4 Point Of View's/POW's in an Upper west side story; the characters are all on the same floor and either roommates or down the hall from each other. (The time line was consistent and the story didn't jump back and forth in time.)

Early on in the story, I wasn't sure where it was going, but decided to just enjoy it and see where it went. The characters were all interesting and the story moved along quite nicely and was very enjoyable. Once I started reading, I was pretty hooked.

One of the things I like best about NetGalley is that it gives me the opportunity to read books I wouldn't ordinarily read (like this one) and also introduces me to authors that I haven't read before. Like thus book by Rachel Cullen, her 7th book. I'd definitely read another book by her.

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Cullen the author and Lime Street Press the publisher for the opportunity to review the advance read copy of An Upper West Side Story in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is 6 July 2023 ... coming soon!

So being a 35 year old I remember this time before the internet craze and IG posts. This book was pure nostalgia for me in the best way and I couldn’t put it down. It was short and funny and you don’t feel like your reading it feels like a tv series where you want to find out what happens next to your favorite characters

I will definitely be recommending this to all of my friends

This book is about the four people who wanted to find a better place a better home. where they can live.
Tory wants to live separately with her parents so that she can be independent woman. I relate to her but the difference is I know how to do some house chores.

This book is absolutely one of my favorite. Not too drama which more I like.
What I can say about this is I hope soon it will adapt into a movie or netflix movie.
This is kind of 90's movie or like F.R.I.E.N.D.S genre.

I'll read more books written by Rachell Cullen. Great Job!

My first ARC review

I really enjoyed the throw back to 2004 a time without smartphones in the upper Westside.

The book was so much fun and I was hesitant to put it down and get to work.

The characters were so relateable. At the beginning I was a bit struggling with the different characters (this story is told in multiple POVs four to be certain) to get a hang of who is who.

Special thanks to Net Gallery for and the publisher’s for the advanced copy

Keep your eyes open for the release

Being from way back in those early 2000’s myself, I truly enjoyed this book! I’ve never been to New York and what I’ve seen of it has been on tv and in movies and this book seems like it should be made into a series because it’s absolutely a great story with awesome characters that are fleshed out so well! I loved each character and what’s going on with them. The author did a great job of characterization as well as having easy, light writing that made the book a perfect beach or vacation read! I really enjoyed this one and would definitely read this author again!

I’m obsessed. I’ve found a new auto buy author.

The depth of all the characters is incredible, I’ve never hated a character so much like I do for the parent of one of these characters. I love how defined these four characters are (Zach, Tory, Jessica and Robin) we learn so much about them and still see them change and develop in such a manner that speaks to my soul!

I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy to display as a trophy because the cover is gorgeous too!

This was enjoyable, relaxing, and easy read. Although, I haven't watched either "Sex and the City", or "Friends" (shocking, I know) this is what I imagine how a combination of both of these TV shows would feel like. Or, it also gives me a feeling of "The Bold Type" taking place in the early 2000s. In other words, a perfect romance for a relaxing evening on the couch sipping on wine or tea.

The story is about 4 people, whom fate brought together to the same floor of one building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Robin - a woman who is in desperate need of a roommate, Jessica - a woman who is in sudden need of a roommate and a place to live, Tory - a woman who is also in search of a roommate as she got enough of living with her parent, and Zach - a man who never planned on getting a roommate but how could he refuse this when a woman is crying her eyes out at his apartment, especially when she looks like HER.
Every character with their own backstory, trauma, and challenges, going on with their life building friendships with the other 3, and supporting each other through the hard comings. From the very beginning till the very end of the book, you will be following each character's situation happening and the resolution of it, revealing secrets together with them.
Be ready to be happy, angry, and surprised together with the characters of this lighthearted book.

Thank you NetGalley and Rachel Cullen for providing me with an ARC!

Thank you for the free ARC in exchange for review. I really enjoyed this book. I felt connected to the characters and their personal issues. I liked how all of the characters were going through something and were able to work through it. I liked how this wasn’t so focused on the romance, while it was blooming in the background. I found the writing to be very light and it was enjoyable to read.

This was a good, quick read! I got through it in one sitting and just adored it. It felt like it went so fast because you are reading four different storylines that connect together. It was a unique read and the cover is so cute!

An Upper West Side Story is 'historical' fiction that takes place way back in 2004....and boy, does this book do a great job of bringing you back to the days of Craigslist and Motorola RAZRs. All of the characters in this book are sweet, if a little bit stereotypical, and the combination of the characters with the setting make for a delightful, easy read. I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fun escape!

I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Drama Level: 🌶️🌶️

Contrary to the reference it's title, An Upper West Side Story by Rachel Cullen isn't a dramatic tragedy. It's a lighthearted read you can breeze through in a couple of days.

Jump back in time to 2004 with Jess, Tory, Robin and Zach on the Upper West Side.

Jessica Barlowe had plans to move in with her boyfriend until he completely blows up their lives. With her current roommate moving out in anticipation of Jess' move, she is left stranded on her own.

Tory Wallace's home life had always been difficult. Between her parents' fighting matches and her father's constant put downs, it all comes to a head. Tory has to escape and forge her own independent path.

Robin Cromwell is left with the perfect apartment. It's a classic six - which includes two bedrooms, two & a half bathrooms (what in the world is a half bathroom??) and a kitchen - in a prime location. With her roommate and best friend moving out for her residency, Robin has to comb through all the Craigslist creeps to find the perfect roommate.

Zach Sullivan is a tech executive who owns his own apartment on the Upper West Side. He has always been reserved. But when he crosses paths with someone he can't seem to stop thinking about, he impulsively ends up renting out his spare room.

***
This book was honestly a mixed bag for me. It was very easy to read and I breeze through it in a couple of days. I also think Rachel had an interesting set of characters with a lot of potential.

That being said, while all the characters had the ingredients of standing out from one another, all their 'voices' in their respective POV felt very similar. This is most likely due to Rachel's writing style coming through. I definitely think the girls could had more of a distinct tone to set them apart. I was slowly able to differentiate them by Act 2.

Jess, Tory and Zach had all heartfelt backstories and trauma they had to resolve and it was done very well. I am especially a fan of how Tory's arc and storyline unfolded. Her family history was interesting to read about.
However, I felt that Robin wasn't done justice. While the trio I mentioned had backstories that added depth to their characters and raised the stakes for them, Robin's issues about dating and her career felt like small potatoes. The book could have used at least a 100 more pages fleshing out Robin who was a lovely character to read about.

All in all, the way all these characters intersected and how each of them impacted different arcs was cool to read about.

Another thing that could have been done better is the conflict and pivotal moments. I felt that a lot of important scenes that should have unfolded on the page happened off screen. I felt cheated out of getting those POVs at times. As for the conflicts, a lot of it fell under the miscommunication trope. It felt like watching a 90s sitcom episode without it being funny, I was just very frustrated with the characters at that point.

The ending was really sweet and gave me the fuzzies. All that's said and done, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a lighthearted read where you don't need to think much and can read it quickly in a day.

Thank you to Lime Street Press, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

This was a fun read and I really enjoyed the different character chapters. It was a fun read and quick and easy to read.

Thanks for NetGalley for an ARC.

This was cute - peak 2000s chick lit!

An Upper West Side Story tells us the story of four strangers who serendipitously cross paths and become fixtures in each others’ lives. It was a real throwback to be reading about young women in 2004 New York talking like the internet and cellphones were brand new things, such a fun novelty compared to what I’ve been reading lately.

This was a light and easy read that I sped through pretty quickly. I did find the first quarter a little hard to follow because the female characters all felt a little same-y, and while that didn’t change personality-wise throughout the book, I finally remembered their names/jobs/storyline’s by about 75 pages in. I was a little disappointed in Zach’s reveal (wanting it to be a little juicier) but that didn’t spoil too much. Tory was my favourite storyline by far!

Recommend for a light beach read this summer. If you liked watching Gossip Girl back in high school or have an affinity for romcoms like 13 going on 30, this one is for you.

This was such a cute book!
Like a real slice of life novel, the story follows three young women who all lead very different lives in New York but by a series of coincidences all cross path and become part of each others lives. All three women and Zach were likeable in their own way and although there wasn’t an “overall” plot arch, the individual accomplishments of each character felt like a huge milestone and drove the story forward.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book took me back, way back, to 2004 when I, like the characters, was a few years out of college, living in NYC (Queens but, still…) with a roommate I met on Craigslist, going on bad dates with men from Match.com and eating Tasti D-Lite like it was going out of style. The nostalgia sucked me in and I could not put this book down! While the characters are living a much more glamorous life than I was in 2004 (or am now, for that matter), I was still able to relate to their post-collegiate struggles working and dating in NYC. I could see us all grabbing lunch at Cosi - with Tory treating, of course!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I look forward to reading other books by Rachel Cullen.

This was a fun book to read. It give me the feeling of a 90’s romcom. The story is told by different characters what make the book easy to read and easy to enjoy. My only trouble is that all the characters seemed the same or to similar and the book become a bit confusing. But is a very good cosy or comfort read. I like the meaning of the struggles of the characters they got a normal people daily routine. I enjoyed lots the progression of the relationships and how they develop in the end. The ambiance in NY literally got me wanting to visit. For me is a good book and I want thank Netgally and Lime Street Press for my free copy of the book In a exchange of a honest review. Upper west side story by Rachel Cullen. #anUpperwestsidestory #NetGalley

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I found it quite hard to keep track of whose perspective I was reading to begin with, I could have done with more introduction to each person, or more call-backs to situations to give me context to work out who I was reading about at points in time but this got easier the more I read.

I'm a sucker for any book set in New York and I loved the references, although could have done with more! And the references to it being during 2004 were also delightful.

As I said, I found it hard to keep track at first but once it got easier, I actually ended up really enjoying the story.

I had higher hopes for this one. I liked the premise that the characters are all looking for roommates in the city in the early 2000s. However, there wasn’t much more to the plot than that. And, except for Zach, I didn’t find the characters to be very likable and almost annoying, at times. It’s a simple, quick and easy read.

This book was so cute!!

If you love sitcoms, friendships, roommates to lovers, absolutely check this out.

Its a short, cute and easy read about 4 people who find each other because of moving in and out, and roommate searches. It's adorable to see how something as simple as that can create friendships!

Thanks to netgalley, as well as the author, for providing me with an earc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

review will be posted on instagram on the 28th of june, link will be added here! you can find me @lunarbookshelves

A book is about love, life, and friendship. The plot revolves around Robin, Jessica, Tory, and Zach and their lives in New York.

The book is set in 2004 and has a sitcom vibe. The story was told from four different POVs. Robin is desperately searching for a roommate and has had no luck in her romantic life. Jessica found out her boyfriend was cheating on her and ended their relationship. Tory wanted to move out of her parent’s house, and Zach was trying to recover from an incident that mentally affected him.

The plot was nostalgic, with all the fashion, cell phones, and old shows. All the characters are stuck with their own problems and are trying to solve them. The growth of all characters was good. I like the way they all got along with each other, from strangers to roommates and neighbours to friends.

Since it has four POVs, there was some confusion about what was going on. There was some miscommunication between the characters and some hilarious moments.

The plot was lighthearted and entertaining. It was an easy and quick read. A perfect book to get out of a reading slump.