This book peaks your interest and then locks you in for quite the ride. An opportunity between a struggling writer and an underrated actor turns into a journey of mistakes and redemption. We travel from past to present slowly piecing together the interview that ended up spanning a weekend that changed everything for them and between them. Loved the moments of realness captured between this unlikely couple and the sharp and unexpected turn it takes. There's a lot going on with both characters and the slow (sometimes painfully) unraveling of the whole truth really binds you to this story and it's characters (even the secondary ones). A great journey to read and get lost in.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

Gabe and Chani, what a story! I adored the view of both then and now, seeing how both grew over their 10 year gap between interviews. I was most intrigued by the now, wanting to know how one weekend ten years ago still affected both of them. And shout out to the character of Ollie, he was the fantastic character addition!

I don't often willing lose sleep anymore due to kids, but after starting this, I had to know how it ended. I hope Elissa Sussman will write more soon! I'd love to see where Gabe's sister's story could go.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Dang that was a good book. Can this please be made into a movie! With likable characters, a quick moving plot, and movie-like-imagery it was so hard to put down, The perfect rom-com.

Pub date: 4/12/22
Genre: romcom
In one sentence: Chani's big break in journalism came from her interview with star Gabe Parker - and ten years later, people still want to know what really happened between them.

This book was just a pleasure to read! I loved getting Chani and Gabe's stories in both the past and present - these two had chemistry and banter up the wazoo. One highlight was Gabe asking Chani how to pronounce her name (no one ever asks) and then continuing to pronounce it perfectly, even ten years later. I loved these little touches that showed that Gabe really saw Chani, despite him being a celebrity.

I think this is a really fun read if you like romcoms, and readers who don't normally read romance might also enjoy it too due to the character development over time. I certainly wish I could meet Gabe in real life!

Thank you to Ballantine Books for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

5⭐️

Then: Chani Horowitz, a twentysomething writer, is given the with making the public fall in love movie star Gabe Parker (aka her longtime celebrity crush and newest Bond). If she gets it this profile right it’ll career defining.

Now: What Chani didn’t expect was how the Gabe Parker profile would launch her into the limelight. It was one unpredictable weekend that led to one viral interview, one that her editors are desperate for her to recreate. Which means reuniting with Gabe Parker once again, and the person who actually knows what happened that one weekend 10 years ago.

I cannot believe this is a debut (adult) novel for Elissa Sussman. I absolutely devoured it in a day. And frankly am about to go buy 10 copies to distribute to all my friends so that I can gush about this story with them. Her writing pulled me in right away and wouldn’t let me go.

It’s a story of second chance romance about meeting the right person at the wrong time. And how things unsaid, or unresolved misunderstandings, or those what-if moments can set you on a different path than the one you anticipated. It explores the ripple effect of two peoples choices.

Sussman does an incredible job weaving of the “Then” and “Now” journey of Chani and Gabe. I love how the real truth of their original weekend together was revealed slowly over the course of the book. And how it was paired the juxtaposition of the various articles and blog posts that were sprinkled in along the way.

Chani and Gabe were beautifully flawed characters. Ones that will be staying with me for a long time. Watching their character development over the course of the book was perfection.

It was a beautifully written heartfelt, compelling, and wholly human story. Anything else she write will become an instant “must-read” for me! One of my favorite books this year!

LOVED this! I’m not typically into stories about Hollywood, but this got such rave reviews from various bookstagrammers whose taste I trust that I requested a copy from Netgalley. So glad I got it because oh my god. Just so fun and such a great romance! The book follows a journalist named Chani who, 10 years ago, did a big profile on a huge Hollywood heartthrob. It launches both of their careers to new heights, and gossip abounds as everyone who reads the interview wonders what really happened that weekend between the two of them. Ten years later, with both of their careers foundering, they reunite for a follow-up profile…and we get to find out exactly what really happened on that infamous weekend. The book alternates between that weekend ten years ago and present day, and the structure was just perfect for keeping the pages turning. I loved the setup of a writer doing a big interview with this hugely popular celeb. It’s the kind of scenario that does happen a lot, and it was just kind of fun to see it unfold. The dynamic and chemistry between the two was fantastic, and I felt like I really got to know both characters. I’m pretty hit or miss with rom-coms, but I have a running list of ones that I love, and this is high on that list! I’m definitely going to need to get a copy for my bookshelves because this is a keeper.

One weekend 10 years ago completely shaped the course of Chani and Gabe’s lives, shaped their careers, and intertwined them forever. Can a weekend together, 10 years later fix whatever “went wrong”?

I appreciated the “realness” of this book. Elissa doesn’t shy away from talking about the hard stuff- unhappy marriages, emotional abuse, alcoholism… making these characters feel like real people who are flawed and relatable.

It’s beautifully written. And I instantly knew I was going to love it. The only thing I would have liked more of was a conversation between Gabe and a Chani about that weekend and their feelings.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC!

Chani is a young journalist who is looking to make a name for herself. When the opportunity arises to interview the new, American James Bond she jumps at the chance and soon finds herself spending one memorable weekend with this Hollywood star. Her article goes viral and ten years later the pair have a chance to reconnect for a second interview - and a second chance.

This book grabbed ahold of me and wouldn’t let go until I finished it. I loved the alternating timelines and how we got to see Chani and Gabe’s relationship unfold, fall apart and come back together. Chani is an interesting character and I loved how real she felt. At times she was a flawed character, almost unlikable, but that made me like her even more. Same with Gabe. Immediately upon meeting him I loved how invested in and how warm he felt towards Chani.

If you like second chance romances and books about Hollywood life I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for a review copy.

Wow did I enjoy this book. It's smart, unique, funny, heartfelt. Has a great balance of past and present. The way Sussman told the story was intriguing and different enough to keep me invested. Lastly, I just imagined Chris Evans as Gabe and it made it even better.

My favorite parts were the small conversations Chani and Gabe had - just those quiet moments where they both showed more of themselves to the other. Chani was such an interesting character, especially her relationship with her ex-husband. I really rooted for Chani and Gabe and wasn't sure how the story was going to end.

I will say, that although some diversity (queer for Matthias and Black for Jacinda Lockwood) - I'd really have loved to see them more. Especially Jacinda. Like what were her motivations besides. the press essentially calling her a slutty opportunist.

Thank you to Ballantine for my copy~

A little bit romance, a little Daisy Jones and the Six, and a lot of personal growth.

Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman has everything to love. Admittedly, I went into it thinking it would be a lighthearted romance book. I was wrong in the best way. Gabe and Chani had real problems to work through and it was refreshing to see a book so up front about serious issues like gender specific media expectations and addiction/recovery. I was sucked in from the get go and I could not put this one down. Definitely expect this one to be a hot read for this summer!

Thanks to netgalley for the ARC!

#Bookstagram #Netgalley #FunnyYouShouldAsk

Funny You Should Ask is Elissa Sussman's first romantic book written for adults. It follows Chani and Gabe who meet when she is sent to interview Gabe after he lands the role of James Bond. It is her big chance in the world of journalism where her friends seem to be leaving her in the dust. It is also Gabe's big chance to show what he can do in such an important role. They connect during the interview and end up spending a weekend together, but it doesn't end on a high note. The book continues looking back on what has transpired in their lives and what is happening in the present, ten years after they met. Chani is to interview Gabe again. Will they still have a connection? What really happened during that first interview?

I don't know what it was about this book, but it took me a bit to get through it. It could possibly be the back and forth from the past to the present, or it could be the tabloid articles thrown in at intervals, I'm not sure. I liked the character of Gabe. We seem to learn more about him throughout the book but not as much about Chani until closer to the end. Toward the end of the book many of the missing pieces are put together as far as what had happened between the two of them ten years before. I was much more engaged with the second half of the book than I was the beginning. I had a hard time buying the romance/connection between the two of them. At one point, even Chani thinks in the story that they have only been in each other's presence for 6 days out of 10 years so how can they be in love. I agree. I needed a little more relationship building told as it was happening - more like the end of the book. Overall, it was fine, and I will recommend it to people I think would enjoy it.

My sincere thanks to the Random House/Ballentine/Dell and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my honest

Chani Horowitz is a dissatisfied writer, filled with self-doubt, thanks in no small part to her boyfriend who is a “serious” writer who writes “serious” books (translation: pretentious jerk). When offered the opportunity to interview movie star Gabe Parker, who also happens to be her celeb crush, she ends up spending a whirlwind weekend with Gabe that has lasting effects for them both.

Though unfamiliar with Sussman’s previous novels (all young adult titles), I was intrigued by Funny You Should Ask’s premise. Who hasn’t had a celeb crush and thoughts of What if we actually met? While certain aspects of the story kept me turning the pages, main character Chani was, unfortunately, not one of them. Chani was a prickly character, her go-to emotion being anger. (“You go to rage first,” [my therapist] told me. “It’s your safe place when emotions are high.”) Her interactions with Gabe were less conversations and more snarky comebacks (from her side). And for me, this made Chani unrelatable and highly unlikable.

Gabe, on the other hand, was a flawed character whose flaws didn’t overshadow his likability. Behind the movie star looks and the charm was a man who struggled to keep parts of his life private in an industry where every detail was considered tabloid fodder. He also had a serious case of imposter syndrome which led to escapism through alcohol. Gabe was a good man, living an extraordinary life, and I found myself constantly wishing for his point of view and his story.

While the lack of connection with Chani kept me from being fully invested in the outcome, I still found myself caught up in the final chapters, ready to see where the reunion between Chani and Gabe, after ten life-altering years, would lead them. A special kudos to the shining star of the novel, Gabe’s fellow actor/friend Oliver. I could have read an entire book just about Gabe and Ollie.

When I started reading the prologue I loved it, but when it got to the back and forth with past and present - that was too much for me.

I really loved this book. I'm more of a fantasy reader, but I gave this one a try after hearing so many good things about it. I was rooting for Gabe and Chani the whole time, and I'm so glad they found eachother. The book was a little melancholic and full of yearning and I was feeling it the whole time!

I enjoyed this book so much! I would recommend it to anyone who loved The Idea of You. It’s also a “regular gal and a celebrity dreamboat” book. It’s probably less emotionally resonant and more of a traditional romance, but I liked it for those reasons. Gabe Parker is an awesome book boyfriend. Great read!

Received an advanced copy from the publisher.

This book was a lovely and refreshing read that was a delight to fall into on a spring weekend. It surprised me how quickly I was engrossed and I can't wait to read more from this author.

Sussman crafts a charming and bittersweet romance that flips back and forth between the events 10 years ago and the events now, masterfully revealing pieces of the backstory and the events in between to give you a greater understanding of the characters. Chani and Gabe are lovely and complicated people, messy and real despite only being allowed into their lives for these two brief windows of time.

I'm raving to people about this book. I think the cartoony cover and the fun premise make it sound a bit lighter than it is, but I loved it for what it was.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

Funny You Should Ask

Elissa Sussman

Publication: April 12, 2022

I absolutely loved this book! Funny You Should Ask is so fresh and sweet and funny and romantic…sigh. Gabe and Chani’s flashbacks mixed with the current timeline was just so perfectly written. This is one of those books you will want to reread and also listen to the audiobook…yes, it is that good!

5 Stars

Chani Horowitz is a writer for Broad Sheets magazine. Her editor wants her to interview and write an article on Hollywood heartthrob, Gabe Parker. Excited for this opportunity, Chani has a good time talking with Gabe and finds him to be genuine, but she also sees that he drinks too much when they have lunch together.

This interview was very well received and Chani is now an established writer. She leaves Los Angeles for New York where she marries an old boyfriend who is now a successful author. However, after 10 years, their marriage breaks down and she returns to Los Angeles.

Now, Gabe Parker has been chosen as the new Bond in a movie even though he doesn’t have an English accent, whereas many think another English actor would be a better choice. Gabe has had many problems in the last 10 years mostly with alcohol which has landed him in rehab.

Chani has been asked by her editor to interview him again. Nervous, she finds him calm but can see that his past with alcohol has not been kind to his body. He invites her to his movie premiere and the night gets crazy.

OK. I kept waiting for this book to grab me, which it did. However, I found myself kicking and screaming for it to let go. Maybe it’s because I am not a fan of movies or TV. I am a book reader and reviewer, period. So, reading about Hollywood and its characters bored me. Why do people worship someone who acts? I found this book to be petty, snide, and filled with metaphors. Sorry, folks, this one was just not for me.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Ummmm

I absolutely loved this. I didn't know what to expect going in since I had read two other celebrity as a MC books prior to this one and was a bit fatigued of that trope. I am also not a huge fan of articles in books. But, man. The articles added authenticity and the celeb MC was super charming and likeable. It did a good job balancing the mystery of their fallout and kept me invested.

I enjoyed this book, overall, but it was not my favorite. Sorry. I felt it was a challenge to get into the characters and with the time jumps, I could never really sink into the plot.