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katierosemary12's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness and Vomit
danielleafsordeh's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I read somewhere once that you give a 5 star review to the book that feels like it was written for you. There's so much here that spoke to me personally, and Sittenfield captured this story and all of its nuance and conflict and uncomfiness in such a human and beautiful way. I think I'll return to this one for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Chronic illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Suicide and Drug abuse
kit_carmichael's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I've been a fan of Curtis Sittenfeld for many years, and her new book does not disappoint. I had no doubt she could pull off a romance (and yes, this IS a genre romance) and she does so brilliantly. I looooved the first part of the book, which is an almost minute-by-minute breakdown of a week in the production of the SNL-like show the protagonist, Sally, works for. But the book really comes into its own in the second section, which is an epistolary email exchange between Sally and her love interest, Noah. SWOON. One of the best representations of two people falling in love. Sittenfeld really gets to the heart of why and how people fall in love, and how we can stand in our own way when we do.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Grief, Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Cancer
penandpaper's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Interesting premise - disappointing execution. There are a few annoying tropes (insta love, miscommunication, and a perfect love interest who ever makes the wrong move) and particular disappointments (the attempt to be politically correct without any self-awareness). But on the whole, it’s just disappointing. I can’t say there’s any of the growth you expect, nor can I say the romance was particularly gratifying when it’s just awkward until the very end. Realistic, maybe, but frustrating, definitely. The final pages made me happy, but I almost DNFed the book multiple times. I wish this had been just a little bit different because it had potential.
For me, COVID is also a trigger, so the explicit illness was too almost much.
For me, COVID is also a trigger, so the explicit illness was too almost much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness
Moderate: Addiction, Terminal illness, Suicide, Eating disorder, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Death of parent
Minor: Sexism
milesofkiles's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Death, and Cancer
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Addiction
purplepenning's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
A literary ROMANTIC COMEDY in three parts: the romance of comedy, the romance of communication, and the romance of life. In part one, we get a detailed week-in-the-life account of what it's like to be a female comedy writer for a live SNL-like show. Sally, our narrator, is a complex, sharp, bold writer and slightly neurotic and uncertain person who meets Noah, a gorgeous, good-natured, too-good-to-be-true (?) crooner who is the host and musical guest that week. Against all odds and the rules she wrote for her own skit (hot women can date normie slubs, but hot guys don't date normies), they seem to hit it off. Until Sally sabotages it. In part two, time and COVID protocols have turned them into pen pals and the connection is even more obvious. In part three, real life finds them and maybe they find their real selves.
With a gender-swapped Notting Hill trope, a bit of writer's life catnip, and a touch of A-list celebrity fan fiction feel, Romantic Comedy is perfect for fans of Nora Goes Off Script, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, and Olivia Dade.
With a gender-swapped Notting Hill trope, a bit of writer's life catnip, and a touch of A-list celebrity fan fiction feel, Romantic Comedy is perfect for fans of Nora Goes Off Script, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily Henry, and Olivia Dade.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Pregnancy, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Body shaming
Minor: Sexual content, Drug use, Excrement, Cancer, Death, Fatphobia, Sexism, Death of parent, and Chronic illness
COVID
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