Camille Baker delivers a very similar novel as a follow up to her "Have we Met" and I liked this story line a lot, but felt like it didn't describe the Met app enough, could not read as a standalone without having read the first book of the series. Tiwanda was a more interesting character than Corinne and I enjoyed her matches more than I enjoyed the matches in the first book, overall super interesting topic/idea but could have dug into the writing a bit more and fleshed out the characters!

I love the inclusion of disability by including deaf side characters into the series but I would love a deaf focused novel and main character from Baker.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing a digital arc of the Moment we Met in exchange for a honest review. I was intrigued by the synopsis at first. However, it didn't exceed my expectations towards this book. Number one reason is because I had trouble connecting with each character. But I really like Tiwanda's development and how she grew at the end of the book. I love the author's writing too, it has diverse characters.
I felt like the time for her romantic interests is too low, I want to explore more. Tiwanda is passionate too.

I had hoped I would enjoy this book way more than I actually did. The concept sounded really nice, but the execution left a lot to be desired. The main thing that drew me to the book was the whole concept of a soap and chocolate making business that the main character Tiwanda is setting up. And that actually managed to deliver, it was easily the best part of the story. Another thing I found interesting was the MET app, but sadly it was only a side plot. It could have been explored further and expanded on. I didn’t quite get the hang of what the app actually was. The romance didn’t catch my attention, and the ending came very abruptly leaving the story hanging.

Tiwanda has just turned 30 but she hasn't actually got time to turn 30 properly because she has a day job she hates and is trying to develop her soap making / chocolate making experience business on the side. When her grandma and aunt (the main family in her life as she lost her mum at a young age and her dad a little later) stage an intervention, it works, and it comes at the same time as a chance in an incubator programme for Black-owned businesses in Chicago.

We watch Tiwanda progress through a conference and mentoring, meeting a range of other folk, including a Deaf couple (her cousin can sign fluently, she can sign a bit, and that's probably down to the author being an ASL interpreter) and a lesbian woman who becomes a good friend. There are also two characters who use "They" pronouns Meanwhile, she updates her best friends, two friends and a cousin, and adopts a dog, and this again is done carefully, demonstrating good dog adoptership.

But there's a slight fantasy element, which was OK but not entirely perhaps needed - she's had an app, Met, sent to her via her cousin Corinne, who found her partner through it (in the last book), which is a sort of sentient dating app which sends matches her way in real life, chiming when she meets them. She meets four matches and can ask the app a question a day, but of course real life does butt in and change her decisions. I didn't mind this element as it was in the background, just a bit of "woo" when she feels like it might be influenced by her late mum.

The diversity in the book is intensified by Tiwanda having gray/grey sexuality, and she's attracted to men and women. She panics if people move too fast on her and shuts them down. A man she ends up dating models how best to relate to someone who identifies thus, taking things very slowly and gaining her consent to "move to another level" which might be holding hands, etc. She isn't shaken out of this by meeting Mr Sexy, she's allowed to be herself and live as she needs to, which is refreshing and unusual in attitudes towards Ace people, I believe.

A good read with a nice lot of detail about setting up a service-orientated business and not too much over-steaminess. I'd definitely read more by this author.

My blog review (out 6 July) here https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2022/07/06/book-review-camille-baker-the-moment-we-met/

Read this if you like: Multicultural cast, LGBTQ representation, disabilities (deaf), quick reads, a cute dog

Tiwanda Harris’s thirtieth birthday is a turning point. Gifted her late mother’s journal, Tiwanda is finally getting a glimpse of who her mother was as an adult. She wants to start her own business and receives a grant to jump-start a delicious business opportunity. Suddenly like the first book a dating app called Met appears on her phone, promising four matches. It's upgraded from the first book.

Though she’s doubtful about fitting romance into her life, the choices are hers. As the matches begin to surface, Tiwanda is surprised to find that maybe there is some future potential there after all. She splits between launching her career, helping heal old family rifts, maintaining friendships while building new ones, and also trying to open her heart to romantic love.

I'm left with the same feelings as the previous book. I feel like the characters needed more development. We didn't get to know Tiwanda enough, in my opinion. We get a lot about her wanting to have her own business. I needed more of her personality. I did like her better than the previous woman. It's a cute and quick read. I like the concept. Again, the representation in this book is so good. I just want to know the characters better. I do recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Lake Union Publishing for my gifted copy.

Super cute, quick read. I loved Have We Met? so I was excited to get a copy of Camille Baker's latest book from NetGalley,

The famous app - Met - tells main character Tiwanda that she's about to meet her match. But how does she know who the right person is? Also, Tiwanda is busy trying to chase her dreams of owning her own business making soaps and chocolate - you read that right - so how is she supposed to make time for love?

Couple this with the passing of her 30th birthday, Tiwanda is also trying to connect with her dead mother and her side of the family - especially when her mother's journal is gifted to her on Tiwanda's birthday.

Time will tell which match is the best one for her, but with a jam-packed life of work, social friends, family, and figuring out who she is, finding the time is hard.

This book was super cute - thank you for the early look!

The premise and story of this book were pretty solid. I do feel like this very much felt like a bare bones first draft though. I didn’t understand the app that Tiwanda was using or much of her background, but it was treated as a given. I know this is the second in a series, but it doesn’t work as a stand alone. Additionally, there were some issues with jumping around, tone, and not enough transition. I don’t feel like I knew the characters super well. I think this author could really do well, but there just wasn’t enough flushing out of this story for me.

Firstly, thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this novel.

I am absolutely a fan of the ‘Met’ series. I’ve read Have We Met and after reading The Moment We Met, I can see infinite possibilities for the series to develop and grow. In today’s dating climate this book is a perfect depiction of how a dating app with an interactive AI could elevate and influence one’s romantic life. The combination of artificial intelligence and romance is right up my street, especially in terms of AI Learning with the development from MET to MET 2.0. I wonder what Met 3.0 will be like and what features will be added.

It explores the concept of a soul mate and the process of dating a couple of people (they can all be perfectly great candidates) to re-affirm this concept. I like how the author in this sequel made each match likable and fulfil different types of emotional connections needed. It ties into the belief that we have multiple soulmates in this life who encompass different roles: family, mentor, best friend, lover, and child.

However, this second installment does not really stand alone in terms of character introduction and development. The author assumes that the reader has read the first book and doesn’t adequately introduce the main characters who could lay context to the events about to transpire in The Moment We Met. On the other hand, the newly introduced characters seemed hollow and seemed like just devices to move the story along with the exception of the characters who were written alongside large family interactions.

All in all, this is a cute concept and worthy as a pioneer for the inception of a romance-tech genre.

3 stars ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really wanted to like this book! The concept was interesting, but overall it wasn't for me.

I enjoyed watching Tiwanda discover her passion and create her own business based on what she loves, but the story felt rushed and somewhat disjointed to me.

I really enjoyed the diversity in this book and the representation in the characters but it felt overwhelming with how many characters were introduced. This is my first book by Camille Baker so I feel like my thoughts might’ve been different if I read her other books prior to this.
It felt difficult getting to know Tiwanda and it just seemed like her journey with dealing with her parents’ death, creating her business, AND finding her soul mate felt a little disjointed and confusing at times.
Because of how disjointed it felt, I found myself not really caring about the soul mate app aspect and I was more intrigued with her business and the enemies to lovers trope that we see with her mentor.

I'm absolutely sorry that I couldn't love this book more. For me the blurb sounded more promising than the whole story itself. 😔 Overall, I enjoyed the book, I just wanted more.

I strongly suggest reading the Have We Met before this book. This is the direct sequel to the other book. This book also deals with grief very closely as Tiwanda never properly got to heal or knew her mother, since she lost her mother and father very young. We also grow with her as she finds herself and her passion through her own business. The diversity in Camille Baker's books is like something I've never seen before and I love it. I love when a character has such a great core group of friends and their connections. This was a great read.

I was gifted this ARC on behalf of Net Galley & Lake Union publishing in exchange for an honest review however all words are my own.

I really thought that Tiwanda's business idea was pretty lame, gave me MLM vibes. I liked the idea of an app that helps alert you to people you might otherwise overlook. I wanted more to happen and kept holding on, hoping it eventually would become a fuller story and it just never did.

The Moment We Met is a contemporary fiction novel that revolves around relationships - from a meddling app that claims to find your soul mate, to coworker drama, and to family (both blood and chosen). This book follows the ins and outs of Tiwanda's 30th year as she learns who she is and how she relates to those around her. I read this one quickly and I really appreciated the diversity and depth of the characters. I didn't realize it was the second book in a series as it can stand on its own, but I do plan to read the first book now! Thank you, @LakeUnion and @NetGalley for this gifted digital copy. The Moment We Met is available on July 5. 4.5 stars

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book! I like the enemies to lovers trope and the concept was interesting, but overall it wasn't for me.

We follow Tiwanda as she quits her job and seeks to start her own business combing her passions - making chocolate and soap. I expected a nice light romance book and while it delivers in some areas, overall the story felt rushed to me. I had a hard time getting to know Tiwanda and while I enjoyed the large cast of characters the romance and ultimately the book its self felt abrupt and a bit confusing.

There is a bit of character development and we see growth, but overall not what I expected.

When I found The Moment We Met by Camille Baker in the Read Now category on NetGalley the cover and blurb totally got my attention.
I just had to get an early copy of it!

Well... now that I read it I've to admit that... I didn't like it that much.
I really wanted to like it more... but I couldn't feel any connection to the main characters and the story.
I read that it's better to read Have We Met? first and I guess I'd have understand things more.... but for me all the side characters were a bit confusing and it was difficult to follow the story.
It never happened to me before that I had to read a few pages again and again to focus back to the story.
I'm absolutely sorry that I couldn't love this book more. For me the blurb sounded more promising than the whole story itself. 😔

I'm sure it's a really good book for someone else... it just wasn't for me.

Thanks for the chance to read it early via NetGalley.
This is my honest review in my own words.

I had to go back and read the first book before I could really enjoy this new release. While I like sequels to stand on their own; I think it should be noted for new audiences. Otherwise a great read and I’ll recommend to by audience.

first of all, i didn’t realise this was the second book of the series and i think i would’ve enjoyed it much more if i had read the first book, there were a lot of side characters which got a bit confusing sometimes. i really liked the representation though and the plot was good too.

I didn't realize this book was a 2nd in a series when I got it! I did enjoy it but I feel like I would've liked it better had I read the first one. This is a fun read and I'm looking forward to reading the first one when I get a moment!

I read Have We Met by Camille Baker last year as part of the Amazon First Reads program and thoroughly enjoyed my time reading. It was funny, emotional and also featured a non-binary character as one of the love interests. From the end of the book, it seemed very obvious that we were getting more books in this world. And The Moment We Met is the latest.

In this one, we follow Tiwanda, who after a dud of a 30th birthday, sees her’s life turning around, hopefully for the better. She quits her job, and applies for an entrepreneurial scheme, is gifted her late mother’s journal and is promised four possible soulmates by Met. Tiwanda isn’t interested in finding romance, but the app introduces her to new friends, romance and more.

The first thing I want to talk about is Tiwanda’s feelings toward romance. Now, I think her whole attitude is supposed to be fear. Her wanting to avoid getting close to someone and either leaving them herself or losing them. It seems to be what they’re going for. But I also kind of got demi vibes from all of it? Yes, she was a little closed off towards romance. But she also talks about not feeling sparks, and not getting PDA. When she does fall for guys in this book, it’s not anything close to immediate, even when she admits they’re attractive. It’s only when she starts to get to know them. Now, this isn’t demi rep for certain. It’s definitely not on-page. But I would say that it’s a possibility, and I’d like to hope that maybe this means we’ll start to see demisexuality and romanticism popping up in romance fiction and chick-lit for adults. That would be pretty great.

Tiwanda is a pretty blunt character. I’ve seen people describe her as unlikable, and though I did appreciate her, I can see why others might not. She’s blunt, determined, and to be honest, doesn’t change that much throughout the novel. That’s not to say that she doesn’t grow at all. She does. She realises she doesn’t have to do things alone, she tries to move closer to her family, and she opens herself up to new experiences. Her personality just doesn’t soften much, but that’s fine in my opinion. She’s 30 years old, so it’s not bad for her to have a good idea of who she is.

I will say it’s pretty obvious early on who the winning love interest is going to be, but I did appreciate him. He was a good guy, even if he also seemed a little blunt and rude at first. He helps people out, he’s close with his family, and he has skills with his hands. Just probably not the ones you’re thinking about right now. However, the majority of the possible love interests are all contenders in their own way. One of them is in a relationship, but it was kind of suggested that Tiwanda would be interested in being poly with them. Or, that’s the vibe I got. One of them is related to the winning love interest, so that didn’t seem like it was really going to go anywhere, but he was nice. And the final love interest was the first one that opened Tiwanda up to the possibility that Met might not be so bad. He was a nice guy, but they want different things. And that’s fine. It’s always nice in a romance or chick-lit book when a couple breaks up, and it’s not for these unforgivable reasons. Sometimes things just don’t work out.

This was a pretty short read, but I really enjoyed it. Tiwanda was a different kind of narrator to Corinne, but it was a lot of fun. I enjoyed seeing the problems Met caused this time, and I’m hoping we’ll get a third novel. Though if we do, I’m not sure who we’ll be following this time. Maybe Aunt Clara? That’s what it looked like they were suggesting. I feel like Met would also be Tiwanda’s Mum’s spirit for her though, so I’m not sure how that would work or if it would be a bit repetitive.

Either way, this book is worth a read, so check both Have We Met and The Moment We Met this summer.

Thanks for my earc of this book! First of all I totally didn’t realise this was a 2nd book in a series. I didn’t feel like I had any gaps or any moments of confusion and saw previous reviews saying you don’t need to read the first.
I really enjoyed this and in particular enjoyed the secondary characters (I love grandma).
My only gripe is the premise of the dating app itself which I didn’t love. But this could be because I didn’t get more background from the first book?
Otherwise a really enjoyable book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for approving me for an eARC of this novel. Let me start off by saying, I have not read Have We Met? and think that if I had I would be rating this book slightly differently. I was not 100% invested in Tiwanda's story and felt that the lackluster writing failed to grab me. Overall, I wasn't a fan of this novel, but again, I think my enjoyment could have been different had I read the first in the series.