TLC Book Tours Book Review: I'll Have What She's Having

About I’ll Have What She’s Having: How Nora Ephron’s Three Iconic Films Saved the Romantic Comedy

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: Hachette Books (August 29, 2017)

A backstage look at the making of Nora Ephron’s revered trilogy–When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail, and Sleepless in Seattle–which brought romantic comedies back to the fore, and an intimate portrait of the beloved writer/director who inspired a generation of Hollywood women, from Mindy Kaling to Lena Dunham.

In I’ll Have What She’s Having entertainment journalist Erin Carlson tells the story of the real Nora Ephron and how she reinvented the romcom through her trio of instant classics. With a cast of famous faces including Reiner, Hanks, Ryan, and Crystal, Carlson takes readers on a rollicking, revelatory trip to Ephron’s New York City, where reality took a backseat to romance and Ephron–who always knew what she wanted and how she wanted it–ruled the set with an attention to detail that made her actors feel safe but sometimes exasperated crew members.

Along the way, Carlson examines how Ephron explored in the cinema answers to the questions that plagued her own romantic life and how she regained faith in love after one broken engagement and two failed marriages. Carlson also explores countless other questions Ephron’s fans have wondered about: What sparked Reiner to snap out of his bachelor blues during the making of When Harry Met Sally? Why was Ryan, a gifted comedian trapped in the body of a fairytale princess, not the first choice for the role? After she and Hanks each separately balked at playing Mail’s Kathleen Kelly and Sleepless‘ Sam Baldwin, what changed their minds? And perhaps most importantly: What was Dave Chappelle doing … in a turtleneck? An intimate portrait of a one of America’s most iconic filmmakers and a look behind the scenes of her crowning achievements, I’ll Have What She’s Having is a vivid account of the days and nights when Ephron, along with assorted cynical collaborators, learned to show her heart on the screen.

“[Erin Carlson] offers a breezy, detailed rehearsal of three successful romantic comedies from the 1980s and ’90s…. A large bag of buttery popcorn that goes down oh so pleasantly.”—Kirkus Reviews

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Purchase Links

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Review:  If you are a fan of Sleepless In Seattle, You've Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally, you'll want to read this book.

I don't usually venture much out of fiction, unless its something special about someone I truly love, but Nora Ephron is such a well known name that I had to give this a go and I'm glad I did.

It isn't a tell all type biography, but a light easy to read book that sometimes felt like you were reading a novel. At times it doesn't even feel like a bio of Nora's but more like a bio of her movies, because you get little bits and pieces of the actors and actresses in her films as well, particularly Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks.

The book revolves around the making of Ephron's three iconic romcoms. I have to admit, I've never seen any of them in their entirety, but I've seen parts of each. The only film of Ephron's that I did see was her last, Julie/Julia, which was fabulous.

This book gives you a little insight into film making and some of the dramas that happen in the process.

If, like me, you haven't watched these films, by the end of the book you'll want to, along with some of the films that inspired them and Ephron.

Rating: 4 flowers

About Erin Carlson

Erin Carlson has covered the entertainment industry for The Hollywood Reporter and AP. Her work has appeared in Glamour, Fortune, and the LA Times. She compiled and wrote an oral history of You’ve Got Mail for Vanity Fair. She holds a masters in magazine journalism from Northwestern, and has been profiled in the New York Times.

Follow Erin on Twitter.

Book Review: Dog Gone, Back Soon

Author: Nick Trout
Title: Dog Gone, Back Soon
Publisher: Hachette Books
Publish Date: April 8, 2014
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: When Dr. Cyrus Mills returned home after inheriting his estranged father's veterinary practice, The Bedside Manor for Sick Animals, the last thing he wanted was to stay in Eden Falls, Vermont, a moment longer than absolutely necessary. However, the previously reclusive veterinarian pathologist quickly found that he actually enjoyed treating animals and getting to know the eccentric residents of the tiny provincial town-especially an alluring waitress named Amy.

So Cyrus is now determined to make Bedside Manor thrive. Not an easy goal, given that Healthy Paws, the national veterinary chain across town, will stop at nothing to crush its mom-and-pop competitor. And the rival vet practice isn't Cyrus's only competition; a handsome stranger shows up out of nowhere who clearly has a mysterious past with Amy. To top it off, Cyrus finds himself both the guardian of a very unique orphaned dog and smack in the middle of serious small town drama.

This charming sequel to The Patron Saint of Lost Dogs is a wild and delightful ride through one jam- packed week, where Cyrus must figure out how to outsmart the evil veterinary conglomerate, win back Amy's heart, solve several tricky veterinary cases, find a home for an orphaned dog, and detangle himself from an absurd case of mistaken identity. DOG GONE, BACK SOON brims with Nick Trout's trademark humor, charm, and captivating animal stories, and is proof that all dogs, lost or not, on four feet or two, deserve a second chance.

Review:  If you are an animal lover, this is a series of books you won't want to miss. Its a cozy veterinary sort of read. The mysteries involve the animals brought to Dr. Cyrus at Bedside Manor, and many of them are hard to solve.

This book is so well written from a vet's perspective.

I loved Dr. Cyrus. He's like the vet version of Temperance Brennan. He's very smart, and very socially awkward. His foot goes into his mouth a lot, but like Brennan (at least the Bones version of that character) he's well liked by everyone, except maybe the office manager at Healthy Paws, a rival veterinary practice.

To stay true to a cozy format, Cyrus has a sort of love interest in Amy, who I had a hard time liking for most of the novel, and a not so real love interest with Healthy Paws vet Winn Honey, who he gets sort of involved with, thanks to some manipulating by her daughter Charlie.

For the most part, I really wanted Cyril to get together with Winn, because she felt more suited to him, and I loved her daughter and the cat, Marmalade Succabone. (That's her porn star name).

Oh and then there's Stash. the doodle dog that comes into his life through some pretty strange means. I loved that dog!

This was really a sweet fun read that animal lovers will definitely embrace. If you love James Herriot type stories, this is definitely a series for you!

Rating: 5 flowers