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kelly_e's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Title: Famous for a Living
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: May 16, 2023
I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies of this book from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Witty • Lighthearted • Cautionary
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When her business partner is accused of serious financial crimes, superstar influencer Cat Cranwell falls from her penthouse perch. Desperate to get away from the online trolls and paparazzi, Cat accepts her uncle’s offer to work with him in Kannery National Park.
Cat’s world shifts from the swirling haze of likes and comments to literal blizzards of frostbite temperatures and waist-deep snow. In place of negotiating brand deals, she finds herself negotiating at the ledge of a frozen lake with her die-hard Polar Bear Plunge coworkers. Instead of padding through the marble kitchen of her Manhattan loft, she’s sharing a tent-sized cabin with a roommate eager to bond like characters in sitcoms. But something curious is also happening in this overwhelming breath of fresh air as she reacquaints with the most honest parts of herself and begins to ask the hard questions.
Then there’s that other tiny problem—she’s falling for Zaiah, the ruggedly handsome park ranger who hates anything remotely connected to social media, quite possibly her included.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was drawn to Famous for a Living partly because of the cover, and partly because the small town/national park setting piqued my interest, so I was excited to receive an ARC to read ahead of its upcoming release. I think it's important to preface this review with the fact that the cover itself is quite deceiving. The majority of this book takes place during the winter months with snow and bitter cold temperatures, whereas the cover gives a much more summery vibe. This seems like an odd marketing choice. But I guess it worked...
What I like:
• an endearing supporting cast. I actually liked some of the side characters more than Cat and Zaiah, especially Cat's uncle and roommate Mina.
• the small town/national park setting. I absolutely gravitate towards small town settings, and with so much beautiful scenery I loved this one even more.
• the humour. I literally laughed out loud several times, which is rare.
What I didn't like:
• the romance. It took a back seat, not really blossoming until the last third, making it more a story about a woman finding herself than anything else. If it has been marketed as that than maybe I'd have enjoyed it more.
• the social media aspect. A little superficial at times, some of the corniness left me rolling my eyes. I just don't jive well with the social media/influencer type of character that comes across as shallow.
• the ending. Everything got wrapped up with a nice little bow all too quickly. The romance felt rushed, and it just felt unrealistic.
While certainly a timely novel contrasting the positive and negatives sides of social media, I am not a huge fan of the social media aspect in books and there were quite a few plot holes that I found myself just not caring. The audio, narrated by Talon David, is decent but nothing to write home about. Overall, it just didn't leave any lasting impressions on me, and I have a feeling I'll quickly forget the storyline and characters.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• lovers of the opposites attract trope
• fans of closed door romance
• Hallmark movie enthusiasts
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: May 16, 2023
I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies of this book from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Witty • Lighthearted • Cautionary
📖 S Y N O P S I S
When her business partner is accused of serious financial crimes, superstar influencer Cat Cranwell falls from her penthouse perch. Desperate to get away from the online trolls and paparazzi, Cat accepts her uncle’s offer to work with him in Kannery National Park.
Cat’s world shifts from the swirling haze of likes and comments to literal blizzards of frostbite temperatures and waist-deep snow. In place of negotiating brand deals, she finds herself negotiating at the ledge of a frozen lake with her die-hard Polar Bear Plunge coworkers. Instead of padding through the marble kitchen of her Manhattan loft, she’s sharing a tent-sized cabin with a roommate eager to bond like characters in sitcoms. But something curious is also happening in this overwhelming breath of fresh air as she reacquaints with the most honest parts of herself and begins to ask the hard questions.
Then there’s that other tiny problem—she’s falling for Zaiah, the ruggedly handsome park ranger who hates anything remotely connected to social media, quite possibly her included.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was drawn to Famous for a Living partly because of the cover, and partly because the small town/national park setting piqued my interest, so I was excited to receive an ARC to read ahead of its upcoming release. I think it's important to preface this review with the fact that the cover itself is quite deceiving. The majority of this book takes place during the winter months with snow and bitter cold temperatures, whereas the cover gives a much more summery vibe. This seems like an odd marketing choice. But I guess it worked...
What I like:
• an endearing supporting cast. I actually liked some of the side characters more than Cat and Zaiah, especially Cat's uncle and roommate Mina.
• the small town/national park setting. I absolutely gravitate towards small town settings, and with so much beautiful scenery I loved this one even more.
• the humour. I literally laughed out loud several times, which is rare.
What I didn't like:
• the romance. It took a back seat, not really blossoming until the last third, making it more a story about a woman finding herself than anything else. If it has been marketed as that than maybe I'd have enjoyed it more.
• the social media aspect. A little superficial at times, some of the corniness left me rolling my eyes. I just don't jive well with the social media/influencer type of character that comes across as shallow.
• the ending. Everything got wrapped up with a nice little bow all too quickly. The romance felt rushed, and it just felt unrealistic.
While certainly a timely novel contrasting the positive and negatives sides of social media, I am not a huge fan of the social media aspect in books and there were quite a few plot holes that I found myself just not caring. The audio, narrated by Talon David, is decent but nothing to write home about. Overall, it just didn't leave any lasting impressions on me, and I have a feeling I'll quickly forget the storyline and characters.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• lovers of the opposites attract trope
• fans of closed door romance
• Hallmark movie enthusiasts
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
Moderate: Car accident
social media addiction
More...