"Consumers are fickle - they crave something new, but not that kind of new. They want to be challenged but comforted at the same time. They desire fresh takes, but only in a form that's familiar to them. That's to say, audiences will accept something different as long as it feels the same."
"There is nothing just about you."
Title: Funny You Should Ask
Author: Elissa Sussman
Rating: ★★★★★
There are three things that Funny You Should Ask has proved to me: 1) I am not entirely sworn off of cheesy romantic novels, 2) any book about celebrities/Hollywood/social media I will automatically love, and 3) worldbuilding is crucial to an entertaining reading experience.
I read a lot, and over time I thought I had discovered that I wasn't the biggest fan of cheesy romance novels. At least not as much as the rest of the teenage girls that read books. Being on TikTok has allowed me to see other people's opinions on books every single day.
I read quite a lot, and over time, I thought I had discovered that I wasn't the biggest fan of simple romantic comedies as the rest of the readers in the world. Being on TikTok has allowed me to see other people's opinions on books in a far more entertaining manner than on Goodreads. However, every time I trust someone's recommendations for a romance, I am almost always disappointed. Everyone recommends the same books repeatedly, and a good percent of the time, it is ACOTAR, the Off-Campus series, the Addicted series, and good old Emily Henry. I have a personal need with Emily Henry after trying to read all three of her books. First, People We Meet on Vacation - unbearable, completely set against vacation-based romances. Second, Beach Read - hoping to be better than the last because it was about writers, not surprised when it was another vacation-based romance. Last, Book Lovers - praying that it would change my opinions on her writing because this one is about books, proven wrong again when it was a vacation-based romance. This is a very long way of saying that reading Emily Henry's books was the end of the line for me listening to romantic book recommendations from the internet. That was until I picked up Funny You Should Ask.
THEN. Chani Horowitz is a journalist who gets the opportunity to write a profile on the movie star Gave Parker: her number one celebrity crush and latest James Bond. As the interview turns into an unprofessional weekend hanging out with him that has the tabloids buzzing, she gets much closer to Gabe than she had planned. NOW. Ten years later, Chani is back in Los Angeles with her dream career as a successful writer, but no matter what new essay collection she puts out, it always comes back to the profile she did on Gabe. So, when his PR team requests a second interview, she wants to say no. She wants to pretend that she has forgotten whatever time they spent together. But the truth is, she wants to know if those seventy-two hours were as memorable to Gabe as they were to her. And so... she says yes.
Every story has an inspiration, and Funn You Should Ask's is most likely this GQ article from 2011 - Chris Evans: American Marvel. After reading the article, I can confirm that this is a likely inspiration, but I might just have to DM the author and ask her myself... One of the aspects I like most about Taylor Jenkins Reid's books, and I think most people would put this at the top of the list, too, is her worldbuilding. One way she does this is by including news articles, blog posts, movie reviews, etc., about the celebrities in her book. Elissa Sussman does the same in her book, adding parts of the profile Chani wrote about Gabe, movie reviews for the James Bond movie, and tabloids about her weekend with him. She even adds in a little Goodreads review! I absolutely adore these additions because it feels like it was pulled directly from a 2011 news publication that loves to spill drama on celebrities and their relationships. If you don't read Taylor Jenkins Reid, I recommend taking a look at the GQ article I linked above - it will give you a hint at the comedic tone and storyline that this book follows.
I have said this before, and I will say it again until writers stop doing it: I hate unnecessary flashbacks. If your story is about two characters falling in love in the present day, don't include an irrelevant flashback about their childhood or how they first met or a random vignette about their dead parents unless it changes the way I will see them as a person in the future. (I'm talking to you, Emily Henry.) Ellissa Sussman has joined the ranks of Taylor Jenkins Reid and Colleen Hoover in providing flashbacks that actually do something rather than just add to the page count. This story does switch between the past and the present, but in this case, it is necessary 100% of the time.
The portrayal of the male romantic interest in books has always hit a nerve for me. Most romance books I have read come from the perspective of the female protagonist; every time they describe a man they are romantically interested in, he is perfect. He probably has one fatal flaw, something that has to do with his childhood, which we will no doubt get flashbacks about and in no way will change how hot we think he is in the present. In this book, Chani sees Gabe for who he is - a conventionally attractive actor with a drinking problem who may or may not be the most genuine person she has ever met in her entire life. He definitely has some issues, but so does she. We also get to read other people's opinions on him as an actor playing the next James Bond, adding an extra layer to how I saw him in my mind. Please repeat after me: worldbuilding helps create believable characters.
These are the people who will like this book:
Girls who read Wattpad/AO3 stories about them meeting their favorite celebrities and falling in love (except this book doesn't read like a Wattpad story at all, I promise).
Actors who were too scared to come out of the closet because they thought it would affect their chances of getting a role.
Actors who were shunned for ever playing a gay role and being deemed un-manly enough to play straight masculine roles going forward.
Anyone who has found themselves crying over a Taylor Jenkins Reid - Mick Riva Universe book (this book will not cause as much emotional damage, I promise).
Anyone who has never believed in themselves enough. For the girls who thought they could only advance their career if they were attached at the hip to a man. For the girls who were told they are only successful because of their connection to a male in the industry. You are so much more than what they say. So much more.
I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I was gasping, laughing, and covered in chills from head to toe. If you are looking for something easy to read with a community of people on the internet who love it too, then go pick up a copy of Funny You Should Ask. I give this book 4/5 stars.