September 15, 2023
Cassidy is DONE with today's men. She can't seem to find one who is ready to be a grown-up and get over the bro-culture encouraged by Brawler, the male-focused rival website to her feminist employer, Siren. When her beloved grandmother asks her to ""just try"" to use her mid-twentieth-century dating tips that worked to woo her late husband, Cassidy hatches a plan. Could writing about acting the part of a 1950s Betty be the ticket to her first book deal? Could she, in the process, bring Brawler to its knees if her victim is none other than Jack, the founding editor? Cassidy is soon in over her beehived head when both she and Jack find themselves turned on by the gentility and restraint of cordial courting. Full of likable characters, bizarre and antiquated dating tips inspired by real lifestyle magazines and books, examples of healthy relationships, and ample steam, Daniels' tale will find fans among readers who recall those crazy Cosmo tips or who have seen the sour side of dating apps.
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October 2, 2023
Daniels (Meet You in the Middle) attempts to update How to Lose A Guy in Ten Days but falls short of the original thanks to characters who fundamentally do not understand either journalism or each other. Writer Cassidy Sutton thinks she’s found her breakout idea when her grandmother asks her to try the advice in a 1950s article titled “125 Tips to Hook a Husband.” Cassidy successfully pitches it to her editors at the female-focused news site Siren, but after a run-in with Jack Bradford, the founder of misogynistic clickbait factory Brawler, she changes her angle: she’ll use these tips to become Brawler’s idea of a perfect woman, get Jack to fall for her, and then write a “takedown of the founder of the most sexist site in journalism.” The huge violation of journalistic ethics driving the plot makes it hard to buy the premise and Cassidy difficult to root for, particularly since Jack (unlike the character played by Matthew McConaughey in the film) isn’t using Cassidy in return. Jack’s difficult to like, too, as his part in developing and promoting Brawler’s misogynistic content is never satisfactorily addressed. The climax also strains credulity, as readers are expected to believe that media mogul Jack doesn’t understand that having a public argument with his girlfriend at an industry event full of celebrities would result in headlines the following day. This disappoints. Agent: Kim Lionetti, BookEnds Literary.
October 1, 2023
Looking for guidance after her most recent breakup, Cassidy Sutton, a writer for popular online women's publication Siren, is incredulous when her Gran hands her a copy of the 1950s-published Rules & Etiquette for the Military Wife that gives tips for women to act demurely and have dinner waiting on the table. However, Cassidy promises to give it a try and, what's more, realizes it will make an excellent experiment to write about for Siren. When she happens to bump into Jack Bradford, cofounder of the misogynistic website Brawler, her boss pushes her to use Jack as the subject of her experiment. Putting on an act and channeling an inner 1950s-esque "Betty" for the sake of the article seems like an easy play, but when genuine feelings develop, the continued charade becomes way more complex, especially when both her heart and career are on the line. Unfortunately, the heat doesn't ramp up until late in the book, and readers will struggle to root for the protagonists. VERDICT Sex and the City meets How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days in Daniels's (Meet You in the Middle) sophomore effort.--Kara Kohn
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