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After The Glitter Fades
Siena Armetta. Film star, Hollywood icon, tabloid darling. To her fans and the media, she appears to be living a dream life. But things aren't always as they seem. The price she pays to maintain her fame is to deny who she is. Siena's number one rule in life - self-preservation at all costs. Admitting the truth could be a career killer.
Enter Julia Westbrooke...
Julia is soaring to new heights as a nationwide entertainment news anchor. Since coming out, she has been presented with countless opportunities - most recently, entry into a new circle of friends who are among the Hollywood elite - a circle in which Siena Armetta plays a starring role.
Unwillingly thrown together, Siena and Julia fight their growing attraction. Will Siena risk it all for Hollywood's most prominent media personality? Will Julia ignore everything she's worked for and step quietly back into the closet?
After the Glitter Fades is an irresistibly emotional roller coaster ride.
94,000 words
Enter Julia Westbrooke...
Julia is soaring to new heights as a nationwide entertainment news anchor. Since coming out, she has been presented with countless opportunities - most recently, entry into a new circle of friends who are among the Hollywood elite - a circle in which Siena Armetta plays a starring role.
Unwillingly thrown together, Siena and Julia fight their growing attraction. Will Siena risk it all for Hollywood's most prominent media personality? Will Julia ignore everything she's worked for and step quietly back into the closet?
After the Glitter Fades is an irresistibly emotional roller coaster ride.
94,000 words
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 20, 2018
118 people are currently reading
204 people want to read
About the author
Diane Marina
7 books44 followersDiane Marina lives in the Washington, DC metro area with her wife of over 20 years. By day, she works in the non-profit publishing sector.
She is the author of several short stories, as well as a novella, How Still My Love, which was published in May of 2014 - soon to be published on Audible. In 2016, she published It's Only Love, a collection of short stories which span the globe. The collection was recognized by the Golden Crown Literary Society, which named the book as a finalist in its annual awards.
In July 2013, she published Landslide, which debuted in the Amazon top 100 best sellers and stayed in that position for several weeks. In October 2013, her next short story, Sisters of the Moon was published as part of Ylva Publishing's Halloween anthology, When the Clock Strikes Thirteen. In January, 2014, Imperial Hotel, a story of love in New York City in the 1940s which Curve Magazine called "The lesbian's version of Nicholas Sparks' "The Notebook", was published.
When she's not traveling, she's dreaming of all of the places she'd like to visit, and writing about those she has.
She is the author of several short stories, as well as a novella, How Still My Love, which was published in May of 2014 - soon to be published on Audible. In 2016, she published It's Only Love, a collection of short stories which span the globe. The collection was recognized by the Golden Crown Literary Society, which named the book as a finalist in its annual awards.
In July 2013, she published Landslide, which debuted in the Amazon top 100 best sellers and stayed in that position for several weeks. In October 2013, her next short story, Sisters of the Moon was published as part of Ylva Publishing's Halloween anthology, When the Clock Strikes Thirteen. In January, 2014, Imperial Hotel, a story of love in New York City in the 1940s which Curve Magazine called "The lesbian's version of Nicholas Sparks' "The Notebook", was published.
When she's not traveling, she's dreaming of all of the places she'd like to visit, and writing about those she has.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
May 2, 2018
This is a great read! Really hard to put down. Highly recommended!
March 13, 2019
This book is like a perseverance challenge. When I started reading there were several moments when I wanted to quit because Siena was such a closeted, judgmental, paranoid, self centered ass! *sigh* I really needed to get that off of my chest.
Seriously though, it seems several other reviewers gave up on the book possibly because of the same reason. I'm really glad I kept reading though because the book turned out to be a fantastic read with lots of (slow) character development and growth.
Siena is not the only guilty party though because Julia has her own hangups. She actually reminds me a lot of myself; she accepts and lets small annoyances build up and then just explodes like Mt. Vesuvius not caring in that moment who gets buried in the process.
Though I became frustrated with both characters every now and then and the story even became predictable, I couldn't put this book down even though I tried. I will admit that I skimmed a few chapters towards the end when Beth and Toni from How Still My Love made a cameo and the relationship progress between Siena and Julia started to stagnate.
Luckily there are several other fantastic secondary characters that I came to really like and who were essential in keeping Siena and Julia from self destructing. This was a very emotional read but it was so worth it, even though Siena irritated me right until the very end! Overall rating is 4,25*
*During a certain part of the book someone, somewhere was cutting onions and my eyes started leaking so you may need a tissue or two in case the same happens to you.
Seriously though, it seems several other reviewers gave up on the book possibly because of the same reason. I'm really glad I kept reading though because the book turned out to be a fantastic read with lots of (slow) character development and growth.
Siena is not the only guilty party though because Julia has her own hangups. She actually reminds me a lot of myself; she accepts and lets small annoyances build up and then just explodes like Mt. Vesuvius not caring in that moment who gets buried in the process.
Though I became frustrated with both characters every now and then and the story even became predictable, I couldn't put this book down even though I tried. I will admit that I skimmed a few chapters towards the end when Beth and Toni from How Still My Love made a cameo and the relationship progress between Siena and Julia started to stagnate.
Luckily there are several other fantastic secondary characters that I came to really like and who were essential in keeping Siena and Julia from self destructing. This was a very emotional read but it was so worth it, even though Siena irritated me right until the very end! Overall rating is 4,25*
*During a certain part of the book someone, somewhere was cutting onions and my eyes started leaking so you may need a tissue or two in case the same happens to you.
April 5, 2018
I really liked it 4.5*
I'm a sucker for celebrity romance and an even bigger sucker when they are written right...and this one is. The story is told mainly from Siena and Julia's third person point of view with a slight mix in of other characters. It worked for the book and made the chapters flow easily together without getting confused on whose point of view you were in. All the characters had a good amount of depth to them and I really wished Siena's family, mainly the mom, had a bigger role. I also wonder if Anoka had a thing for Siena. There was a scene in New York that could make one question it. Anyway the biggest reason I liked it...and beware minor spoiler...is that there was no sleazy outing of Siena. Those who read this celebrity romance closet stories know what I mean. Anyway, it was free on kindleUnlimited, it's a good story, it has length to it, and it made me smile in the end. I look forward to reading more from this author. 4.5*
I'm a sucker for celebrity romance and an even bigger sucker when they are written right...and this one is. The story is told mainly from Siena and Julia's third person point of view with a slight mix in of other characters. It worked for the book and made the chapters flow easily together without getting confused on whose point of view you were in. All the characters had a good amount of depth to them and I really wished Siena's family, mainly the mom, had a bigger role. I also wonder if Anoka had a thing for Siena. There was a scene in New York that could make one question it. Anyway the biggest reason I liked it...and beware minor spoiler...is that there was no sleazy outing of Siena. Those who read this celebrity romance closet stories know what I mean. Anyway, it was free on kindleUnlimited, it's a good story, it has length to it, and it made me smile in the end. I look forward to reading more from this author. 4.5*
February 9, 2019
Such an entertaining book! Loved every second of it :)
September 1, 2018
“After the Glitter Fades” caught my eye as soon as it was released. An author I’ve liked teamed once again with a narrator I really like, with a story that sounded interesting.
I was very surprised to find myself initially disappointed as I began the book. The characters were mostly likable, but they were all making annoyingly bad decisions. As 40yo women, I expected them to be making better decisions than women in their teens or early 20s. I’ve got LOTS of books on my to-listen-to list, and perhaps, if this were a Kindle book, I would have given up early and moved on. But Daniella Acitelli is so enjoyable to listen to…I stuck with the book. Wow am I glad I did!
In “After the Glitter Fades”, author Diane Marina writes of people as they (we!) are IRL: flawed, mostly likable people who have made, and are making mistakes. Yet, they grow, they learn, and they are fiercely loyal to friends even in the face of outside and internal pressures and self-doubt and fears.
This is a slow burn romance with mostly fade-to-black episodes of lovemaking. This is not a book of instalove with a perfect trajectory for soulmates destined to have met and to be together, with detailed descriptions of bedroom or shower scenes that make us blush and, errr… re-listen once or thrice just to capture any important nuances that may have been overlooked during the first listen.
Once I realized that I should be enjoying a terrifically written and wonderfully narrated book that featured realistic people and realistic situations, I…well, really enjoyed the book! Why I began the book anticipating a fantasy romance, I just don’t know. Perhaps because of the Hollywood setting, I was expecting a typically unrealistic Hollywood story. Ultimately, I’m very glad it wasn’t!
Also, to be fair, I’ve recently been listening to, but have taken a break from, “Captain of Industry” by Karin Kallmaker, which also addresses the issue of being afraid of coming out for fear of destroying one’s career lead into damaging personal relationships, which, ultimately, are far more important than any career. I’m pretty certain I let some annoyance at that book leak into initial annoyance for this book. Especially since both books do feature flashbacks….not my favorite book narrative structure. The flashbacks in “After the Glitter Fades” are far fewer than with “Captain of Industry”, btw, and also fit into the plot much better. We aren’t expected to live in the past during a flashback, we learn from it.
Okay…let me try to comment on “After the Glitter Fades” without having to use a spoiler tag.
MC Siena is 40yo, and only realized she was lesbian when her then-husband Derek suggested it ten years ago. Derek, btw, is an amazing ex-husband. He loved Siena and was hurt once he realized she loved him, but wasn’t “in love” with him. And yet, he truly wants her to be happy in a relationship.
As superstars of Hollywood, Siena and Derek are never out of the spotlight, even ten years after divorcing. Siena’s agent has her convinced that any hint of her being gay would destroy her career…and her career is all-important. At times, Siena is introspective. She recognizes that her public pretense is “a farce” and “ridiculous”. But she continues the charade. Constant migraines, and frequently not liking the person she’s become doesn’t change how Siena behaves, and it’s difficult to feel empathy for someone in a prison of their own making.
MC Julia is a very successful entertainment news journalist, and is also 40ish. The story alternates POV between Siena and Julia, which works very well as we follow their individual hopes, uncertainties and fears. I found Julia more likable than Siena because she has taken more control over her life. She’s “out loud and proud” as a lesbian in a male dominated industry, and she refuses to take advantage of friends for her television show or her career. I was, though, frequently annoyed that Julia vacillated between being willing to do anything to help Siena stay closeted, and being petulant and angry at she and their relationship being “hidden” by Siena. As the story progressed, I became less annoyed at Julia and more appreciative of the very realistic portrayal of conflicting emotions conveyed by the author and narrator.
Their mutual close friend Elise is also a complicated character. Sometimes I considered her insensitive of her friends and of Siena’s need for being closeted. She certainly has a past that she owns but isn’t proud of, and in the current day her decision to love a married woman adds one of many very realistic infidelity twists to the story. Her character and her past is woven very well into the story of Siena and Julia.
Other side characters are terrific! Siena’s sister Anna and Anna and Julia’s episode with the VW bus was as hilarious as it was emotionally tragic. Siena’s mother and her mangling of english idioms was often very funny too (“up the river without a kazoo”)! I especially liked Toni and Beth and “Laurel’s Cafe”, though I found it pretty unbelievable that a Hollywood star of Siena’s stature could regularly appear in public in Palm Springs for 4 months without anyone but Toni and Beth recognizing her!
As I said earlier, there are many frustrating character flaws, actions that lead to unintended consequences, and angst…but the characters and the story is stronger and more real because of this. “After the Glitter Fades” isn’t a Hollywood romance, this is a romance about people in Hollywood. Yes, there is an HEA (hooray!), but it results from learning to be brave and from giving second chances. 4.25* - definitely recommended!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
My rating and my review was not in anyway affected by my having been provided a review copy.
I was very surprised to find myself initially disappointed as I began the book. The characters were mostly likable, but they were all making annoyingly bad decisions. As 40yo women, I expected them to be making better decisions than women in their teens or early 20s. I’ve got LOTS of books on my to-listen-to list, and perhaps, if this were a Kindle book, I would have given up early and moved on. But Daniella Acitelli is so enjoyable to listen to…I stuck with the book. Wow am I glad I did!
In “After the Glitter Fades”, author Diane Marina writes of people as they (we!) are IRL: flawed, mostly likable people who have made, and are making mistakes. Yet, they grow, they learn, and they are fiercely loyal to friends even in the face of outside and internal pressures and self-doubt and fears.
This is a slow burn romance with mostly fade-to-black episodes of lovemaking. This is not a book of instalove with a perfect trajectory for soulmates destined to have met and to be together, with detailed descriptions of bedroom or shower scenes that make us blush and, errr… re-listen once or thrice just to capture any important nuances that may have been overlooked during the first listen.
Once I realized that I should be enjoying a terrifically written and wonderfully narrated book that featured realistic people and realistic situations, I…well, really enjoyed the book! Why I began the book anticipating a fantasy romance, I just don’t know. Perhaps because of the Hollywood setting, I was expecting a typically unrealistic Hollywood story. Ultimately, I’m very glad it wasn’t!
Also, to be fair, I’ve recently been listening to, but have taken a break from, “Captain of Industry” by Karin Kallmaker, which also addresses the issue of being afraid of coming out for fear of destroying one’s career lead into damaging personal relationships, which, ultimately, are far more important than any career. I’m pretty certain I let some annoyance at that book leak into initial annoyance for this book. Especially since both books do feature flashbacks….not my favorite book narrative structure. The flashbacks in “After the Glitter Fades” are far fewer than with “Captain of Industry”, btw, and also fit into the plot much better. We aren’t expected to live in the past during a flashback, we learn from it.
Okay…let me try to comment on “After the Glitter Fades” without having to use a spoiler tag.
MC Siena is 40yo, and only realized she was lesbian when her then-husband Derek suggested it ten years ago. Derek, btw, is an amazing ex-husband. He loved Siena and was hurt once he realized she loved him, but wasn’t “in love” with him. And yet, he truly wants her to be happy in a relationship.
As superstars of Hollywood, Siena and Derek are never out of the spotlight, even ten years after divorcing. Siena’s agent has her convinced that any hint of her being gay would destroy her career…and her career is all-important. At times, Siena is introspective. She recognizes that her public pretense is “a farce” and “ridiculous”. But she continues the charade. Constant migraines, and frequently not liking the person she’s become doesn’t change how Siena behaves, and it’s difficult to feel empathy for someone in a prison of their own making.
MC Julia is a very successful entertainment news journalist, and is also 40ish. The story alternates POV between Siena and Julia, which works very well as we follow their individual hopes, uncertainties and fears. I found Julia more likable than Siena because she has taken more control over her life. She’s “out loud and proud” as a lesbian in a male dominated industry, and she refuses to take advantage of friends for her television show or her career. I was, though, frequently annoyed that Julia vacillated between being willing to do anything to help Siena stay closeted, and being petulant and angry at she and their relationship being “hidden” by Siena. As the story progressed, I became less annoyed at Julia and more appreciative of the very realistic portrayal of conflicting emotions conveyed by the author and narrator.
Their mutual close friend Elise is also a complicated character. Sometimes I considered her insensitive of her friends and of Siena’s need for being closeted. She certainly has a past that she owns but isn’t proud of, and in the current day her decision to love a married woman adds one of many very realistic infidelity twists to the story. Her character and her past is woven very well into the story of Siena and Julia.
Other side characters are terrific! Siena’s sister Anna and Anna and Julia’s episode with the VW bus was as hilarious as it was emotionally tragic. Siena’s mother and her mangling of english idioms was often very funny too (“up the river without a kazoo”)! I especially liked Toni and Beth and “Laurel’s Cafe”, though I found it pretty unbelievable that a Hollywood star of Siena’s stature could regularly appear in public in Palm Springs for 4 months without anyone but Toni and Beth recognizing her!
As I said earlier, there are many frustrating character flaws, actions that lead to unintended consequences, and angst…but the characters and the story is stronger and more real because of this. “After the Glitter Fades” isn’t a Hollywood romance, this is a romance about people in Hollywood. Yes, there is an HEA (hooray!), but it results from learning to be brave and from giving second chances. 4.25* - definitely recommended!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
My rating and my review was not in anyway affected by my having been provided a review copy.
April 9, 2018
Soooo, I love Hollywood love stories. This is totally one of my favorite tropes in romance. After The Glitter Fades by Diane Marina gave me just the Fix I needed with two Tinsel town starlets with that great push-pull relationship.
Siena Armetta is one of Hollywood’s darlings. As one of the most sought after and influential film stars, Siena has a reputation to uphold. She guards her privacy fiercely, only a few friends, family and her ex-husband are allowed to know the real Siena and know that she is a lesbian. Siena sees no way out of the closet, she left her adoring husband because of her sexuality but since that step, she's lead a lonely life of work and little else.
Julia Westbrooke is the most out celebrity women in America. Julia is an entertainment TV journalist, whose career has blossomed since she announced her sexuality to the world. She is known for fair and honest interviews that get past the gossip and go to the heart of the story. She is very well respected by her audience and the celebrities that she interviews.
Siena immediately wants nothing to do with Julia upon meeting her with mutual friends. She is even more dismayed at why her circle of friends keeps including the journalist. No matter how down to Earth they say she is, Siena wants nothing to do with her. Push Pull! Julia of course breaks down the walls Siena has erected and what unfolds in a dazzling story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this romance. If you are a Kindle Unlimited reader this is by far one of the better stories you will pick up and it is worth the $7 price tag if you are not. 3.5 stars!
Siena Armetta is one of Hollywood’s darlings. As one of the most sought after and influential film stars, Siena has a reputation to uphold. She guards her privacy fiercely, only a few friends, family and her ex-husband are allowed to know the real Siena and know that she is a lesbian. Siena sees no way out of the closet, she left her adoring husband because of her sexuality but since that step, she's lead a lonely life of work and little else.
Julia Westbrooke is the most out celebrity women in America. Julia is an entertainment TV journalist, whose career has blossomed since she announced her sexuality to the world. She is known for fair and honest interviews that get past the gossip and go to the heart of the story. She is very well respected by her audience and the celebrities that she interviews.
Siena immediately wants nothing to do with Julia upon meeting her with mutual friends. She is even more dismayed at why her circle of friends keeps including the journalist. No matter how down to Earth they say she is, Siena wants nothing to do with her. Push Pull! Julia of course breaks down the walls Siena has erected and what unfolds in a dazzling story.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this romance. If you are a Kindle Unlimited reader this is by far one of the better stories you will pick up and it is worth the $7 price tag if you are not. 3.5 stars!
May 7, 2018
DNF @75%
Too much repetitive, too predictable for me to enjoy, after 40% of the book I was only skimming it. I had high hope for this one lol.
PS. I upped the star since I've decided to finish it.
Too much repetitive, too predictable for me to enjoy, after 40% of the book I was only skimming it. I had high hope for this one lol.
PS. I upped the star since I've decided to finish it.
September 14, 2018
I'm doing a happy dance, this book was a winner. There were plenty of highs and lows, dramas, good food, fresh donuts made an appearance once and great characters. I struggled with Siena at first, she was quite paranoid and aloof but being in her situation... A confirmed lesbian, afraid to come out hence her insecurities were justified.
Julia, despite being the lesbian of the moment, there were hardly anything about her career which was a bit sad considering how good everyone said she was in it. Other than that, she was quite lovely and easier to like.
Now Julia and Siena, thankfully their relationship did not go from O - 217 mph. There were swoonworthy dates, flirtings, wefies and their moments together that sparked off my inner fireworks and left me blushing and grinning constantly. Their friends deserved their tales to be told as well. Ahemm, attention Ms.Marina.
There was an "Oh No, hazard ahead moment" that caused their breakup. Hang on, break up??
W. T. Donuts, Farah. You gave us high hopes and fresh donuts then mentioned the 'B' word.
Yes, they broke up and were separated for about hmm either 4/6 months. The time apart was essential for Julia and Siena. Siena got the rest that she needed, rediscovered herself, got to know some amazing people and became less paranoid. Julia got to know more about Siena through her closed friend and the discoveries really made her regretted the decision to break it off.
The similarities however, they were still hopelessly in love with each other.
There was an epilogue, yippee!!
The book is available on KU and it's 2 dollars until Friday the 14th so what are you waiting for?
Julia, despite being the lesbian of the moment, there were hardly anything about her career which was a bit sad considering how good everyone said she was in it. Other than that, she was quite lovely and easier to like.
Now Julia and Siena, thankfully their relationship did not go from O - 217 mph. There were swoonworthy dates, flirtings, wefies and their moments together that sparked off my inner fireworks and left me blushing and grinning constantly. Their friends deserved their tales to be told as well. Ahemm, attention Ms.Marina.
There was an "Oh No, hazard ahead moment" that caused their breakup. Hang on, break up??
W. T. Donuts, Farah. You gave us high hopes and fresh donuts then mentioned the 'B' word.
Yes, they broke up and were separated for about hmm either 4/6 months. The time apart was essential for Julia and Siena. Siena got the rest that she needed, rediscovered herself, got to know some amazing people and became less paranoid. Julia got to know more about Siena through her closed friend and the discoveries really made her regretted the decision to break it off.
The similarities however, they were still hopelessly in love with each other.
There was an epilogue, yippee!!
The book is available on KU and it's 2 dollars until Friday the 14th so what are you waiting for?
June 19, 2019
I read this book a little over a year ago, and just finished listening to the audiobook version. I’d liked it well-enough when I read it, but the audio brings more life to it. The narration was pretty good and it really brought something more.
The story is a pretty traditional celebrity romance, with Sienna being a famous and very closeted Hollywood actress and Julia a very out TV personality. The former’s initial distrust of the latter quickly disappears as the two women spend more and more time together, gently falling in love. Miscommunication and paranoia on both sides undermine the relationship but both women gradually grow into themselves and into their love for each other, giving the reader a very logical happy ever after. One of the strengths of this book is the secondary characters, from Sienna’s family (I love her mother, and the relationship with kid sister Anna) to her ex-husband Derek, who seems to be the sweetest guy on Earth, and mutual friend and big mouth Elise.
All in all, a very enjoyable book.
The story is a pretty traditional celebrity romance, with Sienna being a famous and very closeted Hollywood actress and Julia a very out TV personality. The former’s initial distrust of the latter quickly disappears as the two women spend more and more time together, gently falling in love. Miscommunication and paranoia on both sides undermine the relationship but both women gradually grow into themselves and into their love for each other, giving the reader a very logical happy ever after. One of the strengths of this book is the secondary characters, from Sienna’s family (I love her mother, and the relationship with kid sister Anna) to her ex-husband Derek, who seems to be the sweetest guy on Earth, and mutual friend and big mouth Elise.
All in all, a very enjoyable book.
March 20, 2019
This one was a pleasant read. Story was actually predictable like most of the Hollywood romances. There were times I got frustrated with both the MCs so I almost gave up but I'm glad I read on.
Oh and Spoiler- Epilogue was nice and set on Oscars. I'm glad it wasn't bad as one I read in another book in the past.
Oh and Spoiler- Epilogue was nice and set on Oscars. I'm glad it wasn't bad as one I read in another book in the past.
March 12, 2019
What’s not to like? Hollywood romance - my cup of tea.
4.25
4.25
June 17, 2019
3.5 stars rounded up to 4, because I’m off work for a few days and feeling generous.
Hollywood star Siena is so far in the closet that she must be close to the border with Narnia. She falls in love with super-out entertainment reporter Julia. How is that going to work? Well, it isn’t. But - you know - it could....
This KU offering is one editor with a sharp and ruthless pencil away from being excellent. We have a fun Hollywood setting, mostly likeable characters you only occasionally want to shake some sense into, and a sweet romance. But the pacing is off a bit on a global scale - it was way too long overall- and also on a smaller scale within the scenes. For example, about 18 pages might describe undressing each other. Then cut to ‘after’. If you make me read all that detail about the build-up then I beg you, don’t fade to black....
It’s well-written. Sort of sweet. And had me really gripped towards the end. And it’s free on KU UK. I’d have liked it less if I forked out cash for it specifically.
Hollywood star Siena is so far in the closet that she must be close to the border with Narnia. She falls in love with super-out entertainment reporter Julia. How is that going to work? Well, it isn’t. But - you know - it could....
This KU offering is one editor with a sharp and ruthless pencil away from being excellent. We have a fun Hollywood setting, mostly likeable characters you only occasionally want to shake some sense into, and a sweet romance. But the pacing is off a bit on a global scale - it was way too long overall- and also on a smaller scale within the scenes. For example, about 18 pages might describe undressing each other. Then cut to ‘after’. If you make me read all that detail about the build-up then I beg you, don’t fade to black....
It’s well-written. Sort of sweet. And had me really gripped towards the end. And it’s free on KU UK. I’d have liked it less if I forked out cash for it specifically.
November 15, 2020
Siena is a closetted actress and Julia is the latest out and proud journalist. When their worlds collide, can these two navigate their way to find a balance in their relationship and can they survive the snooping cameras?
This is a well written book with two beautiful and likeable women as main characters.
The relationship started off sweetly. But along the way, Siena made many mistakes causing so much strain in the relationship. I think her personality, her inexperience and her own fears were contributing factors. I can relate to the jealousy and insecurity that Julia struggled with as this was something I struggled with at the start of my own relationship.
However at the end of the day, Siena won me over. Because despite everything, she came back to set things right and she learnt how to place Julia first.
I'll definitely give this read five-stars.
This is a well written book with two beautiful and likeable women as main characters.
The relationship started off sweetly. But along the way, Siena made many mistakes causing so much strain in the relationship. I think her personality, her inexperience and her own fears were contributing factors. I can relate to the jealousy and insecurity that Julia struggled with as this was something I struggled with at the start of my own relationship.
However at the end of the day, Siena won me over. Because despite everything, she came back to set things right and she learnt how to place Julia first.
I'll definitely give this read five-stars.
April 7, 2018
Staying in the closet or coming out? This book tells the story of a Hollywood actress with this dilemma. And it's a nice and very long story, although rather predictable from the start to the epilogue.
Read
April 9, 2018This will be the second not-so-stellar review that I’ve left in the span of a few days and I’m just not really happy about that. I hate leaving crap reviews, the happy ones are a lot more fun...
From a grammar stance, this is well written enough not to poke any bears that care about that kind of thing. There really aren’t any major issues there, so all of the sentences are clear and the reader knows what’s going on. This is an easy read in that way. Sadly, the story itself didn’t do it for me at all. I don’t care that the whole Hollywood actress trope has been done to death; I rather like it. My issue was the romance. It was a bit flat and I didn’t feel any chemistry, physical or emotional. Eventually, I found it hard to root for a HEA because I really just didn’t care. I ended up skimming this starting at about 48% and think it’s really unfair to rate something unless I gave it my full attention.
Maybe don’t trust my opinion on this one because others seem to have really enjoyed it; it’s just not for me. I need to feel something, anything, even if it’s outrage and disgust, but I felt nothing with Siena and Julia. I’d recommend any KU member that likes a simple romance try this if the synopsis seems up your alley. These two meet pretty early, so you’ll know if this works for you within a few chapters. If it does, yay! If it doesn’t, well, you’re not the only one...
From a grammar stance, this is well written enough not to poke any bears that care about that kind of thing. There really aren’t any major issues there, so all of the sentences are clear and the reader knows what’s going on. This is an easy read in that way. Sadly, the story itself didn’t do it for me at all. I don’t care that the whole Hollywood actress trope has been done to death; I rather like it. My issue was the romance. It was a bit flat and I didn’t feel any chemistry, physical or emotional. Eventually, I found it hard to root for a HEA because I really just didn’t care. I ended up skimming this starting at about 48% and think it’s really unfair to rate something unless I gave it my full attention.
Maybe don’t trust my opinion on this one because others seem to have really enjoyed it; it’s just not for me. I need to feel something, anything, even if it’s outrage and disgust, but I felt nothing with Siena and Julia. I’d recommend any KU member that likes a simple romance try this if the synopsis seems up your alley. These two meet pretty early, so you’ll know if this works for you within a few chapters. If it does, yay! If it doesn’t, well, you’re not the only one...
October 25, 2020
I loved this so much!! More than 5 stars for me. I love Hollywood ff stories and this was 👌🏾. I cried, I laughed. The chemistry was great between The MC’s. The story was good. The sex scenes were good. Loved it!! I would have liked read more of their open live in The media. Like how The media first reacted to The fact that they were together as a couple. But i loved The epilogue. Almost in my top 10 books.
October 5, 2018
I really liked all the characters. This was a lovely feel-good celebrity romance. It's my first Diane Marina book, and I look forward to reading her other books.
did-not-finish
May 8, 2018I could not finish this. Character development and real feelings felt absent to me. I didn't 'know' Siena or Julia at all and was discouraged at way too low a percentile/page count.
March 31, 2018
From the summary blurb, I pretty much knew how this story would unfold and its beats. The closeted Hollywood actress trope is a well worn plot point of lesfic but my hope was that this author would do something a little different, tell her story in some new way. Instead, this is predictable from start to the X amount of years later super sappy epilogue finish. The two characters Siena and Julia have the personalities of wet cardboard and there is little to no chemistry between them, no lively dialogue, and their spending time together scenes are mostly the author telling us they've been hanging out together rather than reading those interactions and seeing a relationship arc.
There are far too many characters and as it turns out, some of the minor ones overshadow the two we're supposed to care about. The entire last act of the book chugged for me, and the "incident" that brought about those events was heavy-handed. Anytime you need to introduce new characters solely to provide an "ah ha!" breakthrough moment for the protagonist, I feel irritated and see it as an easy escape for an author who has written themselves into a corner.
This didn't break away from any of the other similar titles in the pack or make itself memorable. I will gladly now forget about this one.
ARC provided by NetGalley
There are far too many characters and as it turns out, some of the minor ones overshadow the two we're supposed to care about. The entire last act of the book chugged for me, and the "incident" that brought about those events was heavy-handed. Anytime you need to introduce new characters solely to provide an "ah ha!" breakthrough moment for the protagonist, I feel irritated and see it as an easy escape for an author who has written themselves into a corner.
This didn't break away from any of the other similar titles in the pack or make itself memorable. I will gladly now forget about this one.
ARC provided by NetGalley
June 24, 2018
.
I had a lot of issues with this book. First of all, lack of reasonable communication because somehow Sienna felt that anything related to her that involved another person wasn't her story to tell. Which was ridiculous. And the biggest argument between her and Julie was caused by a situation that could have been easily explained and it wouldn't break anyone's confidence but instead Sienna just let it escalate. Not that Julie was any better with ridiculous accusations. Furthermore, it felt like every other lesbian relationship had such monumental problems just to prove that Julie and Sienna could overcome what happened between them but it just made every other relationship weirdly caricatural. When I read what happened between Elise and Sienna I almost decided to not finish the book because it all just sounded ridiculous. And speaking of Elise, what a horrible, toxic friend that one was. She seemed to purposefully aggravate Sienna for her own enjoyment, going as far as causing her panic attack. That's not how friends who supposedly owe so much to the other person should behave.
I had a lot of issues with this book. First of all, lack of reasonable communication because somehow Sienna felt that anything related to her that involved another person wasn't her story to tell. Which was ridiculous. And the biggest argument between her and Julie was caused by a situation that could have been easily explained and it wouldn't break anyone's confidence but instead Sienna just let it escalate. Not that Julie was any better with ridiculous accusations. Furthermore, it felt like every other lesbian relationship had such monumental problems just to prove that Julie and Sienna could overcome what happened between them but it just made every other relationship weirdly caricatural. When I read what happened between Elise and Sienna I almost decided to not finish the book because it all just sounded ridiculous. And speaking of Elise, what a horrible, toxic friend that one was. She seemed to purposefully aggravate Sienna for her own enjoyment, going as far as causing her panic attack. That's not how friends who supposedly owe so much to the other person should behave.
December 31, 2018
Really good story with excellent back stories - family & friends. Well written & well worth the dosh. Thank you.
May 25, 2023
I found the beginning moving from present to past informative. It was also good that the ex husband wasn’t painted as a baddy. I found the first discussion between the mains a bit stilted, but no others were stilted so perhaps it was a choice on the writers part?
This book held my interest throughout, yes the “so closeted” was irritating. However in a romance there has to be a barrier. There is a happy ever after, after a wee bit of unhappy for now.
This book held my interest throughout, yes the “so closeted” was irritating. However in a romance there has to be a barrier. There is a happy ever after, after a wee bit of unhappy for now.
May 1, 2018
Second book from the author and it doesn’t disappoint. I like both Siena and Julia.
Although there are times that I want to scream at them but the end they always redeem their selves.
A lot of interesting secondary characters too.
The ex husband is very likable which is rare on this genre. 😂😂
And I got excited when I got a glimpsed of Tony and Beth’s life from “How still my love”
Now, I’m thinking of re-reading it.
Although there are times that I want to scream at them but the end they always redeem their selves.
A lot of interesting secondary characters too.
The ex husband is very likable which is rare on this genre. 😂😂
And I got excited when I got a glimpsed of Tony and Beth’s life from “How still my love”
Now, I’m thinking of re-reading it.
April 4, 2018
This book was well written and kept me interested all the way through. No surprise twists, but loved how the main character came to terms with coming out. The supporting characters were awesome and played a big part in the book. From best friends to ex’s to family members. They were all important and helped the story feel rounded and complete. Really enjoyed this one.
April 24, 2018
Good
I find it fascinating reading about actresses coming out and that sort of thing. So I found this one really interesting and very well developed, but I can't quite figure out why i kind off lost interest in the storyline when i was about 80% into the reading. Personally i was expecting something different something dramatic but I can't put my finger on what was exactly.
I find it fascinating reading about actresses coming out and that sort of thing. So I found this one really interesting and very well developed, but I can't quite figure out why i kind off lost interest in the storyline when i was about 80% into the reading. Personally i was expecting something different something dramatic but I can't put my finger on what was exactly.
March 24, 2018
Awesome Book!
I really enjoyed reading this book. I’m a fan of this author’s work and she has produced another great read.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I’m a fan of this author’s work and she has produced another great read.
March 4, 2019
Zero chemistry between the MC's. Couldn't force myself to finish this. Abandoned at 56%
July 24, 2018
Allrighty. Lets get started here. First off, this is my first time writing a review for a book, so bear with me. Second, the review will be spoiler-ish, mostly about the book ending, so move on at your own risk.
This was an engaging book almost all the way through. The characters were funny, the dialogs were believable and simple. The banter between Siena and Julia was pretty good. One thing this book does better than most is diversifying it's interactions, not just limiting it to the two main romantic partners. I would've liked for the whole Siena-Macy initial animosity thing to have been a little more detailed, but overall the book has a very good set of characters and I enjoyed them.
Now I want to get into the reason I decided to write this review and, perhaps, warn future readers and/or the author.
As do most books in the Romance genre, this one has a falling-out between the characters near it's end. I do not have an issue with every single romance book ever written doing this, but the reasons I can't simply ignore it in this book and what somewhat ruined it for me was that neither Siena or her friends seem to know how a relationship is supposed to work. And that's insane considering this is a romance novel. You can't just NOT HAVE A SINGLE CHARACTER KNOW how a relationship works.
"It's just not my story to tell" is a good reason to not share something with your SO, yes. But it also goes without saying that your partner is, and must always be, the person you trust most in this world. Perhaps you can't share the whole story, because "It's not your story to tell", but you can't leave your SO completely in the dark and actually believe that's the right thing to do, and even more so be mad when your SO calls you out on your lack of trust. And be surprised when said lack of trust causes a problem. And act self righteous when the relationship ends completely because your lack of openness.
Anyway, the fallout and what came from it, and overall the entire ending of this book was such a clusterfuck that I found myself skimming through it because it was cringy at best, simply horrific at worst.
I just can't understand how everyone in this book seems to justify Siena keeping Julia completely in the dark about most details of her life, added to the whole "I'm so far into the closet I'm about to take a ride with Aslan" isn't reason enough for Julia to be pissed off. And even as the relationship is going down, Siena won't share a thing with her SO? Yeah that's not how relationships work. I understand that this is a work of fiction, but a contemporary one at that and it should adhere to contemporary standards.
I really want to keep complaining about the ending because it really did ruin the whole book for me, but I'll just stop and leave you guys to make your own opinions. Overall I enjoyed it, and I would rate it 2.5/3 stars because the ending really was off putting.
This was an engaging book almost all the way through. The characters were funny, the dialogs were believable and simple. The banter between Siena and Julia was pretty good. One thing this book does better than most is diversifying it's interactions, not just limiting it to the two main romantic partners. I would've liked for the whole Siena-Macy initial animosity thing to have been a little more detailed, but overall the book has a very good set of characters and I enjoyed them.
Now I want to get into the reason I decided to write this review and, perhaps, warn future readers and/or the author.
As do most books in the Romance genre, this one has a falling-out between the characters near it's end. I do not have an issue with every single romance book ever written doing this, but the reasons I can't simply ignore it in this book and what somewhat ruined it for me was that neither Siena or her friends seem to know how a relationship is supposed to work. And that's insane considering this is a romance novel. You can't just NOT HAVE A SINGLE CHARACTER KNOW how a relationship works.
"It's just not my story to tell" is a good reason to not share something with your SO, yes. But it also goes without saying that your partner is, and must always be, the person you trust most in this world. Perhaps you can't share the whole story, because "It's not your story to tell", but you can't leave your SO completely in the dark and actually believe that's the right thing to do, and even more so be mad when your SO calls you out on your lack of trust. And be surprised when said lack of trust causes a problem. And act self righteous when the relationship ends completely because your lack of openness.
Anyway, the fallout and what came from it, and overall the entire ending of this book was such a clusterfuck that I found myself skimming through it because it was cringy at best, simply horrific at worst.
I just can't understand how everyone in this book seems to justify Siena keeping Julia completely in the dark about most details of her life, added to the whole "I'm so far into the closet I'm about to take a ride with Aslan" isn't reason enough for Julia to be pissed off. And even as the relationship is going down, Siena won't share a thing with her SO? Yeah that's not how relationships work. I understand that this is a work of fiction, but a contemporary one at that and it should adhere to contemporary standards.
I really want to keep complaining about the ending because it really did ruin the whole book for me, but I'll just stop and leave you guys to make your own opinions. Overall I enjoyed it, and I would rate it 2.5/3 stars because the ending really was off putting.
March 26, 2018
After the Glitter Fades, after my enthusiasm fades, after the initial really good writing fades. I think you get the picture.
This book gets three stars because the first third is actually very good, then it just tails off into nothing with the author ditching characters left right and centre and introducing new ones for no good reason other than to be cute and to grind the plot along painfully slowly. On that note, Diana Marina's treatment of her fictional 'time' is something I found quite frustrating; the period when our two would be lovers were getting to know each other and dancing around the would be obstacles between them was dispatched with a cursory "They went running a few times a week over the next few months", while far less interesting aspects of the story were set out in hour by hour minute, dull detail. I really don't care about the order in which a character puts on her clothes; unless they've had some sort of a breakdown and are about to run down the main street with their knickers on over their jeans you can cut that passage.
One well written scene in the middle made me cry (in a good way!) but then it was back to boredom. To top it all off the book ends with a "Two Years Later" epilogue, conveniently skipping all the tricky details of how they got to this stage.
Grr.
This book gets three stars because the first third is actually very good, then it just tails off into nothing with the author ditching characters left right and centre and introducing new ones for no good reason other than to be cute and to grind the plot along painfully slowly. On that note, Diana Marina's treatment of her fictional 'time' is something I found quite frustrating; the period when our two would be lovers were getting to know each other and dancing around the would be obstacles between them was dispatched with a cursory "They went running a few times a week over the next few months", while far less interesting aspects of the story were set out in hour by hour minute, dull detail. I really don't care about the order in which a character puts on her clothes; unless they've had some sort of a breakdown and are about to run down the main street with their knickers on over their jeans you can cut that passage.
One well written scene in the middle made me cry (in a good way!) but then it was back to boredom. To top it all off the book ends with a "Two Years Later" epilogue, conveniently skipping all the tricky details of how they got to this stage.
Grr.
April 3, 2018
* I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest option.*
2.5 stars. I thought this book was okay, not great, just okay. I don't think I will recommend this book to my friends looking for a novel. I, personally, thought the characters acted a little childish and I did not always enjoy their interactions. The characters did change as the book continued, but it was all predictable change to just keep the book going. There is nothing about this book I particularity liked but I didn't hate it either.
Sienna is a very closeted Hollywood actress. who meets Julia, a Hollywood Reporter at a party for a mutual friend. They start to get closer and run together and their relationship develops from there. They first try to keep their distance from one another, but that does not work and they can't seem to stop what is happening between them.
This is not a book I would recommend to anyone, but is an alright read. To be, the blurb about the book turned out to be more entertaining than the actual book.
2.5 stars. I thought this book was okay, not great, just okay. I don't think I will recommend this book to my friends looking for a novel. I, personally, thought the characters acted a little childish and I did not always enjoy their interactions. The characters did change as the book continued, but it was all predictable change to just keep the book going. There is nothing about this book I particularity liked but I didn't hate it either.
Sienna is a very closeted Hollywood actress. who meets Julia, a Hollywood Reporter at a party for a mutual friend. They start to get closer and run together and their relationship develops from there. They first try to keep their distance from one another, but that does not work and they can't seem to stop what is happening between them.
This is not a book I would recommend to anyone, but is an alright read. To be, the blurb about the book turned out to be more entertaining than the actual book.
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