Bar Maid
- Downloads：6276
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-11-17 08:21:09
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Daniel Roberts
- ISBN：B09418D2K8
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Danny Range
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Incredible！Probably the best book I’ve read in a long time。 Characters all had a life of their own， it was descriptive， and funny， which isn’t common with most novels。 Will be reading again and recommend you guys do as well！
Drammond Greystone
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Gorgeous writing of an old-fashioned love story。 Highly recommend this book to romantics and lovers of brand new literature。
Artie M。
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Witty and insightful about being 18， 19。 Some great writing in this love story。 Could NOT put it down。 Looking forward to buying it on Amazon and hopefully getting it signed by Daniel Roberts。
Sara
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Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity for an ARC to read and review。This is a coming of age story that is very bittersweet， following Charlie Green who meets Paula Henderson and his life is forever changed。The story takes place in the late 80s， following Charlie and the people around him。 This story is more of a relatable story， of a person making choices， and shows that choices have consequences and the impact that it will have not only on your life but on those around you。
Terri
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An underserved historical period， the late 1980’s， with deep characterizations， wonderful humor and a poetic touch。 Would recommend。 Quick and fun read。 hope Roberts writes more。
Shelby
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I received and Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review。I really tried to like this novel; however， I could not get behind it。 With the NetGalley description comparing this to Normal People and Sweetbitter， I was expecting this to be the next best Contemporary Fiction novel - unfortunately， the story really fell flat。 If it wasn't for Roberts composition and use of imagery compelling me to continue reading on， this novel would have become my first DNF。 The main c I received and Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review。I really tried to like this novel; however， I could not get behind it。 With the NetGalley description comparing this to Normal People and Sweetbitter， I was expecting this to be the next best Contemporary Fiction novel - unfortunately， the story really fell flat。 If it wasn't for Roberts composition and use of imagery compelling me to continue reading on， this novel would have become my first DNF。 The main character， Charlie Green， wasn't entirely unlikeable; but he is the 1980s version of a "Sad Boy。" On top of the "Sad Boy" personality， Green comes with multiple red flags that a 15-year old me would have ignored; but makes a 27-year old me cringe。 Green， a hopeless romantic and inspiring writer， is determined to fall in love with a beautiful "light-eyed girl" （flag one） once he starts college。 Before that though， he cheats on his current "brown-eyed" girlfriend by kissing a fellow counselor at "Fat Camp" （flag two） and only plans on telling his girlfriend until after he loses his virginity to her （flag three）。 Oh， and his grand plan for getting his girlfriend to sleep with him - getting her drunk on champagne so she will say yes （flag four）。 He then gets mad when his girlfriend would rather continue partying at a downtown loft of some Yuppies （or Haircuts， as Charlie Green calls them） instead of sleep with him， and leaves her on her own to go home （flag five）。 The novel gets slightly better once Charlie finally makes it to college （after the fatphobia， internalized anti-Semitism， an rape culture of the beginning）。 However， I still find myself rooting the whole time for the story not to end up well for Charlie and would get upset when the other characters would continue to support his decisions。 This novel was just about everything that the movie "Promising Young Women" and director Emerald Fennell wanted to warn us about。Overall， I still give this novel 2/5 stars。 Clearly， I am not the demographic of this novel， The writing was what really saved this novel; and I could see this becoming an excellent biopic。 。。。more
Gregory Epstein
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Salty love story between late teenagers who are both so smart。 It’s 1987 in the college town of Philadelphia。 I loved the dialogue between the two lovers and the sense of humor of the writer。 Paula， the female lead， was so self-assured and real。 Charlie the male protagonist was perfectly awkward and self-doubting。 the writing and editing were top notch。 A wonderful book for lovers of any age。 Highly recommend。
Aunt Grace
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I enjoyed this eARC。 Interesting characters and wry sense of humor set in the late 1980’s in rough and tumble Philadelphia。 I ready it in one sitting and found myself wanting more。 Well-done and well-edited。 A somewhat bawdy yet old-fashioned coming of age novel。
Thomas Morales
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Enjoyable read particularly the scenes in college Freshman year。 I attended college in Philly around the same time as the protagonist Charlie Green and it all rang true for me。 Particularly the boozy young love and the *adults* who despite their best intentions do more harm than good。 Auspicious fiction debut for playwright Roberts。
Nessa Reads
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Really good first novel。 I related to the female lead Paula and found the writing to be strong。 While Charlie was dark I did not find him dim。 Memorable characters for sure！
Dorothea W
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Thank you for the e-ARC。 Great read。 Binged it over maybe 6 hours。 Such crisp writing。 I was Paula。 In my younger life and also now。 The author clearly knows and loves women。 Not sure if it’s a he or she。 I bet a woman wrote Bar Maid。 Would like a sequel。
Matthew James
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Great coming of age story from an apparently new voice in fiction。 Somewhere in-between classic literature and a young adults novel， I could not put it down。 Funny， odd and real characters。 Great style。 I recommend this debut novel。
Jen B。
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Interesting mediations about youth， love， wealth， alcohol and of course love。 Splendid prose style and character growth。 I liked the ease with which the author depicted cities and places。 A classic in the waiting。 Highly recommend。
Grace Mitchell
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Beautifully written love story between two young people。 I liked all of the supporting characters。 He brought them to life。 I could see this as a movie。 And the ending。。。well I will not spoil it but it's magnificent。 Beautifully written love story between two young people。 I liked all of the supporting characters。 He brought them to life。 I could see this as a movie。 And the ending。。。well I will not spoil it but it's magnificent。 。。。more
Diana Chefoli
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Really engaging and interesting。 Different voice， this guy。 I wish that the book were longer or had a sequel。 But that could be selfish on my part。 I found it to be extremely witty and fast moving。 I did read it in one sitting。 And it made me want to drink drinks， fall in love and take some chances。 I recommend it！
Becky S。
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Charlie Green， I think I'm in love。 Beautifully written love story that takes place in the late 1980's before iPhones， Bill Clinton， 9/11， Covid and cancel culture。 Gorgeous imagery and sense of humor。 I related very well to Paula。 It's tough blossoming into womanhood。 Bravo for a sensitive male perspective。 Charlie Green， I think I'm in love。 Beautifully written love story that takes place in the late 1980's before iPhones， Bill Clinton， 9/11， Covid and cancel culture。 Gorgeous imagery and sense of humor。 I related very well to Paula。 It's tough blossoming into womanhood。 Bravo for a sensitive male perspective。 。。。more
Robert Mink
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Stunningly REAL and touching。 Funny and also quirky。 A new voice！I am a fan of the era （1980's） though I was born much later。Roberts nailed it， and writes with rare poetry and insight。 Stunningly REAL and touching。 Funny and also quirky。 A new voice！I am a fan of the era （1980's） though I was born much later。Roberts nailed it， and writes with rare poetry and insight。 。。。more
Megan Howard
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I really liked it。 The writing hit home， like classic lit。 It's in the 1980's so might not be totally PC， but honestly whatever。 I really liked it。 The writing hit home， like classic lit。 It's in the 1980's so might not be totally PC， but honestly whatever。 。。。more
Chester Corsa
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Well， well…welcome debut author Roberts。 Funny debut。 And comedy might be the hardest trick of all。 Loved the protagonist。
Daisy May
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Holden Caulfield in the 1980’s。 Author has great talent。 Wanted more！
Louise Gennaro
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Love it。 Author has balls。 Robert isn’t afraid of cancel culture woke assassins， and the writing is lovely。 I agree it ended slightly abrupt like， but it stayed with me and I spent all night thinking what would happen to Charlie and Paula。 Last time that happened to me was the Sopranos finale。
Stephanie H。
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I tend to agree with some others that Charlie Green has a dark side， but so did Heathcliff。 As a grad student I totally related to the juggling act that is school and relationships。 Writing was off the charts good。 Hoping for a sequel。 Or maybe a movie。
Maryellen Henry
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Daniel Roberts is an old sold just like his protagonist。 As a young woman I can appreciate that it’s not easy being a young man （or a young woman）。 Roberts understands this and expresses it so beautifully and honestly。 Fun as well to visit the 1980’s。 What a weird place！
Jewel
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Reminded me of untamed Scott Fitzgerald。 Few books take place in the 80’s when things were raw and more reality based。 I loved the bars and the girls and the humor。 Binge read it。 Bravo。
Lawrence Goldfarb
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Recommended by a friend with whom I went to college。 Deeply entertaining。 Funny， too。 Terrific stylist。
Larry Gallstery
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So funny and real。 Heartbreak personified。 I can relate to the abuse of alcohol and the abuse of being young。 Stunning good writing along the way。 Not sure who he （or she） is， but they ruined my night。 Will buy hard copy and ask for autograph。
Simone
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Got the e ARC and was floored by his style。 It was an old fashioned love story。 But relatable somehow。 Silly dumb painful stupid。 I totally loved the mother and how she ended up in France。 I hope he writes a follow up about what happens to everyone。
Drea K。
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I am happy this title getting some traction。 I love first novels and this Bar Maid brought me back to first love。 Totally with Paula who is strong and a Charlie who needs to get from weak to strong。 That’s how it is between men and women。 I thought the writing was really good。 The ending was abrupt but then it settled with me。 I have been Paula。 Thanks for the trip。
Sabrina Matz
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Thankful to receive this eARC last night。 Stayed up all night just smiling。 I didn’t go to college but know Philly pretty well。 Classic romance with a happy ending and as the review said “characters that stick”。
Matalia N’Moa
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