<b>3.5 stars! Kate Spencer’s <i>In A New York Minute</i> delivers enviable friendships and a sweet romance perfect read for fans of made-for-TV romantic comedies.</b> 

 

<b>Tropes:</b> Opposites-Attract, SLOW BURN, Forced Proximity/Working Together, Friends-to-Lovers 

 

<b>Plot at a glance:</b> The set up is priceless! Having just been let go from her job, Franny rushes to make a subway and unfortunately gets her dress stuck in the doors. It rips down the back as soon as she tries to free herself and she completely (rightfully) breaks down. Luckily for Franny, a very handsome stranger (Hayes) takes off his suit jacket and gives it to her. They both think they’ll never see each other again, but a fellow passenger recorded the entire interaction and documented it as a love story for their followers using the tag Subway QTs. Of course, it goes viral and results in the first of many run-ins for Franny and Hayes. 

 

<b>Review:</b> I came for the disastrous meet cute, but I stayed for the incredible friendships! Kate Spencer excels at writing strong and believable friendships. I loved every scene with Franny, Lola and Cleo as well as all the scenes with Hayes and Eleanor. There’s magic when you find friends who love and support you unconditionally, and Kate Spencer perfectly captured that magic in these friendships. 

 

Fair warning, this is a serious SLOW BURN! Franny and Hayes don’t get together until about the 70% mark and then the black moment separates them at about the 80/85% mark… While this gave lots of time for Franny’s and Hayes’s respective crushes and their eventual friendship to blossom, it ultimately made it harder for me to believe in their romance because they spent so little time together romantically. 

 

I also think part of the problem (at least for me) was that Hayes was dating another woman (Serena) until about the 60% mark. I think it’s in poor taste to continue dating (even casually) when your heart is very clearly pulling you elsewhere – it made Hayes come off as a bit wishy-washy. This plotline also resulted in many unnecessary moments where both Franny and Hayes compared her to Serena. Franny’s moments of comparison explored her insecurities which got a bit repetitive, but my real problem was how these comparison points showed what a breath of fresh air Franny was at the expense of Serena (her interests and behavior was often belittled by Hayes).

 

 

I did appreciate the ample time devoted to exploring Franny’s personal journeys, which involved searching for answers about her birth father and rebuilding her career. Both journeys were fulfilling and definitely gave me Hallmark movie vibes in the very best way. 

 

I also appreciated that Hayes was socially awkward. It was refreshing to read a hero who wasn’t smooth or totally confident! 

 

Overall, I would recommend <i>In A New York Minute</I> to readers who enjoy made-for-TV romantic comedies and romances grounded in strong friendships. 

 

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read this digital ARC.</i>