Lauren Appelbaum’s debut novel, RACHEL WEISS’S GROUP CHAT, a Jewish, millennial version of Pride and Prejudice with Broad City vibes.

RACHEL WEISS’S GROUP CHAT
by Lauren Appelbaum
Grand Central, September 2024
(via The Whalen Agency)

Rachel Weiss turns 30 this year, and she has it all: a fabulous social life, three best friends, and a job that pays the bills. Unfortunately, she also has a slightly unhinged Jewish mother who’s desperate for her to be married. When a millionaire tech bro named Christopher buys the house next door, Rachel’s mom fixates on him as a match for her daughter. But Rachel has worked in the tech industry for years and she knows guys like Christopher: arrogant, algorithmobsessed capitalist overlords. Besides, she hits it off with a mysterious hottie whose party boy persona appeals to her more than Christopher’s buttoned-up politeness. She doesn’t need her mom’s help. Especially because she has the world’s most amazing group chat with her best friends that gets her through everything.

But when not one, but two, of her friends start ghosting the group chat, she learns those friendships might be shakier than she thought. To make matters worse, she can’t stop bumping into Christopher, who has some history with Rachel’s new boyfriend that one of them seems to be lying about. But spending time with Christopher, who has it all figured out, makes Rachel question what she’s doing with her life. As she watches her friends move on toward the lives they’re building, and her own bad choices catch up with her, Rachel must decide how to build the life she really wants.

Lauren Appelbaum lives in Seattle with her husband and daughter and their two tuxedo cats. She loves iced oat milk lattes, drizzly autumn days, and ending each night snuggled up with a good book. If she can make just one reader laugh, she’ll consider that a win.