New Adult

The latest charming rom-com from Jaovsky (You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince) adds a mystical twist. Twenty-three-year-old Nolan Baker dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian. At his sister’s wedding, funded by Doop, the cultish wellness brand she works for, he gets a call that could be his big break—but only if he abandons the wedding and gets to the comedy club. He chooses his career over family, leaving everyone outraged at him—especially his best friend turned wedding date, Drew Techler, who had just confessed his feelings when Nolan took off. Reeling, Nolan wishes on the crystals in his Doop goody bag to become “successful, happy, and universally loved”—and wakes up the next morning at 30 with no memory of the intervening years that formed him into a famous albeit mean-spirited comedian. Freaked out, he seeks out Drew, now running a mystery-themed bookstore, who reluctantly agrees to help Nolan get back to his own time. A domineering manager and the looming filming of a Netflix special test Nolan’s efforts to make amends—until a family crisis forces him to choose his career or his loved ones once again. Janovsky has as sure a touch with classic romance tropes as ever, and it’s a joy to watch his flawed hero grow. Readers will be charmed. Agent: Keven O’Conner, O’Conner Literary. (Aug.)