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Love Scenes
Acting like she's in love with her handsome nightmare of a co-star--in a movie directed and produced by her complicated Hollywood royalty family--is Sloane's job. But what happens when the lines between script and reality get blurred?
Out-of-work actress Sloane Ford is in desperate need of something to do after losing her steady TV gig. When her famous family ropes her into working as a producer on their World War II-era romance, they neglect to mention that the film will be headlined by Joseph Donovan, her least favorite former co-star of all time. The roguish actor made her life a living hell the last time they worked together, using his movie star good looks and Irish charm to cover for his erratic professional behavior. On their new film set, he promises he's different now, but Sloane is far from convinced.
As filming gets underway, it becomes clear that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. When the lead actress is abruptly fired, Sloane agrees to step in and take over the role, and she starts to remember why she fell in love with acting in the first place. On camera, she and Joseph share an electric chemistry. Off camera, they've been honing their characters and, much to Sloane's surprise, growing closer. But playing the role of a woman in love with Joseph Donovan is a dangerous business, and the more time they spend together, the less Sloane can tell what's real between them, and what's just for show.
Out-of-work actress Sloane Ford is in desperate need of something to do after losing her steady TV gig. When her famous family ropes her into working as a producer on their World War II-era romance, they neglect to mention that the film will be headlined by Joseph Donovan, her least favorite former co-star of all time. The roguish actor made her life a living hell the last time they worked together, using his movie star good looks and Irish charm to cover for his erratic professional behavior. On their new film set, he promises he's different now, but Sloane is far from convinced.
As filming gets underway, it becomes clear that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. When the lead actress is abruptly fired, Sloane agrees to step in and take over the role, and she starts to remember why she fell in love with acting in the first place. On camera, she and Joseph share an electric chemistry. Off camera, they've been honing their characters and, much to Sloane's surprise, growing closer. But playing the role of a woman in love with Joseph Donovan is a dangerous business, and the more time they spend together, the less Sloane can tell what's real between them, and what's just for show.
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 20, 2021
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September 21, 2021
Yeesss! This book ticks all the boxes of a devoted romcom fan like me!
Blasting chemistry: check!witty, rich, ultra entertaining dialogues: check!
So much likable MCs and fantastic supporting characters! Check! Check! Check!
The sarcastic, confused, heartbroken heroine Sloane we can easily relate and groveling, tempting, hot Irish hero Joseph Donovan( cousin of Ray Donovan! Okay I’m kidding but his father is Michael so close to Ray’s mischievous father Mickey Donovan: even the fathers’ characters are the same) we may yearn steal our hearts! Let’s not forget the heroine’s crowded family dynamics. Two younger siblings at the movie industry: Tyler: debut director, Powell is movie composer. Two actor divorced parents marry again with different partners! Then the father divorces again, dating with a new girlfriend. But interestingly two ex wives are getting along so well, playing lovers at the last movie Tyler is directing!( that’s not the only fire at the set! ), friendly new girlfriend( her father dates a girl two years younger than Sloane but who cares, they were truly in love)- soon to be fiancée of her father and sweet little 11 years old stepsister are already part of their dysfunctional, noisy, entertaining family!
Sloane’s stepfather is legend director and after seeing the introductions you may understand her path is already defined when she was younger. She involved in the movie business like her entire family did. But now she seems like she lost her way. She doesn’t like to be called privileged young daughter of power couple. (Even though she was exactly privileged young protégée of the legendary couple)
She wants to be remembered with her own efforts and she’s stubborn enough to work for tv series that she’s not pleased to perform! And now they cut her character. She already rejected the leading actress part at the World War II romance movie which will be her sister’s directorial debut. They already casted someone but they still insist she can be part of the project as producer.
She tries to adjust in her new role even though a family with no boundaries like hers could give her hard time at movie set after she lost her last gig and huge part of her confidence. And she realizes that’s not the worst part of the job: the leading actor of the movie is Joseph freaking Donovan who turned her life into hell when they worked at a romcom movie before. She was so close to leave acting job after she endured his nightmarish, egotistical manners at the movie! Now her job is helping him work on lines together because he’s not doing a great job at the first day of the set.
Joseph a. k.a. Joe insists he became a better man and apologizes about his past manners nonstop, nearly groveling to earn her confidence. Interestingly Sloane cannot resist his charms and she surprisingly builds a friendship with enemy.
But after her mother fires the leading actress and offers her role to Sloane, she takes it against all risks! What can go wrong being around Joe and having intense sex scenes in front of her entire family! Well, you know the answer, don’t you?
I loved Sloane and Joe’s incredibly chemistry!
I loved Sloane’s big, complicated, freaking crazy family!
I loved everything about this book! This is hot! This is entertaining! This is sweet! This is emotional!
It’s like watching movie inside another movie and having time of your life!
Definitely earned five war era, romantic, enemies to lovers, dysfunctional family, feel good, laugh out loud, fantastic stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing For Sharing this reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
Blasting chemistry: check!witty, rich, ultra entertaining dialogues: check!
So much likable MCs and fantastic supporting characters! Check! Check! Check!
The sarcastic, confused, heartbroken heroine Sloane we can easily relate and groveling, tempting, hot Irish hero Joseph Donovan( cousin of Ray Donovan! Okay I’m kidding but his father is Michael so close to Ray’s mischievous father Mickey Donovan: even the fathers’ characters are the same) we may yearn steal our hearts! Let’s not forget the heroine’s crowded family dynamics. Two younger siblings at the movie industry: Tyler: debut director, Powell is movie composer. Two actor divorced parents marry again with different partners! Then the father divorces again, dating with a new girlfriend. But interestingly two ex wives are getting along so well, playing lovers at the last movie Tyler is directing!( that’s not the only fire at the set! ), friendly new girlfriend( her father dates a girl two years younger than Sloane but who cares, they were truly in love)- soon to be fiancée of her father and sweet little 11 years old stepsister are already part of their dysfunctional, noisy, entertaining family!
Sloane’s stepfather is legend director and after seeing the introductions you may understand her path is already defined when she was younger. She involved in the movie business like her entire family did. But now she seems like she lost her way. She doesn’t like to be called privileged young daughter of power couple. (Even though she was exactly privileged young protégée of the legendary couple)
She wants to be remembered with her own efforts and she’s stubborn enough to work for tv series that she’s not pleased to perform! And now they cut her character. She already rejected the leading actress part at the World War II romance movie which will be her sister’s directorial debut. They already casted someone but they still insist she can be part of the project as producer.
She tries to adjust in her new role even though a family with no boundaries like hers could give her hard time at movie set after she lost her last gig and huge part of her confidence. And she realizes that’s not the worst part of the job: the leading actor of the movie is Joseph freaking Donovan who turned her life into hell when they worked at a romcom movie before. She was so close to leave acting job after she endured his nightmarish, egotistical manners at the movie! Now her job is helping him work on lines together because he’s not doing a great job at the first day of the set.
Joseph a. k.a. Joe insists he became a better man and apologizes about his past manners nonstop, nearly groveling to earn her confidence. Interestingly Sloane cannot resist his charms and she surprisingly builds a friendship with enemy.
But after her mother fires the leading actress and offers her role to Sloane, she takes it against all risks! What can go wrong being around Joe and having intense sex scenes in front of her entire family! Well, you know the answer, don’t you?
I loved Sloane and Joe’s incredibly chemistry!
I loved Sloane’s big, complicated, freaking crazy family!
I loved everything about this book! This is hot! This is entertaining! This is sweet! This is emotional!
It’s like watching movie inside another movie and having time of your life!
Definitely earned five war era, romantic, enemies to lovers, dysfunctional family, feel good, laugh out loud, fantastic stars!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing For Sharing this reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.
December 19, 2023
(This review may contain minor spoiler)
First of all, I am sorry for the review I am about to write but what the horror am I reading? [literally breaking down].
Love Scene is alove a story of Sloanne Ford, an actress to a prominent Hollywood family who was battling with her feelings when she finds herself attracted to her co-star, Joseph Donovan; who was also once the reason her career was on a verge of tearing down.
Plot: Nonexistent
I was trying to understand where the story is heading and although it looks like the plot was comparatively there, I still don't think I get what this book is trying to tell. Aside from the fact that Joseph is no longer the person he used to be or how working with Joseph once almost destroyed Sloanne's career, this book offered zero to no explanation as to why. Too many events, not enough plot.
From the title, you can guess that this book must be centring around creating a love scene in a movie set but would you believe me if I say there was barely any of it? I don't think the author was even writing a closed-door sex scene. There was just a subtle indication that they did it (not that I need it) but I feel betrayed for how misleading this book is. If you read The Roommate, you'll get to know the male character, Josh as a porn star. And the book offers a very good insight into what happened behind the scene as well as the stigma centring around the job. This book could have so much potential to be an enjoyable yet educative kind of book, but it didn't.
Not to say, the main characters have already slept with each other before they shoot their love scene resulting in no sexual tension and such. This was supposed to be about two co-stars catching feelings after working together again but I don't think that's even what it is. Even if not for the love scene, just a normal scene of them shooting together was hardly there (which I was hoping would be the right time for the characters to start building their love relationship).
Then, there was also a part where they were preparing for one of the galas that Sloanne annually conducted which was cool. But throughout the ¾ of the book, it talks about them being actors or producers. However, due to some foreseen circumstances where all the previous performers now had beefs with Sloane, she decided to take a matter in hand by performing herself. The worst part? Everyone is suddenly a musician. Joe can play the guitar, Guy can play the drum, Sloanne can sing and since when? This part has never been mentioned before. What in the world is this sudden shift of plot?
Characters: Unpleasant
Both the M/F characters were so flat. There weren't any distinctive traits about them aside from being the daughter of a famous couple who were also actors and producers. Since this book is also written in a single-POV, I don't think Sloanne perspective gives enough justice to Joe's character aside from the fact that he is,AGAIN only a changed man.
I think the only prominent character would be Sloanne's mother who was described as the typical diva mother but was such an unpleasant character to read. At this point, no one is close to being likeable.
Romance: Zero Correlation
I don't find it in me to properly comprehend the relationship between Sloanne and Joe. From the climax, we get to guess that Joe has been in-like with Sloanne. That was the sole reason he accepted the role in the first place, but their stories lack establishment; failing in making me feel connected. It feels like they were in love because the plot says so and whatever happened just sort of happen? And I wasn't even remotely enjoying it.
Writing Style: Decent
I already felt bad for all the negative reviews, so besides all that I've said, I would still like to praise Morrissey for the nice writing style despite the terrible story. And I know this book covers broader topics like family dynamics and recovering from alcoholism which trusts me, I understand what the author was trying to deliver (but it also feels forced). And the main plot was not covered in full-fledged; which is why it's disappointing.
Other than that, I am sorry for being close-fisted but this book is so boring and I am proud of myself for even finishing it. A star is brutal (trust me, I don't believe in rating a book with one star but too much reading now proved that it can happen) and I couldn't find it in me to settle for two stars either. I don't think the title of the book even fit with its content. I literally wasted my day reading this and I don't think I would like to tolerate anymore by being generous.
First of all, I am sorry for the review I am about to write but what the horror am I reading? [literally breaking down].
Love Scene is a
Plot: Nonexistent
I was trying to understand where the story is heading and although it looks like the plot was comparatively there, I still don't think I get what this book is trying to tell. Aside from the fact that Joseph is no longer the person he used to be or how working with Joseph once almost destroyed Sloanne's career, this book offered zero to no explanation as to why. Too many events, not enough plot.
From the title, you can guess that this book must be centring around creating a love scene in a movie set but would you believe me if I say there was barely any of it? I don't think the author was even writing a closed-door sex scene. There was just a subtle indication that they did it (not that I need it) but I feel betrayed for how misleading this book is. If you read The Roommate, you'll get to know the male character, Josh as a porn star. And the book offers a very good insight into what happened behind the scene as well as the stigma centring around the job. This book could have so much potential to be an enjoyable yet educative kind of book, but it didn't.
Not to say, the main characters have already slept with each other before they shoot their love scene resulting in no sexual tension and such. This was supposed to be about two co-stars catching feelings after working together again but I don't think that's even what it is. Even if not for the love scene, just a normal scene of them shooting together was hardly there (which I was hoping would be the right time for the characters to start building their love relationship).
Then, there was also a part where they were preparing for one of the galas that Sloanne annually conducted which was cool. But throughout the ¾ of the book, it talks about them being actors or producers. However, due to some foreseen circumstances where all the previous performers now had beefs with Sloane, she decided to take a matter in hand by performing herself. The worst part? Everyone is suddenly a musician. Joe can play the guitar, Guy can play the drum, Sloanne can sing and since when? This part has never been mentioned before. What in the world is this sudden shift of plot?
Characters: Unpleasant
Both the M/F characters were so flat. There weren't any distinctive traits about them aside from being the daughter of a famous couple who were also actors and producers. Since this book is also written in a single-POV, I don't think Sloanne perspective gives enough justice to Joe's character aside from the fact that he is,
I think the only prominent character would be Sloanne's mother who was described as the typical diva mother but was such an unpleasant character to read. At this point, no one is close to being likeable.
Romance: Zero Correlation
I don't find it in me to properly comprehend the relationship between Sloanne and Joe. From the climax, we get to guess that Joe has been in-like with Sloanne. That was the sole reason he accepted the role in the first place, but their stories lack establishment; failing in making me feel connected. It feels like they were in love because the plot says so and whatever happened just sort of happen? And I wasn't even remotely enjoying it.
Writing Style: Decent
I already felt bad for all the negative reviews, so besides all that I've said, I would still like to praise Morrissey for the nice writing style despite the terrible story. And I know this book covers broader topics like family dynamics and recovering from alcoholism which trusts me, I understand what the author was trying to deliver (but it also feels forced). And the main plot was not covered in full-fledged; which is why it's disappointing.
Other than that, I am sorry for being close-fisted but this book is so boring and I am proud of myself for even finishing it. A star is brutal (trust me, I don't believe in rating a book with one star but too much reading now proved that it can happen) and I couldn't find it in me to settle for two stars either. I don't think the title of the book even fit with its content. I literally wasted my day reading this and I don't think I would like to tolerate anymore by being generous.
did-not-finish
July 9, 2021DNF @ 24%: What I read of this wasn't terrible, but I just really did not vibe with the main character at all. This may still work for you but it was not for me. Onto the next!
May 20, 2021
Thank you Berkley & Edelweiss for the advance review copy—all opinions are my own!
LOVE SCENES was a delight. A fresh concept, perfectly-paced romantic fiction, this story is about Sloane, actress, daughter of a Hollywood power-couple with a star-studded family, who’s experiencing what many 30-something’s do: a crossroads in life, leaving the wilder 20’s behind, searching for security & depth in her career & in the people she gives her heart to.
Struggling professionally, Sloane finds herself unable to say no to starring in her mother’s production that her sister’s directing. But when she realizes it requires acting with Joseph, her hunky Irish nemesis, she really wants to back out. The last time they acted together, Joe was a hot mess of a jerk on set. Little did she know, he was actually in the throes of grief & struggling deeply with alcohol addiction. What comes from their second chance is true friendship, intimacy, healing & chemistry. If you like BEACH READ, but make it Hollywood with the bonus of a punchy ensemble cast, I think you’ll really love this one.
Though LOVE SCENES is only in Sloane’s POV, Joe’s character arc & journey was so rich, too. I felt his sobriety, the work he did to make amends, was portrayed realistically & compassionately. The humility & patience Joe showed Sloane as she forgave & learned to trust him again was so swoony good.
This closed-door romantic fiction was just what my heart needed. A touching, sharply written portrayal of growing through what we’ve gone through & finding that person with whom you can’t imagine not sharing the vulnerable, rewarding work of life & love, LOVE SCENES is out June 22!
CW: past alcoholism, current sobriety (no relapse), discussions of sexual harassment
LOVE SCENES was a delight. A fresh concept, perfectly-paced romantic fiction, this story is about Sloane, actress, daughter of a Hollywood power-couple with a star-studded family, who’s experiencing what many 30-something’s do: a crossroads in life, leaving the wilder 20’s behind, searching for security & depth in her career & in the people she gives her heart to.
Struggling professionally, Sloane finds herself unable to say no to starring in her mother’s production that her sister’s directing. But when she realizes it requires acting with Joseph, her hunky Irish nemesis, she really wants to back out. The last time they acted together, Joe was a hot mess of a jerk on set. Little did she know, he was actually in the throes of grief & struggling deeply with alcohol addiction. What comes from their second chance is true friendship, intimacy, healing & chemistry. If you like BEACH READ, but make it Hollywood with the bonus of a punchy ensemble cast, I think you’ll really love this one.
Though LOVE SCENES is only in Sloane’s POV, Joe’s character arc & journey was so rich, too. I felt his sobriety, the work he did to make amends, was portrayed realistically & compassionately. The humility & patience Joe showed Sloane as she forgave & learned to trust him again was so swoony good.
This closed-door romantic fiction was just what my heart needed. A touching, sharply written portrayal of growing through what we’ve gone through & finding that person with whom you can’t imagine not sharing the vulnerable, rewarding work of life & love, LOVE SCENES is out June 22!
CW: past alcoholism, current sobriety (no relapse), discussions of sexual harassment
June 23, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-ARC for review!
_____
Love Scenes takes readers to the fictional set of Horizons, a war drama and romance starring Joseph Donovan, our protagonist, Sloan Ford’s ex-co-star and enemy. When the lead actress of the film is fired, Sloan reluctantly steps in, and discovered that a lot has changed since she and Joseph last worked together.
I’ll be honest, I never thought I’d root for a rich, spoiled, privileged white girl in Hollywood, and yet here we are. There is a lot more to this novel than meets the eye, and to Morrissey’s credit, she wrote Sloan to be very self-aware of her privilege. And Love Scenes doesn’t fall victim to a lot of romance tropes, wherein the main source of conflict is some childish miscommunication or overreaction. I mean, yes, of course Sloan was overdramatic, but she’s an actor and it at least made sense for her character.
I loved the way Sloan was so wholly shaped by growing up in Hollywood with famous parents. It wasn’t something that was mentioned once and never talked about again - being surrounded her entire life by industry folks and scripts and the grandeur of LA and film and TV made Sloan the person she was. Her standoffish-ness. Her need to prove herself outside of her parent’s careers. Feeling listless when she wasn’t working. Feeling pathetic when her mother had to make a job for her on the movie everyone else in her family was working on. I could feel the weight of it all barring down on Sloan, and truly, I felt for her.
I also loved the behind-the-scenes look of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood - where seasoned actors have to make way for new talent. Where co-stars have to suck it up and work together no matter what. Where schedules have to change and people need to wake up at dawn and there’s intimacy co-ordinators for the sex scenes and how becoming a character takes so much out of you that sometimes you can lose yourself.
I am an actor myself, so this book was right up my alley (and oh, how I wish I had famous producer/actor/screenwriter/director parents myself).
There are 2 things I would have liked to see more of:
1. The effects of what growing up in the industry, especially in the shadow of a famous family, could do to Sloan’s mental health.
2. A deeper look at how the #metoo movement changed the set environment.
We got teasers of both these things, but I never really felt the breadth of either, and I think it could have made for a stronger story, especially since I know Morrissey doesn’t shy away from some of the other darker truths about Hollywood, like substance abuse.
Donovan was a refreshing character, and a great love interest. Their story was an appreciated departure from the typical enemies-to-lovers format, where usually the MC finds out that oh, I’ve loved you the whole time! How could I not have known!?
No, here we have two characters who truly start off on bad terms. Donovan was struggling with personal issues during their first film together, and treated Sloan and the rest of the cast and crew like trash. And he spends his first few weeks on Horizons trying to make amends and prove to Sloan that he’s changed. We STAN a character who owns up to their mistakes, who takes accountability. And we STAN Sloan for not letting Donovan off the hook for his abhorrent behaviour, either.
I just loved them together. They complimented each other well, they had great banter, great chemistry, and their moments of tenderness made my heart flutter.
The surrounding cast of character was also surprisingly well-rounded (surprisingly only in that minor characters can often come across 1-dimensional). Sloan's entirely family felt really distinct from one another, and I loved seeing all their different relationships. I do wish we had seen a bit more of Powell (Sloan's brother), but otherwise, I enjoyed the loving chaos of the entire squad. I even liked Daya and Alexander, despite usually hating large age gap relationships (I mean... it is kinda weird that Sloan's dad is dating a woman 3 years younger than his oldest child... but it's Hollywood so I'll allow it).
Overall, Love Scenes was a gosh-dang pleasure to read. (I mean, it could have been a but steamier. What can I say? A girl likes what she likes).
_____
The truth is, to let go of my thoughts would be to let go of what keeps this from spiraling out of my control.
Love Scenes takes readers to the fictional set of Horizons, a war drama and romance starring Joseph Donovan, our protagonist, Sloan Ford’s ex-co-star and enemy. When the lead actress of the film is fired, Sloan reluctantly steps in, and discovered that a lot has changed since she and Joseph last worked together.
I’ll be honest, I never thought I’d root for a rich, spoiled, privileged white girl in Hollywood, and yet here we are. There is a lot more to this novel than meets the eye, and to Morrissey’s credit, she wrote Sloan to be very self-aware of her privilege. And Love Scenes doesn’t fall victim to a lot of romance tropes, wherein the main source of conflict is some childish miscommunication or overreaction. I mean, yes, of course Sloan was overdramatic, but she’s an actor and it at least made sense for her character.
I loved the way Sloan was so wholly shaped by growing up in Hollywood with famous parents. It wasn’t something that was mentioned once and never talked about again - being surrounded her entire life by industry folks and scripts and the grandeur of LA and film and TV made Sloan the person she was. Her standoffish-ness. Her need to prove herself outside of her parent’s careers. Feeling listless when she wasn’t working. Feeling pathetic when her mother had to make a job for her on the movie everyone else in her family was working on. I could feel the weight of it all barring down on Sloan, and truly, I felt for her.
I also loved the behind-the-scenes look of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood - where seasoned actors have to make way for new talent. Where co-stars have to suck it up and work together no matter what. Where schedules have to change and people need to wake up at dawn and there’s intimacy co-ordinators for the sex scenes and how becoming a character takes so much out of you that sometimes you can lose yourself.
I am an actor myself, so this book was right up my alley (and oh, how I wish I had famous producer/actor/screenwriter/director parents myself).
There are 2 things I would have liked to see more of:
1. The effects of what growing up in the industry, especially in the shadow of a famous family, could do to Sloan’s mental health.
2. A deeper look at how the #metoo movement changed the set environment.
We got teasers of both these things, but I never really felt the breadth of either, and I think it could have made for a stronger story, especially since I know Morrissey doesn’t shy away from some of the other darker truths about Hollywood, like substance abuse.
Donovan was a refreshing character, and a great love interest. Their story was an appreciated departure from the typical enemies-to-lovers format, where usually the MC finds out that oh, I’ve loved you the whole time! How could I not have known!?
No, here we have two characters who truly start off on bad terms. Donovan was struggling with personal issues during their first film together, and treated Sloan and the rest of the cast and crew like trash. And he spends his first few weeks on Horizons trying to make amends and prove to Sloan that he’s changed. We STAN a character who owns up to their mistakes, who takes accountability. And we STAN Sloan for not letting Donovan off the hook for his abhorrent behaviour, either.
I just loved them together. They complimented each other well, they had great banter, great chemistry, and their moments of tenderness made my heart flutter.
The surrounding cast of character was also surprisingly well-rounded (surprisingly only in that minor characters can often come across 1-dimensional). Sloan's entirely family felt really distinct from one another, and I loved seeing all their different relationships. I do wish we had seen a bit more of Powell (Sloan's brother), but otherwise, I enjoyed the loving chaos of the entire squad. I even liked Daya and Alexander, despite usually hating large age gap relationships (I mean... it is kinda weird that Sloan's dad is dating a woman 3 years younger than his oldest child... but it's Hollywood so I'll allow it).
Overall, Love Scenes was a gosh-dang pleasure to read. (I mean, it could have been a but steamier. What can I say? A girl likes what she likes).
July 26, 2021
This story is really hard to pin down. All of the characters have problematic patterns and behaviors that might make them more "complex". Or might make them simply inconsistent. Morrissey orders things such that it looks like growth arcs, but I'm a little skeptical, frankly. The best illustration of this is probably Sloane's mother who goes from hurting Sloane deeply, knowing it and doing nothing about it to insightful supporter and important cheerleader. And there's not really any transition or turning point, though we get kind-of an apology for the hurt?
So it looks like growth, but only because the supporter bit comes after the hurtful bit and there's an apology. But you don't actually see any impetus for the transition or reasons that might be behind the shift. And it'd be one thing if this were a singular occurrence, but this is a pattern with literally all of Sloane's family. Which becomes problematic when you realize (like I did near the end) that pretty much all of the characters are Sloane's family in one way or another.
And I found the weird lionization of her father even more puzzling. Like, there's two ex-wives and a new engagement (to a woman two years Sloane's junior) so he's clearly problematic as a human being. Only, everyone just loves that guy. Because charm? He's distant from the story because he's practically the only family member not in the frame film production so we only see him in short vignettes, but I kept waiting for any reason on-page for the veneration they all have for him in those scenes. And I came away with no idea why he's the central figure of this family unit (beyond being the father of those he wasn't married to).
I did like Joe, though. He was the one consistent and steady character in the whole story (until he wasn't, but I'll get there). Plus, I liked how supportive he is of Sloane and how carefully he tried to make up for the hurt he'd caused in the past; and without any self-pitying calls to "I'm not that guy any more" (even though he clearly wasn't). And I really liked seeing him and Sloane develop trust and intimacy over time.
Only then Morrissey pulls out a dark moment precipitated by Sloane that you could see coming from a mile away. And I cringed, but eagerly awaited Joe showing his mettle. And I liked his initial response. It felt honest and raw and it was exactly what Sloane needed to hear. So it pissed me right off when .
So I liked parts of this (mainly Sloane and Joe, so the majority of the story, really) and really want to credit it with some interesting humanization of characters, making them complex and interesting. It's true that nobody is simply one thing in this story. But I can't help feeling that it was all pretty arbitrary, including the romantic throughline in the end. So I'm going to stick this with three stars and admit that I'm taking something of a harsh line in doing so. I was engaged throughout. Sloane is an interesting PoV. I just can't shake the feeling that it was all meaningless, really, in the end.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes, but Morrissey pulls back, keeping them short. Neither was that explicit. I mean, it trips into steamy. But only just. So the lowest of my steam tolerance.
So it looks like growth, but only because the supporter bit comes after the hurtful bit and there's an apology. But you don't actually see any impetus for the transition or reasons that might be behind the shift. And it'd be one thing if this were a singular occurrence, but this is a pattern with literally all of Sloane's family. Which becomes problematic when you realize (like I did near the end) that pretty much all of the characters are Sloane's family in one way or another.
And I found the weird lionization of her father even more puzzling. Like, there's two ex-wives and a new engagement (to a woman two years Sloane's junior) so he's clearly problematic as a human being. Only, everyone just loves that guy. Because charm? He's distant from the story because he's practically the only family member not in the frame film production so we only see him in short vignettes, but I kept waiting for any reason on-page for the veneration they all have for him in those scenes. And I came away with no idea why he's the central figure of this family unit (beyond being the father of those he wasn't married to).
I did like Joe, though. He was the one consistent and steady character in the whole story (until he wasn't, but I'll get there). Plus, I liked how supportive he is of Sloane and how carefully he tried to make up for the hurt he'd caused in the past; and without any self-pitying calls to "I'm not that guy any more" (even though he clearly wasn't). And I really liked seeing him and Sloane develop trust and intimacy over time.
Only then Morrissey pulls out a dark moment precipitated by Sloane that you could see coming from a mile away. And I cringed, but eagerly awaited Joe showing his mettle. And I liked his initial response. It felt honest and raw and it was exactly what Sloane needed to hear. So it pissed me right off when .
So I liked parts of this (mainly Sloane and Joe, so the majority of the story, really) and really want to credit it with some interesting humanization of characters, making them complex and interesting. It's true that nobody is simply one thing in this story. But I can't help feeling that it was all pretty arbitrary, including the romantic throughline in the end. So I'm going to stick this with three stars and admit that I'm taking something of a harsh line in doing so. I was engaged throughout. Sloane is an interesting PoV. I just can't shake the feeling that it was all meaningless, really, in the end.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple of explicit sex scenes, but Morrissey pulls back, keeping them short. Neither was that explicit. I mean, it trips into steamy. But only just. So the lowest of my steam tolerance.
May 6, 2021
Complex and deeply touching.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m just not sure I could turn off certain emotions for the sake of a job. I think I could but being forced into a situation? That’s not really cool, especially when it’s your own family.
In this delightful second chance romance, all of the feels are right there in front of us. The love to hate, or maybe it is hate to hate? The fact that you really don’t have a choice…. The smirkiness from the parents and siblings. The sweet convo and the fact he really is trying! Ugh! Oh, hell no!
Is unemployment really that bad??
Okay, so you give it a go and it is not as bad as you thought. He seems to actually listen and want to do well. Maybe you are not as terrible at this coaching thing as you thought. Maybe there is a chance for more…
Morrissey brings us a sweet love to hate story that builds into something more than what you expect. Deep, touching, with understanding abounding, this story builds into something that gets you right in the feels. When the coaching turns into acting and the couple seems more offscreen than just on screen, what could go wrong?
Is it okay to admit you were wrong? At what point does your family just stop and quit nagging? These are the things that go through my mind as you start to cheer them on and wonder can they really make it this time? Will the truth make a difference?
Complex, deeply touching story that leaves a smile and a happy heart.
* Copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/love-scenes-...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m just not sure I could turn off certain emotions for the sake of a job. I think I could but being forced into a situation? That’s not really cool, especially when it’s your own family.
In this delightful second chance romance, all of the feels are right there in front of us. The love to hate, or maybe it is hate to hate? The fact that you really don’t have a choice…. The smirkiness from the parents and siblings. The sweet convo and the fact he really is trying! Ugh! Oh, hell no!
Is unemployment really that bad??
Okay, so you give it a go and it is not as bad as you thought. He seems to actually listen and want to do well. Maybe you are not as terrible at this coaching thing as you thought. Maybe there is a chance for more…
Morrissey brings us a sweet love to hate story that builds into something more than what you expect. Deep, touching, with understanding abounding, this story builds into something that gets you right in the feels. When the coaching turns into acting and the couple seems more offscreen than just on screen, what could go wrong?
Is it okay to admit you were wrong? At what point does your family just stop and quit nagging? These are the things that go through my mind as you start to cheer them on and wonder can they really make it this time? Will the truth make a difference?
Complex, deeply touching story that leaves a smile and a happy heart.
* Copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/love-scenes-...
February 14, 2022
Just reread this one and it’s as good as I remembered. 🥰
Sloane and Joseph starred in a rom-com together five years before the book picks up, and it was… not a great experience. Joseph was drunk and grieving and an asshole for most of it, while Sloane was underwhelmed at best and completely disillusioned at worst.
Now, they have to work together again in a period drama made by her entire superstar family, and Joseph has to prove he’s not the fuck-up he once was.
This was so delicious. Sloane and Joseph’s chemistry was off the charts, and, boy, did she make him work for her forgiveness. So much groveling!
I think the parts of this book that shine the most are the ones where the author describes Sloane’s family members and their dynamic. It’s so flawed and heart-warming and real. The descriptions of Sloan’s somewhat strained relationship with her sister Tyler really hit me where I live.
I also loved to see Sloane’s cold and snarky demeanor toward Joe thaw throughout the book; it’s so satisfying to see her let him in!
Finally, the whole Hollywood setting is so interesting and feels very real, even though I know exactly nothing about movie sets, lol.
I can’t wait so see more from this author!
Sloane and Joseph starred in a rom-com together five years before the book picks up, and it was… not a great experience. Joseph was drunk and grieving and an asshole for most of it, while Sloane was underwhelmed at best and completely disillusioned at worst.
Now, they have to work together again in a period drama made by her entire superstar family, and Joseph has to prove he’s not the fuck-up he once was.
This was so delicious. Sloane and Joseph’s chemistry was off the charts, and, boy, did she make him work for her forgiveness. So much groveling!
I think the parts of this book that shine the most are the ones where the author describes Sloane’s family members and their dynamic. It’s so flawed and heart-warming and real. The descriptions of Sloan’s somewhat strained relationship with her sister Tyler really hit me where I live.
I also loved to see Sloane’s cold and snarky demeanor toward Joe thaw throughout the book; it’s so satisfying to see her let him in!
Finally, the whole Hollywood setting is so interesting and feels very real, even though I know exactly nothing about movie sets, lol.
I can’t wait so see more from this author!
July 21, 2021
Sorry I was very bored and the heroines mom is HORRIBLE
August 8, 2021
4.5 stars
When love blossoms on a film set, is it for real or just for the cameras? Bridget Morrissey's fun, new rom-com Love Scenes tries to find out.
Even though she comes from a famed Hollywood family, Sloane’s experience on one movie almost made her quit her acting career. Her love interest, hunky Irish actor Joseph Donovan, was utterly unprofessional and horrible to work with, but because he was the bigger star, he convinced everyone the problems were Sloane’s.
Now, with her successful stint on a series over, her family gives her a made-up producing job on their WWII-era movie. Her sister is directing, her stepfather wrote it, her mother is the executive producer and a supporting player, even her brother composed the score. How did they neglect to mention that the male lead is being played by none other than Joseph Donovan?
When Sloane sees Joseph, he promises he’s changed. And when she gets roped into helping him rehearse his lines, she starts to see that he may be telling the truth. Little by little they let their guard down with one another and grow closer. So when the lead actress gets fired, it seems only natural that Sloane step into the part, one her family wanted her to take originally anyway.
As expected, Sloane and Joseph’s chemistry onscreen is intense, mirroring their relationship offscreen. Sloane is determined that they keep this a secret from her family. But how much of what they feel is real and how much of it is acting?
When you grow up in a dysfunctional Hollywood family with every relationship overanalyzed, and you’ve had a bad track record of relationships, it’s hard to let yourself go. How do you know when you might be missing out on the real thing?
I love the movies and behind-the-scenes stuff, and of course, I love rom-coms, so I really enjoyed Love Scenes . As you might expect, the characters aren’t always the most sympathetic but they’re fascinating and you find yourself rooting for them—and the movie!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
When love blossoms on a film set, is it for real or just for the cameras? Bridget Morrissey's fun, new rom-com Love Scenes tries to find out.
Even though she comes from a famed Hollywood family, Sloane’s experience on one movie almost made her quit her acting career. Her love interest, hunky Irish actor Joseph Donovan, was utterly unprofessional and horrible to work with, but because he was the bigger star, he convinced everyone the problems were Sloane’s.
Now, with her successful stint on a series over, her family gives her a made-up producing job on their WWII-era movie. Her sister is directing, her stepfather wrote it, her mother is the executive producer and a supporting player, even her brother composed the score. How did they neglect to mention that the male lead is being played by none other than Joseph Donovan?
When Sloane sees Joseph, he promises he’s changed. And when she gets roped into helping him rehearse his lines, she starts to see that he may be telling the truth. Little by little they let their guard down with one another and grow closer. So when the lead actress gets fired, it seems only natural that Sloane step into the part, one her family wanted her to take originally anyway.
As expected, Sloane and Joseph’s chemistry onscreen is intense, mirroring their relationship offscreen. Sloane is determined that they keep this a secret from her family. But how much of what they feel is real and how much of it is acting?
When you grow up in a dysfunctional Hollywood family with every relationship overanalyzed, and you’ve had a bad track record of relationships, it’s hard to let yourself go. How do you know when you might be missing out on the real thing?
I love the movies and behind-the-scenes stuff, and of course, I love rom-coms, so I really enjoyed Love Scenes . As you might expect, the characters aren’t always the most sympathetic but they’re fascinating and you find yourself rooting for them—and the movie!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Read
January 27, 2021Hello readers!
LOVE SCENES is my adult debut, and I am so excited to share it! With my YA books, I always pop on here to leave content warnings before the story gets out to readers. This is a romance, not an intense contemporary like my young adult offerings (100% less death and dying in this one!), but there are still a few things I want readers to know.
LOVE SCENES takes place on a film set, and throughout the entirety of the story there are conversations about past bad filming experiences, such as murky consent when shooting a nude scene and toxic work environments. Our love interest is a recovered alcoholic. He never relapses. There is also a chapter where the main character films a sequence in which she’s just run off from what was almost assault. It’s not directly on the page, but it does bring up some emotional turmoil. These moments jumped out at me the last time I read through the manuscript, and if there are any other beats readers may want to know before reading, I will expand this section accordingly! Apologies in advance for anything I've missed.
As I said above, this is a romance first and foremost, but LOVE SCENES is also about a big, messy family full of creative types who are over-involved in each other’s lives. Our love interest is a roguish Irishman who has boundless charm and a secret case of stage fright. There is a fancy gala where everyone puts on their finest gowns. Nearly every chapter contains references to dad rock. There is lots of queerness that reflects the Los Angeles I know, love, and inhabit. What I like most about this story—and what I also had the hardest time with—is that LOVE SCENES explores real forgiveness. What it actually takes to change for the better. And what it means to let someone back in after you’ve written them off.
This is the most fun I’ve ever had writing one of my own books, and I hope you all love it as much as I do. (Which is a lot. I love this book a lot.)
Happy reading!
LOVE SCENES is my adult debut, and I am so excited to share it! With my YA books, I always pop on here to leave content warnings before the story gets out to readers. This is a romance, not an intense contemporary like my young adult offerings (100% less death and dying in this one!), but there are still a few things I want readers to know.
LOVE SCENES takes place on a film set, and throughout the entirety of the story there are conversations about past bad filming experiences, such as murky consent when shooting a nude scene and toxic work environments. Our love interest is a recovered alcoholic. He never relapses. There is also a chapter where the main character films a sequence in which she’s just run off from what was almost assault. It’s not directly on the page, but it does bring up some emotional turmoil. These moments jumped out at me the last time I read through the manuscript, and if there are any other beats readers may want to know before reading, I will expand this section accordingly! Apologies in advance for anything I've missed.
As I said above, this is a romance first and foremost, but LOVE SCENES is also about a big, messy family full of creative types who are over-involved in each other’s lives. Our love interest is a roguish Irishman who has boundless charm and a secret case of stage fright. There is a fancy gala where everyone puts on their finest gowns. Nearly every chapter contains references to dad rock. There is lots of queerness that reflects the Los Angeles I know, love, and inhabit. What I like most about this story—and what I also had the hardest time with—is that LOVE SCENES explores real forgiveness. What it actually takes to change for the better. And what it means to let someone back in after you’ve written them off.
This is the most fun I’ve ever had writing one of my own books, and I hope you all love it as much as I do. (Which is a lot. I love this book a lot.)
Happy reading!
November 26, 2023
Love Scenes is not for my taste. I read it but found nothing in this book that interest me. Miss Morrissey had the right idea. A promising rom com. But thebwriting is off.
2 stars
2 stars
June 7, 2025
3.5/5
i hate when side characters ruin a good book...
this book has been on my want to read list pretty much since it came out four years ago and i'm kinda upset that i didn't love it. i want to love books on movie sets so much but the last two i've picked up have been kinda blah. the romance in this story was so sweet but i was much too distracted by how much every member of sloane's family was annoying me, minus sarai she was cute.
pretty much every person in this book is a nepo baby, its a movie full of nepo babies and their parents. i thought that would be insufferable but joe and sloane were pretty down to earth and i was so invested in their love story. seeing them reconnect after having such a crappy first experience working together was lovely. they've both grown so much and i loved seeing them find peace later in their career. i'm probably being dramatic about how annoying everyone else was but i just can't think of anything good to say about their involvements. had this been a dual pov romance with more emphasis on joe's healing/sobriety and sloane's uneasiness in her career, less emphasis on all the family shit, then this would've been more of a hit for me.
i hate when side characters ruin a good book...
this book has been on my want to read list pretty much since it came out four years ago and i'm kinda upset that i didn't love it. i want to love books on movie sets so much but the last two i've picked up have been kinda blah. the romance in this story was so sweet but i was much too distracted by how much every member of sloane's family was annoying me, minus sarai she was cute.
pretty much every person in this book is a nepo baby, its a movie full of nepo babies and their parents. i thought that would be insufferable but joe and sloane were pretty down to earth and i was so invested in their love story. seeing them reconnect after having such a crappy first experience working together was lovely. they've both grown so much and i loved seeing them find peace later in their career. i'm probably being dramatic about how annoying everyone else was but i just can't think of anything good to say about their involvements. had this been a dual pov romance with more emphasis on joe's healing/sobriety and sloane's uneasiness in her career, less emphasis on all the family shit, then this would've been more of a hit for me.
November 30, 2020
Pure joy from start to finish. I loved this so much.
January 6, 2021
This book is the perfect 2021 romance
Love Scenes follows Sloane Ford on her journey back to the career she loves and back to the family and the industry that has made her feel like an outsider and a black sheep for most of her adult (and young adult) life.
I love the idea of a heroine who comes from a family of performers, but still feels like an outsider. And Morrissey does such a wonderful job of writing Sloane so that she feels relatable and unstuffy. Sloane is approachable, full of heart, and still a woman who gets to make and clean up her own (and sometimes her family’s) messes.
Morrissey takes the idea of what it means to come from a big, prominent Hollywood family and turns it on it’s head. By the middle of the story, I, too, felt like I was a member of this wild, creative, and motley clan who call themselves family (through many, various, and beautiful ties of kinship). Their struggles were my struggles and I was rooting for them all to make this movie and make it out all in one piece.
Morrissey always handles characters with such aplomb, but in this book her work really shines. Everyone is fully fleshed out— from our adorable moppet to the newest step mom.
And that’s to say nothing of the 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 between Sloane and Joe. I read this book in one sitting, literally at one point with my phone plugged into the wall as I was draped over the couch because even though I had drained my battery reading, I had to keep going. The chemistry between Sloane and Joe kept me turning pages (well, okay, scrolling) until the very end.
LOVE SCENES is a perfect, escapist, chemistry-fulled romance with a wonderful cast of characters and the kind of vibrant backdrop we all need right now when we dive into a book. A must read for romance readers!
Love Scenes follows Sloane Ford on her journey back to the career she loves and back to the family and the industry that has made her feel like an outsider and a black sheep for most of her adult (and young adult) life.
I love the idea of a heroine who comes from a family of performers, but still feels like an outsider. And Morrissey does such a wonderful job of writing Sloane so that she feels relatable and unstuffy. Sloane is approachable, full of heart, and still a woman who gets to make and clean up her own (and sometimes her family’s) messes.
Morrissey takes the idea of what it means to come from a big, prominent Hollywood family and turns it on it’s head. By the middle of the story, I, too, felt like I was a member of this wild, creative, and motley clan who call themselves family (through many, various, and beautiful ties of kinship). Their struggles were my struggles and I was rooting for them all to make this movie and make it out all in one piece.
Morrissey always handles characters with such aplomb, but in this book her work really shines. Everyone is fully fleshed out— from our adorable moppet to the newest step mom.
And that’s to say nothing of the 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 between Sloane and Joe. I read this book in one sitting, literally at one point with my phone plugged into the wall as I was draped over the couch because even though I had drained my battery reading, I had to keep going. The chemistry between Sloane and Joe kept me turning pages (well, okay, scrolling) until the very end.
LOVE SCENES is a perfect, escapist, chemistry-fulled romance with a wonderful cast of characters and the kind of vibrant backdrop we all need right now when we dive into a book. A must read for romance readers!
July 4, 2021
I was just SO INTO this! It was just a great story about yes, romance, but also family and personal growth. And you know I like a Hollywood story where they all actually really like what they do and aren't longing to be "normal."
April 7, 2022
I often struggle with romances where one or more of the characters are famous. Well, nearly everyone in this story is famous ... and it was surprisingly my favourite aspect! Centered around the filming of a historical romance, I really enjoyed the drama and behind the scenes look into the industry.
After her character is killed off, desperate times lead actress Sloane to accept a job in production alongside her famous Hollywood family. But an even bigger problem arises when she discovers Joseph Donovan is casted as the lead, the man who nearly ended her career in the past.
I wanted to like this, but I really struggled with Sloane and her complete ignorance towards Joseph, especially after his apology for his prior actions. And I think part of the problem is that her hatred relied heavily on the past, and I never felt I received a concrete explanation of their history. I did like their on-set chemistry, though!
Overall this story had a lot of complex storylines that I think were great, but I wanted more development from almost all of them.
After her character is killed off, desperate times lead actress Sloane to accept a job in production alongside her famous Hollywood family. But an even bigger problem arises when she discovers Joseph Donovan is casted as the lead, the man who nearly ended her career in the past.
I wanted to like this, but I really struggled with Sloane and her complete ignorance towards Joseph, especially after his apology for his prior actions. And I think part of the problem is that her hatred relied heavily on the past, and I never felt I received a concrete explanation of their history. I did like their on-set chemistry, though!
Overall this story had a lot of complex storylines that I think were great, but I wanted more development from almost all of them.
July 25, 2021
I have no idea why I thought I’d like a story about anyone in Hollywood (Katie, I blame you ;) - I didn’t like anything about this: not the main characters, not their history or their famous families or the stilted way they communicate or the insistence on Hollywood-as-wish-fulfillment, full of learning experiences and growing on the job and platitudes… This reads as a coming-of-age story (a young one!) except they’re both in their thirties. Every time the story reminded me of that, I was taken aback.
And this is written in present tense and repeatedly uses the word “anyways”. NOPE.
And this is written in present tense and repeatedly uses the word “anyways”. NOPE.
June 9, 2021
I made the mistake of underestimating how much I was going to enjoy this, and ended up reading WAY too late into the night because of that. I absolutely loved it! This slow-burning, subtle romance is deeper and richer than I anticipated, with a somewhat somber tone that just works for the story. It’s as much about Hollywood and family dynamics as it is about romance - but the romance is definitely the star. I adored the hero, a man who does nothing but prove himself to be a fantastic guy throughout, despite his past behavior. And the chemistry? Is the kind that every film director WISHES their actors had. The writing style makes this feel like a movie come to life, and I could envision every scene. So don’t start this before bed, or you might end up having a sleepless night - like me!
The story follows Sloane, an actress whose personal and professional lives both seem to be crumbling. Her character just got killed off an under-appreciated TV show, her ex just wrote an album describing her every fault, and she's just taken a producer job that feels a lot like pity. Every member of Sloane's family has some kind of role in the movie that she'll be working on, and the starring role probably should've been hers. But they hired the one man Sloane despises - a former co-star who almost made her leave the business. When Sloane worked with Joseph five years ago, she saw the darker side of Hollywood, and it's not an experience that she'd like to revisit. But as the two start spending more time together, it quickly becomes apparent that he's not that guy anymore. And Sloane might just like the man he is now a little too much.
This book is going to work best for those who love a slow burn (closed door) romance, a mysterious hero, and an insight into the intricacies of Hollywood. I loved all three aspects equally, so that made this one captivating read. We only get Sloane's perspective, and I wouldn't call her the most reliable narrator, so the story gets more layered and nuanced as it goes on. Even without Joseph's side of the story, his vulnerability and sweet side shone through. I loved his personal growth (recovered alcoholic), and their chemistry was magnetic. We also get some fascinating peeks at Hollywood, which made this feel so authentic. There was probably a little too much focus on family dynamics for me, but that's mostly because I wanted as much Sloane and Joseph as I could get. Those two had me completely hooked, and I devoured this in one sitting. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this Hollywood romance.
The story follows Sloane, an actress whose personal and professional lives both seem to be crumbling. Her character just got killed off an under-appreciated TV show, her ex just wrote an album describing her every fault, and she's just taken a producer job that feels a lot like pity. Every member of Sloane's family has some kind of role in the movie that she'll be working on, and the starring role probably should've been hers. But they hired the one man Sloane despises - a former co-star who almost made her leave the business. When Sloane worked with Joseph five years ago, she saw the darker side of Hollywood, and it's not an experience that she'd like to revisit. But as the two start spending more time together, it quickly becomes apparent that he's not that guy anymore. And Sloane might just like the man he is now a little too much.
This book is going to work best for those who love a slow burn (closed door) romance, a mysterious hero, and an insight into the intricacies of Hollywood. I loved all three aspects equally, so that made this one captivating read. We only get Sloane's perspective, and I wouldn't call her the most reliable narrator, so the story gets more layered and nuanced as it goes on. Even without Joseph's side of the story, his vulnerability and sweet side shone through. I loved his personal growth (recovered alcoholic), and their chemistry was magnetic. We also get some fascinating peeks at Hollywood, which made this feel so authentic. There was probably a little too much focus on family dynamics for me, but that's mostly because I wanted as much Sloane and Joseph as I could get. Those two had me completely hooked, and I devoured this in one sitting. I received an early copy and am voluntarily leaving a review of this Hollywood romance.
November 23, 2021
The story had a lot of potential, a royal Hollywood family all working on the same film. An out of work actress who reunites with a former costar from hell who seems bent on making amends. This sounded like a banter filled hate to love romance. Unfortunately, the banter didn't really come through and the plot needed a good script doctor. The story raises all sorts of issues like stage fright, alcoholism and more only to gloss over them. Sloane’s ex, a singer whose break up album seems to haunt the heroine is constantly mentioned only to fade into oblivion when no longer called for for plot reasons. Even family relationships especially the one with Sloane's mother seemed rather convenient for plot advancement while being totally inconsistent with her attitude to the heroine's relationship.
Want to read
June 19, 2021July 18, 2020: I will always fall for romances on a film set especially since I expect cute drama and too many emotions because ~actors~
June 24, 2021
3.5 stars
I’ll be upfront and honest that I don’t get people’s fascination with celebrities at all. I never have and never will, but there was something about the synopsis of the book (not the cover at all) that made me request it and my wish was granted. I liked this book a lot, I felt like it explored celebrity families very well and showed just how messed up and honestly crazy they can be. I felt the heroine was a bit of a drama queen and not as strong as everyone around her seemed to think she was. I enjoyed the hero quite a bit, there were a lot of layers to him and he was the one character I felt was properly developed. The secondary characters were a varied group and added a lot of interest into the story almost too much though because I felt the romance/relationship suffered because there were just so many other characters. Granted the book would not have been the same without them, but I personally needed to see the two main characters together more on their own developing their relationship and sadly that didn’t happen.
Sloane Ford grew up in a famous family, her actor father was a multi-award winner, her actress mother was as well until after their divorce she was blackballed (not related to the divorce but her sexuality), her younger sister is a director, her younger brother scores movies, her once step-mother is an actress, her step-father is a director so to say her life is all Hollywood is putting it mildly. Fired from the series she’s been working on for 5 years (actually killed off of it) Sloane has no choice but to accept a producer role in a film written by her step-father, being directed by him and her sister, featuring a sub-romance between her mother and her step-mother, scored by her brother, and her former co-star that almost ruined her career starring in the lead. She is not looking forward to working on this movie because of Joseph Donovan, her co-star who she will not have to see every day of production.
The chaos of making the movie was interesting to read about and I felt I was part of the action which is always a good thing. The immediate tension between Sloane and Joseph was easy to feel and I could tell that they had a lot to accomplish to become lovers and I enjoyed their journey, there just wasn’t enough time with them once they figured it all out. Sloane’s family dynamics was fascinating and I enjoyed watching how everyone interacted with each other because they were one huge dysfunctional family yet there was an underlying sense of camaraderie between them all that was interesting to watch.
The biggest disappointment in this story were the storylines that went nowhere; Sloane’s ex, a singer Kearns Adam releasing and entire album painting her and their relationship in a bad light and then doing a benefit concert on the night of a gala her foundation hosts every year. The album I get, it made her reassess and look at her life and their relationship, but the concert on the night of a gala was made out to be this huge thing and it honestly went nowhere, and it could have been handled so easily by someone reading a gossip column about how poor of a turnout his concert had or something, there was NOTHING and it just hung out there stinking up the story. Why didn’t Joseph’s dad show up beside the “he missed his flight” and why wasn’t the scene written in, the conversation between them so the reader can get a better feel for their strained relationship? Leaving these two big tangents hanging made the story feel unfinished.
Love Scenes was definitely enjoyable, but more of a women’s fiction with romantic elements than a romance when you get down to it. Did it hold my attention? Absolutely, but the plot lacked depth and the romance was lacking leaving me feeling a bit unsatisfied.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
I’ll be upfront and honest that I don’t get people’s fascination with celebrities at all. I never have and never will, but there was something about the synopsis of the book (not the cover at all) that made me request it and my wish was granted. I liked this book a lot, I felt like it explored celebrity families very well and showed just how messed up and honestly crazy they can be. I felt the heroine was a bit of a drama queen and not as strong as everyone around her seemed to think she was. I enjoyed the hero quite a bit, there were a lot of layers to him and he was the one character I felt was properly developed. The secondary characters were a varied group and added a lot of interest into the story almost too much though because I felt the romance/relationship suffered because there were just so many other characters. Granted the book would not have been the same without them, but I personally needed to see the two main characters together more on their own developing their relationship and sadly that didn’t happen.
Sloane Ford grew up in a famous family, her actor father was a multi-award winner, her actress mother was as well until after their divorce she was blackballed (not related to the divorce but her sexuality), her younger sister is a director, her younger brother scores movies, her once step-mother is an actress, her step-father is a director so to say her life is all Hollywood is putting it mildly. Fired from the series she’s been working on for 5 years (actually killed off of it) Sloane has no choice but to accept a producer role in a film written by her step-father, being directed by him and her sister, featuring a sub-romance between her mother and her step-mother, scored by her brother, and her former co-star that almost ruined her career starring in the lead. She is not looking forward to working on this movie because of Joseph Donovan, her co-star who she will not have to see every day of production.
The chaos of making the movie was interesting to read about and I felt I was part of the action which is always a good thing. The immediate tension between Sloane and Joseph was easy to feel and I could tell that they had a lot to accomplish to become lovers and I enjoyed their journey, there just wasn’t enough time with them once they figured it all out. Sloane’s family dynamics was fascinating and I enjoyed watching how everyone interacted with each other because they were one huge dysfunctional family yet there was an underlying sense of camaraderie between them all that was interesting to watch.
The biggest disappointment in this story were the storylines that went nowhere; Sloane’s ex, a singer Kearns Adam releasing and entire album painting her and their relationship in a bad light and then doing a benefit concert on the night of a gala her foundation hosts every year. The album I get, it made her reassess and look at her life and their relationship, but the concert on the night of a gala was made out to be this huge thing and it honestly went nowhere, and it could have been handled so easily by someone reading a gossip column about how poor of a turnout his concert had or something, there was NOTHING and it just hung out there stinking up the story. Why didn’t Joseph’s dad show up beside the “he missed his flight” and why wasn’t the scene written in, the conversation between them so the reader can get a better feel for their strained relationship? Leaving these two big tangents hanging made the story feel unfinished.
Love Scenes was definitely enjoyable, but more of a women’s fiction with romantic elements than a romance when you get down to it. Did it hold my attention? Absolutely, but the plot lacked depth and the romance was lacking leaving me feeling a bit unsatisfied.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
June 21, 2022
read on my blog
rep: lesbian side character, bisexual side character, Black side characters
cw: mentions of death of a parent (mother)
**I received a review copy from a giveaway hosted by the publisher. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
I’m usually pretty into books about fame, but I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It’s definitely one that I will reread multiple times. Love Scenes was a gorgeous love story about the strength of a family and what happens when a movie romance turns real.
After being killed off a mediocre crime show, Sloane Ford is out of a job and desperate enough to take a producing role on a movie that’s written, produced, and/or directed by members of her family. Unfortunately, she soon realizes that the film stars Joseph Donovan, an actor she worked with five years ago and who almost singlehandedly made Sloane want to quit acting. When the lead actress is fired in the middle of filming, Sloane steps into the role, igniting the chemistry she has with Joseph and unexpectedly growing closer to him.
From the summary and the cover, I was expecting a fun rom-com; however, this was more of a sweeping romance, which ended up working really well and made me more invested. It was still funny, but comedy was not a central focus. I could definitely see this as a TV show or a movie!
I loved how family was so central to this book. Sloane has a large celebrity family, and it was interesting seeing their dynamics, especially with such a mixed group of people. What she considers to be her immediate family includes her mother, her stepdad, her father and his future wife, her father’s ex-wife and her current husband, her siblings and her half-sister. They’re all involved in the film industry somehow. We see a lot of all of them since the whole movie set revolves around them. I really liked seeing Sloane’s relationship with her family and how much she cares for them and vice versa.
Sloane had a great character arc. She’s fresh off a break-up with a musician who wrote an entire album about how she was so closed off and refused to let him in, in addition to her getting fired from a stable main role on an admittedly horrible crime show. She’s figuring herself out throughout this book, coming to terms with her pride and learning to open up more to others.
The romance was so good too! Sloane can’t stand Joseph after he made her life a living hell on set five years ago. He’s in a different place now, however, and trying to make amends. As they get to know each other, she sees a different side of him and how he has grown. Their scenes together were so fun, and they had great chemistry and banter.
Love Scenes had me emotionally invested very early on in the story. I really liked the protagonist and the strong family ties, as well as the romance. If you’re looking for a romance book, you should take a look at Love Scenes!
ahh I actually really enjoyed this!! more of a sweeping romance that felt a bit like a movie than the rom-com book that I was expecting but it really works
rep: lesbian side character, bisexual side character, Black side characters
cw: mentions of death of a parent (mother)
**I received a review copy from a giveaway hosted by the publisher. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
I’m usually pretty into books about fame, but I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It’s definitely one that I will reread multiple times. Love Scenes was a gorgeous love story about the strength of a family and what happens when a movie romance turns real.
After being killed off a mediocre crime show, Sloane Ford is out of a job and desperate enough to take a producing role on a movie that’s written, produced, and/or directed by members of her family. Unfortunately, she soon realizes that the film stars Joseph Donovan, an actor she worked with five years ago and who almost singlehandedly made Sloane want to quit acting. When the lead actress is fired in the middle of filming, Sloane steps into the role, igniting the chemistry she has with Joseph and unexpectedly growing closer to him.
From the summary and the cover, I was expecting a fun rom-com; however, this was more of a sweeping romance, which ended up working really well and made me more invested. It was still funny, but comedy was not a central focus. I could definitely see this as a TV show or a movie!
I loved how family was so central to this book. Sloane has a large celebrity family, and it was interesting seeing their dynamics, especially with such a mixed group of people. What she considers to be her immediate family includes her mother, her stepdad, her father and his future wife, her father’s ex-wife and her current husband, her siblings and her half-sister. They’re all involved in the film industry somehow. We see a lot of all of them since the whole movie set revolves around them. I really liked seeing Sloane’s relationship with her family and how much she cares for them and vice versa.
Sloane had a great character arc. She’s fresh off a break-up with a musician who wrote an entire album about how she was so closed off and refused to let him in, in addition to her getting fired from a stable main role on an admittedly horrible crime show. She’s figuring herself out throughout this book, coming to terms with her pride and learning to open up more to others.
The romance was so good too! Sloane can’t stand Joseph after he made her life a living hell on set five years ago. He’s in a different place now, however, and trying to make amends. As they get to know each other, she sees a different side of him and how he has grown. Their scenes together were so fun, and they had great chemistry and banter.
Love Scenes had me emotionally invested very early on in the story. I really liked the protagonist and the strong family ties, as well as the romance. If you’re looking for a romance book, you should take a look at Love Scenes!
original review:
ahh I actually really enjoyed this!! more of a sweeping romance that felt a bit like a movie than the rom-com book that I was expecting but it really works
February 17, 2021
Stunning!!! This is one of my all-time favorite contemporary romances. Bridget Morrissey writes insightfully and with so much heart about both love and romance. Do I really need to say more than roguishly handsome Irish costar? LOVE SCENES does such a wonderful job of showing every step of falling in love, and just wait until you get to the declaration of love scene.
I will be reading every book Bridget writes for the rest of my life.
I will be reading every book Bridget writes for the rest of my life.
April 19, 2021
I am pretty much obsessed with this book and will be shouting about it from now until eternity. Love Scenes hits all my sweet spots: cool work setting (check), messy family dynamics (check), sad girl heroine with big heart (check), charming but flawed hero (check). Not only do I just adore the characters (Sloane is so relatable despite being the child of Hollywood Royalty, and don't even get me started on Joseph's Irish charm), but I can't get enough of Morrissey's voice, her command of scenes, and the care with which she handles delicate subjects.
Love Scenes is an ode to forgiveness, speaking our truths, and love in all its forms.
Simply put, this book was so good I couldn't put it down even to take a shower. Thank goodness my kindle is waterproof.
Love Scenes is an ode to forgiveness, speaking our truths, and love in all its forms.
Simply put, this book was so good I couldn't put it down even to take a shower. Thank goodness my kindle is waterproof.
June 25, 2021
I liked the premise of this one and I’m always down for a good hate to love story.
Sloane and Joseph are okay MCs. They’re both struggling with different things in their pasts that are both work related. I didn’t see the chemistry between them and wondered if they were drawn together partially because they worked together in the past and partially because they were thrown together in the present.
Plot wise, it’s a lot of inner monologue. There’s a somewhat large cast of characters and a good amount of plot threads and everything moved at a slow pace. For me, there wasn’t any sense of a build up towards a resolution and that made the reading feel a bit bland.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, but at the same time, it was really easy to set down. Annnnd, I finished it in the middle of the night and woke up not really remembering much of it. Maybe 3 stars is too high?
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
Sloane and Joseph are okay MCs. They’re both struggling with different things in their pasts that are both work related. I didn’t see the chemistry between them and wondered if they were drawn together partially because they worked together in the past and partially because they were thrown together in the present.
Plot wise, it’s a lot of inner monologue. There’s a somewhat large cast of characters and a good amount of plot threads and everything moved at a slow pace. For me, there wasn’t any sense of a build up towards a resolution and that made the reading feel a bit bland.
Overall, I did enjoy the book, but at the same time, it was really easy to set down. Annnnd, I finished it in the middle of the night and woke up not really remembering much of it. Maybe 3 stars is too high?
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
March 30, 2023
this was so sickeningly sweet it make my teeth hurt but as a film major and writer i am a huge sucker for anything set on a film set
March 16, 2021
It isn’t the fault of the book of the author at all, that it’s getting published at a time when my own personal view of celebrity life has soured to the point where I can barely look at the tabloids anymore without begging for some perspective all around given the unbelievable amount of tone-deafness in what’s being reported.
As a result, ‘Love Scenes’ is one that made me an undecided mess, as it felt like an entire smokescreen that’s the Hollywood film industry (as portrayed by Bridget Morrissey), where much ado about nothing seems to be the case in point.
It feels like a story about characters—of fiction mirroring reality perhaps?—moaning about the things that give them the privilege to lord it over ‘normal’ folks, of getting to be petty because they’ve been misrepresented, about behaving the way they want do simply because they can, of how they’re perceived in public versus the way they want to be perceived…and the story goes on.
In the light of the tabloids and the celebrity news these days, I’ll admit that despite this being fiction, there is some measure some revulsion I do feel for these self-absorbed characters—as reality flows over fiction and vice versa.
For a debut novel, Morrissey however, confidently takes the story on its head by weaving a drama that, if you’re into a treatise on performance, acting and channelling your emotions while juggling a public/private persona, would probably be one that keeps you up all night devouring the pages. Oh the drama, the divas, the volatility…and also the two-facedness of it all.
Obviously this celebrity-high-life-distaste belongs to me and me alone, where I couldn’t really find any liking for any of the protagonists or the secondary characters; they all seem too full of themselves in a way or another in this glitzy life far above the normal mortals and are simply impossible to connect with, even though there’s still a slow-burn romance that happens in the middle of it.
I tried. Really did. But ‘Love Scenes’ is just…not the book for me, sadly.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
As a result, ‘Love Scenes’ is one that made me an undecided mess, as it felt like an entire smokescreen that’s the Hollywood film industry (as portrayed by Bridget Morrissey), where much ado about nothing seems to be the case in point.
It feels like a story about characters—of fiction mirroring reality perhaps?—moaning about the things that give them the privilege to lord it over ‘normal’ folks, of getting to be petty because they’ve been misrepresented, about behaving the way they want do simply because they can, of how they’re perceived in public versus the way they want to be perceived…and the story goes on.
In the light of the tabloids and the celebrity news these days, I’ll admit that despite this being fiction, there is some measure some revulsion I do feel for these self-absorbed characters—as reality flows over fiction and vice versa.
For a debut novel, Morrissey however, confidently takes the story on its head by weaving a drama that, if you’re into a treatise on performance, acting and channelling your emotions while juggling a public/private persona, would probably be one that keeps you up all night devouring the pages. Oh the drama, the divas, the volatility…and also the two-facedness of it all.
Obviously this celebrity-high-life-distaste belongs to me and me alone, where I couldn’t really find any liking for any of the protagonists or the secondary characters; they all seem too full of themselves in a way or another in this glitzy life far above the normal mortals and are simply impossible to connect with, even though there’s still a slow-burn romance that happens in the middle of it.
I tried. Really did. But ‘Love Scenes’ is just…not the book for me, sadly.
*ARC by the publisher via Netgalley
August 8, 2021
i was balanced between 3 & 4 for a while on this one, but i’m giving it 4 stars for a few reasons
1 is that this story is way more than a romance to me. to me, it’s about navigating complicated family dynamics and the insecurities that come along with being a woman in hollywood. i really appreciate the level of honesty that came with this story!!
2 is that the plot alone is just so creative and i found it very refreshing after the onslaught of vacation romances i’ve been reading lately
and 3 is that the relationship between the two main characters actually felt very organic in the way it was developed, and not like it came out of a romance novel (lol). i didn’t end this book thinking “wow, those two are soulmates and will live happily ever after.” and i love that! i think that there’s a lot of obstacles they’ll go through, but i feel like they can do it together, and that gives the relationship a very real feel that i appreciate.
ending notes are: this is fast paced and doesn’t take loads of brain power to read. maybe if you’re in a slump and want something funny with BravoTV level family drama, then this is for you
1 is that this story is way more than a romance to me. to me, it’s about navigating complicated family dynamics and the insecurities that come along with being a woman in hollywood. i really appreciate the level of honesty that came with this story!!
2 is that the plot alone is just so creative and i found it very refreshing after the onslaught of vacation romances i’ve been reading lately
and 3 is that the relationship between the two main characters actually felt very organic in the way it was developed, and not like it came out of a romance novel (lol). i didn’t end this book thinking “wow, those two are soulmates and will live happily ever after.” and i love that! i think that there’s a lot of obstacles they’ll go through, but i feel like they can do it together, and that gives the relationship a very real feel that i appreciate.
ending notes are: this is fast paced and doesn’t take loads of brain power to read. maybe if you’re in a slump and want something funny with BravoTV level family drama, then this is for you
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September 12, 2023Fine
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