Build Your Own Romantic Comedy: Pick Your Plot, Meet Your Man, and Direct Your Happily Ever After

by Lana Schwartz

Live the cheesy rom-com love story of your dreams with this hilarious mix-and-match adventure through adorable meet-cutes, fun montages, and grand romantic gestures. . . all leading the way to the final kiss.

Get ready to relax with your favorite romantic comedy of all time—the one you create! Instead of turning on the latest cheesy rom-com for a simple, mood-boosting love story, put yourself in the director’s chair with Build Your Own Romantic Comedy.

First, open the book and pick your heroine. Will she be a high-powered business lady with no time for love? Or a quirky bakery owner? Just make your choice and read how the magic unfolds. When it's time to meet your man, do you prefer a hunky prince, a hunky executive, or a hunky nemesis? Each choice will take you down a totally different path that all somehow end up making a charmingly predictable romance.

Choice by hilarious choice, you’ll pick from classic rom-com elements like:

Sassy best friends
Romantic date montages
A makeover, obviously
Dramatic but easily solved misunderstandings


Make your way closer and closer to the big payoff—the picture-perfect, most romantic final kiss ever.

And when you’ve savored that last bit of fun, romantic goodness, don’t be glum. Turn back to page one and start a new love story. With over 100 possible stories, the happily-ever-afters never have to stop.

Genres: Romance, Choose Your Own Adventure

152 pages, Hardcover

Published March 17, 2020

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Everything flowed weirdly. Characters in the story I haven't met. Maraschino cherries in Moscow mules...

[Joban Gill · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cheesy, but cute. I don’t know if I’m challenged at choosing my own adventure, but the stories seemed to flow weirdly - too fast in some parts, random characters I haven’t met yet in others (I.e. Natasha or Dave). Also I get that the genre makes it inherently cliché, but I wish the characters were a little less cookie cutter. HAVING SAID that, it’s the perfect light-hearted beach read - just don’t read too much into it like I did.

[Liisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect light-hearted book to pretend the world isn't burning around you! Enjoy your meet-cute instead of bemoaning the latest global disaster! Find your happy ending instead of anticipating armageddon!

[Ilana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This charming, funny, and witty book let me fulfill my dream of assembling my own romantic comedy, something I think about all the time! With each storyline Lana builds an exciting, heartwarming, adventure in love.

[Dani Paulson · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had a lot of potential, but the stories flowed weirdly and there were too many additional characters mid-story. It was an interesting idea but it didn't make a lot of sense. I tried multiple pathways which was a great idea, but didn't quite work as well as I'd hoped.

[Shelby Loren · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. This is essentially a choose your own adventure romantic comedy, but the storylines never flowed that well. All of a sudden there would be characters who showed up without any proper introduction, and the main cast of characters felt so flat. The main character and the love interest(s) never had any real buildup, so it was hard to enjoy.

[Susan Aronoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a light, fun read that was satisfying from start to finish. Lots of different directions you could take with each storyline, creating something completely new each time you reach for this book. My partner and I read this together and would switch off with picking a storyline, creating something that played to each of our favorite parts of rom-coms (drama for him, happy endings for me). This is a perfect book for rom-com lovers out there, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves all the funny themes and tropes that made us fall in love with rom-coms as a genre in the first place.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoyed choose-your-own-adventure books as a kid, and enjoy reading romance, this book might work for you.
You start with multiple choice and go from there. Some of the choices double back on each other, but the book is easy to navigate and fun to read.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so fun. I love romantic comedies and it was so great to be able to choose different options and create new stories. The book is clever and well-written.

[JZT · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny and fantastic, can’t recommend enough! I gave my mom a copy for her birthday and she loves it.

[M.A. Lutkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for any romantic comedy fan as a gift and for yourself. Funny, sweet, and a wonderful distraction from pretty much anything going on in your life. I'm a huge romance reader, and it was so fun to just revel in the genre.

[Elizabeth Teets · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun ride. Lana's love for Nora Ephron really shined.

[ஐ Katya (Book Queen)ஐ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible. Good concept, horrid execution. Characters aren't likable. The choices are terrible. Also too short. Everything in less than two pages, pick a bad choice. Would NOT recommend.