A Hollywood bad boy. A pastor’s daughter.What could possibly go wrong?
Movie star Ben Prescott arrives back in Hollywood after causing a scandal with his ex-girlfriend in Rome.Chased through the airport by paparazzi, he jumps into a limo hoping for a quick getaway. Instead he finds Lily Shaw, a pastor’s daughter and preschool teacher. When the paparazzi capture a photo of the two of them … teacher. When the paparazzi capture a photo of the two of them together, Ben’s agent demands that he do whatever it takes to keep the story from hitting the gossip pages . . . even volunteer to work at Lily’s church.
Sparks fly as the movie star and the pastor’s daughter work side by side. When Lily accompanies Ben to the premiere of his latest movie, Hollywood takes notice. Under intense media scrutiny and pressure from the movie industry, Ben must risk his career to follow his heart, but Lily wants the one thing he doesn’t have, faith.
Mission Hollywood is an inspirational story about love, faith, and second chances.
Endorsements:
“With wit and gentle humor, Michelle Keener whisks readers from the glamour, flashing lights, and empty promises of Hollywood to the beautiful truth of God’s grace. Her emotionally-engaging, relatable characters captured my heart from the first page. This tender story of love despite the odds and faith during life’s difficulties will be a sure hit for fans of inspirational romance.”
—Kellie M. Parker
2018 Daphne du Maurier winner
“Mission Hollywood is my favorite kind of contemporary fiction, the real sort. Keener avoids the pitfalls of Christian romance and creates relatable characters with flaws intact and gives them the room to grow in their faith through their struggles. You will definitely fall in love with Ben and root for him and Lily to get their happily-ever-after. With a fast-paced plot, the story keeps you hooked, turning the page to see what happens next.”
—Christa MacDonald
Author of The Broken Trail, 2017 ACFW Carol Award finalist
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Mission Hollywood by Michelle Keener is such a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute, and now I am very much looking forward to book #2 in this series, Made in Hollywood, set to release this March.
There really is so much to love about Mission Hollywood. The plot is awesome. I adore plotlines where the popular guy falls for the seemingly-insignificant girl. When the hero realizes how special the heroine really is my heart does all kinds of happy flutters, and, boy, did my heart flutter like crazy with this book. I really enjoyed the cast of characters in this story, and I found Ben and Lily to be endearing and relatable. I rooted for both the entire read! And, I very much appreciated Ben’s journey to faith in Christ. Many times, Ben asks the tough God-questions: Why does God allow bad things to happen to those who love and honor Him? How can I trust God when I haven’t been able to trust humans? How can God love me, a sinner, when I’m nothing more than a commodity to society? All amazing questions, questions I’ve even asked myself. What I really love is that Lily and her pastor-father, Evan, sometimes are not able to answer Ben satisfactorily because many times the only way we can get clarity on issues like these is to go directly to God. Trusting God with our questions may not always elicit the answers we seek — at least not here on Earth — but it will allow us a peace we cannot achieve without God. Watching Ben make his way to this truth was my favorite aspect of this very enjoyable, well-written novel.
Mission Hollywood is without a doubt a must-read story. I highly recommend this novel. If you are looking for a well-crafted contemporary romance with timely themes, then Mission Hollywood is the book for you!
I won a free copy of this novel in a 2019 giveaway hosted by Katie at Fiction Aficionado. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Wow! Read. This. Book. I’m a voracious reader and rarely assign five stars to a book, however, I would give Mission Hollywood ten stars if possible. The story starts off with a bang, the “meet cute” clever and original. Ben Prescott is a “bad boy” with a difficult past, and he’s obnoxious but not unlikable. The author gives us peeks into his history without dumping too much information or making his life all about excuses. Lily Shaw is sweet, yet strong. Unfortunately, she is naive and sometimes gullible which means she gets hurt more than she deserves. The story moves at a fast pace, and I found myself “reading just one more chapter” until I finished the novel in one sitting. Themes of salvation, second chances, and forgiveness are woven through the story without being preachy or mawkish. I adore Lily’s dad; anyone would want him for a father. Lily’s best friend Kate is a pip, and I hope she gets her own book because she deserves a happily ever after also. The climax is heart-pounding, and the ending anything but predictable. Be prepared to experience a gamut of emotions. Highly recommended.
Not your typical Christian romance setting for sure and that’s part of why I love this book. The characters have depth and the story is fast-paced. A good start to the series and I am looking forward to more.
What you might want to know:
Mission Hollywood is a contemporary Christian Fiction. Ben Prescott is a typical Hollywood playboy, but his character is Lily Shaw’s parents founded a Mission in the inner city of Hollywood to serve the people who live in the shadows of one of America’s richest places. She now serves in the Mission as a preschool teacher and worship leader. Ben Prescott is a typical Hollywood playboy, he is used to getting what he wants and buying his way out of trouble. When Ben comes home from nightmarish film opening and accidentally gets into the wrong limo he ends up dragging Lily into a spot light she never wanted.
What I enjoyed about this book:
Michelle Keener has written a wonderful book, even if the story-line seemed predictable at first I loved how Keener created characters that were REAL, endearing and lovable. I love that the author showed how our own country can be a mission field. I enjoyed the insight to the Characters. I can’t wait to read Noah’s story!
I received a complimentary copy for this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own
I really enjoyed the story because it takes a look at the cost of fame. Many of us think Hollywood stars are happy all the time . They seem to have the perfect life with no stress at all. The author has taken a character and exposed his emotional wounds that he thought would never surface. Ben has been on top of the world with his fame but it all starts to crumble before his eyes. You can feel the tug of war going on as his agent tries to distance Ben from influences that could hurt his reputation.
Lily is a very compassionate person but is hesitant when she runs into Ben unexpectedly. She is not overly excited about being around him, but God has other plans. Lily knows what it is like to lose a parent, but she has no idea the pain that Ben has carried with him for years.
I loved how Ben started to open up to Lily and let his guard down. He has questioned God and asked him why he allows things that hurt to happen. It is a tug of war going on inside of him as he starts to get close to Lily and her family. Lily’s dad is a great influence on Ben and takes him under his wing. I had to laugh when I heard the phrase, “holly roller” used. I remember being called that by kids at school. My dad was a pastor so I was constantly made fun of.
I enjoyed reading about the church and the outreaches it does. The church is there to reach out to the forgotten and show God’s love. The examples the author uses to demonstrate this is powerful. If we take the blinders off we could see hurting people all around us who need a helping hand. The story is not preachy but does show how important it is to look past the outside and allow God to show us how to reach others.
The journey Ben takes to find God is emotional and filled with life lessons. Will Ben allow God back into his life? There are a few twists and misunderstandings that leave Lily hurt . Ben has his work cut out for him as he tries to follow the path God has for him. There is a glimpse of jealousy that rears its ugly head and Lily feels the sting of it from a woman who wants Ben for herself. There is a bit of unexpected turn of events in the story that really had me on the edge of my seat. The author has delivered a wonderful story that touches on greed, jealousy, pride, forgiveness and most of all God’s love.
“Sometimes the biggest mission field is the one in our own backyard.”
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Mission Hollywood
I loved the story of Ben and Lily. Ben gets in her car at the airport to getaway from the paparazzi. Lily’s family has a church, Ben ends up volunteering there. So much happens with his ex, his agent and of course with Lily.
The book cover shows it is Book one, I look forward to reading book two. I recommend reading this book. I loved Lily and her family and all the work they did to help others.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. This book review is my own opinion.
My Thoughts on Mission Hollywood:
This is definitely a storyline I would never think up! I was intrigued by it though. Small town girl, Hollywood hunk, what happens? Who will convert the other?
The characters are great. They’re real and raw and steal your heart. Ben grew up in a Christian home but has a hard time swallowing most Christians around him because his home was also abusive. And then you have sweet Lily. She’s the ultimate pastor’s child. She leads worship, she teaches preschool, and she loves God.
But even though Lily loves God, that doesn’t mean her life is perfect or that she can be 100% on all the time. We all have those days where we find it hard to be happy or hard to put on our serene face. I’m glad to see that Lily does as well. It makes the story so much more enjoyable when the characters are fully relatable.
There are a few instances when Ben could use a good smack upside the head. I’m a bit disappointed that Lily’s father didn’t have some heart to heart talks with him a few times throughout the book about his treatment of Lily but it’s not a deal-breaker on whether I enjoyed the book or not.
This book reads like a Hollywood film. Because of that if you like movies you’re going to love Mission Hollywood. A recommend from me for all to read.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
Mission Hollywood is a story about love and faith. Deep faith, faltering faith, and faith when its convenient. And even though one of the main characters is a movie star and Hollywood is part of the title, the film industry plays a very small part of this story. This is actually a story about serving and loving God by serving and loving His children.
Yes, there is romance. Lily Shaw and Ben Prescott are a great couple and there are some emotional scenes between them but the true love story is between Lily, Ben, and God. Lily is openly in love with God and she shows it in actions and words; Ben has known God but past circumstances have left him feeling bitter toward Christianity. And then, a tragedy occurs and changes occur: Lily’s Christian witness begins to fade and Ben’s faith blossoms and blooms!
Lily and Ben are likable and realistic characters and author Michelle Keener has created some great supporting characters. In a moment of hurt, Lily tells her friend Kate “Even God has forgotten about me” and Kate’s answer is a reminder for us all. “Oh, Lily. God loves you. He hasn’t forgotten you….God is still God even when everything falls apart.” (p. 271)
This is a story that will keep you reading to try to find answers. Is there a future for a movie star and a minister’s daughter? Can a believer convince a doubter, or will the doubter change the believer? Can light be found during times of darkness?
Mission Hollywood reminds us that forgiveness and redemption are always available. If you enjoy contemporary romance and Christian fiction, you will certainly want to read this book!
I received a complimentary copy from the author and Celebrate Lit. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Mission Hollywood was a heartwarming story of coming home. I absolutely loved the cozy family vibe of the Shaws and how each member of the family radiated the love of Christ into their everyday lives. Just like Ben Prescott, I was mesmerized by the depth of their relationship with each other and how much they cared about and respected others in the community. Spending time in their home around the dinner table filled me with a sense of warmth and peace. I can understand why Ben didn’t want to leave!
Ben might have been difficult to like in the beginning when he was making passes at Lily while intoxicated, but as it becomes obvious his wandering and lonesome heart is looking for something new and genuine, he will steal your heart. I loved how the box-office blockbuster movie star just enjoyed being ordinary and doing ordinary things.
Like any good story from Hollywood, there are plenty of twists and turns as Ben and Lily explore the feelings they develop for each other. The end of the book is a bombshell, but I loved how it both tested the characters and refined them.
I really enjoyed Lily and Ben’s story, and will be looking forward to reading Noah’s story soon!
If you enjoy Christian contemporary fiction, then you will enjoy this book!
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
Sometimes a book’s description doesn’t convey just how a good the story really is, and that’s the case with this book. The description sounded like a familiar plot in the women’s Christian fiction genre, so I almost didn’t take the opportunity to review it. That would have been a mistake. This book has so much heart to it and the theme of redemption and restoration through Christ shines clearly through every chapter.
Everything in the book revolves around the characters of Ben and Lily. In this book, Ben starts out as the typical Hollywood “bad body”: An A-list actor with hit films whose life is a mess and who has lost his spiritual compass. But it’s the character of Lily that gives this story it’s shine. She’s the teacher of the children that come to her family’s mission church in Hollywood, and loves serving their community there. Her heart is in outreach. During her initial accidental meeting with Ben, she shares the love of Jesus with him. Even as Ben rejects anything Lily has to say, he can’t forget the peace of heart and mind that he sees in her. A mission church in the poorer section of Hollywood does not normally seem to be the place that Ben would like to be, but as he comes to know the Shaw family, he finds himself draw closer to the Biblical truth he sees at work in their lives. I loved the way that the Shaw family shared their faith in practical ways with those around them. The author made these characters seem real and relatable with real-life struggles, and that elevated this story from being just another typical sweet romance.
I think any reader that loves authors like Rachel Hauck and Denise Hunter would love this book. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own
As I began reading this story it felt so real, like I was watching real life. Could a celebrity get into the wrong limo, sure, especially with the paparazzi following him.
The limo ride that the author gives us is about to change lives, for the better? Well, you need to pick up this book, and I enjoyed this read, but some of it will have you shaking your head, and whom can you trust?
I loved how God uses people and circumstances here, but will it be enough to bring them into his flock?
There is an epilogue at the end, but in the end. I wanted more!
I received this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to give a positive review.
I knew just a couple pages in that I was going to love this story!!
Just a few pages in I knew this to be a great story!! The writing was very compelling, enticing me forward one sentence at a time, making me read carefully to not miss a single word. While the story was not overtly humorous, moments throughout caused me to smile.
Lily’s strong faith and desire to share it with everyone she meets comes out so clearly when she is surprised to find herself in the backseat of a limo with none other than A-list movie star, Ben Preston. I love the way it only took a few words before she was talking to him about God’s love! And then when Ben tried to hit on her, oh my! While restrain myself from telling my husband everything that is happening in all the books I read, I couldn’t help myself on this one!
While Lily was wise enough to know that she and Ben could never have a future unless he was saved, she did have a faith crisis, and for good reason. I appreciated that she had to go through this, and it wasn’t just a momentary doubt.
Ben’s life had been difficult before he made it big in Hollywood. His parent’s hypocrisy and the way the people in the church turned their backs on him had him bitter towards God. While he started as a stereotypical Hollywood playboy, underneath the facade was a man who carried deep hurt and wanted change.
I loved seeing Ben on the floor in Lily’s after-school care class, playing with blocks with the boys. Their conversation about his black eye, which caused him to stay hidden in his house for three days to avoid the paparazzi, was so funny!
In addition to Ben and Lily, I became deeply attached to Lily’s family and Chris, Ben’s director friend. In fact, after the first chapter, I already knew I wanted to read much more about Noah, Lily’s older brother!
There is a hint of mystery and danger when vandals cause damage to the mission. Things escalate from there in a big way!
I think the title of the book is unfortunate as it could be misleading. While the cover accurately reflects how Ben and Lily met, I came close to passing it up without reading the synopsis, thinking it was about yet another wannabe actor. What a shame that would have been! Mission Hollywood is the name of the church Lily’s parents founded in a poor area of the town, ministering to the forgotten and the destitute. Don’t think this is a typical Hollywood love story. While there is romance (and it is sweet!), there is so much more.
If you enjoy Christian romance that is more about changed lives than swoony kisses, this is a great choice for you!
Read my review of Mission Hollywood by Michelle Keener at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
I needed a feel good story, moved fast and had excitement from the beginning until the end. Michelle Keener’s novel gave me what I needed and more! Mission Hollywood is a fun story about Ben Prescott, a Hollywood superstar, and Lily, a teacher and the daughter of a pastor. These two main characters could not be any more different than night and day, and the attraction is real.
Ben has a chance encounter with Lily, while trying to get away from paparazzi, by getting into her brother Noah’s Limo that he used to pick up Lily in at the Los Angeles Int’l Airport. The end up being photographed with each other and has to play this ruse to mitigate the misunderstanding.
This is an incredible story and an enjoyable afternoon read for me! Mission Hollywood is truly a fun and whirlwind of a read. I highly recommend this one!