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Title: Not Like the Movies
Author: Kerry Winfrey
Sub-genre: Contemporary
Alright, so if this cover isn’t enough to make you smile, I’m not sure what will. Not Like the Movies is Kerry’s second adult rom-com, and while I absolutely devoured Waiting for Tom Hanks and thoroughly enjoyed it, it also felt a little safe for me. Also, there was no sex on the page, which is you know, not my fave. But I went on a total contemporary romance buying spree last month and I couldn’t resist giving this one a shot, and I’m so glad I did.
Working in a coffee shop isn’t exactly Chloe’s dream job, but since she wants to open her own bakery one day, she deals with the less than ideal circumstances of barista life. The most major less than ideal circumstance being her boss Nick. And when Chloe’s best friend Annie (heroine from book one) turns Chloe and Nick’s feisty working relationship into the basis for her new rom com screenplay, Chloe has to deal with the whole world asking her how much she loves her boss. But she doesn’t have time for relationships, given how she has to care for her father who has Alzheimer’s, and her twin brother, who blows back into town not to help out, but to be one more person Chloe has to take care of. Add to all of that, she’s helping Annie plan her picture perfect wedding and putting herself through business school. So even if Nick is scruffy and adorable, Chloe knows it’s never going to happen. But we all know, of course, it’s totally going to happen. Chloe has to learn how to open up, ask for help, and accept it when it’s given. Easier said than done, but it all comes together in the end.
This book is as delicious as the baked goods it will leave you craving. Like Waiting for Tom Hanks, it is sex free (sad face), but unlike WFTH, I felt like the stakes were a lot higher in this one. By the end of the book, my heart was hurting for Chloe and I felt a much deeper connection with her than I did with Annie. And Nick is a very grumpy scruffy hero, which is my type all day long. I love Kerry’s voice and that definitely came through here. She’s the master of pop culture references, which I am trash for, and then on top of it, there were so many delicious sounding baked goodies that I was almost tempted to turn on my oven and actually make something myself (I didn’t because it’s hot AF here, but I thought about it!). Overall, the book was a super fun romp that still packed in a lot of heart and it definitely contributed to breaking my September reading slump, so yay for that. Also, it gave me an excuse to buy pie, so win-win.
Overall Rating: 4.5 stars
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