Reviews

Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson

emjen16's review against another edition

Go to review page

inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

emp2664's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

krystalanddogs's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is more FMC journey focused than the average romance novel and the cover is a major cat fish (it's like, super winter, that's the whole deal). It's not ground breakingly unique but handles the social media influencer main character in a different way. It's funny and I loved it. I would've happily read more. But it is soo slow burn. It was great 😂😂😂 

honeybeegarden's review

Go to review page

adventurous funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

turquoiseavenue's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

A Cute Romance With Forced Proximity and Rural, National Park Setting!

At the beginning of this story, I was not sure how well I liked Cat, the female main character, however I was immediately drawn to brooding personality of Zaiah. As Ferguson transports her readers from the streets of NYC to the mountains of Montana, my heart warmed to the story.

The setting totally won me over for this book! I adored the National Park setting, park ranger life and the small town vibes. Ferguson brought the gorgeous scenery to life with her vivid descriptions and I definitely enjoy her writing style. There's a bit of snark and sarcasm to her voice which is fun and entertaining. Her secondary characters are fantastic too and I couldn't help imagining Cat's uncle as Burt Reynolds in a park ranger uniform.

The romance in this story was a definite slow burn, and I wanted so much more, so much faster. Once the heat kicked up, I enjoyed the story much more. There were plenty of smile-inducing moments though that kept me turning the pages and of course, I had to know how things came together.

The balance of life in person and life online was so-so, offering a little bit of personal angst and character growth. I also struggled with Zaiah's name. It really didn't seem to fit his description or personality, but that didn't detract from the story, it was merely a personal preference.

Overall, I miss the heavy romcom feel of Ferguson's first two books with the flirty banter and tension-filled dialogue, something I thought she did really well. This book was good, especially more towards the end when the chemistry picks up, but not a favorite.

Content Note: Clean, PG

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

fatimareadsbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

Every time I pick up a book with this trope, i.e. popular-influencer-girl with gruff-mountain-man who doesn’t know what technology is, I have such high hopes. Alas, I was once again disappointed.

First of all, do not go into this expecting a romance. The romance “started” at around 75%, and it wasn’t really structured like one. This is closer to women’s fiction than a romantic comedy. Zaiah and Cat barely interact for the majority of the book. Whenever they do talk, the dialogue is stilted. Their chemistry is practically nonexistent. Zaiah has the personality of a sack of potatoes. The heroine, Cat, is pretty annoying and deeply insecure. I genuinely cringed everytime she attacked Zaiah by constantly putting words in his mouth. Her character development was weak, too.

I also couldn’t get a handle on any of the other characters’ personalities. Admittedly, the dynamic between Cat, Serena, and Mina was quite funny. I just wish we saw more of the other park rangers, along with Cat’s day-to-day life at work.

I also wish we saw more of the park itself. This book’s beautiful rural setting wasn’t taken advantage of nearly enough. In fact, this literally could’ve been set in any forest and it wouldn’t have affected anything. Additionally, the writing is choppy; I found myself constantly going back to figure out what was happening and who said what.

The book has several undertones including social media overconsumption, cancel culture, and mental health. I use the word “undertones” ironically. The commentary about social media toxicity was as subtle as a battering ram to the head. Despite the importance of this message, it came off as obnoxiously preachy.

Overall, neither the writing nor the characters clicked for me. The lack of clear plot plus the preachiness grated on my nerves. If you’re looking for a romance, I wouldn’t recommend this.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

lisafleck353's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

lclarke615's review

Go to review page

funny lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

dakotawilster's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional lighthearted medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

rodriguezrue's review against another edition

Go to review page

funny lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75