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Shot Through The Heart
The Silver Screen had never shone as bright . . . Mia Sinclair is the First Lady of Love, a beautiful film goddess known across the globe for her romantic roles. But in reality life does not imitate art and love is not as easily found in the real world as it is in the movies.
Leo Henderson is the Brit living in L.A, loving the lifestyle and photographing the stars - mostly when they least want to be photographed.
When Mia meets Leo, the sparks fly. But is dating a paparazzi the biggest mistake of her life? And how will she cope when Leo becomes jealous of her friendship with co-star Billy Spencer, the hottest actor in town but a man hiding a secret he's worried could destroy his career?
Shot through the Heart i s Matt Cain's debut novel, a Hollywood tale of romance, heartbreak and the lengths some will go to maintain that unblemished movie star image.
Leo Henderson is the Brit living in L.A, loving the lifestyle and photographing the stars - mostly when they least want to be photographed.
When Mia meets Leo, the sparks fly. But is dating a paparazzi the biggest mistake of her life? And how will she cope when Leo becomes jealous of her friendship with co-star Billy Spencer, the hottest actor in town but a man hiding a secret he's worried could destroy his career?
Shot through the Heart i s Matt Cain's debut novel, a Hollywood tale of romance, heartbreak and the lengths some will go to maintain that unblemished movie star image.
- GenresFiction
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 24, 2014
5 people are currently reading
163 people want to read
About the author
Matt Cain
12 books596 followersMatt Cain is a writer, broadcaster, and a leading commentator on LGBTQ+ issues. He was Channel 4’s first Culture Editor, Editor-In-Chief of Attitude magazine, has written for all the national newspapers and appeared on BBC Breakfast, Lorraine, Good Morning Britain, The Today Programme, Front Row and Woman's Hour.
Matt is also an ambassador for Manchester Pride and a patron of LGBT+ History Month. In 2021 he received an honorary doctorate from Bolton University and in 2023 he addressed the Cambridge Union. In the New Year's Honours List 2025 Matt was awarded an MBE for services to LGBTQ+ culture.
Matt's breakthrough work of fiction, The Madonna Of Bolton, became Unbound’s fastest crowdfunded novel ever before it was published in 2018. In 2021, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle was published by Headline, followed by Becoming Ted and One Love. His Quick Read Game On was one of the official short novels of World Book Night 2024.
Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, Matt now lives in London with his husband, Harry, and their cat, Nelly.
Matt is also an ambassador for Manchester Pride and a patron of LGBT+ History Month. In 2021 he received an honorary doctorate from Bolton University and in 2023 he addressed the Cambridge Union. In the New Year's Honours List 2025 Matt was awarded an MBE for services to LGBTQ+ culture.
Matt's breakthrough work of fiction, The Madonna Of Bolton, became Unbound’s fastest crowdfunded novel ever before it was published in 2018. In 2021, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle was published by Headline, followed by Becoming Ted and One Love. His Quick Read Game On was one of the official short novels of World Book Night 2024.
Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, Matt now lives in London with his husband, Harry, and their cat, Nelly.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 7, 2016
As soon as I heard about Matt Cain’s debut novel, I thought it sounded right up my street. It’s about celebrities – you’d be surprised how rare that is, and not just any old Kardashian celebrity, it’s about famous actors and actresses, which is my absolute favourite! It has a delightful looking cover – showing a woman (presumably Mia), with the title in a pink font and it just screams the perfect summer read! And, finally, the piece de resistance… The title is the opening lyrics to a Bon Jovi song. Not just any Bon Jovi song, but my favourite Bon Jovi song and the song that features on Barney’s ‘Get Psyched’ mix on How I Met Your Mother, You Give Love A Bad Name (and which I now have stuck in my head!). DING DING DING, we have a winner! So Shot Through The Heart had a lot of pressure on it before I’d even started it, but it more than lived up to my hype!
Shot Through The Heart was such an enjoyable novel! It wasn’t just about Mia and Leo’s relationship, which was such a pleasure to read about, but it was a story about living for who you really are, being true to yourself and (to some extent) not letting what people think rule your actions. The theme running through the novel was love. Love in all its various forms – be it Mia and Leo’s burgeoning, surprising and unexpected love, to Ronnie and Rosie’s fiery, always arguing love, to Billy Spencer, heart-throb leading actor, being loved by his fans, after not knowing a lot of love in his life. There’s lots of love going around in the novel, and I found it quite sweet and I was rather desperate for everybody to get their happy ending, even Hector, Mia’s sweet-but-unassuming and rather naive assistant.
I very much enjoyed getting to know the characters – books rarely focus on celebrities, perhaps because they’re worried their readers won’t be able to relate to such famous, perfect (at least to the public’s eyes) people, but Matt Cain really delivers on characters we can really care about. Mia is such a lovely, sweet lady! Despite the novel being written in the third-person, I really felt connected to Mia, which takes a talented writer to pull off, and I felt personally connected not just to Mia, but to all the characters! Sure, Mia and Billy might be famous and have the world at their feet, but if this novel shows anything, it shows that famous people have insecurities too, and want to be loved, too, and, at the end of the day, they’re just like you and me, except for the paparazzi constantly hounding them, of course. Mia and Leo’s love story is very much the Romeo and Juliet of the modern age – Leo’s day job is hardly conducive to a celebrity relationship, especially when he’s taken pictures previously of said celebrity, but their romance was sweet, and I sort of liked how they met when Leo was trying to take pictures of Mia eating a burger and he bargains a date out of the whole thing, hardly expecting it to become what it does…
This was such a great, unexpected novel! Obviously being a debut I didn’t have any clue how Matt was as a writer, what to expect from his novels, but I was massively impressed, even with all the hype I had added on to it all by myself! I raced through the book, feeling immediately connected to it from page one, which is a very rare occurrence, and takes a very good writer to do that. Matt Cain is a fantastic new writer, and he’s going to go far – he’s massively talented and it’s quite hard to believe Shot Through The Heart is his debut novel as it’s immense. It covers all bases, introduces us to some fine, fine characters and manages to keep all the balls juggling in the air. The synopsis may make it seem as though the novel is just about Mia and Leo, but it’s about so much more than them, and we get to meet so many great, distinguishable characters, the stand-out for me being Billy Spencer, who has had an awful beginning to his life, but has made his life into a success, despite everything. I can’t wait to see what Matt Cain writes next, because I will certainly be buying it because I loved Shot Through The Heart, it was a wonderful novel!
Shot Through The Heart was such an enjoyable novel! It wasn’t just about Mia and Leo’s relationship, which was such a pleasure to read about, but it was a story about living for who you really are, being true to yourself and (to some extent) not letting what people think rule your actions. The theme running through the novel was love. Love in all its various forms – be it Mia and Leo’s burgeoning, surprising and unexpected love, to Ronnie and Rosie’s fiery, always arguing love, to Billy Spencer, heart-throb leading actor, being loved by his fans, after not knowing a lot of love in his life. There’s lots of love going around in the novel, and I found it quite sweet and I was rather desperate for everybody to get their happy ending, even Hector, Mia’s sweet-but-unassuming and rather naive assistant.
I very much enjoyed getting to know the characters – books rarely focus on celebrities, perhaps because they’re worried their readers won’t be able to relate to such famous, perfect (at least to the public’s eyes) people, but Matt Cain really delivers on characters we can really care about. Mia is such a lovely, sweet lady! Despite the novel being written in the third-person, I really felt connected to Mia, which takes a talented writer to pull off, and I felt personally connected not just to Mia, but to all the characters! Sure, Mia and Billy might be famous and have the world at their feet, but if this novel shows anything, it shows that famous people have insecurities too, and want to be loved, too, and, at the end of the day, they’re just like you and me, except for the paparazzi constantly hounding them, of course. Mia and Leo’s love story is very much the Romeo and Juliet of the modern age – Leo’s day job is hardly conducive to a celebrity relationship, especially when he’s taken pictures previously of said celebrity, but their romance was sweet, and I sort of liked how they met when Leo was trying to take pictures of Mia eating a burger and he bargains a date out of the whole thing, hardly expecting it to become what it does…
This was such a great, unexpected novel! Obviously being a debut I didn’t have any clue how Matt was as a writer, what to expect from his novels, but I was massively impressed, even with all the hype I had added on to it all by myself! I raced through the book, feeling immediately connected to it from page one, which is a very rare occurrence, and takes a very good writer to do that. Matt Cain is a fantastic new writer, and he’s going to go far – he’s massively talented and it’s quite hard to believe Shot Through The Heart is his debut novel as it’s immense. It covers all bases, introduces us to some fine, fine characters and manages to keep all the balls juggling in the air. The synopsis may make it seem as though the novel is just about Mia and Leo, but it’s about so much more than them, and we get to meet so many great, distinguishable characters, the stand-out for me being Billy Spencer, who has had an awful beginning to his life, but has made his life into a success, despite everything. I can’t wait to see what Matt Cain writes next, because I will certainly be buying it because I loved Shot Through The Heart, it was a wonderful novel!
June 3, 2014
Also available on http://chicklitpad.blogspot.com
Synopsis
I bet you think super stars have it all huh, the cash, the simply magnanimous houses. I bet you've always wondered how it'll feel to walk on the red carpet, photographers clicking away wearing that gorgeous Prada, Gucci or Beckham. Ooh, how lovely diamonds wouldl feel on your neck,mm hmm, talk of coming out of a limousine with your fans calling out your name,shouting "I love you, can i get an autograph, oh you are gorgeous" The feeling will be totally orgasmic .
How hard can it be, really? It is all rosy and sweet and die for.
Try asking that blond beautiful girl from Cleveland, Ohio, who like a lot of girls dreamt of going to LA , the La la Land, City of Angels, of becoming a movie star, falling in love and having a fairytale life, Ooh! How sweet. But she wished someone told her earlier that her fairytale life is, well, a fairytale. Love in reality was not like in the movies, well at least not with the paparazzi chasing her around. And with the eloping of her father and the death of her mother just as her career took off skyrocketing, you would think life would give her a break. What with falling in love with the enemy>
Guess Cupid's bow shot her right through the heart. Who would have guessed?
Maybe the British hottie with Bad Boy written all over him and a heart melting winky-grin looking for the right girl will tell you everything about these superstars. He should know since he lives off the downfall and breakdown of these Hollywood stars. And sadly, he is the enemy.
What of the Mississippi gay boy rejected by his parents for being himself. He eloped to the City of Angels to pursue his dream of being a movie star. Would he be rejected all over again by the world? All he wanted was to hear the world shout their I love yous and Billy you rock. All he can do is hide his true self with a lie and hide his sexuality.
There is the sweet Harlem girl, the horrifying over-botoxed-if that is a word-cruel publicists, gay secretaries and a whole lot more. It's a whole world out there in Hollywood. And Matt Cain gives you a peek into the life of these Hollywood stars and how really vulnerable they are in reality and how much they need love. Like everyone in need of a 'Shot Through The Heart'.
My review
Exciting, Intriguing, Enticing all in one book , simply amazing . If you always wanted to know what goes on in the life of stars look no further, this book is just the one you desperately have to read. It is exciting at the same time romantic.I always thought the life of superstars was amazing, they always had the best clothes, looked fantastic and gorgeous, and dated only guys good-looking enough to be in an Armani underwear catalogue. What an eye opener this book is! Lovely execution for a debut!
Extremely great and interesting characters from the gorgeous Mia Sinclair finding it difficult to find love. With the nickname "first lady of love", you would think she has dozens of suitors considering her beauty and all. To the handsome hot Brit who end up being the awful enemy. To the gay hottie Billy, and the other lovely cast of characters who end up finding love.
I loved reading this book a lot and not to sound cheesy but it turned out to be very interesting and spectacular. I could not help gasping and being stunned through out the book. It was funny, intriguing,enticing and totally awesome. Like a box set. It took me by surprise, kept me in suspense at a point I thought I would die of not knowing what was going to happen. It was just an amazing book
I loved reading this book but i wish I love, loved it, enough to give it a five. But it wasn't that bad for a debut.
Synopsis
I bet you think super stars have it all huh, the cash, the simply magnanimous houses. I bet you've always wondered how it'll feel to walk on the red carpet, photographers clicking away wearing that gorgeous Prada, Gucci or Beckham. Ooh, how lovely diamonds wouldl feel on your neck,mm hmm, talk of coming out of a limousine with your fans calling out your name,shouting "I love you, can i get an autograph, oh you are gorgeous" The feeling will be totally orgasmic .
How hard can it be, really? It is all rosy and sweet and die for.
Try asking that blond beautiful girl from Cleveland, Ohio, who like a lot of girls dreamt of going to LA , the La la Land, City of Angels, of becoming a movie star, falling in love and having a fairytale life, Ooh! How sweet. But she wished someone told her earlier that her fairytale life is, well, a fairytale. Love in reality was not like in the movies, well at least not with the paparazzi chasing her around. And with the eloping of her father and the death of her mother just as her career took off skyrocketing, you would think life would give her a break. What with falling in love with the enemy>
Guess Cupid's bow shot her right through the heart. Who would have guessed?
Maybe the British hottie with Bad Boy written all over him and a heart melting winky-grin looking for the right girl will tell you everything about these superstars. He should know since he lives off the downfall and breakdown of these Hollywood stars. And sadly, he is the enemy.
What of the Mississippi gay boy rejected by his parents for being himself. He eloped to the City of Angels to pursue his dream of being a movie star. Would he be rejected all over again by the world? All he wanted was to hear the world shout their I love yous and Billy you rock. All he can do is hide his true self with a lie and hide his sexuality.
There is the sweet Harlem girl, the horrifying over-botoxed-if that is a word-cruel publicists, gay secretaries and a whole lot more. It's a whole world out there in Hollywood. And Matt Cain gives you a peek into the life of these Hollywood stars and how really vulnerable they are in reality and how much they need love. Like everyone in need of a 'Shot Through The Heart'.
My review
Exciting, Intriguing, Enticing all in one book , simply amazing . If you always wanted to know what goes on in the life of stars look no further, this book is just the one you desperately have to read. It is exciting at the same time romantic.I always thought the life of superstars was amazing, they always had the best clothes, looked fantastic and gorgeous, and dated only guys good-looking enough to be in an Armani underwear catalogue. What an eye opener this book is! Lovely execution for a debut!
Extremely great and interesting characters from the gorgeous Mia Sinclair finding it difficult to find love. With the nickname "first lady of love", you would think she has dozens of suitors considering her beauty and all. To the handsome hot Brit who end up being the awful enemy. To the gay hottie Billy, and the other lovely cast of characters who end up finding love.
I loved reading this book a lot and not to sound cheesy but it turned out to be very interesting and spectacular. I could not help gasping and being stunned through out the book. It was funny, intriguing,enticing and totally awesome. Like a box set. It took me by surprise, kept me in suspense at a point I thought I would die of not knowing what was going to happen. It was just an amazing book
I loved reading this book but i wish I love, loved it, enough to give it a five. But it wasn't that bad for a debut.
May 29, 2014
I am a bit torn and here is the hard part of what I do I suppose. This book is a four star read for me.
I was not in love with American Mia using the same clearly British jargon that the foreign and very sexy, I might add, Leo uses. It was off putting to me for her to think and talk that way. I had to keep reminding myself she was American. This does not take away from the story folks but it was a little distracting.
There were grammatical issues that fall in line with the U.K. vs. U.S. way of speaking but the author is in fact from the U.k. so I get it and luckily my friends from the U.k. have taught me plenty to understand it. Granted this is a review copy and we all know that sometimes it's not a final product. So that being said I did love the storyline and plot building in this one alot in fact.
The characters were very well developed and some were even too developed for me. I did find myself thinking "get to the point" a few times. I felt like some of the sideline characters didn't need all that back story, ya know? Okay moving on...
Anyways, I did give it four stars for a reason y'all, so let me elaborate further.
Mia is a great MC , strong and beautiful with an underdog story to make her believable and her swoon worthy love interest is a really great character too. Leo is a tough but warm-hearted sexy, paparazzo who falls for Mia Sinclair the it girl in Hollywood.
Speaking of Hollywood, I loved delving into the scene and getting down and dirty with the paparazzi too! I really liked the vileness that the vicious Violet exuded, man, she was absolutely brutal! Oh! No way can I leave out the hunky and all around great guy and leading man, Billy Spencer! He was one of my favorite characters although he seemed a bit disturbed and not in a bothering sort of way but perhaps a mentally unstable sort of way, by his past and it was harped on a bit much but it wasn't bothersome so just making an observation. I worried for a bit, LOL.
The building romance seemed a bit short to me between Leo and Mia it jumped too much time in their getting to know each other for me. But hey, it couldn't be a thousand pages right?
Now we get down to the nitty gritty and enter the evil Violet who has Billy and Mia, co-stars of a new movie, "show-mancing" (romance just for show) away, and it puts a strain on her new relationship with hot paparazzo Leo.
Now don't get me wrong, even though I got a bit distracted by the explanations and felt like I was reading the part of the Bible where Shem begot Sham, that doesn't mean this was not a good read, because it was.
Especially if Matt Cain plans on following this cast of characters through a series of books.
I would totally read book two in a flash! No doubt.
For NA Romance it is a great debut novel that just needs a little polishing up is all.
I would definitely give it a shot if I were you, it's a new spin on a love story! I love the Hollywood vibe and the individuality expressed by the characters as much as the red carpet feel of it!
I was thrown for a loop or twelve in this read and I loved the unpredictable nature of it. Huge chunks of juicy gossip padded it's roughness for me. The emotional roller coaster was great and that is always a plus where I am concerned! And the ending well I am no spoiler so mums the word! You'll have to read it for yourself!
I recommend it and say read it! I really think that you will see in the end that although it's a slightly flawed tale it is definitely a page turner! Leo alone makes it worth the read and Mia and Billy bring it home! Great book, and definitely a good read!
I was not in love with American Mia using the same clearly British jargon that the foreign and very sexy, I might add, Leo uses. It was off putting to me for her to think and talk that way. I had to keep reminding myself she was American. This does not take away from the story folks but it was a little distracting.
There were grammatical issues that fall in line with the U.K. vs. U.S. way of speaking but the author is in fact from the U.k. so I get it and luckily my friends from the U.k. have taught me plenty to understand it. Granted this is a review copy and we all know that sometimes it's not a final product. So that being said I did love the storyline and plot building in this one alot in fact.
The characters were very well developed and some were even too developed for me. I did find myself thinking "get to the point" a few times. I felt like some of the sideline characters didn't need all that back story, ya know? Okay moving on...
Anyways, I did give it four stars for a reason y'all, so let me elaborate further.
Mia is a great MC , strong and beautiful with an underdog story to make her believable and her swoon worthy love interest is a really great character too. Leo is a tough but warm-hearted sexy, paparazzo who falls for Mia Sinclair the it girl in Hollywood.
Speaking of Hollywood, I loved delving into the scene and getting down and dirty with the paparazzi too! I really liked the vileness that the vicious Violet exuded, man, she was absolutely brutal! Oh! No way can I leave out the hunky and all around great guy and leading man, Billy Spencer! He was one of my favorite characters although he seemed a bit disturbed and not in a bothering sort of way but perhaps a mentally unstable sort of way, by his past and it was harped on a bit much but it wasn't bothersome so just making an observation. I worried for a bit, LOL.
The building romance seemed a bit short to me between Leo and Mia it jumped too much time in their getting to know each other for me. But hey, it couldn't be a thousand pages right?
Now we get down to the nitty gritty and enter the evil Violet who has Billy and Mia, co-stars of a new movie, "show-mancing" (romance just for show) away, and it puts a strain on her new relationship with hot paparazzo Leo.
Now don't get me wrong, even though I got a bit distracted by the explanations and felt like I was reading the part of the Bible where Shem begot Sham, that doesn't mean this was not a good read, because it was.
Especially if Matt Cain plans on following this cast of characters through a series of books.
I would totally read book two in a flash! No doubt.
For NA Romance it is a great debut novel that just needs a little polishing up is all.
I would definitely give it a shot if I were you, it's a new spin on a love story! I love the Hollywood vibe and the individuality expressed by the characters as much as the red carpet feel of it!
I was thrown for a loop or twelve in this read and I loved the unpredictable nature of it. Huge chunks of juicy gossip padded it's roughness for me. The emotional roller coaster was great and that is always a plus where I am concerned! And the ending well I am no spoiler so mums the word! You'll have to read it for yourself!
I recommend it and say read it! I really think that you will see in the end that although it's a slightly flawed tale it is definitely a page turner! Leo alone makes it worth the read and Mia and Billy bring it home! Great book, and definitely a good read!
July 6, 2014
Mia Sinclair is known worldwide as the 'First Lady of Love', a nickname she's not entirely happy with. Mainly because the beautiful Hollywood actress struggles to find love in real life - a stark contrast to her on-screen heroines; cute, needy types who always end up falling head over heels. Feeling as though she'll be stuck in romantic roles forever, Mia craves a change - or at least, a nice man who is willing to brave the fame and constant paparazzi that comes with being the love interest of an A-List star. A sacrifice that not a lot of guys are willing to take, as Mia has found out - especially with her latest date.
Meanwhile, paparazzi photographer Leo Henderson is waiting for the shot that will earn him big bucks. Having just broken up with his fame-seeking girlfriend, Leo focuses on getting his next big picture, and it looks as though Mia Sinclair is his next target. British-born and living in sunny LA, Leo's the kind of paparazzo that will stop at nothing to get the ultimate, terrible photo that the magazines will pay thousands for, and with gorgeous, thin star Mia about to give in to a certain temptation, he might just get what he's looking for.
That is, until the pair meet. When Mia agrees to go on a date with Leo in exchange for the photos, purely to stop the awful images from going public, it seems like a decent deal. But when the pair begin to fall for each other, things become slightly difficult. Can an A-List actress and a tabloid snapper be a successful couple - especially in LA and in the constant limelight?
Things begin to get even more tricky when Leo becomes jealous of Mia's new co-star - gorgeous Hollywood actor Billy Spencer. Billy may seem like a man who has it all, but deep down, there are issues. And a huge secret that can never be revealed - unless someone digs deep enough to find it...
Shot Through the Heart is a fun, light read; I picked it up one afternoon and couldn't put it down. I enjoy tales of Hollywood glamour with some dark secrets - and this certainly delivered. The only thing that I didn't like about this book was that the chapters are split to focus on each character, but this happens a bit too often, which did become irritating at first. However, I enjoyed each character's story, seeing how Mia and Leo cope with the pressures of fame, their relationship and of course, their Hollywood roles. If you're a fan of novelists such as Victoria Fox and Rebecca Chance, you might like Shot Through The Heart. It's a great debut.
Meanwhile, paparazzi photographer Leo Henderson is waiting for the shot that will earn him big bucks. Having just broken up with his fame-seeking girlfriend, Leo focuses on getting his next big picture, and it looks as though Mia Sinclair is his next target. British-born and living in sunny LA, Leo's the kind of paparazzo that will stop at nothing to get the ultimate, terrible photo that the magazines will pay thousands for, and with gorgeous, thin star Mia about to give in to a certain temptation, he might just get what he's looking for.
That is, until the pair meet. When Mia agrees to go on a date with Leo in exchange for the photos, purely to stop the awful images from going public, it seems like a decent deal. But when the pair begin to fall for each other, things become slightly difficult. Can an A-List actress and a tabloid snapper be a successful couple - especially in LA and in the constant limelight?
Things begin to get even more tricky when Leo becomes jealous of Mia's new co-star - gorgeous Hollywood actor Billy Spencer. Billy may seem like a man who has it all, but deep down, there are issues. And a huge secret that can never be revealed - unless someone digs deep enough to find it...
Shot Through the Heart is a fun, light read; I picked it up one afternoon and couldn't put it down. I enjoy tales of Hollywood glamour with some dark secrets - and this certainly delivered. The only thing that I didn't like about this book was that the chapters are split to focus on each character, but this happens a bit too often, which did become irritating at first. However, I enjoyed each character's story, seeing how Mia and Leo cope with the pressures of fame, their relationship and of course, their Hollywood roles. If you're a fan of novelists such as Victoria Fox and Rebecca Chance, you might like Shot Through The Heart. It's a great debut.
August 8, 2015
"Shot Through The Heart" tells the story of celebrity actress Mia Sinclair and paparazzo Leo Henderson and their romance. Of course, a celebrity dating a paparazzo is bound to cause some drama!
Even though I really liked this book, I had some problems with it too. Mainly:
- the over use of the words "Mia Sinclair" and "Billy Spencer". Yes, I get that these characters are meant to be celebrities and therefore idolised by 'regular people', however there is absolutely no need whatsoever to keep referring to them by their full name every time they are mentioned. Okay?
- some scenes felt repetitive, but that's probably down to the fact that we get to read from multiple character perspectives. I did like the fact we had multiple perspectives, I just didn't like the fact some of them were pretty much the same/similar to another persons opinion. There wasn't much point telling us two peoples same opinions/perspectives...
- the fact that Mia and Billy are American, and Leo is British. Yet Mia and Billy often said things and did things that, to me, were British. Obviously the author is British too, so maybe that's why? But the actual British character, Leo, was spot on throughout. He was the only character I could picture with an accent...
Those things aside, I really did like this book! I'm obsessed with celebrities and their lifestyles so always love reading books like this, so I knew I would like it anyway. But I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I do! Here are a few things that make me like it so much:
- despite the book being 342 pages, there are only 14 chapters and an Epilogue. Yes, the chapters are long! I loved that about this book! I think they had to be longer than usual because of the varying perspectives, which I loved, and there's no complaints with me about the length of the chapters!
- the characters, particularly Mia and Leo! I LOVED THEM!
- I liked that I could easily picture LA when reading this book. I could see real people when reading the scenes, and could picture this all happening vividly. However, like I said above in my negatives, only one of them in my head had an accent.
- I love the varying character perspectives. I love that it flows naturally still, and doesn't randomly jump from one character to another or randomly jump from different times either.
I'd recommend this book to anyone that's looking for a cute romance book, anyone that's looking for something light to read, or anyone that's obsessed with celebrities like me.
4/5 stars, and I can't wait to read more from Matt in the future!
Even though I really liked this book, I had some problems with it too. Mainly:
- the over use of the words "Mia Sinclair" and "Billy Spencer". Yes, I get that these characters are meant to be celebrities and therefore idolised by 'regular people', however there is absolutely no need whatsoever to keep referring to them by their full name every time they are mentioned. Okay?
- some scenes felt repetitive, but that's probably down to the fact that we get to read from multiple character perspectives. I did like the fact we had multiple perspectives, I just didn't like the fact some of them were pretty much the same/similar to another persons opinion. There wasn't much point telling us two peoples same opinions/perspectives...
- the fact that Mia and Billy are American, and Leo is British. Yet Mia and Billy often said things and did things that, to me, were British. Obviously the author is British too, so maybe that's why? But the actual British character, Leo, was spot on throughout. He was the only character I could picture with an accent...
Those things aside, I really did like this book! I'm obsessed with celebrities and their lifestyles so always love reading books like this, so I knew I would like it anyway. But I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I do! Here are a few things that make me like it so much:
- despite the book being 342 pages, there are only 14 chapters and an Epilogue. Yes, the chapters are long! I loved that about this book! I think they had to be longer than usual because of the varying perspectives, which I loved, and there's no complaints with me about the length of the chapters!
- the characters, particularly Mia and Leo! I LOVED THEM!
- I liked that I could easily picture LA when reading this book. I could see real people when reading the scenes, and could picture this all happening vividly. However, like I said above in my negatives, only one of them in my head had an accent.
- I love the varying character perspectives. I love that it flows naturally still, and doesn't randomly jump from one character to another or randomly jump from different times either.
I'd recommend this book to anyone that's looking for a cute romance book, anyone that's looking for something light to read, or anyone that's obsessed with celebrities like me.
4/5 stars, and I can't wait to read more from Matt in the future!
May 1, 2014
Trying to find a date and Mr. Right can be difficult for just about anybody but trying adding the pressure of being a star and America's nicknamed "First Lady of Love" and the pressure is double that, it is near impossible to find Mr. Right as they either tick all the boxes like Nice guy Dan but can't handle the press and paparazzi that comes with being in a relationship with a star and someone "hot in the limelight" or they turn out to be a right prick and in it for A) the benefits and perks or B) they are really just self-centered jerks and want the fame that comes with being a big shot's arm-candy. Mia believes that she will always be unlucky in love and not find Mr. Right. Though Mr. Right might just be around the corner and in store for Mia as she meets in not-so-nice circumstances paparazzo Leo. The pair strike up a deal - a date for the photos as Leo catches Mia in a "I have mayo on my face" moment. Soon one date turns into two then three and more start to follow. Though of course, Mia soon finds herself betrayed and the finger points to Leo. Can Mia be quick to forgive Leo or will she come to the conclusion that everyone was right and that Movie stars should never date the help or the enemy - Paparazzi. Shot Through the Heart is a nice easy read and if you love devouring Cinderella themed tales , like I do then you will feel right at home with this book.
August 27, 2014
I thought this book was probably most enjoyable for teenagers, however I did enjoy the book, the storyline was a bit predictable however a good holiday read for me and a look into a pap and celebrity's life
September 29, 2014
This book is terrible. It's cliched, very poorly written and ridiculously predictable from start to finish. Each character is one dimensional and a total stereotype, and there is nothing of substance in the storyline. Definitely one of the worst books I've read in a long time.
October 19, 2022
Also bet you can guess the song I've had in my head whilst reading this one 😅 🎶 'You gave love a bad name!'
This story bases itself around the 2 central characters Mia- a famous actress & Leo- a paparazzo, when what should be 2 sworn enemies but fall in love ❤
One thing I liked about this read was the input from the other characters, not full chapters, just a little input so you got a feel for all of the characters and who they were and got every angle of the book, whereas obviously usually you only just get the main character/s perspective so even the one that's a bitch I still found myself feeling bad for.
Cute little easy one 🙃
This story bases itself around the 2 central characters Mia- a famous actress & Leo- a paparazzo, when what should be 2 sworn enemies but fall in love ❤
One thing I liked about this read was the input from the other characters, not full chapters, just a little input so you got a feel for all of the characters and who they were and got every angle of the book, whereas obviously usually you only just get the main character/s perspective so even the one that's a bitch I still found myself feeling bad for.
Cute little easy one 🙃
August 10, 2025
I knew I wasn’t going to like this book from the start. Leo stating that he has to forget that the stars he is picturing were human and instead became a target was enough for me to think he was a twat right from the get go.
Mia was pretty dull, she didn’t have any character, personality or opinions.
The plot itself wasn’t too bad although nothing much happens. Overall it was fine but I won’t be in a hurry to recommend it to anyone.
Mia was pretty dull, she didn’t have any character, personality or opinions.
The plot itself wasn’t too bad although nothing much happens. Overall it was fine but I won’t be in a hurry to recommend it to anyone.
October 21, 2017
Book #14 Looking for a book where you want to imagine a typical Hollywood rom-com in your head? This is one of those. Even though the writing was fluid and easy, the story held very little charisma and overall a below average book to spend time on.
August 3, 2023
Guys should not write romance
June 1, 2014
3.5 stars.
This is a first book by Matt Cain and for a debut novel it was quite enjoyable, interesting and fresh read. While the idea of the plot doesn't perhaps belong to the most original ones, there is still something different to this book, something catchy which makes the book really worth reading.
Our main hero Mia is a Hollywood star who hates paparazzis. She's known as The First Lady of Love, thanks to the roles that she plays, but in reality falling in love and finding the Real One is not so obvious and not so easy. Either they want to bask in the cameras' lights or, in contrast, can't stand the pressure of living in the limelight.
Leo is a Brit living in Los Angeles and working as a paparazzi, a very good one. Following his instincts he is able to shot some embarrassing photos of Mia. They strike up a deal: Mia must go with Leo on a date and then she gets the photos back. Soon one date turns into the second and then some more.
Billy is another Hollywood star, Mia's friend. She is among the very few that know his biggest secret. After some time of Mia meeting with Leo Billy's secret comes to light and Leo is immediately accused of being the one who blurted it. But Leo feels himself double betrayed because Mia and Billy, persuaded by their publicity agent, decide to do so called show - mance and go public as a couple.
Can a Hollywood star find love with a paparazzi? Can Leo and Mia forgive each other for hiding the secrets?
I wouldn't say that Mia is a Hollywood star. she was too nice, too meek, too soft for me to function in the show - business so as she did it. she was also not too expressive and there was nothing that would make her a remarkable character for me. If I must describe her in one word, it would be nice.
Leo was a big boy with a big heart, actually there were moments that he was soft as an ice - cream, I waited for him to melt. He was too good, too chivalrous, too heroic. He felt so bloody good, so loyal, so decent and good - behaved that he was unrealistic.
Violet, the devil agent, or rather the way she behaved and the way other bowed to the pressure looked very unrealistic for me but what do I know? I think we average Joes will never know how the real Hollywood operate.
Although there was nothing wrong with the characters I had a feeling that all of them miss the final spark.
I am personally not so much into the whole celebrity dramas, latest gossips and funny reality shows with forgotten stars who want to make a big come - back, but I really enjoyed reading about the backstage of Hollywood, how the stars are coping (or not) with their fame, with being under the flashes of cameras all the time. The author shows us that the real life of the A - listers is not as glamorous as we'd like to think and that they often also pay a high price for being a celebrity - if they want to be on a pedestal or not. The storyline here is fast paced and with some twist although there were moments that it was predictable.
I haven't got a feeling that this book is written by a man, really. The descriptions of dresses and suits on the red carpets were very observant and detailed and in the whole, the characters had much more heart than I would expect them to have, written by a manly hand:) But it's a compliment! But there were moments that this masculine hand was very visible, especially through the boys' talks and the conversations that Rob had with his wife: they were the best one - liners in this book! Straight to the point and showed me the typical stereotypes and differences between woman/man thinking.
The end seemed a little too rushed to me, I would like it to be more developed and complex.
Some of the characters and situations were overstated and grotesque, and too obvious like for example the plot of Violet, her as a black character which was caused by such poorly and badly childhood, it was just too obvious, and some passages were very predictable and actually cliched but nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read. It's a nice, summery, easy read with a happy ending and a message that love and truth conquer everything. It's not a book that break new ground, we all have seen this and have been there but author's views on stardom and paparazzi are refreshing and I for sure will try his second book.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
This is a first book by Matt Cain and for a debut novel it was quite enjoyable, interesting and fresh read. While the idea of the plot doesn't perhaps belong to the most original ones, there is still something different to this book, something catchy which makes the book really worth reading.
Our main hero Mia is a Hollywood star who hates paparazzis. She's known as The First Lady of Love, thanks to the roles that she plays, but in reality falling in love and finding the Real One is not so obvious and not so easy. Either they want to bask in the cameras' lights or, in contrast, can't stand the pressure of living in the limelight.
Leo is a Brit living in Los Angeles and working as a paparazzi, a very good one. Following his instincts he is able to shot some embarrassing photos of Mia. They strike up a deal: Mia must go with Leo on a date and then she gets the photos back. Soon one date turns into the second and then some more.
Billy is another Hollywood star, Mia's friend. She is among the very few that know his biggest secret. After some time of Mia meeting with Leo Billy's secret comes to light and Leo is immediately accused of being the one who blurted it. But Leo feels himself double betrayed because Mia and Billy, persuaded by their publicity agent, decide to do so called show - mance and go public as a couple.
Can a Hollywood star find love with a paparazzi? Can Leo and Mia forgive each other for hiding the secrets?
I wouldn't say that Mia is a Hollywood star. she was too nice, too meek, too soft for me to function in the show - business so as she did it. she was also not too expressive and there was nothing that would make her a remarkable character for me. If I must describe her in one word, it would be nice.
Leo was a big boy with a big heart, actually there were moments that he was soft as an ice - cream, I waited for him to melt. He was too good, too chivalrous, too heroic. He felt so bloody good, so loyal, so decent and good - behaved that he was unrealistic.
Violet, the devil agent, or rather the way she behaved and the way other bowed to the pressure looked very unrealistic for me but what do I know? I think we average Joes will never know how the real Hollywood operate.
Although there was nothing wrong with the characters I had a feeling that all of them miss the final spark.
I am personally not so much into the whole celebrity dramas, latest gossips and funny reality shows with forgotten stars who want to make a big come - back, but I really enjoyed reading about the backstage of Hollywood, how the stars are coping (or not) with their fame, with being under the flashes of cameras all the time. The author shows us that the real life of the A - listers is not as glamorous as we'd like to think and that they often also pay a high price for being a celebrity - if they want to be on a pedestal or not. The storyline here is fast paced and with some twist although there were moments that it was predictable.
I haven't got a feeling that this book is written by a man, really. The descriptions of dresses and suits on the red carpets were very observant and detailed and in the whole, the characters had much more heart than I would expect them to have, written by a manly hand:) But it's a compliment! But there were moments that this masculine hand was very visible, especially through the boys' talks and the conversations that Rob had with his wife: they were the best one - liners in this book! Straight to the point and showed me the typical stereotypes and differences between woman/man thinking.
The end seemed a little too rushed to me, I would like it to be more developed and complex.
Some of the characters and situations were overstated and grotesque, and too obvious like for example the plot of Violet, her as a black character which was caused by such poorly and badly childhood, it was just too obvious, and some passages were very predictable and actually cliched but nevertheless, it was an enjoyable read. It's a nice, summery, easy read with a happy ending and a message that love and truth conquer everything. It's not a book that break new ground, we all have seen this and have been there but author's views on stardom and paparazzi are refreshing and I for sure will try his second book.
Copy received from publisher in exchange for a review.
December 25, 2015
This was not a terrible book, but I had a lot of problems with phrases used by the author including "bull dyke" "trannie" "naturally kinky hair" "skanky redhead" in addition to these homophobic, borderline racist and misogynistic terms there is a use of stereotypes, a gay man that wears sparkly shorts and listens to Madonna and Britney and a black character that grew up in a single parent household, but only after her father had physically abused her mother. I have just researched Matt Cain and found out that he himself is gay and that to me makes it much worse.
I will however commend him on making an effort. The characters are relatively diverse and that's something that is needed more in all forms of media.
The plot is actually okay, it's what allows this to be a 3 star review. Leo and Mia's story is cute and it progresses at a good pace. I like the idea of how hard it is for actors to get out of typecasts, having been raised on Disney for two/three generations of actors, I've seen the way some have worked very hard in order to be seen as adults. Results may vary.
The idea of a paparazzi and a star actually getting together is very hard to imagine because as said in the book, it's hard to know when each is using the other. However, in another way it makes sense because most "civilians" cannot handle the fame that comes with dating a famous person. This book provides an interesting look into the goings on of Hollywood.
I liked the ending, plot wise, very much. It did feel a bit rushed like "THIS IS THE ENDING OF HIS STORY, AND HER STORY, AND THEIR STORY, HERE HAVE ALL THE STORIES" but I liked where the characters ended up so overall it was a satisfying ending.
Characters:
Mia - a nice enough leading lady. Doesn't seem to be developed as a character as much as the males but perhaps that's just Cain getting used to writing from a female perspective as a male. Looking for love
Billy - Billy Spencer is a character that actually makes me sad, he actually came across as very narcissistic early on in the book but then I realised that it's much deeper than that and I just wanted to hug him. He's a pretty good leading man. He is however the character that said skanky redhead so.. Billy also has the opportunity to help a lot of people at the end of the book so that was cool I guess.
Leo - Mia's boyfriend. He seems like a good enough person
Hector - Mia's personal assistant. He's gay and I guessed his story line pretty early because it was very obvious, he's Latino and stuck between hired help and friend.
Serena - Mia's agent/best friend. She's African American and say "sister" a lot. She used to be a model but now she's happy to manage people's careers and try and make them as uncomfortable as possible without making them compromise who they are.
Violet - Also an agent. But batshit crazy. She forces a lot of events from behind the scenes which cause a lot of negative repercussions for the other characters. Sadly, I cannot believe she is a completely made up character and I think it's sad that agents in Hollywood actually do things like this.
Recommend to: reluctant readers, people that want to a quick read
Rating: 3 stars
June 8, 2014
Thank you to Pan for approving me for this title on NetGalley. This is Matt’s debut novel, and I really loved the cover.
The story follows three main characters and their lives as they intertwine in Hollywood. Mia, Hollywood’s sweetheart is desperate to find a relationship where her partner isn’t afraid of her limelight. Billy, Mia’s best friend and fellow actor, also seeking love but in a different way to what the world that he moves in thinks and Leo, the actors nemesis – a paparazzo. A glimpse at the other side of the lens has him thinking!
Each of the characters have their own issues and Matt has handled each of them well, not favouring or making one seem less important than the other. He appears to have captured the perception of the Hollywood lifestyle well. At times the prose was maybe over descriptive but I did like that if felt like you got to know each of the main characters well.
There are a few secondary characters that have key involvement in the main story line and in each of the lives of the three main characters. In some scenes we see the narrative coming from a secondary character that sometimes seemed surplus to requirement as the three main characters were strong enough on their own.
The story is set in what is perceived to be one of the most glamorous places in the world and the description of the setting totally lives up to that. If you enjoy Victoria Fox and Tasmina Perry you will most likely enjoy this summer read.
May 1, 2014
If you enjoy celeb news magazines and are always up to date on the latest gossip then this is certainly the book for you. Personally, I have never been interested in that side of things, which did make me a little detached from the book, but the message at the heart of the story is strong enough to make this a heart-warming read for any reader.
While this might seem like a ‘love conquers all’ story, which it undoubtedly is, there is also a big emphasis on the importance of honesty in our lives. Overall there are some clichés and predictable love affairs between characters, but I still felt connected to the main characters. A good read for a lazy summer’s day.
Review by Elizabeth Wright on behalf of BestChapLit.com
September 10, 2015
Although this was Matt's first book , I read it after his second so was expecting likeable characters , lots of emotion , and a focus on relationships . I wasn't disappointed . The central relationship is the romance between the famous Hollywood actress and the paparazzo with a conscience . As expected , other relationships were portrayed which were equally important , especially focusing on loyalty in friendships . At times light and fluffy , humorous , tense and thought-provoking , I greatly enjoyed this book and the author's clear understanding of people .
April 8, 2014
This review can also be found at TheChiqBlog.com
Really, super uber long book, and I was bored. To. Death. You know it's bad when it's 10pm and you willingly put down the book to go to sleep.
I didn't mind Mia. She was alright if not a little boring and Katherine Heigl-ish. But I couldn't get into Leo. He seemed a bit shallow, and with him being the paparazzi, I almost felt like he was the enemy. Not for me.
*Received an ARC for honest review.*
Really, super uber long book, and I was bored. To. Death. You know it's bad when it's 10pm and you willingly put down the book to go to sleep.
I didn't mind Mia. She was alright if not a little boring and Katherine Heigl-ish. But I couldn't get into Leo. He seemed a bit shallow, and with him being the paparazzi, I almost felt like he was the enemy. Not for me.
*Received an ARC for honest review.*
December 16, 2016
There is one big question at the heart of this book - can an actress and a paparazzi ever really trust each other enough to fall in love with each other. This is a rather glamorous tale that looks at the film industry, with a whole host of different perspectives. The action is fast paced, and I found I was enthralled by the whole book. I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of Shot Through the Heart.
September 10, 2016
For all lovers of Jackie Collins this book has it all! The glamorous LA setting, the fit men and ambitious leading ladies plus has some excellent one-liners that will make you chuckle. A page-turner, easy to read and great for the pool-side. Loved it!
October 12, 2015
I really couldn't get into this. it jumped from character to character randomly in the middle of a paragraph and I just couldn't keep up. was so excited to read this as it sounded really good but was just really disappointed.
September 26, 2014
An ok book and a bit of fun. I like the idea of a celebrity dating a paparazzo and there actually being a paparazzo with a moral compass because I can just neeever imagine this happening in real life!
April 15, 2014
reviewed through the BestChickLit page
May 1, 2014
Absolutely loved this book! Couldn't put it down. Full of everything I love in a book and in real life; fit men, hollywood scandal and a good old fashioned love story. Perfect girly read.
August 4, 2014
Picked this book up on a bit of a whim. I enjoyed the premise of it but found it quite slow going and weren't overly connected with the characters. Okay summer read though.
January 17, 2015
I was so looking forward to this book and then when I had time to sit down and really enjoy it I just couldn't get into it. I left it on my Kindle in hopes that I will try again one day.
November 5, 2014
A must pack, page turner for the beach.
June 30, 2016
4.5 stars. i enjoyed the story so so much. 2:20am and im going to bed now, bye folks!! well actually im already at the bed :p
August 8, 2016
Strong first half boring cliche second half. Disappointment.
January 26, 2016
Good start, the flow was a bit boring and enjoyed the resolution. Mia is engaged to Leo <3
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