While this isn’t a fault of the book I really don’t like the uk cover for this edition the sticker that says slow burn spicy sapphic really grates at me because that’s not what the book is at all to me. I knew that going in but I think it’s misleading in the worst way.
Mild spoilers are for the plot of the story
The book is about the complexities of grief and love and the conflicting feelings about your identity and ancestral history. The book leaves you wishing you knew the late Michal and you grieve for what she misses out on and knows she’s missing out on. I wish we got to know her a little more before she was gone but you felt the space of where she had once been. I really enjoyed the southern Jewish history tours they went on and learning about the characters history at the same time as them. You feel the love the characters have for each other and the resentment they’ve built in the 3years since the passing of their best friend. I enjoyed slowly seeing snippets of Michal and what led the remaining friends to drifting apart. My only real complaint is because of the perspective style of the book (jumping around with pov) it’s sometimes confusing which “she” it’s referring too when both have been talking and the action doesn’t always line up with the last person speaking. I also noticed two typos with the first letter or first part of the sentence missing.
#ad I read this as an arc but the opinions are entirely my own

Whenever You're Ready is a sharp departure from Rachel Runya Katz' first lighter romance towards a darker, more reflective second book.

I wasn't prepared when I started reading for this change as the UK cover seems like a lighter book centred around two women. Once I embraced what the book was, I could really appreciate all the layers.

This is a story about a friendship group who lose the anchor and their grappling with the grief surrounding and isolating them all. There was profound writing about American Southern history and many heartfelt moments in the messiness of people who haven't processed their feelings.

The reflective mood of the book made it quite slow paced, but I think there is real richness to be found there if that is your taste. I found it quite frustrating to see people being so avoidant and harsh so consistently, but I think ultimately it just wasn't for me. If I had expected a slower reflective book going in I would have enjoyed it a lot more though.

If you are looking for a contemplative drama about friendship, loss and sibling relationships, I think you'd love it.

There was something quite cute about this book. It was raw, honest and emotional! Thanks for a fab read

Having enjoyed Rachel Runya Katz's first book, I was really curious about this one as well. I ended up reading this in one sitting, and my eyes were glued to the page the entire time. This is a little bit of an unconventional romance book, in that the story deals a lot with grief, and there's a huge focus on friendship and sibling relationships. I can sometimes end up disappointed when the romance doesn't get the main focus, but here it worked incredibly well, and the other elements worked to make the romance stronger. I loved this focus on other people and other relationships, because it shows that romance isn't the single most important relationship in a person's life, but friendships and family relationships are just as important. Every character was written with so much care, and they felt so real with all their flaws and struggles.

Overall rating: 4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC of Whenever You’re Ready!

When I saw that Alison Cochrun had pitched this book on the cover, I knew I would love this book.
And I did! I loved the characters, their friend group and Luna the dog! I love how complex and fleshed out they all felt.
And let’s not forget the CHEMISTRY!!

It’s raw, it’s honest and beautiful. This, despite being a “romance book” packed so much complex emotions and relationships. It will make you chuckle and on the verge of tears.
This book was incredibly human.
The history and culture it packed was also incredible to read.