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A Novel Obsession
A wry and bold debut novel, which is at once an irresistible catastrophe waiting to happen and an unflinching exploration of how we narrate the stories of our lives, as an aspiring novelist finds herself stalking—and writing about—her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.
“I can’t help but compare our worth as writers, as lovers, as women. Is anything solely mine, or will I always dwell in someone else’s shadow?”
Twenty-four-year-old bookseller and New Yorker Naomi Ackerman, desperate to write a novel, struggles to find the right story to tell. When, after years of disastrous Tinder dates, she meets Caleb—a perfectly nice guy with a Welsh accent and a unique patience for all of her quirks—she feels she's finally stumbled onto a time-honored subject: love. But then Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, enters the scene.
When Naomi learns that Rosemary is not safely tucked away overseas as she'd assumed but in fact lives in New York and works in the literary world, she is fundamentally threatened and intrigued in equal measure. On paper, Rosemary sounds like a better version of Naomi—but if they both fell for the same man, they must have something more essential in common.
Determined to figure out how their stories intertwine, Naomi's casual Instagram stalking morphs into a full-blown friendship under false pretenses. She can't seem to get herself to quit Rosemary, in whom she discovers an unexpected confidant—and she can't stop writing about her either, having now found a more interesting subject for her nascent novel. As her lies and half-truths spiral out of her control, and fact and fiction become increasingly difficult to separate, Naomi manipulates the most important people in her life—her family, her friends, Caleb, Rosemary, and, perhaps most devastatingly, herself—in pursuit of her craft. Ultimately, she’s forced to decide who and what she's willing to sacrifice to write them all the perfect ending.
“I can’t help but compare our worth as writers, as lovers, as women. Is anything solely mine, or will I always dwell in someone else’s shadow?”
Twenty-four-year-old bookseller and New Yorker Naomi Ackerman, desperate to write a novel, struggles to find the right story to tell. When, after years of disastrous Tinder dates, she meets Caleb—a perfectly nice guy with a Welsh accent and a unique patience for all of her quirks—she feels she's finally stumbled onto a time-honored subject: love. But then Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, enters the scene.
When Naomi learns that Rosemary is not safely tucked away overseas as she'd assumed but in fact lives in New York and works in the literary world, she is fundamentally threatened and intrigued in equal measure. On paper, Rosemary sounds like a better version of Naomi—but if they both fell for the same man, they must have something more essential in common.
Determined to figure out how their stories intertwine, Naomi's casual Instagram stalking morphs into a full-blown friendship under false pretenses. She can't seem to get herself to quit Rosemary, in whom she discovers an unexpected confidant—and she can't stop writing about her either, having now found a more interesting subject for her nascent novel. As her lies and half-truths spiral out of her control, and fact and fiction become increasingly difficult to separate, Naomi manipulates the most important people in her life—her family, her friends, Caleb, Rosemary, and, perhaps most devastatingly, herself—in pursuit of her craft. Ultimately, she’s forced to decide who and what she's willing to sacrifice to write them all the perfect ending.
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 15, 2022
201 people are currently reading
20480 people want to read
About the author
Caitlin Barasch
2 books189 followersI primarily read literary fiction (with the occasional thriller or romance!) and short story collections.
Formerly: bookseller. Currently: creative writing instructor for adults & teens.
I enjoy traveling, bouldering, horseback riding, eating, wandering NYC, hiking, doting on my orange tabby cat... the list goes on.
As a reader and as a writer, I'm bored of the "likable" vs "unlikeable" binary re: female characters. I'm drawn to complicated, flawed, unhinged characters (aka human beings...) who make mistakes. And I'm always open to book recs along these lines!
Formerly: bookseller. Currently: creative writing instructor for adults & teens.
I enjoy traveling, bouldering, horseback riding, eating, wandering NYC, hiking, doting on my orange tabby cat... the list goes on.
As a reader and as a writer, I'm bored of the "likable" vs "unlikeable" binary re: female characters. I'm drawn to complicated, flawed, unhinged characters (aka human beings...) who make mistakes. And I'm always open to book recs along these lines!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,116 reviews
December 6, 2022
Happy belated pub day🎉🥂🥳
Obsession- unhealthy female friendship- a writer who barely differentiates thin line between delusion and reality: definitely my kind of addiction formula and great start for a debut author who can find creative ways to make us love an anti heroine !
Poor librarian Naomi who’s dreaming to become an author, can ruin her chance to have her first serious relationship with Caleb by stalking his ex Rosemary. She doesn’t only stalk her, she also becomes besties with Rosemary and lies to Caleb about her obsessive motives by justifying her wrongdoings as preparation of her new and first novel!
The first half of the book was captivating and unputdownable example of creative meta fiction but at the second half, it lost its basic essence a little bit. But I still enjoyed the execution and quirky characterization.
It was promising start and I truly keen on reading future books of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Obsession- unhealthy female friendship- a writer who barely differentiates thin line between delusion and reality: definitely my kind of addiction formula and great start for a debut author who can find creative ways to make us love an anti heroine !
Poor librarian Naomi who’s dreaming to become an author, can ruin her chance to have her first serious relationship with Caleb by stalking his ex Rosemary. She doesn’t only stalk her, she also becomes besties with Rosemary and lies to Caleb about her obsessive motives by justifying her wrongdoings as preparation of her new and first novel!
The first half of the book was captivating and unputdownable example of creative meta fiction but at the second half, it lost its basic essence a little bit. But I still enjoyed the execution and quirky characterization.
It was promising start and I truly keen on reading future books of the author.
Special thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
February 24, 2022
Twenty Four year old bookseller, Naomi Ackerman would love to be a published writer, but she cannot come up with a compelling narrative.
Until, she becomes obsessed with her boyfriend Caleb’s ex girlfriend, Rosemary.
She stalks her, befriends her under false pretenses and then begins to write about her-a woman she feels is a similar but better version of herself.
I loved the original premise of this, but unfortunately the execution fell flat.
If you are going to write about obsession, it needs to either make the reader feel uncomfortable, or in this case, the self deprecation could have been snarky humor-but the novel did neither.
Unfortunately, it only made our protagonist look bad-as jealousy and obsession are not attractive qualities in anybody.
Check out other reviews to see if this book might be for you!
Available March, 15, 2022
Thank You to Dutton and Edelweiss for the gifted ARC.it was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
Until, she becomes obsessed with her boyfriend Caleb’s ex girlfriend, Rosemary.
She stalks her, befriends her under false pretenses and then begins to write about her-a woman she feels is a similar but better version of herself.
I loved the original premise of this, but unfortunately the execution fell flat.
If you are going to write about obsession, it needs to either make the reader feel uncomfortable, or in this case, the self deprecation could have been snarky humor-but the novel did neither.
Unfortunately, it only made our protagonist look bad-as jealousy and obsession are not attractive qualities in anybody.
Check out other reviews to see if this book might be for you!
Available March, 15, 2022
Thank You to Dutton and Edelweiss for the gifted ARC.it was my pleasure to offer a candid review!
April 8, 2022
A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch is a 2022 Dutton Books publication.
Naomi wants to be a novelist, but is currently employed at a bookstore. She’s twenty-four and is just now beginning her very first relationship with a nice guy named Caleb.
Caleb, who is of Welsh descent, followed his former, American, girlfriend, Rosemary to New York, but the relationship didn’t survive.
Caleb decided to remain in New York, anyway, and eventually meets Naomi. Their romance seems to be on track to develop into something more serious, but Naomi’s curiosity about Rosemary, sends her down a path of rationalized obsession.
Naomi decides to make Rosemary, who just happens to be a book editor, the subject of her novel, as she slowly infiltrates Rosemary’s life. As she plots her novel, Naomi becomes bolder and more invasive, as her lies and manipulations begin to boil over…
This is a clever psychological novel of suspense. Not to give too much away, but it’s not a mystery or a thriller, but there’s a great deal of tension that builds and builds as the reader watches Naomi worm her way into Rosemary’s life. It’s an addictive story and I blazed through it almost in one sitting.
The dynamics between Naomi and Rosemary is quite fascinating to watch, and of course, I couldn’t help but wonder which one would end up with the happy ending- or if either one of them would.
This is an absorbing look at how an obsession can escalate and how easily and sneakily someone can creep into your life, and even develop a friendship with you, but all the while have ulterior or even sinister motives.
My only quibble was with the conclusion, which was a little rushed and not as satisfying as I’d hoped, but perhaps that was by design because ultimately, I was left with a palpable sense of unease…
Overall, this is a strong, mesmerizing debut novel!
4 stars
Naomi wants to be a novelist, but is currently employed at a bookstore. She’s twenty-four and is just now beginning her very first relationship with a nice guy named Caleb.
Caleb, who is of Welsh descent, followed his former, American, girlfriend, Rosemary to New York, but the relationship didn’t survive.
Caleb decided to remain in New York, anyway, and eventually meets Naomi. Their romance seems to be on track to develop into something more serious, but Naomi’s curiosity about Rosemary, sends her down a path of rationalized obsession.
Naomi decides to make Rosemary, who just happens to be a book editor, the subject of her novel, as she slowly infiltrates Rosemary’s life. As she plots her novel, Naomi becomes bolder and more invasive, as her lies and manipulations begin to boil over…
This is a clever psychological novel of suspense. Not to give too much away, but it’s not a mystery or a thriller, but there’s a great deal of tension that builds and builds as the reader watches Naomi worm her way into Rosemary’s life. It’s an addictive story and I blazed through it almost in one sitting.
The dynamics between Naomi and Rosemary is quite fascinating to watch, and of course, I couldn’t help but wonder which one would end up with the happy ending- or if either one of them would.
This is an absorbing look at how an obsession can escalate and how easily and sneakily someone can creep into your life, and even develop a friendship with you, but all the while have ulterior or even sinister motives.
My only quibble was with the conclusion, which was a little rushed and not as satisfying as I’d hoped, but perhaps that was by design because ultimately, I was left with a palpable sense of unease…
Overall, this is a strong, mesmerizing debut novel!
4 stars
April 21, 2022
A Novel Obsession was an intense ride! Naomi Ackerman is an aspiring novelist. She is 24, works in a bookstore, and is hoping to write her own book soon. She recently started dating Caleb, a good guy who is just as interested in Naomi as she she is in him, a rarity for her.
As their relationship progresses, Naomi wonders if she’s finally found love. Caleb moved to NYC from Wales after college to be with his girlfriend at the time, Rosemary. Things didn’t work out as planned and Naomi is surprised to not only learn that Rosemary is here in NYC, not back in Europe, but works in the publishing industry. Naomi can’t stop her curiosity about Rosemary and begins staging impromptu run-ins with her, telling herself it’s research for her book — at first.
A Novel Obsession felt like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from! I had to see what Naomi would do next — Morals, boundaries? None, she had no limits. It felt like there was no level she wouldn’t sink to, to feed her growing obsession.
I definitely wouldn’t classify this as a thriller or mystery but there is an increasing tension that continues building throughout the story. As a reader, you’re waiting for the impending doom Naomi has undoubtedly created through her choice of actions.
As their relationship progresses, Naomi wonders if she’s finally found love. Caleb moved to NYC from Wales after college to be with his girlfriend at the time, Rosemary. Things didn’t work out as planned and Naomi is surprised to not only learn that Rosemary is here in NYC, not back in Europe, but works in the publishing industry. Naomi can’t stop her curiosity about Rosemary and begins staging impromptu run-ins with her, telling herself it’s research for her book — at first.
A Novel Obsession felt like a train wreck I couldn’t look away from! I had to see what Naomi would do next — Morals, boundaries? None, she had no limits. It felt like there was no level she wouldn’t sink to, to feed her growing obsession.
I definitely wouldn’t classify this as a thriller or mystery but there is an increasing tension that continues building throughout the story. As a reader, you’re waiting for the impending doom Naomi has undoubtedly created through her choice of actions.
December 7, 2021
Woah. I can see A Novel Obsession being one of the more polarizing books coming out next year. A metafictional novel about a twentysomething writer self-sabotaging her first adult relationship by stalking her boyfriend's ex and justifying it to herself by saying it's research for her novel? That's going to turn a lot of people off. And that's totally justified. Caitlin Barasch's narrator is incredibly hard to like and even harder to empathize with. Not only does she stalk another woman, but she also befriends that woman under false pretenses and then lies to her boyfriend about it.
And yet...Caitlin Barasch writes Naomi's point of view so well, I found myself completely sucked in and completely understanding the "why" behind the behavior even when I found it horrifying. That's such a hard balance to achieve, but A Novel Obsession nails it. Brava.
And yet...Caitlin Barasch writes Naomi's point of view so well, I found myself completely sucked in and completely understanding the "why" behind the behavior even when I found it horrifying. That's such a hard balance to achieve, but A Novel Obsession nails it. Brava.
March 9, 2022
Only when I reveal my worst self, and am forgiven for it, will I be certain I am loved.
Naomi Ackerman seems to be taking the above sentiment to the bank. She is embracing that narrative. How will it work out for her in the end? If you read this book, chances are you will not find Naomi to be a likable character. She is our narrator, but can she be trusted? We see firsthand how she stalks her boyfriends ex, Rosemary, and inserts herself into that girl's story. While Naomi is writing and getting critiques from Rosemary about said writing, Rosemary is also working on getting published. Who will sell their work first? What will we as the reader learn from this publication? While I did not need as much detail about Naomi & Caleb's dates and physical relationship, I did love the cover and the last part of the book was superbly done. Well done for a debut, so rounding up from 3.5 to 4 stars.
Thank you to Dutton and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Naomi Ackerman seems to be taking the above sentiment to the bank. She is embracing that narrative. How will it work out for her in the end? If you read this book, chances are you will not find Naomi to be a likable character. She is our narrator, but can she be trusted? We see firsthand how she stalks her boyfriends ex, Rosemary, and inserts herself into that girl's story. While Naomi is writing and getting critiques from Rosemary about said writing, Rosemary is also working on getting published. Who will sell their work first? What will we as the reader learn from this publication? While I did not need as much detail about Naomi & Caleb's dates and physical relationship, I did love the cover and the last part of the book was superbly done. Well done for a debut, so rounding up from 3.5 to 4 stars.
Thank you to Dutton and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
April 30, 2022
“Loving someone, I thought, required learning all their stories—a perpetual excavation.”
I love that Caitlin Barasch, the author of this novel, aims to bypass the likeable/unlikeable character binary as she states in her biography, also while mentioning that she is “drawn to complicated, flawed, unhinged characters (aka human beings...) who make mistakes.” In a way, this book is a cathartic, riveting love letter to all of that. As well as to the writers and readers among us, our mysterious insides/inner weirdness which betrays our surface, seemingly well put together outsides, and more deeply understanding what makes obsession dangerous, but a very natural part of human existence. That may be unattractive and hard to talk about, but it contains undeniable truth. Barasch, throughout, indeed made my more out-there quirks and crazy feel validated more and more in a major way, which felt glorious and freeing all at once to suspend all the pretense.
The truth is different people can affect us in different ways, even becoming objects of our frenetic obsessions. Being obsessed feels needy, immersive, and addictive all at once as uncontrollable urges pump through us to satiate our desire to get closer, but not close enough so that we’re noticed or detected by the object of our rapt fascination. Naomi Ackerman, an aspiring writer and bookstore worker, comes to learn this all too well as she becomes involved in quite the plot of her own making when she focuses her latest obsessions on Rosemary Pierce, her current boyfriend Caleb’s ex-girlfriend.
“I had been led to believe intriguing someone was the first step to keeping them. I didn’t yet know what the second step was, or the third."
She reassures those around her, especially Danielle, her best friend, that she’s not going too far, that her interest in Rosemary is innocuous, innocent, pure, whatever harmless adjective you can think of to further delude herself, and will remain so, but little does she know how far she’ll go that it never could be considered close to so. Her clawing obsession gnaws away at her night and day, the need to continually compare her everything to Rosemary: how she looks, how she writes, what she posts, the kinds of memories and love that Caleb and her shared versus Naomi's own, you name it, and she’s already on it.
“If I continually orbit her, she’ll grow accustomed to my presence, and perhaps even unconsciously rely on it, on me. I’ll learn how to give her what she seeks.”
Naomi never feels good enough and relentlessly pins her love story with Caleb around competition to one-up Rosemary in whatever way she can. She doesn’t even care if it’s her he wants presently, the objective is winning and continuing to win. She is ruthless and insecure, always wanting what she can’t have, neglecting to think about what she does have as she’s living it. She also, in the meantime, convinces herself that all the stalkerish actions and duplicitous manipulation she’s engaging in are for the greater good of being able to craft a better story since she’s, deep down, afraid she, alone, is not interesting enough to sustain a whole narrative, but once again she’s fooling herself to avoid talking about deeper rooted issues.
“But now I can’t help but compare our worth as writers, as lovers, as women. Maybe everything about me invokes Rosemary, allowing Caleb to possess her anew. Is anything solely mine, or will I always dwell in someone else’s shadow?”
This book was darkly humorous in ways that made me shamelessly belly giggle and kept me mostly acutely invested, but towards the end I was becoming a bit fed up with Naomi and all the inner, ludicrous reasoning she concocts to comfort herself over the harm of her actions. I also thought the very end could’ve been left on a slightly different note, but overall this was an engaging read that genuinely celebrated the unglamorous, repelling sides of what can be our humanity, which therefore made it even more honest and insightful in its depictions. Filled lovingly within these pages was an escapist sense of release I didn't even know I needed.
I love that Caitlin Barasch, the author of this novel, aims to bypass the likeable/unlikeable character binary as she states in her biography, also while mentioning that she is “drawn to complicated, flawed, unhinged characters (aka human beings...) who make mistakes.” In a way, this book is a cathartic, riveting love letter to all of that. As well as to the writers and readers among us, our mysterious insides/inner weirdness which betrays our surface, seemingly well put together outsides, and more deeply understanding what makes obsession dangerous, but a very natural part of human existence. That may be unattractive and hard to talk about, but it contains undeniable truth. Barasch, throughout, indeed made my more out-there quirks and crazy feel validated more and more in a major way, which felt glorious and freeing all at once to suspend all the pretense.
The truth is different people can affect us in different ways, even becoming objects of our frenetic obsessions. Being obsessed feels needy, immersive, and addictive all at once as uncontrollable urges pump through us to satiate our desire to get closer, but not close enough so that we’re noticed or detected by the object of our rapt fascination. Naomi Ackerman, an aspiring writer and bookstore worker, comes to learn this all too well as she becomes involved in quite the plot of her own making when she focuses her latest obsessions on Rosemary Pierce, her current boyfriend Caleb’s ex-girlfriend.
“I had been led to believe intriguing someone was the first step to keeping them. I didn’t yet know what the second step was, or the third."
She reassures those around her, especially Danielle, her best friend, that she’s not going too far, that her interest in Rosemary is innocuous, innocent, pure, whatever harmless adjective you can think of to further delude herself, and will remain so, but little does she know how far she’ll go that it never could be considered close to so. Her clawing obsession gnaws away at her night and day, the need to continually compare her everything to Rosemary: how she looks, how she writes, what she posts, the kinds of memories and love that Caleb and her shared versus Naomi's own, you name it, and she’s already on it.
“If I continually orbit her, she’ll grow accustomed to my presence, and perhaps even unconsciously rely on it, on me. I’ll learn how to give her what she seeks.”
Naomi never feels good enough and relentlessly pins her love story with Caleb around competition to one-up Rosemary in whatever way she can. She doesn’t even care if it’s her he wants presently, the objective is winning and continuing to win. She is ruthless and insecure, always wanting what she can’t have, neglecting to think about what she does have as she’s living it. She also, in the meantime, convinces herself that all the stalkerish actions and duplicitous manipulation she’s engaging in are for the greater good of being able to craft a better story since she’s, deep down, afraid she, alone, is not interesting enough to sustain a whole narrative, but once again she’s fooling herself to avoid talking about deeper rooted issues.
“But now I can’t help but compare our worth as writers, as lovers, as women. Maybe everything about me invokes Rosemary, allowing Caleb to possess her anew. Is anything solely mine, or will I always dwell in someone else’s shadow?”
This book was darkly humorous in ways that made me shamelessly belly giggle and kept me mostly acutely invested, but towards the end I was becoming a bit fed up with Naomi and all the inner, ludicrous reasoning she concocts to comfort herself over the harm of her actions. I also thought the very end could’ve been left on a slightly different note, but overall this was an engaging read that genuinely celebrated the unglamorous, repelling sides of what can be our humanity, which therefore made it even more honest and insightful in its depictions. Filled lovingly within these pages was an escapist sense of release I didn't even know I needed.
May 17, 2022
I had high hopes for this one, but was ultimately let down. This had such potential to get dark and creepy. But it just kind of went along and I felt like nothing was really happening. Naomi was selfish and so unlikeable. Even so, I still felt like nothing was intriguing and it ended so abruptly, almost like it was in the middle of a thought. I just didn’t get it. Super let down by this one unfortunately.
March 17, 2022
My book, I realize, is the ultimate defense mechanism; I model catastrophes, too. Writing down every worst-case scenario allows me to forgo their effects, to skip right over the pain. I will already be prepared, armored against hurt-told you so, from my future self.
The plot will move forward as planned. I text Rosemary.
At first glance, this novel is a meta story of a writer who develops an unhealthy fascination with her boyfriend’s ex girlfriend (justified in its moral ambiguity as being research for her own novel about that subject).
And *yet* we get so much more with this story. Naomi is an incredibly complex, flawed but sympathetic protagonist. You can’t help but root for her, even if her need for validation and inability to feel she is “enough” aren’t relatable. It’s hard not to sympathize with a character who ultimately wants to feel she deserves love, and to know how that feels. She struggles most with loving herself, although her relationships with Caleb and Rosemary take center stage. She constantly searches for meaning while remaining somewhat detached from her own life; she regards it as a narrative, despite being told to just live her life in the moment and that viewing it as a plot is ruining it for her.
What specifically got to me though were the parts dealing with trauma Naomi experienced in the past. Despite examining the events with painstaking detail, she simultaneously minimizes them-she thinks she hasn’t truly suffered, it’s nothing in the grand scheme of things, compared to things other people gone through it doesn’t matter, she doesn’t deserve to consider the events as “true” trauma. And this makes it the most heartbreaking of all, in my opinion. Is this not a common refrain among victims? Never truly getting closure due to the inability to examine the weight and damage of things that have happened to them? Self-examination is often painful, and that’s felt often throughout this book.
So we get all of these bits of information about Naomi and her thought process, and meanwhile we have the inevitable looming overhead as we get closer to the end. And despite the increasingly ominous and nerve-wracking tone, I wanted Naomi to be granted some kind of pass. I couldn’t help but want to protect her, flaws and all.
So while this isn’t the most surprising of novels in terms of where it ends, I wouldn’t say that lessens the investment in the story or the tension. Well worth the read!
The plot will move forward as planned. I text Rosemary.
At first glance, this novel is a meta story of a writer who develops an unhealthy fascination with her boyfriend’s ex girlfriend (justified in its moral ambiguity as being research for her own novel about that subject).
And *yet* we get so much more with this story. Naomi is an incredibly complex, flawed but sympathetic protagonist. You can’t help but root for her, even if her need for validation and inability to feel she is “enough” aren’t relatable. It’s hard not to sympathize with a character who ultimately wants to feel she deserves love, and to know how that feels. She struggles most with loving herself, although her relationships with Caleb and Rosemary take center stage. She constantly searches for meaning while remaining somewhat detached from her own life; she regards it as a narrative, despite being told to just live her life in the moment and that viewing it as a plot is ruining it for her.
What specifically got to me though were the parts dealing with trauma Naomi experienced in the past. Despite examining the events with painstaking detail, she simultaneously minimizes them-she thinks she hasn’t truly suffered, it’s nothing in the grand scheme of things, compared to things other people gone through it doesn’t matter, she doesn’t deserve to consider the events as “true” trauma. And this makes it the most heartbreaking of all, in my opinion. Is this not a common refrain among victims? Never truly getting closure due to the inability to examine the weight and damage of things that have happened to them? Self-examination is often painful, and that’s felt often throughout this book.
So we get all of these bits of information about Naomi and her thought process, and meanwhile we have the inevitable looming overhead as we get closer to the end. And despite the increasingly ominous and nerve-wracking tone, I wanted Naomi to be granted some kind of pass. I couldn’t help but want to protect her, flaws and all.
So while this isn’t the most surprising of novels in terms of where it ends, I wouldn’t say that lessens the investment in the story or the tension. Well worth the read!
July 3, 2022
Novel Obsessions is a book about one woman's obesession with her boyfriends ex. Naomi our main character is a writer, borderline sociopath, and chronic over analyzer. What should have been a passing comment about her Boyfriend Calebs ex Elizabeth soon becomes the starting point for Naomis obsession. Naomi soon spirals out of control trying to find out everything she can about Elizabeth and Elizabeth's relationship with Caleb.
This book was like watching a car crash. It made me cringe and mutter to myself yet I could not put it down. Naomi's character reminded me a lot of how I felt when I read You by Caroline Kepnes. She was obsessive and crazy and yet I was totally intrigued and invested in her.
I wouldn't classify this as a thriller but it was intriguing and the building tension did propel me to keep reading until the end. I just had to know what was going to happen.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
This book was like watching a car crash. It made me cringe and mutter to myself yet I could not put it down. Naomi's character reminded me a lot of how I felt when I read You by Caroline Kepnes. She was obsessive and crazy and yet I was totally intrigued and invested in her.
I wouldn't classify this as a thriller but it was intriguing and the building tension did propel me to keep reading until the end. I just had to know what was going to happen.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book.
March 30, 2022
Called it at 120. This is a great idea, a stunted, selfish immature woman becomes obsessed with her boyfriend's ex and must live a double life when she forms a friendship with the woman. The problem is that this is so poorly executed. It reads like a smart and wholly inexperienced 16 year old got a book contract. The pop psych explanation for why Naomi (the mc) acts like a psychopathic tween is laughable. 1.5 rounded up because it didn't make me angry.
November 26, 2023
Most of us got a little psycho in our late teens/ early 20's over a certain somebody. You know, that person for whom you had too many feelings, good and bad, and they seemed to know exactly how to push your buttons. Eventually things kept building until you both said some things you couldn't unsay, then you scraped together your pride and left for good with your head held high.
That's how it ended in my case, anyway. You weren't there - you can't prove it didn't! *ahem*
Naomi's story goes a bit differently. Yes, she's in her early 20's and has a ton of baggage, but her psycho behavior is aimed at her new boyfriend's ex-girlfriend. Initially it's a jealousy obsession, but then it grows and... evolves.
Now, I loved Caroline Kepnes' You because it's pure satire. That whole series is a poke in the eye to love, obsession and our disposable culture. Joe is funny, charming and handsome - readers aren't meant to be afraid of him. On the other hand, Naomi's character is unsettling because she's a little too normal. At first I identified a bit with her new-relationship insecurity and doubts, but then it turned so dark and yucky.
Even though I was uncomfortable with most of the book, I hung in there hoping the ending would pay off with a 1-10 score of 10. It wasn't that good, but I'd give the ending a 6, maybe 7.
A Novel Obsession will appeal to a lot of readers. It's chock full of sex, has trauma drama, and there's a weird love triangle (sort of). The person I feel worst for is Caleb, who deserves better than either of these women.
That's how it ended in my case, anyway. You weren't there - you can't prove it didn't! *ahem*
Naomi's story goes a bit differently. Yes, she's in her early 20's and has a ton of baggage, but her psycho behavior is aimed at her new boyfriend's ex-girlfriend. Initially it's a jealousy obsession, but then it grows and... evolves.
Now, I loved Caroline Kepnes' You because it's pure satire. That whole series is a poke in the eye to love, obsession and our disposable culture. Joe is funny, charming and handsome - readers aren't meant to be afraid of him. On the other hand, Naomi's character is unsettling because she's a little too normal. At first I identified a bit with her new-relationship insecurity and doubts, but then it turned so dark and yucky.
Even though I was uncomfortable with most of the book, I hung in there hoping the ending would pay off with a 1-10 score of 10. It wasn't that good, but I'd give the ending a 6, maybe 7.
A Novel Obsession will appeal to a lot of readers. It's chock full of sex, has trauma drama, and there's a weird love triangle (sort of). The person I feel worst for is Caleb, who deserves better than either of these women.
June 27, 2023
TW: Drinking, language, grooming, underage sex, rape, cancer, gaslighting, cheating
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Twenty-four-year-old New York bookseller Naomi Ackerman is desperate to write a novel, but struggles to find a story to tell. When, after countless disastrous dates, she meets Caleb—a perfectly nice guy with a Welsh accent and a unique patience for all her quirks—she thinks she's finally stumbled onto a time-honored subject: love. Then Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, enters the scene. Upon learning that Rosemary is not safely tucked away in Caleb’s homeland overseas, but in fact lives in New York and also works in the literary world, Naomi is threatened and intrigued in equal measure. If they both fell for the same man, what else might they have in common? The more Naomi learns about Rosemary, the more her curiosity consumes her. Before she knows it, her casual Instagram stalking morphs into a friendship under false pretenses—and becomes the subject of her nascent novel.
Release Date: March 15th, 2022
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 335
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Cover is pretty in pink
2. Love books about stalkers & writers
3. I enjoyed the writing style
What I Didn't Like:
1. Chapters dragged on
2. Naomi is horrible
3. Some parts are cringy
Overall Thoughts:
I really tried to like this book and get into it. I mean who wouldn't love a book about a woman stalking her boyfriend's ex BUT it starts off with her already in the middle of doing it and I was just curious why she was. What happened that made Naomi so interested in knowing her? Perhaps I missed the why. I did zone out a bit when I was reading this book.
Okay for one thing the chapters are way too long. Omg some chapters were 70 pages. I'm not normally a person that is bothered at all by long chapters but with this book it just felt like it was going on and on with no end in sight. At this point a new chapter felt pointless since they went on for so long what was the point then of even ending the chapter.
There is some subject manner in it where Naomi is 16 and having sexual relations with a man - Adam that is 11 years older. There is also a pretty bad rape scene involving Naomi.
I wanted to love our main character but I felt as though so much was missing from her as a person within this book. She's so entitled and spoiled that it makes it hard to even relate to her even a little bit. She stalks Rosemary while getting more and more jealous with every bit of information she learns about her. Naomi is even gifted 5 - $500 bills from her grandmother for her birthday. I never know if I'm supposed to like the main character that the author has presented to us as likeable when they are painted in this way. After every chapter I found myself rolling my eyes at Naomi making out like the little things happening to her were a bigger deal than they really were. Weirdly enough she mentions that she can't afford to take a trip to Wales because she makes $12.50 an hour at the bookstore. Come on.... So she calls her mom and now he can spend 5 days with him. She's just one of those people that make their own problems because they live boring lives. The whole time I was rooting for Rosemary and Caleb being together because they deserved better. So exhausted being in a relationship with someone like her. Nothing is ever good enough for her. Every time he acts it's the wrong way - she expects him to act a certain way and if he doesn't then my God he's in love with Rosemary. Even when things are going good she's even questioning that and why is he being nice.
Caleb lying to Naomi was crap of him. He just kept lying to her no matter how many times and was she asked him to be honest with her. These two do not need to be together.
Ohhh and she uses Rosemary's massager.
Honestly I would seriously question why this random woman keeps asking me about my ex.
Final Thoughts:
Nothing happens in this book. I hate when I read a book and I feel like I gained nothing and could have just never read it. The ending was predictable. There is no shocking turn of events. You know that Naomi is going to get caught. I wish there was some twists and turn but just by the numbers.
Recommend For:
• Female friendships
• Stalkers
IG | Blog
*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:Twenty-four-year-old New York bookseller Naomi Ackerman is desperate to write a novel, but struggles to find a story to tell. When, after countless disastrous dates, she meets Caleb—a perfectly nice guy with a Welsh accent and a unique patience for all her quirks—she thinks she's finally stumbled onto a time-honored subject: love. Then Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, enters the scene. Upon learning that Rosemary is not safely tucked away in Caleb’s homeland overseas, but in fact lives in New York and also works in the literary world, Naomi is threatened and intrigued in equal measure. If they both fell for the same man, what else might they have in common? The more Naomi learns about Rosemary, the more her curiosity consumes her. Before she knows it, her casual Instagram stalking morphs into a friendship under false pretenses—and becomes the subject of her nascent novel.
Release Date: March 15th, 2022
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 335
Rating: ⭐
What I Liked:
1. Cover is pretty in pink
2. Love books about stalkers & writers
3. I enjoyed the writing style
What I Didn't Like:
1. Chapters dragged on
2. Naomi is horrible
3. Some parts are cringy
Overall Thoughts:
I really tried to like this book and get into it. I mean who wouldn't love a book about a woman stalking her boyfriend's ex BUT it starts off with her already in the middle of doing it and I was just curious why she was. What happened that made Naomi so interested in knowing her? Perhaps I missed the why. I did zone out a bit when I was reading this book.
Okay for one thing the chapters are way too long. Omg some chapters were 70 pages. I'm not normally a person that is bothered at all by long chapters but with this book it just felt like it was going on and on with no end in sight. At this point a new chapter felt pointless since they went on for so long what was the point then of even ending the chapter.
There is some subject manner in it where Naomi is 16 and having sexual relations with a man - Adam that is 11 years older. There is also a pretty bad rape scene involving Naomi.
I wanted to love our main character but I felt as though so much was missing from her as a person within this book. She's so entitled and spoiled that it makes it hard to even relate to her even a little bit. She stalks Rosemary while getting more and more jealous with every bit of information she learns about her. Naomi is even gifted 5 - $500 bills from her grandmother for her birthday. I never know if I'm supposed to like the main character that the author has presented to us as likeable when they are painted in this way. After every chapter I found myself rolling my eyes at Naomi making out like the little things happening to her were a bigger deal than they really were. Weirdly enough she mentions that she can't afford to take a trip to Wales because she makes $12.50 an hour at the bookstore. Come on.... So she calls her mom and now he can spend 5 days with him. She's just one of those people that make their own problems because they live boring lives. The whole time I was rooting for Rosemary and Caleb being together because they deserved better. So exhausted being in a relationship with someone like her. Nothing is ever good enough for her. Every time he acts it's the wrong way - she expects him to act a certain way and if he doesn't then my God he's in love with Rosemary. Even when things are going good she's even questioning that and why is he being nice.
Caleb lying to Naomi was crap of him. He just kept lying to her no matter how many times and was she asked him to be honest with her. These two do not need to be together.
Ohhh and she uses Rosemary's massager.
Honestly I would seriously question why this random woman keeps asking me about my ex.
Final Thoughts:
Nothing happens in this book. I hate when I read a book and I feel like I gained nothing and could have just never read it. The ending was predictable. There is no shocking turn of events. You know that Naomi is going to get caught. I wish there was some twists and turn but just by the numbers.
Recommend For:
• Female friendships
• Stalkers
IG | Blog
March 15, 2022
I love novels that take place in the literary world, especially if they're thrillers. The Other Black Girl, Who Is Maud Dixon, The Plot, and Vladimir are a few I've read recently that have captured my heart. All of these literary thrillers have something in common that I eat up every time: protagonists who are so unhinged, so morally bankrupt as to seem completely unreal, but their self-made dilemmas are so entertaining that they always manage to endear themselves to me. What can I say: I love mess!
Oh, and what a mess we get in A Novel Obsession in the form of the main character Naomi Ackerman! Naomi is a twenty-something New York bookseller by day, aspiring writer by night. She's just entered into a new relationship with a Welsh mathematician Caleb, and things are going well for the most part. There's just one problem: she's run dry on writing inspiration. Enter: Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary Reid. After some harmless internet digging fueled by a heady mixture of innocent curiosity and insecurity, Naomi discovers that Rosemary is also in the literary world, as an editor. And that's not where the similarities end--they also kind of look alike. What starts as a quest for inspiration and information turns into a fabricated friendship with Rosemary that crosses the thin line between curious and creepy. Naomi has found her muse, and she'll go to any lengths to get the story she needs.
This book was so tense! Throughout the whole book, I felt for Naomi, I really did. This was her first real relationship and she is painfully insecure--it happens to the best of us. But she continuously crosses boundaries and invades Rosemary's life in a way that made me physically cringe! I loved it! Naomi was fascinating in her obsession, and while on the surface I wanted her to finally realize she was going too far, deep down I don't really want that--the mess is just too good! In Naomi, Barasch has crafted the perfect character to examine the intersections between curiosity, obsession, insecurity, trust, and privacy in interpersonal relationships.
This was a stunning debut, and I can't wait to see what Caitlin Barasch writes next!
**eARC provided by the publisher, Dutton Books, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
Oh, and what a mess we get in A Novel Obsession in the form of the main character Naomi Ackerman! Naomi is a twenty-something New York bookseller by day, aspiring writer by night. She's just entered into a new relationship with a Welsh mathematician Caleb, and things are going well for the most part. There's just one problem: she's run dry on writing inspiration. Enter: Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary Reid. After some harmless internet digging fueled by a heady mixture of innocent curiosity and insecurity, Naomi discovers that Rosemary is also in the literary world, as an editor. And that's not where the similarities end--they also kind of look alike. What starts as a quest for inspiration and information turns into a fabricated friendship with Rosemary that crosses the thin line between curious and creepy. Naomi has found her muse, and she'll go to any lengths to get the story she needs.
This book was so tense! Throughout the whole book, I felt for Naomi, I really did. This was her first real relationship and she is painfully insecure--it happens to the best of us. But she continuously crosses boundaries and invades Rosemary's life in a way that made me physically cringe! I loved it! Naomi was fascinating in her obsession, and while on the surface I wanted her to finally realize she was going too far, deep down I don't really want that--the mess is just too good! In Naomi, Barasch has crafted the perfect character to examine the intersections between curiosity, obsession, insecurity, trust, and privacy in interpersonal relationships.
This was a stunning debut, and I can't wait to see what Caitlin Barasch writes next!
**eARC provided by the publisher, Dutton Books, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**
March 27, 2022
I really liked the concept, but it was just so drawn out in execution and the ending was just so unsatisfying that I can't really say this was an enjoyable read. I will say the set-up was really well done for a moment there, but ultimately, there's a specific point where all the tension is sucked out of this premise and after that, this became a painstakingly boring read. It just felt like at some point, nothing was happening and it became really clear upon reaching the end, nothing consequential was going to happen either.
February 19, 2022
Thank you to #netgalley and Penguin group for letting me read an advance copy of #anovelobsession by Caitlin Barasch.
I have mixed feelings about the book. It was definitely a page turner and I was racing to get to the end to see what happened. But it seemed like an anticlimactic ending. I’m not sure what I expected but guess I thought it would be more dramatic. It was a great twist but I didn’t really like any of the characters. Except for the grandmother.
I’m not sure at what point Rosemary figured out that Naomi had been stalking her but as sick and twisted as what Naomi did was, I also found it creepy that Rosemary did what she did. But it’s also a great revenge plot. Caleb just didn’t seem like a guy worth fighting or obsessing over.
This is minor but when Caleb and Naomi are at his dads house, it comes up that he is a vegetarian. But I’m one of the last scenes of Caleb cooking for Naomi, they sit down to eat a dinner of roast chicken and vegetables. Was this a simple oversight or some plot twist that I missed.
She is a good writer and I will read more by her.
I have mixed feelings about the book. It was definitely a page turner and I was racing to get to the end to see what happened. But it seemed like an anticlimactic ending. I’m not sure what I expected but guess I thought it would be more dramatic. It was a great twist but I didn’t really like any of the characters. Except for the grandmother.
I’m not sure at what point Rosemary figured out that Naomi had been stalking her but as sick and twisted as what Naomi did was, I also found it creepy that Rosemary did what she did. But it’s also a great revenge plot. Caleb just didn’t seem like a guy worth fighting or obsessing over.
This is minor but when Caleb and Naomi are at his dads house, it comes up that he is a vegetarian. But I’m one of the last scenes of Caleb cooking for Naomi, they sit down to eat a dinner of roast chicken and vegetables. Was this a simple oversight or some plot twist that I missed.
She is a good writer and I will read more by her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2022
“i write and write and write, hoping to fall into feeling-- but all i ever seem to accomplish is yet another narrative where i remain as safe and cold and detached as ever.”
a novel obsession is the latest entry into the unlikeable, unhinged woman genre and this one truly tested me.
it follows 24 year old wannabe writer naomi who comes from a privileged family and is desperate to find a story worth telling. she believes that she has to have ‘experiences’ or ‘struggles’ or tension in her life to be a good writer, and when she finally secures her first boyfriend, his ex rosemary becomes her perfect obsession. she begins stalking the other girl, who works in publishing and is a writer in her own right. she befriends rosemary and tries to get close to her, by bonding over writing, pretending to climb, and disparaging the other girl’s ex, her own boyfriend.
there were few redeeming qualities to naomi, and it was difficult to root for her. the pages flew by because i wanted to know how far she’d go, but she ultimately didn't go as far as it could have. naomi was so privileged - she remarks that she hides how her parents are landlords, etc. and i wish the book would’ve leaned more into humor and how ridiculous privileged writer culture can be, but it was definitely an enjoyable read.
thanks to dutton for the gifted copy!
a novel obsession is the latest entry into the unlikeable, unhinged woman genre and this one truly tested me.
it follows 24 year old wannabe writer naomi who comes from a privileged family and is desperate to find a story worth telling. she believes that she has to have ‘experiences’ or ‘struggles’ or tension in her life to be a good writer, and when she finally secures her first boyfriend, his ex rosemary becomes her perfect obsession. she begins stalking the other girl, who works in publishing and is a writer in her own right. she befriends rosemary and tries to get close to her, by bonding over writing, pretending to climb, and disparaging the other girl’s ex, her own boyfriend.
there were few redeeming qualities to naomi, and it was difficult to root for her. the pages flew by because i wanted to know how far she’d go, but she ultimately didn't go as far as it could have. naomi was so privileged - she remarks that she hides how her parents are landlords, etc. and i wish the book would’ve leaned more into humor and how ridiculous privileged writer culture can be, but it was definitely an enjoyable read.
thanks to dutton for the gifted copy!
April 7, 2022
thank you netgalley, dutton books, and caitlin barasch for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! i enjoyed this one a lot and loved the ending. it kept me engaged the entire time and i loved seeing the dynamic between naomi and rosemary. i didn’t expect the ending, but that made it so much better. it was also fun reading about different parts of the publishing industry and learning about some books i didn’t previously know about. i highly recommend this one!
May 17, 2022
This book was so bad. I think it had a really cool premise and with the right author could've been a fascinating read, but it was poorly executed. I didn't like Naomi, and I didn't like Rosemary. Naomi seemed so pretentious and awful, and throughout the book, I just felt so uncomfortable with her thoughts and her past. The ending was super abrupt, and I still don't understand exactly what happened. I think a more experienced author could've tackled this and made it better and cleaned it up more, but this one missed the mark for me.
January 8, 2024
Naomi Ackerman, a twenty-four year old bookseller and writer, is struggling to find a subject for her first novel. Now in a relationship with her first ever boyfriend, Caleb, Naomi is also navigating something else new-love. When Caleb's ex-girlfriend comes into the picture, Naomi becomes obsessed with learning all she can about Rosemary. She learns that Rosemary does not in fact live overseas like she thought and that Rosemary works in the New York literary world-just like her. Soon Naomi begins to spiral into obsessively stalking Rosemary online and in real life, forging a friendship with Rosemary under false pretenses. Naomi soon begins to tell herself that this is all for the sake of her writing as she begins to draft her new novel based on her own messy, entangled life.
This book was like a catastrophic train wreck that I just couldn't look away from. This novel deals with themes of jealously, obsession, betrayal, and self-sabotage as Naomi falls into a deep obsession with Rosemary's life. Although I found every character in this book to be rather insufferable, I think the very human feelings of insecurity uncertainty make it a relatable story on some level-although most people don't typically handle these feelings the way Naomi does.
I would definitely look into trigger warnings for this book as there are many of them, but overall, I enjoyed this book even though I was rooting against the MC the entire time.
This book was like a catastrophic train wreck that I just couldn't look away from. This novel deals with themes of jealously, obsession, betrayal, and self-sabotage as Naomi falls into a deep obsession with Rosemary's life. Although I found every character in this book to be rather insufferable, I think the very human feelings of insecurity uncertainty make it a relatable story on some level-although most people don't typically handle these feelings the way Naomi does.
I would definitely look into trigger warnings for this book as there are many of them, but overall, I enjoyed this book even though I was rooting against the MC the entire time.
November 19, 2021
Buckle up, because Barasch's debut novel explodes expectations and genres like a stick of dynamite. Is this beautifully, artfully crafted tale about the search for true love? Well, yes, but also an often-hilarious exploration of what the hell love is in the first place. It is about the search for self, about the agonizing quest for artistic redemption. It vividly portrays human loneliness and longing for affirmation. And it is a wickedly funny, acerbic commentary on the toxic vortex of contemporary social media. It is at times (ah, the breathtaking climax!) a hold-on-to-your-hats thriller. Ultimately, though, it is a heartbreakingly exquisite affirmation of the path to discovery of the authentic self.
May 9, 2022
Naomi, a 25-year-old writer living in New York City, becomes obsessed with her new boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend. That’s essentially the plot of this book, neither a thriller nor - I wouldn’t say - literary fiction. I think what I didn’t like about this book was that it was so middle of the road. I’ve read many books about obsession, especially about one woman becoming obsessed with another woman, and those go into borderline unhinged territory. Naomi does some things that are strange, weird, and stalker-ish, but she never really becomes unhinged. She always manages to justify her actions by citing them within her quest to write a great novel.
I think the author is trying to say some thing about being a young writer, and having your work consume every aspect of your life, and/or about the pressure of producing something great at a young age. But in the end, I didn’t really feel like it was saying anything. The message was unclear and lost in the shuffle of what else happens. I didn’t love the plot or the side characters, and since Naomi herself isn’t really intended to be likeable, I found myself with no one to root for.
All in all, I just felt like this book was exploring a character that didn’t need to be explored - an extremely privileged white girl who is able to live on her own in New York City, spend the time and money needed to befriend the person she’s stalking, and face very few consequences for this incredibly creepy behavior. I wish I had spent my time on a different kind of story.
I think the author is trying to say some thing about being a young writer, and having your work consume every aspect of your life, and/or about the pressure of producing something great at a young age. But in the end, I didn’t really feel like it was saying anything. The message was unclear and lost in the shuffle of what else happens. I didn’t love the plot or the side characters, and since Naomi herself isn’t really intended to be likeable, I found myself with no one to root for.
All in all, I just felt like this book was exploring a character that didn’t need to be explored - an extremely privileged white girl who is able to live on her own in New York City, spend the time and money needed to befriend the person she’s stalking, and face very few consequences for this incredibly creepy behavior. I wish I had spent my time on a different kind of story.
August 2, 2021
A highly entertaining story about obsession, desire, and what it takes to get what you want. Naomi is a want-to-be writer who works at a bookstore and is also in her first-ever official relationship. Out of curiosity, Naomi stalks his ex, Rosemary, on social media but soon moves to stalking her in real life. The two women soon form a friendship, which, of course, leads to problems in her relationship, but it's all worth it if she can get a good story out of it, right? I tore through this novel—I loved watching Naomi spiral deeper and deeper into her obsession with Rosemary and her "fiction" novel, and I think Barasch pulled off the meta effect quite well. I thought the ending left more to be desired, and, overall, I liked the first half better than the second. However, because of the compelling plot and well-executed pacing, I give this book four stars.
April 19, 2022
For some reason I was under the impression this was yet another one of those ladies’ thrillers. But no, awesomely not. This is very much a literary novel and a very good one at that. A literary novel about literature, no less.
Clever through and through from the dual-meaning title to the terrific moebius strip of a plot, this is indeed a novel of obsession.
First love is complicated. For the novel’s protagonist, Naomi, it comes relatively late, at 24, and challenges her to the extreme.
Sure, her beloved seems like a great find, best Tinder can offer, really, with UK accent, a good job, and good manners, and yet she can’t seem to just enjoy things as they come. Maybe it’s her aspiring novelist’s brain, maybe it’s her privilege-based (free rent in NYC, well-to-do family, easy mindless bookstore job to whole the time away) mentality, but Naomi becomes obsessed with her new love’s old love.
This obsession drives her (and the novel) and the fictional novel in her mind to push all sorts of boundaries, privacy based and otherwise, until she insinuates herself quite permanently in both worlds. And then the two worlds begin bleeding through and there’s so much than mere trust to be tested.
This is the ultimate in Life Imitates Art, Art Imitates Life storytelling. Meta, too. Twisted onto itself.
Everyone is obsessed with creative their own narrative, but Naomi takes it to new levels. And, like most things of extreme nature, it’s fun to watch in that impending crash sort of way.
The protagonists’ age, angst, and ambiance put them firmly into the millennial camp, but the book overrides that innately unlikeable generational distinction into something closer to universality.
Obsession, after all, is universal. To want, to crave, to spiral, to look for patterns in the fabric of life, to look for logic where none is too be found and then create your own.
Be it in the name of love or in the name of art, be it by design or pathology, it’s a force to be reckon with. Read this book and find out how Naomi does. Like a good obsession, it’ll draw you right in.
It’s clever, charming, very well-written and well worth a read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
Clever through and through from the dual-meaning title to the terrific moebius strip of a plot, this is indeed a novel of obsession.
First love is complicated. For the novel’s protagonist, Naomi, it comes relatively late, at 24, and challenges her to the extreme.
Sure, her beloved seems like a great find, best Tinder can offer, really, with UK accent, a good job, and good manners, and yet she can’t seem to just enjoy things as they come. Maybe it’s her aspiring novelist’s brain, maybe it’s her privilege-based (free rent in NYC, well-to-do family, easy mindless bookstore job to whole the time away) mentality, but Naomi becomes obsessed with her new love’s old love.
This obsession drives her (and the novel) and the fictional novel in her mind to push all sorts of boundaries, privacy based and otherwise, until she insinuates herself quite permanently in both worlds. And then the two worlds begin bleeding through and there’s so much than mere trust to be tested.
This is the ultimate in Life Imitates Art, Art Imitates Life storytelling. Meta, too. Twisted onto itself.
Everyone is obsessed with creative their own narrative, but Naomi takes it to new levels. And, like most things of extreme nature, it’s fun to watch in that impending crash sort of way.
The protagonists’ age, angst, and ambiance put them firmly into the millennial camp, but the book overrides that innately unlikeable generational distinction into something closer to universality.
Obsession, after all, is universal. To want, to crave, to spiral, to look for patterns in the fabric of life, to look for logic where none is too be found and then create your own.
Be it in the name of love or in the name of art, be it by design or pathology, it’s a force to be reckon with. Read this book and find out how Naomi does. Like a good obsession, it’ll draw you right in.
It’s clever, charming, very well-written and well worth a read. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.
This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/
June 15, 2022
"If given the choice between being in control and being in love, what do you choose?' I remain silent. 'Is there a way to be both?"
This is about 24-year-old Naomi - a struggling writer who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend's publisher ex to the point where she stalks and befriends her under false pretenses in order to use her as the subject for her next book.
Naomi gave me Joe Goldberg vibes and I think that's why I loved this so much. There's something about a character that I know is doing bad things, but that I can't help but root for at the same time. Her dialogue with others sounded so normal, and I think that's what freaked me out because when I got the thoughts inside her head it was almost a 180 - just goes to show that you never know who you're dealing with out there.
I think it's typical for people to wonder about their partner's past lives, but she really took it to the extreme and ended up writing her own narrative - both literally and figuratively. I had this unexplainable soft spot for her, but I also had a soft spot for Rosemary, her boyfriend's ex, so my mind was constantly going back and forth.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending because it seemed so abrupt with little closure; however, that doesn't change my view of the book as a whole, I still loved it and would recommend it.
You should pick this up if:
✔️you like reading about unlikable characters.
✔️ you like books that have a 'young woman vs. the void' vibe.
✔️you enjoy the book/ show 'You'.
✔️you are not looking for a typical romance book and are okay with reading about extreme bouts of jealousy and obsession in a relationship.
This is about 24-year-old Naomi - a struggling writer who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend's publisher ex to the point where she stalks and befriends her under false pretenses in order to use her as the subject for her next book.
Naomi gave me Joe Goldberg vibes and I think that's why I loved this so much. There's something about a character that I know is doing bad things, but that I can't help but root for at the same time. Her dialogue with others sounded so normal, and I think that's what freaked me out because when I got the thoughts inside her head it was almost a 180 - just goes to show that you never know who you're dealing with out there.
I think it's typical for people to wonder about their partner's past lives, but she really took it to the extreme and ended up writing her own narrative - both literally and figuratively. I had this unexplainable soft spot for her, but I also had a soft spot for Rosemary, her boyfriend's ex, so my mind was constantly going back and forth.
I'm not sure how I feel about the ending because it seemed so abrupt with little closure; however, that doesn't change my view of the book as a whole, I still loved it and would recommend it.
You should pick this up if:
✔️you like reading about unlikable characters.
✔️ you like books that have a 'young woman vs. the void' vibe.
✔️you enjoy the book/ show 'You'.
✔️you are not looking for a typical romance book and are okay with reading about extreme bouts of jealousy and obsession in a relationship.
March 16, 2022
As Compulsively Readable as a Diary
#NetGalley #ANovelObsession
“A Novel Obsession” perfectly captures the aspiring, literary lust one can have in their twenties, the self-loathing and insecurity, and the fear of revealing your self to others, particularly if you don’t yet know who that self is.
Girl meets boy, girl meets boy’s ex-girlfriend, girl befriends boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend under false pretenses, girl becomes obsessed with boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, girl spirals out of control, girl discovers whether or not there is more to her story than her own worst behavior. Highly recommend.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley #ANovelObsession
“A Novel Obsession” perfectly captures the aspiring, literary lust one can have in their twenties, the self-loathing and insecurity, and the fear of revealing your self to others, particularly if you don’t yet know who that self is.
Girl meets boy, girl meets boy’s ex-girlfriend, girl befriends boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend under false pretenses, girl becomes obsessed with boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, girl spirals out of control, girl discovers whether or not there is more to her story than her own worst behavior. Highly recommend.
This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 19, 2023
Simple fun. Definitely spoke to my early-20s self.
March 25, 2022
Rounded up from 3.75 stars.
𝐀 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐎𝐁𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 by debut author Caitlin Barasch is a twisty sort of story within a story. In it we meet Naomi who is desperate to write her first novel, but just hasn’t found the right story to tell. Naomi believes the best stories come out of real life experiences, and she’s had moderate success with a couple short stories, but for that big one, she’s got nothing. That all begins to change when Naomi finds out her Welsh boyfriend, Caleb, has an ex and they’re all living just subway stops away from each other in NYC.
Naomi is insecure and jealous, yet willing to be bold. She becomes obsessed, not only with Rosemary, but with the idea of stalking Rosemary as a premise for her elusive novel. And so the story unfolds with Naomi going further and further down a rabbit hole that twists and turns in delightfully crazy ways. For the most part, I was fascinated with Naomi and just how far she was willing to take things while also never quite feeling like she (or I) really knew what was truly going on. In that way I liked this debut very much. I did think it moved a little slowly at times, but each time my attention started to wane, something came along to grab me. I’ll definitely be looking for more from Barasch.
Thank you to Dutton Books for the ARC.
𝐀 𝐍𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐎𝐁𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍 by debut author Caitlin Barasch is a twisty sort of story within a story. In it we meet Naomi who is desperate to write her first novel, but just hasn’t found the right story to tell. Naomi believes the best stories come out of real life experiences, and she’s had moderate success with a couple short stories, but for that big one, she’s got nothing. That all begins to change when Naomi finds out her Welsh boyfriend, Caleb, has an ex and they’re all living just subway stops away from each other in NYC.
Naomi is insecure and jealous, yet willing to be bold. She becomes obsessed, not only with Rosemary, but with the idea of stalking Rosemary as a premise for her elusive novel. And so the story unfolds with Naomi going further and further down a rabbit hole that twists and turns in delightfully crazy ways. For the most part, I was fascinated with Naomi and just how far she was willing to take things while also never quite feeling like she (or I) really knew what was truly going on. In that way I liked this debut very much. I did think it moved a little slowly at times, but each time my attention started to wane, something came along to grab me. I’ll definitely be looking for more from Barasch.
Thank you to Dutton Books for the ARC.
April 15, 2022
2.5
This was probably a solid 3 star for the majority of the novel. But, that ending, man, that ending....
Nothing happened, making the end anti-climatic. I literally thought, "That was it!? I stayed up till one in the morning for that?"
Also, the last bit of the novel did drag and get slow. There just wasn't enough happening. Plus, the "twist" was obvious half way through the book. I just was hoping the execution of the twist/reveal would be better.
The book and main character, did not keep me as riveted as You by Caroline Kepnes. I was hoping for something similar, but this was more like the knock off version.
Well, I wanted to read something different for a change. I do not regret this read, but it also was not the best.
This was probably a solid 3 star for the majority of the novel. But, that ending, man, that ending....
Nothing happened, making the end anti-climatic. I literally thought, "That was it!? I stayed up till one in the morning for that?"
Also, the last bit of the novel did drag and get slow. There just wasn't enough happening. Plus, the "twist" was obvious half way through the book. I just was hoping the execution of the twist/reveal would be better.
The book and main character, did not keep me as riveted as You by Caroline Kepnes. I was hoping for something similar, but this was more like the knock off version.
Well, I wanted to read something different for a change. I do not regret this read, but it also was not the best.
October 23, 2024
“When I am in need of recognition, I usually just turn to books, where words, now immobile, are safe and private, inviting a different sort of intimacy.”
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I like that we almost immediately know that Naomi is a little bit crazy, and the body of the novel corrects the assumption about why. This cover honestly made me totally underestimate this book – it’s way more serious and well written than I had assumed.
There are a few quite extreme and devastating traumas that have formed Naomi, and Barasch wrote them so well. I liked the parallel between the story Naomi was writing and the one I was reading and how closely Barasch treaded to breaking the 4th wall. There were a few moments where Naomi’s voice was clearly the author’s thoughts.
Barasch created a really interesting dynamic of questioning how much Rosemary knew and if she was just playing out the story to see where it went between them. I liked that Caleb served less as a full person and more as a vehicle for learning more about Naomi and creating the link between Rosemary and Naomi. Not hyperfixating on their relationship but rather who Naomi was in the relationship was really powerful.
I wasn’t expecting to be as moved by this book or its conclusion, but I found it to be beautiful and immensely heartbreaking, and a little bit hopeful.
————————
I like that we almost immediately know that Naomi is a little bit crazy, and the body of the novel corrects the assumption about why. This cover honestly made me totally underestimate this book – it’s way more serious and well written than I had assumed.
There are a few quite extreme and devastating traumas that have formed Naomi, and Barasch wrote them so well. I liked the parallel between the story Naomi was writing and the one I was reading and how closely Barasch treaded to breaking the 4th wall. There were a few moments where Naomi’s voice was clearly the author’s thoughts.
Barasch created a really interesting dynamic of questioning how much Rosemary knew and if she was just playing out the story to see where it went between them. I liked that Caleb served less as a full person and more as a vehicle for learning more about Naomi and creating the link between Rosemary and Naomi. Not hyperfixating on their relationship but rather who Naomi was in the relationship was really powerful.
I wasn’t expecting to be as moved by this book or its conclusion, but I found it to be beautiful and immensely heartbreaking, and a little bit hopeful.
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