My feelings about You, Again are mixed. I enjoyed the first third, felt indifferent to the middle third, and then cried my way through the final third. I even set it down around 60% because I just wasn’t into it. After reading a few other books in a different genre, I came back to it and am glad I did.
Book Description
Can they stop hating each other long enough to fall in love?
A commitment-phobe and a hopeless romantic clash over and over again—until heartbreak and unexpected chemistry bring them together in this clever enemies-to-friends-to-lovers debut romance.
When Ari and Josh first meet, 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 never sleeps over after hooking up. Born-and-bred Manhattanite Josh has ambitious plans: 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.
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—and too sad for hate sex.
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…
With sharp observations and sizzling chemistry, You, Again explores the dynamics of co-ed friendship in this sparkling romantic comedy of modern love in all its forms.
Thoughts
My feelings about You, Again are mixed. I enjoyed the first third, felt indifferent to the middle third, and then cried my way through the final third. I even set it down around 60% because I just wasn’t into it. After reading a few other books in a different genre, I came back to it and am glad I did.
I must admit, I have never watched When Harry Met Sally. I’m not quite sure how that happened since it is a classic and I love Meg Ryan, but I never got around to it. I don’t know if that impacted how I felt about the first parts of the book. Might be time to actually watch it and see!
I had a really hard time connecting with either main character. Their decisions, while maybe ‘real’, were frustrating and made me want to shake them both repeatedly. I don’t mind bad choices, interactions, etc, as long as there is learning, but they went ages in the same patterns. Neither one treated people very well and didn’t try to take any responsibility for it. Josh at least started to grow while their friendship grew, but Ari didn’t seem to until the very end, which then made it feel rushed.
While the growth felt a little hurried, it was still very impactful. Their vulnerability was heartbreaking and raw, especially when the other wasn’t in a place to hear it yet. It finally helped me to connect with the characters and instead of wanting to shake them, I just wanted to hold them.
“No one should marry the person who makes them happy. Marry the person you want by your side at your absolute lowest point.”
Kate Goldbeck – You, Again
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review. You, Again is out now!
