I am a massive fan of Curtis Sittenfeld and was beyond delighted to be given an ARC of her new novel ‘Romantic Comedy’. Set around a late night comedy sketch show similar to SNL, the story follows Sally as she writes some scenes for the celebrity guest host that week: a singer called Noah. Unbelievably to Sally, the two of them have a connection and we follow them as they figure it out. The subject matter of Romantic Comedy is much more light-hearted and fun than Rodham or American Wife so if you have only read those works of Sittenfeld, romantic Comedy may be surprising. It is more similar in tone to Eligible which I absolutely loved. Sittenfeld is an incredibly talented writer and, whilst I didn’t love the section containing emails between characters, Romantic Comedy is really brilliant and genuine and heartwarming. I hardly put it down and finished it in a matter of hours.

I’ve loved everything Curtis Sittenfeld has written and this one didn’t disappoint. Romantic, fun and thought provoking, it’s a book I’d be happy to recommend.

Perfection in every single way. Adored the protagonist to the point of CRUSHING and the humour was on point every time. Stunning!

This was perfection. A romantic comedy with real people, having a real (highly ideal) grown up relationship. The joy of a male protagonist who SEES the woman in front of them, plus ups, downs, sexiness. What more can you ask for?

Once I picked this up I couldn’t put it down.
A ridiculously brilliant 5 star summer read - loved it!!

This read like three different books - all of which I enjoyed - but which were very different from each other. The first part was very heavy on the description of how a late-night comedy show takes shape and its production. It had lots of witty one-liners and a frantic pace but not a lot of depth.

The second part is a series of emails between Sally and Noah which are great fun to read, this was probably my favourite part and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The third part was the actual romance between the two which to me felt like not much more than a fairly average romance novel. It was easy to read and enjoyable but didn't deliver what I've come to expect from Curtis Sittenfeld who is an author I love.

Overall an OK read but, for me, nothing exceptional.

Somehow every Sittenfelf book manages to surpass its own genre and elevate a very basic story into something meaningful and though provoking

I’m a big fan of Curtis Sittenfeld; American Wife is one of my favourite novels. But as this sounded so different in subject and tone I wasn’t sure what to expect.and almost nervous to dig in. All I can say is that my apprehension was unfounded. Actually, that’s an understatement. I loved, loved, loved this book. Addictively wonderful in every way. Truly something special.

Sally’s a writer for The Night Owls, weary of the double standard which sees nondescript men dating beautiful women, an idea that raises no eyebrows at all, while the opposite seemingly never happens. Every show stars a guest host, an actor or musician whose work is showcased but who also gets involved in the show's production. In April 2018, it’s Noah Brewster, celebrated singer songwriter and surfer dude whose music Sally dismisses airily as cheesy. As the cast and crew hurtle through the week towards their deadline, Sally and Noah daw closer until a misunderstanding sees her exiting an afterparty in confusion. Two years later, the pandemic hits and a surprising email appears in Sally’s inbox.

The novel’s first section feels somewhat weighed down by detail about the workings of a TV comedy show but once Noah’s email turns up the pace quickens. Sally is a likeable narrator, smart and snarky with a head full of unfinished romcom scripts all of which break the dating double standard she deplores. Noah is the insecure superstar, burdened with a handsomeness so extreme it startles Sally, considerate, kind and admiring of her writing talent. An enjoyable novel - funny, heart-warming and a little subversive - which had me rooting for this endearing, tentative couple, one of whom seems very much better adjusted than the other.

Rodham is one of my favourite novels of recent years and so I was absolutely thrilled to get the opportunity to read Romantic Comedy.
Sally Milz is in her late 30s and a script writer for a successful late night comedy sketch show. When her friend and fellow script writer begins dating an actress and influencer she realises that this is constantly happening to average men but never average women. That is until she meets famous pop star Noah when he's the guest host on the sketch show.

Romantic Comedy really showcases the author's talent and how she can move from writing Rodham to this lighter novel. The novel was in three parts- the first part focuses on behind the scenes at the Saturday night show, the short second part is email exchanges between Sally and Noah during the 2020 lockdown and in the final part they come together after the first lockdown. For me the final part was by far my favourite- I loved the relationship between Sally and Noah and between Sally and her stepfather. This part was insightful, funny and moving. I love the way the author writes, her portrayal of romantic relationships and friendships is so natural and unforced. I loved the characters of Sally and Noah and the supporting cast of Sally's friends and stepfather. For me the novel was let down slightly by the first part of the novel - it started off well but I felt there were too many details on the show that I wasn't interested in and wanted more on the relationships.
However, overall this was a gorgeous novel that I became completely immersed in and by the end I felt bereft. Recommended.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld is about the development of a relationship between a writer and a famous musician and the imbalances and slight misunderstandings that come with that. My favourite parts were Sally's other relationships like the ones with her friends and with her stepdad.

If I could I would write a one word review for this - PERFECTION!
I honestly could not have loved this book more.
I have read 3 other novels by this author - and this is totally different, and left me in awe of their talents able to take on different stories so well.
The story of Sally - a 38 year old divorcee who is a writer for an American comedy show NTO (Think of Saturday night live). We see the pressured frenzied life they all lead as writers on short deadlines, behind the scenes action, and the dynamics between all the writers. Sally is a smart, savvy, funny lady - who has watched as her male colleagues have often hooked up with female celebrities and beauties (think Pete Davison on SNL) whereas none of the male celebrities ever seem to hook up with an older average looking woman - they all go after 22 year old models.
Enter Noah - a guest presenter on the show, who the writers are writing sketches for. Noah is a hugely successful music star, also in his late 30s - who is coming in to host the show. He and Sally click - but surely he can't be interested in her? After a misunderstanding at the show afterparty they aren't in touch - until covid and lockdown hits and she receives an email from him out of the blue.

Sharp dialogue elevates this "will they won't they" romance into something so much more. I ADORED the characters. I have never felt so invested in a relationship! I cannot recommend this highly enough.
And yes, I may have read a digital copy - but I am straight off to order a hardback copy for my bookshelves as I want to read this book over and over again.

When Sally Met... Noah

This may certainly be popcorny but it's also warm and big-hearted, just the thing to curl up with on the sofa. Sittenfeld has given us a likable and smart protagonist in Sally and it's a relief that she bypasses all those clichés of hapless girls in dead-end jobs, no money (but they still somehow manage to dress in vintage designer clothes, natch) and grotty flat shares. Sally is 38 and a scriptwriter on a Saturday Night Live-style show - she's clever, she's good enough to have been nominated for Emmys, she earns a decent salary and she's confident in her own skills. So when her office colleague starts dating a movie star far more attractive than him, Sally's comic instincts start twitching and she comes up with an ironic skit. Bad timing when she herself starts to fall for the uber-handsome and famous pop star who comes to host the show...

This falls into three distinct parts and they're not all equally engaging: the first is probably my favourite with the behind-the-scenes look at how a weekly show like SNL comes to screen. The second is set in 2020, and is essentially an epistolary (by email) plot set during Covid lockdown; the third brings Sally and Noah back together.

Hand on heart, there's nothing revelatory or new here - except that the lovers are both more mature and just generally smarter than typical rom-rom characters. This isn't perhaps as funny as I expected but it's fun and emotionally sharp. I could have done with more of Viv throughout the book but still an entertaining read that doesn't insult our intelligence.