Wait For It by Jenn McKinlay ~ a Review

by Donna Huber

Did you know cozy mystery author Jenn McKinlay also writes romantic comedy? If you want to enjoy the great storytelling ability of McKinlay without the dead bodies, then you need to pick up her newest book Wait For It.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

August 2021; Berkley; 978-0593101377
audio, ebook, print (352 pages); romantic comedy

After reading Paris is Always a Good Idea (read my review) last summer, I was excited to read her new book. I don't read a lot of romance as I'm very picky about what I like in the genre (and I don't like most of the books in this genre). 

I immediately liked the main female character, Annabelle. If you've read Paris is Always a Good Idea you might recognize her as Chelsea's sister. Don't worry, though, if you haven't read it. I didn't realize the Chelsea mentioned in Wait For It was the same character as the one from the previous book - I learned of the connection by reading the Acknowledgments at the end of the book.

Annabelle is impulsive and reckless which translates more to being quirky and fun-loving rather than truly self-destructive. She has been married and divorced twice and she's not even thirty but that is the only remotely "self-destructive" example of her personality.

I had a harder time with the lead male character, Nick. He reminded me of Will Traynor from Joyes Moyes's Me Before You. I dreaded his chapters in the first half of the novel. I felt like I was being hit over the head with his self-loathing and contempt for all people. It was not enjoyable to read and I got his personality from his first chapter. it was also clear from the start for everyone except Nick that he was suffering from panic attacks. Some of the early chapters didn't add anything and felt like filler to make the novel longer. 

I didn't particularly like the workplace plot of a jealous, vindictive co-worker. I've been in workplaces where someone is happy to help you fail and I think it just triggered some of my own feelings about conflict in the workplace. I felt his resentment was a little over-the-top particularly since we were really given a reason for his feelings. I really thought it was going to come out in the end that he was in love with Miguel (the co-founder of the graphic design firm). 

If you've read a few of my reviews of romance novels you know I strongly dislike sex scenes. If you like your romantic comedies to be on the steamy side, then you will enjoy Wait For It. There were a couple of sex scenes that were way too detailed for my liking. And they aren't just a paragraph or two.

I really liked the more fun character interactions - the happy hours with co-workers, the star gazing with Nick, the cute cat, etc. There are some great secondary characters that didn't get enough page time. Now knowing that Annabelle is a spinoff character from Paris is Always a Good Idea, I wonder if we will see one of these secondary characters in a future book. 

Unlike many romantic comedies, there isn't a contrived wedge between the two main characters. It is more of a question if they can get the relationship going in the first place and realistically portrayed bumps in the road of a new relationship. They both have some relationship-related baggage and must figure out how to move on from that if they want to have a successful relationship.

Even with the things I didn't like, overall I enjoyed the novel. Really the things I liked balanced out the things I had problems with. It is a light read - great for a late summer read.

Buy Wait For It at Amazon

Donna Huber is an avid reader and natural encourager. She is the founder of Girl Who Reads and the author of how-to marketing book Secrets to a Successful Blog Tour.

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