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.

The narration was well done and Dara Rosenberg did a wonderful job as Rachel. Honestly, the easy to listen to narration is a large part of why I even finished this book. At 50%, I was debating a DNF, as Rachel's inner dialogue and decisions were really hard to get through. It almost felt like a coming of age story, yet she was turning 30 and I often was reminding myself of that fact as she made one judgmental and self-absorbed decision after another. All of the characters in this story were pretty awful (the mom, wow) and the friendship group seemed to have weird dramatics that also felt juvenile. The only character I liked was the love interest, but it was a weird enemies-to-lovers scenario where who even knows why they were enemies. Especially when Rachel so easily forgives her friends discretion - why are we hating on the guy who repeatedly showed how genuine he was. The third act drama sealed the deal that this wasn't the book for me. The drama Rachel and her sister cause was extremely disappointing and I felt reinforced that she hadn't done any actual growing up.
Thank you Hachette Audio for the copy through NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Rachel Weiss's Group Chat was cute.... far-fetched at times, but Rachel was a loveable mess. She is about to turn 30 and gets herself into a lot of trouble (hello, naked bike riding?!!) Her mother is trying desperately to get her to find a husband and has focused on the man next door - Christopher. He's wealthy and Rachel takes an instant disliking to him.

Lauren Appelbaum gave us a funny story and I enjoyed the enemies to lovers story. Closed door romance, very sweet. I just didn't LOVE it - Christopher seemed to fall super fast and I just wasn't sure how they got there.

It was a completely personal sticking point, but I wasn't sure if the s should have been added to Weiss' - it took me down a rabbit hole and ended up being somewhat distracting. I am used to APA style which would be Weiss' but I learned that MLA and Chicago style use the additional s for possession. I learned something new!

Dara Rosenberg did a fabulous job narrating this story, especially with an extensive cast of characters. Each one was an individual and consistent throughout.

4.5 stars! Hilarious! I truly enjoyed this book! Her family was completely unhinged and I was here for it!

2.75 stars
Thank you NetGalley for a ALC of Rachel Weiss’s Group chat in exchange for me honest opinion.

This book is a Pride and Prejudice retelling with a Jewish twist being told with the same lens of a Bridget Jones.

Rachel is very outspoken, funny, and quite a bit selfish as a character. She doesn’t like her job but also speaks bad of people that are actually trying to follow their passions. As part of a stereotypical Jewish family, her mother is pressuring her to find a partner, and try to set her up to their rich neighbors son. This, as expected went terribly bad.

This book had a lot to be on my well recommended list but there were a few things that just were major turns down.
The good points is that this book is a page turner. With very funny ideas I saw myself laughing in several part of the story. Moreover, I liked how sexually free Rachel is. The friendship group was also very nice with everyone supporting each other and discussions of what happens when you want to put boundaries.
The narration was fantastic and I was laughing alongside the audio! The narrator’s interpretation of the scenes made Rachel be truly alive to me.

Now the bad, and the most glaring issue was a scene on Rachel’s sister bachelorette party that they made fun of of a very sensitive topic and honestly I don’t think the consequences and behaviors of the characters redeemed of what they had done. To make matter’s worse, the MMC just wipes out the evidence as if it’s dirty under the rug without any discussion about it. That just didn’t sit well with me.
Moreover there was a friend that blatantly cheated on her husband that was not having sex with her and no real consequence came from that either.
Lastly, I felt the romance was a bit of a flop. I didn’t feel much chemistry until 98% of the book (literally the last scene at the wedding).

Overall it was a fine book but those plot issues really killed the vibe for me.

Understanding that not every book is for every reader, I knew early on that I was not the reader for this book. However, I continued reading in an attempt to find anything that would change my mind. After listening to the book in it’s entirety, I can honestly say I failed to find a single thing.

Rachel Weiss is the single most infuriating character I’ve come across in a long time. She’s selfish, insipid, vacuous, vapid, shallow, and unpleasant - and those are her good qualities. She never once deviated from being insufferable.

There’s too much going on in this novel to keep plot lines or characters straight and, honestly, I didn’t care. I simply wanted it to be over. While this was not my cup of tea, others may find it entertaining. Good luck. Let’s just say I understand why Rachel’s father hid in the pantry.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Forever for the advance copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

OMG was Rachel annoying! The author tried to give her some character's development but she had pissed me off so much at the start I didn't care by the end when she seems to have changed, somehow, although she didn't even change that much, didn't apologize for her shitty behavior, no nothing. The #metoo themes were very poorly explored and used as well. The only character I liked was the guy, whose name I can't remember, but he was nice? I don't understand where the Pride and Prejudice retelling was, honestly, and I really wouldn't recommend this one.

I'm going to give this a three since for some reason I didn't find myself hating it, but because this was under romance I kept waiting for that part to develop. There was only a flash of it at the end. This is definitely more women's lit. There are some pretty unlikable characters in here, and some pretty unforgivable moments that left me going wtf...but I also like the quirky energy. I wanted more quirky romance and less toxic familial and friend relationships.

I'd firstly like to thank Hachette Audio and Forever Publishing for an ALC copy of this book.

This was my first advanced listener copy, and I have to say that I absolutely enjoyed my listening experience! I thought that the narration and the production was fantastic! The narrator really did a fantastic job of keeping my interest throughout the story.

The story is a play on Pride and Prejudice, but make it with a Jewish Seattle-based family. I kind of found most of the characters (Rachel, specifically) to be a bit insufferable/unrelatable, but could appreciate the comedic aspect of the story. The book is listed as a romance, but I think it would fall more on the women's fiction side with a smattering of romance added in. I found that I really liked the last 10% of the book the most, and I wish the book had more of Christopher, if I'm honest.

This book follows Rachel and her group of friends who all share a group chat. It is about their struggles and funny life lessons they all seem to be learning together.

The family and friend dynamic in this book really kept the story moving and kept it interesting. The way they talked things out and working things out with each other was fun to see and the women supporting women the best way they knew how was really heartwarming. I loved how involved Rachel's family was in so many facets of her life. It felt realistic and believable.

My one issue with this book is the main character is so out of touch. I don't know if just because I am an over thinker it made her feel like an under thinker (in a social setting kind of way) or if it was just written that way. She was so oblivious to her impact o nether characters it was a little frustrating. That being said the storyline and interest kept me reading. Although it was off putting it was not something that I could not look past.

I recommend this book to anyone with a family pushing you to marry and a soul seeking what feels right for your life. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this story.

Rachel Weiss's Group Chat written by Lauren Appelbaum and read by Dara Rosenberg was a very cute listen.

While I am 100 years old (mid-forties), have 8 million kids (4), and cannot relate to Rachel Weiss at this point in my life, once upon a time, in a far-off land, I could. And, despite our difference in both age and life experience, I found this book entertaining and was rooting for the main character, Rachel throughout her year of turning 30.

Sometimes everything you want/need is hand wrapped and given to you, but you do not realize it is what you need. But, when you do, it is sweet, sweet redemption. Thank goodness Rachel opened her eyes and saw this wonderful gift.

Such a cute listen!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this advance listen in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rachel Weiss’s "Group Chat" is a delightful, fun read that captures the essence of female friendship in the vein of "Sex and the City." The story revolves around a tight-knit group of friends from college navigating the transition from their carefree days to the complexities of adult life. As the characters begin to grow up at different rates, the once-unbreakable bond between them is tested, with some drifting apart as they explore their own paths. It’s a classic tale of women finding their way in the world, complete with a captivating will-they/won’t-they romance that keeps the pages turning!

Rachel is months away from turning thirty and her life is stagnant. She’s a serial dater, hates her low level tech job taken to pay rent and never moved on, and can’t seem to figure out how everyone around her is becoming a grown up with fiancées, careers, and goals.

Her mom is trying to fix her up with the new neighbor’s son, Christopher, but she’s dismissed him out of pocket because he’s rich.

She has a group of girlfriends, each with her own set of problems and a group text among them that appears occasionally.

There’s a SAT cheating scandal, a family vacation, a viral video, and ten other subplots.

This one has vague Pride and Prejudice vibes: a mom obsessed with appearances and marrying off her daughters, oldest sister in a bland but happy relationship, youngest girls twins who are a chaotic mess, and Rachel, who makes bad choices, drives away anyone who might be good for her, and sabotaging everything with self centered choices.

But it’s like everything was turned up to 11. And let’s be clear, that wasn’t a good choice.

I didn’t enjoy this one. Rachel is vapid, childish, and obsessed with looks. She doesn’t show growth and is unlikable. There’s absolutely no reason Christopher would fall for her (it’s a ridiculous insta love to boot). And on top of that, there are too many things happening and each subplot seems to spiral for 10% of the book and then is either resolved or forgotten.

In fact, I liked this less and less the deeper I got into it. It tries to do too much, doesn’t present anyone to root for, and Rachel is no Elizabeth Bennett.

Rachel Weiss is a confident, twenty-something (for now) sexy goddess with three best friends who love to over share between in-person convos and their lively group text. She’s also almost thirty, in a dead end job she hates with a meddling mother who just wants her to find a nice Jewish boy. Will her last year of her twenties be the turning point she’s hoping for or will she manage to make it a cringy, embarrassing disaster?
“Rachel Weiss’s Group Chat” is a laugh-out-loud, relatable, modern real life rom-com. Life is messy but friends and fabulous sisters make it all bearable. Much of the book centers around the predictable enemies to lovers trope but Appelbaum gives Rachel such a unique and authentic voice, she reals you in and makes Rachel your new best friend too.
Dara Rosenberg brings Rachel to life with engaging dialogue and storytelling. Her performance had me gobbling up the audiobook in just a few days. Take a break from a heavier read and enjoy this rom-com, lovers of the genre won’t be disappointed.

An entertaining, laugh out loud story that will grab your attention from the opening line and keep you invested until the last word.

I requested the audiobook from NetGalley for the simple reason that Rachel and I share a last name. I didn't realise that it was a Pride and Prejudice retelling until I was quite a way through. I did love it form the beginning, which is a bit surprising, because the eponymous Rachel is a bit of a hot mess. But she is well meaning, and son supportive of her friends and sister that I found her and her antics endearing, rather than frustrating. I think the narrator was perfect and I'm not sure that I would have loved this book quite as much as an eye read. Listening to this felt like that friend we all have (and I am of often that friend) who tells such good stories about the random things they do that, even if there is a pinch of extra added to make a good story great, that's fine. I also love the way Rachel tries - to do better, to be a better friend, to grow. I very much enjoyed this book, and it has inspired me to reread (listen) to Pride and Prejudice, so it's a double win.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

🌟🌟🌟

Rachel Weiss's Group Chat offers a lighthearted and relatable look into the ups and downs of friendships, social media, and the complexities of modern communication. Lauren Appelbaum creates a story that many can resonate with, especially those who have experienced the chaos of group chats and the nuances of online dynamics. The plot revolves around Rachel, whose group chat takes on a life of its own, leading to humorous, awkward, and occasionally touching moments.

While the book is charming in its premise, it sometimes feels a bit predictable. The characters, though likable, can fall into familiar tropes, and the storyline doesn’t quite push beyond what one might expect from a contemporary friendship-centered novel. However, the pacing is steady, and there are moments of genuine insight into how digital conversations shape relationships today.

As for the audiobook format, the narration was engaging.

This feels more like women’s fiction than romance. It liked the friendships and the family interactions. The “romance” are was very under developed and sort of just happens. I would check out more by this author.

3.5 stars

Narrator Dara Rosenberg applies her bright and engaging vocals to 'Rachel Weiss's Group Chat' by Lauren Appelbaum, which imagines Pride and Prejudice, with Lydia and Bingley instead of Lizzie and Darcy. This book is a funny, sometimes exasperating but also an endearing book about growing up and growing apart and female friendship. I enjoyed Rosenberg's vocals though at times I did wonder if her voice came off as a decade older than late 20s Rachel, but her warmth captured the comedic parts well.

Rachel is an interesting character and at times she could be utterly painful. She is a bit chaotic, oblivious, at times self-centred with a her drama but at the same time a fierce friend, prone to self reflection and learning from her mistakes and funny. I loved that she was a female who had one night standards and partied and just had fun. I cackled quite a few times at her comments. In other words: Rachel is relatable. Haven't we all done or said cringy things and been THAT friend who sometimes takes up too much space for everyone else?

Christopher was lovely but I didn't feel any real chemistry between them. I think shoehorning the Darcy declaration seemed so out of character given her and Rachel barely knew each other, I was glad it was called out for what it was. The big downside for me though was the absolutely over-the-top mother with her histrionics. We had ONE moment where you can her motivations, but then it would blow it apart later making loud drama about Rachel being single. She needed serious therapy and I didn't like that Rachel and Jane didn't confront her to put her in her place. It's 2024 can we stop having sexist mothers wanting to marry off their daughters and carrying on about it?

Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.