Super charming, sharp, and funny book about the two people whose intersectional identities set them apart – and bring them together.

Childhood friends Liyah (a black Jewish woman) and Daniel (and Asian-American Jewish man) have a chance encounter on a flight fourteen years after their disastrous falling out at summer camp. They are stuck working on promotions (Daniel’s job) for Chicago’s Field Museum (Liyah’s job) and end up forming a “Speakeasy Survival Club” with two colleagues. As the weeks pass and Daniel and Liyah grow closer, old wounds heal and their friendship blossoms into something more.

I love that [book:Thank You For Sharing] is Jewish without being about judaism. It explores what it means to be Jewish and biracial (not all Jews are of Eastern European descent!) and the discrimination non-white Jews can face even from other Jews. There were some beautiful scenes as the two MCs find meaning in ritual (Yom Kippur, Jesa-Yartzeit) but also their tight group of likeminded friends.

I’m also a fan of when the story revolves around one or both of the MC’s jobs in which they are (1) good at their job(s) (2) appreciated for being good at their job(s) by their boss/colleagues (3) love doing their job(s). In this case, both MCs had all three things going for them (and their work is relevant to the story since it brings them together). Daniel’s realization about marketing the whole museum and not just the events targeted at bringing in young people after he beings seeing it through Liyah’s eyes was 💯

CW: Parental death (off page), racism (challenged).

[book:Thank You For Sharing] by [author:Rachel Runya Katz]
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️.5 rounded up
🦖🦕💀🦴 Love letter to the Field Museum
🍸🍹🍷 It’s convenient having a mixologist bartender
🏹🏡🏊‍♀️ Ah, Jewish summer camp romances (lifechanging!)

<i>Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

I thought this was such a cute read. The two main character's, Daniel and Liyah had such amazing chemistry. I enjoyed all of their witty banter and watching their love story unfold. Can't wait to read more from this author!

Liyah works for a museum as a junior curator. She pitches an idea for an exhibit that may lead to a promotion. As part of the deal she must work with Daniel on marketing the museum. Daniel and Liyah have a history from summer camp when they were teenagers. They had a falling out at summer camp and have not seen each other in 14 years. Liyah is dealing with trauma both from summer camp and college. She does not want to work with Daniel but does want the promotion.

This is story of two twenty somethings who are trying to make it in the world. Daniel and Liyah are enemies to start the book but each may learn a few lessons along the way. The book is an interesting range on emotions and you will find yourself rooting for their success. Maybe we all feel at times that we do not belong. The book will take you on an emotional ride.

Thank you to #netgalley, #RachelRunyaKatz and #StMartinsGriffin for a copy of this book
#ThankYouforSharing

As a jew, I liked the representation. The second chance romance was cute. I enjoyed the banter. Overall, very cute and funny.

Liyah and Daniel have seen each other since summer camp 14 years ago. Liyah and Daniel are on the same flight, and Daniel recognizes her first on the plane and flubs his hello. From this interaction and throughout the book, Daniel is sorry, and Liyah is offended.

This is a forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers romance, so she agrees when the museum tasks Liyah to work with a new marketing firm to help appeal to a younger market base. Daniel works for a marketing firm that the museum hires and she is forced to work with him. They spend more and more time together, and Liyah starts to wonder if she missed out on all that Daniel has to offer.

I felt this story had potential, but it started really slow for me. Also, Liyah was not always so likable. I am a woman of color, so I feel that I can relate to microaggressions and the general assumptions imposed on a woman of color. However, she and Daniel share the same religion, and there is a commonality in them both being " mixed-raced" or "other," so she comes across as being too hard at times. There was chemistry between the two main characters, so this did make up for the slower start for me. I enjoyed the dual point of view; this helped me feel slightly more empathic toward Liyah's character.

I just reviewed the arc Thank You for Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz in exchange for an honest review. #NetGalley
www.netgalley.com

I’ve never really written a poor review on a book before, but I just wasn’t able to get into this particular story. I would start and stop and start reading it again, thinking it would get better, but it never got better for me. I just couldn’t connect with some of the story and that may be because I’m of an older generation. The storyline was just too slow for me personally

This was so cute!
Okay, so first of all, I need to acknowledge my status as a white non-Jewish person. I feel like there were probably layers to this book that were even richer if either of these things had been different, but as it is, I definitely still enjoyed every page! The story touched on many of my favorite things, found family, museums, cats, men who go to therapy, and friends who call you out for shit behavior! I’m hoping this turns in to a series, since I’d love to know what happens with other characters (no spoilers!). Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this one before it comes out in September!

Liyah hasn't seen Daniel Rosenberg since summer camp 14 years ago so she is in shock when they are sitting next to each other on a plane. Daniel works for a marketing firm that is hired by the museum that Liyah works at and she is forced to work with him. They spend more and more time together and Liyah starts to wonder if she missed out on all that Daniel had to offer.

I felt that this story had potential but that it started really slow for me. There was chemistry between the two main characters that made up for it as the story went on. The dual point of view was pretty good and we were able to get a good glimpse into what each was thinking.

Wow this was a great debut! So romantic and fun! This childhood friends to enemies to lovers was done so well. And I was so invested from beginning to the end. Rachel Runya Katz is a wonderful writer! Can't wait to read more of her work!

This was such a cute read!! I loved the chemistry and history that these characters had and I enjoyed getting to read their story from the very beginnings all the way to the very end. I also loved how much depth Rachel Runya Katz added to this story, as it is not your classic, stereotypical romance book. There are some heavy issues that the characters face, but the way they are approached in the book is absolutely phenomenal.

I normally am not a huge fan of dual point of views, but in this case since both characters had a lot of history with one another, I enjoyed it because I felt as if I were learning more about them as individuals. Overall, I enjoyed these characters, but I felt as if they lacked major character development. At the end of the book, it felt as if they were still the same people as they were in the very beginning and didn't necessarily work through their respective issues. Yet, I still enjoyed their story!!

Overall, I would still recommend this book for all the romance readers out there!! Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this free arc in exchange for my honest review.

Not a fan. Clearly aimed at a younger crowd. I am like, sit down, talk and act like the adults you are. I don't live at home anymore and I can move on and even let go of young choices and out comes. Found the characters whiney and irritating. A good ending saved the book for me.

Thank You For Sharing is a really fantastic debut by Rachel Runya Katz. Liyah Cohen-Jackson and Daniel Rosenberg meet at a Jewish sleepaway camp as young teens and have a typical summer romance, fraught with usual teenager antics. Fourteen years later, both living in Chicago, they reunite: first on a plane from San Francisco to Chicago and again when Daniel’s marketing firm is doing work for Liyah‘s museum.

I loved a lot about this book. First, the chemistry between Liyah and Daniel jumps off the page from the moment they re-meet. I also loved how well-developed the friend characters were. Neen, Siobhan and Jordan all felt like fully realized characters as well. There’s off-page trauma that the author handles very well, and the relationship between Daniel and Liyah felt so authentic.

My only qualm was that I wish I had a little more insight into Liyah’s minder in the last third of the book. It’s dual POV and works well, but I did think Liyah’s realization towards the end was more abrupt than Daniel’s and I wanted a little bit more.

4.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I absolutely enjoyed this book from start to finish.

Characters:
I loved Liyah’s attitude right off the bat & Daniel’s self-awareness. Jordan & Siobhan were phenomenal side characters and I actually was very appreciative that they didn’t conveniently fall into lust/love with each other once Siobhan’s crush was revealed. It was nice to have some M/F friendship representation (whereas it usually feels like it turns into friends to lovers). Neen’s character was so wonderfully supportive but I definitely got frustrated with how strongly Liyah relied on her at times.

Plot:
I adored the backstory & the casual ways their similarities & differences in upbringing, heritage & religion were woven into the story. Their individual backstories were both very rich which could have taken away from the story but instead added to it so well. I loved the natural progression of their romance. I do wish we had more of Liyah’s emotions and feelings once they were falling into more of a romantic pattern because her realization was so abrupt.

Would still recommend this to anyone looking for a romance book with more depth!

*thanks to netgalley for the ARC*

This ARC copy of "Thank You for Sharing" by Rachel Runya Katz was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion. This is my review:

Liyah ends up next to Daniel Rosenberg on a plane ride back to Chicago and she doesn't make it a secret that she's still livid at him for humiliating her at summer camp over 10 years ago. But Chicago is a big city, and if he lives there too, they'll likely never run into one another again. Right? Wrong. When Liyah and Daniel are posed to work together on a huge project that will determine the direction of both of their careers, Liyah can't believe her luck. She's determined to keep Daniel at arm's length with insults and eye rolls. That is until her work friend Siabhon crushes on Daniel's friend Jordan and begs Liyah to meet them for drinks. Thus a Friday night club is started and now they're all meeting once a week to rehash their lives and relax. And feelings start to bud between Daniel, who has turned into a frenemy but may be turning into something more.

This story started slow for me, but it did pick up pace about a quarter of the way in! I was hooked on Daniel and Liyah's chemistry, their feisty/relaxed opposites attract was steamy and thrilling. There were times I thought Liyah was a bit mean, but it lends to her character the fact that she is hurting inside from past traumas. There is a bit of open-door spice between Daniel and Liyah that I very much appreciated! The author does a fantastic job of being ultra-inclusive and tackles mental and emotional health in an appropriate and healthy way. I wonder if she set up future novels with Jordan and Siabhon, who were wonderful supporting characters in their own right.

The epilogue leaves little to be desired, however. We do get a hint of their future, but overall it was kind of blah and either didn't need to happen, or more needed to happen. 4.5 stars (rounding up though)

This is one of the best romances that I've read this year. I loved it from the first page until the epilogue and every page in between. I read many romances, and I feel like many of them have been flat lately. This one captured my heart and on to it tightly.

Liyah and Daniel met as young teenagers at Jewish summer camp, but the summer didn't end how they wanted it to. They haven't seen or spoken to each other in 14 years..... until they are seated next to each other on a plane. They also have to work together on a project for their jobs. They quickly realize how much they have in common, and a friendship develops.

Daniel and Liyah are both Jews of color, and it was interesting to read about their experiences with racism within their religious and cultural identities. There was a lot of description about their holiday traditions and customs around the death of a loved one (which occurs off the page, before the story begins).

Liyah and Daniel work on a project together for their jobs, and the more time they spend together, their feelings start to change. Liyah works as junior museum curator, and Daniel is hired to work on a marketing strategy for a new exhibit.

Liyah hasn't been in a relationship in a long time, and they both have to confront their pasts with each other, and separately, in order to work toward a future together. I loved the chemistry and banter between Liyah and Daniel.

This book is one that will stick with me for a long time because of Liyah and Daniel. They both brought so much to the table, and they can find love, if they open their hearts to the possibility.

I loved this book so much, and I can't wait to purchase it when it comes out in September.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this amazing book.

Cute, fun, and thought-provoking. I loved watching the romance develop. Read it one sitting. Highly recommended!

Thank You For Sharing is an exceptional love story that centers two people grappling with pain and loss who manage to find each other and a second chance amidst all of that. I was grateful to read it; it centers experiences that I have not seen centered in romcoms before, and I think it’s a powerful thing to craft a book that is able to deal honestly with some of the most difficult things we might face and still remain hopeful about love and relationships. Daniel and Liyah were both so compelling in their experiences. Biracial and queer Jewish people deserve romcoms! As do people grappling with the death of a loved one and with a history of surviving assault. The content warning frames this perfectly and succinctly.

I will reread this book when I need it; I particularly appreciated a scene that authentically and lovingly depicts the height of joy in a budding new relationship as well as the baggage of emotional turmoil that does not just automatically disappear. We all are, even in our best moments, the combination of all of the wonder and the pain that it is to be human in this world. This book is beautiful, and it made me smile, and it felt like it healed just a teeny tiny broken part of me to read it.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for sharing the eARC of this! (I guess what I’m trying to say is Thank YOU for sharing, and Thank you also to Rachel Runya Katz for writing this book.)

Thank You for Sharing is a captivating romance that takes readers on a journey from childhood friends to enemies to lovers. The story follows two individuals who are forced to confront their pasts to save their relationship and careers. This chemistry-filled novel is impossible to put down, as it offers a delicious pressure-cooker-style slow burn of a romance that will leave readers yearning for more.

Thank you for allowing me to read and review this book.

I want to start by saying that the diversity in this book is 10/10. I don’t think so I’ve never read such a diverse book before, it was nice reading about another religion and its customs. Moreover, the author did an amazing job of writing about certain sensitive topics. The characters are well-written as well. The only problem I had with this book was the pace. For the longest time, the plot was moving around in circles, to the point where it felt like filler chapters back to back. Hence, making it difficult to continue reading. But once you move past that, it’s a good book.

Friends to enemies to lovers... can't go wrong with that. It makes for the most interesting plot to be honest. You have two people who know each other well that know how to push each others buttons. Loved it start to finish!