I absolutely loved this book!
What Is Wrong with You? by Paul Rudnick was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.
Rudnick's writing style is so engaging—witty and funny, yet touching and heartfelt all at once.

I am going to DNF this @ 30%. The writing style is not for me, and I don’t think any review I would write would be fair. This is heavily a character study but just feels like it is trying to hard to be observationally funny. I do think it will do well with readers who enjoy low plot heavy character analysis, this one just wasn’t for me!

Thank you to Atria books for the opportunity to read this eARC early in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to love this so bad, and I see what it was trying to do, but I don't think it entirely succeeded.

I did love that it read like the asides in a screenplay, and I know this author can write the heck out of a movie, so I made myself finish it because the flow of the story worked for me. It's a lot of internal thought and processing, and a demonstration of how absolutely unhinged we truly are inside our own brains. There was definitely humor, and I laughed, and I got a little choked up because to love is to inevitably experience grief. It is a book of overwhelming chaos even before we get to the wedding and if you can keep up with everyone, you'll enjoy how it all rolls out.

The thing is, when do you cross from sarcasm into cruelty? I found things I liked about the many characters (even Isabelle, and I am a sucker for Sean. Sue me. Also, the world needs more Tremble Woodspills.), but the critique of people trying to do better, be better, and achieve some form of equity being so obsessively belittled in this book will do damage. A lot of people who do not regularly spend time and thought in these headspaces will miss the point - which is that you have to LISTEN to the people you are advocating for and that even if it seems to be caught up in the minutiae, the issues are real.

So in the, this was a great bland of funny and sad, but went too hard against the equity issues that the fact it's ultimately for them will be missed. I've got complicated feelings about this one, and for anyone who disagrees and had a great time, good on you.

this was a wildly amusing, yet endearing romp of a book. I have read paul rudnick’s “playing the palace” as well and the humor from that book bled into this read as well, which i was excited for.

i’m in general just such a sucker for a book where individual lives intertwine in unexpected ways, it hits every time.

very funny, very tender, and very gay!!

An eccentric grouping of people are on a private island to celebrate a billionaire’s wedding. The author is definitely a talented writer, the style just isn’t for me. The humor is very bleak and dark, and the prose is quite verbose. If you’re a fan of character driven stories about people who really need therapy, then do check this one out!

What is Wrong with You? by Paul Rudnick ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I adored this one. I have a soft spot for books that put different characters together and illustrate friendship and love across all different types (cough cough Iona Iverson).

This one was heartfelt and hilarious. I literally laughed out loud many different times at the absurdity and wit. I found the writing to be beautiful, but it did take me a bit to get into. However, once I did I was awed by Rudnick’s control over language and how he conveyed the essence of humanity with his words. Really, this book was such a fun ride.

Fans of diverse characters, heartfelt and emotional exploration, and laugh-out-loud moments will love this one.

I'm one of those people who constantly asks the titular question about myself and others, and this synopsis sounded like a lot of fun.

And it is. The beginning is a bit uneven with some of the characters not being relatable at all. And there's really nothing much going on in the book except characters reminiscing about their past so I was wondering what the point was. Some of the characters (Paolo especially) are hilarious while others have some great observations about life and love.

I'm glad I came across this title and look forward to reading more from Paul Rudnick.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for the e-copy!

Thanks to Atria Books for the ARC, however, What Is Wrong with You was unfortunately a DNF for me at 19%. There were way too many characters to keep track of so early in the book. Every time I felt as if we were starting to learn about a character, another side character was introduced and it just became frustrating. It stopped me from wanting to pick up the book or continue finishing it. I also didn’t find the humor to be that funny. Perhaps there are less character introductions later in the book, but the beginning of the book was so disorienting that I lost interest in the story. Ultimately, this book helped me realize that I don’t enjoy multiple POV shifts within a book. I prefer character studies that feature a small cast with one point of view that shapes the story.

Unfortunately, this one just isn't for me. I made it through the first 15% of the book and still felt lost in the story, with too many characters to follow, and based on the synopsis the actual story hadn't even started. On top of this, the language used is incredibly judgmental—even if it's part of the purpose of the story, it still was unpleasant to read constantly.

Thank you @atriabooks for my #gifted copy of What Is Wrong With You? #AtriaPartner #atriabooks

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐘𝐨𝐮?
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐏𝐚𝐮𝐥 𝐑𝐮𝐝𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝟐𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

This book had a really good premise, and the description was really intriguing. I was really drawn to it and thought it was going to be a really fun read. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I found it hard to keep track of the different characters. On top of that, I found some of the humor to be a little off. I just don’t think I was the right target for the book. With that said, I just don’t think this book was for me, but would definitely encourage you to check this one out if it sounds like it might be something you might enjoy.

Posted on Goodreads on March 24, 2025: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around March 24, 2025: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on March 25, 2025
**-will post on designated date

What Is Wrong With You: 🙅‍♀️❓🍽️⁣
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Thank you @atriabooks @simon.audio for my gifted copies!⁣
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I’ll get down to it, this was fun. I felt like we laid some foundation down on these people to where I did start to get a bit bored and was like “hurry, let’s get to the fun part!” But once we got there I was really into it. This kind of gave me “Curb Your Enthusiasm” like it would be an extra half season or so of it. I can easily see this being a series. ⁣
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I personally loved the audio. Erin Mallon held it down with the multiple POVs and stories in each chapter. It felt perfectly distinct with each person and I didn’t realize it was a one person production. Honestly, love that they’re this talented to do every POV. ⁣
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Overall, a quick and enjoyable read. There are some very heavy themes that are curbed with dark humor and I get it. Sometimes you just gotta laugh so you don’t cry. Honestly made me feel a little less alone in the world.⁣
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Out tomorrow, March 28th.

This was too messy and chaotic for me. It's humorous - with bite- but the characters are unlikeable (and that's the point) and there's a lot going on. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.. I found it difficult to find a rhythm but I'm sure others will enjoy it.

I sadly ended up DNF'ing this. While I did enjoy the unique and witty writing style, I felt that all the characters were extremely unlikeable and just not enjoyable to read about. Although I do think that was intentional, many of the characters did get on my nerves while reading. I honestly just felt that I wasn't going to end up enjoying this book, so I stopped reading at 30%. I just didn't see the story going anywhere I thought would be interesting enough to keep me engaged, and the story felt subpar, to hold a spotlight more on the writing, which wasn't enough for me to keep reading.

Thank you to Paul Rudnick, Atria Books, and Netgalley for an early digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

0.0

This was not for me. A few pages in and I was thrown off by the “humour”. Some of the humour was supposed to be “wrong”, and described as such, but including it did not add to the book at all and I feel it perpetuated unnecessary harm. There was an entire page that was just spewing transphobia, and referring to trans identities as “political vocabulary”, and the main character essentially said “I know this is not right but I like the guy saying it and honestly I’m so glad I don’t have to try to remember pronouns when I’m around him”.

Unfortunately, this first character, Rob, reminds me far too much of the old cis gay white men who frequent the gay bar and think everyone should have it as hard as they did.

Isabelle was the only potentially okay character, but was written in a way that perpetuated stereotypes about queer people in a harmful manner, and was made fun of in ways that are inexcusable. It wasn't a matter of "being in on the joke". The jokes should not have been made.

This book very much demonstrated the difference between queer and gay that is felt in so many gay spaces and I did not enjoy it.


What Is Wrong With You is out March 25, 2025. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC.

What Is Wrong with You is chock full of messy and chaotic characters, and much dark than anticipated—especially since I went in thinking this would be light and funny 🤣

My first book by Rudnick, but not my last!

A new novel by Paul Rudnick is just what America needs!
The story focuses on Sean and Rob, two very different people who share a long term friendship. Sean is a macho man owner of a chain of successful gyms and Rob's a book editor who has trained with Sean for many years. Sean's straight and was married to Linda (who's about to get remarried) and Rob is gay and a widower. And then there's Trone Meston, a mash up of all those obnoxious tech bros put together (thinking Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg) and who has big plans for another creation that he's planning to launch at his upcoming wedding.
There's a lot going on in the book and a fair number of characters, but they are all unique and beautifully developed so it wasn't a challenge to keep them straight. All the story lines come together at the wedding of Trone and Linda on a private island off the coast of Maine.
II loved the relationship between Sean and Rob, as well as his NJ references. He may have gone a bit over the top with the character of Trembke, but I imagine she was fun to write. Mr. Rudnick has a wicked sense of humor and there are many laugh out loud moments throughout the book. If you're not following him on social media, you're missing out!
Thanks to Netgalley and Atria for the opportunity to read What is Wrong With You? I received a complimentary copy of the book and opinions expressed are completely my own.

I have loved Paul Rudnick's books (and plays) over the years for their wit and their heart. His latest has much of his trademark charm and snark and the many flawed characters are endearing in their confusion and are well-developed. Unexpectedly, the novel focuses mostly on a straight couple where the divorced wife, Linda' formerly married to Sean, is getting remarried. In fact, all of the characters and their stories converge at this wedding. Her husband-to-be is a Jeff Bezos/Elon Musk type billionaire. Rudnick also juggles the back stories of several other characters, chief among them, a sixty-ish gay book editor (Rob) who has recently lost his husband (Jake) to ALS. We learn about their happy relationship in flashbacks. Rudnick takes on and skewers many things: the techbro world, extreme political correctness, the dating life of dentists, low-budget action hero TV shows among them. Rudnick's take suggests that the book was written prior to the last election--now it appears slightly tone-deaf. One character is praised for writing a Hillbilly Elegy-type memoir and the techbro gets off too easily in light of Elon Musk's current destructive rampage. The "villain" of the piece is an over the top DEI advocate.

While it was a quick and at times a delightful and a heartbreaking read, I found the ending unsatisfying. The main gay character is in despair for most of the book which limits his arc.. The wedding, after all the build-up, seemed to me a letdown--almost like the author created all of these fun characters and then didn't know what to do with them. We see love in many forms but the author gets preachy about the nature of love and what it means to be in love. This novel works best when Rudnick sticks with the endearing and comic foibles of his characters. I wished for a more satisfactory resolution of their stores.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I AM OBSESSED!! The author was reading his own characters to filth which made it so entertaining while taking a blunt and open look at humanity.

The simplest way to describe it is a adventure between a self-proclaimed old gay and his personal trainer best friend. Ensemble casts can be intimidating but the writing is so genius, it's easy to follow along as Rob & Sean reflect on 20 years of friendship while running off to crash Sean's ex-wife's wedding. This is not a romance but it's totally a love story that celebrates the many loves in our lives with a self-depricating, almost self-incriminating comedic style.

Sean's ex-wife Linda is marrying a tech superdaddy who is basically Apple on steroids and against all logic SHE INVITES SEAN to the wedding! With the personal drive of the energizer bunny, Sean convinces best gay friends to rally and help him win his woman back. Rob has zero faith in this plan since (1) it's crazy and (2) Linda is not, but he's got nothing better to do since he's a depressed widow who just got fired by some millennial at work. Also attending this wedding? Said millennial who believes in her heart that the billionaire groom is her soulmate despite never having met him. When news of Rob's firing reaches the debut author he was working with, she also plans to crash the wedding to find out what is going on. Tremble is an ballsy, queer, women of color and she is ready to fight for the nice editor that gave her manuscript a chance. She's the character most people would look down on in real life but she was the total hero of the story! In my unbiased brown opinion lol. All these hilarious characters meet up and the drama that unfolds is hilarious.

Like any narcissist, i mean billionaire, Trone Meston combines his business and personal life by promising to launch his latest invention at his wedding ceremony. No one knows what it is or what it does but it became one of my favorite plot points in the 11th hour. I had a blast and if I could convince my own GBF to read this I would but he is sick of listening to me lol. I hope this books finds the people who will love it.

Fun character study of many characters who were all so unique. While I enjoyed this, I felt I probably wasn't the target audience and that audience may enjoy it much more than I did.

dnf at 30%

this was slog to get through. it's too dense in character introduction. a lot of telling and not showing. absolutely nothing happens. too many character perspectives for it to be this long.