For me the best part of this book was connecting with Ari's mental health journey. This is one of the few books I found myself highlighting certain lines and having to take a moment while reading because they hit me so hard. Thank you Rachel Lynn Solomon for putting into words thoughts I never felt like I could properly describe. This book made me tear up, made me laugh, and made me feel seen.

Thank you so much @BerkleyRomance & @NetGalley for giving me this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 11 January 2022)

SYNOPSIS | Ari (a meteorologist) & Russell (a sports reporter) concoct a plan to set up their divorced bosses in an attempt to improve the office work environment.

WHAT I LIKED:
- the depiction of anxiety & depression (including the emphasis on seeking therapy & normalizing medication)
- the fact the male MC was plus sized (I don't think I've actually ever read a romance with a chunkier hero)
- that Ari wore weather themed clothing / jewellery

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- I sadly didn't feel the spark between Ari & Russell at all & struggled to root for them as a couple
- no dual POV
- I wanted more resolution between Ari & her mother
- this is marketed as a romcom but it really isn't (& that's okay! I was just expecting laugh out loud moments)

I loved the inclusion of depression in this one. It was done so perfectly, allowing you to feel the heaviness of it without weighing you or the story down. The MC was so relatable, and the story was fast-paced. Overall, I couldn't have picked a better book to read when the winter blues were tugging at me. I can't wait to read what this author writes next!

Thanks to @berkleyromance + @penguinrandomhouse for the advance publicity review copy of Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon, out January 2022.

Rachel Lynn Solomon has done it again in creating characters I connect with, a romance to root for, and a story I compulsively read and do not want to end. From the super fun and punny weather chapter titles and jokes to the exploration of mental health and its impact on relationships (family, friendship, and love) and Jewish family stories, Ari and Russ’s story is one you won’t want to miss. I have no regrets in reading this one early and having preordered the physical copy. Weather Girl is most definitely a reminder that self-discovery and acceptance is the most important piece of a successful (and steamy) love story which makes this one feel oh-so-real.

Rachel Lynn Solomon’s latest contemporary romance, Weather Girl, follows Ari Abrams, a young Jewish woman whose lifelong fascination with the weather has landed her a dream job as a TV meteorologist. Working alongside her longtime idol, legendary Seattle weatherwoman, Torrance Hale, Ari’s job is everything she ever hoped it would be. That is, with one exception: the unbearable tension in the workplace between Torrance and Seth, who happens to be the news director at the station as well as Torrance’s ex-husband. The two of them are constantly at each other’s throats, making everyone around them feel awkward and uncomfortable, including one of Ari’s coworkers, sports reporter Russell Barringer. Unable to take it anymore, Ari and Russell cook up a scheme to get Torrance and Seth back together. Adult version of The Parent Trap, anyone?

I had a lot of fun with this story. Ari and Russell are both such likeable characters and I enjoyed their attempts at nudging Torrance and Seth back together, especially since it became clear that the two of them were also growing closer along the way.

I also just loved how realistic and relatable Ari came across, particularly when it came to her struggles with mental health. Ari suffers from depression but has also struggled with the fear that no one would like her if they knew of her depression. Her way of coping with that has been to keep her depression and therapy a secret, put on a happy face and be a walking ray of sunshine to everyone around her. It was clearly not healthy and in fact, was downright exhausting at times, because all Ari really wanted was to feel like she could be herself. Could Russell finally be the one who gets her to let her guard down?

Speaking of Russell, I really loved this guy and honestly found him to be more realistic than most of the male leads I’ve read about in romance novels. He’s a Jewish single dad and he hasn’t been on a date in at least five years. Russell also struggles with his weight and so doesn’t really think of himself as a “catch” for any woman. I liked that sense of vulnerability about him, and I also liked that the more he and Ari hung out together, the more it was clear what a great match they could be because, even though their matchmaking schemes weren’t exactly professional, they really did bring out the best in each other.

If matchmaking a la The Parent Trap, a realistic exploration of a person coping with depression, excellent Jewish representation, and a friends-to-lovers romance appeal to you, Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon needs to be on your must-read list. It’s the fourth novel I’ve read from Solomon, and it’s definitely another winner for me.

This was a quick, fast paced romance with an interesting premise. Rachel Lynn Solomon seems to do well with workplace romances.

I adore absolutely everything Rachel Lynn Solomon writes it seems. I love the fat representation with Russell. I love how seemlessly everything flowed. Overall will highly recommend.

Read this if…you liked “The Ex Talk” or prefer your romcom leads to be authentic people with real problems.

Ari is the weather girl for a TV station in Seattle. Her bosses are exes that spend all their time at the station bickering and taking cheap shots at each other, making it a hostile environment for Ari and her colleagues. One night, after a particularly bad argument between said bosses, Ari and Russell, a junior sports broadcaster, come up with a plan to get the two back together, Parent Trap style. Meanwhile, Ari and Russ start to fall for each other and have to wade through each other’s emotional baggage before they can truly make a relationship work.

Have you ever read a book that just speaks to you? Well, this was that book for me! I was immediately interested in it by the cover and title alone. I love weather and considered being a meteorologist when I was younger. Then, the daughter’s name is Elodie and so is my daughter’s. The date July 28th has significance in the book and that is my wedding anniversary. I’ve had first and second hand experience with depression so I really felt for the characters. So weird, right?

Commonalities aside, I loved this book! The characters were authentic and a heavy topic like depression was represented respectfully and honestly. I loved the progression of Ari and Russell’s relationship. It didn’t feel rushed and has just the right amount of spice for me! I enjoyed the banter between the couples and the matchmaking plot. Each chapter is titled with a “forecast” which I thought was so clever. I loved all the weather related puns and the fact that the main guy is a slightly nerdy single dad with a realistic “dad bod.” I can already tell this is going to be one of my favorites for 2022!

A big thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Berkeley Publishing for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Weather Girl is a cute cliché workplace romance featuring commentary on depression, body neutrality, single parenthood, parental estrangement, medication and divorce. Weather Girl falls more into the category of a contemporary romance than rom-com, which was how I found it to be marketed. I adore all of the representation in this one: Jewish MCs, fat hero, hero with depression who is on medication and goes to therapy, mixed race secondary characters. Rachel Lynn Solomon's handling of Ari suffering depression felt genuine and heartfelt.

While interested in the characters, this one just wasn't right for me. The chemistry was non-existent between Ari and Russell, and their budding relationship fell completely to the wayside to make room for the Parent Trap plot. That being said once the spice came and went from 0 to 1000, I was double checking that I was still reading the same book. I'm all for spice but the lack of sexual tension (besides the sling/PJ scene) to sudden dirty talk felt quite jarring for me. I found myself more interested in their bosses Torrance and Seth, as well as Ari's family.

Overall, I skimmed about 75% of this one and enjoyed the second half more than the first. Weather Girl had moments I enjoyed but overall is not one that I'll recommend to many due to lack of chemistry for the MCs.

CW: ⁠depression, parental estrangement, fatphobia

3.75 stars rounded up.

Weather Girl is a fun, sweet, and realistic office romance at a news station where a Parent Trap-inspired matchmaking scheme to reunite their bosses brings together meteorologist Ari and sportscaster Russel.

I enjoyed how Rachel Lynn Solomon portrayed a realistic relationship with real issues. I especially appreciated how she did not shy away from depicting Ari’s depression and the way it affected her self-worth and her relationships with family members, friends, colleagues, and romantic partners. Russel has his own struggles as a former teen parent single dad who doesn’t have the typical body type for a male lead in a romance novel. Ari and Russel were a great match for each other once they learned to navigate their vulnerabilities, and while I do prefer to read romances with more angst, theirs is the kind of relationship I would actually like to have.

This book also features fantastic Jewish representation, complex family dynamics, a few steamy scenes, plenty of weather puns and weather-related jewelry, and fun dates and events like swing dancing, air hockey, office Olympics, and plenty of show tunes. The story didn’t always fully hold my attention, but it always felt real.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC.

I honestly adored this book. I enjoyed The Ex Talk and Weather Girl did not disappoint. I think the author did good in delicately handling a few heavy topics such as mental illness, body image and a few others. There’s also humor and steam and self discovery in this delightful friends to lovers matchmaking story. Ari and Russel will definitely brighten your day and touch your heart. It was a delight to read this slow burn romance between the weather girl and the sports reporter.

This was my last book of 2021 and it was an amazing one to end the year with! I loved it so much. I related to Ari in more ways than one, starting with feelings about the weather and rainy days. So of course I had to read this during our rainy week here in dry Arizona.

This was the perfect rom-com where Ari and Russell do a parent trap situation, but with their bosses. So you kind of get two romances in one. Russell was the perfect hero, plus he’s a single dad. 😍 I loved that each chapter had a forecast for what’s to come. It was cute, it was funny, but it also dives deeper into serious topics of dealing with depression and mental health.

It’s friends to lovers with work place romance!

5⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the arc!

Absolute darling of a book that hits all pleasure centers. First, the Jewish heroine has depression, which is talked about candidly. Second, the hero is a fat man. I can't remember the last romance I read where the man wasn't described as chiseled with tight abs so a realistic hero that's fat and attractive is delightful. Third, the B plot is about second chances for an interracial couple in their 50s rediscovering love. You'll adore the main characters and the community of loved ones around them.

4.25 stars; as fluffy as a cloud and as warm as sunshine. I adored the Ex Talk last year and while I think I still prefer that one, Weather Girl did not disappoint. It was exactly the type of book I needed after reading some meh thrillers and a massive fantasy. the premise was fun and once I got into the story, I stopped mentally comparing it to Set It Up. I loved Ari and Russell and even liked how the third act conflict happened. There was a lot of great representation in here between the mental health, body positivity, and Jewish traditions and I really loved how all of those conversations/plot lines were handled. I also really enjoyed the side characters and would love to get companion novels for some of them!

Well, this book ☝🏻 is new favorite.

Weather Girl is a soft, slow burn, acquaintance to lovers read with a lot of Set It Up or Parent Trap vibes. It tells the story of Ari, weather enthusiast and local meteorologist who happens to suffer from depression.

This book was simply beautiful and I love it so, so much, primarily the mental health aspect. I love how we get a glimpse into the life of someone living with depression and thriving. How even when they are thriving by taking medication regularly and going to therapy, they can still be triggered into set backs. How childhood trauma affects adult perspectives.

Every romance is different, and I think what I loved so much about this book is that we get to see how Ari’s mind worked both with and against her. Her though processes and rationals we’re realistic and I loved watching her work through her issues.

I also couldn’t get enough of Russell from his sexy “dad bod,” scruff and glasses, to all of his cinnamon roll, beta hero goodness (outside of the bedroom 😉). He had his own insecurities and anxieties to deal with, but I think he was the exact partner that Ari needed.

Then there was all the talk of weather. I’m the kind of person that will romanticize precipitation, maybe not to the extent of Ari, but it was nice to know I’m not alone. And the more I read this book, the more I saw the metaphor between the weather and our emotions. How the sunshine happiness and gloomy sad days are both unpredictable and outside our control. I clearly fell into all the depth Weather Girl brought!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to @netgalley and @berkelyromance for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved Weather Girl so much - this is now joining my list of favorite romances.

Arielle (Ari) is a meteorologist in Seattle working closely with her idol that she grew up watching - Torrance Hale. The work environment is tense as Torrance and her ex husband Seth, the news director, are always clashing loudly in front of everyone.

After a disastrous work “holiday party” Ari connects with Russell, a sports reporter, over drinks. Together they come up with the idea to “Parent Trap” their bosses back together, hopefully then making the work environment better for everyone. Ari and Russell start spending more time together and also start to develop feelings.

It’s tough to explain why I loved this book so much without spoiling anything - but I loved how fully formed all the characters were. Their lives aren’t just their jobs or their relationships or their pasts but everything together - just like anyone we know in our real lives.

Mental health is a big part of the story - Ari’s depression, the impact of her mother’s mental health as she was growing up and how she has internalized beliefs about her relationships and the importance of therapy and medication when needed.

I loved the ways Ari and Russ worked through their challenges and how to best love each other exactly as they are. I also think this is the first romance I read with a male lead who was self conscious about his weight and I appreciated how it was shown.

I really could go on and on and on about everything I loved in this book but please stop reading my review and go read this book instead!! Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Romance for my free ebook.

"Weather Girl": 4 ⭐

The first thought I had when reading the title and looking at the cover was that this was going to be a cute romcom and the protagonist's emotions would be based on the weather. I mean, you read Weather Girl, it's only right to assume! Basically, I got that right but so far wrong!
This book is so personal, like, in a way that touches your heart and soul with the simplest words. Love is literally all around the book, being it physical, selfless or passionate. I loved our main characters, Ari and Russ. They were the perfect couple and one thing that I really enjoyed was their bosses, Torrance and Seth, who work as matchmakers for Ari and Russ. Funny as heck, so do Ari and Russ for Torrance and Seth 😂 this was really cute and filled with glee and emotions and just the perfect amount of weather references. OH AND I LOVED THE PARENT TRAP REFERENCES! ❤️

Weather Girl is a lovely, heartfelt, and refreshing romance book!

Ari Abrams has been obsessed with the weather for as long as she can remember, and now she’s working in her dream job as a TV meteorologist. Her love life is not so dreamy, though, but things start to look up when Ari and Russell, a sports reporter, come up with a Parent Trap style scheme to get their divorced bosses back together.

This was my first book by Solomon, and it certainly won’t be my last! It was wonderful to read a romance book featuring Jewish characters because I sadly haven’t come across many. I also greatly appreciated the mental health representation, and the way it’s handled in this book made Ari feel more real. This poor woman had the worst luck, though! Despite dealing with heavy topics, I laughed out loud several times, and Ari and Russell’s relationship was both sweet and steamy. Russell was an amazing and realistic love interest and a fantastic father! I adored his daughter, Elodie. There was also a cute twist that I didn’t pick up on. The ending unfortunately bothered me and I wish it had gone in a different direction, though I can’t say why without giving spoilers. Overall, I really enjoyed Weather Girl, and I hope Rachel Lynn Solomon keeps writing wonderful romance books! I’ll definitely be picking up The Ex Talk soon!

RLS does it again! This book is just so dang sweet. The hijinks with their bosses was cute - very reminiscent of the movie Set It Up. This may be an odd way of describing it, but I feel like it’s the most “realistic” romance I’ve ever read, and I mean that in a good way. Ari and Russell felt like real people. Their hopes and fears felt so real and made sense. While yes, this book is a romance, it’s first and foremost a book about mental health. The tones are more serious than you might expect from a rom-com (there’s less of the “com” in this one). I love how many books have included mental health as a major topic this year (thinking of The Charm Offensive and RLS’ We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This). You can tell how much of Rachel is in Ari, and I loved Ari’s vulnerability and growth. There’s also so much great rep in this book, from Jewish rep to a fat male lead - and there’s more steam than The Ex Talk. Overall, I highly recommend this.

This is the sweet story of how Ari, a meteorologist, and Russell, a sports reporter, join forces to get their bosses back together. The more time they spend with each other, the more they realize they like each other.

This is more than I fun/cutesy romcom. It’s a story about mental health, family relationships and finding romance. I loved how both Ari and Russell characters and relationship was realistic. Ari deals with depression and she just wants someone to except her for who she is and Russell has insecurities of his weight. They both work at the same news station and they are both looking for growth in their careers.

I really enjoyed reading this one. It was a slow burn (which I typically don’t like, but it worked in this book) and was rooting for Ari and Russell every step of the way.

On a side note, I loved the titles of each chapter – they were all weather related.

A huge thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.