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A Novel
by Curtis SittenfeldA comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions—a hilarious, observant, and deeply tender novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep.
New York Times bestseller • Reese's Book Club Pick • A comedy writer thinks she's sworn off love, until a dreamy pop star flips the script on all her assumptions—a "smart, sophisticated, and fun" (Oprah Daily) novel from the author of Eligible, Rodham, and Prep.
A Best Book of the Year: The Washington Post, NPR, USA Today, BuzzFeed, PopSugar, Harper's Bazaar, Real Simple, She Reads, New York Post
Sally Milz is a sketch writer for The Night Owls, a late-night live comedy show that airs every Saturday. With a couple of heartbreaks under her belt, she's long abandoned the search for love, settling instead for the occasional hook-up, career success, and a close relationship with her stepfather to round out a satisfying life.
But when Sally's friend and fellow writer Danny Horst begins dating Annabel, a glamorous actress who guest-hosted the show, he joins the not-so-exclusive group of talented but average-looking and even dorky men at the show—and in society at large—who've gotten romantically involved with incredibly beautiful and accomplished women. Sally channels her annoyance into a sketch called The Danny Horst Rule, poking fun at this phenomenon while underscoring how unlikely it is that the reverse would ever happen for a woman.
Enter Noah Brewster, a pop music sensation with a reputation for dating models, who signed on as both host and musical guest for this week's show. Dazzled by his charms, Sally hits it off with Noah instantly, and as they collaborate on one sketch after another, she begins to wonder if there might actually be sparks flying. But this isn't a romantic comedy—it's real life. And in real life, someone like him would never date someone like her ... right?
With her keen observations and trademark ability to bring complex women to life on the page, Curtis Sittenfeld explores the neurosis-inducing and heart-fluttering wonder of love, while slyly dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.
Chapter 1
April 2018
Weekly Schedule for The Night Owls
Monday 1 p.m. pitch meeting with guest host
Tuesday 5 p.m. start of all-night writing session
Wednesday 12 p.m. deadline for submitted sketches
Wednesday 3 p.m. table read of submitted sketches
Wednesday 9 p.m. preliminary show lineup posted internally
Wednesday night–Saturday morning rehearsals; scripts revised; sets built; special effects designed; hair, makeup, and costumes chosen and created; pre-tapes shot
Saturday 1 p.m. run-through of show
Saturday 8 p.m. dress rehearsal before a live audience
Saturday 11:30 p.m. live show before a new audience
Sunday 1:30 a.m. first after-party
Monday, 1:10 p.m.
For the meeting that marked the official start of that week's show, I planned to pitch two sketches. But I had three ideas—you could write and submit more but pitch only two—so I'd play by ear which ones I ...
What are you reading this week? (11/07/2024)
Kim, I absolutely love Hollinghurst's novel The Line of Beauty ! Highly recommend if you haven't read it. It's probably one of my favorite novels I've ever read. I'll have to check out his other novels, I haven't read any of them! The other day I picked up a novel I've read before, Stay Up with H...
-Chloe_Pfeiffer
Here are some of the comments posted about Romantic Comedy in our legacy forum.
You can see the full discussion here.
Danny tells Sally that the Danny Horst Rule matters only if it matters to Sally and Noah themselves. Did you agree? How does this realization help Sally?
JHSiess, I’m so glad you brought this up! There was more focus on Sally’s friendships with women on the show. But truly, Danny was just as important in her life.
When I was younger, I had many friends of the ... - acstrine
Discuss the different romantic relationships in the book, from Sally and Noah to Annabel and Danny to Viv and Dr. Theo. How would you describe each couple?
It took time for Sally and Noah to get together which was, of course, the point of the book and one aspect of the story that made it a typical romance. We knew they would be together. It was just a matter of how long it would take. Annabel and Danny ... - JHSiess
How do you believe Sally is able to avoid buying into the culture she's helped create around celebrities?
Sally is part of the entertainment industry but not in front of the cameras. She understands the "rules" and customs that govern the industry but she does not have the same concerns as performers/entertainers who are highly visible to ... - JHSiess
How do you feel about authors using social media, email, texts in place of traditional dialogue between characters? Is this an effective strategy or just a trend?
When authors first began doing so, I was a bit put off by it solely because I wasn't used to it. But now, it is so commonplace that I find it realistic and effect. After all, it reflects the way we all communicate now. My own kids have been ... - JHSiess
How does the political and cultural discussion inserted in the middle of the novel affect the overall narrative? Do you think it was necessary to the story?
I distinctly remember watching not only the very first episode of SNL, but every episode during that ground-breaking first season. It has ALWAYS been built around politics and culture. (Am I the only one old enough to remember Chevy Chase ... - JHSiess
Elle
[Sittenfeld] has a keen eye for relationships, particularly romantic ones, which is what makes her upcoming book, Romantic Comedy, so enticing... . [The novel] takes a shot of SNL and makes sparks fly.
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