Latest news with #JuliaWhelan
Tom's Guide
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix drops first look at its new romantic comedy movie — and it's got comfort watch written all over it
Right on cue, Netflix is back with another heartwarming flick to brighten up our screens this summer. The streaming service has just released first-look images and new details about its upcoming romantic comedy, 'My Oxford Year,' set to premiere on August 1, 2025. As someone who's a total sucker for romance movies (especially the ones packed with tension, banter, and just the right amount of yearning), I'm already eyeing this one as my next go-to comfort watch. Based on the beloved novel by Julia Whelan, the story follows an ambitious American student whose dream year at Oxford takes a turn when she meets a charming local. With Sofia Carson and Corey Mylchreest in the lead roles, even the first-look photos alone have me hooked. So, if you're craving a new romantic comedy, here's everything to know about 'My Oxford Year' before it hits Netflix this summer. Alongside the first-look images and release date, Netflix also revealed a short synopsis: 'When Anna (Carson), an ambitious young American woman, sets out for the UK and the University of Oxford to fulfill a childhood dream, she's got her life completely on track. That is, until she meets a charming and clever local who profoundly alters both of their lives.' The movie comes from writers Allison Burnett and Melissa Osborne, with direction by BAFTA nominee Iain Morris. It's adapted from Julia Whelan's novel, which was originally inspired by a screenplay written by Burnett. Carson, who is also an executive producer, said: 'Iain Morris wrote and created one of the most iconic shows in British television, The Inbetweeners. Comedy is his language, so his vision of this film beautifully created a timeless, heartbreaking, sweeping romance, grounded in laughter. Within one scene you may fall madly in love, you may cry, but he will always make sure the joy of laughter is present.' Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Sofia Carson is quickly becoming one of Netflix's go-to leading women, thanks to a growing list of roles in the streamer's originals. From her breakout in 'Purple Hearts' to the action-packed 'Carry-On' and the recent romantic drama 'The Life List,' she's proven she can carry a story across genres with ease. So it's no surprise she's front and center in 'My Oxford Year.' With her natural charm and screen presence, Carson has a way of making just about anything feel watchable. Corey Mylchreest, who will play her love interest, captured hearts (and a whole lot of attention) with his role as a young King George in 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story.' Pairing him opposite Carson feels like a recipe for swoony, slow-burn tension, and I've got high hopes they'll at least deliver all the charm and chemistry a fun rom-com needs. Joining Carson and Mylchreest in 'My Oxford Year' are Dougray Scott, Catherine McCormack, Harry Trevaldwyn, Esmé Kingdom, Nikhil Parmar, Poppy Gilbert, Romina Cocca, Yadier Fernández, Nia Anisah, and Hugh Coles. When speaking with Netflix Tudum about this romance, Carson said: 'Our story is a film that in every frame reaffirms the belief that life is too short to not live it in love. To not live it in joy. And I hope that truth rings true in the hearts of anyone who watches our film.' I'll be the first to admit that I'm never too hard on a romance movie. As long as the characters are likable, the chemistry is believable, and the love story makes me feel all the right things, I'm sold. Judging by the premise and the cast of 'My Oxford Year,' I'm feeling pretty confident, even if it doesn't hit Netflix's highest bar for quality. You can stream 'My Oxford Year' on Netflix starting August 1. In the meantime, see what's new on Netflix in May 2025 for more streaming recommendations.
Daily Mail
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The steamiest romance novels to read this summer, according to BookTok's favourite author Emily Henry
If you've spent any time on BookTok (or in a Waterstones), you'll recognise the name Emily Henry. The 34-year-old author has turned out a contemporary romance novel every year since her first adult romance, Beach Read, was published in 2020. She's sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, and her newest release, Great Big Beautiful Life, has gone straight to number one on the The Sunday Times and The New York Times bestseller lists. With six steamy, bestselling romance novels in six years (five of which are being adapted to the screen), who better to ask for a list of her favourite spicy romance novels. So, scroll down for Emily Henry's top picks… Casanova LLC by Julia Whelan Casanova LLC by Julia Whelan (Audible Audiobook) £12.99 Shop Julia does the narration for the audiobook versions of my books but she's also published some of my favourite novels. This one was not only a departure in that it's a true-blue, deeply sexy romance, but it's also an audio-only project, with some of the most spine-tingling performances I've ever heard. It pushed me outside my comfort zone as a reader but ultimately turned me into a goopy, emotional mess by the end. Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas Luckiest Lady in London by Sherry Thomas (Kindle Edition) £2.99 This was the very first historical romance novel that I ever read. One of my closest friends recommended it to me, and it changed my brain chemistry. Not only did I proceed to read every single one of Thomas's emotionally complex and wonderfully sensual novels, but it made a forever reader of the genre in general. A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson £9.99 Shop One of the hardest things to pull off in a novel about friends who become lovers, in my opinion, is the build of the physical tension and attraction, but Neilson knocked it out of the park. This book, and the friendship it centres on, is incredibly sweet. The characters are goofy and vulnerable with each other in the way that only longtime friends can be, and yet when she ratchets up the attraction between these two characters, it's new, thrilling and scorching hot. A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare A Week to Be Wicked by Tessa Dare (Kindle Edition) £1.99 Shop The characters in this one are what really make it sing. Minerva, the Victorian-era aspiring palaeontologist, is exactly the right blend of ambitious, practical, and completely charming, and then you throw in X, the irascible misunderstood rake she ropes into a cross-country journey, and the tension and eventual breaking of that tension is deeply satisfying. The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas The Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas £9.99 Shop Once I began my historical romance journey, there were a handful of titles that came up again and again among diehard readers, and this was one of them, for good reason. This one is a complicated marriage of convenience, probably the one that made me realise how much I love that trope. Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan £9.99 Shop This author makes it onto pretty much every list I write, because her books always combine fully fleshed out characters with depth and emotional resonance with love scenes that crackle. This book about exes trying to see if there's anything left between them before finally moving on had me crying at moments and blushing at others, and sometimes both simultaneously. A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams £9.99 This book could have made the list based wholly on one very sexy and memorable scene involving a piano, but it didn't have to because the whole book is amazing. It's got a magical bent to it while still feeling so grounded in its love story. The prose is beautiful too – Williams is an author I expect to follow forever. Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert £9.99 Shop Talia Hibbert's writing is hilarious and charming, with this bouncy, light quality that perfectly balances out the heavier themes she weaves into her novels. I read this relatively early in my romance-reading journey, and as a newbie to the genre it had me giggling and blushing. Hibbert is also incredibly prolific, so if you love this one, you'll have a sizable backlist to tear through!
