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bookish_smorgasbord's review against another edition
4.0
I devoured this contemporary romance over the course of three days. Aside from sleep and work obligations, little kept me from the engaging story line and wonderful characters. Since I just finished this at lunch, I'm still gathering my thoughts. Full review to come!
shanab's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
catbartram89's review against another edition
5.0
Paris is in a predicament, she writes under a Pen Name 'Anita Topaz' and her books skyrocket and she has been asked to do a talk, however, she suffers from an Anxiety disorder that when triggered can immobilise her.
Diana happens upon the letter Paris received with the request to talk and proposes the perfect solution to Paris’s predicament, being, Diana portraying 'Anita' however Paris is not overly enthusiastic about the proposal.
Diana is persistent and Paris reluctantly agrees to the terms, after all, it could benefit them both. Will these two come out the other side of this deception in one piece or will someone lose their heart?
Brilliant books, great storyline and awesome narrating can't complain! Recommended for sure!
Story rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating.
Diana happens upon the letter Paris received with the request to talk and proposes the perfect solution to Paris’s predicament, being, Diana portraying 'Anita' however Paris is not overly enthusiastic about the proposal.
Diana is persistent and Paris reluctantly agrees to the terms, after all, it could benefit them both. Will these two come out the other side of this deception in one piece or will someone lose their heart?
Brilliant books, great storyline and awesome narrating can't complain! Recommended for sure!
Story rating. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice rating.
qraveline's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Grief, Sexism, and Miscarriage
pandon's review against another edition
5.0
I’ve come to expect great things from Karin Kallmaker and this one does not disappoint. I loved the backstory of Paris Ellison, the male dominated world of online gaming. Lady Diana Beckinsale has an interesting backstory as well. There’s a little intrigue and a very nice love story.
lsnack's review against another edition
5.0
I have always enjoyed reading one of Karin Kallmaker's books and this is no exception. The characters are complex and interesting. Paris has hidden herself away due to issues in her past and Diana is like a chameleon. They are so different and yet they come together so well. A little intrigue mixed with romance. It was a fun story that kept me guessing.
rogue_lurker's review against another edition
4.0
Not sure what the title or cover had to do with the book. Am going to ponder my rating for a bit.
Update - 3.5 Stars
Kallmaker is an accomplished author - so the book itself is well written. The pacing is good and there's a fair bit going on to keep the plot moving forward - this is a romance, but the characters are actively engaged in a number of subplots that keep things fresh and introduces some well rounded secondary characters.
The characters are interesting and don't necessarily fit the stereotypical mold of lesfic MCs but they still still are world class at whatever they try their hand at (gaming development, writing romances, gymnastics, thievery) and that sometimes makes it a bit harder to connect with them. The plot is fun but a bit far fetched in some parts - Paris is torn on how to deal with a publisher who is insisting she attend a conference and become more active in marketing and publicity. Enter Diane, a thief masquerading as an actress (or actress who masquerades as a thief) who is looking for a way to infiltrate said publisher's offices and purloin an artifact. Perfect match? Yes - but things don't play out the way you would expect and that keeps things fresh and rather fun. Kallmaker touches on some serious issues but doesn't delve too deeply, so I often felt that they were glossed over. The romance works well - there's some chemistry between the two, but the "break up" was a bit too angsty and Diane was a bit of a blockhead - but it worked well enough and it also gave both characters a chance to grow and develop further.
Paris is a gamer game designer who was targeted by the online community for speaking out against the depiction of women in games and is now an accomplished het romance writer under a pseudonym. Butch, compulsive brownie maker, writer of bodice rippers, living with anxiety, and adamant to have no digital footprint - she's not your stereotypical MC in lesfic, and that works really well to create a compelling character because she is so different. I liked the way that Kallmaker dealt with Paris' anxiety - that it was something that has always been part of her life and always will and she's developed ways to deal with it. The threats and online harassment she experienced did worsen things, but she was smart enough to retreat and reset her life and there was no magical fix. I was really happy to see how Paris was presented as affected by an anxiety disorder, but that didn't stop her from making decisions and taking actions like suiting up and heading to New York despite her worry and fear of the repercussions.
Diane was a bit harder to connect with until the latter half of the book - most likely as she was always playing a character as a means to an end for the first part of the book . A former gymnast, titled aristocrat from a wealthy family that travels the world as an actress while she dabbles in a bit of moral thievery to return artifacts to their rightful owners/ cultures. She's a bit of a superwoman - but Kallmaker does flesh her out a bit as she struggles with the long lasting after affects of her gymnastic career - including the chronic pain of injuries and the impacts of a slower maturity due to the rigours of competitive gymnastic. I also liked the scenes with her family - it provided a wonderful backdrop to further develop Diane as she interacts with her family. I also appreciated that on Diane's part, she accepts this as part of who Paris is and Diane's acceptance of it and her not trying to "fix it" or push Paris to overcome it.
For some reason I wanted to like this book more than I did. It was fun with good characters and a well paced plot -but it didn't wow me as much as I hoped. In writing up my thoughts, I'm finding I may have liked this more than I initially thought. I'm going to push this one up to 3.5.
I will say again - the cover and the title mystify me. Neither match the actual book and I have to say both kept me from purchasing this book - I only picked this one up as I'm working my way through the GCLS finalist books as part of a challenge.
Update - 3.5 Stars
Kallmaker is an accomplished author - so the book itself is well written. The pacing is good and there's a fair bit going on to keep the plot moving forward - this is a romance, but the characters are actively engaged in a number of subplots that keep things fresh and introduces some well rounded secondary characters.
The characters are interesting and don't necessarily fit the stereotypical mold of lesfic MCs but they still still are world class at whatever they try their hand at (gaming development, writing romances, gymnastics, thievery) and that sometimes makes it a bit harder to connect with them. The plot is fun but a bit far fetched in some parts - Paris is torn on how to deal with a publisher who is insisting she attend a conference and become more active in marketing and publicity. Enter Diane, a thief masquerading as an actress (or actress who masquerades as a thief) who is looking for a way to infiltrate said publisher's offices and purloin an artifact. Perfect match? Yes - but things don't play out the way you would expect and that keeps things fresh and rather fun. Kallmaker touches on some serious issues but doesn't delve too deeply, so I often felt that they were glossed over. The romance works well - there's some chemistry between the two, but the "break up" was a bit too angsty and Diane was a bit of a blockhead - but it worked well enough and it also gave both characters a chance to grow and develop further.
Paris is a gamer game designer who was targeted by the online community for speaking out against the depiction of women in games and is now an accomplished het romance writer under a pseudonym. Butch, compulsive brownie maker, writer of bodice rippers, living with anxiety, and adamant to have no digital footprint - she's not your stereotypical MC in lesfic, and that works really well to create a compelling character because she is so different. I liked the way that Kallmaker dealt with Paris' anxiety - that it was something that has always been part of her life and always will and she's developed ways to deal with it. The threats and online harassment she experienced did worsen things, but she was smart enough to retreat and reset her life and there was no magical fix. I was really happy to see how Paris was presented as affected by an anxiety disorder, but that didn't stop her from making decisions and taking actions like suiting up and heading to New York despite her worry and fear of the repercussions.
Diane was a bit harder to connect with until the latter half of the book - most likely as she was always playing a character as a means to an end for the first part of the book . A former gymnast, titled aristocrat from a wealthy family that travels the world as an actress while she dabbles in a bit of moral thievery to return artifacts to their rightful owners/ cultures. She's a bit of a superwoman - but Kallmaker does flesh her out a bit as she struggles with the long lasting after affects of her gymnastic career - including the chronic pain of injuries and the impacts of a slower maturity due to the rigours of competitive gymnastic. I also liked the scenes with her family - it provided a wonderful backdrop to further develop Diane as she interacts with her family. I also appreciated that on Diane's part, she accepts this as part of who Paris is and Diane's acceptance of it and her not trying to "fix it" or push Paris to overcome it.
For some reason I wanted to like this book more than I did. It was fun with good characters and a well paced plot -but it didn't wow me as much as I hoped. In writing up my thoughts, I'm finding I may have liked this more than I initially thought. I'm going to push this one up to 3.5.
I will say again - the cover and the title mystify me. Neither match the actual book and I have to say both kept me from purchasing this book - I only picked this one up as I'm working my way through the GCLS finalist books as part of a challenge.
lezreviewbooks's review
4.0
Anita Topaz is a writer of Bodice Rippers who conceals her real identity with high secrecy. When the new owner of her publishing house suggests that she should do public appearances, her social anxiety escalates. After meeting Lady Diana Beckinsale, a master of disguise, Diana suggests that she could impersonate Anita to alleviate her stress over public interactions but that sounds like a very bad idea… And what happens if in the process someone loses their heart?
This is a light and entertaining novel by Karin Kallmaker with an opposites-attract romance thrown for good measure. It’s funny, light and sometimes downright absurd but, somehow it works really well. Both main characters are well written, multilayered and realistic, one as an anxiety sufferer, anti-social writer and the other as a devious, enigmatic actress with her own agenda. On the surface, they are completely opposite but as they interact with each other, it’s quite obvious that they are both afraid of the same things and have similar longings.
I’ve heard good things about this novel but didn’t read it so I’ve decided to listen to the audiobook read by Abby Craden, one of my favourite lesfic narrators. Just when I thought that Ms. Craden’s talent couldn’t surprise me anymore, she proved me wrong. Her skill to do different accents, not only by geography but also social class is amazing. I lived in England and currently live in Ireland so I’m very familiar with the local accents and I have to say that Ms. Craden performed them outstandingly.
Additionally, this isn’t an easy book to narrate as Diana’s character changes like a chameleon, impersonating different people as her deceiving game requires. Just her character demands three or four different accents and all of them were spot-on. Her British posh accent was my favourite. Apart from Diana, this novel has an extensive cast that includes Americans, Irish and British characters, male and female. This is such a demanding book that very few people could have pulled it off, I’m glad that Ms. Craden tackled it. If you are looking for a light and entertaining opposites-attract audiobook, you won’t be disappointed. 4 stars for the story, 5 stars for the narration. Overall, 4.5 stars
Available for free with a Scribd subscription. Duration: 7 hrs and 47 mins
This is a light and entertaining novel by Karin Kallmaker with an opposites-attract romance thrown for good measure. It’s funny, light and sometimes downright absurd but, somehow it works really well. Both main characters are well written, multilayered and realistic, one as an anxiety sufferer, anti-social writer and the other as a devious, enigmatic actress with her own agenda. On the surface, they are completely opposite but as they interact with each other, it’s quite obvious that they are both afraid of the same things and have similar longings.
I’ve heard good things about this novel but didn’t read it so I’ve decided to listen to the audiobook read by Abby Craden, one of my favourite lesfic narrators. Just when I thought that Ms. Craden’s talent couldn’t surprise me anymore, she proved me wrong. Her skill to do different accents, not only by geography but also social class is amazing. I lived in England and currently live in Ireland so I’m very familiar with the local accents and I have to say that Ms. Craden performed them outstandingly.
Additionally, this isn’t an easy book to narrate as Diana’s character changes like a chameleon, impersonating different people as her deceiving game requires. Just her character demands three or four different accents and all of them were spot-on. Her British posh accent was my favourite. Apart from Diana, this novel has an extensive cast that includes Americans, Irish and British characters, male and female. This is such a demanding book that very few people could have pulled it off, I’m glad that Ms. Craden tackled it. If you are looking for a light and entertaining opposites-attract audiobook, you won’t be disappointed. 4 stars for the story, 5 stars for the narration. Overall, 4.5 stars
Available for free with a Scribd subscription. Duration: 7 hrs and 47 mins
corrie's review
5.0
After having read 22 Karin Kallmaker books (and loving all of them), I buy every new publication without even reading the blurb. She is one of those constant stars in lesfic I never doubt.
#23 is no different. My Lady Lipstick is a classic feel good rom-rom that ticks all the boxes. I shared this one with Book Club Buddie D. and after having spent an anxious week reading to her about this gruesome serial killer (21 weeks by R. A. LaShea), we really needed to unwind. It turned out to be the perfect choice.
My Lady Lipstick is not a heavy book but both characters deal with the aftermath of a life-altering event. For Paris it’s her crippling anxiety that makes life extremely challenging. Nevertheless, she had carved out a good career in gaming but saw it all go up in smoke after speaking her mind about the way women were treated in both games and the industry itself. After the bullying and death threats became all too real she had no choice but to leave that life behind and go completely off grid.
Diana had sacrificed everything to become an Olympic gymnast but saw that dream crumble into dust when she had a career ending accident on the high beam. Like Paris, she had to re-invent herself. Both women present a different persona to the world but do it in very different ways. That much becomes clear as their paths cross in a sports café in Boston.
Kallmaker has written a classic in the making and romance lovers will surely gobble this up.
f/f
Themes: who are you really?, living with severe anxiety, great dialogue, not too much angst, a quality read, but then noblesse oblige and all that.
4.7 stars
#23 is no different. My Lady Lipstick is a classic feel good rom-rom that ticks all the boxes. I shared this one with Book Club Buddie D. and after having spent an anxious week reading to her about this gruesome serial killer (21 weeks by R. A. LaShea), we really needed to unwind. It turned out to be the perfect choice.
My Lady Lipstick is not a heavy book but both characters deal with the aftermath of a life-altering event. For Paris it’s her crippling anxiety that makes life extremely challenging. Nevertheless, she had carved out a good career in gaming but saw it all go up in smoke after speaking her mind about the way women were treated in both games and the industry itself. After the bullying and death threats became all too real she had no choice but to leave that life behind and go completely off grid.
Diana had sacrificed everything to become an Olympic gymnast but saw that dream crumble into dust when she had a career ending accident on the high beam. Like Paris, she had to re-invent herself. Both women present a different persona to the world but do it in very different ways. That much becomes clear as their paths cross in a sports café in Boston.
Kallmaker has written a classic in the making and romance lovers will surely gobble this up.
f/f
Themes: who are you really?, living with severe anxiety, great dialogue, not too much angst, a quality read, but then noblesse oblige and all that.
4.7 stars
synth's review
1.0
This was very racist (with the cop-out of the MC being "beige-skinned" with no knowledge of her origins, the cop-out of the LI acting entirely white when she should have Punjabi culture from the stepfather who raised her) and white saviory (with the LI liberating indigenous artifacts from thieving colonialist wealthy white people). I did appreciate the effort to comment on women whistleblowers, and GamerGate, even if it was reductionist and superficial. I did not appreciate the "thin blonde femme women" commentary that feels like a cop-out for its superficiality and for doing everything it decries. Overall, it tried on a number of aspects, but mostly everything is too superficial to succeed. The MC's anxiety was the most well developed aspect.
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