In the beginning I had a bit of a hard time to get into the plot and the characters but the struggle was absolutely worth it!

I liked the side infos about things that happened along the timeline, reminding me of moments I had already forgotten.

The chemistry between the main characters and the development from roommates to friendship to love was very enjoyable to read.

It was exciting to see how they learn about and see each others struggles and how to help and support in a suitable way.

Her Golden Coast is one of the best books I have read in a while. It is a contemporary narrative which perfectly captures the life of two women in the Silicone Valley. Laurie is organised, self-sufficient and kind to the bone. Mal is unapologetically herself, loud, direct and seemingly certain. Although Mal is incredibly wealthy, she moves in with Laurie to help her stay in her rented flat. The two are polar opposites but Laurie falls for Mal’s extraordinary strength, and Mal falls for Laurie’s unwavering kindness. The book follows their lives through Laurie’s lens as they navigate the terror and beauty that come with accepting your sexuality.

The book itself is beautifully written, with the societal implications of being a woman and queer (and also a person of colour for Mal) covered accurately and realistically. The writing itself is stunning, almost poetic. These things, and so much more I cannot put into words, made this an incredibly enjoyable read.

I enjoyed how this book was set in many years but I was often confused what year it was or what month it was. Besides that I had a few quotes I really enjoyed and overall the book was a light and easy read.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc of Her Golden Coast.

Not knowing the author, I did not expect much from this. I was blown away all the more once I got into it. I do not want to spoil anything, so let me just say that I loved the storytelling, writing and the complex, authentic characters. It is one of my favorite reads of the year so far! :)

Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.

Set in San Francisco before the 2008 Great Recession and moving through the next few years, the novel, ostensibly a Sapphic romance, uses the tech industry and anti-capitalist organizing made visible by Occupy Wall Street, as a backdrop and a metaphor.

Laurie, who comes from a poor family in upstate NY, moved to San Francisco to escape the dysfunction she grew up with. She takes a job at a dot com startup as the admin assistant to the founder. When the book opens she's dating a man who insists on bringing along his male college friend on some of their dinner dates. One evening, the friend brings his own date, Mal, a female tech engineer, who speaks an unacknowledged truth the the two men are in love with one another.

Laurie is forced to deal with the truth, breaks up with her boyfriend, and slowly befriends Mal, taking her in as a roommate. Most of the book then chronicles their growing friendship and closeness as well as Laurie's short affair with a woman and two relationships with men. All the while she refuses to acknowledge that she is falling in love with Mal.

Mal comes from a family of immigrants from India, a family that has expressed their disappointment in her her whole life. But Mal expresses little emotion, even when it comes to her friendship and growing feelings for Laurie.

Trope-wise, this is a slow-burn, friends to lovers romance written entirely from Laurie's POV, almost in places as a stream of consciousness. But it is so much more. The writing is strong and the metaphorical backdrop is so well done. The author writes Laurie's character arc beautifully while including a portrait of Mal's neurodiverse personality.

Highly recommended.

Like some other reviews I've read, I struggled to get into this as it was quite confusing, and the FMC seemed quite detached from the narrative.

However, as things progressed, I grew to like the story. It wasn't one of my all-time favourites, but it felt realistic. I could relate to quite a lot in the story, actually, such as struggling with my sexuality and feeling inadequate because of my job title and status.

I didn't like Laurie much until towards the end because she seemed a bit narrow-minded. However, I did quite like the romance - it felt raw and believable, which was nice because I haven't read many good sapphic romances.

Also, revisiting the 00s as someone born in the late 90s was fun. It was also somewhat political in its analysis of tech culture vs. the struggling American economy, but this didn't take away from the story.

Overall, it's a good lit fic book from a promising author, one that I'd recommend even though it's not my usual genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley, for an ARC of this book (out Aug 15)

As much as it pains me to consider this historical fiction, since it's set at this weird turn of the century boom in Silicon Valley, a time of techbros and startups being so rampant, I must admit that as much as I dislike it, the 2000s are indeed a time of historical fiction.

It's hard for me to contain my enthusiasm as a millennial South Asian person working in tech in a predominantly white country for a story where one of the main characters is a very successful and enigmatic Indian woman who enjoys dominating Silicon Valley startups filled with men. Malini (Mal) Kumar is a fantastic character and deeply enigmatic to the reader. We observe her through Laurie's extremely empathetic lens, who is the point of view character. Both women are trying to make careers in predominantly male-heavy companies and environments and both are trying to mould the idea of marriage and love to something they can digest and embrace while being hounded by their families to just take the traditional path and not think too much about it.

Laurie struggles with the idea of being "just an admin" in a culture that raises up technical people, mostly men, above all else, and tosses around new buzzwords every month. Her attempts to find her people and fit in somewhere without feeling lesser than are relatable to most people, but her nature is one of deep empathy and "people skills", which really makes her compelling as a character who always feels on the periphery of her own life.

Mal is focused, driven, a mystery to everyone and completely secure in who she is, or so Laurie thinks as they form a bond despite being of such opposing temperaments, social and financial backgrounds, cultures, and salaries despite living in the same rent-controlled apartment and sometimes working at the same startup. Tech bros like to quote Mal as she leads teams of them into successes while diminishing or being patronizingly encouraging of Laurie in her role as the herder of geniuses and yet, the connection the two have feels authentic, engaging and supportive.

I absolutely loved these characters and this snapshot of a time in tech when startup culture was booming and people were exploring and working out their identities and intersectionality. Absolutely brilliant!

I liked the setting, the characters and the plot. I'm not quite sure what I needed to make this a five star instead of slightly above four, but I did enjoy this and would recommend.

Overall, Her Golden Coast is a tale that starts rough but evolves into a compelling read, showcasing the author’s ability to craft a thought-provoking narrative once the story gains traction.

Her Golden Coast starts off slow and initially feels hard to follow, with a somewhat disjointed sense of time progression that can be disorienting. The main character isn’t immediately likable, which adds to the challenging beginning. However, the narrative begins to find its footing around Chapter 5.

Chapter 6 maintains a somber tone. I found myself asking, “Is anything good ever going to happen to Laurie??” Fortunately, by Chapter 7, the story gains momentum as Laurie and Mal's relationship deepens, injecting some much-needed warmth and interest. Despite a sluggish start, I was determined to finish this book. By Chapter 9, I was fully invested — the story becomes notably engaging and the characters more relatable.

While the early chapters felt clunky and challenging to connect with, the author’s narrative style evolves positively as the story progresses. By the end, Her Golden Coast delivers a refreshing take on romance, infused with poignant reflections on personal growth and authenticity. Although the slow start is a drawback, the book ultimately rewards patient readers with a meaningful exploration of life and love.

*Disclaimer: I used AI to help me convert my chapter/book notes into a coherent, thorough, honest review.