NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From Lauren Graham, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, comes a witty, charming, and hilariously relatable debut novel about a struggling young actress trying to get ahead―and keep it together―in New York City. It’s January 1995, and Franny Banks has just six months left of the three-year deadline she set for herself when she came to New York, … deadline she set for herself when she came to New York, dreaming of Broadway and doing “important” work. But all she has to show for her efforts so far is a part in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters, and a gig waiting tables at a comedy club. Her roommates―her best friend Jane, and Dan, an aspiring sci-fi writer―are supportive, yet Franny knows a two-person fan club doesn’t exactly count as success. Everyone tells her she needs a backup plan, and though she can almost picture moving back home and settling down with her perfectly nice ex-boyfriend, she’s not ready to give up on her goal of having a career like her idols Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep. Not just yet. But while she dreams of filling their shoes, in the meantime, she’d happily settle for a speaking part in almost anything—and finding a hair product combination that works.
Everything is riding on the upcoming showcase for her acting class, where she’ll finally have a chance to perform for people who could actually hire her. And she can’t let herself be distracted by James Franklin, a notorious flirt and the most successful actor in her class, even though he’s suddenly started paying attention. Meanwhile, her bank account is rapidly dwindling, her father wants her to come home, and her agent doesn’t return her calls. But for some reason, she keeps believing that she just might get what she came for.
Someday, Someday, Maybe is a story about hopes and dreams, being young in a city, and wanting something deeply, madly, desperately. It’s about finding love, finding yourself, and perhaps most difficult of all in New York City, finding an acting job.
Praise for Someday, Someday, Maybe
“A winning, entertaining read . . . [Lauren Graham] has smartly mined just the right details from her own experience, infusing her work with crackling dialogue and observations about show business that ring funny and true.”—The Washington Post
“A charmer of a first novel . . . [Graham] has an easy, unforced style and, when the situation calls for it, a keen sense of the ridiculous.”—The Wall Street Journal
“With insight, care, and an abundance of humor . . . Graham demonstrates that her acting chops are not her only talent.”—Library Journal
“Thoroughly charming.”—Entertainment Weekly
“Sweet, funny, and full of heart . . . a dazzling debut.”—Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed and Where We Belong
“Warm and funny, charming and smart.”—Diane Keaton, New York Times bestselling author of Then Again
“Graham deftly captures what it’s like to be young, ambitious, and hopeful in New York City.”—Candace Bushnell, New York Times bestselling author of Sex and the City and The Carrie Diaries
“Fresh and funny and full of zingers, Lauren Graham’s charming writing style instantly drew me in.”—Meg Cabot, bestselling author of the Princess Diaries and Heather Wells Mystery series
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Sweet, funny, and full of heart.
Graham deftly captures what it’s like to be young, ambitious, and hopeful in New York City.
Fresh and funny and full of zingers, Lauren Graham’s charming writing style instantly drew me in.
I loved this book! The writing flowed very smoothly for me and I was able to finish it in only 5 days, and I don’t really get to finish books in that short of a time too often. I found myself reading it with every free moment I could find, because I really wanted to see how things worked out for Franny. I was rooting for her from the very start. I loved her personality and saw a little bit of myself in her awkward moments. I loved the behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of acting and how incredibly difficult & nerve-racking it can be, especially back in the 90’s before so much of the technology existed that we take advantage of nowadays.
I’ve read some reviews that state how Graham’s style of writing was too detailed and descriptive, but I actually liked that factor of the writing, because it’s the same way that I myself tend to write, and I believe it helps to allow the reader to visually depict the scene in their mind.
Overall, I was very satisfied and happy that I’d picked up the book, it was an interesting read! 🙂
This was a fun book. I am a big Gilmore Girls fan and I heard a lot of Lorelia in the writing. I now want to read Lauren’s new book!
Warm and funny, charming and smart.
You wonder how much of this is based on the author’s experiences in her early career. A great read for fans of entertainment, as we get a peek at what really happens behind the scenes of aspiring actors. Enjoyable.
Excellent story about the work that is necessary to have a career in acting. It was daunting and uplifting as she proceeded through the process and finally succeeded.
Very much enjoyed it, a nice light read!
A very good book would like to read more like it.
Franny Banks is a quirky, funny girl who just can’t stop herself from saying the wrong thing or doing something horribly klutzy. She’s likable and charming. However, I personally found that i wasn’t really rooting for her until about 65% of the way through. That’s when the whole story finally got interesting for me, actually. The first 30% or so was fairly dull and it slowly picks up speed until, at about 80%, I just couldn’t put it down. But then, once the plot finally starts getting fleshed out, the book ends (in kind of a weird way, too; I still can’t decide how I feel about it).
I have clearly never been a starving artist trying to make it in my craft in New York City. I cannot imagine the stress and work and fatigue and WORK it must take to even get a “maybe.” That said, I still thought Franny was a selfish and whiny, at least at first. I guess I just didn’t connect with her. Her character didn’t pull at me and make me feel much of anything for her, until the flame finally started getting turned up and stuff was happening and she had to learn and grow and develop. One thing I kind of loved through the whole book is how much Franny Banks’ inner dialogue sounded like Lorelei Gilmore from Gilmore Girls. I really enjoyed that. However, it also bogged down the whole plot, because everything that happened to Franny was punctuated with a paragraph or two of her inner thoughts before what comes out of her mouth can be said. Quirky, funny, a little much.
Thank heavens for amazing friends like Jane and Dan, because they truly shine the whole time. Talk about supportive, helpful, honest, seeing Franny through all the tough stuff—and her own stupidity—and the great stuff, too. Penny and Deena and Franny’s Dad are great supporting characters. Love Barney Sparks and Jeff & Jeff; despise Joe and James (there are a lot of ‘J’ names in this book!).
I must admit whenever I hear of a book having been written by a famous actor or actress, I roll my eyes a little. Its judgmental, I know, but I typically just assume they’re riding the waves of their fame to get more. But maybe what the actor really wanted all along was to write a novel or develop a super-fancy, expensive workout clothing line, and they just happened to make it in acting first. (I’ll stop judging them, I promise.) But I wondered if Lauren was poking fun at least a little at herself about this very thing in a scene in her book: when Barney Sparks tells Franny to please not become the kind of famous actress that writes a cookbook or creates a perfume, because if you’re an actor you should act and be good at acting, not spend your time developing clothing lines or recipes. I chuckled at that. And I really believe that Lauren has a good sense of story and characterization, which I suppose one would expect from an actress. I think it’s just the fleshing out that needs work. For a debut novel, it’s not bad. I almost hope she writes another novel, just so I can see her improvement.
Note: some kissing; off-page sex; mention of private body parts; about 20 pages when Franny is offered a movie role which includes nudity and there is some detail of exactly what would be shown on her body and what is in the scene, which details include some grotesque elements as it’s a horror movie; some swearing, including at least three uses of the F word.
I really found this book cute and funny. I loved Lauren Graham in Gilmore Girls I could really see Lauren (or Lorelai) when the main character Franny was talking.
So in Someday, Someday Maybe, Franny Banks has give herself a deadlines of 3 years to succedd being an actress. With only six months to go, think aren’t going really well and she mostly get audition for commercials.
I really like this book and hope Lauren write others in the future.
This book is funny and full of heart! I found myself cheering for Franny, the struggling young actress trying to make it in New York in 1995. I admired Franny’s self deprecating humor and perseverance. No matter how discouraging her experiences and how broke she gets she keeps plugging away, going to even the most mind-numbing auditions. When her male roommate, Dan, explains to her how quantity can eventually become quality, a light bulb seems to turn on. The subplot about her romantic interests beautifully intersects with her character arc as she learns more about who she really is and what really matters in her life. If you’re looking for a light read with some soulful insights, this novel is a great choice. I read it during the coronavirus pandemic and it was a wonderful escape for several hours.
Just one more reason to love Lauren Graham.
If your a fan of Helen Fielding’s: Bridget Jones you will seriously enjoy reading Someday, Someday Maybe.
THE BAD: (this has nothing to do with the writing or anything else) For the Kindle version, at least for the paperwhite, the pages with the Filofax stuff were pretty much impossible to read. Especially since the “handwriting” was obviously supposed to look hasty and messy. It actually gave me a bit of a headache trying to decipher them.
I’ve always known Lauren Graham is an awesome actress, super smart and hilarious. Now I also know she can write!
There are so many laughs in this story. The characters are so outrageous and funny, they are mostly likeable, with the exception of a certain gentleman. I would love to know these people.
So hard to put down, even when the words started to swim across the screen, it was nearly impossible to stop.
I’m hoping that the saga of Franny will continue.
Someday, Someday, Maybe follows Franny Banks as she pursues her career in acting. She manages to get herself into a few interesting situations, but is a totally relatable character. I loved this book, but the ending was a bit of a cliffhanger. I had hoped for a little more closure. Other than that, this book is absolutely worth the read!
That was excruciating. Like every other reviewer, I chose this book because I loved Lorelai Gilmore. Flat, one-dimensional, predictable. Very disappointing.
Excellent as an audiobook. Such a wonderful representation of twenty-something life and striving to make a dream come true.
I tried to read it several times. I just couldn’t. I love Lauren Graham and I really wanted to like her book. I did not.
I can actually see Lauren Graham play the lead role. The book was very lite and enjoyable and it showed the lighter side of a person pursuing a career in the world of acting.
So bad I couldn’t. Finish it.