The best book of 2022 according to the New York Post and Buzzfeed. The most anticipated new book according to The Millions, Bustle, Book Riot, The Nerd Daily, Goodreads. What if a harmless desire to know more about your boyfriend's ex turns into a real obsession? Twenty-four-year-old New York City bookstore employee Naomi Ackerman is desperately trying to write her first novel, but can't find the perfect plot. When, after a series of unsuccessful dates, she meets Caleb, a charming and intelligent guy with a Welsh accent, she realizes that this is the right topic. Love. But suddenly an unplanned character appears in this story - Rosemary, Caleb's ex-girlfriend... It turns out that she also lives in New York, works with books and is suspiciously similar to Naomi herself. And that doesn't even include the fact that they both fell in love with the same guy. Maybe the girls have something else in common? Burning with curiosity and anxiety, Naomi begins to follow Rosemary. She decided to experiment on her boyfriend and his ex, only at some point she loses control over everything that is happening... “Caitlin Barash's style is filled with humor, compassion, intrigue and chaos of identities. It’s overflowing with life itself.” – Jonathan S. Foer, global bestselling author of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close “If you've ever been tempted to stalk an ex on social media and then found yourself down the rabbit hole of his vacation posts from three years ago, this debut This novel about a 24-year-old New Yorker named Naomi who becomes obsessed with her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend is just for you! – Vogue “Barash has a talent for balancing discomfort and empathy, pushing the reader away and drawing them back in... The characters are emotionally compelling, beckoning you to take your mind off the inevitable disaster.” – Associated Press “Wow, if you're looking for a great book that you'll become instantly obsessed with, The Novel Obsession hits the nail on the head, both in title and plot... I couldn't put this book down. It turned into frantic page-turning on the way to work (and back), and it won’t happen again... It was so hot.” – New York Post “Novel Obsession still ranks as the best book of the year in my heart. It's a sharp, thoughtful look at the nature of curiosity, obsession, and self-harm, and it's sure to have you intrigued from the very first chapter." - Farrah Penn, BuzzFeed