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Unlikely Story
From the bestselling author of Recipe for Second Chances comes a swoonworthy romance bursting with wit about a therapist who falls for the wrong man…but perhaps the right one was hiding in the margins all along.
As a relationship therapist, Nora helps patients explore their feelings honestly. But she’s hiding an embarrassing relationship secret of her own: she’s in love with someone she’s never even met.
J edits the advice column Nora’s been writing anonymously for the last seven years. He’s in London, she’s in New York, and they communicate solely through shared files. When he confides that his girlfriend’s out of the picture, and her boss asks her to come to London, Nora takes both as a sign.
But that’s not the only thing on her mind. A client’s ex-boyfriend just moved into her co-op, directly beneath her. Eli blames Nora for his breakup and seems determined to make her life miserable, gleefully planning a noisy renovation.
Yet despite all his bluster, Nora eventually starts to see the softness behind Eli’s brusque, charming exterior…and after a slipup reveals a startling secret, Nora wonders whether someone can be two things at once.
As a relationship therapist, Nora helps patients explore their feelings honestly. But she’s hiding an embarrassing relationship secret of her own: she’s in love with someone she’s never even met.
J edits the advice column Nora’s been writing anonymously for the last seven years. He’s in London, she’s in New York, and they communicate solely through shared files. When he confides that his girlfriend’s out of the picture, and her boss asks her to come to London, Nora takes both as a sign.
But that’s not the only thing on her mind. A client’s ex-boyfriend just moved into her co-op, directly beneath her. Eli blames Nora for his breakup and seems determined to make her life miserable, gleefully planning a noisy renovation.
Yet despite all his bluster, Nora eventually starts to see the softness behind Eli’s brusque, charming exterior…and after a slipup reveals a startling secret, Nora wonders whether someone can be two things at once.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 2025
7297 people are currently reading
24341 people want to read
About the author
Ali Rosen
8 books540 followersAli Rosen is a bestselling author of both cookbooks and novels, and is the Emmy and James Beard Award-nominated host of Potluck with Ali Rosen on NYC Life.
Her latest novel— described in a starred review by Kirkus as “a swoonworthy romance reminiscent of a Nora Ephron movie”—is Unlikely Story. She is also the author of three cookbooks including the recently released 15 Minute Meals.
She has frequently been featured on shows like NBC’S Today Show and ABC’s Good Morning America, and in publications including The New York Times, Bon Appetit, The Washington Post and New York Magazine.
She is originally from Charleston, SC but now lives in New York City with her husband, three kids, and rescue dog.
Her latest novel— described in a starred review by Kirkus as “a swoonworthy romance reminiscent of a Nora Ephron movie”—is Unlikely Story. She is also the author of three cookbooks including the recently released 15 Minute Meals.
She has frequently been featured on shows like NBC’S Today Show and ABC’s Good Morning America, and in publications including The New York Times, Bon Appetit, The Washington Post and New York Magazine.
She is originally from Charleston, SC but now lives in New York City with her husband, three kids, and rescue dog.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,437 reviews
February 12, 2025
3.5 stars. Can't exactly decide if I prefer to round up or down, but since it's not quite on the same level as my last few four stars reads, I'll leave it rounded down for now.
The premise of the story is very cute, and the dynamics between Nora and J are refreshingly adorable. Their texting is such a cheeky teenage crush that it kept making me smile. I also liked the theme behind the story about how people only get to see certain sides of each other under given circumstances. The mistaken identities trope gave the characters interesting depth, especially for Eli, and the prickly-on-the-outside-with-a-sensitive-heart-on-the-inside contradiction makes my favorite type of guy.
On the other hand, while the setup and the message behind the tale are great, the execution fell a bit short. There are too many convenient coincidences between the main couple, which made it truly an unlikely story in a hard-to-relate-to way, and the chemistry between them felt somewhat lacking. Things kind of just "happen", without an organic feeling of agency, and sometimes I got bored enough by the long passages of monologues that I had to skim.
Incidently, I just finished reading The Hating Game not long ago, and these two books have a lot in common when it comes to a plot full of unrealistic twists between a people-pleasing girl and a prickly-on-the-outside-insecure-on-the-inside guy. But the delivery of that plot came out completely opposite: where The Hating Game made up for occasional cringes and red flags with quirky writing, delicious tension, and vivid character development, here we've got a sweet fairytale with a great message behind it but lost a lot of its charm to the technical side of storytelling.
(Also note: the bedroom scenes fade to black once clothes come off, which didn't affect my rating but did throw me off a bit, since I was expecting this to be a typical mainstream romance.)
The premise of the story is very cute, and the dynamics between Nora and J are refreshingly adorable. Their texting is such a cheeky teenage crush that it kept making me smile. I also liked the theme behind the story about how people only get to see certain sides of each other under given circumstances. The mistaken identities trope gave the characters interesting depth, especially for Eli, and the prickly-on-the-outside-with-a-sensitive-heart-on-the-inside contradiction makes my favorite type of guy.
On the other hand, while the setup and the message behind the tale are great, the execution fell a bit short. There are too many convenient coincidences between the main couple, which made it truly an unlikely story in a hard-to-relate-to way, and the chemistry between them felt somewhat lacking. Things kind of just "happen", without an organic feeling of agency, and sometimes I got bored enough by the long passages of monologues that I had to skim.
Incidently, I just finished reading The Hating Game not long ago, and these two books have a lot in common when it comes to a plot full of unrealistic twists between a people-pleasing girl and a prickly-on-the-outside-insecure-on-the-inside guy. But the delivery of that plot came out completely opposite: where The Hating Game made up for occasional cringes and red flags with quirky writing, delicious tension, and vivid character development, here we've got a sweet fairytale with a great message behind it but lost a lot of its charm to the technical side of storytelling.
(Also note: the bedroom scenes fade to black once clothes come off, which didn't affect my rating but did throw me off a bit, since I was expecting this to be a typical mainstream romance.)
March 19, 2025
This book had a very slow start. I was considering not finishing it, but I’m glad that I did! It started getting really good around 70% in. At first, I found the female main character to be annoying. It seemed like all she did was complain about her life and not appreciating what she did have. She had a career, her own place, friends she can lean on. However, one thing was missing in her life and that was a partner. She yearned for a man’s love, compassion and commitment.
Unlikely Story is about a relationship therapist named Nora, who’s in love with someone she’s never met. They only communicate by messaging each other. She lives in New York and the guy she’s messaging lives in London. All of a sudden, another guy that lives in her complex comes along and makes her life miserable. This guy is named Eli. Then she starts having feelings for Eli, which confuses her even more. So, who does she end up with? How does this book end? Will it end in a happily ever after or a complete mess? You will learn everything as the story unfolds! I give this a 3.25/5 star rating!
Themes & Tropes:
🥀 Enemies to Lovers
🥀 A love triangle
🥀 Slow Burn
🥀 Unpredictable Ending
🥀 Humor
🥀 Mental Health
I would recommend this to someone who is looking for an easy to read, slow burn romance. 💘
Unlikely Story is about a relationship therapist named Nora, who’s in love with someone she’s never met. They only communicate by messaging each other. She lives in New York and the guy she’s messaging lives in London. All of a sudden, another guy that lives in her complex comes along and makes her life miserable. This guy is named Eli. Then she starts having feelings for Eli, which confuses her even more. So, who does she end up with? How does this book end? Will it end in a happily ever after or a complete mess? You will learn everything as the story unfolds! I give this a 3.25/5 star rating!
Themes & Tropes:
🥀 Enemies to Lovers
🥀 A love triangle
🥀 Slow Burn
🥀 Unpredictable Ending
🥀 Humor
🥀 Mental Health
I would recommend this to someone who is looking for an easy to read, slow burn romance. 💘
March 12, 2025
Unlikely Story by Ali Rosen
Contemporary romance.
Nora is a relationship therapist during the day in New York. She also has a part time job writing a weekly advice column for the London Tribune. She and her long time editor for the column have become online friends through the process trading notes and conversations in the app. He’s intuitive, open with his own feelings and entertaining to chat with. When an opportunity to travel to London comes up, Nora admits to herself and her own therapist that she has feelings for J.
At the same time, her co-op has a new resident and he’s driving Nora crazy with his noisy renovation happening directly above her. His ex was a client of Nora’s and he blames Nora for their breakup so he’s not too upset about disturbing her.
🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Carly Robins who does a fantastic job with keeping the reader engaged and listening. The characters were distinctive and emotions clearly expressed. I did listen above a speed of 1.5 to more closely match reading and local conversation speed.
Nora loves her job as a psychiatrist and being able to help people. She also needs her downtime. “Being able to build a life where I get to introvert alone is one of the greatest advantages to aging.” Hear, hear!
Beyond that comment, I loved how she had feelings for both men and she didn’t just ignore those. Also loved how intuitive and free J was in his writings.
I received a copy from NetGalley. I also purchased the audiobook to keep.
Contemporary romance.
Nora is a relationship therapist during the day in New York. She also has a part time job writing a weekly advice column for the London Tribune. She and her long time editor for the column have become online friends through the process trading notes and conversations in the app. He’s intuitive, open with his own feelings and entertaining to chat with. When an opportunity to travel to London comes up, Nora admits to herself and her own therapist that she has feelings for J.
At the same time, her co-op has a new resident and he’s driving Nora crazy with his noisy renovation happening directly above her. His ex was a client of Nora’s and he blames Nora for their breakup so he’s not too upset about disturbing her.
🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and an audiobook. The narration is performed by Carly Robins who does a fantastic job with keeping the reader engaged and listening. The characters were distinctive and emotions clearly expressed. I did listen above a speed of 1.5 to more closely match reading and local conversation speed.
Nora loves her job as a psychiatrist and being able to help people. She also needs her downtime. “Being able to build a life where I get to introvert alone is one of the greatest advantages to aging.” Hear, hear!
Beyond that comment, I loved how she had feelings for both men and she didn’t just ignore those. Also loved how intuitive and free J was in his writings.
I received a copy from NetGalley. I also purchased the audiobook to keep.
July 30, 2025
Was it extremely predictable? Yes. Did I eat up every second of it? Also yes. There’s a reason the same tropes get used again and again. Because they work.
4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️
4/5 ⭐️
1/5 🌶️
February 7, 2025
This was so boring. Way too many therapy sessions played out in detail, it felt like a lazy way to show Nora’s thoughts and motivations. This entire book rehashes the same issues throughout without anything exciting or sad or interesting happening to make me want to pick this up and read it. I finished it out of spite but wanted to DNF many times.
The big “twist” is obvious from the blurb so the fact that both of these adults are so clueless was frustrating. If you didn’t figure it out yet, I’d skip this next paragraph 🫠 I didn’t like that (in her head) Nora was falling for 2 different people and trying to justify that instead of owning up to it or shutting one path down if she was so conflicted. Nora felt as though she was leading, mostly Eli, on but didn’t change her behavior. She was being selfish in that regard and I’m curious what she would have done had he not been the same person.
Also, for the amount of deep conversations she was apparently having with these dudes they didn’t broach his job? Just because Eli originally said he didn’t want to talk about work, I feel like months of hanging out would negate that at some point? Like did he not say anything to make you go ‘Hm? That fact is a super weird coincidence!’ He never corrects Nora that he’s currently in the US and lets her assume he’s in the UK. Why? Our only answer is he “didn’t know how to bring it up.” That is a crappy thing to do.
They also never exchange pictures. In this day and age I find that highly unlikely. 65% in Nora says referring to J, “I just feel in my gut that this person is my person.” And you never thought to say, ‘Hey! We’ve been in professional contact for years and now personal contact for months, I’d like to see what you look like!?’ Everyone was too understanding and nice when the big reveal finally happened that it didn’t seem realistic. We’re told how life isn’t roses and everyone has complicated relationships but shown just the opposite. That led to zero emotional connection to anyone in this book and my favorite character being George.
…I will however be trying the black and white cookie recipe at the end.
The big “twist” is obvious from the blurb so the fact that both of these adults are so clueless was frustrating. If you didn’t figure it out yet, I’d skip this next paragraph 🫠 I didn’t like that (in her head) Nora was falling for 2 different people and trying to justify that instead of owning up to it or shutting one path down if she was so conflicted. Nora felt as though she was leading, mostly Eli, on but didn’t change her behavior. She was being selfish in that regard and I’m curious what she would have done had he not been the same person.
Also, for the amount of deep conversations she was apparently having with these dudes they didn’t broach his job? Just because Eli originally said he didn’t want to talk about work, I feel like months of hanging out would negate that at some point? Like did he not say anything to make you go ‘Hm? That fact is a super weird coincidence!’ He never corrects Nora that he’s currently in the US and lets her assume he’s in the UK. Why? Our only answer is he “didn’t know how to bring it up.” That is a crappy thing to do.
They also never exchange pictures. In this day and age I find that highly unlikely. 65% in Nora says referring to J, “I just feel in my gut that this person is my person.” And you never thought to say, ‘Hey! We’ve been in professional contact for years and now personal contact for months, I’d like to see what you look like!?’ Everyone was too understanding and nice when the big reveal finally happened that it didn’t seem realistic. We’re told how life isn’t roses and everyone has complicated relationships but shown just the opposite. That led to zero emotional connection to anyone in this book and my favorite character being George.
…I will however be trying the black and white cookie recipe at the end.
March 19, 2025
3.5!!
Super cute. Kept me laughing the whole time!
Super cute. Kept me laughing the whole time!
February 9, 2025
3 Stars
Quick Opinion: I got this as an "Amazon First" read freebie. For a freebie, it wasn't bad. I also don't think it was all that great either. It had too much inner dialogue, was slow for the first half, was only the h's POV, and was a slow burn to a fizzled out fade-to-black. I have read books without steam that still had chemistry, so I think that is what I need in order for fade-to-black to work for me. I didn't feel any chemistry or tension that helps feel the romantic connection past a friendship. Otherwise, the characters were likable (main and side), there was not much angst or conflict (or at least what there was was super predictable to the point that it didn't evoke any emotions by the time it came around), and it ended with what I would call a HFN ending . This is probably safe for the safety gang . All in all, I'm going with 3 "just okay" stars.
Quick Opinion: I got this as an "Amazon First" read freebie. For a freebie, it wasn't bad. I also don't think it was all that great either. It had too much inner dialogue, was slow for the first half, was only the h's POV, and was a slow burn to a fizzled out fade-to-black. I have read books without steam that still had chemistry, so I think that is what I need in order for fade-to-black to work for me. I didn't feel any chemistry or tension that helps feel the romantic connection past a friendship. Otherwise, the characters were likable (main and side), there was not much angst or conflict (or at least what there was was super predictable to the point that it didn't evoke any emotions by the time it came around), and it ended with what I would call a HFN ending . This is probably safe for the safety gang . All in all, I'm going with 3 "just okay" stars.
June 3, 2025
This is one of my favorite romcom tropes. Falling in love without meeting. It can be text, or email, or old-fashioned letters; whatever, I love it. The magic is it all seems so improbable until it isn’t. Plus, it’s great that the reader knows the important reveal long before the characters.
This trope also has many of the biggest pitfalls in romance that an author has to navigate.
Because inevitably, one of the characters learns the secret before the other, and what they do with that information and how the other character reacts can make or break the story. Is the in-the-know character going to withhold the secret from the other? Why are they doing that? Is the withholding of the secret justified? When the secret is revealed to the other character, do they act poorly? Is the poor response justified? Is that going to drive the third-act conflict in a cringy way that the reader hates?
Like I said, pitfalls to navigate.
The good news is that in Unlikely Story, the author handles the could-be-tricky trope brilliantly. It works because the enemies to lovers turnaround between the MCs, Nora and Eli, is very well paced apart from their unaware, anonymous romance. The brilliance is that Nora doesn’t let her secret love for J restrict her from falling in love with the real-life Eli. She understands how very different the relationships are and doesn’t conflate one over the other. Plus, the big reveal lands wonderfully, with measured and appropriate reactions and responses from both characters.
Rosen also rolls out a great batch of supportive side characters, led by her rock-star therapist, Ari. Therapists and counselors are goddamn rockstars and I love seeing Nora, who is herself a therapist, thrive under the guidance of her own. It’s such a positive portrayal of a very important aspect of real life.
Anyway, Unlikely Story gets a solid—didn’t love it but did like it—4-Stars. Cheers.
This trope also has many of the biggest pitfalls in romance that an author has to navigate.
Because inevitably, one of the characters learns the secret before the other, and what they do with that information and how the other character reacts can make or break the story. Is the in-the-know character going to withhold the secret from the other? Why are they doing that? Is the withholding of the secret justified? When the secret is revealed to the other character, do they act poorly? Is the poor response justified? Is that going to drive the third-act conflict in a cringy way that the reader hates?
Like I said, pitfalls to navigate.
The good news is that in Unlikely Story, the author handles the could-be-tricky trope brilliantly. It works because the enemies to lovers turnaround between the MCs, Nora and Eli, is very well paced apart from their unaware, anonymous romance. The brilliance is that Nora doesn’t let her secret love for J restrict her from falling in love with the real-life Eli. She understands how very different the relationships are and doesn’t conflate one over the other. Plus, the big reveal lands wonderfully, with measured and appropriate reactions and responses from both characters.
Rosen also rolls out a great batch of supportive side characters, led by her rock-star therapist, Ari. Therapists and counselors are goddamn rockstars and I love seeing Nora, who is herself a therapist, thrive under the guidance of her own. It’s such a positive portrayal of a very important aspect of real life.
Anyway, Unlikely Story gets a solid—didn’t love it but did like it—4-Stars. Cheers.
October 10, 2024
Ali Rosen has done it again! I loved this mistaken identity, enemies to lovers, love triangle romance about Nora, J and Eli.
Nora is a people pleasing therapist who has also written a weekly advice column anonymously for 7 years. She has a successful career, an adorable dog named George 😍 and is prioritizing her mental health (we 👏 love 👏 this 👏). . . Nora is also in love with J, who edits her weekly columns. J lives in London and over the years has started to leave notes and share about his life with Nora as they work together on her column.
As J & Nora move their discussions off the work channel and to texting, Nora gets a new upstairs neighbor that is NOT her biggest fan. Eli moves into the apartment upstairs & decides to seek revenge on Nora for "ending" his relationship through therapy by undergoing annoying renovations at his grandmother's apartment.
Full of laugh out loud moments, hot chemistry 🔥, witty dialogue, amazing support systems, honest conversations and relatable life challenges this book is a must read romance of 2025 ❤️ I flew through this book in a day because it was such an easy and enjoyable read, it felt like I was watching a rom com 🥰
Thank you Montlake for the ARC.
Nora is a people pleasing therapist who has also written a weekly advice column anonymously for 7 years. She has a successful career, an adorable dog named George 😍 and is prioritizing her mental health (we 👏 love 👏 this 👏). . . Nora is also in love with J, who edits her weekly columns. J lives in London and over the years has started to leave notes and share about his life with Nora as they work together on her column.
As J & Nora move their discussions off the work channel and to texting, Nora gets a new upstairs neighbor that is NOT her biggest fan. Eli moves into the apartment upstairs & decides to seek revenge on Nora for "ending" his relationship through therapy by undergoing annoying renovations at his grandmother's apartment.
Full of laugh out loud moments, hot chemistry 🔥, witty dialogue, amazing support systems, honest conversations and relatable life challenges this book is a must read romance of 2025 ❤️ I flew through this book in a day because it was such an easy and enjoyable read, it felt like I was watching a rom com 🥰
Thank you Montlake for the ARC.
June 5, 2025
3.5 Stars for Unlikely Story (audiobook) by Ali Rosen read by Carly Robins.
Nora has two men in her life. One lives in the same building as her and is driving her nuts and the other she works with online. Slowly she warms up to the one in her building, he’s not as big of a jerk as she first thought. Then she sees as text on the jerk’s phone, it’s from someone she works with and it’s about work. How does she not know that he works with her publisher? Who is he? Is she falling for the same guy twice?
Nora has two men in her life. One lives in the same building as her and is driving her nuts and the other she works with online. Slowly she warms up to the one in her building, he’s not as big of a jerk as she first thought. Then she sees as text on the jerk’s phone, it’s from someone she works with and it’s about work. How does she not know that he works with her publisher? Who is he? Is she falling for the same guy twice?
March 4, 2025
I need to know who at the publisher thought it made sense to literally tell you the "twist" in this book in the damn synopsis.
I mean, to be fair...even if they hadn't, it was painfully obvious what was happening almost immediately. Which is only one of the issues with this book. I found it mostly dull as hell. You could easily skim over a good 50% of the story and not miss anything important. Nora only escapes being the worst excuse for a therapist I've ever seen because her own therapist, Ari, takes that title. I could not believe that this woman told her patient it was totally fine for her to date a former patient because he was "barely a patient to begin with" and that "ethical rules are about patients you have deep knowledge of". WHAT THE FUCK? No they are not. Holy hell. And I simply do not believe that Nora could help any patients with any issues when she's such a juvenile mess of a woman herself. Not to say therapists can't also have problems, but like...no. Having had, let's say, a few of them myself over my life, I would have run screaming from this woman halfway through our first appointment.
And then, yeah, like...big fucking shock, J is Eli. A toddler who can't even read yet could have seen that coming from a mile away. Here's the thing: I hadn't actually read the full synopsis before I started this book. I got it as an Amazon First Reads thing, and I only read the "editor's notes" there. But! The moment we're told that Esther, Nora's downstairs neighbor who passed away, was from the UK and her grandson is moving into the unit, I was like "oh so it's gonna be J but he's either gonna pretend not to know who Nora is or he really won't and then we'll get madcap shenanigans at some point" and yupppppp. So then I went to read the synopsis to see how it describes things and like, bitch you could not have made it more patently obvious what was going to happen. And it was so freaking dumb that neither Eli nor Nora figured shit out sooner, and tedious as hell to watch these two be such bumbling oblivious idiots.
I also have a very hard time believing two people who work together virtually for SEVEN YEARS would not one single time have gotten on a phone call, a Zoom meeting, or followed each other on IG or something. They have this cutesy chit-chat friendship in the editing notes, but never once did either of them say "hey what's your Twitter name" or something? Never once was there a staff-and-writers meeting? Ridiculous.
Also fuck Tom for being an overbearing controlling asshole and talking to Nora and her mother like they were both dumb baby girls who need A MAN to tell them how to live their lives. Also also Nora and Eli are locked on the roof from like one evening to the next morning and when they finally get inside, neither of them runs to the bathroom immediately to pee? Fact-check: False.
Ugh. This sucked. "First Reads" more like last place amirite.
I mean, to be fair...even if they hadn't, it was painfully obvious what was happening almost immediately. Which is only one of the issues with this book. I found it mostly dull as hell. You could easily skim over a good 50% of the story and not miss anything important. Nora only escapes being the worst excuse for a therapist I've ever seen because her own therapist, Ari, takes that title. I could not believe that this woman told her patient it was totally fine for her to date a former patient because he was "barely a patient to begin with" and that "ethical rules are about patients you have deep knowledge of". WHAT THE FUCK? No they are not. Holy hell. And I simply do not believe that Nora could help any patients with any issues when she's such a juvenile mess of a woman herself. Not to say therapists can't also have problems, but like...no. Having had, let's say, a few of them myself over my life, I would have run screaming from this woman halfway through our first appointment.
And then, yeah, like...big fucking shock, J is Eli. A toddler who can't even read yet could have seen that coming from a mile away. Here's the thing: I hadn't actually read the full synopsis before I started this book. I got it as an Amazon First Reads thing, and I only read the "editor's notes" there. But! The moment we're told that Esther, Nora's downstairs neighbor who passed away, was from the UK and her grandson is moving into the unit, I was like "oh so it's gonna be J but he's either gonna pretend not to know who Nora is or he really won't and then we'll get madcap shenanigans at some point" and yupppppp. So then I went to read the synopsis to see how it describes things and like, bitch you could not have made it more patently obvious what was going to happen. And it was so freaking dumb that neither Eli nor Nora figured shit out sooner, and tedious as hell to watch these two be such bumbling oblivious idiots.
I also have a very hard time believing two people who work together virtually for SEVEN YEARS would not one single time have gotten on a phone call, a Zoom meeting, or followed each other on IG or something. They have this cutesy chit-chat friendship in the editing notes, but never once did either of them say "hey what's your Twitter name" or something? Never once was there a staff-and-writers meeting? Ridiculous.
Also fuck Tom for being an overbearing controlling asshole and talking to Nora and her mother like they were both dumb baby girls who need A MAN to tell them how to live their lives. Also also Nora and Eli are locked on the roof from like one evening to the next morning and when they finally get inside, neither of them runs to the bathroom immediately to pee? Fact-check: False.
Ugh. This sucked. "First Reads" more like last place amirite.
January 15, 2026
I unabashedly love my own book (as one should haha) ❤️
But I do want to share some content warnings below, since I know people often come to the author's review for that- although I can say this book is pretty breezy (Kirkus said it's "A swoonworthy romance reminiscent of a Nora Ephron movie," so don't just take my word for it).
But I do want to share some content warnings below, since I know people often come to the author's review for that- although I can say this book is pretty breezy (Kirkus said it's "A swoonworthy romance reminiscent of a Nora Ephron movie," so don't just take my word for it).
May 1, 2025
More Rom than Com but super cute and easy read
4.5 stars rounded up! Really easy to follow and cute romance read. Listened to parts and read other parts. The audio narration is great too!
4.5 stars rounded up! Really easy to follow and cute romance read. Listened to parts and read other parts. The audio narration is great too!
February 4, 2025
I loved it! This book is begging to be made into a Netflix romcom! A love letter to New York City, specifically Union Square and the village, and Nora Ephron with so much heart and character development. Definitely my favorite book from the author and that's saying a lot!
February 16, 2025
A spin on You've Got Mail
J and Eleonora have a perfect virtual friendship. She's an advice columnist and he's her editor and they only communicate in writing. But their exchanges are heartfelt and honest. Eli and Nora are neighbors and strike sparks, both of the antagonistic and the attracted to each other kind. Because their relationship is in real life, it's messy and layered with sometimes surprising insights. The big question is when this pair will realize that both relationships are part of who they are individually and as a couple.
Set in Greenwich Village, NYC is a supporting character and there are fond references to farmer's markets and bakeries.
Almost a closed door romance / very chaste.
3.5 stars
J and Eleonora have a perfect virtual friendship. She's an advice columnist and he's her editor and they only communicate in writing. But their exchanges are heartfelt and honest. Eli and Nora are neighbors and strike sparks, both of the antagonistic and the attracted to each other kind. Because their relationship is in real life, it's messy and layered with sometimes surprising insights. The big question is when this pair will realize that both relationships are part of who they are individually and as a couple.
Set in Greenwich Village, NYC is a supporting character and there are fond references to farmer's markets and bakeries.
Almost a closed door romance / very chaste.
3.5 stars
May 12, 2025
Chick-lit-romance homage to "You've Got Mail"
Nora Fischer is a 30-something NYC psychologist, with a PhD in psychology, who specializes in relationship counseling. For the past seven years, in addition to working as a therapist, she has been writing a successful advice column called, "Ask Eleonora," for a London newspaper. Nora is an effective therapist who enjoys her career, but she leads a passive, anxiety-ridden personal life, in spite of years of therapy with her 79-year-old therapist, Ari. Nora is an extreme introvert, who feels that one of the greatest blessings in her life is being able to afford to have her own apartment, where she doesn't have to answer to anyone but George, a rescue dog who is just as troubled by anxiety as Nora and has been prescribed Prozac. Nora has had multiple, failed romantic relationships over the years with various boring men, because she instinctively avoids taking a chance on anyone or anything that might actually excite her.
Eli Whitman is a handsome, athletically fit, 30-something British writer, who is Nora's in-person romantic interest. A few months ago, he and his former, live-in girlfriend had couple's counseling with Nora via Zoom, because the pair lived in London. In Nora's opinion, his girlfriend was mainly using the counseling to summon the courage to break up with Eli, because they are entirely incompatible personalities. He is an extreme extrovert, and his ex is an equally strong introvert. Eli blames Nora for the relationship's demise. At the time, Nora allowed him to keep that comfortable delusion, because she purposely chose to emotionally shield the girlfriend from Eli's pressuring her to stay with him. In Nora's opinion, Eli is loud, bombastic, speaks without thinking, and skates through life on his good looks, intelligence, charisma, cocky confidence, and the automatic social privilege bestowed on men in a patriarchal society. It is a major coincidence when Eli moves into Nora's condominium building in NYC, after he inherits the apartment directly below Nora's from his deceased British grandmother.
J, Nora's romantic interest via correspondence, is a writer who lives in London. He has been editing Nora’s anonymous advice column for the entire seven years she has been writing it. In spite of the fact that they have been messaging each other daily all this time and have become friends, they have never offered each other their real names or seen a picture of each other.
The inciting incident of the novel occurs when Nora's boss on the London newspaper asks her to fly to England to attend a very important meeting at the home office. After much angsty rumination both during her therapy sessions with Ari and endlessly in her thoughts during her down time, Nora finally decides to take the biggest chance of her life and head to London. Mainly because J confides in her that he and his girlfriend recently broke up, and it occurs to Nora that she could use this all-expenses-paid, transatlantic junket as an opportunity to finally meet J face to face.
Based on the fact that this story is a blatant homage to "You've got Mail" (YGM), it is no surprise as to who J turns out to be. The surprise and potential delight in this type of plot must arise from the cleverness of the execution. This version of the YGM plot represents a radical case of "opposites attract," which is one of my least favorite romance tropes when it involves an intensely introverted MC paired with an intensely extroverted MC, as is the case with this story. I can't imagine that Nora will be any more compatible with Eli than he was with his ex-girlfriend.
In addition, in order to create the inevitable "enemies to lovers" trope that is so much a part of the YGM plot, we are expected to accept as believable that Nora, who has always been pleasant to everybody else, is, completely out of character, consistently curt to Eli. I'm not a fan of enmity that arises out of poorly motivated incivility.
The YGM version of the "enemies to lovers" trope, in which two people hate each other in person and love each other via anonymous correspondence, has been around for almost 90 years. It originates from the 1937 Hungarian play, "Parfumerie" by Miklós László, which was adapted into the 1940 film, "The Shop Around the Corner." That film as since been remade twice: "In the Good Old Summertime" (1949), a musical starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson, and the previously mentioned, "You’ve Got Mail" (1998), starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
In the years since YGM, many different authors besides this one have written homages to that popular movie. My absolute favorite version of this tricky trope is "Tweet Cute" by Emma Lord. It is, in my personal opinion, the best book that EL has written so far. In fact, it is so well done, it is extremely difficult for the many different romance authors who have attempted this trope to measure up to it. Sadly, this version does not.
Nora Fischer is a 30-something NYC psychologist, with a PhD in psychology, who specializes in relationship counseling. For the past seven years, in addition to working as a therapist, she has been writing a successful advice column called, "Ask Eleonora," for a London newspaper. Nora is an effective therapist who enjoys her career, but she leads a passive, anxiety-ridden personal life, in spite of years of therapy with her 79-year-old therapist, Ari. Nora is an extreme introvert, who feels that one of the greatest blessings in her life is being able to afford to have her own apartment, where she doesn't have to answer to anyone but George, a rescue dog who is just as troubled by anxiety as Nora and has been prescribed Prozac. Nora has had multiple, failed romantic relationships over the years with various boring men, because she instinctively avoids taking a chance on anyone or anything that might actually excite her.
Eli Whitman is a handsome, athletically fit, 30-something British writer, who is Nora's in-person romantic interest. A few months ago, he and his former, live-in girlfriend had couple's counseling with Nora via Zoom, because the pair lived in London. In Nora's opinion, his girlfriend was mainly using the counseling to summon the courage to break up with Eli, because they are entirely incompatible personalities. He is an extreme extrovert, and his ex is an equally strong introvert. Eli blames Nora for the relationship's demise. At the time, Nora allowed him to keep that comfortable delusion, because she purposely chose to emotionally shield the girlfriend from Eli's pressuring her to stay with him. In Nora's opinion, Eli is loud, bombastic, speaks without thinking, and skates through life on his good looks, intelligence, charisma, cocky confidence, and the automatic social privilege bestowed on men in a patriarchal society. It is a major coincidence when Eli moves into Nora's condominium building in NYC, after he inherits the apartment directly below Nora's from his deceased British grandmother.
J, Nora's romantic interest via correspondence, is a writer who lives in London. He has been editing Nora’s anonymous advice column for the entire seven years she has been writing it. In spite of the fact that they have been messaging each other daily all this time and have become friends, they have never offered each other their real names or seen a picture of each other.
The inciting incident of the novel occurs when Nora's boss on the London newspaper asks her to fly to England to attend a very important meeting at the home office. After much angsty rumination both during her therapy sessions with Ari and endlessly in her thoughts during her down time, Nora finally decides to take the biggest chance of her life and head to London. Mainly because J confides in her that he and his girlfriend recently broke up, and it occurs to Nora that she could use this all-expenses-paid, transatlantic junket as an opportunity to finally meet J face to face.
Based on the fact that this story is a blatant homage to "You've got Mail" (YGM), it is no surprise as to who J turns out to be. The surprise and potential delight in this type of plot must arise from the cleverness of the execution. This version of the YGM plot represents a radical case of "opposites attract," which is one of my least favorite romance tropes when it involves an intensely introverted MC paired with an intensely extroverted MC, as is the case with this story. I can't imagine that Nora will be any more compatible with Eli than he was with his ex-girlfriend.
In addition, in order to create the inevitable "enemies to lovers" trope that is so much a part of the YGM plot, we are expected to accept as believable that Nora, who has always been pleasant to everybody else, is, completely out of character, consistently curt to Eli. I'm not a fan of enmity that arises out of poorly motivated incivility.
The YGM version of the "enemies to lovers" trope, in which two people hate each other in person and love each other via anonymous correspondence, has been around for almost 90 years. It originates from the 1937 Hungarian play, "Parfumerie" by Miklós László, which was adapted into the 1940 film, "The Shop Around the Corner." That film as since been remade twice: "In the Good Old Summertime" (1949), a musical starring Judy Garland and Van Johnson, and the previously mentioned, "You’ve Got Mail" (1998), starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.
In the years since YGM, many different authors besides this one have written homages to that popular movie. My absolute favorite version of this tricky trope is "Tweet Cute" by Emma Lord. It is, in my personal opinion, the best book that EL has written so far. In fact, it is so well done, it is extremely difficult for the many different romance authors who have attempted this trope to measure up to it. Sadly, this version does not.
March 27, 2025
TITLE: UNLIKELY STORY
AUTHOR: Ali Rosen
PUB DATE: 03.01.2025
"Love at First Write | Hate at First Sight"
From the author of Recipe for Second Chances comes a swoonworthy romance bursting with wit about a therapist who falls for the wrong man…but perhaps the right one was hiding in the margins all along.
THOUGHTS:
Enemies to Lovers
Mistaken Identity
NYC / London setting
This book was so cute and definitely charming. It gave me a lot of vibes, and I am not mad about it. I love this story and a great escape read for me.
AUTHOR: Ali Rosen
PUB DATE: 03.01.2025
"Love at First Write | Hate at First Sight"
From the author of Recipe for Second Chances comes a swoonworthy romance bursting with wit about a therapist who falls for the wrong man…but perhaps the right one was hiding in the margins all along.
THOUGHTS:
Enemies to Lovers
Mistaken Identity
NYC / London setting
This book was so cute and definitely charming. It gave me a lot of vibes, and I am not mad about it. I love this story and a great escape read for me.
September 17, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC!! This was my first Ali Rosen book and I will definitely read more! I loved how the story followed Nora, a people pleasing therapist who has fallen for a man she has never met in real life, who is attempting to work through her struggles. Things get more confusing when a former patient moves in downstairs and is determined to make her life challenging!
The focus on mental health, healthy boundaries within relationships, and communication was fantastic. Most importantly, the love story was swoon-worthy!! Overall, this was a really cute story with fun twists and surprises, 3.5 ⭐.
The focus on mental health, healthy boundaries within relationships, and communication was fantastic. Most importantly, the love story was swoon-worthy!! Overall, this was a really cute story with fun twists and surprises, 3.5 ⭐.
April 17, 2025
Nearly 5 stars, I loved this book. It was slightly predictable in the outcome, but I loved the relationships and character development. Not to mention the emotional & mental health elements present throughout!! Highly recommend.
March 1, 2025
This story didn't grab me and it dragged a little, but it wasn't bad. All the talk of baked goods made me hungry and that is sad, because I don't have any baked goods in my house. Do I head to the shops for pastries now or stay bed to snuggle with a cat?
April 18, 2025
Unlikely Story is the Jewish Joy Book Club April read and I am so glad about that! I really enjoyed this story. It's heartwarming, humorous, romantic, and an armchair adventure to boot. Add in an enemies-to-lovers trope, some forced proximity, and a swoon-worthy British guy to fuel the flames, and this novel has it made!
This was a sweet story. I loved the banter between the characters, especially Nora and Eli. I also loved the neighbors in the co-op and George the dog (who sounded really cute). The virtual visits to NYC and London were a lot of fun. There was plenty of humor and lightheartedness. It was entertaining and kept me turning the pages.
What was interesting to me was Nora's situation with her parents. They were more like children and she was absorbing their neediness and impulsive behavior, especially from her mother. I felt bad for Nora being put in that situation, especially since her brother was able to extricate himself from it so easily.
I had a few small concerns, but nothing that kept me from enjoying this novel. First, I wish that Nora's Judaism had been more prevalent. I only knew she was Jewish because she mentioned Shabbat dinner one time. Next, I would have liked for there to be more of a surprise factor, but I still enjoyed seeing how everything unfolded. Especially since it gave off the feel of a certain nineties rom-com movie. There's an irony here with Nora always wanting to know the end of a book before she started it, as it was a comfort to her. While I like being surprised, I can't say I blame her for wanting to know where a story is going sometimes. Finally, I felt that more conflict was needed and was hoping things would be a bit more challenging before reaching the rewarding point.
Overall, this was a great novel and a nice distraction from everything going on in real life. (Another reason it's appealing for Nora to want to know what happens at the end of a book.) I hope to read more of Ali Rosen's novels in the future (and get to her earlier novels).
(Trigger warning below.)
Movie casting suggestions:
Tina (Nora's mom): Camryn Manheim
(Originally posted at Chick Lit Central.)
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TW: Getting locked out of a building while on the roof. (Not sure about you, but that makes me so anxious.)
(Originally posted at Chick Lit Central.)
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TW: Getting locked out of a building while on the roof. (Not sure about you, but that makes me so anxious.)
September 19, 2024
Okay story of a therapist who is better at giving advice than taking it herself. She finds herself falling for the copyeditor of her advice column, despite only communicating over edits and never meeting in person. She also develops a contentious relationship with a new neighbor in her building. I felt like this story was exactly as you would expect and was extremely predictable very early in the book. I would have enjoyed more of a twist and maybe more fireworks with the familial elements for Nora. This was an easy read and for those who want predictability.
Thank you Montlake for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Montlake for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
February 8, 2025
Did not finish
I was in it until the part where she's lecturing her parents about their spending habits. Really? A romance book that can't find anything more interesting than that? Lost me.
I was in it until the part where she's lecturing her parents about their spending habits. Really? A romance book that can't find anything more interesting than that? Lost me.
April 16, 2025
Wow - Sorry. this review is way too long for a book I dislike this much. 🫠
This was well written but the whole premise is flawed and based on a plot twist. Spoiler alert: when you know the “twist” from the beginning, it’s not a twist.
And then the fact that supposedly neither of them realized who the other was??? How many therapists named Eleonora does this man think exist??????🙄 Was that the twist - that he’s dumb and too self absorbed to see her? If so, that’s not a fun twist.
Nora was supremely annoying for the entire first half of the book. She complains endlessly about her parents and we listen to way too many therapy sessions. Also I’m sorry… she can’t work up the courage to ask a guy she’s known for 7 YEARS out for coffee? Girl. Get a grip. The amount of handwringing over this was legit absurd. I just could not relate to her at all.
And Eli? He was a complete ass to her in NY. And not in a cute way. The friendship building was great, I just found him to be v unlikable for a long time. Even at the end, he basically led her along as J only to “dump” her (not realizing she’s the same person that he loves) at the last minute and then send some rambling emotional garbage telling her he was in love w someone else? What the ever loving mess is that? And what was she going to do if they hadn’t been the same person?
I get that it was meant to be an exploration of how we show different sides of ourselves to different people and who gets to see all of us. I also understand that she’s the people pleasing good girl and he’s the prickly-on-the-outside-hiding- vulnerable-inside guy tackling their own personal issues and achieving some sort of growth, but they just came across as… immature.
Also, what the heck do these people look like?? There wasn’t any description of them. Other than some comments about her favorite thrift store clothes. Not helpful. I like to picture the characters when I read and we got nothing. He has curly hair I guess and “gives short guy vibes” whatever the heck that means. 🫠
2⭐️
- some of the banter was cute and I liked the few relationship building moments - the conversation on the roof and when he was sick.
- the writing itself was good…. but I’m irrationally mad about the end. I truly don’t understand why the author set up all the clues that he knew who she was and then he just… doesn’t. And then they finally have sex, she figures it out, and his mother chooses that moment to fall and break her hip - and he has to go back to London the same morning? Give me a break.
- also, I want my true HEA. don’t tie my reading experience up w your characters personality issues. Nora always read the end of books bc she wanted to know they turned out ok. So WE don’t get a true happy ending bc we’re supposed to trust in the story. Just stop.
💔third act break up. Bc of course
🗣️miscommunication. So the whole thing is that they each know each other as different people in two different contexts. Within each context they are honest. Just insanely dumb and irritatingly immature.
👩🏻🤝👨🏼 character growth - I mean, yes. And they did end up sort of likable at the end, I guess? She’s a therapist and self-help columnist and he’s her editor. They’ve been writing notes to each as he (J) edits her column for years and have never met. He then moves to NY (where she meets him as Eli) and winds up in her same building but neither know it’s him/her. And for some inexplicable reason he never tells her (as J) that he moved to NYC.
🏠found family. The elderly neighbors and her friend, Dane were a nice addition to the story. I liked the dog, George.
🌶️ spice. It’s all closed door. Which would be fine if I felt any chemistry at all between these two. But I don’t. There’s none.
👤 single POV; HEA. No engagement/marriage.
All the therapy talk I honestly found completely boring and self important. Omg. Just learn to be adults, set normal boundaries, and express yourself. Her parents aren’t that bad. Just grow up. Gahhhhhhh
This was well written but the whole premise is flawed and based on a plot twist. Spoiler alert: when you know the “twist” from the beginning, it’s not a twist.
And then the fact that supposedly neither of them realized who the other was??? How many therapists named Eleonora does this man think exist??????🙄 Was that the twist - that he’s dumb and too self absorbed to see her? If so, that’s not a fun twist.
Nora was supremely annoying for the entire first half of the book. She complains endlessly about her parents and we listen to way too many therapy sessions. Also I’m sorry… she can’t work up the courage to ask a guy she’s known for 7 YEARS out for coffee? Girl. Get a grip. The amount of handwringing over this was legit absurd. I just could not relate to her at all.
And Eli? He was a complete ass to her in NY. And not in a cute way. The friendship building was great, I just found him to be v unlikable for a long time. Even at the end, he basically led her along as J only to “dump” her (not realizing she’s the same person that he loves) at the last minute and then send some rambling emotional garbage telling her he was in love w someone else? What the ever loving mess is that? And what was she going to do if they hadn’t been the same person?
I get that it was meant to be an exploration of how we show different sides of ourselves to different people and who gets to see all of us. I also understand that she’s the people pleasing good girl and he’s the prickly-on-the-outside-hiding- vulnerable-inside guy tackling their own personal issues and achieving some sort of growth, but they just came across as… immature.
Also, what the heck do these people look like?? There wasn’t any description of them. Other than some comments about her favorite thrift store clothes. Not helpful. I like to picture the characters when I read and we got nothing. He has curly hair I guess and “gives short guy vibes” whatever the heck that means. 🫠
2⭐️
- some of the banter was cute and I liked the few relationship building moments - the conversation on the roof and when he was sick.
- the writing itself was good…. but I’m irrationally mad about the end. I truly don’t understand why the author set up all the clues that he knew who she was and then he just… doesn’t. And then they finally have sex, she figures it out, and his mother chooses that moment to fall and break her hip - and he has to go back to London the same morning? Give me a break.
- also, I want my true HEA. don’t tie my reading experience up w your characters personality issues. Nora always read the end of books bc she wanted to know they turned out ok. So WE don’t get a true happy ending bc we’re supposed to trust in the story. Just stop.
💔third act break up. Bc of course
🗣️miscommunication. So the whole thing is that they each know each other as different people in two different contexts. Within each context they are honest. Just insanely dumb and irritatingly immature.
👩🏻🤝👨🏼 character growth - I mean, yes. And they did end up sort of likable at the end, I guess? She’s a therapist and self-help columnist and he’s her editor. They’ve been writing notes to each as he (J) edits her column for years and have never met. He then moves to NY (where she meets him as Eli) and winds up in her same building but neither know it’s him/her. And for some inexplicable reason he never tells her (as J) that he moved to NYC.
🏠found family. The elderly neighbors and her friend, Dane were a nice addition to the story. I liked the dog, George.
🌶️ spice. It’s all closed door. Which would be fine if I felt any chemistry at all between these two. But I don’t. There’s none.
👤 single POV; HEA. No engagement/marriage.
All the therapy talk I honestly found completely boring and self important. Omg. Just learn to be adults, set normal boundaries, and express yourself. Her parents aren’t that bad. Just grow up. Gahhhhhhh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2025
Ali Rosen wove together a story that had humor, heartfelt moments, and a touch of mystery. This was the first book I have read by her. Sad to say, I was disenchanted. Although the characters were likable and their development solid, I felt a disconnect to all of them. Fortunately, the humor and mysterious elements made up for the lackluster narrative. It’s important to note that I listened to the audio version of this book and didn’t care for the narrator, so perhaps if I had read the book, I may have found this story more engaging. In short, aside from the intriguingly distinct plot and the rich character development, I regrettably wish I saved my time on this novel. (Audio)
July 20, 2025
3.5 / 5 ⭐⭐⭐💫
1 / 5 🌶️
Spicy chapters: 23, but faded to black 😩
FMC POV, first person 👍
Eli (MMC) and Nora (FMC's)
Pros:
The story is original, and I appreciate that Nora's job was as a therapist, yet she was incapable of simple things such as setting boundaries, etc. It's realistic to see flawed MC's, and how they overcome hard situations in life such as grief of a grandparent, etc.
Cons:
For the relatively simple plotline, I found this book to be way too long 🤨🤦🏼♀️.
There are too many side characters that distract from the relationship between the MCs. In regards to this, I especially despised the part about Noa's inept parents, wich I found both frustrating to read about, as well as uninteresting.
Hope you'll enjoy Unlikely Story.
Happy reading! 📚
1 / 5 🌶️
Spicy chapters: 23, but faded to black 😩
FMC POV, first person 👍
Eli (MMC) and Nora (FMC's)
Pros:
The story is original, and I appreciate that Nora's job was as a therapist, yet she was incapable of simple things such as setting boundaries, etc. It's realistic to see flawed MC's, and how they overcome hard situations in life such as grief of a grandparent, etc.
Cons:
For the relatively simple plotline, I found this book to be way too long 🤨🤦🏼♀️.
There are too many side characters that distract from the relationship between the MCs. In regards to this, I especially despised the part about Noa's inept parents, wich I found both frustrating to read about, as well as uninteresting.
Hope you'll enjoy Unlikely Story.
Happy reading! 📚
March 3, 2025
"We’re all the sum of all the many, many people who’ve loved and loathed us, and everything in between." - Nora
This was my first book by Ali Rosen, and i came across this book by accident. Overall, I really enjoyed it. The characters and the storyline were engaging, and I loved seeing Nora’s journey of personal growth and love. However, the plot felt a bit predictable. It was frustrating knowing where things were heading, and even at 70% through the book, the character's didnt, which took away some of the suspense. The story did start a bit slow, but it gradually picked up pace, and by the end, I was genuinely sad it was over. I would have loved a little more!
While I appreciated the emotional depth and character development, I did miss more physical descriptions of the characters, which made it harder to fully picture them. Also, if you're looking for a spicy read, this one isn’t it. Despite these minor drawbacks, I’d give it a solid 4.5 ⭐️ for its heartwarming message and strong character arcs.
This was my first book by Ali Rosen, and i came across this book by accident. Overall, I really enjoyed it. The characters and the storyline were engaging, and I loved seeing Nora’s journey of personal growth and love. However, the plot felt a bit predictable. It was frustrating knowing where things were heading, and even at 70% through the book, the character's didnt, which took away some of the suspense. The story did start a bit slow, but it gradually picked up pace, and by the end, I was genuinely sad it was over. I would have loved a little more!
While I appreciated the emotional depth and character development, I did miss more physical descriptions of the characters, which made it harder to fully picture them. Also, if you're looking for a spicy read, this one isn’t it. Despite these minor drawbacks, I’d give it a solid 4.5 ⭐️ for its heartwarming message and strong character arcs.
March 8, 2025
Unlikely Story is a contemporary romance set in both New York City and London.
Nora is a therapist in NYC. But she also writes an anonymous weekly advice column. She has an editor in London who she develops feelings for.
She is a therapist who sees a therapist. And honestly her therapist Ari was a wonderful part of the story.
I love when the main character is a therapist. So Nora’s jobs were definitely one of my favorite things about this book.
There is a little Jewish rep, although I would have loved more.
I loved everything about the NYC apartment where Nora lived. Her older neighbors and her best friend were perfection. And she has one neighbor who she finds handsome, but she can’t stand him.
I liked a lot about this book. But there was one aspect that confused me. I could not figure out whether the reader was supposed to be aware of it or not. That part of the story definitely went on too long.
The romance in this book was good (which man will she choose?). But it was a bit too slow burn. But overall this was a quick read that I did enjoy.
Thanks to Montlake Romance and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
Nora is a therapist in NYC. But she also writes an anonymous weekly advice column. She has an editor in London who she develops feelings for.
She is a therapist who sees a therapist. And honestly her therapist Ari was a wonderful part of the story.
I love when the main character is a therapist. So Nora’s jobs were definitely one of my favorite things about this book.
There is a little Jewish rep, although I would have loved more.
I loved everything about the NYC apartment where Nora lived. Her older neighbors and her best friend were perfection. And she has one neighbor who she finds handsome, but she can’t stand him.
I liked a lot about this book. But there was one aspect that confused me. I could not figure out whether the reader was supposed to be aware of it or not. That part of the story definitely went on too long.
The romance in this book was good (which man will she choose?). But it was a bit too slow burn. But overall this was a quick read that I did enjoy.
Thanks to Montlake Romance and netgalley for allowing me to read this book.
March 12, 2025
Pretty cute easy listen🎧💕 I loved the cute texts! Eli is adorable and Nora is a pretty relatable people pleaser. I love learning about therapy through a therapist who also goes to therapy xx also George’s (the dog) is soo cute🥰
3.5 stars🎧✨
3.5 stars🎧✨
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