Hi there! I’m here to review what was probably my most anticipated sequel of 2024! **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
It’s been over four years since the release of Rachel Lynn Solomon’s YA novel Today Tonight Tomorrow, which introduced us to high school rivals Rowan and Neil who have to team up during their senior game of Howl after hearing their classmates formulate a plan to take them down one last time. I absolutely loved the book – it still remains one of my favorite YA novels (and you can read my full thoughts here). When I heard Solomon was giving us more of Neil and Rowan’s story, I was initially skeptical (as sometimes authors don’t treat continuation stories with much care) but excited because I knew she loved these characters just as much as her readers and she would do a sequel justice. As soon as I saw it available on NetGalley, I immediately put in my request but didn’t have any good expectations because I’ve been a little slacking with my blog this year (I like my new job but it’s kicking my butt some days) and Simon & Schuster is a larger publication house. Imagine my surprise when I received the email notifying me my request had been approved. I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to read Past Present Future early, and delighted I get to share with you my thoughts here.
In Today Tonight Tomorrow, high school rivals Rowan Roth and Neil McNair spend the last day of their high school senior year exploring Seattle, besting their classmates one last time in a game of Howl, and possibly falling in love. After a summer of perfect moments, it’s time for them to embark on their next journey of life – flying across the country for their first year of college. With Rowan in Boston studying creative writing, and Neil in New York as a linguistics major, the two must work harder than ever to ensure that their relationship stands the test of time and distance. On top of that, both are undergoing a crisis of identity when realizing their futures are not as crystal clear as they once thought, and as a part of his past comes back to haunt Neil he must work on allowing himself to be vulnerable and letting people in.
I absolutely adored Today Tonight Tomorrow when I read it in 2020. I thought it might have been a bit of my early pandemic-brain giving it five stars, but after a recent re-read to prepare for the sequel, it certainly does stand up to the test of time in my eyes. And with the additional dual-perspective added for Past Present Future, it was tough deciding which book I loved more (good thing I don’t actually have to choose). There is so much to love about this book, so I’ll try to keep my gushing to a minimum (but just know I couldn’t put it down and cried several times throughout my read). Rachel Lynn Solomon captured the first year college experience so well – being away from home on your own for the first time, not knowing if your roommate is actively avoiding you or just has an opposite schedule, being too overwhelmed by the amount of extracurricular options you just don’t join any in the end, underestimating how long it’ll take you to get to class on the first day, and, most importantly, finally being able to study what you’ve always dreamed of and it… disappointing you in ways you never could have imagined. We get to see Neil and Rowan struggle to figure out who they are as individuals, small fish in bigger ponds than their singular Seattle high school, and also how to be a long distance couple when it seems like almost all their classmates had ended their relationships before / after graduation. It was really cool getting to see both Rowan and Neil’s inner thoughts as they’re constantly questioning different aspects of their lives, but the one thing that seemingly never falters is the fact that they love each other, and want to work to make their relationship as solid as it can be. And without going into too much detail about Neil’s story specifically, I felt for him so much throughout the course of his freshman year journey. It seemed like every time he made progress something came up that knocked him down a few pegs and sent his mind spiraling to thoughts he didn’t know how to properly handle on his own. I appreciated the focus on acknowledging when you need help understanding how to parse through your emotions and being able to talk to your loved ones when situations are affecting you. We love good mental health representation in this household. When I reached that epilogue and was hit with the header “three years later,” I knew I was coming to the end of Neil and Rowan’s story, and while I am sad to see it ending I am incredibly appreciative of how their journeys have collectively come to an end.
In conclusion, Today Tonight Tomorrow remains one of my favorite YA novels, and its sequel Past Present Future has solidified its place on that list. It’s a duology full of heart, family, friends, love, self-discovery, and a lot of emotion, and I would not have it any other way. I can’t wait to meet Rachel Lynn Solomon at Steamy Lit Con this August, so I can tell her just how much these books, as well as many of her adult romances, mean to me. Past Present Future releases on June 4th, 2024, which is (hopefully) the day this post goes live, so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday and consider picking up a copy (and its prequel) if you’re interested. *Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster BYR, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find Past Present Future:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Simon & Schuster
Rachel Lynn Solomon’s site
Thoughts About Things 