Have you lost count of the number of times you’ve watched You’ve Got Mail? Then Ali Rosen’s novel, Unlikely Story, needs to be at the top of your TBR!!! The TOP. Quite a few novels pay homage to You’ve Got Mail, but Rosen’s adaptation stands apart because it manages to do the story justice with a fresh, new spin. And I ate it up.

This is the book to escape to when you need a break from *waves at it all.* The NYC and London settings are full of life and Rosen’s love for these cities is apparent. Her writing is heartfelt and sharp. It’s a swoon-worthy romance full of banter and charm. I loved Nora and Eli’s love story. But also, the side characters are TOP NOTCH. Nora’s best friend Dane is chef’s kiss. The senior citizens who are Nora’s neighbors are perfectly quirky and loyal. Gosh, at this point I’m rambling about all the aspects of the book that I loved and I haven’t even gotten to the mouth-watering food references (Rosen includes recipes in the back)! There are countless reasons to run and go read this book, so just do it!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I have not read any of Ali Rosen's books before. As the main protagonist, Nora is a psychologist who has an advice column on the side. While she's based in New York, she gets an opportunity to go to London. I've never been to London, but I didn't really feel I was traveling there vicariously. The twist in the book is easy to figure out early. I wanted to like the male love interest but it just seemed a bit contrived. I'm not sure Nora did anything wrong, but ethics are an important part of the profession and I'm in a similar field. I just didn't get into the romance that much and unfortunately it was very fade to black with the love scene. If you like a spicy romance, this book may not be for you.

But black and white cookies!! (I probably would just buy them at Trader Joe's) 3 stars out of 5, release day March 1. This was also available as an Amazon 1st reads choice.

Thank you NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC opportunity!

Ali Rosen created a cute story that encompasses enemies to lovers and the love triangle tropes. This novel focuses on a therapist who falls for the wrong man, or is he the right man?! This would make a super cute rom com! A fan of lighthearted, laugh out loud, romance comedy novels may overindulge in this book!

Omg! Ali Rosen had me kicking my feet with this one. I loved that it was based on You Got Mail, and Nora was a great main character. I saw a lot of myself in her struggle to set boundaries and not want to disappoint anyone. I loved the NYC and London settings. Nora's food sounded absolutely delicious, and I'm so glad Ali included the recipes. I also loved that Nora was a therapist but was also in therapy. I saw so much growth in her from the beginning of the book to the end. I also loved Eli. He was multifaceted and his words brought me so much joy. The reveal was so good! No spoilers; even though I could see the twist coming, it was executed so well. Everything about this story made me happy. Ali Rosen nailed it, and I'm so happy I read this one when I did. Thank you to Montlake for the ARC to read and review!

Man, I love an Ali Rosen book.

In 'Unlikely Story' we meet Nora.

A therapist with trouble opening herself up. She has an easy, small life. She writes a column and has an editor she may be in love with... but she's never met him.

Now she has a new neighbor, who she has a history with and seems ready to push her buttons at every turn.

Through the book we see the ways Nora's closed herself off to avoid pain and the ways new parts of her life force her to let people in.

Rosen is so good at creating characters that you love even when you want to shake them with logic and reason.

I'd gladly walk my dogs through the park with Nora any day.

I was not able to finish this one. I liked the idea of the book and the setting, but I found there to be too many plots and it took away from the story and made it hard to connect to.

I enjoyed this sort of hate to lovers/love triangle-ish/neighbors and work place romance. Rosen writes books with pieces of culture, a warm sense of place and characters that I want to see find their HEA. This one felt paced a little differently, but in general was the romance that we wanted for two characters I was definitely rooting for. Family dynamics made both of their lives challenging but therapy and good friends made this relationship feel healthy and strong.

I loved the pictures that she painted of rooftop spaces and NYC. I loved how following Ali gave glimpses of who she is in the story but also into life in NYC. And I also love Love Actually.

This actually went in a different direction than I was expecting but in the best way! This is a funny, charming and sweet romance that feels honest and real, highly recommend

This was a cute story. A bit predictable, but it was fun to see it play out. It was fun reading the texts. Really gave some context. Enjoy this author.

This is such a cute, sweet enemies to lovers romance set in the energetic locations of New York City and London.

Nora is a psychologist, used to hearing about and helping others with their problems. However, she never puts her needs first and is not the best at following her own advice. Eli is her new neighbor (and briefly one of her patients), who is making changes and quickly interrupting normal day to day life in her apartment building. They know how to push each other's buttons, which makes for a comical read.

Nora also writes an advice column for a publication in London. J lives in London and edits her work from afar. They've never met, but their conversations via text are just so dang easy. Could there be a connection? Is this her person?

While I found the first few chapters a little tedious and underwhelming, I am so glad that I continued to turn the pages. The momentum picked up, and I found it a complete delight! Additionally, as with all of Ali Rosen's books, I adore the recipe additions at the back of the book. It's an incredibly thoughtful addition!

Thank you to Montlake via NetGally for the opportunity to read this piece of work in advance. These opinions are entirely my own. Now it is time to heat up the oven and give this strawberry rhubarb cornmeal a try. Yum!

This was a cute story that I was worried might get frustrating but happily did not. The tropes necessitated a little miscommunication but it cleared up quickly. I enjoyed it and imagine it will make a good audiobook.

This was my first Ali Rosen book, but it definitely will not be my last! Unlikely Story was such a cute story with excellent mental health rep and I loved the Jewish rep in it as well.

Nora is a New York based people pleasing therapist who also writes a weekly advice column called Ask Eleanora for a UK newspaper. She communicates with her copy editor "J" for the advice column in the word documents for her column, but feels they've built up a friendship through their notes and she has even developed a little crush. When her friend and editor at the paper asks her to come to London in the summer to meet the new publisher, Nora is excited to get the chance to meet J in person and they start texting on the side in anticipation of the visit and their feelings grow deeper for each other. Back at home, Nora is dealing with her prickly new neighbor Eli and the two of them will battle with each other any chance they get, until they get to know each other and potential feelings begin to develop.

I loved the banter between Nora and Eli, it was perfection in the enemies to lovers trope. As they begin to get to know each other and stop fighting, I enjoyed how they were able to open up to each other and be there to protect the other when they needed it. There is a great twist with the "love triangle" and I couldn't wait to see how it all played out in the end once everyone was on the same page. I really related to Nora as someone who is a people pleaser and always tries to break out of that mold.

4.5 Stars

Unlikely Story was my first book by Ali Rosen & it certainly won’t be my last because I loved this book! It was funny, charming & so sweet—albeit predictable but I didn’t mind one bit. It also had one of my most favorite tropes which is pen pals!

I loved that Ali included recipes from the book at the end! I’ve never tried a black & white cookie and now I’m very curious.

Thank you to NetGalley & Montlake for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Super cute! I can't believe this is the first Ali Rosen I've read. I really enjoyed the story and the Jewish rep!

What a fun read! If you love Nora Ephron and You've Got Mail, you're going to love Unlikely Story. It's a great romance with friendship, self-love and a really lovely journey for our main character alongside a robust and heart-fluttering love story too. Highly recommended!

Ali Rosen’s books are just so consistently good and I love that each time I know what I’m gonna get and she delivers. Unlikely Story is no different! A fun “mistaken identity” love story with a well-developed cast of side characters. I want to join them in the building!

Overall, this book was a treat and offered the kind of old school romcom nostalgia that so many of us miss. Highly recommend!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC of this book. I have been a fan of Ali Rosen books in the past so was excites to read this one. It was cute and funny and heartwarming and predictable. Honestly, I am ok with that in a book. Nora gave great advice but didn’t know how to take any of her own and apply it to her life. Her crush on J was 100% something i can see happening in the digital world we live in. But i liked watching the Eli and Nora and how their relationship changed and grew and heeled. It was a cute book that i was happy to read.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

This started out so great, hilarious at times, then the second half took me forever to get through and I'm not sure why. It's evident almost from the beginning what the "twist" is and it took forever - almost to the very end - for the characters to figure it out. You're just waiting for the big reveal and once they "get" it, it's a letdown. Do we even know when, exactly, Eli came to the realization? I re-read that part and I still don't have an answer. The side characters were sometimes more fun than Nora and Eli. This is listed as romance but I'm not sure I would characterize it as such. I would still recommend it and I do enjoy the author's writing style.

I always enjoy a book by Ali and this is not the exception.
Fall in love with Nora and Eli both as a couple and individuals.
Dealing with grief, jobs and interfering family. Boundaries are crossed and friendships are made.
S book that will make you smile and leave you with a warm feet.

Unlikely Story by Ali Rosen is a charming romance with a clever premise, but it ultimately felt a little predictable for my taste. Nora, a relationship therapist with a secret crush on her anonymous editor, J, is a relatable protagonist navigating the messy intersections of her personal and professional life.

The setup—anonymously falling for someone across the Atlantic while dealing with a grumpy neighbor in New York—was engaging, and I enjoyed the humor and wit sprinkled throughout. Eli’s character was a fun contrast to Nora, and their banter added an entertaining dynamic. However, the plot twists were easy to see coming, which lessened some of the emotional impact.

While the writing is sharp and there are plenty of swoon-worthy moments, the love triangle felt more convenient than compelling, and I found myself wanting a bit more depth to the characters’ relationships. The conclusion tied things up neatly, but it didn’t fully resonate with me as much as I’d hoped.

Overall, Unlikely Story is a light and enjoyable read, especially for fans of slow-burn romance and charmingly flawed characters. It’s a sweet story but lacked the spark to make it truly stand out.