In a New York Minute

by Kate Spencer

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A meet-cute? In New York City? Hold that train, and count us in!

“A sparkling delight about found and chosen family, being brave even in the tiny moments, and the rewards we can reap when we put our authentic selves out there. What a sweet, hilarious treat.” —Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author
 
Franny Doyle is having the worst day. She’s been laid off from her (admittedly mediocre) job, the subway doors ripped her favorite silk dress to ruins, and now she’s flashed her unmentionables to half of lower Manhattan. On the plus side, a dashing stranger came to her rescue with his (Gucci!) suit jacket. On the not-so-plus side, he can’t get away from her fast enough.

Worse yet? Someone posted their (entirely not) meet-cute online. Suddenly Franny and her knight-in-couture, Hayes Montgomery III, are the newest social media sensation, and all of New York is shipping #SubwayQTs.

Only Franny and Hayes couldn’t be a more disastrous match. She’s fanciful, talkative, and creative. He’s serious, shy, and all about numbers. Luckily, in a city of eight million people, they never have to meet again. Yet somehow, Hayes and Franny keep running into each other—and much to their surprise, they enjoy each other’s company. A lot. But when Franny’s whole world is turned upside down (again!), can she find the courage to trust in herself and finally have the life—and love—she’s always wanted?
 
A clever, tender rom-com romp for readers of Jasmine Guillory, Abby Jimenez, and Sophie Cousens.
 
Read this if you love:

• Opposites attract romance
• A love letter to New York City
• An adorable meet disaster
• Found family

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538737644
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	02/07/2023
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	124,391
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.80(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Kate Spencer is the author of the novels In a New York Minute and One Last Summer as well as the memoir The Dead Moms Club. As a podcaster, she's won two iHeart Radio Podcast Awards for her work on Forever35. Her writing has been published by InStyle, Cosmopolitan, the Washington Post, Rolling Stone, and numerous other places. In another lifetime, Kate interviewed celebrities for VH1 and can confirm that Pedro Pascal is as charming as you imagine. She lives with her family in Los Angeles.

Editorial Reviews

"A tender, When Harry Met Sally–worthy romance . . . the romantic tension and words unspoken will leave you visibly swooning page after page."—Kirkus, Starred Review

"Spencer's bubbly, opposites-attract debut romance doubles as a love letter to New York CIty . . . this is a joy."—Publishers Weekly

"This slow-burn romance makes for a delightful, sweet debut."—Booklist

“Spencer writes with a wry lilt and a gift for dialogue. The novel is as much a love-letter to New York City as any Nora Ephron screenplay, an ode to sticky days in Central Park, bodega shopping, and the serendipity that can crash into you in a city that big and bustling. Grade: A ”
 —Entertainment Weekly

"A Kate Spencer book is a guaranteed good read."

 —Elissa Sussman, bestselling author of Funny You Should Ask

"A New York minute is all the time you'll take to gobble up this hilarious, heartwarming story of missed connections, friends as family, and Big Apple magic." —Georgia Clark, author of It Had to Be You

“Spins a catastrophic meet-cute into a richly realized romance that's surrounded by even more love stories—between friends, between families, and between New Yorkers and their city. You'll devour it.”—Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan, USA Today bestselling authors of The Royal We and The Heir Affair

"It's sure to be a rom-com classic!"—Maureen Goo, author of Somewhere Only We Know

“Sincere, tender, and charming as hell. Kate Spencer's debut novel is a love story to friendship, discovering what—and who—makes you feel truly yourself, and New York City. I flew through this book and enjoyed every moment!”—Jasmine Guillory, New York Times bestselling author of While We Were Dating

"Sweet, with a touch of steam and a lot of laughs . . . I adored the hilarious, memorable meet-cute and wanted to hang out with Franny and her friends. The vibrant New York setting was the perfect backdrop to ride along with Hayes and Franny as their lives were turned upside down by love. A delightful debut!"—Farah Heron, author of Accidentally Engaged

“A frolicky, playful rom-com about finding Mr. Right when everything else goes wrong.”—Abby Jimenez, New York Times bestselling author of Life’s Too Short

“A Nora Ephron romp for the modern age, IN A NEW YORK MINUTE serves up a subway meet cute that goes viral before it goes very wrong—and then delivers an absorbing, heart-achingly good HEA. With characters so boisterous and loyal you’ll want to send them cards on their birthdays (and bagels, lots of bagels), and a stoic, fumbling, romantic dream of a hero, Kate Spencer’s novel is a sparkling delight about found and chosen family, being brave even in the tiny moments, and the rewards we can reap when we put our authentic selves out there. What a sweet, hilarious treat.”—Christina Lauren, New York Times bestselling author

“If you’re looking for the perfect ‘meet cute,’ look no further.  Adorable banter and countless laugh-out-loud moments makes this charming romance a true delight.”—Farrah Rochon, USA Today bestselling author of The Dating Playbook

“A perfect New York romance, as sweet, steamy, and surprising as the city itself.”—Abbi Waxman, USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

From the Publisher

01/17/2022

Spencer’s bubbly, opposites-attract debut romance (following her memoir The Dead Moms Club) doubles as a love letter to New York City, here a character in its own right. Chatty interior designer Franny Doyle’s day starts with being fired and goes downhill from there. In a hilarious meet-cute, she has a wardrobe malfunction on the subway, and quirky, buttoned-up Hayes Montgomery III comes to her rescue by offering his Gucci suit jacket to cover her up. Someone captures the moment on camera, and they become an internet sensation known as the SubwayQTs. The promise of romance fades when their virality lands them on the morning news and Hayes announces on live TV that Franny’s not his type. But the Big Apple continues to throw these two together, giving them ample opportunities to grow on each other. Through alternating perspectives, the reader meets the supportive, entertaining friend groups that buoy the lovers when they’re down. The leisurely paced story detours into several fun if distracting subplots, including Franny’s friend Lola falling for Hayes’s cousin Perrine, and Franny discovering an Italian half-sister. Still, the central couple are both adorable and believably imperfect, and readers will root for their happy ending. This is a joy. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

06/01/2022

How can a bad day get worse? After she loses her job, Franny is further humiliated when her dress gets caught in the subway door and exposes her backside to the world. A mysterious businessman in a suit insists she take his jacket, a gesture that goes viral, complete with a hashtag. As Franny keeps crossing paths with Hayes (the chivalrous stranger) all over New York City, a friendship begins and an attraction grows. A jaunty tune welcomes listeners to the audio version of Spencer's debut novel, and narrators Amanda Dolan and Neil Hellegers are entertaining throughout the characters' misadventures. Dolan personifies Franny's exuberant demeanor, instilling her performance with Franny's peppy nature. Hellegers captures Hayes's personality, imbuing his performance with the haughty, precise tone that masks his introverted tendencies. Both narrators give unique voices to the secondary characters, notably Hayes's close friend, his cousin, and Franny's two best friends. Hellegers's weaker portrayal of some of the female characters, however, might distract some discerning listeners from the story. VERDICT Listeners who like some humor in their contemporary romances will enjoy.—Amanda L. S. Murphy

Library Journal - Audio

10/01/2021

What a way to meet: sparkly Franny has just been laid off from her lousy job when a closing subway door catches her silk dress, ripping it to shreds, and Hayes Montgomery III comes to her rescue by volunteering his Gucci suit jacket. Then he dashes off—evidently, he's the bashful type—and Franny doesn't expect to see him again even if an online posting of their outré encounter has gone viral. But New York City still isn't big enough to keep them from repeatedly running into each other, with finally winning results. From the award-winning co-host of the podcast Forever35; with a 50,000-copy first printing.

Library Journal

Listeners who appreciate an awkward protagonist or a meet-cute will find this audiobook appealing. Buttoned-up Hayes Montgomery III and awkward Franny Doyle meet when he gives her his Gucci suit jacket when her dress rips on the subway. Alternating chapters provide opportunities for Franny and Hayes to contemplate their growing attraction. The audio format capitalizes upon the dual points of view, with narrators Amanda Dolan and Neil Hellegers each highlighting their protagonist while maintaining the mannerisms of the other’s. Dolan’s bright voice makes for a compelling and realistic foil to Hellegers’s more contemplative, thoughtful tone in the story of a couple who find that becoming a viral sensation is only the beginning. E.J.F. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

MAY 2022 - AudioFile

Listeners who appreciate an awkward protagonist or a meet-cute will find this audiobook appealing. Buttoned-up Hayes Montgomery III and awkward Franny Doyle meet when he gives her his Gucci suit jacket when her dress rips on the subway. Alternating chapters provide opportunities for Franny and Hayes to contemplate their growing attraction. The audio format capitalizes upon the dual points of view, with narrators Amanda Dolan and Neil Hellegers each highlighting their protagonist while maintaining the mannerisms of the other’s. Dolan’s bright voice makes for a compelling and realistic foil to Hellegers’s more contemplative, thoughtful tone in the story of a couple who find that becoming a viral sensation is only the beginning. E.J.F. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

MAY 2022 - AudioFile

★ 2021-11-30
Anything can happen in New York, especially when an embarrassing subway encounter transforms into a tender, When Harry Met Sally...–worthy romance.

Francesca Doyle is having the worst morning of her life. First, she gets booted from the too-good-to-be-true interior design company Spayce, and then her green silk dress splits in two on the crowded Q train. When a handsome stranger politely offers her his Gucci suit jacket, Franny and “Hot Suit” unknowingly become viral sensations. They're dubbed the “#SubwayQTs,” and it seems as if all of New York City is rooting for their meet-cute to blossom into true love—except for the couple themselves. Franny isn't the type “financial do-gooder” Hayes Montgomery III usually falls for—he even says so himself on live TV. Hayes is shy and all numbers, while Franny is loud, clumsy (almost too clumsy), and unfiltered. Yet, the city just can’t seem to keep these two apart, and soon enough Franny finds herself working side by side with Hayes on a remodeling project. When one Friday night date turns into 48 hours, Franny and Hayes leave all of their platonic feelings on the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge. Spencer weaves a laugh-out-loud, endearing tale of friendship, family, and love through the honesty of her characters–– Franny’s best friends, Lola and Cleo, are standouts––and captures exactly what it’s like to feel lost and found in the big city: “There’s a split second where the city hits you, greets you, slobbers a kiss on your face like a puppy. It’s a jolt, and a shock, and then you move on. But there’s a part of you, somewhere, that marvels at it every time.” Franny and Hayes both have their flaws, but their moments of self-realization are appreciated and believable, and the romantic tension and words unspoken will leave you visibly swooning page after page.

A charming love story that speaks to all the welcome surprises that await in New York City.

Kirkus Reviews