Book Review: “Past Present Future” (Rowan & Neil #2) by Rachel Lynn Solomon

“Past Present Future” (Rowan & Neil #2) by Rachel Lynn Solomon (2024)

Genre: YA, Fiction, Contemporary, Romance

Page Length: 384 pages (hardcover edition)

Synopsis:

They fell for each other in just twenty-four hours. Now Rowan and Neil embark on a long-distance relationship during their first year of college in this romantic, dual points of view sequel to Today Tonight Tomorrow.

When longtime rivals Rowan Roth and Neil McNair confessed their feelings on the last day of senior year, they knew they’d only have a couple months together before they left for college. Now summer is over, and they’re determined to make their relationship work as they begin school in different states.

In Boston, Rowan is eager to be among other aspiring novelists, learning from a creative writing professor she adores. She’s just not sure why she suddenly can’t seem to find her voice.

In New York, Neil embraces the chaos of the city, clicking with a new friend group more easily than he anticipated. But when his past refuses to leave him alone, he doesn’t know how to handle his rapidly changing mental health—or how to talk about it with the girl he loves.

Over a year of late-night phone calls, weekend visits, and East Coast adventures, Rowan and Neil fall for each other again and again as they grapple with the uncertainty of their new lives. They’ve spent so many years at odds with each other—now that they’re finally on the same team, what does the future hold for them?

Review:

So full disclosure, I didn’t realize this book was a sequel when I picked it up (silly me!), but regardless of not reading the first book I still was able to grasp the story well. I enjoyed as much as a “standalone” as much as other readers who picked up the first novel.

A lot of YA Romance novels explore falling in love, but this book felt like a refreshing read because it follows what happens after the HEA. Neil and Rowan get to explore themselves as individuals but also how long-distance will affect their relationship. I appreciated the larger conversation in this novel about staying in love when you’re in a relationship and how to keep the romance alive. Love doesn’t come without its obstacles and we get to experience the couple’s highs and lows of their relationship. Especially when things get messy and complicated. They acknowledge their relationship needs work and that in order to heal they also have to work on themselves.

Solomon’s writing is descriptive and immersive transporting the reader to the campus life (which felt nostalgic from me thinking about my own dorm life) and life in Boston and New York. It showed how college and the coming-of-age period in one’s life is filled with uncertainty and trying to make concrete decisions for the future. It reminds the reader of how complex life can be at this age, making it a good novel for its intended audience to resonate with.

I adored the romance in this book, which surprised me at how mature it was in certain scenes for a YA novel. Rowan and Neil are an incredibly sweet couple and I liked reading about their unwavering love for each other. Even though the distance is great between them they strive to make it work in new ways to be close to each while, also learning to open up to each other more. I enjoyed this book from beginning to end and would recommend this series to Romance readers.

Trigger Warnings: Mental Health, Emotional Abuse (Past)

Final Verdict: