He's a model with a blackbelt. She's a pop star with a stalker. Looks like fake dating just became a matter of life and death.
I never thought I’d meet a pop star. And if you told me I’d ever be dating one, I would have laughed in your face.
Joke’s on me, though, when I get a callback to be in Brianna Royce’s music video…and they tell me they want me to be her fake boyfriend when the video shoot is over.
Do I want to fake date a diva? Not really.
But once I meet her, I realize she’s not another diva. When she tells me she’s being stalked, that she wants me to protect her, well…I can’t say no. Guess I’m dating the diva after all.
Not Another Diva is the first book in the Hollywood Stories series of full-length, standalone romances told from the Hero's point of view with no cliffhangers and a guaranteed happily ever after.
Cynthia Ann is a writer of Just Right Romance - not too sweet, not too spicy. Her books are infused with humor, suspense, music and of course, toe-curling love stories. Music is her most reliable muse, kicking off her preferred writing method: Plantsing with a Playlist. From Mozart to Metallica, an inspired soundtrack (available for your listening pleasure on Spotify) keeps the plot, and the romance, dynamic.
I enjoyed the book and thought it was refreshing to see it almost solely from the MMC, Zack's perspective, with one chapter seen from Brianna's. Zack is not your usual hero; what you see is what you get. It's nice to see your "average Joe" written as a character when so many male characters are overblown. The spice level is mild (not a bad thing); it just makes me want a bit more spice to liven it up.
I liked Zack & Brianna, their characters and story are sweet.
A sweet, sometimes spicy read is worth it! Cynthia's writing style is engaging and emotional. I've been reading her books since Wattpad, and was so excited for the Hollywood series! I love reading celebrity romances. Fake dating, he falls first, yet he waits for her to fall in love. With fame, it's a struggle to fall in love because others could take advantage of them or even hurt them. It comes with a price and questionable trust. The protagonist, Zach, wants to protect Brianna In the pov of Zach, he speaks with emotion, passion, want, and boundaries. Fake dating Brianna, the musician, might sound easy but it's not. Their first meeting, he sees Brianna as for who she is. Despite her being beautiful and famous, Brianna is vulnerable, strong. She wants to be honest with who she loves but because she is in the public eye and has to protect her heart. Reading male POVs, looking into the insight of their heart and mind makes me melt. I loved every page!!
This is one of the rare male pov romances I have read. Most of them are from both main characters POV. Only one chapter was from her POV. I really enjoyed that. The spice could have been spicier IMO but was very appropriate considering the ages of the characters. This is a fade to black type of romance and it works well within the book. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends that aren't into super spicy, super dark books. This book does have some dark themes, but in very short spurts and it becomes almost a background to each scene location. I was easily wrapped up in the present happenings instead of the dark parts. Definitely will be buying a physical copy upon release to have and reread again and again.
I had the honor of being on Cynthia's ARC team for this one :D
I gave it 4/5 Stars
This was such a gem of a read! From the very first chapter, I was drawn in by the vibrant characters and message of inner strength and self-discovery. What someone shows of themselves to others isn't always how they truly are in person! Cyn has a gift for seamlessly blending sass, soul and sincerity in her characters. I loved Bree's adventure, and finding her "forever family" as I tended to call it. I couldn't help but picture women like Sabrina Carpenter as Bree lol Lots of unexpected twists and turns made for a run ride! and now I need to read the next installment!
This was a sweet read and for the most part, I enjoyed the book. I thought Zack and Brianna were a cute couple, and I liked that Zack was just a normal, average guy. Having the book written in his perspective was nice change, though I wasn’t a huge fan of the near insta-love. The journey of their relationship was built well, even if there were moments where things felt too sweet. In the end, I liked this read, but it did feel like many others where the female needs a strong man to save her. For me, a good read, but not great.
It was a great book! I really enjoyed reading it from the guy’s point of view. It was refreshing because I rarely read book where the main point of view is from a guy. It was romantic and thrilling. I would definitely read another by this author. I would recommend it if you like pop star romance.
I received a complimentary copy of the book via Voracious Readers Only.
ARC review - Brianna is a pop star and Zack is a wannabe actor. What could possibly go wrong when he’s hired to be in her music video and then her pretend boyfriend and bodyguard. A very well written story which I really enjoyed. An actual well put together plot from both sides and of course romance along the way - what’s not to like? 😉
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Bree, a huge pop star, needs a fake boyfriend and bodyguard to protect her from a potential stalker. Enter Zack, a part-time karate teacher and part-time model, to fulfill the role. Book comes with a great playlist. Has a very interesting story and the two main characters have great chemistry. Enough drama in bad guy Logan to keep things interesting.
I really enjoyed reading this. Liked that it was told mostly Zacks POV. The story was well written and very engaging. Great chemistry between the characters. This is the first book I've read by this author and will not be the last.