Review: Typecast

Author: Andrea J. Stein

Started reading: June 18th 2022

Finished the book: June 21st 2022

Pages: 400

Genres: Women's Fiction

To be Published: September 13th 2022

Source: Netgalley

Goodreads score: 3.90

My score:

Synopsis

At thirty-one, Callie Dressler is finally comfortable in her own skin. She loves her job as a preschool teacher, and although living in her vacant childhood home isn’t necessarily what dreams are made of, the space is something she never could have afforded if she’d stayed in New York City. She knows her well-ordered life will be upended when her type A, pregnant sister, Nina; adorable four-year-old niece; and workaholic brother-in-law move in, but how could she say no when they needed a place to crash during their remodel? As Nina pointed out, it's still their parents’ house, even if their mom and dad have relocated.

As if adjusting to this new living situation isn’t enough, the universe sends Callie another wrinkle: her college boyfriend—who Callie dumped ten years earlier for reasons known only to her—has a film coming out, and the screenplay is based on their real-life breakup. While the movie consumes her thoughts, Callie can’t help wondering if Nina and her friends are right that she hasn’t moved on. When a complication with Nina’s pregnancy brings Callie in close contact with Nina’s smart and funny architect, Callie realizes she'd better figure out whether she wants to open the door to the past—or risk missing out on her future.

My thoughts

Well, look at me, actually reading a Netgalley book before the Publication date. I was so excited to read this one, that I put it almost at the top of my TBR. And I will tell you; I was NOT wrong. This book was so much fun. I felt an instant connection with Callie. Maybe because she was a teacher, but also because she was just so kind! I felt like this book could end in a hundred different ways, and I was very happy with the way it did.

Pros

• Main character: Callie is going right to the top of my favorite main characters this year after finishing this book. She feels super real to me. She's loving, kind and caring, but has bad character traits as well. She does tend to let people walk all over her and doesn't always speak her mind. I loved that she's a teacher, I felt an instant connection because of that. There were real teacher things in this book, like staff meetings, hard times with certain children and/or parents and doing actual work in your weekends.
• Timeline: The timeline in this book was fun! I loved the switches between past and present. It really changes up the story, keeps it paced and makes me wonder what happened. This timeline made it feel like the book also had a bit of mystery.
• Humor: Oh yes! The humor, banter, sarcasm and flirting in this book was so amazing. It was a light breeze of fresh air and I needed it so much! Really fun and definitely my kind of humor.
• Character development: Callie really takes the time to reflect on her choices. She has feelings of doubt, of guilt and she wonders about what could have been in life. In this book she really finds her voice and the last 10% of the book were SO good. It definitely was what I had hoped for and what I wanted for Callie.

Cons

No!

Overall

One of my favorite women's fiction books this year. Not like I read them every day, but I have read a few and this one is at the top of my list. I'm curious what Stein does next and will definitely keep following her. Amazing writing, great characters and fun plot!

Other opinions on this book

"I adored this book! Callie was a fantastically written character whom I grew to love as each chapter went on. I highly recommend!"

- @doingitbythebook

"In lively, sparkling prose, Andrea J. Stein's Typecast offers keenly observed insights about family, friendship and figuring out who you want to be when you grow up. Alternating between the heroine's past and her present, Typecast is a portrait of a woman rewriting her own future."

- Jenn Stroud Rossmann, author of The Place You're Supposed to Laugh

Memorable quotes from this book

"On the other hand, there are also times that you stay on the wrong path too long, and what you really need to do is be brave enough to leave the road and go in an entirely different direction. Maybe your destination won't be what you thought it would be, but it could be something better."

Thanks for reading!

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