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Rated 
of 5
by Sherrie Y. (Aurora, CO)
Gritty portrait of friendship in mid-century LA Wow, I would never have picked this up if it weren't for BookBrowse! This story about two L.A. women circling around each other throughout the 60s and 70s brought me right into the heart of L.A. in those times. The gritty nature of the party scene, rich people behaving not so well, the culture of being constantly surrounded by beautiful, famous people.
Throughout the years of their on-again/off-again friendship, Lane and Gala revolve around each other in ways that are not healthy for either of them. Lane is traumatized from her horrible childhood and struggling with knowing what she wants in life. She is a successful author, but can not figure out how to love. Gala is a wild card, the party girl of L.A. who knows everyone and in love with one of the most famous lead singers of the era. Gala knows what love is, but what will she do to keep it?
I said this was gritty and it is. It feels hazy, dark, and ethereal at times. I just loved the feeling the book evoked and could not put it down until I knew what became of Lane and Gala.
Rated of 5
by Becky S. (Springfield, MO)
Love -Hate relationship This was a love hate relationship for me as well as the characters in this book! I loved how I felt the main characters, Lane and Gala, each had 2 very different sides to their personalities. Each of them made me feel so many emotions while reading this book... empathy, anger, sadness, happiness.... all the feels! I thought it was a great telling of how women treat each other. Even though it took place 50 years ago, I think the feelings can still be the same.
We should be building each other up, but sometimes jealousy and judgement sneak in , and we end up tearing each other down instead. This book kept me engaged from the very beginning, and I hope to read more from this author in the future!
Rated of 5
by Elizabeth D. (Apple Valley, MN)
Friendship is complicated I was absorbed by this book from the start. It is about two women in Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s who form an uneasy friendship. Point of View changes from Lane to Gala, occasionally to other characters, and is dual timeline, switching back and forth between current day (with current day being the 1970s) and ten years earlier - at least at the start; each time we switch back to the earlier timeline, time has moved forward until the two timelines converge. If this sounds complicated, it isn't; at least, I didn't find it so.
The characters in this book are so well drawn: their drive for success, intelligence, and sense of self, but their foibles, their petty jealousies and insecurities, too. I feel like I know them intimately, as friends, or at least as close to friends as they know how to be.
While I feel like this was a strong character study of these two women as they navigated the roles available to women in the 60s and 70s, the assumptions made about women who didn't fit those roles, how these two had to contort themselves to conform at times, and how they were viewed (and how their lives were sometimes constrained) vis-a-vis the men in their life, there were still some very strong plot points, one of which shifted my entire view of the character and how I felt about some of her decisions. I hate to be vague, but I also don't want to drop any spoilers.
While there is a missing person/mystery element to the book, I wouldn't categorize this as a mystery, as there's really no elements of detection in the typical fashion.
I'm struggling to think of a book I've read with a similar friendship to the one between Lane and Gala. I also feel like they're characters I rarely see, if at all (in the case of Gala) in books I've read.
I think this book would appeal to people interested in unconventional female friendships, women's lives in the 1960s and 1970s, the Los Angeles scene in the 1960s and 1970s
It covers many different topics, including female friendships; artistic integrity; uncredited artistic work/artistic ownership; motherhood; addiction; limits of responsibility for another person; women working; changing expectations for appropriate behavior as women age; childhood trauma and its impact on people as adults; husband/wife relationships; friendships between women and gay men; gay men in 1960s and 1970s Los Angeles; how to be true to yourself; and more.
Thank you very much to BookBrowse and Berkley for this Advanced Reader's Copy. I will be thinking about Lane and Gala for a long time to come.
Rated 
of 5
by Gina D. (Chicago, IL)
LA Women Isn't All Sunshine, But It's Worth the Read! A book with "LA" in the title suggests that the reader can expect unrelenting sunshine and sandy beaches to dominate the sense of place and time. This book is not a frothy beach read, though.
This novel tells the story of the complicated relationship of two women, Lane and Gala -- both considered literary darlings reflecting everything the Los Angeles of the late 1960s/1970s is supposed to be. Although they are both writers who share their sense of ambition, their personalities could not be more different. Both women struggle to find happiness, and it's the examination of their similarities and differences that makes for an intriguing read.
Rated of 5
by Kathleen W. (Appleton, WI)
L.A. Women by Ella Berman L.A. Women by Ella Berman is a well-written novel focusing on two very different women writers whose lives intersect in Hollywood during the 1970s
This is a difficult review for me to write. I was expecting to love this book but I did not. It contained many elements that I am fond of: woman writers, the 1970s, Hollywood friendships, etc. So why the disappointment? I just didn't like any of the characters including the Hollywood scene of the 1970s. It is difficult for me to like a character-driven book when neither of the two protagonists are likeable.
I kept reading because I liked many of the descriptions and because I was hoping to find some character growth or resolution. I'm not sure if my disappointment in the book was because of the unlikeable characters or because I kept hoping for what didn't exist.
I raised my rating to good even though I didn't particularly enjoy it because it was well written and raised some interesting issues.
This is the kind of book that would be great for book clubs. Women's friendships, ambition and competition, the lives of writers, and mother-daughter relationships are all topics that could result in interesting discussions.
Rated of 5
by Dianne
Drugs, sex, rock n roll among friends L.A. Woman by Ella Berman is a book about friendship, addiction, co-dependency and excesses. It drew me in and occasionally threw me out. Lane and Gala are drawn to each other and repeatedly betray that friendship. Lane sabotages Gala’s writing career and completely fails to provide any support after the tragic death of her rocker husband-Gala appears at Lane’s carefully orchestrated Sunday soirees, often high, and disturbs the atmosphere and eventually sleeps with Scotty, Lane’s husband, and financially blackmails him. What is the old adage “with friends like this who needs enemies”.
I found the story very readable but a good editor might streamline some of the repetitive scenes, especially the debauchery surrounding Gala. I got it, she is stunning, brilliant but terribly troubled. I also understand both women came from backgrounds that left them both with scars, but again, I got it. Overall, it is more than a beach read and less than a meaty historical fiction novel. I enjoyed it.
Rated of 5
by Mitra V. (Stamford, CT)
Where LA Women falls I really enjoyed the writing. The style was elegant and compelling. I would have loved the book and given it a Very Good rating if at least one of the protagonists had been likeable. It was a new experience for me to dislike all the players in the cast. It is important to realize , however, that this could really reflect a real life situation. To that extent I judged the book by its readability and I have no problem giving it a Good Rating. If the writing style alone were the criterion, I would give it an unconditional 5.
Rated of 5
by Catheryne Z. (Plano, TX)
Complex Relationships LA Women is an interesting story about the complex relationship between Lana and Gala. Their jealousy of each other was reflected in their toxic behaviors towards each other. The story is told in a dual timeline between the present and 10 years earlier when they met in the sixties.
When Gala goes missing, Lana begins her search for her reflecting back to when they met and her actions that changed both of their lives. The ending and the complex relationships kept my interest in reading the book.
Rated of 5
by Nancy D. (Bradenton, FL)
Women's Struggles L.A. Women by Ella Berman is the story of two women. Lane and Gala are both talented writers, with diverse backgrounds. Gala is a free spirit, wanting fun and exciting, and being the center of attention. Lane is very anxious, always trying for perfection, satisfied sitting on the sidelines observing life. However, beneath the veneer, both ladies are struggling to be their true self.
These two different women together with many interesting characters make for an insightful look at friendships and caring as well as self-discovery. Through a series of events, some tragic, some deceitful, a betrayal and some compassion, Cara and Lane begin to understand themselves. They form a friendship. This novel takes a deep dive into women's belief that they must be what other people want and how other people see them. But, in the end, we are only what we are, and acceptance of oneself also brings acceptance of others.
A good novel which I enjoyed very much. Very insightful as to what is truly meaningful in life and how personal growth always works.
Rated of 5
by Rebecca G. (Havertown, PA)
Unlikeable LA Women Lane and Gala have a love/hate relationship. Lane Warren, raised in an unhappy household, becomes the next literary sensation. She lives her best life, great husband, beautiful twin girls but she finds it impossible to escape her old life and impossible to accept love from everyone who loves her (I mean, get some therapy, Lane!) Gala Margolis, a child loved, famous for not being famous and a free spirit whose life swirls around sex, booze, and drugs. That is, until she falls in love with a self destructive rock star. Lane encourages Gala to become a writer but when Gala decides not to publically acknowledge Lane's help in kickstarting her career Lane decides to derail her career. That action sets in motion a devastating tragedy that upends all of their lives. Gala disappears and Lane struggles to find out what has happened as her own life falls apart. Both of these women are so unlikeable that I hated to watch as their lives unraveled but at the same time I couldn't look away. A great ending redeems them both but it was almost too late.
Rated of 5
by Lorraine K. (Stamford, CT)
Lots to talk about! When I first picked up this book I wasn't sure it was the genre for me! Then I got to know the characters and I couldn't put it down. This is the kind of book I love to discuss in my book groups. There are so many themes, and a few surprises along the way! It is a very good read! Actually now that I'm through with the book I keep thinking about the characters. They were so well developed; I miss them!
Rated 
of 5
by JaneN
Just Okay I must admit that I was not moved by these characters and I expected to be. There were moments when I thought that the author was about to weave the stories of Lane and Gala together and look at the same side of two different people. While she explored issues and themes that the women shared, ambition, loneliness and abandonment, the story never came together, or felt real. Both Lane and Gala were the two faces of the same coin and the connection between them was never explored, just exploited for the story.
I really wanted like this book and recommend it. I re-read to see if I could but still found the two main characters one dimensional. The two supporting characters , Scotty and Charlie, were written the same way. Overall, I found that the book lacked depth.
Rated of 5
by Linnie M. (Mansfield, TX)
What it takes to succeed in L.A. if you are a Woman. I was a little confused by what the main story line was in this book. Lane and her insecurities and ambitions to be a widely acclaimed and highly honored writer. Charlie and his successful career but at what cost. Scotty and his betrayal of Lane. Gala and her free spirit and where it would lead her. Gabriel - a train wreck that you can't stop looking at.
It also started feeling like a mystery, which I love a good mystery, so my focus tended to lean this way. What happened to Gala? Well, what happened to Gala was very anti-climactic and why didn't anyone figure that out sooner? I also did not feel Lane writing a book about Gala was the ultimate betrayal. What Gala and Scotty did was the ultimate betrayal. Anyway, I hope Gala is happy with her decisions, but I was mainly vested in Lane and her girls. I did enjoy reading about the L.A. culture, really no surprised though, and how women have to work twice as hard as men to succeed. No surprise there either.
Rated of 5
by Amber H. (Asheville, NC)
Slow start but picked up This book was a slow start, it didn't pick up for me until about 40 of the way through. Gala was the more interesting character to me, Lane felt a bit whiny throughout the book. The buildup of the mystery of Gala felt like it didn't pay off in the end. I think I would have preferred if this book focused solely on Gala, with Lane as a side character. Gala's romantic relationship was something I wish had more focus in the book.
Rated of 5
by Sheila A. (San Diego, CA)
A view of Hollywood in its least glamorous I read this book in one sitting as I was on a long flight. I found the main characters shallow, and unlikable the jealous and vampiric Lane was particularly distasteful. The reason for her reserve and coldness was well explained. The character of Gala was particularly cartoonish. Her relationship with the rock star Gabriel reminded me of "Nearly Famous" and the relationship between Curt Cobain and Courtney love with Jim Morrison thrown in. It rang more true than Lane and Scotty, the other love story.
The only true struggle was Charlie's attempt to grapple with his gayness. How do you write a story of the 60's and 70's without mentioning the Civil Rights struggles and the Vietnam war and Watergate? Writing was good but not memorable. I would recommend that this can easily be missed
Rated of 5
by Jennie W. (Denver, CO)
L.A. Women I had a love-hate relationship with this book, much like the dynamic between the two main characters Lane and Gala. On the one hand, I loved being immersed in the glitz and grit of 1960's and 70's Los Angles celebrity culture. This setting was vivid and engaging. On the other hand, I struggled to connect with the characters who were both selfish and emotionally withholding.
Lane, despite overcoming a terrible childhood and achieving everything society says is desirable for a woman, remained closed off, even in the moments she was "helping" Gala. Meanwhile, Gala, who had a happier though unconventional upbringing, felt more sympathetic but was frustratingly dependent on others and unable to trust herself through most of the book.
Despite my lack of connection to the characters, the story was well written and kept me reading to the end. However, I felt myself more invested in the world of the book rather than the characters.
Rated of 5
by John A. (Houston, TX)
"Friends" L.A. Women
This book covers events predominantly 49 to 60 years ago with L.A. as the backdrop at a time when there existed a very different environment for gays and to a lesser extent women compared to today. What hasn't changed is the psychological burden of bad parenting on some offspring and the love-hate relationship between some sorts of "friends", one of whom may have an unhealthy competitive flaw that results in surreptitious malevolent behavior.
The book is focused on the flawed relationship of the one uptight accomplished friend and her more outgoing, naturally talented compatriot. The story sometimes drags because of the featured role of the angst ridden former in the narration of the story. I had a hard time liking or often even caring about this woman, so I didn't particularly enjoy the book.
However, the book is well written and conveys some unpleasant truths about how we have behaved and alas still behave in some ways. Thank goodness we have improved in how our gay friends are treated today.
In short, this is a skillfully rendered portrayal of a certain time in the USA which is well done but unpleasant to look back on. It is also painful to recognize that insecurities still undo once healthy friendships.
Rated of 5
by Helen B. (WINTHROP, ME)
L.A. Women This 3rd novel by Ella Berman sports the 'already done plot' of young woman goes to Hollywood only to try to survive the decadence of becoming rich and famous. Sadly the book lacks the nuances of Malibou Rising and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. While technically very well written, with a deft command of dialogue, L.A. Women has plot holes and parts that are never really explained.
Probably its biggest flaw is that none of the characters are likeable or people that most of us can relate to. They are drug addled, sex obsessed, self absorbed and frankly just plain mean to other humans. Then add to that a slow moving plot that jumps back and forth over 10 years and you find yourself saying how many more pages?
Finally at the end, the characters see the light, but there's no real transition to make any metamorphosis believable. 3 stars. Thank you to Berkley Publishers and BookBrowse.com for this Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Rated of 5
by Vivian H. (Winchester, VA)
Uninspiring with Unlikable Characters If you are a fan of books by Taylor Jenkins Reid, you will enjoy this book about Hollywood in the 1960s & 1970s. I have always thought TJR's books are overrated & boring. I struggled to finish L.A. Women. I did not like or feel empathy for any of the characters who seem reckless, obnoxious, unhappy, and retreads of characters featured in other stories of LA in the period featuring sex, drugs and Rock N Roll. It was just depressing.
Rated of 5
by Debra F. (Cudjoe Key, FL)
Women This was not my favorite book. I had a hard time just 'liking' the characters; too much whining, too much complaining.
The story takes place in 2 different timelines. One of the women disappears and so they go back to the beginning of their relationship.
I generally enjoy Hollywood stories, life of the rich & famous etc. but I'm afraid this didn't do it for me.
Rated of 5
by Jean F. (Cary, NC)
Making it Big in 1970's Los Angeles Set in the late 1960's and up to the mid 1970's, L. A. Women is a story of the intense, fractured friendship between two young women, Lane, a novelist, ultimately a wife and mother, and Gala, a party girl and sometime writer with an out-size personality. The men in their lives are Charlie, party master and closeted gay, and straightforward upright Scotty, who marries Lane. Lane's childhood was particularly dysfunctional while Gala's wasn't wonderful either. As so-called friends, these two women use and abuse and sometimes depend on each other. Competition and compassion are at war in this back-and-forth relationship.
The opening chapters are full of sex and drug-laden parties, and I didn't find any of the characters very appealing or ones I could identify with. When Gala disappears and no one seems to know where she has gone, Lane feels compelled, even driven, to try to locate her. This search fuels the novel as the chapters alternate in time between past events and present day 1975. Recommended for fans of Ella Berman and those looking for a graphic depiction of an earlier Hollywood/Los Angeles party scene.
Rated of 5
by Roberta W. (Los Ranchos, NM)
A Struggle to Finish I honestly did not enjoy this book. I found the characters vapid, self-absorbed, superficial and uninteresting. Maybe that was the author's point, but I'm not sure. I'm not a prude at all, but I got tired of the author's constant use of the "f" word. Maybe that is an "LA thing", but for me, it's a sign of lazy writing.
Rated 
of 5
by Sandi W. (East Moline, IL)
never really hit the mark 2 stars Thanks to BookBrowse and Berkley for providing this ARC. Publishes August 5, 2025
I liked the premise of this book when I first read it. However I felt that it never really lived up to the hype.
Two very different female authors become friends - or do they? One is quiet and self loathing while the other is loud boisterous and unapologetic. Over time they have a falling out and the loud author goes missing.
This is a long book that, for me, never really hit the mark. There was enough to the story that you kept turning pages, hoping for a twist or a turn somewhere along the line, but that never really came. I believe that I would have been happier had the book only been around 250 pages. Waiting 400 pages for something to happen, that never does, takes a lot away from a book.
Rated of 5
by Laura P. (Atlanta, GA)
Not my cup of tea I did not enjoy this book. It's the story of two L.A. women, both writers and friendly with one another,, who find themselves engaged in a jealousy-fueled competition on the career front. All of the major characters - the women, their partners, their business associates -- seem broken, self-destructive, and totally unsympathetic. The book, set in 1963 and 1975 (dual timeline) is filled with drug-use, back-stabbing, and foul language-- f-bombs all over the place. The writing contains a number of grammatical errors. (With luck they'll be caught before the book is published.)
The book begins with the disappearance of one of the two writers, possibly in response to the actions of the other, and then switches between the two timelines to build their backstories. The only redeeming part of the book is the last 20, where some degree of normalcy appears and saves this book from a totally tanked rating.
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