A rock star walks into a room and chokes a movie star before throwing a chair through the window…Sounds like the start of a bad joke. But it’s my reality when I get caught up in the midst of a paparazzi storm brought on by my best friend and her secrets. As a journalist, I’m normally on the other side of the news. When I spend a night hiding from the cameras with Australia’s hottest commodity, … with Australia’s hottest commodity, movie star Jonathan Masters, I’m thrust into the spotlight and it’s not a fun place to be.
I want my life to go back to normal, but that won’t happen for three reasons:
1. Jonathan Masters thinks he owes me for saving his life.
2. Jonathan Masters keeps showing up uninvited and the cameras follow.
3. Jonathan Masters is engaged.
Maybe it’s only one real reason – Jonathan Masters. And he’s ruining my life.
I’ll admit that with his God-like looks, charming personality and sex appeal by the bucketful, he’s hard to ignore. But his reputation precedes him, and since I’ll never be the other woman, he’s wasting his time and mine. Besides, I’m already taken. I’m dating a celebrity chef…
Sandra fights desire with logic when a movie star swoops in and tries to steal her from the chef in Star: Beautiful Series, five. Containing new and extended scenes from A Beautiful Star in this breathtaking novel.
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A Story Of Patient Love Overcoming The Fear Of Heartbreak! Great Chemistry, But The End Drags.
This book is part of the Beautiful series. It may be read perfectly as a stand-alone. However, it is closely linked to Rock, Marcus and Leisel’s story which is book five of the series, and reading both provides a deeper understanding of the various relationships.
Sandra Haegan, twenty-six, plays it safe. She hasn’t had a relationship since college, but would love to have someone in her life – someone as devoted to her as her father is to her mother. Ridiculously neat, spunky, and a worrier, she has made celebrity gossip her business. As a journalist for Voyeur magazine, she rejects tabloid gossip and sticks to the truth. In the course of her work, she does celebrity interviews. One such interview led to a weekend in the sheets with the notorious player and rock star Marcus Bailey. She fell for him, and foolishly she thought it meant something him. It turned out she was just another of his one or two nighters. But she really should have known better, since she firmly believed that celebrity couples were so plagued with trouble that they should be prohibited from getting married until they have been together for ten years. Almost two years later Sandra still felt foolish when she asked her best friend Lisa, who also worked at Voyeur, to interview Marcus in her place. It perhaps wasn’t a surprise to learn that Marcus was interested in Lisa, but Lisa wouldn’t break girl code. Or would she?
Jonathan Masters, late twenties, is Australia’s very own Hollywood hearthrob. Infamously engaged to Leisel Marx, successful solo artist and reality star, his career took off two years ago when she caught him cheating and drove her car through the front window of their home. She went into hiding afterward, and he hasn’t been able to reach her since. They have joint property to settle. Meanwhile, he is now engaged again and the stories of him cheating continue to appear in gossip columns and tabloids, suggesting his engagement is on shakey legs.
On an evening out to Mary’s Underground, an intimate Australian musical venue, Jonathan is shocked to run into Leisel. She looks a bit different, but he knows her well enough to know she is lying when she insists he is mistaken. But then a blonde, blue-eyed beauty with an hourglass figure – a combination that turns him to putty – appears in his face and tells him off. Before he knows it, Marcus Bailey is threatening him and calling Leisel Lisa. He needs to speak to Leisel and settle their property, and ends up teaming up with the beautiful blonde to find her when Leisel disappears with Bailey. The blonde, Sandra, is just as confused about what just happened as he is.
Jonathan and Sandra are brought together just as Leisel Marx is publicly outed. They, too, become targets of the media storm and are forced into hiding together. One drunken night leads to regrets for Sandra the next morning. As much as she is drawn instantly to Jonathan Masters, she will not make the same mistake twice. She sneaks out the next morning and mentally accepts it as a mistake. When Jonathan continues to pursue her, she stubbornly dismisses him. But Jonathan falls hard for Sandra and becomes a changed man while chasing her.
Jonathan and Sandra’s journey brings two soulmates together under unconventional circumstances. While Sandra worries so much that she stubbornly lives in denial, Jonathan works to correct the error of his ways and in the process becomes the man Sandra deserves. They eventually earn their HEA, although the closing words imply there might be more to come.
I love the first three quarters of this story and would have preferred it end there. The end has a vibe similar to that of Rock, but it goes further and loses me. Sandra’s actions following a pivotal phone call are too over the top and neither she nor her mother can think realistically for far too long. It feels unrealistic. A few weeks would have been okay, but stretching it out for nearly a year is too much. And that Sandra’s mother behaved so selfishly and didn’t push Sandra harder to get out, seemed unbelievable and out of character. Additionally, Jonathan would have finished filming in this timeframe and presumably returned home even if for a brief time, and based on his previous behavior he would not have left Sandra entirely alone for so long. However, it does all come together in the end, and Jonathan proves himself to be worthy of Sandra’s trust.
Jonathan and Sandra’s is the story of patient love overcoming the fear of heartbreak. This book is nicely written. The POV alternates between Jonathan and Sandra. The plot is well-developed. Sandra’s meeting with Jonathan’s mother begs for them to meet again, though; their relationship felt unfinished. The characters are well-defined. Jonathan steals the show. His patience and devotion are swoon-worthy! Sandra feels confident and independent in the beginning (and in Rock), but feels out of character later. The same is true of her mother. I rate this book four stars.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Star was a slow burn Rockstar romance that was mesmerizing and heartwarming. Jonathan and Sandra’s story was emotional and at times heartbreaking. Their story had me captivated and unable to put it down even for a moment. Two people who were held to the mercy of the media and the scandals endure the torment to reach the happiness that they both seek. This beautiful journey of love for Jonathan and Sandra is touching and impassioned and worth every moment that you spend with these two.
When women throw themselves at you and you have a reputation of being a ladies man why change peoples perceptions that’s the world that Jonathan lives. Sandra is a reporter with integrity and after a chance meeting she decides that Jonathan life is not one she wants. This is a slow burn romance that take some twists and turns and heartache that you hope that will end in a HEA for Jonathan and Sandra.
Jonathan and Sandra’s story was beautifully written heartwarming emotional moments surrounded by heartbreak and loss however strength of family shines through for them both.
A slow burn that takes you on a emotional journey filled with such wonderfully complex characters that have you unable to put their story down. As their lives become more complicated by the events around them being constantly in the middle of scandal played out in the media. Why is it that for a star to shine other’s seem to suffer and suffer they do.
Ahh what an addition to this series. There’s not a book by this author is havnt liked yet. Highly recommend this book
Star has become my favorite story written by Lilliana!
This is part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone.
I loved everything about Jonathan and Sandra’s story. This is a slow burn love story that will give you so many feels.
Lilliana took her time allowing Jonathan and Sandra’s love to bloom. With doing this, it allowed so much more depth to this story. There is so much going on in this story that you will not want to stop reading! I am a huge fan of all of her books, but Star is by far her best!
I love everything this woman writes, and Star is no different. Jonathan is more of a slow burn than some of the previous men in this series, but oh boy it’s worth it.
I read it in one sitting, I couldn’t make myself put it down..
ARC received from author for an honest review
Now, I don’t know why, but when I read this series originally, I seem to have missed Jonathon and Sandra’s story, so it was wonderful to dive into their story afresh.
Ms Anderson has given us a lovely slow burn of a story with Star.
From earlier books, I wasn’t particularly a fan of Jonathon – let’s face it, he’s a bit of a douche, however as the story progressed, he revealed so many more layers. He’s like parfait – and everyone loves parfait!
We are thrown a few twists and turns and surprises in this story – some things I really, really was not expecting!
Another wonderful story in this series, and a great set up for the next book. Bring it on Ms Anderson!
*4.5 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I have been loving getting to read this series for the first time and getting introduced to all these really cool characters. I was correct in my thinking when I read the last book, about who this one would be featuring.
I really liked getting to know Sandra more in this book, and Jonathan was a much more layered character than I originally realised. For the most part this was a really fun and easy read, but there were also a whole bunch of things thrown in, that were more intense, and totally unexpected.
There really isn’t much to say, except that this was another fabulous instalment in this series, and I can’t wait for more. Definitely recommend.