Hello,
I’m back with so many wonderful Feb reads. Let’s get into the book report:
I’LL HAVE WHAT SHE’S HAVING by
:Who is this for? Rom-com movie fans and anyone who gobbles up Vulture’s oral history articles.
I adored this book so much that at one point last month it became my entire personality. I’m typically a serial non-fiction abandoner, but was enthralled by this history of Nora Ephron’s 3 rom-coms (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail). It’s packed with behind the scenes tidbits about the development and production of each, along with lots of color on Nora herself. I highly recommend it on audio, the narrator is fantastic.
BYE, BABY by Carola Lovering:
Who is this for? Thriller fans immersed in influencer culture.
I love any exploration of complex female friendships, so I needed to check this out even if I’m not usually a thriller reader. The book follows two childhood best friends, one of whom has become a well-known lifestyle influencer. The two have drifted apart, but rekindle after the influencer’s child is kidnapped. Except she doesn’t realize her best friend has something to do with it. This book was so New Yorky and had so many on-point insights about influencer culture from both the fandom and creator side. I will say that it gave me a creepy, uncomfortable stomach feeling (I’m a baby when it comes to thrillers), but even that couldn’t stop me from turning the pages because I needed to know what happens!
GOOD MATERIAL by Dolly Alderton:
Who is this for? 30-somethings in the dating world.
I try not to talk about books I don’t love, because there are so many I DO love and also authors are my peers and colleagues. And no matter how you feel about a book, someone worked very hard on it and invested months (years!) of their life in making it. BUT this one was our February Bad on Paper book club pick, so my medium feelings are already out of the bag. This follows a recently dumped male stand-up comedian who is obsessed with figuring out why his ex broke up with him. It’s filled with so much fantastic observational humor on everything from birthday parties to being the single friend to married friends with kids, but I strongly preferred the author’s debut novel GHOSTS. It’s probably a matter of relating to a female main character much more strongly than to the male main character in this one. But I’ll say I think this would make a fantastic pick for your IRL book club. Whether you love it, hate it, or are somewhere in between, there’s a lot to unpack for any millennial who has ever dipped a toe in the dating scene.
Want more of Book Enthusiast? Consider becoming a paid subscriber for access to month-end shopping, eating, life round ups; travel recs; more personal posts; Q&A’s; and more.
I mentioned that I got a Kindle, so I’ve been doing some digital reading. I treated myself to ARCs of two of my most-anticipated reads of the year while traveling to/from San Francisco.
THE ROM-COMMERS by Katherine Center (Out June 11):
Who is this for? Closed door romance fans who have a rom-com comfort movie
I entered my Katherine Center era (also my clean closed door romance era) last year, and haven’t looked back. I’ve read most of Center’s back catalog, and I think this one may be my favorite! The book follows an aspiring screenwriter who gets tapped to re-write her writing hero’s newest script, only to find out he’s a huge jerk. The banter is bantering and the author defends (nay, celebrates!) the oft-disrespected romance genre. This was a slam dunk for me!
SUMMER ROMANCE by Annabel Monaghan (Out June 4):
Who is this for? Moms who want to see themselves reflected in the romance genre
Another auto-buy author, another slam dunk! A professional organizer who’s personal life is a hot mess (mid-divorce, grieving the loss of her mother, raising three kids) embarks on a summer romance to get her mojo back. Even though I have little in common with this protagonist, I fell HARD for this book, and especially for the book boyfriend who’s different than other male main characters tropes I’ve seen (reformed screw up). I was rooting so hard for this couple. (And if you haven’t read any of Monaghan’s back catalog, there’s not a single dud in the bunch, IMO).
Your turn! Tell me your favorite Feb read in the comments.
Until next time,
Becca
PS: Want to read along with the Bad on Paper book club in real time? Our March pick is ANITA DE MONTE LAUGHS LAST by Xochitl Gonzalez. We’ll be discussing it in our March 27 episode.
PPS: Need even more recs? Check out January’s book report.
So excited for a new Anabel Monaghan! Nora Goes Off Script was one of my 5-star reads in 2022 & I still think about it!
Omigosh, I'm honored to be in such great company! Thank you so much. That photo too! I am embarrassed to report that I have never read Katherine Center! This changes TODAY. The premise of Rom-Commers is total catnip.