Katherine Center weaves classic rom-com tropes into a story that examines the genre as a whole in this fresh and delightful novel.

Emma Wheeler has put her life on hold to care for her father after an accident. With her screenwriting dreams on the back burner, an old friend turned Hollywood agent sends work her way when he can. When the opportunity to work alongside her screenwriting hero comes along, Emma cautiously jumps at the chance. But Hollywood’s glimmer isn’t always gold, and things– and people– aren’t always as they appear.

Center is excellent at balancing heavy and funny plot elements. Emma’s backstory, and her father’s injury, inject reality into an otherwise lighthearted plot. The humorous banter and heart-filled characters work in tandem with the heavier drama to keep the pace and tone just right.

Within that delicate balance of drama and rom-com, the portrayal of Emma’s grief is realistic. As the reader slowly learns the details of her father’s accident–and the impact that had on her and her sister’s lives, especially– Emma’s actions, worries, and choices make sense for her character.

It was delightful to see realistic writing life scenes as Emma and her co-writer, famed screenwriter Charlie Yates, as they find new and inventive ways to work– and not to work– together. I absolutely related to Emma’s lucky writing hoodie and the presence of snacks, and snack wrappers, as they wrote together.

Great character development is always present in Center’s novels, and this is no exception. From the main players to their secondary characters, every character that crosses the page is well developed and feels real. It’s especially delightful to get a glimpse at characters from Center’s last novel, The Bodyguard (review), pop in to certain scenes. I adore when authors have an interconnected universe for their books; it’s always delightful to see characters again.

Center offers an enchanting glimpse into behind the scenes Hollywood. From awards and mansions to hair-pulling over a laptop, the glitzy and the gritty live side by side on the page. The result leads readers through a drama-rom-com, with hijinks and heart, an engaging story from the first page to the last.

Thank you to the author, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for a digital ARC such that I could share my honest opinion.

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