In a New York Minute by Kate Spencer
Contemporary Romance
March 15, 2022, by Forever

Reviewed by Iby

When I received this ARC to review, I was excited because I love a good rom-com. How do I know if I’ve read one? I genuinely root for the characters to fall for each other, there are ridiculous and charming moments throughout the story, and at the end of the book, my mouth kind of hurts from how much I’ve been smiling.

This new novel by Kate Spencer passes my unscientific rom-com criteria – in fact, it’s one of the best rom-coms I’ve recently read.

Franny is having her worst day ever – she is laid off from her interior design job and, while hustling into the New York subway, catches her dress in the door and it completely rips, exposing her to everyone. Hayes, the handsome financial wizard on the subway, hands over his Gucci suit jacket to keep her covered. This meet-cute is captured on film and blows up on social media, creating a viral sensation. And, as it always happens in a rom-com, their paths continue to cross.

In a rom-com, I want my heroes grumpy with a heart of gold, and Hayes is everything I look for in a hero. He is handsome, chivalrous, socially awkward, and slightly in awe of the heroine. Franny is the sunshine to his grump, very bubbly and optimistic, and even though she has had a tough go, she seems to be the type of girl I’d want as my friend with her bravery and ability to make fun of herself.

This storyline is so clearly set in New York City, and NYC becomes its own character. Only in NYC could this meet-cute take place. I can tell that Kate Spencer adores the city, and as her characters love the city, the reader will too.

Another running theme is found family. We don’t learn a lot about Hayes’ family outside of his cousin, Perrine, who is his pseudo-sister. Along with Eleanor, his business partner/work wife and best friend, he has a small crew of people rallying around him. And Franny has her two best friends since college – Lola and Cleo – who are hilarious and entertaining in all of the best ways. Franny relies on her friends as she begins to discover her biological father’s history through a DNA test, lightly exploring what new members of a family could mean to her. Speaking of this concept of found family, there is diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity, and demographics throughout this friend group, and I am here for it. It’s casually mentioned, and I love how normalized it is – like, of course, you have a diverse friend group. Of course.

I personally love a slow burn. Yes, the characters are attracted to each other, but they don’t act on that attraction for the majority of the book. The slow start to their relationship did not bother me, but Hayes’ slow realization that the other woman he was dating is not the one did bother me a little. The pacing felt off, and I wanted Hayes to recognize his own feelings sooner.

My only other issue with the plot was the final argument that led to the two main characters separating for a while. Without giving away spoilers, the argument felt too long, and the cause seemed out of character. It’s a minor quibble, as overwhelmingly the plot and pacing really worked for me.

Overall, this book was a huge win for me. I read it all in one sitting and ended the story with a huge smile on my face. If you love Kate Clayborn, Sophie Cousens, Christina Lauren, or Lauren Layne, I highly recommend picking up a copy of this excellent addition to the rom-com book hall of fame.

A-

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