Description

HBO’s Hacks meets Carley Fortune’s Every Summer After in this hilarious and sweeping love story about a comedian forced to return to her Jersey Shore hometown and confront everything she left behind ten summers before—including the man who broke her heart. 

"A wonderfully witty love letter to stand-up comedy, true love, and there being no place like home.” —Georgia Clark, author of It Had to Be You

Then. Delfina Silva-Miller wants one thing: to leave behind Evergreen, New Jersey and never look back. Despite her adoring grandmother’s best efforts, Del can’t bear to live another moment at the whims of her deadbeat dad (so cliché) and her ever-temperamental crush, Eddie Rodriguez (humiliating). 

Now. If there’s one thing Del knows how to do, it’s spin her bad luck into a killer joke. After years of hard work, she’s finally landed a coveted spot at a huge comedy festival, molding the often tragic raw material of her life into comedic gold. But when Del loses her job, boyfriend, and apartment in the span of a few hours, she’s forced to pack her bags and return to the home she swore off at eighteen.

Del is determined not to let her history with Evergreen distract her. She has 45 days to perfect a new comedy set and march into her new life. Instead, she marches right into Eddie Rodriguez. But he’s nothing like the boy she left behind ten years ago.

As the festival draws closer, Del is faced with the terrifying possibility that everything she’s ever wanted isn’t as far away as it once seemed.  

Vividly evoking the boardwalks and beaches of the Jersey Shore, Summertime Punchline is a hilarious, vulnerable, and sweeping love story celebrating the complicated relationships—romantic and not—that impact our lives, for better or worse. 

“I laughed, I swooned, I dabbed my eyes. Corrello is a voice to watch.” – Rachel Runya Katz, author of Thank You for Sharing

“Vivid, fresh, and wholly singular. Please welcome to the stage… Betty Corrello!” – Julia Whelan, author of Thank You For Listening

About the Author

Betty Corrello is a writer, comedian, and proud Philadelphian. Despite her hardened exterior, she is biologically 95% marshmallow. Her greatest passion is writing stories where opposites attract, but love is chosen. When she’s not writing, she can be found fretting about niche historical events most have forgotten­­––or petting her very tiny dog. Summertime Punchline is her first novel. 

Praise For…

“Fun and fresh...Wry observational humor and a dose of romance strike a good balance with some tough family dynamics.” — Kirkus Reviews

“I'm in love with Corrello's voice. Vivid, fresh, and wholly singular, hers is a voice that's been missing from the romcom pantheon. Wonderfully real characters, unexpected heart-twists, and knee-buckling humor makes Summertime Punchline a surprising stand-out. What a delight. Please welcome to the stage... Betty Corrello!” — Julia Whelan, author of Thank You for Listening

"A vibrant sunbeam of a book — I simply inhaled it. Betty Corrello's writing is both achingly vulnerable and wildly funny. The ideal summertime (or anytime) read, guaranteed to make you crave both a funnel cake and a cute single dad." — Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Business or Pleasure

"Funny and keenly crafted, Summertime Punchline is packed with messy people, perfect chemistry and a satisfying amount of heartfelt forgiveness. I tore through it, you will too." — Annabel Monaghan, author of Nora Goes Off Script

"Summertime Punchline is killing it! Betty Corrello brings a fantastic and fresh new voice to modern rom-coms with sharp writing, nimble humor, and an enchanting romance. I can’t wait to read what’s next.”  — Amy E. Reichert, author The Kindred Spirits Supper Club

“Humor, heart, and steam collide in this charming story about how people and places change and grow whether we're there to witness it or not. Betty Corrello's debut is the romcom equivalent of a tight five—everything hits exactly how you want it to. My spouse kept asking what I was laughing at, and the answer was always just, ‘This book!’” — Sarah Adler, author of Happy Medium and Mrs. Nash's Ashes

“A charmingly heartfelt and genuinely funny second-chance romance. Summertime Punchline is a wonderfully witty love letter to stand-up comedy, true love, and there being no place like home. Betty Corrello is a hugely exciting new voice in rom-com. I absolutely loved this book!” — Georgia Clark, author of It Had to Be You

"Betty Corrello writes big-hearted, hot romance and perfectly crafted jokes that kick your ass; reading this book was like taking a beach vacation with an extremely hot single dad and the funniest person you know." — Lex Croucher, author of Infamous

"Summertime Punchline is the funniest romcom I’ve read in years– while also delivering all the chemistry, angst, and emotional depth I could ever want. I was torn between wanting to savor it and devour it as fast as possible. I’m officially a Betty Corrello superfan." — Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake it in Hollywood

“Betty Corrello’s hilarious and sincere debut completely swept me away. The beautifully messy heroine narrates with a dry wit that gives way to a surprisingly earnest and tender core. I laughed, I swooned, I dabbed my eyes. Corrello is a voice to watch.”  — Rachel Runya Katz, author of Thank You for Sharing