Review Tour: Reel Love: Julie A. Richman
Reel Love
Julie A Richman
Genre: Standalone Contemporary Romance
Release Date: June 26, 2019
Is it Reel Love or Real Love?
Hollywood
The moment I laid eyes on Finn Parker’s headshot, I knew that if this guy could act, I wanted him for the hero role in the film being made from my book, Fleeing an August Moon .
The tall, blond, and ruggedly handsome actor looked exactly like the picture I’d seen in my head the entire time I was writing the book.
The studio, however, had different thoughts on a leading man.
Box Office crusher, Maverick Dailey, made it clear that he wanted the role. The producers, studio, and everyone involved were thrilled to score such a celebrity. Well, everyone except me.
And it’s my vote that counts since, according to my contract, I get final say on casting. Maverick is amazing, yet I’m just not sure…
It certainly didn’t help that Finn Parker and I seemed destined to cross paths. We ran into each other all over Hollywood. And the more time we spent together, the more the sparks between us flew. We had an intense chemistry, something I’d only ever read about in books like mine.
Which made me wonder, was I really falling for Finn or just living out a fantasy with a red-blooded, live version of my hot hero character?
It’s easy to confuse fiction for reality in Hollywood. Everything is not as it seems in this town.
Not to mention, Finn’s life would forever change if he landed the role. Which made me question how good of an actor he really was? Was he interested in me, or the role I had the power to give him?
Is this Real Love or just Reel Love?
This is a story of a Texas girl who found amazing success in writing a book that struck a chord with the masses. But now Francesca "Frankie" Simonelli is heading to Hollywood to cast the movie. She is smart, sassy, strong-willed, and determined to make the right choice for her story.
One man's picture is exactly who she saw in her head while writing. Finn Parker is that blond, blue-eyed, charmer come to life. But then she needs to see if he can act and has the soul to project her beloved character. And the studio has their own favorite for the part.
But during the whole process, Finn and Frankie find themselves secretly spending time together. They enjoy their little bubble of fun and passion amidst the chaos of Hollywood power plays, media, and facades. But there is a lot going on in their world. Everyone wants something from Frankie so it is hard to tell what is real and what is a hidden agenda. And even Finn is not sure if Frankie really sees him or the person she created in her pages. They are living in the blurred lines of reality versus fiction. And being together could have significant repercussions, so it is all under the radar.
She is a girl who has lived in her head and created her own perfect man. He is a guy who has lived under guards and facades to avoid being vulnerable to anyone. They are put into a very challenging situation that could make or break careers and certainly break one or both of their hearts. They are both a bit broken but seem to fit together well. But if is it a Hollywood illusion or true love?
This is a sweet, sexy, heartfelt romance with various story possibilities that keep you wondering how it will all turn out in the end. It makes you root for your favorite, but also makes you worry how it could change the dynamic. I really liked seeing the growth in these characters, especially Finn. Frankie's presence in his life makes him take a good look at his current life and who he has become, and she pushes him to expose more truths about himself. And Frankie has to be able to stay true to herself to deal with all of the manipulations in Hollywood.
There are a couple of other significant side characters, Maverick and Eva that add some more depth, jealousy, and drama to the storyline. I would not be surprised to see more of Maverick in another book.
One man's picture is exactly who she saw in her head while writing. Finn Parker is that blond, blue-eyed, charmer come to life. But then she needs to see if he can act and has the soul to project her beloved character. And the studio has their own favorite for the part.
But during the whole process, Finn and Frankie find themselves secretly spending time together. They enjoy their little bubble of fun and passion amidst the chaos of Hollywood power plays, media, and facades. But there is a lot going on in their world. Everyone wants something from Frankie so it is hard to tell what is real and what is a hidden agenda. And even Finn is not sure if Frankie really sees him or the person she created in her pages. They are living in the blurred lines of reality versus fiction. And being together could have significant repercussions, so it is all under the radar.
She is a girl who has lived in her head and created her own perfect man. He is a guy who has lived under guards and facades to avoid being vulnerable to anyone. They are put into a very challenging situation that could make or break careers and certainly break one or both of their hearts. They are both a bit broken but seem to fit together well. But if is it a Hollywood illusion or true love?
This is a sweet, sexy, heartfelt romance with various story possibilities that keep you wondering how it will all turn out in the end. It makes you root for your favorite, but also makes you worry how it could change the dynamic. I really liked seeing the growth in these characters, especially Finn. Frankie's presence in his life makes him take a good look at his current life and who he has become, and she pushes him to expose more truths about himself. And Frankie has to be able to stay true to herself to deal with all of the manipulations in Hollywood.
There are a couple of other significant side characters, Maverick and Eva that add some more depth, jealousy, and drama to the storyline. I would not be surprised to see more of Maverick in another book.
Frankie Simonelli is living a dream she never imagined. Watching her words come to life on screen is at the top of every author’s wish list -- and she gets final say in all casting. When she sees Finn Parker’s headshot she knows she has found her Griffin. But the studio wants to hire Hollywood hot shot Maverick Dailey. Both men would be great in the roll (and both want it) but she can only choose one.
This was a fun twist on a Hollywood romance. I loved Frankie’s view of Hollywood and couldn’t help but feel bad for her as she tried to navigate the very different world that Hollywood was compared to her experiences in Texas. Her dedication to her story is incredible and she only wants what is best for the show, but she also has to balance what is best for the show with what she wants for herself as well. And in the world of Hollywood glitz and glam, it is easy to be swept up in the romance of the story rather than reality.
Finn was an interesting character. He clearly wanted the role and regularly hinted that there was a lot riding on the role, but it took a long time for his motivations to really come out. When we did learn why it was so important to him to play Griffin, I felt like it was not as big of a reason as I had expected. There were actually a few moments during the conclusion of the story that I wish had been fleshed out a little further, to give more weight to those aspects of the story.
Maverick’s addition had me wondering at times if this would turn into a love triangle, and for the sake of length, I’m glad it stayed only on the edge of that trope. Maverick really was a good guy, and I liked getting to know him a little bit more (and maybe he can have his own book later?!) but I am glad that the romantic angle stayed focused on Finn and Frankie.
I loved the little Easter Eggs of character/location cameos sprinkled into Reel Love. I found Julie as she was publishing the Needing Moore series, so have been following her (and her characters) for some time. Seeing them pop up again and again makes each new story from her feel like it is connected to that beloved series.
Excerpt One – Frankie
Prologue
In Flight…
Holy crap, he’s perfect.
Not just like he’d be good for the role perfect, but like he stepped out of my head and onto my computer screen, perfect.
I can’t believe he even exists. Well, in real life, anyway.
This is him. The guy I’ve been seeing in my head for over three years now. But with a picture in front of me, it crystalizes all the details in such sharp focus, for the very first time. It’s like a layer of gauze was removed from the front of the lens of my mind’s eye, and here he is. I am looking at the face of the hero in my biggest-selling, and let’s face it, my only truly bestselling book.
Who is this man? I need to know more. I need to know everything. Now.
Finn Parker.
Good name. Obviously fake, but, nonetheless, good.
Those eyes. They are Griffin’s eyes. I am finally staring into his clear blue eyes, studying the deep blue rings edging his irises, looking exactly like what I’d described the very first time Briela gazed up at him when they were just kids. Sky blue meeting a horizon line containing the ocean’s power and depth was how I described them when the two meet again as adults. I have written many pages about these eyes.
Finn Parker, your eyes are killing me. Like I’m afraid to breathe, killing me.
A slight quiver in my hands radiates to my now-twitching fingertips as they hang, as if in suspended animation, just above the keyboard, choking, fearful that if I don’t poke the keys with just the right finesse, he will disappear and be gone — forever. And I’m not ready to lose this flesh and blood version of the man who has invaded my thoughts for so long.
And what if I don’t find him again? A moment of panic ensues as if I’m about to lose my raison d’être. Or maybe just lose my shit. Or my mind.
What the hell is wrong with me?
His freaking picture and bio are in an email sent to me by the studio’s casting department. He is not disappearing into thin air, never to be found again.
Get ahold of yourself, woman.
USA Today Bestselling author Julie A. Richman is a native New Yorker living deep in the heart of Texas. A creative writing major in college, reading and writing fiction has always been a passion. Julie began her corporate career in publishing in NYC and writing played a major role throughout her career as she created and wrote marketing, advertising, direct mail and fundraising materials for Fortune 500 corporations, advertising agencies and non-profit organizations. She is an avid nature photographer plagued with insatiable wanderlust. Julie and her husband have one son and a white German Shepherd named Juneau.
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