I had high, high hopes for this book as Today, Tonight, Tomorrow is one of my all time favorites and Ms. Rachel Lynn Solomon (as usual) did NOT disappoint!

I was disapointed in myself for requesting this one, not realizing it was YA. Because of that, i did not actually read this but wanted to get a rating out to you. I hope the correct audience really enjoyed this one--thanks for the copy!

We met Rowan Roth and Neil McNair in Today Tonight Tomorrow where these rivals fell in love over one epic day and night, right before their high school graduation. Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon carries us forward to the end of summer. After a couple of months full of romance and adventure, they're off--to separate colleges. Rowan is starting at Emerson, to pursue a degree in creative writing, and Neil is at NYU to study linguistics. But neither their first year of college--nor their long distance relationship--goes exactly to plan.

I didn't know if I wanted to mess with the perfection that was Today Tonight Tomorrow--but I shouldn't have doubted Rachel. Stepping back into their world, she perfectly captures their personalities again, as both Rowan and Neil change and grow. They're thrust into new and sometimes uncomfortable situations, like everyone is when they first leave home, and the whole book felt very nostalgic. I found myself thinking back to my days in as a college freshman 20 years ago. While a lot of things have changed, a lot has stayed the same about the college experience, and their adventures and misadventures made me smile.

It's definitely a more mature YA book, bordering on New Adult, since they are in college now--with semi-explicit intimate scenes (just as a head's up for parents or readers who may not be looking for that kind of content).

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon!

A perfect sequel! Just as good as the first, which is high praise. Rachel Lynn Solomon is a must-read for me and she never disappoints.

I was so excited to read about them in college but this book moved slow for me and was hard for me to get into. Idk i just wasn't hooked.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

I read the first installment of this book, and was excited to see where the characters stood now. To be honest, I'm surprised that these two got a sequel, as it wasn't the type of ending where I really wondered what happened. It was interesting to see the characters navigate a long-distance relationship, although I didn't necessarily feel like it was extremely realistic. I don't often read young adult or new adult, so I found it a bit too pure for my taste. Overall, I think fans of the series will like this update.

In Past Present Future, Rachel Lynn Solomon continues the romance between Rowan and Neil, who went from rivals to lovers in Today Tonight Tomorrow. Now they’re facing the ups and downs of a long-distance relationship during their first year of college. Rowan’s off to Boston for creative writing, struggling to find her voice, while Neil heads to New York, where he’s quickly pulled into the city’s intensity—and into a personal battle with his mental health.

This sequel is refreshingly honest, capturing what it’s like to maintain a relationship while navigating all the challenges of a new life stage. The dual perspectives bring out Rowan and Neil’s unique experiences and inner struggles, making it feel raw and relatable. While they’re finding their places in the world, they’re also finding out just how much they mean to each other. The story is sometimes heavy, tackling mental health, past trauma, and the pressure of independence, but it remains just as swoony and romantic as the first book.

If you loved Today Tonight Tomorrow, this deeper dive into Rowan and Neil’s relationship feels like the perfect continuation, balancing the romantic with the real. With its honest look at college life, self-discovery, and the complexities of young love, Past Present Future is a story about change, growth, and learning how to hold on to what matters.

So very emotional, I wasn’t prepared to love this as much as I did. I love Rachel Lynn Solomon and all of her stories and this was no different

I’m so disappointed that I didn’t love this book. I was obsessed with Today Tonight Tomorrow back in 2022 (it was a favorite book of the year), and was overjoyed when I learned Rowan and Neil had a sequel coming out – I even was lucky enough to receive the ARC! Unfortunately, my reading slump hit majorly while I was in the middle of this book and I couldn’t bring myself to pick it up for months after it was published. Perhaps this was a case of “right book wrong time”, but most likely this book isn’t for me.

PPF follows Rowan’s and Neil’s navigation of their long distance relationship during their first year in college, while each having their own journey of self discovery… but it really felt like a lot of self discovery and not a lot of development in their relationship with each other. Rowan’s and Neil’s struggles were a bummer for me, and I didn’t want to read about it because it brought me back to my own struggles in college that I have grown from and want to leave in the past. The romance wasn’t the forefront of this book, it was like a side plot. Their banter from the first book was gone, and they just didn’t seem to have chemistry anymore.

That said, their struggles with self doubt are relatable as you navigate your first year in college. Neil’s battle with his mental health is good to have in a story made for new adults who might be struggling with their own mental health, but it was a huge chunk of the book and I wasn’t interested in it. Same for Rowan. Though many young people going to college might relate, I wasn’t really into the tone shift.

Further, there were loose ends left with side characters that I really wanted fleshed out. For such a long book, the ending was rushed. I’d say this book is good for new adults who want to relate to the struggles of college; but once you’re in your thirties, you’re way past what the characters are going through and may find this a slog.

RLS young adult books are soooo good! She hit it out of the park with this one and I love the little universe she’s created

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review! I absolutely loved this novel. I wish I had it when I was starting college. Rowan and Neil are so real and so tangible as characters. I thought the plot was relatable, and the pacing was on point. Following Rowan and Neil over the course of a year and seeing them go through what all college students go through at some point in their freshman year healed something in my soul. I would give this duology of books to any high school senior I know.

Sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow. Follows the main characters as they leave for college and grapple with staying connected while finding their own places in their new environments. Realistic depiction of the issues that young adults grapple with as they leave home and start the transition to adulthood.

I really enjoyed Today, Tonight, Tomorrow and the sequel did not disappoint, Like the first book, it’s smart and full of heart, a romance with substance, beautiful writing, and characters that feel real. I loved watching the characters transition to college…I feel like this is rare to see with YA books and a needed stepping stone in publishing to bridge the gap between high school and adult stories.

Personally, I related to Rowan’s journey and classes as a former Creative Writing major myself and I enjoyed that trip down memory lane. On the flip side, I also related to Neil’s journey of depression and found it to be a realistic and not melodramatic depiction of what living with it can feel like.

While this book was too spicy for the high school where I work, I appreciated the well-written and not overly graphic spicy scenes as well as the depiction of a positive, healthy, consensual, and communicative relationship. Young people need to be able to see that to have those standards for their own relationships.

Overall, an excellent sequel and a great read of its own.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @SimonandSchuster for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a heartfelt and engaging sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow, following Rowan and Neil as they navigate the challenges of a long-distance relationship during their first year of college. This novel beautifully captures the complexities of young love, self-discovery, and the transition to adulthood.

What I Loved:
Character Development: Solomon excels at portraying the growth of her characters. Rowan and Neil’s struggles with their new environments and personal challenges are depicted with authenticity and depth. Their journey feels real and relatable.
Dual Perspectives: The alternating viewpoints of Rowan and Neil provide a well-rounded understanding of their experiences and emotions. This narrative style enriches the story, allowing readers to connect deeply with both characters.
Emotional Resonance: The book tackles themes of mental health, identity, and the pressures of academic life with sensitivity and insight. Solomon’s exploration of these issues adds a layer of emotional depth that resonates strongly.

What Could Be Improved:
Pacing: At times, the story’s pacing can feel uneven. Some sections, particularly those focusing on their individual struggles, might drag for readers looking for more interaction between the main characters.
Secondary Characters: While Rowan and Neil are well-developed, some secondary characters could benefit from more depth. This would enhance the overall richness of the narrative and provide a fuller picture of their new lives.

Overall, Past Present Future is a touching and thought-provoking read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance and coming-of-age stories. It’s a testament to the resilience of young love and the importance of self-discovery.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #simonandschuster #ltbreaderteam #pastpresentfuture #rachellynnsolomon

Thank you to the lovely NetGalley for the ARC!

I was a huge fan of Today, Tonight, Tomorrow--naturally, PPP was a highly anticipated read for me, and wow, it did not disappoint! I love the sequel even more than the first. If you've read Solomon's See You Yesterday, you already know that she excels at writing YA crossover set in college and excelled yet again this time. I especially love the Jewish representation in her stories and, specifically in this one, that the struggle between the love interests to keep their relationship intact felt realistic. Solomon mentioned in an interview that she didn't want the conflict to be focused around cheating or temptation, and I'm so glad she stuck with that because readers (young and old) can learn a lot from this story about love, holding on, and growing WITH someone through challenges.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own. I thought this was a super cute continuation of the first book; loved it!

I didn’t like this as much as the first one, sadly. I still blew through it, but it was a little less fun to me. Of course, that’s the point of the book! It’s about love and relationships, instead of crushes.

Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a heartfelt, relatable story perfect for YA readers who love romance, long-distance relationship dramas, and honest takes on mental health. Fans of emotional, authentic contemporary romance will find it especially captivating.

I don’t even have the words to describe how lovely this book was, especially for such a huge Today Tonight Tomorrow fan like myself!

Right off the bat, I was just so overjoyed to be reading this. I had never expected a sequel for Rowan & Neil’s story, but I was so incredibly excited about it! And it ended up being everything and more than what my expectations had been — I can confidently say that it was a story that needed to be told.

This was an absolutely beautiful story between two people who love each other so much but are also dealing with the growing pains of leaving home for the first time and going away to college, maintaining a long-distance relationship, and navigating the changes of figuring out who you are in the world.

Rowan & Neil complemented each other so well, and this story stayed so true to who they are while also exploring more about them, especially Neil who we didn’t get much of in the first book. There’s lots of goodness to be found in their relationship together while also seeing them adjust to their new environments as individuals. Some parts of their story hurt and resonated with me because of my own not-so-great experiences, but this book healed me in a way that I can’t explain, and I’m so grateful for that.

Overall, this book was done so incredibly well — I could go on and on! I’m so impressed by how this story was written in justice and relation with the first well-beloved book. My love for Rowan & Neil grew even more after reading this, and they truly have my heart and soul. I could read a million more pages about them, but this book was perfection, and I couldn’t ask for anything better.

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!