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Stars In Their Eyes Duet #1
My Charming Rival
NOTE: MY CHARMING RIVAL was previously released as STARS IN THEIR EYES. It has now been revised, updated and turned into a duet!To do list: Graduate with honors, get into medical school, and snag the most-sought-after celebrity photo of all time to cover my tuition. One more thing -- resist the hot British guy who's my biggest rival. But from the first day I run into William on his motorcycle, he makes that difficult, since he's flirty, charming, clever and keeps trying to convince me to spend the night with him.Trust me -- stripping him down to nothing is on my wish list, but I can't let him get under my skin as I chase cheating directors and stake out clandestine trysts. Yet everywhere I go, my most charming rival is there -- is he following me, trying to woo me, or aiming to sabotage my plans?When I'm offered a brand new ticket to my dreams, I have to decide if I want to team up with the sexiest enemy ever...Except there's a third option too--and that one's looking mighty appealing--if I'm willing to take a crazy chance.*My Charming Rival is book one. The story continues in My Sexy Rival*
222 pages, Paperback
First published October 9, 2014
326 people are currently reading
1198 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Blakely
256 books24.2k followersYou can find Lauren on TikTok at @laurenblakelybooks! A #1 New York Times Bestselling, #1 Wall Street Journal Bestselling, and #1 Audible Bestselling author, Lauren Blakely is known for her contemporary romance style that’s sexy, feel-good and witty. Lauren likes dogs, cake and show tunes and she is the vegetarian at your dinner party.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
January 28, 2020
This is an excellent audio book, but I gotta warn ya, it ends on a cliff hanger. So make sure you have the next book ready to go.
Our heroine must have control over her life. She has a tendency to fixate on something and let the important stuff slide if she doesn't keep a close watch. Whether its an eating disorder or a guy both have tried to take over the reigns in her life. So when the hot British guy wants to get to know her she pushes him away as much as possible. But he is on a mission.
This is a look at the world of the paparazzi and the stars that feed them.
Our heroine must have control over her life. She has a tendency to fixate on something and let the important stuff slide if she doesn't keep a close watch. Whether its an eating disorder or a guy both have tried to take over the reigns in her life. So when the hot British guy wants to get to know her she pushes him away as much as possible. But he is on a mission.
This is a look at the world of the paparazzi and the stars that feed them.
January 15, 2020
Somehow.. I never knew of this little duet??
Well, I changed that. I found My Charming Rival on my little audible app and slightly freaked out. Not only was a book that I have never heard of before.. but it was also another Lauren Blakely book for me to dive into. Double YAY for me guys.
Not going to lie one bit, this was cute through and through. In it, you will meet Jess and William. These two were equally adorable and just fit together. They had chemistry that can be easily seen or heard.. but there also was little to no drama with them. It definitely made it a nice change of pace for me because Lauren really likes to deliver the drama in her other books.
Overall, it was cute and easy to listen to. Definitely excited to dive into the next book. Hopefully we get more smut??
Well, I changed that. I found My Charming Rival on my little audible app and slightly freaked out. Not only was a book that I have never heard of before.. but it was also another Lauren Blakely book for me to dive into. Double YAY for me guys.
Not going to lie one bit, this was cute through and through. In it, you will meet Jess and William. These two were equally adorable and just fit together. They had chemistry that can be easily seen or heard.. but there also was little to no drama with them. It definitely made it a nice change of pace for me because Lauren really likes to deliver the drama in her other books.
Overall, it was cute and easy to listen to. Definitely excited to dive into the next book. Hopefully we get more smut??
December 20, 2019
This was a cute and pretty straight forward romance. I was a bit surprised because Lauren Blakely usually has more drama and romantic scenes and this was kind of bland in comparison. Jess is a celebrity photographer, trying to catch them in compromising positions and get the scoop first to make money for college. William is a newbie on the scene and they form a flirty friendship. There weren't really twists and they didn't hook up until the end. Maybe book two has more of both?
December 23, 2019
Interesting book, I just listened to a book where the main characters didn’t have any chemistry I am sooo very happy it didn’t happen to me two times. This book had the chemistry! This is exactly what I love about romance, even in the slow burn type of books. I want the main characters to want, to want each other.
The ending oh boy somebody has some explaining to do…..
I do like that Jess has insecurities, it makes her relatable. I like that Lauren didn’t give her too many and that it wasn’t harped on it was just a fact.
William is an interesting character and I love that he knows so many different languages for some reason that makes me like him more than I already did.
I LOVE the narration, these are two of my favorite narrators and I love that ZWebber can do the accent justice.
The ending oh boy somebody has some explaining to do…..
I do like that Jess has insecurities, it makes her relatable. I like that Lauren didn’t give her too many and that it wasn’t harped on it was just a fact.
William is an interesting character and I love that he knows so many different languages for some reason that makes me like him more than I already did.
I LOVE the narration, these are two of my favorite narrators and I love that ZWebber can do the accent justice.
March 13, 2022
Ahh that was adorable!
Jess is dealing with a few things in life that are difficult. Growing up she had a love hate relationship with food and it got the best of her and now she’s vowed never to go back to that person that she was which includes not letting a person in. Jess is independent, fierce and loyal to those she loves but she finds it hard to open up and share her problems. She’s strong and I loved everything about her. She works at a paparazzi trying to get enough money to get her through med school.
William was a lovely character, I love a leading male that’s not all forceful and what not. He’s patient, he’s kind and so darn loving. He’s a British citizen living in America to study hoping to find work to change his visa into a work related one. The path to trying to find work is interesting for sure.
From the moment these two bumped into each other I was smiling so big, their chemistry was so full and bright from the get go. They went together so perfectly and complimented each other nicely.
They’re different in many ways but also similar in other ways and that made them work as well as they did.
The amount of shenanigans they get up to in this book was hilarious. From the fake fall to the wedding and everything in between it’s been an absolute joy to read.
I’ve read a couple books from this author in the past but I have to say this is by far my favourite. It was cute, it was adorable and so much fun to read. I was addicted from start to finish.
Jess is dealing with a few things in life that are difficult. Growing up she had a love hate relationship with food and it got the best of her and now she’s vowed never to go back to that person that she was which includes not letting a person in. Jess is independent, fierce and loyal to those she loves but she finds it hard to open up and share her problems. She’s strong and I loved everything about her. She works at a paparazzi trying to get enough money to get her through med school.
William was a lovely character, I love a leading male that’s not all forceful and what not. He’s patient, he’s kind and so darn loving. He’s a British citizen living in America to study hoping to find work to change his visa into a work related one. The path to trying to find work is interesting for sure.
From the moment these two bumped into each other I was smiling so big, their chemistry was so full and bright from the get go. They went together so perfectly and complimented each other nicely.
They’re different in many ways but also similar in other ways and that made them work as well as they did.
The amount of shenanigans they get up to in this book was hilarious. From the fake fall to the wedding and everything in between it’s been an absolute joy to read.
I’ve read a couple books from this author in the past but I have to say this is by far my favourite. It was cute, it was adorable and so much fun to read. I was addicted from start to finish.
March 22, 2023
2.5
I found this read to be lacking, to say the least, there was absolutely no substance in sight. It all felt incredibly shallow, with nothing beneath the surface. This book makes it clear that our main character, Jess, doesn't have a healthy relationship with food and is very clearly still suffering with an ED. This should give her character more depth, and yet, I still felt nothing for her. The obsession with food and being slim never necessarily came across as a bad/unhealthy thing so I couldn't really back it. Not to mention that she's a pap aka. scum that propagates the very system that she's a victim of...it's just all very messy and not pleasant to read.
I'm probably making a bigger deal of this issue than I should, but it just annoyed me. The characters weren't likeable and I think the Duet format could be scrapped, there's no need for this to spread over two books. Speaking of, I shan't be reading the next one. I've enjoyed Lauren Blakely's writing in the past but this one just didn't do it for me. Better luck next time.
I found this read to be lacking, to say the least, there was absolutely no substance in sight. It all felt incredibly shallow, with nothing beneath the surface. This book makes it clear that our main character, Jess, doesn't have a healthy relationship with food and is very clearly still suffering with an ED. This should give her character more depth, and yet, I still felt nothing for her. The obsession with food and being slim never necessarily came across as a bad/unhealthy thing so I couldn't really back it. Not to mention that she's a pap aka. scum that propagates the very system that she's a victim of...it's just all very messy and not pleasant to read.
I'm probably making a bigger deal of this issue than I should, but it just annoyed me. The characters weren't likeable and I think the Duet format could be scrapped, there's no need for this to spread over two books. Speaking of, I shan't be reading the next one. I've enjoyed Lauren Blakely's writing in the past but this one just didn't do it for me. Better luck next time.
January 15, 2019
3.5 stars.
My Charming Rival is a new adult romance set in L.A. California.
Jess is studying medicine. She uses a part-time job as a photographer to the stars, as a way of paying for her tuition fees. But when she runs into a rival photographer, she tries to keep her mind on the job whilst ignoring her attraction to him.
William is an English student who wants to be able to extend his visa. He needs a secure job to be able to stay in America. Currently, he's posing as a photographer, but he's keeping secrets.
This is book #1 of a romantic duet, set in among the stars of Hollywood. Jess and William make a fun couple. I thought the author gave William some stereotypically English mannerisms, but they felt a little false to this English reader.
My Charming Rival is a new adult romance set in L.A. California.
Jess is studying medicine. She uses a part-time job as a photographer to the stars, as a way of paying for her tuition fees. But when she runs into a rival photographer, she tries to keep her mind on the job whilst ignoring her attraction to him.
William is an English student who wants to be able to extend his visa. He needs a secure job to be able to stay in America. Currently, he's posing as a photographer, but he's keeping secrets.
This is book #1 of a romantic duet, set in among the stars of Hollywood. Jess and William make a fun couple. I thought the author gave William some stereotypically English mannerisms, but they felt a little false to this English reader.
April 6, 2020
3.5 stars
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would once I knew this was about paparazzis. It's not something that interests me just like actors or celebrities in books. This story was actually really sweet and I found Jess actually refreshing. They're rivals and she didn't immediately fall for the guy and wanted to focus on her career and paying for her medical school. She knew if she caved in, he would be too much of a distraction and she couldn't resist him She has an eating disorder and even though she's better now, she's always worried she'll go back to her old ways. The audiobook was enjoyable to listen to and now I have to listen to the second part of this story. The british accent of the male narrator was pretty good imo. Lauren Blakely is fast becoming my go-to when I want a cute audio and I love it.
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would once I knew this was about paparazzis. It's not something that interests me just like actors or celebrities in books. This story was actually really sweet and I found Jess actually refreshing. They're rivals and she didn't immediately fall for the guy and wanted to focus on her career and paying for her medical school. She knew if she caved in, he would be too much of a distraction and she couldn't resist him She has an eating disorder and even though she's better now, she's always worried she'll go back to her old ways. The audiobook was enjoyable to listen to and now I have to listen to the second part of this story. The british accent of the male narrator was pretty good imo. Lauren Blakely is fast becoming my go-to when I want a cute audio and I love it.
December 31, 2019
I think it's this female narrator that I dislike b/c SHE adds the "he said, she said, I said, SAID SAID SAID". It's what will make me 2 star a book. Also I feel like the author over played the school fee, weight issue, visa issue to much. We got it the first time, no need to harp on it a dozen more times. I can't handle the weight/eating disorder much longer, I hope she (author) chills out on bringing it up at every turn. UNLESS she resolves the issue, but from the sounds of it, Jess isn't going to come to terms with her weight anytime soon.
August 18, 2020
Good book
Didn’t blow my mind but I definitely have to get the next book to know what happens. I’m not a fan of cliff hangers. Though this one doesn’t throw you off a cliff. I did step off and now I’m like well hell.... next book...!!! Have to know how this unravels. I think this could have been better one bigger book but I can tell more after reading (listening to) the next one.
Didn’t blow my mind but I definitely have to get the next book to know what happens. I’m not a fan of cliff hangers. Though this one doesn’t throw you off a cliff. I did step off and now I’m like well hell.... next book...!!! Have to know how this unravels. I think this could have been better one bigger book but I can tell more after reading (listening to) the next one.
January 7, 2019
Normally love Lauren Blakely but didn’t feel a strong chemistry between these two. Sorry was hard for me to get into and I don’t even care that it ended with a cliff-hanger at the end... not enough draw to this story to make me read the next one to see what happens
January 30, 2020
This book left me frustrated for a few reasons. First, the writing was good and I really liked the voice of Jess. She was smart and had some fantastic come-backs, which is what wins me over in a female lead. Now the frustrations- It ends in a cliff-hanger!? Say what?! And you know how you never judge a book by it’s cover...newsflash - I DO. This cover is all wrong. Jess is too smart for this cartoon-ish sketch. If you could care less about cover art and are ready to purchase book #2 then it’s definitely worth a read.
January 5, 2020
It was such a fun read. I just loved Jess and William can't wait to see how this duet ends. 💜
February 7, 2020
This was a decent enough story, but it is just a palette cleanser between more intense books. I care enough to listen to the sequel, but I'm not overly impressed by the story or the characters.
January 10, 2020
I am so disappointed. This is the worst of all I've read by this author. I found the whole boo
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June 25, 2019
***Read as Stars in Their Eyes
I know I say this in all my reviews for Lauren's books but I have read them all and love them all for different reasons. They are unique, especially this story. Going to keep it short so I don't give anything away :-)
Stars In Their Eyes picks right up from where A Starstuck Kiss ended. She still needs to be the one to get the shot of the year that would pay for a few years of school. And the man to help her was William. And he needed her to help him land a job to secure his future in America.
They had a plan. A good one. But nothing is ever easy and they learned that lesson. When Jess takes another job in the process things get down right scandalous. This is Tinsel Town after-all, nothing is what it seems. Jess and William find that things are more twisted than they even thought and it all started with just one call. They want to find the real story. Will they find it even with all the twists and turns?
William also wants Jess to admit that she does not only see him as a means to an end. He wants her to trust him even though he might only have two months left in the states. He knows she felt something was there but she worries about her past struggles and not being In control. Jess truly does like William a lot and when they do have their sexy moments it is off the charts hot but can it be more? Can she open up to someone and let go of the past? Does William get sponsored so he can stay? Can Jess figure out a way to pay for school?
I loved William like crazy. He is not only sexy but funny and sweet. It also helps that he speaks five languages but Italian is my personal favorite. Jess is quick witted, smart and knows her stuff. They both have to deal with some serious issues but Lauren has a way to keep it light-hearted but emotional at the same time. I also like surprises and mystery so it was a perfect blend of everything I need to keep me wanting more. While reading Lauren's books it's so fun to spot a past couple and see what they are up to, the little connections.
This story was extra fun for me because I enjoy celebrity gossip. I don't buy into everything I read and do believe they are real people with real issues but they are interesting to me. You get to see both sides of paparazzi and their subjects. There is so much more I can say about this book! But I will end this part with saying Matthew Harrigan was my favorite British Book Boyfriend but sorry Matthew, your brother has taken that spot from you. I fell hard and fast for him but still love you <3
Quotes:
Though, in all honesty, she'd be hot to me if she had purple hair. Blue hair. Green hair. Didn't matter. It was her attitude that had hooked me from the start.
A small groan escaped my lips. I bent my head to her neck, pressing a light kiss near her earlobe, then whispered, "Lettuce, Grapefruit, Whole wheat bread."
I shook my head, like a dog shaking off water. "You're wearing a skirt, I said." My jaw was possibly still scraping the floor.
"Very good, William. You have excellent sartorial identification skills." She gestures to me. "You're wearing jeans and a t-shirt," she said, as speaking to a young child. "Now can you try naming this?" She tugged at her tank top.
"There's a dividing line between celebrities and the rest of us. You stay on your side, Jess, and you never ever apologize for a photo. We're all just trying to make a living in this town."
I know I say this in all my reviews for Lauren's books but I have read them all and love them all for different reasons. They are unique, especially this story. Going to keep it short so I don't give anything away :-)
Stars In Their Eyes picks right up from where A Starstuck Kiss ended. She still needs to be the one to get the shot of the year that would pay for a few years of school. And the man to help her was William. And he needed her to help him land a job to secure his future in America.
They had a plan. A good one. But nothing is ever easy and they learned that lesson. When Jess takes another job in the process things get down right scandalous. This is Tinsel Town after-all, nothing is what it seems. Jess and William find that things are more twisted than they even thought and it all started with just one call. They want to find the real story. Will they find it even with all the twists and turns?
William also wants Jess to admit that she does not only see him as a means to an end. He wants her to trust him even though he might only have two months left in the states. He knows she felt something was there but she worries about her past struggles and not being In control. Jess truly does like William a lot and when they do have their sexy moments it is off the charts hot but can it be more? Can she open up to someone and let go of the past? Does William get sponsored so he can stay? Can Jess figure out a way to pay for school?
I loved William like crazy. He is not only sexy but funny and sweet. It also helps that he speaks five languages but Italian is my personal favorite. Jess is quick witted, smart and knows her stuff. They both have to deal with some serious issues but Lauren has a way to keep it light-hearted but emotional at the same time. I also like surprises and mystery so it was a perfect blend of everything I need to keep me wanting more. While reading Lauren's books it's so fun to spot a past couple and see what they are up to, the little connections.
This story was extra fun for me because I enjoy celebrity gossip. I don't buy into everything I read and do believe they are real people with real issues but they are interesting to me. You get to see both sides of paparazzi and their subjects. There is so much more I can say about this book! But I will end this part with saying Matthew Harrigan was my favorite British Book Boyfriend but sorry Matthew, your brother has taken that spot from you. I fell hard and fast for him but still love you <3
Quotes:
Though, in all honesty, she'd be hot to me if she had purple hair. Blue hair. Green hair. Didn't matter. It was her attitude that had hooked me from the start.
A small groan escaped my lips. I bent my head to her neck, pressing a light kiss near her earlobe, then whispered, "Lettuce, Grapefruit, Whole wheat bread."
I shook my head, like a dog shaking off water. "You're wearing a skirt, I said." My jaw was possibly still scraping the floor.
"Very good, William. You have excellent sartorial identification skills." She gestures to me. "You're wearing jeans and a t-shirt," she said, as speaking to a young child. "Now can you try naming this?" She tugged at her tank top.
"There's a dividing line between celebrities and the rest of us. You stay on your side, Jess, and you never ever apologize for a photo. We're all just trying to make a living in this town."
January 29, 2020
The competition is British, hot, and rides a motorcycle. He’s her charming rival. The California born hot girl scopes the stars for popular gossip magazines. She’s motivated by money to pay for medical school. He’s motivated by assignments and the need to stay in the states before his visa expires.
Overall:
The days are long in California and these characters have a long day of activities. Living in Hollywood awards them the perfect opportunity to scope out stars.
However, I’m not a star struck fan. Sure I appreciate the work of an actor and actress, yet to follow them around to capture a picture to post for followers is not my thing.
While there are two main characters there is also an array of supporting characters. To me these other characters crowded the story.
Where is the Lauren Blakely that wrote the No Regrets series? I miss that style of writing. This book was very disappointing. I wasn’t particularly interested in the paparazzi celebrity shooter storyline. The British guy meets the American girl is very cliche. It was a busy story with much to nothing going on besides getting tips on where celebrities will be present for photo opportunities. Yuck! Not appealing at all. It’s a big fat, No! I’m not a fan of celebrity stalking. Who cares where they eat, drink, or shop? Making money off of celebrity photos is tacky. That is not news. It’s pure gossip and an invasion of privacy.
PG rated sex scenes. Appropriate for a younger audience.
This book was laid out by days of the week totaling about six days not even a full week.
I’m not inclined to read book 2 eventhough my copy includes the second half of this duet.
Narrators:
Zachary Webber narrated the voice of William. His British performance was believable and ideal for this role.
Saskia Maarleveld narrated the voice of Jess. The American performance was ideal for this role.
These narrators greatly improved my experience of this disappointing storyline. Unfortunately, I just don’t have it in me to complete this story.
FYI:
I own the Stars in Their Eyes which is the complete version. Apparently, Lauren revamped this edition turning it into a duet by renaming the books. My Charming Rival is Book 1 and My Sexy Rival is Book 2.
My audiobook purchase included a performance for My Charming Rival ending at the beginning of Thursday which left me hanging. It was like stopping mid sentence not a great place to end book 1.
Overall:
The days are long in California and these characters have a long day of activities. Living in Hollywood awards them the perfect opportunity to scope out stars.
However, I’m not a star struck fan. Sure I appreciate the work of an actor and actress, yet to follow them around to capture a picture to post for followers is not my thing.
While there are two main characters there is also an array of supporting characters. To me these other characters crowded the story.
Where is the Lauren Blakely that wrote the No Regrets series? I miss that style of writing. This book was very disappointing. I wasn’t particularly interested in the paparazzi celebrity shooter storyline. The British guy meets the American girl is very cliche. It was a busy story with much to nothing going on besides getting tips on where celebrities will be present for photo opportunities. Yuck! Not appealing at all. It’s a big fat, No! I’m not a fan of celebrity stalking. Who cares where they eat, drink, or shop? Making money off of celebrity photos is tacky. That is not news. It’s pure gossip and an invasion of privacy.
PG rated sex scenes. Appropriate for a younger audience.
This book was laid out by days of the week totaling about six days not even a full week.
I’m not inclined to read book 2 eventhough my copy includes the second half of this duet.
Narrators:
Zachary Webber narrated the voice of William. His British performance was believable and ideal for this role.
Saskia Maarleveld narrated the voice of Jess. The American performance was ideal for this role.
These narrators greatly improved my experience of this disappointing storyline. Unfortunately, I just don’t have it in me to complete this story.
FYI:
I own the Stars in Their Eyes which is the complete version. Apparently, Lauren revamped this edition turning it into a duet by renaming the books. My Charming Rival is Book 1 and My Sexy Rival is Book 2.
My audiobook purchase included a performance for My Charming Rival ending at the beginning of Thursday which left me hanging. It was like stopping mid sentence not a great place to end book 1.
Read
October 31, 2019
Los Angeles. Land of sun, fun, and stars. There are celebrities everywhere you look, and Jess Leighton can't get enough of them. As a member of the paparrazi, she's always angling to be the first on the scene, getting the pictures of the rich and famous that everyone wants to see.
William Harrigan may have been born in the UK, but there's nowhere he'd rather be than in sunny L.A. Unfortunately for him, time's running out, and his time in the Golden State may soon be at an end.
Jess will do whatever it takes to be the top celebrity photographer. After all, med school isn't cheap, and good pictures pay well. When William shows up working for Jess' boss, she figures that it's always better to keep prospective enemies close, and begins spending time with him.
Firstly, William. Oh, my goodness, Hot British Guy. Swoon-worthy doesn't even begin to cover it. He's the brother of Matthew Harrigan, first introduced to us as Jane Black's love interest in FAR TOO TEMPTING. Well, like Matthew before him, William is sex on a stick. The man is British, for goodness' sake, and he speaks five languages. Let me tell you, if I get a Hot British Guy speaking sexy Italian to me while in the throes of passion, game over. And Jess, against her better judgment, begins to feel exactly the same way. Matthew is not only sexy, he's nice. And snarky and smart, and just fun to be around. For a woman as controlled as Jess is, he's just what she needs to let loose a bit, and feel free to be herself.
I really admire that Lauren addresses important topics in this book. In a place like L.A., where appearance is everything and looks make or break the person, dealing with personal demons that hinge on control is so timely. And trying to guess which celebrities Lauren is sending up makes for some fun guesswork while reading.
STARS IN OUR EYES joins the ranks of favorites, but it's sort of like picking a favorite child. This one shines, but you really have to read all of Lauren's books to see just how special they all are. Five swoony, sexy, romantic stars.
February 3, 2020
The build up of the story was amazing until it reached the last few chapters of the book.
I love the chemistry between the two characters, the idea is fresh, but I feel like the story dragged on for 20+ chapters and then suddenly rushed to end. The least it could have done was finish the whole story as a standalone rather than disappointing us with cliffhanger of an ending without an impact. I mean the ending is a little intriguing (and I have a couple of guesses as to who it can be) but it doesnt make me feel curious enough to read the second book even if I liked the characters.
Stories like these are meant to be a standalone rather than a series, at least thats the vibe I got from the book until I reached the ending feeling discontented with how things moved throughout the book. The climax and conflicts werent so impactful and didnt live up to the hype I got from initially reading the "About" section of the book.
I wouldnt have mind if it was a longer book as long as the whole story tied and summed up in one book.
I love the chemistry between the two characters, the idea is fresh, but I feel like the story dragged on for 20+ chapters and then suddenly rushed to end. The least it could have done was finish the whole story as a standalone rather than disappointing us with cliffhanger of an ending without an impact. I mean the ending is a little intriguing (and I have a couple of guesses as to who it can be) but it doesnt make me feel curious enough to read the second book even if I liked the characters.
Stories like these are meant to be a standalone rather than a series, at least thats the vibe I got from the book until I reached the ending feeling discontented with how things moved throughout the book. The climax and conflicts werent so impactful and didnt live up to the hype I got from initially reading the "About" section of the book.
I wouldnt have mind if it was a longer book as long as the whole story tied and summed up in one book.
November 4, 2024
For some reason this dual perspective duet has been painful for me to get through. There haven't been any major issues (grammar, spellings, etc) it's just for whatever reason, this just doesn't vibe for me. They are both in university and trying to make ends meet. For dealing with paparazzi in a negative light in every other book, I was initially excited to hear about the better side of them in this story, but it just fell flat for me. It was hard to get into. There is no reason I shouldn't have been able to hammer out the entire duet in a day, but it's been a struggle get through through it in 2 days for one book.
October 16, 2019
I love Lauren Blakely - she's one of my most favorite writers. I like her characters, the believable stories she tells, and the writing style she has. Unfortunately, this book didn't stick with me. I'm not sure if it was a combo of the slower pace, the lack of connection to the characters, or the incomplete feel of the story. Yes, I know it's a cliffhanger - but, even without that I felt something was missing.
In any case, I won't be pursuing the second part to the story. I will continue to read Blakely's novels because I love many of them - but this one didn't cut the mustard.
In any case, I won't be pursuing the second part to the story. I will continue to read Blakely's novels because I love many of them - but this one didn't cut the mustard.
January 18, 2020
Another one?
I really HATE when books end without any real ending!! That’s not a series - it’s one story — these are just a few chapters. I’m SO glad I didn’t pay for this or I’d want my money back. The characters are okay and while they’re supposed to have real life issues they come off as false and the “steam” is just smoke and no fire. This author is now on my DO NOT READ list with a couple of others with the same issue. SKIP this unless you want half a cock tease with no resolution.
I really HATE when books end without any real ending!! That’s not a series - it’s one story — these are just a few chapters. I’m SO glad I didn’t pay for this or I’d want my money back. The characters are okay and while they’re supposed to have real life issues they come off as false and the “steam” is just smoke and no fire. This author is now on my DO NOT READ list with a couple of others with the same issue. SKIP this unless you want half a cock tease with no resolution.
January 19, 2020
Overall opinion: Fun read with minimal heat and witty banter.
Brief Summary: No need to expand on the author's summary.
Narrator(s) good
POV: dual
Overall Pace: fast
Instalove: somewhat
H Rating: very good
h Rating: very good
Sad/happy/thrill/Angst/TSTL happy
Heat Level: mild
Descriptive Sex: no
OW/OM Drama: no
Sex with OW/OM: no
Cheating: no
Separation: no
Triggers: demanding bosses
Closure (HEA/HFN/Cliffhanger): Cliffhanger
Additional Thoughts? If you are looking for a hot read, this is not it. The second book contains a bit more but in very soft terms.
Brief Summary: No need to expand on the author's summary.
Narrator(s) good
POV: dual
Overall Pace: fast
Instalove: somewhat
H Rating: very good
h Rating: very good
Sad/happy/thrill/Angst/TSTL happy
Heat Level: mild
Descriptive Sex: no
OW/OM Drama: no
Sex with OW/OM: no
Cheating: no
Separation: no
Triggers: demanding bosses
Closure (HEA/HFN/Cliffhanger): Cliffhanger
Additional Thoughts? If you are looking for a hot read, this is not it. The second book contains a bit more but in very soft terms.
December 27, 2020
My Charming Rival is the first in a duet that ends with a cliffhanger to be continued in My Sexy Rival.
Jess is working her way through medical school using photography of the rich and famous to pay her tuition. William is using photography to help him keep his visa in the US. He has a secret or two he's holding too. They seem to be at all the same locations scouting for that perfect photo to be able to sell. Some flirting and humor lead to more.
I usually love this author. This book was alright, but I wasn't invested enough at the cliffhanger to get book two in the duet.
Jess is working her way through medical school using photography of the rich and famous to pay her tuition. William is using photography to help him keep his visa in the US. He has a secret or two he's holding too. They seem to be at all the same locations scouting for that perfect photo to be able to sell. Some flirting and humor lead to more.
I usually love this author. This book was alright, but I wasn't invested enough at the cliffhanger to get book two in the duet.
December 7, 2024
Awful. This was so focused on body image. She had an eating disorder in the past and he kept thinking about her trim body. Also the Hollywood stars were, of course, also obsessed with body sizes.
The narration wasn't terrible, however why have male and female voice actors if they aren't going to voice male for male and female for female? Instead they did every other chapter. Each doing all the voices in their chapter.
I almost quit this book at the beginning, but it mentioned that William had a motorcycle. Guess what? They never rode it. 👎 I had to listen at 2x speed to get through it.
The narration wasn't terrible, however why have male and female voice actors if they aren't going to voice male for male and female for female? Instead they did every other chapter. Each doing all the voices in their chapter.
I almost quit this book at the beginning, but it mentioned that William had a motorcycle. Guess what? They never rode it. 👎 I had to listen at 2x speed to get through it.
December 24, 2019
Twists & turns!
The 2 main characters do not have chemistry...well, it’s not like off the charts. Yup, it’s not Lauren Blakely’s writing style however I think she pulled it off quite well. It didn’t really need too much of romance considering the storyplot was quite cute, interesting, & a bit of a mystery. I did love the twists & turns in the book. It was a page turner for me. I got the 2nd book and so, I am ok with that cliff hanger. LOL.
The 2 main characters do not have chemistry...well, it’s not like off the charts. Yup, it’s not Lauren Blakely’s writing style however I think she pulled it off quite well. It didn’t really need too much of romance considering the storyplot was quite cute, interesting, & a bit of a mystery. I did love the twists & turns in the book. It was a page turner for me. I got the 2nd book and so, I am ok with that cliff hanger. LOL.
January 5, 2020
2.5 Stars.
I've liked other Lauren Blakely books, so when I saw this one and found out that it is read by one of my favorite narrators I knew I needed to read it. Unfortunately, I was not impressed. There wasn't much chemistry between William and Jess and it felt like nothing happened in this book. I know this is a duet and I had hoped that it would wrap up nicely in the second part, but at this point, I don't even care enough to pick it up.
I've liked other Lauren Blakely books, so when I saw this one and found out that it is read by one of my favorite narrators I knew I needed to read it. Unfortunately, I was not impressed. There wasn't much chemistry between William and Jess and it felt like nothing happened in this book. I know this is a duet and I had hoped that it would wrap up nicely in the second part, but at this point, I don't even care enough to pick it up.
January 22, 2020
This is a delightful tale of two students who find each other in a most unusual way. While there is fantastic chemistry between Jess and William, there are underlying serious concerns that are dealt with in a lovely way. I love the chemistry between these two and how they teach each other what si most important in life. I adore Lauren Blakely and all her stories, and this is another story that I fell in love with. This is book one of a duet.
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