How to Write a Romance Novel in a Week

Olympia, a lonely fan of detective stories, decides— for the first time in her life—to write a romance novel. She enrolls in lessons with Leonora Forneris— the queen of the “sentimental” genre, the author of numerous bestsellers. From the very beginning, her mentor lays out the laws of a successful story: a heroine who adores cats must not receive a puppy as a gift; the main hero must be dazzlingly handsome and have a sizeable bank account; and the rival’s smile must be obviously staged and false. Day by day, this motley group of aspiring writers painfully builds plots, and gradually, invented passions begin to intertwine with real life.

Stefania Bertola’s novel is a witty, kind, and very funny story about the backstage of mass literature—and about how creativity helps reconcile oneself with a reality that is far from ideal.