A sexy and swoony contemporary romance…
Celebrity photographer Jess Leighton desperately needs to crash the wedding of the year. Snapping just one pic of the A-list Hollywood couple tying the knot will pay her way through grad school. But with security tighter than the bride-to-be’s corset, she’ll need more than her camera and smarts, she’ll need help from her biggest rival–hot, British, … British, motorcycle-riding William Harrigan, whose sexy accent can melt the panties off any woman. He’s the last person Jess should trust, but he’s her only ticket in.
William Harrigan wants one thing – to stay in L.A. past college graduation. With a student visa set to expire, the clock is ticking. When he lands a gig that pairs him with the beautiful blond spitfire Jess, he’s scored his best shot at living out the American dream. Winning her trust would be a whole lot easier, however, if he didn’t have ulterior motives…
But there’s no faking the intense attraction between them. Try as they might to resist each other, soon sparks are flying, as they devise a plan to sneak into the ceremony. But when Jess’ new celebrity client raises the stakes, she starts to smell blackmail, and soon she and Will are chasing down cheating directors, staking out clandestine trysts, and making fake IDs, all while sneaking scene-stealing kisses and hot nights together.
The audience loves a happy ending, but in a town where everyone’s acting and no one’s playing by the rules, can Jess and William find their own ever after in time?
This a full-length novel of 100,000 words. It does not have a cliffhanger. It can be read as a standalone!
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I liked that this story line was a little bit new. I really liked the twist and turns and the moments when you stop and say “what”? Like you couldn’t believe that next twist you uncover. I also like when you think you know what they author is going to take you to it doesn’t go down that way. Love it.
The competition is British, hot, and rides a motorcycle. He’s her charming rival. The California born hot girl scopes the stars for popular gossip magazines. She’s motivated by money to pay for medical school. He’s motivated by assignments and the need to stay in the states before his visa expires.
Overall:
The days are long in California and these characters have a long day of activities. Living in Hollywood awards them the perfect opportunity to scope out stars.
However, I’m not a star struck fan. Sure I appreciate the work of an actor and actress, yet to follow them around to capture a picture to post for followers is not my thing.
While there are two main characters there is also an array of supporting characters. To me these other characters crowded the story.
Where is the Lauren Blakely that wrote the No Regrets series? I miss that style of writing. This book was very disappointing. I wasn’t particularly interested in the paparazzi celebrity shooter storyline. The British guy meets the American girl is very cliche. It was a busy story with much to nothing going on besides getting tips on where celebrities will be present for photo opportunities. Yuck! Not appealing at all. It’s a big fat, No! I’m not a fan of celebrity stalking. Who cares where they eat, drink, or shop? Making money off of celebrity photos is tacky. That is not news. It’s pure gossip and an invasion of privacy.
PG rated sex scenes. Appropriate for a younger audience.
This book was laid out by days of the week totaling about six days not even a full week.
I’m not inclined to read book 2 eventhough my copy includes the second half of this duet.
Narrators:
Zachary Webber narrated the voice of William. His British performance was believable and ideal for this role.
Saskia Maarleveld narrated the voice of Jess. The American performance was ideal for this role.
These narrators greatly improved my experience of this disappointing storyline. Unfortunately, I just don’t have it in me to complete this story.
FYI:
I own the Stars in Their Eyes which is the complete version. Apparently, Lauren revamped this edition turning it into a duet by renaming the books. My Charming Rival is Book 1 and My Sexy Rival is Book 2.
My audiobook purchase included a performance for My Charming Rival ending at the beginning of Thursday which left me hanging. It was like stopping mid sentence not a great place to end book 1.
couldn’t get into it
The story really moved and was enjoyable. PLUS this author (or her editor) actually know something about spelling and grammar! I got this as a freebie, then had to read the second book! Worth it.
4 stars
I purchased the novel Caught Up In Love Book 4: Stars In Their Eyes by Lauren Blakely and this review was given freely.
A week in the life Bryan’s celebrity photographer/ pre-med student sister Jess. This novel like book 3 is also based in California and features a sibling of one of the characters from book 1. The constantly shifting life of celebrities, the struggle with weight, the struggle with privacy, the stress that occurs when your school visa expires, learning to trust, and a steamy love story are just a few reasons to read this novel.
There are two things in life that I love over almost all others: books and movies. While reading Lauren Blakely’s Stars in their Eyes, I felt as though the story were tailor made for me, with its fun and creative blend of fantasy and reality. Stars in their Eyes immerses the reader into the world of the paparazzi, detailing anything and everything you could want to about a day in the life of celebrity photography, Jess Leighton and the not-so-glamorous side of the entertainment industry – a side that is often portrayed as seedy and opportunistic in the media. The movie buff in me thoroughly enjoyed getting a glimpse at the inner workings of the film business, as viewed through our heroine. Throw in a plot filled with intrigue and a romance with sweet and sexy Brit, William Harrigan, and you have the makings of a story fit for the big screen.
With her obsession with all things pop culture, her weakness for cute guys with accents, and her tendency to make sense of life in terms of movies, Jess is my literary soul mate. She is a no-nonsense, driven individual in all aspects of her life and her need for complete control finds her attempting to resist William’s advances, but to no avail. Jess and William’s unrestrained passion for one another is an all-consuming force, drawing you in to their burgeoning romance. Their rapid-fire repartee, sizzling chemistry, and zest for adventure, cast Jess and William as modern-day versions of the old Hollywood couples that sparked Jess’s love of movies.
There is a short list of authors that I can honestly say that I’ve read and adored every single one of their books and Lauren Blakely is one such author. The reason for this is her incredible versatility and her ceaseless efforts to improve on her already impeccable writing. Not only does she create three dimensional characters and provide complete access into their most private moments, but she actively challenges these characters in their professional and romantic lives, encouraging continued growth over the course of the narrative. As with any Lauren Blakely book, Stars in their Eyes features cameos from past protagonists, creating deeper connections between the author’s works as a whole – a fact that I appreciate more because I have read all her books.
*complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review
My first time reading Lauren Blakely and I was hooked in by the unique plot summary, but then the quick and witty banter between these two likeable characters kept me reading and smiling until the very end. I’ve found a new author and can’t wait to read more.
enjoyable read
Cute story!
Unlikely pairings can sometimes generate the most heat!
I really enjoyed this book. It wasn’t your ordinary story. It was actually quite tragic and sad. The characters were very good and believable. It stayed with me after finishing the book.
I usually love her books but this one couldn’t hold my interest
If you’re caught up in the thrill of celebrities, you might like this book. Otherwise, I was just plain bored. The mystery portion of this book started too late and I just lost interest. Love the rest of the author’s books though. This one just wasn’t for me.