Laura Wood (1)

Fieldnotes:
Los Angeles, California & London and Cornwall, UK, then (13 years previous) and now (p.2025)

Quiet On Set
1 Indie Period Film
1 Sizzling Chemistry Read
Massive Misunderstandings
1 Prank War
1 Steamy Kiss in the Rain
Seductive Karaoke
Truths by a Bonfire
Enemies to Lovers

1 Epic Career-Impacting Scandal
1 Sequel with the Same Cast and Crew
1 Making-Of Documentary
1 Fake Relationship
Several Panic Attacks
1 Second Chance at Romance
The Lean from While You Were Sleeping
The Lift from Dirty Dancing
1 show more Private Tap Dance
1 Very Grand Gesture

At least 2 Very Bad Parents
2 Sequel Bait Characters (I hope)
1 Cameo from Previous Characters
1 Hilarious Foul-Mouthed Peppy Serbian Personal Trainer
Found Family

The Short Version:
I really, REALLY enjoyed this one. I enjoy books set on film sets and especially ones that feature a ragtag crew of misfits found family. The Pride & Prejudice style misunderstandings that led to the sparking enmity of our leads Cynthie (a newcomer from an open call) and Jack (scion of acting royalty seeking not to disappoint his overbearing parents) is understandable. And in the present-day sections, Jack has matured significantly and gently helps Cynthie recover the spark she has lost in the fallout from the scandal surrounding her last relationship. The chemistry between them really sparkles (both then and now), and I was happy to spend time with the two of them and their friends.

The writing is fun with good banter. We have a protective hair and make-up crew, a horse who takes such a shine to Cynthie's assistant Hannah that she must be banished from set to get him to behave, a silly prank war (glitter balloons!). We have a wet shirt scene (of course!), re-enactment of The Lift from Dirty Dancing and a Fred Astaire number from Top Hat. We also have a quietly serious look at abusive filming practices and #MeToo in a way that fits the narrative and doesn't send the tone crashing dramatically through the floor. show less

Clementine Monroe has always sworn she'd never get involved with a musician. Being the daughter of an aging rock legend certainly means she has valid perspective on this declaration.

Then, after a series of terrible events - her boyfriend cheating then breaking up with her, losing her job, and losing her apartment - Clem finds herself forced to take a job she definitely doesn't want: working for off-limits rock superstar Theo Elliott while he does some label mandated seclusion to get is show more long-overdue album completed.

Not only will they be alone together for six weeks, but Clem is not about to break her number one rule even if she finds him ridiculously attractive.

I'll be honest and say that I swear when I first read the synopsis for this book that it had a more literal magical supernatural element rather than the figurative one that it turns out to be. From the spell the sisters perform, I kept waiting for a good portion of the way into the book for real magic to happen, but what we get is more happenstance. I was happy to be dissuaded of this early on so I could get down to enjoying the rest of the story as it's meant to be because it kind of surprised me.

I loved the slow burn of Clem and Theo's relationship. I wasn't expecting it to build up the way that it did and I think that's what surprised me most about the story. As someone who regularly reads romance, you start to get a feel for where a storyline is going and when things diverge it's always a good thing.

And I really liked that it's kind of a different perspective on the child of a rock star story. A little more subdued. Clem wants nothing to do with that fame and lifestyle. Her and her sisters had enough of it forced upon them just based upon who their father is and she wants none of the scrutiny. This does effect her initial perception of Theo. I liked seeing the contrast between Theo and Clem's father. Her father comes from what seems like a bygone era.

It was also interesting to see how each sister had their own path in the business (or lack thereof in Clem's case), but were still extremely loyal to one another. The back and forth between the sisters was what initially hooked me into the story. I wish we could have gotten more moments with them together actually. Hopefully, there will be books for Lil and Serena next so we can see more of that sisterly bond.

Overall, I liked that this one wasn't entirely what I was expecting. It was a much softer a slowburn story than you would expect when dealing with rock stars and I liked that change. show less

This is a heartfelt, chemistry-filled second-chance romance that completely swept me away. Cynthie and Jack, former co-stars turned fake lovers turned enemies, are reunited 13 years after their breakthrough film to film a sequel and pretend to be a couple again. Their banter is sharp, the tension is delicious, and the emotional depth feels so real it hurts. I loved the dual timeline structure that shows how much they’ve grown and how unresolved their feelings still are. Laura Wood show more beautifully explores anxiety, healing, and how love can endure time, misunderstandings, and personal trauma. It’s witty, romantic, vulnerable, and packed with pop culture references that genuinely enhance the story. If you enjoy enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and emotionally satisfying slow burns, this book is an absolute must-read. show less

This was a load of fun. The story Poppy Tomato Pym had always heard about her past was that the magician in the circus had pulled her from his hat. The Circus is her life, her family, but she's 11 and she has an offer of a school scholarship to a boarding school and her family aren't about to say no.

She's not prepared for it and they're not prepared for her but she has to adapt and her friends Kip and Ingrid help. When an Egyptian exhibit starts in the school and one of the main exhibits, a show more ruby that is reputed to be cursed goes missing, Poppy has to investigate.

The story deals with the plausability of the whole thing well, glosses over some details and occasionally implies real magic but without being heavy-handed about it all. It dealt with homesickness and found family and it was a hoot. The illustrations also add to the story. show less