Now That We Don't Talk

by Rachel Pologe

A commitment-phobe finds herself stuck spending Hanukkah with her childhood best friend turned nemesis, only for holiday chaos to ensue and complicated feelings to resurface, in this emotionally resonant debut romance.

Norah Gold is a bolter. She avoids emotional situations at all costs, doesn’t do meaningful relationships, and when things get a little too real, she runs. She hasn’t let herself fall in love in nearly a decade, not since her whole world fell apart when her dad suddenly passed away. Desperate to escape a friends-with-benefits situation gone clingy, she returns home to Chicago for the holidays. Her one goal? Avoid Henry Cole, the boy who blew up her life and broke her heart back in high school. Easier said than done when she discovers that their mothers are dating and insist on celebrating the holidays together.

A decade later, Henry Cole is all custom suits and condescension. He is order to her chaos and absolutely insufferable about it. When Norah and Henry get snowed in together and learn just how serious their moms’ relationship is, they call a truce to make it through all eight nights of Hanukkah without setting each other on fire. As they begin to rediscover the foundation that made them so close growing up, Norah is desperate to keep her distance—the last thing she can handle is reopening decade-old emotional wounds. But even though they’ve tried to escape the past, Norah and Henry have unfinished business too pressing to ignore. Can Norah shake off her deep-seated impulse to bolt, or are they destined to flame out just like they did as teenagers?

Genres: Romance, Holiday, Contemporary, Jewish, Christmas, Contemporary Romance, Holiday Romance

364 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 20, 2026

About the author

Rachel Pologe writes swoony, character-driven contemporary romance novels about messy but relatable people you can’t help but root for. Rachel has spent her career working in television writers’ rooms, but books were her first passion. In sixth grade, a popular boy said something nice and unprompted about her creative writing assignment, and she’s been riding that high ever since. Originally from Baltimore, Rachel now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter. Now That We Don't Talk is Rachel’s debut novel.

Reviews

[aira]

I guess since I have the arc...🤷‍♀️

[strawberrymatchaprincess (s.ia) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to netgalley and the author for this arc in exchange for an honest review! 💕
Such a nice romcom, I loved Norah and Henry’s story! <3 It felt like i was growing up with them too. ❤️‍🔥
────۶ৎ────
˖⁺. ༶ Now That We Don’t Talk
- Taylor Swift ˖⁺. ༶
0:00 ─✮───── 0:00
↻ ⊲ Ⅱ ⊳ ↺
Volume: ▁▂▃▄▅▆▇ 100%
❤️‍🔥𝒮𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎: Norah Gold has commitment issues, she returns home for Hanukkah hoping to avoid her ex-best friend Henry Cole, who broke her heart years ago. But when their mothers start dating and the two get snowed in together for the holidays, old feelings and unresolved tension begin to resurface.

────۶ৎ────
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
💌 What I liked:
💝 The title is giving taylor swift?!🥰
💝 Childhood friends to enemies to lovers
💝 How the Mmc treated the fmc
💝 I really relate w the fmc norah because of how she panics when things get real and serious, leaving before they leave and hurt u first.
💝 11:11 wishes
💝 their dreams and future together
────۶ৎ────
💌 What I didn’t like:
💝 How the fmc treated the mmc throughout the story.
💝 miscommunication
💝 How the mmc gave in too easily.

Overall, it was really emotional and I enjoyed the cozy second chance romance, family dynamics, and holiday chaos, and I liked seeing Norah and Henry reconnect and heal from their past especially Norah’s character development!! Thank you netgalley and the author💌.

With Love, Avrielle 💕

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I think I might love the very specific trope of “We have to get along for the sake of our parents who are now in love” storyline. This is my second book with that storyline and I eat it up every time.

The romance between the main characters is lovely but so is the romance between their two mothers. 🥹

I thoroughly enjoy this book. It’s a quick read that packs a hefty dose of emotional depth.

Whats to love…
- second chance
- childhood best friends (& neighbors) turned nemesis
- snowed in
- “it’s always been you”
- winter holiday setting (mainly Hanukkah celebrations and traditions with a splash of Christmas traditions.)
- family forward story
- exploration of grief
- fast-burn

What might not work for some…
- I think there is quite a bit of emotional depth with the FMC and her exploration of grief but I wanted more emotional depth between the two MCs. I think the fast burn, the shorter length, and the second chance timeline meant there wasn’t quite as much time to really get to see their relationship develop or see enough or their past to understand the quick return of feelings.

Overall I thought this was a quick and enjoyable read!

4⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you to Berkley for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Jessica Paige (Exercise_Read_Repeat) · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

An amazing debut that follows Norah as she heads home for a week of Hanukkah celebrations. She knows she’ll inevitably have an awkward run-in with her childhood best friend, Henry, but what she doesn’t expect is to discover that their moms are in a relationship! This was such a wholesome, heartwarming story filled with wonderful, relatable Jewish representation and Hanukkah traditions. The flashbacks gave us even more insight into the characters’ shared history, the Chicago suburbs and NYC settings provided the perfect cozy, seasonal backdrop, and Norah and Henry had such great chemistry! I absolutely loved listening to this one!

[Jamie Rosenblit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED THIS BOOK. Rachel Pologe’s debut was everything I hoped for and more. Childhood friends to lovers with flashbacks along the way AND Jewish representation that feels reflective of my own lived experiences? Yes please.

Thank you to Berkley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.75 ⭐️

I really wanted to like this one but it just didn’t work for me. This read like it was meant to be a screenplay but was padded out just enough to be a book and I have no idea why romance authors are doing that these days because if I wanted to watch tv I’d turn it on 🤷‍♀️

If you’re going to market your book a childhood friends to enemies to lovers i’m not sure having them hook up by 30% and within 24 hours of meeting for the first time in 9 years is the move. These two change so abruptly from there onwards that it’s extremely hard to connect with them. Henry goes from 0-100 and I felt like I was missing chapters of growth because he literally changed overnight. Norah was holding onto a grudge that imo, felt very childish.

Speaking of childish. The writing is very juvenile. I think this could have been a great YA/new adult romance but it just didn’t work as adult. There was so many times the words “I latke you” came up and had me rolling my eyes. They were both so immature and when the spice hit it just felt awkward.

The sex. This was pretty mild but I just don’t think it fit the vibe of the book. I didn’t feel like these two had chemistry anyway so I didn’t feel the emotional build up or pay off when it came to the sex. It was just there. (The vague but also .. tmi chapter 1 hook up with her fwb was also so strange to me? Kinda felt unnecessary)

The writing. I’m a little over matter of fact writing. Where has beautiful prose gone in contemporary romance? Again this felt like a screenplay where there was no establishing setting or lingering on details. Everything is just there and nothing has depth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for sending me the arc. All opinions are my own.

[Gennifer Eccles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Words cannot express just how much I LOVE this book! It gets better with every read, and I will never tire of Norah and Henry <3

I’ve cried every single time I read this book!! Which is saying something, considering I edited it and I knew exactly what would happen (yes, I’m a biased party!)! The tension and angst is delicious and literally made my heart ACHE as Norah and Henry work through their history and learn to fight for themselves and each other!

Sincerely lovely, funny, heartfelt, sexy: everything you want in a romance.

[Lyssasauruss · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑

I feel like the odd one out because I did not like this book, and I’m mad about it because I so wanted to love it. I really want to compare it to the fully published version though just to see because this arc was rough.

It felt like the author was rushing through scenes, paragraphs felt like statements of fact rather than a progressing story, and details were repeated as if the reader forgot them from the previous chapter.

The conflict between our MCs is addressed AND resolved in the first 30% of the book. There was no yearning, or longing. They hadn’t talked in NINE years and it honestly felt like no big deal at all. The latter half of the book was filled with drama that was there just for the sake of drama and to fill out the pages.

I think MAYBE this could’ve worked as a novella, but overall it felt like words on paper with no direction or heart.



Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc

[BookishKB]

❄️ Now That We Don't Talk ❄️

📖 Bookish Thoughts

My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.

✨ What to Expect
• Childhood Friends
• Enemies to Lovers
• Snowed In
• Hanukkah Romance
• Forced Proximity
• Opposites Attract
_ _ _ _

📅 Pub Date: October 20, 2026
Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

[ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time connecting with this book. Childhood friends to lovers isn’t usually my favorite trope, so a lot of that came down to personal preference. The characters also felt a little juvenile to me, and I wished they’d gotten together a bit later, but I’m a very slow burn girlie!

The writing was great, and I thought it was a strong debut. It wasn’t fully for me, but I’d still recommend it, especially if you love childhood friends to lovers!

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for my review copy. These are my thoughts:

I love a second chance, childhood friends to lovers romance and the idea that Norah and Henry get a second chance to make amends and finally turn their teenage crushes into adult love, drew me to this book. Although they were sweet and cute together and had character growth - especially Norah, this book unfortunately, didn’t completely hit the mark for me.

Norah might have com across as selfish but she did warn Henry that she was commitment phobic and a “runner”. They both felt slightly immature at times and very much caught up in finally being able to act on their feelings and mural attraction. I also felt that people expected Norah to behave in a certain way and didn’t give her enough credit when she decided to make a change and try to do better by the people she loved. I honestly felt a little frustrated at times with all their back and forth.

What I did like: I enjoyed learning about Hanukkah and Jewish traditions; the family chaos was entertaining; the double setting of the small hometown in Chicago and the ski lodge were cosy and New York City added interest and contrast between the people they used to be (where they came from) and who they became (now lived). Plus, Norah and Henry had great chemistry.

The third act break up was a punch in the stomach. I hate third act breakups but I have to give it to the author because it was well done. I felt terrible for both of them. It hurt but I did like that it spurred Norah on to make a change. I honestly felt that the break up and subsequent character growth, as well as the getting back together/grand gesture were the most thrilling parts of the story.

Overall, this was cosy and festive. Norah and Henry go through several ups and downs but they had great chemistry and shared sweet moments and even though they were exasperating at times, I was still rooting for them.

[Spice: 2.5/5🌶️]

[Alyson (alysonbookishthoughts) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If Now That We Don't Talk is not on your fall and holiday TBR, do yourself a favor and add it now! I absolutely adored this book and it will easily be one of my favorites reads of 2026 and it is so nice to have another Hanukkah romance book.

Heading back home to celebrate Hanukkah with her mom and sister, Norah knows at some point she is going to run into Henry, the boy next door who was her best friend growing up, the one she was in love with since they were teenagers, and who she hasn't spoken to in 9 years after he broke her heart. She is bracing herself for an awkward run in, what she wasn't expecting is that their moms are in a serious relationship, and that they may very soon become step-siblings.

I loved all the tropes in this one, childhood friends to enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one bed, and second chance romance. Norah feels like she is incapable of loving someone after how her friendship ended with Henry their senior year of high school and her father passing away. She thinks if she keeps everyone at arms length, she can always protect her heart in the end. Henry has been hurt more times than he can count by Norah, but that doesn't stop the love he has for her, even when he tries to shut her out of his life. I loved being on the journey with them as they found their way back to each other and worked through things in their own lives to get there.

This book has an incredible set of secondary characters. The Jewish representation was perfection, from the Hanukkah traditions, to the prayers that were shared, I felt so seen in this book!

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristin D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t loved a romcom book like this in so long, maybe ever. The fact that this book almost didn’t exist and this is the author’s first novel actually blows my mind.

The characters are all so real. I already miss them and I just finished the book. I told my wife that I wish it was a movie because it would be her favorite (she is a holiday romcom addict).

I honestly rarely give a book 5 stars. I have gotten a little looser with that in recent years. But this book truly deserves every single bit of the five stars I have rated it.

I feel so lucky to have stumbled across this perfect gem. Thank you, NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this.

And a seriously big special thank you to Rachel Pologe. I can’t even imagine how difficult it is to write a novel, let alone one that is so beautiful and heartfelt and deep. Romcoms are usually fun little fluff things that people read by the pool. This CAN be that book for some readers. But for me, it was empirical evidence that romance novels can have so much depth, you can start to read it one night, sleep, then not stop reading it because you absolutely have to see how it ends.

[Dahlia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I typically strictly limit my Hanukkah romances to the window between November and early January. However, when I spotted Rachel Pologe’s “Now That We Don’t Talk” on Facebook and saw it was available on NetGalley, I decided it was time to break tradition. It was absolutely worth it.
I am a total sucker for a shared history, and the childhood connection between Henry and Norah was handled beautifully. This book gave me the same wonderful vibes as “A Little Magic” by Lindsey Lanza and “Light It Up” by Evie Blum. The slow unraveling of their past was captivating, and the pacing was spot-on throughout the entire book. Henry is the ultimate swoon-worthy book boyfriend, and I loved how Norah’s late father was woven into the heart of the story. Between the flawless dialogue and the perfect ending, I couldn’t have asked for a better read.

[Payton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for longing so palpable that it has become a physical entity that sits on your chest while you read? Well do I have the book for you!!!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This yanked me out of my reading rut like pulling the cord on an old lawnmower. At one point I looked up and realized the sun had gone down and I was just sitting in a dark room. Henry and Norah are both stubborn and feel things so deeply that it scares them - but where Norah runs from it, Henry holds the emotion right behind his ribs until it overflows at inopportune (for him - definitely not for us) moments.

There is such a knife-sharp vividness to the way they handle their grief and how many kinds of it are wrapped up in the very same moment. Of course Norah hid from the pain that could drown her. Of course Henry wore it like a coat.

But for all their (let’s be real, mostly Norah’s) commitment to keeping each other at arms length, it really does not take much for the whole facade to come crashing down. Because what are these two if not home to each other? It’s messy, and sometimes ugly, and even after all these years they still know exactly how to hurt and be hurt by the other. But it’s also so bone-deep that they could never be anything other than safe together - even when they’re scared or mad or broken.

[Caroline Berkowitz]

What if your best friend since childhood did the worst thing you can imagine, and you avoid him for years until you are stuck together for days on end? Well, it’s not what you think. None of this book is what you think it will be, especially if you are a dedicated romance reader. Rachel Pologe has written a beautiful book about messy people who need to figure out how to move forward even when everything in them tells them to retreat. Are there obstacles on the way to an HEA? More than I can count. Are there fun side characters and the sibling who tells you to get your act together?
Totally. And will this book wreck you, bringing you to tears over and over? It will. Also, yay for Jewish representation! Read it. Give it as a holiday gift (fyi, it’s spicy).

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️My review: Norah and Henry are childhood best friends. They fell out over a bad truth or dare game and some petty selfishness. Because you know, teenagers.
Now in their 20's they end up back at home where their mothers are in love. They are forced together and guess what? They both have been harboring feelings for each other all these years.
So friends to lovers or maybe enemies to lovers, and forced proximity tropes abound. Henry is awesome. He's smart, successful, loves his mother, loves to cook, and he is over the top in love with Norah and not afraid to talk about it. My issue is with Norah. She's pretty selfish, indecisive and tantrum-y. I was not a huge fan of her.
Medium to high spice, LGBTQ representation, and a supportive and fun younger sister.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance digital copy to review. These opinions are my own.

[Josie Thames · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thank my lucky stars that I was able
To read this on NetGalley. These two—Henry and Norah—were such a beautiful, messy couple. Norah in particular, but I loved that about her. She knew she was a mess. Henry’s yearning was unmatched by anything I’ve read recently. His devotion was so deep, so complete it made me forgive their years of miscommunication, which is a trope I generally do not enjoy. Yes, I was screaming “just talk to another!” but I also kept turning pages. Can’t wait for this to come out in October so that I can get a physical copy!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an earc in exchange for a review.

Unfortunately this was one that I had to dnf. I feel like this is a great story and romance, however it’s not one for me.

What I liked is that this for one constantly reminds me of Taylor Swift’s song, I think the fact the FMC and MMC were childhood friends turned enemies to lovers was a really nice trope for this book.

What I didn’t like was the treatment of the MMC by the FMC. I think that because she’s a commitmentphobe it just didn’t quite work for me personally.

I think it’s a great romance, just not my cup of tea!

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oof. I really enjoyed this book, but it was emotionally brutal in a lot of ways. I kept having to remind myself that the FMC was only in her mid-twenties and had dead dad issues, because some of her choices were so frustrating. But it’s what she had to experience to achieve her long-awaited HEA, so it was worth it. Painful, but worth it. Thanks to Berkley for the arc.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED this debut! It takes place during Hanukkah but it’s so much more than a holiday romance. Our FMC is bratty and messy at the beginning but you know it’s good writing when you can’t help but root for her the entire time. The MMC is your perfect next book boyfriend. The story was interwoven with so many Jewish references, it made me feel incredibly seen and never felt forced.

[donutqueenie · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
Now That We Don’t Talk by Rachel Pologe

I wanted to love this one more than I did, but unfortunately, it just didn’t fully click for me. I wanted a little more depth and a stronger emotional connection. The conflict resolved a bit too easily and the chemistry between the MCs felt off. After so many years of not speaking, I wanted more yearning, tension, and emotional payoff between the MCs. I found myself getting frustrated rather than emotionally invested. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! Release date 10/20/26.

[Megan · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

This is an excellent debut romance novel. The Hanukkah backdrop makes it a perfect holiday season read, especially if you’re looking for something more emotional and less fluffy. Henry and Norah have a lot of baggage to unpack, but there’s also plenty of satisfying character growth throughout the book as they get their second chance at love.

3.75 ⭐️ rounded up
1st person, single POV
Med 🌶️
TW: Grief, past death of a parent

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for providing me with a digital advance reader copy of this book!

[Fabs · Rating 2 out of 5]

This came off as so childish. Also the turnaround from hating each other to hooking up gave me whiplash. There was no buildup or tension.

[Ali Duggan · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful book! I'm so sad it's over!!! And I'm just holding out hope that Rachel Pologe decides to write within this little world she crafted again... because there are absolutely possibilities for future stories within this one!

I will never get over Rachel calling Norah and Henry her disaster babies because truly... yes. I see it. And I love it. Norah Gold is someone you will love and loathe. Any moment that I found Norah unlikable it was because her messiness was so incredibly (and unfortunately) relatable. I really and truly love characters that feel like people who mess up their lives just as often and as colorfully as we do. Especially when those messes aren't magically and expeditiously cleaned up... when it takes a while to wade through feelings and to fix what we broke. I appreciated that so much here. And then there is Henry Cole who seems at first glance completely irritating and unfeeling. But the more you read, the more you discover he has so much hidden depth to uncover and things he's been holding onto silently for nearly a decade - and in some cases even longer. (I could say so much. But I don't want to spoil it for anyone else!) Just know: I love Henry SO MUCH. And I love the ways we sloooowly get a clearer picture of this man.

ABSOLUTELY recommending this one far and wide but especially for those who love:
*second chance romance
*will-they-won't-they tension
*ONE BED AT THE INN
*in love with the boy/girl next door
*childhood friends to nemesis to lovers
*home for the holidays
*pining & men who yearn in a big way
*messy romance
*their PARENTS are dating!

The tension, chemistry, banter, and spice in this book were all 10/10 delicious. I loved the timelines jumps and marinating in Norah and Henry's memories. I loved the secondary cast of characters we got to know. I looooved getting to see all these Jewish traditions up close and personally and feel like I was a part of them. I especially loved the tenderness Norah felt towards her religion but also her aloofness towards it as well -- as a cradle Catholic who feels like the religion I was born into feels like a lifestyle/culture rather than feeling intensely devout really made me laugh and spoke to me.

On being a member of the #deaddadclub: As someone who lost her dad suddenly as a kid, there was a whole lot I could relate to here. On so many levels. Feeling like you lost time to grief and shock. The ongoing beast that is grief in general. Feeling abandoned and having no one to be truly mad at over that. The realities of closing your heart off to others in order to protect yourself. Dealing with BIG issues after years of avoiding them. Finding the balance between holding on too tightly to the past while attempting to pave way for the future you'd like - even though that means a future without your dad. Saying goodbye to your childhood home & the last place you had with your complete family. Rachel navigated these authentically and in a way that didn't slow the book down or make things feel too heavy!

I just want to cry a little knowing that Norah and Henry's story is over. I really love them and loved reading this book. Rachel Pologe... I am stuck to you like a barnacle. Sorry not sorry. Gonna be an auto-buy author for me from now on. Thank you for writing this beautiful, messy, wonderful story and sharing it with us!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

[KC · Rating 2.75 out of 5]

Now That We Don’t Talk, follows Norah and Henry. Childhood friends who had a falling out in high school meet again as adults due to their families getting together for the holidays.

I am going to be honest, I struggled with this story. The pacing was very unbalanced to me. At times it truly felt like there were two different books here. I almost wish this had been two separate short stories to help with the pacing and give the characters more time to work on their issues. The first half felt incredibly slow and resolved the main conflict from their childhood. Leaving the second half to not only move incredibly fast, but create so many more conflicts for the main characters it felt a little dragged on.

My biggest concern was the characterization. Not only of the FMC, Norah, who is very complex, but every single character I felt lacked a lot of emotional maturity and empathy. Norah has a lot of unresolved issues which made her come across very immature and selfish. I was glad to see there was development in that front. However, the side characters even made me so frustrated. Her sister and the mom characters were so mean and even what Norah was trying to do the work, there was no support from the family. The fact that the only two people who gave her any grace were barely in the book for more than 2 scenes, Norah is better than me for staying in contact with that family.

Henry was sweet, albeit a bit of a push over. I also felt that while yes, Norah was pretty unavailable to him, he didn’t seem to give her much grace either. As stated in the story, he waiting 9 years but didn’t give her a few months to settle herself.

While this felt like a very real story, with complex relationships and family dynamics because there was not very much growth from most of the characters it ultimately left me feeling unsatisfied at the resolutions.

For some positives, I felt having a Hanukkah forward holiday story was great and I loved the addition of Jewish culture and traditions. I also was happy to see how sex positive the main characters all were, especially in this current climate.

Ultimately, I think there is an audience who will enjoy this book. If you are looking for a messy, complicated family dynamic, Hanukkah romance, or are a big fan of childhood friends - to enemies - to loves give this a try.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this arc. All thoughts are my own.

[Allie Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please…please…please..give me a man that latkes me enough to buy me a turtle letting me know it’s because of my hard exterior and inner soft side. I NEED a man that will wait years for me to finally come to my senses and confess that I’m actually in love with him. If you eagerly said yes to anything of this then your man is (and my man) Henry Cole 👏👏


Norah Gold thought she had it figured out she’s got a stable enough job, friends, but one thing is missing her childhood next door neighbor who’s she secretly loved but couldn’t find it in her to confess her true feelings for him without bringing up their flawed past. But our pasts never stay down, and Henry Cole came reclining back into her life not realizing accidentally spilling a drink on her would lead to their relationship blossoming from friendship to lovers.

Henry Cole had one mission in life and that was to get Norah to see him as more than friends, but one desperate and stupid night led to an explosion of missed opportunities and grudges being held for years. Their relationship of being friends quickly led to them being enemies and who doesn’t love a good enemies to lovers 😈 BUT the best part of enemies to lovers is they do end up being lovers at one point and my god this man knows a way around words and making a woman feel so special, scouts honor 🤞He could easily beg me for something and I would happily oblige.

A fast paced book designed to showcase that our past mistakes can help our future in case of relationships. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I fell in love with these characters AND getting to know about Jewish culture. Rachel did an extraordinary job simplifying some of the words enough for readers to understand what’s happening during Hanakuh and at times explained the rituals so readers could fully immerse themselves in this beautifully told debut. As I was finishing reading the epilogue I wanted another chapter, which doesn’t happen often when I read my books. One of my favorite parts was when NORAH was the one desperately getting him back, usually it’s the MMC in stories.



Thank you sooo much to NetGalley and Rachel Pologe for letting me read this heartwarming book. And in the words of Henry Cole PLEASE never stop writing. 🫶

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're a fan of second-chance, childhood-friends-to-lovers romances, make sure to add Rachel Pologe's upcoming debut, NOW THAT WE DON'T TALK, to your TBR!

Norah and Henry were best friends from childhood until their senior year of high school, when a single moment destroyed their friendship—and coincided with Norah losing her father. Now, nearly a decade later, Norah is home for Hanukkah and discovers she's stuck with Henry for the holiday season, thanks to their moms now dating and wanting to spend the holidays together.

Norah isn't one to stick around—for any type of relationship. But this holiday season may just teach her how to stay, let people in, and potentially rebuild something with Henry.

This book was quite the emotional rollercoaster, let me tell you. Norah was such a complex character. In a lot of ways, I identified with her and her fears, but at the same time, I found myself frustrated with her and also for her. I am definitely protective of her, so if anyone is mean about Norah, I will fight you. I was really rooting for her to figure herself out and take care of her own mental health. She was genuinely trying, and I found myself frustrated by the people in her life who didn't always seem supportive of her growth.

Henry and Norah's relationship was filled with challenges they had to overcome. That third-act breakup felt particularly rough, and if I'm being completely honest, I don't know that I was ever fully sold on Henry because of it. I also felt like he—and their families—expected their relationship to magically fall back into place without first taking a step back to establish boundaries and figure out what they actually wanted.

That said, I really liked the growth that came from those challenges, and it ultimately made the ending that much more satisfying!

Overall, I really enjoyed this romance. It has such cozy, festive vibes that make it perfect for the upcoming holiday season, with plenty of emotional depth to balance out the holiday cheer.

NOW THAT WE DON'T TALK releases October 20, 2026. Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reading copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[MC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A big thanks to the Berkley Publishing Group for the early copy of “Now That We Don’t Talk” by Rachel Pologe received via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own and given freely.

Rating: 4 out of 5
Series Status: Standalone
Genres/Subgenres/Themes: Romance, Contemporary, Holidays, friends to strangers to lovers, forced proximity
Romantic Spice Level: Open Door (Moderate, several scenes)
Point of View: 1st person

Rachel Pologe’s debut novel offered a holiday romance featuring a childhood neighbors/best friends to essentially strangers to lovers story. The premise is that the two love interests, Norah and Henry, are returning to their childhood, neighboring homes in the Chicago area to celebrate the holidays. They haven’t interacted in nine years after a big falling out their senior year in high school and the death of Norah’s father. The reader doesn’t initially have visibility to what caused them to cease talking for so long and have such chilliness to each other. They are forced to see each other again because their moms have grown close over the years and a romance has evolved between them. The moms their children home to celebrate with the holidays together.

I wasn’t really in the mood for a holiday theme when I started this story, but I was quickly drawn in. I appreciated learning about Hanukkah and Jewish customs that Norah, her mom and sister share with Henry and/or his mom.

I like slower burn romances, but given the two main characters’ history, it didn’t feel as rushed as I thought it might. I liked their chemistry, and they complemented one another. (I wondered about how realistic it was that Henry was so well off in NYC, given he was only 9 years out of high school, but I let it go. 😂 )

I won’t get into details, but Norah put in the effort to mature and be comfortable in her own skin, and I respected that aspect of her story arc. I just felt like a letter from Norah would have gone a long way during a certain part of the story…

The ending left me content and happy for the characters. This book landed the author on my watch list for new releases in the future!

[Tanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now That We Don’t Talk by Rachel Pologe completely surprised me in the best way 🥹❄️
This book has all the emotional chaos I love in a second chance romance — childhood friends, unresolved feelings, years of tension, too much history, and two people who are clearly still obsessed with each other even while pretending they’re not.
Norah and Henry were messy in the most believable way. Their dynamic balances perfectly between tension, banter, frustration, and longing, and I loved how the story slowly unpacks what happened between them over the years instead of revealing everything immediately. Every little flash of their past made the emotional payoff hit harder.
And honestly? These two felt so real. They fight, they avoid saying what they actually feel, they dance around each other constantly, but underneath all of it there’s this undeniable connection that never fully went away.
One of my favourite parts was definitely the family dynamics. The fact that Norah and Henry’s moms falling for each other becomes part of the storyline added such a fun layer to the tension 😭 It created so many awkward, emotional, and genuinely funny moments while still making the families feel important to the story instead of just background characters.
The winter atmosphere was also SO cozy. It has that perfect cold-weather romance vibe without being overly holiday-focused, and I really appreciated the Hanukkah representation woven naturally into the story and family traditions.
There’s also this really nice balance between sweetness and angst throughout. The chemistry is there immediately, but the emotional tension carries the story just as much as the romance itself.
✨ Tropes & vibes:
❄️ Childhood friends to lovers
🤍 Second chance romance
❄️ Forced proximity/family chaos
🤍 Messy emotional history
❄️ Banter & unresolved tension
🤍 Cozy winter atmosphere
❄️ “They’re obviously still in love” energy
Rachel Pologe absolutely delivered with this debut. Emotional, funny, romantic, and full of heart 🩵