Release Date: June 17, 2014
Star Struck
by Laurelin Paige
Book 2 of Lights, Camera Series
4 stars
I absolutely enjoyed the first book in this series, TAKE TWO, which was why I jumped at the chance to read the sequel. This time, STAR STRUCK features Heather Wainwright. In the first book she is Micah Preston's co-star and was also his once colleague-with-benefits. With that background, I was of course curious about how this woman, who appeared shallow in book 1, will be like as the heroine in the second book.
It was very easy to get the feel of STAR STRUCK. A famous actress known for her diva attitude becomes attracted to a handsome man whom she considers to be beneath her in status. She tortures herself and the guy by trying to deny the attraction, but eventually succumbs to it. Fate plays more tricks as the sexual attraction grows into something more meaningful and lasting. With a lie and a douchebag parent thrown in the mix, you have here a pretty much predictable romantic story.
Even though I found the storyline a little generic, it was still very enjoyable to read. I was reminded again how much I like Laurelin Paige's writing. I really liked how fleshed-out Heather was. From the very beginning, I already understood that her diva attitude is a knee-jerk response to avoid appearing vulnerable. If you don't act bitchy and demand what you're worth, other people will think they can just run you down. She had to grow a thick skin not just against Hollywood but also against her own self. For all her beauty and success, she really is an insecure woman who allowed her unpleasant childhood to beat her down each time it came knocking on her door.
The hero in this story is Seth Rafferty, whom Heather thought was "a lowly carpenter". The synopsis tells us otherwise though, and this is where the big test for the Hollywood star comes in: will she accept Seth for who he is despite of his low status, or will she play the diva card? Is dating a mere carpenter something she really doesn't want, or is that reaction just something she had grown accustomed to and can overcome if she wanted to?
Heather and Seth were really fun to read together. They had chemistry and the friction between them at the beginning was delicious! She did irritate me several times though. Thank goodness the author added Lexi, her PA! She's Heather's voice of reason, honestly, and the only person who can tell her to her face to get over herself and quit being selfish. :D I love her!
I also liked how the 24-hour plays was used as the setting for this story. I had always been fascinated by that annual event myself! It is truly amazing how these artists can come together and work on presenting plays with just 24 hours for preparation. I'll certainly watch those shows if given the chance!
To be honest, I still like TAKE TWO better because it ended on an emotional high after a very shaky situation for Micah and Maddie. Plus it had that epic grand gesture at the end! That didn't happen here. I understand though that it wasn't necessary in the story, but it did make the ending feel a little uneventful for me. That's my only issue for this book.
STAR STRUCK is a light, quick read that you can probably finish in an afternoon (or less, for quick readers). It's a standalone, but I wouldn't dissuade you from reading TAKE TWO! :)
Synopsis:
Onto every diva's backside, a little wood must fall.
Lights, Camera, Book 2
Hollywood actress Heather Wainwright was looking forward to a long, relaxing break before starting her next shoot. Except her assistant volunteered her for L.A.'s annual 24 Hour Plays.
Nervous about doing a good job for such a worthy charity, Heather falls back on "diva" mode, a defense mechanism that always carries her through. Until she encounters something that really gets on her nerves—a lowly carpenter whose Norse god eyes pierce right through her.
Highly sought-after production designer Seth Rafferty has little patience for A-listers with superior attitudes, which is why his attraction to Heather is absurd. Yet, sensing vulnerability beneath her screen-queen act, he lets her assumptions play out.
After the wrap party, Heather awakens with little memory of the night before—except that Seth gave her the best orgasm of her life, then disappeared. When he shows up on the set of her next movie, she winds up to give him a piece of her mind…and Seth shows her just how stinging hot “chemistry” can get.
Warning: Contains an outwardly snobby actress with a good heart, a delicious carpenter with a power drill, some much-deserved spanking, and an appropriately consensual—if tipsy—orgasm, as well as sex at an inappropriate time of the month.
Laurelin Paige is the NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Fixed Trilogy. She's a sucker for a good romance and gets giddy anytime there's kissing, much to the embarrassment of her three daughters. Her husband doesn't seem to complain, however. When she isn't reading or writing sexy stories, she's probably singing, watching Mad Men and the Walking Dead, or dreaming of Adam Levine.
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