What if your life is a romantic comedy . . . but you don’t even believe in true love? That’s the question that sparked Not Like the Movies. After writing Waiting for Tom Hanks, which was about a character who deeply wanted her life to be a romantic comedy, I wondered what it would be like to face the opposite situation. What if you hated romantic comedies (I know, hard to believe), but everyone around you insisted you were in one? It was fun to write about Chloe in Waiting for Tom Hanks, because she was a down-to-earth voice of realism who always challenged Annie’s idealistic romantic comedy principles. But could I actually write an entire book from the point of view of a character who didn’t think that While You Were Sleeping was one of cinema’s greatest achievements? As it turned out, I could, and I grew to love Chloe. She’s outwardly optimistic and always wearing bright colors and listening to fun music, but that’s because she’s trying to cope with responsibilities that are drowning her. She’s caring for her father, who has Alzheimer’s, and she doesn’t believe in happily ever afters or asking anyone for help. Her problem is one that so many of us can relate to—the idea that we have to handle it all, take care of work and family, and do it all with a smile. Of course, since this is a romantic comedy, she just might find someone to help her, in the form of her grumpy, hot, totally-obsessed-with-her boss, Nick. I hope you love Chloe and her story as much as I do. Thank you for choosing Not Like the Movies as your book club pick. So many book clubs have read Waiting for Tom Hanks, and it’s been a joy to see the pictures on Instagram. I hope this book sparks some interesting conversations about romantic comedies, true friends, the ideal yacht rock playlist, family bonds, and (most importantly) the perfect pie. Rom-coms forever,
Kerry
Chloe’s on a quest to make the perfect pie, and that involves a lot of practicing. Here are a few of her favorites. Maybe one of them will be your perfect pie!
with Crumb Topping Pie ingredients 1 prepared (unbaked) pie crust (Chloe would make her own, but I won’t tell anyone if you use store-bought) 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries 3/4 cup granulated sugar (or to taste) Juice of one lemon Pinch of salt About 10 chopped basil leaves 5 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons of cold butter, cut into small pieces
Crumble topping ingredients 1/2 cup melted butter 6 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour Pinch of salt
Directions 1.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a bowl, mix the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and basil. Taste the filling to see if it needs anything. More sugar, more salt, more lemon juice? Add the flour and butter. Stir to combine and set aside. 3.
Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
4. Mix together crumble ingredients and scatter on top of pie. 5. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until blueberry filling is bubbling at the edges. If the crumble topping starts to get too brown before the pie is done, cover it with foil as it bakes.
with Meringue Pie ingredients 1 prepared (baked) pie crust 1 cup sugar Âź cup cornstarch 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened baking cocoa 2 cups evaporated milk 3 eggs, separated (reserve egg whites) 1 tablespoon vanilla 2 tablespoons butter
meringue topping ingredients 3 reserved egg whites (from above) Dash cream of tartar 2 tablespoons granulated sugar or meringue powder
Directions 1.
Mix sugar, cornstarch, and cocoa in a mediumsized pot.
2. Add the 2 cups evaporated milk. 3.
Use a wire whisk to blend together and stir constantly over medium-high heat.
4. When mixture is heated through, temper the egg yolks by adding a bit of the hot pudding mixture to the eggs and blending before adding them to the pudding mix. (If you add the eggs into the pudding without tempering them, you’re gonna get scrambled eggs, and nobody wants that in their chocolate pie.) 5. Stir constantly until thickened and bubbly. 6. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. 7.
Let cool while preparing meringue.
8. Mix 3 egg whites with cream of tartar and sugar. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form. 9. Add pudding to the pie shell and top with meringue, making sure meringue touches the sides of the pie crust. 10. Broil until lightly brown on top.
Pie ingredients
Directions
1 prepared (unbaked) pie crust
1.
3 cups rhubarb, cut into small pieces
2. In a separate bowl, mix together brown sugar, oatmeal, flour, and butter.
1 ½ cups granulated sugar 3 tablespoons flour
crunch topping ingredients 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup oatmeal 1 ½ cups flour ½ cup butter
Mix together rhubarb, sugar, and flour. Set aside.
3.
Put rhubarb mixture into prepared pie shell and cover with crumble topping
4.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes, or until crumble topping is brown.
Chloe loves sailing away from her problems by listening to these smooth yacht rock jams. There’s no guarantee they’ll make your worries disappear, but they’ll definitely set a relaxed vibe for any book club meeting.
Always Be My Maybe
“Steal Away” - Robbie Dupree
Just Wright
“What a Fool Believes” - The Doobie Brothers
Set It Up
“This Is It” - Kenny Loggins “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” - Christopher Cross “Escape (Piña Colada song)” - Rupert Holmes
27 Dresses
Imagine Me & You
Sleepless in Seattle The Apartment The Philadelphia Story The Shop Around the Corner
“Never Be the Same” - Christopher Cross
The Wedding Singer
“Kiss on My List” - Hall & Oates
What If
“Peg” - Steely Dan
When Harry Met Sally
“It Might Be You” - Stephen Bishop
While You Were Sleeping
“Hold the Line” - Toto
You’ve Got Mail
1.
When Chloe’s stressed out, she turns to baking. Do you have an activity you do when you’re stressed?
2. Chloe’s comfort viewing is old sitcoms. What’s your entertainment version of a warm, fuzzy blanket? 3. Annie is a hopeless romantic who’s always wanted her life to be a rom-com, while Chloe doesn’t believe in true love. Do you relate more to Annie or Chloe? 4. Chloe likes to save up her emotions for a five-minute cry. When it comes to your emotions, do you let them out as they come, or do you tend to keep them pent up? 5. Chloe eventually takes Annie’s advice and plans a rom-com-worthy grand gesture to show her feelings. Are you a fan of grand gestures, and would you ever want someone to do one for you? Why or why not? 6. Chloe is the sibling who handles everything with their family, while Milo is usually content to let Chloe take control. Are you more of a Chloe or a Milo when it comes to your family? 7.
Chloe has a hard time accepting help from anyone, but Nick and Annie are able to show her that they’re there to support her. Has there been a time in your life when you felt overwhelmed and someone else showed up to help you?
8. If there was a romantic comedy based on your life, what would it be about, and what would the title be? 9. Chloe and Annie get in a fight because of Annie’s screenplay. Do you think Annie was wrong to write a movie about her best friend’s life? Should Chloe have been more vocal about it? 10. Chloe and Milo deal with their mother’s abandonment in different ways. Milo is quicker to forgive her, while Chloe is unable to forget what she did. Which character’s response do you relate to more? 11. Nick and Chloe both show they care about each other with food: Nick through taking care of Chloe with soup and tea when she’s sick, and Chloe through baking. How do you show you care about the people you love?
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“Kerry Winfrey offers readers a fizzy rom-com with all the humor, heart, and the undercurrent of melancholy of the Nora Ephron rom-coms she pays tribute to within its pages.” —Entertainment Weekly
Kerry Winfrey is the author of Love and Other Alien Experiences and Things Jolie Needs to Do Before She Bites It. She has written for many websites, including HelloGiggles. When she is not writing, she is most likely baking yet another batch of cookies or watching far too many romantic comedies. She lives with her husband, son, and dog in the middle of Ohio.
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Author photo by Alex Winfrey
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