Presley works in NYC trying to find the next big name in comedy. Having her sights on someone, she champions for them with hopes of her recommendation leading to a promotion.

Coming from a small town, Presley loves NYC and living with her roommate and best friend, Isabel. Together they agree that happily ever afters are a myth until Isabel meets a woman who is slowly changing her mind. With Isabel being gone more often than not, Presley begins to accept more invitations from her deceased mother’s childhood friend, Susan.

Susan is married to a very wealthy man who recently had reports of sexual harassment/misconduct made against him. Feeling rather lost and untethered, Susan reaches out and finds comfort in the youth and liveliness of Presley who reminds her of her younger, carefree self. Having mixed feelings about her alcoholic, and often toxic, deceased mother, Presley is able to view her mother in a kinder light when Susan reminisces about their time together.

During one particular outing with Susan, they meet up with her son, Lawrence whom Presley has vague memories of meeting when she was very young. The two form a friendship and Lawrence is grateful for Presley spending time with his mother despite their public family issues. As Presley spends more time with Lawrence, she slowly begins to rethink her own misgivings of happily ever after.

This was an engaging read/audiobook that, I believe, will resonate with many 20 to 30 something’s, still climbing the corporate ladder and figuring out their place in the world. While I related more to Susan, it was a great, eye opening read since I have a daughter about the same age as Presley who also lost a parent to alcoholism.

This was a solid four star read! The narrator did a fabulous job bringing the characters and author’s words to life. I can’t wait to see what Cat Shook has in store next for readers! I definitely recommend this wonderful coming-of-age, women’s fiction book!

Ehhh - I spent the entire book waiting for more. It just felt very flat to me. The characters were fine, but I wanted a little more dimension from them. The story line was just okay, very predictable and there were no moments where I couldn't turn away from the book. I listened to this and read this and they were both just okay. I did not love the main character and I wanted more drama, entertainment and banter than we got. I did like that this book touched on trauma (a mother with substance abuse who passed away) and the dating world today. I also did like that the main character was very much a "I don't need everyone to like me" kind of person. I just thought that there was not enough oomph to the book and it was just flat.

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader and audio copies!

Presley is an assistant at a late night talk show who surveys the stand up comedy scene to book up and coming comedians. She loves the world of comedy, but she doesn’t love being an assistant. After the head of the network is involved in a scandal, Presley becomes close with Susan, his wife and Presley’s mom’s childhood best friend. Presley has struggled to grieve her mom’s death due to alcoholism, and Susan brings a lot of unease but also a sense of comfort with her stories and memories. Susan introduces Presley to her son, Clark, and while Presley typically has a casual outlook on dating, things with Clark feel different.

Overall this is a cute story, but the pacing is slow. The last half of book was more interesting and what I was expecting based on the synopsis. I enjoyed Presley’s friendships and how they helped her navigate her grief and come to terms with her mom’s death. I prefer rom coms where there are more layers to the story than just spicy sex scenes, and this book achieved that. But the ending felt very abrupt and lackluster. I’d probably rate this a 3.5 but rounded down to a 3 because the ending was so meh. Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio, and Cat Shook for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

throughout listening to this audiobook i found it really confusing about what genre we were going for. for part of the story, it felt like literary fiction but at the same time there would be romance thrown in that didn't seem to fit the writing style.

most of the story i was tuning out because it just wasn't interesting to hear about and it feels like the things written never came up again so it was just supplementary information (at least that's i thought)

this book could have been 200 pages shorter if it were up to me...this would do well as a short story but with the way it's drawn out there is too much going on.

I picked this one up expecting a standard romance, but this one had so much more depth. I LOVED the characters in this one, and how we watched all of them cope with their baggage and trauma (as well as grow as individuals and within the context of friendships and relationships). I was initially leery of the relationship between Susan and Presley, but Shook did such a great job in developing it throughout the book (same with Presley's relationship with Lawrence). I thought the inclusion the #metoo movement and how a family might cope with that was well done. I also loved the backdrop of the New York comedy scene. Overall, a fun book with depth that was great for summer!

This one was a slow start for me, but I really started to get into it as it progressed. I loved how comedy show acts were interspersed throughout, and there were moments that truly made me laugh out loud. There was a balance of humor and raw emotions that tied together nicely.

Presley is an intern on a late night tv show in charge of searching for new stand up comedy artists. She’s trying to work her way up the ladder to a more permanent position. She loves her life in New York City and would not change it for anything. She’s been navigating complicated feelings after her mother’s death. She believes she’s managing well until she runs into her mothers old friend Susan. They form an unlikely friendship. There’s miscommunication, new found friendships, and of course love.

I laughed and cried a bit throughout the book. The banter between the characters was amazing!! Loved the open communication between Presley and Clark.

The narrator did a great job of expressing the different little quirks each character had.

Such an amazing book!!! Cannot recommend it enough.
Thanks to Netgalley for the audiobook!!

So enjoyed Cat Shook's sophomore novel! I loved watching Presley's personal growth across all facets of her life - friendships, romantic relationships, familial struggles, and in her career. I especially appreciated watching Presley navigate an intergenerational friendship with its joys and hardships. The setting was electric, I am very city averse but this made even me want to be in the hustle and bustle of NYC, specifically for the stand-up scene. The audio by Ferdelle Capistrano was very good. Capistrano is a new to me narrator and I will definitely be on the lookout for more by her.

I loved this book! It was a great rom com but there was a lot more to this story than just romance. I’ll definitely be giving other books by this author a try. Thanks for the fun read!

The perfect balance of humor & all the lows life can throw at you.
This story follows our main character, Presley as she navigates living her dream working in New York. She’s balancing life as a grunt worker at her dream job, she’s grieving the loss of her mother and navigating the unpredictable dating game.
She begins a friendship with one of her mom’s childhood friends. A relationship that Presley didn’t know she needed in the worst way.
As far as the dreaded dating game, she’s just not ready for that. Or is she? Crushes are so confusing!

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to review this book.

HUMOR ME by Cat Shook and narrated by Ferdelle Capistrano was a light read perfect for summer.

I paired the digital with the audio, which added to my enjoyment. Capistrano did a good job with the main character and the support cast!

Quick overview: Pressley works in a late night comedy show and enjoys finding the talent, but is worried about her assistant status. She is grieving the loss of her mom when she comes across Susan, a friend of her mom's who forms a connection with her. Pressley is working to come to terms with her changing reality.

This is a story about grief, family, friendships, and love. Normally this would be a great combo for me. This one didn't quite give me the depth I was hoping for. I thought her relationship with Susan was odd. It felt a bit desperate instead of compelling, and I really wanted to love the intergenerational friendship. I did enjoy her journey of acceptance of relationship changes with her best friend and with Susan's son.

Maybe it was just my mood. If those aspects sound like a good fit for you, please give it a try! I did enjoy it, just hoped for more.

Thank you to @netgalley @macmillan.audio & @celadonbooks for sharing this light summer read that is out on July 9th!

Wow. This one is gooood. The writing is so descriptive, I felt transported to NYC. The grief and the hard times that come with it was SO well done. The romance is there but it’s subtle and not overshadowing the rest of the story. I loved the friendship with her moms friend and how she made her her own friend. Really loved this one!

I really enjoyed this book! I love the main character and her friendships – especially her friendship with her late mother’s childhood best friend. I also really enjoyed the New York City backdrop and the storyline with the comedians. The book is described as a romcom but there really isn’t much romance which was fine with me. I recommend this audio book to anyone looking for a nice light listen! Release date is 7/9. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

The comedy scene, NYC and friendships are at the center of this fun novel. Presley works as an assistant on a comedy show. Her mother was an alcoholic and she is grieving her loss.
Presley is befriended by her mothers’ friend, Susan who helps her get this job.
The characters adding to this novel are Adam, her crush, and Clark. Izzy is Presley’s roommate and all the separate relationships add to the story.
Thank you Macmillan Audio for this free advanced audio book. This novel is out July 9.

I was able to listen to this audiobook because of NetGalley provided me a free, digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Presley works for a late night comedy show. She wants to be given more responsibility and move up, but in the here and now she’s proving herself to be a hard worker.

She’s got great relationships with a couple close friends in the city and with her grandparents who live in the south.

I loved that Presley (who is not really very comfortable outside of her bubble) decides to let her guard down, little by little.

This story resonated with me because I’m also not the most peopley of people. I get stuck in my ways, put walls up, and shy away from tough emotions.

Humor Me showed me that you can stay true to yourself while simultaneously experiencing more, growing, and confronting those things you’ve shoved deep down.

And there’s great jokes that provide comic relief!

The narrator took me a moment to get into, her voice is just so young sounding, but overall I liked the audiobook.

Heartwarming. I will recommend to others.

HUMOR ME is a bright-eyed, big-hearted read about the ways that the ambitious among us balance professional drive, personal growth, and the pursuit of happiness in a city full of opportunity - like New York City.

Cat Shook's debut novel, IF WE'RE BEING HONEST, was one of my favorite reads of 2023, a family drama with plenty of humourous hi-jinxes and a ton of warmth celebrating a misshapen, family. Shook's got an eye for getting to the core of the challenges that plague new adults, specifically those toeing the line between a Millennial and Gen Z identity. The author, who set her debut novel in her home state of Georgia, sets her second novel in hew current home, New York City. It's the story of Presley Fry, an assistant at a late night comedy tv show, Presley's still grieving the loss of her estranged model, and watching her peers and pals succeed in their career and romantic interests. Enter Susan Clark, a former best friend of her mother's who has recently been involved in a familial scandal. As Presley struggles to move forward in her career in the comedy scene (off-stage only, thank you!) she develops an unlikely friendship with Susan and other members of her family, and these new relationships allow her to look at the city (and job) she loves so much with a whole new perspective.

If you've ever dreamed of living in New York, or if you have, this is one that you'll see a lot that resonates with you. Shook also captures the particular heartbreak that comes from working in a lower rung of an entertainment career: The expectation that you'll do the work for the love (and no money) of it. The expectation that your job is around the clock - and that it's ok that that's true. That the chance to date, to explore, to find a personal life in NYC is not a priority over your creative industry. As such, it's a novel that cut close to the bone for me. But it's as much a challenge of the myth of having it all in NYC as it is a genuine love letter to New York City. Few authors nail the city, its unique challenges, its grisly heart and cruel reality, and Shook can be proud that she's accomplished that here. For a novel about comedy (and there are some great jokes in it) it's surprisingly tender, exploring the power of friendships: Cross-generational ones, ones formed on trauma bonding, the ones that are more important than any potential boyfriend, the ones that allow us to carry on when we don't know how else to. Yes, there's love in this story, but the love of friends is what really shines through here.

I really enjoyed Cat Shook’s previous book, and this one fell a little flat for me. I felt like the story was a bit slow paced, but I really enjoyed the NYC of it all. The behind the scenes of the comedy world was interesting, and the shoutouts for Las Culturistas were perfect. Definitely a good pick if you’re into character driven novels more so than plot-driven. Thanks so much for the advanced copy.

Good look into NYC life and dating scene. I thought the themes of handling grief and friendship were interesting. Presley’s friendship with Susan was especially unique and fun to read.

I really loved and enjoyed this book and the audiobook is a must-listen! What I loved most about Humor Me is its ability to balance humor with heartfelt moments and the realities of life in a way that's both relatable and uplifting, especially for women navigating their own journeys of self-discovery and healing. It doesn't shy away from the messy parts of life but instead embraces them with authenticity and empathy. By the end, you'll find yourself laughing, crying, and ultimately feeling inspired by the protagonist's resilience and capacity for love.

The narrator's voice is like your best friend sharing her deepest thoughts and funniest anecdotes over coffee. It's warm, funny, and filled with insights that hit close to home. Whether she's navigating awkward dates or grappling with her own insecurities, you can't help but root for her every step of the way. If you're looking for a romcom that's as touching as it is entertaining, this audiobook is a definite must listen!

If you like Sex in the City, Friends, Seinfeld etc you'll love this, It has such a New York vibe it's infectious, It's funny, catch and sweet. Perfect combination for any romcom.