Landline (novel)

Rowell stated that aspects from the novel are loosely based on her own life such as the fact that Georgie is incredibly career-driven while her husband is a stay-at-home dad.

[2] While the novel has sci-fi themes akin to time travel, these are used mostly as a plot device to describe the hardships of adult life and the crumbling marriage of main character Georgie McCool.

Initially believing she is having a nervous breakdown, Georgie nevertheless continues to talk to past-Neal especially since she is unable to reach the Neal of the present who refuses to answer his phone.

Reflecting that to propose to her Neal drove 27 hours straight from Omaha to Los Angeles, Georgie forgoes her writing with Seth and gets on a plane to spend Christmas with her family.

NPR called it "funny, clever, charming, endearing," while noting it paled in comparison to Rowell's other books.

[5] The book also received attention from Canadian publication The Globe and Mail who described it as "more than okay," and referred to it as a young adult novel.