Rachel Lynn Solomon recommended Thank You For Sharing by Rachel Runya Katz at a book event I went to last year, and I am so glad she did. It was moving and thoughtful, and one of those reads that sticks with you after you are done reading. I felt the same way about Isn’t It Obvious.

First of all, let’s talk about the way the two main characters meet. Ravi and Yael meet when Ravi is sneaking out of Yael’s apartment after spending the night with her roommate. A meet cute? Not so much. A brilliant start to a story? Absolutely. It set up such an interesting tension between them. As a loyal roommate and friend, Yael is obligated to hate Ravi, but she finds herself slowly warming up to him as he volunteers at her afterschool queer book club.

First of all, I wish Yael’s podcast was real. As a former English teacher who taught books like 1984 and The Great Gatsby, I would love to listen to a podcast where a queer woman of color takes down dead white men’s literary work. Does a podcast like this actually exist? If so, please tell me.

I love good use of dramatic irony, and Katz does it so well here. The reader knows that Yael and Elle are the same person and that Kevin and Ravi are the same person, but the characters do not. The tension is built up so well to the moment where “Elle” and “Kevin” have to meet in person. (I won’t say anything else to avoid spoilers). It is so fun to read the difference in the way Yael and Ravi interact at book club and how “Elle” and “Kevin” email and text one another. It is so well done.

Jewish representation is very important to me, and I love a Jewish main character in a romance novel. This one is even more special because it features a Jew of color. Jews of color absolutely exist, but they seem to be forgotten about and not talked about enough, and Yael addresses that issue. She tells Kevin in an email that, “I’ve had some pretty negative experiences in Jewish spaces because I don’t look Eastern European (or at least my Eastern European features are not my most obvious ones.” Her words are an important reminder of the harm of making assumptions about people based on appearance.

Isn’t It Obvious features a straight-passing relationship between two queer people, which feels so important. Biphobia is real as is the erasure of bisexual people from queer spaces. Ravi shares with Yael that he experienced homophobia in Trinidad where he grew up even from his own father. Yael shares her very different experience growing up with two queer parents. Stories like this are so important, and I am thrilled Katz is telling them.

Probably because I’m a new mom, but I’ve been loving romance novels where children feature prominently lately. Ravi’s relationship with his niece, Mia, is so sweet. He sacrifices a lot and even moves across the country when his niece’s mother decides to leave and move to Europe. I loved the little details like how Mia insists on Ravi sitting on the toilet next to her during her bathtime. It made me smile and emphasizes what a kind and caring person Ravi is.

I also love that Katz put in a little Easter egg for readers of her other books. Ravi’s niece watches Youtube videos made by Liyah, the main character in Thank You For Sharing. It’s a blink and you’d miss it moment, but it made me smile as someone who loved Thank You For Sharing as well.

I highly recommend you pick up any of Katz’s work. They are romance novels that deal with serious and real issues like mental illness, race, and sexuality thoughtfully while also being lighthearted and funny at times. I have already purchased a copy of Isn’t It Obvious, and I look forward to reading it again.

I loved so so many things about this book! Yael and Ravi are both such kickass main characters and I want to be best friends with both of them. The progression of their relationship both online and IRL was done so well, and it felt perfectly paced. I loved all of the different forms of representation. This book will be sticking with me for a very long time!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This was one of the best romances I've read. I usually find them to be dramatic or cheesy and this was neither. I LOVED IT!! I loved the library setting and book club setting. I'm in a few book clubs and those people have brought me so much joy so reading this made me laugh and smile and think about how great the book community is. Who doesn't love a love to hate romance?!? I immediately downloaded Whenever You're Ready by this author because I absolutely swooned over how well this was written. I loved the characters and the uniqueness of this one. And i just so happened to read it during PRIDE month! LOVE! I need to find a Queer book club ASAP! Suggesting this to all my friends and followers.

Yael is desperate for volunteers for her LGBTQ+ book club at the high school where she is a librarian. She is shocked when the only person who ends up showing up for it is Ravi- the man she caught sneaking out her bedroom window in order to ghost Yael's roommate. If only she knew that this man she thinks so low of is also Kevin- her new editor for the podcast she started under a pseudonym and shares a connection with.

The story is super cute. The dual perspectives are both from the 3rd person pov which I don't live but didn't take away from anything. I am glad that the whole cast of characters felt realistic and inclusive, while highlighting the everyday struggles that people face. Gosh making friends in adulthood really can be hard! The pacing was fine, there were some miscommunications that seemed to drag but overall it flowed very well. Both MC's had believable motives so I think the online/irl personas were utilized well. It's just what you want from a romance novel and I will for sure be reading more from this author!

Isn't it obvious? This book is great. A story with heart at its core, wonderful main characters, and delightful prose.

I hope Katz gets to write more romantic tales and I am looking forward to their take on an achillean story.

I have loved every book by Rachel Runya Katz and ISN'T IT OBVIOUS? has been no different. I can not recommend this author enough!

When I tell you I was SAT for this.

I basicallu devoured it in a single sitting. This was my first Katz book and I will definitely be looking at getting my hands on some more ASAP.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for a copy of this arc, all opinions are my own.

This has to be my favorite book from Katz yet! Yaeh/Elle and and Ravi/Kevin have such an amazing chemistry, you can't help but root for them. Im a sucker for enemies to lovers and friends to lovers, so this was so my jam. I also love the movie "You've Got Mail", and I would say this book has a very similar plot. Is it a little predictable to guess how the story goes, yes perhaps. But it still warmed my heart to read this book. I already want to read it again, maybe pick up the audio once it comes out.

The chemistry and tension between these two is soooo good. And the spice, yes yes please.

I loved the story arc for both the main characters, how we get to see them grow and let others into their own worlds.

Definitely pick this one up!

Mein Leseerlebnis

Das Buch enthält eine frische, unterhaltsame Geschichte, die angelehnt ist an die Grundidee von Filmen wie "E-Mail für dich".

Die Autorin hat ihre komplexen Charaktere so gestaltet, dass sie auf mich lebendig wirkten und ich sie mir ohne Probleme als echte Personen vorstellen konnte. Ich habe beide Hauptcharaktere und die wichtigen Personen in ihren Leben gerne näher kennengelernt.

Im Buch werden ein paar ernstere Themen angesprochen und ich fand es sehr gut, wie die Autorin mit Themen wie mentaler Gesundheit und Identitätsfragen umgegangen ist. Nichts wird beschönigt oder als reines Spannungselement benutzt, das habe ich beim Lesen zu schätzen gewusst.

Beim Lesen konnte mich auch die Energie in der Geschichte und vor allem den Dialogen überzeugen. Ich hatte Spaß, den Geschehnissen zu folgen und musste auch so einige Male lachen.

Leider gibt es eine Sache in dem romance Buch, mit der ich mich etwas schwer getan habe. Ja, ich konnte die Charaktere klar vor meinem inneren Auge sehen, als Paar waren sie für mich aber nicht voll überzeugend. Ich denke, dass ich gegen Ende des Romans ein paar mehr Seiten gebraucht hätte, um ihre Dynamik als Paar zu sehen. Und zwar in ruhigen Momenten nur mit der Heldin und dem Helden, aber z.B. auch gerne zusammen mit den Freund:innen der Heldin.

Blicke ich auf meine Zeit mit "Isn’t it obvious" zurück, so hatte ich mit dem Buch insgesamt eine gute Zeit und ich bin daran interessiert, weitere Bücher der Autorin zu lesen.

🖤🖤🖤 3/4

Für wen?

Wer Liebesromane mit komplexen Charakteren mag, in deren Leben so einiges los ist, für den könnte das Buch eine tolle Wahl sein.

Review will be published on the 20th of October 2025 on my book blog.

A sharp, heartwarming, and utterly charming romance, Isn’t It Obvious? delivers all the tension of a classic enemies-to-lovers trope, with a clever twist of mistaken identity and a touch of podcast-era magic.

Yael, a high school librarian with a passion for queer teen lit and a not-so-secret struggle to balance it all, finds solace and success behind her podcast persona, Elle. When she hires Kevin—really Ravi—as her remote producer, their professional relationship blossoms into something deeply personal, all through email. The catch? In real life, they’re already enemies, thanks to an awkward one-night-stand-adjacent disaster.

Katz plays beautifully with dual identities, crafting a slow-burn romance that unfolds on two timelines—digital and real-world—and leaves readers breathless as they collide. Yael is a complex and relatable heroine, and Ravi brings the perfect balance of vulnerability and wit. The chemistry crackles, the banter shines, and the emotional payoff is deeply satisfying.

This is a romance that understands the messiness of real love and the power of forgiveness. Prepare to swoon, laugh, and maybe cry—this one’s got it all.

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for allowing me to review this e-arc!
Yael and Ravi were very compelling and complex characters right from the moment we see Ravi trying to escape from a bedroom window.Although, their first impressions may not have been great we see how they are able to turn it around.Their dynamic-from online to clashing in real life- was very cleverly executed and it was fun watching their connection unfold.Their romance was a mix of slow-burn and witty banter which I love. Yael and Ravi's communicative skills were very good and I felt liked there were able to about their situations very well to each other.The community of diverse rep with the book club and also some of the side characters as well. Yael's experience with bipolar disorder was handled with care and honesty.Along with Ravi's identity struggles and his devotion to his family.Overall I really enjoyed the You've Got Mail vibes, enemies-to-lovers, and it was a really great read and I look forward to more of Rachel's work..

This book isn't You've Got Mail (which.I love)--it's so much better! The tension between these two characters from the very beginning was so juicy, and I absolutely devoured this book. The stakes were really strong, and I especially appreciated the bi4bi rep. RUN to read this book!

This book underwhelmed me, but I still enjoyed it up to some degree. I loved the diversity and representation, especially for both bi MC's it is such an amazing thing to be able to see 2 people who usually aren't showcased in other reads. I also loved the incorporation ofthe jewish culture, that was very well nuanced, providing a realistic and down to earth view on the culture and religion. The mail and hidden identity aspect was fun, but it was kinda formulaic and boring after a certain point, and I have read books with better pacing that has the same trope. I did not enjoy the heavy miscommunication that is in this book, it made me not want the characters to have their happy ever after. Als the pacing seems a little stagnant, I feel like the builtup was not even and I didn't really believe in their chemistry. I would recommend this to those who love "You’ve Got Mail” and enemies to lovers.

This was a different read, not sure I liked the switching of POVs within chapters.I felt like the story was a little far fetched that he didn’t realize who he was talking to in person was the same person he was editing podcasts for. I also felt it leans too much into the miscommunication trope.

Adorable, quirky, and full of heart! This story will make you want to watch You've Got Mail but offers a different perspective with both main characters being queer. Looking forward to buying a copy of my own when this comes out!

4.5 stars

I loved this one! It has one of my favorite plot tropes. Falling in love anonymously online but disliking each other IRL. It's so good! I loved how this one played out using that trope. I also liked how they got around the fact that Ravi has heard Yael's voice on her podcast and in real life and still didn't put 2 and 2 together. Her podcast voice is different from her real voice. I thought that was believable because radio voices can be so performative and different from normal talking voices. I enjoyed their flirting online and them slowly falling for each other IRL too. So many cute moments. I wish how they found out about each other had gone a little differently, but I still liked how it actually happened. I also really loved the book club that they had with the students. I loved the students, especially Lee. Also, Gina was great. Overall, a really cute read.

content warning: homophobia/biphobia, toxic relationship, abandonment, spicy content

Rachel Runya Katz is one of those authors that I just know I’m going to eat up every single word she writes.

There’s a lot I could say about the romance of this book, which is Hot and Vulnerable and Beautiful, and I’ll get to that, but I need to speak to the queer rep in this one. Two bi MCs, a gay man, a trans lady, and a group of queer teenagers in a book club. Yael had an entire explanation about why she started this club in her library but what it really comes down to, simply, is that she wishes she had it. And the powerful statement of that, how many of us queer kids hiding and scared in our youth(and as adults), could’ve had their lives changed with this kind of safe space. I am so thankful to queer authors who throw their entire hearts into giving us this kind of representation. I can’t imagine the strength it takes to dig deep into their past to give us these beautiful spaces.

Whew. Okay. Let’s talk about the romance!!!! Full disclosure, I am not a fan of the premise of You’ve Got Mail. Mostly, it stresses me out and I’m just full of anxiety the entire time. However, Katz spun something special with Yael and Ravi and I found myself unable to put this down. The chemistry between Elle and Kevin over emails and texts to the tension between Yael and Ravi in person. There’s a scene in a diner that will live rent free in my mind for years to come. The tension in this one was devastating, to steal straight from Yael.

I love that these two are emotional. That Ravi can cry for his niece and Yael can cry for her friends. They balance each other so perfectly and I enjoyed every second of watching them fall in love.

Thank you to Lavendar PR for the physical galley and SMP/NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book surprised me! It's got major diversity: both main characters are queer, there's Jewish and POC rep, and the story doesn't shy away from mental health themes either (the FMC starts out heavily medicated on antipsychotics).

It’s a hate-to-love story with a twist: the characters are unknowingly talking to each other as their alternate personalities over email, while simultaneously falling for each other in real life.

The romance was oddly heartwarming, even with one spicy chapter (not super explicit, but worth the 🌶️🌶️). It’s not something I would have normally picked up, but I’m glad I did.

⭐⭐⭐.5
🌶️🌶️

A well-crafted, slow-burn, contemporary romantic comedy is incredibly difficult to find, but Rachel Runya Katz pulled it off with “Isn’t It Obvious,” a heart-warming love story between a podcast host and her producer. This story deftly explores complex topics including (but not limited to) bipolar disorder, queer identity, and nontraditional family structures.

I do have some nits to pick — primarily, the baffling explanation of what it takes to create a viral, revenue-generating podcast — and I think the book takes a few chapters to find its footing, but ultimately, this is a technically masterful rom com with loveable characters, excellent smut, and a fun premise!

Lovers of You’ve Got Mail, The Ex Talk, and First-Time Caller should absolutely give this book a shot!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC.

This book is phenomenal! I was hooked from the very first page and didn’t want to put it down. Isn’t It Obvious? delivers a delicious mix of mistaken identity, slow-burn tension, and emotional vulnerability—wrapped in a rom-com that’s as smart as it is swoony.

Yael and Ravi are perfectly imperfect. They’re both witty, kind, messy, and deeply human. I wanted to shake them, hug them, and protect their fragile little hearts all at once. Their chemistry crackles—whether they’re bickering in person or bonding anonymously over email—and watching their relationship evolve in both spaces was so satisfying.

The supporting cast of queer teens, nosy friends, and loving-but-complicated family members adds warmth and texture without ever pulling focus. Everyone felt real, but the spotlight stays right where it belongs: on Yael and Ravi, two people trying to figure out if they can trust love again—especially when it sneaks up in the most unexpected way.

This one might just have earned a spot in my rom-com hall of fame.


#IsntitObvious
#NetGalley

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.