I love Curtis Sittenfeld‘s writing, and it was fun to see her take on the romance genre. This has similar vibesto Nora Goes Off Script, with the celebrity meets normie trope, but is much more grounded in reality. I say that not just because much of the story takes place during the pandemic, but because of the author’s ability to articulate our human foibles with such precision, turning the mundane into to extraordinary - a trademark of her novels. I nodded my head in recognition, got verklempt, and snort laughed from start to finish.
Though the pandemic is essential to the plot, it may be a little too much reality for some readers. I found it cathartic and appreciated how it fleshed out the characters and their priorities. My only struggle with this story was getting through the first third of the book with the minutiae of the fictional SNL world. For the most part, I thought it was more detail than necessary, but I appreciated the exploration of friendship and gender politics - again, essential to the plot.
I know a lot of romance readers are side-eyeing Sittenfeld as an interloper, and I’m sure those who don’t read romance are side-eyeing this offering from a beloved literary writer. I would argue Romantic Comedy is an excellent gateway for all types of readers and has a very broad appeal. Highly recommend!