Rosenfeld by Maya Kessler explores the intense and tumultuous relationship between Noa Simon, a determined filmmaker, and Teddy Rosenfeld, a successful but emotionally guarded CEO. The book dives into themes of power, desire, and self-discovery, but ultimately leaves much to be desired.

Noa’s single-minded pursuit of Teddy, paired with the intoxicating chemistry between them, is undeniably magnetic, and the tension builds in a way that keeps the reader engaged. However, the story's focus on their volatile romance, driven by sexual tension and psychological games, sometimes borders on repetitive. While Kessler’s writing is bold and visceral, there are moments where the narrative feels a bit too fixated on the physical aspects of their relationship, overshadowing deeper emotional exploration.

The book raises interesting questions about the complexity of desire and self-destruction, but the characters' inner conflicts and backstories, though hinted at, often feel underdeveloped. Noa's journey toward self-realization and the dark secrets Teddy harbors promise deeper layers, yet at times, the plot feels more like a study in obsession than a meaningful exploration of human connection.

For readers who enjoy high-stakes, provocative romances that test the boundaries of power dynamics and personal desires, Rosenfeld offers an enticing read. However, those seeking a more nuanced exploration of relationships may find themselves wanting more.

I liked the beginning quarter of this but then it just seemed dramatic and overblown for its own sake. It was also WAY, way too long. The same thing just kept happening over and over and I was so bored. I almost wish this were a novella with just the beginning because it was intriguing and mysterious at first. Hope you have better luck!

Rosenfeld comes out next week on November 19, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.

He's sitting by one of the white tables on the lawn, talking to his business partner. They laugh at something, but stop when everyone's asked to quiet down. The lighting dims and he watches the movie projected on the screen by the stage. Up until that moment, he has no idea that there's such a thing as me. Up until that moment, I have no idea that there's such a thing as him. But we're soon to find out.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read and review this e-galley.

Rosenfeld by Maya Kessler is perfect for readers who enjoyed All Fours by Miranda July. The writing is edgy; the characters, inexplicable. I found it hard to understand the characters' actions and motivations. Some of the action was even somewhat grotesque, reminiscint of American southern gothic writing like that of Carson McCullers.

I'm not quite sure how I feel about. Both main characters are pretty terrible, and I got whiplash from their relationship, but I did relate to Noa's self destructive tendencies. Overall, I thought it was decent, however I did not understand the ending.

Intense and rife with unlikable characters treating each other poorly. If that sounds appealing to you, give this a read!

This was translated into English and is noticeable as the dialogue is strange in some parts. Still, there is something compelling about the story… or perhaps I was just trying to figure out why Noa and Teddy would be into each other and trying to solve that mystery kept me engaged.

Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Noa meets a businessman at a wedding and finds herself crazy attracted to him. They describe him as fat and she likes his teeth so I’m not sure what’s going on there. She’s in hers 20s and he’s in his 50s yet he’s the tease who keeps rejecting her advances. Hated the characters. Dont understand the attraction she has for him. Not a fan. Not for me. DNF’d

Well. I'm at a loss for words about this one. Noa and Teddy have an actively steamy relationship. It's also quite toxic and to be honest, I didn't really like either one of them. The plot more or less takes you from encounter to encounter so if that's your thing this will be the read for you. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.

At the very beginning of the book, our narrator is getting drunk at a wedding when she sees him. Rosenfeld. A fat, 50-something man, aloof and alone. He must exude power because she’s drawn to him. They have an exchange that ends up in a bathroom stall. It’s not what you think. Our narrator ends up working for his company, creating a film for investors. We follow the relationship.

My thoughts: I had high hopes for this one because it was billed as following a steamy, provocative relationship. Look, the steam and sex were there (that’s what the stars were for), but the story was……predictable. And where it wasn’t predictable it was flat. I always have to wonder if that is due to the translation, but it is hard to say. Look, don’t get involved with single 50-something elders when you are in your 20s. Just don’t do it. Especially if he/she is your boss.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Toxic relationships, unlikeable characters, average writing, and yet I couldn’t quit turning the pages. The positive, steamy and descriptive sex scenes. Once I finished, all I could think was, WTF did I just read.

My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.

Can these characters be more insufferable?? , I know that I was not the only one that was annoyed with their exchange in the beginning. Noa and Teddy were seriously meant to be with their craziness. I mean the steamy scenes were steaming, and some parts were weird, but I just never understood these characters it was hard to understand them, because this isn’t a love story and this book just leaves you with more questions all the way til the end. These two are very hot/cold so it gave this wild rollercoaster ride of emotions and I don’t like those rides, lol… most def was not the book for me.

The two most insufferable people you know decide to start sleeping together (a lot) instead of going to therapy. And reader, I ate up every crumb.

Sorry this book just did not grab my interest. The characters were self absorbed and mainly interested in sex. He was bossy and controlling. She seemed needy. Not my cup of tea.

I wasn't sure going into this book what I was going to think. It's a romance (barely), it's very sex heavy which is not really my thing, but it's full of toxic unlikeable characters which is definitely my thing.

The love story between Teddy and Noa felt painfully realistic at times, and I really identified with Noas self destructive inclinations. Teddy is a controlling asshole pos but also a loving parent and extremely generous. Noa is pushing 40 but acts decades younger, has a ton of baggage but clearly just wants to be happy.

It was interesting to read a book like this where the toxicity is so apparent but you're still kinda rooting for everything to just work out for everyone. The characters felt very raw and real so it was easy to root for them.

This book had a lot of eroticism but for me was not 'hot', the sex scenes just made sense for the story. They are graphic and probably people who look for this kind of thing in a book will get something from them, but if you're like me and not really a fan of them, don't let them deter you from giving the book a try. I would also say you can skip/skim them if you want without losing much plot.

This book is translated from Hebrew as well, which comes across in the story, it's translated well but you can tell the dialogue wasn't originally English. I think it added to the book overall.

And advanced copy of this book was given to me by Simon & Schuster Canada.

Rosenfeld is told from the POV of Noa Simon, a 36 year-old Israeli filmmaker who develops an erotic obsession with a much older CEO, Teddy Rosenfeld. After the two meet at a mutual friend’s wedding, headstrong Noa becomes determined to bed a reluctant Teddy. She pursues him to the point of interviewing and eventually working at his company. It’s not long before the two tumble into a deeply toxic relationship rife with sexual abandon and an intensifying power struggle.

While this began as an entertaining and adventurous read, the lust-driven storyline would’ve been better served in a novella rather than a 400 page novel. I found it hard to stay interested in the pain-pleasure cycle and kept wondering where the story was going. The ending had a few interesting developments, but I failed to see how much either character truly transformed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avid Reader Press for this arc.

Rosenfeld was a very unique story, and as a result, I think I'm about to write a very unique review. I've never read a book quite like this one. It was honestly kind of odd. The characters were odd, their conversations were especially odd, and I'm really not sure I understood the point of the book. And yet somehow, despite all of that, I did actually like it.

I will say that almost none of the characters (with the exception of Milo, his dog Xerox, and Noa's grandmother) were likable to me. The two main characters were both kind of awful, and I found their dialogue to be very strange. I've never heard anyone converse the way the characters in this book did, which made it a little hard for me to believe.

The book focused largely on Noa's obsession with her lover, Teddy. But while their connection and attraction was instantaneous, as a reader, I didn't understand it. As I got to know the characters better, I understood the attraction even less. I couldn't understand what they saw in each other, and I especially had a hard time understanding what drove Noa to the point of obsession.

I also kept expecting something big to happen, for the other shoe to drop, etc - and yet it felt like nothing ever really happened. Don't get me wrong: it was a completely toxic relationship where plenty of things "happened", but I just kept feeling like it was going to lead to something bigger....but it never did. There was even some foreshadowing of a big secret, and then when the secret came out, it really had nothing to do with the present day and honestly didn't matter within the context of the story.

It's funny to write this review that sounds largely negative, but then to also say I did actually like the book. I think I even surprised myself when I finished it and realized I liked it. It was cringey at times, the people were so weird, the story hardly went anywhere, and yet it somehow kept my interest. I kept reading, wanting to see what would happen. And even though nothing really happened, I still somehow liked the ending.

That said, I do think the book could have been much shorter than it was. The plot became very repetitive and redundant over the first 65% of the book, and I think a lot of that could've been cut out of the book without having much impact on the story. It's also worth noting that the book is very spicy (which is way out of my wheelhouse, but I know some people really love their spice).

As you can tell, it's a tough book to review. I don't know that I've ever been able to say I genuinely liked a book while also having practically nothing good to say about it. I feel like this review is going to be confusing for a lot of people, but if you end up reading the book, perhaps you'll have a better understanding of my review.

I do think it's going to be a really polarizing book that a lot of people will either love or hate (which is ironic, considering my own review is right in the middle of the road), but I am interested to see more reviews come out as time goes on. I'd love to discuss it with others who have read it, as I think the content of this book would make for some very interesting discussions.

Thank you to Avid Reader Press and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a story about a young woman named Noa who met two businessmen at a wedding and became intensely attracted to the one named Teddy Rosenfeld. He was heavy, older by about two decades, had imperfect but incredibly cute teeth- and Noa was enchanted. After several drinks it led to an encounter in a bathroom stall that was depraved and set the tone for the rest of the book.

I found the main character of Noa unlikeable and annoying. I couldn't understand why Teddy kept putting up with her and doing so many nice things for not just Noa but her family. Noa was unstable, cloying, childish, addictive, combative and unreasonable. There were a lot of body fluids exchanged during the book, hookups in a parking garage, a rarely accessed alcove in a business building, peeing on demand while fully dressed as something to be turned on about- you get the picture. Don't get me wrong, sometimes some of this stuff is entertaining as a voyeur...and it was...but I just had such disdain for this woman. The character of Teddy had the maturity of his years, immense wealth and the capacity to be generous, a no-nonsense attitude that was refreshing- but I just couldn't understand why he seemingly cared so much about Noa with her propensity for getting into spats with him over so much minutiae- with the answer/outcome always being a good roll in the hay.

This was an OK read on an entertainment/peekaboo level, witnessing what I considered an unhealthy pairing of souls based mostly on sexual attraction; a young woman who had mommy issues that were never fully fleshed out to the reader, and the usual addictions of cigarette smoking, marijuana, snorting cocaine and drinking alcohol.

Thank you to the publisher Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

In this provocative novel, a fierce battle of wills unfolds between Noa Simon, a bold filmmaker, and Teddy Rosenfeld, a stubborn CEO. Their tumultuous, sexually charged relationship pushes boundaries as they confront their deepest desires and darkest secrets. With raw intensity, the story explores the psychology of power, passion, and consequences.

What I enjoyed:
-The initial power struggle between Noa and Teddy was intriguing, particularly how their dynamic evolved over time.
-The prose was unapologetically bold in its depiction of sexuality, adding a layer of intensity to the narrative.
-The mystery surrounding the characters’ strong attraction kept me engaged, even though the reasons for their connection ultimately remained elusive.
-Noa and Teddy's relationship vividly highlights how unresolved psychological trauma can manifest in romantic relationships, especially for a young woman like Noa.

What didn’t work for me:
-The story's momentum faltered at times, and I found myself losing interest and just wanting it to end.
-I never quite understood Noa's attraction to Teddy.
-The excessive focus on Teddy’s physicality, particularly his weight, felt unnecessary and bordered on reverse fat-shaming. It detracted from the characters' development and left me questioning its relevance to the story.
-Noa’s reaction to a key revelation about Teddy mid-book felt inconsistent with her character. It disrupted the story's flow and made her behavior seem less believable.

Overall, while this book offers a unique and daring exploration of sexual dynamics and psychological complexity, it didn’t quite meet its potential. I wouldn’t rush to recommend it as a must-read, but it’s certainly an unconventional experience for those looking for something different.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately not for me. In a world with SO many books being published, I just don't see this as a must in our collection.

DNF - writing style was very jagged and unreliable, therefore it failed to draw me in and interest me though to want to see the story through

Sexual tension is not a substitute for a storyline.. I was recommended this book but I've gotten bored waiting for something to happen.