Being a depressed person, I wasn't sure how I was going to react to this book, b the author's note was highly appreciated and made me cry. I wish that Ari had had her moment of clarity a bit sooner in the story. Everyone's journey is different though. Sometimes it takes longer than we'd like to realize our illness is lying to us. That being said, the make-up felt slightly rushed. I'd like to have spent more time getting to know Russell. I did enjoy all of the characters, and believed the romance. Having a fat love interest is very exciting and I enjoyed reading Ari's thirst for him. RLS writes yearning SO WELL. This didn't grab me as hard as The Ex Talk, although that was one of my favorite reads this year so it's a hard act to follow. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to whatever is next.

CW: depressive episode
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WEATHER GIRL follows meteorologist Ari Abrams and sports reporter Russell. The pair decide to scheme together to get their divorced bosses to fall back in love so they can get rid of the awful atmosphere their fights have been causing at work.
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I’ll read anything Rachel writes! As usual, I loved the writing, the voice, these characters. I found Ari’s depression realistic and relatable. I really appreciate the positivity towards medication and therapy that I find in Rachel’s books. Watching her tentatively reconnect with her mother was nice— I liked that she protected herself that way while also letting herself be open to reconciliation.
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I really liked Russel! I was so thrilled when I realized he’s a plus sized man. I would have loved to see his size represent on the cover, but I’m still happy to have it on the preorder character art! I’m a sucker for a DILF, okay? He’s a wonderful father! I loved seeing Ari interact with his daughter, his ex and her husband. It was great to see their family readily accept her. I appreciated the discussion of teen parenthood and I’m especially happy that it worked so well for Russel and his ex, Liv.
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4.5 stars, WEATHER GIRL by Rachel Lynn Solomon is available January 22, 2022.
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Thank you to Rachel, the publisher and netgalley for sending me an eARC to review!

Tired of all the tension in the office, Ari and Russell hatched a plot to “Parent Trap” reignite the passion between their bosses. The original plan was to make their bosses fall for each other, but it seemed Ari and Russell might be the ones falling.

It’s a fact that I love Solomon’s books, and this was another solid hit for me. Once again, she delivered a story filled with characters I loved, genuine rom-com moments, as well as an exploration of weightier topics.

I think many will appreciate Ari’s struggle with her mental health. Solomon spent ample time exploring this side of the heroine’s life and did so thoughtfully and with care. I saw her good days and her bad days, but most satisfying was seeing her shed some of the shame and her need to hide this part of herself.

The hero, Russell, was quite special too. Obviously, he was a sweet cinnamon roll man, but he was also fat. I cannot recall having read any romance books featuring fat heroes. Solomon gently probed this part of Russell, and I was impressed to see its inclusion. I also loved that Russell was a dad. He had heart-eyes for his little girl, and their dynamic was wonderful. There’s a LOT more to that part of his story, but I want you to read it for yourself. Just know that Russell grew even shinier in my eyes when I learned about his past.

The Parent Trap plot provided many fun moments in this story. Something seemed to happen during each of these dates that resulted in some heat between Ari and Russell, as well as lots of laughs. It was lovely watching them falling harder and harder, as the other couple’s reunion took root.

In the end, I had to dry my happy tears from the “A+” ending. My eyes were wet, my heart was full. What more could I ask for? Solomon did a beautiful job blending romance, humor, and mental health issues, and the result was a heartfelt and heartwarming story which made me laugh, cry, smile, and swoon.

This was a quiet workplace romance set in a local TV station newsroom, where two reporters are tired of the workplace hostility among their bosses and they decide to take action and set them up to see if they can spark their interest. The relationship grows over time and it is a healthy relationship.

What I loved about this book is that it features a character who has depression and she is coping with it as best as she can. She goes to therapy, she is on medication and she is highly functional at work. As someone who has depression the fact that I see a Female Main Character finding her match is inspiring. This book meant a lot to me.

An absolute gem!

It's a matchmaking workplace romance a la Set it Up (Netflix) where Ari, the weather girl, and Russell, the sports guy conspire to get their once married bosses back together. If only to chill things out in the newsroom. And they find themselves falling for each other.

But what sets this one apart is that it;s super real about depression and mental health, both when you're dealing with it personally, and you were raised by a parent who didn't deal with it so well (at first).

Add in that Russell is a single dad whose daughter is about to become a bat mitzvah and you've got a complex, heartfelt, eminently readable contemporary romance with Jewish rep. Loved it.

P.S. I'd say this one is a smidge steamier than Solmon's previous adult romance, the Ex Talk.

I don't know if there is such a thing as a "perfect" romcom but Weather Girl comes seriously close. It was funny, romantic, and very steamy with all the sex scenes serving to push the development of the relationship forward. Ari and Russel were adorable together and I loved watching them open up to each other and learn to trust that they were capable of being loved just as they are. There was Jewish rep, fat rep, mental health rep. Some of the issues could have made the story depressing, but Solomon so skillfully wove it into the humor and the pacing of the love story, with the help of the Torrance and Seth secondary love story and more (Russel's daughter, Ari's mom, brother, and niece/nephew), and I found myself smiling almost the entirety while reading. Truly amazing book and already can't wait to read the author's next book!

This Is a terrific romance from the amazing Rachel Lynn Solomon. This novel has a wonderful love story, honest representation of someone who has depression, and a fantastic cast of characters. This is a book that any fan of the Netflix film Set It Up will love.

This was the first book I read by Rachel Lynn Solomon and now I FINALLY understand the hype!!!! I want to start off by saying this is not your typical rom-com book. Don’t get me wrong, there are moments that had me literally laughing out loud but there is also discussion of heavier themes such as mental health, therapy, body image and hard familial relationships. So, be sure to look up trigger warnings :) I personally found that RLS did a stellar job at addressing these themes while also keeping the book lighthearted and funny.

I was SO invested in every character and the sub plots. Normally, when I read a romance book, I’m usually only invested in the main love story. However, I was completely enthralled by everything this book had to offer. Torrance and Seth’s relationship was EVERYTHING OF THE SORT. I still laugh anytime I think about the holiday party scene (if you know, you know). I also adored seeing Ari’s relationship with her brother and mother. I found at times Ari and Russ’s relationship was lacking but I still adored them as characters and the spice did not disappoint!!!

If you’re looking for a book with great representation, THIS ONE IS FOR YOU!! As a Jewish woman, it’s rare to see Jewish individuals represented in romance novels. Thus, discovering both Ari and Russell are Jewish was ICONIC. Any mention of Judaism in this book had me squealing. It made me feel so seen and excited. Additionally, this is the first book I read in which the male love interest is fat. It was SO refreshing to see!! I loved the open discussion of male body image in this book. Men like Russ need to be represented more in books. I really appreciated that many of the characters in this book were so vulnerable and raw.

Overall, I truly loved this book! I already know I’m going to be recommending Weather Girl to everyone :)

Okay, i ADORED this book so much! I’ve always liked weather myself so the fact that the FMC’s job was a meteorologist is so cool!

What I always love about Rachel’s writing is the way she explores deeper topics of conversation. Yes, this is a romance novel (akin to The Parent Trap!) but depression is also a prevalent theme. Real topics like that are so important in books to me. I also loved the Jewish representation in the book as well!

I really enjoyed Ari and Russell’s relationship. I liked they had a foundation of being friendly first, and not falling head over heels in love instantly. I also love that Russell wasn’t written as this dude with a rockin bod. He’s insecure about his appearance but he’s still attractive and incredibly sweet. And the steam moments in this were…PHEW! Hot!

I love Rachel’s writing and she’s an autobuy author for me! Thanks for the ARC!

Two colleagues at a news station: sports and weather. It's their dream career, will they also find their dream romance. Wasn't a big fan of this book. Too much angst and awkward relationships to start it off. I never found the flow of this title.

In Solomon’s Weather Girl, a TV meteorologist (Ari Abrams) and a sports reporter (Russell Barringer) play in a romantic comedy to set their divorced bosses up, as in The Parent Trap. Along the way, the tables are turned and Ari and Russell become an item. The book charts Ari’s mental health journey, through therapy and medications.

I absolutely loved this book! I was so engrossed by the characters right off the bat. Rachel Lynn Solomon's writing is out of this world, if you've been in a reading slump this is a great place to start, it absolutely blew me away!

Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to @berkleyromance, @berkleypub and @netgalley for the ARC.

Like The Ex Talk¸ this book slowly and unexpectedly crept up on me. It didn’t have laugh-out-loud absurd antics – but a few parts made me chuckle and it had playful moments (though I wouldn’t classify it as a rom com). It didn’t have gorgeous MCs with rock-hard abs and perfect features – but they were endearing and lovable and real. It didn’t have over-the-top angst or deep drama but dealt with heavy topics in a very authentic way, especially how depression is its own slow burn, consistently simmering under the surface, bubbling up in places and sometimes boiling over. I appreciated RLS tackling the stigma around therapy and medication with grace. She handled the paralyzing fear of showing your true self and vulnerabilities with compassion and accuracy. Ari and Russ seemed like an unlikely pair, and they were fumbling and awkward at times, but such is real life. This definitely wasn’t your typical escapist, forget-about-your-life-and-live-vicariously-through-it type of book. It felt more like curling up with that friend who you can sit with in your rattiest sweatpants, completely open up to and who makes you feel less alone. Bonus points if you are interested in meteorology and the heartbeat of a newsroom.

Quotes: “For the longest time…I’ve thought I was unlovable. I didn’t think you would want me if I wasn’t always the best version of Ari Abrams. I didn’t think you’d want the person with issues. The person who wasn’t always happy.” And -- because this is just the total truth -- “Being a person is hard.”

Song for Ari and Russ: Only Us from Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack: “I don't need you to sell me on reasons to want you, I don't need you to search for the proof that I should. You don't have to convince me, You don't have to be scared you're not enough. 'Cause what we've got going is good”

This rating hurts me to say. I loved The Ex Talk and have been looking forward to Weather Girl since I first heard about it. I loved so much about this book, I almost wish it was edited just a bit to be classified as contemporary fiction with a romance because that would easily have been a four-plus star.

First, the things I loved: Rachel Lynn Solomon's writing is just perfection. This isn't by any means a comedy but the timing and tone of a handful of lines absolutely killed me. I was immediately hooked into Ari's story and life in the workplace and ALL the just so perfectly SEATTLE vibes (seriously, I am so happy it is more than just a "location tag" but its own character). The framework of this book is that Ari and Russell have decided to THE PARENT TRAP their bosses to help reduce the toxicity of their workplace. I enjoyed this premise as the excuse for our two leads to get to know each other and spend time together. It was always fun to watch their plans almost backfire into romantic moments for the two of them.

I really appreciated Solomon's tackling of depression and mental health (and per her author's note was a deeply personal experience to write about which made it all the more impactful). I really enjoyed Ari's journey through not only managing her depression (therapy and medication that is managed prior to this novel) but in accepting this isn't a deep, dark secret and she doesn't need to hide that part of herself was very powerful. The two leads are also Jewish and the beginning of the novel takes place over the holiday season with them navigating a "Christmas" work party and just highlighting how un-inclusive that can be. And finally, Russell is a fat man who is the sexy, sweet, love interest which is rare to see in romance novels.

So, as I said ALL of the above: made this easily a four-star if not more. I would still recommend this book to people who are looking for mental health representation in romance books. I will definitely keep an eye out for reviews from others about this as it is not an experience I share so can only speak from MY perspective on this right now. Where the book took a bit of a nosedive is that... I never felt the chemistry between Ari and Russell. I didn't feel any moments that made me swoon for them. I could have ended the book with them appreciating the growth they had together but becoming friends (which HELLO I should want to RAGE if a couple doesn't get a HEA in a romance). A couple of moments of Ari gushing over Russell actually made me feel like he was doing the bare-minimum-decent-human (e.g. he accepted her love of weather and let her talk about it without judgment). So yeah, I loved both characters and felt like they were fully written individuals but I was missing some ingredient on them as a couple that bumped this down for me and I am distraught about it.

Rachel Lynn Solomon once again knocks it out of the park (look a sportsball reference 😉) with this charming, emotional, feel-good romcom about meteorologist, Ari Abrams, and her sports reporting co-worker/friend Russell Barringer who attempt to improve the News Station environment by reuniting their bosses.

I really adored this read – as I stated emotional but left me with a giant smile on my face too. Weather Girl had so many great things going for: thoughtful mental health representation (depression and anxiety), complex family dynamics, the true portrayal of the real struggle/journey of mental health – lifelong and with ebbs and flows, single parent romance, second chance romance, matchmaking and beautifully flawed hero and heroine (shout out for Russell being an all around amazing person with a dad bod and body positivity in the book!). In case you couldn’t tell, I just had so many things I enjoyed and was excited about. The skilled writing and care that went into this book just really hit me in the feels. ❤💕

There was so much going on in this read, but it really speaks to this writers skill that it all felt like a part of the story – it just felt like real life. I finished this one last night, but I’m still wrapped up in thinking about it and feeling it. This is definitely a book hangover read and I honestly cannot wait to see what Rachel writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance / Berkley Pub for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. All opinions and thoughts offered are my own.

Man I was rooting for EVERYONE in this book! I really, truly loved every single character that was introduced in Weather Girl. Even while realistically tackling subjects such as depression and complicated family relationships this book was upbeat and a joy to read from start to finish.

I really loved Ari and Russell. Their chemistry was palpable from the get go and they were just so sweet! Russell's banter with both Ari and his daughter Elodie was hilarious. I liked the fact that the body positivity extended to the male love interest in this novel, and that Ari was so quick to calm (rather than dismiss) Russell's insecurities.

Weather Girl has taken the spot of my favorite romcom for sure. I enjoyed this book immensely and gave it five Stars on my Goodreads! Many thanks to NetGalley for providing a digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

It seems like when we see books promoted as having Jewish representation or being written by Jewish authors, they are often about the Holocaust - which are, understandably,
heavy, dark, emotional and often difficult to read. Reading about Jewish culture should not only be equated with such heavy topics. So today is my day on the #jewishbookstagramtour and I want to use my day to break the stereotypes and highlight an adorable, happy romcom written by a Jewish author and full of Jewish representation. Weather Girl by @rlynn_solomon is the story of Ari, a meteorologist, who teams up with Russell, a sports anchor, to reunite their divorced and feuding bosses, Parent Trap style, to make their work lives more tolerable. Ari and Russell are the only Jewish employees at their news station and first come up with their scheme at the office holiday party where they realize the connection. This book was an absolute delight to read with quick, witty and snarky quips, entertaining high jinx, and a sweet romance (with some 🔥). The book also tackled mental health head on in a very real and honest way. The characters were flawed but so relatable and likable and their weather puns won my heart. And Jewish traditions were woven into the story in a way to really showcase the joy and excitement in the celebrations. It was all done in such a way that it was just a normal book that happened to have Jewish characters instead of being designated as solely a Jewish book - if that makes sense.

Weather Girl gave me some serious Set it Up vibes, but even better with the angle of ex-wife and husband. Immediately, I loved the narration style of Ari. I have come to associate Rachel Lynn Solomon with characters who are able to convey these tidbits of vulnerability and honesty. How we see their thoughts and feelings all tangled up with our own denial and defenses. I knew I was going to love Ari. Because of her mother's experiences with depression, she's convinced she has to be sunshine.

To hide her rain clouds. And so Ari's journey explores feeling vulnerable with others, to let people see all facets of herself. She has a wry sense of narration, but it's one of those styles which ends up also conveying a sense of character. From her fashion sense, to her passion for weather, I love Ari. A part of me related to her feelings of having to pretend and her difficulty with vulnerability. At the same time, Russell is also such a fabulous character.

This is one of the best romances I’ve read in a while—which is saying something, because I have been reading a LOT of romances lately.

There’s so much to love about this book: the incredibly endearing leads, the premise of falling in love while trying to parent-trap their bosses, the humor, the Jewish and plus-size and queer rep, the showtunes references…and all of it, so genuine. I think what really makes this a stand-out romance, though, is the way that Solomon digs into the very real fear of being unloveable for whatever reason—be it your size or your history or your own brain sabotaging you. And while it is a romance, it is never as simple as finding a partner and magically being fixed; this book is Ari’s journey to accepting and being herself as much as it is a romance between her and Russell.

…All of that being said, of course, I am so enamored by the romance itself. Ari and Russell’s chemistry is excellent, and it’s lovely watching their relationship progress with gradual shows of trust and respect. Russell is just so GOOD, kind and supportive and caring but not without his own baggage and mistakes. His and Ari’s flirting literally gave me butterflies sometimes, which, what? Gross. But also love is so beautiful I wanted to cry.

And Elodie!! I’ve never read a romance in which one of the characters is a parent, so my ability to compare is limited, but I loved the way her relationship with Ari and the way she factored into Ari and Russell’s relationship is handled. Also she is the theatre kid rep we all deserve.

Weather Girl is both a steamy romcom and a genuine, heartwarming story about mental health and all the messiness of families—those we’re born with and those we choose—and it excels on both fronts. My favorite romances are the ones that make me blush in one chapter and cry in another, and it delivered that and more, so it gets a resounding five stars from me!

DNF at chapter 10.

I may eventually return to this one. Maybe I wasn't on the right mood for a contemporary romance, but that's kind of it: this doesn't seem categorized correctly. I was expecting a romcom, but this book quickly begins to explore some heavier topics, such as depression, that sort of removes that light-hearted label. Not a bad thing, but it wasn't what I was expecting.

Additionally, I had a hard time feeling any interest in Ari and Russell. Ari really just feels like another version of Solomon's MC (whose name currently escapes me) from The Ex Talk. As with that book and radio, this book and news meteorology is a mix of reality and nerd passion for the professional environment. It really felt like a retread of a story I'd read before (The Ex Talk). I do enjoy the Seattle commentary as it feels local to my PNWer upbringing. But that's about all I connected with to the point I read to.

Again, I might pick this up again, but as of now I'm just too bored.