Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the ARC of Comedic Timing by Upasna Barath! I absolutely loved this novella, and it’s officially my favorite 831 publication to date.

The story follows Naina, a young woman new to New York from Chicago and fresh off a breakup with her girlfriend of five years—the only relationship she’s ever been in and one that shaped much of her understanding of her queerness. When Naina finds herself unexpectedly drawn to David, a man who makes her feel safe, seen, and wanted, she’s left grappling with a wave of confusion. She’s never been attracted to a man before, but there’s something undeniable about their connection.

What makes Comedic Timing so special is its ability to navigate the complexities of relationships and identity with such authenticity. Upasna Barath captures the messiness and beauty of attraction, reminding us that it often transcends labels and exists in the emotional spaces where we feel most understood.

The Brooklyn setting adds an extra layer of charm for me, as I always enjoy stories rooted in the borough’s vibrancy and diversity. The characters felt incredibly real, their emotions deeply relatable, and their reactions honest to the challenges they faced.

This novella moved me with its exploration of safety, vulnerability, and the evolving nature of love. It’s a sharp, heartfelt, and profoundly human story that I can’t recommend enough.

Comedic Timing by Upasna Barath is a heartfelt and refreshing novella that perfectly captures the charm and chaos of life in New York City. As someone who loves books set in NYC, I found this story to be a delightful exploration of the small quirks and tender moments that define the city. Barath’s ability to weave the vibrant energy of New York into Naina’s personal journey of growth and healing adds a layer of richness to the narrative. The novella’s brevity doesn’t detract from its emotional depth—each chapter feels purposeful, painting a vivid portrait of grief, friendship, and unexpected romance.

What sets Comedic Timing apart is how it delves into the lingering presence of grief and the ways it shapes our relationships. Naina’s loss of her mother is a subtle but ever-present undercurrent that informs her hesitations and desires, especially as she navigates new friendships and romantic entanglements. Her relationship with David unfolds organically, a slow-burn connection built on shared experiences and unspoken pain. I appreciated how Barath resists the urge to rush their relationship, allowing their bond to grow through quiet, intimate moments rather than grand gestures. The story’s authenticity shines through in its depiction of mid-twenties uncertainty—nights spent at house parties, questioning life choices, and yearning for connection.

Despite some moments where Naina’s impulsiveness felt frustrating, her flaws made her feel real and relatable. David’s imperfections, including his occasional lack of awareness, only added to the authenticity of their dynamic. I found myself rooting for them even when their communication faltered because their relationship reflected the messy, beautiful nature of real-life connections. Comedic Timing is not just a love story—it’s a coming-of-age tale about embracing vulnerability and the courage it takes to open up to someone new. This novella left me feeling nostalgic and eager for more from 831 Stories. If you enjoy character-driven romances with emotional depth and a touch of NYC magic, this book is a must-read.

Thanks NetGalley and 831!!!

I'm a sucker for a book set in New York and this one was the perfect book to capture the little quirks of the city.

Upsana Barath's Comedic Timing expertly explores how grief is ever present, especially as we make life decisions and form relationships with others. Naina lost her mom many years ago and I think this loss definitely shapes how she approaches forming relationships. She's had one serious relationship with a woman five years older than her and it was a bit of toxic relationship. She moves to New York for work and meets David. They don't instantly connect, it's more of slow burn friendship that turns into two people connecting over shared grief.

I've loved 831 Stories' debut into the publishing world with these short novellas and their relatable messages. Overall, this novella hit the spot and I can't wait to read more from 831 Stories!

Reading this book made me so nostalgic for my twenties — that time in life when you were still searching and figuring out who you were, while also attending house parties. I loved this little story. Even though, and I know he’d hate to hear me say it, David is a bit of a f*ckboy, and Naina’s little moment of weakness at the end had me furious, these felt like real people trudging through real problems, just with the sparkle of romance that we love about the genre.

Thank you to Net Galley for a free ebook in exchange for this honest review.

Comedic Timing is yet another exciting and easy to devour romance novella. In this we follow Naina, freshly arrived in NYC and out of her only real relationship as she attends a party at a friend of a friends. There she meets David whom she feels an instant connection that gives her more questions than answers - does she like him romantically and thus has to question her sexuality or is she just seeking validation from someone. They begin to develop a connection and learn more about each other. Naina is a refreshingly real character who has emotional outbursts and makes mistakes - it was a fun look at modern dating and the dynamics of new relationships.

I really enjoyed this short story romance. The dialogue was very fresh and modern and both the main character and love interest had great chemistry from the very beginning. Naina's inner dialogue was very well written and helped the plot flow naturally.

I’ve been devouring these 831 books. I loved the vulnerability and emotional aspect of this story. A bonus is the book being based in New York, would 10/10 recommend anyone to read.

I have been OBSESSING over these 831 stories novellas!!

Comedic Timing was definitely not my favorite, but it was still a good and quick read. There was a lot jam packed in there and I disliked Naina lol She was whiny AF, but David was fine. I don’t think the two of them are meant to be together, but their little sexiii time was 🥵

Looking forward to Set Piece next!! Thank you 831 for my eARC.

I enjoyed Comedic Timing. It really captures the sadness and difficulty of being in your mid-twenties. It was beautifully written and I liked that the love between the main characters wasn’t easy and clear cut.

eARC provided by NetGalley!

I enjoyed this newest 831 Stories installment. I thought the romance was lovely and real, but often times their communication and dialogue was awkward and confusing. I enjoyed that the characters weren’t perfect but it felt like the ending was a bit rushed and they didn’t fully have the character development they needed to be ready to be together.

Overall I did enjoy reading this quick NYC love story.

This book was difficult for me to get through. I believe that is partially due to the fact that I am not the target audience for the humor that appeared (it seemed very millennial flavored), but also the fact that the dialogue and narration seemed so strange to me. Many times it felt weirdly forced, like the author wanted to include these facts and feelings but didn’t know how to naturally do such a thing, so instead it was just dumped there. The main character was certainly imperfect, but that was ~heavily~ acknowledged, so it didn’t seem as offensive.

“I want to see people and I want them to see me. I think that is life”

"Comedic Timing" is an honest, messy, and incredibly well-written exploration of love, sexuality, and trauma. Naina, fresh off of her first breakup, is a New York City transplant with aspirations of being a writer. After an awkward first meeting at a house party, Naina starts a friendship with a mutual friend David. Their connection begins as largely intellectual as the two discuss internet cancel culture, morality, and trauma. Soon, Naina - who has only ever been attracted to women - begins to realize her romantic feelings towards David. What ensues is a poignant look at a developing relationship that I adored reading.

My only caveat with this book was some aspects of Naina's personality. She is highly reactive and tends to trauma dump on people she's known for less than a week. That being said, I grew to be a lot more empathetic towards her character after learning of her past. Naina is highly flawed, but aren't we all? Empathy is a large theme throughout this book and something that I find deeply important when exploring literature as a whole.

A major theme of this story, and the essay that Naina works on throughout it, is the vigilante culture that's emerged from the internet and the immortalization of one's worst moments. This stuck with me. Yes, Naina didn't come off as particularly likable in some moments, but this story is merely a vignette into her entire life. I loved the fact that Naina and David bonded over being creatives. Specifically, I loved the mention of comedy as an art form, which is a concept that I personally love to see acknowledged. I found this aspect of the storyline incredibly compelling.

Another concept that David brings up about empathy is how we apply archetypes to people. I think that this is applicable in almost any situation, but I found this particularly relevant to Naina's journey with queerness. Assigning archetypes to something as fluid and personal as sexuality is often highly counterproductive.

I think that Upasna Barath is absolutely a writer to watch out for in the future. Her voice is so distinct and her writing is masterful. She has her finger on the pulse and a shrewd understanding of what it means to be a young woman today.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book!

Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you so much to 831 Stories for an advance copy of this!

I absolutely adored this book! It was such a quick read for me and I was hooked from the early start. I'm not sure what it was about it but the way that Upsana wrote this short story just had me sucked in.

Nania was coming out of her first relationship and it was a long term and starting a new life in New York City. She met David at a party and immediately struck a friendship with him. Both characters were flawed but also felt believable. Especially when Nania made a cardinal mistake surrounding her ex, felt a little too real for me. This also is the 2nd book in the last few months where the FMC is conflicted about having feelings for a man when they previously dated a female. I was rooting for the two throughout their friendship stage. They just worked so well together and encourage one another. Could David had made more of an effort when he was on his camping trip? Yes definitely but also that just makes it feel real as guys just aren't as perceptive as females are.

I am not sure if I missed it but I'm fairly certain we did not learn how Nania and Christian met? I just was more curious than anything. Not knowing didn't put a damper on the story but I still want to know!

I thought the length of his book was perfect and I thought the pancing was great. And I just really enjoyed this one!

Notable moments/quotes that I loved:
I am used to this cycle of reacting and then regretting. i have a tendency to be emotionally impulsive in arguments over seemingly small stuff.

"Like, is it possible to ever be fully confident when you're into someone? Regardless of gender. "
"I think the hope is that over time, you get to know someone and you don't put them on a pedestal anymore. And once they're off that pedestal, if you still want them, then you know it's more than a crush. Regardless of gender."

I look around, at my life, and I feel like I have very few people who really know me. For a long time, that was on purpose. But recently, I'm starting to realize it's become almost habitual...even if I want to be vulnerable, it doesn't mean I will be. The desire exists, but the actual practice of it is completely different.

I didn't realize something as trival as making a mistake at work could cause me to feel so pathetic.

I miss life not feeling like a rug burn.

Humans are humans. Touch is touch. I know how to kiss. I know how to touch.

This was a very good book! It definitely gave a humanistic feel of how relationship go sometimes and how they pan out. I am definitely team David and Naina!

Much like this pic, Comedic Timing’s portrayal of realistic modern love and dating is messy and a bit awkward.

BUT it is also still swoony, maybe even more so because of the stumbles and gaffes that Dave and Naina deal with.

A less-than-perfect first time? A drunken confession of feelings? A crush that sparks a deep existential crisis? Been there.

Comedic Timing’s by @upasnabarath is out Jan 28 from @831storieshq!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶🫑/5
🍝🗽📝🍷🎭/5

CW: amateur stand up comedians, passive aggressive roomies, making new friends as an adult

3.5 stars for this lil 831 Stories novella!

Fresh off a breakup, Naina finds herself in a new city trying to figure herself out, survive her job, and make new friends. Things get complicated for her when she starts developing feelings for a new guy friend- her first time having feelings for a man. Part love story, part self-discovery, this novella is an exploration of one girl coming to terms with accepting who she is, understanding that we aren’t static as humans, and finding a way to be open in a safe and vulnerable way with those that care about us.

This was an interesting read as I didn’t feel like I really liked any of the characters particularly, but I was fascinated with them and watching them go on this little journey. The emotions and reflections it brought out honestly meant more than the story points!

Thanks so much to Upasna Barath, 831 Stories, and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review!

I could not put this book down! COMEDIC TIMING follows Naina, who has just moved to New York City after a breakup, in need of a fresh start. However, adjusting to a new place just might be a little tougher than she initially thought. Grappling with demands from her boss and difficulties with her roommate, Naina's beginning to wonder if NYC is really the right fit for her...and then she meets David. While they forge a friendship, bonding over their shared creative aspirations and encouraging each other to follow their dreams, a spark ignites that neither of them can deny. Will Naina take a chance on this new connection, even if it might mean upending everything she knew about her career, her love life, and her identity?

COMEDIC TIMING really works not just as a romance, but also as a coming-of-age story, which I appreciated! I always enjoy stories where characters "come of age" outside of the typical teenage narrative—Naina is in her 20s, but still figuring things out about her career, her identity, and just her place in the world in general, which I think so many readers can relate to. Another thing I loved about this book is how it drives home the idea that you don't necessarily have to be perfect to find love, friendship, belonging, etc. Both Naina and David are flawed, complicated characters, but they acknowledge that they can still be "works-in-progress" individually and still pursue a relationship together (which, I also really enjoyed them as a couple—they had such great chemistry). Naina in particular is not always the most likable character, but that personally just made me more invested in her journey, seeing how she took ownership of her mistakes and grew throughout the story. The author also tackles some heavier topics, like grief, sexuality, and mental health, with depth and nuance, even in a relatively short book. Readers will feel like they really know these characters, their world, and their struggles, even in a short time (I think that is something 831 Stories does so well in general, too)! Overall, if you love romances that read like literary fiction, a NYC setting, and complex female leads, definitely add COMEDIC TIMING to your TBR this winter. Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC.

This was another great romance Novella from 831 stories. This is a fast read but still a deep plot and rich characters. Naina is a complex character dealing with grief and finding a new path in New York. David is a comfort and light to her that also gets her to question all that she knew about herself. Some heavy topics on loss, grief, and also explores sexual identity. This is more in the vain of NYT Modern Love where the story is not your typical swoony-butterflies-kicking your feet romance but more real and how love stories are not remotely linear. Love is messy, complex, and quite confusing. I would recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC!

I thought this one was so realistic (and not just because my situationship also gave weird excuses as to why he couldn't text me during his camping trip) and lovely. Naina and David are actually way more emotionally evolved than they maybe give themselves credit for and I was rooting for them the whole time.

Naina moves to NY after her breakup with her longtime girlfriend. She's never dated other people nor had complete control over her adult life before. She meets David, an aspiring film maker to her aspiring writer. They become friendly and decide to collaborate. Naina begins to see herself in a new light and sees David in her future.

This is another book from the new publisher 831 Stories and despite me still hating their covers, their books are short and packed full of well written and well edited stories. It goes to show that you don't need 600 pages for an emotionally resonating story, and this is a perfect example of that. This is a slice of life romance that's not a comedy but has well fleshed out characters and is meaningful.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.