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A review by thisismenow
Between the Lines by Tammara Webber
5.0
Between the Lines was in my to be read pile for quite a while. I'd heard things and thought it sounded good, but like so many other books I figured I'd just get to it when I could. Then I read Easy. I absolutely loved that book and decided that I simply had to have more Tammara Webber in my life. I had to hold off until after the holidays, but I was quite excited to finally sink my teeth into this book.
With my expectations set so high after Easy, I was expecting to feel a little let down because sometimes reading books that were written earlier just turn out that way. However, Between the Lines held its own. I don't want this to be a review comparing it to Easy, but I will say that even though I didn't love it in the same way as Easy, I certainly enjoyed every minute of it.
I was recently talking to a friend about books that deal with characters that were celebrities. I had just read Love Unscripted, and she was in the process of reading it, so we had some interesting thoughts regarding how the celebrity aspect of books is sometimes handled. Needless to say, it was interesting to pick up Between the Lines because I'd forgotten that these characters were actors.
Sometimes books seem to have a tendency of going to extremes when it comes to making characters either likable or unlikable. It's a delectable line to balance, and I think Tammara Webber handled that very well.
I liked the main female character, Emma, for the most part. She had her aggravating moments. She certainly wasn't perfect, but she also wasn't so flawed that I couldn't stand her. I probably would have liked her more if she'd had more of a backbone earlier in the book, but by the time I was finished I felt as though she'd finally found her inner strength.
Reid, on the other hand, isn't so cut and dry. I felt like I wanted to like him. Maybe I just fell for his act, much in the same way as Emma. On the other hand, I kept wondering of maybe he'd showed Emma his true self. By the end of the book, I still wasn't sure.
Even though my feelings were mixed, I found that I actually enjoyed having that reaction. Most times the main male character is made to be a bad boy who's really just misunderstood and it takes the right girl for him to come to his senses and straighten out. And that's fine in some cases.
Reid, however, is not one of those guys. I feel like there is a lot more to him, though, and I'm actually quite looking forward to reading the rest of the series to find out where his character goes.
I really liked Graham as well. He just seemed like a genuinely nice guy. I wanted to know more about him without it feeling like he was just trying to be the broody, mysterious guy.
The other minor characters were really interesting as well. Some of them faded into the background, but as they were part of an ensemble cast for a movie, I was glad that they at least had some scenes in the book. Even though some were more fleshed out than others, it was nice to have a wide range.
My favorite relationship in the book was probably between Emma and Emily. Their interactions felt so realistic, and the dialogue between them was sharp and funny. I just thoroughly enjoyed those interactions. They really felt like they were best friends. Tammara Webber just seems to have a really good way with portraying solid friendships because it was something I also enjoyed about Easy.
As far as the plot itself goes, it didn't feel overly complicated. There was, of course, Emma's acting career starting to really take off while, at the same time, she's unsure of what she wants from her future. Reid, on the other hand, seems to be living in a somewhat stagnant lifestyle. They're each dealing with their own family and personal issues while filming a modernized version of Pride and Prejudice.
I don't want to spoil the twist at the end, but at one point Emma tells Reid that she doesn't want to make someone better; she just wants someone who is better on their own. Later in the story, it feels like the difference is demonstrated in how differently Reid and Graham reacted to being, essentially, in the same situation.
Overall, I just really enjoyed the story. It felt very character driven, and while there it is certainly there, it truly felt as though the book was about so much more than just romance. Relationships--family, romantic, and friendship--really seemed to be at the forefront of the story, and I enjoyed seeing all aspects. I can't wait to read the next book!
With my expectations set so high after Easy, I was expecting to feel a little let down because sometimes reading books that were written earlier just turn out that way. However, Between the Lines held its own. I don't want this to be a review comparing it to Easy, but I will say that even though I didn't love it in the same way as Easy, I certainly enjoyed every minute of it.
I was recently talking to a friend about books that deal with characters that were celebrities. I had just read Love Unscripted, and she was in the process of reading it, so we had some interesting thoughts regarding how the celebrity aspect of books is sometimes handled. Needless to say, it was interesting to pick up Between the Lines because I'd forgotten that these characters were actors.
Sometimes books seem to have a tendency of going to extremes when it comes to making characters either likable or unlikable. It's a delectable line to balance, and I think Tammara Webber handled that very well.
I liked the main female character, Emma, for the most part. She had her aggravating moments. She certainly wasn't perfect, but she also wasn't so flawed that I couldn't stand her. I probably would have liked her more if she'd had more of a backbone earlier in the book, but by the time I was finished I felt as though she'd finally found her inner strength.
Reid, on the other hand, isn't so cut and dry. I felt like I wanted to like him. Maybe I just fell for his act, much in the same way as Emma. On the other hand, I kept wondering of maybe he'd showed Emma his true self. By the end of the book, I still wasn't sure.
Even though my feelings were mixed, I found that I actually enjoyed having that reaction. Most times the main male character is made to be a bad boy who's really just misunderstood and it takes the right girl for him to come to his senses and straighten out. And that's fine in some cases.
Reid, however, is not one of those guys. I feel like there is a lot more to him, though, and I'm actually quite looking forward to reading the rest of the series to find out where his character goes.
I really liked Graham as well. He just seemed like a genuinely nice guy. I wanted to know more about him without it feeling like he was just trying to be the broody, mysterious guy.
The other minor characters were really interesting as well. Some of them faded into the background, but as they were part of an ensemble cast for a movie, I was glad that they at least had some scenes in the book. Even though some were more fleshed out than others, it was nice to have a wide range.
My favorite relationship in the book was probably between Emma and Emily. Their interactions felt so realistic, and the dialogue between them was sharp and funny. I just thoroughly enjoyed those interactions. They really felt like they were best friends. Tammara Webber just seems to have a really good way with portraying solid friendships because it was something I also enjoyed about Easy.
As far as the plot itself goes, it didn't feel overly complicated. There was, of course, Emma's acting career starting to really take off while, at the same time, she's unsure of what she wants from her future. Reid, on the other hand, seems to be living in a somewhat stagnant lifestyle. They're each dealing with their own family and personal issues while filming a modernized version of Pride and Prejudice.
I don't want to spoil the twist at the end, but at one point Emma tells Reid that she doesn't want to make someone better; she just wants someone who is better on their own. Later in the story, it feels like the difference is demonstrated in how differently Reid and Graham reacted to being, essentially, in the same situation.
Overall, I just really enjoyed the story. It felt very character driven, and while there it is certainly there, it truly felt as though the book was about so much more than just romance. Relationships--family, romantic, and friendship--really seemed to be at the forefront of the story, and I enjoyed seeing all aspects. I can't wait to read the next book!