Like This, But Funnier

by Hallie Cantor

For fans of Dolly Alderton and HBO’s Hacks, a whip-smart, laugh-out-loud funny debut novel about faking it (and “making it”) as a writer in Hollywood.

TV writer Caroline Neumann is thirty-four and mired in professional envy and self-hatred. Even Harry, her usually supportive therapist husband, thinks it’s time for her to press pause on her career ambitions and focus on getting pregnant, despite Caroline’s serious ambivalence about having children.

When Caroline accidentally stumbles on Harry’s patient session notes and offhandedly mentions what she finds in a meeting with a producer, the momentum of Hollywood takes over. Before she knows it—and unbeknownst to Harry—Caroline finds herself pitching a TV show about the deepest, darkest secrets of her husband’s favorite patient, a woman known to Caroline only as the Teacher.

Amid the indignities of the Hollywood development process, Caroline must balance her burning desire for professional validation against her own morality and the health of her marriage. And when Caroline forms a real-life relationship with Teacher herself, the lines between art and life begin to blur further, shaking up Caroline’s understanding of what it means to be the “likeable female protagonist” of her own life.

Genres: Fiction, Adult, Contemporary, Adult Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication April 7, 2026

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published April 7, 2026 (how is it possible that this is a date that is already in our sights?)

3 stars

Caroline Neumann is 24 and married to therapist husband Harry. She’s been hustling to make it as a Hollywood writer for years and has never quite gotten there; now Harry’s suggesting children and Caroline doesn’t even know if she wants them at all, let alone now.

The Caroline learns about The Teacher, a patient of Harry’s and she finds some notes about her she thinks she can build something around…she she creates a potential TV series around her and has to go deeper and deeper to flesh out the character, and to keep it all a secret.

The story was cute. I learned that as much as the work kind of appeals to me (younger me) I don’t believe I have the cojones to be a Hollywood writer…too much rejection for terrible reasons (though this affirms the reason(s) I watch almost no television.) Some, though. I’m no hater. And I’ve been known to watch and enjoy some absolute garbage, too. So, anyway, this was a pleasant way to spend a few hours learning more about the hideous process that goes in to making the sausage.

[Richard Propes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever found yourself reading a book and thinking to yourself "I'm going to like this book. I'm going to like this book. I'm going to like this book."

That was my experience with Hallie Cantor's debut novel "Like This, But Funnier," a light yet pointed story about faking it and making it as a writer in Hollywood.

The novel centers around 34-year-old Caroline Neumann, a hit-and-miss TV writer seemingly constructed of a tapestry of self-hatred and professional envy. She's married to Harry, a supportive yet weary therapist who loves his work and leans toward wanting a family.

"Like This, But Funnier" takes off when Caroline stumbles across her husband's patient session notes and then impulsively reveals a particular tidbit about one of his favorite patients, known only as "The Teacher."

While I often found myself respecting "Like This, But Funnier," I never quite found myself aligned with Cantor's narrative rhythms. Consistently a mid-range experience for me, "Like This, But Funnier" has some pretty wonderful moments as it immerses us in Caroline's male-dominated professional culture and the harsh realities of LA's entertainment scene. While I struggled with Caroline as a character, the third-person POV was helpful in capturing her spectrum. While I knew it never would, I often felt like "Like This, But Funnier" would have surpassed expectations with an even darker approach capitalizing on Caroline's complex and occasionally unpredictable ways.

Because the book largely stays lighter, Caroline as a character frustrates with her aberrant behavior and ill-advised ways. I never completely hated her, though I also never really found myself rooting for her.

I struggled at times, as well, with Cantor's structuring of the story including a rushed climax and occasionally awkward pacing that disrupted both humor and heart within the story. By story's end, I wasn't particularly invested in the character, the story, the story's conclusion, or the literary journey I'd been on here.

There's no doubt that "Like This, But Funnier" will find its audience.

I'm not that audience.

For me, "Like This, But Funnier" was never a bad experience nor was it ever a really great experience. Instead, it was a promising experience from an up-and-coming writer who successfully created a visual, compelling culture but at times struggled to sustain the story's momentum.

I would love to read a story just like this one. But funnier.

[Annetteaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of actual LOLs! Page turner with Bridget Jones vibes. No notes!

[McKell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The plot of this book is like a train wreck you can’t look away from! Caroline’s one small accident quickly flies out of control, and she cannot seem to come clean even as the discovery of her mistake is becoming inevitable. The author balances brutal honesty about womanhood and working in entertainment with a great comedic voice.
For most of this book, I felt it was pushing five stars, but two things detracted from that. Three references to the main character clogging a toilet AND making it clear this was a chronic issue for her, was two references too many. It lost the comedic effect after the first time and just became a very weird quirk. Also, I wish there was more closure at the end between Nicole and Caroline. I feel like that was a thread that dropped and was simply forgotten 3/4 of the way through the book, which sucks, because Nicole deserves more!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the free copy for review!

[Mackenzie Cool]

This was such a fun read! Fast and fun enough for the beach, but with enough depth to have staying power. I loved the insight we got into what it's like as a writer in Hollywood, and Cantor's experience in that field gave me a very real, grounded sense of the ups and downs and at times ridiculous nature of the entertainment industry. At the same time, the novel deals with the complex topics of choosing whether or not to have kids, and the tension women face between motherhood and their career ambitions. Would recommend!

[Dar Vig · Rating 5 out of 5]

clear your schedule before you start reading

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Good! Dragged a little at first but once I hit my stride I was like ah ok I see what’s happening here. You know, like when you read a book.

[Brijeet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this peek into the world of writers and the entertainment industry, and the trials and tribulations of the creative life. My favorite passages were the back and forth as writer Caroline gets endless "notes" on her material, editing it into something no longer recognizable, all the while having to gush with gratitude no matter how ridiculous the feedback.

"So what do you guys do?" the man asked. Although this question was unavoidable [...] it was Caroline's second least favorite question to be asked at a party. What did this guy care what she did? No matter what, his answer would be "Oh, cool." Was there any career she could say that wouldn't result in an "Oh, cool"? Professional assassin? Skinhead?

This reminded me a bit of Really Good, Actually--which I also really enjoyed--and here similarly our protagonist will not be everyone's cup of tea. However, if like me you find neuroses relatable (or at least entertaining) you will appreciate Caroline's voice and the ways she tries to figure out what she's doing with her life.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Cayla Stafford · Rating 2 out of 5]

And the award for most pretentious character in a book goes to…
We follow Caroline, a failing screenwriter married to a therapist who hates her life. Her husband wants to have kids, but she does not, or at least not without succeeding in her career first. One day when she’s been rejected for the millionth time, she stumbles on a piece of information about one of her husbands clients, talking about how she had a dream where she killed her students parents and buried them in the garden. Caroline takes this idea and brings it up at a pitch meeting as a last resort and the whole idea snowballs, making her feel like the worst person in the world. And she is.
I am not sure if this book is a reflection on a terrible main character or the author, but this was the most irritating, pretentious, offensive, and unseemly woman I have ever read about. Caroline’s only characteristics are feeling elitist while at the same time hating herself, and also taking “giant s**ts” which was actually brought up three separate times, one of them happening at her husband’s family’s home where poop speckled water runs over the floor, onto her sock, and the bath mats.

Her view on motherhood and mothers in general was so entirely offensive, when 50% of her audience at least of this book are likely to be mothers. She talks about how her body is already a “mom body anyway. She should just have a baby already; at least then if she looked like crap all the time there would be a reason.” She also connects having a baby to being put in a “mom hole” that reduces you to nothing and signs you up to be unsuccessful for the rest of your life. Regarding parenthood she says it’s pretty much “passively incubating a baby that would act exactly like every other baby in the world” as if the only reason to have a baby is to just populate the world and not the joy and meaning it can give to your life.

She was also a super lazy character in her own life, expecting success and feeling entitled to “be special” when she was terrible at her job, not funny, and did nothing to bring herself any success. While I realize I am clearly not the target audience of this book, I am not quite sure who is. Even people who don’t like children don’t feel as hateful toward them as she was. The plot itself was interesting and could have been done so much better. Only finished because I enjoyed the scenes about the actual show being produced.

[Randi · Rating 5 out of 5]

For fans of Margo's Got Money Troubles — Caroline is young and childfree, living in Los Angeles with her sweet husband, Harry. She has made a living fulfilling her dream as a television writer, having worked in the industry in both NYC and LA. Why is Caroline still so miserable? Like This, But Funnier takes us through Caroline's downfall as she stalks her therapist husband's "ideal" patient, The Teacher, befriends her, and then writes a television script based on The Teacher's life...all without Harry or The Teacher knowing the truth.

Simply put: this book was wonderful. Hallie Cantor's writing is superb. Caroline's inner dialogue is rich and thoughtful. When the plot slowed down about 3/4 of the way through, I still didn't wish it for it to speed up; I was more invested in how Caroline was feeling about herself and her choices. I wanted to see what revelations (or not) she would have next.

Like This, But Funnier is for anyone who has doubted themselves, questioned their worth and identity, or has gotten stuck in a negative feedback loop of their own making. Caroline is all the things she envies in The Teacher, her husband, and writing colleagues, but her lack of self esteem keeps her from seeing that. I think that is deeply relatable.

Many parts of this book were thought provoking, but my favorite was towards the end of the book when Caroline is frustrated by the rounds of notes about her main character. "Everyone was so worried about how audiences would respond to Jane. She was too passive, or too selfish, or too angry, or too confused about what she wanted. Executives knew they weren't supposed to use the word 'likable' anymore, but that was the essence of what they were saying. ... If the executives could find this much fault with her [Jane], what the hell would they think of Caroline?" I think this perfectly captured a fear I share. When I hear criticisms about another woman, or plus size person, or 30something, or any other identity I also hold, it's difficult not to internalize those criticisms.

I would highly recommend this book and thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review!

[David]

https://thebeginningthemiddleandthetw...

“Like This But Funnier” by Hallie Cantor: The Comeback Kid’s Struggle

Caroline stared at her laptop screen, the cursor blinking mockingly in the empty document. Three years out of the writers’ room, and every joke felt stale before she could type it. The industry had moved on—new voices, new rhythms, new ways of being funny that she couldn’t quite grasp. She closed the laptop and reached for her phone, scrolling through LinkedIn posts from former colleagues who were still in the game, their success stories a daily reminder of what she’d lost.

Cantor’s debut novel follows Caroline, a television writer attempting to re-enter an industry that’s moved on without her. This is a different brand of TV Industry Romance. This book addresses professional resurrection in Hollywood.

What Works
The novel shines in its authentic portrayal of career gaps and the self-esteem challenges that come with professional setbacks. As someone who has experienced layoffs, Caroline’s struggles felt painfully real. Cantor doesn’t shy away from depicting the misogyny and image-conscious pressures that plague LA’s male-dominated entertainment landscape.

The third-person POV allows readers to maintain some emotional distance from Caroline while still understanding her internal battles. This narrative choice proves wise given the protagonist’s complex personality.

The Challenges
Caroline presents a fascinating but frustrating protagonist. While her career struggles are sympathetic, she is dishonest with loved ones and tendency to confide in the wrong people creates a character who’s difficult to root for consistently. She bottles up resentment until explosive moments that feel both inevitable and preventable.

The novel’s pacing stumbles in its final act. The climactic confrontation, crucial to Caroline’s character development, feels rushed and occupies barely 10% of the book. This abbreviated resolution leaves readers wanting more substantial payoff after investing in Caroline’s journey

[Beth Gerson · Rating 2 out of 5]

At one point, I looked down and realized that nothing had happened, and we were 30% of the way through. There were anecdotes about Caroline’s life that she relates and then almost immediately undermines - the crush was nothing, it didn’t matter. The job in the writer’s room was for 1 season, it was nothing. The professional rivalry? It’s one-sided, and the other person isn’t thinking about her at all. If the writer and the main character don’t care about what’s going on, why should the reader? And why are we being forced to spend 30% of the book absorbing the information that we’re told explicitly is meaningless and stupid?
​
She seems to like the idea of her job, but not the realities. She’s above everyone and everything - other writers, mothers, her own husband, people who work at literally anything - but also self-loathing. t’s exhausting and almost insulting to large swaths of people who are living what they probably consider very normal lives? There are multiple bathroom-related moments. And you have to trudge through all of that before ANYTHING happens. And what does happen is weird, poorly thought out, and borderline illegal, but also not interesting enough to want to find out what happens. It felt like someone should be asking her husband if he’s ok and maybe writing a book from his perspective. Caroline is miserable at home, miserable at work, and seems to be holding him and his possibility for future children hostage with her noncommittal and hostile attitude about parenthood - why he is in this relationship never really feels clear. Caroline takes one piece of information unethically and worries about Harry finding out about THAT, but then proceeds to mine her unethical friendship with The Teacher for even MORE details and uses those unethically as well - there’s no lesson learning, there’s no brakes pumped, there’s doing bad things and moaning about them while continuing the same behavior. While also being whiny, needy, and self-sabotaging.

This book was not my jam. This character was not my jam.

I received an ARC from NetGalley

[Sheila Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Simon and Schuster for the eGalley. This ARC was provided in return for an honest review. Book rating: 3.5 stars.

Cantor creates a mildly neurotic protagonist in Caroline. As a TV writer, Caroline struggles with her self-esteem in an industry that treats writers as a commodity. She is only valued for her last hit show, but for Caroline that has been so long ago that she begins to question her skill and ability to generate comedy. Along with her self-doubt in regard to her own career, her husband is pushing her to consider starting a family. For Caroline, the prospect of a family means that she has given up on her dream. Cantor is able to create a character that the audience truly wants to see succeed. The author is able to capture the constant self loathing that occurs when Caroline validates herself through her career, especially when that career is stagnant.

I did enjoy the ridiculousness of the TV executives and the process of Caroline‘s pitch for the TV show. Cantor creates a very Kafkaesque situation for Caroline as she tries to maneuver the notes from various levels of the production company. I did laugh when the executives question Caroline about the frustration of teachers and that it couldn’t possibly be realistic. Cantor does explore how out of touch the entertainment industry can be when it comes to real life.

I enjoyed the chaotic situations that Caroline finds herself in. When she stalks one of her husband’s clients, the story lends itself to a great deal of humor, but I don’t feel that Cantor capitalized on the situation that she created. Instead, she delves into the emotional cesspool of Caroline’s doubt. From the title, I wanted to have more humor included in the story. Additionally, I feel that the ending was rushed. I wanted greater development of the situation with Harry. Cantor could have condensed some of Caroline’s questioning of her “goodness” to focus on creating a stronger ending with Harry.

[Sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

Caroline is 34, a TV writer, and a maker of choices I cannot recommend in most cases. While she is the main character of this novel, she lacks main character energy, and this makes for a simultaneously intriguing and at times frustrating read.

I badly wanted Caroline to make decisions that were good for herself and - at least sometimes - good for other people, too, but she's mostly against that. Her husband, a therapist, is really giving credence to that old joke that therapists are the ones most in need of therapists, and I wanted him to call his. He makes a really weird, creepy demand of Caroline, and Caroline, though she does not really like it, plays along. Why? Caroline's most noteworthy trait? She needs more fiber or a visit to a GI doctor. I'm not sure what's happening with her medically that is causing her to test the plumbing and have so many near brushes with embarrassing bowel movements, but she should consider further investigation by a professional. Oh, and wait to see the way she gets material for her content (she hates that word, but since I have some issues with her obviously, I'm going to use it to spite her). It is also concerning.

This book is billed for fans of _Hacks_, a show I adore, and it's a debut from a writer known for several other shows I also really like. While I didn't dislike this book, my neutrality about it coupled with my strong dislike for the protagonist surprised me. I'd definitely give this writer another shot based on context, but this book did not hit me as I hoped it would.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this widget, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[scotia · Rating 3 out of 5]

EDIT:
I just realized Cantor wrote for season 5 of Arrested Development. That makes more sense.

REVIEW:
I have conflicting feelings about this book.

While I found the concept incredibly compelling, the actual plot of the book didn't get started until about 50% of the way through. I was intrigued by the relationship between The Teacher and Caroline, and I was disappointed that it wasn't further explored, that feels like a huge, missed opportunity. I also never bought the relationship between Caroline and her husband, and found myself hating him throughout the entire novel - a feeling that was never once validated despite the fact that he was awful?

In terms of writing it felt like Cantor often got caught going through the motions of writing what she believed a writer should write: introspective sentences that weren't earned, explanations of emotions that were largely unnecessary, observations that felt out of character.

Finally, I didn't find this book funny. That doesn't mean it was bad, but it was marketed as being like Hacks, which is true if it they meant the first couple of scenes in Hacks where everything is depressing and nothing is working out, and they haven't quite decided how they're going to be funny yet. Caroline's internal monologue just wasn't funny. I think this could be attributed to Cantor being a TV writer, where the comedy and characters are more present than the narrator's voice. Idk! I wanted to like this more! Arrested Development is my favorite show of all time!

Good:
- Zany TV business characters
- Outline writing plot was incredibly interesting
- Tension between C and R (I wish this was more fleshed out!)

[Lex Ax · Rating 4 out of 5]

“When Harry stirred and asked what was wrong, she wanted to tell him everything, about her pitch and meeting Nicole and how she wasn't the right kind of woman and she shouldn't be a mother and how she didn't have the right kind of trauma to justify her shittiness, and how she didn't deserve to have a fun job creating art but she was stuck in this cycle of getting just enough success to keep dangling on the edge of it, perpetually almost living a life that was perfect and right but always out of it, always doing it wrong, having the wrong thoughts and feeling alone in them because she had this pathetic need to make everyone like her, even her therapist; how she knew no one was watching but she couldn't stop performing for them; how she was ruining her life, the one life that had been given to her with so much promise and privilege and she couldn't even do the simplest thing in the world of enjoying it.”

“What confused and dismayed her was that recognizing herself as one of a vast field of essentially identical women did not blot out her insistent desire to be seen as singular. She had this stupid bone-deep certainty that being special was the only way to be worthy of love.”

Books centered on messy, chaotic, borderline unhinged women will always be appreciated by me. Caroline, I see you, I hear you, I am you. So unafraid to say the thoughts, fears, and doubts that run through women’s heads surrounding identity, career aspirations, success, outward perception, motherhood, creativity, and truly being seen.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.75/5⭐️

[Christin Hirleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

What makes this novel so compelling is Cantor's refusal to let Caroline off the hook. This isn't a redemption story or a girl-boss empowerment fantasy. It's a clear-eyed examination of what ambition looks like when it crashes into ethics, when desperation for validation makes you do things that horrify you even as you're doing them. I found myself cringing at Caroline's choices—the ethical violations, the lies by omission, the rationalizations, while simultaneously understanding exactly why she makes them. I think that's the mark of exceptional character work.
The comedy writing world Cantor depicts feels authentic and sharp, full of the particular indignities and absurdities of the Hollywood development process. But the real brilliance is in how the novel explores Caroline's relationship with Teacher once they meet in real life. The blurring of boundaries between art and reality, between subject and friend, creates a tension that builds to genuinely uncomfortable places.

This is a novel about wanting things badly, about the cost of being seen, about trying to be the "likeable female protagonist" of your own life when your actual thoughts and desires don't fit that mold. Cantor's voice is wickedly funny and unflinchingly honest, never looking away from the darker impulses that make us human.

Like This, but Funnier is smart, sharp, and deliciously uncomfortable in all the best ways. If you love complex, morally ambiguous women and the kind of comedy that comes from truly dark places, this book is for you.

[Susan Poer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This debut novel captures the absurdity and anxiety of chasing creative success in Hollywood while trying to live a normal adult life. It helps that the author is an Emmy nominated television writer who turns her insider’s perspective into a novel. I wanted to like this more, but the main character is just not that likeable. We first meet Caroline while she's pitching ideas to some producers who are multi-tasking while 'listening' to her story. They are clearly not interested, she is discouraged, then the rest of the novel is about her trying to decide if she should become a mother or not. Her husband is a therapist and while eavesdropping on one of his sessions with a patient, she gets a great idea, based on this patient's life. Is this unethical, sure, but she is desperate for career success and validation within the Hollywood community. When the idea gets the green light, she is faced with the quandry of moving forward with it or not.

I thought this would be more like 'Romantic Comedy', which was a great depiction of the struggles of comedy writers in the industry, and much funnier.

The author peppers this story with lots of self-deprecating humour, and body shaming, with Caroline thinking she should become a mom since she already has a 'mom bod', and that would be a good excuse.

This was a good concept that had great promise but lacked execution.

[BookBlanketFort · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious, page-turner of a book that I couldn't put down. I loved the dive into the quirky and sometimes infuriating world of the LA entertainment industry. The characters were delightfully petty while expressing the deeper struggles that many readers may have faced.

The main character is a struggling writer in Hollywood, who fears her best career years are behind her. When she comes across her psychotherapist husband's patient notes, she captures a story that she turns into a pitch. Despite all the rejection she has faced, Hollywood decision-makers glom onto the idea. It looks like her idea will become a show. Now the main character's marriage and her husband's career are at stake as she works to hide her misdeeds.

The book had me laughing out loud and racing through the pages to see what would happen next. As a writer myself, I identified with the painful descriptions of the writing life. The author aptly describes the tumult of the LA entertainment industry and making a living as a creative.

Fans of Curtis Sittenfeld's Romantic Comedy, Rachel Bloom's I Want to Be Where the Normal People Are, and the TV show Hacks would love this title.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stroop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caroline wants to be more successful than she is at the moment. Her once promising career as a TV writer has stalled, with several of her projects stuck in development hell. To make matters worse, and since Caroline is full of self-pity and envy, her beloved husband is newly thriving in a career he loves. He also seems ready to start a family, which Caroline is on the fence about.

When Caroline accidentally pitches a pilot idea based on the dreams of one of Harry's patients (which she should absolutely not know about), she finds herself increasingly torn between the allure of professional success and her ethics. Will Caroline do the "right thing", whatever that means?

This was a hoot. I laughed, I cringed, and I enjoyed the read. I found Caroline to be flawed and relatable and was wondering how she would get herself out of the mess she created. I liked the author's writing style and appreciated the glimpse at all of the horrible meetings it takes to get a TV show greenlit. I look forward to reading more from the author.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read a copy.

[Lena Bahret · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like this, but funnier follows 34 year old Caroline Neumann as she struggles through a seemingly collapsing comedy writing career and debating the big life question, to have or not to have kids. Caroline is a relatable if not slightly neurotic FMC. She accidentally pitches an idea for a new tv show she unethically got via her therapist husband’s confidential patient notes. I definitely liked the premise of this book and thought it was well executed. It took a little willpower to continue during the middle but overall I was interested and engaged. As a reader, I felt some of the chapters were a little long and could’ve been broken up a little more for better start and stop points but definitely understand why it’s written that way. The toilet clogging was a lot for me but I do picture books very vividly in my mind so this is a personal problem on my end. I also loved the title and cover art. Definitely enjoyed Like this, but funnier and would be interested in reading more of Hallie Cantor’s books going forward. 3.5 stars / 5 rounding to 4, would recommend to others

* Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an interesting, unexpected book! Hallie Cantor, a former TV comedy writer, has written her debut novel as an inside look at the chaotic world of Hollywood and television development, as well as complicated women with strained relationships with their husbands. This is a deeeep dive into development hell, and it is clear that Cantor has strong opinions about TV writing and the process of getting a show on the air!

In her fictionalized world, we follow Caroline who stumbles into pitching an idea for a TV show based on a therapy patient of her husband's - talk about a conflict of interest. Caroline is not a good person, and makes so many bad decisions that it makes it hard to root for her. But this book was fun and as a comedy fun, I loved trying to parse out which character is perhaps a stand in for a real life person. I wasn't crazy about the ending and I think we lived in Caroline's head a little too much, but this was a really strong debut and we need more books about comedy that are funny!

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an arc copy of Like This, But Funnier from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cantor’s book follows protagonist Caroline, a comedy TV writer in Los Angeles as she faces unemployment, looks for her purpose in life and somehow that search leads to her stalking one of her psychologist husband’s patients. Caroline spends the book telling us that she’s “not a good person” and doesn’t really endear the reader into thinking anything else. She’s not a character that elicits empathy except when she’s getting torn into by her husband in a critical moment of the story.

There are moments of humor in the book, which tries to show the realities of creating shows for tv and the challenges that these writers have in making their ideas come to fruition.

The ending fell flat for me, and while Caroline does seem to find her purpose, it isn’t clear whether her journey or the whole process was even worth the while.

[Ashley Rascoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars, rounded up.

Like This, But Funnier is a story about a young Hollywood screenwriter struggling to find her next story. As she’s jumping through the hoops of Hollywood, her husband is trying to be supportive— or as supportive as someone who doesn’t fully understand her job can be.

Following a hilarious story of stolen story ideas, the reader will go on a journey as Caroline lands her next big thing. At the same time as a hot mess unfolds in her professional life, an equally messy one is unfolding in her personal life.

I highly recommend this one for late 20s-late 30 somethings who feel stuck in a rut, or maybe feel like no one gets them & what they’re going through. As the publishers said, also highly recommend it for fans of Hacks, Girls, and Lady Bird.

Thank you to Simon&Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest reviews.

[Bernadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meet Caroline, a frustrated and unfulfilled tv comedy writer and her husband, Harry, a fulfilled therapist. In her search for comedic material Caroline compromises herself by inadvertently seeing, and using, her husband’s patient notes for inspiration. The ups and downs of the Hollywood entertainment world and her marriage add additional pressure and propel her in uncomfortable directions.

At times I felt the story dragged, and focused on a bit too much detail (her pooping) and I did not really like Caroline, so that made it less compelling of a read for me.

Like This, But Funnier gives you a view behind the curtain of the entertainment world and the insecurities of achieving both career and personal success.
3.5 stars for me

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Caroline Hedges · Rating 2 out of 5]

I kept hoping this would get funnier but it just fell very flat for me. Caroline is the most insecure, self-absorbed individual who by the end I wanted to see alone and broken. How awful is that? And she wasn’t funny! I appreciate that the world she worked in is all about creative people with chips on their shoulders from countless rejections and worries about money and if they will ever get acknowledgement for their work. And Hallie Cantor wrote that world very well. But being constantly in Caroline’s head was a lot. Maybe having another POV would have helped break the anxiety and agony of knowing Caroline’s every thought. There was little to like about her.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

[verynicebook · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went into this one with really high hopes, but it ended up being different from what I expected. Unfortunately, despite the title, I didn’t find it all that funny. I’m also not particularly interested in the movie industry, so that aspect didn’t do much for me. In hindsight, I probably should’ve looked into the plot a bit more before requesting it, but alas, the cover pulled me in. That being said the intro hooked me right away and I was chuckling at the MCs awkward interactions with people, but after that it just kind of fell off. I did relate to the MC at times, but overall I still found the story a bit dull. Many thanks to the publishers via Edelweiss for providing my review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Stefan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this one, based on the premise. It's well-written, but it didn't land as well as I'd hoped. Perhaps it's because I have read a lot about Hollywood, read many novels set in/around Hollywood, and also watched plenty of movies and TV shows about Hollywood - because of this, there weren't many original observations in here. Yes, it's among the better examples of a "Hollywood critique" novel, but it didn't feel as fresh as I'd hoped.

There's a certain irony, of course, given the novel's title. If you're not someone who reads a lot about Hollywood, then I think there is a chance that you'll enjoy this book a lot more than I did (again, it's NOT bad, just didn't work for me as much as I'd hoped). Some good lines and a couple of funny moments.

[Debby Nachmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book stressed me out. On one hand I appreciated that Caroline’s character was raw and honest but on the other hand, the amount of self loathing, insecurity and self sabotage that Caroline experienced made me have to put the book down a few times and walk away from it. It was hard to root for her- I get that was meant to be a parallel to the Jane character she was writing but it made it hard to want to finish the book.

However, I did like the writing style and actually found many parts of the book quite funny. I also enjoyed the glimpse behind the curtain of how tv gets made in Hollywood. Seeing the hoops Caroline had to jump through gave me a greater appreciation for all the shows that actually make it to TV.

Thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for the chance to read the ARC of this book!

[Sophia Kenward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & the publishers for this ARC!

I'm conflicted with this book—I wanted to like it more than I did! The pacing is pretty wonky, especially the beginning third and the final chapter of the book. The build-up to the central plotline is slow and the resolution felt jarringly rushed and unfinished. The protagonist was terribly insecure and downright unlikable, which made parts of this book hard to read and I lost interest during parts of the book.

This was funny and a fast read once I got past the beginning! I found the glimpses into the entertainment industry fascinating, and I can honestly say I'm not cut out to be a tv writer after reading this.