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Freddy Carlton knows she should be focusing on her lines for The Austen Playbook, a live-action TV event where viewers choose the outcome of each scene, but her concentration’s been blown. The palatial estate housing the endeavor is now run by the rude (brilliant) critic who’s consistently slammed her performances of late. James “Griff” Ford-Griffin has a penchant for sarcasm, a majestic nose and all the sensitivity of a sledgehammer.
She can’t take her eyes off him.
Griff can hardly focus with a contagious joy fairy flitting about near him, especially when Freddy looks at him like that. His only concern right now should be on shutting down his younger brother’s well-intentioned (disastrous) schemes—or at the very least on the production (not this one) that might save his family home from the banks.
Instead all he can think of is soft skin and vibrant curls.
As he’s reluctantly dragged into her quest to rediscover her passion for the stage and Freddy is drawn into his research on a legendary theater star, the adage about appearances being deceiving proves abundantly true. It’s the unlikely start of something enormous…but a single revelation about the past could derail it all.
Source: advance e-galley provided in exchange for an honest review
If you've read any of my previous reviews on Lucy Parker's books, you'll know how much I love them. The Austen Playbook continues with Parker's trademark funnies and quick quips that have endeared me to her writing.
Freddie was first mentioned in one of the earlier books where she was a younger cast member in the play. Now here she is, still young but older and a veritable veteran in the business. But the shine of the stage that she's always loved has kind of lost its sheen lately. While she's been successful and done well for herself, she hasn't felt passionate about some of her more recent work. Her inner thoughts are confirmed by none other that her adversary, famous London stage critic, James Ford-Griff, or just Griff, who has been maligning her performances. No matter. She's dealt with critics all her life and she knows how to handle herself. But once she and Griff have to share a workspace, all bets are off.
I think I've mentioned this before but the thing I love about these books is how Parker always pitches her heroines against the heroes. Be the guys prickly or condescending, the women always step up. Freddie employs humour and sarcasm in every conversation with Griff. She playfully uses his critiques of her against him, teasing him constantly about how incorrectly he had her sized up. As for Griff, there's no begrudgingly falling for the girl. He just does and acknowledges how his bluntness about some of her performances, though true and she even agrees with him on some of them, doesn't come near to the kind of phenomenon that Freddie is in reality. She injects energy and vitality into his strictly ordered world, and her truthful perspective brings invaluable insight to him. When Freddie joins Griff in his research about a theatre legend they have in common, what they find could mean rewriting history for both their families and possibly change the budding romance between them.
I admire the women that Lucy Parker writes about so much so that I wish I could automatically absorb some of their self-assuredness and quick thinking. I swear that I'm always in an uplifted mood when I'm done reading these books. I can't recommend the London Celebrities series enough to people who simply want good humour and good feels. The Austen Playbook should be your next read!
~ Bel
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Highly acclaimed, award-winning author of Act Like It Lucy Parker returns readers to the London stage with laugh-out-loud wit and plenty of drama
The play's the fling
It's not actress Lily Lamprey's fault that she's all curves and has the kind of voice that can fog up a camera lens. She wants to prove where her real talents lie—and that's not on a casting couch, thank you. When she hears esteemed director Luc Savage is renovating a legendary West End theater for a lofty new production, she knows it could be her chance—if only Luc wasn't so dictatorial, so bad-tempered and so incredibly sexy.
Luc Savage has respect, integrity and experience. He also has it bad for Lily. He'd be willing to dismiss it as a midlife crisis, but this exasperating, irresistible woman is actually a very talented actress. Unfortunately, their romance is not only raising questions about Lily's suddenly rising career, it's threatening Luc's professional reputation. The course of true love never did run smooth. But if they're not careful, it could bring down the curtain on both their careers…
Source: audiobook borrowed from Hoopla
Luc Savage has much on the line at the moment. He's invested a huge chunk of money in renovating the Queen Anne Theatre, his newest play is proving to be quite challenging with a diva in the cast and the urgency to find another actress to take on one of the final key roles to be filled. His assistant, Amelia keeps pushing him to consider Lily Lamprey who has achieved notoriety in a scandalous but popular tv show. Luc's being a snob about it. On a normal day - which is near impossible in the theatre - he wouldn't even entertain the thought that Lily could be talented enough for his production. But right now he's desperate and he trusts Amelia enough to give it a go. when he does, he sees potential though she will need extensive training and discipline to make this gamble work. Never having done theatre before, Lily is all too aware that she has much to prove - to herself, to her detractors - who view her as an upstart who most likely slept her way into her latest role. She understands that her looks and her current role as a sultry homewrecker on her tv show seem to have people thinking that she's just like her alter ego. To distance herself from that she abides by a certain set of rules but then there's Luc. For how much he might still have doubts about her acting ability on stage, she can't help but fall for him. Same goes for him. Lily is not someone he'd ever expect to be attracted to but despite the number of times he's been brusque with her, she's never broken down. Now that they're working together he gets to see firsthand what she contends with as a woman who looks a certain way and receives a certain kind of attention and gossip.
One reason I like Lucy Parker is that she writes strong, funny women. Lily faces so many presumptions based on her looks that lead people to be skeptical of her talent and work ethic. However, she chooses which battles to fight on her terms. In both books I've read so far (Act Like It was the previous one), the female leads have been top notch figures who are unyielding and don't easily fade into the background when up against a forceful personality. In Pretty Face I was also excited about Amelia whose quick replies and jabs at Luc's grumpiness and sometimes irrational tones made me laugh. She kept him on the straight and narrow. Behind every man ... as the saying goes. Even Lily's bestie, Trix was a joy. And as for Lily and Luc? They're terrific together. As much as distancing themselves from each other for propriety's sake would be the best professional move, they can't fight that inevitable collision. They seriously have great chemistry and even though he's the director and she's the actress, and there's an age difference, as far as their relationship is concerned, they're equals. I like that Luc started out the gruff, stalwart of the group but relented to the change in dynamics, even showing remorse for his own past behaviour towards Lily.
Lucy Parker is basically my hero. She gifts us with amusing and uplifting reads that just put me in such a good mood and I love how happy I feel after I'm done with her books!
~ Bel
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This just in: romance takes center stage as West End theatre's Richard Troy steps out with none other than castmate Elaine Graham
Richard Troy used to be the hottest actor in London, but the only thing firing up lately is his temper. We all love to love a bad boy, but Richard's antics have made him Enemy Number One, breaking the hearts of fans across the city.
Have the tides turned? Has English rose Lainie Graham made him into a new man?
Sources say the mismatched pair has been spotted at multiple events, arm in arm and hip to hip. From fits of jealousy to longing looks and heated whispers, onlookers are stunned by this blooming romance.
Could the rumors be right? Could this unlikely romance be the real thing? Or are these gifted stage actors playing us all?
Source: purchased ebook
Act Like It came highly recommended to me by a fellow blogger. Boy am I glad I listened to her! I fell in love with this book so fast and hard!
If you have a thing for enemies-to-lovers then you're in for a good time. Richard and Lainie do butt heads a lot because well, he's snobby, gruff and above it all, right? And she's down to earth and all around fabulous. A media darling who could rescue the guy in desperate need of a public image makeover so the powers that be have determined that they should fake date. They're both equally appalled by the idea.. What made them work for me is how she sparred so well with him. She never backed down whenever he got too smug and she met him word for word. In fact, I thought she had great comedic timing. I know it's odd to say that when I'm talking about reading a book but Lainie and Richard were so clear in my mind that I could see them in motion. She cracked me up a lot and I love that she's a strong woman who refuses to be anyone's doormat.
The chemistry between Richard and Lainie is, as my teens would say, fire! I mean, throw an English accent on a guy and picture him as Richard Armitage (I do that with almost every British male character for some reason) and I'm a total goner. They're so suitably matched for each other and the sexy moments are swoon-inducing and they fade to black which makes them even sexier.
I haven't had a chance to read further into the series but you bet I plan on it. Seriously, if you're looking for a spectacular romance with wit and humour, Act Like It should be your pick!
~ Bel
P.S. I adore the heck out of this cover!
