Dominic Holland is an award-winning stand-up comedian and broadcaster who has made countless television appearances, and whose BBC 4 show “The Small World of Dominic Holland” won the Comic Heritage Award for the best radio series.

          His first novel “Only in America” is a hilarious blend of Hollywood madness and London desperation. It’s a little like a breezy 21st century update of the Cinderella story. For his protagonist, unassuming, middle-class west Londoner Holland has chosen an unassuming, middle-class west Londoner. And what’s more, she’s an aspiring writer, too. 

          Milly, a frustrated hotel receptionist is desperate to get her debut script into the hands of Hollywood’s deal-makers. Yet unbeknown to her, a Tinseltown studio has seen her work and wants to buy it even though they have no idea who the author is.
Enter Prince Charming, a studio exec Mitch Carmichael. On a frantic hunt for the mysterious screenwriter, he checks into Milly’s hotel, so setting the scene for the romantic comedy. 

          Ironically, perhaps, for a book revolving around Hollywood, Only In America itself feels more like an adapted screenplay than a novel. Here we have the socially awkward, easily-flustered Brit who becomes romantically entwined with the confident, successful Yank. The only difference is that here the blustering Brit is female, so no job here for Hugh Grant.