Funny Feelings by Tarah Dewitt is a swoony story about friendship, love, and looking for the laugh in life. It touches on the creative spirit and all that comes with sharing that gift, and how oftentimes the comedians in our lives are the most sensitive, or struggling. It features two friends, one incredible little girl, and a kaleidoscope of feelings along the way.
Synopsis
Farley Jones is being forced to date Meyer Harrigan, the man she has come to love, in order to make all of her stand-up dreams come true. Meyer and his daughter Hazel have been everything to her since they came into her life three years ago. So, all joking aside, the stakes are especially high when it’s not only her career, but both of those relationships on the line.
A former stand-up star himself, Meyer has been vital to the trajectory of her career since he began managing her… Since he became her closest and most treasured friend, in the process.
This friendship is the only reason why, when the biggest opportunity of Farley’s career includes thrusting him back into the spotlight to stir up publicity, he agrees- in spite of his grumpiness, his protectiveness over Hazel, and his disdain for public attention.
It doesn’t take long for their act to bring all those other funny feelings out into the open, and, like most matters of the heart, it quickly begins to feel like anything but a joke.
Characters
The main characters complimented each other very well. Meyer grounds her through her insecurities, and Farley helps him to see the lighter side of any situation. However, the 10-year age gap between them was evident on some pages, especially regarding their communication. As someone who prefers open communication and honesty, Farley’s deliberate avoidance of talking things through was sometimes a bit frustrating.
FARLEY
She’s sassy, brave, and wears her wit on her sleeve instead of her heart. Her quirks add to her charming personality, but her mind drew me the most to her. Her tendency to jump to conclusions based on her insecurities is something many people can relate to. We paint pictures based on our own experiences and assume the worst. But her development throughout the story in becoming her own keeper is commendable and worth reading. And I loved the relationship she has with Hazel, Meyer’s daughter.
But I found only a few of her stand-up routines funny. And seeing as how that is what this book is about, I was disappointed. I don’t like comedy that relies heavily on insulting others to be funny, but this is just a personal preference.
MEYER
The author gave him multiple layers, which made him one of my favorite book BFs. As the story progresses from friendship to love, you see how he’s pushed out of his comfort zone and forced to go after what he loves. He’s an excellent father and an even more incredible friend. He’s supportive, sweet, and patient. The fact that he’s older is evident in his priorities and the way he navigates life.
HAZEL
The daughter of Meyer Harrigan is not someone who lets her disability slow her down. She’s sweet, sassy, and the smartest kid you’ll meet. And a charming addition to the story.
Plot
The story’s pacing was well done. As they crossed the line from friendship to lovers, Tarah Dewitt did a great job highlighting the hesitancy of both parties in not wanting to ruin the friendship.
There were a lot of adorable, sweet moments between them that will remind you of having your first crush.
Conflicts surrounding communication issues tend to be a pet peeve of mine, but it was written in a way that was right for the story – the problems brought out by the conflict were believable and resolved well.
Adding the ASL (American Sign Language) component enhanced the richness of the story. This is my second book including it (the first is Next of Kin by Hannah Bonam-Young), and it made me want to learn more about it.
Writing
Funny Feelings is written in dual POVs and dual timelines, which gave a better grasp of how their friendship evolved (mild spoiler alert: I’m a sucker for books where the guy falls first). The author included quotes from famous comedians at the beginning of each chapter, and I loved some of them so much that I will be adding them to my vision board.
Some sentences were a bit wordy and hard to read, but these were few and far between. And the dialogues where the characters spoke directly to the reader added to the immersive experience.
Conclusion
If you love relatable and funny characters with adorable, swoon-worthy moments, then Funny Feelings by Tarah Dewitt is for you. The author did a great job, and I look forward to reading her other books.
Best Quotes
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Funny Feelings
RATING: ★★★★/5 ᐧ || ᐧ A swoony story about friendship, love, and looking for the laugh in life. It touches on the creative spirit and all that comes with sharing that gift, and how oftentimes the comedians in our lives are the most sensitive, or struggling.
URL: https://www.amazon.com/Funny-Feelings-Tarah-DeWitt/dp/1088053408/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=funny+feelings+tarah+dewitt&qid=1674780663&sprefix=funny+fee2C200&sr=8-1
Author: Tarah Dewitt
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