Weather Girl by Rachel Lynn Soloman Book Review

“Weather connects us. A shared experience, even when we aren’t in the same place.”

(pg. 212)

About

Author: Rachel Lynn Soloman

Genre: New Adult Romance

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Synopsis

Ari Abrams has always been fascinated by the weather, and she loves almost everything about her job as a TV meteorologist. Her boss, legendary Seattle weatherwoman Torrance Hale, is too distracted by her tempestuous relationship with her ex-husband, the station’s news director, to give Ari the mentorship she wants. Ari, who runs on sunshine and optimism, is at her wits’ end. The only person who seems to understand how she feels is sweet but reserved sports reporter Russell Barringer.

In the aftermath of a disastrous holiday party, Ari and Russell decide to team up to solve their bosses’ relationship issues. Between secret gifts and double dates, they start nudging their bosses back together. But their well-meaning meddling backfires when the real chemistry builds between Ari and Russell.

Working closely with Russell means allowing him to get to know parts of herself that Ari keeps hidden from everyone. Will he be able to embrace her dark clouds as well as her clear skies?

Review

Spoilers Contained Below

To those who experience the darkest days and the sunniest sunshines,

When I heard that Rachel Lynn Soloman was writing a book about a meteorologist, I was completely here for it because we need diverse professions in books. And also we need to see women doing amazing jobs in books, so I liked how the main character, Ari was a meteorologist. But like all Rachel Lynn Soloman books, I loved the complexity of our main character Ari.

Ari lived with depression.

“‘I just feel . . . off,’ I told the therapist. I learned there was probably a name for what my mother was struggling with, even though she’d never been diagnosed, never talked to anyone, never taken medication. I learned that all the reasons I was furious with Amelia Abrams and found her emotionally draining to the point where I’d need twelve hours of sleep the next day to recover from a visit home—-they were beyond her control, to a certain extent. She was suffering, too. But she wouldn’t help herself.

And then I learned that the thing weighing me down wasn’t just an adjective, but a sound. Depression.”

(pg. 63-64)

Ari grew up in a very complex situation where her father left the mother because the mother battled depression. The mother would have off days where she would break down and cry, and she would have her good days. However, the father could not understand or did not want to understand, so he left the mom. In turn, Ari was always mad at the mom because she knew the mom battled depression but thought the mom was not being a good mom by not helping herself—–by not asking for or getting help. I could completely understand where Ari was coming from because the mom knew that she battled mental health yet she didn’t seek help. However, I could not fault the mom for not seeking help because the older generations never believed in mental health. So asking for help or even recognizing that they need help, is something that is not always easy to do. Also, I did not blame the mom because sometimes we don’t eve know what we are feeling or going through until someone tells us what they see from the outside.

Moreover, I would just like to say the mom was battling a mental illness. No one could EVER fault or blame her for that. The dad leaving? Now the dad leaving? That is a completely different story. We can point fingers there 😂.

When I was a junior and senior in high school and a freshman and sophomore in college, I battled depression. I still battle depression (minor depression), and everyday I had to gauge how I felt because every day was different for me. Some days I felt okay—–I would get up, go to school, put on a smile and act like I was fine, and sometimes they were fine, but also I felt deeply sad inside like something was missing or I couldn’t find the joy in anything. I didn’t know what it felt like to smile or laugh. I wanted to smile and laugh but it was like my body physically forgot how. I remember going through the motions of my last two years of high school because I was going through many changes with my health and navigating complex friendships that many times I felt alone. During my freshman and sophomore year of college, I battled depression in the way I was irritable every single day. I remember going back to my dorm and feeling empty and sad and like I had no one. I distinctly recall cataloguing in my brain my good days and bad days, and hoping that after a bad day or week that I would have a good week. I remember that I thought that after each bad week, that I would have a good next week because I deserved it. I was just so sad and lost and confused. I was away from home the first time and had no one to talk to and didn’t know how to navigate my newfound freedom or college in general. It was rough. And then throw a pandemic in there, and that’s a whole other battle I had to experience and still feel.

“Even with my depression at manageable levels, every so often, I have a dark day. A day where everything feels heavy, the smallest task become impossible, and my brain can only conjure worst-case scenarios.”

(pg. 78)

Depression comes in waves and it hits when you least expect it, but you slowly feel it coming. It’s almost like standing in the ocean, knowing that there are waves and seeing it from far away. You know it’s coming but when it hits you, it still surprises you and takes you under. Well, that’s what it feels like for me. I have gone through depressive moments in my life depending on my stress, loneliness, and mental well-being. It’s not easy to explain depression to people because they think it’s just this intense sadness, and in some ways it is, but it is so much more than that.

It’s a deeply rooted emotion that comes from sadness, loneliness, fear, anxiety, hopelessness, confusion, loss. Depression is quite literally a depression that concaves in and you have to figure out how to get yourself out of the darkness because it’s not just darkness, it’s a whole box filled with every heightened emotion. Depression is not just sadness.

“But if there’s anything I learned about depression, it’s that it is an intensely personal journey, one that never really ends.”

(pg. 212)

I also just wanted to note that not all depression is the same; depression is different for everyone. And everyone navigated depression differently. Depression is also something that a person might battle their whole life or part of their life. But again, it might come in waves; it’s just different for everyone.

So to see a main character openly discuss her depression, made me feel seen. I could relate to Ari because I knew what it was like to walk that darkness and not know what exactly to tell people, because there’s always a part of me that feels like I need to explain my depression to people when really I don’t need to.

But the biggest thing about Ari’s depression that I knew was going to pose problems with her future relationships was how she viewed her depression. She thought that because her dad left her mom who battled depression, that no one would ever fully love her because she also battled depression.

“Because our father couldn’t handle her darkness, and I couldn’t let that happen to me.”

(pg. 145)

I have a bone to pick with the dad 🙈.

I just want to scream from the rafters that . . .

If someone doesn’t love you at your darkest hour, they are not deserving our worthy of your love.

If someone doesn’t love ALL of you—-your deepest, darkest parts, your happy parts—-they are NOT deserving of you love.

Easy as that.

Because if someone cannot love you at your worst, they are not worthy of loving you and you can find someone ENTIRELY BETTER who will love you for every part of you and who will love you through your darkness and because of your darkness.

The dad left the mom because it got too hard and he wasn’t deserving of the mom’s love. What happened to in sickness and in health, my dude? His wife was battling depression and he skedaddled. What a LOSER. That said more about the dad than it did about the mom. But the fact that Ari had to watch that happen made her internalize that no one would ever love her because she battled depression. That everyone wants someone who is happy a 100% of the time, and she couldn’t be that person.

Heck, no one, not a single person, is a 100% happy every single day.

Everyone goes through things every day that causes their emotions to fluctuate and change. No one is ever 100% happy, and that’s okay. It’s natural.

But just because you battle depression, anxiety, or any mental health battle or live with a disability, it does not make you any less worthy or deserving of love. Never.

Mental health is not a reason someone should leave or love you less. Someone should love all parts of you. And the best people will help you navigate through your emotions and be there with you as you go through it. That is love.

Honestly, I used to believe the same thing as Ari—-that no one could love me because I battled depression, an ED, and live with OCD; that somehow because I was “broken” that no one could love me. But then I realized that no. I am worthy and deserving of someone who would love me even though I battled mental illnesses because I have battled them for practically my whole life and I know that it has made me a more compassionate, stronger, and resilient person. It has also shaped me into who I am today. Was it an easy path? Absolutely not. I’m a 100% okay? No. But I go through things each day just like every one else. We all have our things and if we all went around saying that we didn’t deserve love because we battled invisible things every day, no one would ever feel like they deserve love. We all deserve love, and our battles does not make use less of a human being.

I deserve love.

You deserve love.

And someone will look at you and think what an amazing person you are and they will support you and be there with you to navigate what you battle.

I just wanted to tell Ari this because I felt how much she was hesitant about love because of her mom and dad’s past relationship and her relationship with depression.

Ari and Russell worked together at this news station with her as the weather girl and him as the sports dude. Co-workers at the same news station really set up their love-story because they understood each other from work.

I could relate to Ari in the way that she didn’t feel comfortable at work or like she barely knew anyone; she didn’t have any real personal connections. It’s difficult to have personal connections with people at work because you never know if the relationship is supposed to be strictly professional or not. Because Ari was not close to many people from work, it made her feel a bit alone in navigating being Torrence’s mentee. Torrence was this infamous meteorologist that Ari grew up idolizing and watching on TV, and knew that she wanted to be exactly like Torrence. However, Torrence was very different from the person she believed her to be when Ari actually met her. I feel like that had to partially suck because Ari looked up to Torrence for her whole childhood, only to discover Torrence was someone who she didn’t think she was. Also, Torrence and Seth (her ex) constantly fought at work, which made work an even more uncomfortable place for Ari and all the workers because they would have to listen to Torrence and Seth fight. So there was no way for other people to move up in their job when the two bosses were at each other’s throat.

I just wanted to also say that whenever Torrence and Seth fought, I noticed how Ari always went somewhere to get away from the bickering. Running away to a quieter place made me wonder if Torrence and Seth’s arguments were triggering for Ari because that was the way her mom and dad used to fight. I don’t judge Ari for running away to a quieter place to avoid hearing the arguing because it was something I used to do when my parents fought. It’s not easy watching two people you thought love each other, so blatantly not love each other anymore. Also, it feels inhuman to see two adults go at each other like that when they should be the mature ones. So I could empathize with Ari because I could feel her pain at seeing two people argue and also feel like it took her back to her parents and all those hard conversations she had to listen in on.

Anyway, Russell and Ari devised a plan to set Torrence and Seth back up together to create a better work environment where Ari could move up in her position and Russell could cover better sports news. I felt like their set-up for their bosses wasn’t going to go well the minute they devised the plan because 1) they shouldn’t meddle in their bosses love life and 2) I felt like their plan would only bring Ari and Russell closer together and not Torrence and Seth, which I guess was the whole point of the whole romance part in anew adult romance 🤪.

Through their plan, Russell and Ari, DUH, got closer.

I found it funny how they started with simple things like Russell and Ari setting up notes or little gifts that insinuated that Seth gave them to Torrence when he really didn’t. They really were playing with their bosses. Then there was the swing dance thing they signed up for in attempts to rekindle Torrence and Seth’s happier moments; they used to dance together.

I must say, it was obvious that Torrence and Seth still loved each other, but didn’t know how to get along or properly show that love. Well, we knew Seth for sure still loved Torrence based on how he looked at her adoringly. He loved a strong woman, as he should. But a big reason Seth and Torrence broke up was because Seth felt a bit jealous or inferior as the man because he wasn’t the main provider in the relationship and he let his jealousy and masculinity get in the way of his relationship. I could understand where Seth was coming from because in the past, many males were thought of as the “providers” or the outdated term of the “bread-winners,” however, we live in the 21st century where women can have a thriving and successful career that pays more than a man. But that can also mean that many men feel insecure to women and they start to let their anger or jealousy get the best of them and that reflects as not treating their woman right. I think it’s just an outdated idea that men should be the “bread-winners” or that men should be making more when women can absolutely and should make the same or more than men. Also, men should just be happy for women and not feel like they are not doing enough, or at the very least, not be condescending or angry at a woman’s success, you know. So Seth, really let his pride and ego get in the way, which I understood, but didn’t mean I agreed with it because I could tell just how much he still loved Torrence because she challenged him and was spunky.

Instead, to keep her attention, he messed with Torrence like a five year-old pulling a girl’s pigtails on the playground. Seth messing with Torrence definitely felt like an attention thing and to ensure that she still cared. The night of the jive though, something changed where they were more amicable with each other. And I knew it wasn’t just because they started to see eye-to-eye again. But I felt something was brewing between them that I’ll get into later 😉.

Back to Russell and Ari, their relationship was blooming with all the time they spent together scheming to get their bosses together. I liked how they went from co-workers who just talked about work to actually getting to know each other. As someone who is now getting into the workforce, I will say, people at work do talk about work a lot 😂. It makes sense why people at work would talk about, you know, work, but sometimes it feels like that’s the only point of conversation people have. However, people are more than just their work or their job. They are their interests, their hobbies, their family, their friends, their culture, their history, all these things that we don’t get to know unless we ask—-if we break down that work wall to the root of a person. I believe when we break down that wall and stop asking each other about work or only discussing things related to work, do we truly connect with those around us and form closer connections. And that’s what happened when Russell and Ari stopped talking only about work.

They connected about how they were Jewish. Ari believed she was the only Jewish person at her work place, however, when she talked to Russell, she discovered she was not as alone as she thought. She also felt alone in feeling like she was not advancing in her career because of the tense workplace environment. It helps not to feel alone at work, where it can be a very isolating space.

I liked how they went swing dancing together as a ploy to get Torrence and Seth to also go swing dancing. I liked how they were dance partners and how Torrence and Seth also gravitated towards each other. Torrence and Seth were really the main event at that ballroom for sure.

I also laughed when Russell and Ari tried to pull a Parent Trap by recreating Torrence and Seth’s first date on some boat. Then Russell did some bad acting with pretending he easily got boat sick so Ari and him could bail and give Torrence and Seth alone time. They weren’t fooling anyone with that “I get sea sick” trick 😂. I mean, bro should have really considered his sea-sickness before he went ahead and booked a double date on a boat, if you know what I mean. But they had really good intentions because they could see Torrence and Seth getting along and having a amicable time. Also, it was really nice to not see Torrence and Seth at each other’s throats because it truly did make everyone around them less uncomfortable and happier.

You know what they say, happy boss happy life.

Hahaha, no one says that. It’s happy wife, happy life, but you know what I mean 😂.

Nevertheless, with Torrence and Seth not trying to mess with each other, it gave time and energy for Ari to advance her mentorship with Torrence. I liked when Torrence really listened and accepted Ari’s feedback because it highlighted how Torrence really was a good person and a good boss, but her efforts were misguided with her anger at Seth. But when she focused on what she loved and helping those around her, it created a healthy environment where her mentees and workers thrived. I liked how Ari got a more active role in the field and the work she did. I also enjoyed the bond between Torrence and Ari. As someone who has had multiple mentors, I know what it is like to be a mentee and look up to someone for guidance. I felt like Torrence was a great mentor when she listens and cared for Ari and actually supported her growth. I also thought it was special that Torrence not only cared about Ari professionally, but personally and you could see that strong connection and investment in Ari’s life and well-being.

I was also excited and happy for Russell because he was finally getting more significant sports coverage with areas that were interesting. I also liked the relationship he created with Seth because it seemed like Russell also gained more mentorship and support from Seth when he was at a healthier place too. It just goes to show you, work place environment is everything.

The one thing in the book I found the most interesting and wanted to know more about was Russell’s backstory.

Russell was such an interesting character with lots of unexpected depth.

One of the reasons Russell was an interesting character was because he was not a slim, six-pack ab love interest. Russell was a normal dude with a dad bod, and I appreciated it; Russell was refreshing. Gosh knows there are too many seamlessly ripped guys in books that is highly unrealistic to every single person. I liked that Russell was just a normal dude who had a good heart and that’s what made him lovable because it’s not about how you look, but your character. I liked Russell because he was kind, caring, sweet, and thoughtful. Sure, he was not the strongest main character depicted, but he was strong in so many other ways and I loved that Rachel Lynn Soloman had a character who wasn’t toned and chiseled because it represented all those who aren’t and showed them that they also deserve love. Everyone deserves love no matter who they look like.

It made me sad whenever Russell would feel insecure about his body because he wasn’t this muscular toned guy that the movies depict every male species to be. So many people talk about female body expectations, and gosh knows I have felt that pressure too many times in my life, but no one really talks about the standard that males also have. And that’s not to take away from the female expectations either, it’s just a conversation among males that I have not heard as often because sometimes males don’t have the space to talk about how they feel pressured to have this perfect body just like females are expected to too.

But in the great words of Hannah Montana . . .

NOBODY’S PERFECT.

Absolutely nobody and no-body because we are all beautiful and handsome as we are and if someone doesn’t love us as we are, they are not worthy or deserving to be in our lives. Period.

Anyway, Russell is a single father, which WE LOVE 🙈. I know, that sounds messed up and extremely weird, but I mean it in the way where I admire single father’s who had to raise their child by themselves because that is no easy feet. Heck, I admire any single parent because raising a child by yourself is incredibly difficult. Don’t even get me started about how much I respect parents who continue to go to school or who balance work, school, raising their child, and life responsibilities because that is a superhero feat within itself—–so much mad respect. Also, I grew up with a dad who basically raised my brother, sister, and I so that is another reason I resonate more with the single-dad trope in books. I just believe there is something special about a dad who actually tries—–or a parent in general—-because most dad’s in books or shows are depicted as the ones who leave. However, that’s not always the case. There are many dad’s who stay and raise their child and have to figure it all out on their own. And that’s, again, not to take away any credit from any single parent because, again, raising a child is not like taking a walk in the park. It’s a full on marathon of running, pausing, maybe stumbling, needing support along the way, but knowing that in the end, it was all worth it to be where you are now and to see where your child is now.

I liked how we got to see a vulnerable side of Russell who raised his daughter, Elodie. Russell was a teen father with his ex-girlfriend Liv. They both had to navigate high school while raising a child and also combating the judgement from others and their parents. I know there is a stigma about teen pregnancies, especially back then. So I could only imagine how much Liv and Russell had to endure from the world and also figure out their lives while raising a new life; that’s hard.

What was also hard was how being a teen parent, undoubtedly altered Russell and Liv’s lives. Russell had all these dreams about going to college and playing hockey, but now he had a daughter to financially provide for and think about that college and his dreams had to be pushed to the back burner for his daughter. The fact that Russell gave up his goals and dreams so he could provide for his daughter highlighted the compassion and care he had at such a young age to put his family first. That’s not an easy decision to make or give up at such an age when he was still a child himself. Russell did go to college, however his life did not turn out the way he thought it would—-as most times it does. He really had to work his way around while still caring for Elodie, which we love a hard-working dad.

The part that tears me up a lot is the embarrassment and the shameful feeling I got from Russell about being a teen parent. I believe it all goes back to the stigma about being a teen parent and judging someone because of their age of when they had a kid. I believe that yes, you should be safe and protect yourself if you are being sexually active at that age. I think parents come from a place where they would rather their child not have a baby when they are a teen because they want more for their child to explore or experience things before starting a family because raising a child/starting a family is a monumental life shift and responsibility. Adding being a growing adult and now a parent, that’s beyond challenging. So parents come from a place of tough love and care, but throughout the years, all this tough love and care has become such a negative thing that teens fear out of embarrassment or shame when it does happen. I believe parents will be angry when they find out, but deep down, (I hope) most parents would also be happy for their child because sometimes things happen in unexpected ways and maybe it was part of the plan. We don’t know. But honestly, what other people think about a teen pregnancy doesn’t matter because their opinion absolutely has no value in the situation. Sure, other people can judge and think what they want to think, but no one should ever have to feel ashamed for being a parent and trying their absolute best to be a parent while also growing up. I think it’s respectable, and I felt sorry that Russell felt like he had to hide such a big part of himself.

I also felt awful that Russell felt the need to justify or explain himself like it was an inconvenience to tell his story. I think Russell doesn’t need to give anyone an explanation if they look at him and Elodie and assume anything because let them assume. It’s honestly none of their business. It’s Russell’s life and he has a beautiful daughter that he loves and that’s all that matters. No one should make him feel ashamed for it.

“I still have a lot of residual anxiety from all of it, I guess. I don’t talk about Elodie much at work because I don’t want to have to explain how old I was when she was born. I don’t want anyone leaping to the conclusion that because I was a teen dad, that must make me a f***up.”

(pg. 132)

Also, Russell was not a screw up just because he was a teen parent. Teen parents are not screw ups and we need to preach that fact more often. It’s nothing to be ashamed about or to shame others for. Absolutely not.

Russell should be incredibly proud that he raised such a magnificent daughter. I mean, I love Elodie! What a fun-loving, spirited young woman. She was so spunky, but polite. I also loved that she loved theater and how Ari and Elodie bonded over their love of theater. I loved when Elodie was all excited to run lines with Ari when Ari went over to their house to watch Elodie. It just felt like a homely mother-daughter moment and it was so cute. I also loved how supportive Russell was of his daughter and her love of the theater. He really was such a great dad 💙.

I also liked how Russell had a good relationship with his ex, Liv; I thought that was so cool. Most books would have probably cut Liv out of the picture or paint her as the villain, so it was refreshing to see a cordial relationship where Elodie had a healthy relationship with the mom and so did Russell. I liked how obsessed Liv and Russell were of Elodie, scrapbooking every achievement to the point of creepy. It’s going to be a no from me for keeping all of Elodie’s baby teeth 😂. If I were Elodie, I would also draw a line at telling my parents about starting my period because who knows if they would want to save the darn pad 😂. CREEPY, but also very cute how much they obviously loved Elodie and wanted to ensure she knew she was loved. It was cute though how Elodie confided with Ari because she knew Ari could help her but also that Ari wouldn’t make getting her period a huge deal compared to her parents.

Ari and Russell bonded on many vulnerable levels, and were also getting very physical 😉 . . . or touchy feely. I mean, we love a smut book! I mean, tis book wasn’t the most smutty, but it did have some spice in it, if you know what I mean 😆.

I loved their little strip tease game they had going on in the hotel. Also, I’m a sucker for the zip down the dress moment because that’s always a crowd pleaser in a book (you know, with consent from the person your zipping down the dress). But we loved that for Ari because she really said touch my body *cue Mariah Carey singing.* Also, jealousy always works wonders to get things moving along haha. The captain of the boat from the first date setup, Captain Craig, hit on Ari and Russell was notably jealous. His jealousy escalated to a fight with Ari in the office, and one thing lead to another and then they started macking on each other’s lips in a steamy office moment, which I WAS HERE FOR. And when Ari swiped all the things off his table, I cackled but in a good way 😂. She said I mean BUSINESS 👏🏼. What got me was the fact that this sis was doing all of this in a sling, like what the heck!?

“‘Have I told you,’ he says, ‘that you look absolutely stunning in that sling Ari Abrams?’

I bite my lip to keep from grinning, ‘Yeah?’

‘Oh yeah.’ His hand comes up to my face, his thumb skimming my cheekbone. ‘Really brings out your eyes.'”

(pg. 165)

Yea, you Russell flirting with her about her blue sling 😂.

It’s his fetish for sure.

I also liked one of their cute outings when getting to know Seth more. They took Seth to a hockey game and it was Ari’s first hockey game, and I loved how Russell made Ari feel interested about the game, but not dumb about not knowing much. I liked ow fun the moment was for them. I also liked their first date where they went to see a solar eclipse, which was super romantic, and then they went to play air hockey. It was such a perfect, cute date for them because the date combined both of their passions—-weather and sports.

I mean, if they don’t take you to see a romantic a** solar eclipse on a first date, I don’t want It 😂. Also, the air hockey competition between them was super cute and we loved the fiestiness between them. They were just being themselves and to some, it might have seemed weird to see two older people on a date playing air hockey, but you know what, love knows no age and anyone can literally have fun doing anything they want. So let them play air hockey. But truly, thinking about Ari and Russell, yes, they were an older couple navigating the very new feelings of love and that was exciting. I was excited for them. But I think society makes older people feel weird or awkward about finding love and showcasing it to the world, but if someone is in love, let them live and be in love—-don’t feel awkward for seeing it just because they’re older. I loved that they were keeping their love alive and fresh.

They really were a cute couple because they just had fun together.

So here’s the thing. You know during the first jive dance setup that Ari and Russell planned for Torrence and Seth and then Torrence and Seth started to act amicable. Yea, that was the moment that I had a HIGH HUNCH that Torrence and Seth were also playing with Ari and Russell. In m mind, I was like, “What happens if Torrence and Seth are trying to set up Ari and Russell the same way that Ari and Russell are trying to set up Torrence and Seth.” I mean, that sounded wild, but wild enough that I knew that was probably the plot because, you know, expect the unexpected in books. So it would have explained why Torrence and Seth were all buddy-buddy nice to Russell and Ari because they secretly wanted them to get together, so Torrence and Seth had to work together. And in turn, that brought Torrence and Seth closer, just like it did Ari and Russell; a double Parent Trap moment if you will.

So when it came to that whole reveal that Torrence and Seth were setting up Ari and Russell, it wasn’t much of a surprise for me because I knew that’s what they were doing. However, I could see how Ari and Russell could have felt cheated on or deceived because it felt like their relationship was built on a lie or build by forced proximity. It also made them—-especially Ari—-question the truth of their relationship and if they were really meant to be or just a set-up.

The whole set-up made them question their relationship. Also, their rising insecurities diverged them into two different mindsets that was hard to come out of.

For Russell it was about being scared of looking and accepting love again when he wasn’t looking to replace Liv as Elodie’s mom or to even marry to give Elodie a new mom.

That whole part where Russell was like, “I’m not exactly in the market for a step-mom for my kid” (pg. 238), I was like “OOOOOOH, Russell, those are some WRONG-choice words 👏🏼.”

I mean, how the heck did he think Ari would respond or feel about hearing that. Here she was loving him and going on all these dates that made her happy and he basically indirectly said he wasn’t looking for anything serious. I’m sorry, but Ari wasn’t trying to replace Liv, and second, don’t lead my girl Ari on like that if you are not ready to be in a relationship with her because that’s unfair to her.

I have to say I had so MUCH respect for Ari when she opened up about her depression to Russell; I was so proud of her for talking about it. No, he could not fully understand her depression the way she could. However, Ari could tell him what depression has always been like for her so that he could partially understand. As someone who also battles depression, it’s difficult to explain how complex depression is unless someone has gone through it to know what it feels like. Depression is not a linear slope down and, again, it’s not just sadness.

“I have depression . . I’ve had it for a long time, and I’ll probably have it my whole life, since it’s not something that tends to magically go away. . . When I was a teen, every so often I’d have these days that blurred together. I’d go through school on autopilot, barely registering anything anyone was saying. I’d get home exhausted, though I hadn’t done anything to exert myself. Everything hurt, even though theater was nothing physically wrong with me. I felt weighed down . . . like some kind of terrible magnet was tugging me to the center of the earth, this heaviness that made it impossible to find joy in any of the things I used to love.

. . . “And most of the times, I’m okay. But I still have dark days, and I don’t want to hide any of that from you.”

(pg. 251-2)

Sobs. Body-racking sobs 😭.

Or

“You can be okay for months, for years, before it creeps back in, telling you lies like you will always feel this way and no one will love you because of it and why bother. Once, you could tell they were lies, but now they weigh down your shoulders and take up space in your lungs. Sometimes they come out of nowhere. Other times, some grim event helps yank you back to that dark place.

And [gosh], you are so f***ing exhausted, so you let it happen.”

(pg. 287)

I can’t even form words to how much I related to Ari and how much I felt seen. In high school, I went through a depressive episode where everything felt like a blur and I felt numb and had no joy. I didn’t know what joy was or how to laugh. I was angry and irritable all the time because I was hurting on the inside and I wanted others to recognize how much pain I was in. It’s almost like I was walking around with a thorn in my foot, wanting others to notice that I was hurting. But no one did, so each day I grew angrier and more hurt that no one could see how my feet were bleeding and my heart was aching for someone—anyone to see—to help me. I needed help and no one saw that. I was too scared to ask for help because I didn’t know how and I wasn’t used to having people around to help. I felt sad all the time and alone. I didn’t have many friends. It wasn’t until college that I fully understood that I was going through a depressive episode in high school and that I have been battling depression from many experiences that were difficult to process.

What Ari said about how most of the time she is okay, but she has her dark days, I felt that. I felt that to my core. Because I have good days, but I have really dark days and sometimes they come out of nowhere and it makes me uncomfortable because I didn’t even know I was feeling that way until it hit me. And sometimes all I hope is for the feeling to pass and to see the good days. That’s what gets me through. Depression is a ride and a journey. It’s not smooth and it’s not simple.

But the fact that Ari also said she didn’t want to hid her depression from Russell, really got to me. No one should ever feel the need to hide parts of themselves or diminish anything from who they are to make someone love them. No one. If someone truly loved you, they would see all your parts—good and complicated—and choose to love you through them and with them. Never hide who you are to feel loved. I was so so proud of Ari for being at a place where she felt comfortable to open up about her depression and say this is who I am and this is what I battle. However Russell or any person responds to that would not be a reflection on Ari and her worthiness because she already has so much love to give to open up about the love and respect she had for herself.

But there was also Ari’s moment of self-sabotaging that further diverged them. The thing was, I could understand Ari’s self-sabotaging because it didn’t come from a place of malice, but fear and hurt. Also, I could feel like her depression was triggered from all the fears and conversations she had been having.

“It’s going to be you and me and my f***ing brain conspiring against me.”

(pg. 283)

That sentence punched my gut.

Been there, felt that.

That’s what mental battles feels like most of the time—-this constant war between your brain, heart, and should of what you believe and what your brain is telling you to believe. It does sometimes feel like the thoughts go against you.

I also understood the real concern Ari had about being in a serious relationship with Russell based on her history with her mom and dad. She was scared that Russell was going to be like her dad and leave her one day because of her depression.

“He doesn’t get it. He can’t just take a step back from my mental illness.”

(pg. 284)

But the thing was, I understood what she meant.

I think Russell was just trying to remain calm this situation that was obviously escalating. Ari was also spiraling and he just wanted time to breath and clear his head. Also, he wanted time and space for Ari to clear her head so that they could come back and have a rationale conversation. That’s absolutely Russell for you—-the calm in the eye of the storm; that’s his personality. So he didn’t mean anything malice by saying let’s take a step back. But Ari took it as taking a step back from her and their relationship. A step back meant running away—-a foot out the door—and that reminded her of her dad who also left. She felt like Russell was going to leave her if he took a step back, and she didn’t want to hurt anymore because it was easier to hurt herself than to admit that she loved him and that she wanted to make things work. I believe she was also thinking about how if Russell needed to take a step back from a very stressful and intense moment like this, then he would take steps back in the future if they ever had a similar conversation. If Russell could not handle the conversation now, she feared he would walk away because mental illness is something she will always battle. To her, it felt like he didn’t love her enough to take a step forward with her to figure this out.

So there was a lot of conflicting underlying assumptions and emotions, but I understood where both was coming from. But you know, Russell really didn’t help himself when he said that “You’re not acting like yourself right now” (pg. 285) 🤪.

BRO, that was the LAST THING HE SHOULD HAVE EVER SAID TO HER.

I mean, she poured her heart out about living with a depression and how that she will always battle depression and that it’s part of her life and then he went ahead and said that she wasn’t being herself when depression was a part of her. So in Ari’s mind, she was thinking that if Russell thought Ari wasn’t herself right now, when she probably was her most self, then Russell didn’t want wouldn’t love her for her and would leave. And honestly, I couldn’t blame her for thinking that because I would have thought the exact same thing 🙈. I mean, the dude basically said he loved her but not all of her, which was her biggest fear.

But also, Ari was pushing back on him a lot, which made it even more difficult to have a civil conversation for him to explain his piece. But, I think he said enough.

When I read Weather Girl, I was also watching season two of Love is Blind, and I must say that Russell and Ari kind of reminded me of Nick and Daniel 🤪. If you know, you know. But like Nick was Russell because they were both calm. And then Ari was Daniel because they both battled mental health issues and they both feared someone leaving them or not loving them for all their parts. But then we had Russell and Nick who constantly showed Ari and Daniel that they did like them for who they are, but they would always fight. Sooooo, that was where my brain was at with this whole blow up conversation.

I thought it was pretty darn clever that Rachel Lynn Soloman ended this scene with Ari standing alone in the snow. How fitting for the essence of the moment. And when Russell turned his back on her and left? I was like, as she wished. And Russell may have said some STUIPD things, but at least he was gentleman enough to know when to leave 👌🏼,

I literally laughed when Ari went back to therapy and the therapist told Ari she was self-sabotaging. Not that self-sabotaging in something to laugh about, but I laughed because I’ve read too many books to pick up when a main character self-sabotages 🙈.

Books are therapy and they help me be a therapist.

But I liked that Ari recognized that she wasn’t okay and she needed help, so she reached out for help. I also liked how her therapist and her talked about how Russell and her had different communication styles and need different reassurances—-they had different love languages. Having different love languages made sense because everyone receives and gives loves in a different way, and maybe this whole time they weren’t giving or receiving love they way they wanted because they hadn’t been communicating that.

“Do you want that easy exit route? Or do you want to do the work, even when it’s hard?

(pg. 291)

That was such a good question.

This question could apply for anything. I thought about this question in all the context of all the challenging moments in my life where I wanted to give up and then I thought about how sometimes we all want to give up on all the work or stress we have—-to quit the job or school—-but deep down, I think no one actually wants to quit when it gets hard. I know how exhausting doing the work is because it drains the life out of you and it’s easier to take the easier route, but then we would never grow and learn the things we do now to be where we are. It’s also challenging to do the work on ourselves—-mentally, emotionally, physically—-to be at a healthy place. It takes work. It’s not going to happen over night or in a day, but it’s a life’s work of trying, wanting to give up, but persisting. That’s one of the strongest qualities that humans have—our resilience.

Doing the work sucks, but it makes us better people and we evolve from it.

Part of doing the work for Ari was finding closure in one of her biggest insecurities—-that someone would leave her like her dad. And to help her heal, she needed to have that conversation with her mom.

I knew that Ari needed to have a conversation with her mom to heal because a lot of her residual pain came from the complex relationship she had with her mom. As I mentioned previously, I believe that the mom didn’t deserve all the blame or even a little bit of fault because she was battling a very real mental illness and that it was more so the dad’s problem that he left them. I mean, the mom was the one who stayed and who tried to maintain a relationship with Ari even when things got tough—-that is love.

I loved loved loved the heart-to-heart she had with her mom.

“Eventually, you deal with something for long enough that it becomes such an intrinsic part of you, and you can’t imagine yourself without it. You accept it, maybe you think you deserve it but also because you’re scared that if you tried to change it, it wouldn’t work. It feels easier to live in that somber place because you don’t know who you are otherwise, and your’e worried about putting in all that effort without a guaranteed outcome.”

(pg. 306-7)

The mom was trying to explain to Ari why she didn’t get help sooner when Ari was younger. I understood the mom because she was battling depression for such a long time, and again, there was that stigma of seeking help back then that could have made the mom hesitant to get the help she needed. But I also resonated with how when you deal with something long enough, it becomes a part of you and you don’t know who you are without it, and it’s scary to believe that you could get to a place where you moved on from it. For me, I battled an ED in high school and I remember when I realized I wanted to heal, it was beyond difficult for me to let go of my previous eating habits and lifestyle because it had become a part of me. It was hard for me to move on because change was scary and I wasn’t sure if I could get back to a place where I felt okay in my body if I started to eat again or what other people might think of me. And there lied the issue of me thinking so much about what other people thought of me that I didn’t know what to think of me. There’s this saying that if you hold onto something too tightly, you suffocate it and don’t give it room to breathe. I feel like mental health can be the same where if you hold on too tightly to it when you’re trying to heal or let go, it makes it harder to move on or breathe because you’re wrapping your whole identity around it when you are so much more than your mental health. And this might not apply to every mental health battle, but for me, that’s how I felt like I was holding on too tightly to wanting to still have an ED because I was scared about who I would be without it.

“‘Being a person is hard,’ I said simply.”

(pg. 307)

And it is. Being a human being is the hardest because we have all these emotions and experiences.

What broke my heart was how I could feel the understanding and compassion between Ari and the mom when they talked about their mental health.

“You and Alex were enough. I think . . . I think the problem was that I was the one who wasn’t.”

(pg. 307)

The mom always loved Ari and the brother but she was not in a good place mentally and that happens. But it hurt to read how she believed she was the problem when she wasn’t the problem, she was battling mental health issues. The mom was always enough for those around her, but her inner voice told her all these things that made her believe otherwise. I could relate to that because sometimes I have negative thoughts that tell me I’m not enough or my mental health “warps my depression” or emotions to believe all these awful things about myself. But when we understand others, we can better understand why they did what they did and what they’ve been going through. We never know what people have been through or are going through, but to listen and be there means so much. Ari listening to the mom and seeing herself in the mom, was a monumental moment that shifted their relationship.

“But this is the truth: he made the decision to leave us.

My mother is the one who chose to stay.”

(pg. 308)

Ari also finally understood how her mom stayed and that she wasn’t angry at the mom anymore. Their relationship was far from being completely healed or perfect, but to know that they had a better understanding of each other and that they had a real, honest, and difficult conversation was the right step towards mending what they had. I really liked the authenticity of their conversation to start something new because their relationship would never be what it was, but something they could create together again.

I also enjoyed the conversation between Ari and Seth. I didn’t expect this conversation to happen, but I’m glad it did because he was oddly nice to Ari because he was similar to her. They were both stuck in their beliefs that no one would love them for them, but Seth planted the seed that she should not give up on something if she believed strongly in it.

“Or maybe you’d never have split up.”

He considers that for a moment. “Maybe we needed to,” he says “to learn that it was possible to become whole again.” A pause. “Maybe none of this is relevant. Maybe what you two are dealing with is quite different. But in case any of it means something to you, I wanted to let you know.”

(pg. 299)

I really liked what Seth said. He was telling her not to give up on the love she felt for Russell because we can convince ourselves of one thing and be steadfast in believing it, but deep down we might also feel another way. We should not let pride or our stubbornness get in the way of the love we have for someone if that love is still lingering in the back of our minds, saying we still care for that person. It’s better to confront those feelings than waiting all this time, letting a relationship that could have been, be. I think Ari really needed to hear what Seth had to say to give Russell and her another chance.

Although Russell said some very questionable choice words in their argument, I did appreciate how he was cordial to Ari and how he straight up told her he wasn’t mad at her. We loved that for Russell because he really was a good guy and I couldn’t really be mad at him because he didn’t know what he was saying because he was just being Russell. Still, he could have had more sensitive word choice or something.

The end grand gesture was incredibly sweet 💙.

I loved how Elodie sent a secret note/invitation to Ari to attend her bat mitzvah and how Elodie said that Russell would be excited if Ari came. But then Ari had an epiphany about how much Russell did care about her because he never truly ran away or rejected who she was when she was vulnerable about her depression.

“I’ve assumed anyone getting that close would eventually find a reason to leave. That my issues and past would drive them away. But that’s not what happened here—I forced him away by giving in to my own worst fears.”

(pg. 310)

What did I say earlier 🤪?

Kidding. Not really.

When they did talk, they had such a mature conversation that wasn’t this whole big deal, but a very lax thing. Their conversation was very on brand for Ari and Russell. I started tearing up when Ari talked about how she didn’t think Russell would want to be with her because she wasn’t always a happy person. That just STRUCK the tear ducts because I always believed the same thing 😢—that no one could ever love me because I was not a 100% happy all the time or battled mental illness. I feel like it’s so easy to convince ourselves we are not worthy because we battle something that others do not experience each day or their entire life. But everyone is deserving of love. I also teared up at how Russell thought the same thing—-how could Ari love him? We love a humbled person 👏🏼!

I felt like he practiced what he was going to say to her in this conversation because he really said all the right things 🙈. He loved her for her and all versions of her, and how he saw Ari for all her parts. I also just loved the big open teddy bear vibes Russell was giving. He’s such a softie on the inside.

“Even if we’re going through darkness, I know we’ll always find our way back to each other.”

(pg. 325)

That’s such a significant thing to say, not just in Ari and Russell’s situation, but any situation.

Being in a relationship is knowing that there are going to be difficult, dark moments, but those moments are never and should never be a fight against two people. But a conversation where both people work together to solve a problem. And even in those dark moments, that they find their way back to each other—back to their light and their love.

Ari and Russell’s earlier blow out, was just an argument and every couples have an argument; I liked the realistic feel of their argument when I think about tit.

The end was a bit rushed because many things were still up in the air and could have used resolution. I also have to say, Russell, my dude, YOU DON’T FREAKING PROPOSE AT SOMEONE ELSE’S WEDDING!!!!!!! I don’t care if he did ask Torrence and Seth for the okay, you just don’t do that 😆!!!! Proposing at someone else’s wedding takes away from the couple’s big day, and also it should be sacrilege or something! I would not. But I felt like ti made sense too because Torrence and Seth helped Ari and Russell connect, but still. Sacrilege I tell you.

I also loved how Ari and Russell were navigating their blended family because it was such a contrast to how Ari went home to an empty house and had no real family. But now she did have a family, a booming career, and a person who loved her for her 😊.

Weather Girl was not at all what I was expecting (in a good way!), but I enjoyed it because it intertwined mental health with romance and honest conversations. I believe that we could have dived deeper into the mental health battles Ari and the mom were going through because I felt like we only skimmed the surface. I mean, I understand that not everyone wants to read a heavy book about depression, but I would have liked to see more of Ari on her dark days and what that meant or felt for her. I also would have liked to understand maybe more of Ari’s backstory to see where her depression started. Or was it because her depression inherited? I don’t know. There was also just something razzle dazzley that I was missing that made me feel like the book was good, but not my most favorite book. I don’t know, I was missing some spunk or some detail to really make me gripped to the edge or my seat or head over heals in love with the story. I also wanted a bit more shock factor because I could see where the story was going with the double set-up, the blow up, and grand gesture. Maybe something that unexpected would have added that razzle dazzle. I don’t know. It’s not like I didn’t enjoy the book, but it was missing something more.

I’m still a Rachel Lynn Soloman fan for sure and will continue to read her books. I will say, I did like Weather Girl more than The Ex-Talk, but both are good books.

Anyway, what was your favorite part of the book? Least favorite part? What did you think of the book? 

What’s your favorite type of weather? I like a sunny weather because I feed off of the light mood.

Let me know below in the comments as I love hearing from you all 💕

I hope you have a beautiful day whenever and wherever you might be reading this 😊.

And as always, with love,

Rating

4.08 Full Bloom Flowers

Characters: I really liked the authenticity of Ari’s character and her battle with mental illness. Also, I loved the realness of Russell and how he was literally a teddy bear reincarnate.

Plot: Not a super heavy plot that centers on heavy depression, but it had a romantic and honest touch. There was something more that I wanted because I could tell where the story was going

Writing: Honest, real, and vulnerable.

Romance: Ari and Russell were cute and they represented how we should accept love from people who love all parts of us. I wanted a little more from their romance, you know, some razzle dazzle (not spice, but razzle dazzle) 😂