I had higher hopes for this book. The description was giving old Hollywood drama and deceit but the actual book fell very short of that. What it actually was, was confusing, long, and only slightly interesting.
Two authors, one new, one old turn from friends to rivals. The story flips from present day (in the book at least), where Gala, the new author, is missing and the past, to when her and Lane, the old author, first began to know each other. The story follows their rise to fame and fall to infamy and all the gritty details that got them to where there.
I wanted to love it, I really did. I tried really hard to find redeeming qualities and while there were fun parts and the drama was there, it was just okay to be honest. The timeline was confusing but had something about it that kept me wanting to find out what happened to both women and what happened to get them to where they were in life. So I’ll give it that 🤷🏼‍♀️

Despite the main character of Lane Warren being pretty unlikable, this book really captured by attention near the middle, and I found myself unable to put it down until I found out what happened.

Lane Warren is a somewhat pretentious author in the 1970's, and as a woman, finds it a hard spot to be in. She meets Gala, who is the opposite of everything Lane is. Gala is dark, bubbly, flirty and prioritizes having fun, while Lane is fair, structured and concerned about what people think about her. They form an unlikely bond in LA in the 70's, which provides a fabulous backdrop to their tale. Told in a series of flashbacks combined with the present day, we find out that Gala has gone missing, and Lane must think back to their interactions to find clues as to where she might be.


Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

"L.A. Women" comes across as fake from the get-go. The characters reminded me of Colorforms: shiny but two-dimensional. I didn't believe the trajectory of Lane's career, her relationships with the other characters, or anything else about her. Factual errors—"Vanity Fair" didn't publish in the '60s or '70s; AA does not discourage celebrating sobriety "birthdays"—underscored the lack of verisimilitude.

Then there was the insistence that "L.A. Women" is a Serious Book, addressing Serious Issues regarding attitudes toward women, homosexuality, abortion, and motherhood. All these elements were relevant to the story, but the author seemed to feel she was breaking new ground when she was doing little more than tramping over the footsteps of many others who preceded her.

And don't get me started on the "surprise" of the penultimate set piece and the absurd coincidences of the finale.

Thank you, NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Hollywood scene is a different world that I enjoy reading about, but then it makes me very sad to realize all it takes to sustain the glitter of it all. I’m not sure I understood all the undercurrents of the book and its emotional turmoil, but it did keep me reading.

Hollywood in the 1960s and 70s. Two strong female characters - Lane Warren and Gala Margolis - are trying to figure out their careers, relationships, and legacy. What does family mean? Friendship? Love? Lane and Gala's relationship as friends and frenemies evolves as they try to own their individual stories, all while struggling against the Hollywood entertainment complex - a man's world where equality for women is virtually nonexistent. Even when Lane and Gala hate each other on the surface, it's clear that the lasting bond between them is based on love. Women choosing whether to support versus alienate each other in the face of misogyny is still relevant and relatable, fifty-plus years later and makes this story that much more impactful. I loved Ella Berman's writing - both the Hollywood setting which itself was a character in the story, as well as the multi-layered relationships between Lane and Scotty, Gala, Gabriel and Charlie. There is a great deal to unpack in this beautiful novel. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a hard one for me to review. I had no real issues with it, but wasn't totally in love with it either. I'm not sure why.

The story mainly follows the relationship between two women: Lane, a semi-famous writer and Gala, her eccentric sorta friend/frenemy, who ALSO writes and has a rock star boyfriend.

I guess my challenge was the plot was interesting, but not totally engaging for me personally. At the beginning of the book you find out that Gala has disappeared, but the reader is pretty sure it wasn't due to nefarious purposes (Gala is a very bohemian, go-where-life-takes-you kind of woman.) This disappearance mostly serves as an opportunity for Lane to think back on the highs and lows of their relationship.

To be clear, that relationship has some good drama in it, with each woman taking turns in fame's spotlight, (often stepping on each other's toes) but since it's all told through Lane's lens (who is standoffish in nature) we don't really get to know Gala too well as a person. But if you're in love with the Taylor Jenkins Reid vibe of the story and the 1960s Laurel Canyon setting, none of this may bother you too much.

The one thing the two women end up having in common is bad relationships with men (save for Lane's GBF, Charlie) which led to this on-the-nose quote: "What is it with self-satisfied straight men that made them feel deserving of everything?"

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

As new ideas about feminism arise, Ella Berman's L.A. WOMEN examines the "friendship" of two women from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s. Berman writes about rock & roll, sex, drugs, Hollywood, friendship, family, and identity. Her ability to create intricate and captivating connections and relationships is something I enjoyed. I was completely engrossed in this because of its depth and passion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for approving me to read an ARC of L.A. Women, my first from author Ella Berman. I lived in L.A. during the eighties, shortly after this story took place, so I recognized many of the locations. I suppose the setting was what attracted me to the book in the first place. This novel also brought back memories of how women were treated as less than equal during the sixties and seventies, and homosexuality was practically considered a crime.
Rather than unfolding linearly, the story flits between two timelines: the sixties, when the major characters met, and the seventies ("now") where they ended up. I wasn't crazy about this format, as I think it caused more confusion than suspense-building. Most of the story is in past tense, but some of the "now" scenes are in present.
Point of view shifts among the three main characters: frenemy authors Lane Warren and Gala Margolis, and, to a lesser extent, their manipulative gay friend Charlie McCloud, an entertainment mogul who has to tone down his lifestyle to fit in with high society.
In the "now" scenes, Gala is missing; no one knows if she's dead or just left town. And, while people wonder, no one seems to care that much. Lane does some cursory investigating, but mainly because she's under contract to write a tell-all book about Gala. Not only does she need to do more research, she needs to know how the story will end.
I'd classify the writing style as literary, with lovely descriptions and in-depth emotional angst on the page. My main problem with the book was that I couldn't connect with the characters. Lane is cold, unforgiving, and lacks compassion for others. Gala's more fun, but she's a bit of a mess, and sometimes I wanted to shake her. I was hoping to see more character growth by the end of the novel. Maybe it was just too realistic.

I loved the setting of 1960’s and 70’s Hollywood in this book. I love a book where the setting becomes a main character and this is definitely that. And while I liked the relationships between some of the characters (Lane and Charlie, Gala and Gabriel) I didn’t love the relationship between Lane and Gala. It was too toxic, too sardonic, to feel authentic. But you his is definitely worth a read for fans of historical fiction from this time period in this setting. *Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review*

Ella Berman’s “L.A. Women” is a mix of literary and historical fiction, drops readers in 60s/70s Hollywood with two leads, in two timelines and different places in their lives, with one on the rise and another, missing.

I’m a sucker for old Hollywood and Berman has done her research — this books feels old school cool. An L.A. that’s both grungy and chic. Whereas the setting is interesting, the same can’t be said for both of our leads. Lane, our explorer — looking for the other, Gala — is easier to digest. The one lost — who I’d consider an explorer as well as the observer of our co-lead, especially in the beginning of their relationship — Gala, isn’t very fun. These characters were fine, but they are part of my main problem with this.

From the get go, I was hit with several character introductions back to back. While it petered off after a few chapters, it felt like the author had asked too much of the reader. There are a few of these characters that I preferred more than others including Charlie and Elijah, two bound for love if only they lived in another time. I liked how this element of the story seemed to end.

Thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC.

Very good book about two women writers in Los Angeles during the 70’s. With a nod to Joan Didion and Eve Babitz the two women become friends then rivals competing for fame, recognition and peace of mind.
This is a very good book.

I was excited to receive an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley but sadly I only made it 25 page. It’s been sitting in my to-read pile for sometime which tells me it’s time to call it as a DNF. The story had elements of books I find interesting….women in a complicated friendship and the 1960-1970’s time period.

Love love love ANYTHING that has Hollywood as a backdrop. Especially historical Hollywood. Lane Warren and Gala Margolis have known each other for years. Lane, a serious, private person is a successful writer. Gala is a free spirit, who sleeps with too many men and parties too hard sometimes. They are sometimes friends, sometimes rivals. Rivals mores0 when Gala gets offered a regular writing feature and Lane has writers block and can't write. Now, Gala is successful and Lane isn't. So much goes on in their personal lives at the same time with Gala's drug addicted rockstar boyfriend and Lane's trouble loving and raising her girls with her husband. When Lane's writers block recedes, it's to write a book about Gala. But she's no where to be found. Lane can't find anyone that knows anything, but she knows something isn't right. I'm not going any further so there aren't any spoilers! It's a fabulous book and story!

I am a huge fan of books written about female friendships, especially ones that are fractured. This book had quite a bit of all the fun stuff to keep you entertained, that’s for sure. These women were fierce and independent. I enjoyed the writing of this book and the characters kept me entertained and deeply invested in the book. I loved reading about the old Hollywood glamour and the lifestyle of what it’s like to be famous, and the price some people are willing to pay for fame and success.

Many thanks to the publisher and also NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.

I will convey my thoughts on this book quite shortly because while i do have a lot to think about, i also don't really have much to say. This story is about two women who are writers, one living life on the edge and one who's much more meticulate about life. Everything feels both messy and articulate, both sorrowful and aggravating. I love following both of Gala and Lane's stories, and i find that i don't really have a side because both women messed up in their own ways, and they both want something from each other that it drove them to a tentative friendship and hatred. The way the author portrayed their complicated dynamic is so interesting, although i did wish we saw a little bit more of it. I quite understand where the daisy jones and the six reference coming from, however the stark difference is the fact that i wholeheartedly despise the men in this book as opposed to the tentative understanding i have with the other book.

The thing that made the rating for this book dropped to 4 is how the storyline was sort of a mess to read and the middle was somewhat boring and a bit hard for me to get through, but other than that i highly recommend this book if anyone wants a poignant yet still unserious book about rich people drama and womenhood

Joan Didion and Eve Babitz fan fiction but elevated to literary heights through quite brilliant writing from Ella Berman; I lapped this one up in a just a couple of sittings! Lane and Gala might be loosely inspired by Joan and Eve, respectively, but I appreciate that Berman mostly used their legendary frenemies-to-rivals relationship as more of a jumping off point, weaving her own backstories and lore into the text rather than just regurgitating the facts of the lives of these real writers. Filled with juicy Hollywood-in-the-60s vibes, deep explorations of the complexities of female friendship, an unflinching look at the reality of being a female creative, and raw depictions of grief and trauma, this is an often glimmering, sometimes gritty, always entertaining, and ultimately moving ode to the ultimate L.A. Women.

L.A. Women is a fun romp into the Los Angeles/Laurel Canyon scene of the mid 60s to mid 70s. The story revolves around Lane, a New York native, journalist/writer, and Gala, Hollywood born and raised, self-proclaimed groupie turned writer. Reading L.A. Women, one can't help but think of the fraught friendship between Joan Didion and Eve Babitz, and the book comes across as a fictional retelling of the famous duo. Whether or not that was Ella Berman's intent remains to be seen, but regardless, L.A. Women is a fun, nostalgic read in its own right. Much thanks to NetGalley & Berkeley Publishing for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest review. 3.5/5 stars.

I was totally hooked by this one. L.A. Women dives deep into the dazzling, messy world of 1960s Laurel Canyon, where two women—Lane and Gala—are tangled in rivalry, ambition, and complicated friendship. Lane’s comeback novel about Gala, who’s been missing for months, unravels secrets and tension that kept me glued to every page.

The story’s got that glamorous Hollywood vibe, but it’s also raw and real about the cost of chasing success as a woman—especially when your closest rival is someone you once cared about. It’s bold, sharp, and full of emotional twists.

If you love stories about fierce women, creative passion, and the price of fame, this one’s definitely worth the read.

I genuinely enjoyed this book! I was immediately hooked. While both characters are unlikable, you can’t help but root for them.

If you like:
✨60s/70s Hollywood
✨ Characters who are writers
✨Feminism
✨Found family
✨ Overcoming grief
Then I think you would like this book!
(‼️Content warning: this book does feature heavy drug use)

L.A. Women follows the complicated friendship of Lane and Gala in glamorous 1960s Hollywood. Gala is a magnetic, outgoing free spirit, while Lane is a reserved writer still traumatized by her childhood. They have a unique connection, but after 10 tumultuous years of parties, lovers, and drugs, Gala disappears, and Lane decides to write a book about her life.

This book had a slow start, but certainly picked up by the end. It definitely took me a while to become invested, roughly until the halfway mark. It didn’t feel like there were many plot points in the first half of the book that were really building momentum in the story. But I think as both ladies’ lives started to fall apart, I started to become emotionally invested.

What L.A. Women does best is explore complex characters with real-life flaws. Neither of the characters was perfect or wholly lovable; in fact, each of them enraged me at times. And I think that was kind of the point of this story.

I think the other thing this book does really well is how it depicts healing from grief. There is so much pain and anger in this book from both Gala and Lane. Devastatingly so. But the process of overcoming that for both feels realistic, and it's a very heartwarming story in the end.

All in all, I liked this book. It definitely feels like the middle plateaued quite drastically, but the back third of the book redeemed it and drew me in. I’m giving this one 3.5/5⭐️