Thank you, RandomHouse and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of You, Again.

Kate Goldbeck swung for the fences with this novel and got a grand slam. I loved it! I’ve read some reviews that say this is like When Harry Met Sally, but I’m going to be honest with you and tell you I’ve never watched that movie. This book has made me want to watch that movie though! I instantly missed Ari and Josh after I finished the novel! Pick this one up today!!!

Ari is not living her best life. Renting, taking the odd job here and there, bouncing from bed to bed… Josh in the other hand is a masterful chef and searching for his soulmate. These two go from enemies to friends, but when that line crosses into potential lovers, things get a little weird between them. Will they get out of their own ways to have a great love story or will one (or both) mess it up only to be destined to a life of loneliness?

wow. what a lovely book. YOU, AGAIN captured modern romance in a way that not many current romcoms do (and I say this as a reader who loves the current romcom genre—this just hit different).

this was not an escapist fantasy of a romcom, but instead a very tangible, very real, very possible story about people who are rough around the edges. our leads Josh and Ari are assholes. and I say this as a compliment because they weren’t malicious assholes, but assholes in the mundane way of people bumbling around trying to find themselves who are a touch too self-absorbed to care about who they hurt along way. I found them both very compelling and real, and even when I wanted to slap them for making bad choices I understood why they were making them.

Josh and Ari had great individual growth arcs and part of their conflict was the fact that loving each other couldn’t fix their individual internal problems they were dealing with and they needed to address those on their own in order to love each other fully. I thought this was a mature take on the self-help that we sometimes see go awry in the genre. also the lengthy timeline & time jumps helped their growth and connection feel very real, which is something I particularly appreciate because I have a hard time suspending my disbelief with accelerated timelines.

along with all the serious stuff, there was a great sense of humor carrying this story and Josh & Ari’s connection along that made this such an enjoyable read.

this wasn’t an overly sentimental or cheesy book (I would describe it as more honest or up-front), but every now and then there would be a sentence that was just the perfect amount of swoonily romantic, so it really did it all and did it all very well.

other notes: the bisexual and Jewish representation were great to see; is there anything more perfect for fall than Nora Ephron and people walking around the city in chill weather?

I was really excited for this book, because who doesn't love When Harry Met Sally? But it fell a little flat for me. The banter was fun, the idea was great. But I found Josh utterly unlikable- he wasn't just misunderstood, he was a downright jerk. And Ari's drug use bothered me - I dislike when drug use (more than weed) is portrayed so casually, like it should just be considered normal.
I saw lots of positive reviews for this one, so I think this is just a case of its good, but it's not the right book for me. 2.5 stars

I thought this would be a cute read. Gave it a shot and was shocked by how much I loved it. I basically laughed the whole time I read it and found myself not wanting to put it down. It was cute and hilarious and I loved all the characters. This is definitely a must read for the fall!

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the arc.

I have a funny relationship with romance books - I'm either dizzy with the amount of times I roll my eyes, or I'm constantly gushing and smiling. I'm pleased to report my reading experience of You, Again was of the gushing/smiling variety. It wasn't cloyingly sweet; in fact, it was fairly snarky and dirty, which I loved.

I've never seen When Harry Met Sally (I know, I know), but I really enjoyed the way this book explored male and female friendships. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows, and we saw just how heartbreaking yet fulfilling these relationships can be. The dynamic between Ari and Josh was a joy to read. I'm always a fan of great banter, and this book really nailed it.

I absolutely loved this. It was one of my most anticipated romance releases of the year and it totally lived up to my self-established hype! Between the When Harry Met Sally vibes, the supporting characters, and the fact that both main characters had full lives outside of the relationship, this checked a lot of boxes for me. There were some quirks with POV shifts but I got used to it. This was such a great read!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

3.5/5 Stars.

It pains me to rate this book as low as I did as I was looking forward to it so much. I think this may have been a situation where I'm just not the intended audience for this book.

This book follows relationship prone Ari and looking for love Josh as they navigate relationships and one another over the course of 9ish years. Starting off as enemies to eventually friends to lovers, the pair find themselves constantly drawn to one another. I think the big problem for me was that I didn't feel connected to Ari - a lot of her decisions made me mad and I just wanted to shake her a bit. I did like Josh's character a lot and how he was able to handle Ari. The book did pick up in the last 30% or so, but by that point I just wasn't invested in the characters all too much.

Overall, an okay read for me, but definitely left me wanting more.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback, and Kate Goldbeck for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is for "When Harry Met Sally" fans with unlikable/grumpy main characters. It was an interesting twist on a story I know really well, but it felt kind of long to me and I didn't love the two main characters. They kept making terrible life choices. I am rounding down from 3.5 stars.

Thanks to Netgalley & The Dial Press / Random House for the advanced reader copy!

This was the epitome of a 90s romcom! Goldbeck definitely did Nora Ephron proud.

What’s the phrase for coming of age when the characters are mid 20s to 30s? Because that’s what this was and I loved every second of it. Ari and Josh were both lost souls for a while and I enjoyed the commiseration they shared. Their banter was reminiscent of Gilmore Girls and I ate it up.

It was a little slow going in the middle but thought it still progressed nicely. With all the time jumps and love over the years vibes, I expected the story to be more emotionally devastating, but that came through more in the characters’ personal outlook. The self-loathing and angst was bit much for me at times, but I understand the journey the fmc had to go through.

Overall really enjoyed this book! It’s such a lovely, swoony debut novel and can’t wait to read more from Goldbeck!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

This book is a When Harry Met Sally retelling that follows Ari, a brazen young woman who's an aspiring comedian, and Josh, an elitist chef who believes in doing everything the proper way. Over the course of many years, they continue bumping into one another amongst bad breakups and odd jobs, until they finally realize they're just who the other is looking for in a friend...and maybe even something more.

I have a love-hate relationship with this book where I both liked how realistic it was, yet found it a little TOO realistic for it to be enjoyable at times. The concept of a romance between two people that are complete messes was really interesting and refreshing to see, but I just didn't particularly like either main character. They frustrated me often and I never got too invested in their storylines. And, while I can appreciate the realistic timeline for their relationship, after seeing Ari and Josh hit such low points over the course of eight years, it was a little hard for me to root for them. However, they did have many cute scenes together and I did really like the snarky banter + bisexual representation. Overall, I feel like it had a lot of potential to be a new favorite of mine, but it just wasn't my thing in the end.

The Ali Hazelwood blurb made me really want to read this book, but it was a disappointment. I see how it was similar to When Harry Met Sally, but I actually liked the main characters in When Harry Met Sally. Neither one of the main two characters was likeable at all. This book had so much potential. I'd read Goldbeck again, but only if I knew I'd like the characters. 2.5 stars

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"That was you?" Josh sets the grocery bag down on the stoop.
"Un-fucking-believable, right? There's a full Chesire cat grin on her face now. Nothing coy about it.

I would like to thank Dial Press of Random House and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this eARC. Do I mention I'm a Reylo in my bio on NetGalley in hopes it helps me get my favorite fanfic authors debuts, early? Yes. Am I going to credit it for the reason I keep getting granted them? Also yes.

One of the fun things about picking up a book solely based on the author, is having no idea what story you are getting yourself into, but knowing you will adore the ride no matter what. Kate is a queen of banter, and from the first chapter I was far more invested than I should have been. I got half way through chapter one, and had to pause to go look at the synopsis for any kind of spoiler because I was that obsessed with the dynamic.

This book takes several jumps through time and while the caught me off guard at first, they set the stage perfectly to build the animosity of Josh and Ari. I have hundreds of lines of banter saved in my ebook annotations and I am itching to get my hands on a physical copy to transcribe them all over. Watching their relationship build from enemies, to acquaintances, to reluctant friends, to each others "person" had me at the edge of my seat, and when we got to the inevitable moment where it came crashing down...boy. I took a tumble with them all.

If you ask most of my friends they'll tell you I'm an angst gremlin. I will literally take anything that promises to rip my heart out, throw it in a paper shredder, and try to super glue it back together.

I was so unprepared for this climax in the best way. Ari's struggles and how it affected her and Josh as well as their reunions--Yes, multiple reunions--My husband had to ask me several times if I was okay while I sniffled in a corner of my couch curling around my ereader protectively as though it didn't just destroy me.

But... of the moments that hurt me, there were so many more that had me bursting out laughing or blushing as I turned my screen away from nosy over-the-shoulder readers. Because, lordy. If anyone in my family knew exactly what I was reading out in the open while perfecting a straight face... I'd never live it down. Holy hell that climax was a climax if you get my drift... Ari would agree too, I think, if she wasn't running away from a little three word phrase she let slip.

Anywho... I'm going to stop gushing and go rear chapter 18 again. iykyk.

One of the best contemporary romances I’ve ever read…very different than a lot of others.

The MMC isn’t a complete hunk - really, he’s basically described as Adam Driver. The FMC is a bisexual commitment phobe. Instead of grumpy-sunshine, it’s more grumpy-chaos.
Truly believable enemies to lovers and a delectable slow burn. Great supporting characters. The themes are friggin’ great. It was described as “fresh,witty, and utterly romantic” by Ali Hazelwood and I completely agree. 5⭐️

If you’re a romance fan, this is for you. Oh and the spicy scenes are top tier.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

You, Again was inspired by When Harry Met Sally and takes place over years with a slowly changing relationship. At the start, Ari is an aspiring comedian, and Josh is a chef with plans for his own Michelin star restaurant. From their very first interaction, they don't get along, making this enemies-to-friends-to-lovers-to...

From the beginning, we get brief glimpses over a series of years with neither of them at their best. As a result, I didn't particularly like or care about either Ari or Josh. And that makes it very tough for me to connect with a plot.

I appreciated the bisexual representation and the long timeline of the book. And I came to appreciate many of their friends and family as side characters, as the book continued. But overall, this wasn't a great fit for me. I would have liked to see less immaturity and faster growth from both of the main characters. I recommend it for those who like snarky humor. And check out other reviews, as I know many who loved this one.

Kristen DiMercurio remains one of my favorite narrators and did well with this book. The audiobook lasts about 11 hours.

I ate this book up!

It’s been awhile since I’ve seen When Harry Met Sally, but I could definitely see this as an homage. The characters are very different than H&S, but the story follows Ari and Josh over several years as they keep running into one another at different points in their lives. Their initial meeting is far from a meet cute and at first it seems like the only thing they have in common is their taste in women. Ari is a brash young woman working odd jobs and trying to make it as a standup comedian. She sleeps around and doesn’t seem interested in relationships or falling in love. Josh couldn’t be more different - he’s a smarmy (rather elitist) chef who thinks the proper way is the best way to do things. He believes in soul mates and Sunday brunches. As the story progresses and the characters experience the ups and downs in love and life, they discover that maybe they do work as friends - and maybe even something more.

This was a bit of a longer book, but like I said - I ate it up! The length really allowed the relationship to develop in a realistic way as we see Ari and Josh go from enemies to friends to lovers. The story takes place over the course of several years and I thought the time spent in each moment of time was perfect to get glimpses of these characters at these different points in their lives. I didn’t particularly love either of these main characters, but still couldn’t help laughing and swooning the whole way through.

I just wish we had some recipes at the end. So many references to food had me very hungry through out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a review copy. I’m seriously impressed by this debut and can’t wait to read more from this author.

You, Again is likened to When Harry Met Sally and having never seen the movie I cannot tell you how well the book captures its spirit. However, if it captures it well, let’s just say I’m not sad to have never seen it.

Having read other early reviews that are quite positive, I think this is a case of it’s not the book but me. If I hadn’t graciously been provided a review copy by the publisher I would have thrown in the towel and DNFed. I simply did not vibe with this book. I did not like either of the main characters, and while I can appreciate an arc that takes an unlikeable character on a journey of growth, that did not happen here. Despite it taking place over a span of EIGHT years, I found both Ari and Josh to be just as grating by the end of the book. The chapters, particularly in the beginning were too long for my preference and my interest was lost. I did not find the dual POV to lend itself well to this story. With the POVs changing multiple times per chapter, with no other indication than a microphone icon (for comedian Ari) and a spatula (for chef Josh), it was very confusing to keep up with.

I picked up this story because it was pitched as being a realistic, modern love story but I could not find any part of it relatable. In a rom com I’m looking for banter and our two MCs instead were continually throwing sharp barbs at one another. The humor was simply not my brand of humor, much of it cruder than I find funny. Lastly, though it is mentioned in the blurb that our MCs are sad… it did not prepare me for just how sad. This book is downright depressing. With the humorous parts not hitting for me, the mood was never lifted. If you’re a fan of When Harry Met Sally, or if your humor is more inline with those within these pages, maybe this book will be work you. Unfortunately, it did not work for me.

I will note that the bisexual and Jewish representation were nice to see. And a New York setting is always appreciated.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

You, Again makes me want to run around Central Park and shout at random strangers about it (my unathletic introverted ass could never, but the desire is there, okay?). Ari and Josh’s first meeting is everything my (and their) nightmares are made of, but in a fictional scenario it’s hilarious and perfect. And then they keep meeting. It’s bad until it’s not and I have never rooted for two stubborn idiots harder than I have in this book.

You, Again just feels real, in a way a lot of other romance books don’t. I know Ari and Josh, they’re my friends, they’re me. They’re messy and it’s beautiful. The way they navigate their lives and the city they live in are so well depicted I felt like I was walking down the street with them sometimes, nodding along thinking ‘yes, I am this disaster too’. They’re both broken in their own ways, and wading their way through their random meetings brings them closer to each other and to fitting their broken pieces together in a way that lifts each other up. Enemies to friends to lovers, and it’s such a beautiful arc between the characters to witness.

Witty, real, lovely, emotional, it’s all of that and more. Definitely on my short list for favorite book of the year. An incredible debut and has me already excited for whatever Kate writes next.

Many thanks to NetGalley Random House Publishing, Dial Press Trade Paperback and Kate Goldbeck for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don't 100% know how I feel about this one, which surprises me. Let me say that this story is VERY well written. The characters are fleshed-out and feel very real. Ari's struggle with her divorce feels very thoughtful and I can appreciate the struggle of what she goes through even though she and I would make different choices and navigate life very different.

I think what made this book a little difficult for me is that I could connect with the characters but didn't feel emotionally invested in them. That is me personally -- I think MANY readers will adore Josh and Ari. I think it was just a personality difference between me and the characters. Like Ari and I were polar opposites, and weirdly, Josh and I were polar opposites as well. I still appreciated who they were as people, but it was hard for me (personally) to connect to them.

Like, it was intentional that they had boundary problems, it was intentional that they were both just kind of crazy, in their own way. There is no miscommunication trope, but there isn't a ton of communication either, which made me want to shake the two by the shoulders. AGAIN, that was intended due to Ari's past trauma and anxiety with her ex. It made for great writing and story-telling because I wanted to know how they would get together, because it wasn't predictable, even though I knew it would happen, I had no idea how.

I want to reiterate, this book was very well-done, just probably not for me. Others will LOVE it, guaranteed. Writing was fantastic, polished, and descriptive.

Kate Goldbeck NAILED the new-years-eve speech. She did Harry proud.

I read that this was a modern retelling of When Harry met Sally, but Sally and Harry were just SO much more likable. Ari, the main female lead, was annoying and immature. As a wannabe comedian, her only humor consisted of penis jokes and she was quite crude. Josh was boring and I couldn’t get find anything cute about him. Both individually and together they were both miserable.

I did appreciate all the NYC descriptions because that was my only connection to the book.

2/5 Stars

This unfortunately was not the book for me. I was not a fan of the way the characters were written. While I adore When Harry Met Sally, this book just wasn't it. Most of my issues came from Ari as a character. I found her completely unlikable. I couldn't connect with her at all. She felt very much like a pick me but also I'm not like other girls and I'm super woke all at the same time. It just didn't work for me. I will say that I had a great time reading the banter, it kept me entertained and intrigued. I would absolutely read other books from this author as it seems to be more of a dislike of the characters rather than the writing. That all being said I can see people really loving this book and would still recommend to then regardless of my personal experience.