How Amanda Jain Pitched Not Ok, Cupid by Anna Kaling
- By: admin | Date: Feb 04 2020
Happy pub day to Anna Kaling for her debut romance NOT OK, CUPID!
NOT OK, CUPID was actually the second of Anna’s books that I read, and, at that time, we thought the book would be titled UNTHINKABLE. It has one of the best opening lines you’ll ever read, one that immediately opens a window into the main character’s personality. She’s bubbly, personable, funny, and body / sex positive. You just want to be her best friend.
We knew that some of the subject matter could be a bit challenging. There’s a significant age difference between Ally and Marc, their relationship is initially hidden from those they love, and Marc’s ex is WHOO BOY not a nice lady. But the humor and heart with which Anna tackles these themes jumps off the page and makes the reader fall in love too.
Luckily, editor Kate Byrne at Headline Eternal felt the same way! Like me, Kate was won over by Anna’s writing voice and the steamy love affair between Ally and Marc. And I’m sure the very good dogs in the story helped too.
Here’s the pitch that got Kate’s attention:
Today I’m excited to introduce you to NOT OK, CUPID, a humorous contemporary romance with a fresh take on the fake engagement and best friend’s sister tropes.
ALLY RIVERS’ first lie is a favor for her best friend when he asks her to pretend to be his fiancée at a family party. It’s a risk because Ally finds it hard enough to keep her story straight when she’s telling the truth, but she’s enjoying the Prosecco and it’s going okay—until she realizes the hot gardener she’s been flirting with is actually her friend’s dad. MARC KINSELL suspects right away that his son’s engagement is a sham, and Ally works hard trying to throw him off track as he invents ways to spend time with her to ferret out the truth.
The more time Ally spends with Marc, though, the sexier he gets. In the back of her mind is Sam’s desperation for his parents to get back together, and he’d never forgive Ally for driving the final nail into that coffin. But when she and Marc sleep together, just once to get it out of their systems, Ally struggles to keep another secret—this one from her best friend. It’s time to simplify, but if she can only keep one Kinsell man in her life, either choice means two broken hearts.
Anna Kaling is a professional bid writer and editor for a consultancy firm in London. NOT OK, CUPID is her debut.
Love the premise, but I’m desperate to know what the first sentence is! I struggle with writing WOW opening lines and would love some more examples 🙂
AJ, if you have not read it yet, you can find it on Amazon. They show the first chapter.
Thank you! I didn’t think of that *slinking off to read*
That first sentence is indeed great…and funny. What’s also funny is that there is a similarly titled romance novel out there by an author with a similar sounding name: Not Okay, Cupid by Heidi R. Kling. Interesting, huh?
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You’re wonderful! Thank you!