By: Jodi McAlister
ISBN: 978 1761109348
Simon & Schuster (2023)
I loved this rom com, just as I loved the two novels which preceded it in this loose series. It’s full of heart and humor, with just the right dash of cynicism to keep it grounded.
All three novels are set within the one season of a reality dating show, a device which works remarkably well. If you’ve read the earlier novels – and you really should, they’re delightful – then sure, you’ll know that certain events are going to happen. However, the wildly different perspectives mean this doesn’t feel repetitive at all. It just feels like you’re getting a more in depth understanding of what’s going on.
At the end of “Can I Steal You For A Second?” I found myself hoping for a third novel, featuring showrunner Murray O’Connell and Lily Fireball. And here I am, wish granted!
Murray is very stressed as he commences this season of “Marry Me, Juliet”. He’s finally got the diverse casting he and his best friend – and professional partner – Lily, have been advocating for. But that means there’s a lot riding on this season. It absolutely has to rate highly. The newly announced pandemic lockdown adds a whole new layer of stress and competition.
Worst of all, Murray is doing this solo. Lily has been MIA for a year, sunk in grief and regret. She won’t even talk to him.
Then Murray meets the last minute, unscreened, contestant the network has lumped him with. Will she save the show, Murray’s career, and his love life – or burn them all down?
I really admire the way McAlister has told multiple stories within one rather restricted framework. She’s used the framing device of the reality show very cleverly. There’s the sly sense of letting us see behind the scenes, the humor of the situation, the stresses and pressures. The stakes feel high for each person involved.
If you’ve read the earlier novels, then you’ll feel that this one has another layer – an awareness of what’s happening to other characters “off-screen”, so to speak. If you haven’t, don’t worry. This is a complete story with considerable depth even without that layer.
Both Murray and Lily are strong and vivid characters. You’ll quickly care a great deal about what happens to them. The story of their relationship is a little broader than the stories told in the first two novels. Those were relationships that began and flowered almost entirely on the show.
Murray and Lily, on the other hand, have a long and complicated relationship that stretches back for years. The problems and ups and downs, fears, hesitations and obstacles will feel familiar and real to many readers.
Although a touch darker than the earlier novels, I found this a joy to read. McAlister has an easy reading style that helps absorb you in the characters and situations. There’s enough humor to leaven the darker parts (which aren’t all that dark, truth be told). And at this point, I’m feeling pretty invested in a reality show I’ve never seen.
If you like your rom coms fun but with a little meat, this is the perfect read.
You may be interested in my reviews of the earlier novels in this series by Jodi McAlister:
Other Dreams, Other Lives 