her old boyfriends or even just men who has some kind of strong romantic impact on her, she begins to think something is amiss.

This is the second book in a row that I read that had New York City in a starring role. How I love when the the city is almost like another character in a book! From Uptown to Downtown to all points in between, Lola traverses the city and runs into all sorts of characters in the span of a few days. But what is with all of the very odd, coincidental meetings with her exes?

“This is New York,' I explained. 'Everything is outside everyone’s comfort zone.”

What does Lola really want? It all becomes crystal clear when she meets up with her former boss Clive from the now-defunct magazine Modern Psychology. I don't want to spoil the book with more details here but I almost believe in the philosophy that he espoused in the book! (Don't judge!) Lots of adventures ensue, and all of it is read in the perfectly dry voice of the author Sloane Crosley. She adds just the right amount of wryness to this already funny book.

What will Lola do about Boots? He does seem to sense her ambivalence about getting married. (“Men, who can be so oblivious in most arenas, are very good a knowing when a woman’s heart has left the building.”) There are quite a few shockers in this very entertaining tale about modern love. A great beach read!

(Many thanks to the publisher for providing an advance listening copy via NetGalley.)

(4.5 rounded up to a 5)

Cult Classic is a humorous literary fantasy with mystery elements by Sloan Crosley. The ebook version is 304 pages. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at eight hours and is narrated by the author. We follow our main character with a first-person point-of-view.

Recently engaged Lola works in the publishing industry in New York City. One night, when she is catching up with some former colleagues, she steps out to buy herself a pack of cigarettes and when returning, runs into a former boyfriend. And then the following night, she runs into another. And then, another. She quickly realizes that this is more than just a coincidence, and learns that this is the work of a very contemporary cult led by her former boss--a former magazine editor turned mystical guru.

I had a lot of fun reading this book! The author narrates the audiobook, and I think she did an amazing job. Lola is at some times very unlikeable but then also very likeable at the same time. I felt seen as an elder millennial trying to figure out what I actually want out of my life. The modern world has so many transactional relationships and this book deftly delves into that topic.

Tropes in this book include: secret cult

Special thanks to MCD, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing an audio galley of this book for me to review. All opinions contained herein are my own.

What a wild ride! One of the best books I've ever read about modern dating and relationships.

Crosley presents a thoughtful, sometimes weird novel that blends genres and leaves the reader in their toes.

Fans of Mona Awad should give this one a try.

The writing is impeccable--I will definitely be digging into Crosley's backlist. The plot is intriguing, and then somewhat boggy, and then clears up at the end. I'm not sure the "cult" completely holds up, but I enjoyed the ride anyway.