Dazzled: A Hollywood Romance

by Jane Harvey-Berrick

"Adorable, awesome, fun book!" JOANNA WYLDE, NYT bestselling author The heartwarming friends-to-lovers romance set in Hollywood by bestselling author Jane Harvey-Berrick "authentically portrays the heartache that comes along with the glamor of being a celebrity" On KU for the first time! * * * * * Miles Stephens is a young actor from London. Out of work, unemployable, and fired from his last job, he unexpectedly gets the chance to star in a big-time Hollywood movie. The film is a great success, propelling him to worldwide fame – but when the dream doesn’t match the reality, he turns to Clare, lifelong friend and girl next door. Clare knows two important when you break chocolate, the calories fall out; and that she’s totally in love with clueless Miles. * * * * * with scenes only suitable for 18+

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Humor, Amazon

360 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 10, 2013

About the author

Author also writes under Jane H. Berrick

Writing is my passion and my obsession. I write every day and I love it. My head is full of stories and characters. I'll never keep up with all my ideas...

All through 2021, I'll be including a new and original short story in my monthly newsletter. You'll get a FREE copy of my little heartbreaker PLAYING IN THE RAIN when you do.

http://janeharveyberrick.co.uk/newsle...

I live in a small village by the ocean and walk on the beach every day. It’s on those beachside walks that I have all my best ideas.

Writing has become a way of life – and one that I love to share.

I've just published my first ever historical romance - partly set in Britain during World War Two, and partly set in Iowa and Las Vegas today: THE LILAC CADILLAC

Did you know that I also write books with STUART REARDON, talented, kind AND handsome!
UNDEFEATED
MODEL BOYFRIEND
GYM OR CHOCOLATE?
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO VINCE
THE BABY GAME (Nov 24th 2021)

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Reviews

[Bibi · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's really no one to blame but myself and with such a dismal average rating, I should've known better.

Dazzled, indeed. More like befuddled.

From reading The Education of Sebastian/Caroline and At Your Beck & Call I believe JHB is a talented author, which is why I find Dazzled a bit disconcerting. Reading it was like expecting a ride on the express train only to find (and with due respect to San Franciscans) you're on the San Fran cable car.

Tsk. Not fun.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 Stars


Miles and Clare are best friends. They have been for a long time. Miles loves Clare. He respects her, looks out for her, cares for her. Clare loves Miles. But it’s different. Clare is in love with Miles and has been for quite some time. Clare will never tell Miles of her feelings. She couldn’t handle the rejection from him, she loves him too much to lose him or make things awkward at the very least.

Friend. Strange how that ordinary word pierced me.

Maybe I should tell Miles how I felt. I was just afraid of what I had to lose.

Miles is an aspiring actor/musician in London. Clare is a student with only one year left at the university. Miles gets his big break. He gets sent to Hollywood to audition for a huge book to movie film role. No one is more surprised than him when he gets the role. He’s alone in LA for a while, but not for long. He needs his best friend. Clare grounds Miles. She knows him better than anyone. Clare agrees to spend her summer with him while they are filming. Miles (once again) falls for the leading lady of his film. Only this time, she is a big star.

Things get complicated with this actress. And she and Clare do not get along. She is none too happy that Miles has a female for a best friend. When things go sour, will Clare finally be able to admit her feelings for Miles? Will Miles be able to see what everyone else sees, what has been right in front of him for years?



I feel the lyrics to this song mentioned in the book summed things up pretty perfectly :D

Sometimes alone, I felt so lost.
You were all that I wanted.
And it felt like everyone thought it was wrong being together.
But we can do most anything.
Whatever we want to.
Just lean on me and I’ll rely on you.
I know, know it sounds insane,
But girl, girl, you do something to me.
You gotta know I’m crazy for you,
And if you’re crazy for me,
We can be crazy together,
Baby, there’ll be no in between.
I tell you there’s no holding back,
and I’ll only say words that I mean.
I wanna be crazy forever,
So say you wanna be crazy with me?

Dazzled was a good read. Good, not great. I liked it, but I did not love it. I had really high expectations because of the authors other works (The Education series, DtKaL) They happen to be some of my favorite books. This one isn’t going on my favorites shelf, it was just missing that special ‘something’ the others had. It is more of a YA/NA romantic, funny book. Not a bad thing, just not what I was expecting. It was a fun, light, sweet read. It took me a while to get into it, there were certain points it dragged a bit, but the last 20% or so flew by! I did feel after all that build up, the ending was a bit rushed.

The heroine had me laughing out loud at times. I really did like Clare. Anyone with her sense of humor is just fun to read about.
“You’re a fat, ugly, sarcastic little bitch!”

“I should deduct points for repetition.”
“Do you think your funny?”

“No, I’m just allergic to cheating trollops- it makes me break out in sarcasm.”
Our hero, Miles, was a little dense but still adorable. It just took him a rather long time to get with the program, but once he did... swoon! Even though he was an actor, I loved that he wasn’t cocky, he was actually a little backward and cute.

We get dual pov throughout the book, which is my favorite. It's nice to see whats going on in both the hero and heroines heads. Like I said, I enjoyed reading it, but don’t go in it with the same expectations I had you might enjoy it even more than I did. It’s not like her other books. I still really enjoy Jane's writing,and if you're looking for something a little lighter, with some humor, this might just be the read for you!

**ARC provided by Lisa J. Ashmore (author’s book agent) in exchange for an honest review***

[Smitten's Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Squeeeeeee!!! I'm so so excited about this book!

I was truly honoured to get my grubby paws on a super early ARC of Dazzled and I can't tell you how much I can't wait for you all to read it.



It's no secret that I absolutely love Jane Harvey-Berrick's writing. I loved the controversial, steamy journey of Sebastian and Caroline and then more recently, the totally mind-blowingly original, heart wrenching story of Lisanne and Daniel in Dangerous to Know & Love. The woman is already a genius in my book. And now she's written a comedy!!!



So, when I found out that she was writing us a rom-com, naturally, I was intrigued. And sneaky little me managed to wangle a copy before it's even got a proper cover or release date. Let me tell you, this book will rock your socks off.

This is the hilariously funny story of Miles and Clare. It is set partly in London, partly in LA. Miles is an out of work actor, living in London, who has just been fired from his most recent job. Aww, poor Miles. Clare is his girl-next-door bestest buddy. But there's a problem... Clare is totally in love with Miles, the boy she has known her whole life. And he, being a man and all, is oblivious. He's friendzoned her and that's that.

I'd been dazzled by him my whole life. And it wasn't fair. For either of us.

So, when Miles gets a part in a huge new movie and moves out to LA, Clare goes out there to keep him company. Miles has always been pretty damn gorgeous, but the film industry, or the Biz want him preened and perfect for his new role.

"Jesus, Miles" You're scruffy, your hair's a mess, your eyebrows need plucking, your teeth are obviously British, you're gonna have to start working out and damn it, stop chewing your nails!"

And so begins the gym routine, the diet, the spa appointments and the media training. Enter brand new, buffed, plucked, ripped and jaw droppingly beautiful, move-star Miles! And out come the flawless, skinny, super-model lookalikes. So, of course, now Clare will never get her dream(y) man!



Jane's account of the ups and downs of Miles' journey into super stardom is fabulous! Clare is relatable, down to earth, feisty and doing it for all of us normal, junk food loving, girlies with insecurities and a few too many wobbly bits.

There are many low points in a woman's life, but when a bloke who's been within a hair's breadth of getting his hand down your knickers decides that he's rather watch a children's sci-fi programme made with puppets fifty years ago, you can't get much lower. Just saying.

Both of these characters are 100% loveable. Miles is completely different from our typical heroes. He's shy, unsure of himself, has a bad case of foot-in-mouth syndrome and is definitely the more submissive of the two lead roles. Clare is his rock. She's organised, bossy and sharp tongued.

There were so many moments in this book when I wanted to squeal 'That is sooo me!' Yes, sometimes I just need to pretend that chocolate is calorie-less.

Everyone knows that if you break the chocolate first, the calories fall out. Right?

Yes, I have totally inappropriate fantasies about men that are way out of my league.

Oh you'd better believe it, baby! I'd ride you till you passed out from exhaustion, feed you a bacon sandwich, hose you down and start again.

And yes, sometimes, silly, stuck up, little ho-bags really do need putting in their place!

"I'm just allergic to cheating trollops - it makes me break out in sarcasm."

I don't think I'll be giving away any major spoilers by saying, Miles and Clare get it on. Yep, by the end of the book, our super sweet, totally undiscerning hero falls head over heels for his slightly chubby, one-of-the-lads BFF! *le sigh* Adorable.

I felt like my lungs weren't big enough to breathe her in, and my heart couldn't beat fast enough to love her the way I wanted to.

So, turns out Jane has many talents. She can write steamy, serious, deep, dark, thought provoking, heart breaking... and now, ladies and gentlemen, she delivers a flawless, belly laughing romantic comedy.

"One day I'm going to buy you your own chocolate fountain - and then I'm going to dip my dick in it and see how much you really like chocolate."

I really really can't wait for you all to meet Miles and Clare. Stick this on your TBRs and enjoy a good, light hearted, fun filled friends-to-lovers romance.

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Dazzled Statistics
Steam Rating (out of 5): ♥♥♥
Ending: HEA
Series: ✗
Can this be read as a standalone? Yes
Themes:
Movie star
Friends to lovers
Hot guy/ordinary girl
Warning. This book includes...
Nothing that I can think of that would offend people. Perhaps a little sexual content but nothing too explicit.
Writing: Great




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[It's just me Shelly B · Rating 3 out of 5]

daz·zle




1. To dim the vision of, especially to blind with intense light.
2. To amaze, overwhelm, or bewilder with spectacular display



Not so sure I was Dazzled but I can't really say I didn't like it either.....I'm just some where in between. And for some reason the in between books are the hardest for me to write reviews for......while you don't love them you don't hate them by any means!

This a book about childhood best friends, Clare and Miles.







Miles is an actor he lives in London, which is where he grew up but he's moving to America to persue his film career. He manages to land a huge film role and skyrockets to fame. Only problem with Miles is he's completely insecure and unsure of his new lifestyle. So he calls Clare to come and stay with him over the summer because she has a calming effect on him.



Clare is a quirky, curvy, and witty college student and Mile's best friend. They grew up next door to each other and have been friends....a LONG time. Clare generally speaks her mind about everything except her love for her best friend. That she keeps to herself because why would her gorgeous BFF want her?




Or so she thinks.....could he love her too?



Read it and find OUT!!!!!



They are both British....their comparisons of British and American terms and just the American lifestyle in general compared to their own had me cracking UP!!!!

However as far as my general opinion of this book....YEA no I wasn't Dazzled. It was a sweet easy read for me.



I mean saccharin STICKY sweet with RAINBOWS shooting out of it. And there my friends lies the issue of why I wasn't Dazzled....I'm not a huge fan of sweet books. So it's a ME problem not a book problem.





Another issue I had....I felt like Miles needed a more of a backbone. He was just so insecure and I know in real life it would be completely normal and plausible for anyone male or female to feel the way he did but this is fiction and I like my men a tad more alpha...hey it's just me!


Let me say that if you are a fan of sweet books I honestly think YOU would love this book!!!!. These are just personal issues, the book is well written and definitely worth a try if you like this genre!!! This author wrote one of my most favorite books, The Education of Caroline, so trust me when I say her writing is GREAT!

A bonus in this book is you get dual POV's......I LOVED that!!!!!

**arc provide by the author's agent, Lisa Ashmore, for a honest review**

[✝✝ Ⓓaisy ❣ ✝✝ · Rating 4 out of 5]

SWEET ADORABLE 3.5 STARS

Well, I was super excited when Lisa provided me with Dazzled ARC! I was jumping with happiness.



Jane Harvey-Berrick became my favourite author when I fell in love with Daniel Colton until today <3

Let's move from Daniel Colton to Miles Stephens! Miles is a young British actor who moves to LA for audition and lands himself a movie. The moment I picked Dazzled first, Miles reminded me of how Robert Pattinson landed that Twilight audition. LOL Perhaps it's just me!

My Miles:



On the other hand, Miles best mate, Clare has been in love with him for ages. Yet she doesn't speak her feelings out loud and is always there for him. My Clare:



There was ups and downs in Miles's journey of becoming movie stars. He starts dating, attending premieres etc. One fine day, Clare and Miles come together and heat is on!

The only I couldn't love this book was I couldn't really get their connection of Miles and Clare. The vibe was more of best friends. And when Miles gets his head up, their relationship seem rushed.

Overall, it was nice sweet read! <3



**ARC provided by Lisa J. Ashmore **

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

COPY provided by author in exchange for an honest review



A light romantic comedy that will leave you dazzled!!!! I have read several books from Jane Harvey-Berrick and this book was different but delightful. If you are a fan of best friends to lovers romance, then this book might be for you as Jane Harvey-Berrick explores the strong friendship of Miles Stephens and his best friend, Claire.

“I’d been dazzled by him my whole life. And it wasn’t fair. For either of us.”

Miles and Claire are childhood best friends. Claire is your girl next door who has always been in love with her best friend. She loves Miles and she knows Miles loves her too but not in the way that she loves him. Miles cares for her deeply and so he doesn't see or notice that Claire's love for him is much more. As much as she wants to tell him on how she feels about him, she is afraid that Miles won't feel the same way and might leave an awkward strain on their friendship.



Miles is a struggling actor/musician and so when he got an audition for a movie in Hollywood, he knew he couldn't pass up this opportunity. And so, a young naive British actor was ready for his big break. When Miles landed in California where glitz, glamour, and fame were important, it became apparent that everything in Hollywood is a new learning experience for him. Suddenly Miles found himself getting a whole new makeup and wardrobe in order to fit into Hollywood standard. As he tries to adjust to this new lifestyle of fame and paparazzi, Miles missed Claire and so he invites her to California so she can spend time with him while he is in movie production. But when Miles falls for his co-star, Claire is devastated that her best friend is not seeing her. So what will it take for Miles to see that fame is not all that crack up to be when you are surrounded by fake people and dazzling smiles? Will Miles finally see that the only one who can dazzle and bewitch him is Claire?

“One day I’m going to buy you your own chocolate fountain – and then I’m going to dip my dick in it and see how much you really like chocolate.”

Dazzled was definitely your light best friend to lovers romance. I did find this book enjoyable but I didn't love it like Jane's previous books. Personally, I felt there were times the author could have trimmed down on some parts and showcased more of the romantic aspect of Miles and Claire. With that being said, the book overall was a enjoyable sweet light romantic comedy.



Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Jane Harvey-Berrick

[Lise *friends don't flag* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 sweet but not blown away stars...



My goodness… I loved The Education of Sebastian of Caroline books by Jane Harvey-Berrick and when I was offered the op to read her new adult book, Dazzled… I of course said “sure thing”

This is nothing like the story of Caroline and Sebastian. For me this book was pure sweetness with a sarcastic dash of British humor. Kinda like Mary Poppins meets Benny Hill… perhaps a poor analogy but that is what I came up with.

This friends to lovers story had two of the most likeable MC’s (Miles and Clare) I have ever read. I just adored them and I really liked their relationship. Miles and Clare are best friends and even though Miles is an up and coming “it” young sexy movie star, he never loses his connection with Clare and she him.

Although the journey of the two of them FINALLY admitting and recognizing (as in Miles’ case) their passionate love for one another and how perfect they are together was a bit too long that I had to skim- I still enjoyed this light-hearted, refreshingly adorably sweet read.

Thank you to Lisa Ashmore for the arc in exchange for a honest review.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dazzled is not your "run of the mill" type of romance; in fact, it is what you would call-a Romantic Comedy. There were some definite funny one-liners; a lot of what I would classify as sarcastic humor. My three star rating has nothing to do with the style of writing, and more to do with the fact that I like way more romance in a book that I read.

This story was a story of two best friends. Clare and Miles have been besties since they were in short pants, and have gone through basically every milestone together. Even though there is a familial type of love between them; Clare has been "in love" with Miles for quite sometime. She fears ever letting him know though, as it may ruin their closeness and make their relationship just plain awkward.
Another big factor in her silence is that Clare is what one would consider; an overweight, plain Jane type of gal. Miles on the other hand, is as hot as they come and he is aspiring to become an actor. The interesting thing is that Miles just doesn't give himself any credit, and does not see in himself what others see in him. He gets a lucky break and ends up off to LA to pursue his dream. He is hired on to be in a movie that will be possibly the next "big thing." Of course, he learns very fast that the life of an actor is not all that it is cracked up to be, and he needs his best friend by his side to help him through this harsh new world.

This basically sums up what the book is about, and we get to watch Miles try to fit in, and Clare constantly run to his emotional rescue while he is in the spotlight and screwing another girl. I felt for Clare at times, and then at other times I wanted to slap her for making herself act as a doormat for Miles to walk on. Don't get me wrong..Miles is a sweetheart and doesn't have a mean bone in his body; but he for sure took Clare for granted, and rarely appreciated everything that girl did for him. I felt that both CLare and Miles had low self esteem..they didn't give themselves any credit, but both for very different reasons.
I found the book to be slow at times, just not enough happening to keep me pinned to it. I do have to say that Miles grew on me, and I did become somewhat invested in what the outcome would be for him. I enjoyed some of the information in the story of how movies are made and what actors go through. I felt Jane Harvey-Berrick did a superb job on bringing to life some of the heartache that comes with the glamor of being a celebrity. A great example was when Miles had to do a sex scene for the camera! I had never even thought of "sock lines" on an actor, or the fact that a ton of people and cameras are present while the actor is trying to get into character..These are the kinds of things that one doesn't think about but Jane adds into the story to give it quite an authentic outlook on the life of an actor.

All in all, it was an ok read for me; but not something I would reread again, as well as it didn't keep me glued to the pages.There were funny parts, but it was a little slow going at times.


Recieved the ARC from author in exchange for an honest review.

[Kirsty · Rating 5 out of 5]

*CLICK HERE TO ENTER A GIVEAWAY FOR 3 E-COPIES OF DAZZLED!*

I have to take my hat off to Jane Harvey-Berrick, she really can write some brilliant stories. I've read The Education of Sebastian, The Education of Caroline, Dangerous to Know Love and now Dazzled. And with everyone they seem to be getting better and better and I fall in love with her characters every time.

Just off the top I have to mention the one thing I loved the absolute most whilst reading this. Both characters are British and from London, being British myself (and I know Jane is too) I found this so refreshing. I am so used to reading books written about American people, by American people. And whilst I have absolutely zero problem with that, I can't help but feel all giddy and excited when I read one about people from the other side of the pond. It just feels like home and I appreciate it even more. The words are familiar, sayings make me feel like I'm reading about my friends and family and I find myself chuckling when little things like my home town or places I visit are mentioned. I LOVE IT.

Clare could possibly be one of my absolute favourite heroines, ever. She is so refreshing, familiar, likeable, loveable, relatable, and so damn freaking NORMAL. It is the most unusual thing in books these days to really be able to put yourself in the heroines shoes and not feel like a fraud. So often these chicks are so unbelievable gorgeous, skinny, smart, and perfect and really, us readers pretending to be them is pretty comical. Not Clare though, she is such an ordinary chick and I really loved her character. Clare and Miles are the best of friends, their families are friends, they've known each other since they were tiny. They love each other but strictly in a friends way.. or so Miles thinks. UGH. My heart broke CONSTANTLY for poor Clare. She was so in love with Miles and he had no idea whatsoever. A typical guy. He sees Clare as nothing more than a friend, one of the guys, somebody he can have a laugh and a joke with, or sink a pint down the pub.

”In what universe was it fair that she got to have him? Just because she was beautiful and talented? Was I so awful? So hideous that he would never choose me? What if I wore a paperbag? What was wrong with me”

And then we have Miles. Sigh.. lovely, lovely, Miles. I had a little love/hate relationship with him at times. Miles is a London boy born and bred who has suddenly been given an incredible opportunity to be the lead actor in a brand new book to movie adaptation. His life is about to change, is he ready to be LA's new It guy? The journey to find out was sure to be a bumpy ride. I'm afraid to say the fame, the bright lights and the hot girls he was constantly surrounded by got to his head a little. His new found fame, and being thrust in to the lime light over night was a shock to the system. His new co-star, Lilia the bitch, was another hurdle altogether and STILL, even with his best friend, Clare, by his side, having travelled across the world to be with him, he still couldn't recognise the love that she held for him. I wanted to smack him round the head and shake some sense in to him. All in the name of love of course.

”Aw, you love me really.” I said, wrapping my arms around his waist, and planting a squeaky kiss on his cheek.
“Nah,” he said. “You're more like a bad habit.”
He was joking. I knew he was joking. But I wanted to cry.”

The majority of Dazzled is set in LA, where Miles' film is being shot, and I found myself constantly believing I was right there with them. I loved all of the filming excitement, the premières, the interviews, the crazy fans. Jane described it all to perfection and not once did I ever feel like it was unbelievable. The story is also told in dual POV which I love to bits. There really is nothing better than being able to get inside both characters heads, even though it could be painful at times. Clare's POV was the most painful to read, reading her thoughts on Miles and his silly ways broke my heart, but it was all so important. It helped me understand her, and Miles' chapters helped me understand him and why he made particular decisions throughout the book. As well as Jane's usual incredible writing, and addicing storylines, we are treated to a little more this time around. The humour throughout this book had me in STITCHES. On more occasion than once I found myself chuckling, giggling and just generally SO happy. The one-liners were so so perfect.

”I don't go around dipping my wick into anything that has a pulse.”

I don't want to spoil any of the book at all, but I just want to talk about Clare and Miles' actual relationship. As I said before, they are strictly friends, and it stays that way throughout the majority of the book. A romance doesn't happen between the two of them for a long time, but I loved the build up. The sexual tension between the two of them was apparent the whole way through the book, so when *something* did finally happen, I could not have been happier. It was beautiful and I felt a huge amount of relief. It was so perfect and I was reading the words with a massive smile on my face.

”Just so you know...”
“Yeah?”
“I love you too, Miles.”
“You do?”
“Of course, you moron.”

I loved Dazzled and, I know I'm being greedy when I say this, but I can not WAIT for what Jane has in store for us next.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Everybody is somebody and I'm just a nobody with Big Dream"



Meet Miles, 20 and wants to be an actor. After a few West End parts and TV and after getting fired from his latest project Melody Rimes his UK agent decides to send him off to audition for the film script of the best seller book Dazzled

Now meet Clare
She's been best friends with Miles since school and she has also been secretly in love with him too.

When this opportunity comes up for Miles to leave the UK and go to Hollywood she feels like her body has been cut in two.

As Miles encounters the real Hollywood can he pull this off and become the next big star?
And will he realise that the women of his dreams is right in front of him...

My Thoughts
I loved this, wasn't sure I would and after a slowish start it moulded into a lovely, funny and slightly different romance story.
I loved the way Miles really didn't have any idea of Clare's feelings for him.
Clare was great... straight talking, funny and believable.
I loved the Britishness, also the humour side of this and Jane Harvey-Berrick does a wonderful job of writing it.
It is very different to her other novels. This is YA and the story is sweet and at times predictable and I loved it.








**ARC courtesy of Lisa J. Ashmore (Author's book agent) in exchange for an honest review**

[Aestas Book Blog]

oh YAY! Another book by the author of The Education of Sebastian/Caroline :)

[Silvana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I wasn't sure how to rate this, kept going from 3 stars to 4, then I went with 3.5 because while Dazzled was a well written book, it wasn't something I was really blown away by!

It was a sweet read, not as sweet as this



but still sweet. ^^^^ I really need this right now!!

Dazzled was a really funny romance, not laugh out loud funny but made me smile quite a bit!

I just did not connect with any of the characters, Miles -though sweet- was too naive and blind for my liking. Clare did not fare better either, the way she believed him straight away after their conflict and did not question him was a serious WTF moment for me. To accept his sudden declaration of undying affection just like that made me want to bang their heads together. Seriously he may not have rammed it in everything that moved, however his habit of falling for his co-stars so quickly showed that the dude obviously confused lust with love!!

I do think many will enjoy this, it is well written, sweet and had funny moments but just didn't do it for me!

[Kelly 'Perusing Princesses blog' · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘A quirky, comedy romance that is sure to Dazzle.’ – Kelly, Perusing Princesses

Oh I needed this book like England needs sunshine. Dazzled is a bright star; a fun and extremely comical friends to lover romance that had me laughing out loud in the wee early hours. I loved the British dialect and the relationship dynamics between the adorable Miles and Clare. Dazzled is quirky but sensitive and would appeal to fans of Young Adult and Contemporary Romance. This is quite literally, a literary breath of fresh air.

Friends from birth, Miles and Clare are totally inseparable. They finish each-others’ sentences and have enough dirt between them to re-turf a football field, but there is one thing Clare has kept from her best friend for many years, and that is how she truly feels about him.

Miles loves acting, but he can never stay in a job long enough to make any real money, until an opportunity arises in LA and life as he knows it is about to change forever.

From North London to Hollywood, Miles is about to take the journey of a lifetime but he can’t do it without his wing woman, as he asks Clare to join him as his Personal Assistant whilst on her summer University break. At first it’s a joyride, the first taste of a lavish lifestyle that only others dream about, but when an A-List actress makes a play for her boy, the gloves come off and Clare soon realises that to get ahead you have to play the part. LA soon starts to show its cracks as it soon gets dubbed ‘land of the fake’, but there is nothing fake about their friendship, that tethered bond will forever remain strong as she continues to be his friend, stand by his side, even as her world and his separate and has the potential to fall completely apart.

Can Clare, the short, plump, plain-Jane from next door win the heart of the new Hollywood IT guy, or will Miles succumb to the whims of the A-List elite?

Trust me, this book is a real gem. I needed something light-hearted and Dazzled delivered in droves. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting until 2am and even then I couldn't sleep.

Miles and Clare are a match made in heaven, even though they like to give each other hell, but in a good way - the dialogue is so witty, and very honest at times that had me in stitches, proving yet again that Jane Harvey-Berrick is a master of her craft.

Be prepared to go totally cougar over Miles Stephens, he can be my leading man any day!

Read it!

[Zizz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5stars

This was cute, charming and a refreshing take on the best friends turned lovers plotline.

The two main characters make this story work. Miles - it took awhile for me to warm up to him. He is not your usual book boyfriend. He's the goofy guy that takes getting used to - the extreme opposite of the alpha bad boy. We first meet him as a sweet guy which I felt bordered on a loser level actually. He just got fired from his recent acting job. Was struggling in his acting ambition. He has dyslexia and was therefore uncharacteristically shy for a good-looking guy. And he also sounded as dumb as a box of rocks. BUT he was also charming in his unfiltered and self-deprecating ways. He reminds me of Robert Pattinson when Twilight first catapulted him to fame although I don't think RPattz ever came off as dumb. But Miles had that uncensored and unaffected air that I eventually found charming and so did the suits and fans in this fictional world.

Clare is a solid character. She is smart. She is the rock that helps Miles deal with stress and his generally unlucky streak in life. And her POV is absolutely hysterical. I just loved her to bits.

We get a lot of Miles struggling to deal with his new-found fame and his goofy ways while Clare stands in the shadows with her unrequited love. Having been best friends their entire lives, Miles was pretty much blind to Clare and her feelings. Thank heavens for that as it saves us from the usual brooding mess. His and hers POV. I love him but he doesn't see me. I love her but I'm not good enough for her. There was none of that here.

There are various side characters who are not very prominent in the story but their scenes were equally entertaining. There's Hilda - the Soviet Nazi fitness fascist. Gayl, the media trainer, who thought Miles was a disaster and needed to be replaced. Paul and Nazzer - the loser sidekicks/bandmates who made me think of Rhys Ifans in Notting Hill. And the ever-present paparazzi - trying to get a rise from Miles.

"It’s him! Miles! Miles! Over here!” Miles inner dialogue: Bloody hell!
“Are you and Lilia together again?” Fuck, no!
“Are you in love with Lilia?” NO!
“Is it true she’s pregnant?” What the fuck?
“How do you like London?” Seriously?
“Have you forgiven her, Miles?” Fuck off.
“How does it feel to be a hero?” Arsehole.
“When are you filming the sequel?” Who gives a flying fuck?
“What do you think of British girls, Miles?” Tosser.
“Have you been with Lilia? Did you spend the night?” Mind your own fucking business.
“Where were you last night?” Sod off.
“What do you think of the new Prime Minister of Australia?” What?!
Fucking hell!”

This is not going to rock your world but more of a fun beach read. If this were a movie, it would be a rom-com. But it does have its memorable moments - namely their first sex scene. We are so used to reading steamy scenes in our books - some work and some require work. This doesn't even try to compete at those levels. This was simply FUN-NEE. That scene alone deserves that extra half star.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet and funny friends to lovers story, about finding a future with the person who's been there to support the other every step of the way.

This is now my fifth book from the author and it was a bit different. But not in a bad way. While this story had plenty of angst like the author's other work, there was a lot of humor to lighten up the tension. In addition, the majority of this story focuses on the friendship between Miles and Clare.

Miles, like most book boyfriends, is obvious good-looking. Those looks help him to land him a huge role in a Hollywood movie. What sets him apart is he's not only extremely insecure, but he experience word vomit in just about every social occasion.

Just off the bus! Mug me! Fuck. I'd have been less conspicuous doing a clog dance.

Thrust into the limelight, he is groomed to within an inch of his life, trained how to give interviews (although this doesn't work out too well), and styled to fit the part as the new "IT boy." You would think all of this would go to his head. But it doesn't, making him all the more endearing. And the speed in which his life changes, terrifies him. There is only one person he turns to. The woman who's been his best friend since childhood. Only see doesn't see him in the same way.

I needed to get my head together and fight down the panic that was threatening to engulf me. And I needed Clare.

Clare, like Miles, is not your average heroine. To begin with, she is not the ideal body type. Based on Miles assessment, I would guess she's around a size 10. It was refreshing to have a heroine with a larger figure. The only problem I had was that I got no sense for the majority of the book that anyone found her attractive. I would have liked someone to remark on her beauty, particularly Miles. Although I was constantly reminded that everyone didn't see why Miles would be around her. "A" didn't fit with "B". This all works itself out later, but it would have been nice if Miles has made some nice remark about her appearance. Instead, he loves her like a friend. She is his rock. She grounds him, helps him relax, and helps him adjust to the ridiculous ways of Hollywood.

As you can expect with a Hollywood book, there is plenty of drama. A crappy substitute director, a leading lady you lures Miles, a vindictive father, etc. But Miles is lucky to not only have Clare, but his agent Rhonda, there to protect him and guide him away from trouble.

I loved Clare's strength throughout. Watching her best friend, the man she loved, fall in love with another woman who was a bitch, was heartbreaking. But she does her best to cover up her feelings. Realizing she would never have a chance with Miles, she saw no reason to ruin their friendship in the process. And she provides some hilarious inner monologue when tempted by Miles' perfection.

"She's going to kill me," he muttered to himself.
Oh, you'd better believe it, baby! I'd ride you till you passed out from exhaustion, feed you a bacon sandwich, hose you down and start again.

This story will give you what you want, what you are desperate to have happen, it just takes a long time to get there. I would have liked if this relationship wasn't so immediate, more gradual and obvious to everyone but the hero. But his feelings seemed so sudden. I wanted more of a build.

Overall, I enjoyed both main characters and could see why they worked. Their connection was based on years of friendship, and their future is set with blinding trust and love.

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a 3.5 for me. I wasnt sure what to expect going in. My biggest issue was being unable to connect with the main characters Miles and Clare.

Miles and Clare have grown up together, and they are British. Miles is into acting and music. Acting hasnt always worked out for him. He's been fired, he falls for the leading ladies and gets burned. He's not some player that cant keep it in his pants either, he's a nice guy. But he has the worst self esteem. When he gets to Hollywood he is so out of his element, and he's fumbling all over the place. He was so lost and it was getting to him. He asks Clare to come out and stay with him for a couple of weeks.
Clare is in uni and she makes the trip, and pretty much assumes the role of his assistant. Taking charge, running lines, lifting his spirits. Not to mention she's a piece of home to him.
Oh yeah, Clare is madly in love with Miles and has been for some time. But you know, she doesnt say anything because she will not risk losing him.

But GAH it got so annoying listening to her pine silently for him and she says NOTHING! She watches him fall for and be in a relationship with another leading lady, Lilia. She was awful.

Clare and Miles have fun banter, they really care for eachother but I always felt something missing. I think it had to do with not getting any background into their history, their friendship, their upbringing. I couldnt latch on to the connection that theyve know eachother for so long and grew up togehter.

Miles movie audition went well, he gets the part and he's shot into stardom. It creates some issues between them, and add in his awful girlfriend Lilia. Lilia was such a RAGING SPITEFIL SELFISH LIAR BITCH! But I think she's the reason Clare finally saw the light.


Miles did have genuine feelings for Clare. He looked out for her, was considerate, he just didnt know exactly what those feeling ACTUALLY meant to him. Until Clare had enough and realized they were just not on the same page and she was tired of being second. I was very proud of Clare for standing up for her heart. It was the moment I finally gained respect for her.

Once Miles was faced with Clare not being THAT go to person in his life, did he still see her as only a friend? Or did he see her as more? I can say that i mainly enjoyed the last 30% of the book the most. When things were finally shaken up and things were happening. It wasnt similar to the authors other books, not as intense.

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei)]

No doubt about it, Jane Harvey-Berrick is one of my favorite authors!!

Preparing myself to be "dazzled" by this book! :)

[Silvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved

This book Dazzled me! Friends to lovers is one of my fave types of love stories. Miles and Clare are sweet, sexy, and the perfect way to cap off a stressful week. I don’t care if it wasn’t believable. It was exactly what I needed!

[Lelyana's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC given by Kirsten Papi with Author and Lisa's permission in exchange for an honest review.


5 hillarious sweet Dazzling stars!

OMG! This is what I expected from Jane. The other hilarious funny, witty, heart warming novel!

Seriously, this one amazed me. Big time. All the banters, all the jokes, all the conversations…very refreshing, and definitely “Unputdownable”!


Meet Miles, 20, young fresh British actor



and Clare, little miss Chubby



I loved Miles, he’s funny, innocent , and sexy as hell…and he’s British! You know how I love man with British accent! Ehem….

He’s not that typical clean cut arrogant rich boy. He’s waaaaaaaay down to earth, hungry all the time and he hates shaving!
Love the British joke so much!

I loved Clare, she’s a strong girl, loyal, and all about her (except the secret she’d been keep for years for him)…was amazing.

This two are definitely , now on my favorite couples list.
I’m even loved Earl, the cool driver… 

This began with two best friends, in England. They’re separated way, one flew to America to reach his dream as a famous actor, one stay in London, didn’t know what she’s waiting for.
Emails? Torturing news about how successful Miles was in Hollywood?


Seemed like Clare's heart was broken before he knew her feeling for him.

You know, it's hurt when you have a crush to your best friend and he never knew...and all you can do is watch him and his girl friend around you and feeling miserable.
And you're just a girl...and can't do anything or saying anything to let him know...well...you're a girl after all... (what should you do, except wishing he can "read your mind"?).....

It hurts my heart whenever I read Clare's POV, how she hurt every time Miles with his GF. Now she have to compete with that skinny Hollywood movie star, Lilia , the bitch!

And it was obvious Miles always compared all the girls he slept with, with Clare, but still have no clue about Clare's feeling for him. He felt she's off limits, a smart girl, deserve a better man, better than him.

Clare, I can say, one of my favorite main character in books. I loved how she's so patient with Miles, the moron , at some of those times. I loved how she protect him from people around him.

And Miles, sigh...he's adorable in his clueless behavior, bluntness, shyness, innocence and how he's acted like a villagers when he first came to L.A, Really adorable.



Even at some point, I want to slap his face and punch him on his gut!!!!
How he can not see what's in front of him for so long...instead , he's having a star struck...to bad, that's was with Lilia, the bitch.

Whatever. She's beaten after all.

Um, like chocolate, the sex between Clare and Miles was HOT...and I loved The Miles Junior C.V!!! That was a brilliant idea!





Overall, I love Dazzled...and thank you to Jane Harvey-Berrick, lovely Kirsten, and Lisa who gave me the opportunity to have an ARC.

Now I'm kinda can't wait for Jane's other amazing story...always love the writing, the story, the conversations, the characters....


Some of my favorite lines :

“Don’t push your luck, Stephens.”
“Can I push something else?”he said, rocking his hips against me.

“Coffee, chocolate, men…Some things are better rich.”

“Well at least your vocabulary is improving. And, frankly, people will still think it’s an improvement over a cokehead prima donna with knobbly knees, sagging tits and an arse you could sharpen your pencil on.”

“One day I’m going to buy you your own chocolate fountain – and then I’m going to dip my dick in it and see how much you really like chocolate”

[Bia · Rating 3 out of 5]

***** 3 STARS *****

I have to say that once I got the arc, I just started doing this little dance. Coudn't help myself. Another Jane's book? I'm all in!



The story starts in London and we're introduced to Clare and Miles. Inseparable friends since babies, he's an aspiring actor, with a little bone on the music side, which had just been fired from a play. Shy and sensible boy but extremely handsome. Clare, on the other side, is just a regular girl with an average body, English literature major. She has been in love with miles since young ages, the perfect boy that's more than she deserves. Miles also loves Clare, but just as a friend. His best friend.

The relationship between them chances a little when he's invited to go to Los Angeles to audit for the movie adaptation of the book "Dazzled". There, there's no denying the chemistry with this movie partner, Lilia, the typical gorgeous actress that grew up shattering hears. Miles gets the part of the good-guy and asks Clare to come spend some time with him down on LA, working as his assistant and being there for him whenever. But Clare disdains Lilia right away. She knows that they'll probably end up together. Miles's heart is so pure that he's not capable to see the entire mean thing Lilia does. And, unfortunately, the best Clare can do is to watch them and support his decision.

Clare had to watch her best friend be infatuated by another girl. What should have only been a romance on the movie gets deeper out script, carried to the real life. Miles and Lilia start dating and he thinks the best of her. (Just an observation: having to read the movie sex scene between Miles and Lilia, I didn't know if I would cry myself from laughter or just burry my face on the pillow from shame hahaha)

One thing that I loved on the book was de double POV. Some parts are told by Clare and others by Miles, and we get to know everything they're feeling exactly on each situation. Many times I wished I could just jump inside the book and strangle Lilia with my own hands, but she gets to taste her own poison, and I really celebrate the moment. And what Clare always says to her? Those lines are awesome! Truly, the hole book is filled with sharp dialogues. Don't know if behind the scenes from Hollywood is just as described on the book, but I have to imagine that's something close. Lot of what we see isn't what's really there. It's just looks. But knowing something deep down, on each detail, is a luxury that few have.

The story involves you, and it's truly addictive, but it's not the perfect book in my opinion. Maybe I'm being a little harsh with this. I think I got spoiled by The Traveling series (and those are REALLY awesome. Go read them if you haven't. NOW). Dazzled left me dazzled. (Got it? ;) ) It's a cute story about love, fame and innocence.

Jane's writing is wonderful and I can never deny it. Would I read it again? Maybe. It's the kind of book that's great when you want something simple and light. Guess I read it on the wrong day, but wasn't something disappointing. And I have to carry to my life Clare's saying: "when you break chocolate, the calories fall out."

**ARC provided by the author/Ardent PRose in exchange of a honest review**
Want to check this review in Portuguese? Follow this link

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm dazzled by Jane Harvey Berrick.

It's my second read on the story (yes i read it twice!!) and only she could drive me crazy with emotion while what sending me laughing with the witty humour. I felt like crying and laughing at the same time.

Sometimes fame changes everything. It changed people, ruined friendships, attracted wrong people and it cost you in more way than one.

Miles's journey to stardom might just cost him more than he'd willing to pay but having Clare, his best friend, around making his whole journey more tolerable. He needed her.

Clare care for Miles more than just as friend and his success drawing the line between his world and hers. He did sign up for stardom and all the drama followed but is that mean she had to pay at the cost of broken heart?

I felt a mix emotion reading it. It's like riding a roller coaster, I'm laughing one minute then felt like holding on tight bracing what to come next. Then felt swooning before feeling like screaming on the top of my lung ready to bash someone. *phew* any longer I would go bonkers for sure. I really get Clare and her feelings.

Without spoiling too much. This is one entertaining read with a great humour (if you get it) without losing the story.
And it's one of the story that lingers even after you finished with it. I can't seem to stop thinking about them and it just showed go much emotions portrayed by the character and how well it come across to leave that kind if impression, I read books that I truly love and enjoy but after few days I forgot about them and vaguely remember the story line. This is not one of them.

4.5 dazzling stars!!

******ARC provided in exchange for honest review******

[Romance Readers Retreat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book by author that I've read and I had very mixed reviews throughout my reading. On one hand, I loved it! I absolutely love the new cover and I overall liked and enjoyed the characters. But on the other, I just really wanted to strangle and yell at the characters most of the time. This book is just filled with angst! It will definitely take you on a roller coaster of emotions through happiness to anger to sadness to love.

Miles Stephens is a young actor from London who gets the chance of a lifetime to star in a big Hollywood film. The film propels him to worldwide fame and the pressures are on. Throughout the film he is supported by his best friend Clare, who has secretly been in love with him his whole life. Will fame and fortune be all he's dreamed about?

I just wanted to strangle Miles for pretty much the whole book because he was so dense and didn't realize that Clare was in love with him and because of how he took her for granted most of the time. And I didn't like how the author put a big emphasis on weight. She described Clare as being fat and chubby, Miles as being buff, and Lilia, a major side character, as bone skinny. It just put me off a little bit. I did love all the British speak because I haven't read too many books set in London before and it was very refreshing to me.

Dazzled was an angsty, funny, romantic read and I can't wait to see what this author has in store for us next!

[Yelena Bosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claire knows two important facts: When you break chocolate, the calories fall out; AND that she's totally in love with clueless Miles...

Review - 4 (almost 5)

Where do I begin?! So, have you ever started a book and didn't want to finish it because you knew that once you read the last page that's it? Where you just prolong your reading because you aren't mentally prepared to give up a great story?...Well, this is only an understatement of how I felt about this amazing review copy of "DAZZLED" by Jane Harvey-Berrick! Once I read the synopsis I knew this would be a fast and very enjoyable read but I definitely didn't expect it to be...the type of book that I will read at least 5 more times - with no exaggerations what so ever..I could literally go on FOR EVER and with every ounce of detail I could gather for this review, but I will only provide the bare necessities as I wouldn't wont to spoil anything, you need to read it for yourself and if anything? Just enjoy the beautiful cover for one thing? ;)

SHORT PLOT SUMMARY...

Dazzled is a story about two best friends that are tested in all aspects of their relationship through Miles (the male protagonists) who is an aspiring actor that through much trial and error lands a once in a life time opportunity of the lead role in a movie. His best friends and head over heels in love with him is Claire (the female lead character) an ordinary Arts student who goes along with Miles in his journey through discovering what it is really like to be an actor in Hollywood - otherwise known as La La Land... They are both English so moving to America for a few months or so is only one the many drastic changes that they come across...This plot is simple but the emotional changes and the amazing humor that the author is able to provide, makes this one hell of a great book to read!

WRITING STYLE in general

Let me just say that I have read plenty of romantic comedy books before but never did I come across this type of style! I kind of thought that having humor in a book especially a romantic comedy might sometimes come across as dry humor or one might not even get the joke since they may not understand it BUT this was definitely not the case with DAZZLED. Not even close!!

The strongest and most compelling aspect of this book was the way that the humor in almost every line was able to make every situation even stronger. Whether it was to do with being closer to the character, understanding the situation with many different perspectives (both positive and negative) or just being intrigued by the general story. The comedy/humor wasn't funny 'HA-HA' were the reader would think a particular situation or joke was silly but rather humorous in a way that made it that much more believable and of course fun to read. I laughed out loud - LITERALLY - on every single page which with one word can only be described as an amazing sense of humor by the author! Some of the lines I couldn't even think of as being able to work in that particular setting but I was more than wrong.

There were also very smooth transitions between:

- Characters thoughts
- the plot twists & turns
- and their lives together (overall)

The author made sure she skipped or shortened the less important aspects to make the time frame and pace of the book even better - if that was possible. For example, when Miles and Claire were away from each other during a holiday break for a couple of months, the story wasn't described as what they did for every day or week of those few months but instead the author provided a clear cut between the emotional stability of BOTH the characters along with the physical aspects of what they did during that time period. Similarly aspects of the story that were important and necessary in the story were PROLONGED like how Miles felt about his job as an actor before and after he got the lead role in the movie Dazzled. These two very paramount parts of the book made the pacing one of the best that I have read in a while.

I mean, there are stories in series that have great pacing (such as The Mortal Instruments or any of Rachel Caine's books as a quick example) but aside from a few contemporary novels I have read recently, 'Dazzled' has impressed me the most and that is something I don't easily mention since it takes a lot from one book to make me love it...hopefully that doesn't sound too harsh but it's true, I love reading all kinds of stories but it does take a lot for a specific book to stand out and for me to not want to finish because it is so amazing - Dazzled is one example of that!

CHARACTERS and their RELATIONSHIP..

Again, i wont go into much detail because I seriously don't wont to have any spoilers & would love for you guys to experience every inch and corner of this book for yourselves.

Claire - in simple words is a very normal and lovable character that every girl can relate to. She is just the normal girl next door that studies at University and is basically in love with her best friend Miles. Don't worry this isn't a spoiler since we find out about this from the first page...in a very different but funny way.. ;)

Miles - Ahhh beautiful...funny...very humble Miles...He is definitely the type of best friend any one would be lucky to have. No wonder Claire is head over heels with him. Who couldn't fall for a guy that not only treats you like a best friend but also still loves you the same way even after he becomes the "IT" guy in the movie business. I mean, Miles does change somewhat with not having all the free time he used to before he landed the lead role in a movie, but as they were best friends since they were tiny children, he still can't go a day without having Claire by his side...Obviously, things happen... emotions change... confusions get the better of some of them and certain other characters - i.e. the female lead role in the movie and also Mile's "romantic-interest" Lilia - which change up how both the characters feel about each other, that evidently, after a lot of considerations concludes to a ...... ending.

Throughout the story her relationship with Miles is so strong but in no way cliquey and the plot twist as well as the ups & downs that these two characters have is so fun to read - and in no way am I trying to make that sound sad...they have their fights but as all best friends do, they make up just like that UP UNTIL "something" of a completely different nature occurs between the two of them a.k.a. the major PLOT TWIST which was by far one of my favorite aspects of the book in terms of how it changed the relationship between the two of them.

OVERALL?

I really wish that this book was twice as long or that there would at least be a few more sequels to it purely because I fell in love with the characters and their journey unlike any other book I have read before. You might ask yourselves why I haven't rated this a 5 since I loved it so much? The simple reason is that I kind of felt that through half of the book, Claire's love for Miles might have been a little too much for me to completely admire.

I don't mean that it was annoying to read or anything like that, but I just felt that sometimes there she was sometimes too protective towards how Miles looked at and interacted with other girls which from Claire's perspective was because she loved him so much (even though she knew or rather thought that he doesn't feel the same way...since he was involved with Lilia...). This evidently become more subtle and "changed" through the evolution of their relationship together...This was just one small negative factor that was easily overlooked through every other very clever aspects of the book.

I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND this book to EVERYONE that is looking for a fun, clever and very entertaining read.

I absolutely can't wait to read more of Jane Harvey-Berrick's books as she will now be on my favorite authors list :) So thank you for giving me the chance to read a great novel! I will definitely be talking about this book to every one of my friends and can't wait to read it again and again...!

**Very happy reader**

[Mazmum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review - Dazzled by Jane Harvey Berrick - 3 1/2 sometimes you just have to open your eyes, to see what’s right in front of your face stars

Ok firstly I have a confession. Dazzled is one of Jane’s older books and although I’ve known about it for a while, it just never quite made it up the tbr list. I can’t tell you if it was the original cover (I did watch the guy in Xfactor and I could have given birth to him, so he could never be my hero), or something else.

Fast forward a little while and see me on the front row at the Ultimate Readers event in London in November, with tears rolling down my face as brave soldier James agrees to read from a scene with our actress Katy. I turned around to my friend Zoe amongst the mirth and said ‘why the hell have I never read this book, it sounds fantastic.’

So now Dazzled has a lovely sparkly cover that doesn’t make me feel too much of a cougar, I’m in the mood for some light hearted fun and I decide to dive in.

So what’s it all about? Well Miles and Clare are best friends and have been for years. Clare is secretly in love with Miles but he just doesn’t see her that way - she’s the dependable friend. Miles is an actor and gets a shot at a huge role in America. We see him arrive, and flop around like a fish out of water, until he calls and begs Clare to come and anchor him down.

There are some true laugh out loud moments in this book but I can’t help but feel that we skim the surface of the relationship between the two of them. Certainly it doesn’t have the poetic style Jane’s more serious tomes do.

I did want to give Miles a good old slap at times as well. There are only so many excuses you can give someone until you realise that they just aren’t good enough for you and not the other way around. I really felt he should have been made to work at it a little bit more, and come to the gradual awakening of his feelings. It did feel a bit like ‘boom - wow, where have they been hiding’ when he does finally wake up and see what is in front of him! And I couldn’t figure out what Clare’s ambition in life was, other than to follow Miles around like a lost puppy hoping to be thrown a bone.

Still there are some fabulously funny scenes like the beauty salon and some great side characters which guarantee you will romp from start to finish of this book without realising you have finished it. A good solid bite of women’s light hearted fiction.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a bit torn on Clare and Miles' story because while I enjoyed how quirky both of them were and the inside look at how a no name becomes famous and the ups and downs Miles goes through in his rise to fame, I had a hard time buying into a romantic relationship between the two of them; it seemed one sided for about 75% of the text, so I felt like I had whiplash from the sudden change in relationship status and what that meant for them due to their separation and Miles' stardom.

Miles Stephens is definitely an enigma, and it was interesting to see his transformation play out as his role in Dazzled changed his entire life. At the beginning, Miles had a tendency to put his foot in his mouth but that awkwardness actually helps make him more real in the eyes of his fans, and even though the public did not want a no name for the title role, once Miles wins them over with his quick wit and oversharing, readers could tell that he was going to make it despite some bad publicity and rash decisions.

I have to admit – I didn’t really understand Clare…I couldn’t have endured witnessing the man I love be with other women. If she was truly the independent woman that Miles thought she was, I don’t see why she wouldn’t have laid it all out to him about her feelings because she wasn’t afraid to be honest about anything else. I get that admitting she’s in love with him would be difficult and she would worry about losing Miles’ friendship all together, but some of her actions didn’t match up to the type of woman I felt like the author made her out to be.

To me, the inevitability of Miles and Clare getting together as more than best friends was never shown from Miles’ point of view, which made it difficult to accept how quickly everything played out once he realized his true feelings, making it feel a bit rushed and not completely explored in a way that I could buy into it.

Regardless of my feelings about Miles and Clare as a couple, though, I did enjoy the insider’s look at the rise of fame in Hollywood and what it can ultimately cost in the long run. Jane Harvey-Berrick crafts a vivid view of the pros and cons of stardom and what happens when people’s views get skewed based on wealth and fame.

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

[She Picked This Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so I am officially a big fan of this author. It seems like everything she writes is awesome. Her versatility is amazing, she can write serious books, funny books. YA books, NA books everything. I don't understand how this book has a sub 4.0 GR rating

The good
1)Sexy times (the first sex scene between Miles & Clare was one of the funniest things I have ever read. Very uniquely done.
2) Miles & Clare were such hilarious and sincere characters
3) Miles was such a different male lead. Very dorky & sweet, not the alpha type at all. It took me a bit to warm up to him but once I did I fell in love with him
4) The book was set in england with proper english slang & references to british literature! I loved that.
5) I had a shit eating grin throughout the entire thing. It was just such a fun read.

[Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

good story = Jane Harvey-Berrick is a faultless writer. Lots of laugh out loud moments, best friends become more.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

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I love Jane Harvey-Berrick’s books! I am always a little worried when I decide to review a new book by an author I enjoy; what if I don’t like it? I know, first world problems and all, but thankfully not a problem with JHB’s upcoming release Dazzled. This is the fourth Jane Harvey-Berrick book that I have read; The Education of Sebastian, The Education of Caroline and Dangerous to Know & Love, rounding out the group. What immediately hit me only a few chapters into Dazzled is that every JHB book I have read has brought something entirely different to the table. Her writing style is diverse in each of these books highlighting different relationship dynamics, varying ages and locations. She brings California living and war to life between a married woman and an off limits teenage boy twelve years her junior in The Education series, college life with the stereotypical good girl and resident bad boy with serious underlying issues in Dangerous to Know, and unrequited love between British best friends that must navigate the shark infested waters when Hollywood comes calling in Dazzled.

Dazzled is a story about Clare, the ‘girl next door’ who is in love with her beautiful unassuming best friend and neighbour, Miles, whom Clare deems completely out of her league. This story does such an amazing job portraying how one feels about themselves in comparison to how others perceive them. Clare sees herself as plain, overweight, lovesick and pathetic while Miles thinks she is so calm and put together, knows what to say and do, and she is clever and brilliant. Miles is a talented actor and jazz musician and Clare thinks that everything about him is perfect while he struggles with huge insecurities of not being good enough at anything.

Currently down and out with his acting career, Miles gets the opportunity of a lifetime when an audition tape he submitted for the lead role in an American film grabs the director’s attention. The lead role. From a bestselling YA paranormal novel. To an unknown British actor. I was feeling all sorts of parallels to RPatz’s experience with the Twilight phenomenon while I was reading this. Yesssss…I was late to the Twilight hysteria but I did board the train to crazy sparkly vampire town. I did read and watch a lot of the press junket interviews with him describing his shot to stardom and it how it affected him both personally and professionally and although I am sure he is grateful for the role that launched his career, you can see that the man had endured enough of Twilight-mania by the end and wanted to distance himself from it. This is Miles. Thankfully, he does not sparkle but the impact is the same. He gets caught up in the Hollywood machine that will chew you up and spit you out if you don’t know how to play the game.

Miles’ lack of Hollywood etiquette causes him plenty of grief with his handlers. He is always being talked down to, yelled at, berated and told not to fuck up. He has been dyed, manicured, shaved, waxed, given a physical trainer from hell, a stylist and is told to keep his mouth shut as much as possible. When the panic and anxiety become too much, he reaches for his life line, Clare.


“…I’m the one who’s… who’s got to go out there and put myself on the line. Everyone’s telling me I’m too fat, too ugly, too stupid, too badly dressed – and… and there’s all this pressure…”

When Miles calls to tell her he needs her, Clare thinks nothing of it to jump a plane to Los Angeles to work as his personal assistant and try to protect Miles from being exploited. She is 100% loyal and fiercely overprotective of Miles. Whether or not he is ready for it, Miles is about to be the new “It Guy” and he learns quickly how fickle the media can be; sympathetic to him one minute and out for blood the next.

There is one scene that was so eerie to the current going’s on in the film industry that I wondered if Ms. Harvey-Berrick had a crystal ball stashed somewhere? When the press finds out that Miles has gotten the part, message boards for fans start up campaigning to get rid of him and they start a petition to have him replaced. The fact that this situation was true to life last week with the announcement of the Fifty Shades casting had me a little bit unnerved. I didn’t realize that this was even possible…I mean, I guess you can start a petition on whatever your little heart desires, but seriously, over the actors selected to play a role in a movie? People, pull your head out of your asses and find something more constructive to do with your time. Maybe a hobby… or volunteer work?

But make no mistake, Miles and Clare’s friendship is not a one sided relationship. Miles adores Clare too. She is his best friend and he is just as overprotective and thoughtful of her. Their friendship really is a beautiful thing, if you can overlook the fact that Clare is in love with Miles and he doesn’t realize that the girl of his dreams is standing right in front of him. Unfortunately Miles has a nasty habit of falling in love with his leading ladies which doesn’t bode well for Clare. Lilia, the lead actress is a complete manipulative bitch. The more Miles is in her vicinity, the more he is taken in by her fake persona but Clare sees Lilia for exactly what she is but Clare can only be a glutton for punishment for so long. As Clare starts to realize that Miles life is in LA now and not in London, she decides that it might be time to say goodbye. But is Miles finally starting to see Clare in a different light?


“Your world dazzles me but I don’t fit in here – I have to go.”

JHB gives us a great deal of witty banter and cheeky British humour. Miles internal sarcastic retorts to some of the ridiculous requests and his incredulity of what is happening to him at times is hilarious. I know that we enjoy some scandalicious sex around these parts but let’s be clear, the internal banter back and forth during the BIG sex scene is freaking hysterical. A woman that is self-conscious about herself and a guy that thinks everything about her is fan-fucking-tastic while trying not to blow his load too fast had me reading this scene multiple times and laughing my ass off.

Oh, and the David Gandy shout out, Jane Harvey-Berrick, you have impeccable taste!

[Yvonne (the putrid Shelf) · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s always going to be a difficult task to go against the grain of what appears to be a much-loved popular book. I know reading is very much a personal thing, but I feel I need to get my views on paper. I felt I needed a break from the thrillers/police procedurals/fantasy novels that I love so I randomly picked a romance novel from my goodreads TBR. Alas I started reading Dazzled. On first sight it looked like a cute, quick fun read. It was penned as a New Adult novel, and I’m afraid after reading it I felt quite concerned at the message that it was portraying to girls of that age. Author’s that write within this genre I believe, have a duty of care to write with the correct voice that is appropriate to the audience. I concluded that certain characters were alarmingly problematic.

This was the story of Clare and Miles. Clare as described by the author was the fat/chubby, larger than life, boring, innately average and inconsequential girl that was an English Literature student. Her life was written so that it highlighted just what an average life she led in comparison to Miles. Her inner monologue was worrying, in regard to how she viewed herself, her life and in general herself worth. She struggled to find a partner because she was so hung up on her best friend that didn’t view her as anything other than his friend. I don’t know, maybe use some of the brain cells that the author says she has and lay the guy some hints, at the end of the day no-one is a mind reader. It’s the 21st century and girls can take the lead on such things you know! If Miles was the guy that you have wanted since forever grab the bull by the horns, life’s too short.

Miles. Well on the other hand the author wrote him to stand on a pedestal. He was drop dead gorgeous, his hair was perfect, he had the perfect body, okay he wasn’t that sharp and had dyslexia. I think a little more research on how dyslexia presents itself would have made it more genuine and authentic instead of it sounding like Clare was patronising him constantly. Now he didn’t have much luck with partners either, but he didn’t seem to view Clare as anything other than his best mate, not until the last 20% of the book when VERY suddenly he changed his tune and now he thought she was red hot.

Now Miles is a struggling actor but through good representation manages to bag the role of his life. He heads out to LA and he begins to live the Hollywood life. But wait, it’s not what he expected it to be…the actors/actresses are fickle, image is everything and all they seem to care about is the dollars. Yep, don’t expect to ever walk out your door again without being harassed. He asks Clare to join him out there and she witnesses first hand just how fickle everything is. She tries to support him the best she can, but she struggles to accept how Hollywood wants to change everything that is about him. She loves him as he is. The vanity begins, and he has to change his diet, has to start a rigorous gym routine and has to think very carefully about what he is going to say before he says it. He changes into the “stunningly perfect gorgeous man” that is too perfect for mere mortals…ffs no human is above another, and this inner monologue is just breeding further hateful thoughts that make individuals of that age focus too much on body image. The skinny and equally perfect actresses come out of the woodwork. Now Clare believes she won’t bag her perfect man, even though she always told herself he wasn’t good enough for her.

The only thing I really feel redeemed Clare for me as a character was the fact she had a relatable body of the average woman. She was a healthy size, not fat, not chubby. She enjoyed junk food and didn’t give a fuck about what anyone else thought about her body.

I think authors need to give more thought to how they write their characters but still deliver justice to how they imagine them to be. Unfortunately, we now live in a world where social media is king, and it has a lasting impact on our youth. We live in a world where Instagram highlights our flaws but what they don’t realise is that no-one’s life is Instagram perfect. I just think the comparisons between the two characters were uneven and would love to see more strong characters not ones that constantly thought they were too average, and too insignificant.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 70% of the book was 3.5*, the remainder 4.5*, for a solid 4* read. Dazzled is a lovely friends-to-lovers romance…not quite YA because of some of the subject matter, but not full-on NA- there wasn’t a whole lot of angst or drama.

I had a hard time connecting with Clare at first. I liked her snarkiness and sarcasm, but I didn’t care for how she treated Miles for most of the beginning of the book, I thought she was kind of harsh at times. But she slowly grew on me, and at the end I was firmly in her corner.
Miles is so sweet and clueless, and at times just plain dense. But then again he’s a twenty-year-old male, what more could we expect! But oh how adorable he was, even while unknowingly breaking Clare’s heart over, and over, again.

Clare and Miles have been friends since childhood, and they love each other as best friends do. But in Clare’s case, she’s also in love with Miles, and has been for a long time. But she’s never worked up the nerve to tell him, not wanting to ruin their friendship.
Miles is a struggling actor who gets his big break when he goes to the US to audition for a movie and lands the part. Alone and unsure of himself in Hollywood, he convinces Clare to come over on her summer break to help him; he needs his friend by his side. While on location Miles once again falls for his leading lady, much to Clare’s disappointment. But she goes on as always, and their friendship continues on its same path.

Until it just gets to be too much and Clare has finally had enough with Miles- she’s been by his side through the filming, through the heartbreak, through the screw-ups. But there comes a point in life when you wake up and realize things might not work out like you hoped and wished them to, and you just have to move on. This is when I really started to empathize with Clare, and where the book started to get interesting. As much as she loved Miles, she was tired of being second best with him and needed to get on with her life.

Things may have moved a little fast towards the end, but I think that made up for the bit of a slow start. I completely adored the journey these 2 took, as they moved from friends to lovers. Miles is such a doll, and to see him come to the realization that Clare was the one for him, just ahhh! I’m not one who necessarily needs an epilogue for every book I read, but I would have loved one for these 2…something a couple of years in the future, how they are dealing with Miles success, setting up their life as a couple in Hollywood, just a little glimpse would have been perfect.


***Copy received in exchange for an honest review.