Comedic Timing is another quick, fun romance from 831 Stories, perfect for a cozy evening read. Like the rest of their output, it delivers a bite-sized love story that’s enjoyable and engaging. The romance has its charm, but I struggled to connect with the male main character, which made the story feel a bit uneven for me.

While I absolutely adore 831 Stories' mission to provide compact and accessible romance reads, I can’t help but wish this one had been a full-length novel! The premise and characters have so much potential, and I would’ve loved to see them fleshed out even more. Still, if you're in the mood for a light, quick romance, this one will do the trick!

I'm a big fan of 831 Stories' brand and mission, and have enjoyed their output so far (particularly Big Fan, which was a great choice for first publication). Comedic Timing, unfortunately, didn't quite work for me. Following Naina as she moves to NYC for a new job and after her first break-up, she meets David at a party and they don't get off on the right foot. She is surprised that she feels drawn to him, though, and their connection unfolds as they meet again. I found the writing stiff and clunky, which contributed to not feeling connected to the characters or story. I wasn't particularly drawn in by Naina and David either, which feels key for a 831 Stories novella. That said, I appreciated the themes that Barath is exploring here: grief, break-ups, queer identity, figuring things out in your mid-twenties, making a creative life. Naina is a relatably mid-20s woman trying to figure herself out and get past insecurities and other barriers as she begins a new life for herself.

I am going to be honest - I've not always been a romance reader. And even now, it takes me a lot to fully buy-in to a romance read. This book, my friends, had me totally buying in. Rather than being cheesy or full of fluffy dialogue, it was intimate, tender, and vulnerable.

This is the story of Naina, who has just moved to New York following the break-up of a serious relationship. She is a bit raw, a bit self-conscious, and still feel like a bit of an outsider when she meets David, who throws a bit of a wrench into how things go from there - all a bit unexpected from what she likely thought was in the cards for her.

I have to say it - I'm also loving the representation in this book, which is woven into the story so organically, exactly as it should be.

This was a short, tender, impactful read that I very much recommend!

Thank you NetGalley, 831 Stories and Upasna Barath for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.75⭐️
Naina recently broke up with her girlfriend in Chicago and moved to New York. Soon after, she meets David and they have a connection. As their friendship develops, Naina begins to question her feelings for him and what that means regarding her sexuality.

Naina is a very flawed character who I struggled with but maybe because I saw some immature and unhealthy behavior I probably have done in the past.

David seemed much more mature and confident in himself. He was able to address, talk through and move beyond some of Naina’s behavior.

Overall, this was interesting as it dove into pushing yourself, asking for what you want and taking ownership in your action and life but it and the characters didn’t really draw me in.

Cute. Just a bit boring how they kept repeating the same storyline of Naina and David needing space, not wanting to talk at the moment over and over again until the very last line when they get together

I LOVED this book! It's always great when a romance book goes beyond the tropes (while still embracing them) to dive into something deeper. I love the way she explored her sexuality and unpacked her own bisexuality in this book. So so good!

You will like this book if you like: reading about people cooler than you, attending house parties, regularly staying up ‘til 2am talking to a boy, and bisexual panic 🏳️‍🌈🚬

2.75 Stars. I have really been enjoying 831 novellas but Comedic Timing is not my favorite of the 3. I was not a big fan of the FMC and the author packed a lot into a quick read. Thank you 831 and Netgalley for the ARC

Captured what is best about contemporary romance as a sub genre within romance as it felt like such a snapshot of what it is like to be vulnerable and date and generally just being a feeling human in this day and age. Wonderful!

Last book of 2024 done. Still loving 831. I was starting to feel like we needed some diversity in people, types of love, and the storyline from these novellas and then COMEDIC TIMING came along and did just that. Loved these unlovable flawed but growing characters and at the end, I was truly just wishing them the best

Desperately in search of another banger from romance publisher 831 Stories, I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Upasna Barath's Comedic Timing, which takes us all over Brooklyn and Manhattan as one aspiring writer finds love when she least expects it. It’s around the same length as the publisher’s two other titles, Big Fan and Hardly Strangers, if you’ve read either of those (and I highly recommend that you do).

This deliciously short friends-to-lovers romance follows Chicago-transplant Naina, who recently dumped her much-older girlfriend of five years and is desperately seeking a fresh start in life. That new beginning happens much sooner than she was anticipating, though, when a chance meeting with someone special at a friend-of-a-friend-of-a-friend’s house party in Bed-Stuy occurs within the first 24 hours of her getting into the city. Oh, and speaking of that someone special? They just so happen to be a man. David, a handsome, kind, filmmaking man.

Suddenly, Naina’s problems have gone from trying to find a decent bodega in her neighborhood and navigating the pitfalls of her nightmare boss, to a full-blown identity crisis about her love life. Not exactly the New York City fairytale she was expecting. Despite those personal reservations, Naina can’t deny that her connection with David is electric from the very first moment their eyes lock across the room at his party. The air practically crackles between them.

Unable to turn down his advances outright, but still too confused about her own personal baggage to agree to starting a romance, Naina compromises by drawing some boundaries: she agrees to be David’s friend and his writing partner (of sorts), to keep them both creatively engaged while toiling away in unfulfilling careers. If some flirting happens along the way? So be it. Naina’s idea is noble at first glance, but she, and we — and David, for that matter — all know those boundaries won’t last long. Obviously.

This novella might not have been the best book I read in 2024 (or even the best book I read that month), but it’s solid. It’s well-written. There are great characters (both main and side) and chemistry, and genuinely good banter between the two MCs. It moves fast and is fun, painful, sexy, and messy in the same way that living in the city so often is in your 20s. I think where Comedic Timing falls short for me is just how exhausting everyone in it is. They’re all constantly dancing around what they actually want to say. Constantly. To the point where it sometimes felt like the plot was engaging in a particularly annoying bout of edging for the reader. I just wanted to reach through the pages and shake them.

Then again, the further I got in the book, the more I saw of myself in Naina. Maybe that’s why I found her behavior particularly tiresome — it’s not always easy seeing some of your less appealing traits reflected back at you in black and white. Bad decision-making aside, she’s a complex, interesting, and vulnerable character to watch stumble through some later-in-life-than-usual coming-of-age realizations. And at the very least, Naina and David do come off as equally annoying in their own way. So, a match made in heaven, I guess?

(3.5 but rounding up)

Comedic Timing hits shelves on Jan. 28, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Upasna Barath’s short novel is a reminder that we do not need to be our ideal selves before taking a leap in love and life. We don’t need to wait to have the perfect career, correct bank balance, best body before finally allowing ourselves to connect with someone. I think our generation (Millennial & older Gen Z) forgets that we don’t have to have everything figured out and that the journey is the point.

This story is poignant and relatable as it details the life of imperfect Naina who has just relocated to NYC to pursue a creative career, to leave behind her long term relationship, to explore her sexuality and to find who she is and what she wants.

Thank you to @831storieshq @netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title is available on January 28th!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Book: Comedic Timing by Upsana Barath
Genre: Romance

Ahh this book made me feel like I was chatting with a close friend! I was in a reading slump and this cute little novella helped me get out of it from the very first sentence. The author, Upasna Barath, totally nails how messy and confusing relationships can be, especially when you are trying to understand yourself. The book digs into some heavy stuff like grief and identity, but it does it with this awesome, down-to-earth vibe.

The story is about Naina Rao, a young woman trying to figure out her life when she moves to New York City from Chicago after a tough breakup with her girlfriend. When she meets David, things get complicated - in the best possible way. You end up rooting for these characters even when they are not great at communicating, because let’s face it, that is how real relationships often work. The story captures the whole “what am I doing with my life?” vibe that pretty much everyone in their twenties goes through. If you are into character-driven stories that are honest about modern love and identity, with a sprinkle of NYC magic, Comedic Timing is definitely worth checking out! It will leave you feeling nostalgic and craving more from 831 Stories!

Thank you so much to #NetGalley @netgalley, @831storieshq and the author @upasnabarath for sending me this lovely ARC of #ComedicTiming in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been loving these novellas but this story was not my favorite. Naina was a character i struggled with, and her, for lack of a better word, constant whining. Lots packed into this story though!

This was a surprisingly complex novella given its length; a brief glimpse into the lives of realistic characters. Hope there’s another one in the works with other characters!

This story is about Naina who moves from Chicago to NYC after a major breakup with her girlfriend. She’s hoping for a fresh start at a new job in a new city. Then she meets David.

I really enjoyed this novella. It felt a bit more like literary fiction with a side of romance. Naina is grappling with her queer identity, and trying to understand her relationship with David and what that means. Grief is also a major topic interwoven into this story, and how that has impacted their lives and relationships. Both characters felt raw and relatable, the story felt messy but true to life. It made me nostalgic for my twenties, when we are trying to figure out who we really are.

This was such a lovely story! It was fast paced and extremely charming. Our two main characters are some of the loveliest humans I’ve ever read about. Naina’s self discovery journey was beautiful and David is such a gentle soul. I wish it was longer!!

✅Naina, fresh off a breakup with her long term girlfriend, has moved to New York for a job in marketing and to pursue her writing career
✅ David, works in advertising, wants to be a filmmaker
✅ after a disastrous first meeting, they slowly become friends, with Naina trying to figure out her sexuality
🌶️: yes

This novella moves quickly, and will keep you turning the pages - I finished it in a few hours!

This is my first novella from 831 Stories and I’m looking forward to reading the rest! This is a realistic story of two people with flaws trying to figure out how they can change and grow in the midst of starting a new relationship. The discussion of trying to sort through the FMC’s chaos surrounding her identity was so real and I truly appreciated that.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for this ARC.

This book follows Naina, fresh off a breakup and newly relocated from Chicago to New York. She meets David at a house party and is thrown off by the fact that he's the first guy she's ever found herself attracted to. I've loved the 831 novellas but Big Fan remains my favorite. Both of these characters just had so much angst I had a hard time getting into it which might just be reflective of me looking for a lighter read but I can see how it would be appealing to a lot of people.