This was such a cute, heartfelt, & very meaningful read. I really enjoyed myself while reading it, and was smiling from ear to ear. I absolutely loved the workplace romance & the premise of how the weather girl and the sports guy work together to get their bosses back together for the sake of a healthier and happier work environment. As Ari & Russell spend time together, they develop a strong bond & connection they cannot ignore. I loved the chemistry between them, It gave me Parent Trap & Set It Up vibes which I loved !

There are definitely heavy topics discussed throughout the book & I really appreciated the awareness brought to depression, & anxiety. As well as the struggles many of us face while dealing with our mental health. I loved how raw the writing was and I felt as if Ari was a friend of mine opening up her heart to me. Which made my connection with the characters much deeper. I definitely cried (a lot) because in a way I saw myself in Ari and I wish I could’ve given her a big hug. This book taught me about self-love, the importance of mental health, & self-discovery. I absolutely recommend this, especially if you read The Ex Talk I think you will really enjoy Weather Girl

You can expect
* Workplace Romance
* Friends to Lovers
* Great Jewish Rep
* Mental Health Awareness
* Based in Seattle
* Laugh Out Loud Romance
* Titled Chapters
* Open Door Romance

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for an advanced digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!

I kicked off 2022 with a book by one of my favorite authors, Rachel Lynn Solomon, and I’m so glad that I did! Weather Girl birthed some brilliant, colorful characters while touching on a subject that is near and dear to my heart – depression and mental illness, brought to life and displayed in a first person voice with the main character of Ari.

Rachel Lynn Solomon did something beautiful with the portrayal of Ari and her lifelong battle with the dark looming illness of depression. This topic is often treaded lightly around in novels versus being fully discussed and exposed, and I think that our society’s stigma round mental illness is exacerbated because of it. Instead of giving subtle hints about mental illness or using it as a plot device for a side character, it is discussed openly, gently, and genuinely.

While many folks of generations past swept anything of the nature under the rug, we now live in a time where talking about it is normal and accepted – something that we see Ari grapple with. We get to watch her grow from being with someone who knew nothing about her illness to finding someone that knows, loves, and accepts her with it.

The feeling of being unable to share your whole self with others because of your disease is something that so many, myself included, struggle with daily. This portrayal in literature is a massive step in the world of mental illness, and I applaud Solomon for giving Ari to those of us who needed her. Feeling seen at this level in a story is a gift.

I took this photo in the snow because one of my favorite passages in the book came from a chapter/scene that took place during a snowstorm, where Ari explains that depression cannot be controlled, and no matter what she does or how content she is at any given time, it’ll eventually come back. And that is so personal to me and my life – where I truly felt seen. Because while yes, I am happy in my life, and I do everything I can to try and beat the battle going on for serotonin in my brain, at the end of it all, it always comes back.

That being said, this book had a few shortcomings that kept it from being a 5 star read for me, the first one being the lack of chemistry between the lead characters. While I enjoyed Ari and found Russell endearing, I had a hard time believing in their attraction to one another. I don’t know if it was a lack of banter or dialogue in general, but something just…missed the mark on that one.

Secondly, I felt like a side story (that really felt close to being the main story) was overall more interesting than the story of Ari and Russell. And maybe that was the authors intention, I can’t be sure, but I found myself more invested in characters that were not as present throughout.

With this book, Rachel Lynn Solomon has proven once again that she can mesh a bunch of different tropes into one heck of a story, charming readers and making us fall in love with and want to travel to Seattle yet again. I recommend reading this one upon its release on January 11, 2022!

This was super adorable. I loved getting a peak into tv news and more specifically tv meteorology. I also love the depression representation and how the author dealt with it. Also the Parent Trap vibes, I am here for it. Rachel Lynn Soloman does not disappoint when it comes to romance books with realistic topics and I am here for it.

Wow this book really nailed the depression experience. I definitely started sobbing in places because I related so hard. Especially how depression lies to you. I loved this couple because of their messiness and realness.

Y'all can just call Rachel Lynn Solomon "Stefon" from now on, because like New York's hottest club, she really gave us EVERYTHING: A frank romance about mental health! Seamless Jewish representation! Important discourse about fatness! A lot of sexy consent and communication! Really fun Seattle weather! We stan, people!!!!

I can only imagine how much thought and care goes into Solomon's books give how effortlessly she appears to talk about so many difficult subjects that others struggle with, especially in romance. This book is the best of what the genre has to offer: A fully realized main character, love interest, and cast of supporting characters who are dealing with real shit while also learning what it means to love and be loved. It doesn't get much better than that.

There's also a plot development I wasn't expecting in the first quarter of the book (I mean that in a good way, because it was well-done!), but I don't want to spoil it or call it a "twist" since that feels...a little weird given that it's great. You'll see what I mean.

Content warning: Mental illness, parental abandonment, parental estrangement, divorce

Forecast: The perfect read to curl up with on a rainy day!

Rachel Lyn Solomon does it again with 𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟. I really enjoyed this workplace-set romance, especially how she incorporates more serious issues like depression, body positivity (hooray for a male lead finally being insecure about his weight!), single parenting, and office toxicity.

Ari, the titular weather girl, and her co-worker Randall, a sportscaster, are terrific together, and their 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘱-like quest to reunite their divorced bosses is a lot of fun. There's a cast of great secondary characters including a show-tune loving teen (Elodie would totally be besties with Millie from 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘎𝘦𝘵 𝘈𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦!), and I was all the way here for the fantastic Jewish representation. Can't wait to discuss this one with @lovearctually later this month!

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Standout Quote: “I love every version of you”
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My thoughts:
🌦I saw so much of myself in Ari and honestly it makes me happy that we have gotten to the point where we have authors like @rlynn_solomon who include protagonists who aren’t conventionally “normal”. I cannot begin to explain what it would’ve been like growing up if I could’ve read about characters like Ari… it probably would’ve made me feel less weird. But I can say this for sure… I am so dang happy it’s happening now.

🌦While this touched on tougher topics this book was also filled with a lot of happy moments and a lot of love. It pretty much just makes you feel all of the emotions.

🌦The spice was also an unexpected bonus
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Overall: This is my first Rachel Lynn Solomon book and honestly, I can't even begin to describe all of the emotions it made me feel. Starting from the dedication page where it states "For anyone searching for the light in the dark you deserve a good thing." To the letter to the reader where the author not only talks about their personal journey and connection to the story but also how the protagonist's journey with mental health is not a starting point but rather something, they have worked to maintain. To the resources listed and reminders to be gentle with yourself while reading, to just the story itself- this truly is something special.

Thank you so much to @rlynn_solomon @netgalley @berkleypub @berkleyromance for allowing me the chance to read this gem of a book early. This book comes out Feb 11th and I highly recommend. I will absolutely without a doubt be buying a physical copy of this book because I want it to permanently have a space on my shelves, because it honestly already has a space in my heart. I truly can see myself picking this book up again in the future and it becoming a comfort read💛

I wrote a full blog post with a more in depth review. Link is in my bio!!☂️🌦
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Solomon is an American author and has written many successful romance for both adults and teens. Her previous novel "Today Tonight and Tomorrow" was the Teen SPOTM for December. This new release is an adult romance with a chick-lit feel. We are introduced to Ari who is a meteorologist and TV weather person. Her boss Torrance (a legendary TV Meteorologist and the reason Ari got into the field) and her ex-husband Seth, who also works at the television station. The ongoing issues between them are causing disruptions and Ari feels she is not being mentored properly. She gets together with Russell, the cute sports reporter, to nudge the two together and repair the relationship, starting at the company getaway. While the meddling seems to be working, it is also having an unexpected effect on Ari and Russell. This is a fun read with a bit more depth than expected. It is a lovely recommendation for customers wanting lighter romance, but not fluff.

The overwhelming feeling I had reading this book was boredom, a feeling that encompassed the characters, the relationship, and the plot as a whole. I wasn’t invested in either of the characters, let alone their relationship, because they bored me. There was nothing about them that really jumped off the page—they read, in all honesty, like generic placeholders as opposed to characters in their own right. Hence, the boredom. And the pacing of the plot didn’t help. They got together very early, but then had a very late third act break up (which, granted, made some sort of sense with previously established characterisations but it just came so late, how am I supposed to know that they’ll actually succeed this time without being shown that potential?). Really, then, this was an “it’s not you, it’s me” book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me access to this book! This was a stunning romance where two coworkers plot to get their bosses back together. I love how Rachel Lynn Solomon writes romances about characters we can relate to, with a main character with depression and a fat love interest. There's no shortage of heartfelt scenes, in between the hilarious or spicy ones. I'd recommend this book to any romance lover.

It may be cold outside right now, but inside I feel warm and toasty having finished Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon. This is by far my favorite book Solomon has written. I’ve loved reading her books as they come- each one more confident than the last and they are all so much fun but I truly think she has outdone herself with this one.

I adored this book. It has everything I love in a great romance book- intriguing and interesting characters, a sweet and spicy romance, and ridiculous hijinks. Ari Abrams is getting over the breakup of her engagement while also navigating a somewhat toxic work environment. She is a meteorologist and weather girl in Seattle and one of my favorite parts of this book was learning and being on the job with her. I didn’t realize how much went into being a “weather girl” and you can tell how much research went into this book. In order to help her boss and herself, Ari teams up with sports reporter Russell and the two of them engage in hilarious parent trap shenanigans that ultimately bring them closer as well.

The mental health rep in this book was really meaningful and doesn’t at all take away from the romcom nature of the book. Ari has depression and although it is manageable through medication and therapy, it’s an important part of her life that she deals with throughout the book. So many books wrap up their character’s mental health struggles by having them “go to therapy” as if that solves everything. Weather Girl reminds us that while therapy can be so helpful, mental health is a lifelong journey.

I also want to shout out the Jewish rep in this book. Ari is Jewish and the book takes place during Christmas time and it was delightful, as a Jewish reader, to experience that along with Ari. The, for lack of a better word, casual Judaism, of this book is something I rarely get to see- my own experiences reflected back and it’s a nice reminder how important representation is in media. It even ends with a Bat Mitzvah! The characters celebrate Shabbat together! It’s not central to the story but important nonetheless and voices like that of Solomon are so important in publishing. I can definitely say there may be less than 100% chance of snow in the forecast today but there is 100% chance I will be reading whatever Solomon writes next!

Thank you so much to Berkeley publishing and NetGalley for letting me read an ARC in exchange for an honest review. And thank you Rachel Lynn Solomon for making a space for Jewish reviewers. I’ve already preordered a signed copy of this book and can’t wait till it’s in my hands.

Wow. Just wow! Weather Girl was my first book of the year and I think I’ve already found a favorite!! A workplace romance on set of the local news between the “weather girl” and the “sports guy” - seriously what could be better?!

Here’s what was so special about this book: Russell and Ari were such REAL characters that you will identify with!! No one was a billionaire or a model. There was no unrealistic drama or back and forth. The romance and chemistry felt so perfectly awkward, sweet, and realistic. Both characters had real life insecurities - Russell concerned about his weight, Ari her depression and their gentleness with each other was beautiful. I’ll be honest and say I don’t think I’ll ever find a guy I like as much as Russell - fictional or IRL….

Solomon did not just glaze over the hard topics - she took on discussing depression, family history, medicating for mental illness, and going to therapy!! If, like me, this is something you have dealt with, I think you will find the book so refreshing. Her words are spot on.

Ari and Russell both work at a TV station, Ari a meteorologist and Russell a sports reporter. When the two agree that the atmosphere at the station is difficult to work in, they decide to team up to try and repair the relationship between their bosses (who used to be married). ⁣
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I absolutely loved this book! I particularly liked that Russell was portrayed as a normal guy, with extra weight and not with super fit abs to kill for, that we normally read about in romance novels. Well written and easy to read, this book also tackles some heavier topics which gives the book more depth. I've loved both books by this author so far and can't wait to see what she writes next.

I don't even blink anymore. When I see that Rachel Lynn Solomon has another book coming out, I just add it to my TBR. And the amazing thing about this author, it doesn't matter what age group it is. For this one, it's adult, and its so, so, good!

Meterologist Ari Abrams has been at KSEA 6 her entire career. She followed her idol to her station and thought she would learn from her and become the meterologist that she is also. As it turns out, her hero isn't exactly what she thought she'd be. She's way more into her relationship gone bad and trying to one up her ex husband than actually trying to run the station. So when a sports reporter she knows comes up with the idea to get them back together, she thinks its a joke, but goes along with it. Along the way her and Russ get tangled up in spending their own time together. What happens next, no one saw coming.

If you know me, you know I hate puns, but I'm being real here, no one could have forecasted that I would like this as much as I did. I used to want to be a meteorologist, when I was younger. But living by the coast and living through hurricane season and seeing waterspouts and tornadoes and all that kind of thing, I Noped out. But the spark was still there, because I LOVED this. As a non-science person, Solomon made this easy to read and I was still able to enjoy it. Most of the science talk is in the chapter headings and how she makes her slides for work. So, on the flip side, if you are looking for a science heavy book, I probably wouldn't choose this one lol But I really loved how Ari made the weather her persona. She found something she loved and made it her whole persona. Much like me and books lol I related to that so hard. Definitely something that comes with (for me anyways) anxiety, Pure OCD, and ADHD and probably her depression.

Which of course brings me to the mental health representation in this. I LOVED it. It gave a positive light to meds and therapy, both things that people shouldn't be ashamed of. I loved the way Solomon continuously mentioned them and made them something that the characters looked forward to. (Except when they knew they were going to have to really go indepth with their feelings)

The romance was the best part for me. Y'ALL, THE LOVE INTEREST WAS PLUS SIZE. I don't think I've ever read a romance where the love interest wasn't completely ripped and had washboard abs instead of a soft stomach like Russ. And let me tell you, that made me love him all the more. I loved seeing this because my husband is built what I think Russ is like, so it was so cute to "see" my hubs in a romance novel. It was nice reminder that everyone has their own version of perfect. And the spice was definitely a very nice surprise. The one bed and the watch us tropes are some of my favorites. On my spice scale, it only comes to about a 3 tho. There isn't a large amount of time that there is sex on the page, but when there is, there is only a small amount of graphic words and it's more sweet than sweat if that makes sense.

I didn't love that there wasn't really a conflict. I got all worked up and ready for something to happen and nothing really did. It was a little weird to me because I obviously wanted them together lol But it just seemed like nothing was resolved? The entire book was just "sunshine and rainbows." Idk, I think I just wanted more conflict and THEN to have it be wrapped up in a nice pretty bow. If that makes any sense at all? </p>

It wasn't really a shock that I loved this. Solomon is easily one of my favorite authors and I always say I can't wait to see what she writes next. I will be (lightning) BOLTing to my nearest book store for my copy of Weather Girl, and I hope you are too!

What a cute book!!

I really enjoyed this book about Ari, the local weather girl and the relationships with her boss Torrance and her sports reporter colleague, Russell. I loved getting to know Ari and Russell. Ari struggles with depression, especially after a recent break up. And Russell is young parent and plus sized (hello!! I love the plus size representation as a male in this book). The character shine and I had so much love for both of them. They both had struggles they needed to work out before starting a romantic relationship and I appreciated that.

Personally. I wish this had been written in 2 POV's (Ari and Russell) so that we could have gone deeper getting to know their characters. I felt like this was an authentic book and depicted how real life mature adults would behave instead of the typical rom-com miscommunication trope.

While this is listed as a romantic comedy, I would not categorize it as such. I would label it as contemporary romance.

I really enjoyed this book and can't wait to see what Rachel Solomon writes next!

This was such a cute read! I really appreciated Ari’s character and really connected with her. I always appreciate when a character has real problems that most people deal with, but that’s not often reflected in books or on tv. The author did a great job with the descriptions and actions of Ari in dealing with her depression. I also really loved Russell! I loved how he was just a normal guy. He didn’t have a six pack and wasn’t rich. He was still so dreamy! Really enjoyed the plot of this read as well and would definitely recommend to other romance readers!

I am deeply and forever obsessed. That’s it. That’s my review. (Not really, but I had to start by throwing this out there.)

Swipe for the full synopsis!

This book isn’t just a perfectly adorable and heartfelt romance story. It’s about vulnerability. Mental health and medication and therapy. The stories we tell ourselves *about* ourselves.

This book is a love letter to being human - that we’re worthy of love and a happy ending as we are.

This book reminds us:

Your complex family / family history (…we’ve all got something lolz) does not make you un-whole.

Struggling with your mental health, being in therapy, and taking medication, does not make you broken or “too much.”

Being fat does not make you less deserving of love and sex and desire.

These are all signs of being humans with bodies and and brains that fall outside of what society tells us is correct/aspirational/desirable/perfect. But as this book so beautifully points out, happy endings don’t come from perfection. They come from being vulnerable, whole people.

As someone who is fortunate enough to have a fantastic therapist that I’ve seen for almost 10 years, takes medication prescribed by my psychiatrist, and has people in my life who still worriedly ask me, “WHAT’S WRONG?!!” when I bring up a recent therapy appointment, Weather Girl speaks to so many pieces of my soul, and I’m grateful this book exists.

Thank you to Berkeley Publishing, NetGalley, and Rachel Lynn Solomon for giving me the opportunity to read this before it comes out next Tuesday!

I recently finished reading Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon and I was impressed by it. It was a romance about a weather forecaster and a sports reporter who worked in a new room, but there are elements that were deeper that I thought were very well done. One of them being that the male love interest, Russel, was fat. I have read books with fat women being represented, but it isn’t often I find that same representation in the men. And the rep I have found with the men is just basic body description. They tend to just be big burly guys who don’t give much thought to their bodies or the space they take up. Russel did have moments where he was self conscious about it and Ari is trying to find ways of showing him that she desires him, now, in the body he is in. I usually read that in reverse, so I thought that was interesting.
The other thing I thought was really well done was how the book dealt with mental health. Ari struggles with depression and her mother did as well. It was an honest portrayal of how these things can creep into our lives and what can happen if it goes unchecked and also what can happen if you take care of your mental health with medication and therapy. I think that is a very valuable story to tell and many readers will really relate.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to people. It checks the boxes for a wonderful contemporary romance but it delivers a little extra depth and I am here for that.

Weather Girl is the latest book (available Jan 11!) from Rachel Lynn Solomon. In it we follow Ari, a Jewish meteorologist with chronic depression, and her love interest Russell, a Jewish sports reporter and fat single dad. In a bid to improve their toxic workplace, the two drunkenly agree to get their divorced bosses back together in a Parent Trap style scheme. Shenanigans and ~steam~ ensue.
Ari's depression takes center stage in this story. She's well-medicated and her depression is mostly under control, though some days are darker than others, and she struggles to communicate her interior to others, particularly the men she dates. Shortly before the novel begins, her finance ended their engagement because of this. I found the way depression is portrayed in this book to be so spot-on, especially the ways our parents' attitude toward mental health can impact us in adulthood, and *especially* how painful and scary it can be to date with chronic depression. I normally find it hard to suspend disbelief during the big blowout fight in romance books, like characters are communicating poorly on purpose because otherwise there wouldn't be a plot, but not this time. During That Scene actual tears came to my eyes because I identified so strongly with Ari in that moment.
I've really been loving the mental health slant Solomon's writing has taken with her recent books. It's vulnerable and genuine and so very healing for readers experiencing similar struggles (not even to mention how it helps readers who love those experiencing similar struggles!). For me to have read WCKMLT in the days immediately before my admission to a psychiatric clinic and now WG in the days immediately after my discharge feels oddly prescient.

Weather Girl forced me to re-examine the way that I masked my depression and anxiety. One small detail I loved in Weather Girl was the chapter titles, my favorite and the most relatable being: FORECAST: Near-apocalyptic darkness. Avoid leaving home at all costs.

CW: depression, a parent with depression, teenage pregnancy (past), anxiety

Weather Girl is set at a Seattle news station, where we meet Ari, a meteorologist, who loves her work but wishes that her boss, Torrance Hale, was more attentive and interested in her. Ari always presents a sunshine front and her patience is tested as Torrance fights with the station's news director, who happens to be her ex-husband. After a disastrous holiday party, Ari teams up with Russell, a sports reporter, to try to make work a better place to be. But as sparks fly between Ari and Russell, Ari struggles with letting her sunshine front fall to reveal the dark clouds looming.

Ari was a character that I deeply related to. She lives with the smile until it feels real mantra, that I often feel, even when she feels the dark days coming and depression looming beneath the surface of her mask. I loved how Ari discusses the benefits of therapy and medication and how Rachel doesn't make light of how bad depression can get. The way Ari worried about being like her mother, who also struggled with undiagnosed and untreated depression, made my heart ache for her because I could relate. At one point Ari mentions feeling unworthy of love, always wanting to just give the sunshine and smiley version of herself, which is something that I've struggled with in past relationships as well. I loved the moments of realization with her therapist, as they offered insight into how I could view my struggles.

Russell was a gem and the best dad, I loved having a plus size hero to root for. I appreciated how both Ari and Russell worked to show their true selves to form a stronger connection. I loved that they just wanted to make the other one feel good and happy, this is a great example of a healthy build to a relationship.

I just adored this book and all of the feelings it made me feel. I loved the letting down of guards, to I see you and love you for who you truly are, and the bravery that comes with that (and the scaries).

I adored Weather Girl and Rachel is an auto-read author for me and I love how she creates real and whole characters living with real feelings and thoughts.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review