Book Review: *Unlikely Story* by Ali Rosen

In *Unlikely Story*, Ali Rosen weaves an enchanting tale of love, personal growth, and the surprising connections that form in the most unexpected places. Set against the vibrant backdrop of New York, the novel follows Nora, a witty and introspective advice columnist, as she navigates the complexities of her heart and her life.

Nora is surrounded by a colorful group of neighbors who share a tight-knit, harmonious bond. But when a new building owner, Eli, arrives with plans to build a rooftop garden directly above Nora’s apartment, her otherwise peaceful life is suddenly thrown into conflict. Their opposing views on the building's renovations create tension, but as fate would have it, an unexpected twist—Nora finds herself stuck on the roof with Eli—forces them to confront one another in ways neither anticipated.

What begins as a clash of wills gradually transforms into a genuine connection. As Nora nurses Eli through an illness, their relationship evolves from an initial prickly animosity to something more tender, layered, and complex. Their chemistry is undeniable, and the slow burn of their emotional journey is beautifully captured by Rosen, with subtle clues and moments of vulnerability that feel authentic and real.

Complicating Nora’s feelings is her developing affection for 'J', her longtime colleague and friend who edits her advice column but she has never met. Their friendship has always been a source of comfort, but as Nora’s emotional landscape shifts, so do the feelings she harbors for 'J' and Eli. The love triangle that ensues is heartfelt and thought-provoking, capturing the nuances of attraction, loyalty, and self-discovery.

One of the most delightful aspects of *Unlikely Story* is the charming supporting characters. Nora’s quirky dog, George, brings a touch of humor and warmth to the narrative, grounding Nora in the midst of her emotional turmoil. The residents of her building, with their varying personalities and quirks, provide a refreshing sense of community and offer a balance to the more intense moments between Nora, Eli, and 'J'.

Rosen's prose is soft and evocative, with moments that tug at the heartstrings. The emotional connection between Nora and Eli grows with such delicate precision that the reader is drawn in, feeling every wave of tension, tenderness, and longing. The metaphor of passion as a liquid “seeping into me that I can’t brush away” encapsulates the essence of their evolving relationship: one that can't be ignored or easily shaken off.

Overall, *Unlikely Story* is a charming romance that masterfully explores themes of love, identity, and the unpredictable paths that bring us closer to the ones we’re meant to be with. With endearing moments, heartfelt tension, and a storyline that offers just enough mystery to keep the reader engaged, it’s a book that resonates long after the last page. Fans of slow-burn romances and stories about finding love in the most surprising of circumstances will find much to enjoy in this warm, poignant novel.

"Unlikely Story" had all the wonderful feels of every 90s/00s rom com we all loved growing up! Nora is a people-pleasing therapist who also writes a weekly advice column, who happens to fall for her editor "in the margins" of the page. They eventually move their conversations to text and felt all the tingles reading this book. This was a really cute love story and my 1st Ali Rosen book--I look forward to reading more from her. The characters had excellent chemistry. 4 stars! *I received a complimentary ARC from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Okay story of a therapist who is better at giving advice than taking it herself. She finds herself falling for the copyeditor of her advice column, despite only communicating over edits and never meeting in person. She also develops a contentious relationship with a new neighbor in her building. I felt like this story was exactly as you would expect and was extremely predictable very early in the book. I would have enjoyed more of a twist and maybe more fireworks with the familial elements for Nora. This was an easy read and for those who want predictability.

I am a fan of Ali Rosen’s work and this book is another example of why. Well written, multi faceted characters and an amazing plot are three of her trademarks that are clearly evident in this novel. You’ll enjoy it!

NYC/London, therapy positive, found family, difficult parental relationships

Nora is a relationship therapist, living in NYC, feeling pretty lonely with 1 best friend and her dog, George. On the side, she writes an advice column and has been trading notes with her editor for years. She's pretty sure she's in love with him...but they've never met or seen each other or know each other's real names.

Eli is Nora's new downstairs neighbor and its enemies at first sight. He has big plans for the rooftop of the building which would disrupt Nora's quiet existence. The kooky neighbors are great characters who really make this a 'found family'.

The banter here is so good, and there's a bit of mystery, family drama & quiet feelings that turn into big ones. Heartwarming, funny and romantic!

Loved Nora! Im not into “love triangle” romances but this was done in a way that had me entertained. Love the enemies to lovers with her neighbor and the email updates with her editor. I loved how everything came together!

As a relationship therapist, Nora helps patients explore their feelings honestly. But she’s hiding an embarrassing relationship secret of her she’s in love with someone she’s never even met.

J edits the advice column Nora’s been writing anonymously for the last seven years. He’s in London, she’s in New York, and they communicate solely through shared files. When he confides that his girlfriend’s out of the picture, and her boss asks her to come to London, Nora takes both as a sign.

But that’s not the only thing on her mind. A client’s ex-boyfriend just moved into her co-op, directly beneath her. Eli blames Nora for his breakup and seems determined to make her life miserable, gleefully planning a noisy renovation.

Yet despite all his bluster, Nora eventually starts to see the softness behind Eli’s brusque, charming exterior…and after a slipup reveals a startling secret, Nora wonders whether someone can be two things at once.

Loved it. Will recommend to others

“I love every version of you."
•

with “You’ve Got Mail” energy and “Love Actually” appreciation, Unlikely Story is a heartfelt and comedic journey as Nora navigates falling in love with a man she’s never actually met while simultaneously developing a confusing friendship with her new neighbor (and part-time nemesis) in her New York City co-op.

as with her other works, Ali Rosen’s wit, humor, and love for a good culinary dish shine throughout this novel and perfectly blend with the heavy humanness of the characters in such a way that will leave you with hope and a smile from beginning to end.
•

this and that:
♡ adopted pets
♡ advice columns
♡ baking
♡ hurt x comfort
♡ learning how to ride a bike (literally)
♡ loathe-to-love
♡ london
♡ “love actually” references
♡ new york
♡ rooftop gardens
♡ single pov
♡ therapy
•

triggers:
☞ death of a loved one
☞ difficult family dynamics
☞ loneliness
☞ people-pleasing tendencies

3 ⭐️

This was cute and a quick read for me! Nora was a character that I immediately saw pieces of myself in and it helped me fully immerse myself into the story. The romance of this story was cute but not enough for me to truly root for them.

Thanks NetGalley and Montlake for an ARC!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! A therapist and column writer, Nora pushes herself to open up to those around her. In doing so, she ends up connecting with J and Eli as well as letting in her friends and neighbors. This book was super cute with a fun community of characters. I loved the evolution of Nora and Eli's dynamic. I was surprised it was so far into the book until someone connected the dots, I picked it up very early on as a reader. The flow of the book had some lulls but otherwise very cute and enjoyable read! Would read this author again.

Loved the cover art, drew me in to click on it. When reading and listening the texting and emails more in their normal form you’d receive them in, felt confused sometimes which was her thoughts and what was an actually text/emails. 30% thru and just feels long, dragging and predictable. How. Did. It. Take. Till 71% thru to connect the dots?! I really like the thoughts of the book and how she works through some of her troubles and the ending was sweet. But resolution on her mom/family felt left out after all we were apart of, felt unfinished. Overall it was a little slow and longer than I’d like but still liked the book and would recommend to my romcom friends/bookclubs. I love her books in the back where she gives recipes! I think it’s such a unquie cool thing and I really want to try out some of them! I’d said 3.5 stars if I could do halves! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the advance copy for my honest review.

Nora es una excelente terapeuta de pareja y, además, escribe una columna en la que cuenta con un corrector de estilo llamado J. Ambos llevan años trabajando juntos y se han convertido en amigos. Aunque viven en países diferentes, su comunicación se da por correo electrónico y mensajes. Nora se ha enamorado de él y ahora desea conocerlo en persona, pero teme ser rechazada. Mientras tanto, se distrae con su enemistad con su vecino Eli, quien, además, fue su paciente. Eli la culpa de que su novia terminara la relación con él.
¿Logrará pedirle a J que se conozcan?

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What an amazingly sweet nod to You’ve Got Mail! Eli and Nora give enemies to lovers a run for its money with the palpable dislike they initially cannot get over. Fortunately, a good happy ending was meandering behind the scenes and it sneaks up and hugs you close. A great butterfly inducing story!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for my objective review. So, bear with me as I try to tread lightly here so I don't give away spoilers. Nora, a couples therapist, writes an advice column but struggles within her IRL interpersonal relationships. She feels a romantic emotional connection with her copy editor, "J," with whom she's only ever had a virtual relationship. Then Eli, a former client's ex-boyfriend, moves in downstairs and blames Nora for the breakup so is antagonistic towards her. Nora finds herself dealing with a reluctant attraction to Eli while she simultaneously becomes closer to J. Nora has a problematic relationship with her family: she was a parentified child for a long time and her family continues to expect her to take charge. (I feel for her in that respect, I *really* do.) As a result of her off-kilter family dynamic she tends to avoid putting her needs first in her other relationships. And because of a focus on those dynamics, the book initially reads more as women's fiction than a romance, especially as Nora works to stand up for herself more. That said, the romantic aspect does pick up pace in the last half of the book. The romantic outcomes are fairly predictable early on, which is a tad distracting as you wait for certain events to unfold. I'm giving this 3 stars for that predictability, but also because I really struggled with the professional and ethical conundrum Nora grapples with regarding her relationship with Eli. I absolutely should have paid closer attention to the description before picking up this book as Eli is former client-adjacent, and their relationship is a gray area when it comes to complying with APA relationship standards for therapists and former clients. I don't think I would have picked up this book if I'd fully realized their former professional relationship, which ended only a few months before the start of the story. Pondering whether or not Nora should pursue a relationship with Eli yanked me out of the story for quite a while, although I will say that thankfully this is addressed a bit in the story as Nora ponders the same thing. The book is written as a single 1st-person POV from Nora's perspective; I would have liked more from Eli's perspective although I get why it wasn't presented. The two of them together didn't really grab me that much, although there were some sweet moments and the supporting cast was fantastic (plus cute pets!) So, ultimately not quite the book for me but I think those looking for a light read will enjoy it. Publishes March 1, 2025.

This plot is a convergence of several fateful circumstances that exist to bring two people together. In each situation they get to see a different aspect of the other and not every part is lovely.

Nora is a relationship therapist who works in New York and once a week writes an advice column for a London newspaper. She’s been doing this for the last seven years in an anonymous way.

J is has been her copy editor for seven years and every Tuesday he passes his own personal commentaries about Nora’s advice. They have created a friendship of sorts.

When Nora’s neighbor died, her grandson moves in, and he is the boyfriend of a patient who was struggling in her relationship and finally ended it. He is not a fan of Nora’s and is planning to let her know it the moment they met….if only he wasn’t attracted to her.

This story was lovely from the first page until the last. I enjoyed every moment of it. Plus, you get bonus recipes at the end! That was a perfect and unexpected gift.

Thanks to the publisher and author for this ARC.

ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || UNLIKELY STORY [thank you to Montlake and @netgalley for my #gifted copy!]

Title: Unlikely Story
Author: Ali Rosen
Genre: Romance
Format: Digital
Star Rating: ★★★★☆

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
Relationship therapist Nora spends her days guiding others through love’s complexities, but she’s hiding a secret: she’s smitten with J, the editor of her advice column whom she’s never actually met. They’ve only ever communicated through file exchanges, but when J mentions his recent breakup and Nora’s boss sends her to London, she takes it as a sign to finally meet him.

Complicating things, however, is her new downstairs neighbor, Eli—who also happens to be a client’s ex and blames Nora for his breakup. As their tension builds over his loud renovations, Nora catches glimpses of Eli’s softer side. Soon, she’s forced to question whether love could be closer to home than she ever imagined.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
After meeting and hearing Ali Rosen speak at Romance Con this year, this book was such a delight to jump into! If you’re a foodie or a farmer’s market nut, I think you’ll see yourself in this story. 😂

I could NOT get enough of Nora & Eli’s first interactions! The fact that she was so set on destroying everything that he wanted to move forward with - just to keep the status quo, was nothing short of amusing.

I think I’ve also discovered that I really enjoy books about therapists - because it usually means that someone is really working on themselves, and I love seeing that in my romance novels (even if it’s not as fun to research as recipe testers, haha).

But I think my favorite part of this book (other than the banter) was the third act not so breakup. I thought it was so well done that these two people who really liked each other just weren’t in the head space to be together at that moment. Not that something terrible had happened & broken them up (which is often the case in this romantic beat), but simply that it wasn’t time.

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
You’ve Got Mail
Meet Me in the Margins
Foodie Stories
New York
Meddling Senior Citizens
Hello Stranger
Books about Therapists

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.28
# of Pages: 320
Pub Date: March 1, 2025

This is a sweet romance that follows Nora, a therapist and advice columnist, as she navigates love and life. Nora is falling for J, her editor in London, through their heartfelt emails and texts. Meanwhile, her new upstairs neighbor, Eli, adds an enemies-to-lovers twist as he seeks revenge for her advice that ended his relationship. The book is filled with humor, witty dialogue, and relatable life challenges. Rosen beautifully highlights themes of mental health and communication. This charming story is perfect for anyone looking for a light, enjoyable read.

And ode to The Shop Around the Corner and You've Got Mail, Unlikey Story is a warm pen-pals/enemies to lovers romance. A Nora Ephron drenched New York City in which young therapists have enough money (cough a million dollars cough) to buy an apartment is the setting of this novel. If you can suspend your disbelief enough to get through this fact and you love all of the Ephron odes to NYC, you will love this book. Living in a building downtown where you know, and like, all your neighbors is a true NY fantasy. As a therapist, having an advice column and affording an apartment and an office space, feeling professional fulfilled and not having to worm late hours or weekend, that's also a fantasy. But gosh I ate it up.

Of course readers connect the dots much faster than Nora, but I loved watching her discovery. I loved the slow burn between she and Eli. I've her wrestling with her professional ethics (it was a bit dicey for me at times I admit, both concerning her relationship with Eli and the fact she disclosed it to her friend.

Rosen has the ability to write adults, with romantic problems, who have insight and communicate like adults to work it through. I truly love this about her books. This would make an amazing movie. Definitely worth a read while curled up in a knitted blanket with a mug of tea this fall. 4 stars
Thanks to Net Galley and Montlake for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

So there is a major spoiler in this story I don't want to ruin, and because of that this review will be limited.
I enjoyed this story about a therapist who is having her own mini crisis - that made her a very real character to me. The author's use of misdirection was good, as well, in helping the heroine move the story along.
One criticism - and this is just a personal pet peeve - I found the story very wordy at times - like one or two words would have sufficed instead of three or four sentences of explanation. But again, that's just me and doesn't take away from the storyline.
4 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for a sneak peek!

This is my first book by this author and it definitely won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this and can't wait to read more. The pace and the story kept me intrigued. Thank you so much for the ARC!