Book Review: The Truth About Romantic Comedies

The Truth About Romantic Comedies
by Sean McMurray
Anaiah Press, 2019
312 pages

Sixteen-year-old Tim doesn’t have a lot going on since his girlfriend dumped him out of nowhere. Caring for his grandmother and taking her to chemo appointments fills most of his afternoons, which is pretty boring until he meets a girl his age at the doctor’s office. Rachel has purple hair and a sharp wit, and before Tim knows it he’s agreeing to an experiment to test all the clichés that romantic comedies employ to make their characters fall in love.

A fast friendship ensues that makes Tim think that maybe his life won’t always begin and end in the little trailer that he shares with his grandmother and single mom. But nothing good comes easy, and one devastation after another threatens to rip Tim and Rachel apart, culminating in a betrayal of the worst kind that makes Tim wonder what it is about him that makes everybody leave.

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Thanks to the author for sending me a copy to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Let me just start out by saying I read this book in less than 24 hours. It was so good! I don’t read a ton of young adult books because they just don’t cross my path as much a adult fiction, but I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this one.

The Truth About Romantic Comedies is a sweet teenage romance about an unlikely couple facing some tough situations. I liked that it felt very realistic and not at all contrived. The dialogue and circumstances felt true to life, like you were eavesdropping on an actual conversation that teenagers might have. These kids are so witty! I also really liked that there are strong elements of faith in this book that the author managed to present in a way that wasn’t preachy or off-putting. That is something that is desperately needed in the world of YA Christian fiction and Sean McMurray does this really well.

Another thing I liked was that I didn’t know how the story was going to end. I think sometimes YA books tend to be somewhat predictable in their endings, but The Truth About Romantic Comedies wasn’t at all. I legitimately didn’t know whether there would be a happy ending or not, and I felt like either way could have been realistic. I will say that I think this book is probably more appropriate for older teens (15 or 16+) based on some of the difficult content that is dealt with. It’s done carefully and respectfully, but your 12-14 year old might not be ready for it just yet.

Two thumbs up for this delightful book and I hope I get to put it in the hands of many young readers. I also hope to see more from this author in the future!

Do you enjoy Young Adult novels? Tell me some of your favorites!