Leah Keegan didn’t mean to overhear the proposal. She had been cleaning up from one of her many jobs, just putting things away in the boat house. That was when Eli had pulled his girlfriend Victoria to the bridge, to tell her how he feels and see if she feels the same. Her answer was no. Victoria was about to head to Europe for a research trip, and she was focused on that. Besides, they’d only been dating for four months.
Leah had stayed out of the way of the conversation, although there was a moment that she thought maybe Eli had seen her. She hadn’t really thought about what she had overheard until days later, when she was working another of her jobs, at a clothing store. It had been slow at the store (really, slow in the whole town of Willow Cove, New York, when it’s not tourist season), but then a group of people came in all at once. It was Eli and his friends, and his sister was there to take the lead.
Although Victoria had broken up with him, Eli was determined to win her back when she gets back to the States. But his sister Jenna has determined to raise his game while she’s gone, so she has planned a makeover. First up is new clothes and a haircut, and then it’s on to learning all the great lessons of love through all the best romantic comedies. Leah figures out what Eli’s sister and friends are trying to do for him, and she joins in. But where Jenna is wanting him to go all in, Leah can see that Eli is a little overwhelmed and can help him find some balance in his makeover.
As Leah keeps popping up in this makeover, due to her many jobs, Jenna takes her on as a part of their gang. Leah works part time in the clothing store, the hair salon, as a maid, as a pizza delivery driver, as a server in the local bar. She is trying to save up money to move away and start her life again. Leah had only come back to town because her foster mother Kathy had gotten sick. She had been the one to move back and take care of her, and when Kathy had passed, Leah had decided to stay for a while to make money before going back to college. But she knows that at some point, Kathy’s son will come back to town and evict Leah from the house, probably so he could sell it.
When she moved back to New York, Leah didn’t have time for friends, and then she just didn’t know where to look for any. Planning on moving away at some point, she put her time and energy into working instead of into relationships. But when Jenna invites her into their group, Leah finds that she is excited to have friends again. And as she talks to Eli about his makeover, she finds that he is having to watch some movies that are her favorites. They start by talking about the movies and then glide into watching some of them together. The more time they spend together, the less Leah wants to move away. But she also knows that there is a time limit on their time together. At some point, Victoria will come back. And then, Eli will leave her.
The more time Leah spends with Eli, Jenna, and their friends, the more she wants to stay in Willow Cove and build her life from there. But when that timer goes off, what will Leah decide to do about her feelings for Eli and for all her other new friends?
The Rom-Com Agenda is the latest from Jayne Denker, and it is filled with lots of sweet surprises. Fans of romantic comedy movies will probably find some of their favorites on Eli’s list to study, from those teenaged comedies of the ‘80s to Cary Grant to James Bond to classics like Dirty Dancing and When Harry Met Sally. The friendship that develops between Leah and Eli is mellow and sweet and grows into the best kind of romance.
I listened to The Rom-Com Agenda on audio, narrated by Erika Schindele, who was masterful with the story. She brought all these characters to life and made them smart, kind, and lovable with her talent for reading. The chapters alternated between Leah and Eli, and Erika rocked both characters, giving them each a distinct voice and always with just the right emotion. I really enjoyed listening to The Rom-Com Agenda. It’s a great story, with lots of fun, some softball in the snow, a cat, so many movies, an actual working VCR, glitter, kickball, and a surprise snowplow. If you know who Lloyd Dobbler is, know who is known for saying, “As You Wish,” and saw that ‘80s classic Better Off Dead, then this may be the audio book you’ve been looking for.
A copy of the audio book for The Rom-Com Agenda was provided by Dreamscape Media through NetGalley, with many thanks.
