What do you think?
Rate this book
Hollywood & Mine
Reality TV? Meet actual reality…
Life as a cable reality show host could be a sweet gig, if you came by it honestly… Renovations contractor Jack Hoffman did not. When a gay-unfriendly network offered him and his brother the job of a lifetime it seemed like a real Hollywood ending was finally in sight for the hard-luck pair. Jack wasn't rocking either end of the Kinsey scale exclusively, so why not? It changed what he could do in broad daylight, but everyone knows the stars only come out at night.
His fool-proof plan was working until a crush on his new client's brother made him an even bigger fool. Cassius is devout, quiet, thoughtful... everything Jack is not. But from the moment he locks eyes with the strange and beautiful man Jack knows he never wants to let him out of his sight.
From the hot spots of WeHo to high in the hills, Jack finds himself caught in a romance that could only happen in the City of Angels. Now all Jack can do is brace for impact as his career and love life speed to a collision on the corner of Hollywood & Mine.
Life as a cable reality show host could be a sweet gig, if you came by it honestly… Renovations contractor Jack Hoffman did not. When a gay-unfriendly network offered him and his brother the job of a lifetime it seemed like a real Hollywood ending was finally in sight for the hard-luck pair. Jack wasn't rocking either end of the Kinsey scale exclusively, so why not? It changed what he could do in broad daylight, but everyone knows the stars only come out at night.
His fool-proof plan was working until a crush on his new client's brother made him an even bigger fool. Cassius is devout, quiet, thoughtful... everything Jack is not. But from the moment he locks eyes with the strange and beautiful man Jack knows he never wants to let him out of his sight.
From the hot spots of WeHo to high in the hills, Jack finds himself caught in a romance that could only happen in the City of Angels. Now all Jack can do is brace for impact as his career and love life speed to a collision on the corner of Hollywood & Mine.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 3, 2013
7 people are currently reading
134 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 33 reviews
August 11, 2016
Three and a half stars. Although there were niggly things about this, the general narrative about two damaged boys holds up okay.
We do get both Jack and Cas' viewpoints, but it's not chapter by chapter and indeed, there seems to be no rhyme or reason about when we change. But the disappointing thing is that there really isn't much distinctive difference in their 'voices'. Both characters sound the same, which results in it being easy to miss when we move from Jack to Cas.
And it's pretty clean, with very little graphic sex. There are some funny (odd?) descriptions though, but that might have been because of the quite formal writing style which distances the reader.
Despite my niggles I enjoyed it. Both brothers are great supporting characters, and the resolution is highly satisfying (if somewhat contrived).
(Oh God! I can't stop myself).
We do get both Jack and Cas' viewpoints, but it's not chapter by chapter and indeed, there seems to be no rhyme or reason about when we change. But the disappointing thing is that there really isn't much distinctive difference in their 'voices'. Both characters sound the same, which results in it being easy to miss when we move from Jack to Cas.
And it's pretty clean, with very little graphic sex. There are some funny (odd?) descriptions though, but that might have been because of the quite formal writing style which distances the reader.
Despite my niggles I enjoyed it. Both brothers are great supporting characters, and the resolution is highly satisfying (if somewhat contrived).
(Oh God! I can't stop myself).
February 9, 2016
This book is quirky and the style of writing is different. I liked it a lot, though. I enjoyed the characters (including the brother) and the flavor of the narrative. Jack is the star of a reality home-building show, a job that's a dream come true to a man who lived a childhood moving from motel to motel in his father's wake. The network has set some restrictions on his behavior, including a heavy hint of homophobia, but Jack's liking his job too much to push back. Until he meets the brother of his latest homeowner.
Cassius is a strange guy, quiet, hard to read, drifting into the picture from a previous life. The homeowner, his brother Cici, throws him and Jack together unexpectedly. There shouldn't have been a spark between them, really, given how different they are, but they can't resist circling one another, spending time, wondering how they might fit. Cassius has had some rough times himself, and it turns out they are a better match than they might seem.
The ending was fun. Jack's inferiority complex was a bit overpresent, but I found myself pulled along through this story. The difference in tone was a plus for me, although the POV shifts were a bit random. Over all, one I had a surprisingly hard time putting down, and may reread, although the style won't be to everyone's tastes.
Cassius is a strange guy, quiet, hard to read, drifting into the picture from a previous life. The homeowner, his brother Cici, throws him and Jack together unexpectedly. There shouldn't have been a spark between them, really, given how different they are, but they can't resist circling one another, spending time, wondering how they might fit. Cassius has had some rough times himself, and it turns out they are a better match than they might seem.
The ending was fun. Jack's inferiority complex was a bit overpresent, but I found myself pulled along through this story. The difference in tone was a plus for me, although the POV shifts were a bit random. Over all, one I had a surprisingly hard time putting down, and may reread, although the style won't be to everyone's tastes.
March 8, 2013
I want to start out saying that I liked the characters, however the story was written with quite a bit of odd wording. This is also the first book I've ever read that included sex scenes yet they were written in such a way that I wasn't even sure what was happening some of the time. .... And "a muscle spasm"?! "Final reaction"? LOL! I must say those two suprised me as I've never considered an orgasm to be either a muscle spasm or a final reaction and "hugged his goodbye with Chloe"?.... He didn't hug his goodbye, he hugged Chloe goodbye! LOL! I did finish it though. I had to because I liked Cas & Jack enough that I had to know if they got their HEA or not.
August 5, 2015
A quirky read dealing with reality TV and how Hollywood can be two faced, especially when it deal with the star of a show being “Gay” even though Jack is actually bi. I loved that Jack didn’t know that Cassius was a famous former world champion figure skater. I could have done without the constant he is going to leave me Jack went through and almost sabotaging their blossoming relationship.
September 3, 2015
3.75
This book surprised me, it had some very sweet moments and overall was a good read.
It needs an editor however. There were times where misspellings, sentence structure and word usage threw me out of the story. My biggest issue was really the abuse of brackets. They were used to express random thoughts but those thoughts were so random at times I forgot where the story was going. It may be that I was so used to seeing them that I didn't notice them as much near the end, but I found them to be far too heavy in the beginning to middle of the book. The cover holds the book back as well, neither of those models are what I have in mind for Cass and Jack.
That aside, Cassius was a very strong and self aware character that was refreshing to read. He knew what he wanted, how to communicate it and although he feels that he misses everyday social cues, I feel he wasn't lacking at all. Oddly enough I wasn't so interested in the main character, Jack. Maybe it was because Cass shone brighter than him, was more interesting, or just written better, but Jack was a little pale in comparison. Maybe I'm just biased.
There were some very gentle, sweet moments that were very well written.
I look forward to reading something from this author in the future with the hope that they use a good editor next go around.
This book surprised me, it had some very sweet moments and overall was a good read.
It needs an editor however. There were times where misspellings, sentence structure and word usage threw me out of the story. My biggest issue was really the abuse of brackets. They were used to express random thoughts but those thoughts were so random at times I forgot where the story was going. It may be that I was so used to seeing them that I didn't notice them as much near the end, but I found them to be far too heavy in the beginning to middle of the book. The cover holds the book back as well, neither of those models are what I have in mind for Cass and Jack.
That aside, Cassius was a very strong and self aware character that was refreshing to read. He knew what he wanted, how to communicate it and although he feels that he misses everyday social cues, I feel he wasn't lacking at all. Oddly enough I wasn't so interested in the main character, Jack. Maybe it was because Cass shone brighter than him, was more interesting, or just written better, but Jack was a little pale in comparison. Maybe I'm just biased.
There were some very gentle, sweet moments that were very well written.
I look forward to reading something from this author in the future with the hope that they use a good editor next go around.
October 18, 2015
Jack, a construction worker on a reality show sees Cas, the brother if the house iwner when he goes to start working on a new episode. Jack, hiwever gas a clause in his finteact that means he cant date men, so their relationship is kept in the closet and progresses at a slow rate of speed.
However, dispite some angst they get their HEA after all.
However, dispite some angst they get their HEA after all.
dnf
November 2, 2013Ok - I gave it another try and made it up to 15%. It's not terrible, it's flowing along rather nicely, only it doesn't interest me. The setting and Jack's voice are getting on my nerves and mostly I'm sitting here with huge ??? in my head. Sorry, but that's about it for me.
January 13, 2017
Hollywood & Mine was bought years ago. It sat on my to-be-read list since. I'll be nice, Jack was a complex character and I could have loved him but the story was so messy and unappealing to me. Quirky has to be well done for me to get the vibe. I kept wanting it to end and well, that's not a good thing. I've discovered, I detest stories set on the set of a reality show platform.
March 4, 2013
The book was a little confusing at first. The prologue didn't seem to fit the eventual narrative as it had Jack arguing and at one point accusing his dad of not liking his girlfriend because she's black. When we get to the first chapter which takes place several years later it's all about Jack being told by his producer to stay away from gay people & gay establishment. Apparently in Jack's words he's "rocking either end of the Kinsey scale.' Eventually we learn several chapters later that Jack is an insecure bisexual (he doesn't want to go into certain bars because he doesn't think he's gay enough)
Initially, there was a lot of confusing dialogue where I couldn't tell who was speaking. Either it cleared up or I just stopped noticing but it seemed to get better as I read along. I started to like this book once Cassius showed up. Jack and his brother Steve are on a cable reality TV show. Jack does construction on properties that the owners may want to sell. Steve is a realtor who shows the owners properties they may want to purchase.
Cassius, in this story, is the brother of Jack's client. Jack is immediately attracted to him, but is so used to people eventually leaving him, he runs hot & cold with Cas. He's also basically in the closet due to his job.
Once it got going I enjoyed the chemistry between the two characters and some of the reveals about Cas. Cas is very reserved, socially awkward & has trouble reading people. The push pull thing between Jack & Cas did get to be a bit much after a while and there was a separation initiated by Cas, that did not seem to fit the character. But maybe Cas was just trying to push Jack to get him to make a decision. It does eventually turn out to be the incentive Jack needs to get his priorities straight.
I would say the writing/editing is a little rough but overall I liked this book. (The cover matches what I thought the characters would look like)
Initially, there was a lot of confusing dialogue where I couldn't tell who was speaking. Either it cleared up or I just stopped noticing but it seemed to get better as I read along. I started to like this book once Cassius showed up. Jack and his brother Steve are on a cable reality TV show. Jack does construction on properties that the owners may want to sell. Steve is a realtor who shows the owners properties they may want to purchase.
Cassius, in this story, is the brother of Jack's client. Jack is immediately attracted to him, but is so used to people eventually leaving him, he runs hot & cold with Cas. He's also basically in the closet due to his job.
Once it got going I enjoyed the chemistry between the two characters and some of the reveals about Cas. Cas is very reserved, socially awkward & has trouble reading people. The push pull thing between Jack & Cas did get to be a bit much after a while and there was a separation initiated by Cas, that did not seem to fit the character. But maybe Cas was just trying to push Jack to get him to make a decision. It does eventually turn out to be the incentive Jack needs to get his priorities straight.
I would say the writing/editing is a little rough but overall I liked this book. (The cover matches what I thought the characters would look like)
July 27, 2013
I was looking for more by this author & realized I never posted my Amazon review here. I'm surprised by the low-ish rating so I wanted to show it a little love and post it now:
I loved both Jack & Cas. It's very unusual that both MCs are equally well developed and sympathetic, as they are here. I loved that his sheltered, religious background makes Cas a little odd, a little at a loss when dealing with people and that it's this very other-worldliness that makes him especially appealing to Jack. Jack's background also plays a role in how he thinks and behaves. He's had to be responsible for both his father and his brother from a young age so he's used to playing the role of caretaker. That made me better able to accept his wanting to do what's best for Cas even at the expense of his own happiness.
This story is focused pretty closely on the relationship between Jack and Cas, but the secondary characters, though involved only briefly here and there throughout the story, are also well drawn.
I did have some niggles though. The conflict which threatens their happiness did not seem as insurmountable to me as it did to the characters themselves, but I do think the author made a fairly good case as to why the two men - and especially Jack - felt that it was. It also could've used some polishing in terms of the mechanics of the writing. There are missing words, extra words, etc. But these little flaws did not detract from the sweet story, and the true test for me is if I want to read more by the author and I most definitely do!
I loved both Jack & Cas. It's very unusual that both MCs are equally well developed and sympathetic, as they are here. I loved that his sheltered, religious background makes Cas a little odd, a little at a loss when dealing with people and that it's this very other-worldliness that makes him especially appealing to Jack. Jack's background also plays a role in how he thinks and behaves. He's had to be responsible for both his father and his brother from a young age so he's used to playing the role of caretaker. That made me better able to accept his wanting to do what's best for Cas even at the expense of his own happiness.
This story is focused pretty closely on the relationship between Jack and Cas, but the secondary characters, though involved only briefly here and there throughout the story, are also well drawn.
I did have some niggles though. The conflict which threatens their happiness did not seem as insurmountable to me as it did to the characters themselves, but I do think the author made a fairly good case as to why the two men - and especially Jack - felt that it was. It also could've used some polishing in terms of the mechanics of the writing. There are missing words, extra words, etc. But these little flaws did not detract from the sweet story, and the true test for me is if I want to read more by the author and I most definitely do!
March 19, 2014
M/M romance about an in the closet Renovations TV show guy who falls in love at first sight with a lost virginal retired ice skater.
Contractor and regular flirty sexy guy; Jack Hoffman has finally got a good life with a popular TV show with his realtor younger brother who is finally sober and in a good relationship with a sweet girl. Jack has hidden his bi-sexual tendencies from his public persona but the door can't stay closed once he meets the clueless Cassius.
So in a way both men are coming out of the closet in this story. Cas is having his first sexual experiences while Jack is finally mixing emotions into his sexy time.
I didn't get Jack's commitment problems because if anything I love to lover everyone so it was plain wierd that he held his love for only his brother for a lifetime. But Cas felt realistic and clueless but filled with love for everyone he meets. So I couldn't give this one more then a good 2 stars because it is well written but there wasn't much 'action' plot going on in this emotional rollercoaster. This is not a clean romance but it isn't hard core either.
203 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
Contractor and regular flirty sexy guy; Jack Hoffman has finally got a good life with a popular TV show with his realtor younger brother who is finally sober and in a good relationship with a sweet girl. Jack has hidden his bi-sexual tendencies from his public persona but the door can't stay closed once he meets the clueless Cassius.
So in a way both men are coming out of the closet in this story. Cas is having his first sexual experiences while Jack is finally mixing emotions into his sexy time.
I didn't get Jack's commitment problems because if anything I love to lover everyone so it was plain wierd that he held his love for only his brother for a lifetime. But Cas felt realistic and clueless but filled with love for everyone he meets. So I couldn't give this one more then a good 2 stars because it is well written but there wasn't much 'action' plot going on in this emotional rollercoaster. This is not a clean romance but it isn't hard core either.
203 pages and kindle freebie
2 stars
March 12, 2013
I loved the characters, and gave it an extra star for that. Pretty good sense of place too, except for all the cabs. Cabs in L.A. Are expensive and hard to find.
I really like the MCs. Cassius, a fragile-seeming former figure skater who is a bit lost, and Jack, a reality-shoe star trapped by celebrity.
The cover is so absolutely, completely awful that someone should be arrested and sent to a Mexican prison. You know, the ones where you have to buy and cook your own food. The MCs could not possibly look like these goofy, homely, stock zombies.
I would like a sequel, one in which the author has developed better skills with:
--Plotting
--Transitions
--Writing sex scenes
--Writing sex scenes
--Writing sex scenes
Maybe fades to black would have been better than the awkward sex scenes included here. That said, I want a sequel, even though contemporaries are usually rather dull, This one held my interest and charmed me, despite its flaws.
I really like the MCs. Cassius, a fragile-seeming former figure skater who is a bit lost, and Jack, a reality-shoe star trapped by celebrity.
The cover is so absolutely, completely awful that someone should be arrested and sent to a Mexican prison. You know, the ones where you have to buy and cook your own food. The MCs could not possibly look like these goofy, homely, stock zombies.
I would like a sequel, one in which the author has developed better skills with:
--Plotting
--Transitions
--Writing sex scenes
--Writing sex scenes
--Writing sex scenes
Maybe fades to black would have been better than the awkward sex scenes included here. That said, I want a sequel, even though contemporaries are usually rather dull, This one held my interest and charmed me, despite its flaws.
February 17, 2014
What a strange and lovely book. Cas is strange and lovely too, strange in his own eyes, strange and lovely in Jack's. This is a longish story, one with a simple story arc that uses a lot of words to tell it. It's a good thing that K.C. Ford has a way with words, because if you read a lot of m/m you'll pretty quickly see that this is not constructed in one of those ways we've become used to. So much of the story is in Jack's head, and he is one of those guys who thinks too much, at least once he's gotten around to thinking about something. At times we're in Cas's head too, and the POV shifts can be confusing. The threat to the MCs relationship isn't so simple as the synopsis implies. This is a story about how our fears hold us back, and also a tribute to The Little Prince.
The cover is close(ish), but no cigar. If only "Jack" had a shit-eating grin, and "Cas" ditched the Harry Potter glasses...
The cover is close(ish), but no cigar. If only "Jack" had a shit-eating grin, and "Cas" ditched the Harry Potter glasses...
December 1, 2015
I don't really know what to think about this books, as I really liked the plot itself and the idea standing behind it. Even the characters seemed interessting and I wanted to know more about them and their past. However the writing was quite odd and I never really got into the book. I liked the slow bilding of the relationship and the characters and theire reaction felt very real. I can't exactely say what made it so difficult for me to really fall in love with the book, as there were quite a few positiv aspects about it, but it just didn't happen. Maybe it is due to the sometimes very abstract writing style, making it hard to get close to the characters! I would have loved to give more stars, but compared to other three-stars rated books in my self, it wouldn't have been fair!
December 29, 2013
I liked this book, thought it was a good story with interesting characters. However, the writing was jumpy and confusing at times, with an over-reliance on metaphor and quite a few run-on sentences. There were also a few proofreading issues, nothing too major. It appears that this is the writer's only novel, but hopefully not her last. Clearer, tighter writing would make the next novel really stand out.
September 10, 2014
I really liked this book!
At first I was confused but the first couple of chapters were just Jack explaining and setting up his story. Basically background information.
When finally the story became about Cassius and Jack, it's when it because awesome for me! ♡
There were so many great lines that I wanted to highlight! :) And the author totally had me at the edge of my seat until the very end. The supporting characters were indeed awesome! I enjoyed this very much!
At first I was confused but the first couple of chapters were just Jack explaining and setting up his story. Basically background information.
When finally the story became about Cassius and Jack, it's when it because awesome for me! ♡
There were so many great lines that I wanted to highlight! :) And the author totally had me at the edge of my seat until the very end. The supporting characters were indeed awesome! I enjoyed this very much!
September 5, 2015
This was a nice quick enjoyable read. I loved Cas, and really liked Jack. Supporting characters were all great, except the odious Benedict. TWO LIKABLE FEMALE SUPPORTING CHARACTERS ALERT (one of whom kind of ends up saving the day! yay!) I just wish this had been a little bit deeper. Both Cas and Jack have a lot of issues, and while it's talked about, they aren't really resolved in any real tangible way. But still, this was a great read.
March 31, 2015
totally awesome
I couldn't put down Hollywood and Mine except to change devices when I drained the battery on one and had to grab my iPod to finish reading via the kindle app. I loved the total awkwardness of Jack and Cas's growing relationship it was so what you really expect to find in life. I'm looking forward to more from K.C. Ford.
I couldn't put down Hollywood and Mine except to change devices when I drained the battery on one and had to grab my iPod to finish reading via the kindle app. I loved the total awkwardness of Jack and Cas's growing relationship it was so what you really expect to find in life. I'm looking forward to more from K.C. Ford.
October 13, 2014
2.5 stars
I just didn't like this one. The writing was confusing and the POV changed to quickly. The main character, Jack, spent almost the entire book saying why he didn't deserve being loved. It got old.
I just didn't like this one. The writing was confusing and the POV changed to quickly. The main character, Jack, spent almost the entire book saying why he didn't deserve being loved. It got old.
June 12, 2014
Beautifully written and a fantastic story of 2 lost men who hesitantly dance around a relationship. This is a quiet story. You can put it down for a while but you'll happily start reading it again. I loved it.
December 8, 2015
This was a cute story. I did like Jack and Cassius and their romance was sweet. But I really didn't get how they ended up breaking up halfway through. Jack's hot and cold and Cas leaving just confused me. I liked it, but nothing too special.
January 26, 2015
I really liked the characters in this story, my issue was with the plot line. The beginning was confusing and the relationship seems forced. The middle was good, but the ending was just there. Not much excitement.
January 29, 2017
Really Good Story . . . But . . .
I loved the story except for one thing . . . The ongoing need for Jack to tank his relationship with Cas.
I'm glad all worked out in the end. That's what made smile
I loved the story except for one thing . . . The ongoing need for Jack to tank his relationship with Cas.
I'm glad all worked out in the end. That's what made smile
March 22, 2013
The writing was a bit disjointed. I didn't understand the conflict between the two main characters, it seemed forced. Good concept, just the execution was off.
December 31, 2013
I give it 3.5 stars. The prologue is confusing and doesn't move the story along. Once you get into the actual story it's good.
August 11, 2016
Engaging story... a lot of conflict. My favorite character was NOT the MC's but Cici, the brother. He knew what he was doing.
January 21, 2014
While I liked the characters and their background stories, I just couldn't get into this story. I'm not sure if it was the weird writing style or what.
April 22, 2014
Cute...jumped a bit and lost me a little, but the characters kept me coming back
May 9, 2014
Not finished it.
May 13, 2014
3.75
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews