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Member Reviews

I liked the setting and characters. The pacing and plot development fell short for me. The writing was fine. This is one of those books that was good enough while reading but I won't necessarily be thinking about it several weeks from now or at the end of the year.

Very much appreciate the queer and South Asian rep.

Ratings
Quality of Writing 3/5
Pacing 2/5
Plot Development 3/5
Character Development 4/5
Overall Enjoyability 3/5

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Her Golden Coast is a quick and engaging read, interestingly, not quick but engaging in its romance and characterisation.
The context and the setting appealed to me plenty. The diversity and inclusivity were the other highlights, and I appreciated Deracine’s vibrant descriptions. In terms of the romance element, there were both good tropes and slight cliches.
3.5 stars rounded up.

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This is a slow-burn romance set in the tech industry during the years around the 2008 financial crisis. Recent history is interwoven with the lives of Laurie and Mal, creating story arcs based on common tropes like women in a mainly male professional environment, poor girl/rich girl or race. Despite this does not sound very exciting, this novel works extremely well. The writing is engaging and funny and the pacing is just about right. Easily one of the best books I read this year!

(based on an ARC from NetGalley)

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Good book with a great romance but the stream of consciousness narrative was quite unappealing at times! I loved the main characters, their friendship and how comphet affected them as a unit.

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1.5/5⭐️(rounded up on the scale) 1/5🌶️

This sapphic romance begins in 2007 (this being classified as 'historical fiction' broke my millennial heart) during the silicon valley boom of the early 2000's. Laurie and Mal are polar opposites that eventually become friends and then lovers.

From the very beginning of the book, I struggled to navigate the storyline. Laurie was not likeable, like at all. I hail from similar beginnings as Laurie, but found her hard to relate to. She read as bitter and having a proverbial chip. Mal was so closed off and aloof that she read as robotic and rude. The lack of chemistry between Mal and Laurie was maddening, "What do you want from me Mal? A declaration?" Yes. Please. Good Gravy. Gimme something. I wanted so badly to love their love story. It just wasn't there for me. This was a slowwwwww burn. To the degree that I didn't find the romance aspect believable when it finally occurred. Did I believe they were best friends, yes. Did I think it was a soulmate match, absolutely not.

Things that I felt the novel did well:
-The depiction of the 2007-2009 economic recession and the culture. Having lived in this time around the same age as the FMCs, I found the descriptions of the events familiar and accurate to my lived experience. The parties and the tech bros in the beginning of the book were humorously accurate.
-The concept of found family, particularly when there are strained biological familial ties.
-The cover is pretty!
-Exploration of how socioeconomic background and cultural differences can positively and negatively shift relationships.
-The themes of comphet and the lesbian experience (through the lense of community.) I felt like Mal and Laurie were more of a family/sisterhood and that the exploration of Laurie's terrible dating history was very comphet based. (The boyfriends gave me the ick.)


Expected Publish Date: August 15, 2024

A big thank you to NetGalley and Mayavin Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

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I was sold when I discovered this book is a sapphic romance set in late 2000s (and onwards) and set in Techlandia, aka San Francisco. And it did not disappoint. Despite not working in that industry or that location, I was the same age as the main characters at that time and so felt very nostalgic about many elements and references. If readers are expecting a traditional contemporary romance, this is not it, although there are tropes tucked away - strangers to friends to lovers, workplace romance(ish), mutual pining - but really the majority of the book reads like contemporary fiction dancing around topics such as misogyny, classism, sexuality and more. This was not a bad thing for me but for others expecting more of a linear, uncomplicated romance, this may not deliver. Greatly appreciated the representation in this book - queer, trans, fibroids, neurodivergence - and will be keeping my eye on this author. 4.5 stars.

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Set in San Francisco between 2007 and 2012, Her Golden Coast captures the feel of living as a 20-something woman in a specific time and place: Mortgage Crisis/Great Recession era Silicon Valley. The tale centers around two main characters: Laurie, an artistic soul and whip smart admin assistant who never went to college, and Mal, equally smart, equally artistic, but with the qualifications, promotions, and self-assurance that Laurie can only dream of.

Amidst a sea of our modern take on young adulthood and romance, this one stands out. Told in a style approaching stream-of-consciousness, it's a no-holds-bar exploration of the inner workings of young women with none of the fluff that would warrant a cartoon book cover. But what you trade for a feel-good beach read is real emotion, and really complicated relationships rife with the tumult that comes from being a young person forced to decide between a plethora of bad options.

The writing was sharp, the emotional beats gratifying earned, the characters were so realistic, I felt I saw in them not only myself, but so many of the types of people I've met in real life. As to the time and place: setting felt real, and the callbacks to that era were accurate and added texture to the tale. If you lived through the era, if you are or once were a young woman struggling to find your place in the world, if you're a perpetual underdog or just want a cathartic cry, Her Golden Coast should definitely wind up on your TBR list.

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Her Golden Coast takes us through the early days of Silicon Valley's tech boom, set against the backdrop of 2007 SFC.

What made this novel a very engaging read was the depiction of a time when startups were finding their footing, and the people working for them were too. It's a tale of love woven with self-discovery.

Both our protagonists - Laurie & Malini (Mal) - come from somewhat dysfunctional families, and while they don't reveal much of their pasts to each other, the fact that we readers know about it makes their romance genuine and poignant.

The writing is straightforward yet powerful. While some moments felt Bollywood-esque - especially the part with Mal's family towards the end - I can't complain.

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In the beginning I had a bit of a hard time to get into the plot and the characters but the struggle was absolutely worth it!

I liked the side infos about things that happened along the timeline, reminding me of moments I had already forgotten.

The chemistry between the main characters and the development from roommates to friendship to love was very enjoyable to read.

It was exciting to see how they learn about and see each others struggles and how to help and support in a suitable way.

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Her Golden Coast is one of the best books I have read in a while. It is a contemporary narrative which perfectly captures the life of two women in the Silicone Valley. Laurie is organised, self-sufficient and kind to the bone. Mal is unapologetically herself, loud, direct and seemingly certain. Although Mal is incredibly wealthy, she moves in with Laurie to help her stay in her rented flat. The two are polar opposites but Laurie falls for Mal’s extraordinary strength, and Mal falls for Laurie’s unwavering kindness. The book follows their lives through Laurie’s lens as they navigate the terror and beauty that come with accepting your sexuality.

The book itself is beautifully written, with the societal implications of being a woman and queer (and also a person of colour for Mal) covered accurately and realistically. The writing itself is stunning, almost poetic. These things, and so much more I cannot put into words, made this an incredibly enjoyable read.

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I enjoyed how this book was set in many years but I was often confused what year it was or what month it was. Besides that I had a few quotes I really enjoyed and overall the book was a light and easy read.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc of Her Golden Coast.

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Not knowing the author, I did not expect much from this. I was blown away all the more once I got into it. I do not want to spoil anything, so let me just say that I loved the storytelling, writing and the complex, authentic characters. It is one of my favorite reads of the year so far! :)

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Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via NetGalley.

Set in San Francisco before the 2008 Great Recession and moving through the next few years, the novel, ostensibly a Sapphic romance, uses the tech industry and anti-capitalist organizing made visible by Occupy Wall Street, as a backdrop and a metaphor.

Laurie, who comes from a poor family in upstate NY, moved to San Francisco to escape the dysfunction she grew up with. She takes a job at a dot com startup as the admin assistant to the founder. When the book opens she's dating a man who insists on bringing along his male college friend on some of their dinner dates. One evening, the friend brings his own date, Mal, a female tech engineer, who speaks an unacknowledged truth the the two men are in love with one another.

Laurie is forced to deal with the truth, breaks up with her boyfriend, and slowly befriends Mal, taking her in as a roommate. Most of the book then chronicles their growing friendship and closeness as well as Laurie's short affair with a woman and two relationships with men. All the while she refuses to acknowledge that she is falling in love with Mal.

Mal comes from a family of immigrants from India, a family that has expressed their disappointment in her her whole life. But Mal expresses little emotion, even when it comes to her friendship and growing feelings for Laurie.

Trope-wise, this is a slow-burn, friends to lovers romance written entirely from Laurie's POV, almost in places as a stream of consciousness. But it is so much more. The writing is strong and the metaphorical backdrop is so well done. The author writes Laurie's character arc beautifully while including a portrait of Mal's neurodiverse personality.

Highly recommended.

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Like some other reviews I've read, I struggled to get into this as it was quite confusing, and the FMC seemed quite detached from the narrative.

However, as things progressed, I grew to like the story. It wasn't one of my all-time favourites, but it felt realistic. I could relate to quite a lot in the story, actually, such as struggling with my sexuality and feeling inadequate because of my job title and status.

I didn't like Laurie much until towards the end because she seemed a bit narrow-minded. However, I did quite like the romance - it felt raw and believable, which was nice because I haven't read many good sapphic romances.

Also, revisiting the 00s as someone born in the late 90s was fun. It was also somewhat political in its analysis of tech culture vs. the struggling American economy, but this didn't take away from the story.

Overall, it's a good lit fic book from a promising author, one that I'd recommend even though it's not my usual genre.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC

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Thank you NetGalley, for an ARC of this book (out Aug 15)

As much as it pains me to consider this historical fiction, since it's set at this weird turn of the century boom in Silicon Valley, a time of techbros and startups being so rampant, I must admit that as much as I dislike it, the 2000s are indeed a time of historical fiction.

It's hard for me to contain my enthusiasm as a millennial South Asian person working in tech in a predominantly white country for a story where one of the main characters is a very successful and enigmatic Indian woman who enjoys dominating Silicon Valley startups filled with men. Malini (Mal) Kumar is a fantastic character and deeply enigmatic to the reader. We observe her through Laurie's extremely empathetic lens, who is the point of view character. Both women are trying to make careers in predominantly male-heavy companies and environments and both are trying to mould the idea of marriage and love to something they can digest and embrace while being hounded by their families to just take the traditional path and not think too much about it.

Laurie struggles with the idea of being "just an admin" in a culture that raises up technical people, mostly men, above all else, and tosses around new buzzwords every month. Her attempts to find her people and fit in somewhere without feeling lesser than are relatable to most people, but her nature is one of deep empathy and "people skills", which really makes her compelling as a character who always feels on the periphery of her own life.

Mal is focused, driven, a mystery to everyone and completely secure in who she is, or so Laurie thinks as they form a bond despite being of such opposing temperaments, social and financial backgrounds, cultures, and salaries despite living in the same rent-controlled apartment and sometimes working at the same startup. Tech bros like to quote Mal as she leads teams of them into successes while diminishing or being patronizingly encouraging of Laurie in her role as the herder of geniuses and yet, the connection the two have feels authentic, engaging and supportive.

I absolutely loved these characters and this snapshot of a time in tech when startup culture was booming and people were exploring and working out their identities and intersectionality. Absolutely brilliant!

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I liked the setting, the characters and the plot. I'm not quite sure what I needed to make this a five star instead of slightly above four, but I did enjoy this and would recommend.

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Overall, Her Golden Coast is a tale that starts rough but evolves into a compelling read, showcasing the author’s ability to craft a thought-provoking narrative once the story gains traction.

Her Golden Coast starts off slow and initially feels hard to follow, with a somewhat disjointed sense of time progression that can be disorienting. The main character isn’t immediately likable, which adds to the challenging beginning. However, the narrative begins to find its footing around Chapter 5.

Chapter 6 maintains a somber tone. I found myself asking, “Is anything good ever going to happen to Laurie??” Fortunately, by Chapter 7, the story gains momentum as Laurie and Mal's relationship deepens, injecting some much-needed warmth and interest. Despite a sluggish start, I was determined to finish this book. By Chapter 9, I was fully invested — the story becomes notably engaging and the characters more relatable.

While the early chapters felt clunky and challenging to connect with, the author’s narrative style evolves positively as the story progresses. By the end, Her Golden Coast delivers a refreshing take on romance, infused with poignant reflections on personal growth and authenticity. Although the slow start is a drawback, the book ultimately rewards patient readers with a meaningful exploration of life and love.

*Disclaimer: I used AI to help me convert my chapter/book notes into a coherent, thorough, honest review.

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