Right on cue, p.1
Right on Cue, page 1
Advance Praise for Right On Cue
“Falon Ballard is a master of chemistry-filled banter and lovable characters! No one does it like her!”
—Sarah Adams, author of The Cheat Sheet
“Falon Ballard is the queen of sharp wit and swoony romances. With delicious, intricately crafted love stories, and dynamic, wonderfully flawed characters, I will devour everything she writes and beg for more.”
—Mazey Eddings, author of The Plus One
“Right on Cue is a perfectly crafted rom-com that weaves together a charming cast of characters with witty dialogue, heartfelt moments, and sexual chemistry that leaps off the page. It will leave you with a smile on your face and a full, happy heart. Ballard is right on track with this delightfully satisfying read.”
—Sophie Sullivan, author of Ten Rules for Faking It
“Falon Ballard’s writing sucks me in like a best friend sharing a juicy story. Grab your ice cream and wine and get comfy because once you start Right on Cue, this adorable, charming, and spicy rom-com will hold you captive until the very last page.”
—Meredith Schorr, author of Someone Just Like You
“Full of winks to the rom-com genre and packed with steamy tension.”
—Library Journal
Praise for Just My Type
“[A] charming ode to writers’ passion and love.”
—PopSugar
“Seth and Lana have instant chemistry on the page, and it’s a joy to read their snarky banter that transforms into something more heartfelt. Their longing for each other, and the obstacles in their way, feel realistic. . . . A compulsively readable second-chance romance that’s full of pining and laughs.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“This entertaining rom-com from Ballard . . . , which refreshingly sees both protagonists undergoing therapy for their respective issues while reassessing their personal and professional goals, is one of healing and emotional growth as much as romance.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A clever, upbeat rom-com that will leave a smile on readers’ faces and joy in their hearts . . . A great showcase for Ballard’s talents: Her voice is fresh and flirty, her characters well developed, . . . and her pacing brisk and never boring. Romance readers—of all types—will be immensely entertained.”
—BookPage
“A unique and humorous tale. Ballard hits all the right notes in a second-chance romance with smart, appealing lead characters.”
—Booklist
“This spicy, tropey read will have most rom-com fans declaring, ‘It’s just my type of book!’ ”
—Library Journal
“Falon Ballard delivers a page-turning second-chance romance bursting with crackling banter and delightful characters, anchored by a layered, emotional, and sexy love story at the center.”
—Ava Wilder, author of How to Fake It in Hollywood
“Just My Type sparks with enemies-to-lovers wit and dazzles with Los Angeles flair. A fabulous, banterrific workplace rom-com, and just our type of romance.”
—Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, authors of The Roughest Draft
“With its sharp writing, hilarious banter, and delightful characters, Just My Type is an absolutely perfect romantic comedy.”
—Lacie Waldon, author of The Layover
“Everything about Falon Ballard’s writing cuts straight to the heart. With supremely relatable characters, sparkling wit, and a second-chance-rivals-to-lovers romance to die for, Just My Type is an unputdownable showstopper!”
—Courtney Kae, author of In the Event of Love
“With the perfect swirl of lovable characters, sizzling chemistry, and perfectly crafted humor, Ballard’s sophomore novel is a story you won’t want to put down.”
—Denise Williams, author of Do You Take This Man
Praise for Lease on Love
“[A] fun and light read . . . Ballard intersperses the book with text conversations (emojis and all) between Sadie and Jack, as well as her group conversation with her friends, that make readers feel like they’re really part of the story. When Sadie and Jack’s feelings for one another are finally realized, you can’t help but celebrate alongside the characters.”
—USA Today
“Laugh-out-loud banter, smart characters, and heartfelt charm . . . this rom-com has it all!”
—Woman’s World
“[A] cozy romance.”
—PopSugar
“[A] quirky, heartwarming contemporary romance . . . This is a treat.”
—Publishers Weekly
“A fantastic read . . . a sharply funny roommates-to-lovers, opposites-attract rom-com.”
—Booklist
“This charming story of new beginnings and emotional growth has a sassy and likable narrator in Sadie, and the novel keeps a light tone despite touching on difficult subjects like toxic families and grief. . . . Readers who enjoy female entrepreneurs, found family, and gentle romantic leads will enjoy.”
—Library Journal
“The romantic beats and the slow-burning attraction between [Sadie and Jack] are things to savor. . . . Ballard sweetly explores the ways they complement one another and also how they hope to reinvent themselves following catastrophic personal changes.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A delight on every level. Ballard delivers a soft, sweet story with enough shadows to make the happily ever after feel that much more earned. . . . A beautiful love story about finding something precious that seems out of reach.”
—Denise Williams, author of Do You Take This Man
“A hopeful, heartwarming debut. With a relatable disaster of a protagonist and an adorably nerdy hero, this opposites-attract, roommates-to-lovers romance is a true delight.”
—Rachel Lynn Solomon, author of Business or Pleasure and The Ex Talk
“Sadie is a firecracker of a protagonist who’s very aware of her flaws, and Jack is her perfect counterpart, embracing all of her rough edges with softness and understanding. Lease on Love warmly and wittily underscores that none of us are perfect, but we are all worthy, we are all enough: we all deserve to be loved, not just by others, but by ourselves too.”
—Sarah Hogle, author of You Deserve Each Other
“A crackling, compulsively readable debut about forging new career and romantic paths, finding strength in found family, and discovering what it truly means to be ‘home.’ ”
—Suzanne Park, author of So We Meet Again
Also by Falon Ballard
Just My Type
Lease on Love
G. P. Putnam’s Sons
Publishers Since 1838
An imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
penguinrandomhouse.com
Copyright © 2024 by Falon Ballard
Penguin Random House supports copyright. Copyright fuels creativity, encourages diverse voices, promotes free speech, and creates a vibrant culture. Thank you for buying an authorized edition of this book and for complying with copyright laws by not reproducing, scanning, or distributing any part of it in any form without permission. You are supporting writers and allowing Penguin Random House to continue to publish books for every reader.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Ballard, Falon, author.
Title: Right on cue / Falon Ballard.
Description: New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 2024.
Identifiers: LCCN 2023044615 (print) | LCCN 2023044616 (ebook) | ISBN 9780593712900 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9780593712917 (ebook)
Subjects: LCGFT: Romance fiction. | Novels.
Classification: LCC PS3602.A621125 R54 2024 (print) | LCC PS3602.A621125 (ebook) | DDC 813/.6—dc23/eng/20231004
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023044615
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2023044616
Cover design and illustration: Sandra Chiu
Book design by Shannon Nicole Plunkett, adapted for ebook by Maggie Hunt
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Contents
Cover
Praise for Falon Ballard
Also by Falon Ballard
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue
Acknowledgmen
Discussion Guide
About the Author
_146236080_
This one’s for me.
People’s Exclusive Interview with Screenwriter and Hollywood Darling Emmy Harper
After a several-years-long hiatus from the rom-com world, perennial favorite and beloved nepo baby Emmy Harper is returning to the writers’ room with her latest film, No Reservations. We sit down with Emmy for a no-holds-barred interview where we discuss her return to her screenwriting roots, that surprise Oscar-winning masterpiece from last year, and how she’s still working through the grief over losing her father, Hollywood icon Tom Harper. You don’t want to miss this exclusive peek into the life of one of today’s most treasured stars.
PEOPLE: Emmy, first let us start by saying we are such huge fans of your work.
EMMY: Thank you so much. I’ll admit, even after all these years, I never get tired of hearing that!
PEOPLE: Let’s just dive right in, shall we?
Emmy laughs nervously, sipping from her (full-fat) latte.
EMMY: I suppose we shall.
PEOPLE: No Reservations is your first romantic comedy since the death of your father four years ago. What was it like returning to the genre that defined your early career?
EMMY: It was so many things. Heartbreaking and difficult at times, but also rewarding. It truly felt like coming home. I’ve always loved making people happy, and happiness is something I haven’t had a lot of in recent years, so it was nice to lose myself in this world of love and laughter.
PEOPLE: Back when you first started writing screenplays—at the ripe old age of twenty, might I add—many hailed you as the next Nora Ephron. And, of course, your parents, the late Tom Harper and the fabulous Diane Brenner, are both legends in their own rights. Was there a lot of pressure on you to succeed?
EMMY: Of course! [There’s another hint of that laughter.] My parents have always been very supportive and the complete opposite of stage parents—I think it’s well known by now that they essentially refused to let me get involved in the business until I was a teenager—but the pressure comes with the family name. I know I’ve had a huge advantage having them as my connection in the industry, and I never wanted to disappoint anyone.
PEOPLE: I think it’s safe to say you’ve never let anyone down! You’ve written some of the most commercially successful rom-coms of the past decade, but also some more serious fare. Let’s talk Midnight Sunset, your now Oscar-winning foray into writing a more sober film. What was that shift like, and what inspired you to go down a darker path?
Emmy goes quiet for a long moment, thinking about her answer and taking a long breath before she starts speaking, like she needs to steady herself before she can respond.
EMMY: I guess the easy answer to that is I was in a dark place. Losing my dad so unexpectedly . . . I’m not sure if I’ll ever truly be over that, if you can ever truly be over that. There was just no way for me to sit down at my computer and write a happy love story when my world felt so encompassed by grief. My parents have always been the inspiration for my films. They are—or were, I guess—a real-life happily ever after. Seeing what happens after the happily ever after ends was a real punch in the gut. Midnight Sunset was the movie I needed to write at the time, and I’m very proud of how it turned out.
She clears her throat after a long pause.
EMMY: But I’m thrilled to be returning to rom-coms and making more movie magic of the lighter variety.
PEOPLE: With No Reservations, you’re also taking on a producer role for the first time. How has that been?
EMMY: Amazing. I’ve really loved getting to see the process from beginning to end. And with Liz [Hudson, Emmy’s best friend, former college roommate, and esteemed director] leading the charge, I know my baby is in good hands.
PEOPLE: Word on the street is that Jonathan Brentwood has been cast as the leading man?
EMMY: Word on the street is correct. I adore Jonathan, and he is the absolute perfect person for this role. I couldn’t imagine anyone else taking it on.
PEOPLE: And for the leading lady?
We catch Emmy grimace, even though she tries to hide it by sipping from her empty cup of coffee.
EMMY: We’ll let you know as soon as we know.
Chapter One
It becomes clear as soon as the pretty blonde opens her mouth that she is not the one. The whole room knows it, with everyone shifting subtly in their seats and shooting one another knowing glances. But she keeps going, and so does her scene partner, although Jonathan does glare at me from across the room.
Everyone is glaring at me, actually, if the tiny daggers I feel digging into my back are any indication.
Eventually, the poor, sweet actress finishes her scene and leaves with a wave and a smile. The room lets out a collective breath when the door bangs shut behind her.
“That was the last one for today.” My best friend and now producing partner, Liz, pushes back her chair with a loud scrape. She stalks to one corner of the small room, pivots sharply, and then marches to the opposite side.
Everyone waits for her to finish before speaking; that’s the kind of power she commands.
She comes to a halt in front of where I’m sitting, at the end of the table of exhausted and frustrated production team members. Her hands grip the edge of the plasticky wood, and she leans toward me with that look in her eye. “Emmy.”
“No.” The word is an immediate reflex—I know what she wants before she even asks for it.
She brings her eyes level with mine. “I’m a half second away from begging.”
“I can’t do it.”
“She’s not the only one about to beg,” Kurt, our executive producer, says from his position at the other end of the table. “To be frank, Emmy, we’re getting to the point where begging is going to morph into insisting.”
I swallow down another automatic no because Kurt sounds more serious than usual. And he’s the one who controls the purse strings. “You guys know I can’t. I’m not an actress; I’m a screenwriter.”
Jonathan Brentwood, our adored leading man and a college friend, joins Liz at the front of the table. “You could have fooled me, Em. When you read with me at my audition, your performance seemed pretty perfect.”
“I agree.” Kurt rises, and his already imposing presence looms over me even further. “We’ve been stuck in these auditions for weeks, and we haven’t seen anyone nearly as strong as you were. We’re scheduled to start filming in two weeks. We don’t have time for this anymore.”
Liz crosses her arms over her chest, but she doesn’t appear to be worried about Kurt’s declaration. “What are you saying, Kurt?” If I didn’t know better, I’d almost say there was a hint of smug in her question.
“You have twenty-four hours. Find me our Isobel, or I’m pulling the plug.” He claps what is probably meant to be a comforting hand on my shoulder. “You know how much I care about you, Emmy. Your dad was like a brother to me, and I’ve watched you grow up, but I’m not about to put my name and my cash in jeopardy because you’re holding on to some baggage from the past.” He swings his bag over his shoulder and strides toward the door. “Let me know what you decide.”
The rest of the production team, along with Jonathan, scurry out of the room behind Kurt, leaving me alone with the woman who knows me better than almost anyone.
“Pancakes?” Liz asks.
“Pancakes,” I agree.
* * *
—
We arrive at Village Bakery a half hour later, ordering our food before finding seats in the back of the café.
“I can’t do it,” I say the moment our coffees have been dropped off. I know well enough by now not to deliver bad news to Liz before she has caffeine in her hands. “You know I can’t. And you know I won’t.”
“I understand that you think you can’t. But I know with one hundred percent certainty that you can. And not only that, but you should.” She tousles her white-blond pixie cut, which perfectly frames her pale, heart-shaped face, and turns her piercing blue eyes on me in what I know is a challenge.
