Intersecting lives of several couples all living in the same apartment building in New York City. Twentysomething Pepper is confused about her own life with Rick, and finds solace and intrigue with the older couples who also live in the building. Their lives appear tranquil but inside each marriage are tenous trials. Engaging story with a few unexpected twists.

Rich girl Penelope moves into a new building with her soon to be husband and joins the building's co-op board. Joining the board also means joining in the life and drama of the building. It was a long read. Long but fairly enjoyable. There was a dedication to exploring diversity that I found confusing. I wasn't sure if this was an examination of love, discrimination or new york. As much as the plot was lacking and meandering, the writing was very good, so it was ultimately an enjoyable book.

Carnegie Hill is a character-driven novel set in the Upper East Side neighborhood. The narration frequently shifts between four couples: Pepper and Rick, Birdie and George, Francis and Carol, and Sergei and Caleb, all of whom are connected to an expensive apartment building called the Chelmsford Arms. The book is more like a series of vignettes about each couple’s trials and tribulations, their relationships and lives at varying stages, and their unique problems. Vatner is a talented writer for his ability to communicate the subtleties of boredom, doubt, and unhappiness in marriage. He has an easy way with language that made this book a treat to read.

The vacillation between the different storylines is difficult to pull off, especially as all of the characters intersect throughout the novel. I didn’t feel like I knew the characters as well as I wanted to - I sensed that I was supposed to appreciate them for all of their wild messiness and their flaws, but I did not feel sympathetic towards them much of the time.

For those who enjoy delving into that inaccessible world of the Upper East Side, this will be a delight to read. Vatner weaves a nuanced tale about people who seem to have everything, but are not as happy as one would think.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. The synopsis of this book seemed very intersting, I found the story fell flat and wasn’t for me. The characters seemed like a mix match of people and many were pointless. This book did not hold my interest or attention.

Carnegie Hill is like a soap and. Essentially, it is the various love stories about the people who live in this apartment building. A lot of variation just like life. Different races, sexual orientations, levels of commitment etc. I found it entertaining and well written. The characters are likeable and relatable. It's a good read overall. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Was not a huge fan. Only managed to get through half the book before I finally gave up. Sadly, can't recommend.

#CarnegieHill#NetGalley
CarnegeiHill by Jonathan Vatner, is about a coop, Chelmsford Arms, and it’s inhabitants on the Upper East Side in New York City. We mostly meet the officers and their spouses and gradually learn about their lives. Also prominent in the novel are two gay employees, one of whom is black.. it makes for some interesting action and dialogue. The characters are well developed. Some of them are funny and some so very sad. It is a readable story.

I had high hopes for this book. I greatly enjoy anything set in New York City, especially tales that center around the city’s storied apartment buildings. Unfortunately, my hopes were immediately dashed when I started reading Carnegie Hill.

Penelope Bradford, also known as Pepper, comes from old money and she’s engaged to Rick who is a self made man with no discernible pedigree. In the first few chapters it’s clear that Pepper is head over heels for Rick, and he for her. However, it’s unclear what brought the two of them together besides their bank balances. At once Pepper is a rather flat, unlikeable character who does little to endear herself to the reader. Rick presents as nothing more than a jet setting money monger. All they talk about is money and their stunning new apartment in Carnegie Hill.

When the point of view shifted to the other occupants of the building I had hoped I might find a character I could invest in but I couldn’t. Every successive character was more insipid and immature than the next. Birdie, Pepper’s nearest neighbor and seeming confidant, is an ice princesss with a severely depressed husband of whom she is completely embarrassed but we only ever scratch the surface of their relationship, seeing Birdie throwing repeated tantrums because her husband is too depressed to get out of bed. Francis, Pepper’s only ally on the coop board that she decided to join, hates everyone and everything. He is an impossible little man who finds joy in nothing except perhaps sticking it to Patricia, the board president whom he despises. He and his wife Carol barely speak except to needle one another. The remaining cast of characters is simply window dressing for a story that barrels through multiple plot lines that barely seem to connect.

I found myself skimming a great deal of this book looking for something better that never arrived. If I hadn’t been so determined to find a plot twist, I would have put this book down after the first few chapters.

The premise of this book intrigued me but I had trouble relating or engaging myself to the characters. I wanted so desperately for Pepper and for her to find her own two feet without having assumptions of what life should be. Maybe at another time ill give this book a try, just because it wasn't my favorite doesn't mean it might be a favorite to another.

I enjoyed this book of love stories set in an apartment building! It did feel a bit like a soap opera, though it was still quite entertaining. There were some plot lines that moved me more than others, but all in all, a really satisfying novel!

“Carnegie Hill” is a compilation of love stories that take place in a very wealthy New York apartment building. This book chronicles numerous love stories as each chapter switches between the viewpoints of different couples who are residents and employees of the building. I liked the fact that issues of sexuality, race and class were intertwined in an open and honest way. This book was amusing and filled with drama. The characters seemed to be drawn from real life and were definitely interesting. I liked this book. I highly recommend it. An advance reader copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

I am always looking for novels that dive into the real messy, long complexity of marriage, and this book was exactly that. I really appreciated that the author took his time to develop each of the marriages the book focuses on and show us how the relationships exist in the little details and interactions, and how those build toward habits and narratives, and what kind of work we have to do as partners. It was extremely compelling and relatable, even though I’ve never been in marital situations exactly like these. I found myself rooting for all the characters even while being frustrated with their very real flaws. I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book where the relationships were as nuanced, realistic, and complex as these. I also appreciated that issues of class, race, and sexuality were woven into the book in a frank and important way. The first half started a little slow for me, but it picked up quickly and I devoured the second half. I am blown away by the author’s understanding of the contradictory, messy depth that we all have, and his ability to portray it.

My first book of 2019! Well, I wanted something relatively light and easy after my first day back to work post-holidays and this did the job perfectly. I would hand Carnegie Hill over to someone who wants a great, non-offensive, book version of what the movie "Love Actually" does so well. This is a collection of love stories tied together around a common theme. In this case that theme is the location, the Carnegie Hill Apartment Complex.

While the publisher's summary focuses on the relationship between Pepper, a young woman trying to figure out her life now that she's in her early thirties, and her potentially slime-ball of a fiance, I would say the book is equally about the other people living in the Carnegie Hall Apartment Complex and in many cases the book shines brightest when it's focused on those other couples. Not to say Pepper's story isn't interesting. Pepper is certainly interesting and flawed and a bit exasperating but she's fun to read about all the same.

Chapters in this book switch between different couples and perspectives and ultimately the book is able to tell many different love stories. Jonathan Vatner does a great job with his character building and each person felt like they had their own voice and purpose. While at times I felt that the overall plot was slightly lacking, I am not sure I really cared all that much what happened to the co-op board or how exactly Peppers marriage may fail, I was surprised by how heartfelt and powerful some of the individual chapters were.

I would be going along and suddenly I was sucker punched with a chapter that was so terrific it made the slight drag in the middle of the book totally worthwhile. There are a few chapters which almost seem to constitute their own mini short stories while feeling totally integrated into the larger narrative. All in all a good read!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGally and the publisher in return for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an advanced Kindle copy of Carnegie Hill. I knew from the description of the book that I would enjoy it, but didn't know I would enjoy it as much as I did. Carnegie Hill is the story of Penelope "Pepper" Bradford and the people who live in her upper-crust building in NYC. Pepper is engaged to Rick when they move to Carnegie Hill and they are married soon after. Pepper suspects that her marriage to Rick wasn't the best idea, but forges ahead. Pepper has no job, comes from money and decides to join the board of her building, opening up her world to contribute and meet others who live there. She meets Patricia, the current president of the board - a stickler to her position and the building's rules, two elderly married couples and a single, older resident. Jonathan Vatner has done something that always amazes me - he is able to convincingly write from the female perspective. His characters are multi-layered and realistic. I enjoyed this book immensely - a different book to the type I usually read. I was immersed in the story and the decisions that Pepper and her new-found friends make. I hope to read more by Jonathan Vatner in the future.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Net Galley. My DH was looking for a light read with some social commentary. I thought this might appeal as we once lived in this neighborhood. Characters weren’t interesting and story lines fell flat. Can’t recommend.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It focused on the marriages of the residents and employees of Carnegie Hill, a wealthy New York apartment building. This book was funny and the lives of the residents were filled with more drama than a soap opera! I thought the characters were well-drawn, and their lives and problems were definitely interesting to read about. At times, I found it hard to sympathize with the characters, but I also think that was kind of the point. If you are a fan of The Nest, or books Candace Bushnell, you will enjoy this story as well.

Had trouble connecting with characters. Seemed disjointed and the book felt so flat.

Thanks to author,publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book. While I got the book for free,it had no bearing on the rating gave it.

This book starts off with great promise, the inner workings of an exclusive NYC COOP, The Chelmsford Arms, but quickly devolves into a superficial view of stereotypical residents. There are 2 well-dawn characters, Pepper and her mentor Francis Levy, but they are surrounded by too many others, some of them never revealed or simply dropped into the mix then ignored.

I believed the book would be more centered on Pepper and her marriage to Rick, but their problems are soon buried under the weight of all the other things going on. By the end of the book, it was hard for me to really empathize with Pepper’s perceived issues. To give some heft to her complaints, the author injects an absolutely absurd and offensive scene between Rick and a staff member.

So, filled with characters begging to be developed and unclear motivations, I was very disappointed in this novel. I do believe that the author has great potential and look forward to reading his work as he becomes more disciplined.

If you have ever lived in a condo or coop and were frustrated by the goings on of communal living arrangements, this novel will be a fun read and a reminder of just how ridiculous and petty those boards can be. The characters are drawn from real life and the particular neighborhood of the upper east side of Manhattan comes all too readily to life in this novel. Highly recommended.

Carnegie Hill appealed to me because I’ve always found stories about New York apartment blocks strangely interesting, and this book ticked every box in the stereotypes I expected. The focus is on Pepper, a wealthy young woman who moves into a fairly exclusive building with her fiancé. Having gained a seat on the board Pepper gets to know some of her older neighbours and the novel weaves through their stories over a period of about two years.

The timeline jumped around a bit, and I think it could have been tighter, but I did enjoy the unfolding drama in the characters’ lives. I initially thought none of them were particularly likeable, but appreciated the way most of them found a form of redemption by the end of the novel, without the ending being too cliched.