Soft Launch

A Coming-of-Adulthood Novel

By: Sarah Vacchiano

Narrated by: Ellie Gossage

In her captivating debut, author Sarah Vacchiano tells an exciting “coming of adulthood” story about a young woman who takes a bold new path in her early thirties, leaving her old life—and starter marriage—behind.

When Sam walked herself down the aisle at the age of twenty-two, she never imagined wanting more than the life she had in that moment. Seven years later, with the ink still drying on both her law degree and her divorce papers, she arrives in Manhattan ready to start adulthood over and chase her dreams of becoming an entertainment lawyer, determined to prove to herself that upending her life was worth it.

As Sam navigates the high-pressure world of Big Law—heady and demanding, and full of magnetic and powerful people—she finds an unexpected ally in her charming, supportive officemate, Charlie. But just as he begins to tear down the walls Sam has built around herself, she lands her first big client, a “Poker Princess” facing federal charges for running high-stakes games for Hollywood’s elite, and discovers just how high stakes “fake it till you make it” can be when you’ve given up everything to become someone new.

Emotionally nuanced and delightfully frothy, Soft Launch is a sharp, witty novel that explores the messy reality of starting over and finding yourself.

©2026 by Sarah Vacchiano. (P)2025 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Soft Launch is both wildly unique and deeply universal. Through her gentle but fearless voice, Sarah Vacchiano reminds us that growth doesn’t follow a script—it’s messy, courageous, and often more beautiful than we could imagine. Readers will see themselves in her evolution and feel braver in their own.”—Molly Bloom, author of Molly’s Game

“Soft Launch is the new The Devil Wears Prada for type-A thirty-somethings. Sarah Vacchiano’s novel of a young lawyer messily embracing her own ambitions is a sharp, charming reminder that the verdict on your life is yours to write.”—Ali Rosen, bestselling author of Unlikely Story

“Soft Launch is a quick, witty romp—a quintessentially New York book about the twisty path to forging a new life with no compass but your own instincts. Vacchiano captures the unsteady path to adulthood, full of both missteps and triumphs.”—Meredith Turits, Just Want You Here

MQ

Good story, was not happy with the way it ended. The performance kept it interesting.

Average

This book was a little all over the place. A lot of random story lines

Compelling but rough to read

Lots of alcoholism made this hard for me to get through. The writer’s voice is also very clinical. You never feel close to any of the characters like there’s a veil between their emotions than you. At first that turned me off, but by the end I kind of appreciated the style. I think this is probably the highest rating I’ve ever given a book that I never want to read again. If you’re not looking for a redemption arc, this book is very compelling.

Great story

Engaging plot and characters. It is a nice change of pace from murder novels. It is fun to see Sam find her feet.