Man.....people are going to either love or completely hate this. Caitlin Barasch has managed to write a character that you want to fail almost as you want to succeed. With every page turn, I wanted Naomi to get caught, to slip up in her web of lies.

Naomi is a young woman who has every advantage. She's lives in a rent free apartment in New York, works a job as a book seller that's more of a passion rather than a need because her family has enough money that she came take time to work on her craft of being a brilliant writer. Her family is one of creatives. She's in the first relationship of her life. And through it all....she's determined to destroy it. She's obsessive about her boyfriend's ex girlfriend. She takes a peek at Rosemary's social media. She just so happens to be outside of her job. She runs into to her at a bar bathroom....and then...slowly a friendship forms....

What I found most interesting, was when Barasch allowed Naomi to really write, to really use her talent. I found the story about Adam and the story of Lachlan the most interesting parts of the entire book.

Still, I'll be interested to see how this book is received by the masses.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The keyword is obsession. Caitlin Barasch's wild debut novel can serve as a case study in young women feeling they must be more than they are in contemporary society. Naomi is a frustrated would-be writer who works in a Brooklyn bookstore. Thanks to Tinder Naomi is in a new relationship with a handsome guy, Caleb, who happens to come from Wales. Caleb is a Cambridge-educated mathematician who works for an insurance company. And so ends the regular part of the story.

Once Naomi gets a hint about Caleb's ex-girlfriend, she begins a search, not the kind of google search some of us might do when we are curious about a person. Naomi even goes beyond stalking Caleb's ex, Rosemary. The more she finds out, the more unhinged she becomes. I felt sorry for Naomi, and as I read more, my level of empathy bottomed out. I'm not sure if Naomi is a product of an over-achieving family or the overreach of 21st-century social media. The novel was suspenseful, sad, and irritating. I'd recommend it to anyone who has ever wondered what their partner's ex was like and where they are now.

Thank you to NG, Caitlin Barasch, and Dutton Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest response.

A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch is a wild ride! Is it wrong that I absolutely love Naomi—the unlikeable narrator who serves as the book's main protagonist. I laughed, I cringed, I almost wanted to cover my eyes and yet somehow managed to keep racing through every word. Highly recommend!

A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch is about an aspiring writer who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend's ex.

3.5
Naomi is a writer and in love for the first time with Caleb. After learning about his ex Rosemary, Naomi feel threatened and decides for both romantic reasons and material for the book she's trying to write, to insinuate herself into Rosemary’s life- and thus begins the charade of friendship, obsession, curiosity, and lies.

I really enjoyed reading this story and think it’s an awesome debut! I was honestly hooked from the first page and could not put it down. What didn’t work for me was some of the backstory and other diversions in the plot, ie. her family, privilege, difficult past. I found it somewhat distracting, almost trying too hard, and felt that it took away from the story. Having said that, I do recommend it. I also really love the cover! A Novel Obsession is a really fun and engaging read. I look forward to future books by Caitlin Barasch.

Thank you to #ANovelObsession #Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. This book publishes on 3/15/22.

📚 ᗷOOK ᖇᗴᐯIᗴᗯ 📚

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Novel Obsession by Caitlin Barasch
Pub date March 15th.

How far would Naomi go to get the perfect Novel?

Caitlin Barasch’s debut novel brings you obsession, lies, anxiety, and curiosity. It portrays the loneliness one can feel when being hurt and used for many years while still being in denial of the bad things that have happened.

Naomi is a 24 year old woman who has entered her first real relationship with Caleb, a man she met on tinder. She feels threaten by Calebs ex girlfriend Rosemary, when he mentions that she reached out to catch up.
Naomi starts to stalk Rosemary and befriends her to implant herself into her life and the details of her relationship….but does Rosemary know her friend is actually her enemy? Such a plot twist in the end.

I really enjoyed the book but I wished the ending would have been different. I feel like it left more to be desired and explanations of what happened but it was well executed and detailed.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC.

"A wry and bold debut novel, which is at once an irresistible catastrophe waiting to happen and an unflinching exploration of how we narrate the stories of our lives, as an aspiring novelist finds herself stalking - and writing about - her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend.

Twenty-four-year-old New York bookseller Naomi Ackerman is desperate to write a novel, but struggles to find a story to tell. When, after countless disastrous dates, she meets Caleb - a perfectly nice guy with a Welsh accent and a unique patience for all her quirks - she thinks she's finally stumbled onto a time-honored subject: love. Then Caleb's ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, enters the scene.

Upon learning that Rosemary is not safely tucked away in Caleb’s homeland overseas, but in fact lives in New York and also works in the literary world, Naomi is threatened and intrigued in equal measure. If they both fell for the same man, what else might they have in common? The more Naomi learns about Rosemary, the more her curiosity consumes her. Before she knows it, her casual Instagram stalking morphs into a friendship under false pretenses - and becomes the subject of her nascent novel.

As her lies and half-truths spiral out of control, and fact and fiction become increasingly difficult to untangle, Naomi must decide what - and who - she’s willing to sacrifice to write the perfect ending."

Tricky when you live becomes your work!

You can tell from the first chapter that there is something a bit off about Naomi Ackerman. She is a bit anxious, a bit fixated, maybe a bit obsessed. Naomi is a 24 year old aspiring novelist working in a bookstore in New York that seems preoccupied with lining up the next great authentic experience rather than actually having one.

In this metafictional novel, Naomi begins to befriend the girlfriend of her first significant relationship. Rather than coming clean, with the woman, or her boyfriend, Naomi creates intricate situations that allow her to insert herself in the ex's life. As the novel hurtles to an ending that you can't help but dread, you actually begin to root a bit for Naomi. Her thought processes and explanations of her behaviors almost make sense.

Well I love a good stalker/obsession novel and this one is spectacular. It will be hard for you to put it down once you enter her life. If you like
stalker themes, obsession, writers and writer envy and sharp characters then this is the novel for you. #ANovelObsession #Penguin #netgalley #Dutton

Can you say fixation much?

Naomi Ackerman is a 24-year-old New York native and bookseller. She struggles to write her own novel and her real-life is kinda a mess. Then she meets a guy, Caleb. Naomi starts to believe that maybe love is possible. That maybe she is worth loving. Flashbacks to relationships in the past - some tough experiences involving men - including rape, and unprotected sex, haunt her in her present life. I wanted to scream at her! Stop! Don't get in that car! Don't do it! These men from the past influence her insecurities about love and self-worth.

After dating Caleb for a while, Naomi finds out that Caleb came to America following an ex-girlfriend, Rosemary, and she starts checking in to this mystery ex.

Naomi begins investigating Rosemary on social media. Even going as far as creating a fake account to follow her. Rosemary is an editor at a publishing house and Naomi's job working at a bookstore seems like the perfect link to connect them in real life. Rosemary shares images and locations on Twitter and Instagram while unbeknownst to her she is a sitting target for cray-cray Naomi.

When stalking Rosemary online is not enough Naomi begins following Rosemary. She justifies "accidentally" bumping into Rosemary as research for her book. Naomi - being somewhat of a Rosemary expert - starts injecting herself into the book editor's life forming a friendship.

Naomi lies to Caleb and her best friend, and her obsession with Rosemary drives her path of self-destruction into overdrive. Naomi begins keeping a journal about stalking Rosemary, even letting Rosemary read some pages (names changed) to get feedback from her editor's viewpoint.

I knew at some point this whole charade was going to end up blowing up in Naomi's face in a big way. And it does! Naomi needs to decide how her fiction story will end without ending her real-life fixation. She talks herself into believing that she is only doing this for the fiction, but her obsession has bled into her life with Caleb, and she doesn't want her friendship with Rosemary to end.

This intriguing debut gave me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach at many points. It also reminded me that no one is safe online when sharing even the most minute things. What an obsessive and possessive stalker novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Randomhouse for a copy to review for my honest opinion.

This was fantastic! Even though many of the main character Naomi's behaviors were questionable, I couldn't wait to see what was next. I absolutely flew through this one, and couldn't put it down. I was very impressed when I saw this was a debut as well; will keep an eye out for more Barasch in the future. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC version of this book.

A NOVEL OBSESSION
BY: CAITLIN BARASCH

This was a fantastically suspenseful erudite and pulse pounding page turner of a debut novel written by Caitlin Barasch. The Title: A Novel Obsession is perfect and the book's cover is wonderfully intriguing. Speaking of intriguing this was so well written for a debut novel it soars above most experienced Author's work that I have read with much more experience and several published works under their belts. I knew that I was going to love this when I read the synopsis and to be completely honest this exceeded my expectations by a long shot. When I got to the acknowledgements section it listed many thanks to everyone who supported Author Caitlin Barasch, but two names that she thanked that were standouts as truly gifted and talented established Author's who were vital in reading excerpts of this excellent debut who I have had the pleasure of meeting and I could tell that they were gifted are Jonathan Safran Foer and Hannah Tinti. I met them both when they were at Author events touring with their debut novels and I can't emphasize enough how much they blew me away by their ability to mesmerize me with their brilliant characterizations and humble and pleasant people. I knew they both were Great writer's and with them both giving their feedback it is no small wonder that Caitlin Barasch's first novel is so page turning and the prose sparkles and pops. I couldn't put this down as I read it because I was under the spell of a well above average perfectly written prose. I was immersed and it held me captive until I read the last stunning prose.

I kept saying to myself that this isn't going to end well for the main female protagonist named Naomi. Naomi is an aspiring writer who works in a bookstore in New York City. Naomi Ackerman is twenty-four years old and after years of failed Tinder dates she strikes gold by meeting a solid, attractive and nice guy named Caleb from Wales. They are in an exclusive relationship and it seems as though Naomi has finally met a caring and well educated from Cambridge University who is quite a catch but when she learns that Caleb's ex-girlfriend an American Editor named Rosemary is also in New York City Naomi begins to feel insecure. Naomi begins to at first cyber stalk Rosemary and under false pretenses insinuates herself into Rosemary's life. At first she appears to be at the same places Rosemary frequents and slowly the two become friends. Rosemary is also writing a novel just like Naomi but has no idea that Naomi is Caleb's girlfriend. Naomi uses details she gathers about Rosemary and Caleb's lives as material she plans to insert in her novel she is sure will be published. The premise for this obsession is so deliciously clever but at the same time so self destructive. Naomi is bold and I was thinking how far would Naomi go to manipulate everybody she knows just for her own impulses to keep secrets for her drive as a means to an end towards her craft? I was thinking to myself oh my word. You are going to get caught and how can you deceive the man you love who loves you? How far would you go for the sake of writing the the perfect ending? Naomi and Rosemary are friends unbeknownst to Caleb. Rosemary still carries a torch for Caleb yet what will she do when she discovers Naomi's obsession? Naomi even hires Rosemary to edit excerpts of her novel. Does Rosemary suspect Naomi's deceit? As I read this I was astounded and spellbound at how Naomi continues to blur boundaries and Naomi's obsessive compulsions spiral. Facts and fiction are increasingly skewered. This is a Brilliant and Stunning debut novel that I marvel at how unforgettable and unique the plot is done. How I kept bracing myself for the consequences and I was just as guilty as Naomi for being so utterly entertained witnessing firsthand how far one would go using relationships as objects for the sake of material to produce a novel worthy of publication. This is definitely a favorite and one I will be buying for friends, family and myself. Highly, Highly recommend this to everybody who ever passed an accident that you didn't want to see but found yourself unable to stop yourself from taking a peek at. This gem of a novel reads like the best of thrillers. I would rate this one a hundred stars if I could.

Publication Date: March 15, 2022

A Huge Debt of Gratitude and Thank you's to Net Galley, The extremely Talented Caitlin Barasch and the lovely folks at PENGUIN GROUP Dutton-Dutton for generously sharing with me this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. This one is simply Wonderful!

#ANovelObsession #CaitlinBarasch #PenguinGroupDuttonDutton #NetGalley

Naomi recently found out that her boyfriend Caleb’s ex has reached out to him. As an aspiring writer, but also a woman that doesn’t want to lose her man, Naomi begins to find ways to randomly bump into and eventually befriend his ex Rosemary. The thrill is the lie is giving her everything she needs to write her novel…will she be able to keep it a secret from Caleb and Rosemary?

Oh man this chick was so crazy. I think everyone can understand being curious about a partners ex, but she took it to the extreme. I found Naomi to be a not very likable character, and that is what made the book so good. I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know if Rosemary or Caleb would eventually figure out what Naomi was doing. It also really made me think about how easily someone can stalk your social platforms and find a way into your life.

A Novel Obsession is a really strong debut! Its a fast moving enough to keep you hooked without feeling rushed. It's an interesting premise and the tension of who exactly nows what builds throughout the story. I usually prefer books not written in the 1st person, but it worked here! It really puts the reader in Naomi's mind - a necessary device as she isn't an inherently likable character. I do wish Naomi was developed just a bit more, so that we could really dig into why she makes the choices she does, but overall I really enjoyed this read!

This was fantastic! I absolutely flew through this one, and couldn't put it down. I was very impressed when I saw this was a debut as well; will keep an eye out for more Barasch in the future.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this. It was gripping and it definitely caught my attention from the first page. I thought it lagged a little towards the middle of the book and think it didn't really add much to the story. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to people who are looking for a new take on a thriller (although, I'm not entirely too sure I would describe it as a thriller and I honestly don't think it is being described but it had that 'feeling' to it). I definitely felt a little embarrassed for the character, at times, because WHY WOULD YOU DO some of those things, which I appreciate.

If you find yourself watching through your fingers when watching someone embarrass themselves on TV, as I do, parts of this book may feel the same way. I find this kind of story stressful, watching the character make a long series of decisions I found inexplicable, but Caitlin Barasch wrote this story in a way that was still so compelling that I had to keep reading.

<b> “Well, the premise of the novel hinges on that insecurity, which I think is, like, a totally normal insecurity to have if you were in my position? So anyway, it’s about a woman who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend’s ex.”</b>

Naomi is a budding writer, one who has had a very privileged life. The bad things that happened to her, she uses as excuses for her lack of apathy. When she finally finds love, she does the only thing she could possibly do - self sabotage.

<b> “So it’s unfortunate, the narrator’s instinct to self-sabotage, now that she’s finally in love.”</b>

<i>A Novel Obsession</i> is very meta. And in truth, a lot of people will see this novel not for the lighthearted but as a story about one woman truly stalking her boyfriends ex. Which is not ever okay.

Others will find themselves waiting for the eventual shoe to drop. But what I found most intriguing about this story is that no matter how much I hated Naomi and her methods, I still found myself somewhat rooting for her to settle down and let herself be loved - for the real her and not the version of the ex she was stalking.

Who among us hasn't scrolled our partner's ex's social feeds for a hint at who they are and how we are similar or different to them? Barasch's novel takes this idea and runs with it, showing the lengths Naomi will go to to follow a creative high. With pressure from her parents, talented brother, and esteemed grandmother, Naomi is in a hurry to prove that she can offer something to the world.

But Naomi's relationship with Caleb and her stalking of ex girlfriend Rosemary isn't as stealthy as it seems. As she implants herself in Rosemary's life, Naomi is also forced to face her history with past partners, and to weigh the cost of finally writing something to be proud of.

A NOVEL OBSESSION swept me off my feet. For the first time in a long time, I found myself staying up until dawn (literally) to finish the pages. I was seduced by Barasch's writing and found myself identifying with Naomi's feelings of familial FOMO and the competitive race among writing friends to be The Most Creative.

Similar to the Bad Art Friend article, A NOVEL OBSESSION forces you to address just how close you real you should make your muse. Barasch's high-tension novel is filled with rug-pulled-out moments and cringe worthy moments as Naomi chases the story she believes will launch her literary career.

I will warn readers that there is a rape scene in the book, but that Barasch uses it to speak to Naomi's attitude towards relationships and the men in her life; it is written with delicacy and care.

While this book can be read at break-neck speed, it at times got a little too meta for me, and I would've liked to dig a bit more into Naomi's relationship with her family. That being said, I can already tell that this novel will be a highlight of 2022.

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4467959161?book_show_action=false

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Penguin Group Dutton and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


A shockingly explosive debut novel filled with lines of obsession one crosses when you allow you mind to be consumed.

So many feelings about this book! The protagonist, Naomi, is a writer who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend. Naomi is quite the character and it can be really hard to handle some of her decisions. It’s hard to watch her obsession, but it is really well-written and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next.