Make Believe

by Tom Epperson

Make Believe is a light-hearted love story, set in the cynical, cutthroat world of Hollywood. Dustin Prewitt is a handsome screenwriter with a taste for women, money, big houses, and hot cars. His life is turned upside-down when Laura Keene, his beatiful but crazy move star wife, disappears, leaving a suicide note on the beach that says she’s drowned herself because he wouldn’t dance with her. But Dustin’s not exactly broken-hearted, because Laura comes from one of the richest families in America, which means if she’s actually dead he’s about to come into an enormous amount of money. Life gets even better for Dustin when he meets Penny Ruemmler, who rescues animals and works in a clothing store. Penny’s not the glamorous type Dustin usually goes for, but that doesn’t stop him from falling hard for her . But is Laura really dead? They never recovered her body. If she comes back, would Dustin dump the penniless Penny to get back with his rich wife? Or would he give everything up for love?

This book should be bought only by those who believe in romance, stardust, luck, second chances, and make-believe.

370 pages, Paperback

Published March 5, 2022

About the author

Tom Epperson, a native of Arkansas, headed west to Los Angeles with his boyhood friend Billy Bob Thornton to pursue a career in show business. Epperson's co-written the scripts for One False Move, A Family Thing, The Gift, A Gun, a Car, a Blonde, and Jayne Mansfield's Car. His L.A. noir The Kind One was nominated for both the Edgar Award and the Barry Aware for Best First Novel. Four more books followed, Sailor, Roberto the Dark Tower Came, Make Believe, and Baby Hawk: A novel in verse. He lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico with his wife, Stefani, two pampered cats, and two frisky dogs.

Reviews

[John Mese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I f****** loved it! Make Believe pulls off an impossible feat by capturing the ephemeral nature of reality in Hollywood, California--its physical geographical location is expertly described here, absolutely but also the way it exists as a figment of our own collective imaginations. Make Believe is written by Tom Epperson, a masterful screenwriter who has worked in the industry for over 30 years and knows the lay of its very shaky ground... And who more importantly is having a ball exposing all of the everyday mountain tops, crevices and abysses that exist within the world of making movies. It's a romantic romp that on every page seems almost absurdly ridiculous and utterly believable with each and every breath it takes. And yes it does breathe... It's alive! And it is, I believe, Epperson's true story of a love-hate relationship with this magical place he's lived in just long enough to fall deeply in love and to finally decide it's time to get out.

[Stella Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 Stars
A Hollywood Romance That Trusts Its Readers

Make Believe does something rare in romance: it respects your intelligence while still delivering the emotional payoff you're hoping for.
Tom Epperson brings his screenwriting background to this novel in the best possible way, tight pacing, authentic Los Angeles detail, and characters who feel like actual people instead of romance archetypes. Dustin Prewitt starts as exactly the kind of shallow Hollywood player you'd expect, but Epperson earns his transformation through Penny, whose animal rescue work and genuine kindness become the story's moral centre without ever feeling preachy.
What I loved most was the central tension: Is Laura actually dead? Would Dustin choose money over love? The book keeps you guessing without resorting to melodrama, and the Hollywood setting feels lived-in rather than researched. You can tell Epperson actually knows this world, the cynicism, the money obsession, the way people perform emotions they don't actually feel.
The warning at the end ("This book should be bought only by those who believe in romance, stardust, luck, second chances, and make-believe") is perfect. This isn't a dark or gritty story, it's an optimistic one that dares you to believe people can choose love over convenience. And somehow, Epperson makes you believe it.
If you want a romance that's witty, well-structured, and written by someone who understands how stories actually work, Make Believe delivers. It's the kind of book that reminds you why you fell in love with romance in the first place.

Highly recommended for fans of smart romantic comedies with genuine heart.

[Lorne Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fun read from beginning to end. It’s a character study of not only its protagonist, Dustin Prewitt, a screenwriter fighting to stay relevant in a crazy town but of Hollywood itself. Its hypocrisy, its arbitrariness, its magic and its toxic nature are all on display in this story of a man losing his way after a family tragedy—or of him actually finding it. And author Tom Epperson knows of what he speaks having navigated the treacherous terrain of tinsel town for more than thirty years. It’s funny, heartbreaking, romantic and revealing. And my bet is you’ll enjoy the whole wild ride.

[Ann Bleed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Make Believe is one of the best books I have read this year. It is entertaining, funny, poignant, and I am told, very insightful about the crazy life of Hollywood. It presents a good story about complex characters you grow to love and hate. It even includes a dog Topper, who has his own issues, but who you grow to like by the end of the book. This book is definitely worth reading.