It's not often we see a novel set in the Brummie area (Birmingham) of England and now I don't understand why it hasn't really been done on this scale before. It's nice to see a story based in the midlands, rather than it being London-centric or Americentric. These are working-class and middle-class characters mixing not because of what they have in their pocket, but rather what intelligence and go-getting attitude that they all possess. Maybe now people will come to realise that the midlands is not Area 51 or something stupid and along those lines, which makes me happy to see.
Otty is a new-starter writer who has just been given the opportunity to write for a well-known show-runner, Russell Styles who has fired many other writers in the past, just because he believed that they were not good enough. But Otty is different from the rest, due to her working-class background and her cest for making every piece just as risk-worthy as the last, rather than safe and easy. But she hasn't been without struggles. With nearly selling her soul to write, it seems like there are still some people who would rather keep her back rather than see her talent for her passion.
But it seems like Otty however, has landed on a sour patch when she is told she has to vacate her residence at a moments notice. This does not help with the fact that she is due to start the writing job of her dreams at Ensign. Although, all is not lost, when it seems the other protagonist, Joe, is in similar circumstances to her own. The only difference is that he now has a room free and not enough money to be able to pay for the rent.
I think that if you have a lot of time to invest, this book can be seen as being a slow-burner. Not like there is anything wrong about any of that because there isn't. I have seen quite a few reviews from people not really liking the idea of the will-they or won't-they. But isn't this a part of real life anyway? It doesn't even make a ounce of sense to make someone simply fall-in-love after one specific encounter. Sometimes it just can't happen. Personalities are different and situations make us all villains in our own story. Maybe this is what makes the book more interesting to read? Love is not something that is just handed to you. You have to get it first and then work at it and even though it can just as easily slip through your fingers. That is what makes it the exciting part; the leap of faith into the unknown.
There are some occasions which the plot reminds me of a certain rom-com (Made of Honor) even though there are many major differences in the storyline itself. So, if you have already watched that film and liked some of the elements to it, maybe this would be the book for you. In general it felt very reminiscent of a rom-com and how the certain tropes would seem to pan out throughout. But somehow I didn't mind this. It seemed to be well-thought out and was interesting in terms of how it would work in a setting such as a writing office. Knowing full well that these are some people who would not be strangers to writing the next trope for their production.
Would I recommend this to other readers? Yes I would, but only those who have a willingness for patience and are used to this type of writing. On the whole, I have given on this occasion four stars.
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