Whenever You're Ready by Rachel Runya Katz
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Web ID: 19876108Complex, but gets grief right
3.5 stars. "Whenever You're Ready" by Rachel Runya Katz was not what I was expecting. It's about a group of friends, Jade, Nia, and Jade's twin brother Jonah, reconnecting after the death of their friend, Michal, a few years earlier. They had planned to go on a Southern Jewish history road trip before it was discovered that Michal had brain cancer. Jade and Nia have been in love with each other since they were kids, but have yet to make their true feelings known. They have been estranged for a couple of years following Michal's death and a falling out. To make matters even more complicated, Jonah was dating Michal when she died, and Jade and Michal were best friends, so they all have this big, amalgamous blob of connections and feelings for and with one another. Long-lost loves, brother and sister dynamics, best friends loving and fighting, lovers who have lost, friends who have lost more...It's a little dizzying and complex, to be honest. The story is mostly well written, especially when it comes to the grief aspects of the story. This is one of the slowest-burning romances I have ever read. Katz really leaves it to the last minute! I did find myself getting confused about some of the dynamics and characters, though. There is *a lot* of history in this book. The Southern Jewish history road trip is compelling, to be sure. I feel like I learned a lot that I previously didn't know about the history of Jewish people in the South during the Civil War. While this is a fine book, I must admit, I liked Katz's first book better.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Delightful slow-burn sapphic romance
Whenever You’re Ready is a delightful slow-burn romance. Nia and Jade have always been best friends, along with their friend Michal. After Michal passes away from cancer, Nia and Jade reunite after years apart to take a road trip that they all planned. As they journey through the South, they are faced with painful history and bittersweet memories. Can Nia and Jade find their way back to each other? Whenever You’re Ready is a book about loss, friendship, and missed connections. I especially enjoyed how Rachel Runya Katz writes such depth in her characters. They feel relatable and deeply lovable. Jade and Jonah’s sibling relationship felt realistic and I liked how their individual connections to Michal were portrayed. Nia and Jade are absolutely gone for each other but can’t quite realize this before the trip. The aspects of grief, anticipatory grief, and loss really hit hard for me. I also learned a lot about what it was like to be Jewish in the South, both historically and presently. This is a very important topic and period of time that is integral to the story. Whenever You’re Ready is a beautiful and heartfelt book about friendship, love, and searching for connection. Readers who enjoy slow-burn sapphic romance and friends-to-lovers should check out Whenever You’re Ready.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com