I liked this book! Such a cute romance. I loved Ari, how openly queer she was, and how real of a character she is--definitely easy to relate to her.
Something that was a little confusing was the timing, it was a little hard to keep track of how many months/years each part took place, I think maybe adding the month would've helped clarify.
I enjoyed this book--the characters, the tension and gradual build up, the eventual relationship. Very well written and fun to read.

You, Again is in the running for my favorite romance and book of the year. And juicy, messy, and achingly sweet enemies to friends to lovers inspired by When Harry Met Sally with a dash of Reylo nods.

Ari is messy, chaotic, and living a life as such as a comedian in New York City. She's a commitmentphobe who does not believe in everlasting love. Over the years, through happenstance, she keeps running into Josh - a grumpy professional chef and hopeless romantic. The two do not hit it off - for literal years.

But they end up becoming best friends, and eventually something more, making them question everything they thought they knew about love, relationships, and themselves.

I had such a great time with this book, which sets itself apart from the slew of other cartoon cover romances out there. The romance and relationship between Ari and Josh is the main story thread, but there are also themes of self-discovery and emotional maturity for both characters.

You, Again made me feel the entire roller coaster of emotions - there were genuine laugh-out-loud moments, blush-worthy scenes, and heartbreaking endings and new beginnings. The story and writing are engaging and dynamic, and the pacing had me binging the 448-page book in just a few days.

This book does not feel like a debut, but I'm so excited to read what Kate Goldbeck cooks up next.

You, Again is a slow burn, antagonists-to-lovers romance. With great dialogue and quips, Kate Goldbeck creates memorable characters in a book that doesn’t feel like a debut.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Comedian Ari and chef Josh have a series of not-so-meet cute interactions. The first is when they realize they are dating the same woman, then next when he fires her best friend. After a few more memorable moments, they finally connect when they are both miserable and depressed. Suddenly texting and chatting with each other becomes the highlight of their days. But what happens when their complex feelings grow?

You, Again is filled with tons of great banter and self deprecating quips. While Josh and Ari both seem to be unhappy through most of the book, neither one stumbles over the perfect comeback. I also love the the New York setting, which feels like another wonderful secondary character. And, the bisexual and Jewish representation are fabulously integrated into this story.

I really wanted to love this book. But, it felt long, and it took me a while to get into it. Once Josh and Ari begin to interact with each other more, I truly enjoyed their bickering and bantering. But overall the pair is apart more than together, and I would have liked to see them spend more time with each other over the course of their romance.

If you like a slow burn with lots of bickering and banter, You, Again hits all the right beats. While there were a few aspects that didn’t work as well for me, Kate Goldbeck’s debut showcases anxious and vulnerable characters who always have the right quip ready to go.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 star read for me. It was a great book nothing wrong with it. The story flowed the characters were great. I just wasn’t clicking with the main character Ari. She was annoying and very aggressive . I understand why the author made her this way and she has a huge character growth that made up for the struggle to get through this book in the beginning

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4.5/5 stars.

TBH, this may be one of my new comfort reads. There's just....so much to like about this? It is important to note that this is SO INCREDIBLY NOT YOUNG ADULT FICTION. It's VERY sex positive and NOT YA. Anyways, I loved it. Josh and Ari start off as enemies...but as YEARS go by with chance encounters, they slowly become best friends. Then more YEARS go by and they test the waters...but both are dealing with their own commitment issues and scorns of past relationships and they fizzle apart...but then chance encounters continue.

The banter? It's chef's kiss. The supporting cast is amazing, but Josh and Ari are so incredibly real (and also, in their own right, incredibly unlikable characters because of their personalities). SO much of what Ari says about relationships was relatable. I also did appreciate the sex positivism and the LGBTQ rep.

Seriously, it warms your heart and the steam is UGH and the small spice scenes? AMAZING. There's just so much to love about this book.

You, Again is essentially When Harry Met Sally for the millennial reader and I’ll personally take any hit of Nora Ephron I can get these days.

If you ask me (you didn’t), this book is about a bit too long. At the same time, the length really did give me similar Harry & Sally feelings. I mean, in both cases we have to wait over a decade for these two crazy kids to get together so I kind of knew what to expect.

While things were slow at times, there is more than enough humor and heart (and banter!) to get you through until the Big Bang 😏 The last chunk of the book was truly an emotional masterpiece in my opinion and I just loved it so much.

I really enjoyed the modernization of one of my favorite love stories. In You, Again Josh is the one with very particular food specifications and Ari is comfortable with sex but very uncomfortable with intimacy.

This isn’t your typical romance novel and I appreciated a lot of the unique elements I don’t see everyday. Here’s a taste of what to expect:

🍁a grumpy uptight MMC, which is basically my kryptonite, who falls HARD
🍁a bisexual FMC who is the definition of emotionally unavailable
🍁characters that are an absolute mess but you love them anyway
🍁opposites attract (it was some of the best in the biz)
🍁enemies-to-friends-to-lovers
🍁the perfect New York City setting with mentions of all the best spots (👀The Strand!)
🍁a romantic modern love story with plenty of spice

When Harry Met Sally with two messy, flawed millennials? Sign me up. This is Kate Goldbeck's debut and I loved her writing: confident, funny, and nuanced. Ari and Josh felt like real, rounded characters from the moment they appeared on page (especially Ari, whose chaos, humor, and struggling Brooklyn comedian vibe jump off the page from the start) and Goldbeck filled in their evolving relationship and conflicts with others and with themselves in natural ways.

The only thing I'll say is that 448 pages is really long by romance standards (and on the long side in general), and I do think this one could have been trimmed a bit despite giving time (and years) to their connection. Because of the structure, the book takes a good chunk of pages to get to the main storyline as it takes us through their first few meetings over several years, which was necessary (and entertaining) but still notable. Luckily, it read quickly thanks to Goldbeck's writing, but I was still aware of this length and structure a bit too much. That said, I still had a great time reading it from their very first chaotic meeting, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what Goldbeck writes next.

I have so much to say about "You, Again" and all of it is positive.

First of all, it has one of the best structured first chapters in a rom-com that I've ever read. I was hooked from the start and felt like I knew so much about the characters even just getting a vignette into their lives years before the bulk of the book takes place.

"You, Again" feels different than a lot of other rom-coms. The humor in the book doesn't come from the characters finding themselves in wacky or zany situations (though they sometimes do). Both characters are witty and snappy and the humor in the book mainly comes from their reactions to and observations of very real situations. In this way, "You, Again" feels incredibly grounded while not skimping on emotional impact.

I've found that I really enjoy rom-coms about deeply messy people (as long as there's an HEA), and this absolutely fit the bill. Ari and Josh are both extremely flawed and find each other at very low places in their lives. But over the course of the book they both go through a lot of growth, leading to a satisfying conclusion. The plot occasionally felt a bit meander-y, but I really appreciated the effort the author put in to really fleshing out these characters.

This book is literally a modern "When Harry Met Sally" retelling, I'm not sure what more you could want.

5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Such a great slow burn, enemies to lovers romance! This was so unique, so fresh and the latter half and ending were PERFECT. Things weren't always easy but they felt real. I loved the friendship prior to the romance and that it wasn't easy. I truly enjoyed this book and I have to that you will seriously fall in love with Ari and Josh! Definitely recommend this one!

You, Again comes out next week on September 12, 2023, and you can purchase HERE! I loved this book and can't wait for more from this author!

There's a part of Ari's mind that's throwing caution tape all over the encounter. The acceptable boundaries of "just friendship" are getting pulled and stretched to the point of imminent tearing.

But they don't stop here, either.

When I started You, Again, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it. Ari and Josh took a little getting used to but once I did, oh boy did I enjoy this story! I had no idea I was getting into a slow burn, both enemies and friends to lovers romance that also deals with their personal stories in such a detailed way.
This felt like a more realistic progression of a relationship between two people who care deeply about one another but have to work past their own barriers. I loved the progression of their relationship from contentious into friendship into love. Loved it so much more than I thought I would, and can't wait to see what Kate Goldbeck does next!

I’ve been seeing rave reviews for You, Again and I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint! From their first not so meet cute to running into each other again and again, I was hooked on Ari and Josh’s friendship turned into much more. I loved all of their random meet ups and phone calls while they watched movies together. Their banter was hilarious. Josh was so serious compared to Ari’s free spirited nature, but they seemed to balance each other out. I loved how Josh fell first and expressed it to Ari. It was heartbreaking when she turned him down, but I think it was important for her to grow and work on herself first. I absolutely loved her grand romantic gesture at the end! I’m so happy this was a Book of the Month club pick and that I have a copy for my shelf!

4.5 stars

You, Again was such a fantastic read! I'm so impressed that this was the author's debut. I didn't want to put it down once I started. The banter was pure perfection and several times I laughed so hard I woke up my husband. The writing was witty and heartfelt and I'm so excited to see what Kate Goldbeck writes next.

Things to expect:
- Tropes like: he falls first, grumpy + sunshine, opposites attract, friends to lovers, epistolary, caretaker, "good girl", stern brunch daddy, slow burn, second chance
- A very awkward and epic meet disaster, leading to more and more run-ins over the years. I loved how Ari and Josh kept crossing paths and that each time was so unique (and more awkward LOL).
- A truly hilarious novel. Kate Goldbeck put my emotions through the wringer, but it was balanced so well with the lighter and sillier moments. I already mentioned that I loved the banter, but truly it was a highlight of the book!
- Josh. I loved his starchy stern brunch daddy exterior and ooey gooey romantic center. He makes mistakes (as does Ari), but I loved how he truly saw Ari and loved her just as she was.
- Ari. I loved her lack of filter and that she was such a whirlwind of energy. I never knew quite what to expect with her and I found her to be such a relatable character.
- The steam! I was not expecting the sexy times to be so scorching and I was certainly not prepared for bedroom Josh. Ari is a very, very lucky woman!
- A conflict that was understandable and made sense for our characters given their histories and fears. It hurt like hell, but it also felt real and honest.
- An incredible cast of secondary characters. Gabe, Radhya, and Briar stole the show any time they were on the page. They provided wonderful support and tough love to Josh and Ari, but they also had some of the funniest lines in the entire book.
- I loved the Jewish and bi rep!
- Phenomenal audiobook narration by Kristen DiMercurio. The casting couldn't have been more perfect and the variety of voices and accents she used really elevated the story. I had no problems differentiating between characters regardless of age or gender and she gave such an emotional performance. Kristen DiMercurio knocked it out of the park!

** Possible Spoilers **

As much as I enjoyed this one, there were some things that I didn't love. I wish that there would have been more page time showing Ari and Josh as a happy couple. The scenes where they were becoming friends and essentially dating, were my favorite parts of the book. I understand they both needed time to grow and change, but I also felt that their separation lasted way too long. I think it was almost a year that they spent apart, during which we know for sure that Josh dated OW. I also could have done without all the information about Ari's other sexual partners/poly relationships. I know that they were trying to figure things out or move on throughout the book, but I just prefer my MC's to only have eyes for each other.

** End Possible Spoilers **

Audiobook Review
Overall 5 stars
Performance 5+ stars
Story 4.5 stars
Audiobook Note: I normally love epistolary elements, but I find them difficult to follow in audiobooks. Kristen DiMercurio did great with them, but the repeated dates, times, and mentions of who was texting broke up the flow of the story for me and so the texts ended up losing some of their impact.

CW: parental abandonment (past), strained relationship with parent/parental estrangement, death of parent (past), grief, anxiety, depression, divorce

Possible spoilers OW/OM notes: The MC's meet because they're dating/having sex with the same woman. Both MC's have sex/date OW/OM while they're friends/separated. Ari is part of polyamorous relationships prior to her sexual relationship with Josh.

*I voluntarily read and listened to an advance review copy of this book*

A fun twist on When Harry Met Sally, Kate Goldbeck delivers a sexy and sassy romcom that's sure to become a classic itself. Ari and Josh are continually thrust together through a strange series of events - usually ending with Josh making an absolute ass of himself. More than a romance, this is about finding yourself again after heartbreak and letting yourself be happy. Finding that person who will bring you matzoh ball soup when you're sick and laugh when you purchase a glass tentacle dildo. I laughed, I gasped, and I cheered for Ari and Josh the whole way through.

Pick this book up, seriously.

*Thank you to Dial Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review and to PRH Audio for the gifted ALC*

This was enemies to super enemies to friends to lovers to ????? and then back to lovers excellency.

my god, the ANGST in this book was unreal (positive)! I loved my messy disaster babies, Ari and Josh, so much. The chemistry and tension between them was *chef’s kiss* and the way they went from disliking each other to positively loathing one another was so 🫠 And then reuniting again when they’re both at the lowest points of their lives and becoming friends 😭 It was so painful to read in the best way.

thank you Dial Press for the review copy of You, Again. This was one of those books that I thought I would like more than I did and I suspect it's more me than the book... The book is well written, has interesting and inclusive characters with strong voices and welcome exploration of bisexuality, sexual empowerment, family relationships, and a male character open to emotions and emotional connections. There is a great focus on friendship, not just love, as well.

My struggle was that I didn't really like the main characters, I think the first part of the book just didn't give me enough insight or enough to get to know them before the chapter/scene would end and the characters would meet up again a few years later. I think this lead me to feeling that they were hard to relate to and also young in a way that just doesn't connect with me. I feel this way about Sally Rooney books too... I want to like the characters but I don't relate to the way they feel things/talk to each other and act towards others and for a romcom vibe, I just didn't feel it. I wanted to like the characters more and when I don't really like them... a book doesn't end up being a favorite

While I get the comparisons to When Harry Met Sally I just didn't get the same charmed by the story and their chemistry and affection vibes.

THIS is the kind of romance I love which is probably something I should unpack with a therapist. There was tension and romance with an underlying sadness and that mix just really gets me. You, Again was SUCH a great pick to start easing into fall reading. I read it essentially in two days and when I wasn’t reading it, I wished that I was, sneaking in chapters during every spare moment that I could.

I loved the gender swapping of the original When Harry Met Sally set up, and how well Kate Goldbeck modernized the story, adding in queer characters along with creating a realistic view of the dating app world. The writing was sharp and propulsive. It moved back and forth seamlessly between Ari’s perspective and Josh’s, which I always love.

I struggled with both Ari and Josh for a while in that way as a reader when you see characters making questionable or poor decisions and you just want to SHAKE them. But as frustrated as I was with them, I felt like I understood them and could see them growing little by little. This was ultimate opposites attract, grumpy-sunshine tension and I will eat that up every time. I loved seeing their relationship morph from outright disdain for each other to a true understanding.

I’ve only been to NYC once, and to be honest I wasn’t in love with it like some people are, but this book made me think maybe I need to go back. I felt like I was strolling through the city right alongside Ari and Josh. The book felt cinematic to me and I could easily see this being adapted for screen.

Actual rating 3.5 stars.

The plot was great, the gradual shift from enemies-to-friends-to-lovers was excellent. What hampered my enjoyment was Ari. Her character could have been an amalgamation of the four main characters from HBO's Girls. The constant drug use, bad decision making, the general aimlessness in life did little to endear her to me. At times, I almost wished Josh would stay away, for his own sanity.

In the end, the end was lovely and I was happy for Josh and Ari at that moment. Do I think this couple has a chance in the long run? Highly doubtful.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster in the best way. It destroyed me and put me back together again. I cried, I laughed, I yelled, I swooned. This story of two people finding each other again and again is the definition of soulmates to me. I think this book really got to me because I have, at different points in my life, been a Josh and an Ari. I absolutely loved them both, even when I was frustrated with their actions. They were complex and beautiful and imperfectly perfect.
I highly recommend this book!

This book is a re-imagining of When Harry Met Sally, which is one of my all time favorite movies. This book tells the story of Ari and Josh, two fairly unlikeable and unsuccessful people, living and wandering through Manhattan. I absolutely loved the New York setting, it had such a strong sense of place and reminded me of my own NYC days.

Even though Ari and Josh were pretty miserable and anxious, there story was so satisfying and if at times frustrating, it ultimately made sense (though, tbh, Ari could have used a lot of therapy.) This book took a little bit of time to get going but once it did it really took off and was so enjoyable. It was such a refreshing take on the romance genre and didn’t seem like a retread of some trope like many rom-coms do. I will definitely be looking forward to Kate Goldbeck’s next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Dial Press Trade Paperback for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Ari and Josh first meet, they get off on the ENTIRELY wrong foot. But fate or some other force keeps bringing them back to each other in chance encounters, and they eventually develop a friendship that leads to something more.

Any time a romance book makes me cry and hold it to my chest at the end, it’s an IMMEDIATE five stars. But, let me be clear, this book gave me five-star feelings throughout.

I’m an avid romance reader and this type of story is a bit out of my comfort zone in that the characters can be unlikeable at times. But that’s what made this story magical.

It was so raw and emotional. It felt like “When Harry Met Sally” and Emily Henry books had a baby, but with characters that are way messier and more complex.

Ari and Josh are so interesting in that they are completely different from one another in some ways (a commitment-phobe and a hopeless romantic), but also very similar in others. They are both trying, and often failing, to deal with their traumas and flaws in the way they approach relationships. Depression and mental health also play a role in this story, as both characters have to come to terms with what they are dealing with before they are truly ready to let another person fully into their life.

Long story short, I will NEVER shut up about this book. It is a new all-time favorite, if not the best book I’ve ever read. Any romance fan, especially readers who love emotional stories with depth, needs to add it to their TBR immediately!