A fun and east read, When Daphne uses a mańs name on her latest book, it sells like crazy. Now she needs to find someone to portray him for interviews and such. Chris looks like a model and actor, although he is an accountant. Enjoyable story, although must admit was easy to pick up and easy to put down. Would be a good summer read and would recommend.

DNF'd at 12%. I probably could have given this more of a chance, but I really didn't like the beginning of this book. I found the back-and-forth between the two main characters to be clunky and strange. I might give this another chance when it's published. But for now, I wanted to move on to other books.

This book was good, but I'm not sure it was for me. Something about the MMC just didn't sit well with me. I loved the premise and there was nothing wrong at all with the author's writing.

The story begins with Daphne admitting to her lawyer bestie that she might have sold her story to a publisher by using a male pen name and changing the blurb to feature less romance. Her friend is shocked, but quickly changes her tune once she realizes the amount of money her friend will make off this book.

From there a plan forms where they simply continue the charade. What could go wrong? (Everything, clearly.) When the publisher starts pushing for more from Daphne, who is going by the name Zane, she and her bestie formulate the plan of hiring an actor to play the role.

Now this is where I got worried. Chris Stanton (not an actor) pretends to be Chris Ainsworth (a bad boy actor) who is pretending to be Zane Remington (the pen name). It's all very confusing to keep up with. Even as the story progressed I questioned things about who CS was actually channeling.

As other reviews stated, Chris's antics seemed far more complicated than was necessary. It does have a nice ending that made my romance heart happy. I've never read Kelley before, though from what I see this is her first RomCom. I think she's done a good job overall. Plus, most of my pause is opinion based. There will be readers who LOVE all the twists the 3 Chris characters give the story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this title.

Kelley Armstrong is one of my go-to authors and her new book (a romance!!!) "Finding Mr. Write" is a quick, great read. You will devour this one!

Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong

I seem to love everything Kelley Armstrong writes. That said, I never expected to read a rom-com by her. I don't actually gravitate towards rom-coms but decided on reading this one because Kelley Armstrong wrote it. And I loved it!

Throughout most of the book, I kept wondering what if anything related to Armstrong's own writing career. Do publishers really move setting from Canada to the US to make them more marketable? Is it really easier to publish as a man? Kelley Armstrong does have a few paragraphs at the end of the book in which she divulged some of her inspiration and I appreciated that insight.
Altogether, this was a fun read and I'm glad I picked it up. Five stars.

#bookreview #2024 #romcom #wilderness #author #netgalley #kelleyarmstrong #fivestars

Finding Mr. Write by Kelley Armstrong is a cute and lighthearted rom com! I loved how this read quickly and was enjoyable along the way! After being rejected at having her book published multiple times, Daphne decides to try and publish under a males name…and of course it’s approved then. I love that this book touches upon the sexism and gender roles in the publishing world - some tough topics that we know exist in society but aren’t always mentioned or discussed.

I also loved how it was written in a dual POV and I’m also a sucker for a slow burn romance! I love seeing how Chris and Daphne’s relationship grows - they are so sweet together! I’d definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a good rom com!

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I am a HUGE Kelley Armstrong fan, and a huge rom-com fan. Sadly, Kelley Armstrong's first attempt at a rom-com feels only so-so.

Finding Mr. Write is a lighthearted read. The premise -- that Daphne can't sell her book as herself, but gets a multi-million dollar deal once she slaps a man's name on the byline -- is appropriately appalling and clearly draws on what-ifs from Armstrong's decades in the publishing industry. Daphne and Chris are both enjoyable characters. But the way events spiral out of their control just didn't feel believable.

The promotional aspect of Daphne's book amps too quickly, almost to the point of absurdity. Once Daphne's publisher realizes Zane is drop-dead gorgeous, they take on almost a paparazzi vibe. The camera crew is unbelievable in their intrusiveness, and the book tour is organized with unreal speed. Is Armstrong creating a love letter to the publishing industry? A condemnation? I honestly can't tell.

I also have issues with Chris's multiple personas. He is Chris Stanton, thoughtful accountant; Chris Ainsworth; asshole actor; and Zane Remington, rugged wilderness survivor being played by Chris Ainsworth who is actually Chris Stanton who was referred for the job by Daphne's best friend. It just feels like too many layers and unnecessary given the real Chris's tiny digital footprint.

Despite all my annoyances, I still found myself up at 1 a.m. frantically flipping pages until I hit the ending. It felt kind of like watching train wreck where I couldn't look away. Which is a testament to Armstrong's skill as a writer as she experiments with this new genre.

I am a longtime fan of Kelley Armstrong. When I saw that she wrote a romcom at first I was confused, then I was intrigued. I really like her fantasy books, but part of what I like about them is the character building and how the characters and relationships between the characters develop. I was not disappointed.
Daphne and Chris meet under very unusual circumstances. Daphne wrote a book, but used a pen name to get it published. A male pen name - Zane. This is all good, until the public wants to meet the author. She ends up hiring Chris to play the author. Chris is not an actor though. Chris is an accountant who is in need of a job. He agrees to play Zane, but he is also playing Chris the actor when he is not playing Zane the author. Occasionally the real Chris breaks through. This made for some funny mistaken identity situations. And Chris is even funnier pretending he knows how to live off the land.
Eventually Daphne meets the real Chris. Feelings develop but the relationship goes through some trouble due to miscommunication and misunderstanding. The book ends in a nice HEA/HFN. I liked both characters and the story is entertaining. I think this is another win for Kelley Armstrong.
I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley, but my review is my own and freely given.

As a fan of Kelley Armstrong, I wish I liked Finding Mr. Write more. The biggest issue I had with this book was the romance. I didn't really feel the connection between Daphne and Chris. I wish the main characters spent more time together before developing (fast) feelings. The rom-com aspect of the story felt forced. A phone interruption can be a funny bit....when it keeps happening, it feels overused. I thought the whole Robbie plot line was unnecessary towards the end. I found myself skimming around the 60% mark. I did like that Kelley discussed the role of gender in publishing! Thank you to Forever for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley for early access to this book for my honest review.

This book was a struggle for me. It feels clunky from the first page. The plot is convoluted and downright infuriating. the writing style leaves a lot to be desired. I struggled to connect with the main character and found her extremely shallow. The book did have some funny parts and, at at times, was a great break from reality

Thank you NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for this early review copy.

Kelley Armstrong has quickly become one of my favorite authors over the last couple of years. Romance books are not typically the genre you find me in, but every once in a blue moon I find myself enjoying a romcom. There was absolutely no hesitation in requesting this book when I saw Kelley sharing this one on her Instagram. I fully trusted that this would be fantastic. This book was so enjoyable, I found myself laughing out loud multiple times. And Chris/Zane is such a loveable nerd. Daphne is such a relatable character on so many levels. Just overall such a fun book!

I enjoyed this fun, lighthearted Rom-Com. Chris/Zane was pretty adorable. I loved the setting - it reminded me of the time I spent in Alaska and made me want to visit the Yukon.

Daphne McFadden is straight-up tired of rejection. She's been sending out her manuscript to agents left and right, only to get shut down every. single. time. But she's not about to let that stop her dreams! So, she does the unthinkable – submits her work again, but this time under a man's name. And boom! It gets snatched up and turns into a total sensation! Now Daphne needs a man to play her macho alter ego, Zane Remington. Enter Chris Stanton. who seems like the perfect fit for the role. Except, there's one tiny little detail Daphne didn't count on – Chris is actually an accountant who wouldn't know a canoe paddle from a popsicle stick.

Armstrong takes us on a wild ride to the Yukon, and let me tell ya, the scenery is so vivid, you'll practically feel the crisp air on your skin and smell the pine trees. It's like being on a nature retreat without ever leaving your couch!

The characters in this book are everything! Daphne is a boss babe who's not afraid to shake things up, and Chris Stanton is the perfect blend of rugged charm and surprising vulnerability. Their chemistry sizzles, and I found myself laughing do much at their back-and-forth banter. And the slow-burn romance? Chef's kiss It's so on point, you'll be rooting for them from page one.

But "Finding Mr. Write" isn't just a fluffy rom-com. Armstrong doesn't shy away from tackling some serious stuff like gender roles, sexism, and racism in the publishing game. But she handles it all with grace and adds layers of depth to an already awesome story.

So, if you're looking for a read that's equal parts swoon-worthy romance, laugh-out-loud funny, and thought-provoking, "Finding Mr. Write" is where it's at! Seriously, grab a copy ASAP and thank me later!

3.5 stars rounded up!

This book was such a brilliant spin on the ghostwriting trope. Absolutely loved how badass Daphne was portrayed, in ways that also emphasized how vulnerability demonstrates strength! I truly underestimated how much I would like this book - but to be honest I did get the ick from the third act breakup. That is truly what took this from a 4.5 to a 3.5 for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing team for the ARC!

4.5/5 stars

Finding Mr. Write is a romantic comedy.

Kelley Armstrong is my favorite author. I was so excited when I found out that she was writing a rom-com. And it's just as amazing as her other books. I absolutely loved this book!

This book is partially set in the Yukon. And it is about a female author named Daphne who decides to send her book to publishers with a male pseudonym. She also hires someone to play the role of Zane Remington.

This book completely hooked me right from the start. It is funny and romantic and I honestly loved everything about it.

I really enjoyed getting to see the publication process. And the premise was so amazing. I really cannot believe that this is the author's first rom-com. This book will make you so happy. What a wonderful read!

I was very excited about this book, as Kelley Armstrong has been one of my favorite authors for some time. But this wasn’t it.
The writing and sentence structures were very choppy. It was too fast-paced and the writing suffered from that.
Almost everyone was blinded by lust like they completely forgot how to act professionally or just like decent human beings. There were many cases of situations where what the characters were doing would be cause for alarm, but no, it was all brushed off, simply because “they were hot”. It just seemed like everyone had sex on their mind and it made the story unrealistic in any capacity.
Although the story did improve by the end, but I'm not sure if I just got used to the choppy writing by then,

Tl;dr I liked it and thought it was quite funny.

Finding Mr. Write is about a female author who didn’t use a pseudonym but invented a whole new person to be able to sell her book. She hires a man to play the character of author for her book. Trouble ensues.

Thanks to NetGalley, Kelley Armstrong, and Forever Publishing for the early access copy of Finding Mr. Write.

I am not a romance girly but… I loved this book. Was it something written so poetically that I was in tears? No. Was it making me question if love is even real because their love was so pure and beautiful? No. But it made me laugh, smile, and kick my little feet like a school girl. It had pretty much all the romance tropes but it wasn’t done in a cheap or cringy way. There was pining, fake dating, forced proximity, miscommunication, grumpy and sunshine, golden retriever mmc, all done so very well. They were both also so incredibly hot, hottest man and woman to walk the planet levels of hot, which I usually find annoying but here it worked. I don’t usually read authors notes but I read this one to find out miss Kelley usually writes fantasy and mystery and horror. I was so surprised she wrote such a cute rom com!

Kelley Armstrong did such a good job with creating distinctive and recognizable character voices. Tbh, in the beginning of the book in particular, it was the best character voice I’ve ever read in a dual pov book. I liked how natural the character development felt. I liked the “will they/won’t they”. They both kind of want each other from the beginning but there is a lot of back and forth. I really loved the themes of misogyny, anxiety, and gender biases, and how they were explored in this book. I also really liked the resolution to the couples and the story’s 3rd act conflict. While there are a few things that made me think “would that really happen? Is this really how someone would do this? Is that a realistic scenario?” I thought this story was great because it didn’t take itself too seriously.

I only had a few things I didn’t like. In the beginning of the book it was a little bit clunky I think. I like the text conversations, I like the fact that Chris was pretending to be a different kind of guy, but I feel like the author was excited to get to the part where they are together in the Yukon. I will say, I get it. That is when the story really took off for me. I just think the start might be enough to turn some readers away from a great read. They were also, both the female and male Mc, incredibly horny and sexualizing eachother. Idk if that’s a normal romance thing? Again, I don’t usually read romance lol.

Content summary:
🖍️ there is quite a bit of swearing and a lot of sexualization of the main characters. There is 1 sex scene that’s a little too on page for my taste but if you want to skip it, skip it, and if you want to read it, read it. 🖍️

Not going to lie, I thought about giving the book up several times during the first 1/3 due to the fact that the only interaction Daphne and Chris had was through texts and Chris was pretending to be someone else (while having been hired to pretend to be yet someone else). Yet once Chris and Daphne finally got under the same roof when he went to Yukon and finally revealed what he was doing, things picked up and definitely improved! I loved their bickering and relationship that was built on a strong partnership. Also coincidentally I started reading the book right after having watched ´American Fiction’ where the main character also pretends to be someone else as an author.
This was a lovely read ultimately, thank you for the opportunity to read before the publication!

Such a clever and fun book giving an inside peek to an author's publishing and book tour life -- without being afraid to tackle stereotypes, prejudice, and sexism. The witty and delightful romance heads right into those same themes in such a satisfactory way. A must read!

I haven't read anything by this author before, but I've read that this isn't her usual genre? I would have never guessed. I loved it. I laughed and teared up at parts. I fell in love with the characters, and the dog. The main character, Daphne, is an author, who wrote a kick ass zombie novel. Unfortunately, it only got picked up by a publisher *finally* when she uses a male pen name. Now she has to find a male face to fit this male name. In comes, Chris. Immediately, everyone falls for chris. He's playing the part of the hot manly nature man, who's also a writer.
With all the publicity and love the book is getting, now there's a book tour, interviews, etc. Chris has a secret of his own, though. He's just an accountant. Another secret, he is falling for Daphne. Hard. And as a reader, I ate it up. The book follows them keeping up the charade, while also falling for each other. This book gives early 2000s romantic comedy film vibes. Why isn't this a movie yet? I am rooting for this to become a movie!