Remember the books as a kid that you could pick your own adventure. That's kind of how this was.
I do wish that maybe the 2 stories merged where she would have ended up with 1 for real.

this was so cute. i liked the dual timeline, the fact that we avoided a love triangle (god bless), and it was overall full of queer joy! i definitely recommend.

I do wish Adler's latest was marketed as a "choose your own adventure" and was puzzled that the last few chapters were held as such. I found the chapter titles humorous and would've made a great choose where Natayla goes story! Overall, it was a quick read where the main character is already out of the closet and some fun nods to Dahlia's other books.

I love Dahlia Adler’s work and Going Bicoastal is another excellent addition! I immediately loved the cover. In Going Bicoastal, Natalya must choose which parent she wants to spend the summer with- her dad in New York or her mom in LA. There are pros and cons to both, along with two special people that she’ll meet depending on her choice. In a queer YA version of Sliding Doors, Natalya discovers who she is and explores who she wants to be.

Going Bicoastal was such a fun and clever read! I loved the bisexual/LGBTQIA+ rep and the cameos from Cool For the Summer. It was interesting to see what things stayed the same in both versions and what changed based on Natalya’s surroundings. I loved both Elly and Adam! Natalya has a great group of found family among her friends. I enjoyed seeing more about Shabbat dinners (they also made me very hungry!) and seeing how Natalya connected to Judaism. The ending was creative and I loved how all the threads came together. Going Bicoastal would be the perfect book for readers who enjoy Emma Lord and Sophie Gonzales. I can’t wait to see what Dahlia Adler writes next!

Thank you to Dahlia Adler, Wednesday Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

This is a wonderful book to start the summer reading season with! Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler has a fun premise and keeps you entertained from page to page.

Meet Natalya. She has to decide if she wants to spend the summer in New York City (NYC) with her dad or travel to Los Angeles (LA) and spend the summer with her mom. Through alternating chapters, readers are taken on a journey to explore what happens if Natalya stays in NYC or travels to LA. Are you ready for a bi-coastal summer?

My first read from Adler, and I was not disappointed. I had a phenomenal time while reading this story! I didn’t expect to enjoy the alternating plotlines as much as I did, especially because one storyline always seems more compelling. Adler delivered enchanting storylines on both fronts. I found it easy to follow, and the author made this easy with the chapter titles - thank you, Dahlia! I look forward to reading more of her work.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Wow. This book was PERFECT. From start to finish I was absolutely enamored with the story. And Natalya. I picked this up right after I finished The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on prime this morning—and it immediately transported me back to the Upper West Side in the most exquisite way.

This is definitely one of my favorite romance books of all-time. It was so unbelievably well-written. From the prose to the characters to the settings and food and romance. Every single character was written with depth. Both of the romances had me absolutely squealing. And her relationships with her parents were so sweet.

I found myself simultaneously hoping Natalya stayed in New York and went to the west coast. I didn’t want this story to end, but when it did end, it ended so beautifully and wonderfully. It was a gem of a read. I cannot recommend it enough.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All views reflected are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

While the situation-shifting kept me from getting to the point where I was bored (it got so close on so many occasions), I still never found myself particularly interested by either of the plotlines.

I loved that Natalya leaned in to who she was and did not apologize for it. Different aspects of her identity as Jewish, bi, an artist, etc. helped her feel like a well-rounded and real character. While neither of the love interests were especially compelling, they did at least have backgrounds, personalities, and motivations.

Characters outside of Natalya and her love interests...well. They existed. I did not absorb any names, personalities, quirks, or anything else, because with the situation swapping there were just. too. many of them.

I loved/hated this book's descriptions of food (it made me hungry!) and the little bits of Natalya developing her relationship with her mom were great, I wish there had been more.

Overall, not the most compelling but I didn't actively dislike it. 2.5/5 rounded up.

This book was insanely unique! It took me a little bit to fully understand and embrace the format, but I really enjoyed it!

Dahlia Adler is one of my favorite authors, and she once again has delivered a really wonderful queer YA romance. This story was exciting, different, fun and easy to read, and generally very engaging. I loved the representation in this book, and always appreciate this author’s depiction of non-traditional parenting. The Jewish representation was fabulous, and as a gentile I found it both informative and respectful.

While I was always team Adam, I loved this story for showing us both the ways Natalya’s life would’ve played out had she made one decision or another.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press. All opinions are my own.

I was unfortunately kind of meh about this book. Modeling it after a Choose Your Own Adventure was cute, but it got a bit confusing as only 1 of the timelines can truly be "real" to a reader. You can alternatively view it as a multiverse experience, where both relationships happen simultaneously (just not to the same version of Natalya). Some moments do occur in both timelines, in a parallel way that almost felt klunky? There isn't much conflict in Ellie's timeline, while the conflict in Adam's felt unnatural. BUT apart from my criticisms, I really enjoyed the bisexual and Jewish rep, as well as getting to explore NYC and LA. I think that the Sliding Doors format just isn't for me, but I'm still a huge fan of Dahlia Adler and can't wait to read her future work.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Natalya Fox has a decision to make about her summer: stay with her dad in New York, or spend time with her mom in Los Angeles. Both have their pros and cons, but with only 24 hours to make the decision, Natalya is struggling.

Since Natalya can't choose, both timelines play out in a choose your own adventure kind of style book. We get to see what happens in LA and in NY, both with different romances and different options for her future. And at the end, you get to decide: which way did Natalya go?

Thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday books for an advanced copy of Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler to review! Always a fan of Dahlia Adler, so I was excited to pick this one up! And I am happy to say that I wasn't dissapointed.

I would like to note, I didn't notice the part about both timelines playing out and I was a bit confused at the beginning. But once I got into the groove, it was smooth sailing. This book is a bit like getting two books in one, both with adorable romances to boot. Nat's summer in NY is all about music, and her summer in LA is all about food. What isn't to like about that?

Even though it is two separate stories, they both feel evenly developed, in that I didn't feel like one story suffered at the expense of the other. Both had great side characters, and we get to see Nat's character development in different (but also kind of similar ways). It's actually a good example of excellent writing! And really, I'd recommend it just for that.

If you're looking for a fun, different YA queer romance to read this summer, I'd definitely recommend checking this one out.

The way this book made me ugly cry in public…
I felt seen, i felt empowered and i felt strong.
Thank you so much for this representation.
It means the world to me.
If you haven’t already, read it and give it a chance. You won’t regret it.

Natalya has to make a decision about what she is going to do for the summer. She can stay with her dad in New York, the parent who has always been there for her and the city she knows, and maybe get to know the redhead girl she has been crushing on from afar for months. Or she can visit Los Angeles to try to repair her relationship with her mom, and take on an internship at her mom’s company. The rest of the novel follows Natalya through both timelines, as she goes on different adventures in each, but ultimately learns a lot about herself in both of them.

I really enjoyed Dahlia Adler’s release from last year, Home Field Advantage, so I was more than happy to read an advanced copy of Going Bicoastal. However, I was also a little bit skeptical. As a book that essentially has two different stories in it, I was worried that I might love one story and hate the other, or that with only half the page time, neither of the stories would feel fully developed. Thankfully, I was pleasantly surprised to find I did not need to worry about either of those things.

I really was truly surprised to find how much I enjoyed both stories. Adler shows there are multiple ways to get to where you need to be. Although Nat’s path is different in each story, in both versions we watch as she falls in love, begins to repair her relationship with her mom, and discovers a potential career path for herself. I legitimately enjoyed both of the romances, so when I got to the final chapters, which offer two different endings depending on which romance you want to play out, I really wanted to read both of them. I was truly impressed that both of them felt fully fleshed out, and neither of them felt rushed.

Another piece of the book I absolutely loved was the representation. I have read plenty of books with Jewish characters, but this is the first one I have read which actively talks about Jewish practices so much. Natalya keeps Shabbat, and discusses extensively how much it means to her. I am not Jewish, but I know how important Shabbat is to my Jewish friends, so I thought it was really cool to see it get such a prominent place in Going Bicoastal. The bisexual representation was also wonderful. In one timeline, Nat ends up with a girl, and in another she is with a guy, but in both timelines she is unapologetically bisexual and her identity is never called into question.

Going Bicoastal is such a fun, summer YA romance, and a great way to travel vicariously this summer! If you are a fan of Adler’s other books, or just like YA romance in general, I would definitely recommend it.

In Going Bicoastal it's hard not to fall in love with Natalya. From the premise alone, I love the idea of Going Bicoastal. Of seeing your life at a crossroads and wondering which direction to go. Adler's recent release is about the differences - and similarities - our lives could go down. For Natalya stuck between her parents and two different paths for her future, she has to take risks. Even if she stays in NYC with her dad, her dad challenges her to take risks, have new experiences, and meet new people.

In Going Bicoastal I adored the family relationships between her and her dad as well as her mostly absent mother. To see the two timelines and we see her relationship with her mother evolving. Going Bicoastal is a fabulous story about the things that change and stay the same. How our lives can take different turns, but some pieces of our lives just end up falling into patterns. It's a fantastic and intriguing idea of fate and choice.

This story captured my mind and heart in every way possible. Watching two beautiful life paths and love stories play out while learning more about Jewish culture made for a highly enjoyable reading experience. This book shows that there is more than one correct choice in life, and I appreciated the level of similarity that occurs in the two stories.

this was a really good! I liked the characters, and they were super well-developed. the plot was super cool and fun to read, and the writing was also smooth and easy to understand
highly recommend

The perfect summer read about finding yourself and with such a fun ending! I loved the multiple opportunities this book allowed and highly recommend it.

🦇 Going Biocoastal Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

❝ Regardless of domination, I'd still be who I am—Jewish and bisexual and proud as hell of both. I had a bat mitzvah and I fast on Yom Kippur and I made out with Kira Horowitz at an LGBT Jew Youth Center's Purim party my sophomore year. I contain multitudes. ❞

❓ #QOTD What recent decision set your life on a new path? ❓

🦇 There's more than one path to happily ever after. Natalya Fox, a proud bisexual Jew still trying to figure out her place in life, has a choice: stay home in New York City with her dad for the summer, or spend it with her estranged mom in LA interning at a digital marketing firm. When Natalya can't make her choice, the universe makes the decision for her: splitting her between alternating timelines. In LA, she spends the summer repairing her relationship with her mom while working alongside the boy who adds unexpected flair and flavor to her life. In New York, she crosses paths with The Redhead; the girl she's had a long-time crush on, but never had the courage to speak to. What happens when the summer reaches its inevitable end?

💜 First off, I never award a book with a five-star rating unless it WOWS me, so don't take those stars for granted. I teetered between four and five until the last two chapters, which brought this brilliant, well-executed concept to a beautiful, unexpected end. Everything about this book—from the representation (this is coming from a Muslim bisexual, by the way) to the amazing character growth—is stamped on my little, queer, ink-stained heart. Dahlia Adler gave us a real, raw main character and a story full of emotional depth. We learn about Natalya's customs through her family, her friends, and the food she shares during Shabbat dinners (whether in NY or LA). Seeing a bisexual in two relationships ("simultaneously" but not) demonstrated that love is love, regardless of gender, sexuality, or culture. Natalya's story is full of heart, quirky mishaps, romance, and self-discovery. I can't wait to see what Adler brings us next.

🦇 My only hangup was the size of the cast, which is understandable since Natalya has a friend group in both locations. It was a little difficult keeping everyone straight (no pun intended, giving the amazing number of queer characters) at first. However, Adler did a wonderful job of making each character unique, coast-to-coast. Each side of Natalya's story stands on its own, making this two-for-one queer rom-com a must-read!

🦇 This book is perfect for summer. Recommending to anyone who loves YA with loads of character growth. If anything, read it to see how the dual timeline concept plays out!

✨The Vibes✨
🏳️‍🌈 Bisexual Representation
✡️ Jewish Representation
💙 YA Contemporary Romance 💜💖
📅 Dual Timeline

🦇 Major thanks to the author @missdahlelama and publisher @stmartinspress/@wednesdaybooks for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

I recently read Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler, and I was excited to read her upcoming book Going Bicoastal. It is the perfect quirky and fun read for the summer.

The dual timeline is such an intriguing concept. The book starts with Natalya being unable to decide if she wants to spend the summer in California or New York, which makes it so cool to get to experience both scenarios play out. The most captivating element is noticing what the two scenarios have in common – the eclectic friend group, the repaired relationship with Natalya’s mom, the discovery of a career path. It supports the argument that there are many different ways to get where you are meant to be.

I loved both Adam and Ellie and their relationships with Natalya. Ellie encourages her to come out of her shell and helps her in realizing that she wants to become a graphic designer. In turn, Natalya and Adam support each other in their internship and help each other thrive in their strengths. Bisexual representation in literature is pretty limited, so it feels so important that Adler portrays Natalya in relationships with both a male and a female.

Jewish representation in books is so importnt to me, and I loved reading about the way Natalya relates to her Judaism. Shabbat dinners are very important to her and her dad. They have that weekly moment to slow down and connect with one another, and Natalya brings that to her mom when she goes to LA. I appreciated that both Ellie and Adam attend Shabbat dinners with Natalya and learn about the traditions. Adam even learns how to cook a traditional Shabbat dinner including soup, challah, roast, and kugel. Natalya also doesn’t eat non-kosher food like shellfish and in both storylines, her friends are very respectful and accomodating of her religious practice.

As someone who spent four years living on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, I loved Adler’s portrayal of the neighborhood. I loved that the restaurants she mentioned had names that are close to real restaurants on the UWS, but the names were slightly changed. I also wish there was a Poe themed cafe like Nevermore in the neighborhood. Ellie even lives in the Dakota, an Upper West Side landmark where John Lennon lived. It felt like a loving tribute to the neighborhood I love so much.

Going Bicoastal is delightful, and I cannot wait to see what Adler writes next.

Going Bicoastal was exactly the book my pan-heart needed! This book was a great queer escape into two worlds: one where Natalya stays home on one side of the country in NYC and another spent on the other side in LA. I wasn’t sure how the author would maneuver the dual timelines and stories, and I absolutely love how well it was done. It felt like two stories in one in all the best ways. It was so fun to see a bi character finding herself and figuring out how her sexuality fits in her life. This book was fantastic and I’d recommend to anyone looking for a quick, fun YA read with lots of queer coming of age!

I really like this novel for the unique manner in which parallel stories lines for the main character, Natalya Fox, show bisexual representation and how her beautiful queerness exists whether she is in a relationship with a male or female partner. Adler is an author whose writing continues to get better with each novel. I love the queer worlds that she creates and the the generally kickass parents. There was also some very cool cultural Jewishness happening with both the main and side characters.