We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon is the wedding planning rom-com I have been waiting for. Following a harpist and a caterer, this one contains the perfect amount of awkwardness and two complex main characters. The book also normalizes casual mental health representation, and I enjoyed the open conversations the characters have about it. This is the perfect summer contemporary, balancing fluff with thoughtful discussions.
Title: We Can't Keep Meeting Like ThisAuthor: Rachel Lynn Solomon
Also by this author: Today Tonight Tomorrow
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: June 8, 2021
Rating:
A wedding harpist disillusioned with love and a hopeless romantic cater-waiter flirt and fight their way through a summer of weddings in this effervescent romantic comedy from the acclaimed author of Today Tonight Tomorrow.
Quinn Berkowitz and Tarek Mansour’s families have been in business together for years: Quinn’s parents are wedding planners, and Tarek’s own a catering company. At the end of last summer, Quinn confessed her crush on him in the form of a rambling email—and then he left for college without a response.
Quinn has been dreading seeing him again almost as much as she dreads another summer playing the harp for her parents’ weddings. When he shows up at the first wedding of the summer, looking cuter than ever after a year apart, they clash immediately. Tarek’s always loved the grand gestures in weddings—the flashier, the better—while Quinn can’t see them as anything but fake. Even as they can’t seem to have one civil conversation, Quinn’s thrown together with Tarek wedding after wedding, from performing a daring cake rescue to filling in for a missing bridesmaid and groomsman.
Quinn can’t deny her feelings for him are still there, especially after she learns the truth about his silence, opens up about her own fears, and begins learning the art of harp-making from an enigmatic teacher.
Maybe love isn’t the enemy after all—and maybe allowing herself to fall is the most honest thing Quinn’s ever done.
❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃
We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This, Rachel Lynn Solomon
Working for her family’s wedding planning business over the summer, the last person Quinn expects to find working alongside her is the boy who ghosted her after she poured her heart out to him via email. Quinn is prepared for an awkward summer, but she and Tarek slowly realize that there is still a spark between them. However, the two of them have different outlooks on romance. What follows is an earnest friends to lovers story that I’m sure many will identify with.
❀ Realistic Characters
Rachel Lynn Solomon always writes such realistic characters, and I loved Quinn’s voice. She’s a little cynical when it comes to love because of her parents’ separation, and working as a harpist in the wedding business she wants no part of creates some tension. Throughout the book, Quinn learns to trust again, while figuring out who she is. Tarek, the caterer, is also well-written, and he provides an interesting contrast to Quinn since he is a hopeless romantic who loves grand gestures. There is great communication between the two characters, and I admired their maturity.
❀ Mental Illness Portrayed Realistically
Another aspect I enjoyed is the way mental illness and insecurities are portrayed. Quinn has OCD and Tarek has depression, and both characters openly discuss it. Tarek’s depression is an especially important element since mental illness in men isn’t as common in YA. As well, mental illness isn’t presented as a big deal or even a major part of the plot, which I enjoyed, but these struggles also don’t disappear because of love. I loved this casual representation, and I hope to see more books follow suit.
❀ A Rom-Com with Heavy Topics
We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon is a story of self-discovery and second chances. I loved the wedding backdrop, and the main characters are realistic. The casual mental health representation makes the book even more dynamic. Those looking for a rom-com that also touches on heavier topics will enjoy this one.
About Rachel Lynn Solomon
Rachel Lynn Solomon writes, tap dances, and collects lipstick in Seattle, Washington. Once she helped set a Guinness World Record for the most natural redheads in one place. She's the author of You'll Miss Me When I'm Gone, a Sydney Taylor Honor Book, Indies Introduce title, and Kids' Indie Next Top 10 Pick, Our Year of Maybe, and Today Tonight Tomorrow (July 28, 2020), all from Simon & Schuster. Her debut adult romantic comedy, The Ex Talk, will be published by Berkley/PRH on February 9, 2021.
Her short story "Aftershocks" appears in the anthology It's a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes, and Other Jewish Stories.
About The Candid Cover
Olivia ❀ YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, novice New Yorker, & professional bibliophile.
You really make me want to read it. And yes masculine depression is not a topic we see often.
I hope that you love it, Sophie! 🙂
RLS does a great job mixing the heavy and the light. I did enjoy this one, and I liked the way Quinn was looking for her passion. I do not think I have read a book by Solomon which didn’t include mental health in some way
She really know how to pack a punch! 😉
I love that the representation was realistic. Books usually shine when that’s the case. Great review!
I totally agree! 🙂
Thanks for the review, sounds really good!
Since people usually prefer enemies to lovers I find that the friends to lovers trope is very underrated. So I like that this book has it. And I love that mental illness is portrayed realistically. Like you say mental illness in men isn’t common in YA and even in real life I feel like it isn’t talked about often. So more bonus points for this book!
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It really isn’t and I hope to see more of it! 🙂
Ahhh!! I love a wedding planner romance!! I am very excited to get my hands on this story! Thanks for sharing your review!
Same!! I hope that you enjoy it! 🙂
I like that there are serious topics mixed in, but you also had me at wedding planning and romcom!
Haha!! Right?! 🙂
It’s interesting to me that mental illness is topic and part of the this book. I think it’s wonderful.
It really is! 🙂
I love these types of romance books. Thanks for posting!
Same! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Sounds like a super cute read.
i love this cover. sounds adorable!!