This book has a great cast of characters. The dialogue was good. The story is funny and heartwarming. Well written

Absolutely loved this book!

Abbi Waxman you are amazing!

I was hooked throughout and couldn't put this book down.

Thank you for accepting my ARC request.

It was good to return to the world of Nina Hill. This is another quirky book from Abbi Waxman; it's easy to read, light hearted and enjoyable.

Witty and fun, a great summer read!

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Abbi Waxman returns the reader to the world of Nina Hill in Adult Assembly Required, but this is less a sequel, more of a companion piece as Nina is not the central character.
We are introduced to Laura as she is new to the state, and very much in need of a friend. Lucky for Laura she happens to meet Polly, and their meeting proves to be very fortuitous for her.
I enjoy Abbi's writing, and this was no exception. I particularly enjoyed reading about a community of young people living under one roof, and the revealing of their individual personalities and circumstances.
Highly recommended

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
I have not read the first book in this series but there is sufficient information in this book about the characters to enjoy it properly without feeling as though something has been missed.
Each quirky character was well-drawn and realistic and the growing relationships were beautifully described. The book is written in the present tense; this made me feel a part of it, and I'd love to have these people as friends. There were so many witty, funny moments that made me laugh, the writing is so clever. I really enjoyed this book and have signed up to follow the author and added her other books to my wishlist, thank you Abbi.

This is follow-up to The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, but not really a sequel. It is set in the same world but is largely a stand alone and independent narratively speaking to its predecessor.

Laura is a grad student, alone in LA trying to escape the high expectations of her high achieving New York family and ex-fiance following a traumatic, life-threatening accident. Following a fire at her newly rented appartment, Laura finds herself in the Nina Hill's book shop with nothing but the clothes on her back. Quirky shop assistant Polly takes pity on Laura and offers her a room at the house where she lives. Polly's lives in an old LA mansion that belongs to matriach Maggie, who rents out the rooms illegally to a plethora of eccentric characters including Impossibly Handsome Bob. This is a slow burn romance between Laura and Bob, as Laura tries to battle PTSD and the weight of familial pressure trying to dictate her life. Their relationship feels realistic and heartfelt, but possibly a bit slower than usual romcom read. For me the strength and the enjoyment of the book really came from not from the main characters but the commune of lovable friends in the found family', their endearing humour made for a delightful read.

Thank you to #netgalley and @IsabelleHPG @headlinebooks for the ARC.

I hadn't read any of Abbi Waxman's books before this but after enjoying Adult Assembly Required as much as I did, I will definitely be going back and reading them.
Even though, as I mentioned, I hadn't read the previous book in this series, it could still be read as a stand alone story, which I appreciated.
This is a quick, enjoyable read that had some great, if slightly quirky, characters.
I liked the way that certain big issues were addressed and dealt with throughout.
This was sweet, moving at times, funny and just the kind of book that makes you feel warm, fuzzy and uplifted after reading.
I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for what Abbi Waxman does next.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An enjoyable easy read from Waxman. I have since found out that this book is part of series but this book worked well as a stand alone book. I wish I had been drawn in more to the characters.

Laura Costello ( the lead character) relocates to LA to get a fresh start. The story explores her background and the impact on her current life.

I enjoyed it.

I loved The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and one of the reason I picked up Adult Assembly Required was to see what the characters I fell in love with were up to and I wasn't disappointed.

In Adult Assembly Required, which can be easily read even if you haven't read Nina Hill, we meet again Nina Hill and her friends and we meet new characters. Laura, whose first week in Los Angeles hasn't been the best so far; Maggie, the kind and unique owner of a shared house; Impossibly Handsome Bob, with his own demons to face; Polly, smart, hilarious, and outspoken. My favorite character remains Nina Hill, with her randomly given knowledge and her obsession for books, movies, and trivia quiz.

I really enjoyed Adult Assembly Required. It is fun, witty, and immersive with a cast of brilliant characters.

Laura is starting life in a new city with new people and trying to find her independence.
She makes new friends ( though seemingly every single person she meets becomes her friend ) and has a new love interest.
I found her relationship with nick absolutely and completely infuriating!
It's a nice book, but the only characters that I had any strong feelings about were the ones I didn't like.

I loved The Bookish Life of Nina Hill so was very excited to have to the opportunity to read Adult Assembly Required. If you have read Nina Hill, then this is an opportunity to revisit some old friends – if you haven’t it doesn’t matter as this book stands equally well on its own. And, just like Nina Hill, this is book that is filled with gentle humour, quirky characters and is a delight to read.

Following a terrible car accident, Laura Costello has found herself re-evaluating what she wants from life and has left behind an overbearing family and a now ex-fiancé to start a new life in Los Angeles. When her apartment building catches fire, she finds herself homeless in city where she knows no-one – but when she comes the local bookstore and meets Nina and Polly, she is offered the opportunity to rent a room in the house where Polly lives, which is full of quirky and loveable characters, as well as cats and dogs who are characters in their own right. Struggling with anxiety and PTSD, Laura begins to rebuild her life with the support of everyone around her who quickly become her new friends – and she in turn offers support to them. She certainly isn’t looking for a new relationship – but could that change thanks to Impossibly Handsome Bob, a gardener and man of few words, with whom she forms an instant bond.

It is a charming story of friendship and found family, with a generous dose of humour and a sprinkling of romance. I love the whole cast of characters, all of whom have their own quirks and are skilfully brought to life by Waxman – and we even get some insight into what the cats and dogs are thinking! I look forward to seeing what Waxman writes next.

I admit I was so excited to receive a copy of this book, because The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was one of my favourite books, well it’s now got a pal to sit alongside it as they’re now two of my favourites. You don’t need to read the first book, but it will give you a sense of familiarity and more character knowledge, but again it’s not required to thoroughly enjoy this book.

I love Abbi Waxman, her writing is wonderful and I love her humour, I love how even the animals have great character (and are better developed than some main characters in other books I’ve read !) Laura I connected with so much, she has self-esteem issues, even though she is slim and beautiful, these are genuine flaws that readers like me will relate to. She really is so likeable and as you get more of her backstory you just root for her even more

This is a fantastic story, especially as it deals with serious subjects such as mental health and anxiety, but does it in such a way that’s light but still treats the issue sensitively and with respect. This is a heart-warming read, about creating new family for yourself , and that even as adults we sometimes need a little help in fixing ourselves or creating (assembling) the life we need.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was one of my favourite books last year and I was excited to read this one especially when I found out that it included many of the same characters. I’m fairly sure that this would still be a great read just as a stand-alone though
Laura Costello has come to LA against the wishes of her family to make a new start but then a fire destroys her apartment and she is homeless. She stumbles into the friendliest book store ever where Polly immediately looks after her and finds her a room in her shared house.
The house is a warm friendly place run by Maggie and is inhabited by several pets as well as other residents. As in her previous book, the animals definitely have characters of their own and add a lot to the humour.
Laura is a really likeable main character and as you discover more about her background and what she is trying to cope with, you are rooting for her more and more. All the characters (with the exception of Laura’s ex-fiance) are people that you can relate to and the found family that Maggie has created in her house is just lovely. I also loved meeting the characters from the previous book and especially getting to know Polly much better. She was certainly one of my favourite characters this time around.
This was a great story and I loved Laura’s journey as she confronted the issues from her past. In a way, I was expecting a bit more though. Nina Hill made me laugh out loud but this one didn’t quite have the same effect. It is a really good story but for me, not quite as good as the previous book so four stars rather than five.

I devoured and giggled my way through The Bookish Life of Nina Hill recently, so I was delighted to have this spin-off book to dive straight into. While you don’t necessarily have to read Nina Hill to read Adult Assembly Required, I think it’s a good idea to do so, in order to get to know some of the characters a little better. A big thank you to Isabelle at Headline for putting me on the blog tour!

When Laura Costello arrives in LA, her apartment catches fire and she finds herself stumbling into a bookstore to shelter from the pouring rain. That’s where she meets bookstore employee Poppy. Poppy offers Laura a room in the same lovely but illegal communal house that she lives in. As the days go by, Laura meets her other housemates, including the mysterious but Impossibly Handsome Bob and an array of delightful animals. Laura’s plans in LA were to go to grad school -she had no idea that she’d be saving a trivia team and dodging her ex, who seems desperate to win her back.

Waxman’s humour is one of my favourite parts of these books. The animals all have inner monologues and I adored being privy to them. I couldn’t help but fly through the pages with a huge smile on my face and I definitely laughed out loud several times.

Like many young women, Laura struggles with self-esteem issues. Despite being tall, slim and beautiful, she manages to find several parts of herself that she is insecure about. However, she’s not one of those girls who invents her insecurities in order to appear more relatable to the average woman -to her, they are genuine flaws. I know that this is the case for the vast majority of women and so many readers will connect with Laura in this.

Laura is escaping from her life in New York and throughout the book, that life is trying to chase her. Her mother often calls telling her that she’s making a mistake in moving to LA and her ex is desperately calling her back too. We learn that Laura has been through a terrible ordeal and is simply trying to reinvent herself in a new place. I totally understand the anxiety that Laura experiences and the questions that she asks herself -what if her family are right and LA isn’t the right path for her? However, the friendships that she forms and roots that she starts to put down reassured me that Laura was exactly where she belonged and I loved seeing her realise that too.

I loved spending time with Nina again because she always makes me smile. I think this is why reading The Bookish Life of Nina Hill first is important because Nina can come across as a bit spiky and possibly irritating, know-it-all. She has a lot more vulnerability in the first book and that’s because by the time Laura arrives, Nina has already been on her own journey of self-acceptance and romance. I would have loved a few more Tom cameos in this book though!

I loved how mental health issues were dealt with in this book. Laura realises that she can’t shoulder her burdens alone and that some people genuinely want to help her with them. It’s amazing how many adults don’t realise that it’s ok to ask for help and that no one is ever too old for it. In fact, with issues like PTSD and social anxiety, which are both explored in these books, help is imperative to life improvement.

Adult Assembly Required is a funny, heartwarming book with a very loveable heroine and some fantastic side characters. I laughed, I shouted, I held my breath -all very good signs that I was thoroughly engaged and present in the action. I would love a whole novel from the point of view of Daisy the pug or Phil, Nina’s cat. Could that please be a thing?

Oh boy did this book tick many of my bookish boxes. The bookshop scenes were just everything and I would like to move to LA and work in this bookshop asap x

This book was just the perfect mix of romance, comedy, interesting dynamics, and not to forget, the introduction to some amazing characters. It is smart, funny, clever, and engaging. I was thrown into a brand new world that I didn’t want to leave. Yes, the ending was predictable but who cares? It was heartwarmingly wonderful and that is all you can ask for.

The slow burn, low-key romance between Laura and Bob is everything. The way Laura settles with such ease into this wonderful group of characters (animals included!) is so warming. Maggie and Bob!!!!! Maybe two of the best fiction characters I have ever met (sort of). The way they gently and tentatively support Laura with addressing her trauma was just wonderful. Now seriously, can I move into Maggie’s house please?

You don’t have to have read the authors previous instalments to enjoy this one, but there are some of her previous characters heavily involved in this story and I just bloody love that concept so much. It’s made me want to pick up Abbi Waxmans previous books even more!

ALSO, any book with a Taylor Swift reference is an absolute win for me x

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Headline Books, and Abbi Waxman for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

“No, everyone is special, there’s not a limited amount of special to go around. Everyone has something about them that’s unique.”

after loving The Bookish of Nina Hill, I was excited to stay with some of our characters and meet some new ones in Adult Assembly Required!

Abbi Waxman did it again and created some extremely relatable characters, ones you’ll find yourself rooting for all throughout the book! Laura, who has had a pretty difficult few years, decides to move all the way from NYC to LA and start a new chapter in her life.

there, she finds herself surrounded by people who see her and value her for who she is and not who they think she should be. this book said found family is the superior trope and I couldn’t agree more!

as always, mental health is a pretty important part of the book. Laura has been struggling with panic attacks since being in a car accident and has always been told mental health is for the weak. but the people surrounding her emphasise that mental health is as important as physical health and deserves to be taken care of.

bonus points for impossibly handsome Bob, our incredible love interest who honestly owns my heart!

>While I haven't read the previous book by this author, you do not need to to enjoy this one - however, I enjoyed these characters so much and will definitely grab myself a copy!

This is a slow-burning read which tackles some big topics such as mental health and difficult familial relationships. It wasn't one I wanted to grab every night like some I read, but it was a welcome, cosy break from my usual list of high suspense, thriller type books. I enjoyed getting to know these characters, who were well written, and couldn't help but thinking how wonderful a home such as Maggie's could be!

An easy, sweet and moving read - perfect for your next Summer holiday!

I loved this amazing book it’s funny full of character and fun with amazing story line. I loved the writing style the chemistry between characters was amazing loved every page. It’s a heart warming novel you love. It deals with how two characters meet and start a bond relationship and a fresh start in life.

📚 R E V I E W 📚

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Adult Assembly Required by Abbi Waxman

How lovely it was to be back in Nina’s world! Even though she isn’t the main character in this story, she features quite heavily, alongside Polly, one of my favourite characters ever. Polly is the Queen of classic one line quips and deserves her own book too. I adore Polly!

This book follows the story of Laura, who after recovering from a traumatic accident decides to change and rebuild her life in Los Angeles. At first she doesn’t realise that she needs good friends to help rebuild her. Once she is installed in Maggie’s nest, she learns how to let people in.

I have to call Maggie’s home a nest because that is what it felt like. Since her own children have flown the nest, she has taken in lodgers who all appear a little broken inside. With her warmness and calming attitude and instinctive mothering nature, she helps to rebuild them. I loved Maggie’s home and it would definitely be my first choice of residence if looking for a new home.

This book deals with difficult themes such as mental health, anxiety and difficult family relationships, but it deals with them in a lighthearted way. You leave this book feeling uplifted.

This book would be perfect for fans of Elineor Oliphant. I really hope the author returns to these wonderful and unique characters very soon as I was sad to leave them at the end of the book. You don’t need to have read The Bookish Life of Nina Hill to enjoy this book, but do read it at some point. Abbi Waxman is fast becoming one of my favourite authors.