BOOK REVIEW: We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This

We Can’t Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
Publication Date: June 8, 2021 (TUESDAY!!)

TW: anxiety, OCD, allergice reaction (minor), depression, strained relationships with parents

Plot: Both Quinn Berkowitz and Tarek Mansour’s parents work in the wedding industry. The Berkowitzs plan them and the Mausours carter them. Quinn and Tarek have always been friendly and last summer Quinn confessed her feelings to Tarek in an email…and then never heard back. Now Tarek is back from his first year of college and they have to figure out their new dynamic. Quinn is also trying to figure out how to tell her family she does not want to be a part of the family business.

Rachel Lynn Solomon is one of my new favorite authors. I read and loved her last two books. You can see my review of Today Tonight Tomorrow here and my review of The Ex Talk here. So when the publisher reached out and asked if I wanted an ARC I was like YES PLEASE!!!! But, in a very chill and professional manner.

WHAT I LOVED

I could relate to Quinn so much.
- Which at made me like this book but also feel called out at times.
I love the premise of this story.
It has all the RLS staples that I love.
- Sex positive, Jewish rep, teens figuring out themselves, discussions on mental illness, characters that feel real.
ROWAN & NEIL!!!!!
- They cameo and it’s the cutest.
- I was not expecting it and literally set the book down for a second so I could scream in delight.
Beltloops!!
- This is super out of context and if you haven’t read it, I’M SORRY!!
  - Also, if you have read it and did not fixate on the belt loops moment…well I guess I hyperfixate on random parts of books!
I love all the references!!
- We got Bachelor references! And a Fleabag reference!!
I loved how Quinn stuck to her principles
Quinn and Tarek start hanging out/dating about halfway through the book and they have to figure out their differences and work through them which was nice to see on page instead of the WE GOT TOGETHER AT THE END YAY BUT THIS RELATIONSHIP DOES NOT SEEM LIKE IT WILL WORK.
- Quinn and Tarek are pretty different and they have to figure out how they will work as a couple and it was frustrating at times to see them take a step forward and then a step back, but because of that, it feels free and authentic.
On page rep for OCD and Anxiety for Quinn (she takes medication for them) and Tarek has depression.
- RLS said that she based Quinn’s OCD on her own experiences.
Lowkey teared up at one point? I think I’m just a sap now BC SERIOUSLY.
I loved the conversations about being Jewish and the variety in what is means “to be Jewish”.
There is a Mitt Romney joke that had me CACKLING (a sentence I never thought I would write).
The moment that the title is spoke was AMAZING.
I loved how even though this is a book about weddings we talk about divorce a lot and see someone who is happy being a single.
- But, don’t worry, there are TONS of weddings too.
Tarek is a cinnamon roll hero and at one point is describes as smelling as cinnamon which was TOO CUTE.
I liked how the parents have flaws, but they are not just painted as terrible people.
- A pet peeve I have in YA is when the parents are painted as one dimensional monsters when their teens have issues with them.
- Quinn has serious issues with her parents, but they are never painted as horrible people. They’ve messed up some of their parenting, but Quinn also loves them and they have some good moments too.
How cute is this cover though??