As I joyfully imbibed Romantic Comedy, I kept waiting for the penny to drop: for some subversive element to creep into the narrative and twist everything—or at least something—on its head. But actually, Curtis Sittenfeld’s latest is unabashedly what its title claims it to be: a light-hearted romantic comedy about a late-night comedy writer and an aging pop star, festooned with commentary on celebrity relationships.
So, yes: you’ll probably be aware of the ancient story machinery humming below deck. But Sittenfeld’s assured pacing, the authenticity of her characters, and her ability to drive a story forward yet leave room for key scenes to stretch, make this an absolute winner. It’s so compulsively readable, last week I risked a night of no sleep to finish it amidst the hurricane of my daughter’s currently-atrocious sleeping habits.
Folks, there is no higher praise than that.
Simon McDonald 
Nothing like a good rom-com but a good night’s sleep is better 🙂