This character driven novel was about 2 women in LA from 1960-75. Gala was a native LA woman - a free spirited, self=absorbed party girl. The other main character was Lane - a successful author who had a miserable childhood where she was largely ignored by her parents, making her reserved and unsure of herself.
Initially the women were close friends but when Lane wrote a book with a main character who was similar to Gala, the two became frenemies. .
Add to women were the men they had relationships with including Lane's husband and their 2 children, Gala's partner from a rock band and Charlie, a gay man (at a time when few men came out of the closet),
I think that the author described the part/drug scene in LA at the time and described the characters well. However, I do think the story was a little too long for the material and at times I wasn't sure where the story was headed - maybe there were too many issues inherent in the life and times but I thought that they bogged down the story.
I did have a hard time relating to most of the characters, and thought that the drug/party scene in LA was overdone. I also thought the dual timelines were effective in moving the story along.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and the opinions expressed are my own.
My rating is 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

Pre-Read notes

I really wanted to read this arc about two writers, Lane and Gala, professional rivals, who developed this absolutely bizarre relationship--author and subject of a tell-all, respectively– due to the actions of one of them. I'll let you guess which!

This is actually the first time I've been approved to read for Berkeley, who publishes so of my favorite authors, like Simone St. James, who writes creepy ghost stories (my review!). I'm pretty excited to be reading L.A. Women. Its already a story filled with irreverent humor and powerful statement about story-making and the ownership of content like "life stories".

Final Review to come

Lane felt the crushing weight of their fury as if she were still just a child, and she knew what they were asking her. Why did you write those things about us? And, alone in her hotel room at night, soaked with sweat and unable to sleep, Lane found she couldn’t remember. p101

Review summary and recommendations

I like several things about this book (covered in reading notes below), but the reason I will remember it instead of one of the other books I read this year is because it contains probably the best execution of meta fiction I've read in years. If meta is your bag, don't miss this one!

I otherwise recommend L.A. Women to fans of literary women's fiction and stories about women friends and professional rivals. For more stories that explore non-romantic relationships between women, try Things Left Unsaid by Sara Jafari (my review!).

“Coping is a scale, not a binary[.]” p199

Reading Notes

Five things I loved:

1. His tone is soaked in disgust, and Lane remembers that Charlie dislikes anything that either depresses him or reminds him of his own mortality, but particularly when he thinks these things could have been avoided with either better planning or self-control. p47 I know people like this. I think we all do– like Elon Musk. I really love how Berman connects the text to the audience with little hooks like this.

2.“Not all famous people are wealthy,” Lane said. “Yeah, but the ones who are famous for doing nothing are,” Gala said. “And if they’re poor and well known, they’re usually infamous. Which is a very different thing.” p64 I love this snide logic, it speaks to my inner cynic!

3. From chest hair in eyelashes to bad moms, this book offers so many different shades of authentic.

4. I love the subplot of these women's friendship with each other. Sometimes, we all need to hear something like this from someone who knows us: “It’s okay , Lane,” Gala said. “I don’t think you’re a monster.” p199

5.“I’m not crazy,” Lane says, her voice louder than she intended. “I don’t need to be managed. And you’re not trying to protect me, you’re trying to control me. Why were you even together without me?” p207 Excellent mental illness representation, this is so authentic to that experience.

One thing I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. Stories in which everyone has a six pack are not exactly my can of coke. I find this so unrealistic and inauthentic. And do people with six packs really sit around and joke with each other about their six packs?

Rating: 👠👠👠👠.5 /5 glam women
Recommend? Yes!
Finished: Apr 18 '25
Format: accessible digital arc, NetGalley
Read this book if you like:
🪶 literary fiction
💄 women's fiction
👩🏽‍🤝‍👩🏻 women's friendships
💼 professional rivalry
🪞 metafiction

Thank you to the author Ella Berman, publishers Berkeley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of L.A Women. All views are mine.
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Really enjoyed this book. Very intense well written female characters. I like alternating timelines and the format worked really well here. I do think it was a tad bit longer than it should have been. I was all in for about 3/4 of it, but I think it could have benefited from some slight trimming.

Ella Berman does a great job capturing the glam and grit of the era, while digging into how complicated female friendships can be—full of loyalty, jealousy, and deep emotional ties. The story is character-driven, emotional, and full of vintage Hollywood vibes.

If you liked Daisy Jones & The Six or enjoy stories about creativity, friendship, and betrayal, this one’s worth the read.

L.A. Women is a story of two writers who call themselves friends but feel more like rivals caught in an unspoken competition. Told through dual POVs and time-hopping narration, the structure is thoughtfully crafted and gradually reveals the complexities of Lane and Gala’s shared history.

The portrayal of their friendship felt deeply toxic at times, and both characters were difficult for me to connect with. While the evolution of their relationship is poignant and well-written, the pacing was extraordinarily slow which made it hard to stay engaged. For a novel steeped in sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, the slow burn didn’t quite match the vibe I was expecting.

That said, the depiction of Los Angeles was a standout. It felt raw, magical, and gritty in all the right ways—very true to the city’s spirit. I also found the last 25% of the book more compelling, with the plot finally finding momentum.

In the end, while I appreciated the concept and certain elements of the writing, the story didn’t leave a lasting impact for me. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I remember a movie about Laurel Canyon years ago that I was intrigued by. I was please to read this book that takes place in the same community. The story is full of emotions and struggles. I think the writer portrayed the struggles in an authentic way. She made it enjoyable to read about. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Sharp, moody, and layered with tension, L.A. Women dives into the messy friendship between two ambitious writers set against the glittering chaos of 1960s Los Angeles. Berman explores envy, betrayal, and the blurred lines between inspiration and exploitation with nuance and bite. Some plot threads drift, but the atmosphere and emotional complexity more than deliver. A compelling story about art, ambition, and the cost of both.

I found this book to be a rewarding slow burn. Lots of details and intertwined stories of two captivating women leads, told in a dual time period. A fascinating, descriptive look into LA and an under the microscope look at friendship, relationships, decisions and imperfections. I kept needing to know what would come of our main characters Lane and Gala and the ending was *chefs kiss*

I loved this! Much stronger than her prior books. Good discussions of female friendship and all its machinations.

This was like being a fly on the wall of those crazy 60’s era parties you see in the movies. The story follows the life of two women that were engrained in the LA scene in that era. These two women are polar opposites but yet find a friendship. The premise was fresh and fun to follow along.

Thank you to #netgalley and #EllaBerman for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC in exchange for an honest review. L.A. Women is about Lane and Gala, frenemies in the time frame from the mid-60's through the mid-70's. Both women are ambitious with Lane being the more serious about her career and Gala caring more about the L.A. party scene and just being known for being herself rather than for any achievement. The time period accurately depicts how women were still very much at men's whims as far as careers and status. Lane is a writer with a gay best friend, Charlie, who keeps her on course most of the time. She is also married with twin young daughters. Gala falls in love with Gabriel, the lead singer for an up and coming band. The lifestyle of the Laurel Canyon party scene and the pitfalls of being part of it are the undoing of Gala. Not the usual type of book I read but interesting enough that I was eager to find out how things will turn out for Lane and Gala.

L.A. Women was a very difficult read for me, to be honest, I didn't finish it. It took a lot to get through the first few chapters and I realized that is wasn't something that I wanted to read.

Echoing a few other reviews - not entirely sure what the point of this book is about?

L.A. Women had all the ingredients: ambitious women, betrayal, Hollywood glamour, but somehow still left me wondering what the main point was. The mystery around Gala fizzled out fast, and honestly, Lane writing a book about her was the least scandalous thing anyone did. In the end, I was way more interested in Lane surviving L.A. than in Gala’s free-spirited disappearing act.

This is the second Ella Berman book I've read, The Comback being the first, which I also only gave three stars to. I cannot connect with any of her characters or plot points.

Thank you to Book Browse, Net Galley and Berkley for the advanced reader copy.
This story about two L.A. women circling around each other throughout the 60s and 70s brought me right into the heart of L.A. in those times. The gritty nature of the party scene, rich people behaving not so well, the culture of being constantly surrounded by beautiful, famous people.

Throughout the years of their on-again/off-again friendship, Lane and Gala revolve around each other in ways that are not healthy for either of them. Lane is traumatized from her horrible childhood and struggling with knowing what she wants in life. She is a successful author, but can not figure out how to love. Gala is a wild card, the party girl of L.A. who knows everyone and in love with one of the most famous lead singers of the era. Gala knows what love is, but what will she do to keep it?

I said this was gritty and it is. It feels hazy, dark, and ethereal at times. I just loved the feeling the book evoked and could not put it down until I knew what became of Lane and Gala.

This book reminded me of a TJR story (compliment!) – I’m not sure if it was the strong female characters or the way the relationships were written that is giving it a similar vibe, but either way I loved it! Lane and Gala both had these deeply unlikable moments but are simultaneously super relatable in their struggles – I felt especially like the push and pull dynamic in their writing career and the LA scene was done so well, it really tugs you as the reader back and forth between the two women.

The only gripe I have is that we’re left at an odd end with Charlie, and I wish we could’ve seen a bit more of a resolution in his story. I felt like he was such a big part of the narrative and then just kind of fizzled at the end.

Overall, this was a hit for me and I really enjoyed it!!

Hmm, this book - I think it's a good book, but it wasn't for me. I believe other people may have an easier time connecting with Lane or Gala, but I couldn't get invested in either story, and I ultimately found that it led me to lose interest. The pacing felt a bit slow, which also contributed, however, I don't think the writing or plot devices are bad by any means.

Despite not being able to relate to any of the characters, their motivations or lifestyle, I was captivated by the story. Though I wanted to shake most everyone throughout the book, I found myself hoping for redemption for each of them. The author did a good job of creating a story that I felt a part of, even though it’s not at all a scene I would want any part of.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy.

I was a little confused by what the main story line was in this book. Lane and her insecurities and ambitions to be a widely acclaimed and highly honored writer. Charlie and his successful career but at what cost. Scotty and his betrayal of Lane. Gala and her free spirit and where it would lead her. Gabriel - a train wreck that you can't stop looking at. It also started feeling like a mystery, which I love a good mystery, so my focus tended to lean this way. What happened to Gala? Well, what happened to Gala was very anti-climactic and why didn't anyone figure that out sooner? I also did not feel Lane writing a book about Gala was the ultimate betrayal. What Gala and Scotty did was the ultimate betrayal. Anyway, I hope Gala is happy with her decisions, but I was mainly vested in Lane and her girls. I did enjoy reading about the L.A. culture, really no surprises though, and how women have to work twice as hard as men to succeed. No surprise there either.

This book follows the story of Lane and Gala, two writers who find each other and begin somewhat of a friendship. They are opposites and early in the book, Gala is missing. The book develops through current time and flashbacks and we learn more about the complicated relationship of these characters. Overall, I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't a fast read for me.

I'm torn on this book because I read it quickly so that indicates that I did enjoy it at some level, however, I found myself not invested in the characters. Overall, Ella Berman is a great writer, but the character dynamics did not grab me in a way that had me enjoying the story (and I love tough characters!). Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book.