This was a great romance with depth and layers I wasn’t expecting.
The relationship felt believable and relatable.
Added bonuses: 1) great supporting characters and 2) excellent diverse representation across characters

I was so hopeful for this one. I think the little blurb on the front was spectacular, and I had high hopes. However, it fell pretty flat for me.

David and Liyah were childhood friends to lovers to enemies to friends to lovers and although that is super enticing…I got lost with how immature the writing felt to me. There was no depth for Liyah and her history with love and romance. Also, I feel like her bisexuality was left to the imagination and I know that shouldn’t always be a front runner, but it was something I hoped was more prominent, too.

Overall, I wish I could give this higher than a 3.5 star rating but I only liked it. Did not love it.

I really wanted to like this book. It started out fine, but the more I read the more frustrated I got. Liyah and Daniel knew each other as kids In Jewish camp, and Liyah can’t forgive him for not standing up for her. She thinks she’s unworthy of love, and kept repeating it throughout I finally finished it, 2 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

What a cute book. The banter, the interactions, the chemistry, the drama. It was just a fun, realistic and great read. I loved the Jewish characters, especially given their mixed backgrounds. A Korean Jewish man and a Black Jewish woman. Their experiences in life seemed real, their challenges not forced. I enjoyed both characters and their changing relationship. They were not perfect and never pretended to be. They had their demons, they had their struggles and they were just great. The story isn't rushed, but it also doesn't feel slow. It was just done incredibly well from all angles.

Daniel and Liyah had not spoken to each other since their friendship ended at camp 14 years ago. Until they are seated next to each other on a plane and then find themselves working together - each with promotions at risk. As time goes on, their issues, tension and chemistry change and build until they have to confront their actual issues. Will they be able to ignore their feelings and just be friends?

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Couldn’t get into after a few chapters. Writing style just wasn’t for me.

I may try reading it another time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

I am completely enamored with Daniel and Aliyah from Thank You for Sharing, a truly special debut.

Thank You for Sharing is a forced proximity, workplace romance between former childhood friends, Daniel Rosenberg, and Aliyah Cohen-Jackson.

“She’s hated him since they were kids. He’s missed her just as long.”

Watching Daniel and Aliyah evolve from ex-childhood best friends to workplace acquaintances to friends to lovers was a truly special journey. Thank You for Sharing is filled with sharp humor, witty banter, tenderness, and beautiful representation that will appeal to many readers. I laughed (so many times), I cried (twice) and had consistent butterflies while reading.

Aliyah is passionate, quick-witted and keeps her heart and feelings locked away after experiencing trauma (check TW). Daniel is compassionate, thoughtful, and patient; still grieving from the loss of his father a year earlier. TYFS is an emotional (and physical) slow burn; through a series of vulnerable shared moments, Daniel, and Aliyah work together to build trust, validation, and love. Each confession is handled with the utmost care and extreme gratitude from the listener. It is evident how sacred and important a moment it is for their budding relationship.

I truly loved everything about this book. Katz has created a cast of lovable characters, memorable humor and the sweetest love story I have read in ages.

SMP romance, thank you for sharing this wonderful book with me. I will be thinking about D&L for the longest time.

My 10 favorite things from TYFS
1. Sweet Potato
2. SUE’s furcula
3. Speakeasy Survival Club meeting minutes
4. Daniel (the softest MC) blushing & beaming
5. Aliyah’s sharp wit ((A man admitting he was wrong? In this economy? I’m in love)
6. An emotionally intimate one bed scene- the ticket
7. The representation
a. Aliyah is Bi, Black, and Jewish
b. Daniel is Korean and Jewish
8. Therapy positive- both MC’s attend therapy
9. Learning more about Jewish traditions and culture
10. An epilogue, 3 years later

Speakeasy Survival Club #17 Meeting Notes

Secretary: Allyson

Siobhan: amazing Irish graphic artist
Daniel: cinnamon roll, thoughtful
Jordan: rock climber and Daniel’s BFF
Liyah: salty and then she’s sweet


Rule Addition: 12: You MUST read this book!

Additional notes: Thank you so much Rachel Runya Katz for allowing me to read this wonderful story and meet these characters!

What an amazing debut! I definitely hope it is part of a series! I need to know what happens to the characters and miss them already! There is amazing diversity and representation in this book and I fell in love with these vivacious 20 somethings! I am older than that but Liyah, Daniel, Siobhan, and Jordan were relatable and so fun and reading this reminded me so much of my twenties.

Liyah and Daniel met at sleep away camp many years ago and had a falling out. They meet again years later and the meet cute is a DISASTER, but I loved it! Liyah is sassy and prickly and Daniel is softer and sweet and they're dynamic had me laughing out loud and making heart eyes. I have never been to a sleep away camp but my best friend has and to this day still talks to her friends that she met there. Have you been? This book made me want to go back in time and beg my parents to let me go!

I loved Liyah and Daniel’s friendships. I loved Jordan and Siobhan’s support and really hope to read more about what ends up happening to them! Together with Daniel and Liyah, they start the Speakeasy Survival Club where they get to vent, gossip, and support one another. Found family is so special in books and I think we all need more of that. A safe place to really be yourself with friends you call family is so important.

Katz does an amazing job of writing such a layered story. There are subplots that I really enjoyed, especially centering around Liyah’s job as an exhibition developer/designer and her goal to become a curator. Liyah works at the Field Museum in Chicago and I have always wanted to go there. It was interesting to learn about what is done to keep museums running and functioning. I also really loved the way Katz explored more sensitive topics. As a mental health therapist, I found the representation of the therapeutic process very relatable. I loved the healing journey that was showcased in this book!

If you love a slow burn romance with dual point of view and fun friends you can’t get enough of, read this book immediately! Rachel, please write us more!

To be honest, this book really surprised me! There was much more depth to it than I anticipated - early on I assumed it was going to continue to be one giant miscommunication issue, going all the way back to summer camp. I was pleasantly surprised when that plot point was addressed early on. While squarely a romance, this book touched on sexual assault and grief in a really thoughtful way.

The writing was fine - there were times I wished we got to hear more from the characters rather than just a quick recap of a conversation. I think it’s better to piece things together from a character’s words and action than be told by the author directly.

What made this book so loveable to me were the characters! I thought Daniel and Liyah balanced each other really well. I hope that Rachel Runya Katz writes more about this group in the future, because Neen, Jordan, and Siobhan were so fun to read and I want to see more from the Speakeasy Survival Club.

Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz was a wonderful story! Although simple in its plot line, the story weaved a beautiful tale of two people meeting by chance after not seeing each other for years. The writing was captivating and I honestly felt like I was part of the friend group watching these characters interact with each other. There were some tough subjects that the author handled with grace and both main characters were given the chance to support each other through these things (as well as the supporting characters/best friends). I really enjoyed the explanation of the characters Jewish traditions around the holidays and the overall support and acceptance of all the characters - POC, non-binary, LGBTQ+, and those that practiced a religion. Liyah and Daniel and all of their friends and family were just perfect and I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this ARC! Thank you Netgalley, Author Rachel Runya Katz and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

I Received an e-arc copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review!

In our becoming, some baggage is non negotiable. Biracial millennial Jews navigating their careers, culture, faith, past trauma and grief made for a coming of age story that was heartfelt with lots to unpack at its heart. In Liyah’s mind Daniel betrayed her trust when they were teenagers and she never forgave him. From Daniel’s perspective he lost touch with someone he thought he had a connection with and never knew why. Adulthood has brought its fair share of struggles over the years that have shaped them into the individuals they are today. Perhaps meeting now after all these years they can clear the air on the past and move on or relive parts of the past in all its’ messiness while leaning on each other and the support of their found community towards a shared future.
This friends/enemies to lovers romance was refreshing in that both main characters were imperfect in their journey. The community of friendship was a beautiful space for these characters and showed how these friendships nourished them where they were at.

Happy reading!

Liyah Cohen-Jackson and Daniel Rosenberg were summer camp sweethearts over a decade ago who parted with hurt feelings, and the wound still stings. After a meet disaster on an airplane, there’s chemistry but also a grudge - which makes working together on a high-stakes project tricky for Liyah’s work at the Field Museum in Chicago.

I adored this gem of a novel from debut author, Rachel Runya Katz. There was a perfect slow burn and I loved it SO MUCH. Liyah is prickly and may be labeled by some as an ‘unlikable heroine’ but I really appreciated her honesty and don’t GAF attitude - and Daniel loved it. As they are both Jews of color, seeing them find common ground and support in each other was as lovely as their developing love story.

One of my favorite parts of the book was their wonderful SSC - Speakeasy Survival Club - as Liyah and Daniel, along with two friends/coworkers meet up weekly to process their work weeks and love lives, complete with hilarious weekly napkin notes. Sometimes the topics are heavy and sometimes they are humorous; the friendship and good advice rings true to life. I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

Daniel and Liyah were best friends at summer camp, and almost lovers, but after a summer betrayal, they haven't spoke in fourteen years. Fourteen years later they have a chance run in on plane that doesn't end well. Liyah is relieved she doesn't after to see him again until Daniel gets hired by her workplace to collaborate on a major project that could make or break her career. Now they have to work together on this project, and ignore the searing tension between the two of them.

Some aspects of the story that stood out to me was how it handled POC and bisexuality representation. I thought both of those things were handled thoughtfully, which made me enjoyed the story even more. There is also Jewish representation in this story, but I am not Jewish so I cannot speak on well it was or was not handled. I can say I enjoyed learning about customs/traditions that I was unfamiliar with.

The romance was slow, but it felt purposeful. The characters are taking their time to understand each of their emotional layers. My only critique was the build up did take a while. I was way more invested in the second half of the book, then the first.

Overall, I would recommend this book!

I really enjoyed this book! This was a great Childhood friends to enemies to lovers romance! It was refreshing to see the BIPOC Jewish representation! It was also great to see a non binary character being Represented! I love how Liyah and Daniel were brought back together after a fall out at Jewish sleep away camp 14 years ago. They have to collaborate on a job assignment together and in turn they have to confront their past issues! I loved how their friend group got together weekly and had meeting notes! Through these hang outs Liyah and Daniel start to get closer and bond over the struggles they go through being Jews of color. The chemistry the two had was undeniable even if Liyah tried her hardest to push away the feelings! I loved seeing both characters grow, heal and grieve in their own ways! I highly recommend this book!

CW: Sexual Assault (Past/Off Page)
Grief over a parental death (Past/Off Page)

This was such a lovely, warm hug of a book. Liyah was extremely prickly but it was never off putting and I loved the way Daniel loved her for it. Their found family with the SSC was so wonderful. All the friendships and support the MCs receive from their friends was excellent. I really look forward to more from this author!

Liyah Cohen-Jackson and Daniel Rosenberg were childhood friends who stopped talking due to a misunderstanding at a summer camp when they were teenagers. They meet again about fourteen years later as they arrive on a plane in Chicago, their homes, and are seated next to each other. Both of them think that's the end of that. However, the marketing firm at which Daniel works is hired to help the museum where Liyah works, and they must work together to further their careers. Daniel and Liyah start to get together to work on this project in addition to hanging out with co-workers, and their bond becomes stronger. This allows them to resolve their feelings from their teenage years and potentially pursue something more.

I wasn't sure about this book when I started it. I really wasn't feeling it that much. I was a little bored and frankly, slightly annoyed with many of the characters in the story. However, once I was about 40-50% of the way through the book, I became invested in the story between Liyah and Daniel. I was rooting for them so badly by this point. I could tell that there was so much tension by this point, that it could have been cut with a knife. The author did a great job keeping me on my toes until they broke that tension.

I will admit that I did feel bad for Daniel at times. While I completely understand that Liyah has trauma in her past that has made her the way that she is, there were times that she was just plain mean to him. I wish she would have let her walls down sooner with him.

I also wish that this story would have been told in the first person instead of the third person. I also would have liked the chapters to be shorter and separated by Liyah and Daniel's perspectives. I prefer this way of storytelling so that the reader can get into the characters' heads, and the narration slightly took away from it and became confusing at times to figure out which character did what.

While this isn't one of my favorite romances, this is a refreshing, cozy book for the beginning of fall.

I am a fan of reading diverse stories, so this appealed to me from the start. There’s a lot of different representation in this one. The two MCs are both Jewish and biracial, the FMC is bisexual, and the friend group has multiple representations as well.

Liyah and Daniel were childhood best friends until an incident at Jewish sleepaway camp ended their friendship. 14 years later, they cross paths again, twice. They are forced to work together when Daniel becomes the marketing consultant for an exhibition Liyah is planning. She’s trying to get a promotion to curator at the Field Museum in Chicago. STEM rep!

This one is definitely high on emotion. They’re both still dealing with trauma from the past and we do see them work through some of it and also help each other through it. I also loved seeing on page therapy on both sides. There’s also a lot of humor, especially from their banter and from the interactions with the Speakeasy Survival Club and Neen (I love Neen!).

Overall, I enjoyed it. It’s well written with a good story and follow through. It just felt slightly long, at times, but feel it was necessary for the relationship to develop. It’s an impressive debut and I would definitely read more from the author.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley. I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Thank you for the ARC!

I enjoyed this book and, especially, enjoyed the representation that came with it. I have not read many books with Jewish main characters, and this is the only one I've read with biracial Jewish main characters. While I do not fall into either demographic, I do see how important this representation is and hope others will see themselves in these characters.

While I enjoyed it, this book wasn't entirely for me, but that's ok. I think I am just not the target demographic for this book. That is not the fault of the author or the book, that is on me. It was well written, it had a great story and good messages. I am just ultimately not a huge fan of the more lit fic romance vibe that this book has. I prefer my romances either romcoms or smutty which this book was not. If you like lit fit romance, absolutely pick this book up. It was a great story. If you are like me, maybe pass on it.

As I said - my three star rating is not a fault of the book but of me. Normally I would not give it a star rating due to how much it was not intended for me but, thanks NetGalley, I have to rate it something,

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Daniel Rosenberg is what book boyfriend dreams are made of.

* He's handsome (rolling up those sleeves to show us a peep at his tattoo)
* He's kind (I mean... he messed up when he was 13 but makes up for it in the present)
* He listens. Like actively listens and aims to be supportive
* He isn't afraid to cry and share his feelings
* He has a cat named Sweet Potato

Liyah Cohen-Jackson was a tougher shell to crack.

* She's crazy smart and talented
* She loyal
* She can bite off your head if she isn't well caffeinated or feed
* She can hold a grudge (but as you get to know her... it becomes self-explanatory)
* She's afraid of being hurt and rejected -- doesn't always know what her self-worth is (even if she says she does)
* She LOVES old school rom coms/ tween films
* Sweet Potato instantly loves her

Our twosome meet on a plane. It goes horribly wrong. And that's before they each realize that they knew one another from summer camp - and that things did not end well.

Cue to the present, and the two are forced to work together - which becomes hanging out together - to celebrating the high holidays together - confiding in one another - and realizing that when you find the right person to unpack your baggage with - it's worth it.

A slow burn to sizzle romance - that is all about trusting one another and being honest and vulnerable.

What a wonderful debut novel - I loved how race and religion aren't background details, but rather are openly talked about and celebrated. I also think we could go back and see what happens to Jordan and Siobhan.

Totally Recommended Read.

Thank You for Sharing is an absolutely stellar debut story, full of emotion, banter, lovable characters, and fun tropes including forced proximity, one bed, second chance, found family, and more! The story follows Liyah, a 27-year-old museum curator, who is focused on her career. When an opportunity presents itself, Liyah pitches her boss a new exhibit plan. When the job is greenlit with the exception that Liyah must work with a marketing specialist to bring in more patrons; the last person she expects to be met with is Daniel, the boy she used to be friends with growing up. Despite not having seen each other in nearly 15 years, the two still remember each other, one with fondness and the other not so much. Determined to set aside their differences, as Liyah and Daniel begin to work together they develop a sort of worker camaraderie along with two of their other work friends. Between meeting up every week for drinks and working side by side on the exhibit, Daniel and Liyah become fast friends and are even quicker to succumb to their mutual attraction.

I cannot sing this book's praise enough, I loved how beautifully raw it was! It was so delightfully refreshing, everything was done with care and thought out so well; from the characters to the topics discussed. I loved the Jewish and Queer rep that was prevalent through the story, getting little snippets of culture and traditions was so fun; and I also liked how both Liyah and Daniel had their own individual outlooks being two Jewish POC. While there are multiple sensitive topics including grief, trauma, and sexual assault, it was handled very well in my opinion. I loved how open and honest the characters were with themselves and each other, it felt so very real and tender. I will say the only thing I could do without is the infamous third-act breakup; I am not a fan and that was the case here as well. The saving grace was the ultimate progression of Liyah and Daniels' relationship, it was fleshed out so well! Seeing Liyah slowly open up and forgive Daniel for their past and become friends, to them slowly realizing they wanted to be more; it was amazing watching their relationship unfold and evolve. Overall, Thank You for Sharing is a beautiful, heartfelt story full of love and hope between two people learning to lean on each other and grow in the process.

~Many thanks to NetGalley and Rachel Runya Katz for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review!

4 stars!

I enjoyed "Thank You for Sharing" by Rachel Runya Katz, a childhood-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers dramatic romance layered with representation, reconnection, and growth. I love the bisexual representation, the Jewish representation, and the BIPOC representation here. You can feel each of these things represented in each and every fiber of this story through and through. They are not merely used as plot devices or checkboxes ticked off for one reason or another, they shape the main characters, Liyah and Daniel, and who they are, through and through. This book mixes Jewish religious practices with more modern sensibilities and attitudes. I learned a lot about the Jewish culture from reading this romance. I found this book to be pretty delightful. There is some good banter here, which adds some much-needed comedy to the mix as the subject matters of this story can get pretty heavy at times. Liyah copes with her trauma through humor, and I definitely saw myself in that aspect of the story. I was invested in Liyah and Daniel's relationship, both past and present. I yearned for them to see past their childhood traumas, to overcome their deep-seated anger and grudges in order for them to grow together, and separately, as people. I also adored the found family aspect of the story with Siobhan and Jordan and the speakeasy survival club. The SSC notes at the end of most chapters were a really fun touch! At first, I thought the reason for Liyah's teenage anger towards Daniel was a bit unnecessary. The more she explained the fallout she experienced from that event, however, the more I saw her side, identified with her, and understood it entirely. This book has a bit of everything for everyone. It's a little spicy, but that's not really the point of the story. It's more about the exploration of these two people as they attempt to overcome their pasts and current messiness and move forward as friends and potentially more. A really terrific debut, I can't wait to see what Rachel Runya Katz comes up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley, Rachel Runya Katz, St. Martin's Press, and St. Martin's Griffin for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.