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רוזנפלד
De zesendertigjarige Noa Simon streeft vergeefs een carrière na als filmmaker, en ook in de liefde wil het niet vlotten. Dan ontmoet ze Teddy Rosenfeld, een imposante CEO van middelbare leeftijd. Hém wil ze veroveren. Maar na een eerste vrijpartij in een wc-hokje laat hij haar aan haar lot over. Daardoor neemt haar begeerte alleen maar toe. Ze krijgt een baan bij zijn bedrijf en probeert hem voor zich te winnen. Er ontstaat een liefdesrelatie waar de vonken van afspatten, maar waarbij ze elkaar ook confronteren met pijnlijke episoden uit hun verleden. Noa geeft zich uiteindelijk rekenschap van haar diepste verlangens én van haar neiging tot zelfdestructie.
Rosenfeld is een schaamteloos openhartige roman over een zinderende, complexe relatie tussen twee eigenzinnige mensen, waar ze gelouterd uit komen.
Rosenfeld is een schaamteloos openhartige roman over een zinderende, complexe relatie tussen twee eigenzinnige mensen, waar ze gelouterd uit komen.
413 pages, Paperback
First published July 12, 2022
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13775 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 152 reviews
October 29, 2024
The two most insufferable people you know decide to start sleeping together, (a lot) instead of going to therapy. And reader, I ate up every crumb.
November 17, 2024
The review that described this as the two most insufferable people start sleeping together instead of going to therapy is 100% accurate.
The thing is that I don't hate books about insufferable people. Noa whose mommy issues play out with self-destructive tendencies, sending her straight to Teddy, a domineering older man whose mix of lust, ambivalence, and a bit of disdain hits the spot for both of them. There are power issues (while Noa is an adult, Teddy is not just older than she is but wealthy while she's broke and her literal boss) but that only makes it better for them. Every bad thing about this relationship is part of the appeal.
Where I didn't love it so much was just how long we run on this hamster wheel. It goes beyond repetition into boredom as the slight adjustments to the central relationship don't do much to provide actual plot. And then when the plot FINALLY gets going (around 2/3 of the way in) it hammers its way through with no nuance at all. There is almost no interiority for Noa outside of what she thinks about Teddy, and since there is a lot here to consider--suicide, a parent who was either negligent or abusive or both--dancing around these issues by keeping Teddy central can feel oddly tacked on.
Noa will drive you up the wall. Teddy, even more so. The fact that they keep doing this and that everyone around them seems so cool about it, same. I suspect a lot of people won't be able to get past the first few chapters, and if that's you then by all means bow out, this book stays in this lane for a very long time.
The thing is that I don't hate books about insufferable people. Noa whose mommy issues play out with self-destructive tendencies, sending her straight to Teddy, a domineering older man whose mix of lust, ambivalence, and a bit of disdain hits the spot for both of them. There are power issues (while Noa is an adult, Teddy is not just older than she is but wealthy while she's broke and her literal boss) but that only makes it better for them. Every bad thing about this relationship is part of the appeal.
Where I didn't love it so much was just how long we run on this hamster wheel. It goes beyond repetition into boredom as the slight adjustments to the central relationship don't do much to provide actual plot. And then when the plot FINALLY gets going (around 2/3 of the way in) it hammers its way through with no nuance at all. There is almost no interiority for Noa outside of what she thinks about Teddy, and since there is a lot here to consider--suicide, a parent who was either negligent or abusive or both--dancing around these issues by keeping Teddy central can feel oddly tacked on.
Noa will drive you up the wall. Teddy, even more so. The fact that they keep doing this and that everyone around them seems so cool about it, same. I suspect a lot of people won't be able to get past the first few chapters, and if that's you then by all means bow out, this book stays in this lane for a very long time.
December 1, 2024
Stories about complex romantic relationships are some of my favorites but unfortunately, this one wasn't for me.
The book centers around two very different people who are just not that likable. I don't mind unlikeable characters, in fact I believe that extremely unlikeable characters make a story more interesting and I think that's what kept me reading Rosenfeld. Noa is neurotic, obsessive, impulsive and her decisions were very cringy. Teddy is an older man who is very selfish and critical.
My main issue with the book was the length. The book was way too long, repetitive, and wordy. I lost interest at so many points and struggled to get back into the story. But even as repetitive as the story is, it was missing a whole lot of depth. The characters were lacking any true substance or dimension.
Just because this one wasn't for me, doesn't mean you shouldn't pick it up. I do think a lot of readers will really enjoy Rosenfeld.
I listened to the audiobook version which was narrated by Rose Dioro who did an amazing job. If you decide to pick it up, I highly recommend this format.
Rosenfeld by Maya Kessler was published on November 19 so it’s available now in all formats. Many thanks to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook!
The book centers around two very different people who are just not that likable. I don't mind unlikeable characters, in fact I believe that extremely unlikeable characters make a story more interesting and I think that's what kept me reading Rosenfeld. Noa is neurotic, obsessive, impulsive and her decisions were very cringy. Teddy is an older man who is very selfish and critical.
My main issue with the book was the length. The book was way too long, repetitive, and wordy. I lost interest at so many points and struggled to get back into the story. But even as repetitive as the story is, it was missing a whole lot of depth. The characters were lacking any true substance or dimension.
Just because this one wasn't for me, doesn't mean you shouldn't pick it up. I do think a lot of readers will really enjoy Rosenfeld.
I listened to the audiobook version which was narrated by Rose Dioro who did an amazing job. If you decide to pick it up, I highly recommend this format.
Rosenfeld by Maya Kessler was published on November 19 so it’s available now in all formats. Many thanks to Simon Audio for the gifted audiobook!
September 21, 2024
This was a story about a young woman named Noa who met two businessmen at a wedding and became intensely attracted to the one named Teddy Rosenfeld. He was heavy, older by about two decades, had imperfect but incredibly cute teeth- and Noa was enchanted. After several drinks it led to an encounter in a bathroom stall that was depraved and set the tone for the rest of the book.
I found the main character of Noa unlikeable and annoying. I couldn't understand why Teddy kept putting up with her and doing so many nice things for not just Noa but her family. Noa was unstable, cloying, childish, addictive, combative and unreasonable. There were a lot of body fluids exchanged during the book, hookups in a parking garage, a rarely accessed alcove in a business building, peeing on demand while fully dressed as something to be turned on about- you get the picture. Don't get me wrong, sometimes some of this stuff is entertaining as a voyeur...and it was...but I just had such disdain for this woman. The character of Teddy had the maturity of his years, immense wealth and the capacity to be generous, a no-nonsense attitude that was refreshing- but I just couldn't understand why he seemingly cared so much about Noa with her propensity for getting into spats with him over so much minutiae- with the answer/outcome always being a good roll in the hay.
This was an OK read on an entertainment/peekaboo level, witnessing what I considered an unhealthy pairing of souls based mostly on sexual attraction; a young woman who had mommy issues that were never fully fleshed out to the reader, and the usual addictions of cigarette smoking, marijuana, snorting cocaine and drinking alcohol.
Thank you to the publisher Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster who provided an advance reader copy via NetGalley.
June 9, 2025
אף פעם לא קראתי ספר דומה לזה. יש כל כך הרבה דברים טובים בספר הזה. מה שהכי אהבתי זה שאין בו שחור טלבן, אין טובים או רעים. יש אנשים מורכבים, יש מערכות יחסים מאוד מאוד מסובכות כי כמה שיש יותר קרבה ככה יש יותר פגיעות. תאורי סקס נהדרים ומדוייקים בלי שום וולגריות. יש הרבה דרמות אמיתיות אבל אפס דרמתיות.
ספר אמיץ, כנה, שמתיקות וגועל נמצאים ביחד בכל רגע משמעותי בחיים.
אהבתי מאוד.
ספר אמיץ, כנה, שמתיקות וגועל נמצאים ביחד בכל רגע משמעותי בחיים.
אהבתי מאוד.
May 20, 2024
How can I convince you to read Rosenfeld? I have no idea.
I doubt telling you that it’s about a 36 year old neurotic woman and her brazen and brash affair with an older, fat (it’s constantly referred to) CEO will do it.
I don’t think mentioning that they are horribly unkind to one another and terrifically mismatched will do it.
I could try explaining the visceral exchanges between them in which she is painfully needy and he is horribly antagonistic, though I doubt that will sell it.
I feel like I have to explain that there are no boundaries in their relationship which leads to incredibly upsetting confrontations, but how is that appealing?
But, yes, unfortunately; it’s all that and more — and I’m telling you, you have to read it.
——
Noa wants to be a filmmaker. But when she meets Teddy at a wedding, she decides instead that what she wants is him.
At 36, Noa has nowhere near the experience twice divorced, two time father 55 year old Teddy is. What they have in common initially is desire and copious amounts of sexual energy. It’s enough to get things rolling.
But as they become entangled in each other’s lives, they are unable to hide their truths. Noa can’t forgive a mother who left her; Teddy can’t admit his mistake as a father.
And it’s a disgusting, beautiful push and pull between them that keeps the reader enthralled, a need to watch as they hurt and maim and destroy one another in the name of love time and time again, Noa begging him to say what she needs to hear, Teddy refusing.
One minute I was yelling at Noa, then I was tossing the book across the room in frustration at their lack of communication, then I was fully crying when it all came to an end.
My god I’m terrible at this. Just read it. Please. You will thank me. Probably. Or kill me. I’m good either way.
My favorite line, from Noa, after a particularly awful fight: “If nothing else happens, we’ll be stuck with Noa while he gets to go on living with Teddy. That’s not fair.”
Thanks to @avid for the ARC to read and review. Available November 19, 2024.
I doubt telling you that it’s about a 36 year old neurotic woman and her brazen and brash affair with an older, fat (it’s constantly referred to) CEO will do it.
I don’t think mentioning that they are horribly unkind to one another and terrifically mismatched will do it.
I could try explaining the visceral exchanges between them in which she is painfully needy and he is horribly antagonistic, though I doubt that will sell it.
I feel like I have to explain that there are no boundaries in their relationship which leads to incredibly upsetting confrontations, but how is that appealing?
But, yes, unfortunately; it’s all that and more — and I’m telling you, you have to read it.
——
Noa wants to be a filmmaker. But when she meets Teddy at a wedding, she decides instead that what she wants is him.
At 36, Noa has nowhere near the experience twice divorced, two time father 55 year old Teddy is. What they have in common initially is desire and copious amounts of sexual energy. It’s enough to get things rolling.
But as they become entangled in each other’s lives, they are unable to hide their truths. Noa can’t forgive a mother who left her; Teddy can’t admit his mistake as a father.
And it’s a disgusting, beautiful push and pull between them that keeps the reader enthralled, a need to watch as they hurt and maim and destroy one another in the name of love time and time again, Noa begging him to say what she needs to hear, Teddy refusing.
One minute I was yelling at Noa, then I was tossing the book across the room in frustration at their lack of communication, then I was fully crying when it all came to an end.
My god I’m terrible at this. Just read it. Please. You will thank me. Probably. Or kill me. I’m good either way.
My favorite line, from Noa, after a particularly awful fight: “If nothing else happens, we’ll be stuck with Noa while he gets to go on living with Teddy. That’s not fair.”
Thanks to @avid for the ARC to read and review. Available November 19, 2024.
November 20, 2024
Toxic relationships, unlikeable characters, average writing, and yet I couldn’t quit turning the pages. The positive, steamy and descriptive sex scenes. Once I finished, all I could think was, WTF did I just read.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.
My review is voluntary and all comments and opinions expressed are
my own.
November 16, 2024
genuinely .... absolutely not
(thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy)
(thanks to the publisher for the gifted copy)
August 24, 2024
לסקירה מפורטת בעברית, קישור לבלוג שלי -
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/רוזנ...
https://sivi-the-avid-reader.com/רוזנ...
June 17, 2024
ROSENFELD |
Thank you @avidreaderpress
Out in 11/19
Noa, a young Israeli woman engages in a passionate, lusty relationship with a bigwig guy, who's rich, has a lot of power and ends up hiring her at the company where he's one of the CEOs.
A large part of their relationship is built upon the power imbalance of him being, rich, powerful, the boss, as someone who dictates and states the terms and conditions of everything between them, to the terms of how and when he wants to fuck her. She, for the most part, wants it like this until she doesn't because he starts to overstep what she considers a line.
If you're squeamish about a lot of sex talk, this might not be for you. In the beginning I did feel like some of the scenes were a little cringy. I also felt there are parts that were a bit fat phobic. There were multiple times when Noa refers to him as fatso, colossal, so fat. Interestingly we never hear anyone else refer to him in that way. But for Noa it's a huge part of her attraction to him and to the power he demands over her.
The first start of the book is mostly sex, the middle is charged with the power struggle between the two, and the final third is in coming to terms with resetting the power dynamic in their relationship.
I didn't hate it, but I also didn't like it. There were parts that I enjoyed. But I think a large part of it is that I didn't like either of the characters. He was annoying but I found her to be pretty insufferable most of the time. There's a split between Noa and her mom and I just couldn't understand her position in that. It was close to 400 pages and could have honestly been cut by about a 100.
Thank you @avidreaderpress
Out in 11/19
Noa, a young Israeli woman engages in a passionate, lusty relationship with a bigwig guy, who's rich, has a lot of power and ends up hiring her at the company where he's one of the CEOs.
A large part of their relationship is built upon the power imbalance of him being, rich, powerful, the boss, as someone who dictates and states the terms and conditions of everything between them, to the terms of how and when he wants to fuck her. She, for the most part, wants it like this until she doesn't because he starts to overstep what she considers a line.
If you're squeamish about a lot of sex talk, this might not be for you. In the beginning I did feel like some of the scenes were a little cringy. I also felt there are parts that were a bit fat phobic. There were multiple times when Noa refers to him as fatso, colossal, so fat. Interestingly we never hear anyone else refer to him in that way. But for Noa it's a huge part of her attraction to him and to the power he demands over her.
The first start of the book is mostly sex, the middle is charged with the power struggle between the two, and the final third is in coming to terms with resetting the power dynamic in their relationship.
I didn't hate it, but I also didn't like it. There were parts that I enjoyed. But I think a large part of it is that I didn't like either of the characters. He was annoying but I found her to be pretty insufferable most of the time. There's a split between Noa and her mom and I just couldn't understand her position in that. It was close to 400 pages and could have honestly been cut by about a 100.
December 5, 2024
Poorly written but entertaining in a junk food kind of way. Could have been a short story and it would’ve been better. Kinda wish I never read this! Received via Goodreads Giveaway.
Read
January 26, 2025DNF.
June 19, 2024
I won an advanced copy of this book.
I wasn’t really sure about what was going on most of the time. Almost dnf but stuck it out and the ending was kind of what I expected from the beginning.
There wasn’t much of a plot.
Basically a woman meets and man, falls in love way too fast, over obsesses over him. I think he likes her but doesn’t seem like he really care for her and is there more for the sex.
It felt like I was reading a tv show script.
I wasn’t really sure about what was going on most of the time. Almost dnf but stuck it out and the ending was kind of what I expected from the beginning.
There wasn’t much of a plot.
Basically a woman meets and man, falls in love way too fast, over obsesses over him. I think he likes her but doesn’t seem like he really care for her and is there more for the sex.
It felt like I was reading a tv show script.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2025
This book is so genuinely f**ed up and yet I truly ate it upppppp. These are MISERABLE people, the most toxic relationship. Get help. <3
It felt a little bit too long. Like it could’ve been 100 pages shorter. The demise/last straw of the relationship felt a little bit lacking. But I liked how honest it was overall!
It felt a little bit too long. Like it could’ve been 100 pages shorter. The demise/last straw of the relationship felt a little bit lacking. But I liked how honest it was overall!
November 15, 2024
wow. 10/10. tone, plot, characters… all of it spoke to me. not a book id necessarily recommend to others as its one of those types that i know people arent gonna like but this one spoke to me. top 3.
November 19, 2024
“The coffee reminds me there’s a whole world out there.”
When thirty-six year old filmmaker Noa meets older executive Teddy Rosenfeld, an electrifying affair begins.
Unlikeable and flawed characters, a lustful codependent and toxic relationship, and a love/hate story for mature readers.
Though this book may not be for everyone, I certainly enjoyed the development and writing style. As we follow Noa and Teddy’s ups and downs (where the ups are high and the downs are low), we appreciate their progression and growth - as a couple, and as individuals.
Sexy, hot, raw and infuriating, this book is quite a ride… but definitely worth taking on, if only for its witty dialogue and brilliant sentences.
“I’m enjoying this so much that I’m jealous of myself.”
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted advance copy.
When thirty-six year old filmmaker Noa meets older executive Teddy Rosenfeld, an electrifying affair begins.
Unlikeable and flawed characters, a lustful codependent and toxic relationship, and a love/hate story for mature readers.
Though this book may not be for everyone, I certainly enjoyed the development and writing style. As we follow Noa and Teddy’s ups and downs (where the ups are high and the downs are low), we appreciate their progression and growth - as a couple, and as individuals.
Sexy, hot, raw and infuriating, this book is quite a ride… but definitely worth taking on, if only for its witty dialogue and brilliant sentences.
“I’m enjoying this so much that I’m jealous of myself.”
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted advance copy.
December 18, 2022
אוקיי. נועה היא רווקה תל אביבית בת 36 קצת דכאונית ותלותית שנתקעה אי שם בגיל ההתבגרות, היא לא מוצאת את עצמה מבחינה מקצועית וכל התנהלותה מושפעת מאירוע טראומטי שהיא עברה בילדות. זה גורם לה להיכנס למערכת היחסית שלא בריאה לה ולא מתאימה לה. היא אפילו מבינה את טדי, שברור שהוא לא ירצה להיות איתה כי היא דוחה (לדעתה). היא מעשנת כל מה שבא ליד ולפעמים מסניפה קצת קוק, הכל בשביל לברוח קצת מהעולם ובעיקר מעצמה. רוב הזמן היא רואה את החיים במעטה עכור של דיכאון, ואם יש ימים יפים שלא נראים כך, אז זה בוודאי שקר. היא מתעקשת להיכנס למערכת יחסים שלא מתאימה לה ומערערת אותה, והיא חופרת על זה לטדי בלי הפסקה. לא ברור בכלל על מה מבוססים רגשותיה לטרי, אבל היא נלחמת עליו בטירוף ומתעקשת לא להישבר, והתעקשותה גוברת ביחס ישר ככל שהיא מקבלת יותר יחס גרוע.
וטדי? סתם מגעיל אליה. למה? ככה. כי הוא יכול
כואב לקרוא.
אני מבינה שהיא חיה בצל הטראומה והדיכאון שלה, ויש תהליך שהיא עוברת, אבל לדעתי הספר עדיין לא מספיק טוב. הוא כתוב בסגנון ״היא אמרה לו ככה, ואז הוא ענה לה ככה, והיא ענתה לו ככה והוא זיין אותה ככה״. מצטערת, אבל הרבה זיונים לא הופכים ספר למעולה.
וטדי? סתם מגעיל אליה. למה? ככה. כי הוא יכול
כואב לקרוא.
אני מבינה שהיא חיה בצל הטראומה והדיכאון שלה, ויש תהליך שהיא עוברת, אבל לדעתי הספר עדיין לא מספיק טוב. הוא כתוב בסגנון ״היא אמרה לו ככה, ואז הוא ענה לה ככה, והיא ענתה לו ככה והוא זיין אותה ככה״. מצטערת, אבל הרבה זיונים לא הופכים ספר למעולה.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2024
‘I guess I prefer him to torment me rather than ignore me.
Yeah? Then what does that say about you?’
-
almost DNF’d. expected some serious smut based on the reviews, but for a book with so much sex/talk about sex it was incredibly.. not sexy. the chemistry was not believable and the overwhelming secondhand embarrassment removed any genuine erotic energy from the story.
if the main characters age was never stated, i would’ve thought she was 18, not 36. truly insufferable. way too much filler - could’ve been half the length and still got the same story across. but it did remind me to not be so annoying when a man hurts my feelings lol
Yeah? Then what does that say about you?’
-
almost DNF’d. expected some serious smut based on the reviews, but for a book with so much sex/talk about sex it was incredibly.. not sexy. the chemistry was not believable and the overwhelming secondhand embarrassment removed any genuine erotic energy from the story.
if the main characters age was never stated, i would’ve thought she was 18, not 36. truly insufferable. way too much filler - could’ve been half the length and still got the same story across. but it did remind me to not be so annoying when a man hurts my feelings lol
February 20, 2025
Two incredibly unlikable people having obsessive sex while being miserable to/with each other while theoretically forcing the other to come through terms with their deep set issues. I couldn't put it down, but I see not everyone will feel the same.
December 19, 2024
Unreliable narrator. Not bad, not good either. I got hooked.
January 7, 2025
Both of these people are super toxic, but Noa becoming straight up obsessed with Teddy pretty much immediately for no reason at all is honestly baffling. It wasn’t even entertaining to me, I just hated everyone so much. Everyone involved needs therapy.
September 13, 2024
In this provocative novel, a fierce battle of wills unfolds between Noa Simon, a bold filmmaker, and Teddy Rosenfeld, a stubborn CEO. Their tumultuous, sexually charged relationship pushes boundaries as they confront their deepest desires and darkest secrets. With raw intensity, the story explores the psychology of power, passion, and consequences.
What I enjoyed:
-The initial power struggle between Noa and Teddy was intriguing, particularly how their dynamic evolved over time.
-The prose was unapologetically bold in its depiction of sexuality, adding a layer of intensity to the narrative.
-The mystery surrounding the characters’ strong attraction kept me engaged, even though the reasons for their connection ultimately remained elusive.
-Noa and Teddy's relationship vividly highlights how unresolved psychological trauma can manifest in romantic relationships, especially for a young woman like Noa.
What didn’t work for me:
-The story's momentum faltered at times, and I found myself losing interest and just wanting it to end.
-I never quite understood Noa's attraction to Teddy.
-The excessive focus on Teddy’s physicality, particularly his weight, felt unnecessary and bordered on reverse fat-shaming. It detracted from the characters' development and left me questioning its relevance to the story.
-Noa’s reaction to a key revelation about Teddy mid-book felt inconsistent with her character. It disrupted the story's flow and made her behavior seem less believable.
Overall, while this book offers a unique and daring exploration of sexual dynamics and psychological complexity, it didn’t quite meet its potential. I wouldn’t rush to recommend it as a must-read, but it’s certainly an unconventional experience for those looking for something different.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
What I enjoyed:
-The initial power struggle between Noa and Teddy was intriguing, particularly how their dynamic evolved over time.
-The prose was unapologetically bold in its depiction of sexuality, adding a layer of intensity to the narrative.
-The mystery surrounding the characters’ strong attraction kept me engaged, even though the reasons for their connection ultimately remained elusive.
-Noa and Teddy's relationship vividly highlights how unresolved psychological trauma can manifest in romantic relationships, especially for a young woman like Noa.
What didn’t work for me:
-The story's momentum faltered at times, and I found myself losing interest and just wanting it to end.
-I never quite understood Noa's attraction to Teddy.
-The excessive focus on Teddy’s physicality, particularly his weight, felt unnecessary and bordered on reverse fat-shaming. It detracted from the characters' development and left me questioning its relevance to the story.
-Noa’s reaction to a key revelation about Teddy mid-book felt inconsistent with her character. It disrupted the story's flow and made her behavior seem less believable.
Overall, while this book offers a unique and daring exploration of sexual dynamics and psychological complexity, it didn’t quite meet its potential. I wouldn’t rush to recommend it as a must-read, but it’s certainly an unconventional experience for those looking for something different.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
December 25, 2022
הספר הכי ממכר ומעיק שקראתי אי פעם
September 16, 2025
Het voelt spannend om dit boek vijf sterren te geven maar ik kan gewoon niet anders!!! Ondanks (of desondanks) dat het boek soms een beetje leest als een doktersroman en je er rode oortjes van krijgt is het gewoon een steengoed boek. Zorg dat je tussen de regels doorleest en omarm de menselijke dillemas die het boek uiteenzet, de personages en de interactie. Wat een parel!!!!!
November 20, 2024
The cover of the book is the best part about it. It reminds me of a fanfiction story that has been altered and published as a novel. I finished it upon principle.
Read
November 20, 2024Thank you #partners @avidreaderpress @simon.audio & @librofm for my #gifted copies!
Rosenfeld: A Novel
By Maya Kessler
Translated by Maya Thomas
Available now
Whewwww! What the heck did I just read?! This book is WILD!!! I went in totally blind, and had no idea what to expect. 😳 The story follows an aspiring filmmaker named Noa, who has her sights set on an older man, the wealthy, antagonistic, Teddy Rosenfeld. She'll stop at nothing to have him.
What transpires is the most insufferable, toxic, dysfunctional, obsessive, codependent (mostly sexual) relationship I've ever encountered, and surprisingly, I was totally here for it! It's over-the-top, the characters are highly unlikeable, and their relationship and interactions were often infuriating, but I couldn't stop reading. I had to know how it ended.
Look, if you're going to write a book this bold, this audacious, you'd better go hard. And Kessler most certainly goes HARD! While I can't recommend this across the board, because I know a lot of readers won't appreciate it, I would absolutely recommend it to the right reader. My only real criticism is the handful of times the translation doesn't come across well.
🎧 I read this by alternating between my print copy and my audiobook copy, but I found myself reaching for the audio more often than not. Rose Dioro's narration is impeccable!
📌 Lots and lots of graphic on-page sex
📌 Out now!
Rosenfeld: A Novel
By Maya Kessler
Translated by Maya Thomas
Available now
Whewwww! What the heck did I just read?! This book is WILD!!! I went in totally blind, and had no idea what to expect. 😳 The story follows an aspiring filmmaker named Noa, who has her sights set on an older man, the wealthy, antagonistic, Teddy Rosenfeld. She'll stop at nothing to have him.
What transpires is the most insufferable, toxic, dysfunctional, obsessive, codependent (mostly sexual) relationship I've ever encountered, and surprisingly, I was totally here for it! It's over-the-top, the characters are highly unlikeable, and their relationship and interactions were often infuriating, but I couldn't stop reading. I had to know how it ended.
Look, if you're going to write a book this bold, this audacious, you'd better go hard. And Kessler most certainly goes HARD! While I can't recommend this across the board, because I know a lot of readers won't appreciate it, I would absolutely recommend it to the right reader. My only real criticism is the handful of times the translation doesn't come across well.
🎧 I read this by alternating between my print copy and my audiobook copy, but I found myself reaching for the audio more often than not. Rose Dioro's narration is impeccable!
📌 Lots and lots of graphic on-page sex
📌 Out now!
June 1, 2025
Glad I didn’t spend money on this.
January 5, 2026
Exhausting and devastating and kind of horny. I got every bit of Noa's damage. Kessler made total sense of whatever Noa and Teddy had going on. Long and tough to take but always funny and often beautiful. A barn burner of a debut, and you can totally see why Israel was obsessed with this.
June 7, 2025
3.5 I think but tbqh this will stick w me
September 30, 2024
I wasn't sure going into this book what I was going to think. It's a romance (barely), it's very sex heavy which is not really my thing, but it's full of toxic unlikeable characters which is definitely my thing.
The love story between Teddy and Noa felt painfully realistic at times, and I really identified with Noas self destructive inclinations. Teddy is a controlling asshole pos but also a loving parent and extremely generous. Noa is pushing 40 but acts decades younger, has a ton of baggage but clearly just wants to be happy.
It was interesting to read a book like this where the toxicity is so apparent but you're still kinda rooting for everything to just work out for everyone. The characters felt very raw and real so it was easy to root for them.
This book had a lot of eroticism but for me was not 'hot', the sex scenes just made sense for the story. They are graphic and probably people who look for this kind of thing in a book will get something from them, but if you're like me and not really a fan of them, don't let them deter you from giving the book a try. I would also say you can skip/skim them if you want without losing much plot.
This book is translated from Hebrew as well, which comes across in the story, it's translated well but you can tell the dialogue wasn't originally English. I think it added to the book overall.
And advanced copy of this book was given to me by Simon & Schuster Canada.
The love story between Teddy and Noa felt painfully realistic at times, and I really identified with Noas self destructive inclinations. Teddy is a controlling asshole pos but also a loving parent and extremely generous. Noa is pushing 40 but acts decades younger, has a ton of baggage but clearly just wants to be happy.
It was interesting to read a book like this where the toxicity is so apparent but you're still kinda rooting for everything to just work out for everyone. The characters felt very raw and real so it was easy to root for them.
This book had a lot of eroticism but for me was not 'hot', the sex scenes just made sense for the story. They are graphic and probably people who look for this kind of thing in a book will get something from them, but if you're like me and not really a fan of them, don't let them deter you from giving the book a try. I would also say you can skip/skim them if you want without losing much plot.
This book is translated from Hebrew as well, which comes across in the story, it's translated well but you can tell the dialogue wasn't originally English. I think it added to the book overall.
And advanced copy of this book was given to me by Simon & Schuster Canada.
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