Some of my fellow romance readers may recall that there was a very buzzy romance novel based on the movie "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" released last year, but I didn't like that one as much as I thought I would despite being a longtime fan of the movie itself. "The Modern Gentleman" is also something of a twist on that classic movie, and as it turns out, this is the story I wanted to read all along. It incorporates a few of the best elements of the movie without trying too hard to recreate it, and the result is a unique story with wonderful characters that I thoroughly enjoyed.
About "The Modern Gentleman"
Have you ever hit rock bottom?
I embarrassingly have.
It’s why I’m wearing my girl's decorative scarf over my head, clutching her lady drink to my chest, and singing ever so softly to Joni Mitchell while swaying back and forth.
This is what therapists refer to as LOSING IT.
Oldest story in the book: boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, boy screws up MASSIVELY, girl tells boy to suffocate in the fruits of his very own unborn children.
Heard it before? I'm sure you have.
So what's so different about this story? Well, it's about me, The Modern Gentleman, New York City's top advice columnist, and my rather ungraceful downfall from my pristinely polished pedestal.
It's about a girl I met who threw all my proven theories to the wind and left me awkward, needy, and absolutely head-over-wingtipped shoes in love.
This is a story about June Lacy and how she single-handedly dismantled The Modern Gentleman.
Read an Excerpt from "The Modern Gentleman"
Prologue:
Dear Gents,
See that remote in your hand? Yeah, the one that’s covered in pizza sauce and last night’s Buffalo wings? I want you to take a good look at it. Do you have it memorized? Good, now bend at the waist, set it on the coffee table, and stand up. Don’t you dare look at that remote again, don’t even glance at it. And the Xbox that’s calling your name, go ahead and forget about that as well, because guess what? You’re starting a new journey and it doesn’t include television, video games, or high-fiving over a bubbly belch from the bowels of your intestinal tract. Forget everything you’ve ever known about being a man, forget the hall passes you have for being a man, and forget every natural instinct you carry inside your bones. Because I’m here to refine you, replenish your knowledge on the male species, and turn you into a modern gentleman: a well-respected, polished, and confident individual with an epic sex appeal and killer style that will woo any female with a simple flash of your honest charm.
Stick with me, gents. I’m starting a revolution and it begins with you.
Sincerely,
The Modern Gentleman
My Review
Meghan Quinn's "The Modern Gentleman" was a sweet, charming, and laugh out loud funny story featuring smart, likeable, three-dimensional characters, and I loved it. The slow burn of main characters' Wes and June's relationship growth was fantastic, and I adored how June made Wes work for every single step forward in their romance. I also enjoyed the story's twist on the classic movie rom-com "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days." It wasn't an exact replica of the movie but rather incorporated a few of the best elements into a new, unique story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I loved that the male lead, Wes, was the narrator for so much of the book. The inside of his head was a pretty darn funny place, and his asides of advice to his readers were often hilarious (intentionally or not). I also loved how endearingly awkward he became when he was around June. Wes seemed like such a sophisticated, smooth guy most of the time, so it was nice to see him have to make an effort to impress his girl. It showed just how much he actually liked June, and that their relationship was more than just an experiment to him.
Wes and June's conversations were a ton of fun from the start, and I especially enjoyed the way June teased Wes and they bantered back and forth. I also loved how mysterious she was with him at first, refusing to share her phone number or any other contact info. They really did have an old-fashioned courtship, from their in-person first meeting to having to communicate through (landline!) phone calls instead of texts.
In addition to the central romantic relationship between Wes and June, I loved the bromance between Wes and his best friends Caden and Roman. The way the three of them interacted was hilarious, and I really hope there are future stories planned for Caden and Roman because they both seemed like such fun guys.
Overall, I highly recommend "The Modern Gentleman" for all contemporary romance and romantic comedy fans and look forward to Meghan Quinn's next book.
*ARC provided by the author via Candi Kane PR. All opinions expressed are my own.
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