Overview
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld is a contemporary romance published in 2023. It is an instant New York Times bestseller and a selection for Reese Witherspoon’s Book Club.
Curtis Sittenfeld is the best-selling author of eight novels, including the teen classic Prep (2005), Eligible (2016), which is a modern-day retelling of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and two fictional novels reimagining the lives of two former US first ladies, Rodham (2020) and American Wife (2008).
In Romantic Comedy, Sittenfeld utilizes tropes of the romantic comedy genre to construct her own version—a story that simultaneously celebrates the genre and unpacks its components and appeal. Her characters meet cute, pursue love and happiness in humorous situations, and overcome obstacles both internal and external to arrive at a happy ending, all while interrogating those same building blocks through a feminist lens. Sittenfeld’s novel takes place on the set of a Saturday Night Live–style late-night sketch-comedy show. The urgency of the live production, the personalities of the cast of characters, and the proximity to fame and celebrity all provide a rich landscape to explore both romance itself and the stories men and women tell themselves about it. Structurally, Sittenfeld uses the first-person point of view of her protagonist, Sally Milz, to tell her story, as well as email interactions between Sally and superstar musician Noah Brewster, an ode to the classic love letter updated for a contemporary landscape.
This guide refers to the 2023 Random House edition of the book.
Plot Summary
Sally Milz is a 36-year-old comedy writer for The Night Owls, a legendary late-night sketch-comedy show. Sally and her colleagues work overnight hours to deliver a weekly show that captures the humor and nuance of modern America. While Sally loves her job and considers herself lucky to make a living observing the world around her and turning social conflict into comedy, she also feels stagnant in her life. She has no ambitions to move up in the ranks of writers, and though she’s been married before, she avoids meaningful relationships with men, preferring one-night stands and flings.
In April of 2018, the celebrity guest host of The Night Owls is a superstar named Noah Brewster, a popular musician and actor. Sally surprises herself by connecting with Noah emotionally and physically. Noah seems genuinely interested in her life and opinions, but Sally can’t imagine that someone of Noah’s fame, wealth, and good looks could be interested in a midlevel comedy writer. She compares herself to the male writers she works with, who often have relationships with the famous female stars that host the show, identifying a double standard where average men who are funny are considered desirable, while funny women are passed over both romantically and professionally, relegated to sideline roles. Sally ends up insulting Noah’s dating history with younger, traditionally attractive women, which causes her to rethink how she perceives herself in the context of her fame-adjacent world.
Two years later, the COVID-19 pandemic has the world on lockdown. Sally goes back to her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri, to be with her elderly stepfather, Jerry. She has long been considering leaving TNO to pursue her screenwriting career, but the reliability of the job keeps her from taking that risk. Out of the blue, Sally receives an email from Noah Brewster. They become pen pals, quickly using email writing to explore their pasts, presents, and hopes for the future. They discuss the awkward way they ended TNO together. Noah tells Sally that he’s always been attracted to her and invites her to his house in Los Angeles.
Sally isn’t sure what the nature of this visit will be, but she makes the two-day drive to LA to meet up with Noah. They quickly become sexually intimate, and fall in love. Despite their strong connection, Sally is scared of this new relationship since she’s been without a boyfriend for so long. Noah’s fame and good looks exacerbate Sally’s insecurities about herself. One day, a paparazzo corners Sally and Noah while they’re out on a hike. Sally interprets Noah’s annoyance at the paparazzo as evidence that he doesn’t want to be photographed with an average-looking woman. Noah confronts Sally about her insecurities, insisting that he loves her and is attracted to her. He says he is not a superficial man. Sally wants to accept his love, but when the photographs of her and Noah are published online, comments about her less-than-model-like looks reignite her insecurities.
Sally checks into a hotel to get some space from Noah and weigh her options. She could accept Noah’s invitation to move in with him in Los Angeles, quit her job at TNO, and commit to writing her own screenplays full time. Or she could uphold her contract with TNO and return to her life as a comedy writer, far away from Noah. Sally puts her decision on hold when she receives a call from her aunt letting her know that Jerry is very sick, probably with COVID. Noah charters a private plane for Sally, and together they fly to Kansas City. Noah hires a concierge doctor for Jerry, who confirms that Jerry has COVID. The care Noah shows for Jerry and the support he gives Sally during their two weeks in Kansas City convince Sally that she wants to be with Noah. Jerry recovers, and Sally quits TNO.
In the years following the summer of 2020, Sally writes a screenplay, and her former boss at TNO, Nigel, helps produce it into a Hollywood film starring Sally’s closest girlfriends at TNO, Viv and Henrietta. Sally and Noah get married, and though Sally still struggles with her insecurities, she learns to not let them get in the way of living her life.
