The Actress: The Curious Case of Cordelia Wainwright

The Actress Series #1

by Kimberly J.M. Wilson

What happens when an eccentric, germaphobic actress with an excessive need for cleanliness meets her messy match? A very untraditional Opposites-Attract sapphic romance that not even Hollywood—or Shakespeare—could script.

Cordelia Wainwright is a superbly capable actress but a supremely incapable adult, who is plagued by decisions from her past that prevent her from accepting both love and her sexuality.

Aubrey Taylor is a bold and vibrant up-and-coming younger actress who uses both her legs and patience to teach her mentor that love is a beautiful gift, not a dirty four-letter word.

When Aubrey speaks, Cordelia listens—often with angst, but mostly with humorous results.

Genres: Celebrity, LGBT, Lesbian Romance, Romance, British Literature, Audiobook, Lesbian

202 pages, Paperback

Published July 22, 2025

About the author

Kimberly J.M. Wilson is an American author of The Actress Series and lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. When she is not writing fiction for Bella Books, she is an educator. Her unique understanding of how the world appears to those who think and process emotions and interpersonal relationships somewhat differently from others is at the center of her novels. The foundation of her storytelling lies in her belief that laughter is the best medicine for the often-harsh realities of the human experience. Like George Bernard Shaw, her “way of joking is to tell the truth. It’s the funniest joke in the world.”

Admired Authors: Jane Austen, William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Tennessee Williams, Flannery O'Connor, Jen Lyon, and Dr. Seuss. Pride and Prejudice is her favorite book.

For more information about her novels, visit her website and join her newsletter at kimberlyjmwilsonauthor.com or find her on these social media platforms:

Instagram: authorkimberlyjmwilson
Twitter X: @wilsonkjm
Facebook Group: Author Kimberly J.M. Wilson's Reader Group
Bluesky: @kimberlyjmwilson

Reviews

[Rosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an entertaining book! The way it's written might seem a bit confusing, but the result was surprising to me. The story alone of a successful actress with a special personality, one that doesn't transcend in her public life but influences her private life, would be worthy of reading. But the author also wanted to show different points of view from the people who interacted with her, from her childhood to the present. And all in a humorous style without disrespecting the subject or overdramatizing it. I loved it. And I'm looking forward to part two.

[Lyn Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the first book I really, really really needed more Cordelia and she didn’t disappoint. Cordelia is so, so, so, well, Cordelia.

Cordy is still on a learning curve as she comes to understand love is the greatest gift you can give and receive. All with Aubrey’s help…most of the time. Suddenly Cordelia realises she might actually have achieved something previously out of reach. She’s become a fully-fledged adult.

The characters supporting Cordelia are just as entertaining, sometimes hilarious, sometimes excruciating. But they’re always family. Even the outside extras complement, adding flesh where necessary.

Accolades to the author for another very readable book.

I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC copy and this is a totally honest review.

[Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complex and entertaining. This is the story of Cordelia Wainwright. She is an Oscar winning actress and multi-time nominee. She is also eccentric, germaphobic, closeted and comes from a long family of British thespians. Her acting supports her family theater, mother and her sisters. Aubrey Taylor is the up and coming actress that Cordelia is credited with discovering by giving Aubrey her first big role. At first you think that the mother is domineering and awful, but everything is not as it seems. Aubrey is a ray of sunshine as she stands up for herself and makes demands of Cordelia. The years covered in the story are non traditional and yet show a loving and committed couple. The author did a fabulous job of writing very funny lines and moments while covering serious events. And all along it slowly peels back the layers of Cordelia. This is a story I will read again and Cordelia and Aubrey are characters I will remember. Thank you to Bella Books and the author for an eARC and I am leaving an honest review.

[The Wild Weary Cow Reads Sapphic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A "Just one more chapter" book for me!
I went to bed so late last night because I couldn't stop 🫣..
Woke up for a drink around 3 am and somehow my kindle ended up back in my hands 😂🙁 for another chapter lol.

The draw for me at the start was the snarky attitude of Cordelia Wainwright!.. the amount of times I burst out laughing at her comments within the first few pages had me fast coming to the conclusion this book was for me.

Cordelia is an actress from a very famous British thespian family who has a lot of big shoes to fill and a mother who expects her to carry on the long running family tradition of working the stage in the family theatre🎭.
Cordy has other plans.... And heads off to Hollywood.

This isn't a Romcom even though it's funny in a lot of places. It becomes clear there's so much more going on within her own life and her families.

When Aubrey, a younger actress just starting out, enters her world we start to see darker side of Cordelia's life.

The chemistry and banter between Cordy and Aubrey is perfect... You truly see that Cordy is end game for Aubrey not matter how messy her personality is... And Aubrey is definitely long suffering but gives as good as she gets 😂

This will be added to my physical pile, which I only do when I've loved a book and the characters so much.

[currentlyreadingbynat]

I really wanted to love The Actress: The Curious Case of Cordelia Wainwright — the premise had potential and I appreciate the author trying something different. Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me.

While I was intrigued by the idea of an eccentric, Shakespearean theatre darling slowly unravelling with the help of her younger, more grounded co-star, I found the formatting really difficult to follow. The mid-chapter POV shifts, non-linear timeline, and flashbacks often left me disoriented. I also struggled to connect with the humour, which felt a bit offbeat in a way that didn’t quite land for me.

That said, I can see how this might appeal to readers who enjoy unconventional storytelling and complex, messy characters. There is something interesting at the heart of Cordelia and Aubrey’s dynamic, and I appreciated the exploration of vulnerability and identity. Just not quite my thing.

Many thanks to Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Leonie · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 (3.5 stars)

While I really liked the characters, especially Cordy (Cordelia) and Aubrey, the writing made the reading very very confusing.
It certainly was an entertaining read and I have to admit that I flew through it too. But for some reason the book confused me more that it entertained me (haha). I can count a million moments where I reread passages and thought “wait what is happening and ah” because I got thoroughly confused by the characters actions or the writing style of it all.
Nevertheless, and as I’ve mentioned above, I grew to really like the characters anyway. Especially Cordy, and her character development (I’m a sucker for a good character development), but also Aubrey. Their relationship was well established though pretty fast in my opinion. And the way they interacted was on one side so sweet and loving that I wanted to just keep reading about their story and on th other side (again) pretty confusing.
However, I would still recommend it if one is a fan of stories with a lot of character development and doesn’t mind the rather confusing writing style.

[Lyn Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very entertaining read. We have subjects that could have been simply sad and downbeat and yet we, actually I, romped through the story with some of the most engaging characters you could find anywhere. Cordy was infuriatingly gorgeous and Aubrey was her perfect foil. Heart-wrenching sometimes but amazingly hilarious. So glad I found this gem.

[Tempe Luvs Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This refreshingly different, but delightful and very creative story opens with actress Cordelia Wainwright being interviewed for her nomination as best actress in the film Solace Alone. One actress she was up against was Aubrey Taylor, one of Cordelia’s “secrets.” Cordelia’s peculiarities and Aubrey’s power over Cordelia were explained as the book skipped back and forth in time with questions, truths and secrets gradually revealed.

This book was an amusing and interesting story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I didn’t laugh nor did I cry, but I smiled a lot of huge smiles while reading it.

The blurbs about this book all mentioned Cordelia’s aversion to germs. As an example of how neurotic she was, her kitchen was completely all-white because white bred less germs….After a conversation about sex she had to rinse her mouth with Listerine to wash the filth out…. Even her mother, Beatrice knew she was peculiar and surely frustrated. When she turned 18 her mother bought sex videos and a vibrator, left them in her bedside drawer and hoped that she’d find and use them!

Aubrey was deeply in love, and Cordelia was intensely in lust. Aubrey was beautiful, both inside and out. She was patient, kind, generous, and loving. No woman deserved to be happy more than she did. How she tolerated Cordelia is something else, but she was the boss in bed! The frequent quote from Aubrey was, “I’m going to speak, and you’re going to listen, got it? Nod your head if you understand.”

There are so many wonderful characters and memorable moments in this book that I don’t want to spoil for others, but just know that the book is a truly remarkable piece of work that I hope will be embraced by everyone who reads it. My congratulations to the author for her amazing creativity and my thanks to Bella Books for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first start this book I wasn’t sure I could finish it. Bad parenting, seemingly spoiled oldest daughter, rest of family not invested in much of anything. Then…Aubrey appeared. I’ve never read a book with a main character (Cordelia) with this many “afflictions”. But, the way the story is laid out, and the way the many layers are revealed, is spellbinding.

The ending wasn’t rushed, but it was abrupt. I wasn’t left wanting more, but I feel like these characters will stay with me for a while.

[The Wild Weary Cow Reads Sapphic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to miss these two 😫.... Book 2 was just as great as book 1 but we get to see Cordelia evolve into Cordy fully in this book.

[Christine E Carcary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful treat

Not quite sure how to describe this book, except to say that for me it's the best I've read this year and there's really been some great ones. The relationship between Cordy and Aubrey is complicated, sexy and dysfunctional at the same time, but it's completely theirs, there are triggers and angst to look out for but this only adds twists and turns to the story. So many other characters are included and beautifully described, the hangers on british family, the American in laws, condescending work colleagues, and of course baby William in league with his mother and love for toffee pudding, I for one can't wait for another serving. In the meantime I will be re reading this one as I can't let them go. Do yourself a favour and enjoy a terrific read.

[RA Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

So enjoyable sweet and satisfying

I was worried this second installment would be a lot of drama around publicity, and while that plays a small part, the majority of this book was delicious slices of life over the course of several years. It reads like a series of satisfying epilogues from book one, and I loved every moment of it. The time traversed is woven together smoothly enough that it still feels like a cohesive plot, and it addresses a lot of things from the first book that felt a bit unresolved, corrects necessary but not necessarily healthy power imbalances, and fills in some blanks as well. It's funny, sweet, and engaging. I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down, much like the first book.
If you enjoyed book one, you'll feel like book two is the ultimate indulgence in the Queendom of Cordelia.

[Sue Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

would like to thank bella books for letting me read this very entertaining book....

have to say i struggled a little bit with how this author wrote this book but once i had my first belly laugh i was into this book and enjoyed reading how cordelia coped with her life and how aubrey bulldozed her way in....

at times there are issues that are serious but on the whole i would laugh out loud at the circumstances of cordie and how she lived her life...

but aubrey ohhh man she is a saint for what she put with but she loved cordie with all her heart and you just knew she was in it for the long haul....

now i am onto book two to see where they are now.....good times

[Nat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marvellous!

[S.S · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book will not be for everyone but it is a page turner. The author takes risks. A non linear storyline. Scenes revisited from an alternative POV. Multiple POV's in a scene at times. But most of the risk is putting these messy, flawed, grey characters on the page and inviting people to stay long enough to understand and appreciate them. The Ice queen in this story is not good at life and her not being good at life impacts her but also those around her very negatively. Change takes time and isn't always welcome. The way that change is wrought may not sit well with some. This book is full of love but that love comes with a huge dose of tough love and harsh truth telling. Getting to know Cordelia even on the page is not easy but by the end well worth it.

[Deb]

DNF
This book is about Cordelia Wainwright, an established actress and Aubrey, an up-and-coming one.

I found the writing style confusing. They didn't choose a true POV. So, one sentence could reflect one character's thoughts, and the next, suddenly, gave an other one's feelings or POV.

There was absolutely no built up to the first kiss and what came after. It all came totally out of the blue and went from 1 to 100 in just a few seconds. At that point I didn't even have a clue that they liked each other. Then Aubrey also started calling Cordelia Cordy. I had to laugh because I really don't think that sounds sexy at all.

Aubrey was very forward and shameless and it al turned out a little vulgar for a while. Then suddenly they were apparently in kind of a relationship and it all got a little weird. At that point, about 18% in, I decided to stop reading this book because it was not much to my liking.

The 18% I read I give 2⭐️, but I wil not rate this for real because I think that's not fair while I did not read the whole book.

[LezLibros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is a complex story with flawed yet lovable characters and gives a more accurate representation of what real love is like compared to more contemporary sapphic romance novels. Yes, we still get a HEA, but the challenges the MCs had to overcome are so realistically complex and relatable that it made the ending even sweeter. Be warned there is use of alcohol as distraction, depression, questionable abuse of psychotropic medications, and sexual trauma but the author incorporates these into the love story (because it is still a love story!) purposefully. I enjoyed getting to know the MCs and watching their love story develop. Overall, a quick and very enjoyable read!

[LezLibros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this second book in the Actress series. The reader gets a front row seat to Cordelia’s transition from an ice queen into a capable and emotionally mature wife and mother. I love that this is not a typical wlw romance… but more a realistic view of two women learning to love and live with each other despite challenges such as blended family, in-laws from hell, lack of communication and even how sex is used in the context of their marriage. There is something pretty hot about a woman discovering her own strength and resilience and the reader can’t help but cheer Cordy on as she melts with the help of her fire princess. the ending was perfect!

[JP Munroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was captivated from the opening line of this book. The narrative structure engages you and enables the reader to see events from multiple points of view, whilst still keeping Cordelia at the centre. The author gradually exposes and reveals Cordelia chapter by chapter until the reader fully understands her. This is sublime writing - funny, moving and heart-wrenching. I will be revisiting Cordelia and Aubrey’s love story often.

[RA Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starving for more

This book did all the things I usually hate, mid chapter POV switching, unconventional formatting, non linear time jumps and flashbacks, but ... It did those things superbly. This novel was interesting and unconventional and unpredictable and absolutely a delight to read. I've already downloaded the next. I was supposed to go grocery shopping and work today. Now I'm broke and have no food because I spent my day reading this in one sitting.

[WaveBrave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cordelia Wainwright, the woman not only taught me that a pillow fort is not just for kids but also that life and love can't be disinfected no matter how hard you try.
If I were Aubrey, I’d be playing for keeps too.

4.5⭐ Hilarious and gut-wrenching all at once.

[Fran Sappharc · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mostly enjoyed this very much. I occasionally got confused with the back and forth timeline. I also found the first kiss jarring. Although very aware this is not a documentary, some bits were a bit much for me, just too far out my experience. I was possibly ready for it to wrap up a bit before it did.

[Christin Messinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling, engrossing, and thought-provoking

This book was a great find. Not my usual genre but I am glad I gave it a try. Smart, witty, and sometimes sexy, make this a book that is hard to put down. Character development has its ups and downs, leaving me loving to hate some. By the end however, it all comes together tying up the personalities in a neat bow. Looking for an interesting, attention grabbing, absorbing read to take you out of your own reality for a bit? Pick up this one, you won't regret it. I would say more, but do not want to give anything away, so buy it and find out for yourself.

[Lyn Denison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Glad I found this gem.

A very entertaining read. We have subjects that could have been simply sad and downbeat and yet we, actually I, romped through the story with some of the most engaging characters you could find anywhere. Cordy was infuriatingly gorgeous and Aubrey was her perfect foil. Heart-wrenching sometimes but amazingly hilarious.

[RWA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read, I really like this author's sense of humour. Look forward to more books and especially so if it's this series

[Shell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book so much that I immediately listened to it a second time. I’ve only ever done this once before since there are way too many books that I want to read but I wanted to experience it again with the knowledge of how everything plays out. It was even more enjoyable the second time around. It was very funny and heartwarming.
I swung wildly from disliking Cordelia to feeling sorry for her and wishing for her growth and happiness. Patient and bossy Aubrey and the other supporting characters were just as well developed and so infinitely likable.
Emily Water’s narration of the audiobook really brought the characters to life and made me want to dive back in a second time. She has easily become one of the audiobook actors who will make me press “buy” on a book that I was previously undecided about.

[Valery · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so so GOOD, I loved every part in it. I would happily die to read more about Aubrey and Cordelia.

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An unexpected treat! Cordelia Wainwright is an actress carrying oh so so so many secrets! As she is forced to reconcile with each, the many layers become exposed.
Funny, heart-warming, satisfying!

[Sylver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is great.