I'm not sure why I didn't love this one as much as the author's other books. I started strong but about halfway through I started to get bored. Decent chemistry, at least when the main characters were together, but Tarek's love for creating "grand gestures" didn't appeal and that tinged the rest of the book a bit.

*** Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC***

As someone that spent a majority of my teenage years being persistently anti-romance, Quinn was the character I always wanted to find in a romcom. I loved her blatant cynicism about love, which was brilliantly contrasted by her counter part Tarek. I really enjoyed the realistic aspects of relationships sprinkled into this book, showing that romcoms aren’t as picture perfect in real life.

Quinn is a high school graduate, trying to figure out her next steps, which have been conveniently predetermined by her families booming bridal business. With her sister’s wedding date looming closer, her family expects her to spend her summer fully immersed in the business of love, which she isn’t really in love with. Her old crush Tarek returns from college, bringing up old feelings of hurt, hope, and romance. The only problem is, Quinn isn’t a romance and grand gestures kinda girl. With tensions boiling in her personal life, Quinn is in for an eventful summer of change and growth.

This book flowed so naturally and the dialogue and body language descriptions really created a descriptive experience. This book is the perfect YA romantic comedy to add to your bookshelf. I highly recommend this for fans of romcoms, especially as we all work towards diversifying our bookshelves!

Quinn and Tarek's story was interesting to read, but I didn't totally love it. Maybe having Tarek's POV to show why he liked Quinn so much would have helped? Cause she was pretty annoying at times... And misleading when it was pretty obvious how Tarek felt, grand gestures aside. While it was easy to picture them together and want things to work out for the sake of resolution, I didn't actually ship them. *shrug*

I liked the fact that she felt more real by having unlikeable qualities, but she also did many hurtful things and took forever to apologize for them. Which again - real life stuff - but just because she seemed like a real person doesn't mean I want to read about, you know? Regardless, the fact that she had a wide mix of emotions and was confused about love (especially given her upbringing surrounded by weddings!) and growing into adulthood was very relatable and made her more interesting despite the unlikeable parts. Like the statement Whoever I was in a past life really fucked things up for me. - that was so freaking relatable!

The talks that characters had about mental health, counselling, family drama, love, relationships, and life direction were easily some of the best part of the novel. (There were some funny and cute teenage love scenes too of course!) I liked how openly they expressed themselves, even if they struggled to put things into words or didn't quite know how to move forward. It was just nice to see those conversations happen and know they were trying to communicate more. The complicated family dynamic that Quinn struggled with for much of the novel was interesting and different from many of the YA books out there. Overall, this book was quite good and had some lovely parts, but it didn't quite drawn me in enough or make me believe in the romance.

I’m going to be honest here: We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This is probably my least favourite Rachel Lynn Solomon novel (out of the three I’ve read, that is.). This does not mean it’s bad (it isn’t), it just means it was lacking some of the charm, the je ne sais quoi (French people please don’t murder me for butchering your language) that Today Tonight Tomorrow and The Ex Talk had.

I think for some readers, this will work really well. The characterizations were well-done, and don’t even get me started on the mental health rep (which made my heart happy). In terms of all the “other” things you could look for in a contemporary (friendships, family, character-driven stories, hilarity, relatable moments of “ah! Fuck!”, etc.), it was essentially everything I could ever ask for. And those are the things that I look for the most in a contemporary (or so I tell myself since I resigned myself to neverending cynicism), so for the most part this book really ticked the boxes for me.

BUT. And that’s a big but. (If anyone makes an innuendo here I will send you all the way back to 7th grade, and everyone knows 7th grade is objectively the worst year.)

I felt like the romance was... kind of insta-lovey?

AH. It’s horrible. I cringe just writing it. Because Solomon’s last two novels did the romance so damn well. I swooned and gasped and made horrified faces and grinned so hard my eyes disappeared (Asian genes). But this one. This one. It just. Wasn’t it for me.

I think the biggest part of it is that a lot of the development, in terms of feelings, happens pre-novel. Most of the romance’s development that actually occurs on-page is just the characters realizing stuff about themselves, and that translating into what the believe & how they act around each other, especially in a romantic or physical setting. It kind of felt like by the start of the book all the feelings and crush stuff was already there, almost as if they were already in a relationship (even though that didn’t happen until quite a while later).

So, cute? Absolutely. But heart-stoppingly adorable? Definitely not.

I definitely still recommend picking up this book. It was well-written, filled with all the humor and loveable characters and family/friend dynamics I love about Solomon’s writing. Just... maybe don’t set your expectations quite as high.

4.5 stars! ★

Thank you to the publishers for sending me an eARC copy! This was my first receiving one, so it’s more near and dear to my heart.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Thro-ough-ly. I wish this book was around when I was a teenager. Graduating from high school and then having to navigate through the big question of “what happens after high school” is already tough as it is. Never mind, having OCD and anxiety – it really makes tackling that question a lot harder. The deep and meaningful conversations about mental health is extremely important and I think that Soloman did a fantastic job at conveying the struggles through Quinn and Tarek.
I was reading through other’s reviews of the book and a lot were saying that they saw themselves, or someone they knew, in this book, and I couldn’t agree more. Mental health and taking care of ourselves is more important than ever. It was intriguing to watch how Quinn navigated through that sphere and you can begin to see the positive shifts in her thinking as we neared the end of the book. And I enjoyed that she was already aware of her struggles and didn’t let it hold her down. We got to jump right in with her and her story.

And, another thing that I was noticing as I was reading was the different aspects of romance. Too often we see a couple different forms of romance – new love, rocky marriages, happy marriages, grand gestures that aren’t really meant for the person but rather for everyone around them. Quinn is very unsure of love throughout most of the story. She doesn’t fully understand as to why someone would open themselves up to another person. It’s all for show. And I think that Soloman does a wonderful job is bringing Quinn into these situations that force her to explore her insecurities and unsure mindset through these different relationships – from her parents, her sister, Tarek, her best friend, and all of the different weddings she has helped over the years. And, it connected with me because I was the same way when I was younger because I didn’t have the best role models to look up to when it came to healthy relationships.
One last thing that I wanted to touch upon was something that I’m sure a lot of people struggle with is their religious beliefs. Although it isn’t mentioned in too much detail, she doesn’t have a little internal dialogue throughout where she worries that she isn’t “Jewish” enough. So, I am glad that Soloman also touched upon this too.

A wonderful book overall and I will definitely be recommending this to any person who is interested in a light-hearted, but also meaningful YA book. Thank you again to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was lucky enough to be gifted an early copy of We Can't Keep Meeting Like This, and I can't find words to express how perfect this book was. I read it in a day, and it blew me away, just like all of Rachel Lynn Solomon's books. She has this way with words that allow us to fall in love with flawed characters while never allowing us to doubt these characters are real people. This story was a second-chance romance with incredible mental illness rep (in both MCs!), witty banter that made me cackle, and appearances from characters we've seen in past books (my favorite thing ever!) It doesn't matter whether she's writing YA or adult; RLS's voice is always so distinct, funny, and real. A true five-star read! Pick it up on June 8th, you won't regret it!

We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon was unbelievably good. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything with so much representation included (race, religion, LGBTQ, mental illness), and sex positivity in a YA novel, and I am here for it! The way mental illness in the forms of OCD, general anxiety and depression were depicted in an honest and positive way was really well done. The main character, Quinn is a cynic when it comes to romance, and Tarek is a hopeless romantic. Both work for their parents in the wedding industry and both have opposite views on love, and they struggle to make each other see it from their perspective. We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This had relatable characters and their problems and struggles were realistic. It made me laugh, and cry and want to eat all the cake! Rachel Lynn Solomon definitely brought me back to when I was eighteen questioning what I wanted to do with my life, and what I was passionate about! This was my first time reading Rachel Lynn Solomon, but it certainly won’t be the last.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🚨5 STAR READ ALERT 🚨

I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars
Steam 🌶🌶/5 (some steamy scenes, but mostly fade to black)

First off this cover is absolutely gorgeous!

When I got accepted for this ARC I did a little happy dance. The EX Talk, which I read this year I LOVED (I think it will be my favourite book of the year). So when I saw that Solomon had another book coming out in June I knew I had to get my hands on it!

Rachel has done it again! This book is so romantic, funny and full of heart. This book has become one of my favourite RomComs I’ve read!

From the first chapter I knew I was going to love this book. Rachel has a way of writing that just grips you in. I love the pop culture references as well as the humour and the sweet and relatable characters!

I love how it’s centred around the wedding planning business. Creates a great story and plot setting for a romance.
This book made me smile so often. This is a YA book so the steam level is a bit lower than the Ex Talk. Which is why the Ex talk still remains my favourite by her, I’m a sucker for some good steam.
That being said there are parts that do include sex as well as scenes that give you those amazing romantic butterflies.

I related very much to the anxiety and awkwardness that our main character Quinn described. As I was reading it felt very much like the thoughts I have in my head. I like that she had antidepressants by her bedside, as I do too. As someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder, the inclusion of mental health in this book I really appreciated, you hardly see that talked about in books. Just really cool to shine a light on the normalcy of people taking medications for their mental health, as well as the daily struggle we deal with.

I also loved the LGBTQ inclusion, as well the diverse inclusion of race and religion! Excellent Jewish rep! You don’t get that in a lot of books, let alone RomComs. I love the representation that Solomon includes in her books! I can’t wait to read more books by her!

This book was light, cute, fun and yet full of thoughtful discussions and subjects. It made my heart so happy. Truly a beautiful book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
for the amazing digital ARC. I highly recommend preordering this book!

A sweet coming of age story about a girl who hasn't figured out who she is yet. The heroine is super relatable and teen me would've felt she was a kindred spirit, surrounded by people who knew what they were passionate about while in personal morass of uncertainty about the future. Set in the summer between high-school and college, much of the story revolves around Quinn's not-always-successful attempts to break away from family expectations as she sorts out the many ways anxiety is preventing her from reaching for the kind of happiness she truly wants. Packed with the thoughtful details we've all come to expect from a Rachel Lynn Solomon novel, this one will get readers smiling, as well as craving chocolate mug cakes and wishing for that special someone who loves every messy, complicated, imperfect thing about us.

I love this book so so much. I cannot express how much I adored Tarek and his adorably romantic gestures and his vulnerability and the fact that he can BAKE!!! Quinn and him are perfect for each other. Mood and sunshine. I also really loved the Jewish and Muslim rep. And the side lesbian rep too!!! Awesome stuff

SO SO good omg I loved Quinn and Tarek so much. I adore Tarek’s easy charm and how hopelessly romantic he is. He’s so cute and sweet.

Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC of We Can't Keep Meeting Like This in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to let you know from the get-go that this is probably the most useless review you'll read for this book. It was so good in theory. I like the characters and ideas and inclusion of mental health. I've liked Rachel Lynn Solomon's past work so I know its not a narration issue. Despite all that, I couldn't for the life of me get invested in the main story and I'm still at a loss as to why.

Yes! After several chapters of orienting myself and getting to know characters, I thoroughly enjoyed this one from beginning to end. It was a good balance of humor and realness as seen in the issues the characters faced.

Some Young Adult romance books are cheesy or make it seem too easy for the protagonist and love interest to “fall in love” but that didn’t happen here. We Can't Keep Meeting Like This was a very realistic view of relationships, crushes, love, and struggle at a young age and nothing felt forced.

As I read, I became more and more empathetic towards Quinn and what she was going through. I found myself wanting to go back to the book so that I could enter into her shoes and figure out how she was going to navigate her life.

The relationship between Quinn and Tarek was a rocky one due to their families working together, the history of their friendship, and unresolved hurt/miscommunication. However, I liked how they both handled themselves both individually and together - the many walls that Quinn put up so she wouldn’t get hurt again and Tarek’s need to make grand romantic gestures - something Quinn does not like.

In particular, I also really enjoyed how everyday issues such as eczema, depression, mental health, and OCD were portrayed and incorporated. As someone that has struggled with poor mental health, OCD, and eczema, I saw myself a lot in these characters. The way these things hindered them, their fears, and their struggles were all realistic and didn’t dumb down how difficult it can be to live with these things while at the same time, showed that they are merely a part of who you are and not something that should define you.

Overall, this book was such a fun read. If you enjoy romance, comedy, teenage angst, romantic tension, flirting, and real life issues, you will really enjoy this book as well!

This book was such a sweet teen rom-com that tackled so many larger issues. Quinn and Tarek both deal with their mental health open and honestly throughout the whole book and it was such a refreshing plot point that didn’t become the whole novel. Quinn has so many feelings about herself, her relationships, and her future that are so relatable I found pieces of myself in her constantly.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher, #SimonSchusterCanada for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars.

A little bit predictable, but all-in-all an enjoyable, quick read.

Pick this one up to bring with you to the beach. Sometimes, with all of the darkness happening around us, this is just the type of story we need to escape for a few hours and to lighten our mood.

Release Date: June 8, 2021

I received an e-arc of We Can't Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This story centers around Quinn, a teen harpist whose family runs a wedding planning business, and Tarek, an aspiring chef, whose parents run a catering business. Where Tarek is a hopeless romantic who loves grand gestures, Quinn is a cynic who doesn't believe in love.
I loved the romance between Quinn and Tarek, and how they were supportive toward each other <3.
I've been falling out of love with YA contemporary recently, but I'm never disappointed with what Rachel Lynn Solomon writes, this is the third book that I've read of hers and I've enjoyed all of them and will continue to read anything she writes. She has a way of writing characters that always feel like real people, that I can't help but relate to. I like that she includes conversations around mental health and therapy, young adult readers need to see these things portrayed in books. Quinn has been struggling with OCD and anxiety, she takes medication and has gone to therapy and Tarek is dealing with depression and has also gone to therapy. There are also conversations around sex and intimacy, which are talked about in a healthy way.
I related to how Quinn feels about not knowing what she wants to pursue as a career. She's just graduated and her family assumes that she will follow in her sister's footsteps and join the family wedding business, but it's not something that makes her happy.
4/5 stars.

A wonderful YA book. It's romantic but realistic at the same time. Love the diversity, friendship and the positive and hopeful messages in the book. The main characters are wonderful. I love how they work through their issues. Definitely a keeper.

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with this arc.