Hey Nerds, Stacy, Chanel, and Ashley discuss the second part of You, Again by the amazing Kate Goldbeck. We had Kate on a while back to discuss her fabulous debut novel! This romcom set in New York City gives us the perfect amount of nostalgia with witty banter. Will Ari and Josh get their happily ever after??
Summary:
Can they stop hating each other long enough to fall in love?
When Ari and Josh first meet, the wrong kind of sparks fly. They hate each other. Instantly.
A free-spirited, struggling comedian who likes to keep things casual, Ari sublets, takes gigs, and she never sleeps over after hooking up. Born-and-bred Manhattanite Josh has ambitious plans: Take the culinary world by storm, find The One, and make her breakfast in his spotless kitchen. They have absolutely nothing in common . . . except that they happen to be sleeping with the same woman.
Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again. But years later, as they’re both reeling from ego-bruising breakups, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. Turns out, spending time with your former nemesis is fun when you’re too sad to hate each other—and too sad for hate sex.
As friends-without-benefits, they find comfort in late-night Netflix binges, swiping through each other’s online dating profiles, and bickering across boroughs. It’s better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur. . . .
*Summary from Penguin Random House*
***Produced by Jen Hardin***
Hey Nerds, Stacy, Chanel, and Ashley discuss the second part of You, Again by the amazing Kate Goldbeck. We had Kate on a while back to discuss her fabulous debut novel! This romcom set in New York City gives us the perfect amount of nostalgia with witty banter. Will Ari and Josh get their happily ever after??
Summary:
Can they stop hating each other long enough to fall in love?
When Ari and Josh first meet, the wrong kind of sparks fly. They hate each other. Instantly.
A free-spirited, struggling comedian who likes to keep things casual, Ari sublets, takes gigs, and she never sleeps over after hooking up. Born-and-bred Manhattanite Josh has ambitious plans: Take the culinary world by storm, find The One, and make her breakfast in his spotless kitchen. They have absolutely nothing in common . . . except that they happen to be sleeping with the same woman.
Ari and Josh never expect their paths to cross again. But years later, as they’re both reeling from ego-bruising breakups, a chance encounter leads to a surprising connection: friendship. Turns out, spending time with your former nemesis is fun when you’re too sad to hate each other—and too sad for hate sex.
As friends-without-benefits, they find comfort in late-night Netflix binges, swiping through each other’s online dating profiles, and bickering across boroughs. It’s better than romance. Until one night, the unspoken boundaries of their platonic relationship begin to blur. . . .
*Summary from Penguin Random House*
***Produced by Jen Hardin***
the entanglement.
Speaker 2:The entanglement.
Speaker 1:So he thinks he's texting Ronnie and he texts Briar Ari didn't call you yet. Question mark, hypothetical question and I love you during sex does it still count? And Briar just texts back all of these random letters like freaking out and he's like fuck, fuck, fuck, motherfucker. I texted the wrong person. And Briar put I cannot, with a bunch of skulls I did, because they assume it's him who said I love you.
Speaker 1:They like automatically assume it's him, and so then I won't read it all because it's so long. But this is so funny, this is such great writing. Then then Briar made me and this is fiction fanatics- Hi, I'm Chanel. Hi, I'm Stacey.
Speaker 2:Hey nerds, this is Ashley and this is fiction fanatics.
Speaker 1:Oh, you know who knows who it is the cool people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we can only see the feet. Yeah, we can only see the feet.
Speaker 1:The cool people know just from the feet that it's, that, it is what it is Ask. Look at, toby. We're recorded, by the way.
Speaker 2:I just decided to hit the button and get it rolling.
Speaker 1:Get it rolling. Ok, it's part of the recording process. Ok, go to dad. Go to dad, say bye, bye. Say bye to the listeners, toby. You just want to be a part of it. Ok, go on, go get lunch. The funny thing is I don't actually have my headset because I keep leaving it at Chanel's, which I need to get, and then, of course, it doesn't even matter, because this doesn't even work. No, my headphones work. I like my headphones. It's my whole vibe. I think it goes with what.
Speaker 2:I'm wearing. No, I haven't plugged in. I'm like wait, I can't even hear anything.
Speaker 1:I was just going to say Toby looks more prepared than me because he had Toby's gaming or he had Theo's gaming headset on.
Speaker 2:I was like wait, I'm not hearing anything.
Speaker 1:Look, I match Ashley's background Now. I got my slither in common room on instead of Hannibal, so more people would be aware of what it is.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, you look very cool, I'm almost OK.
Speaker 1:Welcome to this chaotic already chaotic episode of fiction fanatics.
Speaker 2:Oh, OK. Well, this is a little chaotic, but it's also on brand. We are all friends.
Speaker 1:That is our brand.
Speaker 2:Scrolling. I was scrolling on social media and I realized who Kate Goldleck reminds me of and it's Zoe Deschanel. Because I saw Zoe Deschanel, like she was like doing some ad on social media and I was like that's who it is, but like she has, like it's like her personality, she looks like her a little bit, but I was like that's literally who it is.
Speaker 1:She's like yes.
Speaker 2:A new girl. Yeah, there's like that's who it is. And I always have like, every time I like have a friend or like I meet someone, I always have to like compare them to a celebrity and I was like trying to think of like who Kate reminded me of, and it didn't mean that's who it is.
Speaker 1:I love that.
Speaker 2:I love that she's my celebrity. I don't know how it's some people it comes right, it just comes to you.
Speaker 1:Sometimes it's just like lightning and a bottle. You just know it immediately, you and Stacy.
Speaker 2:I have it, one of a kind here.
Speaker 1:Do you think that we would probably remind people of different people though?
Speaker 2:right, yeah, yeah definitely yeah, yeah, even though you guys are choice, like this one's fine rep that I work with. He is like he reminds me of instantly Jon Snow, like Kit Harrington, he's like America.
Speaker 1:We all meet him, then yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you're like oh is that? He's like dark hair and like pretty mellow and cool. But but yeah, he's like Instantly. I got that vibe versus you guys when I met you, I didn't give up. I didn't get a celebrity. Sorry guys, Sorry guys, Sorry guys.
Speaker 1:Sorry, not sorry, sorry, not sorry, but but yeah, no, I think that's a good comparison.
Speaker 2:Zoe Deschanel, I mean, she's pretty cool, she's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:So anyway, she's okay, now we love her, I know, I know.
Speaker 2:So, if you're tuning in, we are covering part two of you Again by Kate Goldbeck, which is an amazing book that I chose for this month for our book of the month, and yeah, yeah, it's amazing, it is amazing. Yes, people are now tuning in and now listening to what I have to say about it.
Speaker 1:And then, so, then, just real fast. So Chanel is always writing about the books. Then I finally started a book that she suggested to me and Stacy called the Way to Blood, by oh who's it?
Speaker 2:by she doesn't need the Jackson.
Speaker 1:It. I'm only like four chapters in it's already just amazing and I'm just like I got to start listening to all these books that Chanel suggests they're already like a couple of months ago.
Speaker 2:And then, yeah, maybe, like yeah, maybe like a month ago. And then I posted well, this is so funny because I posted, I didn't even tell you guys about it, I just posted a review on my bookstagram. And then, stacy, like you didn't even talk to me about it, you just started reading it. And then you were like, literally like a couple days later, you're like I'm halfway through this book and it's amazing. And I was like what? Yes, yeah, you know that book you posted about I'm reading it and it's so good. And I'm like obsessed and I'm like, well, I was like well, I'm like well, I'm like well, I'm like well, I'm glad that you actually listened to me this time, but also, it was just so funny. And then, like a day later, you're like I finished it. It's amazing. You're like in the group chat blowing it up. And then Ashley's like well, I gotta read this book now.
Speaker 1:I'm literally like adding Chanel in the group chat. I'm like pay attention to me, I'm freaking out. I mean, you should have seen the text messages and I get it's. It's you can tell from the beginning too. It's this retelling of Carrie is what it comes off as and Sissy like is at the like height of the book and it's just like oh my God, is this happening? I'm just like don't brew it anything. I want to read it now.
Speaker 2:You're doing the audiobook right, Ashley.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm doing the audiobook. It's really good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's what I did with the audiobook and um and yeah, so like immediately, then you actually started listening to it and I was just immediately, like as soon as Stacy sent those texts, I saved it to my Libby app and then I started listening to it that night. It's so funny, you guys are hilarious, but at least, hey, it took a year for you guys to read you again. So to take only a month, a couple of days.
Speaker 1:I read it in three days, like three nights.
Speaker 2:Literally Growth, growth the year of 2024. I'm impressed.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Let's dive into you again. We will cover the way to blood. You know, later this year we should do it for like Halloween.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, that would be fun. Yeah, we should, that would be a good one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, um, okay, okay, yeah, because everyone needs to read it. Take it so under appreciated, represented, whatever.
Speaker 1:Agreed, agreed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay. So we left off and Ari and Josh were at, excuse me, the strand. They had ran into her ex-wife, cass, and had this big blowout and but they like sort of mended it. He gave her some lots of ball soup. So now we're starting it and we're still in 2022. They're like friends and they Ari is I always like to start out with their careers. I feel like that kind of defines where they're at, not just with their friendship, but like mentally, you know where they're at. And so right now Josh is still unemployed you know his business has failed and Ari is kind of like waitressing, you know, trying to do kind of stand up nights, you know, but they're still kind of at a low point essentially in their lives.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they really are yeah.
Speaker 2:Which is why they're also still friends. They're kind of clinging to each other. So where we begin in part two is they're going to this fundraiser. It's on New Year's Eve again. That's kind of the theme with this book. And so the other big thing is they're meeting Josh's mom, or Ari is meeting Josh's mom, and so it's this weird kind of awkward. I called it like date, not date, because they're there. Ari is like really dressed up and Josh kind of appreciates it. He's in like this slinky black dress and it's not a museum, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah? Some like hi yeah, sorry, go ahead yeah.
Speaker 2:And Josh is like noticing how pretty she looks and they like awkwardly dance together, they take like prom-esque photos together and Ari meets his mom and his mom at one point like says to him like I like her, I really like her. She's Ari's charming and, excuse me, abby, his mom is she's charming. She's just this like high profile woman who's very New York-esque, new York City-esque, she's into real estate and yeah, they just they like get on very well, so yeah. But then it also just feels, because both of them are kind of having this like tension-filled moments. They're like do you want to get out of here? Like in the middle of this dance, and they take off and leave the party early and they go to Central Park and they're a little bit buzzed and Ari pulls out a joint and they kind of take some hits off of it. And again there's kind of just the sexual tension where they're like bantering and yeah, it leads up to the countdown for New Year's Eve and they have their first kiss and of course it's not like a pack, it's.
Speaker 1:Josh takes it further and he's like going all in the tension is great in this scene. It is Like the music that's playing or something from her phone, and Kate does a really nice job of like building it up.
Speaker 2:Yes, I was like I, because for me it's all about the buildup.
Speaker 1:You love a buildup.
Speaker 2:So before they even or actually I think this is during the kissing part this is Ari kind of like in her head. She's like who the fuck cares about friendship when you can feel like this instead of being numb, like you know and I think that kind of like goes to the fact of like, again they're at their like low points. But I mean, the description of this kiss is like she really does enjoy it.
Speaker 1:She really does. The feelings are real, yeah, like they're like at their lowest point right now. It's like it's still real, it's like happening between them, so yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and she still does want it. But of course, like any good romance book, they both pull back and are like, oh, it was just New Year's Eve, it was just a kiss, like it was a mistake.
Speaker 1:And so it's just bodies reacting.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, that's a classic If you've been around this podcast for a minute. So yeah, they kind of pull back and actually a few weeks end up going by them, kind of not really talking, maybe just like texting and because she's like ghosting him.
Speaker 1:She doesn't know how to deal with her feelings. Yeah, yeah, classic.
Speaker 2:Classic. So then what I got to like named it, it was like the gang gets together, which the gang is essentially Ari, she brings her best friend, gabe, and then Josh is like his backup, he brings Briar, and that's like the first time they all kind of meet and get together and they show up at Radia's new pop up restaurant. She's branching out and doing her new thing. And at this restaurant, radia comes out of the kitchen and she's like I need help. I think she's like I need the rotis, whatever are messing up whatever. And you help. And Briar is like oh, josh can, he's, you know, he's a cook, he can, he's a chef, he can help you. And so Josh ends up getting roped to go help in the kitchen and I really liked this because this was a moment that was really needed.
Speaker 2:Josh goes back there and him and Radia are like working the dough for the rotis and he, radia, kind of like, says her piece and she's kind of you know I think of a Stacy you mentioned like you're this white man, you get all of this.
Speaker 2:You know second chances, all of you know the slack because of who you are, and I've had to work twice as hard to make it in this business and and I think he kind of has this realization and he apologizes, and. But then there's like the second layer, where Radia is like you're with Ari now and he's like you know, when you're together, blah, blah, blah. He's like, but we did kiss and she's like yeah, like, if you're like her person now, like you need to understand, like, since you've kissed and you have feelings, and she, he's like I don't know, you know he's trying to die at you, but she's like you need to give her space, you need to give her time and you need to give her space because she just went through this really terrible divorce and and and that's not something that she deals with very well and now she's jumping into this thing with you and and that's like her advice to him. She gives this advice and I thought, like you were saying Ashley, like she's being a really good friend.
Speaker 1:She is this whole book and, honestly, like this whole scene it has like again, kate does such a nice job writing this whole scene. There's this underlying feel of like chaos that's happening with all of this, because Josh like was, but wasn't invited to this, and like showed up and Ari was like surprised and now he's excuse me, like helping in the kitchen and like his sister's there and just like it was so funny to me. Every aspect of this whole like pop up with them there together and like just listening to like what Josh is thinking the whole time when this is happening he's so grumpy, it's just this whole thing was perfection to me.
Speaker 1:And then like Briar and Gabe or like, like hitting on each other, chatting it up and like Briar is the comedic relief that you really need in this whole story.
Speaker 1:She's so funny the whole time and just I just also love now I'm kind of rambling, but I love Josh and Rodney Is that how you say her name, rodia, rodia. I love their relationship because you know he really pisses her off in the get go. But then for some reason he like has this like really comfortable connection with her and he like instantly just thinks that they are best friends and just like, do you know what I mean?
Speaker 1:Just like tells her things and we'll get into more of that later. Anyways, this whole scene was like chaotic perfection to me.
Speaker 2:I love that yeah, yeah. But then, like, this was a heartfelt moment that, like I said, needed to happen. So, yeah, I loved it. So then, josh and Ari, they end up kind of confronting each other about this kiss. They have this huge, again kind of blowout fight about this kiss. And okay, I want to read some quotes so it kind of gets harsh.
Speaker 2:So this is what she says let's talk about the reality of your life for a minute. Because they're going back and forth and he's, you know, saying, basically they're telling the truths about each other's life. Right, they haven't been honest. They've kind of been living in limbo. And she's like let's talk about the reality of your life for a minute. You're choosing to sit at home. You hold every random woman you date to a ridiculous standard of perfection, but your most intimate relationship is with the floor of the shower at crunch.
Speaker 2:And I just thought it reminds me again we're comparing to when Harry met Sally about, kind of when they have their little fight right, how Sally has these ridiculous standards and she is waiting for her perfect guy and of course then you know the guy that she was with it doesn't work out and Ari is just going out.
Speaker 2:We didn't really talk about it, but this whole kind of time she's been having like threesomes or attempting to have threesomes, you know, and it's always like her backup plan, like, oh, I can always meet up with this couple and and be like their third.
Speaker 2:And it reminds me obviously of like Billy Crystal, right, like he's constantly going out and sleeping with all of these women and stuff, and so this scene is is them kind of confronting each other at the wedding, if you know, when Harry met Sally right after they slept together, and so, yeah, it's just like this harsh reality when, after for Ari and Josh, when they were kind of like, hey, let's just take a break, take a breather, take a beat, because clearly this kiss is throwing off the lines of our friendship right now. So, so after this, then they end up getting on the subway and on the subway they're like still kind of talking and they like end up sexting each other, which I was like, ok, what's happening with this? Let me see, I'm trying to get Ben sexting ends up leading to actual sex and I'm like, wait, what just happened? They were like yelling at each other.
Speaker 1:Well, there's a fine line, Chanel. We can love and hate, let's have.
Speaker 2:So, but it was just funny, because I'm like, because they were just yelling at each other. They get on the subway and they literally can't even like look or talk to each other. And then next, you know, like there's, but then they're texting each other and then he's like, well, if we get to my apartment, I'm going to take off all your clothes. And he's like, yeah, and she's like, he's like in the elevator and all the stuff, and the next thing, you know, they're like running to his apartment.
Speaker 1:And I do that.
Speaker 2:But I just thought it was like I was like, well, that escalated so fast, so anyway, ok, so they end up having sex and it was freaking hot and so they have sex the first time and I just thought it was so interesting. And I'm not analyzing your sex, but I was so interesting because he's like, yeah, let's go to the bedrooms. And she's like, how about we do it on the bow flex? Like she's very like on the bow flex, I love it.
Speaker 1:I know, when I read that I was like, oh my God.
Speaker 2:I know, but he was just because she's like well, you can't catch feelings on a bow flex, like she's very, like we're not going, because she's still thinking about like the kiss and like we're not going to.
Speaker 1:And, like Josh was really naked at this point right, she's fully clothed, she's having to get naked. They're just like walking around his apartment. I was just like what is happening.
Speaker 2:But it's just very much, because then you keep going, you go back and forth between their things, but it's very much. He's like like all in, like yeah, I want to be with you a way to eight years. She's like, can't catch feelings, can't catch feelings. And then again she's like, yeah, we're just. She literally says we're just doing this to get it out of our systems. She says, just getting it out of our system like and he's like just bodies reacting.
Speaker 1:He's like planning their wedding in their head. And she's like I gotta pay him and get out of here, man.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's, she's literally she's, that's what she's thinking. She's like I gotta get out of here. Like we're doing it in like piece. So it's like the way they're approaching this is, even though you know, deep down inside she has feelings. It's just she does yeah To. This is so different. So they have amazing sex and like amazing yes, twice, twice, so okay. So the first time she's like freaking out afterwards and he like convinces her to come back to bed. They sleep, then they have sex again, like another amazing time, and in the middle of it he's like I love you. And she's like what the no?
Speaker 1:she says I love you. She says it oh, I thought she says it. She says it oh. She says it Chanel, oh.
Speaker 2:I thought he said it Okay, that was.
Speaker 1:And she starts freaking out.
Speaker 2:She's like you can't use it to get me like.
Speaker 1:This doesn't count when it's in the moment like this and she's just like I thought he said it she says it.
Speaker 2:I didn't read that right, because he's so excited.
Speaker 1:He doesn't say it back, though, but she says it.
Speaker 2:Oh wow, I did not. I read it the first time, but obviously it's been a year and then when I read it. I was like, oh no, all right, wow, okay. So then that's why. That's why she's pretty so, she really freaks out and she's like I gotta go Like. She literally like, because she's the one like I can't catch feelings, can't catch feelings.
Speaker 1:and you're the one saying I love you in the middle, exactly.
Speaker 2:I mean she like sprints out of her apartment like her underwear, so, and then afterwards? This is what I again, if you know, when Harry met Sally, when they, immediately after they have sex, they call their best friends.
Speaker 1:that are like on the floor way, I have this conversation saved, because I was like.
Speaker 2:Instead, here it's a text group with Josh, Rodney and Briar.
Speaker 1:And it's so funny, this is hilarious this is what I'm saying that I love Josh and Ronnie is relationship relationship because like she could care less and he's just automatically decided their best friend, oh yeah, who can I text?
Speaker 1:I'm spiraling. Who can I text? So this is Josh text Rodney and says I need you to code something. She says who is this? Which made me think of sex in the city, which is not the same thing, but every time it's when Samantha. That guy called Samantha and he's like Samantha, I did it. I left my wife and she's like who is this? Ronnie is like who is this? And Josh says Josh Kretzenberg. And she says we do not have a texting relationship after one lukewarm apology, especially before 10 am, and Josh said did you talk to her already? And she says who? Before he can answer, another notification comes in Briar morning sunshine. You left so fast yesterday. What do you think of Gabe? Question mark, question mark and the googly eyes that are like looking to the side, which always makes me think of you, chanel.
Speaker 1:That's just what I always said. That's just what I was thinking. I was so much I was reading this, laughing out loud thinking of you. I thought we are really great dynamic. He flips back to his primary objective Josh, who did it? Or we did it, ronnie, a question mark Yesterday. We did it. And she says are you trying to say you had sex? And Josh says, yes, ari and me we had sex. It's so, but he mixes up who he's talking to right.
Speaker 1:He considers wrapping up the conversation right here. So it feels like a win. As soon as she offers her begrudgingly congratulations, he can convince himself that Ari is just about to text her friends and try to confess her true feelings. Briar would it? Oh, wait, hold on. Yeah, briar, would it be weird because he slept with Ari. I mean, I know they're totally just friends now or maybe still awkward, so like he's talking to both of them at the same time and then say see, and then next, you know it gets.
Speaker 2:They get added to a group message.
Speaker 1:And then so let's the entanglement, the entanglement. So he thinks he's texting Ronnie and he texts Briar Ari didn't call you yet. Question mark, hypothetical question and I love you during sex, does it still count? And Briar just texts back all of these random letters, like freaking out, and he's like fuck, fuck, fuck, motherfucker, I texted the wrong person. And Briar put I cannot, with a bunch of skulls, because they assume it's him who said I love you. They like automatically assume it's him. And so then, like I won't read it all because it's so long, but this is so funny, this is such great writing. Then Briar makes him put all three of them in a group message and they're all talking about it and like it's just.
Speaker 2:My favorite part, I know my favorite part is, once they're on, the group message is Briar, start from the beginning, tell us everything. And then Rodia, I do not want to hear everything. Josh, we were arguing and then Briar okay, but did you yell at each other with your faces really close and then just kiss? She's like was it love or era or 1989?
Speaker 1:But we need to know. Look, Rodney, are you fucking kidding me?
Speaker 2:Didn't I tell you to give her space, like yesterday afternoon? And then Briar, was it like a little magical? She's like did she touch her hair? And then she's like crying emoji, cry.
Speaker 1:Listen, listen and then, but earlier, earlier, before that, Briar's like a locksome play. Paper rings Like. Briar is the best character. This whole text conversation is my favorite thing in this book. It's so fucking funny.
Speaker 2:Yes, because Rodney is mad and Briar is like hard emojis.
Speaker 1:She's loving everything about it.
Speaker 2:It's so great, it's so great. I freaking love it. So yeah, and Josh is just freaking out like he's yeah, nobody's helping. And he's helping.
Speaker 1:He's just more freaked out at this point. Yes, Okay.
Speaker 2:So, ari, part of the reason why she left is she's going to meet Josh's mom. She has a meeting with her and at this meeting you find out that Josh's mom is offering, or has a connection with this guy who's offering her an interview, a job interview, for let me just write it down, it's improv comedy workshop for corporations, and essentially, she ends up getting this job. Make it short and she would have to be traveling, so she'd be leaving New York, going to DC, and this is the perfect opportunity because she's like I got to get away from this guy, I got to get away from New York. What's keeping me in New York? You know, I don't. I'm making good money and yada, yada. So so, yeah, she ends up taking this job and Josh comes over and he's like gung ho, he's like you know what? I want to ask you to move in. And you know, let's cross the line of friendship.
Speaker 2:He really kind of jumps the gun here, he does he's like I'm making you dinner with my pasta maker and she's like he has his overnight bag with him, he's ready to go, but also he like wants her to like.
Speaker 1:I did find this a little cringy and like this I maybe thought was like a little too much. He, like he was there to like help her, wanted her to clear out all of Cass's old clothing that she still had. I was just like, oh God, anyway, sorry, go ahead, I'm jumping the cat a little bit.
Speaker 2:Yeah, right, and she's just like yeah. I mean I don't know, I guess I can still I don't know. I mean, I even think that, like Okay, I think he was harsh and like and like ugh, but at the same time like okay, I have a quote. He's like I want everything and I'll give you everything. You don't just find that with someone and walk away. I know there's something here. I know it, ari, and I know you feel it too, and yeah.
Speaker 2:But at the same time he's like you know you're grieving. Like he's really harsh. Like you know she was a narcissist, she cheated on you. You're letting her dictate your life Like, but like he's harsh, she's harsh.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, and even if that's true, like you can't put a time stamp on One step at a time here, yeah, you can't put a time stamp on how long it takes for someone to get over a divorce. You know to be.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah and yeah. It's obviously complicated because because now you're sleeping together and there's feelings involved. All the boundaries are like blurry now and yeah, so I'm like you can't, it's hard, so anyway, she's like I got a bomb to drop because I'm moving anyway and I took a job and bye, and so that's great.
Speaker 1:Bye. She's just like I'm literally just going to peace out, like this was wild to me. She's just like, oh, this is how I'm dealing with this. I think it's just wild because it plays into more of like the gender role reverse, because you just wouldn't necessarily think that that would be like a woman's first reaction to just like hightail it out of there. So again, I like. That's why I like this book so much, because it switches it up.
Speaker 2:Very true, very true. So Aarie takes this job. She, you know, like I said, it's a good paying job. She, you know, works at this improv workshop. And you see, two months later you kind of jump ahead and she's, you know, doing well, it's not like the best job, it's very corporate. She has to put on these workshops and pretend to be funny. But you also see Josh and in this two month jump ahead, he meets up with Briar and Radia and they kind of have this business proposition for him and they're like hey, what if we do a pop up and a collaboration, you and Radia at Rhodes Skis, and you guys, it's kind of an Indian, jewish deli mix.
Speaker 1:This was so smart to me. I love this, yeah, because they obviously work well together, regardless of how it's first started.
Speaker 2:Yes, regardless of Radia's attitude.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and him being an ass. So you know, they've really bounced each other out at this point.
Speaker 2:Yes. So you kind of see that start and and yeah, then you jump five months months ahead and Ari is sick of the corporate world and I thought this was hilarious Again. You kind of get a deeper dive into her, just being like you know what, I can't do this anymore. Even though the money's good, it's like soul sucking it is and it's also sexist and just awful. She kind of self sabotages her career, her job, and I thought it was hilarious. She basically is like I want to do legit comedy and so she's like okay, let's do my last workshop and do legit improv. And so she has this group at this corporation play You're the asshole.
Speaker 2:And she's like she makes them line up, you know, with partners and she's like okay, it's so funny, it's amazing Describe how this person is an asshole and she's like, obviously stylized as it's like a corporate improv game. But she's like she gives example, like oh Bob, you're an asshole because you've been staring at my breast for the last three months and like calling out people in a funny way. But it's clearly not corporate mandate to be calling out these people and so her boss gets wind of it, or he might even be there, and it's like you're fired. That's a sterile.
Speaker 1:You could not go off script.
Speaker 2:This isn't a safer work, whatever his emails were. Okay. So you jump three months later and Ari's back in New York and she shows up at the restaurant the new pop up class.
Speaker 1:Her and Rodney are kind of fighting, yeah, and I thought that was great. Like, rodney, I really like it's like you've been a bad friend, basically.
Speaker 2:I mean, she has a bad friend though.
Speaker 1:Honestly, she didn't just leave Josh, she like up and left all of them and she was making good money. But I think especially her, like Rodney, her closest friend, kind of thinks it was almost like a sellout move to do because it's not something she really wanted. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so they've been kind of. It's been like stilted, like Tex you know and yeah yeah, so like closer with Josh at this point. Right, yeah, she's like I'm friends with your enemy or yeah with whatever, whoever he is.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So she's kind of like crawling back to this restaurant, you know, and so she kind of is like Josh, can I talk to you for a second? And she's like what's kind of weeping and she's like I miss you. I, you know, I essentially like I'm apologizing, you know, and he's like he's like kind of very cold. He's like you know what. I should have listened to you. You said we were going to hurt each other and guess what? You were right, we did. And he he's not having it and I thought it was kind of good, she kind of needed it and he was like starting to see somebody else.
Speaker 1:What was her name too? Harper, harper. Yeah, she's so funny. She's like this really attractive tall woman, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So then we jump to two months later. Now Ari is back at the open mics with her friend Gabe, who you know they're both in comedy and you know she's kind of scared. She hasn't been doing open mics again but Gabe's kind of giving her the confidence he's like he kind of just pushed her up there and so she's getting, you know, again her confidence back to get up on on stage and do some sets. And Josh, the restaurant's doing well, he's still kind of like a restaurant tour with with Radia. And Ari again kind of has like an epiphany with Radia. She kind of like makes up with her and apologizes to her, but she also breaks down and is like I really do have feelings for him. Like I ran away. I shouldn't have done that. Like I really, like I want to be with him.
Speaker 2:And so Radia is like, well, he's running the New York or the New Year's Eve marathon tonight in Central Park, which earlier in the book they kind of had talked about how that's a thing and whatever. So Ari's like, well, I got to go catch him before it starts at midnight. And so she does. I have a quote. Okay, I'll say I have a quote just real fast when she's getting ready to leave.
Speaker 1:This is game. I can't believe. She's doing a dramatic fucking airport run game and she says I have a playlist curated for this exact situation. It's so funny when they're at the culinary club and she's trying to leave and he's just like I cannot believe you're doing the airport run right now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she does, she freaking, does it Like Billy Crystal running, like okay, we all want someone who would run through an airport for us.
Speaker 1:Okay, that's just like a human condition at this point.
Speaker 2:Everyone wants it, but it's like not really, Cause then by the time they get to you they're like out of breath and like sweaty and stuff. I'm fine with that. Yeah, you need sweaty.
Speaker 1:A little sweat never hurt anybody, chanel. Sometimes a little sweat helps, chanel. Okay, the fairer bones. The fairer bones.
Speaker 2:So, okay, I'm trying to find this quote for so she doesn't. She makes it there, but she can't find it Cause, of course, it's near Ziv and it's also a marathon, so there's like a shit ton of people. If you've ever run a marathon which I have not, but Ashley has and I've been there to support her and it's chaos.
Speaker 1:Just a half marathon. I cannot do a full marathon. Oh I only ran a half marathon.
Speaker 2:But if you've ever been a supporter, which I have been, it's chaos trying to find anyone I know you guys are the best support systems.
Speaker 1:Chanel and Sissy both made signs for me different years. It was amazing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we are Well, maybe so have I made a Twilight sign for you.
Speaker 1:You did. What did it say? You're, you're possibly fast, you're possibly fast. And it was my face on Bella's body, yeah.
Speaker 2:That's funny. Mine was basic. It was just like I think it was like I ran the indie marathon and all I got was this T-shirt.
Speaker 1:It was amazing. It was amazing. I love it.
Speaker 2:That's all they give you is a T-shirt.
Speaker 1:That's all you get. What's wrong with that? Yeah, what's wrong with that?
Speaker 2:You're putting your body on the line. It should be a money prize they give you free bananas.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that I threw up last year.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Ashley did. Last year was rude. Yeah, you did. The photo of me holding Chanel sign. I'm so pale Like.
Speaker 2:I'm really white anyways, that was right before it. I could like close to death.
Speaker 1:I could have a bunch of Gatorade Mistake Anyways. It was anyways, anyways, oh, it's positive.
Speaker 2:So OK, so she can't find him. She's like. So she's like. I'm going to text no Billy Crystal speech, essentially yes, seed when Harry Mudd's Alley where he's. You know you want the rest of your life to start in it. Ok, so I won't read the whole thing because it's amazing.
Speaker 2:But it is amazing, she texts it to him and she's like sometimes I say ridiculous things just so you'll get this really specific look on your face where you're kind of annoyed but mostly amused, and it gives me more joy than making actual people laugh Other people actually laugh. And then she's like you do this thing with your mouth when you're deciding what to say next, and I find it really hot, and I never told you that and she's like I want to wear your shirts and I want to buy organic grapes with you and she's like I've built my entire life around not needing someone, but I need you. I'm sorry it took me so long to let myself believe that. I don't know if these are the right words to make you believe in it too, because I'm not healed yet. My existential wound is still fucking bleeding and it might be too late.
Speaker 2:But you said there's never going to be a perfect time. So I'm here now saying that we deserve to be happy. Maybe there's no such thing as soulmates, but I think you're my person and I'm yours and I don't want to wait for it anymore, but I want to wake up with you tomorrow and I just thought that was the greatest thing to say that. So he gets this text, obviously he doesn't start the marathon. He's like fighting his way through all the people and there's this barrier. And that's when they meet over this barrier and embrace and kiss and I was like they get their half-leave over after. I thought it was so sweet and yeah, that is the end of the story. And then we get an epilogue which is one year later.
Speaker 1:I love a good epilogue. I'm about to say I adore books to have epilogues.
Speaker 2:Yes, love, especially when it's happy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, especially if it's a happy epilogue. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:So in this epilogue they are at the vibrator store, which I mean that started off their friendship. And actually Ari is like this is one of our meat cutes. She points it out and all of a sudden you see Ari and she grabs this cock ring and she's on the ground and she's like will you marry me? And she's like then she does a joke, but then she gets serious and she's like I should.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she means it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, she does she's like I want to get married. And he's like I thought you didn't want to get married, you just had this traumatic divorce. And she's like no, I love you, I want to be married to you, like I really want to be. And he's like really Wow. And she's like we can do it traditionally. Let's get a real break. And he pulls out of his pocket. He's like how about an heirloom? And he has this ring that he's been carrying around and he's been. I love it For the right moment.
Speaker 1:Yes, and a sex store, it's perfect, and they're meek you.
Speaker 2:It was just so great, even though he knew that she didn't want to get married. He was just like a little party that was like, well, maybe there's a time and a place. Maybe she would say that she would and I have to be ready and I have to have this in my pocket and yeah, ok. So I'm going to read what he says because it's the freaking cutest and he's like this is what he thinks in his head. Maybe there's no such thing as soulmates. Maybe there are other people who trust each other enough to begin something without being assured of the end. And again, it's like this whole underlying thing of soulmates, like with the black and white cookies, like they're not each other's soulmates, they're just two people who love each other and have worked for their friendship and now eventual relationship, which I think is so much better than soulmates.
Speaker 1:Because you're choosing it. You're actively choosing it every day. Yeah, yeah, I love it. This is why I love romcoms, because the because, no matter how crazy everything's happening in the middle, it feels, so you know out there, and then the ending is usually, as long as it's, a good one, and this is like an excellent example of like the perfect romcom wrap up. It gives you all your feels, you know.
Speaker 2:Mm-hmm.
Speaker 1:So true.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, that is the end of you again, thank you.
Speaker 1:I just love. I want to add in, I love that Kate wrote that she proposed. I just think that like fits with her character so well through the whole book and just kind of like the swap of their personalities. But I also love that he was ready for it too, just in case that happened, you know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think, I think you're right, I'm always right.
Speaker 1:They say can you give us a spice and story level on this? First of all, the spice. I give a solid 4 out of 5. I almost gave it a 5 out of 5 just for the one scene alone on the subway when they're waiting and getting the run. I know. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 is because when we were talking with her in the interview, she was telling us about how she had to cut some of the scenes out.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm saving my 5 for her next book.
Speaker 1:Yeah, saving my 5 for her next book when she keeps it all in there. You know what I mean. So, and the story is a 5 for me, which is a big deal because you know, just like the other romcom books we read, it's not something I would actively choose out necessarily. I mean I did for this one. I picked it on my book of the month because it sounded very interesting. I just think it's because I've grown as a person, but it kept my attention from start to finish. So 5 out of 5. Hmm, very true, I love it, I agree, yeah.
Speaker 1:So, it gets a 5 out of 5 just for the Taylor Swift references. Honestly, alexa played paper rings.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and also the first time Briar and Gabe meet, they had like a full on discussion about the intricacies of folklore. They like put that. They were like, yeah, they bonded it's. I was like this is too much.
Speaker 1:I loved it. It's not enough, chanel. It's not enough.
Speaker 1:Okay, let's announce our book of the month, bam ba bam, it's me, it's me, I'm the problem, it's me, it's me, I'm the problem. So I get to pick February's Book of the Month and we are doing Akatar, a quart of Rose and Thorns. Would I say it backwards? Yup, that's okay, a quart of thorns and roses. I don't even know the name of the book. Anyways, by Sarah J Moss. As always, I'm late to this party. I know people have, like, read this series, they have gotten into it, and so we're going to be covering the first book next month. I'm so excited. It's good, I'm pumped too. It's like one of my favorite series though.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:I just bought it, so I'm excited.
Speaker 1:She's now got the whole box set of like the first five books right or something. I'm just proud because Chanel didn't want to read it because it's not finished and now she has to and I know she's kind of a person who can't start the first book and not read the rest of them. So I'm just really proud of Ashley.
Speaker 2:I'm so excited to get into this.
Speaker 1:We need live reactions as you read it, chanel, yes, yeah, blowing up your phones, like I did when I was like. Sos Chanel. It's like 10 o'clock at night on a Monday and I'm like SOS about the way to blood. Actually, there's no idea what's going on. I'm like what the fuck? What the fuck is happening.
Speaker 2:You know, okay, let's do this, okay, let's do kudos. Anyone, anyone, go first.
Speaker 1:Okay, I'll go first. So my first kudos is for you guys, because I love you and you're amazing, and we're recording in zoom again, so we haven't actually got to see each other in person for a little bit, but this still makes me so happy every time that we always get to hang out for a little bit. And then kudos is actually for Skyler.
Speaker 1:I've been really sick this past week, like today. I actually feel like myself, and even the last recording I think you can kind of hear it in my voice and I wasn't feeling the best and I feel like had to deal with me being a baby. Oh, but also, on top of that, to Chanel, because she sent me ice cream when I was sick. I like the best support system when I'm sick. Skyler was getting me soup and stuff and then Chanel sent, like Ben Jerry's ice cream my favorite to the house because on top of being sick and having to sore throw, I have braces on that are new, so I'm having a hard time eating things. It's just been a mess. So, yeah, you guys are life saver. I love you guys so much, thank you.
Speaker 2:I feel very taken care of.
Speaker 1:I love that, I know.
Speaker 2:I like had no idea that. I mean like obviously I knew you like weren't feeling good when we last recorded that was like a week ago and then but I didn't know you were missing like work and stuff and I didn't work at all last week. You texted me and I've been on the couch for two days and I'm like what I know.
Speaker 1:It's not like her. And then she tried to go to work and they sent her home twice.
Speaker 2:So then that's why I was like okay, I need to say, I was like what's a good food to eat when you have braces? So I googled and it was like ice cream. And so I texted and I was like I don't even think I know what your favorite ice cream is. I was like that's bad. How do I know? I texted Stacy and I was like what's her favorite? Ice cream and she was like mint chocolate chip or I was like okay.
Speaker 1:So I said a couple flavors so, stacy, what's your favorite ice? Cream. I don't know well, my favorite Ben and Jerry's ice cream is the cherry Garcia. Yeah, but I love mint chocolate chip. That's like my favorite flavor. Yeah, I mean, stacy, kind of have the same ice cream flavors, yeah, yeah. I stole the mint chocolate chip from her cool.
Speaker 2:I don't like mint chocolate chip. That's so funny people are.
Speaker 1:It's like pineapple and pizza either love it or you're like. Why would you want to eat ice cream that tastes like toothpaste? I know that's delicious it's delicious clearly you'd ever ate toothpaste as a child, and it's just right, um, yeah, I my kudos is well, obviously you guys.
Speaker 2:I just I love you guys and, um, I always love recording with you guys. Um, I don't know, I mean this week. I mean I kudos to Ashley, to my friend Diamond I was supposed to hang out with Diamond and plans got cancelled. It was like crazy day yesterday, and so kudos to both of you guys for listening to me rant about my crazy day. Um, but, yeah, thank you. Kudos to my parents, everyone who listened to me and was a support system always, yeah yeah, yeah, it's all about a good support system.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I need.
Speaker 2:I just needed that. So, yeah, I and again, always love recording with you guys yeah, well, not to just copy everyone, but my kudos.
Speaker 1:I've had a rough, rough week because I've just been working a lot and today's my only day off and you guys are just like always there to make me laugh and like, let me send you crazy stuff and talk about books when I have minutes at work. So it's you too. Thanks for always being my crazy go-to texts and TikTok senders and yeah, yeah, smile every time. So, yeah, you know I get a little sassy at work, so it helps to ring it in when I talk to you guys. I love a sassy, sassy at work.
Speaker 2:I swear to God, it's my favorite you were cracking me up when you were like you're like, I have patience and I'm reading this book on my phone. I'm reading this book you're like because I have to find out what's going on at the end of this book. You're like I'm not even helping these patients because I need to. I was like Stacy, help these patients and then find out. You're like no, I need to know what's happening.
Speaker 1:I had to know what can you imagine being in the last 50 pages of that book and someone trying to interrupt you, no matter where you were? Chanel, can you imagine, chanel, listen? On Friday I went down to see Stacy walk down into the ER. Everybody is swarmed around this room and like these bunny suits because I guess there's bed bugs just like flying off this patient. Like this patient's heart rate is like in the 130s. I go, you know what. I'll see you later. I just went back upstairs.
Speaker 1:I'm like I am not dealing with this chaos that's happening in this dungeon down here and then you see Stacy in the corner reading. She's on my phone just scrolling as fast as I can they had it like where am I?
Speaker 2:where am I out of here?
Speaker 1:in your welcome. That's where you were. I was like gross, you're at the.
Speaker 2:VA.
Speaker 1:That's where you're at the government funded hospital well, you know you win some you lose, some you win, some you lose some. You know what I mean. You're talking about patients. Sure, we're all dying, okay, chanel, I hate to break it to everyone, but we're all dying okay okay, thank you for listening everyone for this chaotic episode.
Speaker 1:Oh wait, stacy, you gotta send us off you guys. Thanks for listening to this chaotic episode where we had various appearances by my toddler who wanted to scream in the mic, and Ashley's cute braces and Chanel's amazing summary. So make sure you spend the week reading what you like. So, no, we gotta not laugh one time. Don't laugh, everyone loves it. Okay, read what you like. Bye.