When I read the summary, I knew I had to read Going Bicoastal!

I've always loved the idea of following the story through two parallel paths and the various outcomes that each path presents.

I have to say, I'm a foodie at heart, so I'm totally biased to Natalya venturing out to California instead of staying in New York.

But both paths have a great story that will appeal to everyone.

A cute and fast paced romance(s). Thank you NetGalley and Wednesday Books for allowing us the opportunity to read this ARC for our honest review. This was a fun read where you get to see both story lines flesh themselves out without the MC having to “choose” one path. This can some times be a form of story telling where you clearly lean toward one story line or the other and sometimes you can tell which one the author leans toward as well. However both story lines were fun to read. Although low key I am Team NYC.

Super cute and definitely worth the read.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love bisexual rep and this book was great at showing that. While Home Field Advantage is still my favorite from Adler, this one was a really strong 2023 showing and I quite enjoyed it. It's so important that we have queer literature out there for our youth - especially for bi babes, like myself - so this so important to have on the shelf! The way this was written was super unique and I don't think I've ever read anything quite like it before, but I wasn't mad about it. In fact, I would love to find more books similar to this one.

I can't wait to see what Adler comes out with next!

Going Bicoastal was a fun read, interweaving two parallel but mutually exclusive narratives that diverge from the same point: the protagonist choosing between her two options for how to spend the summer, a question we have all faced at one point or another in time.

In some ways this book was a breath of fresh air in this sub-genre, leaning more on levity and opportunity rather than the darkness and constraint that often characterizes other similar works like The Midnight Library, The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, and This Time Tomorrow. However, due to the fairytale too-good-to-be-true aspects of both of our protagonist's paths, it also lacked the emotional punch that one typically feels from these parallel-worlds works, and each narrative feel hollow and rather dull when looked at individually. The strength of the work comes from the comparison between the two, and how there would be elements in both realities that could be shared and develop regardless of the choice.

Overall, I found it a fun-enough but forgettable narrative with somewhat bland characters, an okay execution for a good premise. While the resolution felt a little too perfect, I thought the moral of the book was a good one that we should all be reminded of from time to time. My thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for allowing me access to this ARC!

4.5 rounded up! Going Bicoastal was so cute. I picked this up without reading the summary so when main character Natalya says she’s bi for the first time, I was like ‘ohhhh the title makes sense now!’ From there things just got better. The voice perfectly captured that uncertainty and anxiety that I felt during my late teens- feeling like everyone else has their lives figured out except for you. Then the story splits!! And Natalya gets to live out both options for the summer, complete with two separate romances. I loved seeing her relationships develop. Elly and Adam were very different, but the little parallels between their relationships with Natalya made me so happy when they appeared.

There’s a line that I really liked about possibility, and I think this story did a wonderful job of showing that there’s so much possibility in any choice we make. Sometimes no choice is the clear best choice, but each choice has as much possibility as the other, and that is super reassuring.

Natalya’s parents were hilarious and really grew on me, particularly her mom who I totally disliked in the beginning. I did have a bit of a hard time keeping track of all the friends since there were so many of them in each location.

This one was a bit different for me since it wasn't what I thought it was when I requested to review it. Guess I should have read what the book was about. All reasons aside it was cute enough but still a bit confusing as it jumps back and forth between her two lives and love people. I would give it 2 to 3 stars. Just wasn't crazy about it.

Loved this book! A fun and inventive story with thoughtful characterization. This would be a strong addition to any classroom library.

I don't know how I got close to pub day without devouring this book! I've become a big fan of Dahlia Adler's YA books and I really enjoyed this one. I feel like the blurb accurately describes this better than I could:
A queer Sliding Doors YA rom-com in which a girl must choose between summer in NYC with her dad (and the girl she's always wanted) or LA with her estranged mom (and the guy she never saw coming).
I remember seeing Sliding Doors in the theater and being so confused (which is probably the definition of being a high schooler in the late 90s), both because of the accents and because I was fascinated by the possibility of seeing both sides of a seemingly small decision. As someone who handles life by evaluating all potential outcomes, I was overwhelmed that someone else had understood the crazy way my brain works. I'm feeling the same way about this book, especially since the MC is probably the age I was when I saw Sliding Doors 🤣
I thought the dual choices were covered very well, especially with the variety of love interests. It was a great idea and it was executed well - what more could you want in a book?!
Many thanks to Wednesday Books for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Going Bicoastal is now available everywhere. There is great Jewish and bisexual representation in this YA romance - it's a great read for this pride month OR ANYTIME!

Dahlia Adler books are always so fun. And Going Bicoastal was no exception. Told in a unique choose-your-own-adventure format, Going Bicoastal is a queer rom-com in which a girl must choose between summer in New York City with her dad (and and the perfect girl) or in Los Angeles with her estranged mom (and a surprising guy). Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make a choice that will change her life forever.

Mara Wilson does a beautiful job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and OrangeSky Audio for providing me with a review copy.

When I first heard about Going Bicoastal, I knew I had to read it. A queer romance story with a bisexual main character? Count me in! And I think that overall, we were given a cute romance that plays with the idea of how much a choice can affect your story.
First, I have to say I wished for more. Let me be clear; I enjoyed this book. It delivers on the cute romance and kind of coming of age aspect. I think it is a cute book that most readers who are intrigued by the summary will enjoy.
My first issue was that because we follow both stories at the same time, it could feel a little confusing to me as to which details were part of which story.
The second one is the length. It felt so short for a book that follows two stories. I wanted a little more meat to both sides of the stories, to really deepen the process of those two blooming romances.
Still, I think that most readers who are looking for a cute queer romance will enjoy this. This was my first book from Dahlia Adler, and it definitely makes me want to check more of her work.

Wildly inventive storytelling by a wildly talented author.

I've read all of Adler's books and she just keeps on giving us classics.

Bonus points for tying elements of ger previous books in this new work.

Go buy it!

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an eARC for a honest review.

This was the book I didn't know I needed to read.

It was so darn perfect.

Natalya (Nat/Tal/Tally) is 17 years old - lives in NYC with her dad. She's forced to decide is she wants to spend her summer in NYC, as per usual - or if she should join her mother in LA (she and her mother are estranged).

And so begins a story that rather than having dual points of view - gives us dual storylines. One that takes Nat to LA and the other that keeps her in NYC. Each chapter jumps back and forth between the two locations.

This book is a sort of literary version of "Sliding Doors" - only, unlike that movie, I genuinely didn't know if I was happier with Nat going to LA or staying in NYC. BOTH choices, both summers were exactly what I wanted her to experience.

In NYC she finally meets "The Redhead"(Elly), she works on improving her relationship with her mother, she makes new friends and learns that her passion can become her career.

In LA she meets Adam and they connect over their love of tacos, Shabbat dinner, "dinner parties". Their friendship blossoms into something so beautiful. And again, her relationship with her mother is vastly improved.

I loved Elly. I loved Adam. I cheered on both love stories - but mostly I loved Nat.

This was my first read by Dahlia Adler and I will definitely read her books again. Well written, well paced, great characters.

Totally a recommended read. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Going Bicoastal is a fantastic summer read! I absolutely could not get enough of Natalya’s journey(s) through her choice of a summer in LA or a summer in NY with her dad. I loved that it felt like a true Bisexual story! Both timelines are fun & it’s easy to not get lost going back & forth.

5 stars!

This book was fun but didn't draw me in as much as I hoped it would. I loved the Jewish and bisexual representation but didn't really connect with either of Natalya's love interests. I was really waiting for the moment that the two realities would collide and she'd have to make a choice, and because that never happens, it really felt like the stakes were very low. Which on one hand is a nice change of pace that makes for a lowkey read, but on the other hand, removes the conflict and strife that usually bring about a good climax!

I really enjoyed this book. I was a bit scared about the timelines but I thought they were really well balanced and executed. I'm not going to lie, I did have a prefference in storyline, but I was really invested in both. On top of that I was mainly impressed by the fact that I never got them confused at all. Both felt so clear to me, and I had no way of mixing them up, even though there were a lot of similairities in them. Honestly, that was my favourite part as well. How our main character ended up going through the same kind of developement in both storylines but just got there in very different ways. The little parallels were always so much fun to discover as well. Like I said I did have a favourite storyline (but that's because I'm a sucker for foodcentric storylines in books) but I truly loved them both. I loved getting to see Natalya's relationship with her mother develop. In the LA storyline because they are spending more time together, but also in the New York storyline through their book club. I really loved the cast of side characters in both the storylines as well. The two romances were also incredibly adorable and I strongly shipped them both. Anyway, this book was amazingly executed, and it's a concept that's hard to pull of, and it was also just a very enjoyable read.

Special thank you to Wednesday Books/St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the arc! I was a little late in getting to this one before it's publishing date, but as soon as I picked it up I could not put it down.

Natalya's story is an 'if/then' situation of what happens if she stays in New York for the summer with her dad and friends, or if she goes to visit her mother in California and works an internship at the company her mother works for. In California, there is a cute boy who shares a desk with her who is a little standoffish. In New York, there is the infamous Redhead, she has been running into for years, but has never had the courage to talk to. All the while, navigating her last summer before her senior year in high school and trying to figure out the path she wants to take for the future.

This book was a super fun and cute read, and definitely a great choice for a summer read! (Some spoilers ahead) I definitely had a favorite storyline, I wish I loved them both the same, but I just didn't. The Redhead, Elly, was outgoing and had me swooning, while Adam had me annoyed most of the time. I got vibes from him of being a childhood boyfriend that would not last more than a year, so it was hard for me to really enjoy their romance. Along with that I was not a big fan of the mother/daughter aspect in that storyline either because overall the entirety of angst within the book came from that side of the plot and there was not much for the other half at all.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend Dahlia Adler's writing over and over again.

*thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review*

Going Bicoastal was seriously everything I expected and more. I loved it. I have nothing negative to say. I love that you can either pick the ending you want, or read both and imagine that they both happen in alternate universes (because let’s be real here, both are PERFECT)

This book deserves a standing ovation. The characters were well written and the parallel timelines were separate while sharing a few of our main character's quirks, it was a charming romance focused on how important our choices really can be. It's a perfect novel for teens with just enough romance, and not a ton of raunchy details, that I know it'll fly off our middle/high school library shelves!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this title in exchange for my honest feedback.

I received this Ebook A.R.C. of Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, St, Martin’s Press (Wednesday Books), Dahlia Adler and all applicable parties for the opportunity to read and review this work.



**Trigger Warnings**
Familial Estrangement, Separation/Divorce

Going Bicoastal follows Natalya in a dual reality timeline, as she navigates her summer and the changes and challenges that come along with it. Natalya’s side-by-side timeline let’s you see how her summer would play out if she chose to stay in New York with her dad,versus going to California to spend time with her mother–with whom she doesn’t have the strongest relationship.

In New York, her father gives her some rules: talk to your mother more often, find a job, and take some more chances. In California, her mother has an internship waiting for her upon arrival at the advertising company she works for. As implied by our adorable title, each timeline comes with a romantic love interest, of multiple genders. In New York, the elusive, Redhead, Elly, whom Nat has ogled every time they’ve crossed paths and in Cali, a grumpy boy named Adam, which who she has to share a desk/work space with at her mother’s internship.

This is such a cute, feel-good, YA story about discovering yourself and taking risks. I’m delighted that it debuted during Pride Month, and I can’t wait for this to be added to my collection. 4 stars, without a doubt and I can’t wait to grab my physical copy!!

It was like two stories in one book. I enjoyed reading Natalya’s story, the timelines were great. Such a unique story, the pinning between characters and growth shown in Natalya made a perfect read.