Have We Met? by Camille Baker
This book surprised me. I was looking for your typical rom-com and what I got was a beautiful, thought-provoking, soulful journey. Have We Met? is a story about putting yourself out there, whether it be for love, friendship, or life itself.
Corinne or Cori for short, isn’t looking for love. In fact, she isn’t looking for anything, not even a job. And no, it isn’t because she lacks direction. It’s because she’s grieving at the death of her friend, Joelle. Now she’s just trying to make it as best she can. Which she seems to be struggling to do when her car breaks down and she’s forced to connect with her sorta cousin and seek refuge. As if her car dying isn’t the worst thing that could happen, Cori drops her phone from a balcony and it breaks. Next thing Cori knows, she’s waking up in her “cousin’s” bed and there’s a new app on her phone called Met.
Like most adults trying to adult, Cori is struggling. And though I never lost a friend to cancer, everyone has been at a point in their lives where they’ve had to start over or figure out what’s next. And if you aren’t there yet, this book might be able to help you.
Cori is realistic in that she isn’t ready to dive into dating or a permanent job all at once. Her new found friends, Tiwanda (the cousin) and Elise convince her to give Met a try. With each new temp job, Cori is met with missed opportunities from her past and is quickly met with reminders that men suck. But she also finds friendship in Cory, or The Other Cory as she dubs him. The two don’t hit it off right away, due to his most recent breakup, yet they quickly become comfortable with one another and are able to open up to each other.
I liked that Cori didn’t jump into anything. I liked that she needed the support from her friends to give her the boost of confidence to put herself out there. And even though her Met-ups (get it? puns) didn’t go so well, she learns things about herself things she either didn’t know or had long forgotten. And Cori isn’t trying to find herself for a man, she’s just simply trying to figure things out, and if she should happen to get a date along the way, that’s cool too.
And the book doesn’t gloss over the fact that Cori is grieving. Throughout all these temp jobs and dates, Cori contemplates what Joelle would think or say in the situation. But even moreso, now that she’s back in her hometown, she has the chance to visit with Joelle’s parents and is having a hard time doing it. Cori’s afraid she let too much time pass and she also doesn’t know how to approach them. The wound of Joelle’s death is still a little fresh for Cori and she’s struggling to move on.
On top of all that, remember The Other Cory? Well Cori is developing feelings for him and she’s trying to decide between continuing with Met, testing the waters with The Other Cory, or simply just keeping him as a friend. And her decision becomes even more difficult with him always coming around smelling and looking so damn good and that definite spark between them.
Although a huge chunk of the book gives off a will they, won't they, a true friendship develops between these two (as I’ve already mentioned). Yet what I like even more, is that their miscommunications don’t devolve into an episode of Three’s Company. There are a few moments when Cori and The Other Cory act a little immature, however, they don’t dissolve into high schoolers as soon as they realize they have feelings for each other. They discuss the elephant in the room like adults and come to a resolution.
There’s never going to be a good time to date, or start a new job, or really to put yourself out there. Sometimes, you just have to take a leap of faith. And if there’s an app out there that could nudge you along, sign me up. Have We Met? Is the key you need to open up your heart and mind to new possibilities. An amazing read you should definitely add to your bookshelf.
