After Daphne McFadden’s decision to attempt to have her book published under a male pseudonym results in unexpected success and an audience charmed by idea of the rugged “Zane Remington,” she’s faced with a unique complication: as the aforementioned author doesn’t exist.

Convening with her best friend Nia leads to a decision to hire an actor who can play the role of Zane Remington in the public eye. Unbeknownst to Daphne, the arrogant “actor” Chris Ainsworth whom Nia recommends is actually Chris Stanton…an accountant and an incredible baker, though that secret is something he doesn’t share immediately.

Finding Mr. Write was a captivating novel and very relatable for many women who may have dealt with the ingrained misogyny within their industries. Daphne’s decision to publish using a male name is very understandable both from a standpoint of immense social anxiety and the knowledge that in certain cases, male authors may receive more consideration in comparison to their female counterparts.

Daphne and Chris are engaging characters, presented with both humor and realistic flaws that make them more accessible. I truly appreciated how mature Daphne and Chris were; although there were some miscommunications, when issues did arise they dealt with-most of-them effectively. Even when considering the potential of a relationship, the mental considerations of what they would each be willing to possibly accept or sacrifice isn’t taken lightly. The romantic and sexual tension was also excellent and the spicy content wasn’t gratuitous.

I would definitely recommend Finding Mr. Write if you’re interested in a fun rom-com with a glimpse into the journey of a newly-published author, a hidden identity, a dash of fake dating, some incredible sexual tension and even a delightful dog.

Thank you very much to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Kelley Armstrong for providing access to this wonderful ebook.

I’ve been struggling to read these days, and this book just reeled me in and pulled me out of my slump. Daphne McFadden is an author who is sick of her work being rejected. So one night, fueled by too much wine, she submits her book under a male pseudonym and suddenly gets an offer. Things are going great, until she’s advised “Zane” her alter ego must make some appearances and she panics. While she could have chosen that point to come clean she panics, and instead finds a hot guy to hire to pretend to be “Zane”. As one would expect there are many issues that arise from going through with this plan, my favorite being all the romantic tension and attraction between the two. I loved the main characters and fell in love with their awkwardness and blunders. The scenery in this book was gorgeous and made me feel like I was right there with them. A beautiful love story, that also takes on important topics like feminism, and misogyny. I received an ARC, and this is my honest review.

The biggest reason I learnt this year is to never blindly request an arc because the cover looks pretty!
Although in this case, the blurb sounded fascinating too.

I didn't necessarily dislike this book, but also at the same time, I didn't even like it. The plot left me feeling very confused & unsure about how to feel.

I loved the premise--the MMC pretending to be the writer for the FMC's book... but I just couldn't find the any real connection between them.
I kinda liked the characters separately but together? Not so much. I think I needed more depth(?)

Anyways, this is a "it's not you, it's me" case. I hope others enjoy it!

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

4.5! I was worried this one would be too cheesy of a rom com for me, but I loved it!

The premise of the book is so good and I loved the feminist spin on this story. It added a nice layer to the plot rather than simply being a cheesy rom com. Chris was perfect and he and Daphne were great together.

I love a good forced proximity trope and with them traveling so much for the book tour it was great! The right amount of banter, suspense, and romance!

I also love that it didn’t fall into a typical HEA, it was different than anything I have read in a a rom com before!

First, let's take a moment to appreciate how cute this cover is.

Okay, moving on. This was a cute premise for a story. Daphne, a female writer, sick of her manuscript being rejected by agents, decides to submit her novel under a male pen name, which lands her an agent, followed shortly after by a publishing deal, and then PANIC because they're going to find out she's not really a man!

Cue the lawyer best friend with a "great idea" and a hot "actor" to play the part of her pseudonym, Zane Remington. Except Chris isn't an actor. He's just an accountant in need of legal help who agrees to play Zane in exchange for legal help.

Sparks fly between Daphne and Chris, but they both want different things from a possible relationship.

Overall, this was a very cute book. I appreciated that Daphne isn't "like other girls" but at the same time, I found her very cold and difficult to like. I know this is the intent. The author flat out stated this in the text. Chris on the other hand was basically the perfect man. He made some mistakes, and it bothered me the way Daphne handled things. I mean, Chris handled things poorly too, but Daphne took it next level.

Ultimately though, this was a cute book that I don't regret spending the time reading.

Omg! I adore Kelley Armstrong! I came across her writing when I was teen, I read the flap of a book in target and bought it because it sounded good, mind you I was in the middle of another book. I tried to finish my book that night and could NOT concentrate and gave up... but I couldn't sleep either I HAD to know what happened in this book... now I'm in my late 30's and I will read anything and everything she write! I found this one on Netgalley and requested a copy without even reading the synopsis... that is how much I adore Kelley Armstrong. Ok this book is absolutely adorable! I took my time with it and still finished it in less than a week.

Daphne McFadden dreams of being an author, one night after some wine she submits her book under a male pseudonym... not only is he manuscript bought, but there was a bidding war over it!!! Now she either has to come clean that she wrote it... or how someone to be Zane. Easy choice right???

Chris Stanton is in a little bit of a financial situation, when his lawyer suggests this gig of pretending to be an author... how much better could it be???

I couldn't ask for a better rom com. Or was silly and cute and there were parts where I was cursing my alarm because I didn't want to put down my book and go back to work... I know this isn't your normal book Kelley, but I LOVED IT!!!

To say I fell in love with this novel, with these characters, is maybe an understatement. I absolutely adored this read. I don't read a lot of romance or rom-coms anymore but when I do, it is always worth it and reminds me all over again, why I should be reading more of them. Armstrong's latest is exactly that reminder I needed. This was just so much fun. I loved everything about it and the characters were so real feeling and I felt completely invested in their future, together or not. This was so entertaining and a perfect summer read. Heck, this is just the perfect read for any season, for any reason. So well done!

Armstrong doesn't need to worry about the ratings and feedback on this one, it's going to do smashingly well!

Thank you so much to forever and netgalley for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters or the plot. It all just fell a bit flat for me. I ended up DNFing this one because I couldn’t get into it.

I hope others love this one!

Finding Mr. Write is a thoroughly adorable rom-com with a plot that's just crazy enough to work., and it does work perfectly. When Daphne hires Chris aka Zane Remington to be the face of her book she doesn't realize that he's playing a character he thinks she needs him to be. This creats plenty of laugh out loud moments when Zane is being over the top. Daphne is who I want to be when I grow up! She has a bestie, a lovely Husky, and lives in the wilderness where she can be left totally alone if she wishes to write, enjoy the scenery, and chop wood like the bada** she is.

While I loved this story from the beginning, once Chris comes clean about who he really is.. not an actor.. the story really jumped to another level. I loved their romance, and the banter was so funny. I loved Chris's real nerdy self, and he is a perfect match for Daphne.
Kelly Armstrong is aces at anything she writes from rom-coms, to horror and everything else. I already have her next release preordered, and I can't wait to see what she will write next!

This was a very light & fun romcom. I love the setting & the dog. The story was easy going. The characters were enjoyable. The plot has a feminist twist that Armstrong favors & I love. Not her usual genre but if you like light romcoms this one is worth a read.

This is the perfect rom-com. The premise is just outlandish enough to work, and I loved every bit of it. Daphne and Chris both felt like real people. I hated that she felt like she needed a male pen name and an actor to play the part, but I got it. It feels like the road is so much easier for me in so many industries, and I wish every woman could exploit that the way Daphne did in order to get what they deserve. More than that, I wish we didt have to.

Daphne is smart and talented and capable to the point of living on her own in the Yukon. She’s the kind of person we should all want to be when we grow up. And Chris was hilarious. His fake Zane persona was the perfect amount of obnoxious, and I so appreciated his POV showing up how much even he hated that guy. The real Chris was sweet and understanding and supportive, a wonderful partner for Daphne. Whether that’s just in tricking the publishing industry, or if they’re destined to be more….you’ll have to read to see. Promise you’ll love their story.

Daphne is a writer, but can’t get any attention for her manuscript. One wine-induced idea to pitch it as a man, and she’s got a bestseller on her hands. Now what she needs is someone to BE that man. Enter: Chris. He pretends to be the swaggering author, but he’s truly a sweet, if nerdy guy. What happens next might be predictable (in more ways than one) but hey, that’s why we read romance!

I was missing a little tension here, but all in all a cute story!! Daphne was easy to root for, and it was fairly easy to forgive Chris’s mistakes, although the “third act break up” was totally warranted!! This story was an interesting look into the world of authors and publishers, and sorta made admiring readers seem like wolves?? Which I don’t think we are, but maybe I just know only the best ones 😇

Daphne, despairing of selling her zombie novel, sends it off with a cover letter from "Zane" after a few glasses of wine- and it sells. It sells for a lot. Except now she's either got to fess up that the author isn't a man or she's got to find an actor to play Zane. Enter Chris, an accountant whose partner lost all their money gambling. He's not an outdoorsman and he's not an actor but he's willing to give it a try to make some cash. Except that now he's got a thing for Daphne. This is best when Chris is tackling things at Daphne's home in the Yukon (bears! canoe!) and posing for a camera crew. It's a rom com though so there's gonna be some rom and some spice. I liked this for the sly pokes at publishing and gender expectations among other things. That said, I'm a huge fan of Armstrong's Rockton series, which is one of the main reasons I kept reading this. It's not Rockton but it's a fun read that made me smile more than once. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Don't miss the afterword.

Kelley Armstrong write more romcoms challenge!
I loved this book. I devoured it two days. I received many a weird look from literally laughing out loud.
Enemies-to-lover can be a tricky line to walk. I often find that either the enmity lasts for 3 seconds or a main character has to 180 their personality so that the heroes can reasonably end up together. The way Kelley Armstrong approached this trope really worked for me. I absolutely adored having Chris’ inner monologues throughout his Hemsworth persona. Obviously no romcom is fully realistic (it wouldn’t be fun to read if it was!) but the whole story felt grounded to me. I especially enjoyed all of the writer/publishing details. Now my knowledge of the publishing world only comes from my being a lifelong reader, reviewer, and total nerd. I’m going to assume the authenticity comes from Kelley Armstrong’s legend status (there are currently 36 Kelley Armstrong books on my bookshelves across the room from me).
I appreciated the mix of explicit and fade-to-black sex scenes, I think this worked really well with Kelley Armstrong’s writing style.
If I had to give one criticism, it’s that I wanted more Daphne. How did she get into architecture? What inspires her to write? Is Tika the best girl? (Yes). A lot of Daphne’s coolness came from Chris’ perspective and I would have like more about Daphne from the lady herself.
Overall, 10/10. If Kelley Armstrong ever writes another romcom I will be preordering the instant it hits the internet.

⭐️: 4

🌲 fake relationship
🪵 slow burn
🌲 forced proximity
🪵 dual POV

For this authors first foray into the romantic comedy genre, Kelley Armstrong deserves a big big bravo! Finding Mr. Write took me by surprise and provided me with page after page of enjoyment!

Daphne is an author who was tired of being turned down by publishers and decided to use a male pen name to prove a point. When she later hires a male actor to play the part, the madness that ensues is hilarious. There’s stunning Yukon landscapes, a viral moment with a black bear, and a delicious slow burn. I simply loved it.

🌶️🌶️ = open(ish) door, minimal detail

📚Thank you NetGalley, Forever and Kelley Armstrong for the ARC of Finding Mr. Write.

Finding Mr. Write? I would have settled for finding the personalities in these characters. I don’t mean that to be as harsh as that sounds but it got really confusing when Daphne is a writer who decides after many failed rejections to portray herself as a male to get a publishing deal. Her idea works but then she needs to actually have a male play her so she hires an actor. Chris Stanton is Chris Aimsworth who is portraying Daphne’s alter ego as Zane Remington. Why the Chris Aimsworth identity was even required beats me. He was playing a character playing a character. There were too many layers and not enough to intrigue me to unravel them.

I started skimming by 26% and near the end I was glossing over whole chapters.

Thank you to Forever for providing an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I was intrigued when I saw that Kelley Armstrong was releasing a romcom, as she primarily writes thrillers and fantasy, and some historical-adjacent stuff. But while I’ve had some mixed experiences with her other work, this one sounded really promising.
I liked the way it explored the theme of diversity in publishing, with the question around whether posing as a white man (or adopting a male pseudonym) would lead to their book selling better. While the commentary got a little lost in the shuffle with the other concern about the public-facing aspects of the profession, and Armstrong’s own admission that the book stemmed more from that side of things than unpacking diversity issues within publishing itself, I can also understand the focus more on the latter, while touching on the former, as she’s a white woman, and might not be the foremost authority on issues of diversity within publishing, beyond her own experience.
As for the characters, I really liked them, and appreciated how they defied common romance stereotypes. Daphne is tough as nails in her “regular” life, and is compared a few times to the action-hero protagonist from her book, but she isn’t comfortable with people, in addition to being self-aware about how her zombie book might be received/marketed if she submits under her own name. Chris, meanwhile, is her opposite, being much more of an “indoors” person and an accountant, but more than capable of playing the part of the hyper-masculine author physically. I loved watching them bond over the course of their working relationship. I appreciated the strong communication between the two, as well as their maturity in handling the hurdles thrown their way. I did sometimes feel like Chris was a tad more passive than I would have liked, with Daphne being stronger, and more active, but in addition with that fitting with their natures, it worked out for him to really come through for her in the end when he was the one to mess things up.
I really enjoyed this book, and hope Kelley Armstrong writes more books in this vein! I’d recommend this book to readers looking for a fun romcom that lightly explores some issues within the publishing industry.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am conflicted about how I feel about this book. I really liked the premise and the characters for the most part. The main issue I have comes in the form of the main conflict. It felt very stilted and over-explained. It also just took awhile for anything to really happen plot-wise, there was just a lot of telling rather than showing.

Daphne McFadden is having no luck selling her novel, that is until she uses a male pseudonym. Under the name of Zane Remington Daphne is able to sell her book and gets more publicity than expected. Daphne and her friend decide to hire Chris Stanton to play the role of Zane. Neither one of them knew what they were getting in to and soon find themselves in over their head.

Finding Mr. Write was a quick, easy, fun read. I enjoyed the stories and characters. I loved Daphne and Chris, their chemistry was palpable.

I enjoyed the author writing about the issue of how men can navigate careers easier than women. It was nice to see a romance author discuss this issue of sexism and gender roles.

I felt that the story started to slow down in the second half of the book but I was able to push through it.

Overall it was a fun romance novel! It was definitely a change of pace from Kelley Armstrong’s typical paranormal stories.

Read if you like: mistaken identity, secret identities, opposites attract, slow burn romance, humorous scenarios.

📚 Ever wonder what would happen if your favorite romance author was actually a woman writing under a male pseudonym? Meet Daphne McFadden, who, tired of constant rejection, submits her manuscript as Zane Remington and strikes gold. To keep up appearances, she hires Chris Stanton to play her macho alter ego. Sparks fly in this fun and witty romantic comedy as they navigate fame, secrets, and an unexpected connection.

👨‍👧 Daphne McFadden: A determined writer who’s finally tasting success, albeit under a male guise.
Chris Stanton: The charming, rugged-looking "Zane" with a secret soft side and no survivalist skills whatsoever.

💞 The chemistry between Daphne and Chris is palpable, despite their bumpy start. Their relationship develops amidst hilarious scenarios and public appearances, revealing unexpected depths and vulnerabilities. Though their connection felt a bit rushed at times, their dynamic was engaging and endearing.

✍️ Kelley Armstrong’s prose is effervescent and the pacing brisk, making it a delightful, easy read. The third-person narration, while not everyone's cup of tea, allows for a broader perspective on the characters’ internal struggles and the evolving romance. However, a deeper dive into Daphne and Chris’s personalities could have enhanced the emotional connection.

🌟 “Finding Mr. Write” is a light, fun read that delivers joy and entertainment. It may not leave a lasting impact, but it’s perfect for those moments when you need a charming escape. The premise is unique and the execution playful, making it a worthwhile addition to any romance lover's collection.

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