Last Sunday, Matthew tried making my sourdough recipe while I was at yoga, and I came home to what can only be described as a bread explosion. There was flour on the counters, the walls, and somehow even the ceiling. What in the world? Later that evening, after we cleaned up the kitchen disaster, I curled up with You, Again and got completely lost in it. The messy, real relationship between Ari and Josh felt oddly familiar after watching Matthew's kitchen chaos. It reminded me that sometimes the best things in life are a little imperfect and complicated.
Plot Summary
You, Again by Kate Goldbeck follows Ari, a free-spirited comedian, and Josh, an ambitious chef, who first meet under awkward circumstances when they discover they're both involved with the same woman. What starts as mutual annoyance evolves over years of running into each other in New York City. Their relationship shifts from enemies to reluctant friends to something much deeper. Set against the backdrop of the city's comedy clubs and restaurant scene, the story explores whether two people with completely different life philosophies can find common ground. This is a standalone contemporary romance and a modern retelling inspired by When Harry Met Sally.
Why I Love This Book
I love how raw and real this book feels. Ari and Josh are deeply flawed people who make mistakes and hurt each other. The character development is exceptional. I appreciated watching them grow individually before they could grow together. The pacing mirrors real relationships. Things don't fall into place easily. The tension builds over years, not days, which made everything feel earned. I found myself relating to their struggles with commitment, career pressures, and figuring out what they actually want from life. The humor is sharp and witty without feeling forced. Even when the characters frustrated me, I understood their choices. The emotional depth surprised me in the best way.
Who Will Like This Book
If you enjoy contemporary romance with enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, slow burn chemistry, and messy realistic characters, you'll likely love this story. Fans of Emily Henry or anyone who appreciates modern retellings of classic rom-coms will find this compelling. This book is sex-positive and features characters who are unapologetically themselves.
⚠️ Trigger warning: explicit sexual content, casual sex, references to infidelity, alcohol use, emotional angst, and complicated relationship dynamics.
Tagged As
contemporary romance, enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, slow burn, when harry met sally retelling, modern romance, New York City, comedian heroine, chef hero, commitment phobe, dual POV, realistic characters, messy relationships, working class, height difference, Jewish characters, sex positive, HEA, standalone, 2023 release
Steam Level
The romance is explicit with detailed sexual content. The intimate scenes are open door and contribute to character development and the evolution of their relationship. The book is sex-positive and features multiple steamy scenes that feel natural to the story progression.
