This cheeky Rom-Com is about Rachel's dating life and her 3 friends' lives. They share everything with each other but especially through their group chat. Their lives are funny, messy and full of love.

Slow burn, opposites, funny, friendship and family.

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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.

The main character goes viral for making fun of survivors of sexual assault and the guy who’s in love with her … gets the video scrubbed from the Internet? Ok.

I had to read this for work and ~I got a free copy~. Really truly bad.

I liked this one. Rachel is very self-absorbed but the relationship between her and her friends is very relatable. Not sure that I loved the ending. It was pretty predictable.

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. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

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

Lauren Applebaum’s Group Chat is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but its focus shifts away from the romance we’d expect, instead zeroing in on the messy, chaotic life of its protagonist, Rachel Weiss. Applebaum’s modern Jewish twist on Austen’s classic feels refreshing, yet at times predictable, as it navigates Rachel’s journey toward maturity and self-realization. The central thread is Rachel’s dynamic with her friends in a group chat, which serves as both a humorous commentary on modern communication and a deeper exploration of how friendships evolve. The group chat format is fun, but it sometimes limits the emotional depth of the story, leaving certain moments feeling more surface-level than profound.

Rachel Weiss herself is a character who will divide readers. She is deliberately written as selfish and messy, often making poor decisions and pushing people away. While some readers may find her “unattractive” qualities off-putting, Applebaum subtly reveals these traits as defense mechanisms, allowing for satisfying character growth as Rachel learns to confront her insecurities. This exploration of Rachel’s character is the novel’s strength, and her dry humor and sarcasm keep the story engaging. However, her character’s immaturity at times feels overplayed, making certain interactions grating rather than endearing.

The novel’s focus on friendship over romance is both a strength and a weakness. The group chat between Rachel and her friends is often hilarious, filled with witty banter and relatable moments, but the plot can feel like it meanders, especially when the romantic subplot with Christopher Butkus—who is charming but somewhat underdeveloped—takes a backseat. Applebaum hints at the potential for deeper exploration of Rachel’s relationships, but these moments are often cut short, leaving the reader wishing for more development, particularly on the romance front.

Overall, Group Chat offers a fun and lighthearted read with an endearing (if flawed) protagonist, but its pacing and lack of deeper emotional exploration hold it back from greatness. Applebaum’s humor shines throughout, and while the book may not be a standout in the modern retelling genre, it will appeal to readers who enjoy character-driven stories with a focus on friendship, personal growth, and the chaos of navigating adulthood. For me, it lands at 3.5 stars—entertaining but not without its limitations.

Idk if I would have finished if I was reading instead of listening but the short amount I did listen to I didn’t like the narrator. Idk if the characters are annoying or if it was just the audio.

This book had a lot of my favorite elements -- 30 somethings living in a city, messy dating and family dynamics.

I really enjoyed the friendships in this book, as well as the family dynamics -- they felt very realistic. Lauren Appelbaum captured the ebbs and flows of friendship very well.

Rachel did many things that made me want to shake her, but I did appreciate seeing growth from her. I enjoyed all of her friends and all the quirks of her mother. I didn't love the love interest storyline, that was one part that didn't work as well for me.

I will check out what Lauren Appelbaum writes next -- I am interested to see more from her.

I enjoyed the narrator and would definitely listen to more books narrated by her!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

This was a cute idea for a book! There were some parts that were just ehh for me but it was still a quick and enjoyable read!

It took me a bit to get into this narration, for a few reasons: You are following many characters via group chats, which caused me some confusion via audio. And in the beginning, the narrator's voice was not my favorite. However, once I was used to it, her flamboyance totally made the characters come alive and I felt like her voice really fit the story. The story itself felt pretty all over the place, but not in an especially exciting way that kept me wanting to keep listening. I do think this story had SO much potential and I loved the quirkiness of the characters, but overall, it wasn't a favorite.

2.5 rounded up. Honestly this book had potential. At first I found the main character over the top but funny. As the book continued, I found her more and more irritating to the point where I didn’t want to read more.

In addition, the side characters needed to be fleshed out and developed more for the book to work. I found the friend group endearing but struggled to keep them all straight.The romance felt far fetched and more annoying than anything.

I think the author has potential and I’d try her next one but I wouldn’t recommend this one to anyone.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc.

Why have I only picked single POV books in the last few weeks? Regardless 4.5 stars.

While this is being marketed as a rom-com I would argue it's a women’s fiction novel with a romantic plot line.

At first I was convinced (when I thought this was an actual romance) that it was coming off a little predictable around the 25% mark and I started waiting for the massive blow up I knew was coming. I was about 75% wrong and 25% correct which was super nice. Definitely not as predictable as I anticipated.

I really enjoyed Rachel's story. It was filled with inspiration and all sorts of bits I loved. Her growth is commendable, the chosen family is enviable, and I WISH I was as okay with intense family as she is.

The sister drama that feels like a climax of the book is a bit weird to me. Jane is an adult and both she AND RACHEL hold Rachel fully responsible for JANEs actions. Personally I don’t think Rachel is responsible for her sister drunkenly making bad choices, losing her dream job, or her public humiliation, thats all on Jane.

The book was super enjoyable. I listened to it in 2 sessions. This was my first book read by Dara Rosenberg, they are fantastic and I LOVED being read to by them.

Rachel’s mother was all sorts of annoying, until I realized this was a Pride and Prejudice retelling and her mother is supposed to be the quintessential Mrs. Bennett. Rachel is an almost-thirty year old single woman living her best life ever with her best friends, a job she hates, and no relationship prospects in sight. Her meddling mother tries very hard to set her up with the new billionaire neighbor, Christopher, but she hates him immediately because of his tech job, his money, and the glowing recommendation from her mother. He’s basically the Darcy character here being all stern and serious and aloof. We spend most of the book with Rachel either thriving or flailing at life with misadventures in dating and various embarrassing encounters with Christopher. It’s light on the actual romance between Rachel and Christopher, since they rarely get any page time together. It leans more towards women’s fiction to me, with Rachel needing to find her footing in the world on her own, before realizing that maybe her mom was right about Christopher being perfect for her. Audio was great!

Rachel Weiss's Group Chat by Lauren Appelbaum is a humorous audiobook that sheds light on the life of Jewish women, complete with all the family drama. The novel follows Rachel Weiss as she navigates the trials of turning thirty, dealing with a job she hates, and dodging her mother's well-meaning but intrusive matchmaking efforts.

The narration, while requiring a bit of time to get into the rhythm, is well-executed and enhances the story's charm. There are several laugh-out-loud moments throughout, and the book concludes with a satisfying and heartwarming ending. A fun and relatable listen, especially for fans of witty family dramas.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this ARC

I had to DNF this, it wasn’t the narrators fault.

Rachel the MC is truly awful, as is every other character in this story.

As someone who is a survivor of SA this author handled these themes of #metoo and SA very tactlessly and without a level of sensitivity, I couldn’t take another second.

Rachel Weiss's Group Chat by Lauren Appelbaum, narrated by Dara Rosenberg, is an engaging audiobook that brings a humorous and heartfelt story to life. The novel follows Rachel Weiss as she navigates the trials of turning thirty, dealing with a job she loathes, and dodging her mother's well-meaning but intrusive matchmaking. Dara Rosenberg's narration initially took some time to get used to, but her expressive voice ultimately adds a significant layer of depth to the characters. Her dynamic performance prevents the narration from becoming monotonous, infusing each character with a distinct personality and bringing Rachel’s world vividly to life.

One of the highlights of the audiobook is the protagonist's Jewish background, which resonates personally and adds authenticity to the story. Rachel’s relationship with her overbearing mother, however, can be frustrating as it underscores her mother's disregard for Rachel’s personal desires. Despite this, the supportive circle of friends and the intriguing tech bro neighbor provide a refreshing contrast. As Rachel’s life spirals, her interactions with the neighbor evolve in unexpected ways, leading to a surprising and satisfying resolution. Overall, Rachel Weiss's Group Chat is a witty and relatable listen, earning a solid four stars for its engaging story and dynamic narration.

4 stars

I found it listening to the audiobook, after I’ve already read the book, increases my enjoyment. And that was definitely true with this novel.. I thought the narrator was excellent for the part, and it increased my enjoyment of the story. I still think Rachel‘s mother is a lunatic, and her younger sisters are psychopaths, but the audio version made me hate them less. I really liked Rachel’s growth throughout the book and would be happy to read other books by this author.

Rachel’s mom wants the best for her daughters, and for Rachel and Jane - that means marriage. Jane is set but Rachel is another story, she’s very single. When the house next door is bought by a young and cute millionaire, Rachel’s mom’s heart is set on him for Rachel. In a Jewish twist on Pride and Prejudice (although much more loosely based than other retellings I’ve read) - Christopher and Rachel clash until they don’t.

I really REALLY wanted to love this one but, well I just didn’t. Rachel’s character wasn’t a particularly appealing character and Christopher’s feelings for her just never made sense to me. Rachel and her friends (the titled group chat) also didn’t seem like particularly good friends to each other. That being said, the author did turn one traditional romance concept over on its head (I can’t tell you what because it would ruin it) but it was fun to read and the best part of the book. I listened to about half of this one and read about half and the narrator was really good. But in the end I couldn’t root for the couple because I only liked the male main character and honestly, I thought he could do better.

3.5 stars

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ARC to review

In Rachel Weiss's Group Chat, Lauren Applebaum weaves a buzzing but contemplative tale of modern friendships, family dynamics, and romance. Our central character is a loud, confident Jewish woman from Seattle. Her mother is obsessed with pairing up her four daughter. Rachel finds that her once tight friend group with a stellar juicy group chat is beginning to weaken, her sister is getting married, and suddenly an endless stream of app dates and hook up seems really appealing.

When her parents sets her up with next door neighbor Christopher, its a very UN-meet cute. Christopher is one of those tech bros that are so privileged and into his own ideas. But, they keep running into each other, sending random DMs. Christopher is surprisingly thoughtful--Rachel is so confused.

This is billed as a modern Pride and Prejudice retelling. I believe it's more accurately in the vein of Bridget Jones's Diary. I thought this book was an absolute joy. There are so few books about modern female friendships--that is where this book shines!

I enjoyed this title on audio. This is an easy book to follow on audio. The narrator did a wonderful job! I enjoyed her banter and self talk so much! It made the experience! Thank you netgalley and Forever Books for a review copy.

I went into this book with low expectations since the reviews are very mixed. I listened to the audiobook and Dara Rosenberg did an amazing job. This book reminds me of Bridget Jones' Diary and Clueless. Which makes sense since this book is supposed to be inspired by "Pride and Predjudice". Rachel is a spoiled twenty something at a job she doesn't like and hates "tech bros". Christopher is the billionaire? whose parents move in next to Rachel's parents and immediately Rachel's mom wants to set them up. Rachel has 3 ride or die friends she tells all the details of her life in a group chat hence the name of the book. There are definitely funny parts and there are definitely cringy parts. Rachel is not supposed to be likable, she's supposed to be annoying and full of herself. Christopher is great but comes on a little too strong at one point. I do like how they keep running into each other and how he never looks down on Rachel even though a lot of people reviewing this book do. If you read this book, I highly recommend the audiobook version.

Thank you Lauren Applebaum, Hachette Audio, and NetGalley for an advanced listening copy of this audiobook.