Ari meets Josh when they both realize they're dating the same person. The free-spirited comedian clashes immediately with the ambitious Manhattan chef who dreams of culinary success and finding his perfect partner. Ari keeps life casual with sublets and one-night stands, while Josh plans elaborate futures in his pristine kitchen. They part ways expecting never to see each other again. Years pass. Both suffer painful breakups that leave them wounded and cynical. A random encounter brings them back together, but this time something shifts. Too heartbroken for their old hatred, they become unlikely friends. They binge Netflix together, critique each other's dating profiles, and argue about everything while finding unexpected comfort in their connection. The friendship works because neither wants romance. Then one evening, the careful boundaries they've built start to dissolve, and Ari and Josh must face what's growing between them.
Genres: romance, friendship, adult-fiction, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Manhattan
Paperback