When Katie Met Cassidy

February 15, 2018

Katie Daniels is a little at sea; a transplanted Kentucky girl-turned-corporate lawyer in Manhattan, she's just been dumped by her fiance. But, always the professional, she carries on at work. She meets the men's-suited, charismatic Cassidy Price at a closing; instantly she is curious: How does Cassidy seem to sail through New York professional and social circles while not conforming to gender norms? They strike up an unlikely friendship and before she knows it, Katie doesn't feel so bad about her breakup. Meanwhile, Cassidy is beginning to wonder if she is getting too old for a lifestyle that revolves around the lesbian bars and playing the field. Perri made a splash with her first novel, The Assistants; this sophomore effort is a simpler book but a sweet one. VERDICT For readers looking for an urbane romance centered on appealing characters.--Devon Thomas, Chelsea, MI

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2018
How do you find yourself again after a devastating breakup? It might involve redefining what love looks like to you.For Katie Daniels, who was just dumped by her art curator fiance, the steps toward recovery begin with days of binge drinking followed by a dose of reality: She has no choice but to leave her apartment for a big closing at Falcon Capital. As a tall, blonde, 20-something lawyer, she's used to being treated a certain way in the typically male-dominated boardroom--which might be a nice ego boost given her new single status. Katie is totally thrown for a loop when "he of the trim suit and shiny dark hair" is introduced as Cassidy Price--a she. Her reaction blossoms from surprise, to intrigue, to possible attraction. And the feeling is mutual. Told from both Katie's and Cassidy's points of view, the book shows how the two protagonists deal with a connection that is entirely new to them, and for very different reasons. Perri's (The Assistants, 2016) second novel is similar to her first in being a combination of fun and fulfilling, but the content this time is softer and runs deeper. Expect some typical rom-com tropes, like the opposites-attract scenario of commitment-prone romantic meets commitment-phobe realist. Not to mention Cassidy's apartment and wardrobe, which are worthy of Christian Grey himself. But Cassidy's emotional depth is revealed early on, as she patiently waits for Katie to reconcile the woman she was with the new woman she's becoming. Katie's admission that "the rest is me trying to understand" her initial feelings toward Cassidy is a small taste of the honest conversations about female identity and sexuality included throughout. The cast of supporting characters and the rambunctious Greenwich Village bar scene are added bonuses.A romance with a big heart and refreshing perspective.

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April 30, 2018
Perri’s flimsy latest (after The Assistants), set in New York City, follows lawyer Katie Daniels as she questions her sexuality and becomes smitten with fellow attorney Cassidy Price, a go-getter with a reputation as a player. When her fiancé Paul Michael leaves her for her best friend, 28-year-old Katie hopes to drink away her sorrows. She runs into Cassidy, the lawyer who intrigued her at a closing earlier that day. Cassidy, 30, takes Katie to her local hangout, the Met, a lesbian bar that’s slated to be closed and turned into condos. Cassidy’s pals are wary of her new crush, though Cassidy feels optimistic, even monogamously inclined, as the pair’s relationship turns physical. Perri doesn’t do much to turn the book’s minor characters into real people: Paul Michael is little more than a list of traits to avoid in a boyfriend, and Cassidy’s friends are all interchangeably sassy. A run-in with Katie’s ex tests their relationship, but even at this point nothing really feels at stake. Areas of conflict are hinted at with no follow-through, culminating an overly sweet, unsatisfying ending. Though the love story at the center is solid, readers will be disappointed by the narrative’s slapdash feel.

June 1, 2018
Perri (The Assistants, 2016) spins a romantic comedy featuring hardworking New York City lawyers. Kentucky transplant Katie Daniels first meets Cassidy Price, an aggressive woman dressed in tailored menswear, during negotiations between their clients. Katie has just been dumped by her fianc�, and Cassidy catches her attention, though not necessarily in a positive way. A subsequent chance meeting with Cassidy sparks something in Katie. She's looking for diversion, and Cassidy brings her to meet the close-knit community of NYC lesbians at her local dive bar. Cassidy, proudly sporting a reputation as a serial heartbreaker, finds herself drawn to Katie, despite knowing that dating a straight girl is a recipe for disaster. Will they be able to form a lasting relationship despite Katie's uncertainty, Cassidy's misgivings, and the pushback they will likely get from both family and friends? In this masterful sophomore effort, Perri has created a humorous and engaging romance starring queer characters with wide appeal for all readers. The tentative blooming of affection between the main characters is well realized, and the cast of supporting characters seasons the story delightfully. Recommended for all collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)