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3.5 stars
This book made for an easy casual read on a busy day. It’s short simple and cute.
Unfortunately that’s also the reason for my 1.5 star down rate. The book was too simple.
Aubrey is an actor and Harlow is a singer. When they meet there’s an instant chemistry. Later in the book Casper’s brother makes some mistakes than ultimately relate to conflict in the main relationship
Admittedly Aubrey and Harlow do have undeniable represented chemistry but there wasn’t any build up or anything special. Even their conflict was boring and the reconciliation was blueprinted by the classic cliche best friend interference and serenade trope. The reconciliation was a bit half assed
In the beginning of the book we have small appearances from Aubrey’s ex which could’ve been a source of entertainment in this book but it seemed as though the author forgot they existed. Which was a bit weird since she was the Kickstarter.
Also something that I realized seconds after finishing the book was- it’s not funny. There’s no humor in this book. Not a single thing that struck me as humor. Regardless of subjectivity.
Casper’s ending also left me annoyed. How could someone who caused so much trouble get a good job in a field he was previously shown to be untrustworthy in?
Seems like the author wrote an unrealistic fairytale to be honest. Aubrey and Harlows achievements at their age and their ending was totally far fetched- not that I’m opposed to walking the line of realism, this is a work of fiction after all. But in this book it felt a bit overdone.
Now this book can be described as a light read and if that’s what you want, a sweet, easy, cliche light read. Then I do recommend.
But if you’re looking for something with entertainment, depth and characters you relate to and can grow to love. Then no I do not recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in return for a honest review.
This book made for an easy casual read on a busy day. It’s short simple and cute.
Unfortunately that’s also the reason for my 1.5 star down rate. The book was too simple.
Aubrey is an actor and Harlow is a singer. When they meet there’s an instant chemistry. Later in the book Casper’s brother makes some mistakes than ultimately relate to conflict in the main relationship
Admittedly Aubrey and Harlow do have undeniable represented chemistry but there wasn’t any build up or anything special. Even their conflict was boring and the reconciliation was blueprinted by the classic cliche best friend interference and serenade trope. The reconciliation was a bit half assed
In the beginning of the book we have small appearances from Aubrey’s ex which could’ve been a source of entertainment in this book but it seemed as though the author forgot they existed. Which was a bit weird since she was the Kickstarter.
Also something that I realized seconds after finishing the book was- it’s not funny. There’s no humor in this book. Not a single thing that struck me as humor. Regardless of subjectivity.
Casper’s ending also left me annoyed. How could someone who caused so much trouble get a good job in a field he was previously shown to be untrustworthy in?
Seems like the author wrote an unrealistic fairytale to be honest. Aubrey and Harlows achievements at their age and their ending was totally far fetched- not that I’m opposed to walking the line of realism, this is a work of fiction after all. But in this book it felt a bit overdone.
Now this book can be described as a light read and if that’s what you want, a sweet, easy, cliche light read. Then I do recommend.
But if you’re looking for something with entertainment, depth and characters you relate to and can grow to love. Then no I do not recommend.
Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in return for a honest review.
3.5⭐️ – Action movies superstar Audrey Knox is barely over a very public breakup when she meets Harlow Thorne, musician extraordinaire. Despite her wariness about getting involved with anyone too quickly, she can’t resist Harlow and the feeling is very obviously mutual. Both sense very early on that what’s going on between them is special. When life gets in the way, they need to decide whether they’re strong enough to fight for their new yet already precious relationship.
VIP is a sweet feel-good romance. Falling in love with Audrey is very easy and Harlow is worth all the efforts. As soon as they meet, the chemistry is off the charts. The best part of VIP is the depiction of those first moments, when the attraction is so strong and so wonderful you’re not sure what’s happening. I’m always surprised when a character asks the other MC to be their girlfriend, even though I’ve been told people really do it. It made me smile that Harlow would be surprised too. It was sweet and funny.
There are a few very moving scenes, both between the MCs and with other characters. One, in particular, brought tears to my eyes, when Harlow meets a young fan named Monica. Casper, Harlow’s twin brother, is an interesting secondary character with an unexpected arc. I also love Kylie, Audrey’s best friend and assistant, and Audrey’s mother.
There’s some head-hopping at times, and I wasn’t always sure who was feeling what. But overall, it was a nice read. If you’re looking for a feel-good novel to read on the beach, VIP will do nicely.
ARC provided to Les Rêveur for an honest review.
VIP is a sweet feel-good romance. Falling in love with Audrey is very easy and Harlow is worth all the efforts. As soon as they meet, the chemistry is off the charts. The best part of VIP is the depiction of those first moments, when the attraction is so strong and so wonderful you’re not sure what’s happening. I’m always surprised when a character asks the other MC to be their girlfriend, even though I’ve been told people really do it. It made me smile that Harlow would be surprised too. It was sweet and funny.
There are a few very moving scenes, both between the MCs and with other characters. One, in particular, brought tears to my eyes, when Harlow meets a young fan named Monica. Casper, Harlow’s twin brother, is an interesting secondary character with an unexpected arc. I also love Kylie, Audrey’s best friend and assistant, and Audrey’s mother.
There’s some head-hopping at times, and I wasn’t always sure who was feeling what. But overall, it was a nice read. If you’re looking for a feel-good novel to read on the beach, VIP will do nicely.
ARC provided to Les Rêveur for an honest review.
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Firstly I’d like to start with saying a big thank you to Jackie D, Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
VIP is the first book I have read by Jackie D but she’s definitely on my radar now and I’ll be looking out for more of her books in the future. I’ve rated it a 3.75 (rounded to 4) out of 5 stars thanks to the lovable but complex characters of Audrey and Harlow. Despite their flaws I couldn’t help but root for their relationship and their future together. I particularly enjoyed that it was a story of sapphic love that didn’t involve a coming out story or a plot based on homophobia.
I know not everyone enjoys a dual perspective book but in VIP it really aided the readers enjoyment, getting to hear the motivations of both women. It was a very sweet but short novel, making it perfect for a quick summer read. The shortness did hold it back a little though, I would have loved a deeper dive into both characters and learnt a bit more about their backstories. I did also think the resolution felt a bit rushed compared to the first half of the book as Audrey and Harlow didn’t face much conflict until quite late in the story.
Having said all of that, I still enjoyed VIP enough to give it almost 4 stars and would happily recommend it as a fun sapphic read. It has relatable characters, a cute romance and just the right amount of angst to keep it interesting. Definitely worth picking up as a summer read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
This is a sweet casual read that did not disappoint. I’m a fan of easy-to-read trope-y books every now and again and this falls into that category. It’s fun and succinctly written and the relationship between the two main characters is easy to root for.
The plot follows Audrey- a successful Hollywood actress and superstar musician Harlow as they fall for each other and navigate their careers and the chaos that surrounds them.
The plot in this novel isn’t ground-breaking or original, but it is fast passed and interesting and there is enough character development of both Audrey and Harlow as well as the side characters to move the story along.
Some of the side points were a little annoying but overall, I enjoyed this book.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The plot follows Audrey- a successful Hollywood actress and superstar musician Harlow as they fall for each other and navigate their careers and the chaos that surrounds them.
The plot in this novel isn’t ground-breaking or original, but it is fast passed and interesting and there is enough character development of both Audrey and Harlow as well as the side characters to move the story along.
Some of the side points were a little annoying but overall, I enjoyed this book.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.