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A review by deena_
Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon
5.0
5 stars ☆
➷ Song: Message in a bottle - Taylor Swift
“If it were an essay, here’s the thesis statement: I am in love with you, Rowan Roth.”
It's the longest I've spent with a standalone in a while—14 days? It's too much even for me. Not because it's a bad book or anything; quite the opposite actually, but I'm glad I finally sorted out other things to finish this once and for all. God knows how long I've been looking for a good academic rivals book, I absolutely love that trope and know for certain that it could never go wrong. Then I came across this and was completely floored. Although it's apparent so much happened in the course of 24 hours in this book, it might even be considered way too rushed, but I'm wholly on board for it when it brings so much goodness along.
➷ Sypnosis: Rowan Roth always had mixed feelings about graduation, only it hits her too hard on the awaited last day of school when her certified nemesis snatches the valedictorian award right under her nose. Getting one up on him by winning the senior scavenger hunt game might be her last chance at ending their yearlong rivalry with a hurrah. As some other students try to sabotage both their possible wins out of petty revenge, she is forced to team up with her own target.
“Every test, every competition, it’s Neil and Rowan, Rowan and Neil. If I never hear their names together again, it’ll be too soon.”
➷ New obsession unlocked: Neil McNair blushing.
I don't want him to be real; I want him to text me, 'Hope you have a bad day' every morning. I'd intentionally run late to have him practice his calligraphy on my late slip. Grumpy guys are cool and all but sunshine guys like him are literal perfection. Neil McNair with his stupid red hair, those stupid freakles and that stupid smirk, his interest in pretty words, free puppies obsession, love for children's books and the way he probably enjoys giving someone hell for using the punctuation wrong, has me weak on the knees. His 'wow is not an adjective' would likely haunt me in my sleep. Smartness is his best trait but it still comes second to his adorable personality.
“Did you write poems about me? Did you doodle my name in your notebook with a heart on the i? Or—oh! Did you imagine me as the hero of a romance novel? Please say yes. Please say I was a cowboy.”
➷ The ultimate defender of romance novels: Rowan Roth.
She is Neil and rom-com obsessed; I couldn't agree with her any less but if you ask, she'd probably laugh at your face and call you stupid. I love her strong spirit and competitiveness, she'd rather set herself on fire than do something that gives her opponent an advantage (ex. the disastrous lab incident where she was partnered with Neil; would take her slight error to grave). But she can agree to give in to a fair defeat, she never held onto anything against him or sought out petty ways to outrun him no matter the state of her feelings and I like that their fights are solely innocent around the boundaries of competitions, and they kinda even cared for each other. While I think she wouldn't make a great friend, she's always prepared to help others out if they are not in her way to success.
“There’s a comfort in challenging Neil because there are only ever two outcomes: he wins, or I win. A routine. A security blanket.”
“I’ve given this boy the messiest parts of me, and he’s done nothing but convince me he’ll be careful with them.”
Neil and Rowan's characters are just unusually amazing, everything considered. This duo was so fun to read about, I like when they figuretively try to skin each other alive on every challenge, I like it even more when they look past their distaste for each other and work together. They made the scavenger hunt so interesting that it makes you want to join them on the field.
➷ Favorite Quotes:
Come on. I’m giving you an olive branch here.
If I can’t smack you with it, what’s the point?
(their endless everyday banter)
You… like my freckles?
Yeah I do. I’ve always wondered if you have freckles everywhere.
(he's so insecure about them, i cheered everytime she hyped him up)
I’ve never been able to talk to a cute girl without turning into a fucking tomato.
Would I fall into that category?
(cute, who? i only know neil and rowan)
God, you are so infuriating.
But you like it.
(who needs prize money when we get 300+ pages of this)
Fine, fine. You win.
Can you say that again? I like the way it sounds.
(sksk never thought she'd see the day)
Earth-shattering.
What just happened? Agreed.
Well, yes, but I meant you.
(and to think he was asking if relationships were supposed to feel earth shattering earlier that day)
➷ Song: Message in a bottle - Taylor Swift
“If it were an essay, here’s the thesis statement: I am in love with you, Rowan Roth.”
It's the longest I've spent with a standalone in a while—14 days? It's too much even for me. Not because it's a bad book or anything; quite the opposite actually, but I'm glad I finally sorted out other things to finish this once and for all. God knows how long I've been looking for a good academic rivals book, I absolutely love that trope and know for certain that it could never go wrong. Then I came across this and was completely floored. Although it's apparent so much happened in the course of 24 hours in this book, it might even be considered way too rushed, but I'm wholly on board for it when it brings so much goodness along.
➷ Sypnosis: Rowan Roth always had mixed feelings about graduation, only it hits her too hard on the awaited last day of school when her certified nemesis snatches the valedictorian award right under her nose. Getting one up on him by winning the senior scavenger hunt game might be her last chance at ending their yearlong rivalry with a hurrah. As some other students try to sabotage both their possible wins out of petty revenge, she is forced to team up with her own target.
“Every test, every competition, it’s Neil and Rowan, Rowan and Neil. If I never hear their names together again, it’ll be too soon.”
➷ New obsession unlocked: Neil McNair blushing.
I don't want him to be real; I want him to text me, 'Hope you have a bad day' every morning. I'd intentionally run late to have him practice his calligraphy on my late slip. Grumpy guys are cool and all but sunshine guys like him are literal perfection. Neil McNair with his stupid red hair, those stupid freakles and that stupid smirk, his interest in pretty words, free puppies obsession, love for children's books and the way he probably enjoys giving someone hell for using the punctuation wrong, has me weak on the knees. His 'wow is not an adjective' would likely haunt me in my sleep. Smartness is his best trait but it still comes second to his adorable personality.
“Did you write poems about me? Did you doodle my name in your notebook with a heart on the i? Or—oh! Did you imagine me as the hero of a romance novel? Please say yes. Please say I was a cowboy.”
➷ The ultimate defender of romance novels: Rowan Roth.
She is Neil and rom-com obsessed; I couldn't agree with her any less but if you ask, she'd probably laugh at your face and call you stupid. I love her strong spirit and competitiveness, she'd rather set herself on fire than do something that gives her opponent an advantage (ex. the disastrous lab incident where she was partnered with Neil; would take her slight error to grave). But she can agree to give in to a fair defeat, she never held onto anything against him or sought out petty ways to outrun him no matter the state of her feelings and I like that their fights are solely innocent around the boundaries of competitions, and they kinda even cared for each other. While I think she wouldn't make a great friend, she's always prepared to help others out if they are not in her way to success.
“There’s a comfort in challenging Neil because there are only ever two outcomes: he wins, or I win. A routine. A security blanket.”
“I’ve given this boy the messiest parts of me, and he’s done nothing but convince me he’ll be careful with them.”
Neil and Rowan's characters are just unusually amazing, everything considered. This duo was so fun to read about, I like when they figuretively try to skin each other alive on every challenge, I like it even more when they look past their distaste for each other and work together. They made the scavenger hunt so interesting that it makes you want to join them on the field.
➷ Favorite Quotes:
Come on. I’m giving you an olive branch here.
If I can’t smack you with it, what’s the point?
(their endless everyday banter)
You… like my freckles?
Yeah I do. I’ve always wondered if you have freckles everywhere.
(he's so insecure about them, i cheered everytime she hyped him up)
I’ve never been able to talk to a cute girl without turning into a fucking tomato.
Would I fall into that category?
(cute, who? i only know neil and rowan)
God, you are so infuriating.
But you like it.
(who needs prize money when we get 300+ pages of this)
Fine, fine. You win.
Can you say that again? I like the way it sounds.
(sksk never thought she'd see the day)
Earth-shattering.
What just happened? Agreed.
Well, yes, but I meant you.
(and to think he was asking if relationships were supposed to feel earth shattering earlier that day)