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Brenna Lanigan & Cassidy Hyland #1
Turning Point
It’s Hollywood. Actresses hate getting passed over for roles and cold shoulders are common. Petty sniping is part of the fabric of the place, but it takes two to fight. Actress Cassidy Hyland is throwing a birthday party for her son which she hopes will spark a truce with her cold co-star Brenna Lanigan. Instead the encounter becomes the first step of a journey neither woman ever imagined her heart could take: to love another woman.
Turning Point explores the struggle of these women caught between what is safe and sure, and what the heart truly wants even if it doesn’t understand.
Turning Point explores the struggle of these women caught between what is safe and sure, and what the heart truly wants even if it doesn’t understand.
300 pages, ebook
First published March 18, 2007
18 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Lara Zielinsky
12 books62 followersLara Zielinsky is a bisexual married woman and works from home as a writer and fiction editor. She grew up reading, as it was the one thing as an introvert she could do alone in a house full of people. When she realized these stories weren't reflecting the things she thought about, she started writing her own. She discovered romance books in her teens, particularly looking for stories with strong female leads. When she opened up about her orientation, her stories started reflecting her bisexual experience. She got started writing with fanfic in the Xenaverse and then drifted into other fandoms, notably Star Trek: Voyager and Once Upon a Time, always gravitating toward non-canon sapphic 'ships. Eventually she started writing original fiction. Her first novel "Turning Point" was published in 2007. Her most recent title, published through Supposed Crimes, is Turning In: More Stories of Brenna and Cassidy (2023).
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 23, 2019
A slow burn romance set in the beginning of millennium; year 2000. 2 protagonists in Brenna and Cassidy. Both actresses in a TV Series. Both are straight with sons - one is married and another seeing a man. Book started with Brenna, lead actress in the series, trying to make peace with Cassidy - a woman whom she hated. Cassidy, an epitome of a Hollywood Star, tall blond beautiful (and who happened to be a decade younger) was brought into the TV series to make the series more appealing. Brenna hated Cassidy initially and avoided having contacts with her; eventually became friends after attending a birthday party. As time went by, both became undeniably attracted to each other and was difficult for them to suppress the love brewing between them. There’s infidelity at play so may not sit well with some readers. There were obstacles/issues which the women faced from family and friends with their newfound love - setting is in 2000 where people are not as open-minded/liberal as they are now.
This was a long read - 574 pages and available in scribd. Some scenes are draggy and am not sure the relevance. 2nd half of the book was where it got interesting. Don’t expect the ending to be nicely wrapped up in a neat little bow. There are loose end which I hope will be tied up in Book 2
Still an enjoyable read albeit a long one.... and moving on to book 2
Ratings - 4.25 ⭐️
This was a long read - 574 pages and available in scribd. Some scenes are draggy and am not sure the relevance. 2nd half of the book was where it got interesting. Don’t expect the ending to be nicely wrapped up in a neat little bow. There are loose end which I hope will be tied up in Book 2
Still an enjoyable read albeit a long one.... and moving on to book 2
Ratings - 4.25 ⭐️
September 22, 2013
I've always thought of Hollywood actresses as being vain, self-absorbed, insecure narcissists. And I almost gave this book a pass because the blurb seems to imply it's all about these beautiful but shallow creatures. But wow, did the author prove me wrong. Or rather, her characters are anything but shallow and self-absorbed.
Brenn is the lead actress of a sci-fi series and stars as the commander of a group of time-traveling operatives. A few seasons in, Cass was brought into the series, presumably because of her sex appeal, to boost the ratings of the show. Brenn understandably feels threatened and resents the newcomer. This is the main premise that attracted me to the book. How our ladies cross the wide gulf from bitter rivals to inseparable lovers.
The author takes her time to develop the relationship, which is as it should be. For the first third or so of the book, while they tiptoe around each other, we read a lot about their daily grind, their families, and some interesting tidbits about TV filming. This part was a bit rambling at times, and there were a couple of scenes (like the dialogue from the tv series) that we could have done without. But once the two women start to feel a more-than-friends attraction, the tension, the action and the hotness kicks up a notch and doesn't waver till the end.
Everything about the book felt very realistic, from the details about the daily grind of TV actresses, to the various characters' actions and reactions. The plot was very well thought out. Imagine two top TV actresses, both straight, with underage children, and one still married, falling for each other. The complications are headache inducing. The potential fallout may be career ending for both. I was totally absorbed not just in the romance, but in their plight as well. The author takes no shortcuts or easily solutions here. Unfortunately, this meant that things are left hanging at the end of the book. Good thing though, this book is just half the price of a regular ebook. :)
4.5 stars.
Brenn is the lead actress of a sci-fi series and stars as the commander of a group of time-traveling operatives. A few seasons in, Cass was brought into the series, presumably because of her sex appeal, to boost the ratings of the show. Brenn understandably feels threatened and resents the newcomer. This is the main premise that attracted me to the book. How our ladies cross the wide gulf from bitter rivals to inseparable lovers.
The author takes her time to develop the relationship, which is as it should be. For the first third or so of the book, while they tiptoe around each other, we read a lot about their daily grind, their families, and some interesting tidbits about TV filming. This part was a bit rambling at times, and there were a couple of scenes (like the dialogue from the tv series) that we could have done without. But once the two women start to feel a more-than-friends attraction, the tension, the action and the hotness kicks up a notch and doesn't waver till the end.
Everything about the book felt very realistic, from the details about the daily grind of TV actresses, to the various characters' actions and reactions. The plot was very well thought out. Imagine two top TV actresses, both straight, with underage children, and one still married, falling for each other. The complications are headache inducing. The potential fallout may be career ending for both. I was totally absorbed not just in the romance, but in their plight as well. The author takes no shortcuts or easily solutions here. Unfortunately, this meant that things are left hanging at the end of the book. Good thing though, this book is just half the price of a regular ebook. :)
4.5 stars.
June 1, 2019
The start of this book and the blurb were ok, but at about 9% of it I was already getting bored. So many words to describe nothing that was essential for the development of the story. I tried reading on and skipped parts of the book. As I discovered that the big issues the main characters had were cliche and contrived and spun out endlessly, I decided not to waste my precious reading time any longer on this one. 2 stars
October 29, 2023
Just didn’t work for me, having no real affinity with either main character. Verbose. Surprised short listed, whoops, sorry, winner of Readers’ Choice Award. What do I know?
August 14, 2018
5-
SEXY!
Hot, unexpected love story between two Hollywood actresses. I really enjoyed seeing how their love grows and their struggle to be accepted now that they are no longer "straight".
SEXY!Hot, unexpected love story between two Hollywood actresses. I really enjoyed seeing how their love grows and their struggle to be accepted now that they are no longer "straight".
dnf
June 5, 2017I'm not feeling this story, and I suspect that has something to do with my mood, therefore I'm shelving it for now... with good intentions of revisiting it another day.
September 28, 2023
Fck the themes, prose, conflict and rules of writing blah blah. I just really enjoy reading the story of Brenna and Cassidy finding themselves, getting together and trying to figure out how they both move forward in a world with kids, husbands/partners and a job. It’s a comfort read.
March 7, 2015
Everything about this book fell flat for me, albeit I am not entirely certain why that might be so.
Brenna and Cassidy are co-stars on the television show "Time Trials" - Brenna, married to her second husband and an even forty-one, is intimidated by her young attractive co-star and gives her the cold shoulder. Cassidy, caught up with her own troubles (re an abusive ex and a young son) is miserable. The book deals with the impending end of their show; the egos of their fellow actors; the drama of their family lives; their slow-burn romance; and their struggles to figure out what and who they are before its all out of their control.
Normally I really like the lesbian actor trope, but this one just didn't do it for me. There was a lot going on and it was all whistled over quickly. Seedy or one-dimensional characters came in and blew out again. Some of those upgraded themselves to creepy and then back down again. The romance was lovely, but the packaging it came boxed with tangled rather than accented. The pacing, too, was slightly disjointing; at times the plot seemed to rush through large periods of time while at others it seems to crawl. I just... don't know.
Technically the eBook itself was of low quality, with obvious editing errors throughout the book. Really obvious things - some poetry rendered as only a single line-per-page (which considering the poem repeated itself for emphasis mangled something like twenty pages), and there were large sections of font coding sometimes cutting off the opening words of new chapters. Whoever okayed this never actually read the finished result, methinks.
Overall I gave it two stars; it's not problematic, nor is it poorly written - it's just frustrating to me. Others have given it very high marks and I intellectually understand why that is so even as I emotionally struggle with feeling the same.
I would suggest that the book appeals to who it appeals too; that it wasn't me is a shame, but it might very well be you. Who knows?
Brenna and Cassidy are co-stars on the television show "Time Trials" - Brenna, married to her second husband and an even forty-one, is intimidated by her young attractive co-star and gives her the cold shoulder. Cassidy, caught up with her own troubles (re an abusive ex and a young son) is miserable. The book deals with the impending end of their show; the egos of their fellow actors; the drama of their family lives; their slow-burn romance; and their struggles to figure out what and who they are before its all out of their control.
Normally I really like the lesbian actor trope, but this one just didn't do it for me. There was a lot going on and it was all whistled over quickly. Seedy or one-dimensional characters came in and blew out again. Some of those upgraded themselves to creepy and then back down again. The romance was lovely, but the packaging it came boxed with tangled rather than accented. The pacing, too, was slightly disjointing; at times the plot seemed to rush through large periods of time while at others it seems to crawl. I just... don't know.
Technically the eBook itself was of low quality, with obvious editing errors throughout the book. Really obvious things - some poetry rendered as only a single line-per-page (which considering the poem repeated itself for emphasis mangled something like twenty pages), and there were large sections of font coding sometimes cutting off the opening words of new chapters. Whoever okayed this never actually read the finished result, methinks.
Overall I gave it two stars; it's not problematic, nor is it poorly written - it's just frustrating to me. Others have given it very high marks and I intellectually understand why that is so even as I emotionally struggle with feeling the same.
I would suggest that the book appeals to who it appeals too; that it wasn't me is a shame, but it might very well be you. Who knows?
September 17, 2018
I give this one 3.5 stars. Its a pretty long read and very detailed in some parts to the point I felt it draw out a bit where others are mentioned but not elaborated or focused on enough. I did enjoy the scenes from the tv series, Time Trials, that Brenna and Cassidy both star in. There is a lot that happens in this book and all of it not good. I want to say the ending is HEA but honestly its more of a Happy Right Now working toward Happily Ever After. Very little was actually certain at the end of the book which I didnt really like. Regardless, the story of Brenna and Cassidy os a pretty solid one. There is a little bit of infidelity but its not terribly bad, dont get me wrong that topic makes me cringe andni personally am not a fan of it but its just another obstacle. It was free with Scribd so if youve got time give it a go.
April 18, 2013
I wasn't expecting much from this book. I found it a such a reasonable price, I figured it would be a short story. I was wrong it was a fully thought out story and enjoyable. The interaction between the two women as they learn to work together and grow to care for one another s well done. I especially like the way their sons intersect with each other and with them, very believable.
June 27, 2015
I enjoyed the read. In particular, it was interesting to read a book with women (older/younger) finding their own voice while finding each other. Also, a book with teenagers dealing with their mother's sexuality was refreshing. Previous books I have read with children, they were much younger. I connected with the women and their interaction with the teenagers.
August 6, 2023
(3.5 Stars) I want to thank Lara Zielinsky for my copy of Turning Point. I won a personalized autographed copy by entering a daily Pride Trivia (2023) contest put together by the author Jae. Zielinsky let me know that I won, and nicely followed up checking that I received my copy. I was pleasantly surprised that it is in hard back. My copy is 377 pages but I imagine page count varying based on format.
This book is dated. That isn’t a bad thing, but it means the style of writing and the actions of family and other supporting characters is different than in more modern publications. This was originally written in 2001 and first published in 2007 where it was a Readers Choice Favorite and a Goldie (GCLS) finalist for debut author (2008). I saw in one review that this began as Star Trek fan fiction and I can see that being the case.
Brenna Lanigan is a leading actress on Time Trails, a popular tv series, that is soon ending its five year run. She is 41 and has two teen sons. Cassidy Hyland was brought into the series over a year before. She is 32, divorced and has a five year old son Ryan. Her marriage was abusive. Brenna didn’t make friends with the younger actress until Cassidy breaks the ice by inviting her to Ryan’s birthday party. Friendship leads to spending time together running lines and Brenna inviting Cassidy on a camping trip she does for teens. All of this turns into a toaster oven, slow burn romance. Brenna has never been attracted to a woman and Cassidy experimented once in college. Neither can guess how their families or co-workers will react to their new-found relationship.
If this were written currently it would need some big edits. It is wordy, with too much time spent on the set on with scenes of filming and dialogue. And some storylines are started but dropped, possibly addressed in sequels. I like Brenna and Cassidy. I like their relationship with each other and their sons as well. I also like that this is before smart phones and social media. I have a big issue with cheating. Both characters admit each having an affair in the past that has caused problems and yet they still start something before Brenna has taken any steps to free herself from her current relationship. They seem to be caught up in the idea if we have feelings and attraction we must act on them. The ending is a nice stopping place but not everything is wrapped up. It is the kind of story I like to find on KU where I can continue on with characters as they resolve issues and have challenges together. I’m not surprised to see there is a sequel (Turn for Home 2010) and a more recently novella continuation (Turning In 2023). Overall a likable story, especially when taken in the historical context of the time period when it was written.
This book is dated. That isn’t a bad thing, but it means the style of writing and the actions of family and other supporting characters is different than in more modern publications. This was originally written in 2001 and first published in 2007 where it was a Readers Choice Favorite and a Goldie (GCLS) finalist for debut author (2008). I saw in one review that this began as Star Trek fan fiction and I can see that being the case.
Brenna Lanigan is a leading actress on Time Trails, a popular tv series, that is soon ending its five year run. She is 41 and has two teen sons. Cassidy Hyland was brought into the series over a year before. She is 32, divorced and has a five year old son Ryan. Her marriage was abusive. Brenna didn’t make friends with the younger actress until Cassidy breaks the ice by inviting her to Ryan’s birthday party. Friendship leads to spending time together running lines and Brenna inviting Cassidy on a camping trip she does for teens. All of this turns into a toaster oven, slow burn romance. Brenna has never been attracted to a woman and Cassidy experimented once in college. Neither can guess how their families or co-workers will react to their new-found relationship.
If this were written currently it would need some big edits. It is wordy, with too much time spent on the set on with scenes of filming and dialogue. And some storylines are started but dropped, possibly addressed in sequels. I like Brenna and Cassidy. I like their relationship with each other and their sons as well. I also like that this is before smart phones and social media. I have a big issue with cheating. Both characters admit each having an affair in the past that has caused problems and yet they still start something before Brenna has taken any steps to free herself from her current relationship. They seem to be caught up in the idea if we have feelings and attraction we must act on them. The ending is a nice stopping place but not everything is wrapped up. It is the kind of story I like to find on KU where I can continue on with characters as they resolve issues and have challenges together. I’m not surprised to see there is a sequel (Turn for Home 2010) and a more recently novella continuation (Turning In 2023). Overall a likable story, especially when taken in the historical context of the time period when it was written.
August 16, 2015
This book has been sitting on my amazon's wishlist for ever and I've decided to give it a try over the weekend. I'm glad I've picked this up.
I like the contrasts between Cass and Bren, they are clearly very different people also in a different stage of life. Reading the first few chapters, it seems totally unlikely the two rival actresses will ever get along. Excellent pacing of the story which allows the Cass and Bren's personality to fully develop, open up and see each other as a person rather than a perception. These two definitely got a strong chemistry - they were hot!! I'm already moving on to the sequel, can't wait to see what happens next.
I like the contrasts between Cass and Bren, they are clearly very different people also in a different stage of life. Reading the first few chapters, it seems totally unlikely the two rival actresses will ever get along. Excellent pacing of the story which allows the Cass and Bren's personality to fully develop, open up and see each other as a person rather than a perception. These two definitely got a strong chemistry - they were hot!! I'm already moving on to the sequel, can't wait to see what happens next.
October 15, 2015
I am a sucker for celebrity romance books. Zielinsky did a fantastic job in creating likeable chapters who complimented each other well. I though the storyline moved at a good pace which had me wanting more. Lucky for me there is a second book!
March 29, 2023
This is one hell of a good coming out story!
This is my first read of Lara Zielinsky’s work, and I am sure it won’t be my last. This is so well written and did not lag anywhere. The characters are written so completely and mesh perfectly. This one really is not written as a sexy one, rather a sensitive love story, with a few decidedly needed hot spots. I enjoyed it completely and do recommend it fully.
This is my first read of Lara Zielinsky’s work, and I am sure it won’t be my last. This is so well written and did not lag anywhere. The characters are written so completely and mesh perfectly. This one really is not written as a sexy one, rather a sensitive love story, with a few decidedly needed hot spots. I enjoyed it completely and do recommend it fully.
June 15, 2013
3+ stars
A well developed relationship, realistic plot and timeline and fitting settings. A great romance and I'm off to buy the sequel :-)
A well developed relationship, realistic plot and timeline and fitting settings. A great romance and I'm off to buy the sequel :-)
January 1, 2016
Very realistic. And made quite complicated with kids, husbands, ex-husbands, boyfriends and families and of course, career. Liked that it wasn't all neatly tied up in a bow in the end.
June 3, 2018
I remember this from fandom when it was (rather contentious) RPF posted on a closed list. I wasn't that keen on RPF, and I stopped reading before the end, I think. To be honest, I think this needed a whole lot more editing before being published as a novel, because you don't have the assumed knowledge of the actresses and their show when it's changed from fandom-specific RPF to an original work. There's no description, not enough characterisation, and far too much of an assumption that you recognise the show being filmed. The RPF thing still makes me uncomfortable too, especially given the focus on Brenna and Cassidy's children.
I think it would have been a much better read if, instead of being told about Brenna's issues with Cassidy, that had been the first part of the story with the development of the relationship starting from when Cassidy joined the show.
I think it would have been a much better read if, instead of being told about Brenna's issues with Cassidy, that had been the first part of the story with the development of the relationship starting from when Cassidy joined the show.
July 30, 2019
This book had so much potential, unfortunately it didnt have an ending. Maybe theres a sequel? I would read it. The writing was good. I loved the characters. They had depth. I have a love for celebrity romances.
There were WAY too many loose ends left. The story just wasnt finished. Trying to be as vague as possible but possible slight spoilers ********What happened when they went public? What happened when her ex found out? What happened when they moved on after the show? What did the other set of parents think? What did the younger son have stuck up his butt? What happened with the blackmail situation?*******END spoilers. None of this is answered. It's a lot to just....skip.
3.5 stars. Rounded to 4. Most likely would have been way higher if the story would have been finished.
.
There were WAY too many loose ends left. The story just wasnt finished. Trying to be as vague as possible but possible slight spoilers ********What happened when they went public? What happened when her ex found out? What happened when they moved on after the show? What did the other set of parents think? What did the younger son have stuck up his butt? What happened with the blackmail situation?*******END spoilers. None of this is answered. It's a lot to just....skip.
3.5 stars. Rounded to 4. Most likely would have been way higher if the story would have been finished.
.
March 8, 2024
I loved Turning Point.
Being a fan of Lara Zielinsky since her fanfic days, I could hardly wait for her debut novel to come out. I wasn't disappointed.
Brenna and Cassidy both explore what it means to live an authentic live amidst the opinions, pressures, and phobias of peers and society in general.
While this is primarily a romance, it's also a story of discovery and of allowing oneself the freedom to give, and accept love.
Being a fan of Lara Zielinsky since her fanfic days, I could hardly wait for her debut novel to come out. I wasn't disappointed.
Brenna and Cassidy both explore what it means to live an authentic live amidst the opinions, pressures, and phobias of peers and society in general.
While this is primarily a romance, it's also a story of discovery and of allowing oneself the freedom to give, and accept love.
July 12, 2023
Good, solid read. Two actresses and somewhat rivals bury the hatchet, then gradually fall in love. However both viewed themselves as 'straight' and accepting a same sex attraction is harder than they expected.
October 13, 2025
moving story
A beautiful story that captures the struggles of being a public figure and the challenges of following your newly discovered sapphic heart.
A beautiful story that captures the struggles of being a public figure and the challenges of following your newly discovered sapphic heart.
May 16, 2020
I remember enjoying this more the first time I read it, but now I see it needed a better edit, and I just wasn't convinced by Brenna's sudden about turn. She seems to accept her feelings for Cassidy far too willingly for a woman who's lived her entire life as straight. But that's just my opinion.
November 29, 2024
First time reading a costar story and both MCs have kids, it was a slow burn but the story was developed in a very genuine and realistic way.
March 12, 2015
3.5 Stars
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews