Above everything else, It Only Happens in the Movies is a no-holds-barred honest social commentary, which sheds light on the “taboo” and defiantly challenges society’s ideal perceptions on love, romance, and relationships. Not only does Bourne debunk the clichés and stereotypes of romance films (and indirectly questions the societal standards of romance), but also, through Audrey’s voice and narrative, criticizes the portrayal of women both in films and literature.

The constant question in It Only Happens in the Movies is this: “Where is the rest?” And this is an important question that, more often than not, we forget to ask ourselves as we swoon over the heroine and love interest in any story told in any medium. Sometimes, we forget that stories in films and books don’t necessarily capture the entire picture. Instead, what we see are fragments of a reality or of a universe we are only briefly introduced to, and more often than not, these fragments are “the good parts” of the story – the parts that are charming, that we repeatedly swoon over, that we find desirable, and that lead the audience to the inevitable happy ending.

Note: I received a finished copy of It Only Happens in the Movies as part of my participation in a blog tour hosted by The Nocturnal Fey. This neither affects my opinion nor the content of my review. Many thanks to Erika @ The Nocturnal Fey as well as the publisher for the opportunity!