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Production Values: A Monkey & Me Novel
La La Land meets Fangirl in this morality play about the entertainment industry.
29-year-old artistic prodigy Kat Porter has golden statues on her career horizon until she jolts her TV production company by hiring megastar (and mega-womanizer) Ian Graham. The resulting chaos exposes deep fault lines in the relationship with her pragmatic business partner and best friend, Bea Douglas...When art and business collide, can friendship survive?
29-year-old artistic prodigy Kat Porter has golden statues on her career horizon until she jolts her TV production company by hiring megastar (and mega-womanizer) Ian Graham. The resulting chaos exposes deep fault lines in the relationship with her pragmatic business partner and best friend, Bea Douglas...When art and business collide, can friendship survive?
304 pages, Paperback
Published May 3, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 24, 2018
4☆ A Warm and Humorous Read.
Production Values, is a warm and funny read about the power of friendship, business and the glitz of Hollywood.
Would you mix business with pleasure?
That's exactly what Kat and Bea did.
Best friends Kat and Bea have a thriving production business together.
However in walks Ian. Ian leads Kat astray as she abandons the company leaving Bea to pick up the pieces.
But can their friendship truly survive mixing business and pleasure?
I really enjoyed the relationship between Kat and Bea, it was refreshing to see their ups and downs, their goals and dreams.
Both are ambitious kick ass strong women.
Production Values is a witty, fresh, fun read, the writing style was engaging and entertaining and captures the spirit of friendship.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
Production Values, is a warm and funny read about the power of friendship, business and the glitz of Hollywood.
Would you mix business with pleasure?
That's exactly what Kat and Bea did.
Best friends Kat and Bea have a thriving production business together.
However in walks Ian. Ian leads Kat astray as she abandons the company leaving Bea to pick up the pieces.
But can their friendship truly survive mixing business and pleasure?
I really enjoyed the relationship between Kat and Bea, it was refreshing to see their ups and downs, their goals and dreams.
Both are ambitious kick ass strong women.
Production Values is a witty, fresh, fun read, the writing style was engaging and entertaining and captures the spirit of friendship.
Thank you to Rachel Random Resources for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website:
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2018/0...
May 22, 2018
Intriguing, scandalous, and emotive!
Production Values is a compelling, character-driven story that takes us into the lives of Kat and Bea as they navigate all the complexities, drama, ups-and-downs and emotions of being best friends, as well as business partners.
The writing style is genuine and witty. The characters are quirky, ambitious, independent, and likable. And the engaging plot told from dual perspectives is a journey filled with hopes, dreams, goals, heartbreak, infidelity, family, romance, success, failure, and all the chaos and mayhem involved in tv and movie making.
Overall, Production Values is an enjoyable, entertaining, pensive read that did an exceptional job of delving into the dynamics of relationships, both old and new, and reminding us just how crazy and fickle fame and fortune can truly be.
Thank you to Liv Bartlet for providing me with a copy in an exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Production Values is a compelling, character-driven story that takes us into the lives of Kat and Bea as they navigate all the complexities, drama, ups-and-downs and emotions of being best friends, as well as business partners.
The writing style is genuine and witty. The characters are quirky, ambitious, independent, and likable. And the engaging plot told from dual perspectives is a journey filled with hopes, dreams, goals, heartbreak, infidelity, family, romance, success, failure, and all the chaos and mayhem involved in tv and movie making.
Overall, Production Values is an enjoyable, entertaining, pensive read that did an exceptional job of delving into the dynamics of relationships, both old and new, and reminding us just how crazy and fickle fame and fortune can truly be.
Thank you to Liv Bartlet for providing me with a copy in an exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
June 6, 2018
I love reading books having to do with the television/movie business. I just find it very interesting to see the behind the scenes workings. Everyone has different sides to them and this was definitely a character driven story, with a fun plot. The fact that it took place in the whole Hollywood setting made it that much more interesting to me.
I couldn’t imagine working super closely with my best friend, all the laughing, getting on each other’s nerves and all the other things that would go along with it. I loved reading about Kat and Bea’s relationship dramas, throughout their process. I’m a huge fan of multiple points of views, and it definitely helped roll out this story. It was fun seeing the drama unfold and how all the characters handle themselves.
I can see myself re-reading this one on the beach because it really was a light and funny story. There were a few adult scenes, but nothing that made me uncomfortable in any way. I thought the characters were very relatable, and that made it more of a real story for me. There was great flow to the story and I really enjoyed it as a whole.
I couldn’t imagine working super closely with my best friend, all the laughing, getting on each other’s nerves and all the other things that would go along with it. I loved reading about Kat and Bea’s relationship dramas, throughout their process. I’m a huge fan of multiple points of views, and it definitely helped roll out this story. It was fun seeing the drama unfold and how all the characters handle themselves.
I can see myself re-reading this one on the beach because it really was a light and funny story. There were a few adult scenes, but nothing that made me uncomfortable in any way. I thought the characters were very relatable, and that made it more of a real story for me. There was great flow to the story and I really enjoyed it as a whole.
May 2, 2018
Bea and Kat run a production company making TV shows. They are friends, mostly, but have different ideas which can be a good thing- or not. One is a realist, the other wanting perfection. They have signed up a big name much to Kat’s angst to try and bring in the ratings in “21 things”. Things don’t always go to plan and of course there is everything from flirting to battles and more behind the scenes, the chaos and la-la land that is Hollywood. I think you would enjoy this if you are into am-dram or film perhaps. For me it lacked a little something in that I couldn’t really see where it was going other than towards a new show or trying to get an award. Maybe that was it. That said it is well written and there are depths of character that I am sure book clubs would find engaging. A story of two strong characters each in their own way.
For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1
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For more reviews please see my blog http://nickibookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
or follow me on Twitter @nickijmurphy1
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August 16, 2017
Never mix business and pleasure. It’s a phrase we’ve all heard, and there’s a reason for this. The consequences can be disastrous.
This is the premise of Liv Bartlet’s debut women’s fiction novel, Production Values. This edgy, contemporary, sometimes cut-throat story takes the reader on an emotional ride through the throes of best friends, Kat Porter and Bea Douglas, in Hollywood and the film industry beyond. Kat and Bea are as different as night and day — the dreaming artist versus the level-headed realist — but their friendship and their partnership as Monkey & Me in the business of making TV shows thrives because of their contrasts.
I couldn’t help but be drawn in from page one to Kat’s desire for her dream to come true — for her vision to become reality. She’s an art prodigy. She’s ambitious. And she’s also a hopeless romantic.
Everything seems to be working well for Kat and Bea with their highly-rated BBC show, 21 Things. Kat pushes the limits of the show by hiring heart-throb and heart-breaker Ian Graham, the GQ-esque actor from Scotland with the sex body and voice. Having a star like Ian on the show is sure to give the story-line that extra oomph to get a Golden Globe.
Bea is skeptical. She has dreams of her own of stepping down from the world of producing shows and becoming a nurse and mother. She comes from a family-oriented background that values close bonds, but she is ever-supportive of Kat’s dreams and goes the extra mile to make those dreams come to fruition.
But Bea sees Ian as a problem, a distraction.
But then golden statues become a reality for the whole team behind 21 Things, and it’s off to Hollywood from London. With a Golden Globe under her belt, Kat is flying high. She runs off with Ian while flying over Cloud Nine, leaving Bea to keep the rest of the team together.
From there, Kat’s dreams grow. More ideas for more shows means stretching herself too thin, and she relies on Bea even more to pick up the slack. With growing reluctance, Bea does so.
But Kat’s dream-bubble pops. Ian and her next show aren’t in the limelight, but Bea’s hard work is paying off. The women struggle to keep their friendship afloat as Kat continues to chase a dream (and Ian), and Bea keeps wondering when she’s going to get off the bus that’s taking her to the wrong destination.
Can their friendship survive the sometimes brutal business of making shows? Can they overcome their differences to each find their true happiness? Or will a guy or a movie come between them, irreversibly damaging the Monkey & Me partnership?
The story keeps the reader pulled in, needing to know the answers, from page one. The writing is poetry in the form of prose, metaphorical and entertaining at the same time. The characters step off the page with their witty, cutting, cunning, and lovely dialogue. Liv Bartlet doesn’t disappoint.
Liv Bartlet clearly did her research on the inner-workings of the film industry. The story is clear-cut and renders writing that would appear beautiful on screen.
At the core of this amazing novel is the struggle we all must face — head versus heart. We live in a world of relationships and choices — often decisions that aren’t easy to make without hurting someone.
I highly recommend this novel and applaud Liv Bartlet for delivering such an action-packed, punch-in-the-gut, heart-twisting story.
This is the premise of Liv Bartlet’s debut women’s fiction novel, Production Values. This edgy, contemporary, sometimes cut-throat story takes the reader on an emotional ride through the throes of best friends, Kat Porter and Bea Douglas, in Hollywood and the film industry beyond. Kat and Bea are as different as night and day — the dreaming artist versus the level-headed realist — but their friendship and their partnership as Monkey & Me in the business of making TV shows thrives because of their contrasts.
I couldn’t help but be drawn in from page one to Kat’s desire for her dream to come true — for her vision to become reality. She’s an art prodigy. She’s ambitious. And she’s also a hopeless romantic.
Everything seems to be working well for Kat and Bea with their highly-rated BBC show, 21 Things. Kat pushes the limits of the show by hiring heart-throb and heart-breaker Ian Graham, the GQ-esque actor from Scotland with the sex body and voice. Having a star like Ian on the show is sure to give the story-line that extra oomph to get a Golden Globe.
Bea is skeptical. She has dreams of her own of stepping down from the world of producing shows and becoming a nurse and mother. She comes from a family-oriented background that values close bonds, but she is ever-supportive of Kat’s dreams and goes the extra mile to make those dreams come to fruition.
But Bea sees Ian as a problem, a distraction.
But then golden statues become a reality for the whole team behind 21 Things, and it’s off to Hollywood from London. With a Golden Globe under her belt, Kat is flying high. She runs off with Ian while flying over Cloud Nine, leaving Bea to keep the rest of the team together.
From there, Kat’s dreams grow. More ideas for more shows means stretching herself too thin, and she relies on Bea even more to pick up the slack. With growing reluctance, Bea does so.
But Kat’s dream-bubble pops. Ian and her next show aren’t in the limelight, but Bea’s hard work is paying off. The women struggle to keep their friendship afloat as Kat continues to chase a dream (and Ian), and Bea keeps wondering when she’s going to get off the bus that’s taking her to the wrong destination.
Can their friendship survive the sometimes brutal business of making shows? Can they overcome their differences to each find their true happiness? Or will a guy or a movie come between them, irreversibly damaging the Monkey & Me partnership?
The story keeps the reader pulled in, needing to know the answers, from page one. The writing is poetry in the form of prose, metaphorical and entertaining at the same time. The characters step off the page with their witty, cutting, cunning, and lovely dialogue. Liv Bartlet doesn’t disappoint.
Liv Bartlet clearly did her research on the inner-workings of the film industry. The story is clear-cut and renders writing that would appear beautiful on screen.
At the core of this amazing novel is the struggle we all must face — head versus heart. We live in a world of relationships and choices — often decisions that aren’t easy to make without hurting someone.
I highly recommend this novel and applaud Liv Bartlet for delivering such an action-packed, punch-in-the-gut, heart-twisting story.
May 30, 2017
I loved this book. I thought the alternating person format was well done and intriguing. Anyone who has had a best friend will enjoy the interactions between Kat and Bea. I wish there was more of Bea and Eddie. I liked this relationship and hope there's another book that says more about them.
This is a perfect summer read. It was a smooth read and I read it quickly, partly due to the fact that I hated to put it down. I couldn't wait to see what happened at the end and cried when I got there. If you love girlfriends and Hollywood, this is your book.
This is a perfect summer read. It was a smooth read and I read it quickly, partly due to the fact that I hated to put it down. I couldn't wait to see what happened at the end and cried when I got there. If you love girlfriends and Hollywood, this is your book.
May 19, 2017
Ok. So women's fiction isn't normally my thing but I love stuff about Hollywood and gossip and my wife wanted me to read this one to discuss. Man. What a ride. Lots of lines made me laugh out loud. Others made me want to yell. My wife was right. Lots to talk about. We're still talking about the twist at the end. Can't decide how I feel. Would've liked to see more story between Bea and her guy. Sad loss there.
February 25, 2018
The roller coaster of life with best friends through the creativity and business of making a TV show, movies, awards and the ever present struggles of love. A very engaging read that is more than a romance.
May 24, 2018
*I received a free ARC of this book via Rachel’s Random Resources blog tour. The decision to review and my opinions are my own.*
Production Values starts off as an effervescent double-romance/comedy, with a fun insight into the frenetic world of television production and two mismatched female friends with high-powered careers searching for a bit of romantic excitement with the promise of a tender longer-term.
It doesn’t take long for the storyline and characters to become something deeper and more emotionally involved, as it becomes clear that few of the characters, main and side, are happy with their chosen path or partners. Substance abuse and casual flings abound as flawed, insecure people are placed in front of cameras and told to smile through their self-doubts.
Unusually, although this does technically involve romantic entanglements for both Kat and Bea, the real focus of the story is not about them finding love at all: it is about the love they already have… for each other. Just like a romance novel, their friendship is tested via external forces such as work pressures and backstabbing, but also (as the title suggests) by the intrinsic differences in their values.
We get to follow the story from both points of view, Bea and Kat alternating, so the reader cannot easily dismiss either character as being ‘wrong’. Instead it is clear that these are fundamentally very different women, with different upbringings, and virtually polar-opposite moral compasses, who have somehow managed to forge a strong relationship (and working partnership) despite all of the above. The novel forms an in-depth examination of the sticking-power of opposites, and the results are complicated, saddening and admirable.
If you are looking for a story about women with successful careers, about female friendship, with some romance, laughter, tears, and a lot of thought, then this one is for you.
Someday, they’ll choke on regret while I fill my shelves with golden statues – Emmys, BAFTAs, Globes.
Oscars.
Because I am a genius.
An evil genius, with an equally evil plan. I’ve decided to hire megastar Ian Graham as our major guest star this year so that I can ride into the production hall of fame on his very famous arse.
The only thing standing between me and über-success is Bea, my own best friend and business partner, an irony I can’t quite grasp.
– Liv Bartlet, Production Values
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
Production Values starts off as an effervescent double-romance/comedy, with a fun insight into the frenetic world of television production and two mismatched female friends with high-powered careers searching for a bit of romantic excitement with the promise of a tender longer-term.
It doesn’t take long for the storyline and characters to become something deeper and more emotionally involved, as it becomes clear that few of the characters, main and side, are happy with their chosen path or partners. Substance abuse and casual flings abound as flawed, insecure people are placed in front of cameras and told to smile through their self-doubts.
Unusually, although this does technically involve romantic entanglements for both Kat and Bea, the real focus of the story is not about them finding love at all: it is about the love they already have… for each other. Just like a romance novel, their friendship is tested via external forces such as work pressures and backstabbing, but also (as the title suggests) by the intrinsic differences in their values.
We get to follow the story from both points of view, Bea and Kat alternating, so the reader cannot easily dismiss either character as being ‘wrong’. Instead it is clear that these are fundamentally very different women, with different upbringings, and virtually polar-opposite moral compasses, who have somehow managed to forge a strong relationship (and working partnership) despite all of the above. The novel forms an in-depth examination of the sticking-power of opposites, and the results are complicated, saddening and admirable.
If you are looking for a story about women with successful careers, about female friendship, with some romance, laughter, tears, and a lot of thought, then this one is for you.
Someday, they’ll choke on regret while I fill my shelves with golden statues – Emmys, BAFTAs, Globes.
Oscars.
Because I am a genius.
An evil genius, with an equally evil plan. I’ve decided to hire megastar Ian Graham as our major guest star this year so that I can ride into the production hall of fame on his very famous arse.
The only thing standing between me and über-success is Bea, my own best friend and business partner, an irony I can’t quite grasp.
– Liv Bartlet, Production Values
Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog
https://bookshineandreadbows.wordpres...
May 25, 2018
https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...
This was a really easy and fun read but there were also times when I was reading the book that I thought about my own personal relationships too.
I read it in a few hours and was immersed in the story. I loved the characters and the plot was great but for me, it was the setting that brought everything together. I love the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and it really did feel at times that the author was letting us take a sneak peak in to the secret lives of her characters and I think that gave the story an added edge and bumped it up in my ratings.
This book is so much more than just a love story/romance – 4 stars from me for this one – a very enjoyable read!!
This was a really easy and fun read but there were also times when I was reading the book that I thought about my own personal relationships too.
I read it in a few hours and was immersed in the story. I loved the characters and the plot was great but for me, it was the setting that brought everything together. I love the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and it really did feel at times that the author was letting us take a sneak peak in to the secret lives of her characters and I think that gave the story an added edge and bumped it up in my ratings.
This book is so much more than just a love story/romance – 4 stars from me for this one – a very enjoyable read!!
Read
May 3, 2019DNF. I am so disappointed as I have been wanting to read this for ages but I just couldn't engage with any of the characters and was so underwhelmed by it all so finally concluded life is too short
April 2, 2018
The author(s) weave a story of a powerful friendship between two young women set in the fantasy land that is Hollywood and the TV/film production industry. They spin a tale where the two female leads' relationship is more true than any of their love relationships. I enjoyed their ups and downs as they tried to make a go of it in this plastic world. I found it heartening that in the end their maternal instincts combined to help a pre-teen who needed them as much as they needed each other. This book has many layers, which is integral to its success. The discussion questions at the end are perfect for readers in book clubs. I personally would suggest a list of characters at the beginning of the book in future editions, because there are many characters and I forgot who some of the minor characters were when they showed up later, but that might be just me. I love books with strong female characters, and this definitely fits the bill. It left me wondering who really was the monkey and who really was me, as I examined the friendships in my own life. Well done!
April 1, 2018
Bea and Kat are friends - really, they are! It's just that they manage to get on each other's nerves quite a bit, which is pretty normal, except for the fact they work together. Their reactions to each other's actions are too funny, and there are moments of pure comedy genius when they rant about the other's failures. Cue Ian Graham, whose arrival - unwanted by Bea - only makes matters worse.
This is a funny read, with an insightful take on the inner goings-on in the TV production world and the trappings of the much-desired - by Kat - Hollywood glory. Can their friendship survive? Is a dream life possible for them both?
A thought-provoking story, where dreams are made and shattered, and personal relationships are put through the wringer.
This is a funny read, with an insightful take on the inner goings-on in the TV production world and the trappings of the much-desired - by Kat - Hollywood glory. Can their friendship survive? Is a dream life possible for them both?
A thought-provoking story, where dreams are made and shattered, and personal relationships are put through the wringer.
September 27, 2018
Production Values in set in the cut throat world of showbiz, and the story focuses on two partners Kat and Bea, who have stood by each other through all the highs and lows of the production business.
They have completely different backgrounds, but have somehow forged a brilliant friendship, unfortunately all that is soon tested.
The setting for me was very interesting and informative, I really hated self centred Kat and even when told from her point of view, I never warmed to her, but oh I loved Bea, she was such a strong, true character with a huge heart.
The plot itself was medium paced and flowed easily, with good descriptions and language, and enough “Oh gosh” moments to keep me reading.
Overall this book is a good, solid novel.
They have completely different backgrounds, but have somehow forged a brilliant friendship, unfortunately all that is soon tested.
The setting for me was very interesting and informative, I really hated self centred Kat and even when told from her point of view, I never warmed to her, but oh I loved Bea, she was such a strong, true character with a huge heart.
The plot itself was medium paced and flowed easily, with good descriptions and language, and enough “Oh gosh” moments to keep me reading.
Overall this book is a good, solid novel.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews