Book Review of ROMANTIC COMEDY by Curtis Sittenfeld

*SPOILERS*

Who here knew Romantic Comedy drew inspiration from SNL? I sure didn’t; but maybe that was a good thing.

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This review is based on my two day listening binge of the audiobook for Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld narrated by Kristen Sieh. 

First off, what a coincidence that I finished listening to the audiobook of Romantic Comedy the day SNL 50th anniversary special aired. Full exposure, I’m not an avid SNL viewer. Actually, I may have seen two episodes in my lifetime. Comedy skits and late night television wasn’t a common occurrence in my home. For a while we didn’t even have cable; can you believe that! That’s where my addiction to books came in (Addiction? Interest might be a better word for it). Anyways, I wasn’t allowed to watch tv at night but you bet I snuck a flashlight to read under the covers. Before I dig my hole any deeper, let’s get back to Romantic Comedy. 

The book introduced me to the SNL concept and New York life for an entertainment show. Whether the book followed the SNL traditions exactly or not, it did pique my interest. What I enjoyed from the book was the seamless introduction to the late night comedy world. For someone who isn’t quite familiar with shows like this, I got a pretty good idea of it from this novel. 

Romantic Comedy is sectioned into three chapters following the love story of sketch comedy writer Sally Milz and pop music sensation Noah Brewster. The pair first meet during a meeting for The Night Owls where Sally pitches her comedy sketches in front of Noah who is that week’s musical guest. In the few days that they prepare for the live show, Sally and Noah spark an interest for each other; where Noah, ultimately, falls hard. Sally lowers her guard around Noah until one moment brings her wall up real quick. Thus ending their short connection. 

Turning the page to Chapter two, it is 2020 COVID and everything is pretty much in limbo. Sally moves back home and waits until the set is cleared to open back up for filming. Out of the blue, Noah sends her an email. This sets the ball rolling for their soon-to-be pandemic romance. Next thing we know, Sally is driving across the country to meet Noah at his California mansion. From online flirting to in-person make-out sessions, the two become romantically involved. It’s all sunshine and roses until Sally feels out of place and conflicted with her future. Romance tetters as the two work out what it means for them to be in a relationship. 

Things take a turn when Sally’s elderly step-father falls ill. Noah offers to fly her back home where the couple stay and care for her step-father. This time together strengthens their bond and results into an official relationship status. 

Chapter three follows up with Sally’s decisions. She leaves the show and moves in with Noah in California. While in Los Angeles she pursues a career in film. The couple are stronger and comfortable with their relationship where they live happily-ever-after. 

And that pretty much sums up the book. Now to my thoughts—

In Chapter one, maybe because I was listening rather than reading, the time sequence for some scenes felt jumpy, like quick cuts, as if we were watching the story unfold. This may be my brain imagining this but it reads like an episode on screen. Hear me out: it was as if we were watching 30 Rock or Parks and Rec or The Office. You know, the handheld camera movements. The author put us in the writers room, in the pitch meetings, in the development phase of making a skit show. All the behind-the-scenes details were not just painted for readers but recorded on a Canon. This to say, the author wrote this story like a reflection of camera movements and video edits. 

As for the characters, Sally is introduced as this closed minded person who saw the world as black and white. Funny writers got with pretty women. Actresses are cooler than writers. A comedy writer is meant for sketch shows and not for film. True love doesn’t exist.  

It’s funny, I have mad respect for Sally. She left her loveless marriage to pursue her passions. Rose to the top as a great comedy sketch writer. She made some great friends who cared for her. A lot of what she decided in her past led her to where she was at the late night show; and yet she was unhappy. 

Sally placed herself in this dark corner and chose to stay there. At first, it was a bit irritating reading how much Sally would self-loathe herself; but then I thought back to times where I’ve done it and realized that I am not one to judge on that. Sally’s background stood out to me but it’s not the only thing that defines her. She’s hit a rough patch when she accomplished so much. Now what was her next step? Enter Noah Brewster. Throughout Chapter one, Sally’s character goes from rough interior to a bit softer the more Noah takes up her brain space. 

Noah definitely is a charming guy. Right from the start he portrayed himself as a genuine, sweet person. The scenes with Sally, he was kind and sincere with their conversations and honestly wanted to know more about Sally. I’m a sucker for the “he falls first” trope. By the end of the chapter I felt so hopeful that Sally and Noah were going to be an item so when I got to the part where Sally’s wall went back up, I audibly screamed, “What are you doing! Take it back!” ugh, I was invested. 

Moving into Chapter two when the time jumped a few years later to 2020 when COVID was at its peak, I had to know why Sally did what she did. To my (happy) surprise Sally receives an email from Noah. How cute is this! He sent her a letter, a digital letter. After all these years he still thought about her. Warms my heart *heart bubbles* It felt so intimate listening to their email conversations. And when they switched to phone calls, it was so much more charming. 

When Sally gets to Noah’s it was awkward, not like how it’s portrayed in the movies. Sally hasn’t had a proper shower in days, substantial food, she’s been sitting for hours, there’s a lot of unromantic steps that the romance movies don’t show. Despite all that, Noah still finds Sally attractive and Sally remembers how hot Noah is in person. It’s sweet. I appreciate this. The raw picture of car trips and initial encounters. Nothing about car trips is clean and tidy. People eat in their cars and most likely have to pee in or outside where they just ate. Gross in theory, but thoughtful in perspective.

Here is where the character growth escalates. Sally steadily falls for Noah, but reality sets in creating doubts amongst the stability of the relationship. During the pandemic there were a lot of people living in a fantasy world. The author introduces this notion as Sally contemplates her next life moves once the lockdown is lifted. As the whirlwind romance merges to a life altering decision, Sally takes some days to figure it all out. 

It’s real, raw, and reassuring. Sally is like all of us taking a step back to reevaluate our lives. To move across the country, leave a stable job, start fresh with new colleagues, it’ll take more than a movie minute to mull over. Another example of how Romantic Comedy is not like a romantic comedy. 

Chapter three tied everything together nicely. This is where the sweet and romantic movie-esque comes into play. Sally moves in with Noah. They fly her step-father and his adorable dog to California to live with them. And Sally embarks on a new career. It’s what is expected from a romance story. I wanted them to stay together, and I wanted the ending to be happy. For me, this was exactly what I was hoping for throughout the story and I’m glad it was all tied in towards the end.

The title is Romantic Comedy but it’s nothing like the romance comedies we are used to. It’s more of a comedy of life where we laugh to ourselves over our decisions from years before. It’s a romance where vulnerability and flaws draw the character to introduce the reality of a real-life relationship. It’s more than a 13 Going on 30 or She’s the Man or Legally Blonde. This novel is a letter to all the romances we love. For a love story set and developed during the era of the COVID pandemic, it was truthful and intimate in ways a movie can’t show.

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld is unfiltered, sincere, and heartfelt. Perfect for readers who love a character development and happy endings. Get into the SNL/romantic mood and grab a copy today!

You can find a copy here: Bookshop.org | Ebook| Libro.fm | Library

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Happy reading!