Romantic Comedy, by Curtis Sittenfield

Sally Milz has been a very successful writer on The Night Owls, the premier late night live comedy show, for nine seasons. After a failed ‘starter marriage’ and several romantic misadventures, at 37 she confines herself to acquaintances with benefits and shuts herself off from the possibility of more. When famous musician Noah Brewster is the guest host on the show she feels an instant connection, but why would someone famous and super-hot be interested in her when he could date 22-year-old models? Two years and a pandemic later, Noah gets in touch via email and the two become pen pals. There is a chance to forge the relationship they never had, but can Sally trust that it is real? Sittenfield evokes the behind-the-scenes world of Saturday Night Live, with all the highs and misogynistic lows of the comedy world. Sally embodies the opportunities and misgivings of a woman navigating the scene. Noah is a touch too good to be true, making Sally’s lack of confidence even more painfully relatable. In the end, it’s all in the title.