Ana is a talented storyteller and I liked this book a lot. The setting was fantastic and kept my interest. I need book 2! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

If you love Ana Huang, add this to your tbr list! But definitely have the second book ready to go. This was less steamy (still some steam) than her other books and a much more serious tone.

If We Ever Meet Again by Ana Huang is a good book BUT...if I'd known it didn't have a definitive ending, I probably wouldn't have started it. Books with open endings make me crazy, so be warned.

Farrah is studying abroad for a year in Shanghai and is absolutley certain that this year is going to be full of fun, adventure, and love. The only thing she didn't count on was falling - or she thinks she's falling - for her friend's boyfriend. Blake was a Heisman award winning quarterback who gave it all up because he was afraid of CTE and wasn't willing to chance it.

Blake and Farrah's story develops slowly and honestly through friendship to more, delves into secondary characters that Farrah meets while oversees and who become a family to her while she's there.

This isn't like other Ana Huang books that are sex driven, but is sweet and more true to life.

It's a good book and I'll reluctantly (I neeed my HEA in all one sitting) be waiting for the next installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in consideration of an honest review. All opinions are my own.

While I usually like Ana Huang books this one fell a little short for me. I enjoyed all the characters, location, and happenings in this book. However, it seemed like a very long read for a book that is under 300 pages. In terms of slow burn I thoroughly enjoyed Blake and Farrah’s story. To mention topes would be spoiling the story but there were some tropes that are not my favorite and that took something away from the story for me.

Thank you to Netgally for providing this ARC.

Blake Ryan, what are you thinking!!! In If We Ever Meet Again, by Ana Huang, Blake is the confident, hot, football star and Farrah has caught his eye. She thinks he isn't her type. He keeps trying to win her over, but may not have what it takes to keep her.  (He did disappoint me later in the book.) This one ends with a definite opening for the sequel, that I am now eagerly awaiting. I'm hoping for an ARC soon. I want to see how this all plays out! It's a little predictable at times, and a lot steamy at times. This is a great summer read! Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

Ana Huang’s If We Ever Meet Again is a delightful and heartfelt story of first love set during a year abroad in the vibrant city of Shanghai. It follows Farrah and Blake, two charming and relatable characters whose slow-building romance is both deep and steamy. The beautifully described Shanghai setting perfectly complements their journey filled with joy, exploration, confusion, and a few tears.

Farrah, a sweet and hardworking design student, and Blake, a popular ex-college football star figuring out his next steps, are wonderfully different yet so similar. Despite their contrasting backgrounds, they share intelligence, humor, strength, and common struggles, creating a swoon-worthy emotional connection. Their unwavering support for each other’s dreams is simply beautiful, as they inspire each other to reach new heights without the pressures from back home.

Their passionate love affair, sparked by a fateful meeting, faces various challenges that had me laughing, crying, and cheering for them all the way. Huang’s vivid descriptions of Shanghai and other Chinese locations make the setting come alive, adding extra sparkle to the romantic atmosphere. The secondary characters, including a lively group of friends, bring even more fun and warmth to the story with their witty banter and strong bonds.

If We Ever Meet Again is a wonderfully developed, character-driven tale that captures the magic of falling in love in a foreign land and the bittersweet reality of life’s ups and downs. The rich setting, fantastic characters, and heartfelt messages about friendship, family, loss, and self-discovery make it an enchanting read. I can’t wait to dive into the next book and see what exciting adventures await Farrah and Blake!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC copy and this is my honest review.

The book starts off super cute!

But quickly heads in one of my least favorite directions.

Anytime a MC wants to be friends with an Ex who is still clearly into them it pisses me off… especially when they’ve moved on and have a new woman. It’s disrespectful.

This is a book I would normally DNF but didn’t because I was provided an ARC.

I don’t want to spoil anything.
But this is not a book for people who are part of the safety gang.

The book is well written and I fully believe there is an audience who will adore this… I’m thinking anyone who loved the first Magnolia series book.

As for me, not my cup of tea. I would have liked a CW.

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for approving my e-arc request for If We Ever Meet Again by Ana Huang! If you’re already a Huang fan, you know you’re in for big feels with any of her books, and this is book is no different. What IS different is that this book is a duology, so be prepared that for some unresolved heartbreak at the end of this book, which is bk 1 out of 2. Can’t wait for the second half 0f this duo!

4/5 stars

it seems unfair to write and rate this book without reading the second half, but i shall try my best. in the emotional distress i am currently in, waiting for this second book, i will try to articulate just how im feeling.

tropes:
- new adult college romance
- study abroad in shanghai
- found family
- player (kinda) mmc x serious relationship fmc
- book 1 of 2 (a duet)
- interconnected series
- opposites attract
- friends to lovers

i cannot even begin to express the emotional turmoil this book has caused me. normally i never want to cry while reading a book but the end of this one TOOK ME OUT (thankfully the duet will be released together so nobody has to wait for part 2… except me).

this book is not like ana huang’s other books. not only is it written in third person, but it has a more airy yet serious feel to it. this may be because the third act break up is truly heartbreaking with no near site solution. this book - while it was ana’s first series - is truly underrated and i cannot wait for it to see the recognition it deserves. it is well written, paced in a way where you’re never bored, and over all envelops you into FEA (the exchange school in shanghai).

do not dwell on a bittersweet ending. not only because there is a second book, but also because entering into the lives of farrah and blake were a gift! like farrah i am finishing this book ready for the next chapter; even if i feel sad to leave FEA, i cannot wait for these two to meet again.

this book - if anything - leaves you wishing to travel abroad. to fall in love in a foreign city. to live a little, even if you feel vulnerable. take a risk, even if you feel bittersweet at the end.

will definitely be getting physical copies of these babies. this isn’t the type of book you would read once, it’s a book you keep running back to in nostalgia and as a guide on how to dream big.

thank you to netgalley and sourcebooks bloom books for gifting this ARC to me. truly a dream of mine, a gift, and an honour. this is a completely honest review. and in my honest opinion i NEED THE SECOND BOOK! bloom please don’t leave me hanging i need more!!

This is a decent 3-star read. It's a new adult story about Blake and Farrah, two twenty-somethings figuring out life and love. The scenes are vividly described, which really pulled me into the story.

The focus is on their relationship with a bit of self-discovery thrown in. Blake used to be a great football player but decided to open a sports bar instead because of the risks of playing football. This causes some family drama, which adds a nice touch.

If you’re looking for something as spicy as Ana’s adult books, you might be disappointed. There are sex scenes, but they’re not as intense. This definitely feels more like a new adult book.

The writing quality isn’t the best, and the insta-love was a bit much for me. But the study abroad setting and friendship vibes were cool.

Overall, if you like Ana Huang and don’t mind a lighter read, give it a shot. I’m curious to see how Blake and Farrah grow in the next book.

I DEVOURED this opposites attract, study abroad romance!

“If We Ever Meet Again” follows 19-year-old Farrah Lin as she falls a cocky blond athlete with the world’s biggest ego during her time abroad in Shanghai, all while knowing she's leaving in less than a year.

This duet is tonally different from her “Twisted” and “Kings of Sin” series and I loved it all the more for that!

Huang masterfully develops Farrah and Blake’s relationship from strangers-to-friends-to lovers across the span of seven months. The pacing was so natural with Huang skipping overly mundane moments in favor of focusing on the most integral parts of their relationship as it formed—like their first kiss, their first moment of physical intimacy, and the first time they said “I love you.” In doing so, Huang kept me engaged and further invested me in Blake and Farrah’s sweeping romance. Huang also perfectly balances steamier scenes with more wholesome ones, which I really appreciated.

Just as I entered a stated of bliss, everything crumbled right before my very eyes. I knew it was coming (as made clear by the prologue), yet it still snuck up on me and left me feeling heartbroken. So much of the book is dedicated to their friendship and romantic chemistry that it just felt so wrong for them to be ripped apart. The brief chapter written from Sammy’s point-of-view is what really wrecked me. Now I have no choice but to cling to Huang’s promise that there will be a happily ever after for Blake and Farrah when they meet again in “If the Sun Never Sets” because I’m convinced they are soulmates!

This book was amazing and I devoured this book in just a few sittings! I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

I loved seeing where Ana’s writing began, and the way in which she brought the reader to each scene with vivid description of the setting really helped pull me into the story. This is very much a new adult tale of young twenty-somethings discovering who they are and what they want for themselves and that’s done via a love story. This was an aptly named book because it definitely had me wondering if Blake and Farrah will meet again. I hope the next book shows them growing through the mistakes of the past and maturing in a way that does a service to their love story.

bro, this had me reeling and wanting to scream. I mean it had its moments but that third act. I wanted to just burn this book and not finish it.

Maybe it's cause I had a similar situation happen to me, so I just shut off the last bit.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Summary of the plot:
Farrah and Blake are both American-born/raised students at an international college in Shanghai. They run into each other one day (literally), they flirt with each other (despite Farrah pretending to be immune to his charms), and the rest is history. They have one year to make the best out of their relationship, but a huge problem crashes into Blake's life, threatening their relationship.

Thoughts on the book:
Like other reviewers, I've read Ana Huang's other adult books, which is primarily why I requested a copy of this one. Considering the age of the characters (young 20s), I had a feeling that it wasn't going to be as spicy as Ana's adult books. And I was correct. There are sex scenes in this book, but it's not as graphic or spicy as you may expect. This is a new adult book and it definitely reads as one, so if you want more spice in your books, this one is not for you.

While the book focuses mostly on Farrah's and Blake's relationship, there are some elements of finding yourself and figuring out who you want to be. For example, Blake used to be a great football player with the goal of playing in the NFL. He decides not to do that because of the risks that playing football has on one's body. He has a strained-ish relationship with his family because of that. Instead, he decides he wants to open a sports bar once he graduates from college.

I will admit. Farrah's coming of age progress isn't as apparent as Blake's. I was really annoyed that her whole focus was on losing her virginity (and apparently everyone else was so invested in it as well) and being in a relationship with Blake. She gets into this prestigious internship, but that's kind of it.

Overall, I thought this book was decent. If I was younger, I might have enjoyed it more as the themes would have been more relatable to me. The romance was okay (though I felt like it was a little fast for me). The ending is what it is. There's a bit of a spoiler in the author's note in the beginning of the book, so feel free to skip that part if you don't want to know what happens (generally speaking) at the end.

Farrah falls in love with her new friend's boyfriend in Shanghai. But she can't stop fantasizing about Blake.... Their physical attraction leads to more...

Love the setting of Shanghai and how the characters adjust to living in a different country. The characters are great. There is a second book coming out so we'll find out more.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

Absolutely loved this even though despising the MMC. Ana's writing is so easy flowing. Really excited to continue on with this series

I really wanted to love this book, but unfortunately I didn’t. It wasn’t horrible I just don’t think it was my taste. I didn’t like the POV and I hated the tropes. The beginning had me so sucked in, but I also think that was the e most interesting part. I read another book by Ana and loved it so was disappointed, but maybe the next one would be better. I would still recommend it to the people who love her and these tropes, though.

I'm so sad. I wanted to love this book. I love the Twisted Series, so thought this would be a definite win for me. The description sounded exciting so I was disappointed when it fell flat. Farrah has a crush on someone else but he's with her friend, until she begins to have feelings for Blake, and then bam, relationship. All the details about Shanghai were interesting, so I enjoyed that aspect of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this ARC! I love Ana’s books and was so honored to receive an early copy.

That being said, this may be the first Ana Huang book I did not like. Farrah and Blake were delusional in both of their own ways! None of it seemed realistic, which usually isn’t a dealbreaker but since this book was set more in reality unlike her other series, it was tough. I also never felt the connection between the FMC and MMC. Everything felt rushed and most of it just fell flat. No chemistry and lack of substance… I’m going to have to pass on that.

SPOILERS AHEAD:

Blake’s reasoning for quitting football… I’m not buying it. IF he was as good as everyone was making him out to be, he would not have quit. Two Heismans and you decide to stop because of CTE? It’s a little too late. I KNOW that is harsh but it is just reality. Another thing, Blake being able to go halfsies on his sports bar with no job and no prospects… no way. I understand supporting your man but Farrah should have been honest with him. In WHAT world would that have been plausible. ALSO HIM LEADING HER ON FOR HALF THE BOOK!!! IM SICK!!! That man is a father, a cheater, and honestly not THAT good-looking. Farrah go grab your shoes and let me find you a home.

SPOILERS DONE.

This book is still very fresh in my mind. I read it in essentially one sitting. I will say, I understand why some people really enjoy this. Do NOT go into it thinking that this is romance. This is a horror movie at worst and a cautionary tale at best. To my HEA girlies, skip this. I might read the sequel to see if I am being too quick to judge. For now, 2 stars.