WHAT DID I THINK OF WAITING FOR TOM HANKS?
Waiting For Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey is a super cute, super quick read. Was it earth shattering and life changing? No, definitely not. However, it is easy to follow and easy to like. For me, it probably suffers a little bit in comparison to The Friend Zone which I had read within like a week or two of Waiting For Tom Hanks. So, inevitably, I was comparing books of the same genre.

Winfrey’s book is about a writer named Annie who is obsessed with romantic comedies. She grew up watching them with her mom. So, she expects to have a love story that is similar to a romantic comedy and will not settle for less. Anyways, one day Annie has an encounter with this movie star named Drew who has come to town to star in a romantic comedy. Annie decides she cannot stand Drew. Unfortunately for her, she ends up working as an assistant on the movie and has to work a lot with Drew. As all romantic comedies go, the hate ends up turning into something that absolutely does not look like hate.

Well, I liked all the references to movies that I love. I thought it was funny how Annie is so determined to live her life that way. And then there’s a part of me that thinks, we all deserve a great love story and for someone to treat us excellently. So, I could get behind her state of mind and life in Waiting For Tom Hanks. Also, Annie’s Uncle is a treasure. Most of the side characters are great in this book.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Waiting For Tom Hanks is narrated by Rachel L. Jacobs and is 8 hours 33 minutes long. Of course, I listened to this sped up and in a single day. Jacobs does a great job voicing Annie — making her sound a bit on the young side and kind of naive. But still, nailing her growth as a character. I’d for sure recommend this audiobook.

Kerry Winfrey offered me exactly what I was looking for, a fun, romantic comedy escape. She took a fun premise, included the appropriate pop culture references, added a meet cute and a fun romantic journey, and entertained me fully. The characters were for the most part engaging, the heroine had some growing to do, and I was glad Ms. Winfrey addressed that fact and by the end, I found the heroine stronger. I did really appreciate the pop culture references, and I thank Ms. Winfrey for jogging my memory and pointing the way to a marathon of romantic comedy watching! If you're looking for a light escape, spend a few hours "Looking For Tom Hanks."
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

I wanted to like this one. In fact, despite the rom- com obsessed heroine, the over abundance of romantic comedy movie references and the name Tom Hands being mentioned every other page, I forced myself to read to about 40%. I’m not sure what finally had me throwing in towel, maybe when I realized the heroine, Annie, was absolutely ridiculous and I didn’t see her getting any better, maybe it was her attitude toward the supposed hero who frankly hadn’t done anything to deserve her rudeness, or maybe it was the seven billionth time Tom Hands was mentioned… but I surrendered and gave up.
Final grade- DNF

As a huge fan of rom-com movies, and someone who has probably seen almost all of Tom Hanks' classics, I didn't hesitate when I saw this book. I knew I wanted to read it. Of course the bright and adorable cover didn't hurt either. Having never read this author before, I had no idea what to expect when opening this up. This probably sounds strange to say considering my rating, but I actually do think that she's a talented writer. But there's a difference between being a good writer and storytelling effectively and that's where my problem lies. I had several big issues with the book:

1) How the enemies to lovers trope was created/developed
2) The heroine's childish and illogical behavior
3) How her rom-com obsession is in actuality more of an unhealthy fixation. It ruled her entire life and affected every thought process and decision throughout her day.

I knew from the synopsis that Annie would be obsessed with rom-coms. I just had no idea that it would be presented in the way that it was. I was so down for being served a heaping smorgasbord of movie references. However I knew within the first couple of chapters that I didn't like Annie's thought pattern on them at all. It goes beyond her loving rom-coms because of her fond memories tied to her mother. Or her parents' once in a lifetime romance that has erected impossibly high standards. She's created a fantasy world because of it.

Annie finds out that there will be a big budget romantic movie filmed in her town, and her friends urge her to get a job on set. Drew Danforth is the male lead, and when she hears he's the star she immediately starts a judgmental tirade about his character. All this based on gossip sites and times she saw him on TV. She doesn't know the man! You can imagine how grating this would get when she insults someone she's never met before, and it only got worse from there.

Far from her imagined meet-cute, her first meeting with Drew is uncomfortably awkward and every interaction thereafter goes downhill. She snaps at him and misinterprets every word out of his mouth making her appear like a shrew. Bluntly put, this guy is FAR from a jerk and does not deserve her attitude. She got so bad that I had to skim over a couple of their conversations because she wouldn't stop insulting him.

I believe this was all in order to create an enemies to lovers trope, but there was no sexy banter, no logical explanation for how she felt. There was no antagonism on his part, not even when he was unfairly insulted. They weren't enemies, it was one person making assumptions about another and getting angry all the time. In other words, it all felt manufactured and fell flat. As for Drew, he didn't seem to be affected at all by her behavior and somehow developed a crush on her through all of it. I really couldn't understand why. Because of all of these things I had a hard time getting through the first half of the book. She finally did realize that she was wrong about him, but once their flirting kicked in, I didn't have any investment in their HEA.

To sum things up, I do like the author's humor and there were sporadic moments in there where I was entertained by her friends' relationship with each other. But unfortunately the heroine was unlikable for too long, the movie theme was set up too strangely, and I didn't feel the chemistry I should have. Many will disagree with me, maybe some will relate to how I felt. I was really disappointed and wish I could have loved it more, but I think I can safely say that this particular story wasn't the right fit for me.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for my early review copy! I really enjoyed this romcom. I have read many thrillers lately and wanted a light read for the summer. This book was sweet, endearing, and had me laughing at parts. I would definitely recommend this book to all the romcom fans who need a light read. Fun and enjoyable - add this to your summer list!

Annie is 27 years old and loves a romantic comedy movie, which also have significance and nostalgia for her. Her dating expectations have since been influenced and she is waiting for the perfect match. She must also figure out how to be his match with the defenses she has.

Before he was castaway on a deserted island, landed a plane on the Hudson River, or came back safely from a failed trip to the moon, Tom Hanks was the king of the romantic comedy. Anyone who loves the rom-coms of the 1990’s will love Waiting for Tom Hanks, and more importantly, will understand the 90’s pop culture references. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan were the “it“ couple back then. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched You’ve Got Mail (1998) which most people don’t know was a remake of Shop Around the Corner (1940) with Jimmy Stewart and Maureen Sullivan. Neither should be confused with Shop Girl (2005) authored by Steve Martin, although Martin had wanted Hanks to play the lead until his producer convinced Martin to take the roll himself.

Hanks was the adorable leading man who was approachable. He personified the one you actually hoped to date in real life. He wasn’t Chris Hemsworth hunky or Hugh Grant awkward, Hanks was cute and smart, and clearly understood what it meant to be “smitten.“ Annie Cassidy, although twenty-seven years old in Kerry Winfrey’s 2019 ode to the ‘90’s rom-com, has an obsession with Tom Hanks. She doesn’t want the actual Tom Hanks, but that approachable perfect man he personified in her obsessive rom-com watching. Frankly, if she were any younger, I don’t think this premise would have been believable.

Annie is cute, but closed off to even her own dreams. She cocooned herself after the death of her parents and lives a small life, in the small neighborhood of German Village in Columbus, Ohio. (Actually, German Village is great. I’ve lived in Columbus and German Village is this little gem of great food, artsy boutiques, and theater.) She’s also a film major so she’s trying to write her own screenplay, a romantic comedy of course, but her refusal to leave her small world is keeping her from getting on with actually having a future.
There’s nothing new plot-wise going on here. Hallmark is making 30,000 movies a year based on the same basic premise of the meet-cute, misunderstanding, quirky best friend smooths things over, all is forgiven, and they get together in the end with a grand gesture. But let’s face it, Hallmark is making bank because the formula works. We love happy endings, even when they’re predictable—maybe because they’re predictable. Winfrey doesn’t apologize for that, but instead, digs in deeper, taking her Tom Hanks metaphor to a satisfying conclusion.

In a welcome twist, it isn’t Tom Hanks that shows up, but the metaphorical Chris Hemsworth, the hunky movie star in the character of Drew Danforth. If I have one criticism, and it’s the reason I’m not giving this book an “A“ grade, it’s that we don’t get his point of view. The story is told entirely from Annie’s perspective. Because we could make a pretty good guess at what Dan was going to do next, knowing what he was thinking as he did it would have been much more satisfying.

Winfrey’s writing is good. She has some zingers and one-liners that would play well on the big screen. They certainly do in the imagination of the reader. “Do Ewoks even have balls?“ That’s a Big Bang worthy question. It’s up there with my favorite, “Is Elastigirl her own diaphram?“ I will definitely give Winfrey another chance in the contemporary romance category.

My Rating: B+ Liked It A Lot

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey follows Annie, a die-hard romcom fan and screenplay writer who is desperately waiting for her own real-life meet cute and Tom Hanks. Not Tom Hanks the man himself, but what he represents in all of those beloved 90’s flicks. Romcoms were one thing Annie really enjoyed with her mother before she died and she is determined to hold out for the guy she deserves.

Annie learns a romcom will be filming in her local Ohio town and scores a role as the director’s assistant thanks to her uncle’s connections. Her first day on set begins with her dumping coffee on the film’s star Drew, Hollywood’s current leading man. She’s determined to hate everything he’s about in order to find her Tom Hanks and yet finds herself continually drawn to him. Could Drew be the answer to her own romcom or is she still waiting for Mr. Right?

Overall I did really enjoy the relationship between Annie and Drew. This was a cute light beach read and I finished it in one sitting. There are A LOT of romcom parallels mentioned to the point where I did find myself saying “this isn’t a movie!” While as a reader I was able to understand that Annie’s obsession with romcoms stemmed from her desperation to hang onto a thread that connected her to her mother, it started to get incredibly repetitive throughout the story. It did come off a little unrealistic although again I did identify with what they were supposed to represent. Annie and Drew’s relationship was endearing and I was happy to follow their journey. There is also a blind date with Barry in there that had me CRYING laughing it was so damn funny. I am looking forward to the next one in the series titled Not Like the Movies. The next book follows her friend Chloe who is much more a cynic. I look forward to seeing where these characters go next and for all of you lovers of Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, you’ll enjoy this contemporary nod! // ☕️☕️☕️ 1/2

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for my copy to review! All opinions are my own!

Once in a while you've got to read a chick lit by a carefree non-POC. It was refreshing to read a light-hearted, sweet book. I haven't read a good chick lit in a long time. Waiting for Tom Hanks parallels Sophie Kinsella's early hits.
This book was hilarious, mainly because of the perfect romance best friend Chloe. (I can't wait to read her romance with Nick/Gilmore Girl's Luke in the upcoming sequel Not Like the Movies.)
The laugh out loud moments sold me on this book, as well as the unique conversations between the quirky characters, namely Gary.

Thank you for the ARC!

3.5 Stars

I’m sort of at a loss at how to review this book because I have really mixed feelings.

I loved the premise of the story. As an avid romance reader and dreamer, I love the idea behind a heroine who shares a love of romantic comedies...and Tom Hanks. I don’t know of many woman who don’t dream of having the chance to live out their very own rom-com. Once, in middle school, I had a friend tell me that I was doomed to end up alone because I had my head in the clouds when it came to boys. So I’ve been there and I totally get it.

On the other hand, Annie was kind of hard to like because her entire focus in life seemed to be about a houseboat and Tom Hanks. She totally ignored her own feelings for anyone who didn’t fit the idea in her head and came across as miserable.

I also didn’t really understand her instant anger towards Drew. I mean, I love a good rivals to lovers romance but I wasn’t ever really sold on the rivalry. I get it, Annie was scared of her immediate attraction to Drew and annoyed by his perceived arrogance but it went from their first meeting to her accusing him of being rude and mean to her. I just didn’t see it.

I think that my issues with the story come down to that exact issue, I felt like I was told more about how he treated her mean but I don’t feel like it was ever really shown. I felt the same about their connection. I wish there would’ve been more time spent on them together and a little less time spent in her head.

I say I was torn about this book because in the end, when I look back, I did like how it all turned out and I loved Drew. He was not your normal movie star but rather a guy I would totally want to be friends, or more, with. I could totally see this being made in a movie that I would thoroughly enjoy but I feel like I was just expecting...more.

Overall though, I did end up enjoying the book as a whole and would totally read something more from this author in the future.

When I saw Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey I knew this book was written just for me. I have watched You’ve Got Mail more than 1000 times. (Yes that’s one THOUSAND) and I can quote most of it. My sister and I love rom-coms and are known to throw random movie quotes into our everyday conversations. So I was here for all the movie references throughout this book!

Waiting for Tom Hanks is a clean romance with a sweet story between Annie and Drew. Though at points I was frustrated with Annie, I loved Drew’s patience. He was the perfect leading man! This was a cute story with a great cast of main and side characters.

If you are a fan of rom-coms, can quote movies with the best of them, and enjoy a cute love story pick this one up.

I can’t wait for book two starring Annie’s friend Chloe!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book

What can I say other than I absolutely ADORED this book? I always love finding a new to me author that immediately becomes a new fan favourite! I fell in love with Kerry Winfrey's writing, and how the story just flew off the pages, so effortlessly. Annie and Drew, and even the secondary characters (my absolute FAVOURITE was Chloe) were so relatable, so funny, so dashing, quirky and real! I loved them so much. And can I just say, this book had me in STITCHES. I laughed out loud so many times, and would find myself rereading all of the funny parts just because I couldn't get enough. And while I reallllyyy loved Annie and Drew and I'm such a sucker for a good "average, plain jane girl" getting the "sarcastic but oh so handsome and underneath it all charming movie star", my favorite parts of the book were with Annie and her sarcastically BRILLIANT best friend Chloe. I LOVED HER!!!! I loved how supportive she was of her best friends fantasies of finding the rom-com man, a.k.a Tom Hanks, and how she also wasn't afraid to gently put her in her place to let her know when she was being a little unrealistic. And man oh man, that girl was so funny!

The only thing I would have liked more of is a little more descriptive "sexy time" (for lack of a better word) and a little less fade to black. With that being said, the way it was written really and truly fit the whole "rom-com" esque feel of the book and it really felt like I was watching a movie. I do hope however, that Chloe's book gets a little more descriptive in the action *wink wink*

overall, such a light, funny, charming and swoony book, perfect for the summer! I think anyone who reads this will end up falling for Kerry Winfreys writing!

I really enjoyed this book. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I was hoping to have more romance between Annie and Drew. I thought there would be more of that, but I liked the way the book went. I think it was really great how Annie had a few "Tom Hank" momements but really rejected the first moment. I really cannot wait for the book about Chloe and Nick! I think that will be really fun to read since we know there is chemistry there. A really fun read!

The premise of Waiting for Tom Hanks is super cute, and in a lot of ways that's the best way to describe Waiting for Tom Hanks itself. It's a lot about Tom Hanks, but it's not *all* about Tom Hanks - although Tom Hanks does come up a lot. Both who Tom Hanks himself probably is as a person, as well as some of the best movies that Tom Hanks has been a part of (some where Tom Hanks starred with Meg Ryan and others where Tom Hanks had a different co-star.)

Ok. I'm sorry, I had to do it. To be very real - just know you're going to read the words "Tom Hanks" more than you ever thought possible - but if you go into it with an open mind, ready to enjoy the book for what it is, I think it makes it much more enjoyable. I avoided all impulses to eye-roll at how much romantic comedies were a part of her life, as well as the unrealistic Tom Hanks-ish dreams she carried with her wherever she went - and the book was so much better after I let go and just embraced it.

Perfect quick summertime read - and make sure you break out that Blockbuster card so you can rent all of your favorite 90s romcoms (especially the ones with Tom Hanks in them) to watch over the next weekend, because you're definitely going to want to watch Tom Hanks in some of Tom Hanks' best movies! (Does anybody still have their blockbuster card?? I still do, haha!)

Annie is a college graduate who thought she'd be further in life, love, and her career at this stage than she has gotten; however, her life hasn't gone to plan. I must say, I didn't love her as much as I expected I would, but she was necessary to the story. I wish she'd been a little bit of a stronger character, but I still enjoyed her. I loved her best friend Chloe, though! She was hilarious, down to earth, and totally not afraid of calling Annie on her bullshit when needed! Annie has some very high standards - her ideal man owns a houseboat, after all - and will settle for nothing less! Meaning she is waiting for her own Tom Hanks to show up in her life. I guess she's lucky a romcom is being filmed in her hometown!

Drew is a very famous movie star who is cast in previously mentioned romcom, and Annie hates this idea of this jokester ruining this movie. So, obviously, she pre-judges him. There's more to him than she knows, though. Turns out he's a way better man than the gossip sites portray *shock*. She views their interactions way differently than himself and they take a little while to sort things out. But once they do, it's magic! I loved them together and felt they were a really great match. AND THAT GRAND GESTURE - BE STILL MY HEART!

There are several minor characters I loved throughout -Uncle Don, Nick, and Tommy, to name just a few. They really gave the story added depth. I truly loved Kerry Winfrey's storytelling and world-building. She's a massively talented author, and I cannot wait to see what she gives us next!

This was a cute, fun story that kept me highly entertained start to finish! I just want to read Annie's screenplay, now!

BOOK REPORT for Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey

Cover Story: Cutesy
BFF Charm: Nay
Swoonworthy Scale: 4
Talky Talk: No Spark
Bonus Factor: Charming World
Relationship Status: Failed Connection


Cover Story: Cutesy

This seems very on-trend right now in this world of rom-coms/chick lit/women’s fiction/whatever you want to call this genre. Bright colors, cute drawings, fun typography. Something that tells you, “everything is going to work out this in story!” The faceless people are a little creepy and makes it feel like it’s not quite finished, though I’m guessing it was meant to be more allegorical.

The Deal:

Annie’s life is comfortable, but she’s stuck in a rut. She longs to be the next Nora Ephron, but instead she’s writing how-to articles on the internet and spending her free time at the coffee shop where her best friend, Chloe, works. She wants to find love, a man just as perfect as Tom Hanks is in all of his romantic comedies she’s obsessed with, but no one seems to be hitting that mark.

When a new rom-com is announced to be filming right there in her town, her uncle Don tells her the director is an old college buddy, and, best of all, he can pull some strings to get her a job as the director’s assistant! Then Annie literally runs into Drew Danforth, the comedic actor who is trying to break into leading man territory, and she instantly dislikes him. He’s rude and never serious, and there’s no way some actor who is only pretending to be as good as Tom Hanks could actually be her Tom Hanks…right?

BFF Charm: Nay

I must confess a secret: I kind of hated Annie. I was rooting for her at first. She is the down-on-her-luck, slightly sad-sack leading lady that we know could shine with the right amount of confidence and the love of a good person. But the more I got to know her, the less I wanted her to succeed. Instead of a man, I think what she really she needed was a therapist. Her persistent delusions about what real love looks like—it’s rarely a Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie, let me tell you—and her judgmental attitude really turned me off.

Swoonworthy Scale: 4

Just call my heart a pat of refrigerated butter, because nothing about this romance made it melt. Drew and Annie’s meet cute was milquetoast: she runs into him outside a coffee shop and spills coffee all over him, then runs away. When they meet again on set, Drew makes some joking remarks about their previous encounter and calls her, wait for it because it’s SO offensive…Coffee Girl. Annie is LIVID. She HAS A NAME.

Sigh. This all would’ve worked much better if the writing was clearer, because the way Drew is described, he doesn’t sound mean or dismissive so much as, let’s say, gently teasing. Who wouldn’t give a little side-eye to a woman who dumps coffee on them and then won’t apologize before she darts away? But Annie instantly hates him and projects all over him that he’s too cocky to ever be a Tom Hanks.

Yet every time we see Drew—and, remember, this is all in the first person from Annie’s perspective—he’s never really written as a horrible-sounding human. Sure, he gets annoyed at her standoffishness, but his smiles and jokes that Annie interprets as “mocking” in her head always seemed to this reader as, well, not. The misunderstanding in the third act also just fell flat for me, but that could’ve been because of my earlier disillusionment with the romance.

Talky Talk: No Spark

I tried really hard to love this book. It seemed tailor-made for me: plenty of references of beloved rom-coms; two leads who, at first, can’t stand each other; an author I’ve read and enjoyed in the past (I love Winfrey’s Tumblr, A Year of Romantic Comedies.). But in addition to my issues with the romance itself (as stated above), I struggled with the extremely annoying main character and her perspective. Since so much of a rom-com depends on having a likeable—or at least relatable—leading lady, ours was a love affair doomed from the start.

Bonus Factor: Charming World

What the author DID do right was create a homey little biosphere in which her characters could exist. The little town was quaint, and Annie lived in a cute Victorian house with her uncle where he played D&D with a cast of nerdy but delightful friends. She also had her very own “place” where she could go and see her friends and talk about her problems in the form of Nick’s, the coffee shop where Chloe worked. It served the purpose of throwing together characters (everyone on the movie set is apparently addicted to caffeine, so people like the director and the actors were always showing up), giving us one of those vaguely amusing tertiary characters who says wacky things everyone else always ignores, and providing a public backdrop to Annie’s awkward blind dates. (I did like her friend Chloe and HER it’s-obvious-they’ll-get-together-in-the-next-book flirtation with Nick, the coffee shop owner, but I do worry that when she becomes the main character I may no longer care for her.)

Relationship Status: Failed Connection

I saw you across the way, Book, and I felt it. The hint of something promising. This was the start of something new! But after getting to know you, I realized despite some common interests, we are two very different people. This thing between us isn’t going to work, so, hey, have a good life. Elsewhere.

Despite taking place during winter, WAITING FOR TOM HANKS by Kerry Winfrey is a fantastic summer read!

If you miss the good ol’ rom-coms of the 90s and early 2000s (think Nora Ephron, Meg Ryan, and of course, Tom Hanks), you’ll love this book! It has that classic, feel good, rom-com vibe with a relatable heroine and swoon worthy hero.

It also deals with loss and grief, as Annie lost both her parents when she was young. She’s trying to hold onto a piece of her mother through rom-coms, as well as the idea that her parents were destined to be together. But trying to hold onto the idea of something is holding her back from actually living her life and following her dreams.

Let’s talk Drew real fast: I loved him! He teases Annie a lot but it never came off as mean or cutting which I was very thankful for. He’s one of those good guys that maybe is a little clueless sometimes but his heart is so big and he cares a lot for the people in his life.

The characters are so easy to love and it’s just an all around sweet and fun romance! (I’m also SO HAPPY two side characters are getting their own book 🙌🏻)

So, overall, I absolutely adored the 90s rom-com references, but I found the main character a little too juvenile/immature/desperate (?) in her attempt to make the perfect relationship. I get it, it's in the synopsis but it was a little much for me. The tension/chemistry was on point, I would've liked to see more of it, and a little more "romance" overall. I wanted to feel more invested in the two main characters as a couple, but most of the novel is build-up.

I think the big "conflict"/climax that is typical of a rom-com wasn't super believable & the reconciliation seemed to happen to quickly. For me, the ending felt rushed. This is a short book, I would've rather had another 75-100 pages of more meat in terms of the relationship and fleshing that out more.

This was great if you don't like too much sexy or if you prefer the "fade to black" romance scenes.

I would recommend to romance fans but I wouldn't say I absolutely LOVED this one.

Adorable book right from the first page with a cute take on the rom com, setting up Tom Hanks as the ideal. Fun, fast read.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

So I loved this book so much! It had just the right amount of romance and humor that I look for in a contemporary romance novel. I love the premise of a girl who is so busy looking for her metaphorical Tom Hanks that she writes off the guy who is right in front of her.

The book is about a girl named Annie who wants to be a screenwriter and write rom-coms, something she loves because of all the 80s and 90s rom-coms she grew up watching with her mom. Annie scores a job working on a movie productions that is filming in a neighborhood by her house and while on set she meets Drew. Drew is basically Chris Pratt based on the description -- a goofy guy with a heart of gold.

There were several times this book caused me to laugh out loud and I loved all of the characters in the book, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a smart and funny romance book.

I don’t think it’s normal for a person to have watched Forrest Gump as many times as I’ve had. I can’t even count the times I’ve seen both Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail. And That Thing You Do! is one of my favorite movies of all time. In fact, I regularly incorporate quotes from all of the aforementioned movies into my everyday life. To say I’m obsessed with Tom Hanks (and rom-coms) would be an understatement. That’s why the title alone had me excited to read Waiting For Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey.

Having had a love of romantic comedies instilled in her since childhood, Annie Cassidy is a single woman waiting for her dream man to come along…specifically Tom Hanks, or at least the type of characters he played onscreen opposite Meg Ryan. (Side note: her name is Annie. As in the heroine from Sleepless in Seattle! In my head, I just heard Jonah ask, “Are you Annie?” I mean, come on! How perfect is that?) Her head is constantly in the clouds, daydreaming of meet cutes, grand gestures, and true love, while, in reality, she’s a twenty-seven-year-old aspiring screenwriter living in Ohio with her uncle as a roommate. Annie has placed her romantic future in the hands of fate, and fate steps in when a romantic comedy is set to film in her hometown.

For all of her talk about wanting to star in her own rom-com and find her very own version of Tom Hanks, Annie is oblivious to fate giving her a nudge in the form of a potential love interest. With a reputation for being a prankster and a dismissive attitude toward rom-coms in general, Hollywood actor, Drew Danforth, puts Annie on the defensive. She views their quick-witted banter and his flirtatiousness as mockery. This is the point in a rom-com where you want to grab the heroine by the shoulders and shake some sense into her. Luckily, she has a hilariously blunt realist for a best friend to help open her eyes to what’s tangible rather than what’s possible.

With a sweet, swoon-worthy romance, a humorous, self-aware narrative, and flawed, but lovable characters, Waiting for Tom Hanks is an ode to rom-com lovers and hopeless romantics. With a PG-13 rating, references to a number of rom-com movies, and an extended cast of quirky, unforgettable characters, this book is entertaining from start to finish. Not only is Annie my spirit animal but I’m fairly certain Waiting for Tom Hanks was written specifically for me. Kerry Winfrey has gained a new fan and I’m eagerly awaiting her next release!

*complimentary copy provided by author for an honest review

Rating: 4.5 Stars