Sylvie Writes a Romance

by Melissa Burovac

"A feel-good romantic comedy with a resilient heroine" - Kirkus Indie Review

"Great book for a laugh and a smile" - Ann M Pratley

Sylvie aspires to write a romance novel, but gives up after several tries when she realizes she knows nothing of romance. With the help of her best friend, she signs up for a popular dating site to find a man to seduce her and teach her about passion - certain this will help her write her book.
While Sylvie dreams of the steamy scenes she thinks are necessary for a good romance novel, her unintentionally comical dates fall far short of her expectations.

182 pages, Paperback

Published July 1, 2016

About the author

Melissa Burovac is a writer and photographer from Cleveland, Ohio. Having spent the past 15 years underwater in Hawaii, she is now an avid bird watcher and gardener. Her favorite days are spent with her rescue dog Lucy, enjoying the outdoors.

"The Mystery of the Rainbow Flowers" is her fifth book, but her first for young adults and middle grade kids. Her others include non-fiction travel ("Wandering"), romantic comedy ("Sylvie Writes a Romance" and "Sylvie Falls in Love"), and adventure ("Surfer, Sailor, Smuggler").

wanderwithmelissa.com
hawaiioceanphotography.com

Reviews

[Debbie Jinks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romance isn't usually the type of genre I would read but this witty book had me giggling.
It's about a writer who had decided to do her research up close and personal so she could write the ultimate romance novel, and her rather unsuccessful attempt at finding the perfect georgous guy who would seduce her. It didn't exactly work and her escapades were very funny.
If you like fun reads I think you'd enjoy this.

[Cecily Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely hilarious! I was literally laughing out loud at Sylvie's rather R-rated exploits, her thought processes, and research fails. This was so much fun to read. I won a signed paperback from the author some time ago and I regret to say that it ended up in the wrong stack of books, so I completely forgot about it - I was so happy to find it and sorry that I hadn't read it sooner. I can see myself re-reading it when I need a good laugh, and a reminder that being imperfect can be an adventure, depending on your perspective.

[Vanessa M. Thibeault]

Couldn't put it down!

I loved the inevetible failures from Sylvie and her dating experience! It seemed so real and certainly caught the drama and difficulty of dating in middle age. I especially loved that she felt like a real woman with confidence and insecurities. The book was warm and interesting. I couldn't put it down!

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun fun beach read. Very funny take on the dating world and trying to navigate it while trying to keep your dignity intact. Plus a good peak into island life.

[Kate Stead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book.
It immediately drew me in to Sylvie's woes and her dating challenges were hilarious and completely relatable.
Melissa has done a great job in mixing humour with a sprinkling of sexy Mills and Boon-esque sequences.
Great light chick lit - perfect for holiday reading.

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice, easy, amusing read. I read it all in one sitting which is very unusual for me a slow reader. I perhaps would have preferred a little less of the sexual content but as it was generally written from an amusing viewpoint of a lady who was in reality rather shy and insecure, it wasn't that bad. Also loved the fact that the heroine was tall. Great idea of the way in which to write a romance, innovative idea, Melissa. Would have loved more detail of the part of the US the novel describes, though. In conclusion, well worth a read.

[Megan Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a cute story! I loved Sylvie's spunkiness and the comedic nature of her adventure to find love. I even loved how she kept daydreaming about the love scenes and was snatched out of them every time. I do wish we had a little more details about where her relationship with Michael went.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone can write a silly romance novel. So thinks Sylvie Jacobsen. After all, she's already published a book on her travel adventures. Just a little real-life research required and the money will pour in.
Except - Sylvie's attempts at online dating to provide material for her book prove less than successful. An unfortunate incident on a running machine; a magical boat trip that ends in serious sea sickness, and the odd full frontal imagery do not make for a romantic best seller.
I laughed out loud several times as Sylvie's overwrought imagination battled with the more mundane aspects of 21st-century dating. Her fantasies of muscled, tanned and improbably handsome men were at odds with those she encountered, but could a chance encounter with the all-too-real Michael give her the material and happy ending she desires?
I loved the Hawaiian setting of the book and Sylvie's sense of humour which shone throughout. My only tiny quibble would be that things wrapped up a little too quickly at the end, but overall, a fabulously fun and frothy read.

[Lucia Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice light read, and entertaining as well. I read it on the beach, and it left me with a smile on my face. The lead character, Sylvie, is funny as well as brave: a woman in her forties who's trying out the online dating scene, which leads to all sorts of awkward moments. But Sylvie is resourceful and not afraid of discovering new things. Hawaii sounds lovely—reading the book made me want to go visit (without the dating though).

[Jennie Rosenblum · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute and funny book. I laughed out loud at the mess that poor Sylvie gets into as she tries on line dating just for some experience to use in a romance she wants to write. The various dates and all that were involved with her trying to be sexy was very funny. However the last 20% of the book is the romance that Sylvie is writing and I have to say I did not enjoy that as much as the first 80%.

[Deborah King · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read about not giving up on your dreams regardless of the odds stacked against you.

I loved, Sylvie, the main character’s determination and her best friend's, Melissa, advise to join a dating app to help Sylvie write her romance novel. After a few awkward and possible laugh-out-loud amusing dates, Sylvie remains left in the dark with her research until she meets the man of her dreams. He unknowingly brings the first two chapters of her novel to life.

[Laura Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed so hard I cried! I loved this fun and entertaining story. Sylvie’s misadventures into the dating world while trying to find material for her romance novel had me in stitches. It has been a very long time since I’ve read a funny, light-hearted story, and this one was the perfect escape. I discovered that there is a sequel to this and I am looking forward to reading that one too!

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very entertaining light read - perfect for a beach day or to pass a couple of hours while the kids nap or play. It's sweet and laugh-out-loud funny as Sylvie's misadventures in dating continue - think 'Bridget Jones Diary' - Sylvie is definitely related!

[Jennifer S. Alderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny story about a travel writer who decides to write a romance, despite knowing nothing of the genre. The accounts of her blind dates - gone on to inspire her love scenes - are often hysterical! Hawaii is also well described and sounds pretty fabulous.

[Susan Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a light-hearted book about a woman writing a book about finding love and romance in a busy world and choosing to do so by conducting research on an online dating site with the help of her best friend.

[Ann Pratley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me giggling in all ways, throughout a lot of it. It is a light hearted storyline that is well written to make it easy to relate to, and I loved the main character Sylvie. She is real - she has klutzy moments and she is on an adventure not only to try and do research for a book, but all the while she is trying new things - personal things - and I found the entire book delightful. From start to finish, it was quite simply ... fun. And now and then it is good to pick up a book that isn't suspenseful, isn't serious ... but just makes us smile and have a good laugh. I would definitely seek out more books by this author!

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It made me laugh, made me remember how difficult being a single adult older than 23 is, and felt totally relatable! It is the perfect beach read, long weekend read, or long flight read. The honesty of how dating apps work and weeding through things is an enjoyable read. Get this book and enjoy the break!