This was a June read for the Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club. It was my first Curtis Sittenfeld novel and also my first read where part of the book takes place during the pandemic.

In Romantic Comedy, we meet Sally Milz, a veteran sketch writer for the weekly live comedy show, “The Night Owls.” Sally is surrounded by male writers and actors on the show and decides to use one of her sketches to poke fun at a trend she’s seen developing at the show. The “Danny Horst Rule,” as she dubs it, is the phenomenon where gorgeous and talented women guest star on “The Night Owls” and end up falling for one of the average Joe, nerdy male writers or actors. Sally wants to use the sketch to point out that the reverse of this would never happen for one of the women writers on staff. But then, that week’s guest host is announced and it is none other than singing superstar, Noah Brewster. Sally can’t be sure but there might even be…sparks?

This book was a joy to read! Sally is a complex woman and not the type of female protagonist that is often written - creatively driven, divorced, and confident in her job but less so in her relationships. Her insecurities and how they affected her relationship with Noah felt authentic and grounded. I was worried I’d be negatively affected by the inclusion of the pandemic but I actually wasn’t. I think the way the author handled it was very well done because it was acknowledged and affected some of the circumstances in which Sally lives but it was not the focus. Now, I’m interested to read more Curtis Sittenfeld!