[Review] We Met Like This - Kasie West

Summary: Margot Hart is a hopeless romantic. That’s why she wants to be a literary agent—to help bring romance books to the world. It’s also why she hates dating apps with all her romance loving soul. She wants her own love story to be just as much fun as the books she reads—a mixed up coffee order, a mistaken identity. She’s not going to tell the story that she swiped right on future husband’s shirtless pic for the rest of her life.

The problem is that her most consistent relationship over the last several years is with Oliver, a guy she keeps rematching with on the apps. They’ve only been on one date and it was a disaster…well, until the make out session in the car before parting ways. But, she keeps reminding herself, a make out session does not a relationship make. And so there will not be a date two regardless of how witty their app banter is.

When Margot gets fired from her job on the same day she meets Oliver again, her life becomes a veritable shit show. Her dream career is dying right before her eyes, and Oliver thinks she’s interested in only one thing: a repeat of the hot make out session they had three years ago so she can get him out of her system. And maybe that is all she wants from him, because she and Oliver are definitely not compatible—he doesn’t hit the snooze button, he runs five miles every morning, he reads nonfiction, and worst of all, she didn’t meet him in cute way! But in her scramble to keep her dream career alive, by opening her own agency, Oliver is there with his golden retriever energy, more steady and helpful than any man she’s ever dated. Just when she thinks she’s overcome her app bias, she realizes that maybe it’s not her who’s holding back, but him. And his reasons are more than she bargained for.

Kasie West's romantic and sexy adult debut is full of witty banter, meet cutes gone awry and, ultimately, true love. (Pub Date: Sep 16 2025)

I hadn’t realized this wasn’t a YA novel, but rather an adult rom-com from Kasie West. The first scene makes the genre shift clear, so I had a moment to wonder whether it would work. Spoilers: it did. Kasie West transitions seamlessly into adult romance, bringing along the best elements of her signature style.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4.

Margot has known Oliver for years, as they keep getting matched every time she decides to give dating apps another try. Now, with both her personal and professional lives in turmoil, they start chatting again, but maybe they only truly connect through the apps.

Coming from YA, West brings a refreshing perspective to the romance genre. Margot’s doubts and fears felt relatable, and the author’s trademark dynamic dialogue still manages to draw at least a smile. One of the standout aspects is the way she incorporates family into the story, which she always did well in her YA novels. And of course, as you'd expect from her, Oliver is so good. He has his down moments, but that only makes him feel more realistic.

The more time passes, the fonder I become of this book. That said, it wasn’t perfect. Some parts dragged a bit, and I found myself wondering if the story might have flowed better with a tighter edit, perhaps combining a few scenes. I also wasn’t a fan of the plot twist. It’s believable, sure, but it still felt a little awkward. And while Margot’s struggles were authentic, I did feel mildly annoyed at how often the story emphasized how amazing she is at her job. It’s a small gripe, I know, but I prefer main characters with a few more flaws. Though to be fair, she does have personal challenges to overcome.

In the end, I had no reason to be nervous about West’s genre switch. This is still very much a Kasie West book, and the result made me feel beyond happy, bringing a fresh breeze to adult romance. Keep it coming!

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Rating: 3 out of 5.