kerry winfrey had me at tom hanks. super cute story for the hopeless romantic, when the movie comes out, tom hanks should play himself.

This book was fun, full of banter, and lighthearted. Described as a romance, I was expecting a little more of a love-story, however the build-up fell a little flat for me. The main character, Annie is obsessed with romantic comedies. To the point where she believes her romantic life deserves the perfect Tom Hanks moment, and easily dismisses love when it’s right in front of her. I found the constant references to rom com movies charming, and the way it ended was definitely cute and creative, but I never got the warm and fuzzies from the “love story” and I wish a little more time was spent on building up the romantic tension and side stories. I suppose this book meets the expectations of a lighthearted rom com, but don’t read it and expect anything swoon-worthy or steamy. Overall, a cute read.

Thanks to #netgalley and #berkleypub for my egalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very enjoyable light reading, a perfect vacation read.. Great fun for romantic comedy fans. Definitely an easy hand sale.

A cheesy, predictable romance. Nothing really stands out or makes it special but still a quick, fun read.

This has been on my list for awhile and I didn’t expect to start reading it today but it came through on Libby as audio so I started listening and reading the book when I got the chance. Yup I finished it and yup I’m a sucker for a rom-com written about a rom-com. It should of had more conflict but hey it was still good. It started out slow but is a very quick read.

An easy, sweet read that would translate perfectly into an onscreen romantic comedy just like the ones that it references constantly, this is a fun contemporary romance for fans of stories about celebs falling in love with "normal" people. The pop culture references are so fun (you'll want to go rewatch every Nora Ephron movie, stat), the chemistry between the leads is palpable, and the book is bubbly, light, and perfect for beach reading. Winfrey will find fans from this novel, for sure.

This was a new to me author, but I am so glad I read this. This story is absolutely adorable and so sweet. I had so much fun reading this and I couldn't help but smile through much of the book. I love these characters and this story was so fresh. I am definitely looking forward to reading more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I had so much fun reading this rom com. It was entertaining and very enjoyable. I loved all the references to 90s movies, they are some of my favorites too.

I loved the characters. Their relationships and conversations made me all giddy and happy. Just such a heartwarming, happy feeling book.

Ever the fan of 90's romantic comedies and Tom Hanks in particular, I was elated with the approval to read this story! I loved every aspect of this book and found it the perfect Summer read. I literally laughed out loud many times and had a wonderful, light-hearted feeling as the story began to unfold. Through hilariously funny writing, this book is one that will immediately engage you and have you begging for more. I am thrilled that this is going to be a series because I cannot wait to see more from Winfrey. I smiled so hard during this story that my face literally hurt. Highly recommend!

<i>Waiting for Tom Hanks</i> is a really cute, incredibly fluffy romantic comedy, and I devoured it in one evening. It's a really fun read, especially if you are a rom-com afficianado and will understand all the references.

The heroine of the book, Annie, is obsessed with romantic comedy films, and she's waiting for her own romance to begin. She expects the whole thing: the meet cute, the tragic backstories, the playful banter, the hijinks, the misunderstanding, and the grand gesture to cement an HEA. In fact, this is her tragic flaw, as evidenced by the commentary of her friends at the small town coffee shop (run by a guy who is very reminiscent of Luke on <i>Gilmore Girls</i> but who is not the love interest, which I found marginally disappointing). Annie rejects any guy out of hand if there's no meet cute and if he doesn't fit her idea of a "Tom Hanks" type guy, meaning a sort of catch-all for a perfect rom-com hero rather than Tom Hanks specifically.

At times, her characterization feels too focused on her obsession, and she feels more like a caricature than a real person, so the novel can occasionally feel like an unflattering parody of romantic comedies than like a loving tribute to them as well as being one itself. For example, Annie's obsessed with the idea of falling in love with a man who has a houseboat, because Tom Hanks' character lives on one in <i>Sleepless in Seattle</i>. Given that she lives in Columbus, OH, this is illogical. Also, she regularly explains to people that it's not Tom Hanks she wants, but she does specifically seem to seize on his character in <i>Sleepless in Seattle</i>, so it made her feel internally inconsistent. It would have made more sense for me to have her merely expect for him to live somewhere quirky with a ton of personality and then be thrilled to meet a guy with a houseboat because of that connection, rather than to search specifically for a houseboat. Things like this made Annie seem a bit TSTL at times, because she takes everything to the extreme, when it's a completely realistic thing to have high expectations. Less would have been more with this concept for me.

The book runs pretty much how you would expect given that premise, with Annie meeting a couple of different guys in meet cutes and her romance proceeding accordingly. The ship is cute, and I enjoyed it for what it was. That said, there's not enough character development for anyone in the book to make the romance anything above cute. Most of the cast is pretty much one-note, so it's hard to care about much of anything outside of the main ship, which is a shame because I actually love the elements that Winfrey created in the set up.

In summation, this was a cute, fun read with so much potential, but it lacked the characterization and depth to make it particularly memorable or special.

"In most romantic comedies, the first scene establishes why the female lead needs a change in her life."

Enter 27-year-old Annie Cassidy a freelance writer OBSESSED with romantic comedies...and obviously, Tom Hanks. Annie spends her snow-filled days in Columbus, Ohio trekking between her mortgage-free home (where she lives with her D&D playing uncle Don) and the local coffee shop that employs her best friend, Chloe (read: the story's MVP), working on her articles and screenplay. And while she seems content in her friend/family life, it's stated no less than 5 times within the opening pages that Annie is looking for her happily ever after...in the form of Tom Hanks.

"Tom Hanks isn't a person so much as he is a representation of the kind of man I deserve."

Thanks to her uncle Don's somehow secret connection to Oscar-winning director, Tommy Crisante, Annie is able to secure a job as Tommy's assistant while he's there in German Village filming his newest romcom. Before filming begins, clumsy Annie literally runs into the film's leading man, Drew Danforth, spilling freshly-acquired coffee all over him. This incident sparks the beginning of an "enemies-to-lovers" plot line that I truly wish had worked for me!

Here's the thing: I REALLY wanted to love this story. From its adorably charming cover art to the romcom-positive synopsis this should have been the summer contemporary of my dreams. And despite the cute brought forth from our male MC (read: the hair pulling scene 😍), I just couldn't get behind our female lead.

Annie is a grown-ass adult that claims to be using "Tom Hanks as a symbol," yet seems to be using his FICTIONAL characters' quirks as dating gospel. She repeatedly shuns potential dates for lacking traits of a Hanks role and freaks the eff out when they do have a matching trait (i.e. Carter "houseboat" Reid). That frequent romanticizing of fictional strangers just seemed too extreme and unbelievable for an otherwise intelligent person.

Ultimately, I think I'm just disappointed that this romance didn't turn out to be anything like I expected. There were pockets of perfection that clearly demonstrate this could have been the sexual-tension filled slow burn of the summer, but the majority was too cheesy, unrealistic, and convenient to stir up anything but apathy.

This was not my favorite. However, if you are looking for Mom friendly romance selections that feel like a Hallmark movie this could be for you!
Honestly the constant bringing up different Rom-Com titles in every single chapter just kept reminding me how much I loved those movies, how boring this book was, and how I would rather just go watch some Tom Hanks movies. The main heroine is not charming and honestly is bordering on obsessive with her love of Rom Com movies. The most interesting character in this story is her Uncle Don. Man I wanted to know about her uncle more.

My experience with this book/deciding to pick it up was kind of weird. When I saw it available for review I jumped at the chance to review it because the cover and the premise sounded so fun. Once I was received my eARC, I was a little wary to pick it up because I read so many meh reviews about it. For a while I was on the fence about when to pick this book up, but then I listened to Not Your Mom's Romance Book Club episode on Waiting for Tom Hanks, and I had to pick it up immediately because they really talked it up.

"'I mean, I don't let what I watch affect my life.' 'That's because you mostly watch documentaries about murder'"

Y'all, this book is funny! I laughed out loud so much while reading this novel, people were looking at me strangely when I was reading this in public. I have so many highlighted sentences and paragraphs that I loved throughout the novel.

I really enjoyed seeing Drew and Annie's relationship progress. At the beginning of the novel Annie is waiting for her Tom Hanks, but she's so closed off and not open to meeting anyone, but the more time she and Drew spend together, she starts to enjoy spending time with him and their feelings progress from there.

"That's not the point, okay?...It doesn't matter how someone in a romantic comedy affords their absurdly nice house, or whether or not their profession makes sense, or if technically they're sort of stalking someone they heard on a call-in radio show. What matters is that they have hope."

Before starting the book I read a lot of meh reviews about this novel, mostly about how people were frustrated with Annie. I totally get where they're coming from, but I think her being so closed off and not open to getting to know Drew is intentional and part of her personality, and something she has to learn to work on.

This was an upbeat fluffy read, and overall I really enjoyed it. I'm definitely planning on picking up the second book in this series because I loved seeing Nick and Chloe interact, and the fact that Annie's script is about them is gold.

If you've read this novel, what were your thoughts on it?

Annie Cassidy, obsessed with Rom-Com, writes screenplays, watches Sleepless in Seattle, and daydreams of making a movie. She also daydreams of finding ‘her’ Tom Hanks, aka the perfect man, wondering why at the age of 27, she hasn’t met him yet. When she discovers that a romantic comedy is being filmed in her hometown of Columbus, she thinks fate has intervened, and she will finally have her ‘meet-cute’, when she gets a job on the movie set. When Annie meets the lead actor, Drew Danforth, who takes nothing seriously, and is nothing like Tom Hanks, she trips and spills coffee on over him and her meet-cute fails. He’ll be leaving town as a soon as the filming is over, and besides, she can’t stand him, right?

This is a funny and very entertaining read, the plot flows smoothly, it’s upbeat and FUN! I really enjoyed it and certainly recommend it. A great summer read.

It may just be that this is not the genre for me. I found it very one-dimensional and silly. And repetitive. You could see the pivotal conflict coming a mile ahead. I didn't love it, but I was determined to finish ... until the main character made that defining mistake. I actually said "Nope" out loud and set it down.

This was such a charming, sweet, light-hearted read. Perfect for those of us who love romance and rom coms. It was the kind of book that's delightful to read, fast-paced, and perfect to throw in your beach bag or read poolside. I look forward to more from this author.

3.5 stars

Lightweight (who would have guessed?) chick lit about a rom-com obsessed heroine with a sad family background who is searching for the love of a good man -- the sort of character she loves to watch on the big screen. Annie Cassidy is not unappealing as a heroine, but there are an awful lot of cliches and absolutely predictable plot mechanics.

There are times when an undemanding story with a feel-good ending is exactly what you want. This book would be just right. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC copy to review.
Annie is twenty-seven years old, single, and obsessed with romantic comedies (she and her mother watched them religiously, before her mom died). Her dating life is limited by the expectations she’s formed from these movies. She is not as open to new experiences as she might be, because she’s waiting for her Tom Hanks–i.e., a guy she’ll find in the perfect, meet-cute romantic comedy way. When Annie does finally meet her perfect match, it’s not quite in the way she expected, and she’s forced to reckon with the walls she’s built around herself over the years.
This is such a cute book that I read it in a day. This movie speaks to any 90's kid that ever watched rom-coms with their mom.....aka ME. I loved it!

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
Rom-Com Standalone, First in a Related Series.
2.5 Stars
I love romantic comedies, be it movies or books, so when I saw Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey I was so excited to read it! I love the cover and the blurb is right up my alley.

Annie is a 27-year-old rom-com obsessed girl who lives with her uncle in Ohio. She is literally obsessed with romantic comedies and Nora Ephron (You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle…) is her hero. She is forever writing her own screenplay, and has a lot of problems dating because the guys never live up to her rom-com standards. In other words, they aren’t Tom Hanks.
Tom Hanks isn't a person so much as he is a representation of the kind of man I deserve, as my mom told me over and over. "Don't settle for someone who doesn't adore you," she told me. "My favorite thing about your dad was that he worshiped the ground I walked on."

Annie was fixated. It’s not only that the guys didn’t live up to Tom Hanks, she actually thought she was living in a rom-com.
“Because I have it all: the sympathetic backstory, the montage of humiliations minor and major, unrealized career aspirations, the untamed pre-makeover hair. But still, I wait. Single, lonely, Hanksless.”

When a big-budget romantic comedy is being shot in her small Ohio town, her uncle just happens to have been college roommates with the director (and that never came up before with the girl obsessed with movies????) and he got her a job on set. Then she has the perfect meet-cute with the star of the movie, but she is too blinded by the movie in her head to see it in person.
"Maybe it's time you stopped waiting around for Tom Hanks to show up. Maybe this time you have to be your own Tom Hanks.”

I really liked all the supporting characters including BOTH of her potential love interests. Drew was awesome and real despite being a movie star, but that was the problem too, he was REAL, and she wanted fiction.
“I always think you’re exaggerating, but you’re literally in love with a fictional man. You know those movies aren’t real, right?

Waiting for Tom Hanks was a cute concept, one I may have enjoyed more if I hadn’t JUST read Screwdrivered by Alice Clayton. Though the story is totally different, the heroine also thought she was living in a romance.
Likes:

•The cover.
•All the side characters.
•It’s a cute concept (but taken a bit too far).
•I really liked her friend Chloe.
•Drew was a great book boyfriend.
•Though it was fade-to-black in sex, it never felt like it was missing.
•A light, sweet, quick beach read.

Dislikes:

•Annie is immature and thinks she is living in a movie. While I liked being in her head sometimes, others I really couldn’t stand her, I just wanted to smack some sense into her.
•She has been sitting around not going after anything she wants.
•Her uncle is close with a famous director and he doesn’t tell the movie-obsessed niece he lives with?

The Down and Dirty:
Waiting for Tom Hanks was a cute, light beach read and if you love 80s rom-coms, you might enjoy this. For me, I need to love the heroine to love the book, and I spent most of the book wanting to smack her upside the head. A gorgeous Hollywood leading man is crazy about her but she ignores it because it’s not like a rom-com? SMACK. Her obsession was over-the-top ridiculous as were a couple of other things that just held me back from really loving it. The potential was there, the writing skill was there, I just found her to be annoyingly in her own head.

Rating: 2.5 Stars, 0 Heat

Sometimes you just need a book pick-me-up. Lately I’ve found that I am on the look out for books that uplift me and make me smile. I’ve found another one to add to my collection. Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey is just the kind of story I’ve been searching for lately. It is sweet, funny, a little bit corny, and frankly, to me, just a lot of fun to read.

The main character, Annie, is obsessed with Tom Hanks movies (and romcoms in general). Now… this may be my biggest caveat to this book because her obsession can be a little over the top and annoying as the story proceeds. But I put up with it and I’m glad I stuck with the story. When a movie crew comes to town to shoot a romcom, Annie (who is writing her own romantic comedy) is excited. Her Uncle Don is able to secure a spot for her on set working with the famous director. It is basically like a dream come true. Of course Annie does not realize that the male star of the show, Drew Danforth, is the right guy for her. She is pretty oblivious to his clear interest in her. But that’s to be expected in any romantic comedy! There is misdirection and pratfalls and pining. It is everything you want and enjoy in a romantic comedy wrapped in a fun book.

It is not a perfect story of course. Sometimes I wanted to prod Annie to find her own direction in life. I wanted her to take the advice of her best friend, Chloe, and just go for it. Don’t wait for Mr. Right, try dating a few guys and see what happens. Of course, no romantic comedy female lead is going to find that to be a perfect solution but I did want Annie to try.

I liked Drew. He is fairly generic in terms of romance love interests but I found as I got to know him, I liked him more. He shed some layers of “movie stardom” to reveal who he is underneath. A caring guy, a bit of a goof, and someone who likes Annie exactly as she is. He respects her, is kind to her Uncle Don, and just wants to be a part of her life in some small way. It was very sweet.

Waiting for Tom Hanks had me engaged immediately. I’m so glad I gave this book a chance. I know the title intrigued me to begin with because I admit, I love a good Tom Hanks movie, but Kerry Winfrey’s expressive writing and great characters moved this story from good to great. There is a reason many people (myself included!) love the romantic comedy genre in film and Kerry Winfrey captures that emotion, that hope at happiness and joy, very well in this book. I’m eager to see what she writes next!