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summerslittlelibrary's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Cursing, Misogyny, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
tigertheory's review against another edition
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
3.25
Didn’t realize this book was in large parts about Covid. That’s fine, but too soon for me. Character descriptions are good but also overall rather boring, and for a book of this title, it’s really not that funny.
Alright read, I guess.
Alright read, I guess.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug abuse, Drug use, and Sexism
niallham's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Ugh this book had me GRINNING. After reading a bunch of tense, gritty, traumatic books this was JUST the antidote I needed.
Not genre breaking, and predictable at times, but a light hearted good fun, soppy and modern day romance book !
Not genre breaking, and predictable at times, but a light hearted good fun, soppy and modern day romance book !
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
nialiversuch's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual content, and Medical content
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
daniofthewood's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Confinement, Cursing, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual content, Excrement, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Racism, Suicide, Police brutality, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Classism
gwenswoons's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
I loved this. It’s my first Curtis Sittenfeld book, and I am so impressed by the detailing and world building here – there’s something really absorbing about both the highly populated setting of the late night comedy show and about all of the relationships inside it that just worked so well for me. I love both of the main characters, and while I was kind of cautious about reading a Covid pandemic-set book, I actually found the use of the pandemic in the plot of this to work so well in framing and tension building. I loved the whole giant section of e-mails back-and-forth - just so funny and relatable and cute. I also think, in a funny way, that the conflicts and miscommunications in the third act (and even earlier in the book) were actually so real and relatable, especially for people were in their late 30s who haven’t dated a lot recently and have all kinds of complicated insecurities and routines of their own that they bring to the table even in a relationship that is basically good. I also just love all of the side characters, from the close friendships to the MC’s stepfather and especially his sweet beagle - such a cutie. Anyway, loved this and will definitely read more Sittenfeld in the future!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Medical content, Grief, and Death of parent
kitaface's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Medical content, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Excrement, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Eating disorder, Suicide, and Pregnancy
elizabethb81's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I loved this book and I related so heavily to Sally that it's like Sittenfeld crawled inside my skin and wrote a version of the wish fulfillment romcom I've always wanted. That said, it felt compressed somehow. Like there could have been more in places and certain moments felt glossed over. I didn't enjoy the way the ending felt flat and the disagreements were never quite fleshed out. There was never any danger, so there were never any heightened emotions. I needed just a bit more.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Body shaming, Blood, and Medical trauma
Minor: Eating disorder and Excrement
miahenry's review against another edition
funny
medium-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
3.5
The general premise of this book is not new although the setting/circumstance was original (to me.) I’ve read a few rom coms now about famous people/celebrities dating normal folks. There is a little more nuance here since both characters are in the entertainment industry with agents and managers, so it is a bit different. Love between a front of the camera person and a behind the camera person was new to me.
The main character, Sally, is the narrator (which I like more than third person but less than dual POVs). Since she is VERY imperfect, her telling of the story did endear me to her a little bit. Her insecurities were relatable, I liked her politics (unapologetically liberal), and I liked how she treated her friends and loved ones. It was clear she was a badass at work and a mess otherwise and I get that.
The love interest, Noah, was not very memorable for me when he first appeared, but boy does he turn it around later. I loved his character as it was revealed - the sweetness and maturity never got old. He was so good at being honest and vulnerable with Sally while maintaining respect for himself. He really was the full package and I was here for it. I liked Noah more than Sally which negatively affected my overall rating of the book because I like to like both main characters about the same.
This book is divided into three very distinct parts marked by dates that precede then happen during the Covid-19 pandemic: 1) meeting 2) reconnecting 3) conflict + resolution
The first third of this book was tedious. It was interesting to learn about the schedule of people working on the SNL-like show, the dynamics between folks given their roles, and just generally learning how the sausage is made. However, there were too many characters and details which made it hard to follow the budding romance. It helped when I started reading it like a behind-the-scenes account instead of a rom com.
However, the second part of the book (all email exchanges) was adorable and the third part really paid off. The dialogue in the last third was fantastic. I liked how Sally thought one thing, but (wisely) said another. She started facing her fears and becoming a better person. However, I do believe she could use some therapy sessions like my main man Noah. I would have liked to have seen therapy for Sally in the epilogue.
Also, the descriptions of life during the pandemic were well done. Things happened quickly at the end, but I believed in the connection, primarily because of their ages. I loved the fact that they were both almost 40 and were so open with one another about past relationships.
It’s 3.5 stars for me. It was almost 2 stars, but then I liked the end so much I bumped it to almost 4 stars. I grew to love this book, but will likely put it in the neighborhood’s little library.
The main character, Sally, is the narrator (which I like more than third person but less than dual POVs). Since she is VERY imperfect, her telling of the story did endear me to her a little bit. Her insecurities were relatable, I liked her politics (unapologetically liberal), and I liked how she treated her friends and loved ones. It was clear she was a badass at work and a mess otherwise and I get that.
The love interest, Noah, was not very memorable for me when he first appeared, but boy does he turn it around later. I loved his character as it was revealed - the sweetness and maturity never got old. He was so good at being honest and vulnerable with Sally while maintaining respect for himself. He really was the full package and I was here for it. I liked Noah more than Sally which negatively affected my overall rating of the book because I like to like both main characters about the same.
This book is divided into three very distinct parts marked by dates that precede then happen during the Covid-19 pandemic: 1) meeting 2) reconnecting 3) conflict + resolution
The first third of this book was tedious. It was interesting to learn about the schedule of people working on the SNL-like show, the dynamics between folks given their roles, and just generally learning how the sausage is made. However, there were too many characters and details which made it hard to follow the budding romance. It helped when I started reading it like a behind-the-scenes account instead of a rom com.
However, the second part of the book (all email exchanges) was adorable and the third part really paid off. The dialogue in the last third was fantastic. I liked how Sally thought one thing, but (wisely) said another. She started facing her fears and becoming a better person. However, I do believe she could use some therapy sessions like my main man Noah. I would have liked to have seen therapy for Sally in the epilogue.
Also, the descriptions of life during the pandemic were well done. Things happened quickly at the end, but I believed in the connection, primarily because of their ages. I loved the fact that they were both almost 40 and were so open with one another about past relationships.
It’s 3.5 stars for me. It was almost 2 stars, but then I liked the end so much I bumped it to almost 4 stars. I grew to love this book, but will likely put it in the neighborhood’s little library.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism
Minor: Body shaming, Racism, Death of parent, and Pregnancy
stormeno's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Sexual content, and Death of parent