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Vera Stein Is Fine
From #1 New York Times bestseller Julie Murphy comes a heartfelt and hilarious tale of a woman who thinks life and love have passed her by until she’s thrown into her grandmother’s quirky world of octogenarian free love and gets a second chance with the one man she never expected to see again. Perhaps it’s never too late to play the opening credits…
Welcome to Starlight Palms, a favorite retirement facility among Hollywood actors and industry professionals tucked away just outside of sunny Palm Springs. Filled with forgotten scream queens, eccentric screenwriters, and heartthrobs of the past, it has a brand-new resident: Vera Stein, age forty.
Vera knows she’s missed her chance at a life worthy of the silver screen, just like she missed her chance at ever finding true love. But Vera isn’t one to take chances. She’s spent most of her adult years caretaking for her dying mother and her movie star boss’s ego. Now abruptly houseless and jobless, Vera has nowhere to land, so to grandmother’s house we go!
The Starlight Palms Senior Living Center is midcentury Hollywood down to its pastel-painted bones. This desert gem isn’t lacking in saucy plot twists (swinging seniors, anyone?) or a leading man: Elias Buckley, the on-site doctor and Vera’s former ill-fated college fling and—for reasons that will stay in Vegas—legally her ex-husband according to the state of Nevada.
It’s not long before Vera falls into a job as the activities coordinator and under the spell of a certain smart-mouthed doctor… Suddenly all those empty years in LA look less like mistakes and a lot more like backstory. With a fresh start at her fingertips, Vera begins to see that even with all the detours she’s taken, there’s still a Hollywood ending (and maybe even a happily ever after) in sight…
TROPES
• Second Chance Romance
• Workplace Romance
• Multigenerational Family Drama
• Forced Proximity
• New Lease on Life and Spice
Welcome to Starlight Palms, a favorite retirement facility among Hollywood actors and industry professionals tucked away just outside of sunny Palm Springs. Filled with forgotten scream queens, eccentric screenwriters, and heartthrobs of the past, it has a brand-new resident: Vera Stein, age forty.
Vera knows she’s missed her chance at a life worthy of the silver screen, just like she missed her chance at ever finding true love. But Vera isn’t one to take chances. She’s spent most of her adult years caretaking for her dying mother and her movie star boss’s ego. Now abruptly houseless and jobless, Vera has nowhere to land, so to grandmother’s house we go!
The Starlight Palms Senior Living Center is midcentury Hollywood down to its pastel-painted bones. This desert gem isn’t lacking in saucy plot twists (swinging seniors, anyone?) or a leading man: Elias Buckley, the on-site doctor and Vera’s former ill-fated college fling and—for reasons that will stay in Vegas—legally her ex-husband according to the state of Nevada.
It’s not long before Vera falls into a job as the activities coordinator and under the spell of a certain smart-mouthed doctor… Suddenly all those empty years in LA look less like mistakes and a lot more like backstory. With a fresh start at her fingertips, Vera begins to see that even with all the detours she’s taken, there’s still a Hollywood ending (and maybe even a happily ever after) in sight…
TROPES
• Second Chance Romance
• Workplace Romance
• Multigenerational Family Drama
• Forced Proximity
• New Lease on Life and Spice
608 pages, Paperback
First published July 21, 2026
About the author
Julie Murphy
43 books7,189 followersJulie Murphy lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her and her cats who tolerate her. After several wonderful years in the library world, Julie now writes full-time.
When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.
She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.
When she’s not writing or reliving her reference desk glory days, she can be found watching made-for-TV movies, hunting for the perfect slice of cheese pizza, and planning her next great travel adventure.
She is also the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the young adult novels Dumplin’ (now a film on Netflix), Puddin’, Pumpkin, Ramona Blue, and Side Effects May Vary. Her middle grade novels include Dear Sweat Pea and a forthcoming 2023 title. She is also Disney's If The Shoe Fits, a modern day romcom retelling of Cinderella. Her writing partner is Sierra Simone and their romance debut is A Merry Little Meet Cute.
Julie has been featured in places liek Good Morning America, The New York Times, and Teen Vogue. Dumplin' was also named one of the best young adult books of all time by Time Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 928 reviews
August 11, 2026
A charming tale of how Vera got her groove back.
When it feels like your entire life is falling apart, but it's actually falling together for the first time in a very long time....
Meet Vera Stein, whose life has *not* been aging like fine wine for the last 18 years.
Her writing career, social life, and love life have all been indefinitely on hold while she devoted herself to caring for her ailing mother.
But just like that, Vera’s duty dissipates in the blink of an eye when her mother passes, and an unexpected betrayal leaves her without a job.
She’s thrust back into the driver’s seat of her life for the first time in decades.
And because she's put herself on the back burner for so long, she's all but forgotten how to steer.
Grief-stricken and adrift, Vera jets off to the most unlikely of places for a 40-year-old woman: a swanky retirement community in Palm Springs, where she's crashing with her free-spirited grandma, Ruby, while she figures things out.
And so the rebirth begins.
This book should’ve been titled Vera Stein is Your New Best Friend.
Because I’m over-the-moon in love with her.
Vera has the biggest heart and the best sense of humor. She’s impossible not to have fun around, and you can always count on her to land the perfect pop culture reference for every moment as a superlative cinephile and media buff.
She’s caring and compassionate, though she’s been a bit too generous with the people in her life. Between devoting herself entirely to her mother’s care and working as the assistant to her Hollywood heartthrob boss, Brody—who strings her along and takes full advantage of both her kindness and attraction to him—we meet Vera as she’s finally reaching her limit, with little left to give even herself.
She’s also incredibly relatable.
Vera has become too comfortable with being comfortable, even as a growing part of her knows she’s not reaching her full potential or really *living* her life.
“I’d kept my head down and never even bothered to become the type of person who would demand a raise or send a script off to an agent or put herself out there enough to meet someone who wanted a bona fide relationship…I’d let myself become the person who took care of everyone else, and that was it. That was Vera. She was a good girl.”
So she’s not just grieving the loss of her mother at this crossroads, but also the last 18 years that slipped through her fingers and the life she’d hoped would take shape during them.
And what I loved most is that she doesn’t respond to this daunting realization by becoming fearless and hyper-confident over night. She does things afraid, hesitant, insecure. She stumbles, makes mistakes, second guesses herself. But she keeps going anyway.
Vera felt like a real woman figuring herself out in real time.
Her growth feels gradual and earned, and the insecurities she grapples with (lacking direction and ambition, feeling behind in life, her weight, and her self-worth) are all handled with the utmost care and intentionality.
I loved the entire supporting cast, too.
Most of the story takes place in Starlight Palms, the lush Palm Springs resort-turned retirement community where Vera’s grandma Ruby lives among an absolutely ADORABLE crew of octogenarians, each a diva in their own right.
They’ve all lived a million lives as Hollywood actors and industry alumni, and they’re just as endearing and wise as they are eccentric and ruthless.
In case you’re underestimating them, I’ll leave you with two examples of their community activities: a high tea featuring infused drinks and confections from a local dispensary, and a sex toy safety seminar complete with a pop-up shop 🙂↕️
And I really appreciated how Julie Murphy never painted them in a cartoonish light, which I’ve found some authors prone to do when writing comical characters of a more mature age. They had just as much heart as they had humor.
We often ask our elders what they wish they’d known when they were our age.
Finding a few of those answers within the pages of this story was an unexpected treat.
The pearls of wisdom Ruby and the other residents share about their regrets, the lessons they’ve learned the hard way, and what they’ve ultimately come to value were perhaps the most poignant and contemplative parts of the book for me.
And because we’re experiencing all of this through Vera’s eyes—someone already drowning in regret and shame about where she is and what she feels she’s missed—their words hit even harder.
She’s holding their wisdom up against her own life in a way that invites you to hold it up to your own.
I would move into Starlight Springs in a heartbeat. It was love at first sight.
But our MMC Eli took me a bit of time to warm up to.
Don’t let that discourage you though, because this man is a Jolly Green Giant of a green flag.
And I believe this warm-up period is intentional as their history is complicated and we’re seeing him through Vera’s jaded perspective.
Also, nearly 20 years later, Eli isn’t the same man Vera knew in college. So it takes her time to trust the man he’s evolved into.
But babyyyyyy, let me tell you.
Once you get to see the real Eli, it’s impossible not to love him.
He’s a geriatric doctor (aka caring, compassionate, and coined up) who could easily lead a masterclass on acts of service done right.
He’s steady, supportive, calm, patient, emotionally mature, open-minded, generous, attentive, funny, understanding, gentle yet firm, protective, a phenomenal communicator…
The whole package.
He’s the type of man who’s recognized Vera’s value all along, even when she couldn’t see it herself, and would do anything to help Vera understand just how extraordinary and worthy she is.
Interspersed throughout the story are flashbacks to their time together in college.
Which are told from Eli’s point of view, and executed to perfection in my opinion.
It added a nuanced dimension to their history, and gave the relationship a depth that made it feel delightfully human.
Speaking of the writing: not a single dull sentence was detected in this story.
The prose was witty and playful, yet still eloquent, and I had the time of my life living inside Vera’s mind.
Her sharp, spirited, irreverent humor is right up my street—
“She whisked into the kitchen and turned on her antique espresso machine that sounded like a Model T shitting its pants.”
But the messages this story imparts are just as compelling as the humor.
Vera’s story is effectively one massive call to action to seize control of your life and stop waiting for life to happen to you.
"Why be a dreamer when you can be a doer?”
This quote will haunt me (in the best, most inspirational way) for the rest of my days. And I’m glad for it. Here’s to hoping I actually have the discipline to embody it.
There’s a lot of tough love delivered gently in this story.
It’s wise and raw, and doesn’t shy away from shining a light on things that are far easier to ignore:
🍹The promise of death;
🍹The inevitability of loss and rejection;
🍹 The price we pay for shying away from things to avoid that loss and rejection;
🍹 And the uncomfortable reality that none of us are promised unlimited time to the become the person we want to be.
Vera's story is an ode to the ‘late bloomer’ that lives in all of us.
It restores your faith in second chances and reminds you there’s no better time to go after your dreams than the present.
I’m giving this 4.5 ⭐’s due to two criticisms:
1. Julie, stop playing and send me the rest of the story 👀
I’ll have my people contact your people to retrieve the final chapter (or epilogue) that must have been mistakenly deleted from my copy...
In all seriousness, I’m not a fan of books that end abruptly right after the two main characters finally express their true feelings or fully claim one another. I need more.
I wanted to see more of where Vera’s writing career ultimately went, more on Vera and Eli’s relationship after they come together in earnest, more on Ruby’s romance, just overall MORE.
Don’t get me wrong, the final pages were still sweet. But I was definitely left feeling a bit unsated.
2. The screenplay excerpts didn’t quite land for me.
These short snippets from a script Vera wrote in college were brilliant in theory, meant to mirror her own missteps in love and show her gradual growth. But in practice, they didn’t add much substance because they never developed into a clear enough through-line to connect meaningfully back to the story.
Luckily, these were very short, so they weren’t much of a detraction from the main plot.
Otherwise, this story was perfection.
It was very close to being a 5-star read for me, and it’s one I’ll absolutely be revisiting whenever I could use a good laugh, or a loving kick in the pants to help me get my groove back.
When it feels like your entire life is falling apart, but it's actually falling together for the first time in a very long time....
Meet Vera Stein, whose life has *not* been aging like fine wine for the last 18 years.
Her writing career, social life, and love life have all been indefinitely on hold while she devoted herself to caring for her ailing mother.
But just like that, Vera’s duty dissipates in the blink of an eye when her mother passes, and an unexpected betrayal leaves her without a job.
She’s thrust back into the driver’s seat of her life for the first time in decades.
And because she's put herself on the back burner for so long, she's all but forgotten how to steer.
Grief-stricken and adrift, Vera jets off to the most unlikely of places for a 40-year-old woman: a swanky retirement community in Palm Springs, where she's crashing with her free-spirited grandma, Ruby, while she figures things out.
And so the rebirth begins.
This book should’ve been titled Vera Stein is Your New Best Friend.
Because I’m over-the-moon in love with her.
Vera has the biggest heart and the best sense of humor. She’s impossible not to have fun around, and you can always count on her to land the perfect pop culture reference for every moment as a superlative cinephile and media buff.
She’s caring and compassionate, though she’s been a bit too generous with the people in her life. Between devoting herself entirely to her mother’s care and working as the assistant to her Hollywood heartthrob boss, Brody—who strings her along and takes full advantage of both her kindness and attraction to him—we meet Vera as she’s finally reaching her limit, with little left to give even herself.
She’s also incredibly relatable.
Vera has become too comfortable with being comfortable, even as a growing part of her knows she’s not reaching her full potential or really *living* her life.
“I’d kept my head down and never even bothered to become the type of person who would demand a raise or send a script off to an agent or put herself out there enough to meet someone who wanted a bona fide relationship…I’d let myself become the person who took care of everyone else, and that was it. That was Vera. She was a good girl.”
So she’s not just grieving the loss of her mother at this crossroads, but also the last 18 years that slipped through her fingers and the life she’d hoped would take shape during them.
And what I loved most is that she doesn’t respond to this daunting realization by becoming fearless and hyper-confident over night. She does things afraid, hesitant, insecure. She stumbles, makes mistakes, second guesses herself. But she keeps going anyway.
Vera felt like a real woman figuring herself out in real time.
Her growth feels gradual and earned, and the insecurities she grapples with (lacking direction and ambition, feeling behind in life, her weight, and her self-worth) are all handled with the utmost care and intentionality.
I loved the entire supporting cast, too.
Most of the story takes place in Starlight Palms, the lush Palm Springs resort-turned retirement community where Vera’s grandma Ruby lives among an absolutely ADORABLE crew of octogenarians, each a diva in their own right.
They’ve all lived a million lives as Hollywood actors and industry alumni, and they’re just as endearing and wise as they are eccentric and ruthless.
In case you’re underestimating them, I’ll leave you with two examples of their community activities: a high tea featuring infused drinks and confections from a local dispensary, and a sex toy safety seminar complete with a pop-up shop 🙂↕️
And I really appreciated how Julie Murphy never painted them in a cartoonish light, which I’ve found some authors prone to do when writing comical characters of a more mature age. They had just as much heart as they had humor.
We often ask our elders what they wish they’d known when they were our age.
Finding a few of those answers within the pages of this story was an unexpected treat.
The pearls of wisdom Ruby and the other residents share about their regrets, the lessons they’ve learned the hard way, and what they’ve ultimately come to value were perhaps the most poignant and contemplative parts of the book for me.
And because we’re experiencing all of this through Vera’s eyes—someone already drowning in regret and shame about where she is and what she feels she’s missed—their words hit even harder.
She’s holding their wisdom up against her own life in a way that invites you to hold it up to your own.
I would move into Starlight Springs in a heartbeat. It was love at first sight.
But our MMC Eli took me a bit of time to warm up to.
Don’t let that discourage you though, because this man is a Jolly Green Giant of a green flag.
And I believe this warm-up period is intentional as their history is complicated and we’re seeing him through Vera’s jaded perspective.
Also, nearly 20 years later, Eli isn’t the same man Vera knew in college. So it takes her time to trust the man he’s evolved into.
But babyyyyyy, let me tell you.
Once you get to see the real Eli, it’s impossible not to love him.
He’s a geriatric doctor (aka caring, compassionate, and coined up) who could easily lead a masterclass on acts of service done right.
He’s steady, supportive, calm, patient, emotionally mature, open-minded, generous, attentive, funny, understanding, gentle yet firm, protective, a phenomenal communicator…
The whole package.
He’s the type of man who’s recognized Vera’s value all along, even when she couldn’t see it herself, and would do anything to help Vera understand just how extraordinary and worthy she is.
Interspersed throughout the story are flashbacks to their time together in college.
Which are told from Eli’s point of view, and executed to perfection in my opinion.
It added a nuanced dimension to their history, and gave the relationship a depth that made it feel delightfully human.
Speaking of the writing: not a single dull sentence was detected in this story.
The prose was witty and playful, yet still eloquent, and I had the time of my life living inside Vera’s mind.
Her sharp, spirited, irreverent humor is right up my street—
“She whisked into the kitchen and turned on her antique espresso machine that sounded like a Model T shitting its pants.”
But the messages this story imparts are just as compelling as the humor.
Vera’s story is effectively one massive call to action to seize control of your life and stop waiting for life to happen to you.
"Why be a dreamer when you can be a doer?”
This quote will haunt me (in the best, most inspirational way) for the rest of my days. And I’m glad for it. Here’s to hoping I actually have the discipline to embody it.
There’s a lot of tough love delivered gently in this story.
It’s wise and raw, and doesn’t shy away from shining a light on things that are far easier to ignore:
🍹The promise of death;
🍹The inevitability of loss and rejection;
🍹 The price we pay for shying away from things to avoid that loss and rejection;
🍹 And the uncomfortable reality that none of us are promised unlimited time to the become the person we want to be.
Vera's story is an ode to the ‘late bloomer’ that lives in all of us.
It restores your faith in second chances and reminds you there’s no better time to go after your dreams than the present.
I’m giving this 4.5 ⭐’s due to two criticisms:
1. Julie, stop playing and send me the rest of the story 👀
I’ll have my people contact your people to retrieve the final chapter (or epilogue) that must have been mistakenly deleted from my copy...
In all seriousness, I’m not a fan of books that end abruptly right after the two main characters finally express their true feelings or fully claim one another. I need more.
I wanted to see more of where Vera’s writing career ultimately went, more on Vera and Eli’s relationship after they come together in earnest, more on Ruby’s romance, just overall MORE.
Don’t get me wrong, the final pages were still sweet. But I was definitely left feeling a bit unsated.
2. The screenplay excerpts didn’t quite land for me.
These short snippets from a script Vera wrote in college were brilliant in theory, meant to mirror her own missteps in love and show her gradual growth. But in practice, they didn’t add much substance because they never developed into a clear enough through-line to connect meaningfully back to the story.
Luckily, these were very short, so they weren’t much of a detraction from the main plot.
Otherwise, this story was perfection.
It was very close to being a 5-star read for me, and it’s one I’ll absolutely be revisiting whenever I could use a good laugh, or a loving kick in the pants to help me get my groove back.
August 1, 2026
Vera Stein is DIVINE!
After seeing a few early reviews singing the praises of this novel, I decided to request an ALC. It sounded like a story I could appreciate with humor and heart. And it is. What surprised me most though is how much I wanted better for Vera as a character. She begins in a place where she's chronically taken for granted and unappreciated on every level. I leaned into the story hoping for her to want more to realize her own worth. The character arc is one worth checking out. I especially enjoyed that the author kept things moving with growing pains and plenty of humor. Characters in their forties looking to make life changes or wearing many hats make for interesting leads. Side characters at Starlight Palms retirement facility in their seventies and eighties still determined to live out loud were an absolute joy to get to know, I can't remember when I've laughed so much. I adore books that remind us all that no matter someone's age it is never too late to make a change or want something more. It is so important to keep that knowledge tucked away just in case.
Vera is forty and a celebrity personal assistant to her celebrity buddy from college. After a rude awakening she quits. Leaving herself jobless and homeless all in one night. So, after caring for his every whim for years along with her dying mother Vera lands at her grandmother's retirement community and what a catalyst Starlight Palms is. Flamboyant residents, free love, and drama for days these seniors have plenty to teach Vera! Nothing can prepare her for waking up to see Elias Buckley the on-sight doctor and Vera's ex-husband. Their 24-hour marriage hasn't managed to stay in Vegas as it's clear the attraction is alive and well. There is a lot to unpack between the pair but with her new job as an events coordinator for the residents and her dream of screenwriting still percolating in the back of her mind it gets overwhelming. Plus, Elias is nursing his own wounds from the past.
The narration and production are fantastic. I didn't enjoy the small excerpts from the screenplay she wrote in college, but I understood why it was included. Thankfully, the excerpts were short, so it wasn't a big deal. Vera having a senior dog was a huge plus, I adore animals at every age and stage but there is something about a dog that's older that gets me every time. Vera's love for him came through loud and clear making me smile. 🐾 🥹 🐾
It was easy to get wrapped up in this world of retired film industry insiders with all their gossip, fun shenanigans. and memories. I liked Vera and Elias which is rare for me in a romance I usually like one character way more than the other. Vera is a natural caretaker which becomes hard over time because it's easy to find oneself living with the default setting of never being a priority. Seeing her make such a huge pivot knowing she wanted something else even if she wasn't sure what that looked like was inspiring.
Starting over is difficult, but sometimes it becomes necessary and Vera's story has plenty to offer.
*Now Available*
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult for providing an ALC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
After seeing a few early reviews singing the praises of this novel, I decided to request an ALC. It sounded like a story I could appreciate with humor and heart. And it is. What surprised me most though is how much I wanted better for Vera as a character. She begins in a place where she's chronically taken for granted and unappreciated on every level. I leaned into the story hoping for her to want more to realize her own worth. The character arc is one worth checking out. I especially enjoyed that the author kept things moving with growing pains and plenty of humor. Characters in their forties looking to make life changes or wearing many hats make for interesting leads. Side characters at Starlight Palms retirement facility in their seventies and eighties still determined to live out loud were an absolute joy to get to know, I can't remember when I've laughed so much. I adore books that remind us all that no matter someone's age it is never too late to make a change or want something more. It is so important to keep that knowledge tucked away just in case.
Vera is forty and a celebrity personal assistant to her celebrity buddy from college. After a rude awakening she quits. Leaving herself jobless and homeless all in one night. So, after caring for his every whim for years along with her dying mother Vera lands at her grandmother's retirement community and what a catalyst Starlight Palms is. Flamboyant residents, free love, and drama for days these seniors have plenty to teach Vera! Nothing can prepare her for waking up to see Elias Buckley the on-sight doctor and Vera's ex-husband. Their 24-hour marriage hasn't managed to stay in Vegas as it's clear the attraction is alive and well. There is a lot to unpack between the pair but with her new job as an events coordinator for the residents and her dream of screenwriting still percolating in the back of her mind it gets overwhelming. Plus, Elias is nursing his own wounds from the past.
The narration and production are fantastic. I didn't enjoy the small excerpts from the screenplay she wrote in college, but I understood why it was included. Thankfully, the excerpts were short, so it wasn't a big deal. Vera having a senior dog was a huge plus, I adore animals at every age and stage but there is something about a dog that's older that gets me every time. Vera's love for him came through loud and clear making me smile. 🐾 🥹 🐾
It was easy to get wrapped up in this world of retired film industry insiders with all their gossip, fun shenanigans. and memories. I liked Vera and Elias which is rare for me in a romance I usually like one character way more than the other. Vera is a natural caretaker which becomes hard over time because it's easy to find oneself living with the default setting of never being a priority. Seeing her make such a huge pivot knowing she wanted something else even if she wasn't sure what that looked like was inspiring.
Starting over is difficult, but sometimes it becomes necessary and Vera's story has plenty to offer.
*Now Available*
Thank you to HarperAudio Adult for providing an ALC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 22, 2026
I was drawn in by the cover (isn’t it gorgeous?!) but bought this whilst in LA; I felt it was fitting, as it’s a retirement village for Hollywood stars in Palm Springs. I was HOOKED from the get-go, and fell in love with all the characters.
I have never read any of Julie Murphy's books, but clearly I’ve been missing out! This was such a treat, the type of book where you feel so deeply connected to the characters that you could honestly keep reading their stories forever.
This second chance romance follows 40-year-old Vera and her college friends Brody and Eli. The secondary characters (such as grandma Ruby) are such a hoot. It was honestly so funny! The different generations living and working in this retirement village was so fun. The story ticked so many boxes for me, including a brilliantly done dual POV with Eli sharing glimpses of the past, which was such a nice touch.
The characters felt mature but flawed, in ways that made you root for them to make mistakes and learn from them. This book truly has so much heart; it’ll stay with me for ages. Loved it.
I have never read any of Julie Murphy's books, but clearly I’ve been missing out! This was such a treat, the type of book where you feel so deeply connected to the characters that you could honestly keep reading their stories forever.
This second chance romance follows 40-year-old Vera and her college friends Brody and Eli. The secondary characters (such as grandma Ruby) are such a hoot. It was honestly so funny! The different generations living and working in this retirement village was so fun. The story ticked so many boxes for me, including a brilliantly done dual POV with Eli sharing glimpses of the past, which was such a nice touch.
The characters felt mature but flawed, in ways that made you root for them to make mistakes and learn from them. This book truly has so much heart; it’ll stay with me for ages. Loved it.
August 31, 2026
3.5 stars
After many years working for her Hollywood famous friend Brody, Vera finds out some shocking news leading her to quit her job and re-evaluate her life. Now in her 40s, she needs to start over, but first she needs a place to live. While crashing on her grandmothers couch (which also happens to be in a retirement community), Vera accepts a new job and finds a new roommate with the most unlikely of companions.
Some things I really liked about this book was having older characters than we normally see, such as a heroine and hero in their 40s, as well as backdrop of side characters all in their golden years. The romance in the book was also a fun second change romance, and I really liked the hero. Where it fell flat for me was the pacing and the plot: it was all over the place. Things emphasized at the beginning of the book (like Vera's writing) I felt was really pushed out of the way for less necessary plotlines and kind of rushed to clean up by the end of the book. I also wish we had more about Vera's mom and better dive into that dynamic with the grandmother, more so than Eli's flashbacks to the past. Overall a fun time, but nothing that really resonated with me.
After many years working for her Hollywood famous friend Brody, Vera finds out some shocking news leading her to quit her job and re-evaluate her life. Now in her 40s, she needs to start over, but first she needs a place to live. While crashing on her grandmothers couch (which also happens to be in a retirement community), Vera accepts a new job and finds a new roommate with the most unlikely of companions.
Some things I really liked about this book was having older characters than we normally see, such as a heroine and hero in their 40s, as well as backdrop of side characters all in their golden years. The romance in the book was also a fun second change romance, and I really liked the hero. Where it fell flat for me was the pacing and the plot: it was all over the place. Things emphasized at the beginning of the book (like Vera's writing) I felt was really pushed out of the way for less necessary plotlines and kind of rushed to clean up by the end of the book. I also wish we had more about Vera's mom and better dive into that dynamic with the grandmother, more so than Eli's flashbacks to the past. Overall a fun time, but nothing that really resonated with me.
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January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
Julie Murphy is an auto-buy author for me, simple as that. In this adult romance, the titular Vera winds up at her grandmother's Palm Springs retirement village full of aging Hollywood eccentrics. There, she reunites with Elias: her college fling, the facility's on-site doctor, and technically her ex-husband! I love second-chance romances, romances between fortysomethings, and stories peopled with quirky retirees, so this promises to be an unabashed delight. —Isabelle Popp
Julie Murphy is an auto-buy author for me, simple as that. In this adult romance, the titular Vera winds up at her grandmother's Palm Springs retirement village full of aging Hollywood eccentrics. There, she reunites with Elias: her college fling, the facility's on-site doctor, and technically her ex-husband! I love second-chance romances, romances between fortysomethings, and stories peopled with quirky retirees, so this promises to be an unabashed delight. —Isabelle Popp
July 15, 2026
What you can expect to find in Vera Stein is Fine:
-second chance romance
-angst
-lively cast of secondary characters (octogenarians in a retirement community)
-forced proximity
Vera Stein a 40 year old woman is currently residing in the guest house of her situationship, on-again off-again movie star boss Brody who she's known since college. At one time Vera had plans to be a screenwriter, but life had other plans for her. After taking care of her dying mother, Vera's not sure what direction her life is taking. When circumstances have Vera without a job or a house she decides to visit her grandmother who resides at The Starlight Palms Senior Living Center. Maybe she can crash on her couch for a few days while she gets her footing underneath her. What she doesn't plan on is coming face to face with is her ex-husband Elias Buckley.
Once I started reading Vera Stein is Fine I couldn't put it down. I am a sucker for second chance romance and I loved the way this story centered on the present (Vera's POV) and flashbacks in the past (Eli's POV). And all of the secondary characters in Vera Stein is Fine were such a hoot! The way Julie Murphy weaves grief throughout this story was so lovely. I wasn't expecting that and honestly made me love this story that much more for it.
I also had a chance to listen to the audiobook for Vera Stein is Fine and loved the narration by Teddy Hamilton and Joy Nash. They did a great job narrating the voices for Vera and Eli. I especially loved the flashback episodes that Teddy Hamilton narrated from Eli's POV.
Overall a great summer romance - 4.5 stars!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and audiobook from LibroFM.
-second chance romance
-angst
-lively cast of secondary characters (octogenarians in a retirement community)
-forced proximity
Vera Stein a 40 year old woman is currently residing in the guest house of her situationship, on-again off-again movie star boss Brody who she's known since college. At one time Vera had plans to be a screenwriter, but life had other plans for her. After taking care of her dying mother, Vera's not sure what direction her life is taking. When circumstances have Vera without a job or a house she decides to visit her grandmother who resides at The Starlight Palms Senior Living Center. Maybe she can crash on her couch for a few days while she gets her footing underneath her. What she doesn't plan on is coming face to face with is her ex-husband Elias Buckley.
Once I started reading Vera Stein is Fine I couldn't put it down. I am a sucker for second chance romance and I loved the way this story centered on the present (Vera's POV) and flashbacks in the past (Eli's POV). And all of the secondary characters in Vera Stein is Fine were such a hoot! The way Julie Murphy weaves grief throughout this story was so lovely. I wasn't expecting that and honestly made me love this story that much more for it.
I also had a chance to listen to the audiobook for Vera Stein is Fine and loved the narration by Teddy Hamilton and Joy Nash. They did a great job narrating the voices for Vera and Eli. I especially loved the flashback episodes that Teddy Hamilton narrated from Eli's POV.
Overall a great summer romance - 4.5 stars!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and audiobook from LibroFM.
July 26, 2026
🏝️BOOK REVIEW 🏝️
This book didn't just steal my heart... it tucked me into bed, kissed my forehead, told me everything was going to be okay, and then made me SOB.
Vera Stein Is (So) Fine is so much more than a romance. Yes, the banter is top-tier. Yes, the chemistry is INSANE. Yes, I was giggling, kicking my feet, and highlighting every other page because HOW ARE THEY THIS HOT 🥵
But what completely wrecked me was the community.
The people. The friendships. The found family. The way everyone shows up for one another with kindness, patience, and so much love. Reading this felt like being wrapped in the warmest hug from people who choose you, every single day.
And Vera... oh, Vera. Watching her slowly believe that she deserved to take up space, to be loved, to be seen... I don't even have words. I just have tears ❤️🩹
This is one of those books that reminds you romance isn't only about falling in love with another person—it's also about finding a place where you finally feel like you belong (imma go sob)
I laughed. I cried. I wanted to move into this place and never leave 😭😭😭😭
Julie Murphy, you have some explaining to do because my heart will never recover.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
————————————————————————————
Este libro no solo me robó el corazón… me arropó en la cama, me dio un beso en la frente, me dijo que todo iba a salir bien… y acto seguido me hizo LLORAR A MARES.
Vera Stein Is (So) Fine es muchísimo más que un romance. Sí, el banter es de otro nivel. Sí, la química entre ellos es ABSURDA. Sí, estuve riéndome como una tonta, pataleando en la cama y subrayando una página sí y otra también porque ¿CÓMO PUEDEN TENER TANTA QUÍMICA? 🥵
Pero lo que de verdad terminó de destrozarme fue la comunidad.
La gente. Las amistades. La familia encontrada. La forma en la que todos están ahí los unos para los otros con tanta paciencia, tanta bondad y tantísimo amor. Leer este libro fue como recibir el abrazo más cálido del mundo, de esos que te hacen sentir que perteneces y que alguien te elige, una y otra vez.
Y Vera… ay, Vera. Ver cómo poco a poco empieza a creer que merece ocupar espacio, ser querida y ser vista… no tengo palabras. Solo lágrimas. ❤️🩹
Este es de esos libros que te recuerdan que el romance no consiste solo en enamorarte de otra persona, sino también en encontrar un lugar donde, por fin, sientes que perteneces (procedo a seguir llorando)
Me reí. Lloré. Quise mudarme a ese lugar y no irme jamás 😭😭😭😭
Julie Murphy, tenemos que hablar, porque mi corazón no se va a recuperar de esto nunca.
This book didn't just steal my heart... it tucked me into bed, kissed my forehead, told me everything was going to be okay, and then made me SOB.
Vera Stein Is (So) Fine is so much more than a romance. Yes, the banter is top-tier. Yes, the chemistry is INSANE. Yes, I was giggling, kicking my feet, and highlighting every other page because HOW ARE THEY THIS HOT 🥵
But what completely wrecked me was the community.
The people. The friendships. The found family. The way everyone shows up for one another with kindness, patience, and so much love. Reading this felt like being wrapped in the warmest hug from people who choose you, every single day.
And Vera... oh, Vera. Watching her slowly believe that she deserved to take up space, to be loved, to be seen... I don't even have words. I just have tears ❤️🩹
This is one of those books that reminds you romance isn't only about falling in love with another person—it's also about finding a place where you finally feel like you belong (imma go sob)
I laughed. I cried. I wanted to move into this place and never leave 😭😭😭😭
Julie Murphy, you have some explaining to do because my heart will never recover.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
————————————————————————————
Este libro no solo me robó el corazón… me arropó en la cama, me dio un beso en la frente, me dijo que todo iba a salir bien… y acto seguido me hizo LLORAR A MARES.
Vera Stein Is (So) Fine es muchísimo más que un romance. Sí, el banter es de otro nivel. Sí, la química entre ellos es ABSURDA. Sí, estuve riéndome como una tonta, pataleando en la cama y subrayando una página sí y otra también porque ¿CÓMO PUEDEN TENER TANTA QUÍMICA? 🥵
Pero lo que de verdad terminó de destrozarme fue la comunidad.
La gente. Las amistades. La familia encontrada. La forma en la que todos están ahí los unos para los otros con tanta paciencia, tanta bondad y tantísimo amor. Leer este libro fue como recibir el abrazo más cálido del mundo, de esos que te hacen sentir que perteneces y que alguien te elige, una y otra vez.
Y Vera… ay, Vera. Ver cómo poco a poco empieza a creer que merece ocupar espacio, ser querida y ser vista… no tengo palabras. Solo lágrimas. ❤️🩹
Este es de esos libros que te recuerdan que el romance no consiste solo en enamorarte de otra persona, sino también en encontrar un lugar donde, por fin, sientes que perteneces (procedo a seguir llorando)
Me reí. Lloré. Quise mudarme a ese lugar y no irme jamás 😭😭😭😭
Julie Murphy, tenemos que hablar, porque mi corazón no se va a recuperar de esto nunca.
July 6, 2026
A fun, quirky, flirty read that's full of self-discovery, healing, and plenty of heart. Sweet, uplifting, and the perfect pick when you're in the mood for a feel-good romance.
July 2, 2026
I didn’t feel as if I were the right generation for this book. The whole time I was reading it I kept thinking how more exploration of the lives of the Starlight Palms residents would have been more interesting.
Ditto for a more in-depth story about the Ruby-Annie-Vera relationship as they deal with Annie’s dying. For a book this long it seems there could have been room for it. But what I got was nearly 400 pages of Vera’s relationship angst regarding two male characters, one who seemed really vaguely drawn and another who seemed rather two-dimensional. So I plowed on hoping to start feeling a little more invested in the outcome for the main character. And of course she ended up getting the trope-driven happy ending with the guy who’s not a jerk, and I suspect I will completely forget about this book very shortly because I felt removed from the main characters of the story.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. My thanks to Goodreads and the publishers.
Ditto for a more in-depth story about the Ruby-Annie-Vera relationship as they deal with Annie’s dying. For a book this long it seems there could have been room for it. But what I got was nearly 400 pages of Vera’s relationship angst regarding two male characters, one who seemed really vaguely drawn and another who seemed rather two-dimensional. So I plowed on hoping to start feeling a little more invested in the outcome for the main character. And of course she ended up getting the trope-driven happy ending with the guy who’s not a jerk, and I suspect I will completely forget about this book very shortly because I felt removed from the main characters of the story.
I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway. My thanks to Goodreads and the publishers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think this was specifically written to check all the boxes of things I enjoy. Main characters older than 25 - check! Takes place in my hometown that I love and miss - check! Delightful found family of retirees - check! For a romance to really win me over I do expect to see the characters grow instead of just diving into bed with each other and it was nice to see Vera stand up for herself.
Thank you Netgalley, Avon, and Julie Murphy for the chance to read Vera's story a little early!
Thank you Netgalley, Avon, and Julie Murphy for the chance to read Vera's story a little early!
July 1, 2026
Vera Stein Is, in fact, Excellent.
I really loved this book.
I also really, really need people to stop sleeping on Julie Murphy. She writes some of the most beautiful, witty, hilarious, spicy, heartfelt romances out there.
Vera had me snort laughing one moment and blushing and kicking my feet the next. The harder moments and discussions of loss were achy in the best, most beautiful way. Her references are also insanely, perfectly millennial coded (a DEGRASSI TNG CENSORSHIP DISCUSSION my goodness was I thriving).
I don’t even normally like second chance. It’s hard for me, to get why people fall apart and root for them to come back together. But per usual, Julie has a way of making you like every single trope you may think you don’t. It made perfect sense, how Vera and Elias never really got off the ground, and how they find each other at the perfect time, now.
Also:
🏝️ Hide out in Palm Springs vibes (perfect summer read)
☀️ Hilarious senior residents that positively shine, even in limited screen time
🫦 Spice that hitssss
🩺 TFW he listens to you, and hears you, and values what you say
🎥 An older, 40 yo FMC who is still figuring things out
🩵 Loss that is felt and handled with care
🎧 Joy Nash is INSANE here. The way she nails everyyyy single voice was exceptional. Teddy Hamilton, of course, is great in the dual POV, but tbh, even if it’d just been Joy, I would have feasted here.
Yes, Julie’s leads are plus size, and find love with people who love and cherish them. But fat love is also just love. Even if you aren’t here for the rep, be here for literally everything else about it instead.
Thank you Avon for the ARC & ALC!
I really loved this book.
I also really, really need people to stop sleeping on Julie Murphy. She writes some of the most beautiful, witty, hilarious, spicy, heartfelt romances out there.
Vera had me snort laughing one moment and blushing and kicking my feet the next. The harder moments and discussions of loss were achy in the best, most beautiful way. Her references are also insanely, perfectly millennial coded (a DEGRASSI TNG CENSORSHIP DISCUSSION my goodness was I thriving).
I don’t even normally like second chance. It’s hard for me, to get why people fall apart and root for them to come back together. But per usual, Julie has a way of making you like every single trope you may think you don’t. It made perfect sense, how Vera and Elias never really got off the ground, and how they find each other at the perfect time, now.
Also:
🏝️ Hide out in Palm Springs vibes (perfect summer read)
☀️ Hilarious senior residents that positively shine, even in limited screen time
🫦 Spice that hitssss
🩺 TFW he listens to you, and hears you, and values what you say
🎥 An older, 40 yo FMC who is still figuring things out
🩵 Loss that is felt and handled with care
🎧 Joy Nash is INSANE here. The way she nails everyyyy single voice was exceptional. Teddy Hamilton, of course, is great in the dual POV, but tbh, even if it’d just been Joy, I would have feasted here.
Yes, Julie’s leads are plus size, and find love with people who love and cherish them. But fat love is also just love. Even if you aren’t here for the rep, be here for literally everything else about it instead.
Thank you Avon for the ARC & ALC!
July 19, 2026
I absolutely adored this book.
Vera Stein might be my soul sister. She’s in her forties, her life has completely fallen apart, and she ends up living with her grandmother in a retirement community full of the most chaotic, hilarious group of elderly residents. I was hooked from the very first chapter.
This is such a refreshing second chance romance because the characters actually feel like adults with real history, real regrets, and real baggage. Watching Vera figure out what she wanted from life while reconnecting with someone from her past made the romance feel genuine.
The cast of characters completely stole my heart. The residents of Starlight Palms are funny, outrageous, lovable, and constantly had me laughing. They brought so much warmth to the story, and honestly I’d read an entire series about them hint hint to the author!
This book managed to be funny, sweet, emotional, and surprisingly sexy all at once. It made me laugh, made me smile, and left me with that cozy, happy feeling when I finished.
If you love second chance romance with older characters, found family vibes, unforgettable side characters, and a story that reminds you it’s never too late to start over, I can’t recommend this one enough. It was everything I wanted in a romance and an easy five-star read!!!
Audiobook update: I’ve already done a reread with the audiobook and if you are an audiobook listener it’s fantastic. The narrators are some of my favorites!!
Vera Stein might be my soul sister. She’s in her forties, her life has completely fallen apart, and she ends up living with her grandmother in a retirement community full of the most chaotic, hilarious group of elderly residents. I was hooked from the very first chapter.
This is such a refreshing second chance romance because the characters actually feel like adults with real history, real regrets, and real baggage. Watching Vera figure out what she wanted from life while reconnecting with someone from her past made the romance feel genuine.
The cast of characters completely stole my heart. The residents of Starlight Palms are funny, outrageous, lovable, and constantly had me laughing. They brought so much warmth to the story, and honestly I’d read an entire series about them hint hint to the author!
This book managed to be funny, sweet, emotional, and surprisingly sexy all at once. It made me laugh, made me smile, and left me with that cozy, happy feeling when I finished.
If you love second chance romance with older characters, found family vibes, unforgettable side characters, and a story that reminds you it’s never too late to start over, I can’t recommend this one enough. It was everything I wanted in a romance and an easy five-star read!!!
Audiobook update: I’ve already done a reread with the audiobook and if you are an audiobook listener it’s fantastic. The narrators are some of my favorites!!
March 31, 2026
⭐⭐⭐ 3 Stars (ARC via NetGalley)
I really wanted to enjoy Vera Stein Is Fine more than I did, but unfortunately, it didn’t fully resonate with me.
At the center of the story is Vera, a 40-year-old woman who feels stuck, professionally, emotionally, and personally. However, I struggled to connect with her character. Much of her behavior came across as immature and frustrating. She spends decades pining after a college crush who is clearly not worth her time, shaping her life around him in ways that felt more self-sabotaging than compelling. Watching her continuously people-please, second-guess herself, and avoid growth made it difficult for me to stay emotionally invested.
The turning point of the story, discovering she’s about to be replaced and abruptly running off to her grandmother’s retirement community, had potential, but the execution felt rushed and somewhat forced. From there, the narrative leans into familiar territory, including reconnecting with a former acquaintance whose role in her life becomes increasingly predictable.
The pacing was another challenge for me. The story felt overly long, and I found myself skimming through large portions, especially where certain relationships and plotlines felt underdeveloped or unconvincing. The emotional payoff didn’t quite land, and the ending felt expected rather than earned.
That said, there were elements I did appreciate. Vera’s grandmother, Ruby, and her decades-long romance with Hollis were far more compelling to me. Their story carried a depth, history, and emotional richness that I found myself wanting more of, it added a layer to the book that felt genuine and lived-in.
Overall, this was a mixed read for me. The themes of self-worth, reinvention, and breaking out of long-standing patterns are there, but the execution didn’t fully connect.
Tropes & Themes:
• Midlife reinvention
• Unrequited / unhealthy love
• People-pleasing protagonist
• Self-discovery journey
• Starting over
• Second chance at life
• Found purpose later in life
• Past vs present relationships
I really wanted to enjoy Vera Stein Is Fine more than I did, but unfortunately, it didn’t fully resonate with me.
At the center of the story is Vera, a 40-year-old woman who feels stuck, professionally, emotionally, and personally. However, I struggled to connect with her character. Much of her behavior came across as immature and frustrating. She spends decades pining after a college crush who is clearly not worth her time, shaping her life around him in ways that felt more self-sabotaging than compelling. Watching her continuously people-please, second-guess herself, and avoid growth made it difficult for me to stay emotionally invested.
The turning point of the story, discovering she’s about to be replaced and abruptly running off to her grandmother’s retirement community, had potential, but the execution felt rushed and somewhat forced. From there, the narrative leans into familiar territory, including reconnecting with a former acquaintance whose role in her life becomes increasingly predictable.
The pacing was another challenge for me. The story felt overly long, and I found myself skimming through large portions, especially where certain relationships and plotlines felt underdeveloped or unconvincing. The emotional payoff didn’t quite land, and the ending felt expected rather than earned.
That said, there were elements I did appreciate. Vera’s grandmother, Ruby, and her decades-long romance with Hollis were far more compelling to me. Their story carried a depth, history, and emotional richness that I found myself wanting more of, it added a layer to the book that felt genuine and lived-in.
Overall, this was a mixed read for me. The themes of self-worth, reinvention, and breaking out of long-standing patterns are there, but the execution didn’t fully connect.
Tropes & Themes:
• Midlife reinvention
• Unrequited / unhealthy love
• People-pleasing protagonist
• Self-discovery journey
• Starting over
• Second chance at life
• Found purpose later in life
• Past vs present relationships
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2026
I was excited to learn Julie Murpy was writing an adult romance featuring a 40-year-old main character who spends time at her grandmother's retirement community.
Unfortunately this one wasn't really for me. Vera acted more like a 25-year-old, which I could only sort of excuse given her life experiences. Overall I'd say the book itself was more focused on her journey than the romance, which made for a less-than-ideal balance. If this is more Vera's story than anything else, I want to see more of her on the job - it felt like she struggled/had a program no one attended then immediately had a ton of popular programs planned, we didn't really get to see her figuring things out.
A lot of fun pieces here but sadly they just didn't come together for me.
Thank you to the publisher and Goodreads for the giveaway win. Thanks also to libro.fm and Avon for a free ALC.
Unfortunately this one wasn't really for me. Vera acted more like a 25-year-old, which I could only sort of excuse given her life experiences. Overall I'd say the book itself was more focused on her journey than the romance, which made for a less-than-ideal balance. If this is more Vera's story than anything else, I want to see more of her on the job - it felt like she struggled/had a program no one attended then immediately had a ton of popular programs planned, we didn't really get to see her figuring things out.
A lot of fun pieces here but sadly they just didn't come together for me.
Thank you to the publisher and Goodreads for the giveaway win. Thanks also to libro.fm and Avon for a free ALC.
July 12, 2026
I read this book in one day. It is absolutely perfect. Ten million stars. I am feral for a second chance later in life romance and this book quenched my thirst for something I didn’t even knew I needed, a book that would make me laugh, cry and reach for my vibrator all in one sitting. Julie Murphy delivers laughs, gasps and moans in buckets in what is sure to be my favorite summer re-read for years to come.
July 23, 2026
4/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️
Tropes:
* Second Chance Romance
* Workplace Romance
* Multigenerational Family Drama
* Forced Proximity
* New Lease on Life
I’ve really enjoyed Julie Murphy’s collaborations with Sierra Simone, so I was excited to finally read one of Julie’s solo novels. After finishing Vera Stein Is Fine, it’s easy to see what Julie brought to those collaborations. She has such a distinct, heartfelt voice that makes her characters feel incredibly real.
Vera’s journey resonated with me in a way I wasn’t expecting. As someone who’s knocking on 40’s door myself, this story hit differently. Vera has spent so much of her life taking care of everyone else that she wakes up one day realizing she’s not quite sure who she is anymore. Watching her grieve the loss of her mother, process the end of her twenty-year job (and friendship) with Brody, and slowly discover what she wants the next chapter of her life to look like was both emotional and deeply satisfying.
The setting at Starlight Palms was an absolute delight. The quirky cast of retired Hollywood residents stole so many scenes, adding humor, warmth, and a reminder that life doesn’t stop just because you’ve reached a certain age.
And then there’s Eli. I loved watching Vera and Eli find their way back to each other. Their history gave their romance so much depth, and seeing them get a genuine second chance felt earned every step of the way.
This is a story about grief, reinvention, family, love, and realizing it’s never too late to become the main character in your own life. It made me laugh, tugged at my heart, and left me feeling hopeful. Needless to say, I’ll definitely be picking up more of Julie Murphy’s books.
I listened to the audiobook, which features Joy Nash and Teddy Hamilton. The narration was a little unusual. Teddy narrates Eli’s POV chapters, but he also pops in for a few random sections within Vera’s chapters, while Joy narrates the vast majority of the book—including many of Eli’s lines in Vera’s POV. It made for a slightly odd listening experience at first.
That said, Joy Nash absolutely shines. Her range of voices brought every character to life with so much personality. Teddy Hamilton is great as always, and the inconsistency isn’t on him—it feels more like an editing or production choice than a performance issue. Honestly, Joy carries the story so well that I’m not even sure full duet narration would have added much here.
Thanks to Julie and Harper Audio for the ALC of this novel.
1.5/5 🌶️
Tropes:
* Second Chance Romance
* Workplace Romance
* Multigenerational Family Drama
* Forced Proximity
* New Lease on Life
I’ve really enjoyed Julie Murphy’s collaborations with Sierra Simone, so I was excited to finally read one of Julie’s solo novels. After finishing Vera Stein Is Fine, it’s easy to see what Julie brought to those collaborations. She has such a distinct, heartfelt voice that makes her characters feel incredibly real.
Vera’s journey resonated with me in a way I wasn’t expecting. As someone who’s knocking on 40’s door myself, this story hit differently. Vera has spent so much of her life taking care of everyone else that she wakes up one day realizing she’s not quite sure who she is anymore. Watching her grieve the loss of her mother, process the end of her twenty-year job (and friendship) with Brody, and slowly discover what she wants the next chapter of her life to look like was both emotional and deeply satisfying.
The setting at Starlight Palms was an absolute delight. The quirky cast of retired Hollywood residents stole so many scenes, adding humor, warmth, and a reminder that life doesn’t stop just because you’ve reached a certain age.
And then there’s Eli. I loved watching Vera and Eli find their way back to each other. Their history gave their romance so much depth, and seeing them get a genuine second chance felt earned every step of the way.
This is a story about grief, reinvention, family, love, and realizing it’s never too late to become the main character in your own life. It made me laugh, tugged at my heart, and left me feeling hopeful. Needless to say, I’ll definitely be picking up more of Julie Murphy’s books.
I listened to the audiobook, which features Joy Nash and Teddy Hamilton. The narration was a little unusual. Teddy narrates Eli’s POV chapters, but he also pops in for a few random sections within Vera’s chapters, while Joy narrates the vast majority of the book—including many of Eli’s lines in Vera’s POV. It made for a slightly odd listening experience at first.
That said, Joy Nash absolutely shines. Her range of voices brought every character to life with so much personality. Teddy Hamilton is great as always, and the inconsistency isn’t on him—it feels more like an editing or production choice than a performance issue. Honestly, Joy carries the story so well that I’m not even sure full duet narration would have added much here.
Thanks to Julie and Harper Audio for the ALC of this novel.
August 13, 2026
I really enjoyed reading this book. Julie Murphy and her curvy heroines always get me. I especially loved that she was older in her 40’s because I could relate to her even more. Vera is in love with her best friend who has strung her along since college. It is convenient for Brody to have her there, until she learns he is planning on replacing her. Her whole life is upended and it’s her opportunity to finally put herself first professionally and personally.
The ending left me a little confused just because I didn’t see her choose her career path clearly. Would she stay writing or working at Starlight? And also the bits of script throughout the book were about some characters but the ending was about her and Eli. So was their story made into a script?!
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
The ending left me a little confused just because I didn’t see her choose her career path clearly. Would she stay writing or working at Starlight? And also the bits of script throughout the book were about some characters but the ending was about her and Eli. So was their story made into a script?!
Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
July 13, 2026
what a beautiful story to follow grief and adulting and relationships and new chapters.
julie’s books always hit home with lots of feelings and the banter and spice always tickle something in my brain.
joy nash and teddy hamilton did a phenomenal job bringing these characters to life.
an immersive read arc/alc thanks to avon and libro.fm.
julie’s books always hit home with lots of feelings and the banter and spice always tickle something in my brain.
joy nash and teddy hamilton did a phenomenal job bringing these characters to life.
an immersive read arc/alc thanks to avon and libro.fm.
August 5, 2026
Adorable. Funny. Moving.
I loved it!
I loved it!
August 18, 2026
vera stein is a legend! und auch alle anderen bewohner von starlight palms 🤩 das war so cute und was soll ich sagen THE YEARNING war genau nach meinem geschmack 👏🏻🤩
March 27, 2026
Vera Stein is Fine is Julie Murphy's best book, or rather, it's my new favorite of hers. From the moment I read the first half of the dedication, “To everyone who ever woke up to a birthday, looked back on their life, and thought, who the hell am I and how did I get here?” I felt like the book was written for me. Vera will do for 40-something women what Dumplin’ did for plus-size girls who didn’t believe that they would ever be the main character or that they deserved a happily ever after. I actually thought a lot about Dumplin’ while I was reading Vera’s story. Although I read Dumplin' as an adult, I felt like Dumplin’ had been written for my long-ago teenage self. Willowdean and her group of misfit friends healed something in the leftover parts of my teenage heart, and I'm convinced that Vera Stein is Fine is for all the grown-up Dumplin’s out there that need to know it's okay if you don't have it all figured out, and that the journey is what makes life so exciting. Really, Vera’s story is for all women at any age who feel like life has passed them by, have regrets about missed opportunities, or aren’t really sure what to do with their lives.
We meet Vera right after her mother has passed away from a long illness, and her former scream queen grandmother, Ruby, has sold the only home she's known. On top of this huge loss, she's stuck in a dead-end job as an assistant for her sometimes-best friend from college, sometimes friends-with-benefits-turned movie star, Brody. When Vera realizes that Brody is never going to appreciate her the way he should or make their relationship anything resembling official, she packs up and follows her grandmother to the retirement haven of old school Hollywooders, the Starlight Palms in Palm Springs.
Vera’s arrival in Palm Springs is not exactly how she imagined her fresh start beginning. Ruby’s reaction to Vera’s appearance is less than receptive. A typical grandmother, Ruby, is not (also, I would love a novella or even a whole novel with her in Hollis' story). Vera is also unpleasantly surprised to find her college nemesis,/one night stand, Elias, is now the head physician at Starlight Palms. Can you say unfinished business?
Elias or Eli comes off as a grump, but really, he's a total softy, especially when it comes to Vera. My heart palpitated the first time he called her “love,” and my jaw dropped when he said, “The categorical truth? Ruby invited me. I have an ungodly amount of vacation time stored up and I like this city. The actual truth? I want to be everywhere you are, and I'm not apologizing for that.”
Eli has been pining for Vera since they met in college, but Vera isn't sure about the timing of everything. Who wants to fall in love when their life is a complete mess? But maybe just maybe it's actually perfect timing.
While trying not to fall too hard for Eli, Vera kinda falls into a job at Starlight Palms as the new activities director and befriends a resident named Leonard, who helps her to start writing again for herself, and she discovers that she has a whole new story to tell and life isn't mapped out like a well-written screenplay, but it happens at its own perfectly imperfect rhythm.
I deeply identified with Vera in many ways, and because of that, this book felt like meeting a new friend at exactly the right moment. Of course, the priceless banter and humor that Julie brings to all her books made this book a joy to read. I was sad to say goodbye to the wild and wacky characters of aStarlight Palms, and I hope there might be some more stories from this fantastical community in the future.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure.
We meet Vera right after her mother has passed away from a long illness, and her former scream queen grandmother, Ruby, has sold the only home she's known. On top of this huge loss, she's stuck in a dead-end job as an assistant for her sometimes-best friend from college, sometimes friends-with-benefits-turned movie star, Brody. When Vera realizes that Brody is never going to appreciate her the way he should or make their relationship anything resembling official, she packs up and follows her grandmother to the retirement haven of old school Hollywooders, the Starlight Palms in Palm Springs.
Vera’s arrival in Palm Springs is not exactly how she imagined her fresh start beginning. Ruby’s reaction to Vera’s appearance is less than receptive. A typical grandmother, Ruby, is not (also, I would love a novella or even a whole novel with her in Hollis' story). Vera is also unpleasantly surprised to find her college nemesis,/one night stand, Elias, is now the head physician at Starlight Palms. Can you say unfinished business?
Elias or Eli comes off as a grump, but really, he's a total softy, especially when it comes to Vera. My heart palpitated the first time he called her “love,” and my jaw dropped when he said, “The categorical truth? Ruby invited me. I have an ungodly amount of vacation time stored up and I like this city. The actual truth? I want to be everywhere you are, and I'm not apologizing for that.”
Eli has been pining for Vera since they met in college, but Vera isn't sure about the timing of everything. Who wants to fall in love when their life is a complete mess? But maybe just maybe it's actually perfect timing.
While trying not to fall too hard for Eli, Vera kinda falls into a job at Starlight Palms as the new activities director and befriends a resident named Leonard, who helps her to start writing again for herself, and she discovers that she has a whole new story to tell and life isn't mapped out like a well-written screenplay, but it happens at its own perfectly imperfect rhythm.
I deeply identified with Vera in many ways, and because of that, this book felt like meeting a new friend at exactly the right moment. Of course, the priceless banter and humor that Julie brings to all her books made this book a joy to read. I was sad to say goodbye to the wild and wacky characters of aStarlight Palms, and I hope there might be some more stories from this fantastical community in the future.
Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. It was an absolute pleasure.
August 14, 2026
Thank you to Libro.fm influencer program for the gifted audiobook. All thoughts are my own.
I gravitate toward Julie Murphy because I know she's going to write about plus-size female characters, their struggles, and their worries. And I got that! I enjoyed some aspects of this book when they related to Vera, the main character...but I found the rest of the story fairly boring. While I did think there was chemistry between Vera and Elias, their romance took so long to get going...and even then, it didn't feel like romance was the main focus of this book. I think the book felt more like women's fiction and almost like "coming of age," although the main female character is in her 40s. It was a lot more about self-discovery than a major focus on romance.
I gravitate toward Julie Murphy because I know she's going to write about plus-size female characters, their struggles, and their worries. And I got that! I enjoyed some aspects of this book when they related to Vera, the main character...but I found the rest of the story fairly boring. While I did think there was chemistry between Vera and Elias, their romance took so long to get going...and even then, it didn't feel like romance was the main focus of this book. I think the book felt more like women's fiction and almost like "coming of age," although the main female character is in her 40s. It was a lot more about self-discovery than a major focus on romance.
September 6, 2026
Oh my word. I loved this story soo much 🥹. This book is so so much more than just a romance. We are all flawed, and sometimes we get stuck in situations we hate. But it’s never too late to start over, to start living 🥹
July 17, 2026
I have very mixed feelings about this one. I loved the setting and the side characters were so fun and lovable, but I can’t say the same about our main characters Vera and Eli. They both seem like they stopped developing new personality traits or emotional capacity or ambition 20 years ago. Vera never really seems like she is romantically interested in Eli until she just…is. And don’t get me started on the period where she continually thinks “Eli couldn’t be flirting with me! That would be crazy.” After he calls her hot and basically says “I am flirting with you.”
Also the fact that Eli has not moved on from Vera in 19 (yeah, NINETEEN) years and is burning a candle that smells like her from college?!! RED FLAG.
Also the fact that Eli has not moved on from Vera in 19 (yeah, NINETEEN) years and is burning a candle that smells like her from college?!! RED FLAG.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2026
⭐️ 4.25 Stars ⭐️
Vera Stein Is Fine packed so much into its pages, and I had such a fun time with it. There were so many genuinely funny moments that had me laughing out loud.
The second chance romance was absolute perfection. The fact that he had always carried a torch for her had me completely swooning. Their chemistry felt so natural, and I couldn’t help but root for them.
I also loved watching Vera figure out what she wanted next in life. Seeing her step into herself and finally shed the people who had been taking advantage of her was incredibly satisfying and made her journey feel so rewarding.
And the plus-size representation? Everything. The way the MMC adored Vera, appreciated her exactly as she was, and made her feel seen and wanted had me kicking my feet. Seriously… where can I find that in real life?
Vera Stein Is Fine packed so much into its pages, and I had such a fun time with it. There were so many genuinely funny moments that had me laughing out loud.
The second chance romance was absolute perfection. The fact that he had always carried a torch for her had me completely swooning. Their chemistry felt so natural, and I couldn’t help but root for them.
I also loved watching Vera figure out what she wanted next in life. Seeing her step into herself and finally shed the people who had been taking advantage of her was incredibly satisfying and made her journey feel so rewarding.
And the plus-size representation? Everything. The way the MMC adored Vera, appreciated her exactly as she was, and made her feel seen and wanted had me kicking my feet. Seriously… where can I find that in real life?
July 17, 2026
Vera Stein is forty years old. She has been employed and with her friend/sometimes lover since they were in college and she is also his PA. But when she sees a email between him and basically his friend/frat bro she quits and ends up going to her grandmothers assistant living facility and crashing there only to get caught by their resident doctor, and her ex-husband. You could call this a second chance romance...it is but in my mind it also isn't. Yes they were married but you really find out it was only for basically just a day or so. I do like how Elias and her relationship grows and you find out more about their past by the occasional flashback and also scenes where more comes to light. Julia Murphy is great at blending comedy and romance and I love how stubborn we find Vera to be especially when offered help to carry certain boxes from a store and she refuses before her car breaks down...that scene had me laughing so hard. I also really like the shenanigans both Elias and Vera get into when they are invited to a wedding. I do think that while these characters are more middle aged I think there is still good character growth that happens for both, but especially Vera as she ends up finding a new path and realizing that her passion for screen writing is something she finally needs to not be afraid to pursue.
The audio also was fantastic It was Teddy Hamilton and Joy Nash. At times especially when we are in script excerpt scenes we get sound effects! Which was totally fun. It is mainly dual narration but I found sometimes when we are closer to the end of a chapter and closer to a script excerpt sometimes we would get a Teddy duet type narration. At those times I wasn't really paying attention to my ecopy So It came as a surprise hearing his voice because I heard her and there was no chapter change so I did like that. We do get more Vera chapters in this than we do Elias chapters but they equally do a fantastic job and it is wroth picking up!
Thank you to Avon and Libro.fm for the complimentary copies. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The audio also was fantastic It was Teddy Hamilton and Joy Nash. At times especially when we are in script excerpt scenes we get sound effects! Which was totally fun. It is mainly dual narration but I found sometimes when we are closer to the end of a chapter and closer to a script excerpt sometimes we would get a Teddy duet type narration. At those times I wasn't really paying attention to my ecopy So It came as a surprise hearing his voice because I heard her and there was no chapter change so I did like that. We do get more Vera chapters in this than we do Elias chapters but they equally do a fantastic job and it is wroth picking up!
Thank you to Avon and Libro.fm for the complimentary copies. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2026
When a wealthy, elderly philanthropist is found dead at his party, CJ, his assistant is the prime suspect. Coming to her aid are Mrs. B and the rest of the residents at Charity Lane. There’s a large cast of characters from all walks of life who form this Marigold Cottages Murder Collective, and they’ll investigate this mystery themselves.
This was a whole lot of fun! Mrs. B behaves like she’s a batty old woman but she’s cheeky with some of the best one-liners, landing herself in trouble and also escaping it unscathed. All the characters are likeable and some quite amusing, each bringing their unique skill and persona. I had a great time with this fast-paced, plot-driven mystery.
The dual narration was excellent though sometimes I’d lose track of which characters’ POV (specifically the women) I was on if my mind wandered for a second.
A slight drawback for me is that since I didn’t read the first book, I didn’t have enough context for what happened before. It didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the book, and I did glean that this group of amateur sleuths ventures into murky waters occasionally. I think that’s a unique detail for this series, and I’ll certainly listen to the first book because this might be my new favorite cozy mystery series!
My thanks @macmillan.audio for my ALC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a whole lot of fun! Mrs. B behaves like she’s a batty old woman but she’s cheeky with some of the best one-liners, landing herself in trouble and also escaping it unscathed. All the characters are likeable and some quite amusing, each bringing their unique skill and persona. I had a great time with this fast-paced, plot-driven mystery.
The dual narration was excellent though sometimes I’d lose track of which characters’ POV (specifically the women) I was on if my mind wandered for a second.
A slight drawback for me is that since I didn’t read the first book, I didn’t have enough context for what happened before. It didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the book, and I did glean that this group of amateur sleuths ventures into murky waters occasionally. I think that’s a unique detail for this series, and I’ll certainly listen to the first book because this might be my new favorite cozy mystery series!
My thanks @macmillan.audio for my ALC in exchange for an honest review.
August 5, 2026
Julie Murphy is a new author for me, I have seen her books around and have wanted to read one but you know the dreaded TBR pile, we all have one, well mine kept me from reading one of her books until now.
I have to say for my first time it wasn’t too bad. I knocked a star off for the graphic sex scenes. I don’t want up read that, I’m too old for it and in my opinion, I find those dumb the book down and make it trashy.
I did enjoy the book and would love to read more by this author. The writing was beautiful and the banter was cute. Besides who doesn’t like a happy ending? No pun intended. 😝
I have to say for my first time it wasn’t too bad. I knocked a star off for the graphic sex scenes. I don’t want up read that, I’m too old for it and in my opinion, I find those dumb the book down and make it trashy.
I did enjoy the book and would love to read more by this author. The writing was beautiful and the banter was cute. Besides who doesn’t like a happy ending? No pun intended. 😝
August 4, 2026
Isn't it the best when you finish a book and just loved it? I've read a lot of books this summer, but this one has stood out as the best of the year for me.
Vera Stein is 40, she's not a twig, she's not a virgin 18-year-old in love with a multi-hundred-year-old fae/vampire/insert monster here with a long braid and excellent archery skills, and she doesn't really have her life together. Basically, she's a breath of fresh air for readers over 30 who realize that adult life isn't ever straightforward or easy.
I thought that Eli, the MMC, was likeable and I appreciated getting his point of view in the several spaced out chapters detailing their "relationship" in college. I often hate flashback books, but I really liked it with this one.
And the ending... It was so good. The supporting characters aren't perfect (in a realistic way), but the ending sort of was. I'm an epilogue-girlie so I would've loved that, but I enjoyed the book so much that I didn't need it either.
Vera Stein is 40, she's not a twig, she's not a virgin 18-year-old in love with a multi-hundred-year-old fae/vampire/insert monster here with a long braid and excellent archery skills, and she doesn't really have her life together. Basically, she's a breath of fresh air for readers over 30 who realize that adult life isn't ever straightforward or easy.
I thought that Eli, the MMC, was likeable and I appreciated getting his point of view in the several spaced out chapters detailing their "relationship" in college. I often hate flashback books, but I really liked it with this one.
And the ending... It was so good. The supporting characters aren't perfect (in a realistic way), but the ending sort of was. I'm an epilogue-girlie so I would've loved that, but I enjoyed the book so much that I didn't need it either.
August 2, 2026
Vera Stein is Fine by Julie Murphy
Pub Date: 7/21/26
Format: audio
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
“In the end, we’re all sluts and then we die.”
Ohhhhh Julie Murphy how I adore you. This book is gold. It is all the things I love, done perfectly. Humor, heat, depth, and softness in all the right places!
Plus a gazillion bonus points for a Sparkle Motion reference, obviously.
This novel is a romance, yes. But it’s also a book about never being too old to chase your dreams or find out who you want to be. Vera Stein doesn’t feel fine, but we get the honor of watching her figure it out along the way.
I adored these characters and loved hearing Julie’s humor shine through their voices. Cannot recommend the audio enough (thank you for the gifted copy Libro.fm!) because Teddy Hamilton and Joy Nash did such a phenomenal job!
Big thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the gifted ebook in exchange for my honest opinion as well! This one was fantastic.
Pub Date: 7/21/26
Format: audio
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
“In the end, we’re all sluts and then we die.”
Ohhhhh Julie Murphy how I adore you. This book is gold. It is all the things I love, done perfectly. Humor, heat, depth, and softness in all the right places!
Plus a gazillion bonus points for a Sparkle Motion reference, obviously.
This novel is a romance, yes. But it’s also a book about never being too old to chase your dreams or find out who you want to be. Vera Stein doesn’t feel fine, but we get the honor of watching her figure it out along the way.
I adored these characters and loved hearing Julie’s humor shine through their voices. Cannot recommend the audio enough (thank you for the gifted copy Libro.fm!) because Teddy Hamilton and Joy Nash did such a phenomenal job!
Big thank you to Avon and Netgalley for the gifted ebook in exchange for my honest opinion as well! This one was fantastic.
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