This was a really unique and enjoyable modern romance. Ari and Josh are characters that it takes a while to warm up to. They are both a little damaged and beaten up by life. They keep running into each other over the course of time and initially they don't like one another. As a matter of fact, it takes a while before they find anything likable about each other. But life sneaks up on them and they find themselves becoming friends and eventually more.

But Ari has become a commit-phone and her skittishness may be their undoing. Josh wants the whole enchilada - - a full on relationship and Ari is petrified of it because she believes relationships always end. Thus, starts their angsty time to figure out how to love each other but not be together.

This book truly is like the seasons of love in a way and I was totally there for it. Set it New York City, it felt real and messy just like life can be sometimes. Ari is bold and tries to be shocking at all times. One of her favorite people to try to shock is Josh. Josh is more straight-laced and a rule follower but he's drawn to every facet of Ari. They compliment each other.

I felt that not only was this a well-written romance, there was bisexual representation which enriched the storyline and gave it an authentic feel.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I had been seeing this all over social media with rave reviews, and, being associated with When Harry Met Sally vibes, I was really excited to read it. I was approved for an ARC a week before it came out and couldn’t wait to binge read. Unfortunately, it took a really long time for me to get into it and even when I was invested, I wasn’t in love.
The hardest thing for me was that I just didn’t find either main character all that likeable. I came around to Josh early enough, but I don’t think I ever really cared for Ari enough to root for her in any kind of capacity, and that made it really hard for me to root for their love story. I did enjoy their connection and their banter was fantastic. I loved the times they were just together doing “friend stuff” and watching their relationship blossom. Their chemistry is very strong and I enjoyed the slow burn, although at times it felt TOO slow- probably because of the years of separation between some of the parts, a la When Harry Met Sally but a little more boring (again, probably because I didn’t like either one of them at all at the beginning chapters).
This book was extremely well-written and the story itself was likeable, but the characters were just not for me. I can definitely understand why this is getting rave reviews and look forward to the author’s next story.
Thank you so much to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

You Again, was okay, but I didn't love it. I felt like the writing was a little dry. The two main characters were both deadpan and a little emotionless. I think it would have been better if at least one of them was a little livelier and more upbeat. It could have been 100 pages shorter as well. Nonetheless, this is the authors debut novel, and I would be willing to check out Kate Goldbeck's future work.

Thank you to netgalley, Berkley, and Kate Goldbeck for the eARC.

You, Again is out now.

“I think I found the other half of my black-and-white cookie and someone else might be eating it right now. I need to find him.”

Don't read many enemies to friends to lovers. These characters are so opposite but that sometimes attracts the most. This was so sweet and each character evolved and had sweet inside jokes.
Loved the journey they went on. A good relationship starts with friendship. Loved the family dynamic and the stress of carrying on a legacy but wanting to make it your own. They both struggled professionally even though they were talented. They just took awhile to land in the right place.
Glad I picked this as my botm.

When Ari and Josh first meet, it’s hate at first sight. Where Josh is a super serious planner, Ari is a nonchalant procrastinator. Their commonality? The woman they are both sleeping with. Given they have nothing else in common, each goes their separate ways. But then something weird happens and they keep meeting- again and again…and again.

One time they meet, each is coming off of a bad breakup. Surprisingly, they find their mutual licking of proverbial wounds to be fodder for unexpected friendship. Suddenly they find themselves spending more and more time together platonically- until one day it’s not so platonic anymore.

Unequipped to process what she’s feeling after their hookup, Ari flees. Heartbroken yet again, both move on with their lives. But as each of them should know by now- it’s not over til it’s over.

You Again is an entertaining romantic debut by author @kategoldbeck. Full of romantic cynicism and memorable banter, Ari and Josh are ostentatious opposites, but in the best way. I love how this book played out over years, their love story not neatly linear. It’s a romance that reminds the lovesick reader in us to not give up, because sometimes timing really is everything.

I started this book, got around 20%, and stopped. I thought it wasn’t for me, but I love WHEN HARRY MET SALLY so I decided to give it another go. Overall, I enjoyed it, but didn’t love it. I never rooted for either character and both were aggravating at times. I also thought the book was longer than necessary. If you like WHMS, then give it a whirl. Or if you want a raw, enemies-to-loves set in NYC for an autumn vibe, read it.

First of all, how dreamy is this cover? Give me all the fall vibes.

Second, enemies to friends to lovers. Slooooooow burn. Yes.

There isn’t a ton of character development here, so that might be annoying to some, but overall I enjoyed this book. It was quirky, it had some heartbreaking moments, and the narration was excellent.

Not a home run, but I liked it!

This story had great banter and humor. Both characters were very messy and a lot of the time I wanted to shake them and yell at them for being idiots. It got a little frustrating in the end, but I understand ~character growth~

The beginning of the book also felt like The Bear, and I had JUST finished season 1 & 2 so it was really fitting. after the third(?) time jump The Bear feels stop.

What I didn't like about this book was how it was written. For some reason closed third person is frustrating to read in a romance novel. I struggled to want to pick this book back up because I would get annoyed with the third person. Halfway through I switched to the audiobook, which was easier and I now think I can only listen to this type of third person. However, switching it to the audiobook was frustrating because the mid-chapter character pov switches were not easy to recognize and it would take me a few sentences to realize we had switched characters. Overall, big fan of the story, but not the way it was written.

Spice: 2.5

You, Again is an extremely clever and exciting debut by Kate Goldbeck!

Ari and Josh are such different people and it was so satisfying watching them move from hating each other to being friends to something more. They both feel like they could be real people and I was very excited to see where their relationship went.

The writing style is clever and fun and the plot is immaculate! It has roots in the classic romcom Where Harry Met Sally and it definitely gives off an updated romcom vibe. It’s the perfect romcom for a fun weekend read and I highly recommend it!

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to read more of Kate’s work in the future!

This book has captivated many romcom lovers and for a good reason! I've heard other reviewers compare this story to When Harry Met Sally and I totally see the similarities. This book has a very similar 90s romantic comedy vibe and is filled with witty banter, inside jokes, and real life struggles.

This story focuses on our two main characters Ari and Josh and the development of their enemies-to-friends-to-lovers relationship over the span of multiple years. I found both MCs to be very well developed though slightly annoying at times, which made them all the more realistic and lovable. This is a book I will be thinking about for a while and cannot wait to read more from this debut author!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*Disclaimer: I thought I couldn't access this fic anymore (because I was in the hospital and the date had expired in the app. Then I figured out I just needed to download it again, so I did that. Thus, I will be giving feedback!.*

This was a modern-day adaptation of the When Harry Met Sally trope, but written in a unique, authentic, and original way that it stands on its own merits.

I posted an aesthetic on my TikTok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@semperfidani/video/7280690922336029957">You, Again aesthetic!</a>

We follow the story of Ari & Josh. Ari an emotionally-stunted bi-sexual female, and hopeful comedian. Her past makes her fear attachments and rejections, so she puts on a mask of someone who is carefree and indifferent as she faces both personal and professional rejection. Josh is a snobby, stubborn cis-male and chef, trying to carve his way forward from the heavy legacy that is his family.
The first few times they meet does not go particularly well. But when they are both at their lowest, they connect again and, against all odds, form a friendship. When feelings enter the picture, their default toxic behaviors kick-in. Can they overcome their own barriers to be with one another?

What I loved:
This was a fresh and exciting take on a beloved story. The writing was strong, and the dialogue was absolutely excellent. The pace was great (in large part due to the great writing skills of the author). The challenges they both met professionally felt real and relatable. The beat of this story were two people overcoming the worst of themselves to personally and professionally grow; the heart were two people finding "their person" who helps them overcome the worst of themselves, and encourages to reach the best of themselves. As a fanfic-adapted AU, the author did a wonderful job (then most that I have read) in transitioning their story into fiction.

Minor critique:
I had a hard time connecting to Ari. In many ways, I understood why she was the way she was, and the insecurity driving the way her default defense mechanism kicked in. But her past could have been better explored to give more insight into why she was how she was (which, by contrast, Josh's past was fleshed out stronger). I think that might have been one of the risks of transitioning from fanfic to fic (because as a fanfic reader, we already get the characters going in).

At times, I found Ari a bit one-note in that yes, we get it, she's really into drugs, sex, and extreme-ideological concepts about relationships. However, as the story developed, some of these issues got addressed in a way that I was satisfied with, and her character did grow and evolve over the story. Thus, as a reader, it was worth committing to the novel and that character.

Final thoughts:
Honestly, I can't wait to read more from Kate Goldbeck. She is a superb, witty and strong writer. In a sea of bland romance novels lately, this story shines.

***
I want to thank Random House Publishing Group for permitting me to read an advance DRC copy through NetGalley. In exchange, I offer an honest review.

Also note that I am late in offering this review due to being hospitalized for surgery!

I’m sorry, but this book just isn’t for me. I like rom-coms and don’t mind some explicit language, but this was too much for me. I won’t be able to finish reading the book.
I also didn’t love the consistent drug use and sexual references. I can get through some, but this was way out of my comfort zone.

I LOVED this book!!! Ari and Josh meet over and over. They are complete opposites and don't get along, but hang in the same circles and keep meeting up. At one point, they are both getting over break-ups at the same time and end up hanging out and becoming real friends and confiding in each other. It's such a great story and felt different than so many other romances.

I certainly feel like for most fans of 80’s and 90’s romcoms this book would feel like a big warm fun. It’s nostalgic in all the fun ways and I know it’ll be popular for those with a deep affinity for the general story of boy and girl meet, boy and girl don’t get along, boy and girl becomes friends, and eventually boy and girl become more than friends.

However, my real issue was with the pacing and the structure. I personally don’t like when authors change POV’s during the chapters (let along multiple times) so at first I found this format to be rather confusing. Following that up with both of our main characters had very similar tones when speaking. When they had a lot of back and forth dialogue it was hard at times to keep up with who was speaking because they didn’t have unique voices to help differentiate them from each other.

Overall I do think it is a fall read that people will really appreciate. It wasn’t necessarily my cup of tea but nostalgia is a huge selling point right now and I see the desire for more books that give us those Nora Ephron and Meg Ryan vibes.

This book was sold to me I heard "When Harry Met Sally." My elder millennial heart grew 3 times its size when I was approved for this arc.

And it did not disappoint.

This was such a delight and scratched the itch for a romance I didn't know I needed. I am tickled that this is a debut author and that I get to look forward to more from Kate.

This book had banter at perfection...it has to when you have the dueling personalities of our two main characters.

This was the perfect start to me manifesting fall (it was like 99 degrees).

Call me obsessed.
Every element was just perfect.

Lovable characters.
Mental health rep.
Complicated family relationships.
True found family.

This is a totally unique modern love story with the perfect amount of angst and drama — with an extra heap of emotional gut punch.

The author seriously hit it out of the park with these characters; even when I wanted to scream at them, I was still rooting for them 🥰

Now excuse me while I go watch When Harry Met Sally 🩷

Thank you so much for allowing me to read this eARC.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Need a break from those perfect, high achieving, polished romance characters? Then this is the book for you! You, Again has some of the most frustrating, messy, judgmental, slightly pretentious, characters. And I loved it. I didn’t even like the characters for almost half of the book, but their banter and their pull toward each other (even through dislike) was captivating. I love how there were no other storylines, just interactions between Josh and Ari over time.

This just the exact book I needed in this seasonal transition time where my mood is also slightly darker and light summer romances just doesn’t feel right. Themes of imperfection, messing up, being left, and finding someone be miserable with, just resonated with me.

Disclaimer : I’ve never seen When Henry Met Sally so I can’t speak on the parallels but I love that the movie was such an inspiration for this book.

We have had some weird weather here in LA and I am so ready for crisp mornings, changing leaves (we do get a few!) and all things pumpkin and fall.

You, Again is a perfect fall cozy and hilarious romcom. It is the story of two people whose paths keep crossing through the years. They bicker and hate each other at first but then become friends and well, you know how that ends up. It is clever and witty with very dry, sarcastic humor that had me cackling out loud. The dynamic between Ari and Josh as a commitment-phobe and a romantic was perfection and their chemistry worked perfectly, nothing felt forced just to make the book work. This had all the vibes of When Harry Met Sally and I absolutely loved it. I am still grinning thinking about it.

Short synopsis: Ari and Josh become friends over the years as they run into each other after bad breakups

My thoughts: This is a modern retelling of when Harry Met Sally. I liked how the unlikely friendship evolved, and how they seemed to be there for each other just when they needed each other. I really liked the New York City setting and especially enjoyed the “airport run” scene.

That being said, I felt like the characters were very one dimensional. Ari was quirky (which is great) but she was so selfish and uncaring for everyone around her. I kept hoping to get a better insight as to why she was the way she was but it just never happened.

Read if you love:
- Fall romances
- NYC setting
- When Harry Met Sally
- Unlikely friendships
- Friends to lover

I tried, I really did, but this book is filled with two whiny main characters who are to blame for their own misfortune. It just never ends with their pathetic lives and even worse romance lives. It’s just sad and way too many words trying to be something worthwhile in literature. Maybe this is for someone else, but certainly not my idea of a good read. 1.5⭐️, 2.5🌶