Plotting Summer

I’ll admit, I rolled my eyes at first when the heroine—a romance writer—started analyzing her own love life like it was a flawed manuscript. *Oh great*, I thought, *another meta-romance*. But Heileman subverts expectations by making that self-awareness the *point*. The protagonist isn’t just quirky; she’s genuinely stuck in her own head, and watching her stumble into vulnerability (often against her will) is what makes the romance satisfying. The love interest, a local handyman with a side hustle in woodworking, could’ve been a cardboard cutout of the ‘salt-of-the-earth’ type, but his quiet confidence and *actual* emotional availability make him stand out. Their dynamic feels fresh because it’s built on mutual respect, not just attraction. Ellen Quay’s performance sells it. She nails the heroine’s sarcasm without making her sound bitter, and her timing with the comedic beats is impeccable—especially in the scenes where the two leads debate the merits of ‘plotters vs. pantsers’ (a debate that’ll delight any writer listening). My only critique? The middle act drags slightly with subplots about the town’s festival that, while charming, don’t always tie tightly to the central romance. And while the steam level is ‘closed-door,’ there’s one *almost*-kiss scene so charged you’ll rewind it—proof that tension doesn’t need explicit content to sizzle. The production quality is flawless, with clear audio and no jarring shifts in tone. If you’re craving a romance that’s smart, slow-burn, and *actually* funny (not just ‘rom-com adjacent’), this is your summer listen.