First of all thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was super easy to read and the characters were pretty likeable. The main characters had good chemistry and the flirting was super cute.

While the book had an interesting premise, the Robbie subplot seemed unnecessary, there was already enough tension with Daphne having sent in her book under a male name without it. The Robbie subplot also seemed to not really go anywhere.

I would recommend this book if you want a feel-good romcom with a HEA.

Review to Come

Love the cover ❤️
Description intrigued me…
Author is new to me.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC

I was completely bored for a big chunk of the book. The Robbie storyline was not needed and frankly annoying. This and other things knocked the book down to 2 stars.

Finding Mr. Write is a funny contemporary romance by one of my favorite paranormal/thriller writers Kelley Armstrong. The opening line will make you laugh out loud and will show you what you are in for!
Daphne is done with rejection - of her manuscript. So she decided so change her own name to a male author and ended up getting a publishing deal and becoming be of the most anticipated reads of the year. Little problem is that she’s not a man and now needs a head shot! Finding the perfect “Zane” is hard and even harder when the first meeting with this actor goes horribly. Chris is playing “Zane” - the survivalist and author but little does Daphne know is that he’s truly acting every time they talk and interact and he’s actually an accountant who knows nothing about nature.
Very funny but I had a hard time liking the characters - espically Chris in the beginning since he was annoying and macho when he was being Zane. That made it harder for me to see the connection with them and made it a slower read for me. If you can get past the actor Zane and focus on Chris then you will laugh and this a a good beach read.

I was super excited about the concept for this book. A female author finding a way to get around the sexism in publishing by hiding behind a male pseudonym, then said loophole backfiring when her book blows up, which means she has to find a man to pretend to be the author? Ugh, this had classic rom-com written alllllll over it. But I feel like a lot of the plot in this book was forced, for me it lacked emotional depth. I enjoyed the banter and Chris’ antics pre-book launch. I liked that Daphne was nervous about her whole plan and Chris would do goofy things to help take her mind off it.

But you’re telling me that Chris, whose only acting credit was high school theatre before this, went full-blown method to the point that even when it was just him talking to Daphne he couldn’t drop the act? Like I got it for the first meet-up, he wanted to prove he could do it, but doing things he acknowledges in his head are making him outwardly look like a douche, even after he realizes he wants to pursue Daphne just felt so so weird. Especially, when the real Chris is revealed to be a sweet, caring, and considerate guy. Coupled with how Armstrong went about the whole rom-com break-up just to immediately realize they want to be together arc and the book as a whole just feels so paper thin.

I really liked the pacing in the first half of the book, it felt natural. I loved the filmed interview moments leading up to their first and second kiss. But when we got past book release day it felt like all of a sudden everything happened at once. Their secret is threatened, they get very public with their PDA, and then all of a sudden when everything seems perfect, BAM Chris does this absolutely terrible and traumatizing thing. Ultimately, it was an okay read for me, definitely not what I expected for Kelley’s jump into writing rom-coms.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for allowing me to write an honest review of the ARC for Finding Mr. Write!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️/ 5

My review was posted on Goodreads on 6/5/24.

My review will posted to Instagram on 6/6/24.

I will submit it to Amazon on 6/25/24 when it is available for review and it will post to my profile within 48 hours.

I really liked these characters in Kelley Armstrong's rom com novel. Great pace to the story and I enjoyed the premise of the author in the story submitting her novel under a male pseudonym and how things evolve as the book is released.

I tried so hard to enjoy this one, hoping the other reviews were wrong but sometimes, people get it right.

Finding Mr. Write wasn’t one of them. The banter is unearned and rushed, Chris and Daphne have no chemistry and the plot is so contrived it’s hard to take it seriously. The inevitable third act break up with a headache inducing miscommunication made my eyes glaze over towards the end. It didn’t help that the forced happy ending epilogue, while always a trite and disliked trope of mine, felt especially disappointing considering the whole of it.

If we’re looking go find Mr. Write here, keep looking.

Long review coming, I absolutely loved this book. It was my first book by Kelley and a friend recommended her to me. I can’t believe this was her first romcom and I hope she brings us many more in the future! The banter between our two characters was hilarious. I loved how dorky and ridiculous Chris was. I loved the premise of the story being a female author trying to get published but believing she needs to use a man’s name to get a good book deal, recognition, fair treatment, etc. It did infuriate me a little because I would hope this is not how it is in the publishing world, but since Kelley has been an author for awhile I suspect there is a lot of truth to this book with how female authors are treated. This book was so great. Highly reccomend.

This book was so cute. I loved the location, the characters, the banter and interactions. I thought the premise of a female writer struggling to get published, so she submits her work under a male name was fascinating. The sexism in publishing was very frustrating in the book. I loved that she fell for this guy, despite her initial feelings about him. This was definitely a slow burn, but it was filled with entertaining scenes, personal growth and fun. I found myself laughing, crying and cringing throughout the book. I love that we saw so much personal growth and relationship growth between the 2 characters. The added bonus was that it was a book about a writer - so lots of fun book related scenes. A really cute summer beach read.

Finding Mr Write by Kelley Armstrong
Daphne, an outdoorsy architect who lives in the Yukon, writes a dystopia novel and can't sell it until she changes the author's name to a man's. Chris is about to lose his accounting practice because of his business partner and needs some extra cash. Can his experience in high school drama be enough to play the author of Daphne's book?

I really liked the character of Chris. He was layered and interesting. Daphne was a little less so, I didn't really get why such a woman would be so scared and unsure of herself in some ways. Like would an adventurous, outdoorsy, amazing architect not see that a man who dumps her because she spends time with her dying mom is an asshole and not "all men" or a problem with her? I wanted to like her so much more.


Is you suspend your disbelief this is a fun summer read. If you don't, there are a bunch of plot holes here. Especially since I have been reviewing books, I know the process of getting a book in the world is not like this. Maybe 10 years ago, but not now. I get what Armstrong was trying to do though. One way she was very successful was showing how Chris would ask for things and know he had a right to ask for them. Men do that so much more than women. If we did, some of the gender dynamics would be very different.

This was a fast read and could make a fun Netflix film. 3.25 stars. Thanks to Net Galley and Forever publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars. I debated back and forth about rounding up or down here where fractions of stars aren’t an option. There were things I really liked about this book, particularly the strong start it got off to, while there were also things I didn’t enjoy as much.

Daphne wrote a YA zombie apocalypse book that no one gave the time of day to until a wine-fueled night led to her querying it under a male pseudonym. When a need arises, she hires Chris, an accountant who she thinks is an actor, to play the role of author Zane to promote the book. From there things take off a rate neither was prepared for and feelings start getting involve while to two embark on a book tour.

As I said above, the first part of this book was great. I thoroughly enjoyed it as Daphne and Chris met and got a feel for each other while navigating their unusual situation. It was fun, it was funny, it was flirty, and it was cute. When the second part began and they set out on tour, things started to drag for me. The pacing fell off and it felt like it got repetitive. When it came to the third act, it seemed to go against who Chris had been as a character to the point as felt more like it was all done for the sake of drama.

The book did provide interesting commentary and insight into biases I imagine are quite realistic possibilities in the publishing industry. I have no idea if any of the events would play out the way they did here, but even if it they wouldn’t, the points were made.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was fine.

I think I just prefer Armstrong mystery and YA books more and don’t particularly get her as a contemporary romance writer.

Some fun tropes but I never fell for either of the MCs.

Daphne is a reclusive architect living in the Yukon. She has recently been offered a book deal of her dreams. The one problem, she used a male name to get that deal. The solution? Hire Chris, an accountant from Vancouver, to play her male alter ego. What could go wrong?

This book was adorable in every way. It is the quintessential rom-com. I loved the chemistry between Daphne and Chris from the start. Their first meeting was hilarious. I enjoyed watching them evolve as individuals and together.

It was a little rough going towards the end. Chris did some very un-Chris-like things that took me out of the story a bit. It felt like forced drama for drama’s sake. However, the HEA is worth it.

I’d suggest this book to anyone who wants a feel good romance with quick wit and charming scenarios. It is definitely fluffy. So, don’t go into it expecting some deep plot. However, it speaks on feminism, imposter syndrome, and how to deal with consequences from your actions. Overall, a fun book with a cute love story.

Listen, this one is on me. As usual. But even knowing I had likely outgrown Armstrong as an author (despite her being what is probably my most-read and [once upon a time pre-unhauls] my most-owned) I thought.. a romcom? Sure, why not. And I blame this purely on the Read Now option on NetGalley. You got me. You got me. And now here we are.

This was overwhelmingly just mostly fine. But it was also annoying in a variety of low-level ways. Sure, the reality of female authors being automatically labeled YA, being paid less (even sometimes despite previous success), facing more rejections, receiving less funding for marketing, and, well, you get the point, that's the obvious annoyance. So watching an author circumvent those issues by creating a pseudonym, and a male one at that, wasn't the bad part. Nor was said author hiring someone to handle the interviews not only to maintain the charade but also deal with the social interactions required to be known and in public to support the book itself. It could've been a fun concept.

But. I didn't like the characters. I felt a lot of things just weren't well fleshed out or felt kind of.. dumb. And in addition to the bouts of miscommunication that we dodged around a few times, I just felt this suffered from the recent issue of being too.. nice. Too over-explainy. Too considerate. Which isn't to say I don't want some of this or, rather, I don't want to feel these things happening in romances. But there's a way to do it that doesn't feel.. obvious.

Also, this suffered badly in the romance areas. These characters were daydreaming of relationships and logistics for said relationships before they'd even kissed. And then we went from, like, one kiss, and then fast forward like 40% to.. randomly shoehorned in graphic-ness. It was kind of a mess.

And don't even get me started on the "villain"-esque element.

I may decide to one day revisit my old paranormal favourites but I don't think I'll be venturing into anything new by this author anymore. The last few results have proven to be the rule and not the exception and I'm finally throwing in the towel. So, yeah, I should've known better. This was on me. And, as always, your mileage may vary.

3 1/2

After sending her manuscript to various literary agents, Daphne McFadden is met with rejection after rejection. She just knows that if she were a man, her manuscript would find a home. To test that theory, Daphne sends her manuscript out under the pseudonym, Zane Remington, and guess what? It sells. So the next thing she needs is a photo for the back cover, thus the title, Finding Mr. Write, the man who will embody Zane Remington. It just so happens that her best friend, lawyer Nia knows exactly the right (write heh) man for the job, Chris Stanton, an accountant whose partner stole and left their company in dire straits (not the rock group). After a meeting that leaves Daphne fuming and Chris needing to smooth feathers, Chris begins to melt some of Daphne’s ice; his homemade brownies don’t hurt. But Daphne still hurts from a previous relationship in which her boyfriend deserted her when she needed him most, so she is less than willing to take her attraction for Chris to any level other than business in Kelley Armstrong’s rom-com Finding Mr. Write.

So, years ago Kelley Armstrong wrote a series, which may be my favorite, the Nadia Stafford trilogy (which also included a couple of novellas) about a woman who takes vengeance into her own hands and becomes a hitwoman under the mentorship of a mysterious man named Jack. Why am I brining this up in the middle of a review? Because to me Nadia and Jack’s relationship became something sexy without the sex (and, yes, I know a lot of readers think that combination is impossible but if you’ve ever seen the scene between Harrison Ford and Kelly McGillis in Witness in which they share a dance to Sam Cooke’s Wonderful World but mostly smoldering gazes at the beginning, then you know sexy doesn’t need touching or even anything obviously “sexy”). Nadia and Jack are one of my favorite couples in Armstrong’s very large canon, and hot without trying.

And, unfortunately, Daphne and Chris are not. The one very essential ingredient, chemistry, isn’t there. They make a pleasant couple albeit with major communications issues, but hot they are not. They are nice. They are charming. There are grand gestures and affection and some steam but no combustion (imho).

However. HOWEVER. Finding Mr. Write made me laugh. With Armstrong’s typical strong writing and sense of detail and place, it’s a good read. Not her best because of logic flaws that just are not typical of Armstrong, like: why didn’t Daphne just use initials instead of a man’s name? Why did Daphne hire someone to be Zane? There are authors who don’t do publicity but still sell books. But, of course, if she did any of those things, Chris Stanton would not have appeared in Daphne’s life and there would have been no romance. And no book.

Many of the points Armstrong makes about how publishing works and how books are marketed are on the mark. And some about book bloggers too, but hopefully not this particular book blogger. 😬

And, if by reading this review, you come away thinking that I think Finding Mr. Write is a less than average rom-com, nothing could be further from the truth. My expectations of Kelley Armstrong, however, do feed into that perception. As a debut rom-com, it’s strong and I know that if she keeps writing in the genre, readers will receive a treat and I hope she does, because I can’t wait to see where she goes next.

Many thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy.

"Finding Mr. Write" by Kelley Armstrong is a romantic comedy set in the Yukon, Canada. The story follows Daphne, a female author who faces challenges in getting her book published, so she decides to use a male pen name. The plot unfolds as she hires an actor to pretend to be the male author, leading to unexpected romantic entanglements.

As a fan of romance novels, I was excited to see Kelley Armstrong explore the genre for the first time. While I enjoyed the relatable characters and their chemistry, I found the overall pacing of the story a bit slow. If you're a fan of romantic comedies, you'll enjoy this book. It's a cute, feel-good read.

Thank you to Kelley Armstrong, NetGalley, and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel. It will be on sale on June 25, 2024.

I really wanted to love this, but I just couldn’t. If I’m being honest, it took me forever to read this because of my lack in enthusiasm towards the book, and I just found it dull and stringy.

This was not it for me. Like I got super turn off with the first sentence of the book, which is in fact transphobic. Saying "I need a penis" when you actually need a man, the penis has nothing to do with it, is Transphobic. I'm not saying the author is transphobic, who knows maybe she is. Just starting the book with "I need *insert genitalia here*" is icky. It could've been "I need a man" and it would've had the same impact.

The rest of the book for me was boring. I didn't like the dynamics between them and I was just disappointed. This book was nothing like what I was expecting. Also then mentioning a lot of other thriller/horror authors.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Kelley Armstrong takes a delightful detour into romantic comedy with this novel. While I wasn't sure how she'd fare outside her usual genre, Armstrong delivers a charming story with a sharp wit. The opening line grabs you immediately ("I need a penis"), but Daphne's situation is more than just a provocative one-liner. A struggling writer tired of rejection, she takes a gamble by publishing under a male pseudonym, achieving the recognition her work deserves. Now, she needs a man to embody her fictional author, Zane.

Enter Chris, an accountant facing financial difficulties. Playing Zane becomes a chance to escape his troubles. We see Daphne, a woman who's overcome hardship and bad relationships, take a bold step. Chris too is relatable, trying to rebuild after a mistake. Their journeys intertwine as they navigate their personas and discover their true selves. This witty romance tackles interesting themes like the publishing industry's double standards, all set against the backdrop of Armstrong's signature evocative settings. With clear communication at its core (a rarity!), this is a well-written story with a touch of social commentary. Fans of Armstrong and anyone who enjoys a good romantic comedy will find plenty to love here.

Finding Mr. Write is a cute rom-com. Chris and Daphne fall for each other when he pretends to be her so her book is better received. I enjoyed the wild setting at the beginning, the lake and the mountains, perfection, throw in a little bit of fake dating and slow burn, a creepy neighbor and a bear encounter. Overall this was an ok read, there was nothing wrong with the writing or characters, it just wasn't for me. If you're looking for something quick and cute, that's closed door, this one may be for you.