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ABCollins
Posted June 16, 2012
“Hollywood Ever After” is a smashing good read about a woman finding herself after a disastrous marriage. On her first day of vacation in Hollywood, she attends a red carpet premiere and meets a dashing movie star. The last thing Claire expects to find is a man while on vacation, but the attraction between the two flares instant and hot.
Can she learn to trust again? Can she believe in happily ever after? Or will her past rise up and destroy her chance at love.
Sasha Summers has once again created a wonderful story of two people from opposite ends of the spectrum who find each other and the last thing they expected – love. Join Claire as she navigates on her journey and finds her true direction.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Fantastic Read! I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book!
Hollywood Ever After is a Contemporary-Romance and the first in the Red Carpet series written by Sasha Summers.
4.5 stars!
Fantastic Read! I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book!
The Review:
This book was a sweet, romantic and wonderful read. I was entranced with this love story and just couldn't put it down.
Josh Wiley is an up and coming movie star with the good looks and talent to go the distance. But it was his shy demeanor and down to earth disposition that drew me to him. The moment he saw Claire, he was captivated and it showed. He never wavered or strayed and his devotion for her was just what you want in a romantic read. He was everything you could want in a hero.
Claire is a mother of two and is recently divorced from an abusive man. Her hesitancy in getting involved with another man was heartbreaking. She was a terrific mom who wanted and needed passion in her life but was scared to reach out for it. I loved watching Josh break down her defenses and I loved watching her find the trust and empowerment she desperately needed to gain back.
The side characters were an amazing addition. I loved the kids, the mom, the best friend and her man, Josh's sister and father and even the evil ex-husband who had a part to play to make it the exceptional story it was. And though this story was slightly predictable and your average hot guy meets shy girl, the characters shined brightly on the pages and the writing was well done and polished. It was beautiful and lovely.
The Wrap Up:
I'm a total sucker for romance. I've read some great books this year alone and this book will rate right up there with some of the best. I can't wait to see what the next story holds in this series and what those characters will bring to the canvas!
NOTE:: I read this as a R2R with The Knights of the Round Table with Goodreads. As always, a special thank you to the mods and author for allowing me to participate.
Hollywood Ever After by Sasha Summers draws a reader in on many different levels. First and foremost is the satisfyingly sweet yet sexy romance between an older woman/younger man. Claire's just gotten out of an abusive marriage which has left her with self-esteem issues, amongst other scars. She can't understand why the extremely hot and sexy young actor Josh would want her but he totally wins her (and us readers) over with his heartfelt compliments and unquestionable support. Their relationship evolves realistically and seamlessly incorporates the demands of motherhood upon their fledging relationship. Josh time and time again proves he's in it for the long haul and his scenes with the children were heartwarming to see.
Amongst the sweetness were some very weighty issues. Claire is a survivor of physical and verbal abuse courtesy of her ex-husband Daniel who makes unnervingly sporadic appearances throughout the story to try to exert control over her. These scenes were extremely tense and it showed a new strength in her character that she didn't give into his demands. Her dealings with him were empowering and make her a character you can look up to.
Ms. Summers conveyed the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and all its trappings in a realistic manner as well as the serenity of London. The scenery took on a life of its own and I felt like a part of the action. The business side of Hollywood with all its positives and negatives was well done and was another issue this new couple had to cope with and was handled in a mature way.
Josh and Claire were great on their own but were amazing together. The sexual chemistry was there from the first moment they collided and intensified to some very steamy sexual encounters. The addition of the children brought out a tender side to Josh and helped Claire see how good of a man he was. The children were likable and enhanced the storyline greatly. There were other secondary characters equally entertaining and their appearances added to the sense of family Josh and Claire were trying to create.
This was a story that stays with you long after the final page is turned. The characters and emotions were realistic and gutwrenching and I was rooting for a HEA every moment. Josh and Claire were a wonderful couple with wonderful children who deserved happiness and Ms. Summers set them on a richly rewarding path to an immensely satisfying conclusion.
Review:
"Hollywood Ever After" by Sasha Summers was a real good read; that involves Claire, her family, friends and Josh Wiley. This story is of a thirty-five year old mother of two, that has a abusive ex-husband who doesn't understand the word NO and also a wonderful mother. Claire is sent on a birthday holiday vacation in L.A. to visit with her best friend and it is there that she meets this movie star Josh Wiley. Jose is younger than Claire by seven years but he knows that Claire is what he wants however, Claire on the other hand is not sure that this will last. Now, this is where I say you must pick up "Hollywood Ever After" to find out if this guy will get this girl in the end. Be ready for a lot of page turning till the end.
The characters are really off the chart good starting with Claire, Josh, Daniel, Shannon, Arther,Frank, Graham, Will, Natalie, Regina, Angus, Jim, Meg, Helen, Nathan to a few others that this author had to really make this a wonderful well written read.
If you are looking for a wonderful novel about a woman, her family, friends, and abusive ex, to is now able to start a new life of happiness, love and even have the "Hollywood Ever After".... you have come to the right place and I would recommend this novel for a good read.
MarissaA
Posted August 5, 2012
Wow. This is what came to mind, after I finished Sasha Summer's beautiful story. I want to mention first that I love to connect with the characters, and see how they can be relatable to the readers, and to me there were relatable issues here. I definitely felt for Claire. She has been through a lot in her only thirty-five years of living. She has two wonderful children, an abusive ex-husband who just can't seem to let go of Claire, nor his family; but then there is the movie star, Josh Wiley. Oh, well he was wonderfully written, and if I might add, with a British Accent? Yes, Please. I was hooked into the story from the part when he and Claire meet each other, or rather Claire accidentally almost trips on the red carpet, and Josh quickly comes to her aide, like he does in the rest of the story. (Happy Sigh) This was just a feel good story to me, and it mostly takes place in L.A. and England, which I absolutely loved! Summers is just a wonderful writer, and so descriptive with everything really. To me, nothing seemed out of place; everything felt real, especially the romance between Claire and Josh. Their romance is one not to miss! Also, I loved that he and her best friend Shannon encouraged her to a talent that she seems to possess, writing. Towards the end, I did feel emotional, but there could also be some sort hint of hope; you just have to read this story for yourself to see what happens. This was just a great story, and I'm so happy to have read it. Summers, as I said, is a fantastic writer, and if you have not read her work yet, you definitely should! :)
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.AutumnReview
Posted July 23, 2012
You know, I wasn't really sure what I was expecting when I got this book for review, but what I can tell you is that I was really pleased with it. I thought it would be a sweet little love story about a woman with a complicated life, falling in love with a movie star. Was I right? Yes and no.
Claire is battered and broken. However, she's also strong and determined to make her life better. She is not a victim. Despite the issues and trauma she's had, she makes a true effort to find happiness within herself. I admired her bravery.
When she meets Josh, their chemistry is instant, but because he's a younger, up and coming actor, a relationship with him seems out of reach. Not to mention all the baggage she feels she has. Josh won't be deterred though. He really feels that Claire is special. I loved that, while his character is a movie star, he was really down to earth. He wasn't impressed with his fame. Josh just wants to live a normal life and enjoy his craft. The future he sees with Claire and her children was sincere. Josh made my heart melt.
The story takes you on a journey of self discovery, finding love, trusting that love, hope, and bringing love and happiness back into a family. Be advised that there are some pretty grueling points in the story and I admit that there were a few times that I cried. I'm happy to say that Hollywood Ever After gave me more than I anticipated and I found a really great story
Hollywood Ever After is more than just a story! It felt real.
Claire has spent the last two years, following her divorce, trying to move on from the violent history with her ex-husband. When her brother sends her on a vacation to visit a friend who's making a name for herself in the movie industry, Claire unexpectedly meets the newest Hollywood heart-throb at his movie premiere.
Josh Wiley, while walking the red carpet, just happens to be nearby when Claire stumbles and almost falls. From the moment he catches her, he can't take his eyes off her. And he'll do whatever it takes to get to know her better.
When I was maybe 3/4 of the way through the book, I got to thinking that this story didn't feel like a story at all. It felt real. And I felt like I was spying on Claire's life: every conversation, every laugh, every touch, every kiss. It was fun and sad and, at times, scary to watch. But I really felt like I was there, observing it all.
Although Claire thinks that what she has with Josh can't possibly last beyond her week long vacation, when she must return to Texas where her two kids and mother are waiting for her, Josh isn't about to let it end that way. And Claire doesn't want it to end either, despite the fact that she worries about their eight year age difference. But when Claire's ex-husband Daniel learns that there might be something going on between her and Josh, he's determined to get her back — one way or another.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hollywood Ever After. As I mentioned above, it was like observing these people's lives and not just reading about them. They felt like real people, not just characters. And I honestly don't believe that I've ever felt that way about a book before. The story wasn't rushed, and while some people may think that certain scenes in this story might not have been necessary to the progression of the book, I found the everyday nuances of a family life rather nice.
Apart from Claire and Josh, there were a lot of great characters that I could really get attached to, for instance: Natalie and Will, Claire's children; Marty, Claire's mother; Nathan and Helen, Josh's father and sister; and Shannon, Claire's best friend. I have to admit, I really got a kick out of the interaction between Marty and Nathan while they were trying to prepare dinner. There were just a lot of little moments within the story that were just as fun and interesting as the main plot. And, of course, when I reached the end of the book, I wanted more. While the book had a satisfying ending, I wasn't quite ready to leave them.
So I definitely recommend Hollywood Ever After, and I look forward to reading more of Sasha Summers' work. From what I've read online, Hollywood Ever After is book one in the Red Carpet series. I'm unsure, as of yet, whether Hollywood Holiday, book two in the series, will continue the story of Claire and Josh or if it will focus on other characters all together, but I'm thrilled to know that there is more on the way.
** I received an eARC copy of the book from InkSpell Publishing for review.**
Such a sweet story. For this being her second published romance novel, it's so sweet. Makes me think I can find someone in Hollywood.
This reminded me of some of my favorite Lifetime movies, Flirting with Forty, the one with Heather Locklear. I just found out the author was writing a holiday sequel to it, and I am anxiously awaiting to read it! Great job Sasha!
Overview