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A TV Detectives #1
Big Name Fan
Bexley Simon and Sam Farmer aren’t detectives, but they play them on TV. Well, played, past tense. The iconic cult hit that was Craven’s Daughter ended five years ago, and their friendship died along with it. Fans were disappointed that the pair’s legendary chemistry went unfulfilled—and other fans were crushed that the actual spark between actressesBex and Sam didn’t pay off, either. The network never intended for two women to get romantic, in life or onscreen, despite the fans. But the bigger tragedy was the loss of their dear friend, makeup artist Jen Arnot, whose accidental death cast a pall over the series’ last episodes.
Now the network has decided on a reunion special, and Bex and Sam are thrust together once more as hosts of a rewatch podcast that will feature favorite episodes. Their first guest—a megawatt star who played a murder victim early on—drops a bombshell. Among the millions of pixels of fanfic written about the show online, one truly prolific author, known in the fiction world as the show’s Big Name Fan, was an insider, almost certainly someone from the cast or crew.
As the podcast moves along—and the spark between Bex and Sam threatens to burn down the studio—the pair realize they’re faced with two actual Who is their Big Name Fan? And was Jen’s death an accident, or did someone want her dead? Sifting through clues as they question cast and crew, the duo will need to separate fact from fiction as they make their personal partnership into an unmistakable canon . . .
Now the network has decided on a reunion special, and Bex and Sam are thrust together once more as hosts of a rewatch podcast that will feature favorite episodes. Their first guest—a megawatt star who played a murder victim early on—drops a bombshell. Among the millions of pixels of fanfic written about the show online, one truly prolific author, known in the fiction world as the show’s Big Name Fan, was an insider, almost certainly someone from the cast or crew.
As the podcast moves along—and the spark between Bex and Sam threatens to burn down the studio—the pair realize they’re faced with two actual Who is their Big Name Fan? And was Jen’s death an accident, or did someone want her dead? Sifting through clues as they question cast and crew, the duo will need to separate fact from fiction as they make their personal partnership into an unmistakable canon . . .
320 pages, Hardcover
First published February 25, 2025
70 people are currently reading
6914 people want to read
About the author
Ruthie Knox
47 books1,398 followersRuthie Knox is the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels. She writes both mystery and romance, usually with co-author Annie Mare. You can find Ruthie's books under the pen names Ruthie Knox (mystery and het romance), Mae Marvel (queer romance), and Robin York (New Adult romance). Ruthie and Annie are married and live with two teenagers, two dogs, multiple fish, two glorious cats, four hermit crabs, and a bazillion plants in a very old house with a garden.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
June 9, 2025
Giving this a three star rating because it wasn't bad, I just didn't like it as much as I was hoping to. It's probably a 2.5, but since it's Pride Month, I wanna be nice, hence rounding it up.
Anyway, I'm not sure the audiobook was the correct choice because it was so hard to follow from the get go, there were a lot of characters and I had trouble remembering who was who, and none of them were particularly fleshed out.
The romance was okay, but there was barely any chemistry there. The mystery is probably the only thing that kept this book going, but even that needed a bit more substance. The premise was interesting, I'm not quite sure it managed to accomplish what it set out to do though.
Writing style wise, I have no complaints and would consider reading another book by this author. I'm kind of surprised it's not a debut, I feel like it should've been better based on the number of books the author has previously written, but yeah, sometimes a book is just okay.
Anyway, I'm not sure the audiobook was the correct choice because it was so hard to follow from the get go, there were a lot of characters and I had trouble remembering who was who, and none of them were particularly fleshed out.
The romance was okay, but there was barely any chemistry there. The mystery is probably the only thing that kept this book going, but even that needed a bit more substance. The premise was interesting, I'm not quite sure it managed to accomplish what it set out to do though.
Writing style wise, I have no complaints and would consider reading another book by this author. I'm kind of surprised it's not a debut, I feel like it should've been better based on the number of books the author has previously written, but yeah, sometimes a book is just okay.
February 12, 2025
It kills me to write this review because I was sooooooooo looking forward to this book – fic! celebrity gossip! amateur sleuthing! all things I love – but this just did not work for me. And I think the very centrality of fic to the story is what ended up dooming it.
Because . . . ok. I consume a reasonable amount of fic. And while I am not trying to kathleensplain fic to anyone, I think it’s fair to say that one of the reasons it can be so addictive and compelling is that readers—even those not particularly versed in canon – are already attuned to the characters and their basic story and their vibes. Like, to take a recent example, I saw Inception back when it came out, have almost no memory of it, but a quick youtube primer and I am equipped to read literally thousands of pages of Arthur/ Eames slash, because – regardless of how AU it is, whether we’re in viking times or a modern-day conservatory – the authors are playing off the same dynamic between these two characters, picking up on their traits and characteristics and bits of interaction that, while each author puts their own stamp on it, come through strongly enough to form the basis for the ship. (jfc I really am kathleensplaining fic now.) Arthur/ Eames have barely any screen time together but the resonance is there, and it’s robust enough to bear the weight of the stories that authors weave around them.
That, I assume, is what the authors are going for: Bex and Sam (and their alter-ego form, Cora and Henri) being compelling enough to hold up the over-complicated, trying-to-do-all-the-things narrative. The fatal flaw here is that they’re not.
The first, basic problem is that BEX IS SO FUCKING DULL, MY GOD!!!!! How?! How can you have such a boring narrator?!!? HOW????? And we are supposed to believe that she is a theater kid??? No! NO!!! Every part of my being rejects this spiritless creature as a theater kid. Anne Hathaway is a theater kid! Ariana Grande is a theater kid! TOM HOLLAND IS A THEATER KID!!! You, Bex Simon, are not a theater kid. And it’s not the list-making or the fretting or the need for predictability and stability. It’s the flat emotional register, the not being in touch with her emotions, and the extreme sexlessness.
This is not meant to shame or slam people who do not, or rarely, experience sexual attraction. Bex, as far as I can tell, is not written as ace. She is just written like a Ken doll; girl might as well have plastic genitals. After a while I noticed that every time she sees Sam, she starts enumerating what Sam is wearing with salivating thoroughness. I am forced to conclude that the real object of desire here is Sam’s wardrobe. We never get any sense of Bex as a sexual being, or as someone who has ever had a sexual or romantic relationship. Which, again – she is not written as ace or aro. She is supposed to be one-half of the most shipped, most UST-y (non-) couple on television; she is, according to the lore we’re being force-fed, sending off heat waves of “rip my clothes off and have your way with me”; she is also, supposedly, captivating audiences with her sexy funky loud theater ways. Obviously an actress can be ace or aro while giving off hugely sensual vibes and having great chemistry with their co-star -- that's why it's called "acting" -- but the entire point here is that Bex and Sam's onscreen chemistry is supposed to mirror their offscreen (and also unfulfilled) longing and desire and connection. But this just does not jibe AT ALL with the character we’re getting on page who, it must be stressed, is paint-drying levels of boring. (Super weird as well, given that Ruthie Knox’s Big Boy is so fucking hot, my god – so it’s not like one of these authors doesn’t know how to write scorching.) While Sam is just . . . there. Literally. That’s pretty much all I can say about Sam. She is there. I guess she’s supposed to be a grrrrl boss, hear her roar, but she’s more symbol than fleshed-out character. Sam is written so thin and unconvincing; there’s just so little to grab onto.
And this leads to a second level of not-working, which loops back to the ficsplaining above. Because these authors have set an excruciatingly difficult task for themselves by putting the reader in a fic-centric world without any of the shortcuts that make fic so compelling. Which is to say: they have to construct a show-world (with the storylines and characters and lore and fic) and a real-world world (Bex, Sam, Bex’s family, and the – very much too many! – characters populating it) and, on top of that, a mystery binding the two. It is a gorgeous idea –I know I’m going hard in this review, but seriously, hats off to the premise – but in terms of execution, it requires SO MUCH exposition. The first 20 percent was nothing but Bex backstory, show backstory, Bex’s annoying sisters’ backstory, more show backstory, death backstory, crew backstory, fic backstory/ explainers, holy shit it was endless. Some of that stuff, there’s just no getting around it: because the authors decided to write a murder mystery that depends on understanding both the show and real worlds, they have to give us a shitload of info to make the mystery make sense. But a lot of it is also stuff that fic (by which I mean actual fic, not the in-story fic) doesn’t have to spend time on because the reader already has a shared understanding of the characters. Here, conversely, the fact that the authors were shoving so much exposition and backstory in our faces was especially frustrating because the story was so self-consciously playing off fic norms and tropes without the shared understanding those norms and tropes depend on.
This is where it really matters that what we’re being told about Bex and Bex/Sam in the show and associated fic world, and in Bex's backstory and memories, is so jarringly different from how they’re written. Because we are being told that their connection is so hot and magnetic and true that it’s captivated millions and femslashed its way to the top. But it’s just not there on-page – I’ve read tweetfic with more sexual tension than these two manage in 300 pages. And (to beat this point into the ground), the story's need for us to believe that Bex/Sam = Cora/Henri founders on the fact that WE DON'T HAVE A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF CORA/HENRI! Despite/because of the info-dumping, we don't have enough meaty content from the show and fic to emotionally invest in them; and even if we suspend disbelief enough to buy Cora/Henri as hot sexy thwarted lady lovers, we definitely don't get that from Bex/ Sam -- which makes them look even paler by comparison.
Even such a dumb thing as Bex supposedly being a theater kid: the whole point of having a character who’s a theater kid is to be able to draw on that shorthand of Tom Holland dancing to Rihanna, Anne Hathaway dragging James Franco through the Oscars on sheer grit, Jonathan Bailey doing everything he does [pause to hose down self]. This doesn’t mean that all actors who perform on stage have the same personalities or traits. It’s simply to point out that “theater kid” has become a trope (again: shared understanding!), and the whole point of tropes is either shortcut or subversion. I guess being boring as fuck is subversion of the theater kid trope, but is that really what they’re going for? And in such an over-stuffed book, wouldn’t it be easier to lean into the tropes rather than work against them? Give the reader somewhere to rest!
Part of me thinks it’s interesting that the authors created characters that are so unlike their fic-ified counterparts, like a sneaky commentary on how fic communities invest so much imagination and invention and care into characters who, as written or acted, are not intended to be/ are not actually that interesting. But I feel reasonably confident that such was not their intention, because these authors clearly ARE fans and consumers rather than critics of fic, and I love that for them. (And also because it makes no sense. What author wants to write dull characters in order to make some meta point about how fic authors inevitably enrich and improve upon canon? That's a bit too noseless-spited face to be sustainable.) Sadly, what we're left with is a chasm between the sexy fic-ified versions and the dull, sexless actual characters that undermines what the book is going for.
So, yeah, this was a huge bummer, especially because I had such high expectations. Maybe it will work better for non-fic-readers; but if you’re tuning in expecting a fic-centered book that plays with and reads like the form it so sincerely admires, you’re not going to find it here.
I got an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Because . . . ok. I consume a reasonable amount of fic. And while I am not trying to kathleensplain fic to anyone, I think it’s fair to say that one of the reasons it can be so addictive and compelling is that readers—even those not particularly versed in canon – are already attuned to the characters and their basic story and their vibes. Like, to take a recent example, I saw Inception back when it came out, have almost no memory of it, but a quick youtube primer and I am equipped to read literally thousands of pages of Arthur/ Eames slash, because – regardless of how AU it is, whether we’re in viking times or a modern-day conservatory – the authors are playing off the same dynamic between these two characters, picking up on their traits and characteristics and bits of interaction that, while each author puts their own stamp on it, come through strongly enough to form the basis for the ship. (jfc I really am kathleensplaining fic now.) Arthur/ Eames have barely any screen time together but the resonance is there, and it’s robust enough to bear the weight of the stories that authors weave around them.
That, I assume, is what the authors are going for: Bex and Sam (and their alter-ego form, Cora and Henri) being compelling enough to hold up the over-complicated, trying-to-do-all-the-things narrative. The fatal flaw here is that they’re not.
The first, basic problem is that BEX IS SO FUCKING DULL, MY GOD!!!!! How?! How can you have such a boring narrator?!!? HOW????? And we are supposed to believe that she is a theater kid??? No! NO!!! Every part of my being rejects this spiritless creature as a theater kid. Anne Hathaway is a theater kid! Ariana Grande is a theater kid! TOM HOLLAND IS A THEATER KID!!! You, Bex Simon, are not a theater kid. And it’s not the list-making or the fretting or the need for predictability and stability. It’s the flat emotional register, the not being in touch with her emotions, and the extreme sexlessness.
This is not meant to shame or slam people who do not, or rarely, experience sexual attraction. Bex, as far as I can tell, is not written as ace. She is just written like a Ken doll; girl might as well have plastic genitals. After a while I noticed that every time she sees Sam, she starts enumerating what Sam is wearing with salivating thoroughness. I am forced to conclude that the real object of desire here is Sam’s wardrobe. We never get any sense of Bex as a sexual being, or as someone who has ever had a sexual or romantic relationship. Which, again – she is not written as ace or aro. She is supposed to be one-half of the most shipped, most UST-y (non-) couple on television; she is, according to the lore we’re being force-fed, sending off heat waves of “rip my clothes off and have your way with me”; she is also, supposedly, captivating audiences with her sexy funky loud theater ways. Obviously an actress can be ace or aro while giving off hugely sensual vibes and having great chemistry with their co-star -- that's why it's called "acting" -- but the entire point here is that Bex and Sam's onscreen chemistry is supposed to mirror their offscreen (and also unfulfilled) longing and desire and connection. But this just does not jibe AT ALL with the character we’re getting on page who, it must be stressed, is paint-drying levels of boring. (Super weird as well, given that Ruthie Knox’s Big Boy is so fucking hot, my god – so it’s not like one of these authors doesn’t know how to write scorching.) While Sam is just . . . there. Literally. That’s pretty much all I can say about Sam. She is there. I guess she’s supposed to be a grrrrl boss, hear her roar, but she’s more symbol than fleshed-out character. Sam is written so thin and unconvincing; there’s just so little to grab onto.
And this leads to a second level of not-working, which loops back to the ficsplaining above. Because these authors have set an excruciatingly difficult task for themselves by putting the reader in a fic-centric world without any of the shortcuts that make fic so compelling. Which is to say: they have to construct a show-world (with the storylines and characters and lore and fic) and a real-world world (Bex, Sam, Bex’s family, and the – very much too many! – characters populating it) and, on top of that, a mystery binding the two. It is a gorgeous idea –I know I’m going hard in this review, but seriously, hats off to the premise – but in terms of execution, it requires SO MUCH exposition. The first 20 percent was nothing but Bex backstory, show backstory, Bex’s annoying sisters’ backstory, more show backstory, death backstory, crew backstory, fic backstory/ explainers, holy shit it was endless. Some of that stuff, there’s just no getting around it: because the authors decided to write a murder mystery that depends on understanding both the show and real worlds, they have to give us a shitload of info to make the mystery make sense. But a lot of it is also stuff that fic (by which I mean actual fic, not the in-story fic) doesn’t have to spend time on because the reader already has a shared understanding of the characters. Here, conversely, the fact that the authors were shoving so much exposition and backstory in our faces was especially frustrating because the story was so self-consciously playing off fic norms and tropes without the shared understanding those norms and tropes depend on.
This is where it really matters that what we’re being told about Bex and Bex/Sam in the show and associated fic world, and in Bex's backstory and memories, is so jarringly different from how they’re written. Because we are being told that their connection is so hot and magnetic and true that it’s captivated millions and femslashed its way to the top. But it’s just not there on-page – I’ve read tweetfic with more sexual tension than these two manage in 300 pages. And (to beat this point into the ground), the story's need for us to believe that Bex/Sam = Cora/Henri founders on the fact that WE DON'T HAVE A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF CORA/HENRI! Despite/because of the info-dumping, we don't have enough meaty content from the show and fic to emotionally invest in them; and even if we suspend disbelief enough to buy Cora/Henri as hot sexy thwarted lady lovers, we definitely don't get that from Bex/ Sam -- which makes them look even paler by comparison.
Even such a dumb thing as Bex supposedly being a theater kid: the whole point of having a character who’s a theater kid is to be able to draw on that shorthand of Tom Holland dancing to Rihanna, Anne Hathaway dragging James Franco through the Oscars on sheer grit, Jonathan Bailey doing everything he does [pause to hose down self]. This doesn’t mean that all actors who perform on stage have the same personalities or traits. It’s simply to point out that “theater kid” has become a trope (again: shared understanding!), and the whole point of tropes is either shortcut or subversion. I guess being boring as fuck is subversion of the theater kid trope, but is that really what they’re going for? And in such an over-stuffed book, wouldn’t it be easier to lean into the tropes rather than work against them? Give the reader somewhere to rest!
Part of me thinks it’s interesting that the authors created characters that are so unlike their fic-ified counterparts, like a sneaky commentary on how fic communities invest so much imagination and invention and care into characters who, as written or acted, are not intended to be/ are not actually that interesting. But I feel reasonably confident that such was not their intention, because these authors clearly ARE fans and consumers rather than critics of fic, and I love that for them. (And also because it makes no sense. What author wants to write dull characters in order to make some meta point about how fic authors inevitably enrich and improve upon canon? That's a bit too noseless-spited face to be sustainable.) Sadly, what we're left with is a chasm between the sexy fic-ified versions and the dull, sexless actual characters that undermines what the book is going for.
So, yeah, this was a huge bummer, especially because I had such high expectations. Maybe it will work better for non-fic-readers; but if you’re tuning in expecting a fic-centered book that plays with and reads like the form it so sincerely admires, you’re not going to find it here.
I got an ARC from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2024
The premise of this book really appealed to me. Two actresses are reunited on a rewatch podcast. Their characters were detectives on a TV show who had a lot of chemistry but the network never allowed them to get together. Through the podcast they try to solve the mystery of what happened to one of the crew members who died during the run of the show, figure out which show insider was writing fanfiction, and see if sparks can finally fly between Bex and Sam alongside their characters Cora and Henri.
I think the authors bit off a bit more than they could chew with this story. There are so many characters, complicated backstories, the stories within the fanfic, stories within the plot of the show, the romance between Bex and Sam, Bex’s sister’s stories, and so on. Because there was so much going on it felt like a lot of the narrative was communicated with awkward info dumps and characters talking in odd ways to deliver exposition that they realistically wouldn’t have to spell out to one another. Because there was so much going on, all the different parts of the story ended up feeling underexplored or anticlimactic.
The plot about the actresses playing these characters and really wanting them to get together romantically but not being allowed to by the network was interesting to follow. The conversations about representation and how upsetting it can be to be queerbaited for years by a show were very relatable. I also appreciated the parts about them pushing back against the way things have always been in Hollywood to fight for safer and more inclusive environments.
All of the different parts of the plot were individually interesting, they just never felt fully developed since so many other things were happening at the same time. I feel like if the authors focused on one part of this story then I would’ve enjoyed it way more. Overall this was a fine read. I enjoy queer Hollywood romances, murder mysteries, fanfiction, and metacommentary. But this didn’t completely deliver.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I think the authors bit off a bit more than they could chew with this story. There are so many characters, complicated backstories, the stories within the fanfic, stories within the plot of the show, the romance between Bex and Sam, Bex’s sister’s stories, and so on. Because there was so much going on it felt like a lot of the narrative was communicated with awkward info dumps and characters talking in odd ways to deliver exposition that they realistically wouldn’t have to spell out to one another. Because there was so much going on, all the different parts of the story ended up feeling underexplored or anticlimactic.
The plot about the actresses playing these characters and really wanting them to get together romantically but not being allowed to by the network was interesting to follow. The conversations about representation and how upsetting it can be to be queerbaited for years by a show were very relatable. I also appreciated the parts about them pushing back against the way things have always been in Hollywood to fight for safer and more inclusive environments.
All of the different parts of the plot were individually interesting, they just never felt fully developed since so many other things were happening at the same time. I feel like if the authors focused on one part of this story then I would’ve enjoyed it way more. Overall this was a fine read. I enjoy queer Hollywood romances, murder mysteries, fanfiction, and metacommentary. But this didn’t completely deliver.
Thank you to the publisher for providing an advance copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 1, 2025
2.5 stars. Which isn't that bad of a rating for me, but this is a kind of unpleasant surprise, given how much I LOVED the first book I read from these authors, and how much I really liked the second. This, of course, is in a different genre; more mystery than romance. And the mystery, for me, was exactly what didn't work about this. The romance didn't sweep me off my feet, but I liked it. But the entire plot of this, the whole mystery engine, just didn't work.
The story follows Bex, and her eventual love interest, Sam. Our main characters are actresses who played the leads in a hit procedural several years ago. The show was super successful, especially within queer fandom, but the show teased and queerbaited an f/f romance, and would never commit. Behind the scenes, Bex and Sam also had a lot of chemistry and tension, but nothing ever happened, mostly because of Bex's insecurities and reluctance. Now, five years after an on-set tragedy and the conclusion of the show, the network wants to do a reunion special. Bex and Sam take it upon themselves to use the podcast and interviews with past cast and crew to figure out the mystery of how their make-up artist and friend died all those years ago.
So that's all great and fine as a premise, but I had a few major issues.
- The book is heavily concerned with fans, fandom and fic, the issue of queerbaiting and the network refusing to let the characters get together. Part of their investigation involves them delving into the fic of a BNF, who they find out had to be an insider on set. This person's fic that they wrote about the show also had a bunch of parallels with real life, that gave Sam and Bex insight into relationships on set five years ago. And... that's so stupid. That's dumb. I'm sorry. It beggars belief. A fic writer putting real life stuff into their fic, little hints and clues and insider knowledge... that just seems like such a fictional contrivance. Nothing that a real person would do. When we heard about the WWII AU that had OC characters who were obvious stand-ins for real life people, I knew I couldn't take this seriously. Like, who would do that? It's so farfetched.
- And this is neither here nor there, but something about the actresses talking about and reading excerpts of fanfiction aloud on a podcast... I hate it. It gave me hives.
- My other biggest problem was their so-called investigation. They didn't investigate shit! They just had weekly chats with people from the show, and each week that person would happen to reveal something to them at just the right time, and they would use hints from the fics (that they were for some reason taking as gospel) and the story would move forward from there. And we were told about the fans having certain reactions, or the police taking certain actions or whatever. But that was all narrated to us as an afterthought. It was such a boring and disappointing way to move a story forward. Especially since this is primarily a mystery! Since they're famous actresses, I wasn't sure what form their investigation would take, but I definitely expected something more than this.
- And the payoff was obvious and anticlimactic. The book does give you a few suspects, but I could and did pinpoint the most obvious person. And yep, it was them.
- The social commentary (about queerness and exploitation and Hollywood and sexism) was all well-meaning, but parts of it were either way too hamfisted, or it felt like garnish, something that had been sprinkled on in the aftermath. There were some parts where it was just... characters giving speeches, monologuing for paragraphs about a thing that means a lot to them, and it didn't feel real or emotional or impactful at all. It also had one of those annoying moments I dislike, a "fuck straight, cis, white men like you" line, delivered hollowly by a queer, cis, white woman. One day I'll unpack why this irritates me so much. I am not and will never be opposed to authors talking about racism, transphobia, etc, in books, but it has to be in a way that means something, you know?
- I definitely liked the romance, but... not that much? These authors have given me romances that I feel FERAL about, that I want to swoon over, so I was surprised at just how much I didn't really care about Bex and Sam. Neither had much of a personality. I loved that it was super slow burn; the slow burn is actually what saved it. But it didn't move me, and I wanted to be moved. I didn't really like that half of it was playing out in the public eye. Every time they discussed their relationship on the podcast, my eye would twitch.
- At the end, either Bex or Sam says, while addressing their fans, that they should consider writing a fic and dedicating it to the dead BNF. This also rubbed me the wrong way, for reasons I can't pinpoint.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Hayden Bishop, and I liked it okay. I like her voice and narration, but some of the voices she gave to certain characters didn't really fit, IMO. This was just okay in general, and I'm a little sad about it. I believe this is going to be a series, and I don't know if I'll bother continuing. I WOULD like to see the relationship develop, but their way of solving mysteries seems like it's going to be boring to me. I'll guess we'll see.
The story follows Bex, and her eventual love interest, Sam. Our main characters are actresses who played the leads in a hit procedural several years ago. The show was super successful, especially within queer fandom, but the show teased and queerbaited an f/f romance, and would never commit. Behind the scenes, Bex and Sam also had a lot of chemistry and tension, but nothing ever happened, mostly because of Bex's insecurities and reluctance. Now, five years after an on-set tragedy and the conclusion of the show, the network wants to do a reunion special. Bex and Sam take it upon themselves to use the podcast and interviews with past cast and crew to figure out the mystery of how their make-up artist and friend died all those years ago.
So that's all great and fine as a premise, but I had a few major issues.
- The book is heavily concerned with fans, fandom and fic, the issue of queerbaiting and the network refusing to let the characters get together. Part of their investigation involves them delving into the fic of a BNF, who they find out had to be an insider on set. This person's fic that they wrote about the show also had a bunch of parallels with real life, that gave Sam and Bex insight into relationships on set five years ago. And... that's so stupid. That's dumb. I'm sorry. It beggars belief. A fic writer putting real life stuff into their fic, little hints and clues and insider knowledge... that just seems like such a fictional contrivance. Nothing that a real person would do. When we heard about the WWII AU that had OC characters who were obvious stand-ins for real life people, I knew I couldn't take this seriously. Like, who would do that? It's so farfetched.
- And this is neither here nor there, but something about the actresses talking about and reading excerpts of fanfiction aloud on a podcast... I hate it. It gave me hives.
- My other biggest problem was their so-called investigation. They didn't investigate shit! They just had weekly chats with people from the show, and each week that person would happen to reveal something to them at just the right time, and they would use hints from the fics (that they were for some reason taking as gospel) and the story would move forward from there. And we were told about the fans having certain reactions, or the police taking certain actions or whatever. But that was all narrated to us as an afterthought. It was such a boring and disappointing way to move a story forward. Especially since this is primarily a mystery! Since they're famous actresses, I wasn't sure what form their investigation would take, but I definitely expected something more than this.
- And the payoff was obvious and anticlimactic. The book does give you a few suspects, but I could and did pinpoint the most obvious person. And yep, it was them.
- The social commentary (about queerness and exploitation and Hollywood and sexism) was all well-meaning, but parts of it were either way too hamfisted, or it felt like garnish, something that had been sprinkled on in the aftermath. There were some parts where it was just... characters giving speeches, monologuing for paragraphs about a thing that means a lot to them, and it didn't feel real or emotional or impactful at all. It also had one of those annoying moments I dislike, a "fuck straight, cis, white men like you" line, delivered hollowly by a queer, cis, white woman. One day I'll unpack why this irritates me so much. I am not and will never be opposed to authors talking about racism, transphobia, etc, in books, but it has to be in a way that means something, you know?
- I definitely liked the romance, but... not that much? These authors have given me romances that I feel FERAL about, that I want to swoon over, so I was surprised at just how much I didn't really care about Bex and Sam. Neither had much of a personality. I loved that it was super slow burn; the slow burn is actually what saved it. But it didn't move me, and I wanted to be moved. I didn't really like that half of it was playing out in the public eye. Every time they discussed their relationship on the podcast, my eye would twitch.
- At the end, either Bex or Sam says, while addressing their fans, that they should consider writing a fic and dedicating it to the dead BNF. This also rubbed me the wrong way, for reasons I can't pinpoint.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Hayden Bishop, and I liked it okay. I like her voice and narration, but some of the voices she gave to certain characters didn't really fit, IMO. This was just okay in general, and I'm a little sad about it. I believe this is going to be a series, and I don't know if I'll bother continuing. I WOULD like to see the relationship develop, but their way of solving mysteries seems like it's going to be boring to me. I'll guess we'll see.
September 17, 2025
This novel was very interesting. The plot was surprisingly original and creative and wove together a lot of different elements. It wasn’t quite what I expected going in, but that isn’t a bad thing. The writing was well done and I liked the characters. It didn’t quite have that “special something” that would put it up at 5-stars for me, however it was still a solid novel and I would recommend it to someone looking for a novel in this genre.
My Rating: "B+"
GoodReads: 4-stars
I really liked how the novel directly addressed and used the world of fanfiction and fandom as a major plot element. Someone working on a show, secretly being a major fanfic writer who is privy to behind the scenes information, that may include hints to a murder, being discussed and investigated in real life by TV detectives? This was awesome. At one point there were several layers of ongoing plotlines woven together that were very satisfying to follow and witness them interact.
There was some excellent commentary on queerbaiting and other bad practices that television and movies tend to employ, as well as the toxic nature of working in these industries. It got slightly preachy at one point, but honestly its something that needs to be discussed more and is a real problem so the novel gets a free pass on that one.
On the downside I found that some elements fell short. There were a few reveals that seemed to come too easily such that they were a bit anticlimactic. The romance was also a bit lighter than I expected, but that might be my fault for expecting more. I liked the romance plotline, but it was secondary to the mystery and action of the novel.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
My Rating: "B+"
GoodReads: 4-stars
I really liked how the novel directly addressed and used the world of fanfiction and fandom as a major plot element. Someone working on a show, secretly being a major fanfic writer who is privy to behind the scenes information, that may include hints to a murder, being discussed and investigated in real life by TV detectives? This was awesome. At one point there were several layers of ongoing plotlines woven together that were very satisfying to follow and witness them interact.
There was some excellent commentary on queerbaiting and other bad practices that television and movies tend to employ, as well as the toxic nature of working in these industries. It got slightly preachy at one point, but honestly its something that needs to be discussed more and is a real problem so the novel gets a free pass on that one.
On the downside I found that some elements fell short. There were a few reveals that seemed to come too easily such that they were a bit anticlimactic. The romance was also a bit lighter than I expected, but that might be my fault for expecting more. I liked the romance plotline, but it was secondary to the mystery and action of the novel.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
November 11, 2024
While there were so many things going on at once I absolutely adored this book.
The characters were so much fun to read about and sexism and homophobia in media is such an important conversation to have.
The fanfic parts were a bit cringey/badly written but honestly, most or the popular fanfiction I've read was badly written.
I would've loved if the mystery part of the book felt like more of a reveal instead of just plainly telling us, but it's a nice quick romance read so my expectations weren't too high.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
The characters were so much fun to read about and sexism and homophobia in media is such an important conversation to have.
The fanfic parts were a bit cringey/badly written but honestly, most or the popular fanfiction I've read was badly written.
I would've loved if the mystery part of the book felt like more of a reveal instead of just plainly telling us, but it's a nice quick romance read so my expectations weren't too high.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Read
September 25, 2025DNF @ 21%, for the following reasons:
(1) No stakes
Here’s the premise: the MCs starred in a long-running US network procedural (6 seasons, 22 eps a season). They were famed for their will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry, and the actresses and their fans alike were dying for the show to explicitly acknowledge the romantic tension - but the terrible male show creator refused to let it happen. Now the actresses are back for a reunion special, and this time around they’re going to get things right!
I am aware I am coming to this book with a realism bordering on fatalism, as I ask - has there existed in, say, the last 30 years a long-running US network show *with two MCs who are both women* with an f/f will-they-or-won’t-they dynamic that is beloved by the show’s fans? I really can’t think of a single one. (If you can - and remember my network TV requirement! - please feel free to comment below.)
Which leaves this book in an odd zone, where Knox & Mare have set up this supposedly oppressive context for the MCs to heroically overcome… except it’s a context that’s already better than reality.
Given all that, the MCs’ timidity about this topic at the beginning of the book is an odd choice. Bex’s works for her character, I suppose, but you can’t tell me an actress like Sam who existed in our reality wouldn’t either (1) be out here joking about it with fans & at cons 24/7, or (2) be avoiding talking about it bc she’s trying to protect Bex from being dragged into it, and therefore be way more resentful toward Bex when they finally see each other again.
In other words, the story is set in this unrealistic environment which is somehow both more and less progressive than our own, with no clear sense of when & why the authors are going for one of those versus the other. So it’s hard to figure out what “good” outcome I’m supposed to be hoping for.
(2) Rom com
Knox & Mare are great writers, this smooth, palatable style - their natural folding-in of exposition would put any baker to shame! - is objectively excellent, but I’m not in the mood for it. This book is 100% rom-com, and I’m just not interested atm.
(3) Couple redux
Frankly, this couple dynamic - timid girly one who’s focused on her acting career vs. brash butch (well, butch-er) who’s uh out on the town a lot more - is too similar to Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous, by these authors under their Mae Marvel pen name. I’m not opposed to it in theory but I don’t particularly relate to either of these “types” in practice so I’m not relishing repeating the same relationship arc here.
(4) Fandom trouble
And last but not least…. From what I’ve read of it thus far, this book has absolutely zero interest in grappling with the weird fraught parasocial harassment aspect that comes with, lbr, a LOT of queer fandom. Straight fandom has it too, sure, but queer fandom(s) can involve a level of toxic obsessiveness that is clearly related the broader social repression of queer people and queer issues - and for me, you really can’t successfully tell a story about queer fandom without addressing that head-on.
Maybe the book does, eventually! But the degree to which, at least so far, Bex and Sam seem to be totally aligned with their fans’ every desire for the show is just wildly implausible to me.
Fingers crossed for the next one by Knox and Mare!
(1) No stakes
Here’s the premise: the MCs starred in a long-running US network procedural (6 seasons, 22 eps a season). They were famed for their will-they-or-won’t-they chemistry, and the actresses and their fans alike were dying for the show to explicitly acknowledge the romantic tension - but the terrible male show creator refused to let it happen. Now the actresses are back for a reunion special, and this time around they’re going to get things right!
I am aware I am coming to this book with a realism bordering on fatalism, as I ask - has there existed in, say, the last 30 years a long-running US network show *with two MCs who are both women* with an f/f will-they-or-won’t-they dynamic that is beloved by the show’s fans? I really can’t think of a single one. (If you can - and remember my network TV requirement! - please feel free to comment below.)
Which leaves this book in an odd zone, where Knox & Mare have set up this supposedly oppressive context for the MCs to heroically overcome… except it’s a context that’s already better than reality.
Given all that, the MCs’ timidity about this topic at the beginning of the book is an odd choice. Bex’s works for her character, I suppose, but you can’t tell me an actress like Sam who existed in our reality wouldn’t either (1) be out here joking about it with fans & at cons 24/7, or (2) be avoiding talking about it bc she’s trying to protect Bex from being dragged into it, and therefore be way more resentful toward Bex when they finally see each other again.
In other words, the story is set in this unrealistic environment which is somehow both more and less progressive than our own, with no clear sense of when & why the authors are going for one of those versus the other. So it’s hard to figure out what “good” outcome I’m supposed to be hoping for.
(2) Rom com
Knox & Mare are great writers, this smooth, palatable style - their natural folding-in of exposition would put any baker to shame! - is objectively excellent, but I’m not in the mood for it. This book is 100% rom-com, and I’m just not interested atm.
(3) Couple redux
Frankly, this couple dynamic - timid girly one who’s focused on her acting career vs. brash butch (well, butch-er) who’s uh out on the town a lot more - is too similar to Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous, by these authors under their Mae Marvel pen name. I’m not opposed to it in theory but I don’t particularly relate to either of these “types” in practice so I’m not relishing repeating the same relationship arc here.
(4) Fandom trouble
And last but not least…. From what I’ve read of it thus far, this book has absolutely zero interest in grappling with the weird fraught parasocial harassment aspect that comes with, lbr, a LOT of queer fandom. Straight fandom has it too, sure, but queer fandom(s) can involve a level of toxic obsessiveness that is clearly related the broader social repression of queer people and queer issues - and for me, you really can’t successfully tell a story about queer fandom without addressing that head-on.
Maybe the book does, eventually! But the degree to which, at least so far, Bex and Sam seem to be totally aligned with their fans’ every desire for the show is just wildly implausible to me.
Fingers crossed for the next one by Knox and Mare!
May 13, 2025
Everyone I Kissed Since You Got Famous was one of my favourite reads last year. So I knew I would be reading the next book Ruthie Knox & Annie Mare teamed up to write. And then I saw the early reviews and I was nervous. But I finally got around to reading it and I really liked this. A lot. It's not quite as good as Everyone I Kissed..., but I was not disappointed in Big Name Fan at all.
Now that I've read it, I sort of get the middling reviews though. This book won't be for everyone. Knox and Mare (aka Mae Marvel) have a distinct way of writing. Their characters are super aware, and so they talk things out that you don't really expect to see in popular media, especially romance. And it can feel a little forced. But processing is second-nature to lesbians, so I get it. And I, for one, really love it. And for Bex and Sam, there's a whole history of angst and possibility and right person-wrong time that propels this story forward. It's not unlike Everyone I Kissed... in that way. And I mean that in a good way. Knox and Mare are so good at building romantic tension!
Admittedly I liked the mystery aspect a lot less than the romance. Mostly I didn't care. And it can be hard to follow. I kept flipping back to provided Cast List to keep track of the characters in this book. I don't think the story needed the mystery, but it did--weirdly--provide some levity from the romantic angst for me. It also gave Bex and Sam a reason to keep each other close.
But this book is an homage to fandom--queer fandom specifically. To fanfic writers and readers who create endless stories where queer characters can get their happy endings where TV and movies don't often allow for that to happen.
Now that I've read it, I sort of get the middling reviews though. This book won't be for everyone. Knox and Mare (aka Mae Marvel) have a distinct way of writing. Their characters are super aware, and so they talk things out that you don't really expect to see in popular media, especially romance. And it can feel a little forced. But processing is second-nature to lesbians, so I get it. And I, for one, really love it. And for Bex and Sam, there's a whole history of angst and possibility and right person-wrong time that propels this story forward. It's not unlike Everyone I Kissed... in that way. And I mean that in a good way. Knox and Mare are so good at building romantic tension!
Admittedly I liked the mystery aspect a lot less than the romance. Mostly I didn't care. And it can be hard to follow. I kept flipping back to provided Cast List to keep track of the characters in this book. I don't think the story needed the mystery, but it did--weirdly--provide some levity from the romantic angst for me. It also gave Bex and Sam a reason to keep each other close.
But this book is an homage to fandom--queer fandom specifically. To fanfic writers and readers who create endless stories where queer characters can get their happy endings where TV and movies don't often allow for that to happen.
October 6, 2025
there was some fun stuff in here but it didn't GRAB ME in the way that some of the others by these authors (under their pen name, Mae Marvel) have before. i was surprised actually at how different the book felt writing wise. under the Mae Marvel pen name, the wives are a bit more... purple prose-y in the language? and wayyy more horny and there are explicit sex scenes. this was very much a fade to black fairly pg type of story and the actual writing style itself felt very different, which is the main bit that surpised me. we're also only in bex's pov throughout the book, not ever in sam's, which is less of my preference in romance books usually, but i liked bex as a protagonist. i really wanted more of her relationship with her sisters, actually! i love the bts acting stuff, but despite someone who has been involved in various fandoms and written fanfiction for almost two decades now... i kind of haaaate how mainstream it is, and reallllly hate the idea of the actors or anyone involved in the creative process reading it or talking about fandom spaces and such. it is NOT a space i want them in, lol. so those aspects were not entierly for me in the way i thought they would be. overall i enjoyed it, but it just didn't have that extra oomph thing that sucked me in and stuck with me emotionally. i'm not sure if i'll read the second one, but maybe.
April 19, 2025
I was really excited for this one, but wow, it was hard to get into. There are so many characters--none of them fleshed out--and so much going on.
This seemed like a lighthearted romance, but instead much of the story is focused around on-set TV politics and a complicated account about a makeup artist, Jen, on the set of said show, Craven's Daughter, who died before the book even begins. Our protagonists Sam and Bex starred on Craven's Daughter five years ago, but it ended abruptly without a series finale. The show took advantage of Bex and Sam's on-screen chemistry, but behind the scenes, Sam quit when Bex couldn't return Sam's romantic feelings.
There's much going on: Bex's complicated history raising her younger sisters after the death of their parents; Jen's death; Bex and Sam's relationship (or lack thereof); a fan fiction plot; and the reunion episode of Craven's Daughter. I loved the message about how the show and its higher ups exploited the women's chemistry but that the fans and queer folks deserved more.
But otherwise, much felt lacking. Bex and Sam feel like cardboard characters--Bex is a quiet doormat, not a vivid theater actress. Sam is supposed to be the attractive lesbian, I guess? And nothing else? There is so much Hollywood shop talk and a million characters to keep track of. And Bex and Sam's romance is slow burn, if it's even a romance at all.
There was something about the prose that made me feel like I had to constantly reread sentences to grasp what was happening-maybe because there were so many characters. I would have loved more focus on Sam and Bex and what made them who they were. But the focus on queer positivity was great. 2.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Kensington Publishing and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This seemed like a lighthearted romance, but instead much of the story is focused around on-set TV politics and a complicated account about a makeup artist, Jen, on the set of said show, Craven's Daughter, who died before the book even begins. Our protagonists Sam and Bex starred on Craven's Daughter five years ago, but it ended abruptly without a series finale. The show took advantage of Bex and Sam's on-screen chemistry, but behind the scenes, Sam quit when Bex couldn't return Sam's romantic feelings.
There's much going on: Bex's complicated history raising her younger sisters after the death of their parents; Jen's death; Bex and Sam's relationship (or lack thereof); a fan fiction plot; and the reunion episode of Craven's Daughter. I loved the message about how the show and its higher ups exploited the women's chemistry but that the fans and queer folks deserved more.
But otherwise, much felt lacking. Bex and Sam feel like cardboard characters--Bex is a quiet doormat, not a vivid theater actress. Sam is supposed to be the attractive lesbian, I guess? And nothing else? There is so much Hollywood shop talk and a million characters to keep track of. And Bex and Sam's romance is slow burn, if it's even a romance at all.
There was something about the prose that made me feel like I had to constantly reread sentences to grasp what was happening-maybe because there were so many characters. I would have loved more focus on Sam and Bex and what made them who they were. But the focus on queer positivity was great. 2.5 stars.
I received a copy of this book from Kensington Publishing and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
April 23, 2025
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
A TV show is having its reunion some years later. We get our second chance romance, and a mystery. Unfortunately, the book doesn't really seem to know what it wants to be, and becomes a bit of a mish mash.
A TV show is having its reunion some years later. We get our second chance romance, and a mystery. Unfortunately, the book doesn't really seem to know what it wants to be, and becomes a bit of a mish mash.
Want to read
June 19, 2025Rizzoli & Isles RPF???
March 16, 2025
I was excited to get my hands on this book after reading the description, but unfortunately it was disappointing. There were a lot of characters and backstories to keep track of, and I understand that it’s the cast/crew of a show, so there will be a lot of people, but I had to go back to my bookmarked pages to remember who was who and why they were a suspect for murder. Maybe if there weren’t so many suspects it could’ve helped the book. It was overwhelming and at times hard to focus, so I had to put the book down for a break. The first chapter seemed promising and there was tension at first, but the chemistry and romance were lacking after that. Mystery? Definitely. Romance? Not so much. I was not a fan, but I hope someone else will be.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 26, 2024
While the concept here was great, unfortunately the execution didn't rise to it. There was way too much going on between the mystery and the romance and the podcast and meta-fanfiction plot, and none of it was sufficiently developed to ultimately be satisfying. (And also if you've spent a lot of time in fandom, you too may find the way the characters talk about it like a primer and still get things wrong to be really annoying! Like just to give a couple of examples, a) that is NOT what head canon means, you mean fanon, and b) the characters keep saying the fanfiction in question is supposed to be really good and then the writing in the fanfiction excerpts is just so mediocre at best.)
As for Sam and Bex, the setup and dynamic between them is very similar to Katie and Wil in EVERYONE I KISSED SINCE YOU GOT FAMOUS by the same authors under the name Mae Marvel, but those characters and relationship are so much more developed and that book significantly better edited. I was hoping that BIG NAME FAN would be more similar to the authors' Mae Marvel title because I love sapphic celebrity romance (eg. K.E. Lane's indie classic AND PLAYING THE ROLE OF HERSELF), and a serial-numbers-filed-off RPF based on the premise of actresses on a procedural with a huge fandom that ships them falling in love IRL would've been amazing. Or even just the former plus a solid mystery--podcast and all--but sans the fandom-adjacent angle might have worked... but as it is, BIG NAME FAN bit off more than it could chew, and ended up a frustrating read for me because it had the potential to be so much more successful if it had just tried to do fewer things but done them better.
As for Sam and Bex, the setup and dynamic between them is very similar to Katie and Wil in EVERYONE I KISSED SINCE YOU GOT FAMOUS by the same authors under the name Mae Marvel, but those characters and relationship are so much more developed and that book significantly better edited. I was hoping that BIG NAME FAN would be more similar to the authors' Mae Marvel title because I love sapphic celebrity romance (eg. K.E. Lane's indie classic AND PLAYING THE ROLE OF HERSELF), and a serial-numbers-filed-off RPF based on the premise of actresses on a procedural with a huge fandom that ships them falling in love IRL would've been amazing. Or even just the former plus a solid mystery--podcast and all--but sans the fandom-adjacent angle might have worked... but as it is, BIG NAME FAN bit off more than it could chew, and ended up a frustrating read for me because it had the potential to be so much more successful if it had just tried to do fewer things but done them better.
Read
August 19, 2024Hello! As the authors of this book, Annie Mare & I are incredibly excited to share our debut sapphic mystery with you. BIG NAME FAN is a story about Bex Simon and Sam Farmer, who used to play a grumpy-sunshine detective pair on TV's hit show Craven's Daughter. The show ended five years ago shortly after the death of its makeup artist, leaving fans who shipped Bex and Sam's characters, Cora and Henri, without the happily ever after they desperately wanted.
As an adult murder mystery dealing with themes of queerbating in the entertainment industry, the novel does contain some content elements that certain readers might wish to avoid, including the following:
* cursing
* intimate partner abuse (not involving MCs, off-page and in the past)
* hostile work environment (backstory)
* death of parents in car accident (distant past, not described)
* Lesbophobia (queerbating of network television; no slurs or direct attacks on-page)
* murder (subject of mystery, no graphic descriptions)
* sexism (of the entertainment industry)
* sexual content (mild)
If none of that is a barrier for you, we hope you'll consider reading! BIG NAME FAN is a story about friendship, sapphic love, and timing that gave us an opportunity to celebrate favorite TV serials, our love of fanfiction, and how the passionate creativity of fans makes the world a bigger and better place. We hope you love reading it as much as we loved writing it.
xoxo,
Ruthie & Annie
As an adult murder mystery dealing with themes of queerbating in the entertainment industry, the novel does contain some content elements that certain readers might wish to avoid, including the following:
* cursing
* intimate partner abuse (not involving MCs, off-page and in the past)
* hostile work environment (backstory)
* death of parents in car accident (distant past, not described)
* Lesbophobia (queerbating of network television; no slurs or direct attacks on-page)
* murder (subject of mystery, no graphic descriptions)
* sexism (of the entertainment industry)
* sexual content (mild)
If none of that is a barrier for you, we hope you'll consider reading! BIG NAME FAN is a story about friendship, sapphic love, and timing that gave us an opportunity to celebrate favorite TV serials, our love of fanfiction, and how the passionate creativity of fans makes the world a bigger and better place. We hope you love reading it as much as we loved writing it.
xoxo,
Ruthie & Annie
February 24, 2025
This was a bit of a let down. The story was just, meh. There was no romantic chemistry between the main characters so that plot line felt like it came out of nowhere and was very forced.
The mystery plot line just all seemed very convenient? Idk I found it hard to believe it was all just that easy to figure out. You basically know who did it from like 35%.
Tbh I skim read the second half of the book as I was just so bored, every time I picked up the book I fell asleep.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC.
The mystery plot line just all seemed very convenient? Idk I found it hard to believe it was all just that easy to figure out. You basically know who did it from like 35%.
Tbh I skim read the second half of the book as I was just so bored, every time I picked up the book I fell asleep.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC.
November 11, 2024
I first want to thank Kensington Publishing and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read Big Name Fan by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare. This opinion is solely mine. This book falls into two genres, romance and cozy mystery. The story follows Bex and Sam, two of Hollywood's most loved actresses. They both starred in leading roles in Craven's Daughter before filming ended abruptly. 5 years later, the two return for a reunion show and agree to host a weekly podcast showcasing fan favorite episodes up to the airing of the reunion show. In doing the podcast, they learn that the death of a beloved cast member may be more than what was originally thought. For me, while I enjoyed the story, I thought it moved pretty slow. It took me a little longer than normal to finish this one. In the romance side of this story, if you are looking for spice, there is none, not even fade to black. I rate this book 3 stars. While I liked that it was a different romance than I normally read, it took me a while to get into the story.
November 2, 2024
I'm not a big mystery reader, but I have read Ruthie Knox romances before, and I like anything where fanfic plays a big role and is derided. In this story, fanfic plays a big part in the murder mystery. But an actress who reads and loves fanfic bringing fanfic to other actresses and reading it out loud to them? No, fanfic aficionados would never. Fans know not to do that, and actors hate that.
There is a lot here that needed to be streamlined. There were so many moving parts, between the romance, the mystery, the podcast, and all the characters and their histories, that it was hard to keep track of everything. The info-dumping was done in very clunky ways and in ways that people who have spent so much time together would never talk to each other (i.e. reminding them of a former colleague of theirs with their full name and job).
The romance is not front and centre here, which is fine, but it also relied on a lot of backstory that was never made clear or fully grounded, so the romance never really got out of first and it was simply a discussion that was never had until it was convenient for the story--and by then, the anticipation had long since worn off.
The book does have interesting things to say about queer-baiting in media and about how white cis men wield power, though I never believed that the men in power weren't paying attention to what was happening on the podcast when it might affect their reputations and/or bottom line--the podcast would have been reported on, even if they weren't listening directly.
I did eventually get invested in the story, but there's just way too much in general that doesn't really come together here for me.
There is a lot here that needed to be streamlined. There were so many moving parts, between the romance, the mystery, the podcast, and all the characters and their histories, that it was hard to keep track of everything. The info-dumping was done in very clunky ways and in ways that people who have spent so much time together would never talk to each other (i.e. reminding them of a former colleague of theirs with their full name and job).
The romance is not front and centre here, which is fine, but it also relied on a lot of backstory that was never made clear or fully grounded, so the romance never really got out of first and it was simply a discussion that was never had until it was convenient for the story--and by then, the anticipation had long since worn off.
The book does have interesting things to say about queer-baiting in media and about how white cis men wield power, though I never believed that the men in power weren't paying attention to what was happening on the podcast when it might affect their reputations and/or bottom line--the podcast would have been reported on, even if they weren't listening directly.
I did eventually get invested in the story, but there's just way too much in general that doesn't really come together here for me.
December 27, 2024
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have some mixed feelings about this one. I really liked the premise of the book, and the inclusion of fanfiction and mystery elements brought a unique dimension to the story. I found myself very drawn in to the first half of the book by the mystery and enjoyed discovering clues with the characters as they came.
Somewhere in the second half, however, my interest in the book started to drop off a bit. There was just too much going on for me to keep my focus on the clues, the podcast, the romance, the family drama. It was a bit too all over the place.
However, I really appreciated the level of detail and back story put into the characters, the studio, Craven's Daughter, etc. I think if the book had been more focused on just one plotline or goal, such as the murder mystery, the romance, the Big Name Fan, or the revival of the Henri and Cora romance, it would have been a more satisfying read.
In terms of the romance, I liked Sam and Bex's chemistry, but I didn't feel overwhelmed with excitement for their love story's development. I also wasn't as invested in it as I feel I should've been for a book centering around a queer romantic TV show and romance fanfics. The few Henri and Cora romance moments actually appealed more to me than Sam and Bex's.
Overall, this book has some pretty cool elements like the podcast and fanfiction, a sapphic romance, and a murder mystery to be solved. However, with so much going on it is easy to be overwhelmed! 3.6/5 stars rounded up.
I have some mixed feelings about this one. I really liked the premise of the book, and the inclusion of fanfiction and mystery elements brought a unique dimension to the story. I found myself very drawn in to the first half of the book by the mystery and enjoyed discovering clues with the characters as they came.
Somewhere in the second half, however, my interest in the book started to drop off a bit. There was just too much going on for me to keep my focus on the clues, the podcast, the romance, the family drama. It was a bit too all over the place.
However, I really appreciated the level of detail and back story put into the characters, the studio, Craven's Daughter, etc. I think if the book had been more focused on just one plotline or goal, such as the murder mystery, the romance, the Big Name Fan, or the revival of the Henri and Cora romance, it would have been a more satisfying read.
In terms of the romance, I liked Sam and Bex's chemistry, but I didn't feel overwhelmed with excitement for their love story's development. I also wasn't as invested in it as I feel I should've been for a book centering around a queer romantic TV show and romance fanfics. The few Henri and Cora romance moments actually appealed more to me than Sam and Bex's.
Overall, this book has some pretty cool elements like the podcast and fanfiction, a sapphic romance, and a murder mystery to be solved. However, with so much going on it is easy to be overwhelmed! 3.6/5 stars rounded up.
April 18, 2025
This book can't decide what it wants to be.
Is it a romance? If so, the main couple has absolutely zero chemistry with one another and neither character is all that interesting on their own. Bex is incredibly dull and Sam's main role seems to be as a walking soap box. We are repeatedly told that the chemistry between the two is so intense, so burning, and that when the two are together the UST is thicker than pea soup, but absolutely none of it comes through.
Is it a mystery? If so, it's not a particularly well done one. Part of the problem is that the murder in question happened years before the start of the book and is so rooted in the characters' history that it requires a tremendous amount of backstory and exposition that slows the plot down to a snail's pace. There is very little investigating on-page that isn't characters sitting around going "Hey, remember when...?" and having revelations as a result. It also means that the guilty party becomes so blindingly obvious about half way through the book you wonder why they weren't immediately taken in for questioning.
Is it social commentary? If so, it never really progresses beyond a Tumblr style "Cis White Man Bad" criticism that isn't actually any deeper than a Tumblr post. It's also so constant that it detracts from the romance (the main characters spend more time talking about this than actually developing as a couple) and contributes to the murderer being extremely obvious (there is absolutely no subversion of expectations - the most likely and obvious person did it).
Because the book can't figure out what it wants to be, it ends up relying heavily on telling the reader what's going on with the romance and mystery, rather than showing it.
Is it a romance? If so, the main couple has absolutely zero chemistry with one another and neither character is all that interesting on their own. Bex is incredibly dull and Sam's main role seems to be as a walking soap box. We are repeatedly told that the chemistry between the two is so intense, so burning, and that when the two are together the UST is thicker than pea soup, but absolutely none of it comes through.
Is it a mystery? If so, it's not a particularly well done one. Part of the problem is that the murder in question happened years before the start of the book and is so rooted in the characters' history that it requires a tremendous amount of backstory and exposition that slows the plot down to a snail's pace. There is very little investigating on-page that isn't characters sitting around going "Hey, remember when...?" and having revelations as a result. It also means that the guilty party becomes so blindingly obvious about half way through the book you wonder why they weren't immediately taken in for questioning.
Is it social commentary? If so, it never really progresses beyond a Tumblr style "Cis White Man Bad" criticism that isn't actually any deeper than a Tumblr post. It's also so constant that it detracts from the romance (the main characters spend more time talking about this than actually developing as a couple) and contributes to the murderer being extremely obvious (there is absolutely no subversion of expectations - the most likely and obvious person did it).
Because the book can't figure out what it wants to be, it ends up relying heavily on telling the reader what's going on with the romance and mystery, rather than showing it.
April 12, 2025
The premise of this book is so fun but the further I got in the more I wanted to drop the podcast concept. I would have preferred that these two reunite because of a series revival and in the process start to do some plucky mystery solving. I’m also very confused why these characters were framed as A list stars when they were on the show. Being on a mystery procedural makes you B list at best.
February 20, 2025
Perfect, no notes.
J/k on the notes part.
I've watched so many shows that are queerbaiting, some intentional and some not, so to get behind the scenes of this fictional one and see how the pressure of it shaped the show as well as the relationship between the two leads was great. It was very meta in that I felt like I was reading fan fiction or watching a TV show that was also the book. This was so easy to fall into and get completely wrapped up in reading.
I was not expecting a book that was ultimately about solving a murder to be so cozy and funny. My brain felt physically good reading this book.
Bex and Sam have five years of silence and complications to sort out after the abrupt end of the show that brought them together. But now they're in totally different places in their lives and they have to figure out what that means, and Bex needs to decide what she wants in order to figure out the next step. We are in Bex's perspective, but both of the love story leads are easy to relate to and understand.
I finished this book the birthday of a friend who passed away, and some of the words in this were very comforting while dealing with the wave of grief I feel every year. It put me in the head space to think about what I'm doing in my life that would make her laugh, be proud, or feels like a fitting tribute to her.
There's so much here about pressure, identity, ripping down Hollywood better than a documentary, but also a love letter to fandom that feels genuine.
Can we get Frankie and Vic's love stories too?
J/k on the notes part.
I've watched so many shows that are queerbaiting, some intentional and some not, so to get behind the scenes of this fictional one and see how the pressure of it shaped the show as well as the relationship between the two leads was great. It was very meta in that I felt like I was reading fan fiction or watching a TV show that was also the book. This was so easy to fall into and get completely wrapped up in reading.
I was not expecting a book that was ultimately about solving a murder to be so cozy and funny. My brain felt physically good reading this book.
Bex and Sam have five years of silence and complications to sort out after the abrupt end of the show that brought them together. But now they're in totally different places in their lives and they have to figure out what that means, and Bex needs to decide what she wants in order to figure out the next step. We are in Bex's perspective, but both of the love story leads are easy to relate to and understand.
I finished this book the birthday of a friend who passed away, and some of the words in this were very comforting while dealing with the wave of grief I feel every year. It put me in the head space to think about what I'm doing in my life that would make her laugh, be proud, or feels like a fitting tribute to her.
There's so much here about pressure, identity, ripping down Hollywood better than a documentary, but also a love letter to fandom that feels genuine.
Can we get Frankie and Vic's love stories too?
June 28, 2025
Rating: 4.5 🌟s
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Ok where do I even start with this review, the book was so good in my opinion. I loved seeing the sibling dynamics between Bex, Vic, and Frankie so much, the way they are able to talk about there issues and work out everything as a family by the end made me so happy to see, I love good sibling relationships in books. I loved Jen’s character so much, even if she wasn’t really there she haunted the narrative in such an interesting way and I love the true crime aspects of the story as we try to figure out how she died. I loved the dynamics between all the characters, it made it a really interesting read to see how everyone was connected and to piece things together which I feel made reading it even more interesting. I, of course, loved the queer representation in this book! I absolutely adore Bex and Sam’s chemistry, and I feel like they fit so perfectly together. I loved the detective plot line and honestly just overall really loved this book through and through! Definitely recommend for people looking for a sapphic mystery romance, and possibly fans of the show Rizzoli and Isles because Henri and Cora definitely remind me of those two!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Ok where do I even start with this review, the book was so good in my opinion. I loved seeing the sibling dynamics between Bex, Vic, and Frankie so much, the way they are able to talk about there issues and work out everything as a family by the end made me so happy to see, I love good sibling relationships in books. I loved Jen’s character so much, even if she wasn’t really there she haunted the narrative in such an interesting way and I love the true crime aspects of the story as we try to figure out how she died. I loved the dynamics between all the characters, it made it a really interesting read to see how everyone was connected and to piece things together which I feel made reading it even more interesting. I, of course, loved the queer representation in this book! I absolutely adore Bex and Sam’s chemistry, and I feel like they fit so perfectly together. I loved the detective plot line and honestly just overall really loved this book through and through! Definitely recommend for people looking for a sapphic mystery romance, and possibly fans of the show Rizzoli and Isles because Henri and Cora definitely remind me of those two!
February 25, 2025
A Joyfully Jay review.
3.75 stars
Big Name Fan tackles the phenomenon of media that ensures it remains in the zeitgeist by blatant queerbaiting. The premise is really interesting and how the podcast transitions to a true crime one is done well. With the story also being an ode to the fan fiction community, it’s clever that clues are found in fics.
In general, the pace is pretty slow, drags at times, and retreads ground too much, struggling the most with the romance. There’s little room for their chemistry to develop in the present and what’s shown is from video clips and fic.
Big Name Fan takes a big swing with an interesting look into fan culture, true crime, and the willingness to cash in on queer support while making people feel like trash. The individual pieces don’t always come together successfully, but it’s an enjoyable read.
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
3.75 stars
Big Name Fan tackles the phenomenon of media that ensures it remains in the zeitgeist by blatant queerbaiting. The premise is really interesting and how the podcast transitions to a true crime one is done well. With the story also being an ode to the fan fiction community, it’s clever that clues are found in fics.
In general, the pace is pretty slow, drags at times, and retreads ground too much, struggling the most with the romance. There’s little room for their chemistry to develop in the present and what’s shown is from video clips and fic.
Big Name Fan takes a big swing with an interesting look into fan culture, true crime, and the willingness to cash in on queer support while making people feel like trash. The individual pieces don’t always come together successfully, but it’s an enjoyable read.
Read Jovan’s review in its entirety here.
Read
March 18, 2025A Joyfully Jay review.
3.5⭐️
Big Name Fan tackles the phenomenon of media that ensures it remains in the zeitgeist by blatant queerbaiting. . .However, having a rewatch podcast become an avenue to read fics about said show, while also tossing in a mystery and unresolved love is a lot. The book juggles it all pretty well but falters in places from being overstuffed. . .
I like Sam and Bex in general, but the podcast guests and all the tea are the highlight for me. Bex is fretful, conflicted, and desperately in search of her right place. . .Then there’s Sam. . . She’s more a foil to Bex, rather than a fully realized partner. I think this is due to their utter lack of chemistry, ironic given the premise is based on Sam and Bex’s supposed screen melting heat.
In general, the pace is pretty slow, drags at times, and retreads ground too much, struggling the most with the romance. . .The pace is also hindered by all the societal topics the book explores—sexism, racism, queermisia, status quo acceptance of abuse, etc. It’s heavy-handed enough to verge on uncomfortable and performative to me. However. . .
Entire review @ Joyfully Jay Reviews
3.5⭐️
Big Name Fan tackles the phenomenon of media that ensures it remains in the zeitgeist by blatant queerbaiting. . .However, having a rewatch podcast become an avenue to read fics about said show, while also tossing in a mystery and unresolved love is a lot. The book juggles it all pretty well but falters in places from being overstuffed. . .
I like Sam and Bex in general, but the podcast guests and all the tea are the highlight for me. Bex is fretful, conflicted, and desperately in search of her right place. . .Then there’s Sam. . . She’s more a foil to Bex, rather than a fully realized partner. I think this is due to their utter lack of chemistry, ironic given the premise is based on Sam and Bex’s supposed screen melting heat.
In general, the pace is pretty slow, drags at times, and retreads ground too much, struggling the most with the romance. . .The pace is also hindered by all the societal topics the book explores—sexism, racism, queermisia, status quo acceptance of abuse, etc. It’s heavy-handed enough to verge on uncomfortable and performative to me. However. . .
Entire review @ Joyfully Jay Reviews
Read
February 19, 2025I was so excited about this "queer Rizzoli and Isles" cozy mystery with romance.
However, I didn't realize the plot included a TV show world with characters and a canon plus the real world and the attraction between the main characters (who were also actors playing TV characters) to juggle.
This made for a whole LOT of characters and exposition to accomplish, and this felt info-dumpy at times. Yes, Rainbow Rowell managed it, but to be honest I didn't love those books either. (Sorry!) I need a strong core plot and I'm not the biggest fan of books based on canons, head canons, fics, etc.
I feel like this book was really more a second chance at love romance with a side plot of mystery than a mystery with a romance subplot. So it could have been the marketing and my expectations that set me up for a different experience than I expected.
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
However, I didn't realize the plot included a TV show world with characters and a canon plus the real world and the attraction between the main characters (who were also actors playing TV characters) to juggle.
This made for a whole LOT of characters and exposition to accomplish, and this felt info-dumpy at times. Yes, Rainbow Rowell managed it, but to be honest I didn't love those books either. (Sorry!) I need a strong core plot and I'm not the biggest fan of books based on canons, head canons, fics, etc.
I feel like this book was really more a second chance at love romance with a side plot of mystery than a mystery with a romance subplot. So it could have been the marketing and my expectations that set me up for a different experience than I expected.
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
May 10, 2025
I was gifted a copy for this book by the authors in exchange for participation in a book tour.
review:
this book combines fandom drama, a bit of true crime, hollywood drama, and that one really intense queer friendship you had back in the day.
I loved the concept for this book. as someone who was deep in fandom once, and is still decently involved, it’s fun to see an homage to fans and queer love on tv (or not on tv). I did like having a mystery as scaffolding for a second-chance romance, and see a MC coming into herself and her willpower.
with that being said, I think this book bit off more than it could chew. there were three different storylines that we had to learn (past, present, tv show) which meant constant switching and info dumps. the manner of sleuthing (recap podcasts of the show) means that clues were revealed painfully slowly. I was most excited for the mystery, but like one in five pages gave us anything about it.
the ending was decently satisfying- nothing too surprising, but it did tie most things together and display growth on the part of many characters. and it’s nice to see good things happen to good people.
review:
this book combines fandom drama, a bit of true crime, hollywood drama, and that one really intense queer friendship you had back in the day.
I loved the concept for this book. as someone who was deep in fandom once, and is still decently involved, it’s fun to see an homage to fans and queer love on tv (or not on tv). I did like having a mystery as scaffolding for a second-chance romance, and see a MC coming into herself and her willpower.
with that being said, I think this book bit off more than it could chew. there were three different storylines that we had to learn (past, present, tv show) which meant constant switching and info dumps. the manner of sleuthing (recap podcasts of the show) means that clues were revealed painfully slowly. I was most excited for the mystery, but like one in five pages gave us anything about it.
the ending was decently satisfying- nothing too surprising, but it did tie most things together and display growth on the part of many characters. and it’s nice to see good things happen to good people.
February 23, 2025
Big Name Fan is great for those looking to read…
🩷 Sapphic Romance
🩷 Cozy Mystery
🩷 TV Stars Doing Reunion Podcast Turned True Crime Podcast
🩷 Close Proximity
I was really excited for this read & I loved the concept of it. Unfortunately, I struggled to get lost in this one & I don’t know why. I would assume it is a personal problem as I am a mood reader that just didn’t connect with this one.
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Kensington for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.
🩷 Sapphic Romance
🩷 Cozy Mystery
🩷 TV Stars Doing Reunion Podcast Turned True Crime Podcast
🩷 Close Proximity
I was really excited for this read & I loved the concept of it. Unfortunately, I struggled to get lost in this one & I don’t know why. I would assume it is a personal problem as I am a mood reader that just didn’t connect with this one.
Massive thanks to NetGalley & Kensington for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.
September 13, 2025
this is a horrible, bitter day because i finished what is probably my favorite book of the year. needless to say i am BIG SAD about it!! i had doubts going into it, after reading parts of the first chapter, because i didn’t understand where the conversation of the main characters was initially going. i had no idea who these characters were and this is (if i’m not mistaken) the first book in the series, yet the authors just threw us in the middle of a fraught relationship almost with no explanation and i needed to take a second and get my bearings. now a reason for this might be because english is only my second language and no matter how much i communicate in this godforsaken language nor how many tv shows/movies i watch or podcasts/audio books i listen to, my understanding of it won’t be 100% maternal, but gosh it had me put down my phone for a few and really think about if i wanted to keep going.
and of fucking COURSE i kept going because i would do anything (and i MEAN anything) for a couple of disaster lesbians. and god i’m glad i kept going y’all!!
first of all, i loved that there was no 3rd act breakup ok!!! i hate that and i wish it was never invented. i freaking wish that idea would get forever erased from people’s brains!! anyway…moving on….
the way bex’s and sam’s relationship was written in this felt SO genuine in the snese that you can just tell it was written by lesbians. it just has something in it that screams it but in a very…idk quiet way?? that is very strong?? i have no idea how to explain it but yeah.
i suck at reviewing books but just!!! aaaah i loved it so much!! i know this might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it was mine, and because it was i’m urging you to pick it up and give it a try at LEAST!!
can’t wait for the second book y’all!!!! (this is my official plea for the publisher to accept my request on netgalley please pretty please with a cherry on top i promise i’ll read it in 2 days and i’ll give it a stellar review i beg 😭😭😭)
and of fucking COURSE i kept going because i would do anything (and i MEAN anything) for a couple of disaster lesbians. and god i’m glad i kept going y’all!!
first of all, i loved that there was no 3rd act breakup ok!!! i hate that and i wish it was never invented. i freaking wish that idea would get forever erased from people’s brains!! anyway…moving on….
the way bex’s and sam’s relationship was written in this felt SO genuine in the snese that you can just tell it was written by lesbians. it just has something in it that screams it but in a very…idk quiet way?? that is very strong?? i have no idea how to explain it but yeah.
i suck at reviewing books but just!!! aaaah i loved it so much!! i know this might not be everyone’s cup of tea but it was mine, and because it was i’m urging you to pick it up and give it a try at LEAST!!
can’t wait for the second book y’all!!!! (this is my official plea for the publisher to accept my request on netgalley please pretty please with a cherry on top i promise i’ll read it in 2 days and i’ll give it a stellar review i beg 😭😭😭)
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