Absolutely delightful. A mature, insightful and honestly romantic story.



I'm REALLY not a chicklit reader. Pastel colours and swirly writing and I move on. Stereotypes, lazy character-writing and cheesy plots abound, with cardboard thin males and cutesy tropes as protagonists. No.



But a Sittenfeld smart take on the romantic comedy? Also called... Romantic Comedy?! I'm in. And I was through this in hours.



You'll feel relieved to find two REAL people on these pages. Yes, an actual real man, and a warts-and-all woman, with chapters long conversations that I felt had been lifted from my partner's and my late-night texting.



And it even starts with a behind-the-scenes of Saturday Night Live-esque show, for Act I. Sally Milz writes for The Night Owl, a weekly late night comedy sketch show, where she stays behind the screen writing skits for the performers, single with an unsatisfying 'friend with benefits', succeeding but slightly stuck in a professional rut.



The guest host one week is (in my mind a bit of a Michael Buble-alike) popular musician Noah Brewster. He doesn't like her idea for a sketch about gorgeous, famous women dating less-than-perfect men. But he's considerate, curious, humorous, and in their week working together a mutual respect pervades, with Sally feeling the tingling of attraction.



But she's a plain Jane writer, he's a superstar. That one sentence sounds extremely cliché right there, but Sittenfeld effortlessly makes the two of them incredibly normal and human - Sally worries about sweat and breaking wind around him, Noah is more than a 2-dimensional dream man.



I loved the Night Owl act, followed by the 2020 crisis that the author uses to her advantage plot-wise, and there are elements of Pride and Prejudice left over from Eligible I feel that Sittenfeld incorporates into her Act III story.



Sally is me. She is most of us. Noah gets more to say and do and feel than most men do in a 'romantic comedy' aimed at women. He's more empathetic than Sally at times, whose motivations can be a little traditional (worrying about the difference in looks and situations). There's even some great BFF scenes with fellow Night Owl alumni that don't descend into genre-hackneyed relationships.



But this was absolutely the way to go with the genre, smart and honest and not a flour-on-the-nose female in sight. New standards are being set. I could have read about these two forever.



With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

Gosh I’m afraid I struggled with this for a while. The writing as usual from Curtis is excellent, really well observed interactions and characters but I found the first part really too detailed . I am glad I persevered as it certainly got better but I did struggle for the first part. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this novel.

This book is absolute perfection and one of my contenders for favourite book of the year.

Sally Milz is a successful script writer for a legendary late-night TV comedy show and has long abandoned the search for love. Then Sally meets Noah, a pop idol with a reputation for dating models. But this isn't a romantic comedy - it's real life. Would someone like him ever date someone like her?

This is an intelligent, witty and socially on point romantic comedy with heart. I enjoyed the first half of the book but the story really hits its stride in the second half, and by the last quarter I was racing through and not wanting it to end. Both main characters, Sally and Noah are nuanced, layered characters that you cannot help fall in love with, and root for despite their flaws.

Highly recommended.

I love Curtis Sittenfield, but I wasn't overly sold on this one. I thought the beginning part with TNO just lasted too long, and it was a bit of an effort to get to where Noah becomes a serious love interest. I also just don't enjoy reading about the pandemic, so that threw me off a little bit, too. Also sometimes the main character was just rude to Noah, and I'm not sure how forgiving he would have actually have been considering she does it quite a lot. Overall, I did enjoy this once it hit its stride but I think I only persevered because it was Curtis!

Despite its self-proclaiming title, this novel did not feel like a conventional romantic comedy. It definitely had romantic moments, as well as elements of humour, but the unorthodox structure prevented it from ever feeling truly at home within the genre. The first third was a play by play of the week Noah hosted ‘The Night Owls’ (spoof of SNL) while the next two were set a couple years later in the midst of COVID. I really loved this opening act as I enjoyed getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse at SNL that felt realistic. It also built up Sally and Noah’s tentative relationship in a natural way. Right from their first proper interaction, the pair shared an effortless dynamic and conversation flowed easily (much to Sally’s surprise). They each brought out the wittiest sides of the other. Noah was truly such an amazing love interest - mature, open, patient and attentive.

I liked Sally as a character because she felt like a real person. Despite her comedy writer status, it didn’t seem like she was constantly ‘on’ all the time, trying to crack a joke or deliver a punchline. Instead, she lent on her dry wit. Even though she was undeniably successful, Sally was riddled with insecurities. This wasn’t an issue until she started to dwell on the ‘Danny Horst Rule’ which she created herself. The rule dictated that talented but average-looking men could become romantically involved with beautiful accomplished women but the reverse would never happen for a woman. Sally’s rule was repeated so often it quickly became annoying. It was even more frustrating because each time it was mentioned, it was used as a slight against her. Sally put so much weight behind the rule, reverting to it when trying to rationalise her relationship with Noah. She used it as a crutch whenever she didn’t want to deal with the possibility that the celebrity heartthrob might actually see a future with her.

To be honest, I’m still undecided on how much I actually liked this book. I don’t think it helped that I was totally blindsided by the time jump to the pandemic. For me, I think it’s too soon to be incorporating COVID into a story as a casual plot point. I wish the driving force behind Sally and Noah’s reconnection was something more ‘normal’ or, at the very least, I was given a heads up that the book would take a nose dive right into the pandemic. Unfortunately, this did detract from my overall enjoyment of it.

OVERALL: The main characters of this unconventional rom-com shared an effortless dynamic but their romance was held back by the heroine’s insecurities. Luckily, it ended with a gratifying resolution.

Would I recommend?… Yes but only if you’re ready to read a novel set during the pandemic

A highly enjoyable and engaging read. It has Sittenfeld’s usual fantastic attention to detail, but I would say more accessible than a Rodham, or American Wife. It was funny and witty. It’s still weird to me to read books set in lockdown- but the section with the emails was so well done, it wasn’t tedious or off putting in any way.

I absolutely ADORED this book! Tried to avoid reading it in a one-er but it was so hard not to, very witty and fun and exactly what I needed right now. Going to work my way through Curtis's back catalogue now, such a fan!

Post pandemic update on the Notting Hill scenario. What happens when a civilian falls in love with a celebrity. Set in the fast paced world of NewYork late night comedy surely loosely based on Saturday Night Live Sally Milz, a writer meets Noah Brewster, a pop star who she has a crush on. It initially ends badly but when Noah gets in touch by email during Covid, things change.

This hilarious but poignant novel grips the reader just as much as the author’s previous novels and was a delight to read.

Curtis Sittenfeld wittily explores the romantic comedy genre and the themes and well worn patterns associated with it. In her late thirties, Sally Milz, is the narrator, she is a successful comic writer on the frenetic late night comedy sketch show, The Night Owls, with its obvious similarities to SNL. She has made the decision to live without love, convinced it will not work for her after her experience of relationships that have failed, focusing instead on her professional career. When fellow underwhelming sketch writer, Danny Horst dates the beautiful Annabel Lily, she is fuming. How is it that it is normal that below par men attract the attentions of out of their league women when it never works the other way round?

She pours her feelings and ire into 'The Danny Horst Rule' sketch, but then the week's host, good looking musician Noah Brewster shows interest in her, could this make Sally think again? There are 3 main threads in the storytelling with the descriptions, many aspects and details and manic style that make the weekly TNO show come alive, then there are the email exchanges between Sally and Noah during the pandemic and the set up that has them meeting up again. It would be true to say that like the rom-com genre itself, there is little that is surprising, but with the complex, insecure and flawed character of Sally, Sittenfeld makes this work.

This is a smart, well written, warm and entertaining romantic comedy, I found this a fun read depicting the nature of a developing relationship and the realities, assumptions and problems that might be associated with it. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Just finished this incredible read, after binging it all in one day. I just simply couldn’t put it down and was so caught up in the characters lives and seeing where it was going to go.

Our characters meet on the set of a TV show and it’s fascinating to be behind the scenes, and see the friendships and relationships in a setting that felt new, exciting and something I hadn’t read before.

After some time apart, they reconnect years later during the pandemic over email. The chapter of their emails back and forth over a few days is some of the best writing I’ve read, it had me laughing out loud in so many parts and amused at the witty observations and relating to the perspective on life.

I haven’t enjoyed books set over the pandemic so far but this was so expertly done. Without taking you back to the mundane memories of how hard it was for many day to day, but doing it justice and showing the light of it.

This is hands down the book of the year for me, and know that I’ll re-read it again and again and still be blown away by it. It’s my first read of Curtis Sittenfeld, so I’m so excited to go dive into the others now!

What can I say that hasn't already been said? Curtis Sittenfeld will, forever and always, be my favorite author. I'd give this 10 stars if I could.

3.5 rounded up

Sally Milz is a comedy script writer for TV show The Night Owls and she’s fuming. Fellow sketch writer, slob and friend, is dating gorgeous Annabel Lily. How come a VERY average man gets to punch well above their weight with beautiful women?? It wouldn’t happen the other way round would it?? If so social media would invoke a torrent!! Sally channels her annoyance by creating a sketch called ‘The Danny Horst Rule’ which she prepares to present to the team for consideration. This weeks show host is handsome, hot Noah Brewster, a famous musician with a rep for dating beautiful women. The two work on a sketch together and .... well, that would be telling!

In her latest novel Curtis Sittenfeld plays with the idea (ideal?) of love as seen in RomComs such as Notting Hill and gender roles in relationships. It’s divided into three very long chapters (not sure they could be called that really), the first is script writing on Night Owls and meeting Noah in 2018, the second is July 2020 and the pandemic with Sally and Noah emailing back and forth and finally August 2020 and set in LA.

First of all, it’s a bit of a game of two halves for me. I confess to struggling in the first chapter, although it captures the frantic pace of working on a comedy show I’m sure I’m meant to find it funny but I simply don’t. There’s too much dialogue and some makes me wince, possibly intentional but I don’t know. Then my interest picks up with the emails and here we really get to know the pair and they really ‘see’ each other without actually seeing each other! The final part I really enjoy and although romcoms aren’t my favourite genre the author makes me delight in this without a plateful of gorgonzola, Brie or cheddar. Here I do actually smile! Hallelujah! The characterisation is excellent and I grow to like both main protagonists. Sally is flawed, she’s sarcastic, cynical, puts her foot in it, she’s insecure but having said all that, I like her and she feels real. Noah is yummy, he’s also smart and a really nice guy. At first you think he’s your perception of what a rock star is like but you see he is much more.

Overall, I do eventually settle in and enjoy the book but without incurring the wrath of Curtis Sittenfeld fans, can I suggest it’s a bit, er, predictable?? Maybe that’s the point so just off to ruminate on it!!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Transworld for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

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Very clever and very relevant to attitudes today. It’s funny and sharp but it’s not a romance as we know it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start by saying that I think the blurb for this book does it a fantastic injustice. It paints it as the type of romance novel you’d pick up on a whim at an airport. It is categorically not that. Sittenfeld is adept at writing complex characters, and she knocks it out of the park again with her latest novel.

I’m not sure I’d even put it in the ‘romance’ category. There is romance - but it’s human and funny, and at times disgusting (which is, I suppose, what makes it human). It is a far more nuanced, subtle, clever novel than you would expect from a generic ‘romance’. Although it is as nuanced, subtle and clever as you would expect from Sittenfeld.

For me, it took a little while to get going. But chapter 2 flew by, and by then I was really in the rhythm of it and it proved difficult to put down. I read a previous review of it that described “book hangovers” and it is a term that is instantly recognisable and entirely appropriate for this novel. I know it will be one that I think about for a while after - largely because the characters are so well written that I’m expecting an email from one of them myself. But also because the story is just on the right side of mundane yet exciting enough to keep the pages turning.

I love Curtis Sittenfeld’s work, and this novel sits nicely alongside its counterparts. The publishers could have done a better job at promoting it for what it actually is - not a facile romantic beach read (although it works equally well as such), but as an engaging, funny and insightful piece of feminist literature.

I loved this. I am obsessed by Eligible and it is a book I force on a lot of people because nobody does elegant, clever romance like Sittenfeld. Now I get to force Romantic Comedy on them too! Yay!

Sally Milz is a writer on the hit comedy series The Night Owls. This is a show that is loosely based on Saturday Night Live. Every week they work with a guest presenter who is a big star. When they announce that Noah Brewster, a pop idol with a string of cheesy hits is to be the presenter, Sally has her misgivings. When she meets Noah, she is unprepared for how much she likes him and when they are thrust together to create a sketch, the frisson between them is undeniable. But how can mousy, behind the scenes Sally possibly get it together with a bona fide heartthrob?

This is delightful. It's clever and sharp and funny and I absolutely ate it up. It is a traditional tale told with such charm that you feel like it's never been done before and that it has been written entirely to satisfy you, personally.

This wasn't my favourite Curtis Sittenfeld but it was still very good. I found the first third dragged a little but then once the two leads were in lockdown I really began to enjoy it. And when Sally went to stay in LA things really picked up - it was warm, funny and heartfelt. All the relationships in the book were really well drawn - I loved Sally's with her friends, her stepfathers and her stepfather's beagle! I also felt she skewered women's insecurities brilliantly. I was really sad to finish the book as it really found it's feet towards the end and I was really invested in the characters.

Loved this book so much, definitely a favourite of the year! Curtis Sittenfeld has delivered a romance with depth and humour and characters that just crawl into your heart. Longer review to follow. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A grown-up romcom, I loved it! The novel is very much divided into three acts which worked well. I struggled a little with the section written through email exchanges, but that’s just a personal preference.

My favourite romcom read of the year, Sometimes, you just read a book that fits right into a little needy place in your heart, and this was it. I loved the breakdown of the hierarchical view of love we all subscribe to, with regards to look. A romantic comedy in every sense of the word, thoughtful, intimate, and incredibly romantic.