Let's face it, sometimes it feels like the only acceptable men are the fictional kind.
So to celebrate all the men written by women, here is a list of books and movies that give the same vibe (all romances of course).
Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating / Juno
Teenage pregnancy is not a common trope in modern written romantic comedies. But I love the idea of of subverting the manic pixie dream girl trope. Josh and Hazel are adorable. Juno is, of course, a masterpiece and the perfect movie. Diablo Cody is an absolute genius and she needs to write another screenplay so I can obsess about it for the rest of my life. Both of these works will transport you into a quirky autumn-themed love story.
Act Your Age Eve Brown / The Broken Hearts Gallery
I didn't realize until recently that I really love a POC female lead working with a grumpy owner of a boutique hotel until they fall for each other. Talia Hibbert doesn't disappoint on the representation side and Broken Hearts is an under-watched gem.
You Deserve Each Other / The Five Year Engagement
You Deserve Each Other is my current favorite read of 2022. Sarah Hogle writes about love in the loveliest of way. Her characters are often quiet, smart and hilarious. Around page 295 she has about two pages of the prettiest declaration of love I've read in a while. The kind of love she writes is tender and comfortable, HIGHLY recommend. In the same vein, The Five Year Engagement is the rare second-chance romance that executes the trope correctly. With a great cast is one of the better Apatow romcoms.
The Spanish Love Deception / Fools Rush In
Grumpy/Sunshine pairings can be super fun. I just love Spanish-speaking heroines with an actual personality. While not re-inventing the genre, these two stories are super heartwarming.
Twice Shy / Modern Love (S2E6)
Another Sarah Hogle title. I can't help it, her writing is lovely. Twice Shy is a wonderful love story about two people who connect through a shared journey addressing their trauma. While the second season of Modern Love was a bit disappointing, the sixth episode, In the Waiting Room of Estranged Spouses, was wonderful. No surprise since the episode was written and directed by John Carney. In both stories, our heroes use dissociation as a coping mechanism to make it through their day. While the themes of the underlying trauma are rather dark, the visualization of the dissociation is sweet and witty. Please watch/read these stories if you are looking for a sweet story of tender triumph.
People We Meet At Vacation / Plus One
Let's step away from trauma and do some light friends-to-lovers. Emily Henry has referenced When Harry Met Sally as an inspiration to People We Meet on Vacation but I didn't want to do the obvious pairing. The novel tells a story about two friends over ten years culminating with them attending a wedding. On the other side Plus One tells the story about two friends going to ten weddings. Jack Quaid is wonderful and matches the his counterpart, Alex much better. I just want more people to watch Plus One. Seriously, these are some of the top modern friends-to-lovers out there.
Would Like To Meet / Notting Hill
Ok - I just wanted to include Notting Hill in this list. It's Notting Hill, a classic, iconic masterpiece. On the other hand Would Like to Meet is a love letter to romantic comedies. It's rare to find a romcom which is actually funny but Would Like to Meet has a great mix of slapstick and dry humor. I went in blind and was pleasantly surprised. Warm, low stakes stories revolving around the movie industry is the vibe.
Just Last Night / He's Just Not That Into You
The vibe is: "Girl you deserve better". Mhairi McFarlane is one of my favorite authors and Just Last Night was one of my favorite books of last year. The book is more about the beautiful complexity of female friendships but the romance arc is equally as beautiful. With the same, but surface-level sentiment, He's Just Not that Into You is my comfort romcom. It's peak 00's with an insane cast and an unfairly low RT score. Justin Long's delivery of the "You are my exception" line is nothing short of iconic. Top 10 romcom grand gesture, full stop.
The Unhoneymooners / Just Go With It
Like that one tiktok once said: Enemies-to-lovers on vacation. It's fake dating in Hawaii, do I need to say more? Are these stories super insightful or make you reconsider the meaning of life? Absolutely not. But they are fun, cute and set in Hawaii. Solid 5/7.
The Hating Game / Set It Up
It might be a hot take but I actually really enjoyed the movie adaptation of The Hating Game. It worked as a standalone movie AND it has a higher RT score than House of Gucci. Suck it Academy. If you're looking for a modern workplace romance that features leads with insane chemistry, these are the love stories for you.
Beach Read / Ride The Eagle
If you're looking for a story about a dead parent leaving a cabin to a struggling artist instead of talking to them, boy do I have the stories for you. I know it's super specific but these hangout stories are, should I say, beach reads?.... ok I'll stop. Both the male characters are basically Nick Miller. The heroes deal with their parental trauma through reconnecting with a past love interest. Check them out!
The Love Hypothesis / Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
No, I will not elaborate.
The Deal / The Cutting Edge
Little backstory here. This original list was a series of Instagram stories for the month of February. Each day I would post a pairing. This was all fun an great except when you live in Cincinnati and the Bengals somehow make it to the Superbowl. Next thing I know, I'm downtown in the middle of the sports Armageddon, people are blacked out, kickoff is about to happen and I suddenly remember this list. So naturally, I drunkenly asked my best friend to for a hockey romance movie. Not my finest work but drunken effort still counts.
You Had Me at Hello / The Road Trip / The Before Trilogy
I will literally fight anybody who dares question the masterpiece that is the Before Trilogy. Each time I revisit Before Sunset, I'm reminded that it's the best execution of the second-chance trope in modern cinema. Equally as wonderful You Had Me at Hello and The Road Trip deal with why going back to a romantic partner might not be the best idea. Sometimes relationships end or fail to start because each person needs to address their insecurities before moving forward. I promise all these stories have a happy ending. And they're funny.
The Roommate / Zack and Miri Make a Porno
The Roommate is the only book that has made me want to drop everything to go to film school and make an adaptation happen. The premise of the book is nothing revolutionary but the story is sweet enough. The way certain scenes play out would make a fantastic limited series. On the other side, Kevin Smith made an actual romcom that unfortunately bombed both critically and financially. It's a real shame because Zack and Miri is surprising adorable.
If I Never Met You / The Proposal
Mhairi McFarlane doesn't miss. This is fake workplace dating and we love fake workplace dating.
Red, White and Royal Blue / The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
It's enemies to lovers with royalty. We love enemies to lovers royalty. So blast some Kelly Clarkson and enjoy.
Window Shopping / Ted Lasso
I don't know dude, if you can find another pairing, let me know.
Get a life Chloe Brown / About a Boy
Here's the vibe: British protagonists who learn to open up and let new people into their lives.
The Kiss Quotient / Good Luck to You, Leo Grande/ The Hookup Plan
I cried at the end of The Kiss Quotient and at the end of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. It's a shame Good Luck.. doesn't have a poster yet but I cannot wait for the masses to worship Emma Thompson when the movie is released later this year. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is like the The Kiss Quotient without the romance but with all the self acceptance. On the other hand, The Hookup Plan is like the book in pretty much just the romance part. All three are worth the time and won't disappoint.
Take a hint Dani Brown / How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
I just really liked the yellow covers
The Bromance Book Club / Love at Second Sight
I loved the first book in the Bromance Book Club series but unfortunately, the rest didn't work for me. For the movie counterpart, I picked a french movie that sounded like it fit the story. It's just hard to find second chance movie romcoms.
Fix Her Up / Trouble With The Curve
When Tessa Bailey hits, she HITS. Fix Her Up is actually super cute. I was trying to find a baseball romcom that could match the vibe but other than Fever Pitch, there's not much. I mean there's Major League and Major League 2 but baseball romcoms are lacking on the silver screen. The best I could do is pick an actually good movie that could fit and Moneyball is too Sorkin. So just watch, Trouble With the Curve.
Most Eligible Billionaire / Maid in Manhattan
My biggest gripe with billionaire romances is that the said billionaire is never working. If they are working, it's just like an abstract "business" and like it never explains what they do. Most Eligible Billionaire actual tries to give the MMC a lot of work and the premise is so ludicrous that it actually works. On the other side, Maid in Manhattan, is a classic.
Here's Looking at You / Never Been Kissed
I just really like Mhairi McFarlane. Ugly duckling stories are always fun right?
The House In The Cerulean Sea / Little Evil / Stardust
The House in the Cerulean Sea is like a warm blanket. I didn't want to leave the wonderful island. I got the same feeling the first time I watched Stardust. I don't want to make a big deal out of it but Charlie Cox, Henry Cavill and Ben Barnes are all in this movie!! Like all the book boyfriends in one place. Unfortunately it came out around the same time as Superbad so it bombed in the box office. Cannot recommend enough. If you're looking for the more quirky aspects of the book, little evil is underrated and super entertaining.
Dune / Saga / The Brothers Bloom / Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
We end this list as we began, with Michael Cera. I only have so many book/movie pairings in my head. Instead here are my comfort stories. All these are absolute masterpieces and I will not accept any criticism.