romantic comedy

that caviar is a garnish

Finally, we come to the rom-com. That much maligned¹ genre that creates terrible movies but delightful books. Whatever you do , DO NOT go see Anyone but You. It fails on literally every level. Utter garbage. The only truly excellent rom-coms are: You’ve Got Mail, When Harry met Sally and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.

Seriously, why is it so hard to make a truly great romantic comedy movie² when there are a plethora of terrific rom-com books out there? I don't know, but I do have high hopes for Yulin Kuang’s upcoming Emily Henry adaptations. Perhaps high concept scenarios, rollicking romps and sexy sentimentality just feel more engaging and true while reading rather than watching. I know I’m usually more on board for shenanigans in novel format than on a screen.

Anywayyyyy, to close out romance month, I’m presenting a few reads that provide heart, humor and escapism. Are you not amused!?

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne

Lucy is the executive assistant³ to the co-CEO of a publishing house. Joshua is the other co-CEO’s executive assistant and her mortal enemy. If mortal enemies were defeated by quirky outfits, snippy comebacks, color coded filing systems and The Staring Game then all would be well and the promotion she is up for would be in the bag. Too bad that hot as hell and cold as ice Joshua (who lives to torment Lucy with his business acumen, rule following and smirking) is also up for the same promotion. They each have super important personal reasons they need this job and smoldering tension, emotional bonding and truces are not on the schedule. Except that maybe they are…

This was my first foray into classic romance novels way back in 2016 and, as you may have noticed this month, launched my adoration for the genre. Lucy is cute and feisty, a terrific foil for the aloof and brooding Joshua so the dynamics at play are distinctly pleasing to observe and their chemistry sizzles. Juicy scenes abound: elevator kissing, sickbed comforting, sexy dreams, short hemline revenge, heavy petting in supply closets, non-consensual⁴ nicknames, couch make-outs, paintball battles, fake dating, jaw tensing and, of course, only one bed. There are a few silly ingredients (smurfs? why?) and some over the top sentimentality but that’s what you get when you play with a rom-com so mostly these just add the requisite quirkiness needed and don’t take me out of the story. Now, are there elements that would be quite problematic in real life? Sure, but these real life turn-offs are fun to read about within the safety of fiction so I don’t know what to tell you.

Extra Credit: There is a movie version, but it completely miscasts Joshua (Lucy is ok-ish), has a very weird tone and does stupid plot things. Fine to watch if you must, but not a replacement by any means. ⁵

“How You Doing, Little Lucy?” His bright tone and mild expression indicates we’re playing a game we almost never play. It’s a game called How You Doing? and it basically starts off like we don’t hate each other. We act like normal colleagues who don’t want to swirl their hands in each other’s blood. It’s disturbing.

Beach Read by Emily Henry

January is a romance writer who has recently given up on the concept and is spending the summer in a Michigan beach house, hoping to cobble together something for her editor. Next door is Augustus, a “serious” writer suffering from his own troubles and writer’s block. Soon a challenge is proposed to fix their predicaments: each will help the other write outside their typical genre to branch out and get those creative muscles working again. By the end of the summer Augustus will write a Happily Every After book and January will assemble something dark, gritty and “real” and then they will go their separate ways. Hah!

Emily Henry is the Queen of Banter and writes dialogue better and more consistently than any other romance author I’ve read. Her characters are always layered and sharply realized, with believable emotionality that results in interactions that are comedic but never zany. The setups and scenarios feel true and funny in a charming, real life way. They aren’t slapstick or juvenile like some rom-coms with their crazy shenanigans and absurd decision making. I’m not really here for that type of humor, it can feel condescending and stupid. The supporting characters are cute and well placed, adding local color but not detracting from the main plot or romance. As a reader who is enamored with the skills of authors, I was 100% in for all the writer-ey content of book creation. I love that EH’s characters always need to do deep inner work for the HEA and there isn’t a makeshift conflict for the sake of drama.

I’ve often recommended this one for those new to romance because it is sexy though not super graphic, includes some terrific defenses of the genre as well as thoughtful commentary on what gets to be “literature” and why are books labeled “women’s fiction” when there isn’t a “men’s fiction” … think about it.

Extra Credit: After you read this (and preferably the other Emily Henry books), here is an extended epilogue as bonus content.

“As usual, the blank document was staring accusingly at me, refusing to fill itself with words or characters, no matter how long I stare back”

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

If you know your romance novels, you’ll recognize Nora as the sleek, blonde career woman from NYC that is broken up with when her boyfriend discovers that his soulmate is actually the adorable, plucky small town girl he’s met like a week ago. After accepting that she may need to shake things up, she heads to small town (gasp!) North Carolina with her sister for a much needed extended getaway where she can still work as a literary agent. Hopeful for her own arc to take place, she looks for some small town charm but somehow instead keeps encountering the moody, dry humored Charlie, an editor and fellow NYC transplant. As circumstances eventually have them working together, they encounter inconvenient feelings, angst and sexy times.

Two EH’s in one post!? Yes.⁶ You’re welcome. Another story set in the writing world, I was giddy with all the story editing⁷ content here. It is another banter filled romance with realistic characters who are rival adjacent⁸ and just need to tackle some inner demons before they can let themselves settle down and just be in love. I enjoyed the twists on some classic romance tropes, especially with Nora’s character and you know a bookstore setting is always a welcome environment for me. In the Emily Henry romance universe, this one is my favorite.

“Is there anything better than iced coffee and a bookstore on a sunny day? I mean, aside from hot coffee and a bookstore on a rainy day.”

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood

Olive is a Ph.D candidate who somehow lands herself in a fake dating scheme with Adam, the resident hot, brooding, young lab professor. Each armed with their own Reasons to pretend to be in a relationship, they are forced to put on quite a convincing show in various circumstances and once feelings get involved, it all gets quite messy and exciting.

This is the first and best Ali Hazelwood. Her later books include many of the same elements⁹ but this one does them all better. It was also my first Reylo fanfic turned published novel¹⁰ of which now there are many¹¹. Now, this one does have a few quite contrived scenarios and way too much pumpkin spice content, but I was able to set most of my cynicism aside because its all so god damn cute, playful and escapist. Adorable interactions abound, pining abounds, women in STEM abound, men overwhelmed by their luck abounds, tropes abound¹². Its all happening here and all very enjoyable from beginning to end.

Extra Credit: For Adam’s POV on Chapter 16¹³, sign up for the author’s newsletter and have at it.

Which are your favorite rom-com books?

1. by me

2. i miss nora ephron

3. been there

4. “Watching you pretend to hate the nickname is the best part of my day.“

5. what book to film adaptation is really? the answer is none. none more black.

6. its my newsletter. i do what i want

7. i’m a development editor, this is normal. hire me

8. which provides great tension

9. too many actually, they are fun but feel too repetitive

10. say hi to another adam driver doppelgänger on the cover!

11. see here

12. forced proximity, fake dating, don’t even think about hurting her or else, only one bed, etc etc etc

13. sly face emoji