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Bright Lights
Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B01MYY0D8Q.
Thirty-eight-year-old Stella Abbot—comedienne, actress, and connoisseur of drive-thru Mexican food—has finally clawed her way to the top of Hollywood's A-list. But her star burned too bright for the men in her past, and she's sworn off relationships, complications, and above all…actors.
Twenty-three-year-old Seth McKinnon—singer/songwriter/actor, winner of America's favorite talent show, and legit Texas cowboy—is an overnight success struggling not to flame out. His personal life comes with a six-year-old, a gold-digging ex…and a raging crush on his luscious new costar.
She thinks they're too different. He thinks opposites attract. But the world is watching—and judging—their every move. In Hollywood, appearances are more important than reality. And everyone has a hidden agenda. Can the Funny Girl and It Boy combine their star power and live happily ever after?
Or will the bright lights of Tinseltown blind them to what's right in front of them?
Thirty-eight-year-old Stella Abbot—comedienne, actress, and connoisseur of drive-thru Mexican food—has finally clawed her way to the top of Hollywood's A-list. But her star burned too bright for the men in her past, and she's sworn off relationships, complications, and above all…actors.
Twenty-three-year-old Seth McKinnon—singer/songwriter/actor, winner of America's favorite talent show, and legit Texas cowboy—is an overnight success struggling not to flame out. His personal life comes with a six-year-old, a gold-digging ex…and a raging crush on his luscious new costar.
She thinks they're too different. He thinks opposites attract. But the world is watching—and judging—their every move. In Hollywood, appearances are more important than reality. And everyone has a hidden agenda. Can the Funny Girl and It Boy combine their star power and live happily ever after?
Or will the bright lights of Tinseltown blind them to what's right in front of them?
253 pages, ebook
Published April 25, 2017
5 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Ortiz
4 books13 followersJennifer spends her days working a full-time job, running her three kids helter-skelter all over creation, picking up her husband's socks (WHY. ARE. THEY. EVERYWHERE?!), hiding her online purchases from said husband, and plotting ways to meet the boys of Supernatural in person.
In a nut shell, she is a: coffee addict, former nail biter, constant hair color changer, mother/chauffeur/maid/indentured servant, wife, writer.
Not necessarily in that order...oh, who is she kidding? Coffee always comes first.
She's an author of paranormal romance and contemporary romance, although historical or fantasy novels aren't out of the question either. She's got ideas. Maybe someday she'll have the time, too. She is obsessed with Supernatural, Outlander, Grimm, Survivorman, and reality TV competition shows.
She loves the color purple. She believes in boys with big hearts and smart mouths and the girls who love them. Life and love isn't always easy or happy but she still believes in Happy Ever After. Eventually.
In a nut shell, she is a: coffee addict, former nail biter, constant hair color changer, mother/chauffeur/maid/indentured servant, wife, writer.
Not necessarily in that order...oh, who is she kidding? Coffee always comes first.
She's an author of paranormal romance and contemporary romance, although historical or fantasy novels aren't out of the question either. She's got ideas. Maybe someday she'll have the time, too. She is obsessed with Supernatural, Outlander, Grimm, Survivorman, and reality TV competition shows.
She loves the color purple. She believes in boys with big hearts and smart mouths and the girls who love them. Life and love isn't always easy or happy but she still believes in Happy Ever After. Eventually.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
May 26, 2017
To be perfectly honest, I was a little leery of this book when I first picked it up. I mean, the age difference between the main characters is pointed out in the synopsis and I had this whole Demi and Ashton vibe in my head trying to dictate how I should feel about it. But then I started reading and I pretty much fell head over heels for both Seth and Stella the second I did. What I really love about this story, though, is how ridiculously real it is. Just because the characters are celebrities doesn't mean they don't deal with some of the same crap the rest of us do. I loved seeing them work through the horrors of too small shapewear and public faceplants like any normal person would. And I loved watching them fall apart and grow together.
There's so much I want to say about this one, but pretty much all of the things that drew me in and kept me so invested that I cried with their heartbreaks and cheered with their successes would be spoilers. So I'm just gonna say that I am so incredibly impressed with the way that these characters and this story come together. I love how real it is and I love how complicated things get. It's like real life, but way better, really. And it kinda makes me want to engage in really messy food fights.
There's so much I want to say about this one, but pretty much all of the things that drew me in and kept me so invested that I cried with their heartbreaks and cheered with their successes would be spoilers. So I'm just gonna say that I am so incredibly impressed with the way that these characters and this story come together. I love how real it is and I love how complicated things get. It's like real life, but way better, really. And it kinda makes me want to engage in really messy food fights.
October 4, 2017
While reading this story, I wasn't sure whether I wanted Seth to end up with his new (older) girlfriend or his old (younger) one, who was the mother of his child. Both women were rather irritating: Stella in her Hollywood way and Jamie just a royal "witch." But, since Jamie's point of view is not expressed in the story, we hear about her only through the eyes of others, not really knowing what's going on with her actions.
There are parts of the story that felt a little drawn out and some editing/grammatical issues that would normally make me mark this down a bit. But, I enjoyed the story itself. The characters had to work for their relationship to work. It wasn't all fake, and felt like this could actually happen in the Hollywood scene. And, yah, Stella grew on me as the story proceeded, although I didn't really like Jamie after all was said and done.
There are parts of the story that felt a little drawn out and some editing/grammatical issues that would normally make me mark this down a bit. But, I enjoyed the story itself. The characters had to work for their relationship to work. It wasn't all fake, and felt like this could actually happen in the Hollywood scene. And, yah, Stella grew on me as the story proceeded, although I didn't really like Jamie after all was said and done.
August 17, 2017
Fun read
I like the main characters, I like the supporting characters. I liked how each chapter was written from their 2 viewpoints. It was fun.
I like the main characters, I like the supporting characters. I liked how each chapter was written from their 2 viewpoints. It was fun.
January 12, 2018
Didn't Like Stella. At. All.
I really did not like Stella as a character. To the point that she ruined the entire book for me.
(Free copy received in Kindle Scout)
I really did not like Stella as a character. To the point that she ruined the entire book for me.
(Free copy received in Kindle Scout)
March 29, 2017
There were times I wanted to give this book 4 stars but all the little things added up to 5. It was fun and easy to read. The drama wasn't too heavy, but enough to keep things moving. There were times when I was frustrated with a characters decision so I'd set the book down but couldn't leave it for much longer than emptying the dryer because I needed Seth and Stella to get their happily ever after and at times I just couldn't see how they'd get there.
April 6, 2017
Absolutely loved this book, the characters & their stories. It was a fun, quick read and I just did not want to put the book down. Thank you Jennifer Ortiz for a great read!
Merged review:
Absolutely loved this book, the characters & their stories. It was a fun, quick read and I just did not want to put the book down. Thank you Jennifer Ortiz for a great read!
Merged review:
Absolutely loved this book, the characters & their stories. It was a fun, quick read and I just did not want to put the book down. Thank you Jennifer Ortiz for a great read!
April 11, 2017
This was the first book I read by Jennifer Ortiz. I received an early copy of the book through KindleScout. I liked the author's writing style. It was very easy to read and flowed seamless even though the point of view of the story changed from the two main characters, Seth to Stella, quite often. The characters were well developed and moved me to emotion many times. Sad to say, most of the time, it was frustration or disappointment that I was feeling. The story was mostly believable, but not quite, but that is what makes a romance story.
I was drawn to Seth and was hoping for a good outcome for him in the story. I really disliked Stella from the first, and my opinion of her did not change over the course of the book. That is really my personal feelings, and nothing to do with the book. I just do not like the type of personality that she had. I read at the end of the book that she was modeled after Amy Schumer. I had a different actress in mind when I was reading, but yes, I can see that Amy was the model. So in saying that, I did enjoy the story, was hoping Seth had a happy ending, but did not really care if Stella did or not.
If you like the personality of Amy Schumer, then you will probably like the story more than I did. I did enjoy the story, but honestly it was a bit of a struggle for me, especially at the beginning, when I wanted to stop reading about Stella. As the story went on, I was more open to her and saw that a lot of her personality was an act for the public.
I rated the book at 4 stars, since it was well written and was an interesting story. My personal feelings about the type of character was my issue with the story.
I was drawn to Seth and was hoping for a good outcome for him in the story. I really disliked Stella from the first, and my opinion of her did not change over the course of the book. That is really my personal feelings, and nothing to do with the book. I just do not like the type of personality that she had. I read at the end of the book that she was modeled after Amy Schumer. I had a different actress in mind when I was reading, but yes, I can see that Amy was the model. So in saying that, I did enjoy the story, was hoping Seth had a happy ending, but did not really care if Stella did or not.
If you like the personality of Amy Schumer, then you will probably like the story more than I did. I did enjoy the story, but honestly it was a bit of a struggle for me, especially at the beginning, when I wanted to stop reading about Stella. As the story went on, I was more open to her and saw that a lot of her personality was an act for the public.
I rated the book at 4 stars, since it was well written and was an interesting story. My personal feelings about the type of character was my issue with the story.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews