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char1otte's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
alyssawhite97's review
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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
3.5
katseye116's review against another edition
5.0
Curtis Sittenfeld has done it again. She's managed to create a romance story that follows the rules of the genre without seeming formulaic or unrealistic. Quite a feat in a genre that has been done to death so many, many, many times. Basically, it's a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, but subtly done. Of course, there's an argument to be made that virtually all romance novels use the framework of P&P (Unattainable boy meets average girl but through misunderstandings and/or social considerations they can't get together until disaster happens and he rescues her and they live happily ever after.) but Sittenfeld finds a fresh way to tell the age-old story without seeming cheesy or forced.
I found it particularly interesting that the setting is a thinly veiled "Saturday Night Live" television show. Okay, not even thinly veiled since she credits the show in her notes. But if you spent your formative years staying up late on Saturday nights to watch it you'll appreciate the insights into how the show is created each and every week.
The characters, Sally, a writer at the show, and Noah, the pop star guest host, meet and experience a lukewarm potential attraction (a rarity itself in a romance novel, which usually starts off with explosive emotions of one kind or another) which is derailed before it begins by Sally's insecurity.
When they reconnect through emails during the Covid era (Sittenfeld works in the uncertainties and oddities of the pandemic without dwelling on it and manages to completely leave out any political overtones, a feat in itself, grounding the story with something we can all relate to these days.) their journey toward a romance is resumed, with stumbling blocks inserted, until the denouement into a happy ending. Is this a spoiler? Not for anyone familiar with the genre. For the rest, oopsie!
What I particularly like is the deft and realistic way Sittenfeld handled core issues for the modern woman. Navigating the precariousness of dating a coworker, juggling a demanding job and a personal life, finding a connection with someone relatable, attractive, independent, and available, maintaining friendships despite life changes, walking the knife-edge of advocating feminism in a patriarchal landscape without being perceived as radical, and finding a way to remain true to your career goals while compromising in order to create a life with a man whose career threatens to overshadow your own.
Sittenfeld has remained true to the Jane Austen influence in making the story three-dimensional. It's not just a romance, it's a story with many levels, a social commentary on the options available to women in today's society and the hard choices they must make in order to find happiness and live a fulfilling life. The relationship between Noah and Sally, while central to the plot, is often back-burnered while Sally deals with the many facets of daily life. Sittenfeld weaves it all together without once coming off as preachy or pushing an agenda.
In short, this is a novel I can highly recommend.
I found it particularly interesting that the setting is a thinly veiled "Saturday Night Live" television show. Okay, not even thinly veiled since she credits the show in her notes. But if you spent your formative years staying up late on Saturday nights to watch it you'll appreciate the insights into how the show is created each and every week.
The characters, Sally, a writer at the show, and Noah, the pop star guest host, meet and experience a lukewarm potential attraction (a rarity itself in a romance novel, which usually starts off with explosive emotions of one kind or another) which is derailed before it begins by Sally's insecurity.
When they reconnect through emails during the Covid era (Sittenfeld works in the uncertainties and oddities of the pandemic without dwelling on it and manages to completely leave out any political overtones, a feat in itself, grounding the story with something we can all relate to these days.) their journey toward a romance is resumed, with stumbling blocks inserted, until the denouement into a happy ending. Is this a spoiler? Not for anyone familiar with the genre. For the rest, oopsie!
What I particularly like is the deft and realistic way Sittenfeld handled core issues for the modern woman. Navigating the precariousness of dating a coworker, juggling a demanding job and a personal life, finding a connection with someone relatable, attractive, independent, and available, maintaining friendships despite life changes, walking the knife-edge of advocating feminism in a patriarchal landscape without being perceived as radical, and finding a way to remain true to your career goals while compromising in order to create a life with a man whose career threatens to overshadow your own.
Sittenfeld has remained true to the Jane Austen influence in making the story three-dimensional. It's not just a romance, it's a story with many levels, a social commentary on the options available to women in today's society and the hard choices they must make in order to find happiness and live a fulfilling life. The relationship between Noah and Sally, while central to the plot, is often back-burnered while Sally deals with the many facets of daily life. Sittenfeld weaves it all together without once coming off as preachy or pushing an agenda.
In short, this is a novel I can highly recommend.
crystaljacksonwriter's review
5.0
I cannot believe I let this linger in my TBR pile, but I’m kind of glad I did just so I could read it before Valentine’s Day. I loved so many things about this story that I find it difficult to articulate what I liked best. Everything. It’s all the best. Read it and see for yourself.
robiobinsk's review
5.0
Saturday night live meets Nora Ephron. This book feels like a good RomCom movie script. The characters seem three dimensional and their journey is nicely laid out. I enjoyed this very much. Recommend
nchristianson's review
3.0
i am conflicted with this one. I like to go into books blind. I knew nothing of the plot. I also love SNL. I will say that the first part of this book just felt like an SNL retelling where all the characters and places were slightly altered and no original thought needed to go into a plot. The second part was an very long email exchange that did not feel real and the third was a nice story set during COVID with instantly made me annoyed. ALL THAT BEING SAID, I flew through this book. I started it at like 8pm last night and im already done. It was an enjoyable read. but when i think back, trying to assign a rating to it, I cannot justify anything more than a 3/5.
hparminter's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
emilycrall's review
5.0
The timing of this book becoming available on the library wait list on the same day as the WGA strike starting in real life was extra impactful with the female protagonist being a writer on an SNL-adjacent show and working on her own screenplay.