We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon is the wedding planning rom-com I have been waiting for. Following a harpist and a caterer, this one contains the perfect amount of awkwardness and two complex main characters. The book also normalizes casual mental health representation, and I enjoyed the open conversations the characters have about it. This is the perfect summer contemporary, balancing fluff with thoughtful discussions.

Working for her family’s wedding planning business over the summer, the last person Quinn expects to find working alongside her is the boy who ghosted her after she poured her heart out to him via email. Quinn is prepared for an awkward summer, but she and Tarek slowly realize that there is still a spark between them. However, the two of them have different outlooks on romance. What follows is an earnest friends to lovers story that I’m sure many will identify with.

❀ REALISTIC CHARACTERS

Rachel Lynn Solomon always writes such realistic characters, and I loved Quinn’s voice. She’s a little cynical when it comes to love because of her parents’ separation, and working as a harpist in the wedding business she wants no part of creates some tension. Throughout the book, Quinn learns to trust again, while figuring out who she is. Tarek, the caterer, is also well-written, and he provides an interesting contrast to Quinn since he is a hopeless romantic who loves grand gestures. There is great communication between the two characters, and I admired their maturity.

❀ MENTAL ILLNESS PORTRAYED REALISTICALLY

Another aspect I enjoyed is the way mental illness and insecurities are portrayed. Quinn has OCD and Tarek has depression, and both characters openly discuss it. Tarek’s depression is an especially important element since mental illness in men isn’t as common in YA. As well, mental illness isn’t presented as a big deal or even a major part of the plot, which I enjoyed, but these struggles also don’t disappear because of love. I loved this casual representation, and I hope to see more books follow suit.

❀ A ROM-COM WITH HEAVY TOPICS

We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a story of self-discovery and second chances. I loved the wedding backdrop, and the main characters are realistic. The casual mental health representation makes the book even more dynamic. Those looking for a rom-com that also touches on heavier topics will enjoy this one.

<i>We Can't Meet Meeting Like This</I> is Rachel Lynn Solomon's latest YA Contemporary/coming-of-age release featuring Jewish heroine Quinn Berkowitz. This new release primarily focuses on weddings, Jewish culture and Quinn figuring out what she wants to do with her life at 18 and connecting with people whom she thought had cut ties with her. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for permitting my access to an ARC! The pleasure is mine.

To begin with, the premise of the story sounds super adorable and perfect for the summer, but some writing choices and characterization did unfortunately let me down. For example, Quinn herself as a main character was hard for me to care for. I did not found her particularly interesting and seemed a bit basic to my liking. She lacked sparks. On the other hand Tarek, the love interest was so much more appealing and intriguing, as he dealt with college and others element that I will not spoil. I wish the book was split between Quinn and Tarek's respective point of views. Plus, I was really excited about having finally an Egyptian Muslim boy in a YA contemporary, as I am Arab and Muslim too. Sadly, having only Quinn's POV was a missed opportunity to explore Egyptian culture the way she incorporated Jewish culture. Also, I am sad to see in fiction only Muslim characters that are not practicing... That is not empowering for young readers who are practicing a religion. Other narratives and religious experience are valid too. We do not have to stick with one narrative. It would be so much nicer to have books where young adults and teens embrace and love their faith. Other than that, the prose is pretty fluid and easy-going. Also, the plot of the book was not as fleshed-out as I wanted too, so I easily got bored. Adding Tarek's storyline would have balanced and filled the empty spaces.

In short, this book did not too well work for me, but the story seem interesting to you, give it a go. I will still a try to Solomon's other books in the future.

Great book, though I did like this author's other book more. I thought that the story-line had a lot of the action happening in the second-half of the book, yet the ending seemed a little anti-climatic for some reason. Perhaps it was because Quinn and Tarek didn't have enough moments "together" at the end and a large chunk of the book was them fighting and being apart. But all in all, it was still a nice story.

We Can't Keep Meeting like this is my third book by this author.

I've read this author's YA book (Today Tonight Tomorrow) and her adult rom-com (The Ex Talk). The genre of this new book actually seems like like a mix of these two books. We Can't Keep Meeting Like this is teen fiction/romance. But it is also part rom-com. The characters are 18-19 and are learning who they are going to be as adults. But they are dealing with real problems. So it is a bit of realistic fiction.

The book takes place in Seattle. The narrator is 18 year old college-bound Quinn (1st person POV). Her family runs a wedding planning business. And she and her sister Asher work there/help out.

The story takes place the Summer between when Quinn finishes high school and starts college.

The book does have some funny aspects, but it is also quite serious. The author shows us interfaith romance, LGBTQ+ supporting characters, mental illness, OCD, and characters in therapy.

Quinn's family works closely with the Mansour family (caterers). I really loved this aspect of the story.

I also really enjoyed seeing all of the weddings. I liked the dynamics/drama between Quinn and her family. I loved her best friend Julia. And I loved everything to do with the harp.

Quinn was a really unique heroine. She had OCD. She was so cynical that she didn't believe in romance. How she acted did affect the romance part of the story a lot. I did like the romance. However Quinn's attitude made me like it a bit less.

Overall this book was cute and fun. Although it did deal with some serious topics. But I definitely enjoyed it.

I absolutely loved this book. Quinn and Tarek's relationship felt real to the ways teenagers experience things these days. The mental health rep, the family problems, and the dealing with first love was all so well one and this will be one I recommend for a long to students and friends alike. Rachel Lynn Solomon has easily become one of my favourite authors, and this book is wonderful.

I absolutely loved “We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This” by Rachel Lynn Solomon 💗🍰🧁

Borrowed + Blue is Quinn Berkowitz’s family wedding planning business and the Mansour’s are the family catering company that work together on countless weddings. They also happen to have a dreamy son Tarek, who Quinn finally confessed at the end of last summer that she had a crush on him, only to be completely ignored. Now it’s a new wedding season and all the drama is about to unfold!

I love the wedding theme of the book, movies like 27 dresses and bride wars are my favourite for the wedding drama! There were so many funny moments that added to the book!

This book also spoke to the 20 something girl in me who was just trying to figure out life, what my passion was and what I wanted to be once I graduated school.

Rachel Lynn Solomon also addresses topics in this book like OCD, depression and anxiety which I love and I think it’s so important, especially in a YA book, for people to identify with, relate to, and talk about!

Overall, I loved this read!! There were so many aspects and layers to it. It was the perfect read!

Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster Canada and Rachel Lynn Solomon for an advanced copy!

Pub Day: June 8th 🥳

This book was EVERYTHING to me. From the characters to the story to the references that spoke to my soul. Rachel Lynn Solomon has become an instant-buy author for me in less than a year (based on this book, T3, and her adult debut The Ex Talk).

This book has mental health rep (OCD, depression), rep of chronic conditions (eczema), and is so sex positive. A great read for young adults!!

I loved The Ex Talk so when I found out Rachel Lynn Solomon was going to release a YA?! Well sign me up! This one was the absolute cutest and I truly an amazed at how Solomon can pull at your heartstrings! Highly recommend for those who love YA!

This book will punch you in the gut, but in the best way possible.

Incredibly poignant and heart-wrenching, Rachel Lynn Solomon delivers a young adult contemporary unlike any other. The book wasn't predictable at all, which is quite rare for me in terms of YA romance. Furthermore, the initial plot of We Can't Keep Meeting Like This had me thinking this would be a romantic comedy, and boy was I wrong! This was such a rich novel, whose characters laid bare on the page

Speaking of characters, despite not throwing in a gazillion references to pop cultures, the book's characters are immensely relatable. Seventeen year old Quinn Berkowitz hates grand gestures. Eighteen year old Tarek Mansour on the other hand? It's all he knows romance to be. The story essentially follows Quinn's life as she navigates love (it wouldn't be a Rachel Solomon book without it), family life, and the future. I must say, the experiences Quinn goes through really had me all over the place. Despite disliking Quinn, (I found her to be infuriating), she feels so real as a character. Moreover, Tarek was the absolute sweetest! His character was so endearing. Tarek loves baking, and of course, rom-coms. What I found to be quite refreshing is that despite being a guy, he loves romance. His infatuation in it is something I have strictly only seen in female protagonists, so it was definitely a nice change of pace. Unfortunately though, I could never really understand what Tarek saw in Quinn. When he was basically head over heels for Quinn, she didn't reciprocate even 50% of that energy despite having a huge crush on him. Admittedly, this made me dislike her a lot more.

On a more positive note, an aspect of We Can't Keep Meeting Like This that I absolutely adored was the representation. Quinn is Jewish, and lives with OCD. Tarek is Muslim, and lives with eczema, and depression. I can't speak on how accurate the OCD, Jewish, or depression representation was. However, I am someone that lives with eczema and is Muslim. In terms of eczema rep, it was represented quite accurately. As for the Muslim rep, I didn't feel represented in it at all. But it's okay! Not every Muslim person is the same.

In addition, the dialogue is where it really hit me. It was just so good! The interactions Quinn and Tarek have are so genuine. They fight, they grieve, they love, and here I am tearing up, witnessing their whirlwind of emotions.

The story is told through Quinn's point of view, and is written very smoothly. There aren't any clunky paragraphs, and no typos either. Although, I will say that some chapter transitions seemed as though they had cut off mid scene. Tarek and Quinn had a very on and off relationship as well. At times, it felt much too repetitive. Nevertheless, the writing style was very charming, which is always a plus!

The overall enjoyment level of We Can't Keep Meeting Like This is, is very high. It explores various aspects such as mental health, relationships, consent, and so much more! We rarely get to see these topics compiled in one book, and that my friends is what makes this book a must read for all. 

-Overall-
4.5 stars!

Solomon has done it again!! This was an amazing feel-good, light heart romance story. Definitely a perfect book for wedding season that is slowly lurking. I loved TAREK! His love for romcoms and grand gestures, and his desperation for wanting his parents' epic love story, really made my heart swoon. I also felt really bad for Quinn, the way she is pressured to go to college for business and work for the family wedding business, but her heart is yearning for something else. She challenges a lot with figuring out where her pathway is. What I love about Solomon is that, she makes it feel like being lost in your life is PERFECTLY OKAY. Life is what happens when you're too busy making other plans. Solomon emphasizes that it's okay to feel a little lost, and it is never too late to change routes. Tarek's encouraging words for Quinn are what I live for. The touches on mental health are also so strong in this book. With Quinn struggling with OCD, and Tarek being diagnosed with clinical depression, my heart broke for the two. They are both challenging with so much, yet are SO STRONG. That really gives a lot of encouragement and inspiration to society today. Also, I love Julia. The way she is always there for Quinn; I hope the two continue to stay best friends for life. A WONDERFUL BOOK!

We Can't Keep Meeting Like This is a super cute YA book that touches on a lot very important topics which affect a lot of people. I really liked that it touched on the pressures of high school graduates feeling like they have to have their life figured out the minute they graduate. Quinn really portrays what some of that torment is. All in all a good read.

Quinn and Tarek's families have been in business together for years, with Quinn's parents being wedding planners and Tarek's owning a catering company. At the end of last summer, Quinn confessed her crush to him in an email, but Tarek left for college without a response. She has been dreading seeing him again, and when he shows up to the first wedding of the summer looking cuter than ever, they clash immediately. She can't deny that she still has feelings for him, especially after he opens up about his silence and she begins to face her own fears. Maybe love isn't the enemy after all; and maybe allowing herself to fall is the most honest thing Quinn has ever done.

I can officially confirm that friends to lovers is my favourite romance trope! Quinn and Tarek have so much chemistry together before we even meet them, but they are still pining for each other. I also loved how we got to see Quinn's struggles with finding what she loves and that she does not have her entire life figured out by eighteen years old. Lastly, the mental health rep! Quinn's anxiety and OCD and Tarek's depression are not the main plot point, but you can see how it affects their everyday lives and I loved that they were so open with each other about their struggles. Please pick up this book on June 8th!

TW: discussions about mental health, death of a family member.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

Quinn is skeptical of love - even though she is part of her family's successful wedding planning business as their on call harpist and worker. One of the only parts of her job she loves is hanging out with Tarek, son of the caterers who often work alongside her parents. Things have gone sour since their fight last summer though, and after a year of no contact, this summer might just be torture. While Quinn struggles with telling her parents that she doesn't want to be a part of the family business anymore, she also has to deal with feelings that absolutely terrify her.

This was such a sweet story about more than just love. It's about family, mental illness, friendships, passion, and so much more. I loved the representation that we see in this book for mental health - we get to see OCD and depression rep in this story, and the characters are actively going through treatment (therapy and medication). It is so important to show people who struggle but who can also have success and beautiful moments along the way.

There was so much I could relate to in this novel. I struggled with my parent's separation, I still experience anxiety and depression, and I'm a hopeless romantic. I also really enjoyed seeing an experience like my own when Tarek is telling Quinn about his first year of college. Plus, I love a book with weddings in it!

Rachel Lynn Solomon is an auto-read author for me now, and this book did not disappoint. I'd highly recommend it!

We Can't Keep Meeting Like This was so good. While I had some issues with Quinn, the MC, at first, it did not last long. Wedding planning, baking and love, what do you need more? I find it was a very original YA and again, I think I will read anything Rachel Lynn Solomon writes.

TW: OCD, anxiety, depression, talk about divorce

Thank you NetGalley for the free ebook copy in exchange of a honest review.

We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This puts Quinn Berkowitz at the centre in this cute, heartwarming YA novel. While balancing her family, work, and her inner struggles and a sense of uncertainty about life after high school, Quinn again comes face to face with the one person she truly felt strongly about, Tarek Mansour. With their families working together frequently in the wedding planning business, Quinn and Tarek were once close. Will they finally have their chance?

Can’t believe I have never read anything by Rachel Lynn Solomon—not even The Ex Talk! We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This was quite the journey, and I think Solomon did a fabulous job in bringing together a good storyline with a strong ending. Quinn was an interesting character, and I liked how there was a lot of focus on her difficulties in managing her OCD and anxiety in her daily life. You really get to know Quinn’s inner workings in this book, and her thoughts on love make you think and reflect on your own understanding of love. The Jewish representation in this book was very interesting, too, and I liked learning more about Jewish culture from Quinn’s perspective.

I also liked how this book beautifully depicts the whole friends-to-lovers trope, which I need to read more of because the slow-burn just makes it, you know? Quinn and Tarek were just so cute together, as well as very mature and outspoken for people their age. Also, the fact that Tarek is an avid baker made my heart melt, pun intended.

Although there were a few parts of the book I found really slow, I think this one’s a catch for those who are obsessed with rom-coms. Rachel Lynn Solomon truly has a talent in writing well-developed characters and intriguing romance stories, and this definitely won’t be the last time I read her work!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this eARC!

Thank you to Netgalley, Simon and Schuster Canada and Rachel Lynn Solomon for a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a cute story! This is my second book by Solomon and I really enjoy what she comes up with! I have always had a thing for stories about classical instrument playing musicians so this one definitely checked that box with a harpist!

Solomon brought in so many great elements with this one: a family business, diversity amongst the characters, teenagers finding themselves and figuring things out, and of course there’s a relationship (and it’s angsty, cause you know, YA haha.)

Full of ups and downs, family drama, the desire to protect family, and learning about love, give this one a shot if you enjoy contemporary romance YA!!!!

Had a slow start, but as I continued to read I became more invested. I like Solomon as a writer, but I feel like the trope of the “jaded teenager” has been overdone. The discussion on mental illness was a new and refreshing perspective, especially with the lasting stigma. 3.5 stars.

“We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This” is the upcoming YA novel from acclaimed romance writer, Rachel Lynn Solomon. I’ve read two of Rachel’s books previously (“Today, Tonight, Tomorrow” & “The Ex Talk”) and I absolutely LOVED both, so I was very excited for this book and I’m honoured and so incredibly grateful to have gotten an e-ARC copy of the book from Simon & Schuster Canada and NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review!

“We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This” follows the character of Quinn Berkowitz, who is spending a summer helping her family at their wedding planning business before heading to college in the fall. Quinn is very non-committal about love and relationships and is incredibly passionate about music but she has no real idea about what she wants to do in the future, and is almost resigned to a life in the family business, working alongside her mom, dad and older sister, Asher.

But after becoming reacquainted with her childhood friend and former crush Tarek, and meeting an elderly harp-maker named Maxine at one of her family’s weddings, Quinn starts to imagine a life on her own terms. Now if only she could tell her parents, and figure out exactly how she feels about Tarek...

WOW, I just finished this book, and Rachel Lynn Solomon has done it again! I’m very particular about my romance/rom-com reads, but there’s just something about Rachel’s writing that is so immersive and compulsively readable.

She manages to take traditional romantic tropes (friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating etc...) and really elevate them and tell a unique story, and with each book I read from her, she just keeps getting better and better. I’d go so far as to say that she’s officially earned her place on my list of favourite authors, for sure!

As far as this book is concerned, I really enjoyed the friends-to-lovers slow burn between Quinn and Tarek. It was done so incredibly well, with a perfect amount of angst and fluffy, sweet romance. As someone who lives with OCD, I appreciated the care and detail that went into writing that element of the story. I also really enjoyed seeing Quinn’s personal growth over the length of the novel, and having the wedding-planning business as a backdrop for everything really made the story unique and unlike any other romance I’d ever read.

“We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This” is scheduled for publication on June 1, 2021 from Simon & Schuster, and if you’re a fan of Kasie West, Sarah Dessen or just romance or rom-coms in general, it’s definitely a book that you will want to add to your shelves immediately, so be sure to support this incredible release from an equally incredible author by purchasing a copy!

Thanks again to Simon & Schuster Canada, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book early! I can’t wait to read whatever Rachel Lynn Solomon writes next!

We Can't Keep Meeting Like This was a treat. Quinn, a harpist who is kind of forced to be involved with her family's wedding planning business has had a crush on Tarek, the caterer's son for a long time. Tarek comes back from his first year of college and Quinn is mortified by an email she wrote him a year earlier. What happens when they start working together again?

Ah! This book dealt with so many topics that mean a lot to me. Depression, OCD, anxiety and even celiac disease were all discussed as well as the characters religions (Jewish and Muslim).

I enjoyed this book and was happy to hear that Neil and Rowan from T3 made an appearance.

okay so i am absolutely obsessed with the cover. and it was a fairly average contemporary read, but I'm am still very confused.

this is a very weird critic, but I was confused with how old the characters were from the beginning until the end of this book. I'm pretty sure the guy is in college and the girl just graduated high school, but they are written like middle-aged people at some points it's actually very weird.

either way, you get exactly what you expect with this book. nothing more, nothing less. so that's good?