It’s Getting Hot in Here, Jane Costello’s new perimenopause-themed romantic comedy, is one of those books that is equal parts fun and frustrating. Fun in Costello’s voice; frustrating because there are times you just want to shake the main character whose life is so overcrowded I just wanted to take her out for coffee and tell her to learn how to prioritize. Still, it’s a worthy enough palate cleanser. Read my full It’s Getting Hot in Here review below!
It’s Getting Hot in Here Review
I dare you–just TRY to read that title in a normal voice without singing it and dropping it like it’s hot. It’s impossible. The title is just FUN. It makes you want to dance and sing, which is a great mood-setter for a romantic comedy.
It’s Getting Hot in Here is fun too! That’s mostly due to Jane Costello’s voice, which keeps things light and crisp. The story and main character, on the other hand, can be a bit more to bare. And the promises of a perimenopausal/menopausal comedy (Menopause the Musical, anyone?) go largely undelivered. Still, there’s fun to be had.
Jane Costello’s latest book tells the story of Lisa Darling, a late 40s, twice divorced mom of two teenage boys going through perimenopause. Lisa is a reality tv executive, developing the next Love Island. Her oldest son is starting to have hormonal issues of his own (the insane teenage boy type) and seems like he’s going down the wrong path. Lisa juggles dealing with those issues, a hectic work schedule, a board position on the PTO, and now the recent news that her best friend at work has received a cancer diagnosis. Lisa supports her while also dealing with her replacement at work, Zach Russo. Zach is an American who, while charming, immediately puts up roadblocks to Lisa’s work. As issues heat up in each area of her life, Lisa has to navigate what she really wants–and also how to deal with her raging perimenopause hormones.
Whew! Ok, so even writing that, I’m tired. There are so many aspects of this book that, while really funny, also feel exhausting. Some of that is due to societal expectations on a working single mom. Other aspects of it are a result of Lisa’s personality. While entirely capable, Lisa is the kind of person who is trying to do everything at equal value. She’s giving a thousand percent at work, while managing and juggling every parental issue by herself. And then she’s adding in more by trying to be a great mentor, and trying to throw successful PTO events. The amount of pressures on her are visceral. Even when I was having fun with this book, I was still feeling uncomfortable with the stress. This is too much for any one human to shoulder!
The romance here is sweet, not overheated. I liked Zach a lot–while he initially comes off too short with Lisa, he immediately settles into a kind of insta-attraction to her. His patience for her to realize he is a catch too is charming. He’s a great guy, and a good match for Lisa. A single dad himself, he can relate. There’s some spice here, but generally pretty tame.
Part of the journey for Lisa is to learn to say no. While she does get there, I felt like she needed to make bigger changes in her life. Lisa is the kind of person who it feels like will say no today…..until there’s a little pressure tomorrow and she’s throwing on the extra work again. The issues with her son at home are substantial enough for her to be finding a way to give it more attention. That comes at a cost, and I’m not sure it was truly, meaningfully resolved by the end of the novel.
The question of perimenopause is an interesting one. It feels like it will serve a significant role in the story given the book’s title. And I think that’s a positive thing–the discussion of menopause is everywhere recently, thanks in part to Oprah’s bringing her spotlight to it. But It’s Getting Hot in Here feels like it misses an opportunity to specifically address this issue and how little discussed it actually is. The book does do a good job of portraying mid-life, but it feels like the author could have dug a little deeper to have something to say about these health changes for women.
Overall, this is a refreshing romance book and I think has some of those Bridget Jones vibes both in its British-ness but also in its main character’s chaos and insecurities. It also sets the table for deeper discussions about the expectations placed on women by society and by themselves. This could be an interesting one for a conversation jump starter at book club. The book definitely feels like equal parts romance, women’s fiction, and mom story. So hard-core romance lovers maybe will not find enough to grab onto here. But I thought it was a lovely little snack to enjoy with a cup of coffee (sorry, this American can’t with the tea).
My Rating for It’s Getting Hot in Here
4 out of 5 stars
My Romance Recipe Pairing
I think you’re gonna need an ice cold cocktail to cool you down from It’s Getting Hot in Here–might I suggest my Nutella Martinis? It’s got that British nod too with it’s ode to a British staple, Nutella.
Synopsis for It’s Getting Hot in Here
Synopsis (from Amazon)
Hilarious, relatable, and delightfully swoon-worthy, It’s Getting Hot in Here is the laugh-out-loud, coming-of-middle-age, rom-com meets mom-com readers have been waiting for.
Lisa Darling, a high-powered TV executive and twice-divorced mother of two, is navigating life with an opinionated teenager and a pet-obsessed grade-schooler, organizing PTA events, and supporting her best friend through breast cancer treatment. It’s no wonder her to-do list is on overdrive and she never has time for Pilates or that DIY interior design project.
When LA-based media hotshot Zach Russo swoops in as a stand-in for her best friend’s job, Lisa starts feeling overheated and flustered. She’s convinced her hormone replacement therapy needs some adjusting, until she finds herself in a sexy―and seriously ill-advised―cinch with him. As things snowball, Lisa has to ask herself what she really wants. It’s Getting Hot in Here is the delightfully swoon-worthy rom-com meets mom-com readers have been waiting for.
Buy It’s Getting Hot in Here for Kindle here
