Plot Twist
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
An aspiring screenwriter has a chance encounter with an actor who could be the man of her dreams. Over the next ten years, she’ll write the story . . . but will he end up being the star?
February 4, 2003, promises to be a typical day for Olivia Ross—a greeting card writer whose passion project is a screenplay of her own. But after she and a handsome actor have a magical meet-cute in a coffee shop, they make a spontaneous pact: in ten years, after they’ve found the success they’re just sure they’re going to achieve, they’ll return to the coffeehouse to partner up and make a film together. The only problem? Olivia neglected to get the stranger’s name. But she doesn’t forget his face—or the date.
For the next ten years, every February 4 is marked with coincidences and ironies for Olivia. As men come and go and return to her life, she continues to write, but still wonders about the guy from the coffee shop—the nameless actor she’s almost certain has turned out to be Hamish MacDougal, now a famous A-lister and Hollywood leading man.
But a lot can happen in ten years, and while waiting for the curtain to rise on her fate, the true story of Olivia’s life is being written—and if she’s not careful, she’ll completely miss the real-life romantic comedy playing out right before her eyes.
Praise for Plot Twist:
“Plot Twist gave my rom-com loving heart everything it could hope for . . . Perfect for anyone who loves love or dreams about meeting George Clooney.”—Kerry Winfrey, author of Waiting for Tom Hanks
“Funny, clever, and sweet, Plot Twist reminds us that sometimes love doesn’t look just like the movies—and that it can be so, so much better than we ever dreamed.”—Melissa Ferguson, bestselling author of The Cul-de-Sac War
“Bethany Turner just keeps getting better! Plot Twist is like experiencing the best parts of all my favorite rom-coms, tied together with Turner’s pitch-perfect comedic timing, an achingly sweet ‘will they or won’t they?’ romance, and the BFF relationship most girls dream of.”—Carla Laureano, RITA Award–winning author of The Saturday Night Supper Club and Provenance
Sweet and playful contemporary rom-comFull-length, stand-alone novel (approx. 86,000 words)Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Katherine ReayIncludes discussion questions for book clubs
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Turner (Hadley Beckett's Next Dish) crafts an entertaining rom-com that spans 10 years and keeps the reader guessing who will claim the heroine's heart. On Feb. 4, 2003, 30-year-old Olivia Ross, a greeting card writer and aspiring screenwriter, is saved from unwanted romantic attention at her local café by a struggling actor she dubs "Sexy Irish Guy." The pair agree to meet at the same café in 10 years, when Olivia will have completed a screenplay for Sexy Irish Guy to star in. From there, the novel jumps forward a year at a time, checking in on Olivia every February 4 as she works on her screenplay; navigates her changing relationship with her charmingly dorky best friend, Liam Howard; and finally learns Sexy Irish Guy's name—Hamish MacDougal—when he makes it big as a film star. Ten years risks feeling like a long time, but when the pace threatens to drag, Olivia's delightful lifelong friendship with Fiona Mitchell provides rich comic relief. As the slow-burn romantic mystery of who Olivia will end up with builds to an amusing and satisfying conclusion, Olivia's witty narration will hold readers' attention. This is a treat.
Customer Reviews
Sooo Cute!
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the eARC for review!
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Plot Twist is an appropriate title, because after the first chapter, I was certain I would hate this book. And guess what? I freaking loved it.
On February 4, 2003, when Olivia Ross meets a handsome actor in a coffee shop, they struck a deal - they will meet back at the coffee shop in 10 years, he will be a big star and she'll have written a movie, and they'll make it together. And on every February 4 since, serendipitous things happen to Olivia - new loves, old loves, celebrity run-ins, grand charity balls. There's no escaping the magic of the day, so she may as well go along for the ride.
This book wasn't like I expected. my initial reaction was fury, because the first chapter got me riled up. Olivia meets this handsome stranger in a coffee shop who jumps in to help her when some cowboy who's hitting on her won't take no for an answer. And despite his good intentions, this handsome stranger keeps trying to be her white knight, even after she tells him several times that she doesn't need his help. When she finally decides to play along and they manage to convince the sleazy cowboy hitting on her that the two are together, this stranger - out of own amusement - keeps her playing along despite her attempts to extricate herself from the situation and leave. Yes, really!! She says they must be going, and her "white knight" keeps drawing out the uncomfortable encounter. You have no idea how relieved I was that this guy wasn't actually the leading man of this book.
Suffice to stay, me and Plot Twist did not get off on the right foot. But after this chapter, it was virtually smooth sailing. I loved the story. I loved Fiona and Olivia's friendship. I loved the romance. I loved the cheese. The only thing I didn't really love was Olivia herself, and it's only because we only ever see her on this one day a year that is all about her, so she comes across a bit self-absorbed. I found myself disagreeing whenever Fiona and Liam would talk about how wonderful Liv was, because I just didn't see it.
She got better, of course. As she gets closer to 40, she obviously becomes a bit more mature. As we see her interact with more and more characters on February 4, we do get to fill in the context of her character. And for all her lack of self-awareness, she was pretty selfless when it came to her friends. Most importantly, I was rooting for her in the end (and what a satisfying plot twist we got!)
My heart swelled with this book. I wanted to crawl inside its pages and live in a world where this sort of thing can happen.
I'm docking one star for that first chapter alone. But a really cute read.