(review date: 3 Jan 2018)

This is the 4th Eliza Gordon rom-com I have read and I loved it just as much as the others!

Dani Steele is a donut-loving, insurance-company-day-jobbing, struggling actress who worships at the altar of The Rock. Throw in a quirky family, a mediocre boyfriend and some pretty major daddy issues.... oh, and being named after the famous romance novelist... and we have a protagonist who is more than ready for some big life changes.

In other books, sometimes this Bridget-Jonesesque genre can come across rather cringey, when some horribly embarrassing experience befalls the leading lady. But I really liked how the issues (and accidents) were handled in DDWL. Stuff happened (SO much stuff happened!), people reacted, Dani just got on with it. She responded, learnt, and moved on. So much character development here, it’s kind of the point of the book.

I giggled a lot, I got tearful more than once. I thought about the characters when I was away from the book. I liked how problems were resolved and how the story ended. The love interest sounded rather delightful. I’m not sure about your criteria for a good book, but that ticks all the boxes for me for a great summer read (I’m in Australia, it’s summer here 😊)

There’s a lot of exercise in this book. I hate exercise. I’m basically Dani at the beginning of the story. So I really loved seeing how she managed her fitness journey and I found her motivations were a lot more realistic than if she’d just made a New Years resolution or whatever. If I had a trainer like Marco at my local gym maybe things would be different...

Thank you Eliza Gordon and Netgalley for letting me read and review an ARC of Dear Dwayne, With Love.

Dear Dwayne, With Love is a romantic comedy about a woman who is obsessed with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and how her obsession leads her down an interesting path of not only self-discovery but leaves her as being the one "discovered."

The genre was admittedly outside my usual fare, but I'd seen this book popping up everywhere... in my facebook feed, as an Amazon suggestion, at my local bookstore, that I thought I'd give it a try. And I must say, I'm so glad that I did.
Dear Dwayne, With Love is hilarious! I laughed out loud in many places and I immediately took a liking to the main character, Dani, who has the unfortunate fate of sharing her name with a romance novelist.
I really felt Dani to be a realistic character, one that I could relate to, and I loved her punchy one-liners. The humour is off the cuff and is a fun read to lighten your days.
Also, I found this book motivational, as Dani competes physically to win a walk-on roll in a movie starring her idol, "The Rock."
The book is well-paced and kept me turning pages. The characters are lively and the conflict well defined. Some adult humor here, which I could appreciate.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Eliza Gordon.
This is a lighthearted read for anyone wanting a lift and feeling like they need some motivation, without at all being preached at.
I definitely recommend.

I loved the Portland setting and the positive outlook on pushing for your goals and believing in yourself.

Dani Steele has lost a bit of the zest for life. She’s an aspiring actress working an underwhelming insurance job, and in her off time writing diary entries to her favorite celebrity. When she hears her celebrity idol is hosting a fundraiser and contest where the winning person will get a walk-on role in his new film, it puts the fire under Dani and she decides to go after it with all she has.
Dani goes through a big transformation, and it was lovely to see. Filled with wit and humor, Eliza Gordon fans will love this one.

My biggest issue with this book was that I just found it really hard to believe that a 28 year old woman would have "The Rock" posters covering their cubicle and calls their mom "Mommy?" Also the "steamy" romance with Marco felt clunky. I did like her relationship with Howie- I thought that was really sweet. But overall, a bit over the top and highly predictable.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author, for an ARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately, I have tried reading this book on 2 separate occasions and during this 2nd attempt, I have only managed to make it halfway through so I'd rather stop here and state that this book just wasn't for me.

Dear Dwayne is a sweet treat that is sure to brighten your day. The comedy is not exactly LOL, but it's charming, light-hearted, self-deprecating humor is endearing and realistic. I never thought of Dwayne Johnson as chick lit inspiration, but I do now.
Dear Dwayne with Love is captivating, heartfelt, funny, and sentimental (and motivating, even though I don't plan on running any marathons.). It is the perfect read that deserves to be on everyone's top ten.
P.s. author's notes are usually a throwaway, but this one is inspiring without being sappy.

Cute! This reads like a quirky rom-com movie and is perfect for when you need to unwind and have a few laughs. Dani was a fun and unique character and I thought the premise was completely original.

I loved the idea for this book but it couldn't keep my attention. I kept zoning out while I was reading and started skimming at the half way point. I've read wonderful things about Eliza Gordon's writing but maybe this wasn't the best book to start with?

Great book. Who doesn’t love Dwayne Johnson. Will be checking out more from this writer................

I loved this book. It was so good and held my interest all the way. I’m so very sorry that I just now got around to posting my review. It’s.a great book.

Oh, my gosh, people! You cannot go wrong with an Eliza Gordon book! Dear Dwayne, With Love is an absolute delight!

Dani Steele is a hilarious and truly genuine character that had me rolling throughout the book. She's relatable and someone I'd love to hang out with. She isn't exactly where she'd like to be in her life, but an opportunity to compete in an event could give her the chance not only meet her idol but also get a walk-on roll in his movie. That idol is none other than Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. At first, I thought it might be a little strange because of the way it's formatted at times, but it's actually very entertaining the way it's done.

I really did have a great time following Dani's journey and all the shenanigans she finds herself in. The humor is a big part of what makes it a fantastic read, but the humor is perfectly mixed with a lovely and touching story of finding yourself, friendships, family, and love. It's a book that left my heart full and a huge smile on my face.

Read it!

Review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery (see link)

What fun. Dani Steele has someone she considers her "rock." He's a real person, she just hasn't met him yet. Eliza Gordon has given Dani the chance to meet her "rock" and we get to go along for the journey. I thoroughly enjoyed this well written novel. The characters are deeply layered and clear voiced, which makes the escapades that much more believable. The story is fast paced and well crafted. I appreciated Ms. Gordon's treatment of the main character's dysfunctional family and relationships. I almost think this book skates a fine line between the New Adult genre and Women's Contemporary. I would read more from Eliza Gordon.

Dear Dwayne With Love was such a sweet story! I thought it was so funny when I found out that it was actually written with The Rock in mind as Dwayne. I thought this was such a cute story and cannot wait to see what else this author has in store!

I have never laughed so hard from reading a book! This was such a fun book to read! The characters are all so interesting and Dani is so relatable and hilarious.I enjoyed reading her blog posts and her imaginary conversations with Dwayne. They were always so entertaining. I enjoyed getting to see her find herself and chase her dream. One thing I didn't like about this book was some of the comments about weight. They kind of bothered me a bit. Otherwise I enjoyed this book. I'm trying to be vague because I don't want to spoil too much. I loved the ending! This was a really enjoyable, funny and fun romantic comedy!

Rating: 4.5 stars

I laughed and I laughed. And cried. And wanted to join the gym (but only if I could also have a Marco.)

Review done.

Ok, but seriously, after a bit of a wobbly start for me, I really enjoyed this. It's just as fun as the cover suggests!

Dani is an aspiring actress and reluctant health insurance professional, stuck in Portland as the least successful daughter of "Mommy". She's obsessed with the Rock and sees him as the "perfect man", a useful stand-in for the father that abandoned them and the less-than-perfect semi-boyfriend she's got because she has no other prospects. She loves pastries and burgers and all sorts of things her Amazing Big Sister – a plastic surgeon – tells her not to eat, and she doesn't own exercise clothing. Basically, she is a Very Normal Person, and I immediately loved it.

I was nervous about the whole "weight loss makes everything amazing" factor, but it actually wasn't an issue at all. If anything, this book is incredibly relatable and even motivational without making you feel like crap! I know!

---
Apparently, there’s an obstacle course: “a program designed to push you to your limits, the ultimate test of endurance, stamina, strength, and mental fortitude.”
Okay, I have none of those things. Can you buy that stuff at the sports store at the mall? Is there some pill I can take?
---

There are so many little quips like this about exercise and being Healthy(TM), and I could have cried at how much I thought "same, girl, same". And then add in the fact that her personal trainer is a gorgeous man with a sexy British accent? I would have bailed. I clearly need a Lady Macbeth (Dani's agent) in my life to motivate me (and tell me I'm a chickenshit).

Anyway, back to the whole getting healthy thing. First of all, Dani knows she's not the fittest person, but she doesn't go in with the idea of Losing Weight to become a Better Person. There's none of that (except from some relatives, but then who doesn't have to deal with that?). She wants to get fitter (note: not lose weight) so she can win a competition to meet her idol. There's almost no mention of losing weight or getting thinner; it's all about getting healthier, which is totally ok! Everyone should aspire to being healthy, remembering that a number on the scales is not an indicator of health!

Enough ranting. Let's talk about the characters! Dani was, of course, a snarky, flawed, but oh so Me character, and I loved it. Her interactions with her family and friends were fun to read, especially in all their weird and wonderful mediums (e.g. faxes from Mommy to the work fax machine). Everyone was a bit wacky, except for maybe Marco, the hunky British personal trainer. He was just swoon-worthy; so sweet, so sexy, so encouraging. I would both love to have him as a personal trainer and hate it because I don't like people seeing me exercising. (So red. So sweaty. So wobbly. So unfit.) And yes, there's a bit of romance in here, but it's so secondary it barely counts (but is delicious just the same).

Of course, we need to talk about Dwayne. Or rather, Dani's interactions with her imaginary Dwayne. Not only does she have an unpublished blog filled with letters to Dwayne (affectionately nicknamed "DJ"), but she also has pretend interactions with him, written in script form. These conversations are often hilarious, but they were also a great way for Dani to sort out her life little by little, with Dwayne offering encouragement, advice, and tough love. All of this was coming from inside Dani's head, and therefore herself, but it helped her to "hear" it from someone else. It's much like how we can give our friends love and support, but we struggle to give that to ourselves. Imagining it coming from someone else helps.

This little snippet isn't exactly encouraging, but it is humorous, so enjoy...

---
DANIELLE
Yeah? Well, where were you earlier when that angry woman in Tigard yelled at me because Imperial H&W won’t pay for her labiaplasty? I was just trying to do my job too, but she was super rude and kept screaming at me about how her labia “flap in a strong breeze because she birthed a child the size of Godzilla,” and we should pay to have this fixed.

DWAYNE “THE ROCK” JOHNSON
That image will never leave me. Thanks so much.
---

And on that note, read this book (it's on Kindle Unlimited!), and avoid kale smoothies.

Dear Dwayne, With Love is a standalone romantic comedy by the hilariously funny Eliza Gordon. Eliza’s book, Must Love Otters is one of my favorite romantic comedies. It is so seriously awesome, I recommend it to everyone. I am such a big fan of her books, that I read them all! She never fails to crack me. Her books always feature relateable, quirky characters and an adorable heart racing romance. They are the epitome of funny, feel good reads. And Dear Dwayne, With Love is no different.

I was drawn into this story from the very first page. Dear Dwayne is the story of Dani, a girl who is a self proclaimed Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson fanatic. She has been writing letters to Dwayne for the better portion of her teenage and adult life. Let me tell you, her letters completely cracked me up. She even forms responses and has conversations with Dwayne in her head, which are equally funny. We get to watch as Dani balances her real life with fantasy life with Dwayne, but don’t worry. Dani is not just a crazy person, soon she embarks on a fitness journey (end goal: meet Dwayne, obviously.) but she finds love along the way.

I just love Dani. I love everything about her. The best part about Eliza Gordon’s books are that her writing is hilarious and she writes the best characters. Characters you just can’t help but love. I don’t want to reveal too much about this book because watching Dani find herself is part of the fun. I will admit there was a point at about 15% into the story, that I was having a great time. The writing was super funny and I was really engaged, but I did think to myself, what is the point of this story? And that is what I want you to find out for yourself. Trust me, by the end of the journey you will have laughed your butt off! Dear Dwayne, With Love is just what expect from Eliza Gordon’s books- funny, smart romances.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is one of the few actors that, in my opinion, can make a bad or poorly thought film better than ever expected. Going off with that idea, I thought that the idea of a main character writing a blog to him and trying to get a role in his film would be a lot of fun.

Danielle, the main character and narrator of the book, was a relatable and humorous character. Her struggles with finding acting roles as she gets older, familial expectations, and co-workers/bosses made for laugh out loud moments and some thoughtful ones. There's the question of what to do when your dream seems to be fading, rallying behind your ideals and defending them to those who profess to have your best interests at heart and yet their ideas are vastly different than yours.

I liked the portions of the books that had mock script pages illustrating conversations between Danielle and The Rock. While I could almost here him saying these lines, they were really more Danielle talking to herself and working things out as opposed to real conversations. She may have doubts at times, but these script pages showed her pushing through.

There was more than a little talk about Danielle's weight, from the clerk at Dick's Sporting Goods when she's buying workout clothes to her boyfriend Trevor and his past and present comments that are belittling. A lot of it brought up emotions in Danielle that she suppressed and other times she let it go. These moments didn't make up a lot of the novel, but there was enough that I was uncomfortable.

I'll say this, the author certainly made a good villain in that I hated Trevor's guts even before some of his more disgusting behavior. Every moment he was on the page, my stomach felt uneasy and I was glade to be rid of him when his scene was over. He was a jerk turned up to 11 at least. I wish that Danielle had been able to get rid of him sooner because she seemed to understand that he wasn't a good person, certainly not for her to be in a relationship with, and yet she held herself back.

There were some times when I felt that the humor was a bit stale: jokes about the only curls Danielle knows are lifting a bearclaw to her mouth, that sort of thing. Lines like that felt tired and detracted from the book. I wasn't particularly happy with the pacing, either, hence the lower rating. Things slogged for awhile in the middle, making for a frustrating reading experience. The ending was a happy one, but I could've done with getting to the point faster.

All in all, Dear Dwayne, With Love has a cute premise, a sometimes funny main character, exuberant & overbearing family members, and an attractive love interest that make a palatable book.

4.5 STARS!

Eliza Gordon is one of those authors that I wish churned out books at least twice a year. Instead, I've had to wait over two years since her last release. Yet, if it takes this long between releases in order to get a delightful read like Dear Dwayne, I will willingly (albeit longingly) wait.

Being an Eliza Gordon fan, I went into this book with high hopes. During the first few chapters, I was enjoying it, but not sure if I was going to LOVE it. It didn't take long and by the end, I was in a state of giddy reading euphoria. Dear Dwayne is what I would describe as humorous women's fiction with romantic elements. The focus is on Danielle's character growth, but with the addition of a satisfying slow-burn romance. Without summarizing the book, I will say that Danielle was a true book heroine with a wry wit and appealing sense of humanity. Although she gets into a predicament with her publically-shared private commentary of all of those who orbit her world, it never takes away from her authentic goodness. With a quirky family, unfulfilled career aspirations, and obsessive idol/fitness goals, there are plenty of opportunities for her humor. Danielle's physical and mental transformation was inspiring and beautiful to watch. With the addition of Danielle's handsome fitness trainer, Marco, it was the perfect amount of slow-burn romance to create anticipation and give me all the swoony "feels." Dear Dwayne, With Love is wildly funny, poignant, thought provoking, and sweetly romantic. Definitely a book for the keeper shelf.