Nora Goes Off Script is a warm and refreshing romantic comedy by Annabel Monaghan. Set in small-town upstate New York, the novel begins with Nora Hamilton readying her house for a film crew — she’s just sold her first serious screenplay (she usually writes formulaic movies for The Romance Channel), and has agreed to let the director use her home as a set. The movie, The Tea House, is based on Nora’s relationship with her ex-husband, written in a cathartic fog after he left her a year earlier. Now solely supporting her two young kids, Nora is willing to let a film crew take over her house if it means bonus money on top of the contract. She watches in happy disbelief as her screenplay comes to fruition, the scenes playing out just as they did in real life, but this time with a beautiful actress in her place and the smoldering movie star Leo Vance as her ex. When Hollywood finally leaves town, Nora is more than ready to return to her normal life, so you can imagine her shock when she wakes up to find Leo Vance sleeping on her porch. He makes her an offer — he’ll pay seven thousand dollars if he can stay for one week. Thinking of all the bills to be paid, and sensing Leo’s need for an emotional retreat, Nora agrees to let him room in the guest house. A week of meatloaf dinners, middle school play rehearsals, and trips to Stop n’ Save ensues, providing the most unlikely backdrop for a romance… which is why no one is more surprised than Nora when sparks begin to fly.
Although it’s definitely a romance, and a delightful one at that, there’s something about Nora Goes Off Script that feels different. The writing is more subtle than what you usually find in the genre, giving off a warm and wise vibe rather than a naive and chatty one. The story feels broader than expected, too; the focal point is the romance between Nora and Leo, but the novel encompasses so much more, beautifully capturing Nora’s family life, small-town community, and second-chapter career. Some aspects of the plot pushed my believability limit, but because the characters themselves felt so real I was happy to go along for the ride. Nora, especially, is a joy to read, a woman who knows herself and can laugh at herself, who takes everything (including a movie star in her guest house) with a grain of salt. I also loved her kids, Arthur and Bernadette, with their adorable questions and openheartedness, and I found it refreshing to see the protagonist’s children play a crucial role in the love story. Heartfelt, funny, and oddly soothing, Nora Goes Off Script is the perfect escape from reality — I absolutely loved it.
I’d recommend this book to…
- Anyone looking for a fun spin on the “celebrity falls in love with an ordinary person” trope… it’s similar in theme to the movie Notting Hill
- Anyone who loves dry wit, down-to-earth characters, and cozy settings… it’s similar in style to Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny
- Anyone who wants a light but earnest romantic comedy… it’s similar in tone to The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
