I enjoyed the fat hero representation, and like her other books I enjoyed the Jewish representation, and the depression representation. However, it was a little bit too instalove for me, and I really needed more explanation for why Russell was continually weird about Ari and his daughter.

I really loved the depression representation in Weather Girl and for that alone, I would recommend reading this book. As far as the romance, however, I went through the book getting only a platonic vibe from our main characters.

This Parent Trap-inspired office romance is banana-crackers. Who is that invested in the level of office morale that they’d have a couples massage with their bosses?!? It’s too ludicrous. But I did enjoy a lot of elements of the story and I was really cheering Ari on. I think Solomon handles mental health, body image issues, and neurodiversity with a lot of sensitivity and skill. I liked the dynamic between Ari and Russell but I wish more time had been spent developing their relationship rather than focusing on their shenanigans to get their bosses back together. but I’d still definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a fun romance.

I am a sucker for romance books with mental health rep and so much of this story hit home for me. This book was the absolute cutest. Two coworkers trying to play matchmaker and end up in a little match of their own. I loved all their tender moments. I loved Russ’s and Ari’s vulnerability with each other. They had so much in common including their Jewish identity and while it wasn’t talked about a lot, I do love to see Jewish representation in romance!

I loved the way Russ was represented. I never see the MMC talk about their own bodies nor fat representation when it comes to men and even though there isn’t a lot of dialogue about it, there is some, and I really appreciated it. Russ being a single dad just made him even more dreamy. I also really appreciated Ari talking about arousal and her libido and the effects of mental health meds. Honestly a must read romance!

A couple steamy scenes that were on point!

Mental + plus size representation. “Fake dating” + workplace romance. What’s not to love? If you suspend disbelief about HR practices, I think you’ll really enjoy this book. The end was just a tiny bit corny, but it’s an otherwise cute and fun rom-com. Thank you for my review copy!

<i>Weather Girl</i> is my favorite of Solomon’s books that I’ve read so far, and that’s definitely because I related to Ari so much and saw so much of my struggles with depression reflected on the page. One of my notes from reading is “Reflections on therapy – ACCURATE.” It’s been a few months since I read the book, so I don’t remember precisely what said reflections were, but I felt very seen by them!

It’s a romance novel, so of course, we have a Third Act Breakup. What I loved about their breakup (as much as I can “love” it) was that Ari’s motives made sense for her character. It didn’t rely on massive miscommunication. Her actions were a bit self-destructive, but it was an essential step for Ari to reflect and accept her depression.

If you’ve read and enjoyed any of Rachel Lynn Solomon’s other work, you’re sure to love <i>Weather Girl</i>!

<i>Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Weather Girl is a cute, fun romance with a parent- trap-like scheme. Ari Abrams is a meteorologist working with her childhood hero, but it’s nothing like what she hoped for. Instead of being mentored by the great Torrance Hale, she and the rest of the station are subjected to awkward and fraught fights between Torrance and her ex-husband/ news director. To make things easier around the office, Ari teams up with sports reporter Russell to get the two managers back together. In the meantime, it’s Ari and Russell who are starting to fall for each other.

This is a great story with Jewish and mental health representation. I preferred Solomon’s Today, Tonight, Tomorrow, but this is still a sweet romance with a little spice.

Ari Abrams has been fascinated by the weather for as long as she can remember. She grew up in Seattle watching Torrance Hale, the local meteorologist, and idolizing her the way other kids idolize sports stars or other celebrities. As an adult, Ari is so close to achieving all her dreams. Torrance Hale is now her boss and while Ari loves her job, she wishes she were allocated more responsibility and more challenging stories.

Half the problem is that Torrance is too distracted by her turbulent relationship with her ex-husband, Seth, the station's news director. It seems most days she barely notices Ari at all. Ari is growing increasingly frustrated and finds someone to confide in at the office. Russell Barringer, a sports reporter, is also frustrated with the toxic atmosphere at the station created by Torrance and Seth's constant fighting.

In the aftermath of a calamitous office Christmas party, Ari and Russ come up with a plan to get Torrance and Seth back together. The Parent Trap is referenced, so you get the deal. From that point on, Ari and Russ spend progressively more time together as they plot and scheme to get the ex-couple reunited.

Weather Girl is really touching. Much like the weather, this story has both dark and light aspects. I enjoyed all the characters so much and it felt particularly good watching Ari and Russ open up to one another. Rachel Lynn Solomon is such a gifted writer. I will continue to pick up every single thing she ever offers; YA or Adult, it doesn't matter, it's all incredible.

I know a lot of people have mentioned in their reviews that this one wasn't as light-hearted as they were expecting and that may have decreased their enjoyment level a bit. Ari does suffer from depression and works through a lot of issues relating to that. I thought it was handled really well though. One thing I always enjoy about RLS's work is her inclusion of mental health issues.

I feel like having her characters mentally working through those types of things makes them more believable and relatable. I can understand how some Readers may not want so much of it included in a book they are expecting to be a light Rom-Com though. For me, I found Ari to be extremely realistic. She recently went through a break-up from a long-term relationship and is still processing that dissolution.

Ari's mother also has battled depression for decades and wasn't always there for her children. As you can imagine, that has had a lot of impact on Ari's life.

Russell has his own insecurities that he is working through. I enjoyed learning about his life. Russ isn't your stereotypical leading man and I loved him all the more for it.

The banter between the two, in RLS's signature style, is witty and engaging. I was rooting for the two of them from the start. They had such a sweet dynamic. Overall, I really enjoyed this story. The mix of serious and fun was compelling, thought-provoking and heart-warming. While this isn't my favorite of Solomon's works, it's still wonderfully done.

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I look forward to Solomon's next release!!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy of Weather Girl in exchange for my honest review.

This book was just phenomenal! I officially have high expectations for anything Rachel Lynn Solomon writes, because she is that good.

There are some books that you binge and some books that you just try to savor for as long as you can. And this was one I savored and read slower than usual, because the story of Ari and Russell just felt like a warm hug of a story. They felt like real people that I would know and have as friends. Ari's struggles with her mental health were realistic and beautifully written. I wasn't crazy about the 'surprise, I have a kid' thing. But it worked. And I really loved the body positivity for the male love interest! Well done!

Already looking forward to reading this book again.

This book had a cute premise of two people falling in love while trying to get their divorced bosses back together. I enjoyed the book well enough, but was disappointed that it just didn't have a spark for me. I'm not sure why I felt that spark was missing, but it just was.

I loved The Ex-Talk and was super excited to read Weather Girl.

I have to say that I found the premise of this one a bit juvenile. It just didn't hit the mark like The Ex-Talk did for me.

I appreciated the important aspects of Jewish and mental health but found The Ex-Talk to have more sass and personality.

It was just missing that spark for me. Of course true to Solomon's writing is just on point and it always invites readers in.

I felt the two main characters didn't have that romantic chemistry and connection I was hoping for.

Overall, always love her writing!!

Thank you to publisher and Netgalley for my copy

I really loved this book! The romance and characters were great and the cover is amazing! The storytelling is amazing too and I'll definitely be reading more of Solomon.

I had the highest of hopes for this one after reading and loving The Ex Talk, and I am so happy to say that I loved this one just as much. I adored this story from start to finish and really rooted for Ari and Russell both. I absolutely loved that the mental health topic was a big part of this story. As someone who suffers from anxiety and at times depression, I really related to this part of the story. I love that this topic was addressed with heart and respect and felt that it was beautifully executed into the story. I also love how Russell wasn't your average tall dark and handsome with a 12 pack like most rom-com stories are. He referenced his "dad bod" a couple times and being self conscious and I thought this made the story more relatable and REAL. I loved watching Ari grow into a person who can embrace her struggles and openly talk about them with someone she loves. This story was truly heartwarming, bright, and hopeful.

I really liked this! The romance was great, the characters were fun to read about and I really appreciated the discussion of mental health. I think this is my fave of Rachel’s books so far :)

One of my favorite things about Rachel Lynn Solomon as a storyteller is that she writes characters with mental health struggles, but she never lets these disorders define her characters. They are just one facet of their story. In WEATHER GIRL in particular, Ari successfully manages her depression. She knows her triggers and signs that an episode is coming. That self-awareness and maintenance phase of dealing with mental health is so refreshing to see.

WEATHER GIRL is funny, poignant, and full of wonderful representation. In addition to mental health rep, there is body positivity (a plus-size male love interest) and (as always for RLS) great Jewish rep.

I had a bit of trouble getting into Weather Girl, but once I did I flew through the book.
The friendship & relationship between Ari and Russel is beautiful. They have their ups and downs, and it’s all really realistic.
I love how depression is portrayed in Weather Girl.
Overall, I really did love Weather Girl and think it’s an important book!

Ari Abrams has always loved the weather and has been working at a local TV station with her childhood meteorological hero, Torrence Hale. Ari should be living the dream, but Torrence is more focused on battling with her ex-husband and station News Manager, Seth, than serving as a mentor towards Ari, while also creating a toxic work environment for everyone at the station. After a Holiday Party disaster between Torrence and Seth, Ari and sports reporter Russell Barringer decide to try to act on some seemingly unresolved feelings they’ve noticed between Torrence and Seth and see if nudging them back towards each other could improve things at the station for them and everyone else. While scheming and planning, Ari and Russell start to realize their own chemistry, but Ari is reluctant to let anyone see past her sunshine TV-face. As Ari starts to open up to Russell, she has to decide whether to let the mask crack or continue to face her dark days alone.

This story was just adorable, wonderful, and perfect. That’s it, right? Review over? Kidding, Kidding. But that is really the takeaway; I loved it and would recommend it to anyone and everyone. And the why is because it features really authentic and relatable characters that felt like people I’ve known my whole life. Beyond just Ari and Russell, you get to know Torrence and Seth fairly well, as well as snippets of Ari’s brother, brother-in-law and mother. None of these characters were perfect (except for maybe Ari’s niece and nephew), but they also weren’t flawed in cliché or unbelievable ways. It made it feel very natural and comforting to read and I got caught up in caring so much about the outcomes for these characters.

The reality of these characters went beyond their personalities to also include their body-types; I appreciated the intentional choice to not make Russell a washboard-abed hero. One of the quotes from the book that stuck with me was after Russell referred to himself as fat and Ari started the knee-jerk reflex to respond to him, Russell responded “It’s not a bad word. It’s just an adjective. It’s just the way I am.” He goes more in depth in talking about how his body-type has impacted him from there, but I just really found that powerful; I have trouble thinking about other romance heros I’ve come across recently portrayed this way. He’s also hilarious, sweet, nurturing and so thoughtful and conscientious, while also hiding a fiery side underneath it all.

Finally, I really found Ari’s portrayal of her depression and the way she struggled to let people see how she is truly feeling to be really honest and relatable. I think even people who don’t live with depression will find Ari’s struggle to let people see and accept all of her as something they can connect with. I’ve noticed a trend where author’s write honest and vulnerable notes at the beginning of books where sensitive and potentially triggering topics are addressed, especially when that topic in some way reflects their own life-experience, and I really like it. I would suggest everyone read Rachel’s author note at the beginning of this one, especially if you’re at all concerned about the subject matter of depression. I never find them particularly spoilery, but if you like to go in blind, definitely flip back to the front for that when you’re done!

I loved the chemistry and connection between Russell and Ari; watching them get to know each other and share secret parts of themselves was a wonderful way to watch them build emotional intimacy. And when their physical intimacy starts to build, after a very respectful but somehow still scorching hot caretaking moment? Wow. And their nicknames for each other? Just adorable.

While I own several other RLS novels, this was the first I’ve actually read and I can’t wait to dive back in to another world she’s created, but I know Ari and Russell will always hold a special place in my heart due to the amazing crafting done in this book.

Oh man. This just was not any fun. I gave up after the first third: didn't feel any attachment to the characters; was absolutely not living up to the com in romcom. Life is too short for books that aren't working.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

This book beautifully combines a tender representation of mental illness with all the joy and excitement of a steamy romance.

Weather Girl sucked me in from page one. It was the perfect level of spice and love story. I couldn’t put this book down. Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy.