This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
REVIEWED BY KIRA SLAUGHTER
On Set Rory Defoe is giving the performance of his life. Off set, he’s proving the typical Hollywood bad boy; often so out of control he’s in danger of wrecking the film. In utter despair, the director knows there’s only one person to turn to.
Ella Buchan is tired of stars like Rory, with egos the size of the Beverly Hills Hotel. As Rory’s make- up artist she’s spending hours each day with him. She certainly doesn’t want to get any closer.
But the director needs her to save his film and Ella has no idea what she’s letting herself in for…
When I saw that Louise Harwood had a new book out I could barely wait to get my hands on it. Her last novels ‘Where are you Lucy Blue?', ‘Six Reasons to Stay a Virgin’ and ‘Calling on Lily’ were all fantastic and I managed to get into them really well, as Harwood gets right into the story from the very first page.
This one did not disappoint. The heroine, Ella, is very believable and I liked her immediately as she was very down to earth and didn’t seem fazed by the industry she worked in or the stars that she had to work with. To her it was her job and she loved it. When she finds out that she has to work with the infamous Rory Defoe she’s a bit wary at first as she’s heard all of the rumours about him. When they first meet it’s not how Ella would imagine, as there is an amusing incident with a young girl from Kiev!
As the story progresses and Ella is dragged ever more into Rory’s crazy world, you see how well her and Rory get on and how he relies on her to help him out of sticky situations. When the director asks Ella for her help with Rory you can tell she’s not entirely sure that she wants to do it, but eventually she gives in. From then on you see the two characters become close, yet as ever with all great chick lit, there’s a catch and a situation that prevents the two characters from actually getting together.
As with all good chick lit novels there are good supporting characters in Ella’s best friend and assistant director of the film, Poppy, kooky wardrobe assistant Sacha, Ella’s boss Rosalind and the film’s director Hayden. There is also a love interest for Ella in the shape of cameraman Sam, who she has a brief thing with that doesn’t really get the chance to get off the ground.
I loved this book as much as Harwood’s previous novels, maybe even more so. Out of her previous books I would have said ‘Six Reasons to Stay a Virgin’ was my favourite, but it has now been toppled off the top spot by ‘Kiss Like You Mean It’. If you love a good slice of chick lit with humour and gorgeous characters thrown in, then this book is just the thing you need.
I highly recommend it and give it a 10/10