Today Tonight Tomorrow

Today Tonight Tomorrow is a young adult romance novel by Rachel Lynn Solomon. The book was published in 2020 by Simon and Schuster. Rachel Lynn Solomon writes romance novels, mainly in the young adult genre. Solomon’s published books include The Ex Talk, Weather Girl, See You Yesterday, and Business or Pleasure. Several of her novels have been optioned for film and television. Solomon is originally from Seattle but resides in Amsterdam with her husband. This guide refers to the 2020 hardback edition of Today Tonight Tomorrow published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Plot Summary

The novel follows protagonist Rowan Roth, a senior in high school who is about to begin her final day of school. Rowan wakes up to a text from Neil McNair, her rival, who is also up for the spot of valedictorian. On her way to school, Rowan is daydreaming when she accidentally rear-ends the car in front of her, which belongs to her ex-boyfriend, Spencer Sugiyama.

At school, Rowan runs into Neil, who tells her that he is going to beat her out for the spot of valedictorian. Rowan later meets up with her best friends, Kirby and Mara, who are dating. They reflect upon the end of their high school days.

Later, at the school assembly, it is announced that Neil will be valedictorian. Rowan is crushed by the news and resolves to beat Neil one last time by winning Howl, the senior scavenger hunt that ends with a $5,000 prize. Each senior wears an arm band and is given a target—a person they are tasked with taking out of the game by pulling on their arm band.

Rowan has a rocky start to Howl, as she discovers that some of her classmates are plotting to take her and Neil out of the game. Determined to beat him at all costs, Rowan decides to team up with Neil so as to keep him in the game and take him out herself. Each opens up to the other about their personal lives; Neil reveals that his father is in prison and financially struggling, and Rowan reveals that she dreams of becoming a romance novelist, though she is scared of what other people may think about it. As they explore Seattle in search of clues for the scavenger hunt, they discover that they are not only compatible as friends but also potentially compatible as romantic partners. This comes to a head when they nearly share a kiss, a moment that shakes them both.

After consulting with her friends, Rowan decides to tell Neil that she has feelings for him. Just before the confession, she discovers that she has been Neil’s target in the game all along. Feeling betrayed, she hurls insults at Neil, who does the same. They leave each other and search for their remaining clues alone.

While on the hunt for her final clue, Rowan reads the message that Neil has left for her in her yearbook. In the message, Neil confesses that he is in love with Rowan. Inspired by his fearlessness, Rowan goes off to find Neil. When she finds him, they admit their feelings for one another and share a passionate kiss.

When they realize they are tied in the game with one other senior, they race back to school to defeat him. Rowan and Neil are successful in their mission, and Neil wins Howl. Afterward, the seniors are thrown a party that features Neil’s favorite band, Free Puppies. He and Rowan roam the party, hand in hand.

After the party, Rowan and Neil head back to Rowan’s house. Neil reveals that he has never had sex, and they have sex for the first time together. Neil spends the night and sneaks out of the house in the morning.