Lucie Simone

Some really fun elements here, and lots of Hollywood location-dropping, starting with an apartment that has a view of the Hollywood sign that taunts not-yet-employed-in-entertainment-despite-$100k-in-film-school Trina Stewart. Instead of working her way up in the biz, she's teaching ESL and lusting after temporary new neighbor Matiu Wolf.

Matiu's from New Zealand and only in town for six weeks, so despite his attraction to Trina, he thinks it's not fair to get involved with her.

Suddenly - and I wasn't sure why - he has a change of heart. Now he's pursuing Trina - and he's not the only one.

This was cute, and light, and a fast read, but all the elements didn't come together for me. Trina felt overly needy and desperate, and then, she was totally confident? Matiu was a decent guy who didn't want to lead her on, and suddenly he's a semi-stalker? They both seemed more bi-polar and quickly swinging from extreme to extreme, than falling in love, and this was part of why I liked, but did not love them.… (más)

Picture Perfect is a sassy little Chick Lit story full of romance, drama, scandal, humor and even a murder that will keep you entertained!

Thirty-six year old Executive TV Producer Lauren Tate's life is having a streak of bad luck ... her six year marriage is on the skids, and husband Alan has filed for divorce. She found out that Alan is in cahoots with her ex-assistant Jennifer, they're trying to sabotage her career at Timeless Television cable network. And if that isn't enough, the sexy and younger new Hollywood actor Jack Ford is interested in her! Just when things can't get any more complicated in Tinsel Town, add scandal and murder to the mix, and watch the drama level go up another notch! Things aren't always Picture Perfect ...

Picture Perfect is an entertaining story written and told in the first person narrative by protagonist Lauren Tate. This bold, brass and sassy lady takes the reader along on a roller coaster ride through Tinsel Town as she unfolds the drama in her life. It's a no-holds barred, behind the scenes look into the inner workings of a Hollywood cable network industry where drama and scandal reigns.

Rich in detail and great descriptions of the Hollywood and New York City settings, the author transports the reader to these two larger than life cities full of exuberance and famous landmarks. I really loved the attention to detail and descriptions of the settings, you can close your eyes and imagine the sights and sounds of these two cities.

With a cast of characters who are realistic and exude power, sex appeal and attitude, the story comes alive with their gritty personality and humorous dialogue and interactions. You can't help but get drawn into their drama ... you'll either love em or hate em ... but they sure are a dramatic bunch that is so typical of the Hollywood elite. I really enjoyed following Lauren's story, I loved her strength, independence and sassy nature. I also loved her best friend Justine, another strong woman with a wicked sense of humor. Underneath all their armor, both ladies has a soft side that simmers below the surface. I really enjoyed the development of Lauren and Jack's relationship and the drama and scandal that evolves from it. Add in a great supporting cast of characters: Alan, Jennifer, Sally, Rebecca and Giles, who add their own variety of personalities into the mix, and you have a story that has enough twists and turns that will keep you turning the pages.

Picture Perfect is a fast-paced juicy little story that has enough Hollywood glitter added to the mixture of intrigue, drama, scandal, hot romance and a murder mystery that makes it so much more than your typical Chick Lit novel.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Chick Lit Plus Blog Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2012/10/picture-perfect-by-lucie-simon...… (más)

My Review:
Picture Perfect was an emotional roller coaster of love, drama, scandal and Hollywood. I absolutely love the way Simone writes. She has a way of pulling you into the life's of the characters that causes you to become invested in their stories. I quite literally read this book in one sitting and was up well into the night to see how it would conclude. Picture Perfect has the elements that I love in a great novel; humor, drama, a bit of mystery, great dialogue and characters I care about. I highly recommend it and rate it 4.5 stars.… (más)

Oh, this is really like 2.5 stars. I'm sorry. I don't savor publishing lackluster reviews of books. However, I wanted to like Hollywood Ending so much more than I did. Lucie Simone's inherent sense of humor is undisputed. I laughed at some lines where I least expected them, and I found that refreshing. Sadly, this book seems disjointed in areas and the character development is a little clunky. Trina is a bit one-dimensional, although there are moments, such as those where her family background is discussed, where Trina becomes more likeable and endearing. Matiu, Trina's love interest from New Zealand, conveys a beautiful Maori folktale, but I didn't find his actions to be similarly in-depth. Maybe I was hoping he would be more of a prince? The Hollywood ending occurs, but the journey towards it wasn't as rewarding as I had hoped. I do, though, hope Lucie Simone keeps writing, as I think she has a lot of potential--she could have a very powerful and popular voice in chick lit.… (más)