L.A. Women

This 60s set novel is perfect for summer, transporting you to California’s Laurel Canyon * Grazia Magazine *fierce rivalries between writers…If you’re looking for stories that contains equal parts glitz and grit, then look no further. * Stylist Magazine (6 books that bring old-school Hollywood glamour to your shelves) *Berman faithfully ticks off the places and faces of 1970s LA, but describes internal landscapes more impressively. Both women wrangle with their prescribed roles, harboured hopes, desire for fame and recognition on their terms — and whether betrayal is an acceptable way to achieve their goals. * The Times (The best new beach reads to take on holiday this August) *A gripping reminder of how complicated friendships can be * Heat Magazine *If complicated female friendships are your bag, you’ll enjoy this compelling novel…Los Angeles makes the perfect glittering backdrop to the unfolding drama * Good Housekeeping Magazine *A truly exceptional novel about the vagaries of female friendship and creative ambition, L.A. Women fizzes with energy and intrigue. Berman’s Los Angeles is a glittering, ecstatic party, full of fascinating, charismatic figures that made me want to linger even as the lights began to dim. Much like its subject matter, L.A. Women is nothing short of iconic – Katy Hays, New York Times bestselling author of The CloistersElla Berman’s writing is transportive, hypnotic, and addictive. I fell wholeheartedly in love with the intensity of these L.A. Women and the way Berman unabashedly explores the deep, glimmering, and turbulent waters of artistic ambition amid the alluring backdrop of 1960’s Los Angeles. This novel reads like a spell, a California fever dream, and a risk taking excavation of the moments that most define us. L.A. Women is phenomenal – Chelsea Bieker, author of MadwomanAn unflinching exploration into the emotional depths of artists, LA Women is as soulful and scintillating as Laurel Canyon itself – Rachel Koller Croft, USA Today bestselling author of Stone Cold FoxFrom the very first pages of Ella Berman’s L.A. Women, I was hooked. A tantalizing balance of mysterious and eerie, glittering and evocative, this novel skillfully explores the depths and complexity of artistic ambition and female friendship — all set against the shimmering backdrop of 1960’s (and 1970’s) Los Angeles. There’s something so transportive about Ella’s writing, about the way she captures parties in Laurel Canyon as palpably as the emotional push-pull between two writers and friends; it’ll have you hanging on every word and turning the pages at record pace. This is a can’t-put-down read – Genevieve Wheeler, author of AdelaideAn electrifying story of fame, ambition, creativity and friendship, threaded through with a mystery that compels you to keep reading, L.A. Women is an utterly all-consuming novel – Katie Bishop, author of The Girls of SummerMy Brilliant Friend meets Daisy Jones and the Six in this immersive story of the friendship (and rivalry) between two female writers in ‘60s/‘70s Los Angeles. Berman is at her finest in this novel; these characters will live on in my imagination for years to come – T. Greenwood, author of Keeping LucyThe characters in L.A. Women are as dazzling as they are messy, as poised as they are insecure, as relatable as they are mysterious, and as downright maddening as only the most fascinating, memorable women can be. I am utterly enchanted by them, and will be raving about this book at parties for years to come – Paige Harbison, author of The Other Side of NowRiveting and erudite in the most energetic way – Charlotte Fox Weber, author of Tell Me What You WantWith a heavy dose of Daisy Jones glamour and the competitive edge of All About Eve, Ella has once again written a novel that dazzles and zings. I could not put it down, desperate to find out what happened between Lane and Gala, completely in love with the Californian mise en scene. Ella captures perfectly the dual sides of LA, the glamour and grime, and how people arrive there desperate for a dream life and do whatever they can to ensure it. – Jodie Chapman, author of ANOTHER LIFELoosely inspired by the real-life L.A. lives of writers Joan Didion and Eve Babitz, this glamorous book delves into 1960s Laurel Canyon and the betrayal between two young women * Betches.com *Berman casts Lane and Gala as vivacious frenemies, and their drag-out fights generate real sparks. Readers will surely fall for these two ladies of the canyon * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *Electrifying…bold, dazzling, and crackling with tension * VIP Magazine / Stellar Magazine (IE) *Recommended in rocky relationship reads * Psychologies Magazine *Berman’s prose is silky and evocative…As she charts the rocky friendship of the leads and their circle across more than a decade, she also covers addiction, ambition, the disappointments of motherhood, mid-century homophobia, the joys and agonies of writing, and a whole lot more. * Culturefly (5* review) *Set in the glittering 1960s LA party scene and beyond, it spotlights the cost of great art and who, ultimately, pays the price * The Sunday Post / The Courier / The Press & Journal *I absolutely LOVED it. It’s giving Taylor Jenkins Reid, but it’s about Joan Didion and Eve Babitz’s friendship. I’m so obsessed * Notes On (Substack newsletter) *Berman writes about friendship like it’s romance, the initial spark, the deep infatuation and the betrayal that comes when one person wants more…And the setting?! Laurel Canyon in its hazy heyday, studio parties, cigarette smoke and heartbreak on velvet sofas. I was IN the sun-faded photographs reading wine-stained typewriter pages, listening to Dylan strumming his guitar. Its a really thought-provoking read about friendship between complicated, ambitious and brilliant women, so if that’s your bag then you’ll probably love this too. * Hannah, Two Girls One Book - Book Club Podcast *I’m absolutely hooked, lined, and sinkered… It’s very good * Beth, Everything Is Content Podcast *Absolutely blown away… Berman has created a world so rich * The Mirror / The Express *Electric * That’s Life Magazine *A deep reach into fame and friendship * Sainsbury’s Magazine *a great summer read * The Sun *Evoking all the glamour and grit of 1960s LA, this enthralling, razor-sharp novel dissects the complex, explosive friendship between two female writers * LoveReading *Rivalry, deception, betrayal and vintage Hollywood glamour - this book has it all! * My Weekly Magazine *

Ella Berman grew up in both Los Angeles and London, where she studied psychology before working at Sony Music. Her debut novel, The Comeback, was selected as a Read with Jenna book club pick, and her follow-up, Before We Were Innocent, was a Reese’s Book Club pick. Raised by two former hippies on the music and art of the 1960s and ’70s, she lives in London with her husband, their senior dog, and their daughter.