Over the course of several years - so the narrative jumps forward months or years at a time - Ari and Josh meet, fight, become friends, and fall in love. I'm not usually a fan of enemies-to-lovers, but adding that crucial step in between - friends - as well as the hops forward in time, allowing for the characters to grow and change, makes it work. An extra fun wrinkle to navigate is that Josh fired Ari's friend Radhya, so when Ari and Josh do become friends, she hides it from Rad. Josh's younger sister Briar, a social media influencer, is perfectly Gen Z.

Quotes

...for some reason, other people's problems always seem obviously fixable. (Ari, 99)

When a personal disaster happens, you turn it into a bit. (Ari, 108)

"You always do this....You deflect and avoid until things blow up and then you walk away." (Radhya to Ari, 139)

...their friendship exists in a perfect, fragile bubble of right now. (Ari, 174)

Sometimes it's not until she encounters genuine parental affection that she recognizes the utter lack of it in her life. It hurts more to fill the cavity than to leave it empty. (Ari, 196)

She's managed to trigger a specific kind of loneliness that only happens when you alienate everyone who knows you - really knows you. (Ari, 351)

He's breaking sheets of matzo into perfectly even pieces. (397) ( )

2.5**

This is a retelling of the very popular (and brilliant) film, When Harry Met Sally. Ari is a wannabe stand-up comic, making do writing bar mitzvah and father-of-the-bride speeches, serving at catered events, and gathering petition signatures. Josh is a chef from a wealthy family who definitely does NOT want to follow in his father’s footsteps and take over the famous deli he runs. They meet when Ari is collecting signatures in the park. They meet again when Josh shows up at the apartment Ari shares with her friend Natalie, ready to cook a romantic dinner for two. They dislike each other. Three years later … etc.

I really disliked these two characters. Ari, in particular, is a hot mess. Insecure, prickly to the point of being antagonistic, full of self-loathing and wallowing in pity, the front she portrays is what she thinks is an independent woman who loves to have meaningless sex with random strangers and who lives her life on HER terms. BUT … hot mess, remember?

Josh is kinda full of himself. He’s so concerned with making it HIS way that he runs roughshod over anyone who gets in his way. The result is that he also fails.

Well, you’ve seen the movie, so you know what’s coming. Do yourself a favor. Skip the book and re-watch the movie. ( )

bailing at 18%: Neither MC is the least bit appealing—I just can't go on.

A When Harry Met Sally 21st century redo with a bi-poly FMC and a chef with severe anxiety as the MMC. That seemed very promising. Though I ended up liking it, it was not without flaws.

This was so slow to start, so slow I considered a dnf at around p. 100, and it was longer than it should have been. Despite the slow start and the many many many senseless rejections of clearly communicated love, I was such a fan of the end it still goes to 3.5. Ari was such a bitch. I know it was because she was scarred, but it made her treat people (not just Josh) quite badly. It was hard to get past that, but I did. Josh was arrogant, but still not fully unlikable like Ari. Both characters were monumentally self-involved. You could not have convinced me that Goldbeck would get me to root for their HEA, but she did. In real life I know Ari would break Josh's heart again because she is too broken and selfish, but I am happy to hold on to the illusion.

Also, you always win with me with a realistic love letter to NYC in all its rat-congested, line-sitting, illegal subletting glory. ( )

3.5 rounded up. Look, I watched when Harry met Sally once over a decade ago and I couldn't tell you anything that happens in that movie besides *that* scene. So this was basically all fresh to me, which I enjoyed. This feels much more real and messy than a lot of romcoms, tho I can't imagine being this messy of a person myself. That would give me too much anxiety. I felt like this was a little too long, but I enjoyed it more than I enjoy watching romcoms so that's something. ( )