Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Also, Thank you to @prhaudio for the complimentary audiobook.

"You, Again" is a charming contemporary romance that offers a fresh take on the classic "When Harry Met Sally" trope. Told over a decade, the story follows Ari and Josh, two polar opposites who initially clash but gradually evolve into unlikely friends and ultimately, something more.

Their initial animosity is palpable, fueled by witty banter and playful antagonism that will keep readers entertained throughout. The audiobook narration perfectly captures the essence of their dynamic, bringing their sharp exchanges to life.

While the "enemies-to-lovers" trope is well-trodden, "You, Again" offers a refreshing perspective with its witty dialogue and endearingly flawed characters.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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This was nothing like what I expected. The premise had a lot of potential, but You, Again ultimately left me disappointed. The characters were more of a mess than I anticipated—making bad choices galore—and it became frustrating rather than endearing.

The romance was an extreme case of slow burn, but not in a way I usually enjoy. The pace was drawn out to the point where I lost interest, and the chemistry between the characters just didn’t feel strong enough to justify it. Instead of the fun, lighthearted rom-com vibe I was hoping for, the dynamic between the leads was filled with poor decisions and an immature heroine, making it hard for me to connect with the characters. I found myself questioning their choices more than actually rooting for them.

Sometimes, the early buzz can be misleading, and in this case, it set me up for expectations that weren’t met. I tried to push through, but I ended up skimming and skipping parts, and in hindsight, maybe I should have just DNFed it instead. The messiness of the story was overwhelming, and the emotional depth and character growth didn’t make up for it. The quirky moments didn’t balance out the lack of a solid connection between the leads.

Nevertheless, it was a debut novel, and I can appreciate the effort and promise that it shows. While You, Again didn’t quite work for me, I’m still curious to see how Kate Goldbeck’s writing evolves in future works.

I was a little worried this would feel like a generic nyc restaurant romance novel but I actually really enjoyed the writing style of the author and I found all of the characters to be extremely compelling.

Opinions I voiced while reading this:
- I think this might be bad . . . but in an interesting way? (25% through)
- I hate Ari. (multiple times)
- Oh, this might just be bad. (50%-ish)
- Ari is a terrible friend. (multiple times)
- This is the most realistic third-act break-up I've ever read.
- It's over!

I wanted to like this book so much. The concept felt solid but it stumbled upon execution.

Unlikeable characters are great! But I need a single, solitary reason to root for them or they're just unlikeable. While pretentious and off-putting at times, Josh has an arc that makes sense and feels grounded in his depiction. I hated Ari. She's someone who lacks self-awareness to a concerning degree. I don't know why Radhya and Gabe put up with her for so long.

I didn't love the third person present tense narrative. And the story is longer than it needed to be, I think. The comparison to <i>When Harry Met Sally</i> is misleading because it lacks some of the charm of that (problematic) story.

I do appreciate the chaotic NYC vibes the author captured. Most stories set in NYC feel like they could be lifted out and adapted to another city with a few tweaks. But not this one! This dumpster fire would only work in NYC and I loved it for that.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, Dial Press, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

“‘No one should marry the person who makes them happy,’ Josh continues. ‘Marry the person you want by your side at your absolute lowest point.’” Henry this is great advice!

3.5 stars rounded up! You, Again is as a modern day “When Harry Met Sally” retelling that focuses on Ari and Josh, enemies-turned-friends-turned-lovers, told over a decade in New York City.

When polar opposites hate each other man they REALLY hate each other. And when the only thing you have in common is the woman you’re sleeping with…whelp I just can’t see how that would ever work.
Buuut this was the sweetest and most enjoyable of enemies - to - lovers I may have ever read. The banter was *chefs kiss*. The audiobook really did a great job of harnessing the aforementioned banter. Loved it!

“‘Give me more feedback or we’re just going to cuddle.’ ‘Really?’ Ari cranes her neck to the right to look at him. ‘You think you’re cute?’ ‘No. That’s why I got good at this part.’” 😳😆

Thank you @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook #PRHAudioPartner and to Netgalley, Random House, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I loved this so much that I immediately went out and bought the physical copy. Friends to lovers? New York? Hilarious and heartfilled characters?! YES. I can't wait to see what comes next from this author.

I did not enjoy this book. The characters were incredibly flawed and lacked growth. I had a hard time getting through it. As a 32 year old this may have just not been for me and meant for a younger crowd.

A friend really recommended this book, and although it took me longer to get to it than I intended, I certainly enjoyed it when I did get there. A super fun romantic comedy where even when you might be wanting to sigh at the length of time it takes the main characters to figure things out, it's also a lot of fun!

This is a solid, relatable, modern rom-com. Genuinely feels like something that more people can relate to you. You don't have the absurd situations/events that come out of nowhere to justify the plot or character progression, instead you have a slow rolling story spanning a decade of offhand meetings culminating in one final (hopefully) forever. There's something very cozy about this book, and it definitely gives fall/autumn vibes.

I really appreciated the dichotomy between the two characters, in both their backgrounds, their goals, their perceptions of love/relationships and how they handle difficult situations. They are the definition of "unlikely friends", but in the end I do think they end up meshing so well by understanding the others perspective and filling in each others respective gaps (promise that's not a sex joke). And personally, as someone who is a hopeless romantic with extreme commitment issues, reading about the two characters with their surface level opposing views on relationships was rather cathartic (and maybe a bit hopeful?).

Given the length of time covered, and the realistically paced plot progression, there are a lot of time jumps, and it can feel like its meandering at times. Usually big time jumps bug me because they usually represent massive points of character or plot development that the author doesn't want to show, but in this case I think they work well. I mean if you had to write out the 4 years between my random run-ins with the same person, it'd be exceptionally boring.

If you're a big fan of fast moving, big stakes, romances, you'll likely find this a bit too slow/uneventful for you. But if you are someone interested in reading a modern day romance that can truly capture what it's like dating in today's world (a fucking nightmare fyi), I 11/10 would recommend. I also think this would make a killer movie, please please please.

Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with an arc copy of this book. I seem to have forgotten to leave a review last year lol but it unfortunately did not work for me the setup was very exciting as well as the atmosphere but the characters just did not click with me especially the main character I just could not connect to either of them nor did I see the chemistry I did really like the writing so I will keep an eye out for the author's other releases.

The main characters, Ari and Josh, start out so unlikeable that there HAS to be some growth. There is (just a little), but it's still tough to get through some parts.

This was just not for me!

It sounded like something I'd love but I wasn't a fan of the characters and I don't think the premise was executed very well...

I don't care that this started as Reylo fanfiction, I wasn't even picturing Adam Driver and Daisy Ridley reading this book. I saw them as their own characters, just Josh and Ari. This book charmed me. I loved their enemies to friends to lovers dynamic; this book made me laugh with it's sarcasm and very specific sense of humor. Smiling and shaking my head constantly at my bisexual disaster babies. I loved them so much! This definitely had the vibes of 'When Harry Met Sally' and I could definitely feel the homage to Nora Ephron. The last 100 pages or so was a bit too much angst for me though, so it's a 4.5/5 star for me. My favorite romance of the year so far!
Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy!

Nope this book was not for me. I was going mad during it. The characters were terrible and had no chemistry. Nope. No thank you.

I was so excited to read this because When Harry Met Sally is my all time favorite movie. And yet… Never have I read two more unlikable main characters. They weren’t good people, their elitist mindset was irredeemable, and they weren’t good partners. I’m aware a lot of people like them exist in the real world, but I wasn’t rooting for them at all. In any situation.

This book was extremely long and there were times when I nearly did not finish, but I am glad I stuck with it. I loved seeing the connection between the two MCs over the years, the kismet as they keep crossing paths.

this book was very cute, and I can't wait to read more by Kate! it was just so something that I needed in this moment .

I absolutely adored this book! The characters were so real and relatable! I enjoyed the different timelines and really getting to know the characters and their love for each other!

I've tried to get into this book many times since I received this ARC but I just can't get into it. The story is so slow and the FMC is very unlikeable. I had to DNF after giving it a few tries since it came out.

Pitched as a milennial take on When Harry Met Sally, I happily enjoyed it a lot more than I did the movie (it's just never worked for me personally). It's sort of a chance meeting enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story that's heavy on banter, quarter life crisis career issues, and emotional blockages on the part of both protagonists. Ari and Josh have a slow, complicated, messy love story that I nevertheless rooted for the entire time. Goldbeck's writing is very solid, and I felt I got to know the characters extremely well over the course of the novel and the years in their lives that it covers; I also liked the glimpse into chef careers, since that's a niche interest of mine in romances. It's definitely more spicy than sweet, so as long as that's what you're in the mood for, I think you'll enjoy.

I received an eARC of You, Again from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.