Stand-In Star: Rachael Johns

by - Monday, January 07, 2013

Add to Goodreads        Buy: Nook/Kindle

As an anthropologist, Holly McCartney is more comfortable in a museum than shopping on Rodeo Drive. She isn’t prepared for the media frenzy on her arrival in L.A. to accept a posthumous acting award for her late sister….or for her sister’s gorgeous friend Nate Devlin to come to her rescue. Though he resents her for some reason, she can’t fight their irresistible chemistry—especially when the paparazzi force her to stay at his mansion.

Photographer Nate only agrees to help Holly survive Hollywood for her sister’s sake, but she soon gets under his skin in a way no other woman has. The more time he spends with her, the more his attraction grows and he finds himself opening up to her in ways he never expected. But will ghosts of the past stand in the way of their perfect Hollywood ending?
Kim's Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars

Kim's Review:
This contemporary romance starts with an interesting story line. A cultural anthropologist from Australia travels to Hollywood to accept her dead sister's Academy Award. They had been estranged due to a past betrayal. Her sister's friend Nate reluctantly ends up coming to her rescue with the paparazzi and takes her into his home and helps her deal with Hollywood. 

Nate is not sure what to make of Holly at first. He is prejudiced against her for preconceived notions about how she treated her sister. He has all kinds of deep seated issues dealing with his past that make affects his ability to have relationships. He worked his way out of his past and became a professional success, but feels he does not have much to offer anyone personally. He cannot deal with his responses to Holly.

She'd thrown his off course in less than a week.

How could one man be so dangerously sexy and so irritatingly rude at the same time?

Holly is trying to come to terms with issues related to her sister's betrayal and her own insecurities of feeling not good enough. She is out of her element in Hollywood and totally naive at how to deal with the attention and Press. She is attracted to Nate, but he just makes her feel more insecure as he fights his own attraction to her. 

"Damn, Holly, you make my head hurt."
"Trust me, the feeling is entirely mutual."


Nate and Holly are so gun shy that they really do not know how to interact with each other. They have chemistry, but fight it. He is hot and cold. She is confused, scared, and does not think he would ever be interested in her. 

She'd lost her sister without realizing how much she loved her and now she'd found the man of her dreams,only he didn't want to be anybody's Prince Charming. He didn't think he was good enough.

She was worthy of more than his love--she was worthy of the world. He wished more than anything that he could love her back; but he didn't think he knew how. 

I found myself waiting for them to connect both physically and emotionally. And when they connect it is fireworks! I really wanted this couple to work out. I loved seeing how both Holly and Nate changed after spending time together. And how they realized truths about themselves in the process. 

It was a sweet read and I really loved the ending. This author's writing style was easy to read and flowed well. I liked that you got both character's POVs especially since they had such inner monologues going on while trying to sort out their feelings and issues. 

*Thanks to Carina Press and netgalley for the chance to read and review this book before the release date of January 7, 2013

You May Also Like

0 comments