Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

As the title suggests, you know just what you're getting here. But the author banishes certain tropes of the traditional romantic comedy such as the ditzy, adorably clumsy female lead who has flour on her nose and is unaware of just how cute she is. Here the protagonist, Sally Milz is clever, independent, hilarious and all too aware that she doesn't fit the standards of western beauty.

Sally is a comedy writer at a show called The Night Owls, a very thinly disguised version of Saturday Night Live. Noah Brewster, a ridiculously handsome heartthrob of a singer songwriter, comes on as a guest host one week. Sally has preconceived notions of him that he proves wrong: Noah demonstrates that he is a quietly intelligent, thoughtful and talented person.

Sally is working on a sketch that pokes fun at a double standard often seen in the celebrity world: that a good-looking female will pair up with a not so attractive male partner, but the reverse rarely happens. Therein lies the theme of this romantic comedy.

The predictability of the plot in no way takes away from the joy. The first chapter takes us through the ins and outs of running the late-night show and all the work and hilarity that goes into the week's production. Sally and Noah get to know each other and sparks fly, but Sally ends up self-sabotaging because she's scared of getting hurt.

Two years pass and the world is quarantining in a pandemic. Noah reaches out to Sally through email while she is staying with her stepdad in Kansas City and he is at his mansion in Los Angeles. The often laugh-out-loud, witty and tender email exchange take us through almost the entire second chapter and details of their pasts are revealed while the two develop an intense connection. Sally winds up driving out to California to be with Noah and their relationship truly and finally begins in earnest.

The landmarks of the traditional romantic comedy are there: the Big Obstacle the couple must overcome (Noah's fame), and the Grand Gesture performed by one of them to finally win over the other (Noah serenading Sally). They're predictable elements but necessary and welcome, nonetheless. At one point during their romance Sally ponders that it's hard to determine where the dividing line is between cheesiness and acceptable emotional extravagance. Noah's response is spot on: "When it's happening to other people it's cheesy. When it's happening to you it's wonderful".

Curtis Sittenfeld is a fantastic writer. She's a favorite of mine, and I highly recommend her novels, especially Eligible, Sisterland, and American Wife. The self- awareness of Romantic Comedy makes it non-cloying but sweet and you will root for Sally and Noah the whole time.