User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
ARC provided by Berkley in exchange for an honest review. “My Tom Hanks is out there, and I’m not going to settle until I find him.”
I’m not going to lie to you all, I have been dreading writing this review. This is probably the book that has disappointed me the most in 2019, so far. I thought it was going to be a cute romcom about a girl, working on a movie set, falling in love. And I suppose it was, but it also has so much bad and infuriating things also in this story.
Waiting for Tom Hanks is about a girl named Annie who (you guessed it) is in search of her life’s romcom hero, who she thinks she deserves to be swept off her feet by. And what better way to look for prospects, than to work on a movie that your uncle pulls strings for you to be the director’s new assistant. And on her first day at set, she meets Drew, the star of this romcom that is being filmed.
“If there was ever a man who was the complete and polar opposite of Tom Hanks, it would be Drew Danforth.”
The best character was easily Annie’s uncle, Don, who was probably pansexual, but the author didn’t put it on page. But he also runs a weekly D&D group, and you all know that is very much something I am passionate about. Also, he was just kind hearted, and showed unconditional love, and I truly always wanted the best for him.
The second best character was Chloe, who is Annie’s best friend, and who is on page bisexual. I have no idea why she would be friends with Annie, but I am happy she was part of the story, and I’m happy the author is going to write about her in the next book.
Annie was just the worst, and being in her head was so unpleasant to read from. From fake *wokeness* to white feminism, to just being dramatic and jumping to so many ridiculous conclusions, from pity party to just doing so many hurtful and dumb things, she is easily the worst main character I’ve read about in 2019. Annie needs to learn boundaries, and respect, and *plot twist* at the end of this book was so horrible, that I can’t even believe that beta readers would not say how horrible it felt to read.
I suppose I should talk more about the white feminism in this book. The white director wanting to film a movie about an interracial relationship, because he is now in an interracial relationship felt really bad. You should want to promote diversity all the time, in all walks of life, not just went it mirrors your life and impacts you and your white-self. Every single time Drew talked about being a feminist because of his feminist mom and how he opened doors and walked girls home made me want to die. Even though I did feel bad for Drew through most of this, because Annie was so insufferable. Also, all the main characters in this book are white! To keep bringing up how *woke* you are, when your entire book is about two heterosexual people, who are white, with all white friends, it doesn’t feel good to read. Especially when the only person of color is a very minor side character (yet, the star of the very movie) who was only written to help the main character very awkwardly at the end of this book. Telling and showing are two very different things, and when you put such an emphasis on telling, while never showing, it makes for a really horrible reading experience. Bringing up how whitewashed media is constantly is just going to make your whitewashed book more obvious.
Overall, this just wasn’t for me. I should have known by the 100th Tom Hanks metaphor by page 50 to just DNF this, but I didn’t. There are so many other amazing romcoms out there, many of which are also being published through Berkley. I just really wouldn’t waste your time on this one, unless you like hurtful main characters, who think they deserve the world, and Tom Hanks movies getting brought up every page.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Tumblr | Youtube | Twitch
The quotes above were taken from an ARC and are subject to change upon publication.Content and Trigger Warnings for loss of a loved one and talk of cheating in the past (not MCs).
Buddy read with Alexa, Madalyn, & Amy! ❤
Rating: really liked it
The May Reading Vlog (aka tier listing 30+ books) is up! Now that you know where this one ranks, click the link to check out the rest!
The Written Review 
This book was a solid 3 stars...There were fun bits but gosh, the main character grated my nerves.
BUT THEN I GOT TO THE END - and now I can't really rate it above 1-star.
Normally I don't mention stuff that happens in the end of a book in a review - cause hello spoiler.
But when that stuff completly eclipses the rest of the book, I think it should get mentioned. Just be aware of spoiler tags.
I am so mad at that bit where she (view spoiler)
[
took the picture of the naked movie star love interest and accidentally sent it to the gossip tabloids with a comment about his circumcision? (hide spoiler)]What
ON EARTH was that?
How could she
even have the balls to play it off as an "oopsie" moment? And the side characters claiming he would get over it and come back cause she's such a catch?
Like I get she was only intending to (view spoiler)
[
share the semi-naked pic with her BFF (hide spoiler)]but even then, that's an instant relationship end for me. How can she act like it wasn't a
HUGE violation of privacy and trust?
And when she does the grand gesture,
she DOESN'T grovel. It's all about love and realizing he was her Tom Hanks all along.
Pardon my vulgarity, but, can you imagine how people would've reacted if genders were reversed? Some guy just(view spoiler)
[
snaps a photo of a naked girl he just banged with a comment on if her crotch was shaved and sends it to the media? (hide spoiler)]I don't know guys, that one moment just
completely eclipsed my minimal enjoyment of the book and really threw the double standards of men vs women in my face.
YouTube | Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Snapchat @miranda_reads
Rating: really liked it
Super cute! The rom-com nostalgia in Waiting for Tom Hanks is strong so don’t be surprised when you get the urge to watch all your favorite romantic comedies from the past few decades to keep the feel-good vibes flowing. Not a bad way to spend a weekend...or a sick day. Just sayin’.
My favorite quote:“It doesn’t matter how someone in a romantic comedy affords their absurdly nice house, or whether or not their profession makes sense, or if technically they’re sort of stalking someone they heard on a call-in radio show. What matters is that they have hope. Sure, they find love, but it’s not even about love. It’s the hope that you deserve happiness, and that you won’t be sad forever, and that things will get better. It’s hope that life doesn’t always have to be a miserable slog, that you can find someone to love who understands you and accepts you just as you are.”Audiobook narrated by Rachel L. Jacobs.
Rating: really liked it
3.5 stars
Easy, Breezy, and a little Cheesy!
Waiting for Tom Hanks is a sweet story about a woman who is waiting to find true love and experience her own romantic comedy. Annie is 27 years old and stuck in her comfortable world in Ohio--she wants to be a screenwriter but is unwilling to leave her childhood home to try her hand at working in the movies. She spends her time freelance writing in her friend’s coffee shop waiting to meet Mr. Right. Annie is obsessed with romantic comedies and compares every man she meets to the heroes in her favorite films, especially those starring Tom Hanks. She is waiting to have her “meet cute” and find her leading man, but it just hasn’t happened yet. When a movie is finally being filmed her town, starring handsome movie star Drew, Annie finally gets the opportunity to experience her “meet cute,” but it turns out that life isn’t always like the movies and Annie struggles to meld reality with her fantasy.
This is a fun and quick read with some charming, quirky characters and witty banter. It had more depth than I thought it would (based on the title). I found Annie’s character endearing. I was a little nervous for her at first, but once I was able to peel back the layers to learn more about why she is obsessed with rom-coms, I began to root for her. Similar to rom-coms, there are some embarrassing, over-the-top moments when the characters confront and express their true feelings. Other moments were a little too sappy and cheesy for my taste, and I had to partially cover my eyes and look away from the words!
Outside of these moments, I found Waiting for Tom Hanks to be an entertaining, lighthearted, quick read. I am looking forward to Kerry Winfrey’s next book featuring Nick and Chloe (Annie's friends).
I received an ARC of this book from Edelweiss and Penguin Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: really liked it
Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey is a 2019 Berkley publication.
An adorable ode to classic Rom-Coms!
I am pleased to see this book was so well received! Rom-Coms were considered circumspect back in their prime, but after a while they became the 'Barry Manilow' of movies, eliciting all manner of hand waving and eye rolls from the super intelligent, who are too smart to indulge in something so sentimental and sweet, playing the tired old 'unrealistic' card. Blah, Blah, Blah! I don't care! I loved those movies!!
I’m so happy to see people are looking back on those wonderful ‘feel good’ movies with fond nostalgia these days and are maybe beginning to relax and realize that a little light gentle fun won’t hurt you- in fact it’s good for the soul!!
That said, I must, with great chagrin, admit that at times this book was a bit too silly, even for me. The author did do an amazing job of recreating the 1990s Rom-Com format and atmosphere, which also means it was occasionally corny.
The characters are zany, quirky, and downright weird at times, but they are also funny and sweet. The story is predictable, of course, but that's part of its charm.
We find comfort and escape with these stories. They lift our spirits, restore hope, and leave us enveloped in a warm fuzzy glow, but most importantly, they make us smile.
This book pays tributes to all the great classics- not just ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ or ‘You’ve Got Mail’. I was happy to see the author mention, “While You Were Sleeping’ (Bill Pullman!!!!!) which is my all -time favorite, although ‘When Harry Met Sally’ is a pretty close second- but of course- even stuffy snobs love Tom Hanks!
Overall, this story is super light and easy, very fun and…. It made me smile!
4 stars
Rating: really liked it
Many thanks to Berkely for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review Maybe your problem is you spent so much time thinking about your past that you didn't spend any time thinking about your future.
Ahh, this was so good. I’m really relieved that I loved because I think Berkley would officially ex-communicate me if I didn’t. I think the key selling point for me was not only the hilarious moments but the meta-ness of the whole book.
➸
Annie - We follow Annie, a romcom
addict lover. Annie has religiously studied rom-coms. From there humor to there hope, Annie loves every bit. Now, she is a full-grown adult and is waiting for her own perfect man to swoop her off her feet. I was really worried that I wouldn’t like Annie because Melanie said in her amazing review that she really didn’t. No shade to Melanie. I love her and her reviews. At first, I thought Annie was straight up bratty but she grew on me and I absolutely loved her character arc. I also saw a bit of myself in her. Bratty, a little self-centered but lovable.
➸
Chloe - Even if you didn’t like Annie, you’ll still like Chloe. She was definitely one of the best characters and I am so, so excited to see her get her own novel in 2020. She played the best friend role so well. She was funny and kind. Augh, I wish I had a friend like Chloe.
➸
Drew - Honestly, I don’t know how much longer I can stand having crushes on fictional crushes because, deep down, I know that I’ll never be able to meet them. Drew is the exact person I would avoid in real life but opposites attract (?) Also, something I like to do is google to see if I can find what I think a character would look like so they’re even more real inside my head and I found one. So here it is. (you’re welcome)
[Credit: River Viiperi]
As I mentioned, this novel is super unique. It was so unlike the romcoms I’ve read this year. Because Annie is so obsessed with romcoms, there is a sh*tton of pop culture. Most books won’t actually bring up real movies or actors which makes them feel kind of distanced from reality but this one brought up so many. From
When Harry met Sally to
Sleepless in Seattle, there are so many real-life references which made the book feel even more realistic. Annie is constantly referencing romcoms and talking about how she needs to stop comparing her life to them because her life isn’t a rom-com… even though we all know it is. crazy.
I also really loved the relationship between Drew and Annie. Sure, it was the cheesy yet lovable enemies-to-lovers romance but it was still enjoyable. I think the fact that the author used every cliche in the book, which is usually annoying, just endeared the reader because it fit the meta-ness of the book so well.
Overall, this book was so well written. It’s funny, clever and meta. If you’re looking for a light-hearted rom-com to melt your heart,
Waiting for Tom Hanks is your book!
Bottom Line:
4.5 Stars
Age Rating: [ PG-13 ]
Cover: 4/5 ~ Characters: 5/5 ~ Plot: 4/5 ~ Audio: 3/5
Reps: [NONE]
Publication Date: June 11th, 2019
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Romance/Comedy
➵
Waiting for Tom Hanks - ★★★★★
➵
Not Like the Movies - ★★★★☆
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
Rating: really liked it
From the moment I set eyes on the title, I knew I had to read this one.I mean come on, who doesn’t love Tom Hanks...or want
their happily ever after! Right!?🤷🏻♀️
Annie is waiting for her
Tom Hanks to sweep her off her feet...just like in the movies. Because Annie’s fantasy world is a Rom-Com.
Meanwhile she risks watching her whole life slip past, as she assures herself her (Rom-Com) love story is right around the corner.
A quirky and fun romp. A tad predictable but it still worked. I loved all the references to the ‘90’s Rom-Coms. Some I remembered vividly and fondly and a few I can't wait to watch again.
If you’re looking for a fun beach read that will keep you smiling...then look no further!
A buddy read with Susanne!
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing for an ARC to read and review.
Rating: really liked it
4 Adorable, Rom-Com Dream Come True Stars! You guys, I devoured this book in 1 sitting in the span of a few hours! Was it predictable and full of rom-com cliches - Yes! Yes it was! AND that's why I totally loved it. It was a perfect light-hearted, escape from reality. Is life anything like a rom-com? Absolutely not, which is why so many of us love them so much. Isn't it nice to gush over a meet-cute, know the banter between the main characters is obviously flirting before they know it, survive that misunderstood, plot twist moment where it can all come crashing down only to live happily ever after. I don't know about you but I need a little of that in my life every now & then and friends
Waiting for Tom Hanks delivered it all and then some.
I found the side cast of characters enjoyable and the references to some of my all time fave rom-com movies were such a plus! See Annie is obsessed with her life being like a rom-com, which in reality would be pretty delusional but come on - this is a fun book and honestly, who hasn't fantasized about their life taking on a rom-comesque (I totally made that up but it should totally be a word!) or fairytale ending once or let's be real - a few hundred times. 🤣 It can't just be me! Right?!
So thank you Kerry Winfrey for the great escape you provided me with your book. I honestly can't wait to read Nick & Chloe's story in
Not Like the Movies . 💖
Rating: really liked it
4 Adorable Stars for “Waiting for Tom Hanks!”
The Perfect Feel Good Rom-Com! Annie is a gal who LOVES romantic comedies. When I say love I mean LOVE. She has watched every romantic comedy ever made and has all of the lines memorized. Tom Hanks is her favorite romantic lead. “Sleepless in Seattle,” “You’ve Got Mail.. you name it! In fact, she is looking for a guy “just” like him in real life. Her very own Tom Hanks and she believes with all of her might that it’ll happen, that she will find him.
When Annie gets a job on a movie set in her very own hometown, well, the perfect “meet-cute” seems like it’s bound to happen!
Full of endearing, funny and altogether sweet (and swoon-worthy) moments, “Waiting for Tom Hanks” is sure to make even cynics like myself believe. I loved being reminded of my favorite romantic comedies from the 80’s and 90’s (“While You Were Sleeping” and of course, “When Harry Met Sally”). If you are looking for a light, easy read that has several laugh-out-loud moments, I recommend “Waiting for Tom Hanks” - it will definitely make you smile!
This was a buddy read with Kaceey and we had so much fun reading it!
Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group and to Kerry Winfrey for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads on 6.8.19.
Will be published on Amazon and Twitter on 6.11.19.
Excerpt to be published on Instagram.
Rating: really liked it
I'm between 4 and 4.5 stars.
"...I'm starting to think that the movies I've dedicated my life to may have lied to me. Nora Ephron herself may have indirectly lied to me. Tom Hanks, as much as I've trusted him, may have lied to me. Because I have it all: the sympathetic backstory, the montage of humiliations minor and major, unrealized career aspirations, the untamed pre-makeover hair. But still, I wait. Single, lonely, Hanks-less."
Annie Cassidy believes in love. Or more accurately, she believes in the love she has seen in the romantic comedies she grew up watching. She and her mother used to watch all those movies, from the screwball comedies of the 1930s and 1940s to the holy grail, the movies written by Nora Ephron which starred Tom Hanks—
Sleepless in Seattle and
You've Got Mail .
Annie knows that her parents, who are both deceased, had a storybook romance, and she believes one is waiting out there for her, too. All she needs to do is to find her Tom Hanks, the steadfast, kind, romantic man from the movies, maybe one who even owns a houseboat. She's even ready for their meet-cute.
When Annie gets a job on a movie being filmed in her town, as an aspiring screenwriter of rom-coms, she feels like this may be the break she needs. She meets the film's handsome leading man, Drew Danforth, but isn't impressed by his prankster ways, or that he always seems to be around to witness her most embarrassing moments. She discovers that he's a far more sensitive, complex man than she imagined, but no matter how much she may be attracted to him, he is
not her Tom Hanks, especially since he'll be leaving town as soon as filming is complete.
Are Annie's expectations unrealistic, or can she find the man she's been waiting her whole life for? Have the movies she loves so much given her false hope, and caused her to pass over the right person? Annie makes some surprising and painful discoveries, and she wonders whether it's even worth wanting romance, or whether she should just give up waiting for it.
Waiting for Tom Hanks is absolutely adorable and it reads just like a romantic comedy. You can pretty much tell what's going to happen from the very start, but the characters are goofy and charming (including several of the supporting characters) that you may find yourself completely hooked, like I did. Kerry Winfrey knows her rom-coms, and honestly, this book would make the perfect movie.
Sure, the book is a little hokey, but it was such a fun read that I devoured it in the course of a plane ride. I'm definitely looking forward to Winfrey's next book, because I just enjoyed this so much! If you're a rom-com fan, or just a fan of romance,
Waiting for Tom Hanks may be for you!
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2018 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2018.html.
You can follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Rating: really liked it
This was pure fun! Annie is twenty-seven years old and loves a romantic comedy. These movies are especially important to her for their nostalgia as she watched them with her late mother before she passed away.
Annie’s dating expectations have been influenced by these movies. She’s literally waiting for her own Tom Hanks to send her an email or arrive at her front door.
Annie meets her perfect match, but she may have to figure out how to be his perfect match, too, with all the defenses she’s built up.
I loved the wave of rom com movies that came out in the 90s! So much fun and so endearing! Waiting for Tom Hanks could fit right in among those movies. It’s charming, sweet, and oodles of fun. I also get the feeling there may be a second book in the works based on the amazing supporting key players here.
Overall, this was a quick, warmhearted, charming read, perfect for summer, and an especially good match for rom com fans!
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Rating: really liked it
I think this book is good but honestly I'm pretty biased.
Rating: really liked it
Sweet, charming, & a purely lighthearted pleasure!
WAITING FOR TOM HANKS by KERRY WINFREY was such an engaging, fun, wonderful, amusing, quick, and endearing rom-com tale that was a pure delight to read. I pretty much had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this book.
KERRY WINFREY delivers a well-written, highly entertaining and enjoyable read here with lovable, quirky and realistic characters. I was totally smitten with these characters and this storyline that had me eagerly flipping those pages as fast as I could.
This was more than your classic rom-com tale as it’s written in such a way that felt so refreshing and new. I thought it was such an ingenious and interesting angle using Tom Hanks references from those beloved romantic comedies throughout this novel. What Tom Hanks represents and stands for in this story is absolutely swoon-worthy and so perfectly meaningful. I think we can all attest to wanting our very own “Tom Hanks” love story!
I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t get enough of this feel-good story and quirky characters.
Norma’s Stats:
Cover: Fun, quirky, charming, and an effective representation to storyline. Love the cover art!
Title: Intriguing, adorable, clever, and a fabulous representation to storyline.
Writing/Prose: Well-written, engaging, captivating, humorous, fluid and charming.
Plot: Refreshing, fun, delightful, adorable, lighthearted, fast-paced, absorbing, enjoyable and highly entertaining.
Ending: A swoon-worthy ending that left me feeling quite content, happy and satisfied with.
Overall: 4.5 Stars! I adored this extremely engrossing, enjoyable & entertaining book right from the very start and had me laughing out loud numerous times. Would highly recommend!
Thank you so much to Elisha at Berkley Publishing and to Kerry Winfrey for gifting me a copy of this absolutely adorable and enjoyable book. It was an absolute pleasure spending time with this book!!!
Review can also be found on our Two Sisters Lost in a Coulee Reading book blog:
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/
Rating: really liked it
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
FLOOOOOAAAAT for Pub Day! 
Normally I wouldn’t be posting a review so many months in advance of a book’s release (heck, let’s face it – normally I end up failing miserably and reading half of the ARCs I receive
after their release date), but there was zero chance I wasn’t going to talk about this one on Valentine’s Day.
The story here is about Annie. Ever since she was a little girl she has dreamed of the moment she would meet-cute her one true love. She was always sure it would come in the form of a true “a ha” moment – with a man who may or may not live on a houseboat, possibly with a child, maybe after tragically being widowed. Either that or it would be in love to hate form via e-mail correspondence or some form of social media where she sparred unknowingly with the man who was to be her soulmate. But has Annie become so wrapped up in the fantasy that she won’t be able to recognize the real thing when she sees it???
As I told my husband, I have been waiting for Tom Hanks to come for me for the duration of our 22-year marriage (and after going on a .gif hunt for this maybe I’ve been waiting for Meg Ryan too????). There was zero chance I wasn’t going to do whatever was necessary in order to obtain this title. There was also zero chance I wasn’t going to then proceed to crap my pants in fear that I would hate it/it wouldn’t live up to my expectations. Luckily there was absolutely nothing to fear.
Waiting for Tom Hanks was
EXACTLY what I wanted it to be: a classic PG style rom-com, only in print format rather than projected on the silver screen. (However, please note this should immediately be optioned and someone should be calling Chris Pratt’s agent to see how many zeroes he would like at the end of his check in order to play the male lead.) If nothing makes your Grinch heart turn to goo like moments like these . . . .
Get your dollars ready come June.
Happy Hallmark Holiday everyone!!!!!
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Oh, and Berkley? As you know, this was a two-book deal. No pressure or anything, but if I don’t get the second one as soon as it is available? 
Rating: really liked it
4.5 stars
Waiting For Tom Hanks is another book that took me out of my normal and it was one I didn’t really have high hope of controlling my eyes from rolling. Well, let me tell you just how much I loved this one. There might have been some dancing going on after reading this with the way this one wrapped up. I was so pleased by that ending. Maybe there is hope for this unromantic sole.
Waiting for Tom Hanks is a fresh modern take on a rom com and if I was to sum it up in one word it would be irresistible. However, there is so much more to this one. The story has all the plot elements to a rom com and at times it did feel it was going to go in the direction of those predictable, overused plot lines but nope Kerry Winfrey keeps it fresh, spinning a very interesting, entertaining, hilarious, heartfelt story here.
I loved the colorful, quirky and very likable characters in this story and the dynamics between them. I really enjoyed following Annie through her conflicts and adventures as she searches for her Tom Hanks.
I loved the ending, did I mention that already. It was on the super romantic side that is known in rom com but in such a unique comical way. I was at the edge of my seat, rooting for our couple and thoroughly entertained by the dynamics between these characters. I highly recommend!
I received a complimentary copy from Elisha at Berkley Publishing.
This was my pick for the prompt Short & sweet: Read a book with less than 100 pages (or a book you can finish in one sitting) from the Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge. I read it in one sitting but I did fall asleep halfway through. In the Traveling Friends group, a few of us agreed it still counted. Lol
From our blog
https://twosisterslostinacoulee.com/2...
