Reviews

Past Present Future by Rachel Lynn Solomon

abbyjeanco's review against another edition

2.0

 I loved Today, Tonight, Tomorrow, so I was excited when I received this sequel. However, I was left feeling underwhelmed and decided that this could have been a novella. While Solomon's writing style remains engaging and her exploration of a long distance relationship between Rowan and Neil, the execution of this novel fell short of my expectations.

I also recognize that I am not really the target audience for this book, so I think YA readers will really enjoy this!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! 

catyordo's review

4.0

ARC

cakt1991's review against another edition

4.0

 I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own. 

I had mixed feelings when I heard Rachel Lynn Solomon was releasing a follow-up to Today Tonight Tomorrow. On the one hand, I loved the first book, so I’d love more of those characters, but that story was so perfect the way it was, I can’t see how it could believably be expanded upon. But with Past Present Future, she proved me wrong for the most part. While there are some moments that did feel like filler, I for the most part liked how Solomon expanded on her characters and their relationship. 

With it having been a while since I read the first book, I enjoyed getting to know Rowan and Neil again, and loved picking up on the little things I liked about them the first time around, especially Rowan’s love for romance novels. And with them both going off to different colleges, I liked that each had their own arc. Neil’s journey with his mental health was particularly moving, although Rowan coming into her own as a budding novelist also really spoke to me. 

While a long-distance relationship can be hard to pull off, I mostly enjoyed how Solomon pulled it off. I loved the text conversations, phone calls, and those fleeting visits on weekends, and how they challenged the budding romance. The high stakes came from whether they’d make it with the distance, and I was very happy with how things turned out. 

This was an enjoyable continuation, and I’d recommend it to readers of the first book who are open to reading more from these characters. 

 

analenegrace's review

challenging emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Thank you to Simon Teen for a finished copy of this book. 

Rachel Lynn Solomon, you are simply the best! 

Today Tonight Tomorrow is my favorite romance of all time, and so I was honestly so anxious when this book was announced because my expectations for a sequel were so high. And yet, Solomon reached them all and went beyond. 

I always think about the future of characters in a YA novel, especially ones like these, where they go to different schools for college. Solomon captures all the emotions of growing up and finding yourself in your first year of college while also capturing how much love these characters have for each other. Neil and Rowan are deeply in love and emotionally finding themselves in new cities with new friends and experiences. 

The choices Rowan and Neil have to make for themselves are so well-written that I can't even imagine another future for them now. Neil especially has a really important emotional journey in this book, and getting his POV for the first time was fantastic. His voice has always been one I've been desperate for, and Solomon slayed it, making him distinct from Rowan and also distinctly unique in the ways I loved him in the first book. 

I related to Neil's experience of college so much: making friends and finding your place is hard. Rowan's journey of developing a better sense of her worth outside of academia was also brilliant because that can be incredibly difficult, especially in the arts. 

Solomon's way of making me love a city and a place from her writing is so unique. I grew to love Seattle before I ever went from her books and now I love Boston and NYC, both places I've never been, because she makes her characters love the places they are. 

Please never stop writing, Rachel, because I'll never stop reading! 

samlaena's review

challenging emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

2.75

the_illustrating_reader's review

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

sabrinalestrange's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

hellomadalyn's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

arireadsitall's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

The sweetest sequel!! I loved these characters and I’m so glad to see them again! Neil and Rowan go through the typical freshman in college chaos and it was nice to see these characters grow into their own selves!! 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Domestic abuse

readswithkae's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is how you write a sequel for a book that was originally only supposed to be a standalone. It was so nice to be back with Neil and Rowan and to watch their relationship grow past the whirlwind twenty-four hours that got them together. I've never been in a long-distance relationship, but I have friends who are, and the trials and tribulations Neil and Rowan went through did justice to an LDR and navigating the first year of college. 

I've never made it through an RLS book without crying, and this book is no different. I cannot recommend it enough.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Gaslighting and Emotional abuse

Minor: Vomit