This story isn't the kind I typically gravitate towards but I really enjoyed it! The characters are relatable, their issues are relatable. and it was a very validating read!

As someone in the same age range as these characters, I appreciated the relatability and the elements of finding oneself. I fully enjoyed this book and loved the characters' friendship. Adulthood is certainly not for the faint of heart!

While it started off strong, Early Thirties ultimately fell flat for me. I found the jumping timeline and shifting perspectives created a disjointed reading experience that made it hard to feel connected to anything going on. There were too many characters, events, etc, that our protagonists Victor and Zoey got lost in the mix. Zoey especially is framed as a dueteragonist by the description, but is not given nearly the page time she deserves— her marriage and its dissolution seems to come as an afterthought, a missed opportunity to really dig in. I also found the hint of a frame narrative at the end confusing at best: are we supposed to assume Victor wrote the book? Or Caroline? Or no one at all?
Despite the engaging writing and the well-done humor, I found Early Thirties to be a bit too disconnected for my tastes.

Advantageous debut, but parts of it fell a bit flat to me. I’d suggest Juno Loves Legs as a pairing, which was far superior. Neither of these characters resonated with me like I wanted them to.

Victor and Zoey have been best friends since college. Now in their early 30s, they think they will remain best friends forever. But after a tragic event initially brings them closer together, they soon discover their lives drifting apart. Both deeply enmeshed in their work, they find they have less in common in their personal lives--and are less interested in hearing about the other's ups and downs. Does adulthood mean a friendship like theirs can't last? Or will Zoey and Victor find a way to grow together?

This is a well-written and insightful exploration of a very specific time in people's lives. The author effectively portrays what it is like when one finds their life going in surprising directions, and how that impacts not just one's sense of self but their closest relationships.

Highly recommended!

In my (very) late 20s, living in NYC, dating, and navigating my career so I see myself in this debut novel and really enjoyed it. It pulls off the differing perspectives of Victor/Zoey and a cast of compelling secondary characters. Romantic relationships do have a major role but I most appreciated that a long-term friendship was the focus!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

For fans of: Frances Ha (2012), Beautiful World Where Are You by Sally Rooney

I didn't go into this book with any expectations and actually only requested it because I liked the cover, but this story is one that I have found myself thinking about often in the couple of weeks since I read this book. Victor and Zoey's friendship felt real, as did the growing pains it faced and the way that it evolved over the course of the novel. As a girl in this 2020s world with many decades long friendships, this book resonated with me, and I would recommend it! I hope it gets the buzzy release it deserves.

I am turning 30 in February and I felt kismet when I saw this for the first time. This was brilliant, daunting, heartbreaking, passionate and just wow. I am going to shove this book down every single person I see.

Early Thirties by Josh Duboff brings both humor and lightheartedness to the painful fact that just because we’re older doesn’t mean dating gets any easier.

Victor and Zoey have been best friends since college. That means they’ve experienced every heartbreak, headache, and hangover possible for two 20-year-olds living their college years in New York, and now being in their early thirties, things have changed. Zoey’s career in the fashion industry is dwindling while Victor’s career as a gossip reporter is thriving, that is until a tragedy in Victor's life forces the two apart and to realize what they truly want out of life, both in their careers and out of the love they have for each other.

For his debut book, Josh Duboff writes an incredibly heartwarming story about growing up and realizing that life doesn’t always end up how you expect it to. His writing is realistic with just the right amount of laughter to distract you from the reality of what life, and love, can be. As someone who’s still in her 20s, one of my favorite things about this book was relating to how the characters acted when they were younger and how they moved on from the messes and regrets the older they got. The author’s writing felt very personal and like I was reading someone's life story told through a third party. The love the two characters felt for each other felt genuine and authentic and not forced like some stories can turn out to be.