Guest post by The Rom Con author Devon Daniels
Devon Daniels is a born-and-bred California girl whose own love story found her transplanted to the Maryland shores of the Chesapeake Bay. She’s a graduate of the University of Southern California (fight on!) and in her past life worked in marketing, product design, and music. Devon loves writing books that make people laugh, cry, and swoon, and feels incredibly lucky that her job is to make people happy. Her debut novel Meet You in the Middle was chosen as one of the Best Books of 2021 by USA Today.
Releasing on November 7th 2023, The Rom Con is a modern battle of the sexes about a journalist who hatches an elaborate plan to take down her industry adversary, from the author of Meet You in the Middle.
When it comes to re-readable books and re-watchable films, I’m not sure there’s anything more captivating than a battle-of-the-sexes romantic comedy. The chemistry between the leads, that delicious push-pull of tension, the razor-sharp banter and inevitable surrender all make for a uniquely compelling, can’t-turn-away viewing and reading experience. No matter how many opposites-attract stories I consume, I’ll never get tired of (silently) screaming at the protagonists: JUST KISS ALREADY!
It was this addictive quality I tried to capture when writing my latest novel The Rom Con, about a modern woman who hatches a plan to use her grandmother’s old-fashioned courtship tips to take down her professional rival while writing a career-defining exposé in the process. My goal was to marry the feeling of a classic 1950s Doris Day-Rock Hudson rom-com with a contemporary perspective for a timeless love story that would resonate with every generation, young and old.
In honor of The Rom Con, here are a few of my favorite battle-of-the-sexes books & films, both past and present.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (film)
Any battle-of-the-sexes list would be incomplete without this comedic tour-de-force starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. The incredible chemistry between the leads turned what could have been a too-bonkers premise into one of the best rom-coms of all time, as hilarious and relatable today as it was twenty years ago.
Love the One You’re With by Lauren Layne (book)
If you’ve just finished reading The Rom Con and want books with similar energy, pick up this tale of rival magazine writers who find love amid a war of words from the queen of romance herself. It’s filled with her signature banter and wit—and no one writes New York City better than Lauren Layne.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (book & TV show)
Okay, so this isn’t technically a full-fledged romance, but do yourself a favor and read this superb novel about a female chemist fighting to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of 1950s science. I couldn’t put it down. Bonus: the TV adaptation is brilliantly done.
Down With Love (film)
Too many people missed this gem when it came out in 2003! Starring Renee Zellweger and Ewan Macgregor (plus an additional all-star cast of side characters), it’s a delicious send-up of the classic Doris Day-Rock Hudson rom-com romps like Pillow Talk and Lover Come Back. Come for the whip-smart, in-on-the-joke cultural commentary, stay for the iconic fashion moments.
The Thing About Love by Julie James (book)
I love this story about ultra-competitive FBI agents who clash during their Quantico training, then are forced to pair up again six years later as part of a sting operation. Julie James always nails the tension between her protagonists, seamlessly balancing banter and heat (and if you like this one, pick up Practice Makes Perfect, a tale of two lawyers competing to make partner, next!)
The Ugly Truth (film)
Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl go head-to-head in this bawdy, riotously funny 2009 rom-com. Heigl perfectly embodies the adorably uptight heroine, while Butler nails her misogynistic-turned-lovesick nemesis. Watching their attitudes evolve as they fall in love against their will is a pure delight.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips (books)
I tried, but I couldn’t pick a favorite—and that’s because no one does battle-of-the-sexes better than Susan Elizabeth Phillips! Close your eyes and choose any one of her backlist titles; you can’t go wrong.
Heartbreakers (film)
This campy cult-classic is one of my favorite guilty pleasures. Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt play a mother-daughter con artist team whose wild antics and cynical observations on relationships and gender politics are endlessly entertaining.
Still want more recommendations? Hunker down for a weekend movie marathon, starting with 50s classics like Pillow Talk, His Girl Friday, and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, then move on to more recent hits like When Harry Met Sally, The Thomas Crown Affair, and Something’s Gotta Give.
