By Kate Goldbeck
The Dial Press, 2023. 439 pages. Romance
When Ari and Josh meet the first time, the wrong kind of sparks fly. They hate each other. Instantly. A free-spirited, struggling comedian who likes to keep things casual, Ari sublets, takes gigs, and lives by a code that ensures her friends-with-benefits stay firmly in the friendzone. Born-and-bred Manhattanite Josh has ambitious plans: he'll take the culinary world by storm, find The One, and make her breakfast in his spotless kitchen. They have absolutely nothing in common except that they happen to be sleeping with the same woman. After their disastrous first meeting, Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again. But years later, as they're both reeling from ego-bruising breakups, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. Turns out, spending time with your former nemesis is fun when you're too sad to hate each other. As friends-without-benefits, they find comfort in late night Netflix binges, swiping through each other's online dating profiles, and bickering across boroughs. It's better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur.
When I read this was a gender swapped version of When Harry Met Sally, I was immediately sold. What followed was a modern dating story full of Millennial indulgence and heart-breaking and rebuilding authenticity. Ari’s commitment phobia was so frustrating, but also understandable along with Josh’s need to fit everything neatly into a box. Goldbeck really focused on developing these two characters both in their relationship with each other, but also as individuals. It’s rare that a romance is successful on both these fronts. I loved their banter and pop culture references (once again, Millennial indulgence). Similar to When Harry Met Sally, NYC was also a living and breathing character in the story. Overall, if you enjoy an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope with strong character development, you’ll love You, Again.
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By Cara Bastone
The Dial Press, 2024. 378 pages. Romance
Eve Hatch is pretty content with her life. Her apartment in Brooklyn is cozy, but close to her childhood best friend Willa, and far from her midwestern, religious upbringing where she always felt misunderstood. While her position as an administrative assistant at the Wildlife Federation of America is a dream-adjacent job, she's hoping her passion and hard work will help her land a more glamorous role where she could actually make a difference someday. And sure, her most recent romantic history has consisted of not one, but two disappointing men named Derek. At least she always knows what to expect until she finds herself expecting after an uncharacteristic one-nightstand. Suddenly, this surprise pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve's ride-or-die friendship with Willa is suddenly feeling off. And surprisingly, it's Willa's steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help. He has always been supportive, but now he's checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her woes, and is suddenly irresistible? Add in a kind but conflicted baby daddy, who also happens to have a girlfriend, and Eve is feeling out of her depth, to say the least.
By Josie Silver
Delacorte Press, 2023. 372 Pages. Fiction
When Iris moves to New York City to restart her life, her friend Bobby drags her to an autumn street fair in Little Italy. Among the food stalls, a family-run gelateria catches her eye. She returns the next day and meets Gio, whose uncle is recuperating from a stroke and cannot remember the family's gelato recipe. Sampling the last remaining batch, Iris realizes the recipe is the same as the one her mother makes. Iris offers her services to help re-create the family's recipe. Will secrets she's hiding threaten the new life-- and love-- she's been building?
BW
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