Book Review: In a New York Minute
I received this galley in exchange for an honest review.
Author: Kate Spencer
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: March 15, 2022
Format: eBook
★★★☆☆
This book is perfect for those that like: Slow Burn Romances, Found Families, or Stories set in New York City
You might not like this book if you aren’t into: Stories with Dead Parents, Selfish MCs who Leave Their BFFs Engagement Parties, or Bagels.
Favorite Line: "And then, with a swipe of her MetroCard, she was off through the turnstile, lost back to the city that had given her to me." ~ Hayes Montgomery the Third
The Book
Franny Doyle is having the worst day. She’s been laid off from her (admittedly mediocre) job, the subway doors ripped her favorite silk dress to ruins, and now she’s flashed her unmentionables to half of lower Manhattan. On the plus side, a dashing stranger came to her rescue with his (Gucci!) suit jacket. On the not-so-plus side, he can’t get away from her fast enough.
Worse yet? Someone posted their (entirely not) meet-cute online. Suddenly Franny and her knight-in-couture, Hayes Montgomery III, are the newest social media sensation, and all of New York is shipping #SubwayQTs.
Only Franny and Hayes couldn’t be a more disastrous match. She’s fanciful, talkative, and creative. He’s serious, shy, and all about numbers. Luckily, in a city of eight million people, they never have to meet again. Yet somehow, Hayes and Franny keep running into each other—and much to their surprise, they enjoy each other’s company. A lot. But when Franny’s whole world is turned upside down (again!), can she find the courage to trust in herself and finally have the life—and love—she’s always wanted?
The Review
An opposites-attract story where the couple in question meets because of an awkward-as-hell meet-cute set in New York City??? This had my name written ALL OVER IT. And I should have loved it.
Should have.
Well, to be fair, I DID love the first two-thirds of this book, but we will get there.
In a New York Minute is a contemporary romance set-up like it’s going to be an enemies-to-lovers/grumpy-sunshine thing, but in reality, it’s more of a slow-burn romance between two lonely people still trying to figure out who they are and what they want out of life. Franny, who we meet minutes before she loses her job, has major imposter syndrome when it comes to her chosen career and her own family. Her mom has never revealed who her biological dad is and it’s left Franny feeling untethered and unsure of her place in the world.
Hayes Montgomery the Third (I am a sucker for over-the-top haughty names like this, lol) is 100% a workaholic, but we slowly realize that it’s not ambition that’s driving him to work constantly, it’s loneliness. Because of some comments his ex-wife made during their divorce, Hayes is convinced that he’ll never be compatible with anyone so he tries with no one…until Franny…or so we think. Cause my dude DATES SOMEONE ELSE FOR LIKE A THIRD OF THE BOOK.
Listen, I love a good pining, slow-burn story with the rest of ‘em, so I was kinda irritated with this part of the book, BUT when Franny and Hayes FINALLY get their sh*t in a pile and come together, it’s delightful. It’s filled with all of that new relationship energy where you just want to be around that person all the time and everything is new and exciting. Then the dreaded third act happens.
Y’all, this ain’t my First Romance Rodeo. I know this part has to come and 99% of the time, I’m on board with whatever happens because I know that it will all work out in the end (and it does this time too), but my issue is WHY they break up. It came out of nowhere to me and I was legit yelling at the book, “WHAT. WHAT IS HAPPENING.”
Overall, this is a super low-stakes romance that I am sure tons of people will enjoy. Even if the romance itself doesn’t do it for you, there’s still plenty to love in the form of all of the patient and loving friends of both Franny and Hayes and the fun descriptions of New York City. And there’s even a shout-out to New Haven and its pizza, which is indeed The Best Pizza. As a New Haven resident, I am legally required to mention this part of the book, lol.
The Author
Kate Spencer is the co-host of the award-winning podcast Forever35 and author of the memoir The Dead Moms Club. In a New York Minute is her first novel. She writes a bi-monthly column for InStyle and her work has been published by the Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, Buzzfeed, and numerous other places. Previously she worked as a senior editor and producer at VH1. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters.