"Romantic Comedy" by Curtis Sittenfeld follows the story of Sally Milz, a writer on the comedy show 'Night Owls', reminiscent of SNL. The book delves into the budding romance between Sally and Noah Webster, a famous pop singer guest host, set against a contemporary backdrop including the challenges brought on by the pandemic. The novel explores Sally's insecurities, Noah's patience, and the dynamics of their evolving relationship with elements of comedy, romance, and social commentary intertwined throughout.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings may include discussions related to anxiety, self-image issues, and a portrayal of the pandemic.
Has Romance?
The romance is a central element of the story and evolves significantly throughout the narrative.
From The Publisher:
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK
A comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions-a "smart, sophisticated, and fun" ( Oprah Daily ) novel from the author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep .
"Full of dazzling banter and sizzling chemistry."- People
"If you ever wanted a backstage pass to Saturday Night Live, this is the book for you."-Zibby Owens, Good Morning America
Sally Milz is a sketch writer for The Night Owls, a late-night live comedy show that airs every Saturday . With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she's long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life.
But when Sally's friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actress who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show-and in society at large-who've gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called the Danny Horst Rule, poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.
Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week's show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn't a romantic comedy-it's real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her . . . right?
With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Curtis Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.
Ratings (34)
Incredible (8) | |
Loved It (5) | |
Liked It (10) | |
It Was OK (6) | |
Did Not Like (4) | |
Hated It (1) |
Reader Stats (64):
Read It (34) | |
Want To Read (22) | |
Did Not Finish (4) | |
Not Interested (4) |
3 comment(s)
I've had several of this author's books on my TBR pile for a while. The overall story setting of Romantic Comedy appealed to me, so I thought I'd give it a try. It did not disappoint--I devoured it. It felt authentic in the telling of an SNL-like live comedy show. The main character's talent along with her personal flaws felt real. The romance was sweet and the hero lovable. The narrator was great too. I really loved this and will definitely re-read in the future.
This book felt unoriginal. It’s allusions to SNL we’re boring to read since I already know how SNL functions; I signed up to read a cutesy romance, not learn the schedule of a late night show. The first half of the story focused on characters and relationships that completely disappeared by the end. Time was wasted on those details, but then at the end, the climax and resolution felt completely rushed and brushed over. I didn’t enjoy read this one.
For some inexplicable reason, I had anticipated this book to be a, well, romance. Unfortunately, it fell quite short of that mark. In about 80% of the book, we follow the life of the protagonist, Sally, focusing on various elements unrelated to her love life, leaving only about 20% dedicated to the romantic aspect. My disappointment wouldn't have been as big if it weren't for the fact that the book, in general, turned out to be rather dull.
The author's writing style simply did not resonate with me. It's overly verbose, and readers must brace themselves for a constant, unending monologue from the protagonist. Sally pours forth her opinions, complaints, frustrations, and convictions, meticulously detailing her work on the comedy show and the minutiae of everyday life. Initially, this wasn't too taxing, but it was certainly not what I had expected nor what I was looking for. However, in the second half of the book, I grew genuinely weary of her voice and all the intricacies of her life. I can't pinpoint why, but I found it hard to like or even truly care about Sally.
Then there is this email exchange between Noah and Sally that is so stilted and awkwardly written that it feels as though an editor's touch was never applied. Unless, of course, the author intentionally aimed for this level of awkwardness, though it doesn't seem likely.
Sally's mature reflections on various social issues sharply contrast with how she talks about her feelings for Noah, which come across as very juvenile in my opinion. Her initial infatuation with Noah feels more fitting for a teenager than a mature woman. This made it even harder for me to believe that these feelings would last and evolve into a serious relationship. Especially since the descriptions of the scenes between Sally and Noah, intended to be romantic, radiate an immature and tacky feeling. It really sometimes felt like I was reading YA from the early 2000s.
As for the romance, it's practically a love-at-first-sight situation for both Sally and Noah. I genuinely couldn't comprehend where Sally's overwhelming feelings for Noah stemmed from, which she begins expressing within the first third of the book—simply from listening to his songs, reading a few online articles, and one business conversation? I truly couldn't fathom it. I didn't sense chemistry between the main characters; it was actually quite challenging to believe that they were good friends or knew each other very well.
This isn't a bad book; it's just not the story for me. By the time I finished reading it, I was genuinely drained. The author's writing style simply didn't align with me.
What can you read after
Romantic Comedy?
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