What a heartwarming and touching debut by Brooke Abrams. This was a great book to start the holiday season with.
When romance writer Penelope, or Penny for short, decides to go home to reconnect with her estranged family over Thanksgiving, she gets more than she bargained for. She's overwhelmed by a new romance bookstore business she's trying to start, her ex-husband is there, and pretend to have a boyfriend with her father's colleague.
It's a funny and charming book full lots of entertaining characters/family members of Penny's. It's a positive book to read and very relatable with not fully fitting in with your family and trying not to fail before you even have a real chance to start.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book!

I’m torn on how to review this one and even rate it. I hated Penelope; I found her obnoxious, incredibly selfish, immature, and all-around unlikeable, but I continued with the story anyway because I enjoyed the banter and the supporting characters. Credit Brooke Abrams for doing a fantastic job creating a character I would never be friends with but I was rooting for anyway. This was a fun story if you can get past Penny’s shortcomings (and there are a lot!) and I enjoyed the ending (and who she ends up with). I will definitely read the author again because I did enjoy the writing and the story on the whole.

Okay, so "Penelope in Retrograde"? Not gonna lie, it's not usually my go-to read, but it's like that Sunday afternoon movie that you didn't know you needed. Penelope, the main character, is the kind of gal you'd want as your BFF, even if things seem to magically work out for her a bit too easily.

The truth is that the story keeps you hooked, like binge-watching your favorite show. The plot was predictable, but hey, sometimes we like to stay in our comfort zone.

But my favorite part? The dynamic between Penelope's mom and her grandma Rosie. Pure gold! Rosie is a total scene-stealer, the kind of character you'd want to have tea with and listen to her stories for hours. She's sassy, wise, and just downright delicious in every scene she's in.

So this book felt like a deep late-night chat about love, life, and all the messy bits in between. If you're in for a heart-to-heart with a side of drama, give "Penelope in Retrograde" a read.

#PenelopeinRetrograde #NetGalley

Penelope in Retrograde is a romantic comedy about self acceptance and the courage to be who you are. I normally don't read this genre but I thought I would give it a try since it had some astrology references, but don't be fooled by the title, the story does not contain an astrological plot.

I thought the author's voice was strong in each of her characters and Penelope's dry witty sarcastic humour was the star of the story. The complicated family drama and relationships added the right amount of tension to what is otherwise a stereotypical story about estranged family members. My only critique is that the plot was predictable. Boring expected outcomes made the story a little cheesy.

Penelope in Retrograde was a light hearted funny read that fans of Hallmark movies would enjoy.

As I've said before, Lake Union Publishing rarely steers me wrong. While this could be considered rom/com (and it would fit nicely into that category if it was on TV), I'd also throw in a great deal of family interaction. Not only can we identify with some of this, but the author also throws in some wit that is done in a way that had me laughing out loud a few times. It's a debut, and I'll look forward to more titles by Brooke Abrams. Well done.
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for an electronic ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

The characters are well written. It's funny and sad at the same time.. Perfect use of sarcasm & wit. I enjoyed this very much.

Penelope in Retrograde
A Novel
by Brooke Abrams
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced reader copy of the ebook.
This is a fun rom-com/family drama. This is a debut novel by author Brooke Abrams, full of witty dialogue and repartee, well-defined characters, and overall a fun read. I will definitely be reading more from this author. Penelope in Retrograde by Brooke Abrams is an entertaining and funny read!

Honestly, I read this in one sitting. I'm quite picky especially when it comes to romance books, it's just not my preferred genre, but I thought this was so sweet. While it was definitely feelgood, fun and light, I like how the FMC had nuance and the whole thing game me Lorelai (Gilmore Girls)-vibes. The only thing I will say is that it was honestly too short! It takes place over one weekend (both past and present), which I liked but I feel like there was so much more to unpack around all if the characters that we didn't have time to go into, they were all interesting and I would have liked to get to know them better.
Also for a book about a smut-writer, I was pretty disappointed in the lack of it (which I never thought I'd say because I do not fancy myself much of a smut-reader). I guess that in itself is quite original. Regardless, it was a light and fun read and I had a good time!

For a book with honesty as a motif, I'll be upfront that I'm on the fence about how I feel after reading, "Penelope in Retrograde." From the very beginning, the writing style felt forced, and like it was trying too hard to make Penny come across as a someone with a fast wit and a joke locked and ready as a response to pretty much anything anyone in this book ever says to her. I found her constant deflection exhausting by the end of it. She's the main character, so most of the book obviously focuses on Penny, but even with a majority of the pages to serve as insight into her she felt a little one dimensional and the rest of the accompanying characters' time felt rushed and like an afterthought. With that being said, the author does a nice job of capturing the disfunction and simultaneous love that can be felt within a family, especially around the holidays.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced reader copy of the fabulous book, “Penelope in Retrograde” by Brooke Abrams. As far as I know, this is the author’s debut novel and I will definitely be keeping out an eye for her future stories. This is one of the best debuts I have read in awhile. It’s funny, deals with real, emotional
Issues like family dynamics and divorce, in believable ways.

This is the story of Penelope, a romance writer and her relationships with friends, family, an ex-husband, and potential new love interests. Although this book has romance in it, the main arcs in “Penelope” are the evolution of herself and her relationship with her family. Like many of us, the person she becomes around family is not necessarily the real her.

I was delighted to read this story. The author writes hilarious dialogue, especially between Penelope and her friends. This book was published 10/1/2023 and is available to purchase. I highly recommend picking up a copy for yourself and for your friends.

This book - both the cover and its title - looked and sounded so intriguing to me, so thank you to the publisher for the opportunity. I thought this was such an entertaining and engaging read! The banter and sharp wit put on display here is razor-sharp and refreshing— so many parts were laugh-out-loud funny to me, and the book struck the perfect balance imo by also having just as many deep and emotional moments throughout. I found Penelope to be very relatable as our FMC and I think lots of others will as well. A great debut by a fresh new face, I'm excited to read more of Abrams' work in the future! 🤗

This was the rom-com, chick-lit book that dreams are made of! It was like cozying up and watching your favorite Reese Witherspoon movie but with just the right amount of the snark from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

Penelope in Retrograde follows a romance writer who after ten years is begrudgingly returning home for Thanksgiving in a desperate attempt to get her father to invest in her new bookstore. But if having to share a ride from the airport with her ex-husband is any indication of how things are going to go, then she better start asking the divine powers that be to intervene!

I admit that at first, I did not like the main character. I thought her snark was a little over the top, but as the book progressed that element was toned down and she became loveable and relatable. For those who like a spicy romance, this is not it. In fact, the romance is definitely not the main focus, but it definitely gives a heartwarming element to the quirky family drama that unfolds. I also thought reading the synopsis of the book and given the title that the astrology aspect would definitely come into play more in the plot, but its minimalistic presence did not detract from the book or my enjoyment of it.

I definitely think Penelope in Retrograde should be one to watch out for as we edge our way into the holiday season.

This was adorable. I loved it.

That’s it, that’s my review.

Just kidding, of course I’ll go into a little more detail - I devoured this book, practically inhaled it. Whenever there was a spare moment, the kindle app would be loaded up and I’d read as much as I could before having to get back to whatever I was doing. It’s cute, it’s funny, and the characters are completely relatable.

Penelope has flown home for the holidays for the first time in a decade, she has an ulterior motive - wanting to secure funding for opening a bookshop with her two close friends - but what she hasn’t prepared for is a run in with her ex husband, a surprise date with a certified tiktok thirst trap, and her sister having even bigger news to share.

Penelope in Retrograde is an incredibly sweet, cosy, and funny romantic comedy that you won’t want to put down.

Gosh this reminded me of my family on holidays. I found this book to be really funny but also really heartfelt. I liked Penelope.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

Well, this book was just a treat. Penelope is headed home for Thanksgiving after many years away. Her career as a romance writer is definitely different than what her family had expected, and life in general hasn't gone how she planned either. And then, she ends up in airport shuttle with her ex-husband to really start off her holiday in a completely unexpected way. This book was just a great blend of humor, of reflection, of heartbreak, and of figuring out new directions. I loved Penelope as a main character, and I loved the way her story unfolded. It wasn't what I expected in the best of ways. This was just an all-around joy of a read. Thanks to NetGalley for the look at this recent October 2023 release!

This was such a fun read. I loved the family even through their arguments and Penelope trying to find her way. I loved the Thanksgiving flashbacks and the growth. Super cute.

Penelope in Retrograde is the perfect mixture of hilarious and heartfelt. Brooke Abrams wrote a book that made me snort while reading and then caused me to tear up the next second. Penny, a romance novelist with more than enough rough Thanksgiving dinners under her belt, is finally coming home when she ends up in a rideshare with her ex-husband. From the airport to the end the story is a full-on rollercoaster of emotions. It’s a tale of not only what happens to Penny, but how she eventually realizes that no matter what happens, at the end of the day, they are still family and a family that loves each other despite their differences. Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this beautiful book.

Perfectly written with enough charm and witty banter to propel you to neglect sleep and keep turning pages.

The familial connections are beautifully captured—each character finds their way into your heart, complete with imperfections. The author is incredibly gifted in creating a narrative that isn’t watered down by genre-binding rules. Of course, it’s a romance, but it’s not weighed down by excessive measures to simply “entertain”. You’re invested in the characters and even prompted to assess your personal journey.

The author “out writes” and “out wits” some of today’s biggest names in the romance and rom com genre. Clever, witty, charming, sentimental, and oh so good.

Honestly I never thought I’d give five stars to a light romance novel but this one earned them! Finally a female lead who isn’t annoying or pathetic 👏🏼

I’m not kidding when I say I laughed out loud in cafés all over Amsterdam while reading this on vacation. My sense of humour isn’t always easy to cater to but damn this was hilarious and I’m recommending it to everyone. I also want to be friends with the author because she. just. gets it.

4.5 - this book was a DELIGHT

Penelope is a romance author living in San Francisco. She hasn't seen her family in ten years, but she goes home for Thanksgiving hoping that her dad can help her finance her dream romance bookstore. However, it all takes a turn for the worse when the only other person in her rideshare is her ex-husband Smith, and that leads her to fake date her dad's cute colleague Martin. She has four days to mend her relationships, save her bookstore, and get a happily ever after like the ones she's been writing about.

Was this book life-changing? Probably not. But did I laugh out loud multiple times and have the best time? Absolutely. This was the perfect fall romance, with a loveable and funny main character who knows how to banter. The Thanksgiving setting was so cozy and lovely; I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a pick-me-up. Also, no spice for my closed-door girlies :)