I know it’s only February but I 100% think that Funny You Should Ask will be on my 2022 favorites list. I loved every second of this book. It drew me in from the very beginning and I never wanted to stop reading. I’ll be thinking about Chani & Gabe’s story for a very long time!

I really enjoyed the way that this story was told. We have a then/now timeline with sprinkles of articles, blog posts, and reviews in between. This format had me so invested. The end of each chapter left me wanting to know more!

Elissa Sussman created such a beautiful love story. The relationship between Chani & Gabe felt so real. The chemistry between the two..holy cow! It was THERE! I adored watching their journey back to each other. It wasn’t an easy road for either of them, but it was worth it. If you like the second chance romance trope, pick this up. Trust me, you’ll fall head over heels!

I loved Funny You Should Ask with my entire heart! It was charming, funny and relatable. I cannot wait to have a finished copy on my shelves.

I absolutely adored this book!! There was so much of it to love.

I have been wanting to read a contemporary fiction about a Jewish main character, that wasn't over the top religious or traditional - that just acted and lived like a normal person, but with some Jewish undertones sprinkled in. That's exactly how Chani was written - and I really felt *seen* for the first time in a book!

I love the celebrity romance trope, and am a sucker for a second-chance romance, so the fact that this story had both of those tropes is an absolute win! I think it's really important to note though that this story is definitely a women's fiction story, and not *really* a romance. It definitely has romantic elements and follows the romance formula... but its the slowest of burns and not and overly romantic.

Overall, an incredible 4 star read!! I can't wait to tell all my friends about it!

“I stared at him. He stared back. ‘It’s weird, isn’t it?’ he asked softly. ‘When someone thinks they know you.’”

Goodness. I binged this book in less than a day because I just could not put it down. Funny You Should Ask is perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, full of angsty romance and well-crafted dialogue. I loved the way this story unraveled, as it was set up over two weekends with alternating then and now timelines. Chani was such a fun and relatable main character because while she’s a witty and confident, she’s also incredibly awkward. The tension that builds between her and Gabe in the book is tiiiggghhhhttttt. It’s clear they’re meant for each other, but watching it play out slowly was kind of tormenting but also wonderful. Be ready for an emotional rollercoaster where you’ll laugh at Chani trying to fall asleep in a dog bed during an actor’s house party, be fanning yourself during a certain club scene, and tearing up over proclamations of love.

Thank you to Dell and Randomhouse - Ballantine for the copy of this book.

This is one of those books that grabbed me by the throat from the first words with its immersive storytelling. Don’t let the cover fool you—the “cuteness” of the cover underscores the depth of the writing. Written from Chani Horowitz’s perspective, a mostly non-fic writer who writes an exposé that goes viral on Gabe Parker, (hottest actor around) soon the be the next James Bond, chapters are interspersed with magazine and social media pieces chronicling both Gabe and Chani’s life. I’d put this squarely in the famous person/non-famous person trope (romance/women’s fic) and it alternates between a weekend 10 years ago and a weekend in the present. I INHALED this book. I read it in under 48 hrs—it is THAT compulsive of a read. Sussman quickly pulls you into Chani’s experience and it is not difficult at all to imagine what it would be like to meet and then have to interview your ultimate Hollywood crush and hall pass. Not only did I resonate with Chani, but Ollie was a true delight. I found myself wondering who Sussman modeled her characters around as it often felt autobiographical. I am amazed that this is Sussman’s adult debut and cannot get my hands on her YA books fast enough after reading Funny You Should Ask. I swear this is going to be big—I highly recommend everyone preorder this now. No spoilers til after the release date, but this is SO SO GOOD. A slowburn only in the way that tension is built, this novel has me riding a high. Easily ALL THE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
CW: death of a parent (mentioned), alcoholism
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m truly glad I got to review it.

Such a cute book! Although I'm usually not a fan of "instalove" styles romances, this one had me hooked from the beginning. Both of the main characters were so likeable and it made it so easy to fall in love with their love story. It was funny, relatable, and so easy to get sucked in. I really enjoyed the way that the author included real life struggles like addiction and divorce. I can't wait till it is officially out so I can buy a physical copy.

If you loved Love and Other Words, you will love Funny You Should Ask!

FYSA is a flashback romance between a writer, Chani, and an actor, Gabe. The CHEMISTRY. The TENSION, The will they-won't they!! Not to mention extremely lovable best friend characters. I ate this book up in a day. The flashback and present chapters give you just enough to keep on reading and wondering what went wrong between the two. In the 10 years we jump over, you really see the growth in these characters. Not only was the romance so damn good but the story also address the toxic relationship between celebrities and the general public, sexism and double standards in journalism and fame, and alcohol addiction and sobriety. I particularly liked how the author treated sobriety with care. Sussman shows that it doesn't just happen in a week, month, or year. Its a lifelong battle that everyone should be aware of and appreciate the time and effort it takes to stay sober.

The epilogue is one of my favorites ever! I was worried we wouldn't get one because of how close to 100% the last paragraphs were but it was so beautiful, so real, and just enough to reassure me they got the happy ending they deserved. I am definitely buying a physical copy!

And finally, can I just say that Chani is probably one of my favorite characters I've ever read. I related to so many things she said and thought, it got borderline scary. I know this is a work of fiction but it gave me hope for myself in a way.


This ARC was provided by Random House via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Random House (Ballatine imprint) and NetGalley for the chance to relax and escape a bit with Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman. I had fun reading this book, it was a welcome change of pace for me after a series of mysteries and thrillers and also a great way to escape to warmer, sunnier LA during the dreary winter in Feb. I also have to say that I love the cover art!

I really enjoyed this second chance romance story, loved the way that it blended as well the celebrity/everyday person trope ( a trope I like), and that the female protagonist (Chani) was portrayed as her own person with a lot of success, not just one dimensional in her relationship and conversations with Gabe. Gabe as well was presented as human, not just a celebrity, even if I think some of the portrayal was a bit predictable in some ways (but aren't we all predictable and human?), and I thought he had some meaningful relationships with people around him that was nicely woven into his story.

For me the real strength was that the progression of the relationships over ten years, and the use of the main character's writing/non fiction essays; I found the growth and portrayal felt real, allowed for the characters to grow and move into more stable adult roles and encounter change and challenges, and get to know themselves and each other. The banter was well done and I am reader who really enjoys good dialogue and banter in a romance/rom com book.

Thank you to both Random House and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! The reason why I loved this book so much was that this was my first time reading a book that took place in Hollywood and was a second chance romance! This book did an excellent job at describing the true realities of what actors faced when they hit the big-screen. Funny you should ask features Chani who is an aspiring writer and Gabe Parker that is set to play James Bond in his new upcoming movie. The way Chani and Gabe’s friendship developed over the book really set the tone. Their banter was amazing! Our hero Gabe was truly just a great guy and I loved that no matter what he was always respectful towards Chani. As the story unravels readers can see how both characters were in a sticky situation in their romantic lives and they had to work hard in order to find their way back to each other. While I fully understand why Chani was upset at Gabe in the book I do love how Gabe also holds Chani accountable in their situationship. Funny You Should Ask features conversations about divorce, addiction, and insecurities so I recommend checking the full trigger warning list before you start reading! My only criticism of the book was that the slow-burn aspect of it made it hard to follow along at times. If you love the slow-burn trope this book might be for you!

A fun read! Funny You Should Ask is a second chance romance of sorts full of longing and tension, featuring a handsome, humble, and kind (so refreshing!) celebrity romantic lead.

The story moves back and forth over a ten-year period and follows Chani Horowitz, a journalist, as she interviews rising star Gabe Parker, and navigates the aftermath of publishing a viral celebrity profile.

The premise is great and I enjoyed learning more about Chani and Gabe and how their relationship and respective careers developed over the years.

At times, the time jumps and snippets of press coverage were a bit jarring but overall they added context and atmosphere to the story.

I recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet, smart romance. Enjoy!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. This review will be posted to Goodreads on the publication date, April 12, 2022.

Lovely book!! I adored all that characters and the development was great throughout. Kept me wanting more. The push and pull between Chani and Gabe was addictive and so fun to read. The alternating chapters from past to present was nice to read and helped the progression of the relationship. I would definitely recommend!

Original Review at Smexy Books:

Chana Horowitz is a busy writer in LA, in her thirties and newly divorced. Her successful career as an essayist and interviewer was launched by an interview with Hollywood movie star, Gabe Parker. A decade ago she was given unprecedented access to the actor, and she spends much of a weekend learning about the heart-throb who has been controversially cast as the next James Bond. The article goes viral – spurring unprecedented conversation: was the article great or awful? Did or didn’t she sleep with him? Only two people know the truth. Then, a decade later, she is invited to do a follow-up interview with Gabe. Suddenly everything is opened up for reflection: her career, her marriage, and her feelings for Gabe.

Chana is a complex character – she is both strong and weak, the way real people are. She’s both confident about her writing abilities, but at the same time, she questions her choices, including her chosen genre which seems inferior in comparison to the more literary writing her ex-husband, “The Novelist,” did. She’s at times self-deprecating, but also brave. We don’t get to look at Gabe quite as closely, but slowly we see he is much more than his public persona. He has similar doubts about his professional choices.

The character of the ex is actually important in this novel. He’s insecure, but verbally abusive comments about Chana’s writing, help us understand her own self-doubts. He probably didn’t create them all, but he fed them for years. But he is not simply a monster – they clearly had some good times, as evidenced by several vignettes. Like many mistakes, “the Novelist,” with his undermining behavior, becomes more visible in hindsight.

I did get irritated with the structure of the novel, which goes back and forth between past and present, but is also interwoven with excerpts from the original article that Chana wrote about Gabe, as well as numerous other shorter articles and blurbs throughout the novel. It’s a lot! On the one hand, these “outside” pieces help us see what seemed to happen, versus what did actually happen. However, I thought they were distracting and sometimes too repetitive to the actual narrative. After reading all the parts of Chana’s article about Gabe, I kind of agreed with her critics – it was too self-absorbed. For me, all the moving about between the narrative and the documents, from the past to the present and back again, pulled me out of the reading experience. But I think others will enjoy the mixed style.

One of my favorite moments in this novel is near the beginning when Gabe insists on learning how to pronounce Channa’s name correctly. It’s one of the early clues that he’s not just some dumb actor from Montana. But it becomes a signature “I see you” motif that reverberates through the novel.

The first time Chani and Gabe met, they were both on the cusp of real success: Chani as an essay writer and celebrity reporter, Gabe cast as the newest Bond in the movie franchise. Chani gets exclusive access to Gabe for one weekend and her article about Gabe skyrockets her career, but the resulting rumors of their intimacy during their time together remains the reason why Chani doesn't trust her success. Ten years later, Chani is tasked with writing a second article featuring Gabe as he attempts to revive his career after multiple attempts at rehab and rumors of volatility on set. Will the reunion bring Chani closure or make things worse?

Based on the title, cover, and summary I expected a light and superficial book. However, Elissa Sussman delivers a deep and engaging storyline that reads more like women's fiction than romcom. The pacing starts out a bit slow, but picks up as you read. The character development is fantastic, and I liked the layering and nonlinear aspects of the plot. Each chapter reveals more about these complex characters and how they are linked, building up a tension between the two that peaks at just the right time. I also really liked the sidekick characters, particularly Oliver, Gabe's presumed nemesis and rival, that plays on how the Hollywood rumor mill creates its own narrative. This book is a great reminder that there are two side to every story, and I would have liked Gabe's POV to be written, as well. While I was never emotionally invested, the storyline was engaging enough that I felt like the book was a success. Highly recommended! 4.5 stars/5

CW: alcoholism and recovery, rated R

Advanced copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 35%

The story was going a bit too slow for my liking and I couldn’t connect with the characters. This feels very predictable and I’m not attached enough to the MCs or writing style to push forward.

I'd like to think I've read a good amount of romance novels since I started reading again, and this one was not like any I've read so far (in its entirety). There are some aspects of it that I've seen in others. but I feel like this one was different enough to stand out.

Chani Horowitz is a nonfiction writer, her novels stemming from interviews she has completed with celebrities. She also has her own blog in which she provides life updates, but then she is given the assignment of interviewing Gabe Parker- her celebrity crush. And this changes everything for her. They ended up spending a weekend together, which gives her all the information she needs to write an amazing article, then book about the experience. Fast forward 10 years and Chani has been requested to interview him again by his people. She is very reluctant but pushes through, and gets the closure that she needed.

The story is told through 3-4 "timelines" if you will: the first interview with Gabe; Reviews and articles discussing the changes in Gabe's personal and professional life; Chani's blog post updates; and the second interview 10 years after the first.

I did enjoy the back and forth in the timeline, and to me, it wasn't like any other book I've read. I do wish it wasn't fade-to-black, but smut is not for everyone. There was a little bit of spice, but when things were getting good, it faded into the next morning. I still have one question unanswered, in my opinion, but I don't want to post any spoilers.

Overall, I rated Funny You Should Ask 4 out of 5 stars. I really enjoyed the story and the characters.

“At least I hadn’t fallen in love with him.
I hadn’t.
Because that would have been truly ridiculous.”

Funny You Should Ask’s Chani Horowitz may not have been in love with Gabe Parker but I immediately and unabashedly fell in love with Elissa Sussman’s debut adult novel.

One of the most unique things about this rom-com is that it uses the unreliable narrator theme as a way to constantly advance the plot. The story is told in alternating sections between when the two characters met ten years ago and when they are meeting now. Mixed in through these sections are snippets of Chani’s interview with Gabe and other excerpts from publications about Gabe and his projects. Throughout, we learn that both Gabe and Chani as well as other journalists who interacted with Gabe had different ideas of what was going on ten years ago. This helped make the slow burn seem even slower.

The length of time between interactions and that both characters were adults when this started helped make it more interesting too. A lot of “long lost lovers” books involve characters who were still in their teens or younger when they first met. I appreciate that Sussman chose to put Chani in her mid-20s to make her growth seem more natural/plausible.

Both characters seem realistic and have realistic relationships with the people around them. There aren’t too many unnecessary sudden realizations either; their growth was accomplished in the ten years since they met, not when they reconnected. It’s not like Gabe suddenly became some sort of dream human when he reencounted Chani, he still had flaws and acknowledged them.

Five stars for warming my cold heart, an entertaining and light read, and a precious dog!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review!

Unfortunately, I put this one down halfway through. I felt the story going a bit slow and predictable. I felt like I knew what was going to happen and I grew tired of waiting for it.

This basically fulfills your celebrity crush daydreams. Flipping time periods worked really well, it was like a jigsaw puzzle that as you read more all the pieces came together in the perfect order. The wrapping up at the end wasn't as enticing and addictive but still good. I really want to go dancing now, yum.

Chani is thrilled to get the opportunity to interview Gabe Parker. He is the on screen heart throb she can’t wait to learn more about. The interview is off to a rocky start however. Her questions suck, and his answers leave much to be desired. When he invites her to a movie premiere the next night however, Chani of course says yes. Maybe she will find more for her story…

When @Beccafreeman raved about this book I knew I needed to get myself a copy! I don’t have the same love for The Idea Of You that she does, but we generally agree on most books! I will start by saying that I read about 50 pages of this book, and then was finishing a different one but when I picked it back up, I finished it in one evening. The celebrity + normal person love story is always an interesting story and this book was no exception. I didn’t love the articles throughout the book, it took me out of the story a bit, and I felt like it was just repeating what we had just read or were about to read, but it’s a small part of the book overall. In the end, I really enjoyed this one and flew through it once I got into the story.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the juxtaposition of the timeline from ten years ago concurrent with today’s events. I enjoyed the articles sprinkled in that gave insight into topics brought up in other parts of the book. I thought this book was really cute, funny, and heartwarming, and sweet!

Book tropes: right person/wrong time, Hollywood superstar and normie relationship, slow burn romance.

Chani Horowitz is tasked with interviewing Gabe Parker, famous actor starring in the upcoming Bond movie. She is quickly starstruck when meeting her childhood celebrity crush and finds him not only physically attractive but very sweet and attentive in person. He invites her to spend a weekend with him by attending a film premiere and after party on Saturday and a house party at his place on Sunday. Her piece on Gabe Parker is very successful and leaves everyone wanting to know the secret details of their weekend but she insists nothing unprofessional happened between her and Gabe Parker. Soon after the article is released, Gabe runs to Las Vegas and marries his costar and former model. Ten years pass, and Chani is assigned another interview with Gabe Parker. Can they finally address what happened all those years ago?

I loved this book. I thought it was well written and did great at captivating the readers. I really enjoyed the banter and the quirky remarks between Chani and Gabe. I loved Gabe and was rooting for his success. I loved the flow of the book but wish we had more background on their reunion and more details on what happened next. I will say that at times the jumping back and forth between timelines without proper titles to indicate which timeline the chapter was about was hard to follow at times, appearing very suddenly. Overall I highly recommend this book!

Oh god, this might become one of my favorite books of 2022, or even Of All Time! I got invited to review this all the way back in November and never got around to it until now, but god I wish I picked it up sooner! I found everything about this novel to be so poignant and heartfelt and just amazing. The writing style actually reminded me a little of Sally Rooney but with a little less presumptuous. Don't get me wrong, I love me some Sally Rooney, but I truly enjoyed that Sussman's writing wasn't trying too hard to sound preachy. Chani and Gabe are both filled with such longing and anger and disappointment and love, and you can't help but love them back and root for them. Ollie honestly stole the show though, if I'm being honest. He brought such wonderful insight into both Chani's and Gabe's life and my only wish for this novel was that we got just a little more of him. Funny You Should Ask is easily one of the best books I've read so far this year. If you haven't read this yet, you are severely missing out.