I'm behind schedule in hitting my goal of reading 50 books this year and that's because I have been basically forcing myself to read books that have been in my library for too long versus reading what I think genuinely interests me.
I've also had a hard time getting into books, paying attention, and generally just finding something that clicks with me. I'm also not reading as fast as I usually do which I guess is a good thing because I do tend to read way too fast.
All of that being said, I learned that it's ok to give up on books you don't think you're vibing with, but it's also ok to admit you made a mistake. That's exactly what happened with Finding Mr. Write.
This new novel from Kelley Armstrong will be released on June 25th but thanks to Netgalley, I had an ARC and recently finished reading it.
At first, I wasn't convinced that this book was for me but as it continued, and I got more familiar with the characters, I was obsessed. It's one of the best 'rom-coms' I've read in a while and I highly recommend it, especially if you love books about authors.
Publisher's Summary
By hiring an actor, of course.
Only Chris Stanton is not an actor—not officially. He’s used to balancing the books, not pretending he wrote one. Still, he’s mostly certain he can pose as some overly macho bro-author. But when the media descend on Daphne’s gorgeous remote home in the Yukon, it’s not enough for Chris to just be the face of Zane Remington—he’ll have to become him. All while hilariously balancing the terrifying dangers of the wilderness, a massive femme fandom, and a serious crush on Daphne. But as the hype circus gets more out of control, it’s just a matter of time before someone discovers their little write lie . . .
My Thoughts
As I said, Finding Mr. Write started out a bit slow and I wasn't sure I liked the format; it was a lot of text messages between Chris and Daphne, which wasn't a format I wanted to read, and it seemed to be moving too slowly for me. Just as I was about to give up, the book picked up steam, the format returned to normal and I was locked in.
Daphne hires Chris to be the face of her book, written under a male pen name, which is already an interesting plot point but then you go on this journey with both of them discovering who they are, who they want to be, growing more confident and relying on each other for support. Of course, along the way, you notice their intense chemistry and they fall for each other.
It feels like it's going to be smooth sailing but so much occurs within the pages that you don't realistically know where Daphne and Chris end up.
This book is jam packed with trauma, lessons, funny moments, steamy scenes, and hard subjects but Kelley Armstrong tackles them all head on with kindness, respect and incredible writing. It was such an enjoyable book because both characters were flawed but not overly annoying to the point where you couldn't enjoy them or root for their growth.
I wanted Chris to be successful, to be true to himself and live out the life he wanted, and I desperately wanted Daphne to take ownership of her art, find her voice, and heal from everything that has brought her down.
The build up to all the big reveals were intense, and the reward was as sweet as you could imagine. The ending was beautiful, heartfelt, and very funny which pretty much encapsulates the true meaning of the book.
If you need something to pull you out of a slump, or something feel good that isn't overly corny, I think you'd love "Finding Mr. Write" by Kelley Armstrong.
xoxo
B
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