Florida, it’s one hell of a drug.

This book is for the gals who daydream about logging off from their soul-crushing corporate job to go live a well-intentioned life. Our protagonist, Mallory, has never quite found herself and is comfortable in monotony until getting out of her comfort zone allows her to see a life with new experiences to be had around every corner. Mallory is an almost uncomfortably relatable character; her inner anxieties felt so relatable to my own life. Seeing her grow and find her footing was very rewarding.

While her budding relationship with her new house’s property manager is important to the story, much more central is her settling in to a new routine, trying new things, and getting to know her charmingly introverted grandpa.

Fans of Hallmark movies and slice-of-life settings will love this book!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! My first ever ARC read :)

This is my first Lauren Applebaum and it won't be my last! I enjoyed this quick easy read so much! The characters were well developed and loveable. The plot flowed and was believable in a way that you could see yourself in the FMC's dilemmas. I loved Mallory's relationship with her Grandfather it was sweet. authentic and enduring. Pick this book up and snuggle up with a latte this fall!

Thank you Net Galley, Lauren Applebaum and Forever Grand Publishing for the opportunity to preview this novel. The opinions shared are my own.
An Introvert's Guide to Life and Love is expected to be released Sept. 16, 2025.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the relationship that Mallory developed with her grandpa - it was so sweet to see. I also liked seeing Mallory figure out who she was and what she wanted her life to be like. I feel like she really found somewhere she felt like she belonged in Florida and I’m glad she didn’t let a job she didn’t love keep her away. As someone who is very introverted, I saw a lot of myself and my characteristics in Mallory. I always appreciate when I can relate to the main character so I felt like that allowed me to connect to the story on a deeper level. I personally would have liked a little more romance or a deeper relationship development between Mallory and Daniel but I did enjoy seeing their relationship beginning to develop. I would definitely recommend reading this! Thank you to Forever Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There's a good story here, but it drags for too long at the start before things get started, and then Mallory drags her feet long enough and often enough that I lost all sympathy for her. The plot is contrived for many details - like why couldn't Mallory just say "hey, boss, is it okay if I work from my grandfather's place in Florida for a bit while I take care of him after my grandmother's passing?" Her hiding it adds a layer of suspense that is false because it's such an easy fix. Also, Mallory's self-identity of an "introvert" is not accurate. Being socially awkward and always saying the wrong thing is associated with various kinds of neurodivergence, which often overlaps with introversion but is not the same thing. Introverts don't necessarily feel awkward around other people, they just gain energy from being alone. I could have overlooked that, but the plodding rhythm and need for huge amounts of suspension of disbelief about the plot made that small detail loom larger than it would have otherwise.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I definitely get Mallory. I found her character very relatable. It was funny and a little romantic but it was mostly Mallory figuring out what she wants out of life and getting out of her comfort zone. A lot of people go to a job they don't love because it pays the bills but the bonus of working from home sounds nice. Covid really changed a lot of people and their want to stay home versus going out. Weird how that turned out but Mallory has her job and needs the routine and predictability.

Mallory is now having to travel to Florida after inheriting her grandma's beach cottage and keeping her grandfather company. She decides to go without taking vacation and works from her grandpa's condo while figuring out the house situation, but the WIFI isn't great, her grandpa keeps interrupting her while she's working, and she is trying to figure out all the repairs on the house while not flirting with the super hot property manager. This is not the orderly life Mallory is used to but she is slowing growing to like her temporary life in Florida including spending time with her grandpa and making new friends until she receives and email stating all employees must return to work...

Cute, easy breezy beach read with some emotional depth and introvert representation. As a raging introvert myself, I'm always eager to read about a main character that I can relate to. Mallory is a people pleasing, non-confrontational, hermit-like remote tech worker. She gets a chance for a new start when she inherits her grandparent’s seaside cottage. Her relationship with gramps was endearing and tender and I liked how it touched on how generational differences can cause some conflict. The romance is more of a subplot with the focus more on familial love, self-discovery and coming into one’s own. Overall a pleasant read and I enjoyed my time but not something I’ll remember long-term.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this story about finding yourself following the loss of someone. This book had a good balance of romance, side characters and plot to keep me invested. I found the way she handled her job frustrating at times (just quit!) but it didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

I especially liked the closed doors romance and the epilogue being about her and not about the relationship. I would definitely read from this author again!

Out On: September 16, 2025

⭐️ 4.5/5 Rating

I was so hesitant going into this book due to my experience with Lauren Appelbaum's book that released last year, but this book was a wonderful surprise! I enjoyed it so so much and am very glad that I chose to give her writing another chance!

It was grumpy/sunshine reversed and I loved that they mirrored where they lived (her in gloomy Seattle and him in sunny Florida). There was the sweetest octogenarian grandfather and all of his hilarious friends, personal growth, Pirates of the Caribbean references, and the cutest rescue dog. I don't know what else to say besides, I loved it!

Mallory's relationships with both her grandfather and Daniel made my heart so happy and I was always excited to see what was going to happen next. Watching her experience real, genuine happiness was heartwarming and made me tear up because I was rooting for her so hard!

Overall, I highly recommend you check this one out!

Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) & NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of this book! 🥹🤍

This book absolutely nails what it’s like to navigate love and life as an introvert it was thoughtful, validating, and full of OMG yes, that’s me moments. It did a great job of showing the push-pull between wanting connection and needing solitude, and her tips on setting boundaries and protecting your energy are spot-on.

That said, parts of the story did drag. We definitely didn’t need quite so much about her rather unexciting online job it slowed the pacing without adding much to the emotional arc. Also, this read more like women’s fiction with a strong self-discovery angle, so go in with the right expectations.

Still, the mix of relatable anecdotes, emotional honesty, and practical strategies made it a win for me. I skimmed over the slower sections which made it more bearable.

I felt like this book was mislabeled as a romance, it didn’t seem to be the forefront of the story, more a relationship between the MFC and her family. I wish the author would have taken more time to flesh out the secondary characters, I found them more interesting than the MFC.
This book was not memorable for me, 2 stars is generous in my opinion.

AN INTROVERT'S GUIDE TO LIFE AND LOVE by Lauren Appelbaum reached into my introverted soul and gave it a big hug!

3.5 stars. I did enjoy this book, but the romance was more of a subplot. Mallory's relationship with her Grandpa was the best part of the book; it was sweet to see them grow and understand each other. This was a slower-paced book where the love interest didn't have a significant role until about the halfway mark. If you are more interested in women's fiction and don't like a romance-heavy plot, this is the book for you.

I enjoyed the MC’s journey to understand herself and what she wants for her life. But the ending left me unsatisfied. I also didn’t feel like the side characters were fleshed out enough.

An Introvert’s Guide to Life and Love follows Mallory Rosen, a project manager living in Seattle who’s still working remotely after COVID, while most people are slowly returning to the office. When her beloved grandmother passes away, Mallory travels to Florida for the funeral—only to learn afterward that her grandmother left her the family home… along with the responsibility of caring for her grandfather, who still lives in Florida alone in a Senior Community.

The theme of balancing your own life while stepping up to care for a grandparent really hit close to home. It’s raw, challenging, and deeply relatable. That aspect of the story—watching Mallory navigate her new responsibilities while figuring out who she is—was my favorite part of the book.

Mallory’s initial plan is to stay in Seattle and rent out the house, so she hires a property manager. Enter a sweet romance that develops between them. While I enjoyed the romantic subplot, I honestly think the heart of the story shone brightest in the moments between Mallory and her grandfather—both navigating grief and finding new ways to connect. If the novel had leaned even more into that relationship, it could have been something truly special.

Overall, this is a heartfelt, relatable story with a touch of romance and a strong emotional core.

The story follows Mallory Rosen, a woman perfectly content with her work-from-home life in Seattle, where human interaction is minimal and her comfort zone is a well-guarded fortress. The mere thought of leaving her comfortable apartment seems unfathomable. That is, until a family inheritance — her late grandmother’s seaside cottage — comes with an unexpected caveat.
What begins as a quick trip to assess and exit turns into a delightful comedic tangle as Mal’s carefully constructed world collides with dropped Wi-Fi, intrusive but lovable Gramps interrupting her meetings, and a charmingly extroverted property manager who quite literally starts knocking on her door, insisting the cottage needs renovating.
And then there’s the tantalizing opposites-attract romance with the handsome, extroverted property manager. The sparks flying between an introverted homebody and an outgoing charmer are classic rom-com gold, promising witty banter and genuine chemistry as Mal’s world expands to include not just new friendships and family bonds, but a chance at love she never anticipated.
Overall, this book is a charming, funny, and deeply empathetic story about finding love, friendship, and your true self beyond your comfort zone. It's filled with heart and humor and a story I highly recommend.

Such a cozy read! Some parts definitely dragged a bit but I found this to be a heartwarming story. The romance is definitely a subplot, with the character’s journey in growth and self love being the main focus.

This was a sweet romance/coming of age story.

Plot summary: Mallory is surrounded by a family of professionals, but she's happy working remotely in a dead-end tech job and never leaving her Seattle home - or at least she thinks she is.
When she inherits a house in Florida, as well as the responsibility of taking care of her grandfather, she has to get out of her shell. She meets new people and a potential love interest, but is this all worth giving up her carefully-arranged life?

Comes in Mallory's first-person narrative.

What I liked: It's a gentle story of love and finding yourself, told over sweet and slow. Daniel, the love interest, is a great character, and there was just the right amount of characters to be believable and not overwhelming.

I appreciated how the family all went along with Mallory inheriting the house. Usually these stories are about inheritance fighting, and this was refreshingly different.

Each of the characters had a distinct personality, adding color to the story. Blake, Mallory's brother in law, was hilarious.

What could have been better: This was a bit too slow for my taste. Some of the dialogue and descriptions went on a bit too long.

There was some virtue signaling that made me roll my eyes.

Mostly, I can't say I loved Mallory. She got in her own way a lot of the time, and I didn't really relate to her.

Finally, let's say it together: insta-love. Since I didn't love Mallory and did love Daniel, hard to see what he saw in her. Some of their behaviors didn't seem so in character. The end was, of course, totally predictable.

Altogether, it was an enjoyable read despite some shortcomings if you like this genre.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Lauren Appelbaum for the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

I am giving this book a 3.5/5 stars (rounding down). This book is a feel good, fuzzy, rom-com esq. story that follows the POV of Mallory, an introvert (as the title suggests) who is stuck in a life rut and is mostly looking to find herself. Mallory has always felt that she was a side character in her own life, she sees her adult life as mostly a series of missteps. From not getting into Law school like the rest of the family to being down on love. This book follows Mallory from her home in Seattle, where she is mostly just going through the motions, alone, to a hot and vibrant senior living community in Florida.

After Mallory's grandmother dies, she inherits her mother's family home in Florida. She visits the property to ensure the building is ready for new tenants while keeping her recently widowed grandfather company. Mallory's grandfather lives in a senior community and like Mallory, is a bit of a hermit. Mallory quickly realizes that her comfortable life in Seattle may not be all that it's chalked up to be when she meets Daniel, the cute red head property manager.

As you can guess, Mallory catches feelings for Daniel but knows nothing can come of it because her remote job in Seattle will soon be returning to the office. Mallory's grandfather is a hidden gem of the story and provides the story with levity and emotion.

This story is cute, but I would say it is quite light on the romance aspect. You get a lot of scenes of Mallory's daily life and the story often reads more like a journal than a love story. And maybe that's intentional, but I was personally hoping for more of a romance than I got. It also was very closed door which, is fine, but really not what I wanted from this story. Maybe not open door but a little more than the door closing, maybe slamming, in your face. I also would have really liked to have a Daniel POV for at least a chapter or two. I was convinced, even by the end of the book, that Daniel liked Mallory but I didn't sense it was like earth shattering love or anything like that.

I have never had such a hard time deciding if a related to a character or not. As a remote working millennial myself I found that part of Mallory's story relatable but man did she make some choices that I felt were often out of character for her persona. Especially when it came to her remote job. But I digress. This book is really about the disappointment adults often feel for how their lives are turning out, not living up to family and personal expectations, and finding ones self. How to find that happiness on your own terms and becoming your own main character are relatable themes.

I really enjoyed the millennial vibes and social isolation themes but the book fell flat for me in the romance aspect and I wanted more of that and less of the day to day thoughts of Mal. It is a quick read that keeps you invested and wanting to know how everything turns out. I did like the authors writing style and the book was fast paced enough to keep me interested so I would read more from this author.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an e-ARC for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I appreciate the opportunity to read this title, but unfortunately it didn’t quite capture my interest. While the premise was promising, I found it difficult to stay engaged. That said, I’m sure it will find its audience with readers who connect more strongly with the writing style or pacing.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a sweet, feel-good story — one that left me wanting to go hug my grandpa. I loved the relationship between Mallory and her grandfather; watching their bond strengthen was touching and gave this story so much emotional depth.
Mallory was a relatable main character. Her voice felt real, grounded, and reflective of so many quiet struggles introverts often face. I think many readers will see themselves in her.

This is one of those books that feels like a cozy blanket. I can easily see it becoming a comfort read for many.