#52 [2023/CBR15] Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

I've read Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld, which I enjoyed. So when I began seeing Romantic Comedy (2023) around, I figured I'd like that one as well. Sally Milz is a sketch writer for The Night Owls [basically, SNL]. She's been working at the show for nine years and loves the frantic energy of it all. After an early failed marriage and an unrequited crush on another SNL writer, she's dedicated to staying single. 

But Sally has noticed how many of the male writers on the show have ended up dating some very gorgeous starlets, and it never works the other way around. The latest of these is her office mate, Danny Horst (think Colin Jost and Scarlet Johannson and/or Pete Davidson and Ariana Grande). Sally comes up with "The Danny Horst" rule as an idea for a skit.

That week, they have Noah Brewster as both the host and the musical guest. Sally ends up helping refine a skit idea of Noah's, and the two seem to get along really well. But Sally can't believe that Noah could ever be into her; she can't let go of her made up rule.

The book is split up into three sections. The first section is the glimpse into SNL that first week when Sally and Noah meet each other. I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes feel of this section of the book. Although there was not much romance, the grinding out of the show kept my interest.

The next section of the book is right after Covid. Everything has shut down, and Sally is back living at her step-father's home in the Midwest. Noah emails Sally out of the blue and the two start writing to each other. And then they start talking on the phone, and then they start facetiming. This was probably my favorite section of the book. I've always loved epistolary storytelling, and I think Sittenfeld did a great job with it here. I loved how they slowly became more and more intimate as their emails continued. I liked that Sittenfeld used Covid to set up the circumstances where two lonely and bored people would begin communicating again. If they'd both been busy with their pre-Covid lives, it probably wouldn't have happened.

Finally, the last section of the book is when they come together. I thought Sittenfeld did a good job with the natural awkwardness of getting to know someone. And Sally had to get used to being in a serious relationship again--especially one with a famous pop star celebrity. Maybe Noah was a little too good to be true, but that's what romances are all about. I enjoyed this one. Recommended.