"An (Un) Romantic Comedy" is a delightful rom-com by Phoebe MacLeod. This is the first book by her that I read, and I was pleasantly surprised. She has quickly become one of my favorite authors in the romantic comedy genre and I will look for other books by her.

The book follows Poppy, a 33-year-old sex and relationships therapist who is at odds with her family. She has two sisters and one brother and is, in fact, the black sheep of her family due to her profession, which her mother deems unrespectable. When Poppy's young sister is getting married, Poppy must come back home for a week of pre-wedding celebrations. She isn't happy about it, to say the least. Her mother is on her case all the time, and her sister Rose isn't that accommodating either. Things improve a bit when her relatives ask her for relationship advice and warm up to her. The plot thickens when she meets Sam, a handsome data scientist, who offers to give her surfing lessons. She didn't expect romance and is firmly against a holiday fling, but her hormones have other ideas. What a girl to do?

I enjoyed the book, the humor, and Poppy most of all! I also loved the sex therapy elements of the story, which enriched the plot. I enjoyed the developing relationships between Poppy and her family and the process they all went through. Some family members, mainly her mom and oldest sister, were horrible to Poppy at first, and I admired Poppy's patience and strength of character. The premise was original, and I was glad it wasn't a typical romance book. The emphasis was more on relationships and less on romance, although the romance was present and on a slow burn as it should be. The book is well-written and hooks the reader right away. I loved the book and highly recommend it to fans of the genre!

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book. It is lighthearted and funny. The love story was just a small part of this book and it didn’t feel like it was the main story line of the book. The main story line was more focused on Poppy’s relationship with her various family members. I enjoyed seeing the relationships blossom. I also really enjoyed Poppy being there for her nieces. It’s always something that I wish I had, someone to talk to about anything when I was a kid. Someone who didn’t pass judgment and who I felt comfortable talking to – Poppy is that for her family. However, I do wish that there was more romance in the book for Poppy. The ending was sweet, but I wanted to see Poppy with Sam more in the book, so that I could connect with their feelings for each other. I also wish that there was at least an epilogue so we can see into the future with Poppy and Sam. Overall, a good read that I would recommend.

Phoebe MacLeod gets better and better with the sharp family drama 'An (Un) Romantic Comedy'.

Tensions brew when black sheep of the family, Poppy, a sex and relationships therapist is forced to spend a week with her family in Cornwall in the lead up to her younger sister's wedding.

Poppy has been slut-shamed and bullied by her family, especially her mother, who repeatedly makes snide comments for practically existing.

MacLeod does not hold back demonstrating the toxic relations as Poppy tries to bite her tongue while undertaking forced group activities. I found myself angry on Poppy's behalf, and cheered when she snapped and stood up for herself.

Yet despite the bullying, Poppy finds herself confidant to her family.

Interestingly, despite her job and sex positivity Poppy is lacking in the romance department. That thankfully changes in the form of young single father Sam, who teaches her to surf with Sam's teenage daughter Jessie playing matchmaker.

MacLeod really gets the balance right between action between her family and her burgeoning romance.

If I had any quibble, it would've been greedy me wanting an epilogue a year into the future. But otherwise it was a perfect end.

Thanks to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC.

3.5/5

To the title's credit, this definitely is not a romantic comedy, at least not in its entirety. An (Un) Romantic Comedy highlights a 33 year-old woman named Poppy who is a sex therapist. The book is set during her youngest sister Lily's wedding and the events that occur the week before. Poppy's family dynamic is a bit confusing, so I recommend getting all the names down early. There is a lot that goes on in this book, so be prepared to remember the details. She has a large family where she has felt ostracized since childhood. So a week together in a house where every minute of their life is planned out can't be great for the arguments. Every family argues, and that's just a fact of life, but I do like that each of the siblings have their own personalities. I'd honestly love to have a spin-off or turn this into a series about the rest of the members of Poppy's family.

I definitely enjoyed this book. It was good and interesting, but the love story didn't captivate me as much as I wanted to do. Honestly, I was more invested in the side stories of how Poppy helps her family through their struggles more than I was interested in her vacation love story. I liked Poppy just fine, but I find her to be a little unrealistic at times. For example, her family has ostracized her for as long as she can remember, but after like two conversations, her enemies in her mom and sister Rose are automatically resolved. Maybe I hold grudges, but I couldn't imagine forgiving them after one conversation and like an hour of thinking about it. I definitely understand forgiving them, but the torment seems too vast to be able to forgive so quickly. However, I'm glad she did forgive them because then we got to see how all of their storylines played out.

The male main character (MMC) is definitely swoon worthy. He's hot and nice and cares a lot. But, much to my dismay, he's not really the focus of this book. If I hadn't gone into this book expecting a romance, I would have loved this story immensely. But I wanted romance, and I didn't really get it. The conflict and resolution between Poppy and the MMC didn't seem all that realistic, especially given how their relationship started. Maybe I've never experienced love at first sight, or maybe I'm just skeptical that this could work out. The thing I did love about the MMC is that he is a data scientist and that's what I'm studying in school.

The plot, while complicated at times, is definitely understandable. It flows nicely, but it gives off a chaotic vibe, much like Poppy's family. I think it fits well with the characters, but it's not something I typically enjoy. There was more monologue in this story than I normally find satisfying, and Poppy's internal thoughts can worry me sometimes. But, overall, there was a good writing style, and it was easy to read. I'm not sure I would reread this book, but I'm not upset that I read it by any means. It didn't pull at my heart strings, but it was good. I was so glad to have a resolution to ChrisTina, a couple she helps in her profession, at the end as well. Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for access to this ARC in return for an honest review.

Depending on your phoenetic emphasis when reading this title, this book may or may not be exactly what you expected. This is a comedy pure and simple with some romantic elements, including in the form of. sex therapist, woven throughout.

MacLeod built a strong protagonist in Poppy, and it was fun to see how she interacted with a previously disapproving family and some new friends. I enjoyed seeing how her family slowly started to open up to her about their personal problems and came to realize how beneficial her particular niche profession could be!

i had a really hard time liking the characters the family was so awful i really wanted to like it but i just did not thanks for letting me read

I was disappointed with this book it felt like reading a narrative description. I found the main character to be annoying describing everything in to much details. DNF.


*****************I received an ARC for my honest opinon from NetGalley.******************

Super cute quick beach read. I read this one in one day liked all the characters they were relatable and well written. I was really entertained by this book and would recommend it for sure its perfect for a summer read at the beach. I want to thank NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

I binge read this one in half a day! The pacing and the flow of the story made it so easy to lose track of time.

This is not an in-your-face romance, but still gives plenty of cozy love buzz. I think I actually appreciated all the family drama parts of the story even more than the romance. The integration of the sex therapy into the plot was also well done, humourous yet educational.

This another great one for when you are craving something light-hearted and romantic to wind down with or relax.

A fun chick lit novel that I pretty much read in one sitting, likeable characters and a believable plot line, definitely one for the beach this summer