The premise of the book is great and the author really delivers. Great read. Highly recommended. .

I had a hard time relating to this story. The characters weren’t all that interesting and the focus on comedy and fame is not something I personally enjoy reading about. As a result, I had a challenging time getting through this book. In this instance,I think it’s a case of “it’s not you, it’s me”. The writing is clever and, at times, witty, but overall, the tone felt kind of sad and dismal. When I requested it, I was expecting something else. Not my kind of book.

"Stay Up With Hugo Best" is a novel that takes place over a short period of time when aging comedian talk-show host propositions his writer's assistant to spend a weekend with him (no pressure for sex though) after his talk-show wraps.

The book covers a lot of interesting themes (i.e. aging celebrity's retirement - was it voluntary or forced?; political correctness in comedy; lifestyles of the rich and the famous; ageism; etc) which are done well at times and at other times, a bit cringe.

I thought that the author relied too much on banter between the protagonist and Hugo Best to the extent that it was difficult to feel anything for them when a significant moment occurred because it was treated so flippantly by the characters.

I love banter in books but sometimes it can become detrimental to character development and it takes me away from the progression of the story.

Overall, I still thought it was a fun and worthwhile read but it wasn't something that I'd necessarily recommend to anyone as anything other than a shallow beach read.

I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was really expecting this to be a fun, humorous, light hearted, easy read. It just happened to be the complete opposite. It’s a somewhat sad and depressing look into the life of a famous comedian who is at the end of his tv show career. He takes on of his employees, June, with him on a spur of the moment long weekend vacation to his house. June learns all about Hugo, his family, his past and his lack of plans for the future. I really didn’t like Hugo’s character but maybe that was because he was always unhappy and trying to be something he’s not. The dynamics between him and June also seemed very awkward and forced.

This wasn’t my favourite book, and it took me longer than usual to get through. The content and ending fell flat for me but at the same time parts of it were good and I did finish it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I really wanted to love this book but I couldn't connect with it at all. Not even a little. I probably wasn't the target for this novel.

I enjoyed this new literary story. It has some humourous parts, but it is also sad.

The characters developed in different directions in the story. It takes place over a weekend, but you really get to know them in that short period of time. June goes from a quiet assistant writer to a confident young woman. Meanwhile, Hugo moves from being a late night comedian to a lonely, friendless old man. June grew up, while Hugo deflated.

Some of the story was difficult to read. There were some depressing parts. June gets to live this fancy life for a weekend, where she can pretty much have anything she wants. However, she knows it will end. She has always idolized Hugo, but he isn’t really the person she has always fantasized about. Hugo loses his career and his friends over the space of a few days. They have both lost their jobs, but June’s youth gives hope for her future.

This was a good story with a satisfying ending.

Thank you Simon and Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

June Bloom grew up idolizing Hugo Best as a young girl so when she lands a job on his show, “Stay Up with Hugo Best”, she is happy, sort of. She is a Page, then a writer’s assistant. She knows she can do more but Hugo retires and she’s out of a job. At 29 years of age it’s back to the dives of comedy clubs where she’s lucky to get an audience and even luckier to get paid. The night of Hugo’s farewell party, after a considerable number of drinks she decides to go try her hand at one of her old haunts. While there she meets Hugo who invites her back to his Connecticut mansion for a Memorial Day party - promising no funny business.
June is fast approaching thirty and feels she should be much further along in her career. Hugo is sixty-five and has lost his show, but feels he has much more to give. Over the weekend June is dealing with her own demons but is mostly spending her time boosting Hugo’s ego. The blurb for the book says the story is hilarious. I did not find it hilarious at all. I found it witty at times and it was well written. But actually made me quite sad at times. I still enjoyed the book immensely and would recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for an honest review. After reading a number of dark murder mysteries, I wanted to take a break and read something lighthearted and comical. This was definitely not lighthearted, and reviews calling it hilarious had me fearing I was devoid of any sense of humour. To me, it was the opposite of hilarious, being depressing, poignant and full of melancholy, and with uncertain motivations on the part of the leading characters. It was well written, with much to be said about modern sexual politics, but am unsure of the book's aim, or what conclusion I was supposed to draw.

June Bloom is a 29-year-old who comes across younger in many ways. Her goal in life is to be a comedian along with the fame it could bring. She was performing stand-up comedy at a dive bar. I got the impression that her goal in comedy is probably futile. I can take vulgar stand-up comedy if it is funny, but the snippets of her routine were just plain vulgar. She seems unfocused, yearns to be a celebrity, but sometimes feels unworthy. At other times she angrily states that she deserves the fame. It is unclear whether she has the talent to achieve her ambitions. She is broke, and not taking productive steps to reach her goal or to find another field of employment. She is merely floating through life.

After the open mic show, where many seats were empty and the few in the audience ignoring her routine, she encounters famed celebrity, Hugo Boss. June worked as a writer's assistant for his late night TV show and had a childhood crush on him. She still idolizes him and is in awe of him. Hugo's show has been cancelled, putting them both out of work. Hugo claims to be 65 but is actually a few years older. He seems sad and unexpectedly invites June to his home in Connecticut for the Memorial Day holiday. She accepts, standing up a date with her current boyfriend.

There is a lot of sarcasm and complaining in their dialogue, but they gradually seem to build a tentative bond during her time at his luxurious home. June is able to boost his shattered ego caused by his fate as a celebrity has-been. June is impressed by his mansion, his fleet of cars, his staff, and the luxuries she sees that fame can bring.

I wasn't able to connect with the flawed characters or the situation. It was not what I expected, but others may enjoy this character-driven story.

I really enjoyed this book. It was surprising and much deeper than one might think based on the description. Things do not go how you assume they might go. I recommend this book

I enjoyed this novel overall. It was an interesting story that dove into the "undisclosed" backstory of celebrity (or a reasonable facsimile)

My biggest issue was the MC ended up being intimate with Hugo. There was a will they or won't they tension throughout and somehow I think it would have been more satisfying if she never did.

The ending left me unfullfilled as well. I felt I needed more. It didn't feel like an ending, more like a scene that was cut off suddenly (like when you lose power as you are watching your favorite tv show on the season ending episode, about 10 min before it ends.)

Very introspective. Surprising and much deeper than one might think based on the description. Things do not go how you assume they might go. To spoil anything about the plot would be a shame. It is a quick read, but at the same time, a slow burn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada Scribner, for the read of Stay Up with Hugo Best by Erin Somers.

June Bloom is an assistant writer for a late night talk show trying to meet everyone’s expectations while pursuing her own ambition. Hugo Best just retired from hosting his own late-night talk show, Stay Up with Hugo Best. What could the two have in common?

A chance meeting between them at a small pub, sees June accepting a weekend invitation to go stay with him at his private home.

Is June attracted to the retired talk show host, or is it more just curiosity? Does Hugo have any real interest in her, or is a test of does “he still got it”?

Well written. Interesting story line. Genuine characters.

I am grateful to have received a copy of this book from Simon & Schuster Canada Scribner through NetGalley.

The opinions expressed in my review are my very own.

Quite enjoyed the story and the way of telling it. I liked the back and forth between dialogue and the narrator recounting the conversations. June felt like a real person with all her bravado and insecurities. Felt the book was good as a whole, but the end seemed like it just fluttered along.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June Bloom, a young assistant writer on a late night talk show called Stay Up with Hugo Best is working hard to satisfy her own aspirations and those of her demanding parents. One night she bumps into the star of the show, Hugo Best, outside of a small club. After a small discussion she is invited to stay with him at his private home in Connecticut for the Memorial Day Weekend. June doesn’t know exactly why she is invited and while she has a had distant attraction to the star for a while, she doesn’t know how this would translate to real life. What does it mean to be invited for a weekend away? What expectations are held and by whom?

In the era of the #metoo movement, one in which women are slowly beginning to feel more empowered emotionally, physically and sexually, men had better know that things that once worked for them will no longer.

By now you are probably thinking you know the storyline this book will follow but you might not. The only way to find out? Is to read it. I hope you enjoy this fresh and cleverly written novel as much as I did.

I'm not sure I know what to think about this book. It left me with a bit of a bad taste in my mouth, but I can't really put my finger on why. It's not that it wasn't well written, but I guess I didn't enjoy what the book was about at its essence. I do think it was a thoughtful commentary on the #metoo movement. It was just kind of the opposite of a feel-good read. Not that that's a negative thing, but just not what I was looking for.

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It is my first book read by this author. I find this book would make a good comedy/drama movie. I hope to read more books by this author.