A rom-com-obsessed romantic waiting for her perfect leading man learns that life doesn’t always go according to a script in this delightfully charming and funny novel.
Annie Cassidy dreams of being the next Nora Ephron. She spends her days writing screenplays, rewatching Sleepless in Seattle, and waiting for her movie-perfect meet-cute. If she could just find her own Tom Hanks—a man who’s sweet, sensitive, and possibly owns a houseboat—her problems would disappear and her life would be perfect. But Tom Hanks is nowhere in sight.
When a movie starts filming in her neighborhood and Annie gets a job on set, it seems like a sign. Then Annie meets the lead actor, Drew Danforth, a cocky prankster who couldn’t be less like Tom Hanks if he tried. Their meet-cute is more of a meet-fail, but soon Annie finds herself sharing some classic rom-com moments with Drew. Her Tom Hanks can’t be an actor who’s leaving town in a matter of days…can he?
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Release Date: Jun 11, 2019
Heat Level: Sensual
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Price: $11.99
The perfect rom com, for the woman who’s been waiting for rom coms.
I’m talking about me. Over the last eight months I lamented about the absence of Rom Com movies. How there used to be a new one out every six months. Something to cure my need for laughs and a love story on the big screen. When this book appeared, I thought it the answer to my prayers. It was and wasn’t in equal parts, but it’s still a good book.
From hijinks to crazy characters, main and secondary, this book hit the high notes and reminded me of all the things I loved about Rom com movies (FYI I’ve seen a lot), almost as many as the author watched before writing this.
The great part is that the heroine, Annie loves these movies as much as I do, and she can quote multiple ones. Her flaws, and determination to find her own Tom Hanks are endearing. There’s a sad, but cute backstory family based and steeped in love. A plucky best friend who, thankfully, is getting her own book, and has a love hate relationship with the owner of a local coffee shop. To be honest, I kept picturing the coffee shop owner as Luke from Gilmore Girls, grumpy and taciturn. Best friend Chloe is such a Lorelei. But I digress…
Annie is our heroine and she is a bit obtuse when it comes to possible happily ever after’s smacking her right in the face. For a woman determined to write Rom Com’s into movies, she doesn’t catch on to the big picture that is our hero, Drew Danforth.
He is so Tom Hanks worthy. Honestly, when I read him I was reminded of Chris Pratt. That’s how I pictured it. The best stories can do that, get images churning in your head. Drew is definitely treated abysmally by our heroine, which is what made this book a little hard to enjoy. For a guy, Drew is just interested in Annie and she blocks him at every turn.
Add in a lackluster black moment and I the ending of this book just didn’t live up to my expectations from the front end. Others may find Annie’s motivations far more convincing than I did. There are plenty of laughs and some memorable moments and characters. Cue Uncle Don, Annie’s D&D loving uncle. But for me, this book started out fabulous with a little crazy stuck in there and headed on a train wreck straight to the end.
Perfect for those who love a good Nora Ephron rom com a la Sleepless in Seattle or When Harry Met Sally. Equal parts silly, humorous, and with that heady romance feel that’ll make you climb to the top of the Empire State Building to meet the man you’ve heard talk on the radio.
~ Landra
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