Summer Punchline

Set in the world of stand-up comedy, Corrello’s debut rom-com delivers a sturdy second-chance love story but lacks true laugh-out-loud moments. Comedian Delfina “Del” Silva-Miller vowed never to return to her Jersey shore home town after high school graduation, hoping to leave behind her deadbeat dad, the memory of her late mom, and Edgardo “Eddie” Rodriguez, the boy who stole her heart. Ten years later, on the cusp of fame, she’s forced to move back in with her grandmother to quickly develop a new set after losing her N.Y.C. relationship, apartment, and job in one afternoon. It proves hard to avoid Eddie as he’s pals with her grandma now and owns the only decent bar in town. Unfortunately, they both know how to push each other’s buttons, reigniting old resentments—until Eddie offers an olive branch that Del wisely accepts and they start to relate as adults rather than teenagers. Given space to work, Del takes her comedy in a new direction, inspired by Eddie to incorporate songwriting to generate laughs rather than wholly relying on self-deprecation. The humor is mild and the love scenes are disappointingly stiff, but Eddie makes an appealing romantic lead and Del’s kooky grandma adds welcome color. Corrello shows promise. Agent: Claire Harris, P.S. Literary. (May)