this woman has been writing for as long as i've been alive and reading and she can do no wrong. utterly astounded by her range. this was a fun time. was it the most incredible romance i've ever read? no but it did the damn job. it had an interesting concept being about a writer who hires a man to be the face of her book and of course, it all goes to shit. and books about writing and writers are always enjoyable. i also liked that while it did have moments of spice, it was mostly a closed door romance. i think this market is so oversaturated with smut right now and this was a nice refreshing balance of dirty and sweet.

also picturing the male mc as justin hartley made this so perfect

Daphne (FMC) ends up submitting her manuscript with a male name after she has been rejected multiple times and to her surprise it gets picked up and sells for big money at an auction. But there's a problem...she needs a man to play her alter ego, Zane Remington. In comes Chris Stanton, he looks perfect for the role, but Chris has some secrets of his own. He is really an accountant who has no idea how to do these manly, outdoorsy things. When Daphne becomes a bestselling sensation, she and Chris are forced to go on tour together and she starts to find herself wondering if this geeky but hot guy is what she needs to push her out of her comfort zone and claim her dreams.

I loved this so much! The book had all the things I love...dual POV, fake relationship (romantic and professionally), forced proximity, he falls first, and there was so much witty humor!! I found myself laughing out loud a handful of times. The characters were relatable and I loved the feminism spin this novel took and how hard it can be for women to get recognition for their work...but if they slap a male name on it, bam!! The dynamic between Daphne and Chris is just perfect and so adorable. So so good!! I gave this 4.5 stars.

I need Kelley Armstrong to write more romcoms because Finding Mr. Write is 💯 a five star read! Daphne is a smart and capable woman who takes a chance by publishing her book under a man’s name when she keeps getting rejected. Then the addition of Chris who gets hired to play the part of the male author and essentially switches between 3 different roles led to some very funny scenarios. When Daphne and Chris are together it is constantly switching between sweet moments and funny/ridiculous situations that just make it very hard to put this book down. I highly recommend you add this book to your tbr now so you don’t forget to buy it when it comes out in July. Trust me you will want to read this one!

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book!

This debut rom-com by Kelly had me laughing from the beginning! I loved the witty banter and dynamic chemistry between Daphne and Chris. Chris was a refreshing MMC. I loved his authenticity and the loyalty he showed to Daphne, thought the book. Daphne was a strong and fierce FMC, and I appreciated her vulnerability when it came to expressing her fears. Sooooo is her house, in the Yukon, listened on Airbnb? I want to spend my summer there! The house by the lake and the picturesque landscape sounded breathtaking.

There were a few moments on the book when I felt like the story didn’t flow and the dialogue was kinda chaotic. These parts of the story were still easy to get through and I think this book is the perfect summer read! It’s such a fun and lighthearted rom-com that will keep you wanting more.

An utterly fun and hard to put down romcom debut from bestselling fantasy/mystery writer, Kelley Armstrong. I've long been a fan of this Canadian author and I was excited to see her trying her hand at contemporary romance.

The premise for this book hooked me from the start and I was laughing out loud from page one. When Daphne can't sell her YA zombie surival book under her own name she tries submitting it with as Zane Remmington. When it sells at auction and gets a HUGE marketing push Daphne finds herself hiring an actor to play the role of Zane only to later discover Chris is just a down on his luck accountant who needed the money.

Full of banter and great chemistry, this was such an enjoyable dual POV, forced proximity romance with a Canadian lead and a swoony, hot, baking love interest. HIGHLY recommended especially for fans of movies like The lost city with Sandra Bullock. Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Steam level: fade to black/closed door

CW: death of a parent from cancer

This was one of my favourite reads of 2024! It was easy to get into and instantly entertaining and engaging. I loved the main characters Daphne and Chris, their banter was perfect. Great setting, the house in the yukon by the lake sounded so picturesque. I also liked that the book gave a look into the world of publishing, book tours and PR. Kelly Armstrong has a great writing style. It was interesting reading her authors note at the end of the book with her inspiration behind the idea and how the book came to be. I never would have guessed that she was a mystery/fantasy writer and not a romance writer as her writing in this book is so perfect for the genre. Can't wait to read her other books! Would highly recomend to romance readers! 5/5.

Daphne McFadden is beyond fed up with rejection. Despite tirelessly sending out her manuscript to agents, she's faced disappointment every single time. But she refuses to let that squash her dreams! So, she takes a bold step—she submits her work again, but this time under a male pseudonym. And guess what? It's picked up and becomes a sensational hit! Now, Daphne needs a man to portray her macho alter ego, Zane Remington. Enter Chris Stanton, who appears to be the perfect fit for the role. There's just one hitch—Daphne didn't anticipate that Chris is actually an accountant with no clue about rugged adventures.

Armstrong sweeps us away on an exhilarating journey to the Yukon, painting such vivid scenery that you'll practically feel the brisk air against your skin and smell the pine trees. It's like embarking on a nature retreat without budging from your couch!

The characters in this book are simply phenomenal! Daphne is a fierce go-getter unafraid to shake things up, while Chris Stanton is a delightful mix of rugged charm and unexpected vulnerability. Their chemistry is electric, and I found myself chuckling endlessly at their witty exchanges. And the slow-burn romance? Absolutely sublime. You'll be championing for them right from the first page.

But "Finding Mr. Write" isn't merely a lighthearted romp. Armstrong fearlessly delves into weighty topics like gender roles, sexism, and racism within the publishing world. Yet, she navigates these themes with grace, enriching an already fantastic story with layers of depth.

So, if you're seeking a read that seamlessly blends swoon-worthy romance, uproarious humor, and thought-provoking insights, "Finding Mr. Write" is the book for you! Seriously, snag a copy pronto and thank me later!

Thank you so much to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

Finding Mr. Write follows Daphne, an author who feels scorned by the publishing industry as she tries to sell her novel until one night, she drunkenly comes up with a pen name, poses as a man, and submits her query letter. And, just like that, Zade, not Daphne, is picked up as the book world's newest hot author. In order to keep her ruse alive, she enlists the help of Chris, an accountant/mediocre actor with motives of his own that create the perfect opportunity for them to work together.

With some forced proximity, annoyances to lovers, bookish vibes throughout, this had all the components to be a book that is right up my alley. And, in many ways, it was. However, I found that there were some aspects and moments that distracted me enough to make this a 3 star read.

While the premise to this sounds really exciting, I felt like there were important moments that were rushed, and other times that felt redundant and distracting. Like, how many times can someone be interrupted by a text or phone call before they put their phone on DND? The will they/won't they, constant back-and-forth between Daphne and Chris was effective at first, but after a while, the feelings of tension started to be replaced by annoyance. Another part that had me pausing was the sudden switch between Daphne feeling mistreated by the publishing industry, which is a very real thing that happens (especially to marginalized communities), to feeling like she had overreacted/the faults she thought existed within the industry weren't actually that bad. There is a moment where Daphne is contemplating whether she made a mistake using a pen name, since the issues she had convinced herself of were not that serious/nonexistent. And while I do not want to downplay anyone's story or experience, I do think there was a missed opportunity here to touch upon the more serious themes of the book. It felt like there could have been more commentary around that experience.

I also found that while I really, really wanted to root for Daphne and Chris, many of their moments felt lacking in chemistry. Too much of it felt forced for any of it to feel natural, and I just didn't find my heart truly invested in their happily ever after.

One thing I will say, though, is that I really appreciated how bad ass Daphne was. A lady in the wilderness who can more than hold her own is admirable, and I thought that aspect of her character was really interesting.

Overall, I thought that this book was, for the most part, a quick and slightly steamy read, but I found myself wanting more out of most aspects- relationships, social commentary around premise, chemistry... I do think that if you are in the mood for a low stakes romance set in the wilderness with a Chris Hemsworth-esque MMC and bookish vibes throughout, this one may be for you!

I really wanted to love this one, but it somehow just felt incomplete. The main characters were both likable and developed characters. The settings at both Daphne's home and on the book tour were entertaining, and easily visualized. I just lacked a connection, as I felt like the opening decision by Daphne was just so obviously going to be a problem from the outset.

Kelley Armstrong has written books in a variety of genres, but Finding Mr. Write is her first foray into romantic comedy. If you're familiar with her other books, I don't think you'll be at all surprised that this is just as wonderful as her others.

Daphne lives in the Yukon, and has been shopping around her first novel - a post-apocalyptic, zombie YA. In frustration at the rejections, she uses a male pen name and suddenly there's a bidding war for her book. Great! Except now everyone wants to interview new bestseller Zane Remington. Obviously the solution is to hire an actor to play the part for her, right? Chris is a city dwelling accountant, NOT an outdoorsy Yukon survivalist, but he's willing to play the part. But keeping up the act in front of a media circus, while balancing it with a growing attraction to Daphne, is harder than he expected. And eventually the truth is going to have to come out.

The first chapter or so felt a bit rough and boiler-plate contemporary romance. It was a slow start, but very quickly fell right into the style Armstrong is known for. It didn't depend on the annoying miscommunication tropes that romances often do. There's a bit of a deception at the beginning between the two characters, but it's VERY quickly dealt with and moved past, which is refreshing. The misunderstandings all feel realistic and handled in a mature, adult manner.

One of the most important things for me in a contemporary romance is the dialog and banter. Great plot but no witty banter? Eh, mid. Finding Mr. Write absolutely delivers though, and the MCs have a great chemistry and great back-and-forth.

I loved the setting, the meet-cute, the chemistry, the characters. Even the side characters were great. I don't know if Armstrong will write more romance or if this was a one-off experiment, but if she does I'll be picking them up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

A female writer who wrote a darn good book, but can't sell it until she pretends she's a man and the man she hires to play her newly created male persona to the masses. Fortunately for Daphne, Chris is nothing like the swaggering writer he needs to pretend to be. In fact, Chris is pretty awesome.

Sure, Daphne has to talk herself into getting into any sort of relationship with him, but that's more because she's concerned about the whole employer/employee thing. And Chris has to talk himself into the same, but that's more because he's really playing an accountant playing an actor playing the guy he thinks Zane Remington should be. Which sounds confusing, but really it's just that Chris has to play the part of a macho guy who isn't afraid of anything when he's really a sweet, math nerd with a great chest and arms. WWZRD, amirite?

Anywho. Daphne and Chris hit it off after their first somewhat disastrous meeting (which was very Zane Remington and very NOT Chris Stanton) and soon they're giving interviews (well, Chris as Zane is giving interviews) and are on a book tour trying to figure out how much is too much when it comes to keeping Zane's persona going. In other words, Daphne is bit by the guilt bug over deceiving her readers and Chris wants to support her in any way she needs him to. Which actually turns into a whole THING, but it's cool. It's all cool.

A little deception that keeps growing, an encounter with a bear, a rescue from a lake, a book tour, steamy kisses, long looks, a man who shows his love with baking, and a woman who likes the real Chris Stanton far more than Chris as Zane. GOOD TIMES all around!

FINISHED! Finished in ONE DAY! I love me some Kelley Armstrong, this is definitely outside of her normal writing but she’s always been good at unraveling romance in interesting ways so this more typical way was also good too! I cannot wait to read more!!

This was incredibly fun! Very unlike her other books but still very good. I flew through it. Highly suggest.

Idk what bookmatching wizardry goes on at @readforeverpub , but they may know me better than I know myself! 🥰❤️

Case in point: Finding Mr. Write by: @kelleyarmstrongauthor I was laughing and swooning and laughing some more about every 8 seconds!

Like who could be mad at a book that centers around 1.) a hot actor that needs a job that meets 2.) A female author who sold a book to a publisher under a male pen name that needs a man to portray said pen named person on/in all public facing materials and situations and 3.) of course CHAOS ENSUES 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾😂

⭐️FINDING MR. WRITE out JUN 25th⭐️

Thank you to @readforeverpub for the physical ARC review copy💕

Fed up with the lack of interest in her post-apocalyptic YA novel, Daphne changes the summary and submits it under a male pen name. It sells! For a high bid and interest and all of her dreams seem achievable. The only problem? The publisher needs a face to go with the author's name. It starts off as a simple plan: Daphne hires an actor to "be" Zane, her author persona. In her first meeting, she and Chris, the actor of choice, clash horribly, because Chris is pretending to be who he thinks Daphne needs "Zane" to be. What should have been a once-and-done keeps going though, as the publisher wants more pictures, interviews...a book tour, and then it all spins out of control.

Before FINDING MR. WRITE, I only knew Kelley Armstrong from her paranormal romances and her paranormal YA books. I've been reading her books for years so I was pleasantly thrilled to see she was writing a contemporary romance. And it's a home run! Both Daphne and Chris leap off the page, fully realized, characters you can root for and understand and who you want to see succeed in their own ways. You want Chris to let down his guard and show Daphne who he really is and you want Daphne to see beyond the smoke screen Chris has put up.

Oh, this book was fun! As much as I swooned, I cheered and frowned, going through emotions after emotions. I was frustrated with Daphne at times, watching her take a back seat in her own author journey as Chris reluctantly took the spotlight. And that frustration increased as she and Chris began to explore their chemistry, both holding back for their own reasons. But Daphne and Chris were both very likable and that frustration was tempered with a sense of how RIGHT they were for each other and how much I wanted to see them make it despite their needs and wants clashing.

At first, I was concerned the pacing might be too slow but me, but as events unfolded, I realized I'd been wrong to worry. Kelley kept me turning the pages as I had to know what twist and turn the book took next--especially when Daphne and Chris decided to give being a couple a try. Chris was seriously the SWEETEST guy! He was patient with Daphne and when he messed up, he (eventually) realized it.

All in all a really enjoyable read, I'm so glad I took a chance on Kelley Armstrong's contemporary romance. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a romance with a lot of heart.

If you're on the hunt for the perfect romance book, then look no farther. You have found it. Finding Mr. Write is one of the cutest, funniest and most charming romances I have read in a while.
I fell in love with everything about this book. The chemistry between the main characters, Chris and Daphne, was perfection. The balance between irritation and attraction, chivalry and stupidity, romantic and realistic was spot on. I never wanted to put it down.
The setting was fabulous. As someone who has been to the Yukon myself, I appreciate the incredibly beautiful scene that was laid out before me. It's such raw and wild beauty and it was described in a very honest and realistic way.
I also loved the book publishing background aspect. As a reader, it's not something I am privy to, but it's neat to see the flip side. The pressures and anxieties and the heartbreak that the publishing world can create.
I will definitely be recommending this book to all of my romance reading friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read this fantastic book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I just couldn’t get through this book. It felt a tad too juvenile to me. I did love the concept and I really truly wanted to love it, but I ended up DNF’ing almost halfway through. I know this book is for someone out there, but I don’t think I’m the audience for it

Kelly Armstrong writing Romance. Sign me in!

I’ve read a lot of this author’s work, some I enjoyed more than others, but they are always great stories. In this opportunity, we have a good story with important society issues, however, it’s hard for me to say it’s a romance book, when the romance doesn’t seem to be the main plot, actually, a lot is going on in the story, and the main characters felt flat, no much of development and I couldn’t connect with them.

Now, Despite, all the things that didn’t work for me, I’m glad I read this book, one more time Armstrong showed her incredible writing skills.

I received an ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. And I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

In reading the author's note at the end of this book, I discovered that the author has written several books, but never a rom-com! I would not have guessed. She did an excellent job. I thought the characters were endearing and I cared about what happened to them. I liked the premise that Daphne had written a dystopian, zombie novel that she could not get anyone to look at and publish until she tweaked the message (not the actual text) and slapped on a male author name. Suddenly, she had a deal to be published! As a gen x woman this was not hard to believe at all. It is a frustrating fact that a phone call made by a man could get results after 5 made by me for the same purpose. I loved her for getting her story our there and thought it was interesting to realize that many authors are uncomfortable in the limelight and might actually like to hire an actor to do the public appearances.
I hope this book finds its audience and Armstrong dabbles some more in rom-coms!

Thank you to #NetGalley and #GrandCentralPublishing for my ARC

I was sadly disappointed in this one. I have been a fan of Kelley Armstrong for years. In fact she has written some of my all time favourite books but this one felt off. The main characters weren’t that likeable and the romance just wasn’t that interesting. I liked the idea of this book but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!