Fans of Abby Jimenez and Alexis Daria will love this novel about one New York City woman skilled in producing swoon‑worthy reality TV shows but whose own life is a mess, with nothing ever going according to plan.
As a reality TV producer, Ana Karina orchestrates extravagant marriage proposals that always (well, mostly) go as planned. When they don’t, she’s not afraid to cut and paste scenes to make the moment picture-perfect. If only Ana’s own life was as simple to direct. Her colleagues are getting promotions. Her best friend and her younger sister are both getting married. Everyone is moving forward—except Ana.
Sick of feeling stuck, she decides to start living with no regrets. She’s going to pitch all her ideas at work, no matter how unlikely. She’ll take a chance on a guy even if he doesn’t check all her boxes for Mr. Right. Soon, she’s swept up in a roller coaster of exhilarating dates—a comedy show, a Jane Austen reenactment, a rave pool party, and a whirlwind trip to Vienna. With all this excitement, Ana should be on her way to her own happily-ever-after, but instead her life is getting messier by the second.
Yet throwing caution to the wind may still bring Ana more than she hoped for as she begins to listen to her heart and realizes the life—and man—truly meant for her might be the one she never saw coming.
Lissette Decos is a Cuban American executive television producer with over fifteen years’ experience in reality TV formats of the love-wedding-relationship-disaster variety. Shows such as TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress, 90 Day Fiancé, and Bravo’s Summer House have helped mold her skills in telling an engaging and oftentimes unconventional love story. In addition to her stint in the “unreal” world of reality TV, Lissette also spent a decade in New York as a staff producer for MTV, which helped her hone her expertise in all things pop culture, while searching for love in the big city. You might say she’s got the story and the soundtrack for romantic angst down.
“Ana Takes Manhattan is like a cool breeze on a hot summer day—a refreshing breath of fresh air. With smart and snappy dialogue, spot-on Manhattan vibes, and a heroine you can't help but root for, Lisette Decos's debut is the escape we all need all year round.”
—Meredith Schorr, author of As Seen on TV
“It’s clear from the outset that veteran reality TV producer Decos knows her subject matter, and Ana is a likable, fun character who will make readers laugh and believe in finding true love.”—Library Journal
"Rom-com readers will delight in Decos sharing juicy behind-the-scenes insights into the inner workings of reality TV. As Ana sheds her inhibitions, she faces a slew of laugh-out-loud comedic predicaments, in which a strong supporting cast rounds off her sharp edges, changing her in well-conceived, unexpected ways. Decos's snarky, yet lovably flawed, heroine possesses a searing wit that complements many daring escapades that reroute her career and lead her down a twisty road to love."—Shelf Awareness
