Emma Wheeler loves rom coms and she loves screenwriting. In a different world, maybe she would have been a professional scriptwriter, but in this one, she’s a full-time caretaker for her father living in Texas and takes on writing opportunities as they come. That is, until she gets the chance to help Charlie Yates, one of Hollywood’s premier screenwriters, rework his rom com screenplay. Charlie is one of her favorite writers, so it seems like a match made in heaven. But Emma quickly realizes that this script is absolutely awful and that the jaded Charlie hates the entire genre, despises cowriting gigs, and doesn’t even believe in love. Even worse, she maybe, kind of, starts to fall in love with him anyway.
Thanks so much to Mary-Esther for recommending this book to me! I don’t usually read romances, but I trust Mary-Esther’s judgment, and when she told me I had to read this one, I did. And I am so glad I did because it was a lot of fun!
I have read Katherine Center before, and she has a real knack for creating likable, engaging characters. Charlie and Emma are both flawed but layered characters whom I found myself rooting for, even when they were not at their best. I also particularly enjoyed their interactions and all the writing scenes, which Center clearly had a lot of fun crafting.
This book is hilarious–there’s a scene involving the inept opening of a can of biscuits that still has me chuckling–but it’s not just a fluffy romantic comedy either. (Not that there’s anything wrong with fluffy romantic comedies!) Emma and Charlie both grapple with some very heavy issues, but Center still keeps the book lighthearted and hopeful while not at all downplaying those problems.
If you enjoy contemporary fiction, I highly recommend this book! It’s a fun read about two very different people falling in love, just like you’d expect from a rom com, while also being a heartfelt exploration of deeper themes like grief, guilt, and choosing happiness in even the darkest of moments.
Recommended for fans of Emily Henry, Abby Jiminez, Christina Lauren, Mhairi McFarlane, Kristan Higgins, and Annabel Monaghan.
*Ebook and audiobook also available on Libby.
What have you been reading lately? Are you a Katherine Center fan? How do you feel about rom coms? Tell us in the comments! As always, please follow this link to our online library catalog for more information on this book or to place it on hold.
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