I was very excited for a Jewish retelling of Pride and Prejudice but this one fell a little flat for me. I couldn't see what Christopher saw in Rachel (she was kind of annoying) and it ended up being more chick-lit comng-of-age than a romance.

Thanks to the publisher for the copy to review.

I had a nice time with Rachel, but I will say that this book felt more like women's fiction than a romance. I loved that it is a Pride & Prejudice retelling, who doesn't love P&P?!?! But the focus was more around her friendships than the romantic aspects. The witty banter you might expect from characters like Elizabeth and Darcy felt kinda forced, it wasn't bad. It just didn't flow for me.

I'd love to read something by Lauren Applebaum again, because I love the concept/premise, the execution was just a bit wonky for me!

(I got an ARC of this from NetGalley, it will be out on September 24.) I always feel bad writing a bad review, but I really didn’t enjoy this book. It’s billed as a Pride and Prejudice retelling, and I get where the parallels come in, but the characters felt extremely shallow. Rachel Weiss works in a job she hates, and she’s turning 30 this year and her mother is obsessed with making sure she gets married – most recently, to the son of the neighbors who just moved in next door. Rachel is completely opposed to the idea, and frequently takes her complaints to the eponymous “group chat” with her three other friends. The premise is promising, but I just did not think it was well carried out – I was frequently frustrated with how every character acted. And there was a #MeToo plotline / joke that I just really didn’t think was appropriate.

2.5 rounded up. Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat is a modern take on chick lit that feels both fresh and a little familiar. Set in the year Rachel turns 30, the book dives into her journey of self-discovery, relationships, and grappling with the expectations of her overbearing Jewish mother. While there’s much to appreciate in terms of humor and relatable friendship dynamics, the story falls a bit flat when it comes to the main character’s growth and some problematic undertones.

One of the book’s highlights is its humor. The banter between Rachel and her friends, as well as her family's antics, is genuinely funny and provides some lighthearted moments that help balance out the more introspective parts of the book. Rachel herself is an interesting character, and while her self-absorbed, messy nature can be grating at times, her eventual growth does make for a satisfying conclusion. The romance aspect is also enjoyable, though it doesn't quite take center stage as much as I’d hoped, leaving readers wishing for more chemistry between Rachel and the romantic lead.

However, Group Chat struggles with pacing and character development. Rachel’s journey toward self-actualization feels rushed, and there are moments where her internal conflict comes off as shallow. Some of the book’s larger themes, such as privilege and societal issues, are touched on but never fully explored, which diminishes their potential impact.

In summary, while Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat offers plenty of laughs and a charming premise, its lack of depth in character development and storytelling hold it back. It’s a fun read if you’re looking for something light, but it may not satisfy those looking for a deeper, more thoughtful exploration of the themes it touches upon.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc.

I grabbed this from Forever's auto-approvals because i love their books so much! This was an opposites attracted rom-com that focused on friendship. The year of turning 30 and no luck with men, but wonderful friends and the best group chat.

I loved this book so much!

This book had so much potential! I liked the storyline and the writing, but ultimately could not move past the main character making fun of survivors of sexual assault and the way it was just removed from the internet like it wasn't a big deal. I hope this author writes again because I see potential- hopefully with more sensitivity next time.

I loved this sweet book that both had Jewish rep and was a P&P retelling! I loved Rachel’s character development and how her friendships evolved too.

I liked the beginning of this book a lot and I thought it was going to be a fun read. However, towards the halfway point it got boring and the main character got more annoying than anything,

2.5 stars

I loved all the Seattle references and locations, but this book fell flat. I didn't like the characters, the "we're cool and in our 20's" vibe felt forced, and there was no chemistry between Rachel and Christopher. We barely see them together but then suddenly he's full on in love with her?

There were some fun and funny moments and the author's writing style is interesting. I would like to try something else from her to see if I enjoy it more.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

This is a love letter to everyone that is 30 and older or turning . It's relatable and witty. The book follows Rachel who is stuck in a job and is not winning in love and throw in a meddling mother who plays matchmaker what can go wrong. I loved that Rachel was surrounded by great friends and the chat was relatable. Absolutely enjoyed this.
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I liked this book, but it's definitely not a romance. Rachel and her friends, like many women in their late 20s and early 30s, are set on finding "the one." Rachel's mother is obsessed with trying to set her up with their millionaire neighbor Christopher Butkus, who Rachel instantly hates. Given that this is a retelling of "Pride and Prejudice," the theme of dating makes sense.

However, I would say that this is more of a coming-of-age novel but for women in their 20s -- not a romance. The storyline focuses primarily on Rachel's life and discovering what it is she wants in life and what she's looking for in a significant other. Rachel is kind of a hard character to like. She's not really a great friend and is very stubborn and self-centered at times, yet at the same time, when her friend betrays her in a huge way, she immediately forgives her and doesn't even question it. Her character was really confusing, but she did have great character development and acknowledged her faults and worked hard to fix her relationships.

There was some nice Jewish representation in this book as well, but I really hope the mother doesn't get portrayed as a "stereotypical Jewish mother" because she was very extreme and isn't a great example.

A woman approaching 30 in Seattle has made many bad decisions in her life. Her Jewish mom wants her to settle down and get married but her wild side makes it difficult. This is a fairly standard light romance book.

The format of this one was unique and of-the-moment. There were parts that were a little harder to translate in novel form, but it was an interesting concept, and I will look forward to reading more from this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful book. I had so much fun reading it!

There were so many things I did not like about this book. This was supposed to be a modern day Pride & Prejudice but it did not have the same heart the original did. I was also shocked that in this day & age the author thought it was a good idea to make a joke about sexuality assault survivors. And don’t even get me started on her friends.

This modern day retelling centers around Rachel, who is about to turn 30 and still single. Her mom keeps trying to set her up with the man buying the house next door, Christopher Butkiss, who Rachel immediately dislikes. Unfortunately Rachel keeps running into Christopher.
This book has some great character development and it was nice to see Rachel work on herself and grow over the course of the book. I loved her relationship with her friends, and the whole story felt relatable to being a hot mess in your 20s. Overall, this was a quick and cute read.
I was impressed by the audiobook narration done by Dara Rosenberg. I appreciated that she did a different voice for each character and was amazed by her range.
Thanks to Forever Publishing, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

Loved this book by Lauren Appelbaum! A great debut reminiscent of BRIDGET JONES but for Jewish girls. Loved it and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

Full disclosure- I am DNF this one. I am almost half way and I despise everyone. And I am super angry that this is being compared as a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. I mean sure, if all the characters are Lydia frozen in time at her 15 year old self. I despise the main character, she lost me after her 5th time wanting to go "smoke a bowl" and didnt seem to give a shit about anyone but herself. Her attempt to be deep by lecturing everyone about whatever sanctimonious topic she obviously just saw a tiktok about was so off putting and annoying that I questioned how she had any friends. Not for me.

Fun and feisty. Lauren Appelbaum’s Pride and Prejudice inspired debut was just the fluff I needed after a few serious reads. Rachel’s voice was strong throughout and I totally envisioned Kristin Bell’s classic sarcastic humor as our FMC’s voice. All that said, some parts of this book just seemed so outlandish that it took me out of it. The whole Ollie and Abby situation? No way it was resolved so easily. Amy’s problems? That’s a big ooof. The #metoo moment. Kinda cringe and resolved in a way that made it seem like the blame was all on our FMC. Which brings me to Mrs. Weiss. Boy, oh boy, did she annoy me. While I understand her role was that of Mrs. Bennett meets modern overbearing Jewish mother, she was just too much and it felt like our FMC was constantly facing the blame for things either out of her control or that simply never involved her in the first place.

Overall, I really enjoyed Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat and am excited for what Lauren Appelbaum writes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!!

I had high hopes for Rachel Weiss's Group Chat by Lauren Applebaum. The title alone should have been a warning. Weiss's? Shouldn't be Weiss' Group Chat? The main character is so annoying and exasperating. Actually, I had a hard time finding a character who I liked. There were a couple laugh out loud moments, but ultimately, it was a hard book to tolerate.