"Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat" by Lauren Appelbaum is a witty and insightful novel that explores the dynamics of friendship in the digital age. The story centers on Rachel Weiss and her friends as they navigate personal and professional challenges through their group chat. Appelbaum’s writing is sharp and humorous, capturing the essence of modern relationships with authenticity and flair. The novel offers a refreshing take on how technology influences our connections, making it an engaging read for anyone who appreciates clever dialogue and relatable scenarios.

really resonated with Rachel in this book. navigating your 30s when you still don’t know what your life should be like is difficult and extremely relatable. this book has a lot of warm and also hard growing pain moments and i loved Rachel’s character growth through it all.

Turning thirty sucks. Rachel Weiss totally gets it. Her life is a hot mess of a bad job, terrible dating choices, and a mom who's obsessed with finding her a husband. But don't worry, she's got her squad of hilarious friends to keep her sane (or at least entertained).

This book is like a rollercoaster. One minute you're laughing so hard your sides hurt, the next you're rooting for Rachel as she faces her biggest fears. And then BAM! There's this totally unexpected love interest who's way hotter than he seems.

If you need a good laugh, a heartwarming story, and a reminder that it's okay to be a total mess sometimes, pick up Group Chat. You won't regret it!

Thank you to Forever for the ARC of this book. I enjoyed parts of this book and I liked the writing style, but I felt like I was just waiting for something to happen the entire book. Rachel, the FMC, is definitely a likeable character and her journey to find what is important in life was definitely relatable. That being said, I felt like this book took slow burn to an entirely different level. You basically just read about her day to day life and escapades and not a lot happens until the last 10 percent of the book. This may be something that others would enjoy but it wasn't for me. I would definitely try other books by this author in the future, though, based solely on the fact that I enjoy her writing style and some of the banter.

3 stars!

Where do I even start? There was so much going on all at once throughout the whole book, I lost track of what the main plot even was. I will say, I was highly entertained by the constant twist and turn the plot took, the insanity of Rachel's life, and her desperate need for change. The second half of the novel really focuses on Rachel's attempts at maturity and a sense of peace and belonging. I truly felt that Rachel had overgrown her young careless self, and instead embodied the wiser almost-30 year old woman that she was.

The main premise of this book revolves around Rachel finding a boyfriend ASAP, not only to please her mother, but to put a stop to her mother's attempt at setting her up with Christopher, who happens to be the perfect-multi-millionare- eligible bachelor.

Was this a romantic comedy? A story of friendship? Let's not mention the fact that this whole novel was Pride and Prejudice inspired. Tell me why I only realized this as I was reading a review of someone ELSE not knowing it was a retelling? I think this book would be even more promising knowing that there would be Pride and Prejudice references all throughout, and allow readers to understand the child-like tantrums and mood swings done by Rachel's mother-constantly.

"She shook her head frantically, fluttering her hands in distress as she
cried. Finally she raised a trembling finger in the direction of the window.
“B-B-B-Butkus!”"
Be so for real. You have never met this man, and you are tripping and falling over yourself for your daughter to marry him.

Mothers can be very dramatic and emotional when it comes to their children. However, this particular mother was something else. The level of obsessed fangirl Rachel's mother had over Christopher Butkus was concerning, and that's an understatement. Every conversation, every minute, the Butkuses are bought up. Every. Single. Conversation. Again, if I had known this was a Jane Austen retelling, I would've been more considerate in my thoughts towards the mother.

We first meet Rachel Weiss on January 1st, and as expected, she decides she wants to take action and change her life for the better. Rachel starts off her year by setting goals on New Years Day. A lot of these goals would be very beneficial for her future, such as "be nicer to mom", "dress for my age", or "drink less". Some of these goals were also very questionable, such as "be nicer to the nerds at work", "smoke one bowl a day or less", etc. One would assume a 29 year old adult woman would not need to remind herself to be nice towards her mother, as if she were a petulant child. Nonetheless, wanting to have your life organized by creating a goals list is very inspiring and productive!

Rachel even though so herself.

"It was a good list. Admirable, really. I read through it once more, and then, with a quick flick of my thumb, deleted it. Who was I to try to fix what was already perfect?"

Perfection is rare to achieve, and nobody meets the standards of perfection. Someone who smokes weed, drinks alcohol, and can't show manners to their collegues and family members doesn't seem 'perfect' to me. I do admire her confidence though!

There was almost no chemistry between the two characers, and a huge lack in their romance. It is not the author's fault at all, but marketing this as a romance will let readers like myself expect a prevalent and growing romance. The romance in this novel was only a subplot, whereas that main focus was on Rachel herself, her friendships, and her journey on self-love and maturity. I don't mind the romance being a subplot, but I only wish the romance could be felt.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC!!

Rachel Weiss's Group Chat was an entertaining romantic comedy - definitely shows the dreadful side of modern dating with plenty of friendship and family drama. When I first read the description for this book - there was no mention of Pride & Prejudice (which looking back is kind of surprising that it wasn't mentioned) - so seeing those connections pop up with a contemporary twist was fun at times. But Rachel Weiss is honestly not the most likeable character - and the somewhat non-existent relationship with Christopher that leads to his love confession seemed a bit off. The kind and generous gestures he made to help Rachel and her family were truly very sweet, especially after facing Rachel's rejection. This debut novel showed a lot of potential and promise - it just lost me at some points. Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

I liked the friendship, family and career plotlines, but there was basically zero romance?? The Elizabeth and Darcy of this book barely have any conversations or interactions..

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

I love Pride and Prejudice - it’s one of my favorite rereads (but I have to be in the mood because Mrs Bennet is horrific and I need to be in the proper frame of mind for that bs). I also adored Bridget Jones’s Diary when it came out back in the day and re-read the series every so often.

So when I saw that this was contemporary retelling, I was really looking forward to it.

… alas…

Rachel Weiss is no Lizzy Bennet. She makes fun of sexual assault victims, doesn’t seem to learn from her mistakes and the consequences of those, lacks empathy, and is a wholly unlikeable character.

It’s also poorly written.

I was appalled by this novel, regret reading it, and don’t recommend this one.



Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the DRC

I enjoyed this book for the first half, but by the second half I wasn't feeling it anymore.
I was expecting more for a romance book. The main characters only interacted a handful of times before he was confessing his love for her. I just was not into it.
I also didn't understand the excessive craziness of the mother. It was too excessive for my personal taste. I didn't connect with any of the characters either.
The book had plenty of funny moments, but it was the only reason I was able to make it through the book and why I am only giving it two stars.

3.5 stars

I liked Rachel's character growth - from fully self-absorbed to mostly self-aware. There were some seriously laugh out loud moment that kept me reading - like the scene where she sprained her ankle. However, her mother was a psychopath. The twin sister were odd, dad was a enabling wuss. The "love story" just didn't seem plausible for me. Way too rushed and no evidence of any sort of evolution.

I would read other books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for the digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Welp. this year kind of sucks. Rachel is single as a pringle, in a job she kind of despises, and her mom wants to set her up with the tech bro whose parents just moved in next door. At last she has her friends and they group chat though! As the year goes on and her relationships seem top be falling apart, she turns to someone she never expected.

Oh man did I love this book! Rachel is one of us. The friend who is single and just living her life while everyone around her seems to be moving on and taking the next steps. While she certainly annoyed me at times, I think we have all been Rachel at one point of another, so I was able to empathize with her situation. Sadly, if you are reading this book and out of the dating scene, this book gives a really accurate depiction of it…so that’s what you are missing out on! Overall this was a fun and enjoyable read!

Thank you to @readforeverpub for my gifted copy of this book!

Diving into "Rachel Weiss's Chat Group" was like stepping into a modern-day Austen world with a fresh twist. Think "Pride & Prejudice" meets "Bridget Jones’s Diary," but with a 21st-century party girl flair. Initially, I found Rachel to be as likable as wet socks—self-absorbed, obsessed with her next fashion statement, and more interested in her next hookup than in meaningful connections. But here's the kicker: her transformation was a delightful surprise. Watching her evolve from a superficial party enthusiast to a compassionate friend and sister was like witnessing a caterpillar turn into a butterfly with a chic wardrobe. She not only charmed the socks off me but also made me root for her growth and self-betterment.

Rachel’s journey to better herself was both touching and inspiring. Her softer side shone brilliantly when she was with her older sister Jane and her BFF Sumira, adding layers to her character that were as surprising as they were endearing. Her budding relationship with Christopher added just the right amount of romantic tension, while her decision to spend time volunteering at the elderly home showcased her newfound depth and kindness. It’s safe to say, Rachel’s metamorphosis from a self-centered party girl to a genuinely caring and loyal individual was the heartwarming highlight of this debut. If you're in the mood for a contemporary spin on Austen with a hefty dose of character development, this book is your perfect match.

Love representation but very confused by Sumira? Her background does not add up.

Not much romance, didn't really buy the yearning. Like where did the love confession come from?

I understand loving your friends but some of the things that happen and are forgiven is so strange.

I enjoyed this story. While humorous, it delved into real issues people in their thirties might face. It was very relatable.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of Rachel Weiss’s group chat.

I really enjoyed this retelling of pride and prejudice. The characters felt very true to the original story.

Definitely recommend!

In this story after the proposal, they spend even less time together while she obsesses over him and the fact he liked her. It felt like she was settling for someone she was told to like and didn’t completely find boring. The chemistry, to me, was lacking.

I've been a Pride & Prejudice fangirl since my teens, so when Lauren Appelbaum's Rachel Weiss's Group Chat was billed as a "Jewish millenial Pride & Prejudice retelling with Broad City vibes," I was onboard to be an early reader!

This debut has a lot going for it, but it is a Pride & Prejudice retelling that is more in the Bridget Jones's Diary vein than in the Jane Austen classic. One of the things I enjoyed seeing was the amount of character growth in Rachel. At the outset, Rachel is a self-absorbed party girl, more concerned with her appearance, wardrobe, and complaining about her job and random hookups to her friends than with anyone else's life or circumstances. I honestly had a very hard time rooting for and even liking Rachel initially, but the softer, more loyal side she showed with her older sister Jane and her closest friend, Sumira, as well as her quest to better herself and invest more time and care in others, touched my heart. I appreciated her change of heart with Christopher, as well, and thought the aspect of her volunteering her time with the elderly residents was admirable, too.

What I wished had worked a bit better were some of the Pride & Prejudice nuances Appelbaum tried to weave into this story. While I absolutely recognized the anxiety of Mrs. Bennet mirrored in Mrs. Weiss, as well as the flightiness and selfishness of the younger Bennet girls in both Abby and Ollie, it was sometimes too much. That being said, I really did love how loyal and wonderful Jane, Sumira, and Mr. Weiss were to Rachel, even in her biggest mess-ups, and felt like Lauren nailed that!

Another tough plot point was the #metoo situation. I felt it was timely and relevant to this modernized retelling, but I wish it had been handled a bit differently. I felt the resolution was very far-fetched, and while it served for some character growth for Rachel, I think more could have been done with it. However, I liked how strong Rachel's beliefs were, especially concerning voting and politics, and I feel like that is especially relevant and important as we head into the next presidential election in November, so bravo for that, Lauren!

The romantic nature of Christopher and his many grand gestures toward Rachel and her family did touch my heart, and his letter to her still gave me all the Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy feels. I also appreciated how Christopher and Rachel's dynamic changed throughout the book, and loved that he was there for Sumira's big day.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this debut and think Appelbaum shows a lot of promise and potential! I'm excited for her sophomore novel, coming in 2025, and I can't wait to see how her voice and writing style continue to develop and mature! Thank you so much to @grandcentralpub @readforeverpub and Lauren for my #gifted e-ARC of Rachel Weiss's Group Chat! This book hits shelves in exactly two months, so if you're a Bridget Jones and Pride & Prejudice fan, give this one a try!

This was a cute Pride and Prejudice retelling with a flawed and funny main character and an attractive Mr. Darcy. I found this book to be laugh-out-loud funny, and the main character’s journey of self-discovery charming. Overall, the romance wasn’t as main of a storyline as I expected but the friendship and family threads carried the narrative through. Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found myself invested in the characters and finished it quickly!

This book really just wasn’t for me although I did enjoy the friendships in this book. I just didn’t really connect with Rachel. I did respect that the author wrote a true character - we all make mistakes and we all grow from them - but Rachel was just too much for me. I also didn’t enjoy the reason for her going viral. Idk! This book was a drag to get through imo.