Crashing The A-List by Summer Heacock
Release Date - March 12, 2019
Publisher Website - Mira/Harlequin
Publisher Social Media - TwitterRelease Date - March 12, 2019
Publisher Website - Mira/Harlequin
Pages - 400 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**received from the publisher for an honest review**
After four months of unemployment, former book editor Clara Montgomery is still stuck sleeping on her little brother’s ugly couch in Queens. Determined to keep her minuscule savings account intact, she takes a job clearing out abandoned storage units, but is in no way prepared for stumbling upon dead snakes or trying to identify exactly where the perpetual stench of beets is emanating from.Romance novels that involve Hollywood in some format are a weakness of mine. I will immediately want to add it to my reading list. Crashing The A-List was no exception when it came to my attention. It turns out that this novel really has the best of both worlds - it involves a Hollywood actor, but is set mostly in New York. Summer Heacock has infused a Hollywood love interest into a story that only sort of involves Hollywood. The reader gets something that ends up feeling more realistic, less wish fulfillment, and an all together fun read.
When Clara comes across a unit that was once owned by an escort service, she finds the brothel “résumé” of a younger Caspian Tiddleswich… an astonishingly famous British actor. Her best friend thinks she should sell the gossip to a tabloid to fund her way off the couch from hell, but Clara instead manages to track down Caspian’s contact info, intending to reassure him that her lips are sealed.
Unfortunately, Caspian misinterprets Clara’s attempt at altruism and shows up on her doorstep, accusing her of blackmail. When the paparazzi capture a photo of them together, Caspian’s PR team sees an opportunity to promote his latest film—and if Clara wants to atone for her “crimes,” she’ll have to play along. Pretending to be Caspian’s girlfriend seems like it will be a tolerable, if somewhat daunting, penance… until their fake romance becomes something more than either of them expected.
When we meet Clara she is having the worst luck. She's just lost her job and has to move in with her brother while looking for a new one. She's feeling more than a little sorry for herself and what her future holds. She's a bit of a mess, but an entirely relatable one. She's the type of character that the reader immediately identifies with because of her imprefections. The author wasn't afraid of making Clara flawed. It is her owning up to her mistakes that makes the reader love her.
Caspian Tiddleswich is, as you probably guessed, inspired by certain famous British actor who has played both a world famous detective and a superhero (and it is not Robert Downey Jr). Anyone who is a fan will delight in the comparisons found within the novel. Heacock has ensured that Caspian becomes a fully developed character however, and not just a stand in. The readers will equally delight in the things that make up the character of Caspian that have nothing to do with his inspiration. It takes a bit to get past his frosty demeanour but he ends up being a rather fantastic love interest.
The romance is, naturally, a rocky one. Miscommunication is culprit of much of this couples woes. They both tend to react rashly and strongly before talking which leads to plenty of misunderstandings. There is some great banter that happens between Clara and Caspian but there are also a lot of moments that just feel a little too aggressive and mean. Care is taken to balance this by showing the characters having real remorse for their actions, and actually admitting wrongdoing and apologizing. They both can be abrasive at times, but Caspian's demeanor can be repellent at time and I am glad that is addressed in a meaningful way. He is properly contrite and, more importantly, actively wants to change. It's refreshing and showcases that only real apologize for bad behaviour is the modification of that behaviour.
Clara's friendship with CiCi is the true heart of the story. Their friendship is supportive, honest, and caring. They felt more like the closest of sisters than just best friends. They can call each other out on their bullshit in a way that shows how much they care about each other. I appreciated a female friendship that didn't have even a hint of jealousy, backstabbing, or competition. I would love a companion novel that was CiCi's story because she really was a stand out character.
This is a fast paced, enjoyable read that felt like it would appeal to both those who love Hollywood inspired stories and those who typically do not. It won me over with its banter filled romance, sweet friendship, and actual repercussions for bad behaviour. I predict romance readers will love it and immediately want to get their hands on whatever Summer Heacock writes next.
