I loved this book as I loved Waiting for Tom Hanks. I got sucked into the world of Chloe and Nick and finding their way from boss and barista to more. Delightful, funny, lighthearted, and beautifully done.

Kerry Winfrey continues to lovingly play with romcom tropes in Not Like the Movies, her followup to Waiting for Tom Hanks. (It's a sequel but can be read as a stand alone.) I was surprised by how much this book moved me (I found myself crying for a good twenty pages or so) and that it made me laugh out loud at moments. It's perfect for fans of New Girl (Chloe and Rick give off serious Jess and Nick vibes) and those who love a meta rom com.

⁣⁣Finally, an illustrated cover that matches the story!⁣
⁣
This book is just as adorable as the cover. It's a hilarious romcom about a barista named Chloe who is dealing with a lot: her best friend wrote a screenplay that is becoming a popular movie about the romance between her and her boss... except, her and her boss aren't even in a relationship, which makes things awkward, but is also a bit forshadowing.⁣
⁣
There was so much to love in this adorable novel. Chloe doesn't have it easy, her mother and brother have abandoned her to take care of her father with Alzheimer's completely on her own, she's trying to get through business school, and she's working full time. However, she somehow holds onto her constant optimism by a thread even though the hits keep coming.⁣
⁣
The banter between Chloe and her boss, Nick, is so on point. I laughed out loud and highlighted so many lines while reading this one.⁣
⁣
Chloe and Annie's friendship is total friendship goals and I absolutely MUST read Annie's story, if only to get more of these two characters.⁣
⁣
The only downside about this book is that Chloe's character became a little frustrating toward the end. Her reasons for refusing to be in a relationship with Nick just didn't make sense to me, but Nick's character alone was enough to make up for that. He's the quiet, seemingly grumpy, but secretly sweet hero that I absolutely love.⁣
⁣
⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣⁣

What a great follow up to Waiting for Tom Hanks. I thoroughly enjoyed this rom-com. Percect beach read ! Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

I really really liked this adorable rom com book! Last summer I read Waiting for Tom Hanks and LOVED it. ❤️⁣⁣
⁣
Not Like The Movies is the sequel to Waiting for Tom Hanks. Chloe’s best friend Annie wrote a movie script which is inspired by Chloe and her boss Nick whom she despises. The main characters in the movie are Zoey and Rick (I loved how Annie did this) 😂 As the buzz for the movie grows, Chloe is trying to figure out if Nick is actually her happily-ever-after!⁣⁣
⁣⁣
The character development was so good! This book is set in Columbus Ohio and I visited this adorable city last spring. Chloe works at a coffee shop and she is the sole caretaker for her father who has early onset Alzheimer’s. Her huge heart is contagious!⁣⁣ This book will be one I will buy to keep on my shelf and reread. I flew through this book and I'm so glad I read it.
⁣⁣
If you love enemies to loves books with pop culture references, you’ll enjoy this book 👏🏻⁣⁣

Chloe Sanderson's plate is just not full, it's overflowing. She works full-time at a coffee shop, where she does most of the work, she is trying to finish her college degree and is dealing with her father who lives in an assisted living center due to advancing Alzheimer's. In her "spare time" she is helping her BFF, Annie, work on a myriad of wedding preparations. She often has "5 Minute Cries" when she allows herself to let out her feelings of being overwhelmed and on her own.

Nick Velez is the owner of Nick's, a coffee shop, where Chloe works. He does not open up much about his personal life, but they mainly talk in silly banter. Chloe realizes Nick is more than attractive and hot, but it would be inappropriate to have more than their work relationship. Chloe is too busy for any romance anyway.
Chloe has always made time for Annie and has gone from tolerating to enjoying Annie's obsession with rom-com movies. The days of the two of them having movie nights will come to a close soon once Annie gets married. Annie has even written her own rom-com movie, "Coffee Girl", based on Nick and Chloe, though the movie characters have a different outcome from real life.

Chloe really grows in this adorable novel. Like many of us, she thinks she can do everything on her and does not want to ask for help, even when she is about to fall apart.

Nick has dealt with his past, but can't always express his feelings and is often afraid to do so. He may be a strong, capable man, but underneath is a tender heart.

Although Alzheimer's is definitely not funny, I loved Chloe's dad's obsession with old TV shows. Some things from the past, be they TV shows or music, can touch even people suffering from dementia on a deep emotional level and bring some joy into life.

Chloe's brother roommate Mikey Danger brought some lighthearted humor into the plot. Nick's bowling buddies also provided some comic relief.

NOT LIKE THE MOVIES is the second in a series. I have not read the first book, but this novel stood just fine on its own. Of course, since I loved this book so much I will have to go back and read the first one.

I loved Waiting For Tom Hanks and I loved Not Like The Movies too! There were laugh out loud moments as well as swoony romantic ones. Chloe has learned that she needs to take care of everyone, especially herself, in order to survive. She can't imagine letting someone else in, and so she keeps pushing Nick away. Nick may seem quiet and chill, but he has feelings too, Chloe! Of course, being a rom com, Chloe comes up with a grand gesture, but it remains to be seen whether Nick will go for it!

Some of my favorite lines included:

"I get angry with Siri when she willfully misunderstands me, and that doesn't mean I should marry my phone."

"...my mind [is] scrolling through the events of today like their an endless Instagram feed of frustrations."

"I'm confused as to whether I want to be this cute girl or whether I want to make out with her."

"In a world that's often hard and cold and cruel, the tiny bit of warmth and kindness matter, too."

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really enjoyed 'Not Like the Movies'. This is a sweet, funny, sincere and at the same time poignant book that was a great read.

Chloe and her boss, Nick, have worked together for years. Chloe works at Nick's coffee shop while also earning her degree and taking care of her father who has Alzheimer's. In a word, Chloe is busy. Chloe's already busy life has now been made busier, more complicated because her best friend has written a movie which she based off of the sexual tension between Chloe and Nick.

Chloe adamantly does not want to get involved with her boss. She can admit that is gorgeous, that she has pants feelings for him but she doesn't want to complicate her work relationship or introduce romance to her already overwhelming schedule.

Chloe and Nick try to avoid their attraction and of course, this does not work. They kiss and try to forget about it but that leads to more kissing and more pants feelings.

This books, while labelled as a romance, feels way more like Chloe's story. We see her juggling her life and the all the emotions associated with that: the guilt she feels at having to her father in a care home, her struggle to finish her degree, the jealousy she feels at watching her best friend's life move ahead, leaving her behind where she always has been and always will be. And of course, Chloe must take care of herself without asking for help.

Through the book Chloe learns to let her walls down and ask for the help she needs and she begins to figure out her life. There are so many relatable moments like when she visits her dad and watches him fade before her eyes or deals with her brother who's come back to town with the promise of helping with their dad and failing to do so. This book seems much more focused on Chloe and her growth and has given her a rich story through which she can grow.

The one thing I missed when I finished this book was that Nick felt less fleshed out. In contrast with Chloe, who jumps off the page, Nick often times feels a little one note. Not a lot of time is given to get to know him or explore his character. Most of what we know about him is inferred from Chloe's inner monologue. Part of this lack seems to come from the premise of the book because Chloe actively works to spend less time with him. Which makes sense for the overall plot but not for the romance. We get a glimpse into Nick's backstory but it's never really fleshed out. He's a lovely character that I wished I had gotten to know better.

This book is really delightful and it's always fun to see how Kerry Winfrey will play with the well known romance/romcom tropes. This book does excellent service to its main heroine and going on Chloe's journey with her as she changes and allows Nick into her life is really a treat.

Not Like The Movie is a spin off of Waiting For Tom Hanks. The book is centred around Chloe, the person that inspired Annie's movie in the previous novel.

As Chloe tries to inwardly navigate her feelings towards Nick, her father's ongoing battle with Alzheimer's, the return of her brother, Miles and her feelings towards Annie's movie, she begins to realise that she can't do it all alone.

Not Like The Movie was another hit for me. The characters continued to develop well, I felt more invested in them as I had read about them in the previous book and the plot grew in a realistic manner. My frustration with Chloe and her unwillingness to receive help was infuriating at times but I'm sure that's exactly how the people around her felt too.

Although this book works as a stand-alone, I definitely recommend reading them in order as there are references made to the first book which you may not be able to appreciate or understand fully without knowing the history of the characters.

I tend to stay away from romance novels but I'm so glad I didn't with this pair because they are so much more than a romance. There is character development, there are twists, great dialogue and of course, the obligatory happy ending that romance books are appreciated for.

I hadn't read the first book in this series, "Waiting for Tom Hanks" so I wasn't too sure how quickly I would be able to get into the book, but I found that that wasn't an issue at all as I very quickly got immersed into the story.

This story centres around Chloe, coffee shop barista by day and caregiver for her father with Alzheimer's by night. She is also the real life version of a movie character based on her life and written by her best friend Annie. The other character in the movie is her boss Nick, but in the movie they fall in love and in real life they are not in love at all.

But as Chloe reads the gossip magazines stories about the two of them she starts to think about Nick in a different way. But life isn't as easy as the movies and as her twin brother moves back to town, her relationship with Nick becomes complicated, and her father becomes worse, Chloe is not sure where her life is going at all.

This was a very sweet book and I really enjoyed the relationship between Chloe and Nick. While some of the aspects of this book weren't realistic since most of us do not have movies written about our lives, the emotional aspects really were as love, friendships, and family are all complicated and don't always all work out at the same time.

I really enjoyed this book and found it a sweet way to pass the time.

Kerry Winfrey’s second adult romantic comedy is a sparkling, hilarious addition to the genre, Even readers that may have been lukewarm on the first installment will be charmed by recklessly optimistic Chloe Sanderson and her refusal to fall prey to the tropes of her own story. Absolutely delightful. Give to fans of Talia Hibbert, Jen DeLuca, and Alisha Rai.

This story is exactly what you expect it will be - and that is why you'll love it.
Nick and Chloe have wonderful chemistry - and their reluctant acceptance that their life might not be dissimilar to a romantic comedy is great to watch. A super addicting read you can revisit again and again , like your favorite Rom-Com.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Chloe had a lot of responsibilities. She has a father with Alzheimer's, she has no help and must respond when the home calls. At least her boss is understanding and let's her go. Then her best friend writes a script that is a lot like the coffee house she works in with characters like her and her boss. Chloe and Nick are not happy about it.

Berkley and Net Galley gave me the opportunity to read this boook for review (thank you). It will be published July 7th.

Then the movie comes out and it's a hit. How embarrassing. The worst part is that Chloe has a crush on Nick. She can't date him because he's her boss but she'd sure like to.

As time goes on, her brother returns and he's supposed to be helping with dad but he slept through an emergency. She deals with it even though it was during the movie. Then she goes and tells her brother off. It makes her feel a bit better but it doesn't solve anything.

Then Nick starts going with her on visits to her father. Holding his hand makes her stronger. She's still got the "leave him alone, he's the boss" thing going. Then he asks her if she'd like to be partners in his business.

It's too bad he hasn't got the same policy. He did but it went by the wayside... Romance is coming for Chloe and it's just what she wanted!

I am staunchly anti-closed door sex scenes (personal preference), but I am also pro-cute covers, which is what led me to read Winfrey's first book in this series Waiting on Tom Hanks. I thought the book was cute--and full of 90s rom-com cliches I didn't entirely appreciate because I haven't seen any of them-- but overall the book just wasn't really my speed. I couldn't resist picking up Not Like The Movies though because the cover is just gah! amazing.

And, very surprisingly, I loved this book. What it lacking in sexy-times it more than made up for in angst and sexual tension. And it was out of the box, too. The heroine doesn't want to get married or have kids. The hero is sensitive and thoughtful (but also adorably grumpy). There are grand gestures and no ones problems are fixed by dick... which, let's be honest, should not be happening in a 2020 romance novel. If I have diagnosed anxiety that is running my life it should not be fixed by a man's amazing sexual prowess... that's all I have to say about that.

Chloe and Nick are the inspiration behind Annie's (our heroine from Waiting For Tom Hanks) upcoming movie in which a coffee shop owner and his employee give in to their sexy banter and fall in love. Only Chloe doesn't even know she likes Nick until the movie trailer, and all her subsequent internet fans, make her realize that all that bantering is really a cover for intense sexual attraction.

Chloe's internal dialogue, and external dialogue for that matter, had me keeling over with laughter almost constantly. I loved watching her come to the realization that maybe she actually finds Nick attractive. And her struggles throughout the book were really relatable and honest. I'd go from laughing to tearing up and back again so fast I almost had whiplash.

Nick is so freaking grumpy and out of touch with social media and pop culture. And he always treats Chloe with such respect and adoration (even if she can't realize the latter). Truly the hero a romance novel deserves. I couldn't get enough of him!

This is the perfect read for those who appreciate a good slow burn (some reviews argue that it's not technically a slow burn but I'm still going to call it that as there is no sexy-times until quite far into the book), romcom-worthy banter/jokes/dialogue (this book is seriously funny), but still enjoys more than humor from their reads (it gets deep and sad and real at times).

Not Like The Movies is a fairly sweet and cosy Romcom, full of funny banter and SO MUCH FOOD PORN and should absolutely be my jam. Alas, it's also set against a background of so much pain and grief and insecurity that I found it really stressful and painful to read. I think the author tackled some hard things quite well, but this book was sadly not for me.

A full review for this book will appear on Smart Bitches, Trashy Books closer to the publication date.

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Net Galley for the advanced copy! Not Like the Movies will be out on July 7th. It’s the sequel to Waiting for Tom Hanks, which came out last summer. ⠀
The main characters in Not Like the Movies are Chloe (Annie’s best friend from the first book) and Nick (coffee shop owner and Chloe’s boss). Chloe and Nick’s lives become complicated after Annie writes a hit rom-com about them. Soon, there’s a feature in People magazine about Chloe and Nick, and a fan shows up at the coffee shop! Chloe is an optimist who wears quirky, colorful clothes (think Jess from New Girl), but has a lot on her shoulders. She cares for her dad, who has Alzheimer’s, she’s trying to finish her degree online, and she’s dealing with her twin brother moving back to town. Nick is the owner of the local coffee shop/Chloe’s boss. He gave me major Luke Danes/Nick Miller vibes. Despite her best friend writing a literal rom-com about her life, Chloe doesn’t think that her life is like the movies, with a perfect guy and a happy ending. This was such a fun read, and I really enjoyed reading about Chloe and Nick. After enjoying both Waiting for Tom Hanks and Not Like the Movies, I can’t wait to read Kerry Winfrey’s next book! If you enjoyed the first book or love reading or watching rom-coms, I definitely recommend reading Not Like the Movies!⠀

DNF at 40%
I was liking the story, however by this time I was not liking Chloe and the way she was with Nick.

He deserved more.

This is more a case of its me not the book I think.

I lok forward to more, as I did like Waiting For Tom Hanks

I really loved Waiting for Tom Hanks and was excited to see a sequel but unfortunately I did not enjoy it as much as I anticipated. So a few things I really enjoyed was getting to see the side characters again especially Uncle Don who is wonderfully geeky and funny, the coffee shop setting (key to a modern rom-com book), and getting a deeper look into Chloe's life. I really appreciated the honest portrayal of what its like to care for a relative suffering from Alzheimer's, its absolutely heartbreaking and dealing with it is extremely stressful. Especially if you are the sole caretaker with no one to share the burden. The author does not try to sugarcoat it at all. There was also a great scene with Annie and Chloe having what was clearly a long overdue fight and conversation about the movie, its impacts, jealously, family and friendship. It was a scene that felt very real and its always a pleasure to read a story that contains strong female friendships. My biggest dislike of the book was actually the main character. I was getting a lot of mixed messages about her. First she is portrayed as a quirky, charming optimist but then she acts like a very negative and pessimistic person. She is very wishy-washy on her feelings about Nick and is constantly yo-yoing between caring about him and not. It was very tiring trying to figure out where her mind was at. Also the whole thing about the mom coming back looking to reconcile felt very much forced and like an afterthought, didn't need that storyline added. Overall not a bad book and if you read the first it would probably be nice to read the second but it just doesn't have the same panache as the first.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy. This books hooked me from the beginning. I liked the first book in the series but I LOVED this one. Love in a coffee shop? Yes!! The main character is unique and the author writes so her personality shines through. You can’t help but care about the characters in this one and swoon at the cuteness. Yet at the same time, Chloe is honest with her struggles of caring for her dad who has Alzheimer’s and trying to keep life together. It’s adorable, sweet and perfect for anyone who misses when rom-coms dominated the movie screens.

To say I am obsessed with Kerry Winfrey is an understatement. I read Waiting for Tom Hanks last year and completely fell in love with the characters and storylines she developed. When I knew that this book was coming out I was extremely excited to read it and I will say I was NOT disappointed. Chloe and Nicks tension is steaming off the page. I really enjoyed that they gave into their tension early in the story, and then the slow build going forward. Chloe and Anna are some of my favorite friend pairings to date, then you mix in the love stories of both of them and you have a perfect series!