★ 09/06/2021
It would be enough if Jackson’s latest (after Real Men Knit ) were simply a charming rom-com replete with laugh-out-loud one liners and pop-culture references, but it’s also a moving, heartfelt story about coping with grief, stress, and major life changes. It doesn’t hurt that Bethany Lu Carlisle, an endearing 40-something Keanu Reeves fangirl, and her best friend, True Erickson, are the kind of characters one can’t help but root for. Lu and True have known each other since they were school-age thanks to True’s friendship with Bethany’s late little brother, Cole. All this time, True’s nursed a massive crush on Lu that’s only gotten bigger as they’ve grown closer through their mutual grief. Meanwhile, proudly single Lu sees True as family and has never considered him romantically. When Lu reads tabloid reports that her beloved Keanu Reeves is getting married in 90 days, it makes her question her devotion to the single life—so she does the sane thing and hatches a plan to stop the wedding. True begrudgingly agrees to help her on this harebrained scheme, leading to some outrageous adventures as they race to California. The rom-com trappings keep things lighthearted and welcoming even as Jackson probes heavy emotions. Readers will be wowed. Agent: Evan Marshall, the Evan Marshall Agency. (Nov.)
A rollicking rom-com full of fun, complex characters, laugh-out-loud one-liners and the kind of delicious banter that keeps you smiling from page one to the very end.”—NPR Entertainment Weekly a charming rom-com replete with laugh-out-loud one liners and pop-culture references , but it’s also a moving, heartfelt story about coping with grief, stress, and major life changes. It doesn’t hurt that Bethany Lu Carlisle, an endearing 40-something Keanu Reeves fangirl, and her best friend, True Erickson, are the kind of characters one can’t help but root for. ...The rom-com trappings keep things lighthearted and welcoming even as Jackson probes heavy emotions. Readers will be wowed. " —Publishers Weekly, starred review Booklist BookPage
"Hilarious and heartwarming. K.M. Jackson strikes the perfect balance of comedy, friendship, and romance in this addictingly entertaining tale."
—Farrah Rochon, USA Today bestselling author of The Dating Playbook Bitch Media Farah Heron, author of Accidentally Engaged Bookish How to Marry Keanu Reeves in 90 Days is a delightful read. Kwana has gifted us with a rom-com in its purest form."—Xio Axelrod, USA Today bestselling author of The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes
09/01/2021
From the outside, Bethany Lu Carlisle has a full life: a burgeoning career as an artist, a cool New York loft, a cute dog, and two of the best friends anyone could ask for. What she doesn't have is her dream man, Keanu Reeves. And now that America's heartthrob has announced his impending marriage, she might never have a chance with him. Is this a sign that Bethany should give up on all of her childhood dreams and accept the high-paid corporate job she's been offered? Or should she use the job offer's 90-day expiration date to track down Keanu, with the help of her friend True, and convince him they're meant to be? Jackson's ("Sugar Lake" and "Unconventional Brides" series) latest pits the childhood dreams of a woman stuck in regressive patterns against the possibility of a different kind of relationship with her best friend. VERDICT The novel's premise, which rests on celebrity stalking, is problematic, but fans of friends-to-lovers romance might find it an enjoyable read.—Meagan Day, High Plains Lib. Dist., CO
2021-08-18
Bethany Lu is an artist in her 40s who’s beginning to make a name for herself. Nice guy Truman Erickson is an economics professor she’s known for decades. They live in the same New York City building, belonging to Bethany's wealthy money-manager father, and they're also tied together by memories of Cole, her dead brother, who was Truman's best friend. Her high school BFF Dawn is convinced Tru and Bethany, who goes by Lu, belong together. But Lu can't handle the idea of risking her safe friendship with him, treating him with bossy familiarity. Tru has his own guilt about Cole’s passing, which has made him wary of expressing his romantic feelings for Lu. So when Lu sees the news that Keanu Reeves, her celebrity crush, is getting married and decides to track him down to change his mind, Tru offers to help though he's exasperated with her obsession. On their trips around New York and to other parts of the country, they finally end up in bed, but they still manage to avoid even the most basic communication. As the novel is told in the first person from both characters' points of view, we know they both feel more than they show, but instead of making us root for them, these glimpses into their thoughts raise doubts about their potential for adult intimacy. Jackson aims for a lighthearted road-movie feel, but the pacing and tone are uneven, zipping from episodes of zaniness to immature tiffs and self-recrimination. The fanfic-based Reeves odyssey never recedes to the background, so a quirky device meant to create forced proximity between the lovers competes with the actual relationship.
The interestingly prickly heroine's identity quest seems shoehorned into a romance with her caretaker friend.
Tyla Collier narrates a fun and breezy rom-com. Lu Carlisle is devastated when she learns that film star Keanu Reeves has apparently announced his engagement. She vows to meet him, unaware that love may be closer at hand—in the form of her real-life BFF, Truman Erikson. Collier’s jaunty tone perfectly captures the mood of the story. Although she’s a talented artist, 40-something Lu has bouts of impostor syndrome and worries that she’s “not grown up enough,” feelings that Collier depicts well and that will undoubtedly resonate with many listeners. Truman’s dependability is as constant as his love for Lu, and Collier’s portrayal leans into that devotion. A frothy pop-culture trip with surprising heart is narrated with style. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile
Tyla Collier narrates a fun and breezy rom-com. Lu Carlisle is devastated when she learns that film star Keanu Reeves has apparently announced his engagement. She vows to meet him, unaware that love may be closer at hand—in the form of her real-life BFF, Truman Erikson. Collier’s jaunty tone perfectly captures the mood of the story. Although she’s a talented artist, 40-something Lu has bouts of impostor syndrome and worries that she’s “not grown up enough,” feelings that Collier depicts well and that will undoubtedly resonate with many listeners. Truman’s dependability is as constant as his love for Lu, and Collier’s portrayal leans into that devotion. A frothy pop-culture trip with surprising heart is narrated with style. K.M.P. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
DECEMBER 2021 - AudioFile
