Review - Rom-Com for Dummies by Tom Diggs

Rom-Com for Dummies

by Tom Diggs

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Tags: Contemporary

Posted in Book Reviews on March 25, 2026

Gabe is the head writer for a long-running television soap opera. It’s a demanding job that doesn’t leave any time for relationships. Gabe scratches the occasional itch using a hook-up app. What nobody knows is that the secret to Gabe’s continued success at coming up with story lines is his weekly calls to his mother in the small upstate New York town where he grew up. She fills him in on all the local gossip and Gabe transforms it into clever plots for the show. When Gabe’s mother dies unexpectedly, it turns his life upside down. It’s not just a personal loss, it could be career ending. Gabe returns to his home town to deal with his mother’s funeral and estate. Nobody knows what Gabe really does for a living and he’s determined to keep it that way. While there, Gabe meets Owen, a handsome man from the city trying to become a gentleman farmer. There’s a strong attraction between the two, but there are a lot of issues that might keep them apart.

The title of this book is very apt, as it pokes fun at the classic romantic comedy tropes while spinning a story that sticks close to the genre. There are no big surprises in the story. The big dramatic turn of events is so obvious from the very start that I have to assume it’s intentional. It’s just another way the story pokes fun at romantic comedies in a loving fashion.

The story is related entirely from Gabe’s point of view. Gabe seems to be fundamentally a good guy, but like so many of us he’s gotten wrapped up in becoming “successful” at work, which requires a lot of creativity and word-crafting. While he’s definitely successful, it’s not something Gabe is particularly proud of. He writes for the soap under a pseudonym, in effect giving himself a secret identity. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that when Gabe’s two worlds collide, drama will ensue.

We only get to know Owen through Gabe’s eyes. At first, Owen seems almost too good to be true: a rich himbo that’s good in the kitchen. He does eventually reveal a few flaws that make him all too human. “Rom-Com for Dummies” is a loving homage to the genre. My one teeny complaint is that, with all the movie and television references, there’s not one single allusion to Green Acres in the banter between Gabe and Owen.

“Rom-Com for Dummies” is available from Smashwords or see Bookshop.org for independent retailers where you can buy a print or ebook copy.