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mels_reading_log's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-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
5.0
This is not your typical romantic comedy and I really enjoyed that. The book is centered around Sally who is a writer at a SNL like show and Noah who is a famous musician and the host and musical guest on that week’s episode. Sally is focused on this phenomenon that happens especially men that she works with. They, normal guys looks wise continue to hook up/ marry super beautiful and successful women, but that is definitely not something that could happen the other way. Exceptionally handsome men don’t go for regular women, or do they? One big Trigger Warning is that about half the book takes place during the pandemic, so if you aren’t ready to read about that, this would be one to wait on.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, and Grief
Minor: Eating disorder
stopprivatejets's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Eating disorder, Alcoholism, and Grief
danikajoan's review
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I enjoyed the second and third parts of this book much more than the first, and I trudged through the first part because I’ve enjoyed other books by this author so I was hopeful it would redeem itself, which it only sort of did? My main issue with the first part of the book is that I didn’t find the main character (or most of the sketches she was pitching) funny, with the exception of the dog internet searches. The behind-the-scenes SNL stuff was interesting but I prefer to read Amy Poehler or Tina Fey’s memoirs for that.
later, I really enjoyed the emails and the start of their relationship, but there are so many communication issues and unhealthy dynamics that it was hard to root for them as a couple.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexism, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Excrement, Pandemic/Epidemic, Medical content, Grief, and Body shaming
sophiesometimesreads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
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
3.5
Overall, I had a good time with this book. I particulalry enjoyed the first chapter and the insight into the world of live, late-night comedy television whilst also seeing the blossoming friendship/romance between Sally and Noah. I also enjoyed the humour throughout the book and laughed out loud a few times throughout.
The relationship between Sally and Noah was cute, and I was rooting for them, but I felt like the conflict in the third chapter was a bit jarring, given the format of the first chapter didn't really give much insight into the flaws of the characters. I think a bit more development of the characters in the first part of the book would've made this feel a bit more natural. The love also did feel a little fast tracked, thiugh I guess thus is relatively normal for people of their age so it didn't put me off too much, but was something that took away slightly from me believing in their relationship. In saying all this, like I said previously, I was really rooting for them as a couple and enjoyed watching their story unfold.
It is also important to note that the second and third parts of this book deal heavily with the pandemic and covid. It didn't completely take me out of the book, but I found that it delved far deeper into these topics than I expected and I don't know if it was necessary. I feel like, to me, that we aren't far enough removed from these events for me to be able to compeltely enjoy a book that deals with these topics. It wasn't enough to make me DNF, and I did still enjoy watching their relationship develop more through these events, I just think similar events through a different point in time could've been better.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and the relationship and the characters, but there was just some things that took me out of the story a little bit. I would be interested in picking up another book by this author, though.
The relationship between Sally and Noah was cute, and I was rooting for them, but I felt like the conflict in the third chapter was a bit jarring, given the format of the first chapter didn't really give much insight into the flaws of the characters. I think a bit more development of the characters in the first part of the book would've made this feel a bit more natural. The love also did feel a little fast tracked, thiugh I guess thus is relatively normal for people of their age so it didn't put me off too much, but was something that took away slightly from me believing in their relationship. In saying all this, like I said previously, I was really rooting for them as a couple and enjoyed watching their story unfold.
It is also important to note that the second and third parts of this book deal heavily with the pandemic and covid. It didn't completely take me out of the book, but I found that it delved far deeper into these topics than I expected and I don't know if it was necessary. I feel like, to me, that we aren't far enough removed from these events for me to be able to compeltely enjoy a book that deals with these topics. It wasn't enough to make me DNF, and I did still enjoy watching their relationship develop more through these events, I just think similar events through a different point in time could've been better.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and the relationship and the characters, but there was just some things that took me out of the story a little bit. I would be interested in picking up another book by this author, though.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Medical content
Moderate: Sexual content, Death of parent, and Grief
bessadams's review
emotional
funny
reflective
slow-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Grief, Death, and Alcoholism
analenegrace's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
At the end of the day, I don't think I like SNL enough to enjoy this.
Beyond that, I did not like Sally, and I felt like the writing of this book was incredibly stilted, especially the conversation aspects. The best writing was in the emails, but the rest of it did not sound like real people talking.
I also was just not personally ready for the COVID aspects; I don't yet want that reminder in books. The epilogue also read so weird it pulled me out of the story a lot.
Beyond that, I did not like Sally, and I felt like the writing of this book was incredibly stilted, especially the conversation aspects. The best writing was in the emails, but the rest of it did not sound like real people talking.
I also was just not personally ready for the COVID aspects; I don't yet want that reminder in books. The epilogue also read so weird it pulled me out of the story a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Medical trauma, Sexual content, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Grief
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
chaos_and_chapters's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-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
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content and Sexism
Minor: Death of parent, Death, Misogyny, Terminal illness, Stalking, and Grief
kelly_e's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Title: Romantic Comedy
Author: Curtis Sittenfeld
Genre: Romance
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: April 4, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Observant • Light • Clever
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Sally Milz is a sketch writer for "The Night Owls," the late-night live comedy show that airs each Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she’s long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life.
But when Sally’s friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actor who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show—and in society at large—who’ve gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called the "Danny Horst Rule," poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.
Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week’s show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder whether there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn’t a romantic comedy; it’s real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her...right?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Well, well, well if Romantic Comedy isn't the first 2023 release where I fell complete victim to an intriguing title, catchy cover, and false marketing. This book was not on my radar until it started to pop up absolutely everywhere and was selected as a BOM pick. And I'll be the first one to admit it sounded promising - not the case!
What I like:
• characters in their 30s. It was a breath of fresh air to be introduced to more mature, thriving adults.
• a healthy romance. Sally and Noah's relationship felt mature with open communication, and a mutual respect and understanding for one another.
• the email corresponding. I am here for epistolary (in this case emails) novels every. single. time. As someone who communicates better in written form, I appreciate this aspect in a new relationship.
• the friendships. There are some seriously strong friendships sprinkled throughout and I liked these better than the actual romance.
What I didn't like:
• the chemistry. I definitely wasn't convinced. Maybe it was the structure. Maybe it was my lack of caring about the two characters involved. I'm really not sure. The romance definitely takes a back seat.
• the structure. There's a prologue, three 'chapters' and an epilogue divided over 300 pages. Even without doing the math, it's easy to tell those aren't really chapters! Each section jumped in time and it felt scrambled and rushed at times. It just didn't seem to work.
• it's not all that funny. A couple of funny lines from characters with cameo appearances and that's about it.
• the extensive detail. There's so much detail on the creative process and behind-the-scenes of working in the industry that I just didn't need or enjoy.
A solid plot idea but very poorly marketed and executed. Additionally, at this point in time I am just not sure I'm ready for novels with a focus on the pandemic as a central theme and plot. If you're looking for a book with romance and/or comedy this likely isn't it.
**Reminder to self: falling victim to the buzz surrounding books not already on your radar rarely works out.**
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• SNL fans
• readers looking for a take on modern love
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"It was a belated realization to have, but it occurred to me that perhaps this was how grown-up conversations worked—not that your communication didn’t falter, but that you both made good-faith attempts to rectify things after it had."
Author: Curtis Sittenfeld
Genre: Romance
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: April 4, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Observant • Light • Clever
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Sally Milz is a sketch writer for "The Night Owls," the late-night live comedy show that airs each Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she’s long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life.
But when Sally’s friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actor who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show—and in society at large—who’ve gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called the "Danny Horst Rule," poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.
Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week’s show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder whether there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn’t a romantic comedy; it’s real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her...right?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Well, well, well if Romantic Comedy isn't the first 2023 release where I fell complete victim to an intriguing title, catchy cover, and false marketing. This book was not on my radar until it started to pop up absolutely everywhere and was selected as a BOM pick. And I'll be the first one to admit it sounded promising - not the case!
What I like:
• characters in their 30s. It was a breath of fresh air to be introduced to more mature, thriving adults.
• a healthy romance. Sally and Noah's relationship felt mature with open communication, and a mutual respect and understanding for one another.
• the email corresponding. I am here for epistolary (in this case emails) novels every. single. time. As someone who communicates better in written form, I appreciate this aspect in a new relationship.
• the friendships. There are some seriously strong friendships sprinkled throughout and I liked these better than the actual romance.
What I didn't like:
• the chemistry. I definitely wasn't convinced. Maybe it was the structure. Maybe it was my lack of caring about the two characters involved. I'm really not sure. The romance definitely takes a back seat.
• the structure. There's a prologue, three 'chapters' and an epilogue divided over 300 pages. Even without doing the math, it's easy to tell those aren't really chapters! Each section jumped in time and it felt scrambled and rushed at times. It just didn't seem to work.
• it's not all that funny. A couple of funny lines from characters with cameo appearances and that's about it.
• the extensive detail. There's so much detail on the creative process and behind-the-scenes of working in the industry that I just didn't need or enjoy.
A solid plot idea but very poorly marketed and executed. Additionally, at this point in time I am just not sure I'm ready for novels with a focus on the pandemic as a central theme and plot. If you're looking for a book with romance and/or comedy this likely isn't it.
**Reminder to self: falling victim to the buzz surrounding books not already on your radar rarely works out.**
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• SNL fans
• readers looking for a take on modern love
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"It was a belated realization to have, but it occurred to me that perhaps this was how grown-up conversations worked—not that your communication didn’t falter, but that you both made good-faith attempts to rectify things after it had."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Fatphobia, and Body shaming
Moderate: Excrement, Addiction, Drug use, Drug abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Cursing, Medical content, Sexism, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Eating disorder
Minor: Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Cancer
divorceangelanoelle's review
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Medical content
Moderate: Pregnancy, Addiction, and Grief
Minor: Eating disorder and Alcohol