Aubrey Evans is living every author’s dream; her sizzling romance novel is being turned into a blockbuster film. She would be celebrating this momentous event, if she wasn’t busy fighting over every tiny production detail with the maddeningly cavalier director, Kole Camden. When news of their heated rivalry hits the gossip columns, drastic measures must be taken to save their sinking project. In an elaborate PR hoax, she is publicly linked to Greyson Meyers, the swoon-worthy star of her movie. A whirl-wind love affair is staged for the couple to mirror the steamy chapters of her own books. Can the introverted author resist the charms of Hollywood’s sexiest leading man? Or will love find her in the City of Angels?
I enjoyed this book so much. What’s a better read for an author of romance than a novel about a famous novelist having her book adapted for film and falling in love with the director in charge of bringing her vision from page to screen. Answer: not much.
Aubrey Evans is what I aspire to be. As an author, not a person. She’s nice, talented, but could use a bit more of a backbone. So, in that aspect, I’m glad I’m not her. Well, at least for the first part. By the middle, and definitely by the end, she’s become the authoress of her life in addition to her famous novels. I do still think she’d be a cool friend to have and I was happy to live vicariously through her for the duration of the story.
Kole Camden… where do I start? How about 1. I didn’t like him at first? Shocking, I know. Aren’t readers of romances supposed to immediately fall in love with the hero, even if the plot is all about the heroine not realizing she loves the hero until later? Well, I didn’t like him at first. He came across as a jerk, but I quickly got the chance to look beyond his rough edges and see that he has a heart of gold in addition to all his swagger.
So, why does this novel only get 4 stars? Because of all the crazy stuff that happens toward the end. Don’t get me wrong, the PR hoax was an inventive way to throw a wrench into the to MC’s relationship, but it went on a bit too long for my taste. And there were a few genuine times during it that I almost found myself picturing Aubrey with Greyson. And when you have a reader entertaining the heroine with another guy so late in the game, that’s usually a sign something is off. Thankfully it all works out and the end is super sweet, saving this book from my 3-star rating that I normally bestow for such plot grievances.
Who will enjoy this story? Anyone looking for a fun contemporary romance, and particularly loves movies—I assume you love books since you’d already be reading this one!