Tony winner Kelly Bishop, 82, will publish her first novel, Broad Appeal, co-written with novelist Ali Rosen. William Morrow, the publisher, has scheduled the book for September 21, 2027, and it is now open for preorder.
A Story of Four Women Sharing a Manhattan Apartment
According to the publisher, the novel follows four women in their seventies who become roommates in a Manhattan apartment. The central character, Roz, is a 78-year-old retired divorcée who faces rising housing costs on New York City's Upper West Side. Rather than leave her longtime home, she takes in roommates, among them an eccentric entomologist sister-in-law, a former trophy wife recovering from financial setbacks, and a dance teacher Roz met while protesting gentrification in Spanish Harlem.
The publisher describes the book as a comedy about friendship, reinvention and found family, with long-buried secrets and financial pressures testing the bonds the women build. William Morrow has likened its tone to a mix of The Golden Girls and Sex and the City, though that comparison is the publisher's own and has not been tested by reviews.
Bishop's Path From Stage to Page
Bishop's previous book, the 2024 memoir The Third Gilmore Girl, reached the New York Times bestseller list. It recounts behind-the-scenes stories and lessons from her career, which spans from A Chorus Line to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Broad Appeal is therefore her first work of fiction, following a published memoir that already drew a large readership.
In a press release, Bishop said the book addresses friendship, resilience and second chances, and that growing older "doesn't mean growing smaller." Rosen, who announced the collaboration on social media on Monday, October 26, described Bishop as a friend and said she was honored to help bring the characters to life.
What Remains to Be Seen
Because the novel is not scheduled to appear until fall 2027, its reception, critical standing and the extent of each author's contribution are not yet known. Readers can judge the premise and the publisher's framing now, but any claims about quality or sales will have to wait for publication and independent reviews.