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Soft Launch: A Coming-of-Adulthood Novel
Win a free kindle copy of this book!
9 days and 11:26:50
100 copies available
U.S. only
In her captivating debut, author Sarah Vacchiano tells an exciting “coming of adulthood” story about a young woman who takes a bold new path in her early thirties, leaving her old life—and starter marriage—behind.
When Sam walked herself down the aisle at the age of twenty-two, she never imagined wanting more than the life she had in that moment. Seven years later, with the ink still drying on both her law degree and her divorce papers, she arrives in Manhattan ready to start adulthood over and chase her dreams of becoming an entertainment lawyer, determined to prove to herself that upending her life was worth it.
As Sam navigates the high-pressure world of Big Law—heady and demanding, and full of magnetic and powerful people—she finds an unexpected ally in her charming, supportive officemate, Charlie. But just as he begins to tear down the walls Sam has built around herself, she lands her first big client, a “Poker Princess” facing federal charges for running high-stakes games for Hollywood’s elite, and discovers just how high-stakes “fake it till you make it” can be when you’ve given up everything to become someone new.
Emotionally nuanced and delightfully frothy, Soft Launch is a sharp, witty novel that explores the messy reality of starting over and finding yourself.
When Sam walked herself down the aisle at the age of twenty-two, she never imagined wanting more than the life she had in that moment. Seven years later, with the ink still drying on both her law degree and her divorce papers, she arrives in Manhattan ready to start adulthood over and chase her dreams of becoming an entertainment lawyer, determined to prove to herself that upending her life was worth it.
As Sam navigates the high-pressure world of Big Law—heady and demanding, and full of magnetic and powerful people—she finds an unexpected ally in her charming, supportive officemate, Charlie. But just as he begins to tear down the walls Sam has built around herself, she lands her first big client, a “Poker Princess” facing federal charges for running high-stakes games for Hollywood’s elite, and discovers just how high-stakes “fake it till you make it” can be when you’ve given up everything to become someone new.
Emotionally nuanced and delightfully frothy, Soft Launch is a sharp, witty novel that explores the messy reality of starting over and finding yourself.
315 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2026
1637 people are currently reading
9468 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
January 6, 2026
Amazon Prime First Reads pick and I gave it a 3 because despite the things below I did enjoy the read.
I don’t know why this bothers me so much but it does. We have the protagonist Sam, Caroline Connor and Charlie, then we have Emilie and Elinor we have Addie and then a brief mention of Sam’s brother that offered nothing to the story, Artie.
There’s so many names out there in the world! Why do we need to have three C names that interact with each other and the we meet Elinor whose involvement in the story impacts Emilie. I feel my brain just ticks ticks ticks when reading trying to keep up with the characters when names are similar or same letter.
We don’t have visuals so it’s hard to build an image of each person if you don’t have distinct names. But I digress.
Sam is quite insufferable. I am all for the book, newly divorced woman works in fancy NY law and is trying to discover who she really is. However she doesn’t do a single thing to try to be better and if she does it too late in the story.
She lacks self awareness and everyone around her is basically saying you’re so self involved you can’t be there for anyone. Even her love interest she can’t utilize any basic communication skills. At the end of the day, the energy she brings is that of a 20 year old in the big city for the first time. Shes ambitious and good at being a lawyer (likely cause the author is a lawyer and has strength in the subject matter). Shes ill equipped to handle the magnitude of NYC at her age.
Oh and the ending annoyed me. No spoilers.
lol it’s just a book, don’t know why im so riled up. It started with the naming of characters and snowballs from there.
I don’t know why this bothers me so much but it does. We have the protagonist Sam, Caroline Connor and Charlie, then we have Emilie and Elinor we have Addie and then a brief mention of Sam’s brother that offered nothing to the story, Artie.
There’s so many names out there in the world! Why do we need to have three C names that interact with each other and the we meet Elinor whose involvement in the story impacts Emilie. I feel my brain just ticks ticks ticks when reading trying to keep up with the characters when names are similar or same letter.
We don’t have visuals so it’s hard to build an image of each person if you don’t have distinct names. But I digress.
Sam is quite insufferable. I am all for the book, newly divorced woman works in fancy NY law and is trying to discover who she really is. However she doesn’t do a single thing to try to be better and if she does it too late in the story.
She lacks self awareness and everyone around her is basically saying you’re so self involved you can’t be there for anyone. Even her love interest she can’t utilize any basic communication skills. At the end of the day, the energy she brings is that of a 20 year old in the big city for the first time. Shes ambitious and good at being a lawyer (likely cause the author is a lawyer and has strength in the subject matter). Shes ill equipped to handle the magnitude of NYC at her age.
Oh and the ending annoyed me. No spoilers.
lol it’s just a book, don’t know why im so riled up. It started with the naming of characters and snowballs from there.
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November 14, 2025Dear Reader, if you're like me and grew up on books like Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin or The Devil Wears Prada, you will love Soft Launch. Writing it brought me right back to that feeling of landing in New York City in my 20s where one day it felt like the world was my oyster and the next day I was sweating through my Subway commute, not sure if life would ever take shape. But it did - and this book is my love letter to that magical time and to New York City.
I like to describe it as Emily Henry meets Dolly Alderton, with a touch of a therapized Carrie Bradshaw.
As a fun aside, if you loved the book or movie MOLLY'S GAME, you'll appreciate the closer look into the real-life friendship that grew from working together as we both went through insanely transformational chapters in life.
If you take anything away from this book other than nostalgic rom-com vibes and cozy NYC feels, I hope it's the belief that life truly isn't about finding ourselves -- it's about creating ourselves. (Thank you George Bernard Shaw for those words that I literally owe everything to.)
And if you're an aspiring entertainment lawyer - hit me up because I will convince you it's the most amazing job in the world.
More soon,
Sarah
I like to describe it as Emily Henry meets Dolly Alderton, with a touch of a therapized Carrie Bradshaw.
As a fun aside, if you loved the book or movie MOLLY'S GAME, you'll appreciate the closer look into the real-life friendship that grew from working together as we both went through insanely transformational chapters in life.
If you take anything away from this book other than nostalgic rom-com vibes and cozy NYC feels, I hope it's the belief that life truly isn't about finding ourselves -- it's about creating ourselves. (Thank you George Bernard Shaw for those words that I literally owe everything to.)
And if you're an aspiring entertainment lawyer - hit me up because I will convince you it's the most amazing job in the world.
More soon,
Sarah
November 13, 2025
THIS BOOK!!!!!!! I initially read it in a single night where I could not put it down. It was so completely delightful and sharp-witted. Every character relatable, endearing, and real. I truly loved being welcomed into the unknown, insanely intense world of NYC big law, and the rom com elements made the story so enjoyable and satisfying. Think Emily Henry meets Devil Wears Prada but set at a relentless law firm. I have a feeling this is going to be a big hit next year. Recommending it to everyone I know.
January 5, 2026
The main personality the protagonist has is angst and guilt-which is also to say this could be a character in any book but there would also be no point to writing her into a book because there is nothing distinguishing about her. There isn't much driving the plotline of the book, either, no real twist or suspense or interest. The story is anticlimactic and the "coming to adulthood" description is pretty pathetic for a story about a 30 year old who gets handed everything she wants as soon as she embarks on her chosen career path
February 6, 2026
What a debut! I haven’t read a book like this in at least a decade. Remember that noughties influx of ‘woman with fabulous but intense job having growing pains with a side of fabulousness in New York’ stories? This read like an updated version of that -but with a side of nostalgia -we’re talking ‘Something Borrowed’ and ’When Harry Met Sally’ references but wrapped up in a ‘The Devil wears Prada’ bow.
N.B. Speaking of fabulous films, the author was the lawyer to Molly Brown -of ‘Molly’s Game’ infamy, and this story is loosely based on her own experiences -so you wont be lacking realism in this novel.
This book had my favourite things: a strong sense of place, a great set of secondary characters, and a realistic FMC -if you can’t hack an imperfect FMC, you wont like it, it’s a “coming of adulthood” story, there’s a learning curve involved. This definitely falls into the category of a New Yorky book -a beloved niche genre that is under-discussed more than it is under-written… but how often is it this well-written?
This is a witty, layered look at starting over, embracing your ambition, and living your best life. I feel like the cover could be mistaken for a rom-com, and whilst there is a romantic element -God, I loved the slow development of the Charlie relationship- it’s more of a recovering from divorce and dating for the first time as an adult sub-plot to a personal growth story. There is no MMC -the secondary main character is New York and career. Speaking of career, there’s a lot of job detail in this book, and whilst I found it both interesting and enjoyable, if you’re not generally a fan of that, that could be a slog to read through. Partially because of the job prevalence, this is not a jam-packed plot but manages to lack lulls due to the novel’s pace -I was riveted and had to stop myself from reading this in one sitting.
I’m surprised this book hasn’t been more prevalent in reader’s spaces or more prominently advertised -this reads like a film adaptation is just a matter of time, the kind where you keep seeing the cover in shop windows, on the tube, and on your friend’s shelves.
A quick note about the ending: it’s a little abrupt, people are going to love or hate it, but it is good. I liked how it ended from a narrative standpoint point but I cannot pretend I wasn’t wishing hard for one more page. I felt the ending was implied and that satisfied me, but if you like everything neatly tied up at the end, you’re going to be frustrated.
Overall, I loved it, it’s the book I’m recommending to friends immediately, and I’m after a signed copy. If you love a millennial, New Yorky ‘girl in the city’ book -this is your next best book.
With thanks to Little A and NetGalley for the gifted e-galley in exchange for sharing an honest review.
N.B. Speaking of fabulous films, the author was the lawyer to Molly Brown -of ‘Molly’s Game’ infamy, and this story is loosely based on her own experiences -so you wont be lacking realism in this novel.
This book had my favourite things: a strong sense of place, a great set of secondary characters, and a realistic FMC -if you can’t hack an imperfect FMC, you wont like it, it’s a “coming of adulthood” story, there’s a learning curve involved. This definitely falls into the category of a New Yorky book -a beloved niche genre that is under-discussed more than it is under-written… but how often is it this well-written?
This is a witty, layered look at starting over, embracing your ambition, and living your best life. I feel like the cover could be mistaken for a rom-com, and whilst there is a romantic element -God, I loved the slow development of the Charlie relationship- it’s more of a recovering from divorce and dating for the first time as an adult sub-plot to a personal growth story. There is no MMC -the secondary main character is New York and career. Speaking of career, there’s a lot of job detail in this book, and whilst I found it both interesting and enjoyable, if you’re not generally a fan of that, that could be a slog to read through. Partially because of the job prevalence, this is not a jam-packed plot but manages to lack lulls due to the novel’s pace -I was riveted and had to stop myself from reading this in one sitting.
I’m surprised this book hasn’t been more prevalent in reader’s spaces or more prominently advertised -this reads like a film adaptation is just a matter of time, the kind where you keep seeing the cover in shop windows, on the tube, and on your friend’s shelves.
A quick note about the ending: it’s a little abrupt, people are going to love or hate it, but it is good. I liked how it ended from a narrative standpoint point but I cannot pretend I wasn’t wishing hard for one more page. I felt the ending was implied and that satisfied me, but if you like everything neatly tied up at the end, you’re going to be frustrated.
Overall, I loved it, it’s the book I’m recommending to friends immediately, and I’m after a signed copy. If you love a millennial, New Yorky ‘girl in the city’ book -this is your next best book.
With thanks to Little A and NetGalley for the gifted e-galley in exchange for sharing an honest review.
February 8, 2026
5⭐️ - This book pulled me in after the first few chapters. Halfway through, I couldn’t put it down. It’s a compelling coming-of-age story centered on the often-overlooked years after college: when you’re technically an adult, but still becoming yourself. The story perfectly captures how formative your 20s really are, and how clarity and confidence often don’t arrive until later. Bold, sexy, and emotionally grounded, this book had all the elements I love. And the elevator scene? HOTTT. 🔥
January 2, 2026
I received a free advance copy of Soft Launch through Amazon Prime and was pleasantly surprised. As the synopsis explains, Samantha is in her late-twenties, rebounding from an early marriage and divorce and pursuing her dream of being an entertainment lawyer in NYC. The plot line with her office mate is telegraphed from miles away but still manages to be convincing and nuanced, and Sam’s journey seems realistic. The writing is good; I wanted to keep Sam from a few of her less well-considered choices, which I guess shows that I was pulled into the story. A very solid debut novel.
February 2, 2026
Happy Pub Day to Soft Launch! What a dazzling debut, I loved this one so much! This book tells an exciting “coming of adulthood” story about a woman who marries young and decides to leave her marriage behind to pursue a bold new path in her early thirties by moving to New York City to become an entertainment lawyer! MAJOR Devil Wears Prada vibes but in the setting of a fast-paced high stress NYC law firm!
This is the ultimate “living vicariously through the FMC” novel and NYC is the perfect setting for it! I felt very connected to this book personally because I actually lived and worked in NYC for 8 years after grad school. This story truly embodies how simultaneously freeing and terrifying it feels to adjust to life in the big city. You have all of these amazing new opportunities to reinvent yourself but you can also very quickly find yourself in the middle of the rat race just trying to keep your head above water.
It was fascinating to learn about how entertainment law works. It is obvious the author knows what she is talking about and pulls from her own experiences working in this field!
I love that the main character Sam decides what she wants and just goes for it. How fun to have a second chance at life in the greatest city in the world! She also makes plenty of mistakes along the way while navigating this new life of hers. She owns up to them and learns and grows from them, which is so painfully relatable, even as someone in their 30s. The writing is fun, witty, and straight from the heart!
I love Sarah’s review of her own book on Goodreads (swipe to read the whole thing) when she quotes George Bernard Shaw by saying that “life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” That is the perfect takeaway from this book!
I also got the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and the narrator @elliegossage did an amazing job bringing Sam and her story to life!
5 glowing stars!!! I highly recommend this one and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Vacchiano, and Little A for the gifted ARC/ALC. This is a voluntary and honest review.
This is the ultimate “living vicariously through the FMC” novel and NYC is the perfect setting for it! I felt very connected to this book personally because I actually lived and worked in NYC for 8 years after grad school. This story truly embodies how simultaneously freeing and terrifying it feels to adjust to life in the big city. You have all of these amazing new opportunities to reinvent yourself but you can also very quickly find yourself in the middle of the rat race just trying to keep your head above water.
It was fascinating to learn about how entertainment law works. It is obvious the author knows what she is talking about and pulls from her own experiences working in this field!
I love that the main character Sam decides what she wants and just goes for it. How fun to have a second chance at life in the greatest city in the world! She also makes plenty of mistakes along the way while navigating this new life of hers. She owns up to them and learns and grows from them, which is so painfully relatable, even as someone in their 30s. The writing is fun, witty, and straight from the heart!
I love Sarah’s review of her own book on Goodreads (swipe to read the whole thing) when she quotes George Bernard Shaw by saying that “life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” That is the perfect takeaway from this book!
I also got the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and the narrator @elliegossage did an amazing job bringing Sam and her story to life!
5 glowing stars!!! I highly recommend this one and hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Vacchiano, and Little A for the gifted ARC/ALC. This is a voluntary and honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received an advance copy of this book through Amazon First Reads.
I really enjoyed this book.
Sam got married when she was 21 and by the end of her 20s she realized that her and her husband grew apart. She wanted a career as a NYC lawyer and didn't want to settle in and have kids. The book starts with Sam moving to NYC to start her career in a prestigious law firm.
Day 1 on the job she meets her officemate Charlie and they click instantly. Throughout the book their friendship grows and it is hard to not fall for Charlie and root for them to get together. There were some sweet moments that made me smile/feel giddy.
I also liked that this story was not just all about love and focused a lot on Sam and her career as she navigated the cases she worked, as well as her small NYC friend group.
I was a little disappointed near the end with how Sam treated her friendships. I thought Emilie was a bit extreme to say she was a narcissist and a bad friend. The job and assignment Sam had prevented her from having a lot of free time. What bummed me out most was her and Charlie's falling out. When Sam found out what Charlie was dealing with and still didn't reach out to him for weeks (even after her big work assignment concluded) that was disappointing and I no longer wanted her and Charlie to get back together.
I like how it ended in the coffee shop open ended but if it were real life I would tell Charlie to seek someone who would be there for you in your time of need.
On a fun note - Scallywags (the bar where Perry goes) sounded familiar and when I looked it up, turns out I'd randomly been there on a NYC trip. Good times!
I really enjoyed this book.
Sam got married when she was 21 and by the end of her 20s she realized that her and her husband grew apart. She wanted a career as a NYC lawyer and didn't want to settle in and have kids. The book starts with Sam moving to NYC to start her career in a prestigious law firm.
Day 1 on the job she meets her officemate Charlie and they click instantly. Throughout the book their friendship grows and it is hard to not fall for Charlie and root for them to get together. There were some sweet moments that made me smile/feel giddy.
I also liked that this story was not just all about love and focused a lot on Sam and her career as she navigated the cases she worked, as well as her small NYC friend group.
I was a little disappointed near the end with how Sam treated her friendships. I thought Emilie was a bit extreme to say she was a narcissist and a bad friend. The job and assignment Sam had prevented her from having a lot of free time. What bummed me out most was her and Charlie's falling out. When Sam found out what Charlie was dealing with and still didn't reach out to him for weeks (even after her big work assignment concluded) that was disappointing and I no longer wanted her and Charlie to get back together.
I like how it ended in the coffee shop open ended but if it were real life I would tell Charlie to seek someone who would be there for you in your time of need.
On a fun note - Scallywags (the bar where Perry goes) sounded familiar and when I looked it up, turns out I'd randomly been there on a NYC trip. Good times!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy
*I received an advanced copy from Amazon Prime Reading*
This book stressed me out, made me consider DNFing it, pulled me back in and then hit me in the face with a brick wall. I felt connected to Sam's ambition and felt such empathy for her but... why did we have to end it like that? is there another one? ?
This book stressed me out, made me consider DNFing it, pulled me back in and then hit me in the face with a brick wall. I felt connected to Sam's ambition and felt such empathy for her but... why did we have to end it like that? is there another one? ?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2026
Kind of chaotic
I really liked the law stuff and found it fascinating as she handled the cases but the energy was frenetic and then the story just ended. The protagonist didn't really show growth as it ended abruptly.
I really liked the law stuff and found it fascinating as she handled the cases but the energy was frenetic and then the story just ended. The protagonist didn't really show growth as it ended abruptly.
January 14, 2026
sucky ending
That is a messed up way to end the book. So glad I got it free with Amazon 1st reads. I would have been asking for a refund otherwise
That is a messed up way to end the book. So glad I got it free with Amazon 1st reads. I would have been asking for a refund otherwise
January 10, 2026
did NOT like the ending! left the book feeling unfinished
February 6, 2026
3.75 stars
Ummmm I finished this book in TWO days. A coming-of-adulthood story featuring a protagonist in her late twenties? Yes, please.
Soft Launch follows Sam, a recently divorced woman trying to make it in entertainment law at a well-known firm in New York. With colleagues who blur the line between platonic and romantic, Sam is waist-deep in navigating this new world.
What I liked:
I really enjoyed the look into life as a first-year associate at a law firm. I think Sarah did a great job highlighting the elitism, the cut-throat environment, and both covert and overt sexism.
I also appreciated the different layers of Sam’s life. She’s juggling divorce, a new career, friendships, and relationships all at once, which made the story feel very full and realistic.
What I didn’t necessarily like
Because this felt more character-driven than plot-driven, I would have loved to see more tangible growth from Sam herself rather than from everyone around her. While it makes sense for the ending to feel somewhat open-ended, the resolutions we did get felt underwhelming compared to the weight of the struggles introduced throughout in the book.
I could imagine everyone around her changing for the better off-page, but I couldn’t quite see Sam doing anything differently.
As for the Audiobook, I’m officially coming to love Ellie Gossage. I’ve heard her narrate a few other titles, and this one really allowed her to show her range with accents and male voices. My only hope is that the extended pauses between chapters were corrected in the final version, because even at 1.25 speed they felt longer than normal. I also noticed the occasional click. That said, the overall audiobook experience was fantastic.
Overall, this is a great pick for readers who enjoy literary fiction and women’s fiction. It’s also a pretty quick read. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Ummmm I finished this book in TWO days. A coming-of-adulthood story featuring a protagonist in her late twenties? Yes, please.
Soft Launch follows Sam, a recently divorced woman trying to make it in entertainment law at a well-known firm in New York. With colleagues who blur the line between platonic and romantic, Sam is waist-deep in navigating this new world.
What I liked:
I really enjoyed the look into life as a first-year associate at a law firm. I think Sarah did a great job highlighting the elitism, the cut-throat environment, and both covert and overt sexism.
I also appreciated the different layers of Sam’s life. She’s juggling divorce, a new career, friendships, and relationships all at once, which made the story feel very full and realistic.
What I didn’t necessarily like
Because this felt more character-driven than plot-driven, I would have loved to see more tangible growth from Sam herself rather than from everyone around her. While it makes sense for the ending to feel somewhat open-ended, the resolutions we did get felt underwhelming compared to the weight of the struggles introduced throughout in the book.
I could imagine everyone around her changing for the better off-page, but I couldn’t quite see Sam doing anything differently.
As for the Audiobook, I’m officially coming to love Ellie Gossage. I’ve heard her narrate a few other titles, and this one really allowed her to show her range with accents and male voices. My only hope is that the extended pauses between chapters were corrected in the final version, because even at 1.25 speed they felt longer than normal. I also noticed the occasional click. That said, the overall audiobook experience was fantastic.
Overall, this is a great pick for readers who enjoy literary fiction and women’s fiction. It’s also a pretty quick read. I’ll definitely be checking out more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 8, 2026
Thank you to Brilliance Publishing for this ARC.
Unfortunately this was not my cup of tea, and I believe there are 2 reasons why this read wasn't as fun as it could've been. I lacked empathy for Sam. While her (young) divorce and her "starting a new life in a new city" storyline could've been interesting, she as a character is boring. One better friend in her life and half the book would've been gone. She needs to be pushed to realize she's picking the dumb choices just because she forgot to ask someone for advice. Then, I think I "hated" how much this book reminded me of "How to be Single" (the movie). Cliché, kind of out of touch (Sam is way too lucky too fast for it to be entertaining to my taste) and weirdly passed. I wanted her to get the short hand of the stick, at least once. But even when she gets the "worst" boss ever, she still gets out of it in good shape because.. why not !
I don't like to compare books to one another, but when reading a book instantly makes my brain go to other references I have, it's just hard to stay focused and enjoy the ride.
Also.. As a lover of "coming of age" stories, this book felt like a romcom who's trying to show that there is space for growth in the Main Character, but the MC fails to take that space to grow. Sam didn't feel to be coming to adulthood in the end.. She felt like she's this close to making the same mistakes again if the people in her life don't help her to avoid that, until she learns... Which is kind of sad. 3 stars because it was sweet and entertaining but the story felt off for me.
Unfortunately this was not my cup of tea, and I believe there are 2 reasons why this read wasn't as fun as it could've been. I lacked empathy for Sam. While her (young) divorce and her "starting a new life in a new city" storyline could've been interesting, she as a character is boring. One better friend in her life and half the book would've been gone. She needs to be pushed to realize she's picking the dumb choices just because she forgot to ask someone for advice. Then, I think I "hated" how much this book reminded me of "How to be Single" (the movie). Cliché, kind of out of touch (Sam is way too lucky too fast for it to be entertaining to my taste) and weirdly passed. I wanted her to get the short hand of the stick, at least once. But even when she gets the "worst" boss ever, she still gets out of it in good shape because.. why not !
I don't like to compare books to one another, but when reading a book instantly makes my brain go to other references I have, it's just hard to stay focused and enjoy the ride.
Also.. As a lover of "coming of age" stories, this book felt like a romcom who's trying to show that there is space for growth in the Main Character, but the MC fails to take that space to grow. Sam didn't feel to be coming to adulthood in the end.. She felt like she's this close to making the same mistakes again if the people in her life don't help her to avoid that, until she learns... Which is kind of sad. 3 stars because it was sweet and entertaining but the story felt off for me.
Review of advance copy
I really enjoyed it. It gave me The Devil Wears Prada vibes but in a legal setting. Fun fact: The author is a lawyer who started her legal career representing Molly Bloom from the biopic Molly's Game.
The book is described as a coming-of-adulthood tale. It follows the journey of Samantha (Sam) who is a newbie lawyer starting out in her legal career, wanting to get into Entertainment Law. The legal stuff was pretty interesting, and the book also did a great job of showing Sam's struggles as she tried to juggle the workload required to succeed in such a demanding industry with friendships and relationships.
She doesn't always get it right, and it's a bumpy journey at times, especially when she falls into the trap of drinking too much on the social side of her work life. But Sam is portrayed well as a flawed human who is just trying to live the life she wanted for herself. The collateral damage of failed relationships and flailing friendships might be the price she has to pay to have her dream career.
I downloaded Soft Launch for free from the Amazon First Reads program as one of its January offerings
The book is described as a coming-of-adulthood tale. It follows the journey of Samantha (Sam) who is a newbie lawyer starting out in her legal career, wanting to get into Entertainment Law. The legal stuff was pretty interesting, and the book also did a great job of showing Sam's struggles as she tried to juggle the workload required to succeed in such a demanding industry with friendships and relationships.
She doesn't always get it right, and it's a bumpy journey at times, especially when she falls into the trap of drinking too much on the social side of her work life. But Sam is portrayed well as a flawed human who is just trying to live the life she wanted for herself. The collateral damage of failed relationships and flailing friendships might be the price she has to pay to have her dream career.
I downloaded Soft Launch for free from the Amazon First Reads program as one of its January offerings
January 20, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 stars
I was able to snag this book, as part of my Amazon First Reads for the month of January.
I want to say that I enjoyed this book. You could tell that the author really had a great understanding of the dynamics that lawyers and legal staff experience on a daily basis (I also work for a law firm). Given her background, I believe this aspect of the book was well executed.
Sam's character, I felt, was very relatable. I absolutely loved the aspect of a young/mid 20 year old married whose dreams didn't align with their marriage or at least the expectation of what a normal marriage should look like. I have read other reviews about Sam's drinking being over the top but to be honest, I felt like it is a genuine part of legal society.
The author did a great job constructing her story as a young, a female associate in a "man's world". Without it being the main plot, Sam's character faced realistic power dynamics while being at the bottom of the totem pole. My favorite part of the story is how she professionally overcame what happened to her while keeping her integrity.
My only critique on this book was the ending. While I understand anyone can take the ending and interpret how they want - I felt as though it was little lackluster.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes women's contemporary fiction, legal fiction, or romance in a workplace.
I was able to snag this book, as part of my Amazon First Reads for the month of January.
I want to say that I enjoyed this book. You could tell that the author really had a great understanding of the dynamics that lawyers and legal staff experience on a daily basis (I also work for a law firm). Given her background, I believe this aspect of the book was well executed.
Sam's character, I felt, was very relatable. I absolutely loved the aspect of a young/mid 20 year old married whose dreams didn't align with their marriage or at least the expectation of what a normal marriage should look like. I have read other reviews about Sam's drinking being over the top but to be honest, I felt like it is a genuine part of legal society.
The author did a great job constructing her story as a young, a female associate in a "man's world". Without it being the main plot, Sam's character faced realistic power dynamics while being at the bottom of the totem pole. My favorite part of the story is how she professionally overcame what happened to her while keeping her integrity.
My only critique on this book was the ending. While I understand anyone can take the ending and interpret how they want - I felt as though it was little lackluster.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes women's contemporary fiction, legal fiction, or romance in a workplace.
January 16, 2026
1.5/5
This book was a slow and painful read. Unfortunately for me, I don’t like to DNF books so I powered through. I downloaded this through Amazon’s First Reads. At first, it seemed like my type of book and was going well, but as the book progressed the more unbearable the main character got and the less inclined I was to read.
Sam is so narcissistic and hardly shows any growth throughout the book despite being called out multiple times by multiple people. The way she is written, her actions, and attitude made this book so hard to enjoy and want to read. I especially hated how she kept getting everything she wanted. It was as if her horribleness was being rewarded, and she rarely, faced consequences for her actions.
This might also be a personal preference, but I cannot stand how many times the author uses brand names, constantly mentioning her “Longchamp” bag or “Don Julio 1942” tequila.
The extra half star is because the book finally began to pick up towards the last fifty pages. We finally got to see Sam reflect on her actions, although she still very much gives “pick me” vibes.
This book was a slow and painful read. Unfortunately for me, I don’t like to DNF books so I powered through. I downloaded this through Amazon’s First Reads. At first, it seemed like my type of book and was going well, but as the book progressed the more unbearable the main character got and the less inclined I was to read.
Sam is so narcissistic and hardly shows any growth throughout the book despite being called out multiple times by multiple people. The way she is written, her actions, and attitude made this book so hard to enjoy and want to read. I especially hated how she kept getting everything she wanted. It was as if her horribleness was being rewarded, and she rarely, faced consequences for her actions.
This might also be a personal preference, but I cannot stand how many times the author uses brand names, constantly mentioning her “Longchamp” bag or “Don Julio 1942” tequila.
The extra half star is because the book finally began to pick up towards the last fifty pages. We finally got to see Sam reflect on her actions, although she still very much gives “pick me” vibes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5🌟
Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Vacchiano, Brilliance Publishing/Brilliance Audio for sending me an Alc to review. Narrated by Ellie Gossage
If The Devil Wears Prada traded a life of high fashion with life working on cases. Sam's life is nothing short of chaotic as she breaks into her career as a lawyer. At the same time she is trying to balance rather messy relationships. She takes us on her journey of failures and successes through a time of her life. However I feel like some side characters had more character development than she did. Real life is like that though, everyone grows as their own pace, and Sam is taking her time to do so.
Thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Vacchiano, Brilliance Publishing/Brilliance Audio for sending me an Alc to review. Narrated by Ellie Gossage
If The Devil Wears Prada traded a life of high fashion with life working on cases. Sam's life is nothing short of chaotic as she breaks into her career as a lawyer. At the same time she is trying to balance rather messy relationships. She takes us on her journey of failures and successes through a time of her life. However I feel like some side characters had more character development than she did. Real life is like that though, everyone grows as their own pace, and Sam is taking her time to do so.
November 13, 2025
Brilliantly written and such an aspiring story!!!
January 5, 2026
A super fun read I couldn’t put down! I loved the mix of highs and lows, romance, and emotional angst that so perfectly captures life in your 20s. The big-law details were an added bonus. Highly recommend!
January 7, 2026
I got this a free kindle read for January and it was more fun than I anticipated. The New York details were a blast from the past and the chemistry between the two leads was solid.
January 23, 2026
3.75⭐️
Enjoyed this book and the characters. A cute coming of age story for your late 20s. The plot was good overall but it lacked some of the drama/conflict I was looking for near the end. But maybe that was the authors point — to be a snapshot of a pivotal year in the main characters life.
Enjoyed this book and the characters. A cute coming of age story for your late 20s. The plot was good overall but it lacked some of the drama/conflict I was looking for near the end. But maybe that was the authors point — to be a snapshot of a pivotal year in the main characters life.
February 11, 2026
it was fine not bad not great. all the names was a tad confusing and trying to remember who everyone was.
February 18, 2026
Wasn’t ready for it to be done!! I wish there was more to keep reading
January 25, 2026
3.75 stars. This is a quick engaging read. The ending had me shouting out loud, “what the heck!“ Which startled my dog. Certainly enjoyed this, but at times was annoyed by the main character’s selfishness and stupidity. Enjoyed reading about a fellow divorced woman in her 30s trying to build a life from scratch and discover who she is.
February 13, 2026
two things are true about this book. The main character made me crazy, but also this reminded me of reading old 00s chick lit with product and brand name drops all over and frankly that delighted me. my issues with Sam aside, this certainly kept me turning the pages till late at night.
January 27, 2026
Boring ending. Main character is insufferable. Justice for Charlie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2026
This is an advanced copy from Amazon first reads
The writing was good. I wanted to keep Sam from a few of her less well considered choices.
The main character was unreasonable and suffered from extremely narcissistic and selfish ways. Her friends even called her out on it, and yet that part was never developed, nor was it redeemed.
The writing was good. I wanted to keep Sam from a few of her less well considered choices.
The main character was unreasonable and suffered from extremely narcissistic and selfish ways. Her friends even called her out on it, and yet that part was never developed, nor was it redeemed.
February 16, 2026
launched
Sam is complicated, layered, self-centered and oblivious. She is working so hard to be who she hopes to be that she often misses the important clues around her and the needs of others in her life. It’s so much that she thinks she’s more important —-it’s more her fear of not going where she wants to be.
Vacchiano’s novel isn’t necessarily deep or extraordinarily written but it is a good story of one woman’s ups and downs on the way to who she might be.
Sam is complicated, layered, self-centered and oblivious. She is working so hard to be who she hopes to be that she often misses the important clues around her and the needs of others in her life. It’s so much that she thinks she’s more important —-it’s more her fear of not going where she wants to be.
Vacchiano’s novel isn’t necessarily deep or extraordinarily written but it is a good story of one woman’s ups and downs on the way to who she might be.
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