Step into the charming world of the Waiting for Tom Hanks series, where rom-com dreams collide with real-life love in the cozy streets of Columbus, Ohio! Penned by Kerry Winfrey, this delightful duo of novels captures the fizzy magic of romantic comedies, blending heartfelt romance, witty banter, and a love letter to Nora Ephron’s iconic films. If you’ve ever swooned over Sleepless in Seattle or wished for your own meet-cute, this series is your ticket to a heartwarming escape.
With its quirky characters and pop culture charm, Waiting for Tom Hanks invites readers to believe in love’s unexpected twists. Whether you’re a rom-com devotee or just craving a feel-good read, Winfrey’s stories promise laughter, love, and a touch of cinematic magic.
How Waiting for Tom Hanks Began
Kerry Winfrey, a Columbus, Ohio native with a passion for romantic comedies, crafted the Waiting for Tom Hanks series as a tribute to the genre that shaped her. Inspired by Nora Ephron’s timeless films, Winfrey wanted to create stories that echoed the humor and heart of classics like You’ve Got Mail while grounding them in a modern, relatable setting. Published by Berkley, the series kicked off in 2019 with Waiting for Tom Hanks, followed by Not Like the Movies in 2020, cementing Winfrey’s place in contemporary romance.
The Heart of Waiting for Tom Hanks
The series begins with Waiting for Tom Hanks, where Annie Cassidy, an aspiring screenwriter obsessed with rom-coms, dreams of finding her perfect ‘Tom Hanks’—the sweet, sensitive everyman of her favorite films. When a movie shoots in her neighborhood, Annie lands a job on set and meets Drew Danforth, a cocky actor who’s anything but Hanks-ian. Their bumpy meet-cute sparks a journey of self-discovery, love, and realizing that real romance doesn’t always follow a script.
Not Like the Movies shifts focus to Annie’s best friend, Chloe Sanderson, a barista with big dreams and bigger responsibilities. Juggling her father’s Alzheimer’s and her bakery ambitions, Chloe denies her feelings for her swoon-worthy boss, Nick Velez. This enemies-to-lovers tale weaves humor, heartache, and rom-com tropes into a story of resilience and unexpected love. Set against Columbus’s vibrant German Village and cozy coffee shops, the series celebrates friendship, community, and the messy beauty of real-life romance.
Themes of grief, hope, and self-acceptance run deep, with Winfrey’s characters navigating loss while chasing happiness. Her light, conversational style, packed with rom-com references, mirrors the genre’s charm while offering fresh, grounded perspectives. The Columbus setting, with its cobblestone streets and quirky bookstores, becomes a character itself, grounding the series’ cinematic flair in a relatable Midwest vibe.
Why Waiting for Tom Hanks Resonates
The Waiting for Tom Hanks series has carved a niche among rom-com fans for its nostalgic nod to ’90s classics and its modern, authentic take on love. Readers praise its relatable characters and emotional depth, with reviews highlighting Winfrey’s ability to balance humor and heartache. Though not a cultural juggernaut, the series has built a loyal following, inspiring readers to embrace their own rom-com moments and find joy in life’s imperfections.
Its impact lies in its celebration of the rom-com genre as a source of hope. By blending pop culture with real-world struggles, Winfrey reminds us that love, like a good movie, is worth waiting for—even if it doesn’t look like the script we imagined.
- First Book Published: Waiting for Tom Hanks, June 2019
- Second Book Published: Not Like the Movies, July 2020
- Author: Kerry Winfrey
- Setting: Columbus, Ohio
Grab Waiting for Tom Hanks and dive into a world of laughter, love, and rom-com magic! Whether you’re chasing your own meet-cute or just need a cozy read, Kerry Winfrey’s series will leave you smiling.