Difficult

by Brianne Gillen

“I suppose everyone expects a flop from us…But wouldn’t it be a lot more fun if we did something else?”

The Biggest Gossip, Straight Out of 1947 Hollywood!

A Diva Destined for Disaster…

With a face made for the cinema and the acting chops to back it up, Lois Ashford should be one of Hollywood’s most powerful players. But for the last decade, her notorious reputation for being “difficult” has kept her dreams of true stardom at bay—and now it might even cost her the contract she needs to continue her career.

A Heartthrob Heading toward Hazard…

Golden-boy Nick Bradley has always been considered one of the screen’s most captivating leading men—devastatingly handsome, tremendously talented, and a real-life hero to boot. That is, until a scandalous brush with the law makes him tabloid fodder and lands him in hot water with his bosses.

A Match Made for Motion Picture Magic…

When their studio pairs them in a stinker of a film, the last thing anyone expects is for their punishment to lead to a dynamic partnership—least of all Lois and Nick. And after the big bosses push them to capitalize on the momentum with a phony publicity marriage, it isn’t long before the sparks get real and their wedded bliss becomes a lot less fake. But all that glitters is not so golden, and their newly-minted status as Hollywood Royalty might just come at the expense of their hearts. Unless they can find the courage to tell a new story...

*Author's Note--Content Warning: This book contains discussion of past (off-page) workplace sexual harassment.

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Historical Romance, Historical

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 13, 2021

About the author

Brianne Gillen is a romance author, costume designer, theatre educator, and life-long storyteller, based in the Los Angeles area. She loves classic films, especially the screwball comedies of the ‘30s and ‘40s, and will never turn down the opportunity to browse the treasure troves otherwise known as vintage clothing stores. She is also a voracious reader and firm believer in happily-ever-afters. She has done a bit of playwriting, and in recent years, has contributed her opinions to a few online publications centering on the art and craft of costume design. Difficult is her debut romance novel, and the first in her Phoenix Pictures Series, about fierce dames and cinnamon-roll gents finding love in late-1940s Hollywood.

Reviews

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the idea of this one and much of it was successful. I think I just wanted more detail about the old Hollywood world. This book did a decent job and you understood a bit about the studio system and how it controlled actors lives, but it was glossed over at best. But, I did still like the story itself. Two disgraced actors pair together and expected to fail who instead take the opportunity and run with it. Lois is a great character and I really loved Nick. Their love story feels real and I appreciated the slow burn aspect of them taking a fake marriage and making it real. The end is redemptive, if not a bit far-fetched. All in all, enjoyable and fun, with enough interesting side characters to see how the author plans to make this a series.

[Megan Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Difficult immediately plunges you into the golden age of Hollywood cinema. This is a book where details matter, and Gillen gets the details right! From the leaning board that our heroine, Lois, relaxes against during takes (can't crease the costume!) to the exaggerated prose of the various newspaper clippings that open the chapters, you feel like you're spending time in a behind-the-scenes newsreel--the kind they used to show before pictures and that you can still catch between movies on TCM nowadays.

This vintage, 1947-set romcom follows Lois and Nick, movie stars who are both trying to get their careers back on track after their own individual scandals. Lois has been branded "difficult" to work with by a hotshot producer, but the diva perception is undeserved. War hero Nick was recently caught with dope, threatening his former golden boy image (hello, Robert Mitchum). The studio system has the solution to deal with these problematic actors; pair them up in a throwaway vehicle that's sure to flop.

Oh, and it couldn't hurt to marry them off in the process.

But Nick and Lois are entirely too smart to be outwitted by their studio or their fake marriage. As they work together to stage a coup on the film, turning it into a throwback screwball comedy, they realize their Hollywood-styled marriage might not be so fake after all.

Lois is a rich character; smart and point-blank, but still as classy as a Dior gown. Nick's intelligence runs deeper than his aw-shucks-ma'am attitude. Together, they are two seasoned grown-ups in a sea of perpetually adolescent characters in today's romcoms, and their chemistry grows the more they evolve as a couple.

You owe it to yourself to read this book, especially if you love classic films. Get in on the ground level of Brianne Gillen's romance career. She's doing something both unique and familiar with her Phoenix Pictures series! I can't wait to see who Nate ends up with!

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this MF slowish burn between two career driven actors. Really excited to see where this series leads.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, this book is amazing I love Lois and Nick!

This book is set in the late 1940s with Lois being known as a "difficult" actress and being held from her full potential and dreams with this reputation. When golden boy Nick gets in trouble with the law their studio pairs them to do a film together and also a phony publicity marriage but when feelings start to grow and things don't go as planned Lois reminds herself why she is in this marriage. I loved how Lois stood her ground and wanted Women's domination in such a heavily male-dominated and controlled workplace. I loved Lois and Nate's (Natalie) friendship and how they are always there for each other.
Nick is so sweet and loves Lois.
I loved how their relationship turned out and can't wait for Nate's book. 😊💜
This book made me feel like I was in the late 1940s and the way women were treated in the workplace and how in a lot of places today it still happens but also I felt so much chemistry from Nick and Lois.

cinnamon-roll hero
marriage of convenience
A little bit of grumpy/sunshine
low angst
so much banter I love it.

*received an ARC for an honest review*

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun little historical romance set in 1940s Hollywood. Lois is a 30 year old actress who’s struggled throughout her 10 years in show biz after being labeled “difficult” by a lecherous studio exec. She’s thrown together with newly minted bad boy Nick in a guaranteed flop as punishment for his recent drug-related arrest. They decide to shock everyone by acting their hearts out to overcome the terrible script, studio be damned.

The sexual tension between Lois and Nick was very believable, and it was entertaining watching the sparks fly between them. They’re both pleasant characters, and sometimes it’s just nice to see pretty people be pretty together. There are a couple sexually explicit scenes, and this is definitely a romance.

The conflict lagged behind the character development for a long time, and when it arrived it wasn’t terribly engaging or believable. The resolution was out of the blue and a little silly, but all’s well that ends well.

I received a free copy from Book Sirens. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens for an ARC of Difficult.

I felt as though the book started out a little slowly. But then it took off and I was able to breeze through it.

The characters of Lois and were written very well. They felt like they belonged in 1947. I recently watched the movie Trumbo which also takes place in the Hollywood of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Lois and Nick could absolutely live in that movie.

I enjoyed the details of how things work in Hollywood. Studios and contracts and personalities were described well. Nothing felt forced about this book.

I'm very happy this will be a series because it will be great to find out what is in store for Phoenix Pitctures.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[LBennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this lovely take on the a friends to lover, fake marriage trope, set in 1940s Hollywood. Gillen takes us back to the origins of the pre #MeToo culture of the film industry, but imbued with authentic 1940s prose and scenery. The sexual tension between the two leads, Lois and Nick, is hot and unexpectedly steamy. I liked Lois' strength of character and unwillingness to break her morals, while Nick was an unusually strong feminist given the period, but reading it through a modern lens is believable. The conclusion was not predictable, and in keeping with the types of unlikely endings we'd have seen in 1940s movies.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was well written and the characters were likable.

Almost too likable. I wish there had been more romantic conflict between the two of them. From the beginning, they got on well. There wasn’t any tug of war. Their circumstances are both contrived and they’re almost a little too perfect at times. I don’t feel like they needed to grow that much.

It’s an easy read and, as I said, well written. I chose this one because of the old Hollywood setting, but the personalities just didn’t seem big enough to fit. These were just two people who happened to be together in old Hollywood.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[bookishjaybird · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really, really enjoyed this one! I've always loved Golden Era Hollywood stories and this was absolutely adorable and captured the feeling of that. Nick and Lois were such a cute couple and I really enjoyed how they came together, even if I'm usually not a fan of fake marriages.

I think the only thing that made this not a 5 star book for me was towards the ending, it just felt too "wrapped up in a perfect box" type ending for me, and wasn't what I was expected! But it didn't ruin it completely for me, it's still such a good book and I cannot wait until the sequel comes out with Nate and her story!

Thank you to booksirens and Brianne Gillen for a free review copy, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!

[Jodi Walton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did really like the beginning of the story. It was fun, exciting and the writing is very fresh and funny. Easy to read with some great lines. As the story went on, however, I found myself not quite as interested, as not much was happening. Still fun, but a little too long for me, to get the story moving again. But it is a very fun book and I loved the old Hollywood setting. Characters were well developed and imagery was wonderful. A very nice book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Charity · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful feel-good 40s movie in novel form

I was cautiously optimistic about this from the summary, but I did not expect to love it as much as I did! This captured the feeling of those old movies and old Hollywood so well, and all of the characters were wonderful and wonderfully written. I really adored this. It didn't fall into so many of the traps and tropes that others do, and how the final act was handled was so wonderful. Loved this couple and the story. Can't wait to read the next one, honestly.

[Brandy Schratter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much. The characters were so vivid and fun to read. Lois is an icon. I loved how fierce she was. And Nick is a total cinnamon roll. He is a completely sweet and precious human being and exactly what Lois needed to help overcome her past hurt. The story progressed very nicely and was a fun look at a time period that isn’t visited in many other books. I loved this look at Old Hollywood and I am so excited to read Book 2 of this series!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a delight! It took a few chapters for me to really get hooked, but once “Teacups in July” (🤣) started production, I was all in. This is a great read for classic movie fans, and I love all the little references the author included (Jungle Red!!!!). The dialogue was laugh-out-loud funny, and the slow burn romance kept me up reading well past my bedtime. I can’t wait for the next book in the Phoenix Pictures series!

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Welcome to classic era Hollywood: she has been branded "difficult," he is in trouble for being caught with marijuana, the studio puts them in a lousy movie together as punishment. I love this era, and I wish it had been brought to life more specifically. I liked Lois and Nick, and liked the circle of women that Lois created around her. I'm looking forward to the second book in the series, out in a few weeks. The story was fun, and the good guys won. Can't ask for much more than that.

[Natalie Mundy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was so fun and the story was gripping as well. I wish there was more of these sort of historical romance books. I loved Nick and Lois as well. The world felt very real as well

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy read for sure. But I did not see any chemistry between the two leads nor any real reason why Lois got her reputation (we are only told it).

[Tanushree Naimpally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 stars

What an utter treat, this was a confection of a book and I enjoyed every minute I was reading it.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was great - good satisfying plot

BUT the steamy scenes were… not great. Total lack of recovery time in particular. Really pulled me out of the scene

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story, but a little too wordy.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love the marriage of convenience trope or Old Hollywood romance movies, I highly recommend Difficult! Gillen perfectly balances romantic comedy with heart and delivers a nuanced exploration of gender inequality. I fell head over heels for leading lady Lois and her acid tongue and for her cinnamon roll hero, Nick. Watching them progress from friends and allies to lovers and true partners was both swoony and narratively satisfying. I know “narratively satisfying” may not sound particularly sexy, but trust me, it IS. Adding this to my favorites shelf.