ARC REVIEW (thanks NETGALLEY!)

While I did enjoy book, I found myself being constantly distracted. Both main characters came off kind of douchey and pretentious. All the time jumps and interactions with other characters kept me from feeling the actual romance. When did Ari start to have feelings for Josh? And vice versa? There was more talk about food and knife skills than feelings. Book seemed like it was written to be adapted to film, it didn’t flow right for me. All the Taylor Swift references got annoying. Would I want to date Ari or Josh- definitely no, I probably wouldn’t even want to be friends with them but I did enjoy their story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this advanced copy.

I picked up this book for two reasons: Nora Ephron movies, and the vibes of New York in the fall. Despite not having watched When Harry Met Sally (it’s “basic cultural literacy”, I know!), which this this book takes inspiration from, it is still heartwarmingly familiar: two flawed, self-assured people, meeting and clashing at various points in their lives, convinced they’ll never understand each other or be friends….until they do, and quickly step over that line as well.

I love the chemistry and clash between Ari and Josh. They start off fundamentally opposed to each other’s views on life and love, but slowly grow into one another. There’s a lot of struggle here, fighting their own stubbornness, understanding what change means, and in the process learning more about one another and slowly falling in love even when they don’t understand what it means yet. It’s juxtaposed against their personal journeys in New York, painted as the charming city of dreams we all know and love, but also showcasing its flaws: the rats the size of calzones, the terrible dating pool, the rank smell in the subway. It’s the same New York venom that I feel running in my veins, and i won’t be rid of it anytime soon.

When I say these two people are flawed, they are REALLY flawed. Josh is an arrogant, entitled asshole, stubbornly blind and resistant to other people’s views of him and the world, focused only on himself and his career. Yet under all this lies a surprisingly dedicated, romantic idealist. In stark contrast, Ari is a realist—fiercely independent, openly bisexual, raunchy comedian with a penchant for recreational drug use—but under this creative, free-spirited lifestyle, she’s a commitment-phobe that refuses to form intimate connections with her partners and pushes away the people who care about her. Their arguments are a delight to read, and despite every moment i wanted to scream at both of them to get over themselves, I cheered, i laughed, i cried. Their ending is perfectly earned, and dare I say it, feels like a movie.

Highly recommend this. I was emotionally wrenched across the pages and I read this in one day. It’s Nora Ephron, it’s present-day, but so much more than its inspiration: it’s Kate Goldbeck, and it’s a stunning debut.

I loved this book. It used my favorite tropes in the best and new ways possible. It kept me interested throughout and I was giddy by the main characters. I’m excited for others to read this and share their love!

This was such a refreshing book to read. The slowburn, the sassy, witty comebacks, the angst!

I've read many romance books but this felt fresh and new. I loved reading about Ari and Josh and how they slowly came together. It felt real if that makes sense.

Really enjoyed this one and would recommend for everyone to read it

First off, thank you to Net Galley, Kate Goldbeck and Random House publishing for this ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!!! Ari and Josh were so perfect for each other yet both were emotional rollercoasters and two very complex people. Ari was dealing with her distain towards relationships due to her own dating history and Josh was so desperate to love and be loved that he often found himself being hurt.

It was a beautiful story and while I normally dislike 3rd person and the dual POV’s in each chapter.. I found myself really enjoying Kate Goldbeck’s writing style. Not to mention (while this book is not filled with smut) the existing smut was VERY well written and very spicy! Cannot wait to purchase the hardcopy when this is out.

I was sold on this book from the description that it's a When Harry Met Sally homage about two people who meet because they're hooking up with the same person, and I was not disappointed. The first section of the book, where Ari and Josh discover that they're both hooking up with Ari's roommate had me laughing out at certain parts. It's so immediately clear that Ari and Josh are opposites; Ari doesn't really care about anything and is enjoying getting under Josh's skin, while Josh is wound so tightly and can't understand why Ari is being such a pain, until she reveals that she's been hooking up with this woman who Josh intends to officially ask to be his girlfriend.

From there, Ari and Josh keep running into each other occasionally over the next few years (a very "New York is so small" vibe). They mostly fight with each other, since they can't seem to get past their initial reactions, until they finally run into one another after both experiencing significant breakups. They're drawn to each other because of how miserable they're feeling, and they keep hanging out because no one else quite understands how they feel.

At the start of the book, I was worried that this was going to be a book about mediocre people who never really get better, which is one of my least favorite kinds of books. The book redeemed itself, though. I grew to really like Josh, as you get to know more about why he's wound so tightly and how he struggles with perfectionism and the pressure he places on himself and the family legacy he both feels he has to upload and wants to revamp.

I loved the build-up of Ari and Josh's relationship, largely because they really did seem to see each other as they were. I did feel like the resolution was rushed, and Ari and Josh's chemistry kind of snapped into place quickly. But ultimately their journeys individually and together made sense for them. While this book is certainly heavier than most romance novels, the romance is still central to the story and to Ari and Josh's relationship.

You, Again also has my favorite kinds of representation: Jewish representation and mental health disaster representation. I'm not 100% certain that Ari is Jewish, but in my head she's Jewish, and Josh is explicitly (pun intended?) Jewish. His dad owns a Jewish deli that's a New York institution, and Josh is also a chef, though he intentionally does not want to run the deli and make food the way his dad does. Josh's Jewishness is always present in the story, but he's not a caricature. There are some hilarious one-liners that Josh gives that feel so Jewish (or are actually Jewish), and it was refreshing to see that on the page. Plus, they brought some levity to a book that handles some pretty deep and tough topics.

Shoutout to the author, Kate Goldbeck, for posting a (non-exhaustive) content warning list: https://www.kategoldbeck.com/content-warnings.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press/Random House for providing me with an eARC of You, Again in exchange for my honest review.

You, Again by Kate Goldbeck is a charming and hilarious enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story that will make you laugh and swoon at the same time. The novel follows Ari, a commitment-phobe struggling comedian, and Josh, a hopeless romantic and aspiring chef, who initially despise each other. However, as they both navigate through heartbreak and unexpected chemistry, they form an unlikely friendship.

Goldbeck has created two complex and relatable characters that complement each other perfectly. Their banter and witty exchanges are a highlight of the novel, making it a joy to read. The author also explores themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the difficulties of modern dating in a refreshingly honest way.

What sets You, Again apart from other romance novels is the emphasis on friendship. Ari and Josh's relationship is built on a foundation of mutual respect and understanding, and the chemistry between them is undeniable. The slow-burn romance is well-crafted, and the tension between the two is palpable.

Overall, You, Again is a fun, witty, and heartwarming debut novel that will make you believe in the power of love and friendship. Goldbeck's writing style is engaging and captivating, making it a perfect summer read that you won't want to put down.

4.0

Setting: New York
Rep: bisexual protagonist

This is one of those books that's "vibes only, no plot" - it feels more like a character study of a couple of disenchanted New Yorkers - but I enjoyed it! I liked the writing style, even if it took me a bit to realize that the narrative switches between Ari and Josh within chapters, and I liked their banter. I also loved Ari's queerness!

Thank you so much Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
I have be fangirling over this modern telling of When Harry Met Sally since the first chapter! Absolutely obsessed. The banter between Ari and Josh was top notch. It had me kicking my feet in the air giggling. The iconic romcom moments had me smiling so hard my face hurt! My friends were sick of me telling them how obsessed I was with this novel daily. I can't speak highly enough of You, Again. I can't wait to read whatever Kate Goldbeck has for us next! (Fangirling still! Eeeeeek!)

Thank you SO much to NetGalley and Random House for providing an ARC of this book. I may have received a free copy, but my opinion is my own.

Ok, so first I think this was probably 4.5 stars instead of 5, but I rounded up. I loved this book. So much. I can't wait to have a physical copy of this book. I am excited to re-read it lol. Josh was perfect, the setting was perfect, the pacing was great. My only complaint is that I think Ari was a little annoying at times and I really wish we had gotten some back story on exactly why she was so closed off to the idea of love.

I have never seen When Harry Met Sally (I know, I know...) so I can't tell you if this book reminds me of that movie like others have said, but I will say I very much enjoyed the time jumps. I think they were added at exactly the right moments. I was kind of expecting a cheesy, hallmark type book where the characters say borderline cringy things in the name of love and, honestly, there was none of that. It felt real and believable. Like this story actually happened to a real life couple at some point. I loved it.

My thoughts are not coherent, but you should read this book when it comes out in September if you want a good quality rom-com that makes you feel like you're watching a non-cheesy, swoon-worthy movie. I loved every second. Have I mentioned that I love Josh? Because I do. I really, really do.

Oh, I absolutely loved the premise of this book, and the story really delivered! Smart, funny, and emotional. A great modern love story.

This was such a refreshing read! I enjoyed the sarcastic and angsty emotions from the characters. I was a bit worried that the classic commitment phobe/hopeless romantic combination would be cheesy but it wasn't at all! I fell for the characters and enjoyed reading their love story.

The premise of this book sounded right to my alley. I love When Harry Met Sally & second (or tenth) chance love stories. New York is always the perfect setting for a gritty love story. The juxtaposition of a chef & a comedian was intriguing. I had high hopes and a lot of them were fulfilled but I just didn’t love it. It was a love story that wrapped up enjoyably in the last pages but I spent most of the book before that convincing myself to keep reading. The main character was unlikable and immature. I never saw her develop or progress other than being able to voice her feelings at the very end. I was so annoyed with her that it just didn’t feel like enough change for me. I think the timeline didn’t allow for us to see individual growth in either of the characters as fully as I would have wanted. The story ended up nicely but it took too long to get there overall. Great sexuality representation, definitely read if you are looking for a queer love story. P

𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 for the Millennial generation. As a long-time Nora Ephron enthusiast and rom-com aficionado, I feel qualified to say that 𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 by Kate Goldbeck is the stuff of “opposites attract” and “enemies-to-friends-to-lovers” dreams. Set in New York City and told from alternating points of view over the course of ten years, the story follows Ari and Josh, two people with different personalities and outlooks on life who the universe keeps pushing together.

Ari is a comedian and writer. She’s quick-witted, bold, adventurous, and skeptical of monogamy. Josh is a chef with a preference for high-concept recipes and complex flavors. He’s intelligent, reserved, and exacting and believes in marriage and the idea of soulmates. When they first meet in 2014, Ari finds Josh pretentious and arrogant, and Josh finds Ari rude and aggravating. It doesn’t help that Josh is dating Ari’s roommate… whom bisexual Ari has hooked up with herself a few times. The two run into each other again and again over the years, continuing to butt heads yet sharing a strong chemistry and lively dynamic. It’s not until 2022, when Ari and Josh are both recovering from brutal break-ups and career setbacks, that they find common ground and develop a close friendship. A friendship that of course gets complicated by mutual attraction and intense emotions.

I loved this book and thought the story was well-written, nicely paced, and engrossing. I enjoyed the characterizations of Ari and Josh and how author Goldbeck gender-flipped and modernized the Harry and Sally roles. I also liked how the supporting characters were interesting on their own and weren’t just cookie-cutter stereotypes. The dialogue was sharp and often laugh-out-loud funny. The use of New York locales for scenes were well-selected and described and I could tell the the writer really knew and loved the city. All in all, 𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 is a fantastic romantic-comedy for the modern age that honors much-loved romance tropes but freshens them up in fun and captivating ways.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. My review was posted on April 24, 2023 to Goodreads here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5464055947.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. This post may contain minor spoilers.

This book feels like a ‘90s romcom. If you want a ‘When Harry Met Sally’ book, this is it. Our main characters Ari and Josh keep meeting and absolutely hate each other. They can never seem to see eye to eye. Most of their interactions at this stage were absolutely hilarious to read.

But then they meet again after years of silence, and suddenly hit it off. They become quick friends and oh my god it’s amazing. At this point, they remind me of Joey and Rachel from ‘Friends.’ (Or if you’re a Ross person I guess you can use him in the example, but I will be judging you for doing so) I just want them to get together!

The best part about this book is the character growth. Ari is a “wind in her hair” type of person, very free spirited. This causes problems in her life because she can’t commit to people or even places. But she comes to the realization that commitment is okay and she can find love. Even after this, she’s still free spirited, but she’s more at peace with herself. It’s beautiful to see.

This book is emotional and has an amazing reunion after the third act breakup. Highly recommend. I love the epilogue and would be first in line to see this turned into a movie. Go read it!

I LOVED this book! A modern love story set in NYC that manages to not be cheesy or overly predictable. The author mentioned "When Harry Met Sally" as an inspiration for the book and that was one of the main draws for me. I also loved that the main characters were a comedian and a chef, both of whom were layered and well developed as characters. The book spans 10 years which allowed for authentic evolution of both characters. Ari a quick witted, commitment-phobe has a couple brief encounters over the course of a few years with Josh, an arrogant, aspiring chef. Their paths cross a third time when they are both nursing recent messy breakups. They become close friends, helping each other to heal, and then things get complicated when both catch feelings but get in their own way. This is a gem of a debut for Kate Goldbeck. I laughed out loud at so many of the little jokes and references and felt so invested in seeing these two characters through. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a much better-than-average, funny, smart, romance. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

You, Again by Kate Goldbeck is the perfect romantic comedy debut.

Goldbeck has just written a fun enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance story.

I enjoyed these characters and their journey.
Ari and Josh with their snarky banter was such fun seeing it play out before my eyes.
Kate Goldbeck did a great job bringing her characters to life.
I could visualize everything perfectly.
The humor and chemistry were great and so on point.
With the great story-telling and and wonderful characters I really enjoyed this book.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Random House & Dial Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

“Can we try that again?” she asks when he slowly eases her down to the ground. “I feel like I wasn’t ready for that.”
“That could be the pull quote for our entire relationship.”

In You, Again, we get the most delicious and chaotic meeting of 2 main characters filled with witty banter, philosophical discussions about relationships and a failed attempt at dinner. The second meeting is somehow more disastrous.

The thing that makes when Harry met Sally such a satisfying rom-com is the fact they truly are friends for most of the movie (once we get past the can’t standing each other part). Ari and Josh have the same thing going for them. When they meet, again, they’ve both matured enough to realize the flaws in the previous versions of themselves and don’t hold a grudge against one another. Yet they’re both in such a place of misery that they’re not emotionally available for anything but friendship (and Too Sad to Fuck Someone). And oops, turns out when they cross the friendship to lovers line they still aren’t in a good emotionally available place to make it work. I love it when characters have to work on themselves first before they are in a place to properly jump into a relationship – for me, it makes the ending so much more satisfying knowing that everyone has put in the work and figured out their shit before getting their HEA.

Ari is a chaotic mess of a person. She clearly loves hard, but has some deep rooted insecurities that make her very hesitant to form love-connections. I find Ari to be a deeply relatable 20-something character. She represents the struggle many of us go through to try find our place in the world and make our dreams a reality. I enjoyed having a truly bi-sexual character who had a modern perspective on relationships/monogamy (though her approach wasn’t entirely healthy).

Josh is our classic grump hero. He has a pretentious edge that I also found relatable – don’t we all have things we get a little snobby about?! Josh comes across as a bit egotistical, which makes for an interesting plot point as he takes a huge blow to his ego and has to humble himself to grow as a person.

You, Again is first and foremost a book about breakups, and the friends that get you through it. It doesn’t feel like a traditional romance. Its edgier than when Harry met Sally and doesn’t shy away from the fact these characters are flawed and messy (but I love that – they feel authentic and real).

There’s a sense of opposites-attract but in a fated lover kind of way. These two kept getting pushed together despite their initial differences. You can’t help but root for them to get through the difficult personal growth until they’re finally in a position to be together.

Some may find the constant POV switching to be a bit confusing, but I found it gave us great insight into what each character was feeling/thinking during various scenes.

I think fans of Emily Henry will really enjoy Kate Goldbeck’s voice, in particular her fantastic witty dialogue.

This one was a bit of a roller coaster and gets 3 stars from me! the characters felt insufferable at the beginning, and at parts one of them was so pompous that I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to make you really not like him. We was disappointed because the cover reminded me of a cute rom-com but within the first few pages I just felt like I could not relate to how chaotic the FMC was.

In middle I didn’t know why the book had to be as long as it was BUT by the end the (very) imperfect characters had definitely endeared themselves to me! It was hard for me to decide what to rate this because if it wasn’t an ARC (and I wasn’t trying to keep my NetGalley ratio up), I would have DNFed it after the first chapter, but by the end I was invested?! I’m not sure if that was just because I was on a plane with nothing else to do. So overall, I’d say a 3.

(Also, the book is written in present tense and switches POV mid-chapter, so if you don’t like that, this is your warning!)

If you like books with messy characters or set in New York City, this could be a good fit for you? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes I stayed up too late reading this. Yes I’m still drying my happy tears while I write this.

Enemies to friends to lovers to strangers excellence!

I love this book so. much. The dialogue is so witty and quick. The banter between Ari and Josh is absolutely hilarious and had me laughing out loud a million times. THE ANGST had me on the edge of my reading chair! It’s gender swap When Harry Meets Sally is perfection!!!

I must be honest, I have been a fan of Kate’s writing for a while and I might have read the fic of this a few hundred times. But somehow I love You, Again even more.

I adore Ari and all her walls and struggles, I loved seeing her grow and change and become the best version of herself. And sweet Josh, with his own set of struggles and the burden of his family’s legacy, finally embrace it all. Both learning to love and be loved. It was so beautiful and inspiring for me to see!

This has become one of my top all time favorite reads and I cannot wait to read more from Kate!

Thanks so much to Random House and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!