An (Un) Romantic Comedy

An (Un) Romantic Comedy by Phoebe MacLeod is really an unromantic comedy! It’s a cute, fun-filled read, accompanied by family drama, sibling issues, and plenty of advice on sex and sexual relationships.

Poppy is a 30-something sex and relationship therapist. She is not exactly fond of her family and is dreading the prospect of spending a week with them in Cornwall. Her younger sister, Lily, is getting married, and the entire family has gotten together for the beach wedding. Her parents, siblings Rose and Andrew, their respective spouses, and children are there too.

It is obvious from the beginning that Poppy’s career is the bone of contention between her and her mother. The reason behind her mother’s discomfort is absolutely hilarious! But not just her, even the men Poppy tries to date find her profession problematic, and that’s the reason she is single.

One early morning, Poppy is at the beach and meets Sam, a sculpted swimmer and surfer, who offers to teach her surfing. Unfortunately, the romantic feelings she is developing for him take a back seat because of the various family dramas surrounding her. And Poppy comes to the rescue of each and every person. She helps her family members navigate various problems.

Poppy’s character is well-developed. When the story begins, she is the black sheep. But by the end, her character has come a full circle, and the broken relationships are mended to quite an extent.

I liked the interesting choice of occupations for Poppy and Sam, a data scientist.

Poppy’s family is a unique bunch of interesting characters. Unfortunately, there are too many characters in the book and often I was confused by the names. Close to 15 characters in a book was a bit too much for me!

Poppy is a sex therapist, so there’s a lot of talk about SEX in the book. Right from a teen pervert to the virgin bride; a grandmother struggling to bring back the romance in their life to a ten-year-old kid watching porn!

MacLeod’s writing style is absolutely delightful.

I’ve no complaints as such except for the hurried resolution. I would have loved to see the direction Poppy and Sam’s relationship takes.

You will be disappointed if you are looking for romance in the book. But if you like family dramas, beach settings, and comedy, you are sure to enjoy An Un Romantic Comedy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the arc of this book. My review is honest and voluntary.

Wordsopedia Rating 3.75/5

Buy your copy here on Amazon

About the author       

Phoebe MacLeod is the author of several popular romantic comedies. She lives in Kent with her partner, grown-up children and disobedient dog. Her love for her home county is apparent in her books, which have either been set in Kent or have a Kentish connection.