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The View Was Exhausting
“A pure delight! Effortlessly cool, razor sharp, and crazy fun—I couldn’t put it down.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling authors of Daisy Jones & the Six
"The complex, Hollywood love story we've all been waiting for—I couldn't get enough."—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation
Faking a love story is a whole lot easier than being in love . . .
The world can see that international A-list actress Whitman ("Win") Tagore and jet-setting playboy Leo Milanowski are made for each other. Their kisses start Twitter trends and their fights break the internet. From red carpet appearances to Met Gala mishaps, their on-again, off-again romance has titillated the public and the press for almost a decade. But it's all a lie.
As a woman of color, Win knows the Hollywood deck is stacked against her, so she's perfected the art of controlling her public persona. Whenever she nears scandal, she calls in Leo, with his endearingly reckless attitude, for a staged date. Each public display of affection shifts the headlines back in Win's favor, and Leo uses the good press to draw attention away from his dysfunctional family.
Pretending to be in a passionate romance is one thing, but Win knows that a real relationship would lead to nothing but trouble. So instead they settle for friendship, with a side of sky-rocketing chemistry. Except this time, on the French Riviera, something is off. A shocking secret in Leo's past sets Win's personal and professional lives on a catastrophic collision course. Behind the scenes of their yacht-trips and PDA, the world's favorite couple is at each other's throats. Now they must finally confront the many truths and lies of their relationship, and Win is forced to consider what is more important: a rising career, or a risky shot at real love?
The View Was Exhausting is a funny, wickedly observant modern love story set against the backdrop of exotic locales and the realities of being a woman of color in a world run by men.
"The complex, Hollywood love story we've all been waiting for—I couldn't get enough."—Emily Henry, #1 New York Times bestselling author of People We Meet on Vacation
Faking a love story is a whole lot easier than being in love . . .
The world can see that international A-list actress Whitman ("Win") Tagore and jet-setting playboy Leo Milanowski are made for each other. Their kisses start Twitter trends and their fights break the internet. From red carpet appearances to Met Gala mishaps, their on-again, off-again romance has titillated the public and the press for almost a decade. But it's all a lie.
As a woman of color, Win knows the Hollywood deck is stacked against her, so she's perfected the art of controlling her public persona. Whenever she nears scandal, she calls in Leo, with his endearingly reckless attitude, for a staged date. Each public display of affection shifts the headlines back in Win's favor, and Leo uses the good press to draw attention away from his dysfunctional family.
Pretending to be in a passionate romance is one thing, but Win knows that a real relationship would lead to nothing but trouble. So instead they settle for friendship, with a side of sky-rocketing chemistry. Except this time, on the French Riviera, something is off. A shocking secret in Leo's past sets Win's personal and professional lives on a catastrophic collision course. Behind the scenes of their yacht-trips and PDA, the world's favorite couple is at each other's throats. Now they must finally confront the many truths and lies of their relationship, and Win is forced to consider what is more important: a rising career, or a risky shot at real love?
The View Was Exhausting is a funny, wickedly observant modern love story set against the backdrop of exotic locales and the realities of being a woman of color in a world run by men.
352 pages, Paperback
First published July 6, 2021
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25567 people want to read
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July 19, 2021The public and press cannot get enough of international stars Win and Leo’s relationship. The couple’s ups and downs have been center stage for nearly a decade with no end in sight. But Win and Leo each have their own secrets, including the biggest one of all: their relationship is just for show. I devoured this one.
February 10, 2021
I completely loved this. So much tension, angst, humor, and atmosphere, and stellar writing.
October 31, 2021
When Taylor Jenkins Reid calls a book “a pure delight,” you listen. Boy, did I love this romantic, soapy story of a couple whose on-again, off-again relationship keeps the public utterly captivated!
“The world thought Win had the perfect love story with the perfect man, passionate and devoted, always breathless, always in the honeymoon stage, stormy and on-again, off-again but still that strange, magical thing: true love. But Win had something better than that. She had a friend, and a secret.”
Whitman “Win” Tagore is a beautiful British Indian actress whose talent is mesmerizing. She burst on the scene as a teenager and has had a successful career, but hasn’t quite reached the heights she deserves because the film industry has impossible expectations for an actress of color.
Sometimes the stress gets to her and publicity turns against her. And that’s when she turns to Leo Milanowski, the playboy heir to a hotel fortune, who at times is followed by his own cloud of trouble and ennui. The two have been romantically linked numerous times, and whenever they’re together their romance lifts both of them out of whatever scandal either faces and distracts the public into buying into their love story.
But while their romance is for show, there’s no denying the pull they feel for one another. And when Leo finds himself in the midst of a real scandal it threatens to undo everything—and it forces them to realize what’s real and what’s for show.
I thought The View Was Exhausting was just excellent. I love “Hollywood” novels even if this didn’t take place in Hollywood, and I thought it raised some interesting discussion about racism in the film industry. I was utterly captivated from start to finish!
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/.
“The world thought Win had the perfect love story with the perfect man, passionate and devoted, always breathless, always in the honeymoon stage, stormy and on-again, off-again but still that strange, magical thing: true love. But Win had something better than that. She had a friend, and a secret.”
Whitman “Win” Tagore is a beautiful British Indian actress whose talent is mesmerizing. She burst on the scene as a teenager and has had a successful career, but hasn’t quite reached the heights she deserves because the film industry has impossible expectations for an actress of color.
Sometimes the stress gets to her and publicity turns against her. And that’s when she turns to Leo Milanowski, the playboy heir to a hotel fortune, who at times is followed by his own cloud of trouble and ennui. The two have been romantically linked numerous times, and whenever they’re together their romance lifts both of them out of whatever scandal either faces and distracts the public into buying into their love story.
But while their romance is for show, there’s no denying the pull they feel for one another. And when Leo finds himself in the midst of a real scandal it threatens to undo everything—and it forces them to realize what’s real and what’s for show.
I thought The View Was Exhausting was just excellent. I love “Hollywood” novels even if this didn’t take place in Hollywood, and I thought it raised some interesting discussion about racism in the film industry. I was utterly captivated from start to finish!
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/.
August 22, 2021
There were times while reading that I felt things were moving quite slowly, almost at a literary pace, and while I didn't really mind it—the writing quality is very, very high, not just for a contemporary romance debut but in general—I did find myself surprised by the pacing. The cover and pitch sells a quick, light-hearted beach read, but the book itself is an interesting exploration of race and gender within the microcosm of celebrity. After all, take away the glamor and the romance and what you're left with is a woman of color struggling to maintain a career that would be far easier if she were white, or a man, or ideally a white man. Full review here: https://olivieblake.tumblr.com/post/6...
September 3, 2021
1.5 ⭐️
Well, I think we can say definitively that the millennial romance genre is not my thing. Honestly, this book was exhausting.
Recommended by Taylor Jenkins Reid, billed as a hot summer read, a booktok sensation and written by a married couple which can be an interesting angle, this was flat as a pancake.
Whitman and Leo are a hot famous power couple, she’s a British Indian Hollywood superstar, he’s an IT boy and heir to a fortune with model good looks. They’re not a real couple though - their romance is fake and one of convenience for them both to keep the press at bay. You can predict the rest - suddenly they realise they have feelings for each other, but the road to romance is full of potholes.
This had a promising first 50 pages with some smart writing. Unfortunately, it then tanked. The relationship between the couple was ridiculous with them having the same tedious argument for 300+ pages. Good representation with a British Indian main character in Whitman, but she was so beyond dislikeable, it bordered on parody at times. Also, what’s with all the smoking?
Great cover though.
Well, I think we can say definitively that the millennial romance genre is not my thing. Honestly, this book was exhausting.
Recommended by Taylor Jenkins Reid, billed as a hot summer read, a booktok sensation and written by a married couple which can be an interesting angle, this was flat as a pancake.
Whitman and Leo are a hot famous power couple, she’s a British Indian Hollywood superstar, he’s an IT boy and heir to a fortune with model good looks. They’re not a real couple though - their romance is fake and one of convenience for them both to keep the press at bay. You can predict the rest - suddenly they realise they have feelings for each other, but the road to romance is full of potholes.
This had a promising first 50 pages with some smart writing. Unfortunately, it then tanked. The relationship between the couple was ridiculous with them having the same tedious argument for 300+ pages. Good representation with a British Indian main character in Whitman, but she was so beyond dislikeable, it bordered on parody at times. Also, what’s with all the smoking?
Great cover though.
January 3, 2024
A 5-star rating isn't enough for this book.
“It’s just that I spent all that time pretending I was in love with you, and now I have to pretend that I'm not.”
The View Was Exhausting is the story of a famous British Indian actress named Whitman (Win) who is still trying for big roles even against all the prejudice Hollywood has against her, she meets Leo after a scandal involving her name because her pr manager thought it was the best if she showed up with Leonard Milanowski, the son of a rich man who owned a hotel company. Win and Leo have an undeniable chemistry and a nice friendship at first, and after seeing the positive response of the media Win asks him to be her fake boyfriend when needed. And that's why for seven years they have had an "on and off" relationship. So in the first pages, Whitman needs to clear her image again and Leo is called to Saint Tropez so they can be photographed together and please the magazines, radios, and everyone who's talking about Win. However, Leo has a secret, and he is also falling for Win while her priority is her career and she wouldn't dare risk their friendship and agreement for a relationship that might not even work.
Whitman (Win) Tagore is so mother, I love grumpy girls so I knew I would like her, she disappointed me at times but I knew it was her personality and in the end, everything was fine. I love her complexity, I love how smart and hardworking she is, she's so interesting and while she lives for acting and can be seen as a sour person, she also has this side that misses her father deeply. Her character development was amazing because by the end she put her career aside and prioritized her relationships.
Leonard (Leo) Milanowski is such a golden retriever boy, he's from a rich family, he's loved by everyone, just a golden boy who loves art. But by agreeing to follow Win wherever she needs him to be for their fake dating, it's also clear that the guy doesn't have a purpose in life. He wants to open a gallery but has been in it for years and never took the initiative, he goes to events, he travels and that's it. He's just rich so he can "live" without obligations, I realized. But this isn't me blaming him, I'm trying to explain that he's the kind of character no one can relate to because he only had to work hard to get one thing: Win to be with him. He's a dear, and has a nice relationship with his family except for his dad). He's the people's prince.
The romance isn't conventional, when they meet in the first year of fake dating they do sleep together at some point but it's nothing more than that, over the years they date other people and then something happens and Win needs him again. But these characters have a beautiful friendship and a chemistry that is out of this world, seriously, this isn't usually my favorite type of book or trope but they had me. Seven years of knowing each other is too much, and when they meet in Saint Tropez it is already obvious that Leo loves Win romantically. I just wish it took less time for her to realize that and accept him.
The side characters aren't explored deeply, but I liked Leo's moms and Win's mother and best friend. They were a great complement to the book especially during the final chapters.
I usually dislike books about famous rich people but I watched an edit of this one and decided to give it a try, thank God I did. The book is in the third person point of view and it felt like I was watching a reality TV. The "parts" are divided into places they are visiting or staying at the moment and it was so cool. This is one of the coolest books I've read in a while. However, it's slow-paced, the main character is too closed off and work-focused and I get why people wouldn't like this.
⋆🎧✮⋆ Wildest Dreams is the Taylor Swift song that suits this book and the couple's dynamic the best. I mean a famous actress? Fake dating? Then their actual romance that could put her career at risk? The fact that they can be together in the spotlights and then this is the last thing they can do? Oh, this is 100% Wildest Dreams lyrics coded. The chorus and the bridge were just made for Win and Leo.
Come chat with me about books and Taylor Swift on my Twitter .
“It’s just that I spent all that time pretending I was in love with you, and now I have to pretend that I'm not.”
The View Was Exhausting is the story of a famous British Indian actress named Whitman (Win) who is still trying for big roles even against all the prejudice Hollywood has against her, she meets Leo after a scandal involving her name because her pr manager thought it was the best if she showed up with Leonard Milanowski, the son of a rich man who owned a hotel company. Win and Leo have an undeniable chemistry and a nice friendship at first, and after seeing the positive response of the media Win asks him to be her fake boyfriend when needed. And that's why for seven years they have had an "on and off" relationship. So in the first pages, Whitman needs to clear her image again and Leo is called to Saint Tropez so they can be photographed together and please the magazines, radios, and everyone who's talking about Win. However, Leo has a secret, and he is also falling for Win while her priority is her career and she wouldn't dare risk their friendship and agreement for a relationship that might not even work.
Whitman (Win) Tagore is so mother, I love grumpy girls so I knew I would like her, she disappointed me at times but I knew it was her personality and in the end, everything was fine. I love her complexity, I love how smart and hardworking she is, she's so interesting and while she lives for acting and can be seen as a sour person, she also has this side that misses her father deeply. Her character development was amazing because by the end she put her career aside and prioritized her relationships.
Leonard (Leo) Milanowski is such a golden retriever boy, he's from a rich family, he's loved by everyone, just a golden boy who loves art. But by agreeing to follow Win wherever she needs him to be for their fake dating, it's also clear that the guy doesn't have a purpose in life. He wants to open a gallery but has been in it for years and never took the initiative, he goes to events, he travels and that's it. He's just rich so he can "live" without obligations, I realized. But this isn't me blaming him, I'm trying to explain that he's the kind of character no one can relate to because he only had to work hard to get one thing: Win to be with him. He's a dear, and has a nice relationship with his family except for his dad). He's the people's prince.
The romance isn't conventional, when they meet in the first year of fake dating they do sleep together at some point but it's nothing more than that, over the years they date other people and then something happens and Win needs him again. But these characters have a beautiful friendship and a chemistry that is out of this world, seriously, this isn't usually my favorite type of book or trope but they had me. Seven years of knowing each other is too much, and when they meet in Saint Tropez it is already obvious that Leo loves Win romantically. I just wish it took less time for her to realize that and accept him.
The side characters aren't explored deeply, but I liked Leo's moms and Win's mother and best friend. They were a great complement to the book especially during the final chapters.
I usually dislike books about famous rich people but I watched an edit of this one and decided to give it a try, thank God I did. The book is in the third person point of view and it felt like I was watching a reality TV. The "parts" are divided into places they are visiting or staying at the moment and it was so cool. This is one of the coolest books I've read in a while. However, it's slow-paced, the main character is too closed off and work-focused and I get why people wouldn't like this.
⋆🎧✮⋆ Wildest Dreams is the Taylor Swift song that suits this book and the couple's dynamic the best. I mean a famous actress? Fake dating? Then their actual romance that could put her career at risk? The fact that they can be together in the spotlights and then this is the last thing they can do? Oh, this is 100% Wildest Dreams lyrics coded. The chorus and the bridge were just made for Win and Leo.
Come chat with me about books and Taylor Swift on my Twitter .
November 5, 2021
2/5
I didn't care for celebrities and their relationships before this book, and I cared even less afterwards
I think we all have differing opinions on what fake dating constitutes... whatever this book was, it was not the fake dating that I've envisioned.... I think it's a lot more interesting when the pair involved in the fake dating haven't already gone the full nine yards like the only thing left is you guys just dawdling over the fact you don't have an official label... Hannah Montana did celebs fake dating better than this lmao
I don't think either main character was likeable, Leo was a privileged white brat. Literally what did he bring to the table other than the fact he had no aim in life because poor little rich boy and public eye blah blah like rich ppl probs boohoo, and it was soooo funny to me how the writers and Leo himself tried to portray him as like not like other white men (even tho the writers had a moment of 'actually he is like the others bc he doesn't understand consequences and repercussions faced by woc') overall thought he was an annoying and unattractive love interest, what was his personality? Smoking and being snarky? I literally could not tell you
Win was... herself I guess idk she made no impression on me. I understand that due to her position as a woc in hollywood she had to sanitize her image and everything, picking and choosing battles but it was wild to me how she didn't pick any battles... apparently girl could act which good for her, but I don't know who she was outside "I have to be perfect all the time and also I like Leo but the distance between us".... writers were so intent on showing how she has to keep a blank image for the public to be successful that the writing for her fell short too.. I think the most we get is how she really does not take other people's feelings into consideration, her mom's/leo's/and even her bestie's...
Also... their relationship.... I could not understand it... Everything I read from Leo's pov was just his physical attraction... dude liked Lila's personality at least and how easy she was to talk to, but all he could think of when thinking of Win was her body... as for Win I was like.... girl.... this trend of you dating white men is you trying too hard to be palatable to the western audiences, this is why you keep getting fucked over every breakup like you walked into that yourself lmao
Their argument the first time was THE dumbest thing ever I could not believe it, Leo was a moron like hello you're a PR stunt... you should let people know what nonsense you been getting up to because it can affect the efficacy of the PR stunt... Win was acting like he murdered her dog and left the entrails on her lawn... was like what the fuck is wrong with both of you... truly. The blowup the second time made sense to me because like Leo... you dumb brat... we been through this... you can't keep hiding shit, you were born to be a PR stunt!! Live like it!!!
I got some other thoughts but I'm keeping them to myself bc they might be too concherversal but anyways yea, I was close to dnfing this multiple times but I'm tryna hit my book goal for the year and I did it with this book so weo!!!
I didn't care for celebrities and their relationships before this book, and I cared even less afterwards
I think we all have differing opinions on what fake dating constitutes... whatever this book was, it was not the fake dating that I've envisioned.... I think it's a lot more interesting when the pair involved in the fake dating haven't already gone the full nine yards like the only thing left is you guys just dawdling over the fact you don't have an official label... Hannah Montana did celebs fake dating better than this lmao
I don't think either main character was likeable, Leo was a privileged white brat. Literally what did he bring to the table other than the fact he had no aim in life because poor little rich boy and public eye blah blah like rich ppl probs boohoo, and it was soooo funny to me how the writers and Leo himself tried to portray him as like not like other white men (even tho the writers had a moment of 'actually he is like the others bc he doesn't understand consequences and repercussions faced by woc') overall thought he was an annoying and unattractive love interest, what was his personality? Smoking and being snarky? I literally could not tell you
Win was... herself I guess idk she made no impression on me. I understand that due to her position as a woc in hollywood she had to sanitize her image and everything, picking and choosing battles but it was wild to me how she didn't pick any battles... apparently girl could act which good for her, but I don't know who she was outside "I have to be perfect all the time and also I like Leo but the distance between us".... writers were so intent on showing how she has to keep a blank image for the public to be successful that the writing for her fell short too.. I think the most we get is how she really does not take other people's feelings into consideration, her mom's/leo's/and even her bestie's...
Also... their relationship.... I could not understand it... Everything I read from Leo's pov was just his physical attraction... dude liked Lila's personality at least and how easy she was to talk to, but all he could think of when thinking of Win was her body... as for Win I was like.... girl.... this trend of you dating white men is you trying too hard to be palatable to the western audiences, this is why you keep getting fucked over every breakup like you walked into that yourself lmao
Their argument the first time was THE dumbest thing ever I could not believe it, Leo was a moron like hello you're a PR stunt... you should let people know what nonsense you been getting up to because it can affect the efficacy of the PR stunt... Win was acting like he murdered her dog and left the entrails on her lawn... was like what the fuck is wrong with both of you... truly. The blowup the second time made sense to me because like Leo... you dumb brat... we been through this... you can't keep hiding shit, you were born to be a PR stunt!! Live like it!!!
I got some other thoughts but I'm keeping them to myself bc they might be too concherversal but anyways yea, I was close to dnfing this multiple times but I'm tryna hit my book goal for the year and I did it with this book so weo!!!
November 30, 2021
A mostly fun, but flimsy read.
July 24, 2021
Sigh. Sometimes this BOOK was exhausting. When I keep speeding up an audiobook so it will just end, that means I’m getting bored ~ and I got this one up to 1.5x which is super fast for me. The narration however was excellent and the reason why I stuck with it. I was frustrated with Win for the entire story and loved Leo so much. I feel like I *could* have loved this book if I hadn’t been so annoyed with Win. Honestly, my favorite part of the book was the epilogue in which the Win I wanted her to be was finally realized. This was definitely a hit for some people, just a so so story for me. Came for the hope of a good book, stayed for the narration.
July 10, 2022
am currently in a "love is fake" phase but that's probably bc i've been watching too much grey's anatomy and listening to adele's new album on repeat and also on sunday i had dinner with a friend where we talked about spiderman and monet and then drank hot chocolate while we talked about how best to raise children and not once did he say, "ok so should we do that together, then?"
so anyway naturally i was like "let me read a romance to restore my faith in humanity," and although i still think love is fake, this book was so so good. the writing was beautiful - it felt like half-literary fiction/half-fanfiction aka the golden ratio. there's not a ton of plot, just a lot of banter and angst, which is good bc i think i could live my whole life off of banter and angst (see above comments re: spiderman and raising children).
some parting thoughts on names: at first i was like "who would name their child whitman tagore," but the more that i thought about it, the more i realized that that is actually the most bengali thing that could ever happen in the history of bengalis. the only thing that would be more bengali would be if her parents had been like, "fuck it, we're calling her rabindranath." leo is also a good name for a male protagonist because there are so many ways to lengthen/shorten leonard, and all of the possibilities have varying levels of hotness (see: my rhys dicourse).
so anyway naturally i was like "let me read a romance to restore my faith in humanity," and although i still think love is fake, this book was so so good. the writing was beautiful - it felt like half-literary fiction/half-fanfiction aka the golden ratio. there's not a ton of plot, just a lot of banter and angst, which is good bc i think i could live my whole life off of banter and angst (see above comments re: spiderman and raising children).
some parting thoughts on names: at first i was like "who would name their child whitman tagore," but the more that i thought about it, the more i realized that that is actually the most bengali thing that could ever happen in the history of bengalis. the only thing that would be more bengali would be if her parents had been like, "fuck it, we're calling her rabindranath." leo is also a good name for a male protagonist because there are so many ways to lengthen/shorten leonard, and all of the possibilities have varying levels of hotness (see: my rhys dicourse).
August 27, 2021
I don't even know what to really rate this book - all I know is that I hated it. It's a book cub pick, and I ALWAYS commit to my book club reads - I never back out on those. I first got 20% into it while I was reading it while I was in the hospital and couldn't get into but thought "hey, I'm in the hospital - maybe I'm just not in the right place, let me pick it up again." So I literally started all the way over and got to 40% the second time and was like "nah, this is just a bad book." I just don't understand the purpose? Nothing happened?? I have seen that it's supposed to give Evelyn Hugo vibes and let me tell you dear sir, it did not. Is there a celebrity? Yes. But that's about it. It was just dreadfully boring, and reading the book was exhausting for me.
September 18, 2022
4.5/5
I'm shocked fans of Emily Henry or Taylor Jenkins Reid haven't blown this one up yet, as it is a match made in heaven for anyone whose enjoyed their books, and the perfect balance of literary and romance. The authors do a fantastic job in portraying the glitz and glamour, as well as the uncertainty and drama of the rich and famous, and truly play with the idea of fame and narrative construction, while also delivering what is, ultimately, a damn good romance. Their characters feel alive and lifelike, brought to life not in spite of their flaws, but in many ways because of them - Win in particular is such a compelling heroine to follow. Not once did I question her motives or her actions because of what a good job the authors do in putting you right in her head. This was some fantastic character work and one of the rare instances in which a friends-to-lovers narrative had me swooning and sold without effort (thought I'll admit the fake dating elements did very much help).
An absolute treat.
I'm shocked fans of Emily Henry or Taylor Jenkins Reid haven't blown this one up yet, as it is a match made in heaven for anyone whose enjoyed their books, and the perfect balance of literary and romance. The authors do a fantastic job in portraying the glitz and glamour, as well as the uncertainty and drama of the rich and famous, and truly play with the idea of fame and narrative construction, while also delivering what is, ultimately, a damn good romance. Their characters feel alive and lifelike, brought to life not in spite of their flaws, but in many ways because of them - Win in particular is such a compelling heroine to follow. Not once did I question her motives or her actions because of what a good job the authors do in putting you right in her head. This was some fantastic character work and one of the rare instances in which a friends-to-lovers narrative had me swooning and sold without effort (thought I'll admit the fake dating elements did very much help).
An absolute treat.
dnf
February 15, 2023DNF @50%
February 2, 2023
*Thank you to Rare Birds Book CLub for sending me this as one of their monthly picks*
I immediately clicked with this book from the very few first sentences. I really liked the writing style and it all came together so seamlessly you can’t tell this is the product of two different authors - the fact that they’re actually wives was such an amazing revelation to me. What a powerhouse of a writing duo! I think it was extremely well written and enjoyable.
It turns out I had the completely wrong assumptions in my head about this one. I thought it was going to be a whirlwind, drama filled upbeat novel full of gossip and intrigue and while it does have elements of all that glamour, I found this book to actually be quite sad and emotional more than anything. The characters have such depth and personality to them, alongside the insightful and careful storytelling, it was really quite a tender reading experience.
I absolutely adored Whitman, all of her messiness, glamour, and vulnerability. She is definitely THAT girl but I also really adored the other sides we got to see of her, she was by no means boring. Her character was well fleshed out and dimensional and no matter how hard she tries to push people away and her tough exterior, it was so easy to warm to her and connect and empathise with her. She was ridiculously smart, amd beautiful, and funny yet composed despite everything that gets thrown at her and I really admired that. Win was definitely an interesting protagonist and the perfect fit for the story.
This book touched on many things but I particularly think it had really good discussions on persona and identity, particularly in regards to Win being a British Asian woman in a largely white male dominated industry. It was really well done.
Speaking of white men, I loved Leo too. He was just as messy and complex and human, but that just made him all the more lovable. And I was utterly in love with the way he loved Win. Their chemistry, the way they always understood each other, and the amount of respect they had for each other. They were actually well and truly soulmates. I think the turbulence of their journey just made it all the more realistic and it kept me guessing but I will root for these two forever and ever. Billy Dunne and Daisy Jones vibes to be honest.
It wasn’t the quickest paced book, but I was absolutely devouring it and flying through it simply because I was having such a good time reading it and didn’t want to stop. I think the pacing being middle ground was appropriate and it really gave you time as a reader to connect emotionally with what was happening.
I adored this book. It will take you on an emotional journey that I can’t recommend enough.
I immediately clicked with this book from the very few first sentences. I really liked the writing style and it all came together so seamlessly you can’t tell this is the product of two different authors - the fact that they’re actually wives was such an amazing revelation to me. What a powerhouse of a writing duo! I think it was extremely well written and enjoyable.
It turns out I had the completely wrong assumptions in my head about this one. I thought it was going to be a whirlwind, drama filled upbeat novel full of gossip and intrigue and while it does have elements of all that glamour, I found this book to actually be quite sad and emotional more than anything. The characters have such depth and personality to them, alongside the insightful and careful storytelling, it was really quite a tender reading experience.
I absolutely adored Whitman, all of her messiness, glamour, and vulnerability. She is definitely THAT girl but I also really adored the other sides we got to see of her, she was by no means boring. Her character was well fleshed out and dimensional and no matter how hard she tries to push people away and her tough exterior, it was so easy to warm to her and connect and empathise with her. She was ridiculously smart, amd beautiful, and funny yet composed despite everything that gets thrown at her and I really admired that. Win was definitely an interesting protagonist and the perfect fit for the story.
This book touched on many things but I particularly think it had really good discussions on persona and identity, particularly in regards to Win being a British Asian woman in a largely white male dominated industry. It was really well done.
Speaking of white men, I loved Leo too. He was just as messy and complex and human, but that just made him all the more lovable. And I was utterly in love with the way he loved Win. Their chemistry, the way they always understood each other, and the amount of respect they had for each other. They were actually well and truly soulmates. I think the turbulence of their journey just made it all the more realistic and it kept me guessing but I will root for these two forever and ever. Billy Dunne and Daisy Jones vibes to be honest.
It wasn’t the quickest paced book, but I was absolutely devouring it and flying through it simply because I was having such a good time reading it and didn’t want to stop. I think the pacing being middle ground was appropriate and it really gave you time as a reader to connect emotionally with what was happening.
I adored this book. It will take you on an emotional journey that I can’t recommend enough.
August 4, 2021
The View Was Exhausting follows Hollywood upcomer Whitman ‘Win’ Tagore and Leo Milanowski’s mutually beneficial friends-with-benefits fake dating on-off relationship. They rely on each other as the big guns when things inevitably go awry in their lives and they need a boost of some good publicity.
Off the bat, what I liked about the book was the way it attempts to address Indian actors and actresses in Hollywood. I grew up rarely seeing anyone who looked like me on the screen, and if I did, it was some sort of a caricature of a person, an exemplification of all the Indian stereotypes (think, taxi driver or a super computer nerd, or gas station owner or whatever) There was specifically a line that made me realize, ‘If the one actor/actress fails, its seen as representative for the rest of the community, and there won’t be another chance taken on the community for a while longer” which stuck with me and I think was a good point to have made, when looking at careers of other indians, the first coming to mind being Priyanka Chopra.
A book can be interesting and still have nothing to say and I found this to be true for this book. I loved Leo and Win’s relationship, I thought they had real chemistry and knew they were doomed from the start. As a part of an Indian diaspora I also understood the hardships Win faced, I felt her as an interesting character, icy and cold and aloof at times but also warm and real and caring and I felt captivated by her. However, overall I felt the book lacked a lot of substance. I found myself saying ‘so-what’ fairly often. I don’t really think a lot of character development occurred, I found a lot of the plot to be monotonous. Leo’s brother’s character didn’t feel fully fleshed out either. To me, it felt unfinished. Plotlines were wrapped in a quick sort of manner that I’d maybe have preferred to be drawn out, or eliminated entirely. In the words of a friend, it felt like nothing happened and then something happened but at the same time nothing was happening.
(edited)
changing to 2.5 stars from 3 because while I did find myself enjoying the storyline, and respected the attempt for diversity/inclusion, there were definitely things I would change and i would be hesitant to recommend
Off the bat, what I liked about the book was the way it attempts to address Indian actors and actresses in Hollywood. I grew up rarely seeing anyone who looked like me on the screen, and if I did, it was some sort of a caricature of a person, an exemplification of all the Indian stereotypes (think, taxi driver or a super computer nerd, or gas station owner or whatever) There was specifically a line that made me realize, ‘If the one actor/actress fails, its seen as representative for the rest of the community, and there won’t be another chance taken on the community for a while longer” which stuck with me and I think was a good point to have made, when looking at careers of other indians, the first coming to mind being Priyanka Chopra.
A book can be interesting and still have nothing to say and I found this to be true for this book. I loved Leo and Win’s relationship, I thought they had real chemistry and knew they were doomed from the start. As a part of an Indian diaspora I also understood the hardships Win faced, I felt her as an interesting character, icy and cold and aloof at times but also warm and real and caring and I felt captivated by her. However, overall I felt the book lacked a lot of substance. I found myself saying ‘so-what’ fairly often. I don’t really think a lot of character development occurred, I found a lot of the plot to be monotonous. Leo’s brother’s character didn’t feel fully fleshed out either. To me, it felt unfinished. Plotlines were wrapped in a quick sort of manner that I’d maybe have preferred to be drawn out, or eliminated entirely. In the words of a friend, it felt like nothing happened and then something happened but at the same time nothing was happening.
(edited)
changing to 2.5 stars from 3 because while I did find myself enjoying the storyline, and respected the attempt for diversity/inclusion, there were definitely things I would change and i would be hesitant to recommend
February 20, 2021
4.5 stars
If you’re looking for something great to get yourself lost for a few hours, this is definitely the book for you.
I loved it. From the characters and settings, the writing and how atmospheric and reliable everything was in the book, it surely makes for a must-read beautiful romance story that many people will enjoy this year.
And there’s so much more than the eye cam met in here. A fake relationship with great banter and interesting scenes, a love that blooms big by bit and grows to become one of the most beautiful nowadays romance, everything adds up to a perfect read.
So yes, that’s all I can say, a must-read novel of the year.
If you’re looking for something great to get yourself lost for a few hours, this is definitely the book for you.
I loved it. From the characters and settings, the writing and how atmospheric and reliable everything was in the book, it surely makes for a must-read beautiful romance story that many people will enjoy this year.
And there’s so much more than the eye cam met in here. A fake relationship with great banter and interesting scenes, a love that blooms big by bit and grows to become one of the most beautiful nowadays romance, everything adds up to a perfect read.
So yes, that’s all I can say, a must-read novel of the year.
May 12, 2023
★ 4 stars
this was such a great book! the fake dating trope was actually done so well and i was absolutely delighted by the chemistry between the main characters. so much tension, angst and slow burn. ugh, i loved it!
but i must say, this is not just a book about romance. it also focuses on the struggles of being a person of color in hollywood, racism, privileges and family dynamics.
the heroine, Win Tagore, is a famous british indian actress. she is strong, determined and fights hard for what she wants. i liked her character, but i’m not going to lie that i found her hypocrite and frustating multiple times. however, this doesn’t change the fact that i was able to sympathize with her and i could understand where she's coming from – after all, being a woman of color in the industry is definitely not easy.
she has a on again/off again fake relationship with the rich playboy Leo Milanowski and the public loves it. Leo sometimes annoyed me, but overall he’s a sweet guy. the fact that he was always there to support Win whenever she nedeed him was just so cute.
the only reason this book didn't get five stars was because it took me a while to get invested in the story. the pacing was too slow and in some parts i was really bored, but apart from that i enjoyed it. interesting story and the writing is exceptional, highly recommend to anyone!
this was such a great book! the fake dating trope was actually done so well and i was absolutely delighted by the chemistry between the main characters. so much tension, angst and slow burn. ugh, i loved it!
but i must say, this is not just a book about romance. it also focuses on the struggles of being a person of color in hollywood, racism, privileges and family dynamics.
the heroine, Win Tagore, is a famous british indian actress. she is strong, determined and fights hard for what she wants. i liked her character, but i’m not going to lie that i found her hypocrite and frustating multiple times. however, this doesn’t change the fact that i was able to sympathize with her and i could understand where she's coming from – after all, being a woman of color in the industry is definitely not easy.
“if Win messed this up, she wouldn’t get a second chance, and it wasn’t unreasonable to expect that Hollywood wouldn’t take a chance on another Indian heroine for a long time after that.”
she has a on again/off again fake relationship with the rich playboy Leo Milanowski and the public loves it. Leo sometimes annoyed me, but overall he’s a sweet guy. the fact that he was always there to support Win whenever she nedeed him was just so cute.
“whatever you want, whenever you want it,
i’m all yours.”
the only reason this book didn't get five stars was because it took me a while to get invested in the story. the pacing was too slow and in some parts i was really bored, but apart from that i enjoyed it. interesting story and the writing is exceptional, highly recommend to anyone!
March 25, 2021
For my full review, visit me at https://mrsbrownsbooks.wordpress.com/...
Reading a collaborative novel, I have always been curious about how the writers agree on plot direction and character development. It’s an interesting method of writing a novel and I can only imagine the creative differences that may surface along the way! However, this offering from Clements and Datta is an interesting drama that raises many thought-provoking issues in the media-obsessed society that we live in today.
Reading a collaborative novel, I have always been curious about how the writers agree on plot direction and character development. It’s an interesting method of writing a novel and I can only imagine the creative differences that may surface along the way! However, this offering from Clements and Datta is an interesting drama that raises many thought-provoking issues in the media-obsessed society that we live in today.
September 9, 2021
This book just did not do it for me. I think this could have been a really good book, but the authors chose to tell the story with such distance for the reader that you feel detached from it. I found it pretty dull to be honest, and I couldn’t feel for or care about any of the characters. Everyone came off as indolent and selfish, and the entire story revolved around poor communication. I would not recommend.
September 15, 2021
4.5*
i can't formulate coherent thoughts
i can't formulate coherent thoughts
December 17, 2024
3.5 stars
August 18, 2021
Fun? Heck yeah!! I devoured it. It’s blurbed by Taylor Jenkins Reid and Emily Henry, so of course, I had to see what all the fuss was about. Rightly so, as I had so much fun reading this. And it’s a brand new debut, no less.
It’s about Whitman (Win), she’s named for Walt Whitman - a British Indian international starlet, and Leo - the playboy son of a millionaire hotel mogul and reclusive ex-supermodel. Leo’s a famous NYC/UK jet-setter rarely seen without a cluster of socialites around him. Unless he’s with Win, obviously.
For almost a decade, the public, press and paparazzi can’t get enough of their relationship. What they don’t know is their romance is staged. BUT is it really all for show?
The authors show the barriers for women of color to achieve success in Hollywood—Win, being one of few headlining starlets of color, has worked nonstop to break that barrier in the industry.
Leo’s family is dysfunctional, and what he feels for Win, she wants nothing to do with. And for years he hasn’t decided where to open his art studio. He’s stuck in a rut.
Several twists (or I should say, secrets revealed) put Win and Leo’s friendship on pause, and has Win scrambling for cover. She finds refuge back home in the UK with her mother.
My favorite character is Win’s bestfriend Shift—always putting her two-cents in, always telling it like it is, and yes, even calling Win’s staged romance “a stupid platonic publicity thing.” She keeps it real. Win needs that.
This tale of Win and Leo’s relationship is quite refreshing and unique. Am truly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
It’s about Whitman (Win), she’s named for Walt Whitman - a British Indian international starlet, and Leo - the playboy son of a millionaire hotel mogul and reclusive ex-supermodel. Leo’s a famous NYC/UK jet-setter rarely seen without a cluster of socialites around him. Unless he’s with Win, obviously.
For almost a decade, the public, press and paparazzi can’t get enough of their relationship. What they don’t know is their romance is staged. BUT is it really all for show?
The authors show the barriers for women of color to achieve success in Hollywood—Win, being one of few headlining starlets of color, has worked nonstop to break that barrier in the industry.
Leo’s family is dysfunctional, and what he feels for Win, she wants nothing to do with. And for years he hasn’t decided where to open his art studio. He’s stuck in a rut.
Several twists (or I should say, secrets revealed) put Win and Leo’s friendship on pause, and has Win scrambling for cover. She finds refuge back home in the UK with her mother.
My favorite character is Win’s bestfriend Shift—always putting her two-cents in, always telling it like it is, and yes, even calling Win’s staged romance “a stupid platonic publicity thing.” She keeps it real. Win needs that.
This tale of Win and Leo’s relationship is quite refreshing and unique. Am truly surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
July 6, 2021
Meh. I wanted to like this, and it was an interesting take on Hollywood (though I’m sure this does happen) but I got bored after about fifty pages. It was a very skimmable book, and I really hated how every other page there was a story that was set in the past. “Once, four years ago…” like come on. if you’re going to do it that often, just tell me in chronological order. Stop breaking up your book with bullshit side stuff just to pad it. It could’ve been a hundred pages shorter and nothing would’ve been lost. I also thought the ending on an article was disappointing. Is that really how you want to epilogue? It’s just lazy narration. The romance was cute I guess, but overall I would say skip this.
November 8, 2021
this book was such an enjoyable read i literally could not put it down and i ended up finishing it within 24 hours which is something i haven’t done in a long time. this isn’t a perfect book tbf and it is not without its flaws but honestly idc IDC!!! i loved it so much i devoured every single page i ate up the romance i was screaming at 3 in the morning because the angst was driving me insane. this book isn’t for everyone but it is certainly FOR ME.
January 28, 2022
"you're gold dust, i swear to god."
leowin i love you
leowin i love you
June 14, 2022
it's summer so it's officially time to binge-read all the gossipy, contemporary, celeb-fiction books as i bask in the sun on the beach
July 17, 2023
Boa..... war das zäh....und total unspektakulär ....einzig der flüssige Schreibstil retten hier die zwei Sterne....sorry...🙈
Ein Filmstar, ein gutaussehender Millionär und viel Hollywood Feeling.....machen eben doch noch keinen lesenswerten Bestseller....
Zu beliebig, zu langweilig und einfach zu gewöhnlich....
Sorry....lieber im Regal stehen lassen!
Ein Filmstar, ein gutaussehender Millionär und viel Hollywood Feeling.....machen eben doch noch keinen lesenswerten Bestseller....
Zu beliebig, zu langweilig und einfach zu gewöhnlich....
Sorry....lieber im Regal stehen lassen!
January 9, 2022
LEOWIN ARE PERFECT
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