“Come for the romance, but stay for the hysterical dialogue.” –NPR After four months of unemployment, former book editor Clara Montgomery is officially stuck–stuck sleeping on her little brother’s ugly couch in Queens, stuck scrolling through job listings in search of a new editorial position…and just desperate enough to take on a temporary gig clearing out abandoned storage units. If … storage units. If nothing else, she’s determined to keep her rapidly dwindling savings account intact.
Unfortunately, she is in no way prepared for stumbling upon dead snakes or dealing with glass jars that she’s convinced are full of pickled eyeballs. And why does everything seem to smell like beets?
Then Clara comes across a unit that was once owned by an escort service and finds the brothel “résumé” of a younger Caspian Tiddleswich, an astonishingly famous British actor. She has no intention of cashing in on her discovery, but her awkward attempts to reassure Caspian that his secret is safe go awry. Now Caspian is convinced that Clara is a blackmailer, the tabloids have her pegged as Caspian’s newest girlfriend…and Clara begins to find the A-lister’s charms more irresistible than she expected.
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I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I’d give this 2.5 stars if I could but I can’t so I rounded up.
This was an okay read. I needed something lighter and it majorly delivered there! But it was a bit too much of everything for me to really enjoy. It was too contrived, too unrealistic, too repetitive at times. The characters were either too aloof or too dramatic. It didn’t seem grounded enough in reality for me.
That said, I did enjoy parts of it. I felt compelled to finish it, at the very least. I wanted it to all work out for the best. And I wanted to continue reading more CiCi because I thought she was HYSTERICAL! She was hands-down my favorite part.
I wouldn’t recommend this but I think that comes down more to personal taste than anything.
Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock This is the first book that I have read by this author and I did enjoy it. Thanks to the publisher and #NetGalley for letting me preview and review it. Clara Montgomery(a recently unemployed book editor) Caspian Tiddleswich ( actor/movie star..has a secret past) CiCi(Clara’s best friend) I won’t give away the story that is full of angst, blackmailing?, laughter, tears, more laughter and I’ll admit I shed a few ugly tears and had some dislike for Cas…but this book did keep my interest and keep me reading all the way to a HEA.
Regarding this novel, NPR said it best: “Come for the romance, but stay for the hysterical dialogue.” And Summer Heacock’s ‘Crashing the A-List’ has hysterical dialogue in SPADES. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments, that I started attracting attention to myself as I was reading it. (Sorry not sorry.) I also completely appreciate Heacock’s brilliant imagination, concocting a plot that felt fresh and unique and wholly entertaining. The chemistry between the protagonists is fiery, and I love a heroine that is not afraid to demand respect whilst still showing vulnerability.
To me, this novel works so well because it has the following characteristics:
– The aforementioned strong female lead who is not afraid to stand up for herself.
– A brilliant female friendship that is one of the main cogs of the story.
– Witty, biting dialogue with the proper (and hilarious) use of profanity.
– A sensitive hero who isn’t afraid to show his emotions.
– Peripheral characters who don’t feel peripheral.
– A wickedly effective slow burn that has a satisfying payoff.
For all these reasons (and many more), ‘Crashing the A-List’ should immediately be moved to the top of your TBR pile.
She cleans out storage units. He’s a Broadway and film star. Will they get their happily ever after?
Duh.
But getting there is an original, twisty fun ride. And Heacock’s handling of the inevitable dark moment is one of the best I’ve ever seen.
Sweet, cute, with a little heat and some huge laughs! I honestly had so much fun reading this book and breaking into laughter in random places while devouring it till the end! It’s such a light and enjoyable story with a lot of heart! Great feel good book!
A perfect mind candy read. Strong heroine who stands up for herself. Exceptionally witty dialogue.
fun, but could use some editing – some passages were a bit too long.
Clara has lost her job and her apartment. She is sleeping on a sofa at her brother’s apartment. She has taken a crap job cleaning out storage units where she runs across some information about hired escorts and famous people. This opens a whole new can of worms.
I adore many parts of this read. Clara is struggling and your heart goes out to her. Then there is her family. They crack me up…Clara is pretty funny herself, despite her dire situation.
The ONLY problem I had with this book was with Caspian. Caspian is borderline verbally abusive. The first time it occurs is early in the book. He is threatened by Clara and her information so, he fights back to protect himself and his reputation. Things smooth over and Clara and Caspian hit it off. Then Caspian does it again. That was it for me! But, this is how a good author works….creates love and hate in the same character!
This book made me cackle! Don’t read this is public because you will bust out into hysterical laughter. It is uproariously funny, especially where Clara’s mother is involved.
Other than the Caspian issue, I am crazy about this read. I love a book which creates intense laughter and intense anger. Very uniquely done!
I received this novel from Mira Books for a honest review.
Clara and Caspian’s unusual love story is one you might read in the tabloids not a book entitled Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock. Out of work Clara is desperate for a job, even one outside her career as an editor. Desperate times means taking any job that pays, even one cleaning out abandoned storage units. Making sure that nothing important or valuable was left behind Clara unearths a list of employees for an escort service, finding the name of a famous actor on the list. In the confusion of a drunk phone call, a visit from said actor, Caspian Tiddleswich, and major misunderstandings, Clara is blackmailed into posing as Caspian’s girlfriend until he completes his run in a Broadway play. Then there’s not to miss all the publishing houses offering Clara a job because of her connection to Caspian; causing her to feel less and less valued for her abilities but more for who she knew. We see Caspian portray a variety of personas as he deals with Clara, usually not politely. At this point it was difficult for me to like Caspian. He did try to redeem himself and by making a grand gesture. A gesture that was not only sincere but heart-warming and suggesting the path this story would take toward a happy ever after. I just wonder if with all the negative and evil ways he treated Clara and misunderstood the situations if it was truly enough for her forgiveness.
Ms. Heacock wrote a humorous and sexy story that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sexual chemistry, amusing banter, laugh out loud scenes and endearing characters giving Clara and Caspian a chance for happiness, love and a future together, neiter expected. I definitely recommend Crashing the A-List to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I went into Crashing The A-List hoping for a fun romcom style story, and I was not disappointed. This story is definitely everything a romcom and a beach read should be. Witty and quirky characters, snappy dialogue, problems that aren’t too heavy and a dash of fun shenanigans. This is a delightful story that will pick you up and make you smile. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a sharp yet laughable romance. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
I went into Crashing The A-List hoping for a fun romcom style story, and I was not disappointed. This story is definitely everything a romcom and a beach read should be. Witty and quirky characters, snappy dialogue, problems that aren’t too heavy and a dash of fun shenanigans. This is a delightful story that will pick you up and make you smile. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a sharp yet laughable romance. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
This is the first time I have read a Summer Heacock book and it was glorious. I started reading and then I started laughing. Clara Montgomery was just laid off from her publishing job due to the company’s acquisition by (Amazon?). She is now sleeping on the couch in her little brother’s apartment – oh the horror of it all! She gets a job clearing out storage units that have been abandoned and finds horrible things, moldy things and enough trash to fill a pickup truck every day. In one of the storage units she find the records of an escort service and recognizes one of the escorts. He is A-List British actor – Caspian Tiddleswich. One drunk phone call and tabloid photo later results in Caspian blackmailing Clara to be his fake girlfriend while he is working in America. What ensues is hilarity, snarky comments, threats of bodily harm with a side dish of possible police action. If you throw in a series of misunderstandings and a hero that is a bit unforgiving, you have a perfect scenario for apologies and groveling.
One of the best parts of this book is Clara supporting cast; her friend CiCi and her family are wonderful and funny. A special thing to enjoy is Clara’s habit in naming inanimate objects – those parts were very funny. I hope the author will write another book about Clara and Caspian – we need to find out what happens when Clara meets Caspian’s family – hilarity will follow.
Thank you Netgalley and MIRA/Harper Collins for this ARC.
Cleaning out abandoned storage sheds to earn some much needed money, Clara lands on a goldmine that could change her monetary situation. But, it ends up changing her life in this topsy-turvy novel. There are some really funny sections that will make you roll your eyes in humor.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I wasn’t sure what to think about this book at first. The set-up seemed a little bit far-fetched, even for a RomCom. But the more I read, the more I was swept up in the story. It is quite apparent who the hero is based on, solely by name if not description, but that didn’t bother me too much. There were some genuinely funny moments, but also a couple of passages of political commentary areas that added nothing to the story but took me right out of the comedy – wasn’t a fan of that. Overall, however, it was a fun read with some genuinely heartfelt moments, and I do recommend it, especially as a summer beach read. Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Mira Publishing, and the author for a complimentary pre-release digital ARC of this book.
Crashing the A-List is a funny, sassy romantic comedy with two best friends that will have you rolling in the floor laughing. Clara Montgomery is suffering a run of bad luck with her publishing house closing and the only job she can find is cleaning repossessed storage units. With her tail tucked between her legs, she pulls up her big girl panties, moves in with her little brother, and begins the disgusting process of dealing with other people’s junk. With her best friend CiCi as a sidekick, Clara stumbles on some damaging dirt on a very successful actor. A drunken phone call that could be misconstrued as extortion later and none other than Caspian Tiddleswich is at her door extorting the maybe blackmailer. Clara walks a fine line between love and hate as her relationship with Caspian keeps evolving. The story leaves you asking is Caspian Dr. Evil or Prince Charming? Clara brings the giggles and the heart break as she stumbles her way to a satisfying HEA. Fun characters and outrageous situations fuel the entertainment in the sweet romance. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.
This was a hard one to rate. Though I do believe a solid 3 is the best I am going to give it. I really did not like Clara for most of this book. I also couldn’t stand the actor and his horrible name. I just couldn’t understand how Clara could take all that abuse for most of the book. I finally liked her when she got a backbone and stood up for herself. I really think the story should have ended there but as this is a romance this did not. Though again I am glad she stood up for herself a second time. Even after the apology I still don’t think she should have taken him back. If you expect different then you didn’t know you were reading a romance book. There are funny parts at the beginning. There are also time I do like Cas but it’s so little that it doesn’t make up for how much I didn’t like him.
*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*
I thought this was a good read. This enemies to lovers story contains a blend of humor, drama, snappy banter and a touch of madcap zaniness. I liked Clara and Caspian. I thought they had good chemistry and I liked the sparks they generated. As fun as this was, I did feel that the book lagged sometimes, especially in the beginning and my attention would wander on occasion. Still, for a first book, I found it enjoyable and I would definately try more books from this author.
This one started out great for me. Hilariously set up with intrigue thanks to strange circumstances where the heroine comes across a piece of a hot celebs past. Set in NYC this heroine is stumbling her way through life when one drunken phone call sets off a new course in her life she never saw coming.
The characters and the dialogues are utterly hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions (especially those scenes with the heroine’s mom). I really, really liked it even though the beginning when the hero makes a less than stellar name for himself with readers. The wit and humor are dry and sarcastic which was perfect for the story. And the secondary characters take on lives of their own within the pages.
It’s around the 55-80% mark where I started to get a little frustrated with the book. The second conflict of the story basically repeats the first. I saw no trust, no growth or development from the hero and one of major pet peeve tropes was used again in the same manner except this time with no real basis. I appreciated the vulnerability that came from this but I just couldn’t get on board totally as it ruined the chemistry and the development of the romance I thought was happening.
The end came out good although I wish it would have been a little more to try and regain some of that chemistry but the banter was fresh and intact. It’s overall an enjoyable read.
This was a deliciously dishy, silly, fun, sweet story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I read it while at the beach, and that was absolutely the perfect place for it. There are startling moments of clarity and instances of brilliant insight into The Human Condition, particularly our obsession with fame, that I found spot-on relevant to the world in which we all seem to find ourselves these days. It was a fun read, utterly entertaining, and exactly what I needed after a series of very heavy and very dramatic fic books. I’m definitely keeping Heacock on my TBR list!
My review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. Crashing the A-List releases in the U.S. on July 9, 2019.
This book was soooo good! I breezed right through it! It was fun, light hearted, sad, happy, romantic and I didn’t want it to end! I adored Clara, CiCi and even Caspian! Definitely recommend! Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for the early copy