Isn't It Obvious?

"I'm obsessed with everything Rachel Runya Katz writes." - Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author After a meet-disaster, a podcaster and her producer fall in love over email without realizing they know (and hate) each other in real life. When high school librarian Yael's secret podcast starts to take off, she decides to hire Kevin, a remote freelance editor/producer so she can manage juggling her mental health, day job, and the queer teen book club she's been hosting at school after hours. To maintain her anonymity, they communicate strictly via email and Kevin only knows her by her podcast persona, Elle. Little does Yael know that Kevin, who in real life goes by his middle name, Ravi, is the same man she tore apart for climbing out of her bedroom window after a one night stand with her roommate, Charlie. And she certainly never expects him to show up to volunteer at her book club. In person, Yael and Ravi clash until their sparks turn into something more. Over email, Elle and Kevin are starting to fall hard when they decide to keep things strictly professional. But when Ravi discovers the truth, will keeping it a secret mean the end of everything he's built with Yael/Elle? And what happens when she finds out? Will they fall twice as hard, or cut ties in more ways than one? Rachel Runya Katz's Isn't It Obvious? is a sharp, funny romance about loving the whole person and finally taking a chance on love. Includes fan favorite tropes: - enemies to lovers - epistolary / falling in love through messages - hidden identity - slow burn romance - forced proximity - workplace romance "This kind of hidden identity story is my absolute favorite, and I am on my KNEES with gratitude that Katz wrote one just for me. I adored every toe-tingling moment..." - Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of The Art of Catching Feelings "Smart, sexy, and sincere... Yael and Kevin's banter-filled interactions in person will have readers giggling and kicking their feet!" - Samantha Markum, USA Today Bestselling Author of Love, Off the Record

About the Author :
RACHEL RUNYA KATZ is a contemporary romance writer living in Seattle with her partner, her cat, and far too many houseplants. She has a PhD in biomedical engineering, which is minimally helpful for this endeavor. Her books center queer Jews of color and their layered lives of joy, sadness, and love. She is the author of Thank You for Sharing, Whenever You're Ready, and Isn't It Obvious.

Review :
People, "8 Sizzling Summer Romance Novels to Keep You Sweating All Season Long" Bookish, "10 Romance Novels That Will Sweep You Off Your Feet" BookRiot, "6 Must-Read New Meet-Cute Romances" Brit+Co, "8 'Spicy' Romance Books For The Steamiest Summer Reading In 2025" Fangirlish, "Best Romance Books of October 2025" "Katz makes the familiar setup a lot of fun with witty banter and a refreshingly diverse cast. This flirty contemporary is sure to warm hearts." - Publishers Weekly "This modern version of secret identities is fun and cute while also layered thoughtfully with a story of mental illness and loss. Fans of You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle will adore this, while fans of queer love stories will love the journey for these characters." - Booklist "Isn't It Obvious? is smart and tender and just might make you believe in love and in the power of words read, heard, and spoken. I devoured this book, mentally hugging every member of book club and every member of this beautiful family of characters, telling them loudly and passionately that they all deserve love and beautiful things. It's obvious to me that Katz never misses! I want to read all her wonderful words forever!" - Sofia Brekkan, Elliott Bay Book Company "These characters are beautifully complex, deeply thoughtful, and real. I cheered for Ravi and Yael from the very first page, all the way through their well-earned happy ending. What's obvious is that Rachel and her books are in a league of their own." - Tarah DeWitt, USA Today bestselling author of Savor It "In Isn't It Obvious? Katz has crafted a real, heartfelt and deeply enjoyable epistolary novel with characters who completely stole my heart from the first page. Witnessing Yael and Ravi's romance was so satisfying, and I was so eager for them to earn their happily ever after. Isn't It Obvious? is Katz's best book yet, and at the risk of sounding too on the nose, it is very obvious to me that so many others will love this book as much as I do." - Kristina Forest, USA Today bestselling author of The Love Lyric "Rachel Runya Katz adds another smart, sexy, and sincere romance to her roster with Isn't It Obvious? Yael and Ravi have instant chemistry from the first moment they meet--hard to do when one of them is coming out of a medicated sleep haze and the other is hanging out the window!--and it's impossible not to feel that seeping into their emails as Kevin and Elle as they bare pieces of their souls so easily from the very start. RRK handles the difficult topics of mental health, family obligations, and identity with her signature care, warmth, and openness. Isn't It Obvious? delivers on the premise of the mistaken identity trope, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you wait for the final reveal--when and how and, of course, who will figure it out first? And Yael and Kevin's banter-filled interactions in person will have readers giggling and kicking their feet!" - Samantha Markum, USA Today bestselling author of Love, Off the Record "Stunningly intimate and effortlessly wise -- this is a book that burrows deep. Isn't It Obvious? offers a truly unique take on enemies offline/anonymously falling in love online, with every sentence made to savor. I'm obsessed with everything Rachel Runya Katz writes." - Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk "Isn't It Obvious? features all of my favorite elements in a romance: wonderfully complicated and loveable protagonists; tension and pining that will keep you turning the pages; and a perfect mix of humorous and tender moments. I wanted to protect Yael and Ravi at all costs, and I could not have loved their journey to their happily-ever-after more. I'll be highly recommending this book to romance fans for years to come!" - Mia Sosa, USA Today bestselling author of The Worst Best Man "When I want thoughtful, sexy romance, Rachel Runya Katz is one of my go-to authors. Yael and Ravi have so much chemistry together - first through their online conversations when they're falling in love with each other's minds and vulnerabilities, and then later when sparks fly between them in person as they work together despite not knowing if they even like each other. This kind of hidden identity story is my absolute favorite, and I am on my KNEES with gratitude that Katz wrote one just for me. I adored every toe-tingling moment, and my only complaint is that I can't listen to Yael's podcast in real life or read every single email Ravi and Yael ever send to each other, because at some point I guess that gets weird." - Alicia Thompson, USA Today bestselling author of The Art of Catching Feelings