BOOK REVIEW: Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey @kerryann @berkleyromance #waitingfortomhanks #romcom

A story for romantic comedy fans—this one is for you!

About the Book

A rom-com-obsessed romantic waiting for her perfect leading man learns that life doesn’t always go according to a script in this delightfully charming and funny novel.

Annie Cassidy dreams of being the next Nora Ephron. She spends her days writing screenplays, rewatching Sleepless in Seattle, and waiting for her movie-perfect meet-cute. If she could just find her own Tom Hanks—a man who’s sweet, sensitive, and possibly owns a houseboat—her problems would disappear and her life would be perfect. But Tom Hanks is nowhere in sight.

When a movie starts filming in her neighborhood and Annie gets a job on set, it seems like a sign. Then Annie meets the lead actor, Drew Danforth, a cocky prankster who couldn’t be less like Tom Hanks if he tried. Their meet-cute is more of a meet-fail, but soon Annie finds herself sharing some classic rom-com moments with Drew. Her Tom Hanks can’t be an actor who’s leaving town in a matter of days…can he?

Reflection

If I were to rate this on the spectrum of romance books, this one is on the cute, funny, non-steamy end of the spectrum. After all, just like the Nora Ephron movies that made our leading lady Annie Cassidy a fan of romantic comedies, sex tends to be hinted at but doesn’t need to be explicitly shown!

Annie has loved rom-coms her whole life, and she dreams of being the next Nora Ephron. She is even writing a screenplay about her best friend Chloe and the cute but surly coffee shop owner that she is convinced Chloe is destined to be with.

Meanwhile Annie herself hasn’t found her romantic comedy yet. Or maybe she just hasn’t realized she is in one until it is already happening!

I really enjoyed Annie’s backstory. In addition to the main plot of the search for romance in the book, Annie is very much grieving the loss of her mother. She lost her father already, and her closest relative is her Uncle Don. They have such a sweet relationship, and Don himself is full of fun surprises as a character. I absolutely loved them.

Don connects Annie with the director of none other than a romantic comedy that is filming in town, and he hires Annie to be his personal assistant during filming. Of course, Annie is thrilled but uncertain about the male lead Drew, who is certainly no Tom Hanks. Known mostly for comedy and prank comedies, Drew doesn’t exactly have that sensitive Tom Hanks vibe to him.

Meanwhile, Annie has a few dates of her own. But what happens when you meet the perfect leading man, but he isn’t perfect for you? What happens when the man stealing your heart is all wrong, but so right too?

Waiting for Tom Hanks is truly a love note for all of the people out there who grew up absolutely loving romantic comedies and hoping for their own happy-ever-after. I loved that the events of the book are often discussed in terms of when and how they would fit into a rom-com. Kerry Winfrey also has a commentary on the shortcomings of the genre, while still celebrating them. There were some really fun moments and scenes, and all around I just absolutely loved this book!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.