How to Read the Waiting for Tom Hanks Series
Kerry Winfrey's romantic comedies are beloved for their witty banter, love letters to classic films, and warm Midwestern settings. While the core series is a duology, the characters and settings share delightful crossovers with the author's other books. To get the full experience and spot every cameo, we recommend reading them in order of publication.
The Recommended Reading Path
- Waiting for Tom Hanks (2019) – This is where the series begins, introduces the central setting of Columbus, Ohio, and establishes the main cast of characters, focusing on rom-com obsessive Annie Cassidy.
- Not Like the Movies (2020) – The direct sequel pivots to focus on Annie's best friend, Chloe Sanderson. It takes place after the events of the first book and resolves ongoing threads while offering a fresh romance.
The Broader Kerry Winfrey Rom-Com Universe
Winfrey's books are largely standalone, but they are linked by their shared geography and occasional character appearances. If you want to expand your reading journey into her wider, cozy Ohio universe, here is how her subsequent books connect:
- Very Sincerely Yours (2021): This standalone novel is also set in Columbus, Ohio. Keep your eyes peeled for a brief cameo from Chloe and Nick, the main couple from Not Like the Movies. Reading this after the core duology ensures you will recognize their appearance.
- Just Another Love Song (2022): This second-chance romance shifts the setting from Columbus to Baileyville, Ohio, a fictional small town inspired by Winfrey's real-life hometown of Bellville. While it features no direct crossovers with Annie and Chloe, it shares the same cozy regional charm.
- Faking Christmas (2023): Set in a country farmhouse just outside Columbus and in the town of Baileyville, this holiday rom-com features fun nods and cameos from characters in Winfrey's previous works, tying her small-town and city settings together.
Detailed Book Guide
Waiting for Tom Hanks (2019)
Annie Cassidy is waiting for her life to turn into a movie—specifically, a Nora Ephron film. Obsessed with romantic comedies, she is holding out for her perfect "Tom Hanks" to sweep her off her feet. When a major movie production comes to her neighborhood in Columbus, Ohio, Annie gets a job on set and is forced to work with the movie's lead actor, Drew Danforth. Drew is arrogant, cynical, and definitely not the sensitive everyman Annie has spent her life dreaming about. However, as the two clash behind the scenes, Annie has to decide if she is willing to let go of her idealized script for a chance at real, messy love.
Not Like the Movies (2020)
Chloe Sanderson is the pragmatic barista best friend of Annie Cassidy. Unlike Annie, Chloe does not have time for cinematic fantasies; she is busy working, running her own bakery business on the side, and caring for her father who has Alzheimer's disease. The only bright spot in her busy routine is her handsome boss, Nick Velez. When Chloe is forced to confront her feelings for Nick, she must learn how to let down her guard and accept that she deserves a happy ending of her own, even if it does not look like the movies.
What to Know Before You Start
Winfrey’s books are celebrated for their comfort-read quality, balancing laugh-out-loud humor with authentic emotional depth. Here are a few practical tips for new readers:
- Are they standalones? Yes, both books can be enjoyed on their own. However, because Not Like the Movies heavily features Annie and Drew's post-romance lives and spoils the ending of the first book, it is highly recommended to read Waiting for Tom Hanks first.
- The Columbus Setting: The setting is almost a character itself. Winfrey brings real-life charm to locations in Columbus, Ohio, particularly the historic German Village neighborhood, with its cobblestone streets and independent bookstores.
- Nostalgic References: Prepare for a deluge of 1990s and 2000s romantic comedy references, especially nods to Meg Ryan and Nora Ephron films like You've Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle.