Romantic Comedy Archives

January 4, 2022January 4, 2022

Love at First Spite-Review-RomCom-Available Now

Love at First Spite is everything a person could want in a romantic comedy.

Not only is there a winning heroine and swoon-worthy hero, but there are terrific secondary characters who have just enough time in the story to make it interesting. There is also a great setup and even better follow-through in the plot.

Plus, there is an excellent “Dirty Dancing” reference.

Who could ask for anything more?

I love how the author takes “normal” romcom tropes (workplace, opposites, enemies to friends to lovers, revenge) and crafts it all into a believable and winning story.

I admit to being a little upset with Dani at first because I thought she was too negative in her assessments of people, particularly Wyatt. But then I realized that it was a reaction to how Sam treated her, as well as how she perceived her mother and father’s relationship – and then it all made sense.

It is easy to see where there are missed connections between Dani and Wyatt, and the author does a fantastic job of skirting that just enough that the reader knows what is going on even as Dani remains clueless.

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But where the author truly excels is in Dani’s reactions as she realizes what is really going on with Wyatt. In my opinion, any author that can make a reader experience the same “swoop in the belly” that a character feels when they recognize an attraction building has done an excellent job of character development and writing.

In other words, it is awesome to have those feelings right along with Dani – it makes it all more realistic.

As I mentioned before, the secondary characters have just enough to do to make things interesting. Mia and Iris both add comic relief in their own ways, and a stealth scene with Mia and Dani late in the book had me literally laughing out loud.

Of course, the spite that propels the entire plot is well-placed and serves as a platform for the relationships that build. A twist at the end could seem sensationalistic, but actually fit the rest of the story. And I loved how “the girls” dealt with all of it.

As I mentioned, Love at First Spite is a quintessential Romantic Comedy and should not be missed. It sets the bar high for the genre for the rest of the year.

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Author Bio:
Anna E. Collins is a Seattle-area author who writes stories about the lives and loves of women. Once upon a time she was a teacher, and she has a master’s degree in educational psychology. LOVE AT FIRST SPITE is her first novel.

October 1, 2021October 3, 2021

The Mistletoe Pact (Lovett)-BoT-Romantic Comedy-Available Now

I find myself confused by this author’s books. There are so many things that I like, but at the same time, I’m finding that there are things that I wish were improved to make the good things even better.

First for the good. The author has a talent for making characters that seem real and believable. They’re often pleasant, which makes the reader want to root for them to finally get together.

That’s certainly the case with Dan and Evie. It’s no spoiler to say that their relationship is fated to be, but there are a lot of stumbles along the way.

The story is told in an interesting fashion. We start in the “now” which is Christmas, with Evie and Dan in Las Vegas. As they say, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But for them, it isn’t that easy.

From there, the plot switches to past Christmases, eventually catching up to the present. Then the author does something unusual and moves the action forward, where “now” actually becomes the future (2022).

This was effective because it made sense in the context of Dan and Evie’s plot arc. It also allowed for a LOT of other stuff to happen in the meantime.

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And in some ways, although I liked the movement forward, it almost seemed like there was too much to fit in. I really enjoyed their story, but once I reached the “now” of the present time, everything else seemed like filler.

Which is weird, because that’s actually where the bulk of the action takes place.

Anyway, there were times that I felt that the author was trying to do too much. Dan had issue after issue – with his dad, his brother, his ex – and it didn’t always seem to fit the overall plot. More that “let’s give Dan more so that the reader will be more sympathetic toward him.”

Evie was sort of the same. Between the sexy mom and the lackluster boyfriends, it all seemed to just pile on. I didn’t feel it was necessary because the plot itself (and the romance) was pretty decent to begin with. It could have been more straightforward.

There were also times that I felt that the author got lazy in the actual writing. Phrases became repetitive, people repeated what others had just said, whole conversations were of the same thing said by different people. It might have been for comedic effect, but it just fell flat for me.

Which is a shame, because as I mentioned, Dan and Evie’s story is charming. And if the telling of it had been more direct with less added drama, I could have enjoyed it even more.

As always, that’s my take on it. Other people may have a different opinion and may like the extra details. There is enough to like in the book for anyone to give it a try for themselves.

Author Bio:

Jo Lovett lives in London with her family. She worked in Corporate Tax before taking a longer-than-expected career break to have more-than-expected children (five). She started writing romantic comedy when she realised that she was regularly begging her oldest son to let her do his English homework but she wasn’t actually that interested in haunted houses or Macbeth.

Jo was runner-up in the Good Housekeeping/ Orion First Novel Competition 2018 and shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Award 2019. When she can escape from her laundry mountain and childcare, she enjoys reading, tennis and wine.

August 1, 2021July 28, 2021

One Night Only (Walsh)-BoT-Romantic Comedy-Available Now

One of the things I look for when I read a romantic comedy is how easily I can cast and visualize a movie version of it in my head. If it’s easy to do, it’s a winner of a story. If I have difficulty, there may still be good parts, but it also may come up lacking.

I’m happy to say that One Night Only fell firmly in the former category. From the opening to closing scenes, I was taken by the characters and their trajectory. I knew right away that this was going to be a good one, and I hoped that the author would be able to sustain it.

Spoiler alert: It was really good all the way through!

I liked the whole setup. Even though I had an idea of what was going to happen in the early pages (I mean, it’s in the blurb and book description!), I still literally laughed out loud at how it all went down.

The wedding that made up the opening chapters was not only a great way to start the book and set the tone, but it was a lot of fun as well. Call it “My Big Fat Irish Wedding,” complete with obnoxious family members, unseasonal weather, and members of the wedding party who indulge in too much Guinness.

Honestly, what’s not to like about that.

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As to the two main characters, I got a better feeling for Declan than I did for Sarah, or so I thought. She was prickly (for her own reasons) and he was brooding and charming. Certainly, a perfect case of “opposites attract.”

Sometimes, in between the initial meet and the final kiss, the relationship flags and it can seem drawn out. That wasn’t the case here. The author put enough in about the characters’ personal lives that it stayed interesting.

As I have mentioned in past reviews, I like to take notes in the books as I read. It makes it easier to write reviews later on. A recurring note in this book was “real.” I used it to describe emotions, reactions, statements, situations…it just all came across as plausible life experiences.

I did think that some of Sarah’s reasoning was a little suspect, and there were times that she seemed inconsistent, but I think that might have been on purpose. She wasn’t always honest with herself, so it was natural that she would appear so to the reader as well.

I really liked the way Declan handled her. I expected a little bit more out of her job revelations, and wanted a better resolution to the Matthias situation, especially in light of what she found out. But (again) I understand why the author wrote it the way she did.

All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable book that made me laugh in all the right places and gave me those little swoops of “real love” recognition. For once, the tag of “hilarious romantic comedy” is 100% accurate. I’d highly recommend it as a light, fun, beachy read.

Oh, and as to the casting – I’m not totally sold on my decisions, but I could see Adam Weafer or Eoin Macken as Declan and Anna Kendrick or Hailee Steinfeld as Sarah. But what do I know? 😊

Twitter: @CatWalshWriter
Instagram: catwalshwriter/

Author Bio:

Catherine Walsh was born and raised in Ireland. She has a degree in Popular Literature and the only prize she ever won for writing was at the age of 14 in school (but she still cherishes it.)

She lived in London for a few years where she worked in Publishing and the non-profit sector before returning to Dublin where she now lives between the mountains and the sea. When not writing she is trying and failing to not kill her houseplants.

May 27, 2021May 29, 2021

Talk Bookish to me (Bromley)-Blog Tour-Rom Com-Available Now

I’ll be clear right off the top.

If you’re a book blogger, you’ll love this book.

If you’re a bookstagrammer, you’ll love this book.

If you’re a casual reviewer, you’ll love this book.

In short, if you like books at all, in any way, you’ll love this book.

Not only is there a lot of discussion about books, genres, tropes, character motivation, etc., but it’s all relayed in witty dialogue with charming characters and a great plot.

It’s a romance, so you know that it’s probably inevitable that the main couple will end up together. But I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun reading a couple’s trajectory.

The main characters (Ryan and Kara) re-meet cute. The tension is great, the chemistry is off the charts almost immediately. You can’t help but root for them.

I thought the subplot of Kara needing to finish her book and could only do so with Ryan’s influence was clever. It may seem far-fetched to some, but I thought it worked well.

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I totally identified with Kara. Not because of her situation in the present, but because the description of her in college felt familiar. I could have been her. I probably was her.

In some ways, even the relationship she and Ryan had was similar to one I had. Mine didn’t have the arc theirs did though. Thankfully.

Anyway, back to the book.

The real charmer in all of this is Duke. He added so much humor and he couldn’t even talk. But anyone who knows a character like Duke will be able to relate to how much truth there was in his scenes.

Of course, the path to true love never did run smooth (or however that saying goes). Sometimes in Rom Coms, the thing that keeps the couple apart seems contrived. In this case, it totally fit with the plot and the characters.

I also enjoyed the descriptions of Italy because I’ve been there a few times so that brought up nice memories.

Honestly, I just loved everything about this book. It is definitely the perfect beach read, and it should go to the top of your TBR list for the summer immediately.

It’s a great debut novel, and I hope to read many more from this author.

**Social Links:**
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Twitter: @kbromleywrites
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KATE BROMLEY lives in New York City with her husband, son, and her somewhat excessive collection of romance novels (It’s not hoarding if it’s books, right?). She was a preschool teacher for seven years and is now focusing full-time on combining her two great passions – writing swoon-worthy love stories and making people laugh. Talk Bookish to Me is her first novel.

April 22, 2021April 22, 2021

The House Swap-Books On Tour (Review)-Romantic Comedy-Available Now

This had one of the cleverest “meets” I’ve read in a romantic comedy this year. I thought the author did a great job of making it authentic but interesting, as it allowed me to immediately get to know the characters.

For once, I actually related more to the male character (James) than I did to Cassie. There were several reasons for this.

One, I understood the need to get away. I haven’t had an embarrassing experience like James (and thankfully no relationship that went south like his), but the feeling of being claustrophobic in a big city was very familiar.

I also could empathize with his bewilderment at the rural aspects of his new home. When my husband and I moved from NYC to upstate NY, we were equal parts thrilled to be out of the city but also found it difficult to fit in to established norms of a small town. This was repeated when we moved to WV.

Interestingly, at least to me, I could relate to Cassie in that we just moved from rural back to urban. Her observations about access to stores, restaurants, etc. were similar to what we have been feeling lately. However, I didn’t feel that her singular personal focus actually fit her character. (You’ll understand that if you read it).

While I liked each of the characters individually (although James started off as kind of a jerk), I didn’t get much from them as a romantic couple. The author has a lot of conversations between the two, but I really didn’t feel any chemistry.

All of a sudden, they were both questioning their feelings for each other. Huh?

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I think that maybe had to do with the way the author time jumped through the plot. It felt similar to fast forwarding through a movie. For example, one minute Cassie has barely moved in and the next she’s going to dinner parties with the neighbors. It felt disjointed.

I also think this contributed to the failure (again, solely my opinion) of the romance. James and Cassie were at pretty much polar opposite ends of a very important aspect in a relationship, each for their own reasons.

As you can read in the blurbs and other reviews, the subject of their opposition is highly personal and could be difficult for some people to read – but it certainly wasn’t a lighthearted romance issue.

So, I’m left torn. I liked the individuals and the descriptions of the respective houses and locations. I really liked the Maine townspeople (and animals). But the main character romance could have used some juicing up.

I’d still recommend it for the initially stated unique set-up and some genuinely amusing moments.

Author Bio:

Jo was runner-up in the Good Housekeeping/ Orion First Novel Competition 2018 and shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Award 2019. Her first novel, ‘The First Time We Met’, was published by Bookouture in November 2020 and her second, ‘The House Swap’, comes out in April 2021. When she can escape from her laundry mountain, she enjoys reading, tennis and wine.

April 20, 2021April 20, 2021

Otterly Irresistible-Book Review-Romantic Comedy-On Sale Now!

I am a gigantic fan of Boys of the Bayou. I’ve mentioned in several reviews of the original series how much the Landry family feels welcoming and how a story set in Autre feels like visiting home.

So, imagine how excited I was that there is a new spinoff series, Boys of the Bayou Gone Wild. The author cleverly hinted at the possibility in Four Weddings and a Swamp Boat Tour by introducing grumpy Griffin, Mitch’s roommate, and Tori’s co-worker.

Side note: If you haven’t read any of these books, get started with My Best Friend’s Mardi Gras Wedding. Your enjoyment will be infinitely multiplied with the background on the Landry family that has been built over previous books.

About Griffin: he’s a grumpy bastard, pretty much by his own admission. He definitely prefers animals over humans. Honestly, who can blame him? Haven’t we all felt that way at one time?

What was hysterical to me is that the animals seem to return the favor – he is their favorite human. The otters adore him, the llamas respect him…and then there’s Sugar.

Sugar gets a special mention because she happens to be one of the funniest characters I have read in a long time. Her personality comes across clear and strong.

Charlie should also get a mention in here because the story is half hers. Just like the other women in the Landry family, she’s equal parts sass and strength, but with a vulnerability that makes her more appealing.

That’s another strength of the author. Her female characters are not perfect by any stretch. They’re not the shining ingenue who the reader loves to hate. Nowhere close.

Charlie, just like Tori, Maggie, Kennedy, and the other Landry women (either by blood or by marriage), is somebody I want to know. I want to be able to hang out with her, commiserating over lost jobs and obnoxious men, sharing Bayou gossip, and grilling her on the sexy times.

And oh, those sexy times. It’s a wonder Charlie and Griffin didn’t set the barn on fire. Yet another strength of the author – making me feel that pit in my stomach of a new love being explored in the most delicious ways.

I could go on and on about how many different things I liked about this book and highlight all of the parts that made me laugh, swoon, and even tear up.

But truly, you should just pick up the book and lose yourself in the Bayou. As I said earlier, this can be read as a standalone romance, but you’d be better to start with the first in the original series.

Do it for Gus, Al Pacacino, Bobby and Cindy, and (of course) for Sugar.

Treat yourself. You deserve it.

March 2, 2021March 2, 2021

Four Weddings and a Swamp Boat Tour-Blog Tour (Review)-RomCom-Available Now

How much do I love this series?

How excited am I that we are back in Autre with the Landry family?

We just moved 1000 miles, and I have left ALL of the unpacking until I could finish this story. I don’t even care about not having space for all of our clothes, or where the plunger is, or that we still haven’t found our pots and pans or even have furniture to sit on.

Don’t care one bit. I care about the Paige and Mitch and their story. Period.

I devour these books. I want to live there. Just like Paige realizes, being part of their world would be amazing.

While I greatly enjoy other books and series, I cannot think of a single other setting or characters that I want to be real and be able to be a part of…weird, right?

I really enjoyed Paige’s journey in this one. As we are reminded a few times, she’s only 22, and she definitely exhibits a self-centered vibe through the beginning chapters. It may make me sound old, but I think that’s pretty typical of any person in their early 20s.

But as she spends time with Mitch and the Landrys, she comes to some deep realizations that make her re-evaluate her own perspectives on family and how they support each other.

For a rom-com, I thought her growth was particularly interesting and heartfelt. I could literally see her maturing throughout the book. That made me want to root for her.

I think that (maybe…just maybe) she also reminded me of, well…me. I was older than 22, but I also took off across the country, leaving my family (and everything I’d ever known) on a whim for a guy I’d met only a few times.

That was 18 years ago. We’ll be celebrating our 15^th wedding anniversary this May.

Didn’t realize how much I identified with Paige while I was reading the story, but now it makes more sense to me.

But I digress.

Of course, it being Autre and the Bayou, there’s a healthy dose of Landry crazy, although not as wild as some of the past stories. And Mitch truly is one of the good guys….one of the most swoon-worthy heroes of the series.

And that’s saying a lot with this bunch.

My only complaint, and it’s a minor one, is that I wish more attention had been given to the weddings. I don’t want to spoil anything, but I would have loved some details about each of the weddings in question (readers will know what I am talking about).

There were some perfect opportunities to explore the things that made these couples who they were, and I wish they had gotten a little bit of extra detail – just to spend some time with them celebrating.

That being said, I am truly beyond excited that we got to meet the next group of Bayou Boys and that it seems as if there a few stories yet to come. I can’t wait to return and visit with this crazy clan.

Many thanks to Ms. Nicholas for creating a world that engulfs me and reminds me that there are still many things to be thankful for in this world, even if they’re fictional.

About Erin Nicholas

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Erin Nicholas has been writing romances almost as long as she’s been reading them. To date, she’s written over thirty sexy, contemporary novels that have been described as “toe-curling,” “enchanting,” “steamy,” and “fun.” She adores reluctant heroes, imperfect heroines, and happily ever afters.

Erin lives in the Midwest, where she enjoys spending time with her husband (who only wants to read the sex scenes in her books), her kids (who will never read the sex scenes in her books), and her family and friends (who claim to be “shocked” by the sex scenes in her books).

January 17, 2021January 21, 2021

Did My Love Life Shrink in the Wash?-Books On Tour (Review)-Romantic Comedy-Available Now

I have grown so attached to this family. All of the sisters are unique in how they handle various relationship issues, but the strength of their bond is always apparent – even as they yell and give each other a bad time.

The great thing about the Callaghan sisters is that each of them approaches motherhood in a completely different manner. The talent of the author is that each portrayal is accurate. She always manages to capture an aspect of motherhood that someone can relate to.

Beth’s story is no exception.

She and her partner Will are the club-hopping, fun-loving couple. Until Joe comes along. All of a sudden, life is no longer parties, staying out until all hours of the night, and only caring about their own pleasures.

Not to give anything away, but let’s just say that Beth steps up to responsibility a lot more than Will does. (You can find actual spoilers elsewhere).

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That’s not to say that Beth does it completely willingly – and certainly doesn’t do it perfectly. But this is the accuracy that I mentioned earlier. Beth is the personification of the tired mummy who is positive that she’s doing everything wrong, but still manages to do right by her kid.

It helps that she has an ally in Paddy, who was probably my favorite character. I don’t know why I liked him so much, but he was just enjoyable. I especially liked the way his story turned out, proving it’s never too late to find love.

And sometimes it’s in an unexpected place.

There are lots of unexpected events in this story – I think more so than the previous books. Although, that is a hallmark of the sisters…unusual and unexpected events that force them to make normal decisions.

I also liked how each of the chapters was a “track” – I chose to find each of the songs and listen to them before reading the chapter. I think it definitely enhanced my understanding of Beth’s frame of mind.

Not to mention it was just fun.

We got a lot of Beth in the previous book (Can I Give My Husband Back?) so it makes sense that she was the next for a story.

That being said, I’m still waiting for Lucy. Given her appearances in the first three books, I have a feeling that her story will be the end-all, be-all. I expect great things.

No pressure Ms. Bailey!

Author Bio:

Mother-of-four, gin-drinker, binge-watcher, receipt hoarder, enthusiastic but terrible cook. Kristen also writes. She has had short fiction published in several publications including Mslexia & Riptide. Her first two novels, Souper Mum and Second Helpings were published in 2016. In 2019, she was long listed in the Comedy Women in Print Prize and has since joined the Bookouture family. She writes women’s fiction and she hopes her novels have fresh and funny things to say about modern life, love and family.

You can find out more about her at her website: www.kristenbaileywrites.com.

November 11, 2020November 9, 2020

The First Time We Met-Books On Tour (Review)-RomCom-Available Now

I’m going to admit, I started this book very confused.

On the one hand, I enjoyed the back and forth between Izzy and Sam. I thought that their connection was obvious, and I could literally feel the relationship “fizz” between them. However, there were other parts where it seemed as if the author was just trying to fill in in order to move to the next fizzy part.

Case in point – within “Part I” of the book, there were several life events for both Sam and Izzy that were quickly glossed over. Births, deaths, break-ups, moves. It was quite a whirlwind and didn’t give me sound footing. I understand that the author needed to get to the rest of the book, but I wish it had been a little bit smoother.

In Part II, however (and through the rest of the book), the plot follows a more regulated timeline of both Sam’s and Izzy’s lives.

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What I liked about the book was how it reminded me of a 90s Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks movie. And I thought that even before it was mentioned in the book!

Obviously, the course of true love never does run smoothly, and that’s certainly the case with Sam and Izzy. They were two ships passing in the night. Repeatedly. Just when they seemed as if they were on the right track, life kicked them back again.

I didn’t mind that, because it kept me guessing as to whether or not they would ever be at the right place at the right time together. But, as with any good RomCom, love prevails (of course). You know it’s going to, but it’s all about the journey getting there. I loved how it all came full circle, quite literally.

And any book that has a “Friends” reference is okay by me.

Author Bio:

Jo Lovett lives in London with her family.

She worked in Corporate Tax before taking a longer-than-expected career break to have more-than-expected children (five). She started writing romantic comedy when she realised that she was regularly begging her oldest son to let her do his English homework but she wasn’t actually that interested in haunted houses or Macbeth.

Jo was runner-up in the Good Housekeeping/ Orion First Novel Competition 2018 and shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Award 2019.

When she can escape from her laundry mountain and childcare, she enjoys reading, tennis and wine.

October 20, 2020October 20, 2020

About Last Night-Blog Tour(Review)-RomCom-Available Now

This is my second book by this author. I found the first one, The Best Man, charming and (for the most part) entertaining. So, I was willing to read this newest release. While there were good moments, I don’t know if it lived up to the first book.

One thing this author does well is male banter. The scenes between Tyler and his brother and other male friends were amusing and gave a real sense of their characters. You know that Tyler has something deeper inside of him than the “God’s Gift to Women” that his reputation proves.

He is a very strong personality. Plus, in terms of the setting, he is on home turf. This puts Holly, his neighbor, and focus of attention (both good and bad) at a distinct disadvantage. Not only is she new to the area, but she’s also hiding a few secrets, which makes her very cautious.

In light of Tyler’s demeanor, this makes Holly seem weak. The problem is that I don’t think she was, but he just overpowered her at almost every turn. As I mentioned in my previous review, this may be a cultural thing, but it was a little difficult to get used to.

I also had a difficult time with the ages. Tyler’s attitude would have made a lot more sense if he was pushing 30. But at pushing 40 it seemed almost creepy. Again, that could be cultural. But his “player” ways and attitude toward women seemed more fitting for someone a decade or so younger.

I think I understand why the author chose to make him this age, though. The whole conceit is that he finally realizes that he needs to settle down and stop being a jerk and that Holly is the person he wants to do that with, but given their initial meeting and rocky start, that’s challenging to say the least.

I still think it would have worked better had he been younger. At least, I would have bought into it more. But that’s just me. It didn’t bother me entirely, but it did make me wonder why he couldn’t have been younger. Would that have made it more acceptable? I don’t know – it’s an interesting thought.

Are we pre-programmed to think that certain things should occur at certain ages, and that one should be a grown up by a certain age, or at least curtail certain behaviors? I didn’t expect to think so deeply about a RomCom, to be honest.

Anyway, it was still a good story, and there was some crisp and fun dialogue. Other readers may have a completely different experience. It was a good book.