ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || RACHEL WEISS’S GROUP CHAT [thank you to @readforeverpub and @netgalley for my #gifted copy!]

Title: Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat
Author: Lauren Appelbaum
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Format: Digital
Star Rating: ★★★☆☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
Rachel Weiss is not having the best year. She’s stuck in a dead-end job, unlucky in love, and now her mom is determined to set her up with the rich tech bro who just moved in next door. As she approaches thirty, Rachel can’t help but feel like she’s falling behind while her friends seem to have it all together.

At least she has their hilarious group chat to keep her sane. But when work-mandated therapy, signs of aging, and some questionable life choices start piling up, Rachel finds herself confiding in the one person she never expected—her annoyingly perfect new neighbor. As their flirty DMs turn into deeper connections, Rachel begins to wonder if maybe she’s been wrong about him all along... and if he’s the one who can help her figure out what she really wants.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
I think my main issue with this book started with the fact that it was sold to me as “Broad City x Pride & Prejudice.” When you tell me that something is inspired by P&P, I have a lot (and very high) expectations - and this just didn’t live up to the hand flex scene, if you know what I mean.

So go into this one with a word of caution: This is not a romance. This is a women’s fiction story about a woman finding herself, her voice, and a possible future mate.

Rachel and her group chat was highly amusing. I always love a good text exchange in my novels - I think it’s a really fun way to see interactions without all the extra stuff between the dialogue (he said, she said, he stared into my eyes, etc. etc.).

I loved seeing Rachel’s growth throughout the book. Honestly, at the beginning, she’s very annoying. But by the end she realizes the mistakes she’s been making and is attempting to turn her life around. And I appreciated that.

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Mrs. Bennett’s Nerves
MCs in their 30s
Found Family
Female Friendships
New York City

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 3.24 ⭐️
# of Pages: 320
Pub Date: September 24, 2024

Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat by Lauren Applebaum
Contemporary chick lit, romance. Own voice.
It’s the year of turning thirty for Rachel and her group of besties. So they celebrate 29 win varying degrees of success. Rachel finds lots of attractive and intriguing men through parties, and dating apps, but none of them are worth long term efforts. She has a job that pays the bills but admits to often going in late and just calling it in some days. After mandated therapy at work and some self realization, Rachel feels like her friends are being successful but that she’s stuck. Maybe the one man she categorically said no to, and then befriends, has it right in helping to make the world a better place. Maybe Rachel needs to start giving back too.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook which was narrated by Dara Rosenberg who gives an absolutely fabulous performance. Different voices for the women, and a lower octave and husky voice for Christopher and her father and others. Really impressive conversations between male and female voices that have me now thinking must have been annotated ahead of time to get the timing down so well. The full POV is Rachel so hearing the confidence in her voice is a given, but we also clearly hear her slide to confusion and doubt and then remorse. I looked up the narrator and see there are more than 300 books recorded (a lot of humor and paranormal) and I can totally understand why she’s a success after hearing this book.
An entrancing performance.
I did listen at 1.5 which is my preferred speed to better match my reading and conversations.
Between the ebook and audiobook, I would recommend the audiobook, simply to hear Rachel’s full personality.

Rachel grows up.
She’s super self confident to the point of arrogance. But aren’t we all in our 20’s?
I have mixed feelings about her. And have to pause and think back, isn’t that life what I did in my 20’s? I didn’t have concerns for anyone else outside my drinking and play buddies. If you didn’t marry your childhood or high school sweetheart, those years after school and first jobs are about enjoying life and the world. At least for me and most of my close friends. Yes, work becomes important just like it does for Rachel. Family and relationships become sacred as life throws curves.
I didn’t like Rachel. But I understood her. So that mimics the book. I didn’t care for the first half of the story but was rooting for her win by the end.
I did enjoy a lot of funny quips throughout the book, many of which I had to stop reading and highlight. These added a much needed lighter tone in the story.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and HachetteAudio.

If you are a girls girl and love your friends and family endlessly, then this is the right book for you. I loved the way this played out and some of the characters reminded me of those in my own friend group. I wish there was more romance throughout the book but the Sex & the City vibes made up for that. Overall, I really enjoyed this read.

This book is a great story of enduring friendship and sisterly love. And the group chat has serious Sex and the City vibes. Throughout the entire story, one thing was constant though, and it was Rachel's love for her friends and family. This may be considered a romance, and it does have its happy ending, but this is a book for the girls' girls who love their besties more than anything. It's a really great read.

2 stars

I am just not sure if a retelling of Pride & Prejudice works all that well in a modern world, especially if it sticks too close to the original plot. Not only did I find the romance to be unbelievable (he claims love after maybe 7 sentences over 6 months??), but the family members of the FMC were over dramatic in an exaggerated fashion, and the friend group....so many issues there. The writing was incredibly casual and rushed. The romance plot took up maybe 5% of the entire book, the rest was just...an over-confident, self-absorbed, immature woman's ramblings. There were multiple scene that came off as an unreliable narcissistic narrator with an ending of "and they all clapped".

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Rachel Weiss's Group Chat is a humorous women's fiction book with some romance. It is a modern Jewish Pride And Prejudice retelling.

There is a lot that I liked about this book. Rachel's family is so crazy and fun. I loved her sister Jane. And her mom is definitely a typical Jewish mom trying to find a Jewish husband for her daughter.

This book is listed as a romantic comedy. I really liked the romance aspect. But I wanted much more romance.

The book focuses a lot on friendship, which is wonderful. I really enjoyed Rachel's friend group. I also really appreciated the growth in the main character. She really does start out as a bit unlikeable. So it was amazing to see the character mature. Parts of the book actually reminded me a bit of Sex & The City. Women looking for love, with a focus on friendship and dating.

There is Jewish rep in the book, but I do wish that there was more. I also wish that the male romantic lead had been in the story even more.

The last chapters of the book are so good. And I honestly wish that the book had not ended there. There was so much more that I wanted to see. Overall I did enjoy this book.

I had to go back and check that Rachel was 29 and not 19, because all of her actions and thought processes read like someone who had to be a teenager. I did give this 2 stars because I did laugh, a lot. Sometimes at things that were funny, and sometimes incredulously. First things first: Rachel, Her mother, her twin sisters, and Amy all need to grow up. I have never read about so many terrible people with absolutely no character growth. Her mother is in her 50s and throws tantrums like a 5 year old and cannot figure out when 3 out of her 4 children act the way they do?! And your MARRIED friend sleeps with your boyfriend and you give it no more than a 2 second passing thought? Rachel quite honestly doesn’t take shit seriously. Not a thing. And then, Christopher, who spent a total of 30 minutes with Rachel suddenly comes with a love declaration? And you hate him because he’s rich because he takes shit seriously. I could go on, but I won’t. I should’ve drawn the line at the infidelity and her mothers first tantrum, and yet.

Pleasant surprise with how much of a story of friendship and the importance of friendship within family this was in addition to be a great modern romance! This was fun to read very well paced. Christopher brings out the best in Rachel even though Rachel (must like myself) can be a bit frustrating to understand due to certain personality traits. I found myself learning that even though we may have these traits it just takes someone to bring out the best in you and see the best in you to allow you to be your full self. I simply loved this read and the only point of criticism would be I felt like I didn’t get to know Christopher enough. That may be intentional but still excellent read! Definitely recommending this on publication day!

Rachel has a group of friends and shes dating a guy who ghosts her. Her mom is well, a lot and that is all I have. Her group starts to fall apart and who does she end up with?

I did not find this a romantic comedy. Its Chick Lit and until I read the other reviews had no idea this was a modern day retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Sorry, wish I could say I loved it.

This book surprised me. I was expecting more romance for Christopher and Rachel to get together before the very last second, but I also adored that Rachel knew deep down that she was good enough on her own and didn't need a man to be happy. I loved how she worked through her friendships and her relationship with her sister, that she knew she wasn't perfect was willing to do what it took to also be a good friend and sister.

First off, this book is not and should not be advertised as a romance much like Pride and Prejudice isn’t one. I don’t think disliking someone you barely know for 95% of the book and then having some kind of epiphany that you love him back constitutes romance. This book is really just Rachel being an obnoxious, judgmental, selfish person.

I enjoyed the humor for the first thirty pages or so, but then everything just started to get annoying and unnecessary. I felt like every aspect of this book that had potential became hyperbolic and overdone.

In this day and age, it just doesn’t make sense for a mother to cry and scream and bully her daughter over not dating, whether she’s Jewish or not. Of course, some mothers do care and worry that their daughters will be alone, and they just want them to be happy, but Rachel’s mother didn’t care about her happiness at all and her obsession with marriage felt completely unreasonable and unjustified.

I wish this wasn’t marketed as a modern Pride and Prejudice because I think the author good have had more freedom to change the narrative and make this story more about Rachel growing as a person and the family and friend dynamics that were at play.

I really did enjoy the beginning and ending, but it was the whole middle section of the book that fell flat for me.

Thank you, netgalley and Forever. All opinions are my own.

2.5⭐️ rounded up: Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat is an interesting take on Pride and Prejudice, if Elizabeth Bennett was an aimless late 20-something trying to balance finding herself and pleasing her overbearing mother and if Darcy were a tech CEO with a misunderstood heart of gold. I feel that it does lean into its inspiration too obviously and without the nuance needed to make the story charming, and there are adaptations of P&P that explore the character archetypes in a more satisfying way. The characters here feel a bit try-hard and attempt to mash up Meryton and Manhattan through Sex and the City-esque dialogue that doesn’t always hit the mark. That being said, it’s a quick read that those looking for a casually written modern day romance with a bit of nostalgia might enjoy. This may be for you if you like exploring different ways to view an old favorite, it may not be for you if Pride and Prejudice is your favorite book. Thank you to Netgalley and Forever for the ARC!

This novel is a modern Pride and Prejudice retelling. I love how the author didn't try to just do a copy and paste into modern situations but rather justo follow the general idea of the book and adapt it into a unique romcom.
We are following Rachel in her late twenties as she navigates relationships, friendship and family while trying to stay afloat. This is a messy, realistic story, full of flawed characters who you see evolve and mature through out the book.
This debut novel is definitely funny and worth reading and I'm excited to read what Lauren writes next.
Thank you NetGalley and Forever for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I didn’t enjoy this very much because it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. I think it reads more like women’s fiction versus a rom-com, especially since the two MCs didn’t really get together until like the last chapter.

I was not a fan of Rachel. I really just wasn’t a fan of her personality and a lot of the things she did. Her family was also kind of the worst so I understand why she ended up that way (except Jane, I liked her and Owen). I think her making jokes about her boss via a work survey and the video making fun of sexual assault was where I drew the line and probably should’ve DNF’d but I wanted to see how the end would play out.

I liked Christopher but I felt like we didn’t see enough of him, and I didn’t think he and Rachel interacted enough for him to suddenly be in love with her. It felt a little too insta-love/unrealistic for me.

If you are looking for a fresh, funny, slightly frenetic, make you laugh book that's Pride and Prejudice coded with more of a Bridget Jones vibe, this one is for you.

Rachel is a 29 year old opinionated hot mess who is trying to figure out her life- less booze and random hookups and more forward direction- and has even agreed to trying J Date as her New Years Resolution. She meets the insufferable rich tech millionaire Christopher, and they immediately butt heads. Through all her ups and downs, Rachel is supported by her 3 girlfriends and their group chat.

Rachel is a fun, imperfect and relatable main character who grows throughout the novel. There is a heavy emphasis on female friendship and I loved the way that the friend group supported each other; they weren't perfect and were going through their own problems themselves, reflected in the change in the dynamic of the group chat. I liked the character of Christopher, and how he turned out not to be so insufferable after all (though I would have liked more of him in the story). As for Rachel's Jewish family, they felt so familiar to me. The matchmaker mother. All the gossip. All the anxiety. Her mother is the quintessential Jewish mother with a hint of Mrs. Bennett's hysteria.

I think the book did fall off in the second half and wasn't as engaging- I would have preferred more romance and the development of Rachel and Christopher's relationship than the many subplots and hijinks.

I read this book in one sitting and it made me smile a good chunk of the time. It's not so much a romantic comedy as comedy with a side of romance. More Bridget than Bennett, I thought this was a fun modern take on a beloved classic. Thank you Forever and Netgalley for my earc.

Thank you to Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read this book early!

General Description: Starting fresh on New Year's Day, Rachel Weiss realizes she wants to make some life changes as she turns 30. She constantly turns to her groupchat for advice. however, as she start to feel the familial pressure to start her own family, feeling unfulfilled at work, and her group chat starts to fall apart, Rachel realizes she needs to find herself first. Will she be able to go through her self discovery journey without the groupchat or will she stay falling apart?

The goods:
- Rachel's growth in the book is immaculate.
- I personally loved the messy times in Rachel's life that we saw, from her sisters to her friends to her mom.
- How the romance is handled in this book is something unique that i was not expecting but greatly appreciated
- It was a very snappy, fast paced book that i read in 2 days.

The loss of a star:
- I will admit, this book is VERY millennial. I found a lot of it funny, but sometimes, it was over the top cringy. I was definitely taken out of the book at points by the over the top attitude of some characters and some of the jokes.

Overall, I feel like if you don't like reality TV shows or millennial humor, this will not be the book for you. However, if you're in your mid-20s/early-30s, I feel like you'd be able to connect with the book and really enjoy it.

This was a very cute, I'm not super young but it's time to grow up book. Although they're was romantic elements the story focused on Rachel, her friends, and navigating being thirty something. It was poignant cute, and a reminder that we are always in control unless we give that control to others even if it's unconsciously.

I unfortunaltey DNFed this one 25% in. While I did find myself chuckling at some of the jokes in this it just wasn't enough to draw me in. I had a hard time connecting with Rachel and the story just wasn't really grasping me. I do think it would make a fun audio so I may revisit in that format at some point in the future!

Rachel’s thirtieth birthday is off to a disastrous start: a dead-end job, a string of disappointing relationships, and a meddling mother determined to set her up with the wealthy neighbor. As her life unravels, Rachel finds solace in her friends and a surprising connection with the uptight tech bro next door. Their unlikely friendship blossoms into something more, forcing Rachel to question everything she thought she knew about herself and the man she thought she couldn’t stand.

I loved this book from start to finish. It’s funny and heartwarming and genuine. I related to how messy and real Rachel is. I love how Christopher understands her and makes her feel like she can be her true self. The book is as much women’s fiction as romance, with a strong focus on family and friends.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really wanted to like this one—the concept of a modern Jewish retelling of Pride & Prejudice is right up my alley. But I found the main character insufferable and also her “bad behavior” wasn’t even believable at times.

I love seeing more Jewish representation in books, but here it felt a little too stereotypical and not authentic. Also somewhat outdated.

Unfortunately I DNF’d this because I really did not enjoy reading it.