What do you think?
Rate this book
Crashing the A-List
After four months of unemployment, former book editor Clara Montgomery is still stuck sleeping on her little brother’s ugly couch in Queens. Determined to keep her minuscule savings account intact, she takes a job clearing out abandoned storage units, but is in no way prepared for stumbling upon dead snakes or trying to identify exactly where the perpetual stench of beets is emanating from.
When Clara comes across a unit that was once owned by an escort service, she finds the brothel “résumé” of a younger Caspian Tiddleswich… an astonishingly famous British actor. Her best friend thinks she should sell the gossip to a tabloid to fund her way off the couch from hell, but Clara instead manages to track down Caspian’s contact info, intending to reassure him that her lips are sealed.
Unfortunately, Caspian misinterprets Clara’s attempt at altruism and shows up on her doorstep, accusing her of blackmail. When the paparazzi capture a photo of them together, Caspian’s PR team sees an opportunity to promote his latest film—and if Clara wants to atone for her “crimes,” she’ll have to play along. Pretending to be Caspian’s girlfriend seems like it will be a tolerable, if somewhat daunting, penance… until their fake romance becomes something more than either of them expected.
When Clara comes across a unit that was once owned by an escort service, she finds the brothel “résumé” of a younger Caspian Tiddleswich… an astonishingly famous British actor. Her best friend thinks she should sell the gossip to a tabloid to fund her way off the couch from hell, but Clara instead manages to track down Caspian’s contact info, intending to reassure him that her lips are sealed.
Unfortunately, Caspian misinterprets Clara’s attempt at altruism and shows up on her doorstep, accusing her of blackmail. When the paparazzi capture a photo of them together, Caspian’s PR team sees an opportunity to promote his latest film—and if Clara wants to atone for her “crimes,” she’ll have to play along. Pretending to be Caspian’s girlfriend seems like it will be a tolerable, if somewhat daunting, penance… until their fake romance becomes something more than either of them expected.
376 pages
First published March 12, 2019
165 people are currently reading
2636 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 542 reviews
August 20, 2019
Hello Hollywood!!
As a result of a not so friendly take-over, Clara lost her job as an editor in a publishing house. Landing her squarely on her brothers’ couch, reduced to emptying deserted storage units to make a few extra dollars.
Rifling through one of the many boxes she’s clearing, she discovers some potentially damaging information regarding one of Britain’s heartthrobs. One who is now making a splash on this side of the pond!
So…should she bury it? Or is there a way to twist this to her advantage and make some real money off of it. After all, a girls gotta live... right!? But can she live with the consequences?
This read was slow to gain some footing. I had little interest in the main character and continued waiting for it to gel. Some sections felt forced, as though it was just trying too hard. Gladly, the further I read, the more I started to enjoy! By the end I was left with my silly rom com grin on my face!!
I can absolutely see this book being made into a movie. I think Renée Zellweger would make the perfect Clara! (Hollywood...are you listening!?). I watched the movie play out in my mind as I was reading the book! All I needed was my bag of popcorn!
Another rom com weekend read with Susanne!!
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin - Mira and Summer Heacock for an ARC to read and review.
As a result of a not so friendly take-over, Clara lost her job as an editor in a publishing house. Landing her squarely on her brothers’ couch, reduced to emptying deserted storage units to make a few extra dollars.
Rifling through one of the many boxes she’s clearing, she discovers some potentially damaging information regarding one of Britain’s heartthrobs. One who is now making a splash on this side of the pond!
So…should she bury it? Or is there a way to twist this to her advantage and make some real money off of it. After all, a girls gotta live... right!? But can she live with the consequences?
This read was slow to gain some footing. I had little interest in the main character and continued waiting for it to gel. Some sections felt forced, as though it was just trying too hard. Gladly, the further I read, the more I started to enjoy! By the end I was left with my silly rom com grin on my face!!
I can absolutely see this book being made into a movie. I think Renée Zellweger would make the perfect Clara! (Hollywood...are you listening!?). I watched the movie play out in my mind as I was reading the book! All I needed was my bag of popcorn!
Another rom com weekend read with Susanne!!
Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin - Mira and Summer Heacock for an ARC to read and review.
August 11, 2019
3 Stars
Clara is a down on your luck gal who recently lost her job at a publishing company, who now finds herself living on her brother’s sofa. To make some extra cash, she gets a temp job at a storage company, cleaning out abandoned storage units. Talk about depressing. What she finds at times is enough to run screaming. Thank goodness she has her best friend CiCi around to cheer her up.
One day while cleaning out a storage unit, she comes across papers that give her pause. They appear to implicate British actor Caspian Tiddleswich. During one drunken night, Clara calls him and leaves a crazy message, which she honestly doesn’t remember the next day. When he shows up at her door, he accuses her of blackmail and decides to turn the tables on her. He needs her to pretend to be his girlfriend while he is in the states. The problem? Caspian is a pompous @ss but since he threatened to call the police on her, she has no choice but to agree.
“Crashing the A-List” started out slow and left a little to be desired as the character of Caspian was truly despicable at first, but as the novel picked up the pace around the halfway mark and it also became a bit more endearing.
Another weekend rom com buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin-Mira and Summer Heacock for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 8.11.19
Clara is a down on your luck gal who recently lost her job at a publishing company, who now finds herself living on her brother’s sofa. To make some extra cash, she gets a temp job at a storage company, cleaning out abandoned storage units. Talk about depressing. What she finds at times is enough to run screaming. Thank goodness she has her best friend CiCi around to cheer her up.
One day while cleaning out a storage unit, she comes across papers that give her pause. They appear to implicate British actor Caspian Tiddleswich. During one drunken night, Clara calls him and leaves a crazy message, which she honestly doesn’t remember the next day. When he shows up at her door, he accuses her of blackmail and decides to turn the tables on her. He needs her to pretend to be his girlfriend while he is in the states. The problem? Caspian is a pompous @ss but since he threatened to call the police on her, she has no choice but to agree.
“Crashing the A-List” started out slow and left a little to be desired as the character of Caspian was truly despicable at first, but as the novel picked up the pace around the halfway mark and it also became a bit more endearing.
Another weekend rom com buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin-Mira and Summer Heacock for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Published on Goodreads and NetGalley on 8.11.19
July 4, 2019
Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock
Enemies to maybe friends or more in this often humorous and clean romcom.
Clara is working temporarily to clear out some storage units while looking for a job. Ethics override the chance for some quick money but Clara’s actions are suspect by Caspian. He doesn’t believe her claims of innocence.
I really liked that as Clara was interviewing, she knows the insider industry details. That makes her quite professional and prepared.
I think the hero was too quick to judge and lack of trust really hurt the story and relationship. But it’s a romance so a grand gesture makes it a happy ending.
50% humorous with serious overtones.
Minor excerpt that had me amused:
Clara and her BFF are stressed about situation.
“We stare desperately at each other for a moment and then silently start eating fries again. She’s right. They are oddly helpful.”
Excerpt from Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Enemies to maybe friends or more in this often humorous and clean romcom.
Clara is working temporarily to clear out some storage units while looking for a job. Ethics override the chance for some quick money but Clara’s actions are suspect by Caspian. He doesn’t believe her claims of innocence.
I really liked that as Clara was interviewing, she knows the insider industry details. That makes her quite professional and prepared.
I think the hero was too quick to judge and lack of trust really hurt the story and relationship. But it’s a romance so a grand gesture makes it a happy ending.
50% humorous with serious overtones.
Minor excerpt that had me amused:
Clara and her BFF are stressed about situation.
“We stare desperately at each other for a moment and then silently start eating fries again. She’s right. They are oddly helpful.”
Excerpt from Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
dnf
August 8, 2019I’m really disappointed. I was enjoying this book, but decided to dnf 170 pages in. It’s a hate to love romance, but the author honestly does too good of a job of making you hate the love interest, to the point where there was no coming back. So when I got to the apologies that were supposed to excuse all of his completely inexcusable behavior, I realized I would never get behind the relationship, which kinda killed any chance of enjoying the second half of the book.
The writing style is super witty and fun, but hating the love interest for a romance was kind of a deal breaker for me.
The writing style is super witty and fun, but hating the love interest for a romance was kind of a deal breaker for me.
June 25, 2019
**Crashing the A-List generously provided in exchange for an honest review.**
3 "...but for real this time." Stars
This one started out great for me. Hilariously set up with intrigue thanks to strange circumstances where the heroine comes across a piece of a hot celebs past. Set in NYC this heroine is stumbling her way through life when one drunken phone call sets off a new course in her life she never saw coming.
The characters and the dialogues are utterly hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions (especially those scenes with the heroine's mom). I really, really liked it even though the beginning when the hero makes a less than stellar name for himself with readers. The wit and humor are dry and sarcastic which was perfect for the story. And the secondary characters take on lives of their own within the pages.
It's around the 55-80% mark where I started to get a little frustrated with the book. The second conflict of the story basically repeats the first. I saw no trust, no growth or development from the hero and one of major pet peeve tropes was used again in the same manner except this time with no real basis. I appreciated the vulnerability that came from this but I just couldn't get on board totally as it ruined the chemistry and the development of the romance I thought was happening.
The end came out good although I wish it would have been a little more to try and regain some of that chemistry but the banter was fresh and intact. It's overall an enjoyable read.
3 "...but for real this time." Stars
This one started out great for me. Hilariously set up with intrigue thanks to strange circumstances where the heroine comes across a piece of a hot celebs past. Set in NYC this heroine is stumbling her way through life when one drunken phone call sets off a new course in her life she never saw coming.
The characters and the dialogues are utterly hilarious. I found myself laughing out loud on several occasions (especially those scenes with the heroine's mom). I really, really liked it even though the beginning when the hero makes a less than stellar name for himself with readers. The wit and humor are dry and sarcastic which was perfect for the story. And the secondary characters take on lives of their own within the pages.
It's around the 55-80% mark where I started to get a little frustrated with the book. The second conflict of the story basically repeats the first. I saw no trust, no growth or development from the hero and one of major pet peeve tropes was used again in the same manner except this time with no real basis. I appreciated the vulnerability that came from this but I just couldn't get on board totally as it ruined the chemistry and the development of the romance I thought was happening.
The end came out good although I wish it would have been a little more to try and regain some of that chemistry but the banter was fresh and intact. It's overall an enjoyable read.
Read
April 26, 2025Crashing the A-List has a very interesting premise, but unfortunately I found the love interest to be so unlikeable that I couldn't root for the couple, despite scenes of groveling intended to make up for his bad behavior. Honestly, I kind of wanted Clara and her best friend Cici to end up together because they had such a better relationship and more chemistry!
The story follows Clara, an assistant editor who loses her job after a merger, and has to crash on the couch of her little brother and his fiancee. To make ends meet, she takes a gig cleaning out storage units that have been repossessed for non-payment. In the process, she finds 20-year-old records from a escort service, including evidence that famous actor Caspian Tiddleswich (I know, that name! Lol) worked as a male escort when he was 19. When she somehow finds his phone number and leaves a drunken voicemail, he assumes she is trying to blackmail him and sets out to make her life a living hell.
I was actually really stressed out by the things Clara goes through and thought Caspian was an absolute jerk, even when he didn't need to be. I did not feel like his behavior, in multiple instances, was remotely acceptable and by the end was rooting for Clara to leave him despite his apologies. Not what you want in a romance novel! Instead, I was annoyed that she was practically ignoring these huge red flags, simply because she had feelings for him. Meanwhile, Cici, her BFF, is the best character in the book! I would be here for for them becoming more than friends. Unfortunately, that was not the direction this went. I received an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The story follows Clara, an assistant editor who loses her job after a merger, and has to crash on the couch of her little brother and his fiancee. To make ends meet, she takes a gig cleaning out storage units that have been repossessed for non-payment. In the process, she finds 20-year-old records from a escort service, including evidence that famous actor Caspian Tiddleswich (I know, that name! Lol) worked as a male escort when he was 19. When she somehow finds his phone number and leaves a drunken voicemail, he assumes she is trying to blackmail him and sets out to make her life a living hell.
I was actually really stressed out by the things Clara goes through and thought Caspian was an absolute jerk, even when he didn't need to be. I did not feel like his behavior, in multiple instances, was remotely acceptable and by the end was rooting for Clara to leave him despite his apologies. Not what you want in a romance novel! Instead, I was annoyed that she was practically ignoring these huge red flags, simply because she had feelings for him. Meanwhile, Cici, her BFF, is the best character in the book! I would be here for for them becoming more than friends. Unfortunately, that was not the direction this went. I received an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 10, 2019
Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock is a new contemporary romance. This one is a romantic comedy that brings together a pair of opposites that engage in a fake dating plan.
Clara Montgomery had lost her job as a book editor and only with the help of her brother and the use of his couch had so far managed to stay in the city and continue looking for work. In the meantime Clara had taken on a not so glamorous job of cleaning out storage units to make some quick cash.
When Clara and her best friend stumble upon a storage unit full of boxes of paperwork that seem to have come from a escort agency over a decade before Clara’s friend encourages her to look for famous names to sell to the media. Clara however can’t bring herself to profit from others misery so when she finds the name of a famous actor she vows to destroy the paperwork. Before doing so though she makes a drunken confession of her discovery to Caspian Tiddleswich which gets taken as a blackmail attempt.
As usual I’m a sucker for a good old fake dating trope and Crashing the A-List is just another of those. The humor in here was what really had me liking this one the most although I did enjoy Clara and her best friend too. The one downside was Caspian wasn’t that likable during a lot of the story, had he been showing his good side more I’d had probably raised my rating. Overall though it’s still a fun read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Clara Montgomery had lost her job as a book editor and only with the help of her brother and the use of his couch had so far managed to stay in the city and continue looking for work. In the meantime Clara had taken on a not so glamorous job of cleaning out storage units to make some quick cash.
When Clara and her best friend stumble upon a storage unit full of boxes of paperwork that seem to have come from a escort agency over a decade before Clara’s friend encourages her to look for famous names to sell to the media. Clara however can’t bring herself to profit from others misery so when she finds the name of a famous actor she vows to destroy the paperwork. Before doing so though she makes a drunken confession of her discovery to Caspian Tiddleswich which gets taken as a blackmail attempt.
As usual I’m a sucker for a good old fake dating trope and Crashing the A-List is just another of those. The humor in here was what really had me liking this one the most although I did enjoy Clara and her best friend too. The one downside was Caspian wasn’t that likable during a lot of the story, had he been showing his good side more I’d had probably raised my rating. Overall though it’s still a fun read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Read
October 1, 2021Kitabı okurken bir cevher keşfettiğimi düşündüm. Çünkü uzun zamandır keyifle ve merakla okuduğum bir hikayeye denk gelmedim. Hoş bu aralar herkes aynı durumda sanırım 🤔☺️ Ama hikaye son çeyreğe girince dedim bunu başkası yazmış sanırım. Başlangıçta ki gidişat, detaylı ve doğru ilerleme yoktu. Açıkçası son sahnelerde kafam karıştı. Yani karakterler neyin kafasını yaşadı, neye hangi sebeple kızdı çözemedim. Elbette sebebi biliyorum ama tepkileri bende tatmin edici hisler uyandırmadı.** Özür dilerim, beni affetmezsen anlarım ama çok pişmanım. ** Bu nasıl bir konuşma şimdi 🤦🏻♀️
Hikayenin konusunu okuyunca açıkçası çik-lit tarzı bir şeyler bekliyordum. Bu tarz ve türevi kapaklar zaten direkt rom com temasına sahipmiş hissiyatı veriyor. Ama alakası yoktu diyebilirim. Güldüğüm, sinirlendiğim, yumuş yumuş olduğum sahneler oldu. Açıkçası son sahneleri anlamlandırabilsem bes yıldız verirdim. Sadece gereksiz uzatmaları oynamış gibi hissettim.
Clara bir yayınevinde editör. Sektör genel anlamda sıkıntıda olduğu için kendini bir anda işsiz bulur. Birikimleri suyu çekmeye başlayınca, başvurulardan da haber almayınca ilginç bir teklifi kabul eder. Depo tasnifi. Dmaxteydi sanırım. Depo Savaşları diye bir program var, bu yüzden Clara ve ne yaptığını aklımda canlandırmak kolaydı. 🤭 Ama o depolardan çıkan şeyler bazen korkunç olabiliyorda. Clara, bacım, sana ve sinirlerine kolaylıklar diliyorum 😇 ve aman ne bulduğuna dikkat et. Kazara ünlü birinin kirli sırlarını bulursun felan 🤭
Caspian ise müthiş bir aktör, tiyatro sanatçısı... İşine bağlı, kendi halinde, özeli özelinde yaşayan birisi.Ama uyanır uyanmaz bir şantaj mesajı alınca iyilik sağlık kalmıyor. İçinde ki canavar çıkıyor ortaya. Söyle kaç para istiyorsun naraları atarken kendini kapı dışarı edilmiş bulur. Tamam madem öyle konuyu kapatayım der ama gazeteler buna izin vermez. Bir kadını ağlatan ünlü bir aktör... Okey hadi durumu kurtarmak için sevgili rolü yapalım. Sonra ayrılırız zaten, en fazla ne olabilir ki🤭
Açıkçası kitapta aşka, duygulara aşırı bir yoğunluk yoktu. İlk başlar aralarında ki çekişme, Clara'nın hayatını yoluna sokma çabaları ile geçiyor. Ortalara doğru ise çok farklı bir Caspian görüyoruz ve hikaye ilginçleşiyor. Keyifle okudum. Özellikle CiCi gibi harika bir arkadaş renk katmış hikâyeye.
Dediğim gibi son çeyrek farklı bir hikaye gibiydi ama yine de okunabilir bence...
Hikayenin konusunu okuyunca açıkçası çik-lit tarzı bir şeyler bekliyordum. Bu tarz ve türevi kapaklar zaten direkt rom com temasına sahipmiş hissiyatı veriyor. Ama alakası yoktu diyebilirim. Güldüğüm, sinirlendiğim, yumuş yumuş olduğum sahneler oldu. Açıkçası son sahneleri anlamlandırabilsem bes yıldız verirdim. Sadece gereksiz uzatmaları oynamış gibi hissettim.
Clara bir yayınevinde editör. Sektör genel anlamda sıkıntıda olduğu için kendini bir anda işsiz bulur. Birikimleri suyu çekmeye başlayınca, başvurulardan da haber almayınca ilginç bir teklifi kabul eder. Depo tasnifi. Dmaxteydi sanırım. Depo Savaşları diye bir program var, bu yüzden Clara ve ne yaptığını aklımda canlandırmak kolaydı. 🤭 Ama o depolardan çıkan şeyler bazen korkunç olabiliyorda. Clara, bacım, sana ve sinirlerine kolaylıklar diliyorum 😇 ve aman ne bulduğuna dikkat et. Kazara ünlü birinin kirli sırlarını bulursun felan 🤭
Caspian ise müthiş bir aktör, tiyatro sanatçısı... İşine bağlı, kendi halinde, özeli özelinde yaşayan birisi.Ama uyanır uyanmaz bir şantaj mesajı alınca iyilik sağlık kalmıyor. İçinde ki canavar çıkıyor ortaya. Söyle kaç para istiyorsun naraları atarken kendini kapı dışarı edilmiş bulur. Tamam madem öyle konuyu kapatayım der ama gazeteler buna izin vermez. Bir kadını ağlatan ünlü bir aktör... Okey hadi durumu kurtarmak için sevgili rolü yapalım. Sonra ayrılırız zaten, en fazla ne olabilir ki🤭
Açıkçası kitapta aşka, duygulara aşırı bir yoğunluk yoktu. İlk başlar aralarında ki çekişme, Clara'nın hayatını yoluna sokma çabaları ile geçiyor. Ortalara doğru ise çok farklı bir Caspian görüyoruz ve hikaye ilginçleşiyor. Keyifle okudum. Özellikle CiCi gibi harika bir arkadaş renk katmış hikâyeye.
Dediğim gibi son çeyrek farklı bir hikaye gibiydi ama yine de okunabilir bence...
December 7, 2019
I loved this, but I think I've been cursed to not read some decent smut right now. Or maybe I just need to lower my thirst levels. Probably a bit of both. It was a great story (with a love interest based 100% off of Benedict Cumberbatch, (which I called before even starting the book) and I'm not mad at it), but there was zero smut. Colour me disappointed.
November 29, 2019
Honestly, while the premise of this book is good the execution of it was utter shit. I enjoy the whole enemies to lovers but Caspian was an utter dick and Clara was a limp noodle of a main character. She was just a sad little panda the whole time, and let Caspian treat her like utter garbage for 75% of the book! Also, it was beyond vulgar and I'm sweary af. Everything about this book was not a good time. If I hadn't gotten over 200 pages in before I realized how terrible it was I wouldn't have even pushed through.
dnf
June 22, 2019On being a little way in I have decided I am not the audience for this book. So far the heroine is whiny and first person narrative has to be really good to hold me. I also don't appreciate the language, so I am not prepared to commit valuable reading time to it. I am sure though other audiences will possibly be quite happy to read it.
August 18, 2019
Due to a business change by her employer, Clara Montgomery has lost her job as a book editor. She has a lot of feelers out there, but for now she is down on her luck. She is currently living on her brother's couch and has been forced to take a job cleaning out storage facilities.
In one unit, she happens upon some shocking and scandalous information. She has discovered proof of a former escort service and is stunned to see the name of a successful British actor among the many names. His name is Caspian Tiddleswich and her best friend has all but convinced Clara to sell Caspian's story to the tabloids.
Although Clara seriously considers it, she decides not to do so. However, she did make contact with him and he immediately accuses her of blackmail. Well, he literally puts the shoe on the other foot. He insists that Clara act as his girlfriend certain opportunities in public, hoping that the paparazzi will be convinced that he is off the market. This will take Caspian quite far when it comes to promoting his latest film.
Clara and Caspian knock heads every step of the way. She wants out, but he holds the upper hand. Neither one of them expects that their fake romance might actually lead to much more. Meanwhile, Clara is feverishly trying to hunt down another editing job.
This was an enjoyable story. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Clara and her best friend, CiCi. I also enjoyed the development of the relationship between Clara and Caspian. Many things made it seem unlikely, and I loved the road that it took to get there. I enjoyed this book by Summer Heacock and I look forward to reading more by her in the future.
Many thanks to Mira Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
In one unit, she happens upon some shocking and scandalous information. She has discovered proof of a former escort service and is stunned to see the name of a successful British actor among the many names. His name is Caspian Tiddleswich and her best friend has all but convinced Clara to sell Caspian's story to the tabloids.
Although Clara seriously considers it, she decides not to do so. However, she did make contact with him and he immediately accuses her of blackmail. Well, he literally puts the shoe on the other foot. He insists that Clara act as his girlfriend certain opportunities in public, hoping that the paparazzi will be convinced that he is off the market. This will take Caspian quite far when it comes to promoting his latest film.
Clara and Caspian knock heads every step of the way. She wants out, but he holds the upper hand. Neither one of them expects that their fake romance might actually lead to much more. Meanwhile, Clara is feverishly trying to hunt down another editing job.
This was an enjoyable story. I absolutely loved the dynamic between Clara and her best friend, CiCi. I also enjoyed the development of the relationship between Clara and Caspian. Many things made it seem unlikely, and I loved the road that it took to get there. I enjoyed this book by Summer Heacock and I look forward to reading more by her in the future.
Many thanks to Mira Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 9, 2019
Summer Heacock's Crashing the A-list was a welcome departure from my usual fare. I found it to be an upbeat and humorous twist on the "Hate turns to love" trope. Although CiCi gave me lots of laughs, my favourite character was Clara. I loved that she had a strong spine and valued herself enough to speak her mind.
Special thanks to Justine Sha at Mira Books, NetGalley and Summer Heacock for access to this title.
Special thanks to Justine Sha at Mira Books, NetGalley and Summer Heacock for access to this title.
April 30, 2024
surprisingly good communication skills near the end
May 4, 2020
Writing: 3 Stars;
Characters: 3 Stars;
Plot: 2 Stars;
Entertaining: 2.5 Stars;
Read again? No.
Total: 2 Stars
I’m an author so I always try to give positive reviews, but this book is painful. If I had to describe it in three words: overdramatic, cliché, nonsense.
It had moments. I loved the description of the tiny pillow smothering the phone’s face until it stopped twitching. That quote went into my Quote Book. Delightful! However, these moment were few and far between.
I can take a lot of absurdity when it comes to romance novels. However, even the absurdities have to make sense. Life doesn’t, but fiction MUST make sense. This book has so many absolutely illogical bits, that I keep wondering if the author is a child who has not yet lived.
Why on earth would a New Yorker be afraid of a pigeon? I understand if a falcon found its way inside the storage room, but a pigeon?!
I don’t care what kind of role the guy is playing, but leaving a “date”, a tiny, dressed up woman, in the middle of nowhere to catch the last subway train in New York? That man is human garbage.
Also, why on earth would an actor try to jail her for a scandal that did not break? In what world does it make sense that as a public figure he would not have more to lose, especially after he presented the woman as his girlfriend, by calling the authorities on her?
I cannot recall a book I’ve ready where the author tried to force the plot to get to the end. The end... Oh, my goodness. This review would be three stars if not for the end... The painful, unnatural, forced dialogue...
I also cannot tell how these two people fall in love. Please enlighten me if you can. Caspian is an ass and she is what? A doormat? Why does she like him? Because he’s pretty, signed autographs and hugged a kid?
I really do not understand.
The heroine is supposed to be 30 years old. I might believe her if she was sixteen. She does not behave as an adult. I find her naming inanimate objects charming. However, her behavior at interviews? I think there is a scene where she says that she would be honored if the publisher would consider her for the position as an editor, while she’s interviewing. Hello, they are considering her, otherwise she would not be at an interview! Her yelling at the psycho with the crowbar? Was that meant to show her being spunky?
Even CC, who I kind of liked, is a cardboard best friend character.
I’m sorry I’m ranting, but I have not had time to process my disappointment with this book.
This story may have worked, but it needs a lot of editing. A lot!
I commend the audiobook reader for her performance. She was great.
Characters: 3 Stars;
Plot: 2 Stars;
Entertaining: 2.5 Stars;
Read again? No.
Total: 2 Stars
I’m an author so I always try to give positive reviews, but this book is painful. If I had to describe it in three words: overdramatic, cliché, nonsense.
It had moments. I loved the description of the tiny pillow smothering the phone’s face until it stopped twitching. That quote went into my Quote Book. Delightful! However, these moment were few and far between.
I can take a lot of absurdity when it comes to romance novels. However, even the absurdities have to make sense. Life doesn’t, but fiction MUST make sense. This book has so many absolutely illogical bits, that I keep wondering if the author is a child who has not yet lived.
Why on earth would a New Yorker be afraid of a pigeon? I understand if a falcon found its way inside the storage room, but a pigeon?!
I don’t care what kind of role the guy is playing, but leaving a “date”, a tiny, dressed up woman, in the middle of nowhere to catch the last subway train in New York? That man is human garbage.
Also, why on earth would an actor try to jail her for a scandal that did not break? In what world does it make sense that as a public figure he would not have more to lose, especially after he presented the woman as his girlfriend, by calling the authorities on her?
I cannot recall a book I’ve ready where the author tried to force the plot to get to the end. The end... Oh, my goodness. This review would be three stars if not for the end... The painful, unnatural, forced dialogue...
I also cannot tell how these two people fall in love. Please enlighten me if you can. Caspian is an ass and she is what? A doormat? Why does she like him? Because he’s pretty, signed autographs and hugged a kid?
I really do not understand.
The heroine is supposed to be 30 years old. I might believe her if she was sixteen. She does not behave as an adult. I find her naming inanimate objects charming. However, her behavior at interviews? I think there is a scene where she says that she would be honored if the publisher would consider her for the position as an editor, while she’s interviewing. Hello, they are considering her, otherwise she would not be at an interview! Her yelling at the psycho with the crowbar? Was that meant to show her being spunky?
Even CC, who I kind of liked, is a cardboard best friend character.
I’m sorry I’m ranting, but I have not had time to process my disappointment with this book.
This story may have worked, but it needs a lot of editing. A lot!
I commend the audiobook reader for her performance. She was great.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2019
Clara Montgomery was a children's book editor until the publishing house she worked for was bought out by a soulless e-book retailer. Now she's unemployed, sleeping on her little brother's (extremely uncomfortable) couch and working for her brother's fiance's rather shady Uncle Charlie emptying storage units. When she comes across evidence that a famous British actor called Caspian Tiddleswich was once a male escort she and her BFF briefly consider selling the information to the gossip rags but her conscience gets the better of her. Unfortunately after one too many drinks Clara accidentally leaves a drunken rambling message on Caspian's phone. What she meant to say was "Don't worry, I have the information safe and I won't share it", but what it sounded like was an attempt at blackmail. Clara recalls nothing of the call until an irate Caspian tracks her down and threatens to report her to the police.
Instead of reporting Clara to the police Caspian does some blackmailing of his own, forcing her to accompany him to dinners, parties and other social events to appease his 'people'. In addition, he is such a jerk that every second in his company is an exercise in self-control for Clara so that she doesn't throat-punch him.
I love me an enemies to lovers romance and this was a great one, full of antics, weird relatives, fancy parties, peculiar storage units, snarky repartee and lovable characters. However, I have to say the first chapter or two didn't grab me, Clara's BFF was a bit too full on and there was a lot of so-called 'zany' humour which I don't like. But once Caspian appeared the one-liners and the snark were just perfect.
I will look out for other books by Summer Heacock, she writes relatable, intelligent characters with humour and flair (also as a Brit I liked that her British hero didn't have lots of fake British sayings).
I was invited to read a free copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
Instead of reporting Clara to the police Caspian does some blackmailing of his own, forcing her to accompany him to dinners, parties and other social events to appease his 'people'. In addition, he is such a jerk that every second in his company is an exercise in self-control for Clara so that she doesn't throat-punch him.
I love me an enemies to lovers romance and this was a great one, full of antics, weird relatives, fancy parties, peculiar storage units, snarky repartee and lovable characters. However, I have to say the first chapter or two didn't grab me, Clara's BFF was a bit too full on and there was a lot of so-called 'zany' humour which I don't like. But once Caspian appeared the one-liners and the snark were just perfect.
I will look out for other books by Summer Heacock, she writes relatable, intelligent characters with humour and flair (also as a Brit I liked that her British hero didn't have lots of fake British sayings).
I was invited to read a free copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Bumped for release.
July 9, 2019
Coffee dates with Crashing the A-List
First Date: Our dates begin when Clara, an unemployed publicist discovers something in a storage unit and fumbles the return of said information, leading the intended recipient, sexy British actor, Caspian Tiddleswich, to believe Clara is trying to blackmail him. When a photo appears them, everyone assumes the secretive Tiddleswich has a girlfriend. The two enter a twisted arrangement built off a stack of misconceptions. I loved the whole setup, Clara’s BFF and the initial interactions between Clara and Caspian.
Second Date: Chemistry, snark and attitudes have me feeling hot and cold. Clara is a hoot, particularly with her habit of naming inanimate objects. She even talks to them; much like I talk to my coffee. We could be BFFs. Family and friends added moments of laughter. Clara’s mother and the whole lunch scene was hilarious. Clara and Caspian open up and we gain some understanding into Tiddleswich and just when things heat up, someone dowses the flames.
Third Date: Feels, confessions and character growth gave way to something deeper. The drama was dealt with in an adult like way and I was pleased with the way it slowly unfolded. I also loved the thread regarding Clara’s employment that ran throughout the story. We went on several interviews and Heacock touched on some relevant issues when it comes to employment. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
First Date: Our dates begin when Clara, an unemployed publicist discovers something in a storage unit and fumbles the return of said information, leading the intended recipient, sexy British actor, Caspian Tiddleswich, to believe Clara is trying to blackmail him. When a photo appears them, everyone assumes the secretive Tiddleswich has a girlfriend. The two enter a twisted arrangement built off a stack of misconceptions. I loved the whole setup, Clara’s BFF and the initial interactions between Clara and Caspian.
Second Date: Chemistry, snark and attitudes have me feeling hot and cold. Clara is a hoot, particularly with her habit of naming inanimate objects. She even talks to them; much like I talk to my coffee. We could be BFFs. Family and friends added moments of laughter. Clara’s mother and the whole lunch scene was hilarious. Clara and Caspian open up and we gain some understanding into Tiddleswich and just when things heat up, someone dowses the flames.
Third Date: Feels, confessions and character growth gave way to something deeper. The drama was dealt with in an adult like way and I was pleased with the way it slowly unfolded. I also loved the thread regarding Clara’s employment that ran throughout the story. We went on several interviews and Heacock touched on some relevant issues when it comes to employment. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
January 13, 2020
I really wanted to love this one but it was just. Yikes.
So the first thing that bugged me was the writing itself. It felt very stilted and, as much as I hate using this word I don't really know what could suit it better, cringey. Like the author was trying soooo hard to main the main character ~quirky and relatable~ that she ended up never acting like a human being. Like, "swearing to Odin" when you clearly don't actually believe in the Norse gods and you're just saying it to be funny, I guess? Multiple times? REALLY??
ANyway the love interest was an ass and he was forgiven much too quickly for his ass-like behavior, and that was the other major thing that bothered me about this book. I'm all for a redemption arc, letting the relationship move from a place of mutual dislike to mutual trust, then mutual love, but it has to actually make sense. There was a point where I thought the story was going to go that route, but then the love interest doubled down on his horrendous behavior and I decided if I were in her shoes I would have left him in the dust.
Any romance that falls in the "hate to love," "enemies to lovers," or "rivals to lovers" is always going to draw me in because I'm a sucker for the inherent tension in that kind of dynamic, but this was enemies to lovers done all wrong. A true disappointment.
So the first thing that bugged me was the writing itself. It felt very stilted and, as much as I hate using this word I don't really know what could suit it better, cringey. Like the author was trying soooo hard to main the main character ~quirky and relatable~ that she ended up never acting like a human being. Like, "swearing to Odin" when you clearly don't actually believe in the Norse gods and you're just saying it to be funny, I guess? Multiple times? REALLY??
ANyway the love interest was an ass and he was forgiven much too quickly for his ass-like behavior, and that was the other major thing that bothered me about this book. I'm all for a redemption arc, letting the relationship move from a place of mutual dislike to mutual trust, then mutual love, but it has to actually make sense. There was a point where I thought the story was going to go that route, but then the love interest doubled down on his horrendous behavior and I decided if I were in her shoes I would have left him in the dust.
Any romance that falls in the "hate to love," "enemies to lovers," or "rivals to lovers" is always going to draw me in because I'm a sucker for the inherent tension in that kind of dynamic, but this was enemies to lovers done all wrong. A true disappointment.
July 9, 2019
I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Honestly, I picked this up completely on a whim. It showed up on my doorstep and at that point I hadn't even heard of this book coming out. I was sold on it because of the cover and it just sounded extremely fun. I'm so glad I gave it a shot! CRASHING THE A-LIST was a super fun and fast paced book. I completely enjoyed myself.
Our heroine Clara has been unemployed for four months and is now living with her brother. Her future sister in law gets her a job to clear out repossessed storage units for her uncle to make some money while she sends out more resumes to publishing houses. While clearing out a unit she finds documents about an escort service and a file on one particular escort who now happens to be an A-List British actor. One drunk call and a misunderstanding later and he's standing in her living room accusing her of blackmailing him with that information. And after the paparazzi see them together, a fake relationship follows to give some good press to his next movie.
If there's one thing I can tell you about this book is that it was such a fun reading experience. It's filled with great and funny one liners that will have you laughing out loud at every turn of the page. From Clara's relationship with her best friend, everything she goes through while clearing out all those storage units, and the romance that develops from enemies to lovers to a real connection. This was one entertaining book!
Now for the romance. I actually consider this book more of a chick lit than a contemporary romance. The romance to me was not the focus of the story. It was more of the extremely funny experiences our heroine is going through at this point in her life. And it just so happens that there's a romance somewhere in there as well. It's kind of slow moving, which I appreciated given the circumstances. But also fair warning that it is fade to black. In the end, I was ok with all of that and enjoyed this book. But it may be good going in with those expectations. I think it's a perfect poolside read and I'll definitely be on the lookout for more from this author.
*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Francesca❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
July 17, 2019
4.5/5
Almost two years ago I fell in love with theauthors debut, The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky and I’ve been anxiously awaiting another book from her ever since. Her brand of writing was perfect for me, witty, smart and full of heart and I’m so happy to say that I loved this book just as much as I had hoped!
Heacock has a real knack for writing about friendship in a true and genuine manner, her dialogue between best friends Clara and Cici was not only hilarious, it felt like I was eavesdropping on real BFFs. I loved both of them and just found them to be so authentic and realistic, and then you have this whole hot and cold romance brewing between Clara and Caspian that made my head spin in the best possible way. These two had obvious chemistry from the moment they meet but much of the book sees them extremely angry and irritated with each other, but who knew angsty and angry chemistry could be so hot?! There were fireworks for sure. 💥 💥💥
Highly recommended for a super fun and entertaining rom com read, I laughed quite a bit and just had the best time with these characters, I’m a firm fan of the author and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!
Crashing the A List in three words: Hilarious, Entertaining and Sparkling
Almost two years ago I fell in love with theauthors debut, The Awkward Path to Getting Lucky and I’ve been anxiously awaiting another book from her ever since. Her brand of writing was perfect for me, witty, smart and full of heart and I’m so happy to say that I loved this book just as much as I had hoped!
Heacock has a real knack for writing about friendship in a true and genuine manner, her dialogue between best friends Clara and Cici was not only hilarious, it felt like I was eavesdropping on real BFFs. I loved both of them and just found them to be so authentic and realistic, and then you have this whole hot and cold romance brewing between Clara and Caspian that made my head spin in the best possible way. These two had obvious chemistry from the moment they meet but much of the book sees them extremely angry and irritated with each other, but who knew angsty and angry chemistry could be so hot?! There were fireworks for sure. 💥 💥💥
Highly recommended for a super fun and entertaining rom com read, I laughed quite a bit and just had the best time with these characters, I’m a firm fan of the author and cannot wait to see what she comes up with next!
Crashing the A List in three words: Hilarious, Entertaining and Sparkling
August 18, 2019
Last spring, I was completely obsessed with the royal wedding and as a result looked for a number of books on the royals and a-listers.
Sadly I didn’t get to read as many as I wanted but I adore modern fairy tale type books with a basically unknown female meeting a huge star or royal, and having it turn into a romance.
So when this book came across my desk many months later, I was so excited to read something kind of in that same vein. I thought this one sounded like a feel good, romance which was just what I needed to read! Though it doesn’t feature the royals, it does feature broke girl meets uber rich British film star so basically close enough for my taste!
This book definitely gave me all the rom-com feels and I was totally here for it. Tell me the name Caspian doesn’t scream rom-com! I was a little put off by his name at first because I felt that it was a little extra, but eventually I was able to read it and not giggle like a 12 year old girl reading the Narnia Prince Caspian!
In the beginning the story was full of wit and humor that I couldn’t get enough of, but by the end the story started to lose a little steam for me and I didn’t fully love Caspian. I struggled with how much of an asshole Caspian was throughout the book. I often felt like he was overly harsh when he didn’t need to be which was a little off putting. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting to see something positive about him, and let’s just say that while I eventually accepted him, but it wasn’t the full 360 perspective change for me when it came to his character.
The highlight of this book for me was the friendship between Clara and Cici. Cici was an interesting and quirky character and I loved how she and Clara interacted together. It was a strong and well written friendship and I think readers will enjoy that aspect.
I liked how the author made Clara stay true to herself. She wasn’t corrupted by the fame and Caspian’s personality. She stood up for herself and never waivers when it came to her choices. I felt like the things that happened to her were more out of chance than by any poor choices that she might have made.
In the end, I didn’t love this story but I did laugh quite a bit and read it rather quickly. It was a nice break from reality and I loved the rom-com feel of the story and characters. I ended up giving this one a solid 3 stars. I would have rated it higher if I had liked Caspian better.
See my full review here
Sadly I didn’t get to read as many as I wanted but I adore modern fairy tale type books with a basically unknown female meeting a huge star or royal, and having it turn into a romance.
So when this book came across my desk many months later, I was so excited to read something kind of in that same vein. I thought this one sounded like a feel good, romance which was just what I needed to read! Though it doesn’t feature the royals, it does feature broke girl meets uber rich British film star so basically close enough for my taste!
This book definitely gave me all the rom-com feels and I was totally here for it. Tell me the name Caspian doesn’t scream rom-com! I was a little put off by his name at first because I felt that it was a little extra, but eventually I was able to read it and not giggle like a 12 year old girl reading the Narnia Prince Caspian!
In the beginning the story was full of wit and humor that I couldn’t get enough of, but by the end the story started to lose a little steam for me and I didn’t fully love Caspian. I struggled with how much of an asshole Caspian was throughout the book. I often felt like he was overly harsh when he didn’t need to be which was a little off putting. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting to see something positive about him, and let’s just say that while I eventually accepted him, but it wasn’t the full 360 perspective change for me when it came to his character.
The highlight of this book for me was the friendship between Clara and Cici. Cici was an interesting and quirky character and I loved how she and Clara interacted together. It was a strong and well written friendship and I think readers will enjoy that aspect.
I liked how the author made Clara stay true to herself. She wasn’t corrupted by the fame and Caspian’s personality. She stood up for herself and never waivers when it came to her choices. I felt like the things that happened to her were more out of chance than by any poor choices that she might have made.
In the end, I didn’t love this story but I did laugh quite a bit and read it rather quickly. It was a nice break from reality and I loved the rom-com feel of the story and characters. I ended up giving this one a solid 3 stars. I would have rated it higher if I had liked Caspian better.
See my full review here
July 8, 2019
I've been reading a lot of rom-com's lately and was excited to get my hands on Crashing the A-List.
I mean look at that cute cover!!
Poor Clara.. what a start for her in the beginning of the book. She lost her publishing job and is living with her younger brother cleaning out storage units to make some money. Talk about a downer!
So, I didn't like the male character Caspian at all. He was really a big jerk to be. honest. So... couldn't find myself rooting for the love/romance in this one at all. I found myself having a hard time connecting to Clara as well because I was frustrated with her decisions about Caspian.
But, I do have to say I loved Clara's best friend Cici! She was the best!
I just had a hard time connecting with this romance and was more frustrated than anything. It fell a bit flat for me as well.
3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Mira for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 7/9/19
Published to GR: 7/7/19
I mean look at that cute cover!!
Poor Clara.. what a start for her in the beginning of the book. She lost her publishing job and is living with her younger brother cleaning out storage units to make some money. Talk about a downer!
So, I didn't like the male character Caspian at all. He was really a big jerk to be. honest. So... couldn't find myself rooting for the love/romance in this one at all. I found myself having a hard time connecting to Clara as well because I was frustrated with her decisions about Caspian.
But, I do have to say I loved Clara's best friend Cici! She was the best!
I just had a hard time connecting with this romance and was more frustrated than anything. It fell a bit flat for me as well.
3 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin/Mira for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
Publication date: 7/9/19
Published to GR: 7/7/19
July 1, 2019
Sometimes you just need a little RomCom in you life and Crashing the A-List hit the mark!
Clara is down on her luck, lost her editing career and is living on her brother’s couch. To get some money she takes a job cleaning out all the defunked storage units. Cleaning out the units she comes across records from an escort service. In these records, she finds “resume” for a British “A-List” actor. She uses her editing contacts to track him down to reassure him she won’t tell anyone, only to drunkenly blunder it. Having Caspain show up at her brother’s door to blackmail her into pretending to be his girlfriend.
Crashing the A-List is fun, flirty and like all great romcoms, a little bit serious to keep the reader invested…and just what I was looking for.
I received this ARC copy of Crashing the A-List from HARLEQUIN - MIRA (U.S. and Canada). This is my honest and voluntary review. Crashing the A-List is set for publication July 2, 2019.
My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Summer Heacock
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: MIRA; Original edition (July 9, 2019)
ISBN-10: 0778369285
ISBN-13: 978-0778369288
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crashing-List-...
Barnes & Nobles: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cras...
Itunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/crash...
Clara is down on her luck, lost her editing career and is living on her brother’s couch. To get some money she takes a job cleaning out all the defunked storage units. Cleaning out the units she comes across records from an escort service. In these records, she finds “resume” for a British “A-List” actor. She uses her editing contacts to track him down to reassure him she won’t tell anyone, only to drunkenly blunder it. Having Caspain show up at her brother’s door to blackmail her into pretending to be his girlfriend.
Crashing the A-List is fun, flirty and like all great romcoms, a little bit serious to keep the reader invested…and just what I was looking for.
I received this ARC copy of Crashing the A-List from HARLEQUIN - MIRA (U.S. and Canada). This is my honest and voluntary review. Crashing the A-List is set for publication July 2, 2019.
My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Summer Heacock
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: MIRA; Original edition (July 9, 2019)
ISBN-10: 0778369285
ISBN-13: 978-0778369288
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crashing-List-...
Barnes & Nobles: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cras...
Itunes: https://books.apple.com/us/book/crash...
July 9, 2019
Crashing the A-List by Summer Heacock was not my kind of book. I had a rough start with it and I couldn't read more than two or three chapters at the time. I thought that Clara's behavior was all over the place and was like a feather in the wind. I also didn't like the way her character was portrayed and I had a strong dislike for the heroine for most of the book. Her constant fighting with the man who was supposed to be the hero of the novel also didn't help. There was too much drama and fighting for my liking. The only good thing about the book was Clara's best friend. But from the attention it got, I think that Clara brother's couch will get a book before she does.
February 11, 2020
dnf 22%. The moment I realized this was a self-insert Benedict Cumberbatch fanfiction, that story lost me. RPF is my pet peeve and the more I read, the more peeved I got. I cannot help but find it creepy. It's one thing to imagine an actor as a character in a book, it's another thing entirely to know the character is a stand-in for the actor...
July 1, 2019
Crashing the A-List was pure escapism and the perfect summer read. The situation that Clara gets herself into (inadvertently blackmailing a famous actor and then fake dating him) was so clearly unrealistic and over the top that it just ended up working. Clara's snotty barbs to Caspian and her banter with her best friend were spot on!
The one area where I felt that this one didn't succeed as strongly as I was hoping for was the romance aspect. This was much more of a self-discovery story than I was expecting so the romance wasn't as strong as I had hoped for going in. The entire novel is told from the point of view of Clara, and in general, I find this less successful for a romance, since I always feel like half the story is left untold.
At the end of the day, Crashing the A-List was a funny book that entertained me, and at the end of the day, that's what I was looking for when picking this one up. The one-liners and the bizarre situations that Clara found herself in totally won me over.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
The one area where I felt that this one didn't succeed as strongly as I was hoping for was the romance aspect. This was much more of a self-discovery story than I was expecting so the romance wasn't as strong as I had hoped for going in. The entire novel is told from the point of view of Clara, and in general, I find this less successful for a romance, since I always feel like half the story is left untold.
At the end of the day, Crashing the A-List was a funny book that entertained me, and at the end of the day, that's what I was looking for when picking this one up. The one-liners and the bizarre situations that Clara found herself in totally won me over.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.
July 13, 2019
Crashing the A-List started out as a cute, fun romantic comedy. However, the second half of the book essentially repeated the plot of the first half, without including any significant character growth.
When I first started this book, there were several moments that made me laugh out loud. Clara was a fantastic narrator and I loved her wry sense of humor. Plus she was quite relatable. And I did get a good chuckle out of the fact that the love interest's name is Caspian Tiddleswitch. The plot moved along at a good pace and it was fun to see how the relationship between Clara and Caspian slowly changed from antagonistic to more. Cici, Clara's best friend, was one of my favorite parts of the book. She was unconditionally supportive of Clara, although she did call Clara out when it needed to be done. If Heacock decides to write another book in this universe, I hope it focuses on Clara!
Now onto the parts that didn't work for me. For some reason, the author decided to essentially repeat the plot of the first half for the second part of the book. So, rather than seeing Caspian and Clara's relationship develop and grow, it essentially went back to square one. Instead of being willing to listen to Clara and trust her, Caspian reverts to his evil persona (at which point I began questioning if it was actually a persona). As the reader, we're supposed to believe that Caspian is this sweet, kind man. But we never actually see him behave that way to Clara. At that point, I stopped rooting for the romance because of how horribly Caspian treated Clara. There was absolutely no reason for him to behave that way again and I felt like the author wrote off how emotionally traumatizing those situations would have been in order to achieve a happy ever after. By the end, I was honestly hoping that Clara would walk away from him and find happiness with a man who respected and trusted her.
Overall, Crashing the A-List was an okay book. It started off strong but the plot repetition really did not work for me. Although I initially loved the romance, I wasn't really a fan of it by the end because of how the second half of the book unfolded.
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
When I first started this book, there were several moments that made me laugh out loud. Clara was a fantastic narrator and I loved her wry sense of humor. Plus she was quite relatable. And I did get a good chuckle out of the fact that the love interest's name is Caspian Tiddleswitch. The plot moved along at a good pace and it was fun to see how the relationship between Clara and Caspian slowly changed from antagonistic to more. Cici, Clara's best friend, was one of my favorite parts of the book. She was unconditionally supportive of Clara, although she did call Clara out when it needed to be done. If Heacock decides to write another book in this universe, I hope it focuses on Clara!
Now onto the parts that didn't work for me. For some reason, the author decided to essentially repeat the plot of the first half for the second part of the book. So, rather than seeing Caspian and Clara's relationship develop and grow, it essentially went back to square one. Instead of being willing to listen to Clara and trust her, Caspian reverts to his evil persona (at which point I began questioning if it was actually a persona). As the reader, we're supposed to believe that Caspian is this sweet, kind man. But we never actually see him behave that way to Clara. At that point, I stopped rooting for the romance because of how horribly Caspian treated Clara. There was absolutely no reason for him to behave that way again and I felt like the author wrote off how emotionally traumatizing those situations would have been in order to achieve a happy ever after. By the end, I was honestly hoping that Clara would walk away from him and find happiness with a man who respected and trusted her.
Overall, Crashing the A-List was an okay book. It started off strong but the plot repetition really did not work for me. Although I initially loved the romance, I wasn't really a fan of it by the end because of how the second half of the book unfolded.
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Read
August 4, 2019Content warnings
This was a disappointment. I enjoyed Heacock's prior book, but this one really didn't work for me. There was so much abusive behavior within the relationship, which already had a very intense power differential, and there was very little time where you even got to see any other qualities to the relationship. I could not root for them as a couple, and was deeply concerned for the future of this relationship as there was no decent reason to believe the hero might actually not continue to be abusive. I will say this: it was recommended to me as a book that has closed door sex, and that is an accurate description, and that aspect did work for the story, in my opinion. That said, despite the fact that I was strangely riveted, and could not look away, I do not recommend this book to others.
This was a disappointment. I enjoyed Heacock's prior book, but this one really didn't work for me. There was so much abusive behavior within the relationship, which already had a very intense power differential, and there was very little time where you even got to see any other qualities to the relationship. I could not root for them as a couple, and was deeply concerned for the future of this relationship as there was no decent reason to believe the hero might actually not continue to be abusive. I will say this: it was recommended to me as a book that has closed door sex, and that is an accurate description, and that aspect did work for the story, in my opinion. That said, despite the fact that I was strangely riveted, and could not look away, I do not recommend this book to others.
August 21, 2019
I really wanted to like this book. But I just couldn’t.
The author has a real talent for witty dialogue. Unfortunately the character development and plot were not nearly as strong.
The heroine, though not entirely unlikable, was confusing. Her character was largely consistent from beginning to end, but somehow did not seem internally consistent.
And the hero was not very fleshed out at all. His personality swung between unbelievable perfection and irrational rage, with nothing in between. It also seems really unfair to have modeled such a dud so transparently on poor Benedict Cumberbatch (something that was also really annoying, frankly).
The story had all the basic elements of an enjoyable, if predictable romance. But it never seemed to decide if it wanted to be a madcap, zany romantic comedy or an overwrought melodrama.
And finally, when the end mercifully came, along with it came pages and pages of unnecessary exposition.
The more I think about it, the more I think this book needed a better editor more than anything else.
As a result of all this, and despite some truly funny scenes and engaging dialogue, the book doesn’t gel. The relationships between the main character and her family, especially her brother, did ring true, though, as did the friendship between the MC and her BFF. Still, I wish I had skipped this one.
Final note: I listened to audiobook, and the narrator was really good. Couldn’t save the book, but she gave it a good try.
The author has a real talent for witty dialogue. Unfortunately the character development and plot were not nearly as strong.
The heroine, though not entirely unlikable, was confusing. Her character was largely consistent from beginning to end, but somehow did not seem internally consistent.
And the hero was not very fleshed out at all. His personality swung between unbelievable perfection and irrational rage, with nothing in between. It also seems really unfair to have modeled such a dud so transparently on poor Benedict Cumberbatch (something that was also really annoying, frankly).
The story had all the basic elements of an enjoyable, if predictable romance. But it never seemed to decide if it wanted to be a madcap, zany romantic comedy or an overwrought melodrama.
And finally, when the end mercifully came, along with it came pages and pages of unnecessary exposition.
The more I think about it, the more I think this book needed a better editor more than anything else.
As a result of all this, and despite some truly funny scenes and engaging dialogue, the book doesn’t gel. The relationships between the main character and her family, especially her brother, did ring true, though, as did the friendship between the MC and her BFF. Still, I wish I had skipped this one.
Final note: I listened to audiobook, and the narrator was really good. Couldn’t save the book, but she gave it a good try.
June 25, 2019
Clara Montgomery is unemployed but still has a strong desire to be independent. She takes a job cleaning out abandoned storage units, and finds some incriminating evidence about a big movie star. He, of course, thinks she wants to blackmail him. Let the misunderstandings begin!
My favorite part of this was the relationship between Clara and her best friend CiCi - they were so funny and CiCi was so supportive. I wasn't so sure about Caspian through much of the book - he got really mean. However, a great thing was that whatever he did and said, Clara did not lose her sense of self, and she really stuck up for herself and told him things were not ok. A good role model.
This was a fun and funny romance, and I appreciate netgalley letting me read it!
My favorite part of this was the relationship between Clara and her best friend CiCi - they were so funny and CiCi was so supportive. I wasn't so sure about Caspian through much of the book - he got really mean. However, a great thing was that whatever he did and said, Clara did not lose her sense of self, and she really stuck up for herself and told him things were not ok. A good role model.
This was a fun and funny romance, and I appreciate netgalley letting me read it!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 542 reviews