We Can't Keep Meeting Like This Review
Hello, all!
For someone who doesn't believe in love, Quinn Berkowitz spends a lot of time planning other people's special days. Ever since she was young, she's helped out at her family's wedding planning business doing everything from venue walk-throughs to playing the harp at the reception. Quinn finds it hard to muster the same amount of passion for the job as the rest of her family, but the one bright spot in all the wedding frenzy has always been Tarek Mansour. Quinn and Tarek's families have been in business together for years. The Berkowitz's plan the event, and the Mansour's provide the delicious catering. Quinn could always count on their playful banter to get her through, but after confessing her feelings to him last summer and getting no response, she'd rather crawl into a hole than see him again.
After going out on a limb and being shut down, Quinn has spent the past year convincing herself that it never could have worked between them in the first place. Tarek is a hopeless romantic who loves a grand gesture, and just the thought of being in a relationship sends Quinn into an anxiety spiral. But when the pair run into each other at the first wedding of the summer, all the feelings Quinn has been repressing come bubbling back up to the surface. As they spend more time together and begin opening up more, Quinn slowly starts to realize just how many feelings and experiences she's closed herself off to, and maybe the grandest gesture one can make is to finally let go and let yourself fall.
I always enjoy Solomon's writing style and how easy it is, but I couldn't help feeling as if something was missing from this one. There were many aspects of this I enjoyed, namely the mental health representation. Solomon always broaches these topics with care and in a way that feels very true. I love the way she normalizes mental health and drives home the fact that if you do suffer from a mental illness that there's nothing to be ashamed about. Both Quinn and Tarek are dealing with their issues, and I loved the way they supported each other and lifted one another. Even though I wasn't fully invested in their relationship, I thought they made a cute couple. My main issue with this was the communication. No one was being upfront about their feelings, whether it was between Quinn and Tarek or Quinn and her family, and it was just so frustrating. I just wanted to reach inside and shake them all. So, while I didn't fully mesh with this, I do still think it would be a good read to pick up especially for the summertime.
I read Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon last year and really enjoyed it (review here), so I was excited when the publisher reached out about her newest release, We Can't Keep Meeting Like This. Big thank you to them for the copy!
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| Pub Date: 6-8-21 YA - Contemporary |
For someone who doesn't believe in love, Quinn Berkowitz spends a lot of time planning other people's special days. Ever since she was young, she's helped out at her family's wedding planning business doing everything from venue walk-throughs to playing the harp at the reception. Quinn finds it hard to muster the same amount of passion for the job as the rest of her family, but the one bright spot in all the wedding frenzy has always been Tarek Mansour. Quinn and Tarek's families have been in business together for years. The Berkowitz's plan the event, and the Mansour's provide the delicious catering. Quinn could always count on their playful banter to get her through, but after confessing her feelings to him last summer and getting no response, she'd rather crawl into a hole than see him again.
After going out on a limb and being shut down, Quinn has spent the past year convincing herself that it never could have worked between them in the first place. Tarek is a hopeless romantic who loves a grand gesture, and just the thought of being in a relationship sends Quinn into an anxiety spiral. But when the pair run into each other at the first wedding of the summer, all the feelings Quinn has been repressing come bubbling back up to the surface. As they spend more time together and begin opening up more, Quinn slowly starts to realize just how many feelings and experiences she's closed herself off to, and maybe the grandest gesture one can make is to finally let go and let yourself fall.
I always enjoy Solomon's writing style and how easy it is, but I couldn't help feeling as if something was missing from this one. There were many aspects of this I enjoyed, namely the mental health representation. Solomon always broaches these topics with care and in a way that feels very true. I love the way she normalizes mental health and drives home the fact that if you do suffer from a mental illness that there's nothing to be ashamed about. Both Quinn and Tarek are dealing with their issues, and I loved the way they supported each other and lifted one another. Even though I wasn't fully invested in their relationship, I thought they made a cute couple. My main issue with this was the communication. No one was being upfront about their feelings, whether it was between Quinn and Tarek or Quinn and her family, and it was just so frustrating. I just wanted to reach inside and shake them all. So, while I didn't fully mesh with this, I do still think it would be a good read to pick up especially for the summertime.
Rating: 3/5
Shame about the frustrating bits but at least it sounds like a good summer read!
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