#BookReview : Not Like the Movies (Waiting for Tom Hanks #2) by Kerry Winfrey @PRHGlobal #partner / / many cheesy romcom movie like scenes and yet very original and refreshing

What happens when your life is a rom-com…but you don’t even believe in true love?

Chloe Sanderson is an optimist, and not because her life is easy. As the sole caregiver for her father, who has early onset Alzheimer’s, she’s pretty much responsible for everything. She has no time—or interest—in getting swept up in some dazzling romance. Not like her best friend Annie, who literally wrote a rom-com that’s about to premiere in theaters across America…and happens to be inspired by Chloe and Nick Velez, Chloe’s cute but no-nonsense boss.

As the buzz for the movie grows, Chloe reads one too many listicles about why Nick is the perfect man, and now she can’t see him as anything but Reason #2: The Scruffy-Bearded Hunk Who’s Always There When You Need Him. But unlike the romance Annie has written for them, Chloe isn’t so sure her own story will end in a Happily Ever After. 

*** Note: I received e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to PRHGlobal for free copy. ***

Previous book In Series-

Waiting For Tom Hanks

Not Like the Movies was fun and heart-warming romcom that revolved around Annie’s best friend Chloe and her romcom movie like love story. It was about letting people in your life and problems, it’s okay to accept help than carrying the burden alone, trusting your loved one to care for you as much as you care for them, family, friendship, and love.

Writing was uplifting, engaging and filled with entertainment, emotions and many cute and lovely moments. It was first person narrative from Chloe’s perspective. I enjoyed reading her monologue that gave more depth to her character. This should be read in order. You will enjoy this more after reading first book. Setting was the same as Waiting For Tom Hanks but this time it was set in springtime. Plot was interesting with secretly in love broody hero and clueless heroine trope.

It started after a year of end of the first book, Waiting For Tom Hanks. While Annie’s life has moved on, Annie was living her dream, her movie was releasing in a month and she was also getting married a week after her movie release, Chloe felt she was stuck in time and place. She was still working at Nick’s coffee shop, taking care of her father alone, and trying to study for her business degree in free time. And now that she knew Annie’s movie was based on her and Nick’s story, all the movie buzz and internet listicles has planted a seed of romance. She started looking at Nick in different eye and noticed how sexy and attractive he is. All her controlled and hidden emotions and feelings about her responsible life and Nick was going haywire. She didn’t believe in romcoms and surely not in happily-ever-after. It was interesting to read when she will realise she loved Nick, how much her story was like Annie’ romcom movies, and happily-ever-after is possible in real life as well if she let it happen.

It was great to read old characters– Annie, Drew, Nick and Chloe, Chloe’s father, Annie’s uncle Don and his friends, Nick’s Coffee shop customers along with new characters- Chloe’s twin brother- Milo, Milo’s boyfriend-Fred, Chloe’s second best friend-Tracey, and Mikey Danger. They all were interesting to read.

Chloe was her usual self lively, cheering and always making fun. We know about her from first book but in this there was more to her character. I loved the way author showed her hidden feelings and emotions, burden of responsibilities she carried all her life and how it was taking toll on her because of her ‘do-it-yourself-don’t-depend-on-others-so they-cannot-disappoint-you’ nature. I really felt for her on reading how she had to grew up early when her mom left her family, how she had to take care of her father suffering from Alzheimer when Milo moved to different city, never looking back on how she was handling everything alone, and all her earnings went into taking care of her father. She was amazing daughter and I admired her for all she was doing but I also wanted to shake her many times when she pushed all who cared for her away when all they did was offer help and trying to support and lessen her burden. What she felt about Annie’s movie and her habit of taking notes of Chloe’s life was genuine and I could understand it but the way she reacted was extreme. Her reaction to Nick’s idea and their relationship was unreasonable. I get it, her past experience made her believe she had to do it alone but pushing away chance of happiness, a chance of someone else taking care of her and supporting her responsibility was stupid. I loved how Annie made her see what she was thinking was wrong and she should let people in her life, take risk and chance to happiness.

I loved Annie and Chloe’s friendship and they both loved each other even after their big fight. It was lovely to see Annie taking Chloe’s place when it came to making her see her mistake and encouraging her to go for big gesture.

Nick was gloomy, serious, and brooding handsome hero. I agreed to Chloe, he had air of mysteriousness that made him even more interesting. In this book we know about him more- his friends and his family, what he did when he wasn’t the boss of the café, and how he lived. I loved reading about him and his feelings for Chloe. This guy was really patient. He loved Chloe ever since she started working at his café and kept loving and helping her all these times. Everyone could see what he felt except Chloe and I can’t believe what he must be feeling knowing that as well. And I agreed with him when he finally let Chloe know what he felt about her how her action and reaction to his offer was hurting his feelings. 

What I loved most was music references. While Annie had lots of movie references in first book, Chloe had 80s sitcom and music references. Not to worry you also get romcom movie references as Chloe watched all romcoms along with Annie. I also enjoyed reading Chloe’s pies, her passion for baking and all her new idea for Nick’s shop, and description of her carriage house, Chloe’s dream of her own bakery and its name was great.

Romance was cute. Sexual tension between Nick and Chloe was electric, their banter was entertaining to read. I enjoyed so many cute and sexy moments between them- their kiss in thunderstorm, night they had to spent in one hotel room, sex scene, fight and big gesture it was all like Annie’s romcom movies.

Turns were predictable but I loved all scenes before and after climax. Annie’s wedding was cherry on the top. I loved Chloe for making things right and accepting her real life version of romcom movies. Her big gesture speech was beautiful and was so happy to read her happily-ever-after end and epilogue.

Why 4.5 stars- While I loved Chloe as much as I loved Annie, as I said earlier, I didn’t like her many poor reactions in this book. It’s really minor thing compared to everything else I enjoyed in this companion novel.

Overall, Not Like the Movies was lovely and heart-warming romcom with lovely characters and all the cheesy romcom movie like scenes and yet very original and refreshing. I highly recommend this book to romcom lover.

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