Hello! Welcome to the Pitch Book Club! Once again our members will be giving their opinions on this month’s book (with new recruit Zsuzsanna joining us)! You can participate by joining the Goodreads that is linked in the Pitch’s Instagram bio (@humansofwj) and by looking out for the next book of the month! You can even vote for which book you would like that to be by using the link previously mentioned.
Book of the Month: “Today Tonight Tomorrow” (Rachel Lynn Solomon)
Aya – 3.5 / 5 stars
“Today Tonight Tomorrow” is a YA romance book that follows two high school seniors, Rowan and Neil, who are rivals that team up for the Howl competition until they’re the last two standing. This book was so cliche and predictable. It was definitely a fun read and had so much potential with the enemies-to-lovers trope, but I just felt like the overall book was simplistic. I loved the rivalry and the tension between the two main characters, and I think I would have liked it so much more if it wasn’t YA and was a little more nuanced. However, if you are in a book slump, this fast-paced novel is a perfect quick read!
Cyiza – 4 / 5 stars
“Today Tonight Tomorrow” was a contemporary YA romance that I definitely enjoyed. Following two high school academic rivals, the novel takes place over the last day of their senior year. I was hesitant about this; oftentimes, when books take place over a specific time frame, the plot and character development tend to get lost amongst everything, but I didn’t see much of this. Solomon did an especially good job at having the amusing interactions and the relationship the two main characters had with one another be a focal point of the novel. However, the author also touches on a bunch of important topics that I wasn’t expecting. There were discussions about antisemitism, Rowan and Neil’s shared identities, bullying and other social issues. I thought at times they felt a bit forced, but it didn’t take away from the overall message the author was trying to get across. Anyone who might be looking for a lighthearted YA romance or a cute, fun and fast read should definitely pick up “Today Tonight Tomorrow.”
Meron – 4/ 5 stars
I absolutely loved this book, and I felt like it was a really accurate depiction of the high school experience. The characters were so wholesome and cute, I literally wanted to keep them in my pocket. Neil (the male protagonist) is one of my favorite male characters I’ve ever encountered. He means so much to me, and if I could keep him with me every second of the day, I definitely would (but unfortunately, he’s fictional). Neil and Rowan’s relationship was also so adorable, and I loved their progress from academic rivals to lovers. I thought their banter was so fun, and it was my favorite part of reading the book: I adore fun banter in romcoms, and theirs didn’t disappoint. The tropes were a bit cliche, but I definitely enjoyed that aspect and it didn’t deter me from reading. The only reason I gave this book four stars instead of five is that I didn’t believe their relationship could’ve moved that fast in a span of a few days; it just wasn’t realistic. Overall, though, I adored this book, and it’s definitely my go-to book recommendation for anyone trying to get into YA romance books.
Zsuzsanna – 4.5/ 5 stars
“Today Tonight Tomorrow” is a hilarious romantic comedy that will keep you laughing and smiling uncontrollably. It is set in Seattle, WA, where the two love interests, Rowan and Neil, compete in their school’s graduation scavenger hunt game to win the grand prize of $5,000 (and bragging rights). The two academic rivals eventually team up to win the game that will decide who is truly the best amongst the two, but they eventually start to question if they really hate each other like they’ve claimed to for so long. I loved reading this book; it was filled with entertaining banter and priceless sarcasm, along with the sweetest love story between two former enemies.
Favorite quotes from the book:
“But sometimes I get this strange feeling, an ache not for something I miss, but for something I’ve never known.”
“While I love romance, I’ve never believed in the concept of soul mates, which has always seemed a little like men’s rights activism: not a real thing. Love isn’t immediate or automatic; it takes effort and time and patience.”
“Maybe that’s the definition of nostalgia: getting sappy about things that are supposed to be insignificant.”
“I’ve given this boy the messiest parts of me, and he’s done nothing but convince me he’ll be careful with them.”
“Boy bands, fan fiction, soap operas, reality TV, most shows and movies with female main characters . . . We’re still so rarely front and center, even rarer when you consider race and sexuality, and then when we do get something that’s just for us, we’re made to feel bad for liking it. We can’t win.”
“Today isn’t my epilogue with Neil—it’s a beginning. I’ll leave the happily-ever-afters in the books.”
— Rachel Lynn Solomon, “Today Tonight Tomorrow”
