Nat has to make the biggest choice of her life so far: what does she do for the summer? Does she stay in NYC with her dad and her friends (and maybe get the courage to talk to the hot redhead -the girl she’s been crushing on forever?)? Or does she go to LA to live with her mom, take an internship and try to fix the relationship she has with her mom? In this book, told in alternating realities, we see what happens in each scenario and how it plays out.
I love books that explore the idea of how one decision might change things. I especially appreciated how some pieces didn’t change based on Nat’s decision while others did. I flew through this book and wanted to see how it worked out. The choose your own adventure detail at the end was perfect and such a great way to wrap it up. As with all of Dahlia Adler’s books, there are great details about the Jewish faith that I learned from and I also appreciated the bisexual representation.
I started on audio and at first struggled to tell which reality/city we were in for each chapter. While the narrator was great, I could have used some clear differentiation at the beginning of each chapter in the audio. When I switched to the physical book, it was much easier for me since there were skyline illustrations at the beginning of each chapter that told you which city/reality Nat was in.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, OrangeSky Audio, and NetGalley for the advance copies.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say I loved how this book was almost a choose your adventure book where you go through two different possible summers for Natalya and in the end get to decide which ending you prefer for her. This was so creative and really fun which made for a unique reading experience. The characters were wonderful and with either ending Natalya gets a great future. This was so amazing and a different, but cool way to tell a story.

What a unique format!!!
The book quickly divides into two timelines but I had no issue going back and forth between them, and having a “choose your ending” was a very fun touch although I’m still having a hard time deciding which one I prefer because I loved both!
There was a ton of queer and Jewish rep and it was a light and fast paced read with some very cute romances.

*4 stars*

This is a super cute YA romance. I love to see the bisexual representation! It has more queer side characters and jewish representation too. This is the kind of book I wish I had when I was younger.

The Sliding Doors premise, and alternate endings were a really fun twist on a romcom. Both story lines were so sweet it was impossible to pick a time line. I loved the chose your own adventure feel. I do think the dual plot came at the expense of a deeper plot but for a fun, young adult, summer romance I don’t think that was a problem.

This is a breezy summer read with lots of great representation. The audiobook had good narration and flow.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ALC of this work. All opinions in this review are my own.

This is my new favorite Dahlia Adler book! So bisexual! So Jewish! I loved the way the sliding doors trope worked in this and found both timelines equally compelling and delightful!

In Going Bicoastal, a queer Sliding Doors YA rom-com, there’s more than one path to happily ever after. Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make the biggest choice of her life: stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad (and finally muster up the courage to talk to the girl she’s been crushing on), or spend it with her basically estranged mom in LA (knowing this is the best chance she has to fix their relationship, if she even wants to.) (Does she want to?) How’s a girl supposed to choose?

She can’t, and so both summers play out in alternating timelines – one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the girl she’s always wanted. And one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the guy she never saw coming.

“Then I feel him smile against my lips and annoyance and aggression turn into melting and wanting.” ~Adam’s storyline

“‘What could I possibly influence people about?’ ‘You’re boobs,’ Elly says without a beat. ‘I am deeply influenced by them.’” ~Elly’s storyline

This was like a two for one special! It was two separate stories but with the same main characters and such a fun twist on your typical story. Natalya is Jewish (loved this) and I really enjoyed experiencing both the east and west coasts through her eyes. The narration was wonderful and really captured the angst of that uncertain time in life. And at the end it’s like a choose your own adventure! So fun and unique.

Thank you @orangeskyaudio, @missdahlelama, @tlcbooktours, and @tlcdiversity for the #gifted audiobook and the spot on the tour.

In this queer YA romance, Natalya, a bisexual Jewish girl, takes center stage as she navigates the complexities of love, identity, and self-discovery. The author does a fabulous job taking us on a whirlwind summer romance in a choose your own adventure read. I absolutely adored it and loved how both stories were combined. ALSO, TACOS!! I'll say that LA was my favorite storyline, but both cities were done very well and I couldn't get enough of either. I also loved Mara Wilson's narration. The tones and inflections used were fantastic and I never got lost within the story. The narrator did a wonderful job portraying many of the characters and it was such an engaging listen. It all worked out very well.

A very special thanks to Netgalley and OrangeSky Audio for the gifted audiobook.

I enjoyed the majority of this book. I thought Natalya was a really compelling and multi demensional leading lady. I enjoyed the side characters in her life in NYC and LA.

Some minor critiques are that both timelines are playing out simultaneously, but the chapters do not address which timeline you're in. It would have been super helpful to have MONDAY, JUNE 26 LOS ANGELES then a MONDAY, JUNE 26 NEW YORK CITY.

And the ending. I didn't love it.

However Mara Wilson knocked it out of the park. She has a perfect audiobook voice 😍😍 I cannot wait to find more books narrated by her.

Do you need a book with (excellent) bi rep and Jewish rep? Then do I have the book for you! Natalya Fox has a decision to make. Spend the summer in her beloved NYC with her dad or try to repair her relationship with her mom in LA. In a beautiful Sliding Doors-esque narrative, Going Bicoastal explores Nat's summer as if she had made the first choice, but then an alternate timeline in which she had made the second choice.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. There was a lot of talk about food in this book, and I kept getting hungry while listening to it. Nat is a great character. She's so real. Maybe you know a Nat. Maybe you are a Nat. The bottom line is that she comes to life, leaping from the page and into our hearts. The nail biting tension happens as the clock ticks away the summer, and we need to know which story is the one Nat will end up living out. I won't spoil anything for you here. Just read it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Mara Wilson can do no wrong in my opinion and this book is no exception. She really brought Nat to life. I definitely recommend this book. (In fact, I've already recommended it!)

I absolutely loved this book! Dahlia Adler has taken an almost Choose-Your-Own Adventure style approach to this book, without compromising the quality or how enjoyable either path is. GOING BICOASTAL had me hooked from the very beginning and completely surpassed any expectations that I had. It’s undoubtedly a very fun rom-com, but it also has some absolutely incredible character work and relationship building along with that, and this staunch pride in both Natalya’s bisexuality and Jewishness that was so genuine and heartfelt. I will admit, I did have a favourite choice/love interest, but I truly enjoyed seeing Adler explore both options. On top of that, Mara Wilson did a great job of narrating this story, and truly immersed me into the world of this audiobook. I highly recommend!!

🌮BOOK REVIEW🌆

Going Bicoastal - Dahlia Adler
Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

“In Dahlia Adler’s Going Bicoastal, there’s more than one path to happily ever after.

Natalya Fox has twenty-four hours to make the biggest choice of her life: stay home in NYC for the summer with her dad (and finally screw up the courage to talk to the girl she’s been crushing on), or spend it with her basically estranged mom in LA (knowing this is the best chance she has to fix their relationship, if she even wants to.) (Does she want to?)

How’s a girl supposed to choose?

She can’t, and so both summers play out in alternating timelines – one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the girl she’s always wanted. And one in which Natalya explores the city, tries to repair things with her mom, works on figuring out her future, and goes for the guy she never saw coming.”

Another great #pridemonth read! I loved the dual timeline concept in this one! I’ve seen others comment it was hard to follow but I didn’t think so! I loved that it was a genuine bi story exploring both sides. I enjoyed seeing Natalya’s relationship with her mom play out in both timelines and also was happy not everyone in the story was wealthy/entitled.

The narration by Mara Wilson was fantastic!

Recommend if you like:
- Jewish representation
- Bi rep
- Food and music themes
- Diverse characters
- Coming of age, YA stories
- Dual timelines

Thanks to @netgalley, @orangeskyaudio @missdahlelama, @tlcbooktours, @tlcdiversity for the ARC & ALC.

🌆Would you rather be in NYC or LA?

#orangeskyaudio #goingbicoastal #dahliaadler #LGBTQReads #yalit #pride #queerbooks #bisexualrepresentation #jewishrepresentation #lgbtq #lgbtqbooks #sapphicreads #diversifyyourbookshelf

4.5

It's time for Natalya Fox to decide her summer plans. Will she stay at home in New York with her dad, or will she give her mom in LA another chance? It's a difficult choice, so readers get to see how both things work out.

When Natalya stays in NYC, she talks to her longtime crush, finds a summer job other than assisting at the university library where her dad works, tries to figure out her future, and tries to fix her relationship with her mom.

In the other timeline, Natalya takes a marketing internship. learns more about her future goals, tries to fix her relationship with her mom, and falls for a boy who makes a bad first impression.

This book was so fun and refreshing! I don't think I've ever been this enchanted by a book so early on. I loved all of the characters and saw Natalya working out well with her longtime crush AND her new flame. I read both endings and preferred the second ending. Both love interests were kind, supportive, and all-around good people, so I think it will be up to the reader to decide which ending is more satisfying.

I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a fun bi book to read this summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio (Wednesday Books ) for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the dual timelines. One choice can change everything. I just loved Natalya. It was so cool to see both of her choices play out. All the friendships she has were so awesome. The support and all the food! This author is an auto grab for me! I definitely recommend this one. Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

When I initially requested GOING BICOASTAL, I had not even read the description, I only knew that I’d loved Dahlia Adler’s COOL FOR THE SUMMER and HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE, so I knew whatever this book would be, I would like it. So when I started listening to the audiobook, I was initially confused by the dual timelines. I thought I’d missed something when suddenly her decision “changed” from what it had been last chapter, but it moved on as if that were normal. Then, once I realized what was happening, I was thrilled. This concept is the answer to “love triangles”, without involving any sort of messy and complex relationship web. It was really interesting to see what aspects still played out the same, regardless of which summer Natalia chooses, and I especially loved the ending, allowing the reader to have a say in who Natalia ends up with.

I received Going Bicostal by @missdahlelama as an advanced copy book from @netgalley and @orangeskyaudio . This is my honest and unbiased review. Thank you for the copy! 💛

Review-

You guys! This book was so cute! Every piece of this book just made me warm and fuzzy inside! 😍 The way that it was written in two different timelines was completely fascinating! Also I am obsessed with her being bisexual and bicoastal- it makes me so happy!

The author did a good job at tying the timelines together so you could really feel like either was a viable option for summer plans, but without keeping it too repetitive. There were a couple parts that were kind of repetitive, and there was one paragraph that was identical between the two chapters, but mostly I thought it was done well.

Elly totally stole my heart from the very beginning- I loved catching her red hair and seeing them actually interact for the first time. Nat was totally obsessed with her instantly, and it was fun to see her, so tongue tied around somebody! 🥲

That being said, I think by the end of the book I was actually team Adam. I did not like their meet cute because I felt like he was totally a jerk and I still don’t totally understand why. I guess his brother explained it, but I’m gonna be honest I didn’t like that part however, I did love Adam’s friend group. I loved all their food, and I feel like that was just more comfortable with him- especially at Shabbat dinner.

So all in all, I think both parts of the story were very well written, I had a great time with the entire book, and I honestly think that Nat can’t go wrong with either choice- which I think is kind of what the author was trying to say. Nat has such amazing friends, and I loved that the book ultimately was about her, deciding what she want to do with her life and taking chances. ❤️

Going Bicoastal is a super cute romance a la Sliding Doors for YA readers that don't know that movie ever existed or adults like me who can enjoy a good callback. To set up the story, Natalya Fox has only one day to decide if she will spend the summer before her senior year in NYC with her father or in LA with her mostly estranged mother. She can't decide so the book plays out both summers side by side for readers to enjoy.

In LA, Natalya falls for a cute guy and explores what her future might hold after high school. Meanwhile in NYC, Natalya focuses on exploring the city, repairing her relationship with her mother via long distance, and crushes hard on an attractive girl. With positive storylines in both cities, this book is an uplifting and positive story about how you can explore yourself and enjoy life wherever you find it and it showcases bisexual joy.

There are some spicy kisses and one brief spicy scene, but overall I'd rate this as appropriate for YA readers in high school. I loved the portrayal of Judaism, bisexuality, being an only child, and divorced family dynamics. I highly recommend this if you want a sweet book for your next read.

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved this! it was a really interesting concept and well executed. I will say that because this is on audio, I didn't really know what was happening when the chapters repeated themselves before the book split, but I eventually figured it out lol. I loved the story within, it was so compelling on both sides, and I couldn't get enough of both lines. I 100% need to read more from this author because wow!!

Thank you to NetGalley and OrangeSky Audio for an Advanced Listeners Copy!

Going Bicoastal was the coming of age story(ies?) I wish I had growing up. Following Natalya on both her paths was wholesome and I honestly couldn't decide which path I loved more. I loved all of the music references in the NY story and the food in the LA one had my mouth watering. I gave this title a solid 4.5 stars. I can't wait to buy a physical copy and add it to my Bi Rep shelf.

Natalya Fox (17) faces a decision: to spend the upcoming summer in New York City with her mathematician father and friends, or to head to LA to spend time with her estranged mother while interning at her company.

Instead of the reader just following one choice - we are lucky and get to follow her in both cities. I really liked the use of the dual narrative approach to show both possible outcomes of Natalya's decision, alternating between her potential lives in NYC and LA. The narrative shows us Natalya's journey, whether in LA with her fellow intern Adam, or in NYC with her friends and Elly, the girl she's crushed on for ages and just starts to date. Both romances are also really sweet. I loved the movie Sliding Doors and always wonder about 'fork in the road' decisions. Throughout the story, we get to see the impact of Natalya's decision for her summer.

One aspect I particularly loved was the representation of bisexuality and Jewish culture within this story. It was refreshing reading a YA novel where the protagonist is confident in her religion and sexuality, as well as the way both of those aspects work together in harmony.

The two-timeline concept, while it could have been a gimmick, works really well. I was worried about half way through how Adler was going to conclude this book, but she did it in a way that felt quite organic and natural.

I listened to the audiobook version and really enjoyed Mara Wilson's narration of the story.

Many thanks to OrangeSky Audio and Netgalley for a copy of this audiobook. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

This book was really fun and different. I loved that it had that sort of choose your own adventure vibes. Also the romances were just so sweet and book just in general gives off the best relaxing summer vibes. Put simply this is the perfect relaxing summer read.