Picked this up because I love the title and cover, and I enjoyed Solomon's The Ex Talk last year. A bit heavier than The Ex Talk, but Solomon shows she can handle tougher topics with grace. Still had it's laugh out loud moments! Overall, an enjoyable read and one I will recommend!

Arielle Abrams is a meteorologist with a sunny disposition, who always tries to stay upbeat. In reality, she suffers from depression, something she tries to hide in relationships because guys find that "she's too much" sometimes. Russell Barringer is a sports journalist, and a single dad. When their divorced bosses make their TV station workplace a hostile environment they decide to play matchmaker and get them back together. Which is a great plan because it forces Ari and Russell to spend more time together. 

I loved the open and honest portrayal of depression in this story. Russell and Ari have real, everyday issues and problems that make their characters extremely relatable. From body issues to parenting woes, it’s a modern take on finding love amidst the baggage we carry.

Another bright spot is the Jewish representation in this novel, which is rarely seen in romance. It adds another layer of depth to the already realistic characters.

Weather Girl is a super cute romance! It features a television meteorologist, she and her coworker trick their bosses into falling in love with one another again. The romance in this book was really adorable and I really enjoyed the characters! Bonus points and appreciation for the mental health representation

There's something especially lovely about an overcast day. Clouds dipped in ink, the sky ready to crack open. The air turning crisp and sweet. It's magic, the way the world seems to pause for a few moments right before a downpour, and I can never get enough of that heady anticipation — this sense that something extraordinary is about to happen. Sometimes I think I could live in those moments forever.

4.5 stars, rounded up

Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of those authors I've heard so much hype for, I was simultaneously excited and downright nervous to finally try out a book of hers! What if I'm the odd one out? What if this book lets me down? My fellow Anxious Readers™️ probably know what I mean. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed at all, and in fact, I wholeheartedly plan on reading more of Rachel Lynn Solomon's books in the future, because this was absolutely delightful.

Ari and Russell are such lovable characters, though I'll admit Russell was my favorite of the two. We so rarely get to see fat heroes in romance, and I love that it felt authentic in that Russell does have some insecurities, but it also isn't like his entire world revolves around it. He's such a damn cinnamon roll (though he definitely does mess up a time or two).

Ari was more complicated for me. I adored her depression rep because it felt so genuine and relatable, but she also made choices that frustrated me. I don't mind the miscommunication trope sometimes, but in this case, it felt unnecessary and I was so annoyed with her refusal to face the truth about the situation and Russell's feelings. That said, the reality of living with depression like Ari's is that we do sometimes make these really poor choices and hurt our loved ones by keeping them at a distance, so despite it not being enjoyable to read about, I was certainly able to see why RLS chose to take us down that path.

(As a side note, while we're discussing representation, Ari and Russell are both Jewish and so is Rachel Lynn Solomon. I'm not Jewish, but I wanted to say that I thought it was so delightful and sweet to watch these two bond over their backgrounds and celebrations, and I really appreciated RLS sharing those experiences with us!)

Thankfully, the annoyance with a brief section of the story was not a deterrent from adoring this book and these characters. RLS' writing is so enjoyable and engaging, the tension that builds up between Ari and Russell is believable and absolutely charged with natural chemistry, and Russell's daughter is hilarious and steals the spotlight every chance she gets. I loved how easy it was to root for every single character in Weather Girl and to genuinely celebrate every milestone and success. I can't wait to read more from this author!

✨ Representation: Ari is Jewish and has depression; Russell is Jewish and fat; Ari's brother is Jewish and gay; Ari's mother is Jewish and has depression

✨ Content warnings for: depictions of depression, mentions of voluntary mental health-related hospitalization (a side character, not depicted first-hand), mentions of fatphobia, recent bad break-up

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 rounded up

It was cute! I thought both romantic leads were great, and I loved the focus on mental health and men's body image. I thought the setting was unique and added a lot to the story. There were a lot of other things I liked here (plus I love this cover), but just like with the author's previous romance, The Ex-Talk, there was something missing for me that I can’t quite put my finger on. Which is a shame. I also wasn't fond of either of the typical third act misunderstandings, and thought they felt very forced and weak. I definitely will continue reading this author’s work though, because overall I enjoy her writing.

Ari, a TV meteorologist and Russell, a sports reporter, team up to put their divorced bosses back together in order to find some peace again in their office: from this synopsis alone, I was so eager to read this book. If you’re thinking about The Parent Trap or Set It Up while reading those lines, you’re right: I found the same fun, highly entertaining, lots-of-fun-scheming vibes in this book than I did in both of those movies, so the book’s marketing is already a win!
Ari is such a lovely main character to follow. She’s passionate about the weather and truly adores her job, something that was so, so refreshing to see. I loved learning a little more about how she worked, too and she just felt like a ray of sunshine to me. That being said, she’s struggling with depression and having a tough time showing off her true colors, at times, hiding behind this perpetual smile. Honestly, I could relate to Ari a lot in that area. I loved seeing her grow thorough the story and rooted for her from page one. Such a great character!
I deeply appreciated seeing the honest mental health representation on page. You might think it’s a bit odd, in an adult romance: personally, I found that the author perfectly managed to juggle between soft romance and deeper, tougher themes like depression in her book, making it incredibly well-rounded and so great to read, too. ANYWAY! We follow Ari as she looks back on how depression has affected her previous relationships, both romantic and within her family, both her own depression and her mother’s. I liked the honest discussions and the presence of medication and therapy in the story, too.
book review weather girl rachel lynn solomon
Oh, how I fell for the romance. It’s slow growing, it’s soft and sweet and kind and not without its tough moments, but the TENSION and chemistry warmed my heart SO much. Russell is a fat, Jewish, single dad and I LOVED seeing him as a love interest, too. To be honest, he was one of the softest love interests I ever read about and I kind of loved him okay.
While being a contemporary romance, Weather Girl also explores family dynamics and I appreciated it so much. There’s Ari’s brother, his husband and their children, they were all SO adorable, but most importantly, there’s the relationship between Ari and her mother. Frayed by so many years spent between them without sharing honestly about their mental health, their relationship is tentatively explored and I loved seeing them building something, trying, at least. It was so lovely!

Rachel Lynn Solomon won me over with her adult reads, as well. Highly entertaining, fun, endearing and with its bits of steamy moments, Weather Girl won my heart and I can’t wait to read more adult books from her soon!

There are parts to this book that I absolutely adored, and parts I just didn't connect with. Overall, the characters of the book were addictive and brilliant and the writing style was fabulous, but I feel like there was a lack of plot. I found myself being slightly bored at times, however, this didn't take away from the strong message this book had. I loved how we saw Ari's battle with depression and it was really nice to see a diverse cast! 3.5 stars!

Everything about this book is like curling up with a blanket on a rainy day. I loved Russell, his kindness and gentleness was perfect, and Ari’s depression was oh so relatable tbh. I have yet to hit a miss from Rachel Lynn Solomon; I just really love her books.

A quiet little love story heavy on plot and light on passion. I loved the characters but wished I'd connected more to the central romance. Great representation of living with depression.

Short Forecast: Cloudy with a chance of love and side of steam.

Long Forecast: Wow. This book is special. Solomon has written wonderfully real characters with real problems we can all relate to. Mental health struggles? Check. Body image struggles? Check. Single parent struggles? Check. I loved getting to know Ari and Russell so much and following their journey from conspiring co-workers to weathering the good and the bad as a couple in love.

Heartfelt, tender, and vulnerable. My heart melted into a puddle at the end. I will be re-reading this one in the future.

I loved Weather Girl so much, even more than the Ex Talk which is really saying something! I was so happy to have fat rep in our hero which we do not get nearly enough of! The depression rep in this one was spot on and meant so much to see especially portrayed the way it was. This was such a sweet, tender romance and I truly never thought reading someone help someone else get changed into pajamas could be so incredibly hot. That's a scene that will live rent free in my brain for the rest of time. I also really appreciated how their initial hook up was written. It's not always two people just falling perfectly into bed together and instead of getting upset or having an ego about it, Russ perfectly works around the issue. A++ I will be recommending this one to everyone!

Television Meteorologist Ari Abrams has her dream job working for her idol-since-childhood, Torrance Hale, an award-winning legend. Her working life, though, is miserable . Torrance and her ex-husband, Seth are so busy feuding, Torrance can’t mentor Ari. Furthermore, low morale is endemic among all the staff since the negative energy spreads like cloud cover.

When the ex-spouses act so atrociously at a Christmas party that the hotel bans them from holding future functions there, Ari and sports reporter Russell Barringer decide to play cupid and reunite Torrance and Seth. As they scheme together, plan secret gifts, and go on double dates, they can’t deny the building attraction between them.

Each has reasons to hold back, though. Ari and her long-time fiancé only recently separated, and single dad Russell finds juggling dating and parenting difficult. Moreover, Ari has been raised to only show her sunny side. If she reveals her whole self, she fears Russell will reject her.

What I loved:

☀️ Russell, Russell, Russell, a lovable hero who isn’t an Adonis
☀️ The funny interactions between Torrance and Seth
☀️ Russell’s precocious daughter
☀️ Jewish representation
☀️ The sensitive and realistic depiction of depression, including an awareness that constant positivity can be damaging, even toxic
☀️ The right amount of open-door steam for my liking

There wasn’t anything I disliked about the book; however, the final-act conflict between Ari and Russell appeared overblown. On the one hand, it might be in character for Ari but on the other, the precipitating event was seemingly innocuous.

By the end of the novel, my heart was so warmed I felt like I was under a sunny sky even though it’s winter. WEATHER GIRL is my favorite romance of 2022 so far.

My forecast: romance fans will love this book, especially those who like to see serious themes included.

This ARC was offered in exchange of an honest and impartial review:
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4*
Pros: Very cute PoV of life inside a broadcasting TV program, specifically the news and the various segments within. Wholesome and sweet romance and characters. Talks about difficult work environments and inconsiderate bosses. Deals with flawed family relationships and mental illnesses. Tries to clarify some stigmas and misconceptions still present in society.
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Cons: Somewhat stiff dialogues. Slow-going.

Weather Girl is heartwarming and heartfelt romance that revolves around Ari, long suffering from depression, hatch plan to set up her bosses with her coworker. The story is about mental health, Jewish culture, family, friendship, work environment, parenting, being true self, second chance, and love.

Writing is emotive, engaging, and steady to fast pace with first-person narrative from Ari’s perspective. The setting of news station KSEA 6 in Seattle is interesting and I loved titles with ‘Forecast’ for each chapters.

Plot is interesting and original. The story started with Ari feeling low after break up with her fiance. She loves her job and working for legendary weatherwoman Torrance Hale, who motivated her to be meteorologist, but Torrence always bickering with Seth- her ex-husband and station’s news director- in the office makes workplace unpleasant, and Torrence not giving enough attention to her work and growth Ari is expecting from job, isn’t helping her mood. On drunken office party night, Ari talks about office problems with her coworker Russel- a reserved sports reporter- and plans to set up their bosses. In planning their schemes, trying to get Seth and Torrence together, Ari and Russel get to know each other more and start to feel more than just friends but that means Ari has to reveal her dark clouds that she keeps hidden from everyone behind the pleasant sunshine front.

It was interesting to see what Ari and Russel are scheming and if it will work in the end or not, can Ari mend her relationship with her mother, when Ari will talk about her depression with Russel and how he will react to it, will he accept her dark clouds, stormy weather along with her clear skies?

I enjoyed reading all characters. It was great to read both characters’ background stories and about their family. I loved how author kept all characters and situations realistic. Both Ari and Russel had their baggage and it takes time for both of them to deal with their fears, anxiety, and uncertainty.

Ari is great throughout the book. I rooted for her from the beginning. I get why she keeps her depression hidden. She sure hasn’t normal childhood with mother suffering from depression and her father leaving them as he couldn’t deal with her mother’s mood and mental health and later discovering she too has depression in college. Seeing men not reacting in a good way with mental health issue of her mother and then her boyfriends not ready to deal with it, Ari isn’t entirely wrong for hiding it from her finance and like she feared it affected the relationship she dreamed of.

It was great how she understood she needs to be her whole self with both good and bad sides on meeting Russel, how being with him she could share things she never did before with anyone and how free she felt in doing so.

Russel is amazing. I have read books with fat heroines but I haven’t come across a book that has fat male protagonist, who isn’t all handsome and has belly and scars and it was great to see how comfortable he was with his body and, even Ari who finds him attractive and never comments on his body and love him the way he is.

He is lovely, kind, gentle, smart, and funny person and above all he is fantastic father of 12 yr old girl. I like his backstory even more. I have read stories with characters having child when they are teen and how that affects their life and somehow situations make relationships with ex toxic eventually but here Russel and his ex are brilliant, they still are friends and loves their daughter. I liked him for understanding Ari and accepting her even with her dark clouds, not claiming he can make life sunshine but trying to be part of her both sides.

Best part of the story is setting of KSEA 6, Seth and Torrence’s bickering, Russel and Ari’s scheming and how that changes their relationships with their bosses, Ari and her mother’s relationship, Ari’s bond with her brother, and mental helath representation… yeah almost every aspect are simply amazing. I liked how author showed there is no instant cure of depression, it stays there whole life but it can be manageable with right therapist, medication, patience, and love. There is also layer of parenting and sexism and misogyny and I enjoyed how characters talked about it. It is really great story containing many lighthearted moments along with serious topics and heavy theme.

Romance is good. It was lovely to see Ari and Russel becoming from co-workers to friends and how their feelings developed to love. Chemistry is okay I guess, not bad but also not best, but there were many lovely moments that enjoyed. I loved that scene where Ari broke her elbow and Russel helped her in hotel room.

Twist and turns are great. I enjoyed how Seth and Torrence found out about set up in climax. I guessed what they were planning but I couldn’t predict how that will affect Ari. It was heartbreaking to see her break after that. I loved this part, reading how Ari understood having a partner and kid is not only kind of family, she has people who love her and she could be part of family that is already there; she needs to let go of her fear, not define things with what her father did; and give life and love chance with her whole self. The end is lovely and just perfect.

Why 4.5 stars-

As much as I love everything in this book, I still felt there is something missing. Maybe it is chemistry or it’s just me not feeling wowed by it but otherwise, this is close to perfection.

Overall, Weather Girl is heartfelt, heartwarming, emotive, and well-written romance with Jewish main characters and amazing mental health representation.

I highly recommend this if you like,
Fat single dad
Jewish protagonists
Mental health rep
Office romance
Uplifting romance dealing with serious topics
Layer of sexism and misogyny
Gay sibling
realistic and relatable characters
Heartfelt backstories
Parent Trap and Set It Up vibe
Characters passionate for their job
Weather puns
Open door romance

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Thanks for the free book, Penguin Random House.
Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a romantic comedy I was curious to read because of some elements in the story that made it stand out: a protagonist with diagnosed depression and a plus-size male lead. I was ready to like this book, but I was actually disappointed. Why? There was no spark. 
It's not a bad book, but I just couldn't connect with it and there were some things that bothered me a little.
The theme of depression was probably the one that was better dealt with and that I appreciated the most but, despite it being something that hits really close to home, I couldn't empathise with the protagonist as much as I would've liked.
The two main characaters are well-enough fleshed out, especially the female lead, but together they just didn't work that well. The love story had its moments, but on the whole it all felt rather flat to me. 
The sex scenes were a bit too explicit but, as I always say, this is just based on my personal preferences.
The ending, moreover, was a bit cheesy.
⭐3+~3.5/5

I love when books surprise me. Weather Girl was definitely a judge a book by it's cover, because it's an adorable cover that I just needed to have. When I first started reading, I wasn't sure it was going to live up to the expectations if I'm being honest. It felt quite slow and I couldn't really connect to the characters or the story, it felt a little boring.

WELL, Rachel Lynn Solomon, prove me wrong you did! This book was adorable, sweet, and DELICIOUSLY spicy holy hannah get me a fan. It was delightful. I absolutely loved Ari, and how she navigated her depression, her family and her life. What I loved even more though was Russ. Can we get an amen for a REAL love interest? Not washboard abs, smoking hot eyes and things our dreams are made of? I was obsessed with Russ, with his character as a whole. He was perfection. Check this book out!

I don’t know how to describe my love for this book other than it was perfection. I loved how it was so real and wrought with real depth of emotion.

In some shape way or form we all experience some levels of struggles with mental health whether this is due to a situation or something with more long term effects. I loved the realness in the discussion of Ari’s mental health as it was so relatable to feel as though expressing that you aren’t okay isn’t okay, and that being lovable is contingent on never letting the real you be seen.

I felt so close to Ari and Russell’s story as I’ve had my own struggles with my mental health and felt I always had to hide myself and be a perfect version for other people, until my fiancé… but even still in our early days I too pulled an Ari and tried to push him away, he just didn’t let me be successful like Russell had allowed Ari to be for a while.

The stories I can connect with the emotions in are some that I love the most. I also loved that Russell had a dad bod and wasn’t chiseled… because maybe unpopular opinion, but I’d rather have a kind man with a dad bod in real life any day.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Books for the ARC of this book!

What I loved:
*Ari's character - she was ambitious, authentic, and flawed. I loved that her character embodied positivity and happiness but inside, she was struggling with depression. It's such an important reminder that we never know what other people are dealing with.
*Russ's relationship with his daughter, his insecurities (but only because this wasn't overplayed), and his discussion about the discrimination he faces for being a young father.
*Contemporary family structures - Russ maintained a positive relationship with his ex and her new husband; Ari's brother and his partner and their adopted children were just happiness in the form of a family.
*The weather and newsroom aspects. They were topics and locations I haven't seen much in fiction so it was nice for the change of scenery.

What I didn't love:
*Predictable, formulaic. OK, I might get heat for this but I'm tired of the whole two people meet, they fall in love, they break up, they get back together storyline. It's been done. And done. And done about 90834975 more times. Sure, we love a happy ending but I thought this one might skip a step or two in the romance formula and then it was crammed in at the end so I was a little disappointed that Solomon teased me with breaking the mold but didn't actually break the mold at all.
*The undressing scene on their weekend work retreat was just ridiculous. I won't say anymore about this LOL.


This was a cute romantic read with substance. I see why it's getting so much hype and it's well deserved! If you generally love a good romance with a little bit of spice, this one is definitely for you!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

I loved this book so much. One of the sweetest romances I've ever read. The presence of mental health / depression / therapy / medication was so prevalent in this story and incredibly written. I feel SEEN. I love love loved this one.

Escape into Contemporary Romance - Shelf Awareness for Readers, February 8, 2022
Novels increasingly have been for me both escape from and heartbalm for the difficult realities that surround us right now. With Valentine's Day around the corner, these contemporary romance novels offer an escape into stories with guaranteed happy endings, even if the path to get there might be fraught.

Rachel Lynn Solomon managed to pack a full list of romance tropes into her hit novel, The Ex Talk; in her newest, Weather Girl (both Berkley, $16), she plays with the second-chances trope, as a meteorologist and a sports reporter at a local broadcast station hatch an unlikely plan to get their divorced bosses back together. Jasmine Guillory (The Wedding Party; Party of Two) plays with the "fake dating" trope in While We Were Dating (all Berkley, $16); movie star Anna Gardiner and colleague Ben Stephens really are sleeping together, after all, even though the relationship they agree to put on for the paparazzi is just for show--at least, until their feelings become all too real.

In Love and Other Disasters (Forever, $15.99), the first openly nonbinary contestant on a competitive cooking show develops unexpected (and inconvenient) feelings for another contestant. Exploring topics of identity and sexuality with heart, Anita Kelly's debut is a must for any romance reader with an interest in Top Chef-style shows (or vice versa).

Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau (Berkley, $16) boasts a movie-star romance and a competitive cooking show, as hot-shot Ryan Kwok preps for his upcoming participation in a charity baking challenge by taking lessons in baking--and romance--from a local donut shop owner. The two hit it off as each navigates their respective grief over losing a parent, offering a heartwarming read for anyone who's ever thought about taking new chances in the wake of loss.