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A review by tshepiso
Act Like It by Lucy Parker
3.0
I don't quite understand the rapturous reviews for Act Like It. While Lucy Parker's debut was perfectly pleasant and easy to get through I never felt hooked into this story as hard as I tried.
This fake dating romance set in the London theatre scene follows Lainie Graham a West End actress cajoled into a faux showmance with her universally loathed co-star Richard Troy in an attempt to boost ticket sales. While the two initially butt heads they, as all couples do in a romance, eventually fall for each other.
If I can give Parker one thing it's that she navigates the beats of a fake-dating plot well. What I most appreciated about this novel was how seamless Lainie and Richard's transition from a fake to a real couple was. Most authors circle the "do they really like me" aspect of these stories to the point of tedium. In contrast, Parker's characters were cogent enough to recognize their feelings and act on them without fuss.
However, a lot of this book felt a touch unpolished and underdeveloped. The most egregious were the side characters. From coworkers to family members and rivals the vast majority of this cast felt less than two-dimensional. At a certain point, I wished Parker paired down some of the incidental side characters to give the ones most relevant to the story more distinct characterization.
Further other aspects of this story could have been punched up. Richard's POV felt very secondary to the story and often scenes from his point of view felt like an afterthought rather than enriching or necessary.
To be clear Act Like It is far from bad. I'm sure most people would enjoy it and overall I did too. But it didn't quite reach the heights the best romances do.
This fake dating romance set in the London theatre scene follows Lainie Graham a West End actress cajoled into a faux showmance with her universally loathed co-star Richard Troy in an attempt to boost ticket sales. While the two initially butt heads they, as all couples do in a romance, eventually fall for each other.
If I can give Parker one thing it's that she navigates the beats of a fake-dating plot well. What I most appreciated about this novel was how seamless Lainie and Richard's transition from a fake to a real couple was. Most authors circle the "do they really like me" aspect of these stories to the point of tedium. In contrast, Parker's characters were cogent enough to recognize their feelings and act on them without fuss.
However, a lot of this book felt a touch unpolished and underdeveloped. The most egregious were the side characters. From coworkers to family members and rivals the vast majority of this cast felt less than two-dimensional. At a certain point, I wished Parker paired down some of the incidental side characters to give the ones most relevant to the story more distinct characterization.
Further other aspects of this story could have been punched up. Richard's POV felt very secondary to the story and often scenes from his point of view felt like an afterthought rather than enriching or necessary.
To be clear Act Like It is far from bad. I'm sure most people would enjoy it and overall I did too. But it didn't quite reach the heights the best romances do.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault