Genre: Contemporary Romance
My Review - 5 Stars
Another winner from Lucy Parker! This series just gets better and better. Her books are like being wrapped up in a warm hug. I adore Lucy’s brand of contemporary romance: London theatre scene + grumpy hero + plucky heroine + lovely sense of humor.
This one had some lovely meta elements in that Freddy is cast in The Austen Playbook, a live action Jane Austen-inspired TV event where viewers choose the outcome of each scene. The book itself is not an homage to Jane Austen but there are some great nods. The rehearsals take place on the estate belonging to theater critic Griff, who does not think much of Freddy’s recent roles. Freddy’s grandmother and Griff’s grandfather had an affair back in the day but what they don’t know is a major secret that could be their undoing. (Thankfully it’s clear from the start that there’s no way Freddy and Griff could be related. That is not the secret! I won’t spoil what it is but it is a big revelation that has huge implications for their families.)
Freddy and Griff should not be drawn to each other and yet they are. Add a little forced proximity and of course they give in and it’s so delightful watching them fall for each other, in spite of the reasons not to. Griff is such an uptight grump, a great foil to Freddy’s vivaciousness and spontaneity. They’re able to push each other; Freddy showing Griff how to be a better, more encouraging brother, Griff encouraging Freddy to stand up to her manager father and go after the acting roles she really wants. I adored them together and was fully caught up in their relationship.
Parker’s books have the best sense of humor. But they also have a fair number of moving moments. Whether it’s Griff and Freddy’s fight after discovering Griff hid the secret about their respective families or the two of them individually making sense of what they want out of life, especially how Freddy’s decisions could negatively impact her relationship with her dad, I had some major feels. I could have done without the villainess character or at least I could have done with her if she’d had more nuance and a comeuppance. But that was a minor issue and really did not dampen my enjoyment of the story.
I was sad when it ended and I eagerly await the next installment of this series. I need Sabrina and Nick’s story in my life!
CW: infidelity, sabotaging cast member, reference to death of a loved one, reference to past car crash
Synopsis
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.
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Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy from Harlequin Publicity Team.
