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Chloe Gamble #1
The One
Chloe Gamble knows three she's better than the tiny Texas town she grew up in; there's just one person she can trust; and she wants to be famous.
And what Chloe wants...Chloe gets.
And what Chloe wants...Chloe gets.
- GenresYoung Adult
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2009
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175 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 8, 2012
Reviewed by Jaglvr for TeensReadToo.com
You will either hate Chloe Gamble or you will love her. I came away from reading THE ONE absolutely spellbound by Chloe and eager for more in the follow-up, VIP LOUNGE.
When Chloe's mom catches her dad with another woman, it's all the ammunition Chloe needs to finally convince her mom to get out of the situation, get in the car with her twin brother, and drive all the way to L.A. Chloe grew up in the world of beauty pageants. She knows how to win and give the judges what they want. With $10,000 from her latest win, the three begin a new life in California. L.A. is a long way from Nowhere, Texas.
Chloe doesn't follow the rules. But she insists that her brother, Travis, stay out of trouble. With a bold plan, Chloe takes L.A. by storm. Her first ambitious task is to get both of them enrolled into the best private school, on scholarship. When she's given the cold shoulder, she has Travis pull out his secret weapon, and just like that, they're in.
But Chloe isn't infallible. She makes a serious faux pas when she sneaks into an audition for a hot new show. It isn't until after she's escorted out that she realizes how huge a mistake she's made. But Chloe isn't out of the game. With a few choice connections, she slowly learns the ropes of L.A. and is ready for round two.
Told from different perspectives, the reader gets an inside glimpse of the acting scene in Los Angeles. Peeks into Chloe's agent's manuscript set the story up for further intrigue and mystery in follow-up novels. Emails from Travis to his friends in Texas share the high side of life in California. And the majority of the story is told by Chloe and her determination to be IT and surpass people like the obnoxious Kimber that she meets in her early days after the move.
You will either hate Chloe Gamble or you will love her. I came away from reading THE ONE absolutely spellbound by Chloe and eager for more in the follow-up, VIP LOUNGE.
When Chloe's mom catches her dad with another woman, it's all the ammunition Chloe needs to finally convince her mom to get out of the situation, get in the car with her twin brother, and drive all the way to L.A. Chloe grew up in the world of beauty pageants. She knows how to win and give the judges what they want. With $10,000 from her latest win, the three begin a new life in California. L.A. is a long way from Nowhere, Texas.
Chloe doesn't follow the rules. But she insists that her brother, Travis, stay out of trouble. With a bold plan, Chloe takes L.A. by storm. Her first ambitious task is to get both of them enrolled into the best private school, on scholarship. When she's given the cold shoulder, she has Travis pull out his secret weapon, and just like that, they're in.
But Chloe isn't infallible. She makes a serious faux pas when she sneaks into an audition for a hot new show. It isn't until after she's escorted out that she realizes how huge a mistake she's made. But Chloe isn't out of the game. With a few choice connections, she slowly learns the ropes of L.A. and is ready for round two.
Told from different perspectives, the reader gets an inside glimpse of the acting scene in Los Angeles. Peeks into Chloe's agent's manuscript set the story up for further intrigue and mystery in follow-up novels. Emails from Travis to his friends in Texas share the high side of life in California. And the majority of the story is told by Chloe and her determination to be IT and surpass people like the obnoxious Kimber that she meets in her early days after the move.
June 5, 2009
whaddya mean I have to wait until DECEMBER to read the next book in the series? I cannot wait! I don't DO waiting! I will make it happen. YES I WILL!
and that is how Chloe Gamble would react to someone telling her she had to wait to read the next chapter of her life.
A suck you in murder mystery that takes place behind the shining lights of Hollywood, where the real heartache, drama, and murder happen.
and that is how Chloe Gamble would react to someone telling her she had to wait to read the next chapter of her life.
A suck you in murder mystery that takes place behind the shining lights of Hollywood, where the real heartache, drama, and murder happen.
April 13, 2009
The One is the story (1st in a series) about Chole Gamble. Chloe Gamble will stop at nothing to be famous. She knows she can do it, she was born for it.
She hates her small Spurlock, Texas home (YAY she's from Texas too!!..wants to leave but w/e haha) there's nothing for her there and why should she stick around anyway when her good for nothing father is out being a man-whore with girls about three years older than her?
Chloe decides she's had enough of her small town so she gets her mom and twin brother Travis out of there and with the help of her pageant winning $10,000 money, she sets out to take the three of them to Hollywood.
Chole has yet to learn the ropes about the workings of Hollywood. She's a fast learner so it's not so bad. But she better land a job soon because now she has the rent to pay, and it's not as if her drunk of a mother is going to be helpful. What happens is, she ends up sneaking into a VERY important place (I won't say where) and it seems as if that's the end of her not-yet-existant career. We know she's going to have a career from Nika's notes (more on this below), so it's only a matter of how she does it. :)
This book was pretty darn interesting. I liked it but it was okay. The ending really left me wanting more so I'm thinking I'll like the next book more than this one especially since the "real" fun will begin in the second. Basically this book is here to introduce us to Chloe Gamble and to tell us how she's going to get to where she is, her super famous status that is.
Believe it or not, I actually learned a lot about the movie/T.V show industry. It's really informative. Some stuff I never even thought about and it's true, it really is. I know that because it makes so much sense, I looked it up (hehe), and Ed Decter worked in that industry. The reader learns so much about how to be an actor/actress so this can serve as the Bible for to-be actors out there. hehe
I really liked the way the story is narrated. You get to read about Chloe's POV by her first hand of course. You also get Travis's POV by the emails he writes to his best friend. BTW I don't know any guy who talks like that, I mean the guy says whatev. What guy says that? Anywho..you get to know some details about Chloe's future and goings on from the manuscript notes her agent, Nika, writes. The last manuscript notes she writes REALLY leaves you wanting more. I'm sooo psyched to know what will happen next in Chloe Gambles life (!!!!).
She hates her small Spurlock, Texas home (YAY she's from Texas too!!..wants to leave but w/e haha) there's nothing for her there and why should she stick around anyway when her good for nothing father is out being a man-whore with girls about three years older than her?
Chloe decides she's had enough of her small town so she gets her mom and twin brother Travis out of there and with the help of her pageant winning $10,000 money, she sets out to take the three of them to Hollywood.
Chole has yet to learn the ropes about the workings of Hollywood. She's a fast learner so it's not so bad. But she better land a job soon because now she has the rent to pay, and it's not as if her drunk of a mother is going to be helpful. What happens is, she ends up sneaking into a VERY important place (I won't say where) and it seems as if that's the end of her not-yet-existant career. We know she's going to have a career from Nika's notes (more on this below), so it's only a matter of how she does it. :)
This book was pretty darn interesting. I liked it but it was okay. The ending really left me wanting more so I'm thinking I'll like the next book more than this one especially since the "real" fun will begin in the second. Basically this book is here to introduce us to Chloe Gamble and to tell us how she's going to get to where she is, her super famous status that is.
Believe it or not, I actually learned a lot about the movie/T.V show industry. It's really informative. Some stuff I never even thought about and it's true, it really is. I know that because it makes so much sense, I looked it up (hehe), and Ed Decter worked in that industry. The reader learns so much about how to be an actor/actress so this can serve as the Bible for to-be actors out there. hehe
I really liked the way the story is narrated. You get to read about Chloe's POV by her first hand of course. You also get Travis's POV by the emails he writes to his best friend. BTW I don't know any guy who talks like that, I mean the guy says whatev. What guy says that? Anywho..you get to know some details about Chloe's future and goings on from the manuscript notes her agent, Nika, writes. The last manuscript notes she writes REALLY leaves you wanting more. I'm sooo psyched to know what will happen next in Chloe Gambles life (!!!!).
March 1, 2009
Summary: Chloe Gamble always has an aura of charisma and gets what she wants. But can she work her magic in Hollywood?
She’s been winning beauty pageants and providing for her family all these years. But after catching her father in the act, flirting with a girl about a year or two older than she, Chloe decides it’s time the small town to move to LA to leave with her mother and twin brother, Travis, in tow. Who else was going to decide, her mother?
And so the adventures begin. From finding the proper photographer, stylist, agent, and publicist, Chloe embarks on a true Hollywood scandal. One that leaves her on the blacklist and infamous throughout the city. But that’s not to stop Chloe Gamble to getting what she wants.
Review: The One was like a huge scandal that you read everywhere—in the tabloids, or on television. Full of excitement, and Texas drawl, The One took less than three hours to read.
What I love the most about The One was the three various points of view. We had Nika May, Chloe’s agent, Travis’s emails, and of course Chloe herself. They each represent the relationship in that industry. Nika was the background, how things work, who’s who, and what’s what. Travis was the family aspect but also he had his own story to tell. And Chloe’s point of view speaks for itself.
Chloe is an engrossing and charismatic character. She’s head-strong, determined, and stubborn. But she is also caring. For example, she went out of her way to enroll her and her brother into a prep school just to make him feel more normal and then somehow managed to get him a scholarship. Travis is another character that I felt was good. He had the protective brother vibe going on but he also has own adventure—modeling [underwear:], acting, and he’s own personal drama.
The ending was a freaking tease! Seriously! My jaw dropped at how the story ended and I almost threw the book out of frustration. Huge, ginormous, cliff hanger!
Overall: Right from the start, The One dives head first into the world of gossip, sass, and fun. So far this has been the best Hollywood story I have read so far. And I’m eagerly waiting for the sequel to this awesome start!
She’s been winning beauty pageants and providing for her family all these years. But after catching her father in the act, flirting with a girl about a year or two older than she, Chloe decides it’s time the small town to move to LA to leave with her mother and twin brother, Travis, in tow. Who else was going to decide, her mother?
And so the adventures begin. From finding the proper photographer, stylist, agent, and publicist, Chloe embarks on a true Hollywood scandal. One that leaves her on the blacklist and infamous throughout the city. But that’s not to stop Chloe Gamble to getting what she wants.
Review: The One was like a huge scandal that you read everywhere—in the tabloids, or on television. Full of excitement, and Texas drawl, The One took less than three hours to read.
What I love the most about The One was the three various points of view. We had Nika May, Chloe’s agent, Travis’s emails, and of course Chloe herself. They each represent the relationship in that industry. Nika was the background, how things work, who’s who, and what’s what. Travis was the family aspect but also he had his own story to tell. And Chloe’s point of view speaks for itself.
Chloe is an engrossing and charismatic character. She’s head-strong, determined, and stubborn. But she is also caring. For example, she went out of her way to enroll her and her brother into a prep school just to make him feel more normal and then somehow managed to get him a scholarship. Travis is another character that I felt was good. He had the protective brother vibe going on but he also has own adventure—modeling [underwear:], acting, and he’s own personal drama.
The ending was a freaking tease! Seriously! My jaw dropped at how the story ended and I almost threw the book out of frustration. Huge, ginormous, cliff hanger!
Overall: Right from the start, The One dives head first into the world of gossip, sass, and fun. So far this has been the best Hollywood story I have read so far. And I’m eagerly waiting for the sequel to this awesome start!
September 9, 2009
I was reading through some reviews about this book and wasn't expect much because everyone was talking about how it was just an okay book. However, I actually enjoyed The One...a lot.
I loved how the different perspectives - Nika's documentary, Travis' emails to his best friend and Chloe's own point of view - made up this book. It provided diverse angles that allowed the readers to get a sense of the people that revolved around The One.
I loved the characters especially Chloe and Travis because they're just so amazing. Chloe is able to charm her way through anyone with her charisma and at first, it's pretty unrealistic. However, when she gets rejected and thrown one once meaning her charisma didn't exactly work, you realize that she's just like us and that even though she manages to get past security and into the network tests, ultimately, she gets kicked out - just like what would happen to us if we did that. I love her determination and perseverance to make it into Hollywood no matter what anyone thought. When she had that disaster, she didn't get pulled away from it. Instead, it made her more determined than ever. She's also extremely caring, well, only for her brother. She went out of her way to make sure that he will keep his education even though she might not.
The only thing I didn't like about Chloe was her attitude towards her mother. She didn't treat her with respect at all. I understand how parents especially moms seem to always want your money because I think mine does too, however, she is still your mom. Meaning, you need to respect her. Chloe had none at all. This was the only negative thing about Chloe's character.
Travis is my favorite because, um, he's really hot and he's a great soccer player. I love that scene when Chloe makes Travis prove himself to the gym teachers and soccer coach with all these different "secret weapons" and I also love his loyalty to Chloe. Even though he had this girlfriend, he ultimately chose Chloe and stuck with Chloe. That loyalty made me admire him more and more.
Overall, I highly enjoyed The One and I can't wait until the next one because the cliff-hanger...IS ENORMOUS!
I loved how the different perspectives - Nika's documentary, Travis' emails to his best friend and Chloe's own point of view - made up this book. It provided diverse angles that allowed the readers to get a sense of the people that revolved around The One.
I loved the characters especially Chloe and Travis because they're just so amazing. Chloe is able to charm her way through anyone with her charisma and at first, it's pretty unrealistic. However, when she gets rejected and thrown one once meaning her charisma didn't exactly work, you realize that she's just like us and that even though she manages to get past security and into the network tests, ultimately, she gets kicked out - just like what would happen to us if we did that. I love her determination and perseverance to make it into Hollywood no matter what anyone thought. When she had that disaster, she didn't get pulled away from it. Instead, it made her more determined than ever. She's also extremely caring, well, only for her brother. She went out of her way to make sure that he will keep his education even though she might not.
The only thing I didn't like about Chloe was her attitude towards her mother. She didn't treat her with respect at all. I understand how parents especially moms seem to always want your money because I think mine does too, however, she is still your mom. Meaning, you need to respect her. Chloe had none at all. This was the only negative thing about Chloe's character.
Travis is my favorite because, um, he's really hot and he's a great soccer player. I love that scene when Chloe makes Travis prove himself to the gym teachers and soccer coach with all these different "secret weapons" and I also love his loyalty to Chloe. Even though he had this girlfriend, he ultimately chose Chloe and stuck with Chloe. That loyalty made me admire him more and more.
Overall, I highly enjoyed The One and I can't wait until the next one because the cliff-hanger...IS ENORMOUS!
July 4, 2011
You either got it ... or you don't. And Chloe Gamble definetly has it.
If you don't know who Cloe Gamble is you might as well be living under a rock. She's the A-list actress up there with Miley Cyrus and Angelina Jolie. She stars in the hit show 'Cover Band'. Doesn't ring a bell? Well this should, she was THE Cloe Gamble to break in a NBC pilot audition. With no agent. Money. Experience. Sure, she got kicked out but within months she was the biggest actress known. Those big security guards that hated her with firey passion were then bragging to their collegues that they were the guys who kicked her out.
But she didn't get it all with a snap of her fingers. Obviously she did the impossible, get to the top of the ladder before even getting on the bottom rungs, but it took a lot of effort. And screaming.
Not many people know the TRUE story of how Cloe Gamble became Cloe Gamble: The star to have in your show. To give a quick answer, what Cloe wants, Cloe gets. Period.
I really enjoyed this novel. It was unlike most books I have read but I thoroughly enjoyed the plotline. It had humor and a bucketful of suspense. Cloe is such a well developed character that I found to quite realistic. The story itself is very real and I found myself completely engrossed into the book until I reminded myself that it isn't real. The book has many references to real life actors and also some mature content and swearing therefore I wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger than 12/13.
Here's a tip I learned from Cloe: When you want something, target the guy who can get it for you (not his buddy but him), realize what he wants (is he the cowboy type? likes athletes?) and play the role (act like a ditz if that's what he likes). Get it signed. Then turn back into yourself ;)
If you don't know who Cloe Gamble is you might as well be living under a rock. She's the A-list actress up there with Miley Cyrus and Angelina Jolie. She stars in the hit show 'Cover Band'. Doesn't ring a bell? Well this should, she was THE Cloe Gamble to break in a NBC pilot audition. With no agent. Money. Experience. Sure, she got kicked out but within months she was the biggest actress known. Those big security guards that hated her with firey passion were then bragging to their collegues that they were the guys who kicked her out.
But she didn't get it all with a snap of her fingers. Obviously she did the impossible, get to the top of the ladder before even getting on the bottom rungs, but it took a lot of effort. And screaming.
Not many people know the TRUE story of how Cloe Gamble became Cloe Gamble: The star to have in your show. To give a quick answer, what Cloe wants, Cloe gets. Period.
I really enjoyed this novel. It was unlike most books I have read but I thoroughly enjoyed the plotline. It had humor and a bucketful of suspense. Cloe is such a well developed character that I found to quite realistic. The story itself is very real and I found myself completely engrossed into the book until I reminded myself that it isn't real. The book has many references to real life actors and also some mature content and swearing therefore I wouldn't recommend it to anyone younger than 12/13.
Here's a tip I learned from Cloe: When you want something, target the guy who can get it for you (not his buddy but him), realize what he wants (is he the cowboy type? likes athletes?) and play the role (act like a ditz if that's what he likes). Get it signed. Then turn back into yourself ;)
September 7, 2010
I absolutely LOVE Chloe Gamble! A teen beauty queen from the small, middle of nowhere town of Spurlock, TX, she is determined to make it big. When her father cheats (again!) on her mother, and her mother actually sees the couple together, Chloe grabs Mom and twin brother, Travis, and heads to Hollywood with her $10,000 check from the last beauty contest. She’s smart enough to know that won’t last long, but she has a plan! After some missteps (including barging into a network audition), she manages to land an agent, a publicist, and a stylist (all of whom are also wannabes) and by the end of Book One, she has a starring role in new TV series. Book 2 is about the beginning of stardom & its effects on her and her entourage.
This is certainly fluff, and pretty unbelievable, but it is fun and Chloe is a riot! Her guts and her determination make the reader root for her every step of the way, even while cringing when she makes colossal mistake after mistake. Teens will love the series. It’s pretty tame, but there is some sex and profanity. The story alternates between Chloe’s first person narrative and the notes/diary/reports from her agent. Those serve to explain the ins and outs of Hollywood, and I think might be interesting to older teens, but probably not middle schoolers, so recommended for high school and up. I thought it was lots of fun – it reminded me of the Van Etten series about the teen soap opera, Likely Story.
This is certainly fluff, and pretty unbelievable, but it is fun and Chloe is a riot! Her guts and her determination make the reader root for her every step of the way, even while cringing when she makes colossal mistake after mistake. Teens will love the series. It’s pretty tame, but there is some sex and profanity. The story alternates between Chloe’s first person narrative and the notes/diary/reports from her agent. Those serve to explain the ins and outs of Hollywood, and I think might be interesting to older teens, but probably not middle schoolers, so recommended for high school and up. I thought it was lots of fun – it reminded me of the Van Etten series about the teen soap opera, Likely Story.
March 30, 2009
Going into this I wasn't expecting a whole lot. Possibly a page turner, but mostly another small town girl gets famous kind of novel. Though, it was a decent book that shows promise in being a great new trilogy.
First off, I loved the beginning it was mysterious and fully captured my attention, holding it for the first hundred or so pages, but soon after everything just kind of went off pace. It got boring and went too in deep describing the whole Hollywood world, making it hard to get through. Though, towards the end it once again picked up speed and left a cliff hanger, of course.
The characters were interesting, but weren't that three dimensional. I liked how it was told in three point of views with Chloe's as the main narrative, her agent, Nika's Manuscript notes, and Travis's (her twin brother) emails. Since, it let you to get to know the characters well. Chloe was probably my favorite character overall, because I loved her determination to make it in Hollywood no matter what came her way.
Overall, The One was a decent opening to a new trilogy. I look forward to reading the sequel, VIP Lounge, which comes out this December.
Grade: B-
First off, I loved the beginning it was mysterious and fully captured my attention, holding it for the first hundred or so pages, but soon after everything just kind of went off pace. It got boring and went too in deep describing the whole Hollywood world, making it hard to get through. Though, towards the end it once again picked up speed and left a cliff hanger, of course.
The characters were interesting, but weren't that three dimensional. I liked how it was told in three point of views with Chloe's as the main narrative, her agent, Nika's Manuscript notes, and Travis's (her twin brother) emails. Since, it let you to get to know the characters well. Chloe was probably my favorite character overall, because I loved her determination to make it in Hollywood no matter what came her way.
Overall, The One was a decent opening to a new trilogy. I look forward to reading the sequel, VIP Lounge, which comes out this December.
Grade: B-
August 3, 2016
This book has haunted me for close to six years. I never forgot about it and it left me with this unsettling feeling afterwards because of the mysterious context. I have been searching for the name of this book let alone the book itself for six years after a borrowed it from the library and posted on book title queries and scanned databases. And finally decided today I would try again using my library database and some key buzzwords. And by some sheer luck and determination, I found it and i'm still a little in awe.
Now onto the belated review.
I am sucker for anything that exposes behind the scenes Hollywood which is why I still fairly like this book but I remember disliking all of the characters, especially Chloe. I remember hating her attitude, her naivete and stubbornness. But I also remember getting to the end of the book and wondering what would happen next which means it was at least intriguing enough.
Now onto the belated review.
I am sucker for anything that exposes behind the scenes Hollywood which is why I still fairly like this book but I remember disliking all of the characters, especially Chloe. I remember hating her attitude, her naivete and stubbornness. But I also remember getting to the end of the book and wondering what would happen next which means it was at least intriguing enough.
July 2, 2009
This was a pretty good book. I found it really interesting, and it totally kept me hooked. I'm definately excited for the sequel coming this December. The plot really keeps you hooked as well, though I felt it had its downsides just to the extremes it seemed to go to. The whole story is upon the basis of Chloe wanting to escape her home town of Spurlock, Texas. The fact that they just get in the car, and drive to Hollywood, and with all the stuff she does seemed to set back the book a bit in my opinion. I felt the sections from her agent kind of took away from the book though, and slowed down a bit.
July 18, 2016
Interesting presentation- the book is in a few formats- Nika May's manuscript notes, Travis' emails, and it's also told from Chloe's point of view.
Chloe is more than a beauty queen, she's a woman on a mission. She's fierce, ballsy, and a force to be reckoned with. And along the way in pursuit of fame mistakes are made, friends are found, and support comes from sometimes surprising places. It was a very solid first book that has me waiting to see what happens in the next book.
Chloe is more than a beauty queen, she's a woman on a mission. She's fierce, ballsy, and a force to be reckoned with. And along the way in pursuit of fame mistakes are made, friends are found, and support comes from sometimes surprising places. It was a very solid first book that has me waiting to see what happens in the next book.
August 15, 2010
It was okay. The first half was a little boring but it got better as it progressed. I'll be reading the next one, but not any time soon. The ending leaves you curious. I have a feeling that this series gets better as it continues cause the next one seems pretty good.
April 15, 2009
I loved this book!
It wasn't one of those normal girlie books. Chloe Gamble actually had a real goal and worked very hard to get there. She didn't wait for people to do it for her, she didn't expect people to do anything for her.
I would recommend this book to almost anyone.
It wasn't one of those normal girlie books. Chloe Gamble actually had a real goal and worked very hard to get there. She didn't wait for people to do it for her, she didn't expect people to do anything for her.
I would recommend this book to almost anyone.
September 4, 2014
2 1/2 stars. From the review I thought that it was going to have a more mysterious, almost supernatural, quality to the story. I was disappointed.
April 26, 2010
Well this book for sure made me learn about hollywood. However I think the events that happened were just simply so unrealistic. It was a little boring, but over all it was an okay book.
August 16, 2012
a bit cheesy. but good. just like pizza.=D
February 18, 2015
I had to read this for work...
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