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My Unscripted Life
Working as a summer intern on the set of a movie being filmed in her small Georgia town, seventeen-year-old Dee meets famous pop star turned actor Milo Ritter, who is offending everyone with his rudeness.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 11, 2016
35 people are currently reading
5371 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Morrill
18 books1,049 followersLauren Morrill is the author of spicy adult and sweet YA romance, including Sister of the Bride, Meant to Be (Delacorte) and It’s Kind of a Cheesy Love Story (Farrar, Straus and Giroux). She loves all things romantic comedy and specializes in kissing books. Lauren lives in Knoxville, TN with her husband, Adam Ragusea, and their two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
April 4, 2016
I'm struggling with what to rate this. It might be 2.5 stars. It was cute, but very overdramatic.
Review to come.
Review to come.
May 10, 2018
2.5 stars
I think I've surrendered myself to the fact that I will never not be attracted to a celebrity romance premise. It's turning out to be kind of a curse, because for the life of me, it seems like I just can't find one that's good. Indeed, even My Unscripted Life, written by an author I have loved before, fell short.
This story follows Dee, a high school student who fills up her summer by working as a PA on set of a movie after she got rejected from a precollege fine arts project. There, she meets teen heartthrob Milo Ritter - who she has of course been in love with for years. He's first rude and distant, but he keeps turning up, and... you can probably guess the rest.
I love contemporary romance, but it's so frustrating how predictable they can be. Indeed, My Unscripted Life does nothing new. Honestly. Nothing. It tries to have this small hate-to-love dynamic because Milo is UNDERSTANDABLY not the most welcoming or trusting person on set, and that frustrates Dee, but since she says she has been a fan for years you already know that that frustration is wafer thin. Then there's just so much SENTIMENT, because Dee's the only person Milo can let his mask down around. And then... she starts proclaiming that he's her boyfriend after they have just - one - date.
I'm fed up with young and naive main characters like Dee. She was cute at first, but when she started with the boyfriend stuff, it just got completely exasperating. Her voice is so young, she comes off more as a 15 year old than a rising high school senior. And this is a trend I'm seeing all over Morrill's latest books, which breaks my heart. I absolutely loved Meant to Be , but ever since that killer debut, her books have gotten younger, sillier (not in the good way - in the frustrating way), more naive, more Disney Channel-esque. Little depth, much drama. It makes me think I may just be... done with her books for now. Which absolutely breaks my heart, but this is just not pleasing to me.
On the other hand, if you're looking for a cute, quick read and you don't mind not getting a lot of depth, My Unscripted Life may be just what you need. Indeed, it reads unbelievably quickly, and there are cute scenes. Getting a view of what it's like on a movie set - which I know is authentic because Morrill has been on sets as an extra - is fun, and you could tell those passages really came from her heart. The film industry will always be interesting to me - the dynamics on set, the little known but crucial elements that come into play, and all those people behind the scenes that really make it happen. In that sense, as a quick, cute summer read, this book is quite all right.
Summing Up:
My Unscripted Life sadly wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Indeed, it lacked depth, complex characters, and a little maturity. However, if you like quick, cute reads, maybe this is still a good book for you. I just prefer to read books with characters who aren't so naive to call a dude - an international pop star - her boyfriend after a total of one date.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
Fans of This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith.
*An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
I think I've surrendered myself to the fact that I will never not be attracted to a celebrity romance premise. It's turning out to be kind of a curse, because for the life of me, it seems like I just can't find one that's good. Indeed, even My Unscripted Life, written by an author I have loved before, fell short.
This story follows Dee, a high school student who fills up her summer by working as a PA on set of a movie after she got rejected from a precollege fine arts project. There, she meets teen heartthrob Milo Ritter - who she has of course been in love with for years. He's first rude and distant, but he keeps turning up, and... you can probably guess the rest.
I love contemporary romance, but it's so frustrating how predictable they can be. Indeed, My Unscripted Life does nothing new. Honestly. Nothing. It tries to have this small hate-to-love dynamic because Milo is UNDERSTANDABLY not the most welcoming or trusting person on set, and that frustrates Dee, but since she says she has been a fan for years you already know that that frustration is wafer thin. Then there's just so much SENTIMENT, because Dee's the only person Milo can let his mask down around. And then... she starts proclaiming that he's her boyfriend after they have just - one - date.
I'm fed up with young and naive main characters like Dee. She was cute at first, but when she started with the boyfriend stuff, it just got completely exasperating. Her voice is so young, she comes off more as a 15 year old than a rising high school senior. And this is a trend I'm seeing all over Morrill's latest books, which breaks my heart. I absolutely loved Meant to Be , but ever since that killer debut, her books have gotten younger, sillier (not in the good way - in the frustrating way), more naive, more Disney Channel-esque. Little depth, much drama. It makes me think I may just be... done with her books for now. Which absolutely breaks my heart, but this is just not pleasing to me.
On the other hand, if you're looking for a cute, quick read and you don't mind not getting a lot of depth, My Unscripted Life may be just what you need. Indeed, it reads unbelievably quickly, and there are cute scenes. Getting a view of what it's like on a movie set - which I know is authentic because Morrill has been on sets as an extra - is fun, and you could tell those passages really came from her heart. The film industry will always be interesting to me - the dynamics on set, the little known but crucial elements that come into play, and all those people behind the scenes that really make it happen. In that sense, as a quick, cute summer read, this book is quite all right.
Summing Up:
My Unscripted Life sadly wasn't exactly what I was hoping for. Indeed, it lacked depth, complex characters, and a little maturity. However, if you like quick, cute reads, maybe this is still a good book for you. I just prefer to read books with characters who aren't so naive to call a dude - an international pop star - her boyfriend after a total of one date.
GIF it to me straight!
Recommended To:
Fans of This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith.
*An electronic advance review copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the contents of the review.
October 17, 2016
Mini review:
DNF
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was pretty excited to read this! Unfortunately it was too dramatic for my taste.
Still recommend.
DNF
I received this E-ARC via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was pretty excited to read this! Unfortunately it was too dramatic for my taste.
Still recommend.
August 17, 2018
This was a light and overall entertaining book, nothing serious though.
The story follows Dee, she got rejected by an art school, she is stuck in a small town without having anything to do. Then it turns out that in her small town a movie is being shot and Dee starts working no the set. There she meets Milo, an actor and musician.
The overall plot was a bit too slow and also basically nothing happened. Expect the relationship between Milo and Dee there isn't any other story line.
Milo and Dee's relationship is really underdeveloped. They meet, suddenly start dating and then he moves to her town. Everything moved way too fast.
There was no character development whatsoever and the characters were incredibly cliched.
The story follows Dee, she got rejected by an art school, she is stuck in a small town without having anything to do. Then it turns out that in her small town a movie is being shot and Dee starts working no the set. There she meets Milo, an actor and musician.
The overall plot was a bit too slow and also basically nothing happened. Expect the relationship between Milo and Dee there isn't any other story line.
Milo and Dee's relationship is really underdeveloped. They meet, suddenly start dating and then he moves to her town. Everything moved way too fast.
There was no character development whatsoever and the characters were incredibly cliched.
August 7, 2016
Sometimes, you just want a cute book. This is that book.
July 12, 2016
This is my third book from Lauren Morrill and she sure knows how to deliver an adorable YA romance that just leaves you feeling good when you close the pages. I was so excited when I saw this was about a girl working on a movie set during a summer that she had thought was going to be utterly miserable, but instead ended up being a summer she would never forget.
Dee Wilkie still can't believe she was rejected from a fine arts program she was dreaming of. Feeling inadequate and uninspired, Dee has no idea what she's going to do with her summer as her best friend heads off to her own academic summer plans. Being in the right place at the right time, though, causes Dee to accept a position as an assistant on the set of the movie that's shooting in town. The lead? The gorgeous teen musician and heart throb Milo. Dee starts to find herself fantasizing about a relationship with Milo as she spends more time with the guarded star…
I need to start off this review by saying that this book is a very, very fluffy YA romance. It happens to be summer and I just so happened to have finished a very intense, addicting book and needed something exactly like this one. There was no thinking or anxiety over the characters. I love books that deal with movies, so I had so much fun reading about how Dee was working on set and helping out set up scenes and working with the actors. I rarely get to read a book dealing with the behind the scenes of making a movie and I really loved that aspect of this book.
Going on to the romance, yeah it was a bit predictable, but I still really enjoyed it. Dee's friend kept on telling her that any fantasy of a relationship with Milo was only going to stay a fantasy. I mean, who would ever think a hot teenage rock star would want a normal teenage girl? But Dee soon realized that Milo was just a normal guy and he was guarded due to how people treated him since he was a rock star. He was hurt in his past and that past came back to haunt him on the movie set. It was cute how he learned to trust Dee and how they grew closer together.
In the end, My Unscripted Life was the fun, fluffy YA romance I needed at the moment. With fun characters, a fun movie-set setting, and an adorable romance, you can't go wrong with Lauren Morrill's newest release.
Dee Wilkie still can't believe she was rejected from a fine arts program she was dreaming of. Feeling inadequate and uninspired, Dee has no idea what she's going to do with her summer as her best friend heads off to her own academic summer plans. Being in the right place at the right time, though, causes Dee to accept a position as an assistant on the set of the movie that's shooting in town. The lead? The gorgeous teen musician and heart throb Milo. Dee starts to find herself fantasizing about a relationship with Milo as she spends more time with the guarded star…
I need to start off this review by saying that this book is a very, very fluffy YA romance. It happens to be summer and I just so happened to have finished a very intense, addicting book and needed something exactly like this one. There was no thinking or anxiety over the characters. I love books that deal with movies, so I had so much fun reading about how Dee was working on set and helping out set up scenes and working with the actors. I rarely get to read a book dealing with the behind the scenes of making a movie and I really loved that aspect of this book.
Going on to the romance, yeah it was a bit predictable, but I still really enjoyed it. Dee's friend kept on telling her that any fantasy of a relationship with Milo was only going to stay a fantasy. I mean, who would ever think a hot teenage rock star would want a normal teenage girl? But Dee soon realized that Milo was just a normal guy and he was guarded due to how people treated him since he was a rock star. He was hurt in his past and that past came back to haunt him on the movie set. It was cute how he learned to trust Dee and how they grew closer together.
In the end, My Unscripted Life was the fun, fluffy YA romance I needed at the moment. With fun characters, a fun movie-set setting, and an adorable romance, you can't go wrong with Lauren Morrill's newest release.
March 4, 2020
Full Review on The Candid Cover
My Unscripted Life is all about movie making and more of the backstage action. It is set in a cozy small-town, which I really enjoyed. The main character is an artist and is persistent. I would definitely recommend this to those looking for a quick and fluffy read.
My Unscripted Life is, you guessed it, a book about acting and movie making. In this story, a small-town girl meets her childhood celebrity crush when he comes to town for his new movie. I found there to be many clichés in the book, which some people might be put off by, but it went well with the already perfectly clichéd concept. This is a pretty quick and light read, perfect after reading an intense fantasy.
I loved the small-town setting in My Unscripted Life. I feel like this is the perfect cozy town for a movie to be shot. I especially enjoyed the diner and the fact that all the residents seem to be friends. What I enjoyed even more was the behind-the-scenes of the movie set. In all the acting books I’ve read, the main character has an on-stage role. It was a nice change being shown more of the backstage aspects.
Dee is a very interesting character! She is an artist and gets a job as a PA for the movie in town. She is a very perseverant character and copes well with her boss who gives her strange tasks and criticizes her artwork. I loved how she works behind the scenes and doesn’t really know about the acting world and what she’s allowed to do. Dee is an original character who really added to the novel.
My Unscripted Life is an acting book set in a small-town. I loved the main character and her behind-the-scenes work. I would recommend this to fans of books like The Movie Version and Unscripted Joss Byrd.
My Unscripted Life is all about movie making and more of the backstage action. It is set in a cozy small-town, which I really enjoyed. The main character is an artist and is persistent. I would definitely recommend this to those looking for a quick and fluffy read.
My Unscripted Life is, you guessed it, a book about acting and movie making. In this story, a small-town girl meets her childhood celebrity crush when he comes to town for his new movie. I found there to be many clichés in the book, which some people might be put off by, but it went well with the already perfectly clichéd concept. This is a pretty quick and light read, perfect after reading an intense fantasy.
I loved the small-town setting in My Unscripted Life. I feel like this is the perfect cozy town for a movie to be shot. I especially enjoyed the diner and the fact that all the residents seem to be friends. What I enjoyed even more was the behind-the-scenes of the movie set. In all the acting books I’ve read, the main character has an on-stage role. It was a nice change being shown more of the backstage aspects.
Dee is a very interesting character! She is an artist and gets a job as a PA for the movie in town. She is a very perseverant character and copes well with her boss who gives her strange tasks and criticizes her artwork. I loved how she works behind the scenes and doesn’t really know about the acting world and what she’s allowed to do. Dee is an original character who really added to the novel.
My Unscripted Life is an acting book set in a small-town. I loved the main character and her behind-the-scenes work. I would recommend this to fans of books like The Movie Version and Unscripted Joss Byrd.
April 25, 2017
I read an early early draft of this and I bet you this book is even more fantastic than what I read. Laugh out loud funny, romantic and sweet - Lauren Morrill's MY UNSCRIPTED LIFE is one to put on your want list!
Want to read
December 29, 2013Is it just me or does this kind of sound like This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer E. Smith?
October 20, 2016
3.5 stars...
I can appreciate a deep, meaningful read but sometimes, I love a good no-brainer romance that'll put a smile on my face as I'm reading the last sentence. Anytime you read a synopsis that contains the words "teen star" and "small town girl", you can pretty much guarantee a light, fun story. If you look too hard for plot twists or unique storylines, you might get a brain cramp. Just let go and smile...
And I definitely did smile at the end of My Unscripted Life. Spending one Sunday reading the book in it's entirety, I got lost in the world of movie making and teen crushes.
Dee Wilkie is in desperate need of a summer distraction. Her best friend has just left town for a summer pre-college program that Dee got turned down for. Crushed from the blow to her ego, Dee only wants to sulk in her room all summer but her parents arrange for a job for her at the nearby university. BORING!! But when a GPS brings a Hollywood movie director to your coffee table looking for directions, sometimes your summer plans get a huge improvement. Or a downgrade, as Dee feels right away after briefly meeting the lead actor in the movie she's working on, one Milo Ritter.
Dee has followed Milo's teen singing career since she started liking boys but knows he's dealing with a nasty public breakup at the moment. But that still doesn't give Milo an excuse to be an "ass waffle! A complete and total douche canoe!" But for some reason, Milo keeps showing up at odd places where Dee is. And he turns out to be kind of a nice guy, once you get to the actual person underneath the persona and the crusty exterior.
It's kind of a nice thinking that somewhere, possibly, this story could happen in real life. But honestly, this story is a completely unrealistic, romantic escape into the world of what could happen when the small town girl actually wins the heart of the mega star. How would it work in the end? How could it work? Oh, and by the way, Dee still has her senior year of school to finish.
Just open your mind and let go.
Don't look for the deep, meaningful, existential moral to this story. Think of this as a well-written distraction.
I really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at making a movie and how props are organized for a movie. I also thoroughly appreciated that Dee's parents were normal! Yay for a normal family!!!
Honestly, as a romance written for it's target teen audience, I think Ms. Morrill nailed it. As for me? And I have absolutely no regrets :)
Review appears on
I can appreciate a deep, meaningful read but sometimes, I love a good no-brainer romance that'll put a smile on my face as I'm reading the last sentence. Anytime you read a synopsis that contains the words "teen star" and "small town girl", you can pretty much guarantee a light, fun story. If you look too hard for plot twists or unique storylines, you might get a brain cramp. Just let go and smile...
And I definitely did smile at the end of My Unscripted Life. Spending one Sunday reading the book in it's entirety, I got lost in the world of movie making and teen crushes.
Dee Wilkie is in desperate need of a summer distraction. Her best friend has just left town for a summer pre-college program that Dee got turned down for. Crushed from the blow to her ego, Dee only wants to sulk in her room all summer but her parents arrange for a job for her at the nearby university. BORING!! But when a GPS brings a Hollywood movie director to your coffee table looking for directions, sometimes your summer plans get a huge improvement. Or a downgrade, as Dee feels right away after briefly meeting the lead actor in the movie she's working on, one Milo Ritter.
Dee has followed Milo's teen singing career since she started liking boys but knows he's dealing with a nasty public breakup at the moment. But that still doesn't give Milo an excuse to be an "ass waffle! A complete and total douche canoe!" But for some reason, Milo keeps showing up at odd places where Dee is. And he turns out to be kind of a nice guy, once you get to the actual person underneath the persona and the crusty exterior.
It's kind of a nice thinking that somewhere, possibly, this story could happen in real life. But honestly, this story is a completely unrealistic, romantic escape into the world of what could happen when the small town girl actually wins the heart of the mega star. How would it work in the end? How could it work? Oh, and by the way, Dee still has her senior year of school to finish.
Just open your mind and let go.
Don't look for the deep, meaningful, existential moral to this story. Think of this as a well-written distraction.
I really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at making a movie and how props are organized for a movie. I also thoroughly appreciated that Dee's parents were normal! Yay for a normal family!!!
Honestly, as a romance written for it's target teen audience, I think Ms. Morrill nailed it. As for me? And I have absolutely no regrets :)
Review appears on
November 19, 2016
Though I don’t read them often anymore, I always enjoy a cute and fluffy YA contemporary romance read. I have enjoyed most of Lauren Morrill’s books which is why I didn’t hesitate to pick up My Unscripted Life. However, this turned out to be my least favorite book by the author. I do think part of that is because I don’t always do well with famous people romances, but I was still willing to give it a shot since I like this author’s writing. The character development here was really weak. Neither Dee nor Milo were particularly well fleshed out. In all honesty, I found them to be bland and lackluster. Similarly, their romance lacked that spark that I always look for in my romances. They certainly had their cute moments, but their romance was overall uninspired for me. I did really like the movie set setting. I thought Lauren Morrill did a great job at bringing it to life with all the details. Another thing that I liked, but would have loved to see more of, was Dee’s friendship with Naz, a really cool and supportive girl. Overall though, this isn’t one I’ll be pushing on my friends.
January 8, 2017
I haven't liked any of Morrill's books as much as I liked her debut, Meant to Be, but this one comes the closest to recapturing the feel of that book. It is fun, fluffy, and romantic. There is a good bit of a wish fulfillment fantasy type story. That is not a criticism of the book itself, but that is not my favorite type of romance. I'm sure it will have a lot of appeal for teens, so many of them have this exact fantasy. Not about the same sort of celebrity as every teen is different, but generally the meet your fav famous person and they fall in love you is a definite go to for teen dream making times.
August 9, 2018
My Unscripted Life was an okay read. I didn't enjoy it as much as the previous two books I've read by this author. I think that was partly due to the romance --I just didn't care about either character or their relationship. The writing style was good and I did like the whole movie aspect. All in all, I liked the book.
October 18, 2016
3.5 Stars
DAMN. I really really need that halfstar today! Because this is firmly between good and great.
Now I don't know if I should round up or down...
Aaany WAY.
My Unscripted Life is a perfect example for what I like to call a cute & fluffy. Well written novel with a cute romance, preferably some swooning and a hottie, but mostly very entertaining light hearted reading. Basically just get on and enjoy the ride. Don't think too much. It's kinda like a booky happy place.
I got all that from MUL. So totally what I expected.
It's well written. It's by Morrill, I didn't expect anything else to be honest. There are some beautiful description of Georgia. Interesting and accurate descriptions of film sets. There is some fun humor and cute banter. It made me smile and even laugh. Some awesome scenes to be sure.
I love Dee. She is the archetypical teen girl. You know like all of us. A tad melodramatic ( way too much at times), kinda obsessive, unsure and yet thinks she knows everything only to discover she doesn't. Sometimes insecure, opinionated and generally unique.
Morrill created a fascinating, likeable character. Her struggles and insecurities are relatable. She is interesting and fun. As I said I simply loved her.
The support cast was interesting- but at times fell a bit short. I mean we don't really get to know any of them very well. Though there are many sweet moments, where Dee connects with them and we get a glimpse of them. This is mostly a Dee-train, I guess since it is written from her POV it is kind inevitable but I kinda wanted more about the other characters, especially Milo.
He is cute, he is a hottie I grant you that. But what do I actually know about him? Uhm, frankly not much more than what Dee got off google.
Which is where the story line - while super cute and with a swoony ending- falls short as well. I didn't get where he was coming from. And the changes at the end? I was a bit well, flabbergasted. I mean hello? teenager?! And then I was left with the question of what he will do when she follows her plan?
The big romance, it kinda happened over two dates. And I was left wishing there was more. Because like this it feels too surreal and impossible.
But saying that, I also should mention I only realised that when I sat down to write a review. Basically, totally cute & fluffy. Read, enjoy - swoon- but DON'T think.
There is a side theme however, which is her plans for the future. I absolutely love those parts of the story. Very inspiring!
Fun, cute, enjoyable and well written, even if there are a few questions I was left with, great cute & fluffy.
DAMN. I really really need that halfstar today! Because this is firmly between good and great.
Now I don't know if I should round up or down...
Aaany WAY.
My Unscripted Life is a perfect example for what I like to call a cute & fluffy. Well written novel with a cute romance, preferably some swooning and a hottie, but mostly very entertaining light hearted reading. Basically just get on and enjoy the ride. Don't think too much. It's kinda like a booky happy place.
I got all that from MUL. So totally what I expected.
It's well written. It's by Morrill, I didn't expect anything else to be honest. There are some beautiful description of Georgia. Interesting and accurate descriptions of film sets. There is some fun humor and cute banter. It made me smile and even laugh. Some awesome scenes to be sure.
I love Dee. She is the archetypical teen girl. You know like all of us. A tad melodramatic ( way too much at times), kinda obsessive, unsure and yet thinks she knows everything only to discover she doesn't. Sometimes insecure, opinionated and generally unique.
Morrill created a fascinating, likeable character. Her struggles and insecurities are relatable. She is interesting and fun. As I said I simply loved her.
The support cast was interesting- but at times fell a bit short. I mean we don't really get to know any of them very well. Though there are many sweet moments, where Dee connects with them and we get a glimpse of them. This is mostly a Dee-train, I guess since it is written from her POV it is kind inevitable but I kinda wanted more about the other characters, especially Milo.
He is cute, he is a hottie I grant you that. But what do I actually know about him? Uhm, frankly not much more than what Dee got off google.
Which is where the story line - while super cute and with a swoony ending- falls short as well. I didn't get where he was coming from. And the changes at the end? I was a bit well, flabbergasted. I mean hello? teenager?! And then I was left with the question of what he will do when she follows her plan?
The big romance, it kinda happened over two dates. And I was left wishing there was more. Because like this it feels too surreal and impossible.
But saying that, I also should mention I only realised that when I sat down to write a review. Basically, totally cute & fluffy. Read, enjoy - swoon- but DON'T think.
There is a side theme however, which is her plans for the future. I absolutely love those parts of the story. Very inspiring!
Fun, cute, enjoyable and well written, even if there are a few questions I was left with, great cute & fluffy.
October 20, 2017
Rating: 3.5 Stars
A cute story of girl finding love and herself again after experiencing a crisis of purpose.
•Pro: Super-cute summer romance
•Pro: I really liked getting to know the "real" Milo, and I was glad he found someplace where he could be real.
•Pro: Lots of interesting movie making concepts were shared with us, and I really felt like I was on the set with the characters.
•Con: Jealousy and miscommunication play a role in this story, and I thought Dee needed to tone it down at time.
•Pro: The "crisis of direction" Dee was having was a great aspect of the story. I was really happy with where Morill went with this, and besides, Dee was a great character, who was able to switch gears and use her talent in a different way.
•Pro: I have a thing for small town settings, and Wilder was a pretty nice town to visit.
•Pro: I liked the family interactions. Dee's history geek dad and romance writer mom added some fun to the story, and they were great parents.
•Pro: I am pretty sure we can count what happened near the end as a grand gesture, and I LOVE grand gestures.
•Pro: Thank you very much for the epilogue. It was quite the time jump I would have liked, but it was still good.
But did I mention that there was a grand gesture?
Overall: A cute and fluffy romance, where Dee found love and herself as she found her new direction.
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A cute story of girl finding love and herself again after experiencing a crisis of purpose.
•Pro: Super-cute summer romance
•Pro: I really liked getting to know the "real" Milo, and I was glad he found someplace where he could be real.
•Pro: Lots of interesting movie making concepts were shared with us, and I really felt like I was on the set with the characters.
•Con: Jealousy and miscommunication play a role in this story, and I thought Dee needed to tone it down at time.
•Pro: The "crisis of direction" Dee was having was a great aspect of the story. I was really happy with where Morill went with this, and besides, Dee was a great character, who was able to switch gears and use her talent in a different way.
•Pro: I have a thing for small town settings, and Wilder was a pretty nice town to visit.
•Pro: I liked the family interactions. Dee's history geek dad and romance writer mom added some fun to the story, and they were great parents.
•Pro: I am pretty sure we can count what happened near the end as a grand gesture, and I LOVE grand gestures.
•Pro: Thank you very much for the epilogue. It was quite the time jump I would have liked, but it was still good.
But did I mention that there was a grand gesture?
Overall: A cute and fluffy romance, where Dee found love and herself as she found her new direction.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
August 27, 2018
Meh at best. This was not for me. I am not a big contemporary romance reader at the best of times so that is part of it. I found Dee boring and immature. Milo started as a typical cookie cutter hollywood jerk. He does grow a bit on me. But sadly I could not get into this couple nor anyone else in the book. They story did nothing for me either. I like the small town feel, what little I got from this. The story is all too predictable and was not moving at all for me.
August 10, 2019
I didn't have very high expectations because of the lower rating but was pleasantly surprised. I liked the setting of the movie set and liked our main character (even if I've already forgot her name, cheeez) and her parents/best friend. The romance.. well what to say than that yes it's super unrealistic and I'm not sure if I really like his great gesture in the end.
N.E.W.T.s 2019: Muggle Studies A: Cover that includes an actual photo element.
N.E.W.T.s 2019: Muggle Studies A: Cover that includes an actual photo element.
January 23, 2018
This was cute, and I always love the whole "famous guy seems like an ass but actually isn't and falls in love with regular girl" trope. The characters were cute and I enjoyed the underlying message of enjoying the spontaneity of life. I really loved how much more I learned about the film making industry (hopefully it was accurate)!
March 13, 2018
THIS WAS SO CRINGY AND WAS A RANDOM READ BUT I SOMEWHAT ENJOYED IT!?
Picking this up was literally so random and I just wanted a little break from life to read a cliche book and so I did. I actually enjoyed this despite it being overdramatic and cringy. I wouldn't say it's a good book but I liked it.
Picking this up was literally so random and I just wanted a little break from life to read a cliche book and so I did. I actually enjoyed this despite it being overdramatic and cringy. I wouldn't say it's a good book but I liked it.
August 14, 2018
This was a cute and short book. I can't say that Milo or Dee were amazing people. Then again most famous people aren't. However, I liked them enough to want to see how things went with them.
August 7, 2016
Actual Rating:★★★.5 out of 5
Summary:
This was a cute book about a girl named Dee who gets to be a personal assistant on the set of a movie. She's thrilled when she's offered the job because her best friend is leaving for the summer and she got rejected from her dream art program. She finds out that her middle-school celebrity crush, Milo Ritter. Milo is a famous teenage pop star, and this is first ever movie role. The two
Positives:
My favorite part about this was that you got to see a lot about what it's like on the set of a movie. I feel like with most YA books about celebrities, the MC is a celebrity, and not the person doing the behind the scenes work. This offered an interesting perspective that I really enjoyed reading about.
Negatives:
The romance between Milo and Dee seemed very rushed. I couldn't feel a connection between them, and I wished that the book was more focused on what it's like working on a movie set than on the romance. They never defined their relationship until the end, but they become really jealous when the other was hanging out with someone else. Frankly, it was annoying.
Conclusion:
To describe this book in a few words, I would say cute, dramatic, and fun. It's extremely unrealistic, but it makes for a good fluffly book. I read it in about an hour and half, so it's a very quick read.
Perfect for fans of:
The Secrets of My Hollywood Life series by Jen Calonita. In that book, the main character is a tv star who dates a regular high school boy. My Unscripted Life is the opposite, a Hollywood outsider dating an A-lister.
Read more reviews and bookish posts on my blog Book Wish.
I recieved an advanced copy in exchange for a review. This in no way affected my rating or review of the novel. All quotations are taken from an advanced copy and therefore may not appear in the final publication.
"I may not have a best friend, and my future may still be in question, but I may have just solved the summer-plans problem."
Summary:
This was a cute book about a girl named Dee who gets to be a personal assistant on the set of a movie. She's thrilled when she's offered the job because her best friend is leaving for the summer and she got rejected from her dream art program. She finds out that her middle-school celebrity crush, Milo Ritter. Milo is a famous teenage pop star, and this is first ever movie role. The two
Positives:
My favorite part about this was that you got to see a lot about what it's like on the set of a movie. I feel like with most YA books about celebrities, the MC is a celebrity, and not the person doing the behind the scenes work. This offered an interesting perspective that I really enjoyed reading about.
Negatives:
The romance between Milo and Dee seemed very rushed. I couldn't feel a connection between them, and I wished that the book was more focused on what it's like working on a movie set than on the romance. They never defined their relationship until the end, but they become really jealous when the other was hanging out with someone else. Frankly, it was annoying.
Conclusion:
To describe this book in a few words, I would say cute, dramatic, and fun. It's extremely unrealistic, but it makes for a good fluffly book. I read it in about an hour and half, so it's a very quick read.
Perfect for fans of:
The Secrets of My Hollywood Life series by Jen Calonita. In that book, the main character is a tv star who dates a regular high school boy. My Unscripted Life is the opposite, a Hollywood outsider dating an A-lister.
Read more reviews and bookish posts on my blog Book Wish.
I recieved an advanced copy in exchange for a review. This in no way affected my rating or review of the novel. All quotations are taken from an advanced copy and therefore may not appear in the final publication.
December 20, 2016
Dee was counting on doing a fine arts program during her summer, but the college rejected her. Her best friend did get into the program of her choice and won't be around. Dee has to find another way to make her summer interesting. She finds out a movie is being shot in her hometown and is being asked to work on the set. Her job is to be the assistant of an assistant. Dee doesn't care what she has to do, it's fantastic that she can be there, because her idol Milo Ritter, a famous pop star, will be the male leading actor in the movie. Suddenly her summer looks a lot more promising.
Dee doesn't expect Milo to be rude, but that's exactly what he is and he's moody. She used to adore him, but finds out he's just a guy, who has feelings like everybody else. Her moments with Milo are scarce as he's the most important person of the project and doesn't have much free time, but sometimes he comes by just to talk to her. Dee's stomach flutters every time she sees him, but Milo is famous and has a complicated relationship history. Will Dee have fun during her summer on the set or will she have her heart broken?
Dee is a sweet girl. She's a little insecure, because it feels like she's lost her direction in life, while she was so sure of what she wanted at first. She doesn't let anything destroy her and she keeps going even when she has to cry. I liked that about her personality. She's really sensitive and gets hurt pretty easily, but she can stand her ground if she has to. Milo is aloof and mysterious at first, but when Dee gets to know him he proves to be very nice. As Dee hasn't much time to find out everything about him there are parts of his personality that aren't being written about, which gives him even more of that unreachable pop/movie star allure. He's the star of the movie and is fascinating because of it, but he doesn't outclass Dee, she remains the star of the book. I liked this approach a lot.
My Unscripted Life is a light and fun read. I loved Lauren Morrill's vivid and creative descriptions of the sets. I enjoyed reading about Dee's work, it's versatile and every day there's something new and different going on. If you're looking for a quick and charming read My Unscripted Life would be a good choice, it's a cute and entertaining read.
Dee doesn't expect Milo to be rude, but that's exactly what he is and he's moody. She used to adore him, but finds out he's just a guy, who has feelings like everybody else. Her moments with Milo are scarce as he's the most important person of the project and doesn't have much free time, but sometimes he comes by just to talk to her. Dee's stomach flutters every time she sees him, but Milo is famous and has a complicated relationship history. Will Dee have fun during her summer on the set or will she have her heart broken?
Dee is a sweet girl. She's a little insecure, because it feels like she's lost her direction in life, while she was so sure of what she wanted at first. She doesn't let anything destroy her and she keeps going even when she has to cry. I liked that about her personality. She's really sensitive and gets hurt pretty easily, but she can stand her ground if she has to. Milo is aloof and mysterious at first, but when Dee gets to know him he proves to be very nice. As Dee hasn't much time to find out everything about him there are parts of his personality that aren't being written about, which gives him even more of that unreachable pop/movie star allure. He's the star of the movie and is fascinating because of it, but he doesn't outclass Dee, she remains the star of the book. I liked this approach a lot.
My Unscripted Life is a light and fun read. I loved Lauren Morrill's vivid and creative descriptions of the sets. I enjoyed reading about Dee's work, it's versatile and every day there's something new and different going on. If you're looking for a quick and charming read My Unscripted Life would be a good choice, it's a cute and entertaining read.
June 20, 2016
I can totally relate!! I am wishin' and hopin' and waitin' for this to happen to me and Henry Cavill or Robert Pattinson....whichever comes first! :)
December 9, 2016
Flat, boring, so predictable and not very realistic. This didn't work for me at all.
August 27, 2018
This is the kind of easy-to-read book that is perfect for a day at the pool or beach reading. The romance was cute, though a little too speedy in some aspects. The ending was predictable, but that's usually to be expected in a romance.
May 14, 2017
decently quick read and it was okay in the romance department. plot was pretty interesting but the book itself was average and the characters were average as well.
July 3, 2017
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.
OK. I am a true, and now official, sucker for contemporary romances. GIVE ME ALL THE FLUFF!
This book follows Dee, whose dreams have been thwarted in that her application to the Governor's School for art has been denied. She then gets a PA gig for the filming of a movie that comes to town. It also just so happens to star Milo Ritter, who is referred to mostly in this book by his whole name...just in case we forget his Milo Ritter-ness. I equate him with Justin Timberlake. (I mean...do you remember back in the *NSYNC days when he did that Disney movie "Model Behavior"? Cause I DEFINITELY DO. Yes, I did have to look on IMDB cause I didn't remember the name of said movie. But still.)
If you say you have never had some type of fantasy where you met a movie star/musician/other famous person, and this person fell in swoon-worthy love with you for being your normal self, I would call you a dirty, dirty liar. Just be honest. We have all had this fantasy before. This book definitely delivers that dream. A beautiful, possibly damaged, overly exposed actor falls for a cute, very normal girl.
Obviously, as with any book, this does have it's rough patches.
1. There wasn't enough star crossed lovers drama IMO. Give me some arguing drama. Fights! Intrigue! Sparks! Not enough.
2. Towards the end of the book, Dee states that she doesn't know what is going to happen after filming wraps...and she doesn't even have Milo's number. OKAY. HOW? How though? They spend most of the summer together. HOW ON EARTH DO THEY NOT EXCHANGE NUMBERS?
3. When they meet, Milo is a bit of a troubled jerk and Dee is an overly sensitive artiste. There is no reason for why she gets so angry at him. Maybe because he wasn't as perfect as she thought he should be? I dunno. It bugged me. Moving on.
4. The ex. Oh the ex. Lydia Kane. Whom I couldn't help but picture Bella Thorne as playing her if they ever made a movie. At first, it appears that we are going to get a typical "girl wasn't good enough for boy because she really was a bad person but he loved her anyways" type of ex. Then it turned into "girl turns out to have a heart and she was an alright person all along but was vilified because that is what we are supposed to think in rooting for the heroine." I don't know. It felt like a bait and switch. Dee's irritation with her is understandable, but she goes from thinking "Oh-my-god-this-girl-is-the-worst-person-alive-and-why-is-she-here" to "she-really-is-amazing-and-only-from-one-good-conversation." Maybe I want more books where the girls get along? Even if they are ex-gf and current gf.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read. It was a cute book. It's released on October 11. Do yourself a favor and pick it up!
OK. I am a true, and now official, sucker for contemporary romances. GIVE ME ALL THE FLUFF!
This book follows Dee, whose dreams have been thwarted in that her application to the Governor's School for art has been denied. She then gets a PA gig for the filming of a movie that comes to town. It also just so happens to star Milo Ritter, who is referred to mostly in this book by his whole name...just in case we forget his Milo Ritter-ness. I equate him with Justin Timberlake. (I mean...do you remember back in the *NSYNC days when he did that Disney movie "Model Behavior"? Cause I DEFINITELY DO. Yes, I did have to look on IMDB cause I didn't remember the name of said movie. But still.)
If you say you have never had some type of fantasy where you met a movie star/musician/other famous person, and this person fell in swoon-worthy love with you for being your normal self, I would call you a dirty, dirty liar. Just be honest. We have all had this fantasy before. This book definitely delivers that dream. A beautiful, possibly damaged, overly exposed actor falls for a cute, very normal girl.
Obviously, as with any book, this does have it's rough patches.
1. There wasn't enough star crossed lovers drama IMO. Give me some arguing drama. Fights! Intrigue! Sparks! Not enough.
2. Towards the end of the book, Dee states that she doesn't know what is going to happen after filming wraps...and she doesn't even have Milo's number. OKAY. HOW? How though? They spend most of the summer together. HOW ON EARTH DO THEY NOT EXCHANGE NUMBERS?
3. When they meet, Milo is a bit of a troubled jerk and Dee is an overly sensitive artiste. There is no reason for why she gets so angry at him. Maybe because he wasn't as perfect as she thought he should be? I dunno. It bugged me. Moving on.
4. The ex. Oh the ex. Lydia Kane. Whom I couldn't help but picture Bella Thorne as playing her if they ever made a movie. At first, it appears that we are going to get a typical "girl wasn't good enough for boy because she really was a bad person but he loved her anyways" type of ex. Then it turned into "girl turns out to have a heart and she was an alright person all along but was vilified because that is what we are supposed to think in rooting for the heroine." I don't know. It felt like a bait and switch. Dee's irritation with her is understandable, but she goes from thinking "Oh-my-god-this-girl-is-the-worst-person-alive-and-why-is-she-here" to "she-really-is-amazing-and-only-from-one-good-conversation." Maybe I want more books where the girls get along? Even if they are ex-gf and current gf.
All in all, I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read. It was a cute book. It's released on October 11. Do yourself a favor and pick it up!
September 30, 2016
My Unscripted Life was a fluffy and fun read. I blew through this book in one sitting! However, I definitely thought those book was a tad overdramatic and unrealistic.
The main character, Dee, was a passionate and responsible girl. I admired that a lot about her, but I felt like she was a bit delusional and dramatic when it came to her romance with Milo. Dee seemed to think her and Milo were dating instantly, which made me want to roll my eyes. I just wish Dee would have taken a step back and slowed her roll a bit. I also would have liked to see her interact with Naz more. Naz and Dee had a great friendship that was hilarious and very sweet! Naz was there to give Dee some much needed reality checks, which I appreciated. I would love to read another book that focuses more on their friendship.
The male lead, Milo, was a typical "bad boy". Milo was a jerk at first and I really didn't like him. I was worried that I would never like him as a romantic interest for Dee. Thankfully, he did change throughout the book and he said/did some really sweet things. I would have liked to see a little more development of his character, but I was still happy with the development that he did have. He ended up being a great character by the end of the book!
The romance was cute and sugary sweet, but I did think it was rushed. I felt like Dee and Milo didn't have much time to form a real connection. I didn't really believe the relationship or their chemistry. I think their romance would have worked so much better if it was slower paced. Their relationship was a bit immature because it had so much drama and jealousy mixed in it. Honestly, it almost gave me a headache. However, I will admit that some of their romantic moments did put a smile on my face and make me swoon! Even if it was unbelievable, it still had cute moments.
The best part of this book was the movie making aspect. Lauren put a lot of detail into what it is like to be on a movie set, and it was so interesting! I really enjoyed learning about what goes into making a movie and what happens behind the scenes.
I think if I was in middle school or high school, this would have been the perfect book for me! I think my tastes are a little older than this book, but it was still a fun story. It was quick read that I would recommend to a younger audience who wants to read a romantic book!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for a honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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The main character, Dee, was a passionate and responsible girl. I admired that a lot about her, but I felt like she was a bit delusional and dramatic when it came to her romance with Milo. Dee seemed to think her and Milo were dating instantly, which made me want to roll my eyes. I just wish Dee would have taken a step back and slowed her roll a bit. I also would have liked to see her interact with Naz more. Naz and Dee had a great friendship that was hilarious and very sweet! Naz was there to give Dee some much needed reality checks, which I appreciated. I would love to read another book that focuses more on their friendship.
The male lead, Milo, was a typical "bad boy". Milo was a jerk at first and I really didn't like him. I was worried that I would never like him as a romantic interest for Dee. Thankfully, he did change throughout the book and he said/did some really sweet things. I would have liked to see a little more development of his character, but I was still happy with the development that he did have. He ended up being a great character by the end of the book!
The romance was cute and sugary sweet, but I did think it was rushed. I felt like Dee and Milo didn't have much time to form a real connection. I didn't really believe the relationship or their chemistry. I think their romance would have worked so much better if it was slower paced. Their relationship was a bit immature because it had so much drama and jealousy mixed in it. Honestly, it almost gave me a headache. However, I will admit that some of their romantic moments did put a smile on my face and make me swoon! Even if it was unbelievable, it still had cute moments.
The best part of this book was the movie making aspect. Lauren put a lot of detail into what it is like to be on a movie set, and it was so interesting! I really enjoyed learning about what goes into making a movie and what happens behind the scenes.
I think if I was in middle school or high school, this would have been the perfect book for me! I think my tastes are a little older than this book, but it was still a fun story. It was quick read that I would recommend to a younger audience who wants to read a romantic book!
3 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for a honest review. *
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
September 12, 2016
Actual rating: 3.5 stars
I read this book at the right time, and that made all the difference in my enjoyment of the novel. This is the first book in ages that I finished in just a few hours, and I'm amazed that I still can do that, actually. This one is a short, light and not-so-fluffy read, but it provided the break that I so badly needed from the heavy and/or fantasy books that I have been reading in the past few weeks. Sometimes it's nice to just sit back and read a YA romance novel, even though it's full of predictable cliches.
My Unscripted Life is about a girl who was hired to be a PA for the art director in a film, and as with all cliches, she falls in love with the main actor who seemed closed off and rude at first. And to make things more fun, the lead actress is the actor's ex-girlfriend. Also, the actors are only there for a short while to film. As I said, it's all extremely cliche, but if you love cliches as much as I do, then I doubt you'll have any problems enjoying this one. Also, if you just need a simple story to relax, this is a perfect book for you. If you're looking for a book with the meaning of life, however, then steer clear of this one.
I know without a doubt that if I had read this book 2-3 years ago, this book would have made me swoon a thousand times, and I would have loved it. However, I grew a little bit older and my tastes have changed. But while I didn't love this one, I still enjoyed it nonetheless. It has a simple story that will take you away for a short while, and maybe make your heart race faster a couple of times. It's a relaxing short read, and it was the perfect book for me when I read it.
There's not much to say about this book, really. I just really enjoyed how quick it was to read, and how simple the story was that I didn't have to think, just let it take me away.
I read this book at the right time, and that made all the difference in my enjoyment of the novel. This is the first book in ages that I finished in just a few hours, and I'm amazed that I still can do that, actually. This one is a short, light and not-so-fluffy read, but it provided the break that I so badly needed from the heavy and/or fantasy books that I have been reading in the past few weeks. Sometimes it's nice to just sit back and read a YA romance novel, even though it's full of predictable cliches.
My Unscripted Life is about a girl who was hired to be a PA for the art director in a film, and as with all cliches, she falls in love with the main actor who seemed closed off and rude at first. And to make things more fun, the lead actress is the actor's ex-girlfriend. Also, the actors are only there for a short while to film. As I said, it's all extremely cliche, but if you love cliches as much as I do, then I doubt you'll have any problems enjoying this one. Also, if you just need a simple story to relax, this is a perfect book for you. If you're looking for a book with the meaning of life, however, then steer clear of this one.
I know without a doubt that if I had read this book 2-3 years ago, this book would have made me swoon a thousand times, and I would have loved it. However, I grew a little bit older and my tastes have changed. But while I didn't love this one, I still enjoyed it nonetheless. It has a simple story that will take you away for a short while, and maybe make your heart race faster a couple of times. It's a relaxing short read, and it was the perfect book for me when I read it.
There's not much to say about this book, really. I just really enjoyed how quick it was to read, and how simple the story was that I didn't have to think, just let it take me away.
October 27, 2016
2.5 stars
A light read. It was pretty vanilla.
I’ve read all of Lauren Morrill’s work thus far and have always found some latent Shakespearean theme that I have come to both appreciate and enjoy analyzing. (See my review of The Trouble with Destiny for more detail.) One of the great things about her works is that while the story lines are straightforward and her writing is clean and easy, their cleverness resides in her consistency in refashioning themes of Shakespearean comedies. Unfortunately, this book has not followed suit.
This is largely a character driven book. It’s a very bland boy-meets-girl story, and I get that the author was trying to add flavoring by setting it against a movie set, where the boy is a celebrity/teen heartthrob and the girl is a small-town, artistic teen, but it just wasn’t that stimulating. It’s missing that X factor that generally comes with the best contemporary YA romances; I was rather disappointed, but I still look forward to her next novel. Hopefully it will recapture the underlying depth and emotion of her previous books.
A light read. It was pretty vanilla.
I’ve read all of Lauren Morrill’s work thus far and have always found some latent Shakespearean theme that I have come to both appreciate and enjoy analyzing. (See my review of The Trouble with Destiny for more detail.) One of the great things about her works is that while the story lines are straightforward and her writing is clean and easy, their cleverness resides in her consistency in refashioning themes of Shakespearean comedies. Unfortunately, this book has not followed suit.
This is largely a character driven book. It’s a very bland boy-meets-girl story, and I get that the author was trying to add flavoring by setting it against a movie set, where the boy is a celebrity/teen heartthrob and the girl is a small-town, artistic teen, but it just wasn’t that stimulating. It’s missing that X factor that generally comes with the best contemporary YA romances; I was rather disappointed, but I still look forward to her next novel. Hopefully it will recapture the underlying depth and emotion of her previous books.
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