Reviews

Act Like It by Lucy Parker

idgetfay's review against another edition

4.0

Lucy Parker writes the sweetest romances. By reading the blurb you would think this would be tropey, cookie cutter, and vapid. It pleasantly surprised me! I’m not super interested in celebrities as protagonists because, well, I have no desire to be a celebrity so that does very little for me. However, I felt like Parker did a great job elevating the book beyond its tropes. It’s not really enemies to lovers, although there’s a fair amount of banter. And while on the surface it is for sure a fake dating book, the main characters never fall into the trap of just utterly failing to communicate that their feelings are real. They are almost always on the same page. Some things are handled much more logically in this book than they usually are in romances. For instance, when the heroine gets really sick, her mom comes to help out. Imagine that! A mom showing up instead of the hero showing his soft side by overstaying his welcome at a deliriously ill woman’s apartment. And when the couple inevitably have their falling out, the hero and heroine talk to one another and work out what caused the issue, they didn’t just mope and brood until an epiphany prompted a grand gesture. There was a sexual assault scene that almost dropped this book an entire star, since I didn’t feel it was necessary to the plot at all and was just thrown in there as an opportunity for the love interest to act possessive and heroic. At no point did anyone call the police, which I was desperately hoping for. So, I mean, nobody’s perfect. But I like Parker’s writing and her approach to tropes… she doesn’t shy away from them, but tries to elevate them with realistic characters and execution.

halffast's review against another edition

4.0

A theater actress is asked to fake-date her surly coworker to help improve his public image and boost their play's falling ticket sales. Lainie was a wonderful heroine. She was intimidated by Richard at first but knew just how to handle his prickly personality, and his grumpy walls slowly come down for her amidst delicious scenes of physical and emotional tenderness. I loved how she stood up for herself and others, and fought for her and Richard's future as a couple. I also enjoyed the elusive "sick bed" trope where Richard helped take care of Lainie when she fell ill. Was really bummed the book was fade to black (there's some intimacy but nothing super explicit). There were a few loose ends plot-wise that could've been wrapped up better (Lainie's charity, Richard's public image, what happens to the theater/play). This book was delightfully British and I recommend it for a low-angst, fairly quick read.

bridgetteramirez's review against another edition

4.0

Sweet and fluffy, just what I needed.

jen286's review against another edition

4.0

I loved Lainie and Richard so so much! They were so much fun to read. I loved their banter, I loved how one person would say something and the other would give it right back. I loved how they slowly started caring for each other and were there for each other and stuck up for each other in the best of ways (that interview scene was amazing!). I really enjoyed them together. So much fun!

**Not really spoilers, but just in case put it behind spoilers as I will allude to things that happened in the book**
Now one issue I did have is the drama that happens, the way it played out was not believable to me. Something was said by someone to someone else and the way it happened? The reason for the drama? When I read it I thought wait, why would this person say this in this way? I know it was needed for the book, for the events to happen, but...it didn't read as what someone would actually say. Or this particular someone. Since it happens in the last part of the book it almost tanked it for me, but....really I feel like my feelings are more 3.5 stars rating even though I adored Lainie and Richard together, but I am rounding up to 4 because I do love them so so much!

popkin16's review against another edition

5.0

This was such an intriguing book! I loved the characters and the setting, and the "fake relationship" trope is one of my favorites. It was done so well here, with a slow burn romance as the characters spend more time together and get to know one another. I want to read the rest of this series now!

jodiesbookishposts's review against another edition

3.0

This was a book read to complete a book challenge criteria and not something I would normally pick. That being said, it wasn’t bad - it was a middle of the road read for me. It was entertaining and quick paced.

balletbookworm's review against another edition

5.0

What can I say? I tossed in a mass market of Act Like It to get the free shipping or something on Thriftbooks and immediately did a re-read when the package arrived.

I love the world of London Celebrities that Lucy Parker has created - with so many grumpy-sunshine couples (and one grumpy-grumpy couple, lol) with an excellent kick off to the series in Richard (grouch extraordinaire) and Lainie (mostly sunshine, but that's because people underestimate her).

Would love to see an adaptation of this series. Think of all the fun you could have with casting.

Another reread in 2022: Look, Fated Mates talked about this book on a new ep about Celebrity Romances and I was like "oh yes, I love that book" and then just started reading it again. RIP my unread TBR.

And another 2022 reread: after the debacle of The Cloisters, I just needed a happy book that I know I love.

balletbookworm's review

5.0

After starting with book 4 in the series (oops) I hopped back to the beginning. I really enjoyed this fake relationship plot between a good-natured, publicly-minded actress (Lainie) and a grouchy, patrician, git of an actor (Richard) who have to start appearing to be an item so ticket sales for the play they’re in won’t tank. So much good banter and a look inside the theatre world of West End London. I really liked how Richard softens, but doesn’t entirely lose his “people are insufferable” vibe while Lainie gets a little bit of an edge to her. Also, bro actors are the worst. (I kept imagining Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as the main characters.

afretts's review against another edition

4.0

I really enjoyed this. Act Like It is a well done slow burn romance. The pacing is steady and I was engaged the entire time. I've read a lot of new adult novels so I was glad to see that despite a rather formulaic plot, the author allows the characters to keep their personalities and the difficult hero doesn't act completely lobotomized by love. Don't you hate that? I hate that! When the whole premise is that the hero is an ass (or arse, in this case), but as soon as he meets the heroine he's the nicest guy in the world? In Act Like It, Richard retains his arse-ness and is simply tempered by the heroine.

I don't really have a whole bunch to say about this. It wasn't my favorite new adult romance, but it was definitely enjoyable. I didn't roll my eyes once while reading it. There were times that it was a little too British for me and I had no idea what the characters were saying, but I was mostly able to figure it out (except for the epilogue. So British. I had no fracking clue what was happening.).

This is rather tropey (

Spoiler

attempted sexual assault that the hero saves her from, disaster that threatens the hero's life

), but it somehow comes off well done and tolerable. I never once thought this book was silly or cliche. I very much liked it.

aprilalwayswithabook's review against another edition

4.0

2nd read, still lovely - I needed a comfort audiobook and this series delivers.

10/2023 Comfort reread... Again.