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A review by rereader33
We Can't Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon
2.0
In the beginning, I was calling this book "Tell Don't Show, the YA Novel"
Then about halfway through it became "Lazy and Possibly Offensive Representation, the YA Novel"
By the end it was "Please for the Love of All that is Holy and Good in this World, Please End My Suffering by Ending, the YA Novel".
While I would love to give this one star, I can't in good conscience because I didn't feel the same visceral, violent hatred and rage that I felt while/after reading Bunny, The Operator, and Recipe for a Perfect Wife. Instead, I am acutely aware that I've lost about seven hours collectively from my life that I'll never get back. Ever.
All of my complaints can pretty much be summed up by the aforementioned alternative titles I gave this book. Solomon relies HEAVILY on tell don't show to the point where it was impossible for me to connect to and feel anything for these characters. Not only that, but Solomon also does that thing a lot of romance writers do where they describe things in cutesy, quirly, overly-descriptive language that doesn't add anything and is just fluff. If you like that, good for you, but it's really fucking obnoxious reading a one-two sentence description that was perfectly fine on its own, but Solomon just HAD to add another run-on sentence to further describe what was already described and make it somehow worse.
As for the representation, while I know writers like Solomon have good intentions trying to add POC, different religions, and LGBTQ+ characters in their stories, but I'm gonna offer these authors a little piece of advice: IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO DO THE BARE MINIMUM RESEARCH TO FLUSH OUT THESE CHARACTERS, DON'T. FUCKING. WRITE THEM. Seriously, what was the point of having lesbian and bisexual representation if the characters attached to them were effectively window dressing? Why are most of the Jewish and Muslim characters non-practicing or mock their lack of religious practice? I'm not saying they're aren't non-practicing Muslims and Jewish folk, but there are so few books that actually have practicing Jews and Muslims in them that this feels like a slap in the face for those practicing those religions. Readers want more religious representation, especially from more pushed aside religions, give readers what they want! And if you're too fucking lazy to do the research, than do fucking add them to your story.
As for the main cast, Quinn was really fucking obnoxious and Tarek wasn't a whole lot better. I felt no chemistry between them and both had such toxic views on romance I feel like they shouldn't have gotten together or tried to fix it. Asher was fine, didn't really care about her, and Quinn's parents were annoying as hell. I could write a dissertation on how bad they were at communicating and actually showing how they cared about their kids, but this book gave me enough of a headache as is.
I also want to make it clear right here and now in case people try to defend Quinn's actions because of her OCD and anxiety, that mental illness doesn't EXCUSE actions. It EXPLAINS them. Regardless of what or how someone is suffering, they are still responsible for their actions and said actions should not be dismissed because of mental illness. As someone who has autism, social and general anxiety, and depression, I am aware that my illnesses contribute to a lot of my problems, but I would never dream of using them as an excuse for hurting someone even if it was intentional. I still hurt someone and I have to take responsibility for that, and while Quinn acknowledges that what she's done is wrong and she needs to fix it, all she does is regurgitate her epiphany to all parties involved and everyone just accepts it. Because she's "so strong" and has "gotten so brave" and I'm just like, "I think what you mean to say is she's become an actual good person". Yes, Quinn standing up for herself is strong, but she was such a mess and strung literally everyone around with horrifically bad lies and half-baked excuses that I didn't see her as strong by the end.
Oh my gosh, this was exhausting. Reading this book and writing this review was exhausting and I'm done. If you want to read this, go for it, I don't care. I didn't like it, wouldn't recommend it, but read it if you absolutely want to despite my criticisms. Hopefully it won't be as bad for you as it was for me.
Then about halfway through it became "Lazy and Possibly Offensive Representation, the YA Novel"
By the end it was "Please for the Love of All that is Holy and Good in this World, Please End My Suffering by Ending, the YA Novel".
While I would love to give this one star, I can't in good conscience because I didn't feel the same visceral, violent hatred and rage that I felt while/after reading Bunny, The Operator, and Recipe for a Perfect Wife. Instead, I am acutely aware that I've lost about seven hours collectively from my life that I'll never get back. Ever.
All of my complaints can pretty much be summed up by the aforementioned alternative titles I gave this book. Solomon relies HEAVILY on tell don't show to the point where it was impossible for me to connect to and feel anything for these characters. Not only that, but Solomon also does that thing a lot of romance writers do where they describe things in cutesy, quirly, overly-descriptive language that doesn't add anything and is just fluff. If you like that, good for you, but it's really fucking obnoxious reading a one-two sentence description that was perfectly fine on its own, but Solomon just HAD to add another run-on sentence to further describe what was already described and make it somehow worse.
As for the representation, while I know writers like Solomon have good intentions trying to add POC, different religions, and LGBTQ+ characters in their stories, but I'm gonna offer these authors a little piece of advice: IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO DO THE BARE MINIMUM RESEARCH TO FLUSH OUT THESE CHARACTERS, DON'T. FUCKING. WRITE THEM. Seriously, what was the point of having lesbian and bisexual representation if the characters attached to them were effectively window dressing? Why are most of the Jewish and Muslim characters non-practicing or mock their lack of religious practice? I'm not saying they're aren't non-practicing Muslims and Jewish folk, but there are so few books that actually have practicing Jews and Muslims in them that this feels like a slap in the face for those practicing those religions. Readers want more religious representation, especially from more pushed aside religions, give readers what they want! And if you're too fucking lazy to do the research, than do fucking add them to your story.
As for the main cast, Quinn was really fucking obnoxious and Tarek wasn't a whole lot better. I felt no chemistry between them and both had such toxic views on romance I feel like they shouldn't have gotten together or tried to fix it. Asher was fine, didn't really care about her, and Quinn's parents were annoying as hell. I could write a dissertation on how bad they were at communicating and actually showing how they cared about their kids, but this book gave me enough of a headache as is.
I also want to make it clear right here and now in case people try to defend Quinn's actions because of her OCD and anxiety, that mental illness doesn't EXCUSE actions. It EXPLAINS them. Regardless of what or how someone is suffering, they are still responsible for their actions and said actions should not be dismissed because of mental illness. As someone who has autism, social and general anxiety, and depression, I am aware that my illnesses contribute to a lot of my problems, but I would never dream of using them as an excuse for hurting someone even if it was intentional. I still hurt someone and I have to take responsibility for that, and while Quinn acknowledges that what she's done is wrong and she needs to fix it, all she does is regurgitate her epiphany to all parties involved and everyone just accepts it. Because she's "so strong" and has "gotten so brave" and I'm just like, "I think what you mean to say is she's become an actual good person". Yes, Quinn standing up for herself is strong, but she was such a mess and strung literally everyone around with horrifically bad lies and half-baked excuses that I didn't see her as strong by the end.
Oh my gosh, this was exhausting. Reading this book and writing this review was exhausting and I'm done. If you want to read this, go for it, I don't care. I didn't like it, wouldn't recommend it, but read it if you absolutely want to despite my criticisms. Hopefully it won't be as bad for you as it was for me.