Usually with my reviews, I include a quick synopsis about the plot of the book. With this one, I’m not really sure what the plot was. All I know is that it was unfortunately a struggle for me. There are some great reviews out there, so this book definitely has an audience! Please just read my review if you’re looking for a different perspective. My intention is not to sway anyone away, but express my feelings as I read this. I did consider DNF’ing if I’m being honest.

For me, while the writing style was good, the book felt kinda all over the place in terms of plot. She loves her job, she hates everything, she has a crush on her coworker, she ignores her grief, she befriends her mom’s childhood friend, she gets a different love interest… you see where I’m going with this? I thought it would be a fun romcom, but I don’t really know what it was. The main character was also so hard to enjoy. She was too much of a hater, girl who is “not like other girls”, acting like a bad friend at times. Good ol Susan was the saving grace of this story for me!! She was a national treasure and I wish her the world! Ending was also super quick trying ro wrap things up, but I kinda just felt like what just happened?

I appreciate the opportunity to early read/review!

Presley Fry is determined to be a jaded, pretentious, hipster twenty something in New York City, which means as a character she’s exceedingly annoying to everyone that doesn’t actually have those “qualities” in real life. Her mother Patty was an alcoholic that died about a year before the book takes place, and some of Presley’s personality likely stems from growing up in the environment she did. Which makes it a little easier to be sympathetic, but doesn’t make her less annoying. The book creates its momentum by having Presley run in to an old friend of her mother’s, who is incredibly wealthy but in a state of uncertainty after her husband is outed for an affair and sexual harassment. Presley is determined to not make a deeper connection with Susan, but she actually really needs it. And Susan is an unexpectedly happy, genuine and selfless person that wants to make the relationship work. She also has a son that is exactly the type of significant other Presley could use in her life if she’s willing to get over her crush on her equally pretentious as well as immature coworker. I’m glad I finished this and had the opportunity to see Presley gain perspective and people in her life that are good for her, but it was a slog getting there and I don’t know how willing I would have been to do it if I hadn’t been reading this book for review.

Presley Fry has what was once her dream job, an assistant on the Late Night Show supporting one of the producers responsible for finding comedians to feature on the program. But after working there for several years, she is beginning to grow frustrated and wondering when she'll take the next step in her career. It does not help that she is still struggling with the death of her mother and has fallen in (unrequited) love with one of her co-workers at the show.

One day, Presley unexpectedly runs into Susan Clark, who was her mother's childhood best friend and happens to be married to the head of the network where Presley works. Susan seems determined to become Presley's friend. Despite their connection through Presley's late mother, the two could not be more different. But as they spend more time together, Presley finds herself discovering there is more to Susan than it first appears, and that their friendship may finally help her take the next steps in personal and professional lives.

This is a well-written and engaging story. It offers realistic and often funny portrayals of unlikely relationships while exploring interesting themes around grief, friendship, love, and what it takes to make it in New York.

Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC of Humor Me by Cat Shook. I picked this one up when I saw it compared to Romantic Comedy (a book I adored). This book was a gem - flawed, lovable characters and a romance plotline that wasn't the show's main star (but still one you fell in love with). It also had character development like none other, and I loved the love letter to NYC. Humor Me also did a great job exploring raw grief, especially with a complicated familial relationship. I highly recommend this one as a thoughtful, funny, and witty read.

This wonderful summer read deals with female friendships, unexpected love and really good comedy. A must add for your summer book stack. Friendships can occur and be made when you least expect them. The book teaches us to be prepared and ready for this.

Humor Me - Cat Shook
Pub Date: July 9
4/5 Stars

Reading this made me vividly remember the feeling of being in my mid-20s and I LOVED it. Seriously, the writing in this book felt so descriptive and real that I was transported to New York City. Yes, this book is a romantic comedy but it is really much more. The main character, Presley, is in her mid-20s and works as a production assistant on a nighttime comedy show. Presley is slowly trying to process (aka ignore) the death of her alcoholic mother, while also struggling to work her way up at work by trying to find promising comedies, and also being attracted to her favorite co-worker, Adam. Presley has a lot going on. Out of nowhere, Presley runs into Susan, her mother’s old best friend/now NYC socialite. Susan and Presley work to form a very interesting friendship.

I will say this book has funny moments but it is definitely a more “real life” rom-com. The characters were flawed and real but that made me enjoy this story even more. I think romance that feels real is the best. The romance aspect of the story went a totally different direction than I expected. but I loved it! Presley finally realizing her worth and standing up for herself felt very human and well-done. . Also, the author touches on very poignant subjects in this novel including bias and sexism. There were some absolute brilliant lines but I think my favorite was regarding the MC and her sex life. The main character narrates “Business casual sex, Izzy calls it. It’s a rebellion against the horseshit I heard in Bible study growing up: that as a woman, I would find it impossible to separate my feelings from sexual interactions.”

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Humor Me was a really great read. Presley reminded me of a younger and more reserved Liz Lemon, which I consider a pretty high compliment. It was more of a
Coming of age story than a romance, though it definitely had romantic elements. Some of the interactions with Presley and Susan were bizarre and unrealistic but incredibly fun to watch unfold. I LOVED Clark, and their chemistry seemed so natural and romantic in this really low key way. Cat Shook’s writing style is really lovely. All in all I really liked it- my only criticism would be to speed it up a little. Oh and maybe add more Clark but that’s a personal preference. Thanks the the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

All the points for well developed characters in Humor Me by Cat Shook. Going into this one I wasn’t sure what genre to expect as it has an illustrated cover which makes me think of light and romcom but I would say it is a contemporary/literary mashup.

I adored the main character of Presley who lost her mom just over a year ago to alcoholism and is now contacted by her mother’s best friend from youth and the wife to a recent Me Too target. Susan is also grieving Patty’s death and threatens to tear down some of the walls Presley has built up.

Presley and her best friend Isabelle are roommates in New York City and both have sworn off dating until one of them meets someone. Presley works for The Late Night Show and is tasked with finding up and coming comedians for their Friday slots. She has a good friend in Adam who also works for the show and begins to examine her feelings for him more closely.

I loved the complicated thought processes that Presley struggled with in her feelings for others. They seemed genuine. Office politics and the beginning of the #metoo era are observed thoughtfully. The friendship between Isabelle and Presely and the one between Susan and Presley were interesting and warm and I often had tears for the depth of emotion. The ending comes rather abruptly but also makes sense once I sat back and thought about it for a moment.

Thank you to @celadonbooks and @netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinions. Humor Me comes out July 9, 2024.

I was interested to read this based on the comparison to Romantic Comedy. Though I see the similarities, it’s definitely its own book. I love the humor mixed in when very serious issues: the loss of one’s mother, the fear of relationships, sexual harassment, etc…. I would have enjoyed one extra chapter with Clark. Parts of the book made me feel really old, when she was on Hinge. Very hard for me to relate to that. But the partying I. Your twenties trying to make ends meet were so relatable. Great read! I enjoyed this very much! Thank you for the chance to read it.

You can be friends with your dead mother's friend. All your friends don't have to be your age. Actually having the variety in ages will give you variety in experiences. You can end up saying yes to people you thought you won't even talk to. People don't usually show their vulnerabilities when you are just acquaintances

Presley got a boring job and it was not getting any better. With her mother's passing, life was slapping her left and right. Susan Clark was mother's best friend and happened to be her boss' boss' boss' wife. Susan wanted to be the mother Presley lost and made sure that she was looked after. Presley was bit reluctant as she saw this friendship as Susan's way to connect her son and Presley. However, there was much more Presley didn't see in this friendship.

Presley seemed like lacking motherly love. Her mother was not lovey, dovey mother. While Susan's attention felt too much at the beginning, it was something she was craving. Change in her reactions and her maturity was displayed very well. If you like coming of age novels for late 20 year olds, this could be the read for you.

This book was not for me.
I did like how Presley advocated for herself with Adam and did it in such a strong female manner! I loved Susan and Izzy but overall I struggled with this in one. I didn’t care the judgmental, negative FMC and the love interest was equally as bad. There was no plot and the ending was so abrupt. I really did try to enjoy this one! The writing was great just the content wasn’t there for me. But lots of people seem to be enjoying this one so this might just be me!

Thank you NetGalley and celadon books for an advance readers copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Release date: July 9th

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

This book was well written and i was a good story. Unfortunately, I struggled to get into it and connect to the characters. I will try more books by the author because I think it was just not a good match.

Literally no plot, I was so bored. I kept increasing the speed just to finish the book.
I was hoping it would make me laugh out loud. It did not.

Loved this beautiful story. It is about the complicated emotions of grief, friendships, unexpected friendships, the comedy scene, New York and a lil romance. Loved everything about it

I enjoyed this. Great friendships, some romance, a lot of nods to NYC. This was a cute story about growing up in your 20s.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley.
Presley is quite a character with a lot going on as us humans tend to do. Her alcoholic mother died almost 2 years ago. Presley has a gay roommate whom she adores and is jealous when Izzy starts dating. Presley has a work crush that isn't working out. She also becomes entangled with her dead mother's high school friend who's husband is swirling in the "Me Too" movement. Not to mention work stress from being behind-the-scenes on a high energy talk show. I can't say that I loved Presley, but I definitely felt empathy for her as someone who basically raised herself and now has to figure out all this stuff mostly on her own.

4.75 stars rounded up. This was a wonderful rom-com that I didn’t know I needed!

Presley is closed off to love and talking about her mom and spends a lot of time avoiding both until she cannot. She’s an assistant working a late night comedian’s tv show and it’s a big part of who she is and how she spends her free time.

Presley is from Georgia, which gives her two friends we get to know in this book. Susan, a friend of her mother, and Isabelle. Honestly? They were both friends that *i* wanted! Their relationships with Presley are supportive and reciprocal which was really nice to truly feel through the characters actions + dialogue.

Thanks to Humor Me, I’m a Cat Shook fan! This book was a true delight and the audio was excellent!

Advance reader copy provided by Celadon Books and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

Probably more of a 3.5, but I liked the ending.

Set in 2017, Presley works at a late-night talk show in New York City as an assistant, trying to find up-and-coming comics to perform on the show. Her alcoholic mother died the previous year, she has a huge crush on a coworker, lives with a fabulous roommate, and then bumps into a friend of her mother's. And she suddenly finds herself becoming friends with this woman whose husband was caught up in the Me Too movement.

Some could call this a romance, though romance is definitely not the main part of the plot. It's mostly about Presley coming to grips with her mother, her relationship with her mother, and how that's affected how she handles her own emotions and relationships. She finds herself incredibly closed off. The relationship with her coworker crush was all too familiar, and extremely deftly handled by Shook. I also loved the growing relationship between Presley and Susan, her mother's friend, and the relationship between Presley and her roommate Izzie. The mixed emotions when a single friend suddenly is in a relationship is, again, all too familiar and well done.

A good read, though just as Presley puts up walls to keep people out...I felt a little removed from her, too. Still. Recommend, particularly if you want a low-key ode to living in New York City.

Thank you Celadon books and NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I ended up attempting this book via the audio as I was gifted an eARC and ALC. Unfortunately both the physical and audio was boring for me. It got me through a work day but I didn't relate to the story or characters at all.