samchase112's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
These people are kinda (well, not kinda) the worst, but… I still liked watching them find each other? Sort of? They have some serious issues, and we see them (sort of) work it all out throughout the book, leaning on each other as they've never leaned on others for one reason or another. But the problem remains: They're pretty deplorable. Glad they got their happy ending, and it's not Josh and Ari's fault they're terrible people, but… oh wait. It is. Books about awful people aren't necessarily doomed to failure, but it does highlight the worst parts of them, and in this case, just made me want to rewatch When Harry Met Sally :) Not a complete disappointment of a romance! Which is pretty good given the expectations I had via other reviews.
Oh, and Ari seriously needs to find a personality or hobby or whatever beyond simply sex.
Oh, and Ari seriously needs to find a personality or hobby or whatever beyond simply sex.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, and Grief
Minor: Abandonment
hayley_nelson915's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Drug use
Moderate: Mental illness
Minor: Infidelity and Death of parent
annamay1021's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Alcohol, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
clairehreads22's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
(4/5 stars)
(3/5 spice level)
Read this book if: you love fall and winter, you love the movie When Harry Met Sally, you love Taylor Swift references, you like enemies to friends to lovers, you like grumpy chef and sunshine comedian, you like I’m only nice when I’m with you, you love a bisexual main character, and did I mention DUAL POV?!
I will admit, that it took me awhile to get into it, but it was worth it. I truly enjoyed this book. The beginning hadn’t quite hooked me, but there was one specific scene and suddenly I wanted to binge it all that night.
Ari and Josh … I love them. Josh feels like he would be in the show, The Bear. I wish we got to see more of Ari’s standup comedy. The banter between Ari & Josh is honestly amazing and kept me laughing as I read this book.
I loved the usage of time skips throughout the book and getting to see how each character grew each time.
Do I recommend you read this in the fall? Yes. I do.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness
sebradley29's review against another edition
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug use, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Infidelity, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, and Grief
vj_thompson's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
It’s giving fall vibes, personal growth, and “pick me, choose me, love me.” UGH! I’ve never felt so many emotions while reading a book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Sexual content, and Abandonment
Moderate: Death of parent, Grief, Alcohol, Mental illness, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Infidelity and Panic attacks/disorders
dianaschmidty's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
“No one should marry the person who makes them happy. Marry the person you want by your side at your lowest point. Marry the person you…you never get sick of. Who you always want more from. Who makes you proud to be theirs.”
I wrote almost 4,900 words on my Notes App book journal about this book. It’s basically an essay on how invested I was in this book.
If you love When Harry Met Sally, HIMYM, Friends, romcom love confessions, friends to lovers, meet disasters, the idea of soulmates, or any combination, YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK!
This book felt like a love letter to a generation who grew up loving sitcoms, romcoms, DCOMs, or really anything with “com” in the name. It’s one of the most unique romances that I think I’ll ever read. First, the bi representation was really good and refreshing. It’s actually what drew me to the book in the first place, since it led to the basic premise of both Ari and Josh meeting because they’re sleeping with the same girl. I felt so much for Ari throughout the entire book. The girl just couldn’t catch a break! The ONE time she decides to give a relationship a chance, it ends up being with a narcissistic professor who clearly had a history of dumping her partner when she got bored then making the partner seem like they were the problem. Then we get to the complexity of Josh, a grumpy jerk who is also convinced in the idea of true love, destiny, and soulmates. It was both sweet and infuriating to see his reaction to his relationship shift with Ari at the 60% point. Together, they’re like the beginning of a bizarre joke: “a cynical, hopeless romantic and a free spirited commitment-phobe walk into a bar”—or—“an adult toy store”?
My main biggest issue with the book was the third act conflict. While I think it made total sense, I think the wrong half of the couple was blamed for the mess! Yes, both halves admit some fault in the disaster, but one half ends up taking more of the blame, and if anything, the OTHER person deserved the blame for being incapable of listening…
No matter what, these two are the definition of literary soulmates. Like, they just KEPT finding each other again and again (he se the title), even if they were in the most bizarre ways. I’m so excited to see what Kate Goldbeck writes next!
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Dial Press, and Kate Goldbeck for providing me access to this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Drug use, Infidelity, and Abandonment
Moderate: Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Death of parent, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Gaslighting
goatsrsexy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was such a cute and fun romcom. In my opinion the enemies to lovers aspect wasn't as serious as how the blurb makes it seem (in a good way). It was more like a frenemies to friends to lovers type of deal and it worked well, there was lots of cute banter and the characters had well written chemistry. Because the book took place over so many years, the whole thing felt very believable and realistic. I really like the way friendships and relationships and boundaries were explored here. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys Ali Hazelwood and Emily Henry cus that's the vibes. Thanks to Netgalley for the arc
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Mental illness
Minor: Death of parent
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