Review: Wardrobe Malfunction by Samantha Towle (Goodreads Author)

Wardrobe Malfunction by Samantha Towle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4,5 stars

Wardrobe Malfunction by Samantha Towle was such a delightful and enjoyable read.

I just love Hollywood romances and even more when the movie superstar falls in love with a normal and regular person............and this is exactly what happens to Hollywood superstar, Vaughn West when he meets wardrobe assistant, Charlotte (Charly) Michaels.

The story starts off with a bang..........Vaughn discovers that his girlfriend has been cheating with his best friend on national television!!!! He goes on a sex, drugs, drink binge and he's given a final chance to get back into his game!!! Give up drink, partying and WOMEN!!!

Charly is hired to work as the wardrobe assistant on Vaughn's new movie. Her job is to look after his wardrobe during the shoot. She's hyper excited.......after all, she's had a crush on the heartthrob and here she is - up close and personal! Could things be any better!!!

“Where do you want me?”
Is that a trick question? I cough. “Just over here, please.” He walks toward me, and my vagina thuds in time with his footsteps"

Their first meeting has to be one of the most memorable of all time - Charly's first assignment is a fitting with Vaughn.....

"I'm on my knees in front of Vaugn West. Sure, I'm only pining his pants, but still...................

Nothing to difficult...right!!! What could possibly go wrong??? It was the most hysterical and funny scenes ever.....

“ “I just stabbed Vaughn West in the cock with a pin.
I just stabbed the world’s biggest movie star. With a pin. In his cock.”

But wait....even funnier is what Charly does for Vaughn to make sure that his "family jewels" are "looked" after...

“ “This woman, whom I’ve known for less than a day, who stabbed me in the ball sack, has made me a cock warmer.”

Vaughn has to be one of the most likable and endearing movie stars!!! In fact, I found him to be so nice and normal if that's even possible in Hollywood today.
Charly was another engaging and appealing character. I adored her sassiness, kindness, and independence and that fact that she wasn't afraid to speak her mind was another admirable quality of hers.

“I know this is how it’s always going to be with Charly and me. And I like it. I like the challenge she gives me.”

I adored these two together. Loved their banter, their interaction and also that this wasn't an insta-love kind of story!!! You get to see the friendship and attraction develop and grow into something more.
The sparks fly between these two - the chemistry made for some hot and steamy moments....

“ “And the King of Hollywood spends the next thirty minutes making me come with his mouth and then fucking me from behind like I’m a whore, but the whole time, he still manages to make me feel like a queen.”

There were some great secondary characters but my favorite one was definitely Vaughn's grandmother! I absolutely loved her!!!

Great epilogue. Great writing. Fabulous characters. Sweet and romantic love story............if you want a smile on your face when reading a book......grab this one!!

PS....The reason for 4,5 stars........hated the cover and I thought Charly's secret was a bit of a "stretch".......

Okay, got to go..........

I have a trip to make....

...yes, La La Land...and no, I am not going to meet Vaughn West....I know, I know, he's gorgeous....

..but I'll leave him for Charly!!!

Hey, have you started page 1 yet????

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Review: Love, Chloe by Alessandra Torre (Goodreads Author)

Love, Chloe by Alessandra Torre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

wasn't sure what to expect from this book but I liked the synopsis and also the good reviews I read by some of my GR friends....and of course, not forgetting that I love this author....

Love, Chloe is totally different from the other two books that I loved, Hollywood Dirt and Sex, Love, Repeat.

This was such a fun read. It had some great characters, fabulous setting...I mean...NYC...my all time favourite place to visit....and we get a peep into the world and lives of the rich and famous...what more could I ask for!!!

So, this is the story of Chloe Madison, a totally engaging character that kind of grew on me.......

In a nutshell - Chloe is having a terrible time in her life.......her parents are crooks, their assets and money frozen....leaving poor Chloe homeless and moneyless

"…the easy wealth I’d enjoyed my whole, pampered life ended faster than a Taylor Swift relationship. Our accounts were frozen, cars taken, assets seized. Including my NYC apartment."

..but wait, not all is lost...she still gets to keep her designer clothes and her JImmy Choo's!!!

No money to pay for her college tuition, to rent an apartment...she's left to take a job as a administrative assistant/dog walker and sleeping in her friend's couch.

What I admired about Chloe was her resilience....she didn't wallow in self-pity or feeling sorry for herself....she dusts herself down and moves on with getting her life...well, her new life together.

"…Maybe the cultured, confident woman I was before was just a product of my parents’ money. Maybe now, with my new life a train wreck, I would discover the real Chloe Madison. And maybe, I wouldn’t like her. "

It's a story about friendship....

"…And I really expected, in the dark parts of my soul, for them to leave me over this. For our friendship to wither away into nothing, our common ground lost. Instead, they rallied—feeding me, housing me, and distracting me in times of struggle.

They had been better friends than I deserved, our friendship turning a corner, becoming deeper through all this. I hoped, one day, I would be able to return the favour. At the very least, to become a better friend.

.. I loved the way the author used copies of instagram on top of some of the chapters...

Romance........hell, Chloe has some problems in this area....her ex...who just happens to be a zillionaire is determined to get her back...she gave him the kick when she found him canoodling some women...but old Vic is persistent!!! He goes out on all stops...delivers a Maserati to her new apartment (more about that later!), gives her a $20,000 Birkin bag, Tiffany diamond earrings......and you would think...she's going to go right back to him...after all, she can have her life of luxury back..right!!!

Wrong............she wants nothing to do with him..well, she kind of gives in once or twice...but then, she finds Carter, her apartment super...a beyond hot and sexy male...filling her head with some hot thoughts!!! Seriously, men........

It takes a while for Chloe to make a decision....of course, the right one!!!

There are some brilliant secondary characters that are well-blended into the story......like Chloe's bff's Cammie and Benta (how are these names!!!)Joey, the movie star, Nicole, her boss........and the most brilliant of them all..............

Chanel is Nicole's "baby" and Chloe's main function is to be her nanny. The scenes with this pooch as hysterical........from the first moment we're introduced...Chanel has her own bedroom and her own bed and Chloe's first job is to wait for her to wake up from her nap and then make sure precious Chanel is kept happy at all times......
Chloe has a wardrobe to die for....she's a catwalk model in demand for fashion shows....My best scene with Chanel has to be her birthday party.............I was shrieking with laughter, tears in my eyes...........

It's worth reading this book just for that scene!!!

Great dialogue...and I loved Chloe's inner monologues!!! Brilliant!!

Humorous, entertaining, witty, funny, sweet, sexy and actually quite refreshing.

Hey, did I mention that I think this story would make a fab movie!!!!

If you want to...you can see my reviews on my favourite books of AT............
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

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Review: Idol #1 VIP Series by Kristen Callihan

Idol by Kristen Callihan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4,5 stars

OOh!!!!! VIP Series by Kristen Callihan has just become another hot favourite rock star series of mine!!!

Idol is the 1st book in the series.....and I'm totally hooked on the story, the characters and especially KILLIAN JAMES, lead singer/guitarist of Kill John, the hottest rock band in the world!!!!

NO, NO, NO......Kanye West...........you are so not the no one rock star in the world.........KILLIAN JAMES IS...........

Killian James must be one of the most genuine rock star characters ever.

The story's opening scene is an absolute laugh a minute!! This is when Killian first "meets" Liberty Bell, his next door neighbour - see, he's taking a break away from the hectic rock star world to find peace and quiet and write some new songs!!! His life is never going to be the same after his encounter with said neighbour!!

Liberty Bell.....love her name....aka Libby. What a fabulous character. I absolutely adored her. Talented, sassy, independent, caring...........and what blew me away....underneath she's this amazingly talented, singer, guitarist and songwriter!!! What is there not to love about her!!!

The chemistry between the two is incredible...right from the very beginning. I loved their banter, their connection and how much the two did for each other. Making them see that there is more to each of them then they ever thought possible.

“A person can get…stuck, for lack a better word, in a life. It’s surprisingly easy, really. Hours bleed into days; days fade into months. Before you know it, years have passed, and you’re just this person, someone your younger self wouldn’t even recognize.”

Not only were the two mc's endearing and engaging but wow...the secondary characters were just as amazing and dare I say, intriguing (check the band's manager, GABRIEL SCOTT...his book's next...OMG...I cannot wait!!!), fantastic (check JAX, the other member of the band!!!)...and what about...okay, enough....wait for the next book!!!Now, let me add why this book ROCKED for me!!!

You feel the love of music that the author has in every word she has written.

Music can be your friend when you have none, your lover when you’re needy. Your rage, your sorrow, your joy, your pain. Your voice when you’ve lost your own. To be a part of that, to be the soundtrack of someone’s life, is a beautiful thing.”

The references to real life musicians...Bowie, Corbain, Prince....extraordinary and so amazing.....

“Nirvana had “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Kill John has “Apathy”- our generations battle cry. “Apathy” drives just as hard and fast as “Teen Spirit” but there’s more pain in it, less rage. A question of why we’re here. A song of loneliness and feeling useless.”

If you love a really like a story that leaves you feeling giddy, happy.....smiling...then this is a book for you.
I can't wait for the next book.......GABRIEL SCOTT, here I come!!!!

One of my favorite quotes:

“That’s the thing with endings in real life. You never really know when they’re going to happen.”

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Review: Connected (Connections, #1) by Kim Karr (Goodreads Author)

Connected by Kim Karr
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Connected by Kim Karr is the 1st book in her Connections Series and the 1st that I have read by this author.

Okay, so I love rockstar stories so I was really looking forward to this one...also there were a lot of good reviews.

I didn't exactly hate this story...just didn't love it like I thought I would. It was like a case of I like it and that's that.

The story just dragged on a bit and the heroine was a bit annoying.....her whole thing with her dead fiancee drove me up the wall..........

I am going to read the next part and hopefully it will be a "love it" one story

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Review: Superstar by Danielle Bourdon (Goodreads Author)

Superstar by Danielle Bourdon
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Superstar by Danielle Bourdon is the first book I've read by this author.

The story revolves around the Hollywood movie superstar and heartthrob, Maximo Payne, who hates the paparazzi like a rabid puppy. Camryn Castillo has her own online gossip website that does unobtrusive interviews with stars.

The plot is a bit far-fetched. She travels to Rome, Italy to do an interview with Maximo...not sure what he was doing in that city.

Anyway Camryn and he meet up in their hotel, she doesn't tell him who she is....he takes her around doing some Rome sightseeing....etc etc....they feel attracted to each other.
The premise of the story held some promise...........but there were things that just didn't do it for me.

Okay, so I didn't feel any chemistry between the two main characters. In fact, Maximo is pretty much remote and doesn't show much passion and excitement, which I would expect from a hot blooded Italian!!!!

And all the online jargon with her friend and partner, and the bad paparazzi...blah blah blah...

The dialogue felt flat and not believable to me. The writing didn't sparkle for me. The characters were somewhat one dimensional and lacked depth and a bit too immature and never held my interest.

I did however, like the Rome and Switzerland settings.

This was a kind of okay read....something like......

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Review Royally Screwed (Royally, #1) by Emma Chase (Goodreads Author)

Royally Screwed by Emma Chase
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4,5 stars

It's a known fact.........I am a total romance lover.........I am the ultimate romance fox!!!!! Happily Ever After is my motto!!!! So, imagine my excitement when I read some of my friends' reviews on Emma Chase's latest book.....I was beside myself!!!!

This is a modern version of the classic fairytale.....

Waitress Olivia Hammond from Manhattan is swept off her feet by a real prince and steals his heart for eternity....... It's the stuff that dreams are made of.........
Nicholas Arthur Frederick Edward Pembrook, Crowned Prince of Wessco, is everything we want in a Prince...... devastatingly beautiful, charming, wicked, arrogant, deliciously hot and sexy..

‘I was known before I was born and my name will be blazoned in history long after I’m dust in the ground. Infamy is temporary, celebrity is fleeting, but royalty…royalty is forever.’

I fell in love with this Prince....

This story was totally addictive. I couldn't get enough of these endearing, intriguing and engaging characters.........there are a lot of secondary characters that I am looking forward to reading more about in the next book......which is going to be Nichola's brother, Prince Henry......

I liked that the love story takes place over a period of time and it wasn't the type of insta-love and let's ride off into the sunset kind of story. You get to see what goes on behind the scenes in the life of a Prince and his family and friends. The intrigue, politics and scheming in court life felt very real and believable.

And just as I have always known.............LOVE always wins in the end...

‘I smile and I know it’s radiant. Because that’s how I feel. Right now—in his arms. Lit from the inside, like a luminous shooting star that won’t ever dim’

This book left me with a smile on my face......

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Review: Frenched (Frenched, #1) by Melanie Harlow (Goodreads Author)

Frenched by Melanie Harlow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Frenched by Melanie Harlow (my first by this author) was an absolute treat!!
This is a light hearted, smart, funny, sexy, quirky and a deliciously romantic read.

Mia Devine, an event planner from Detroit, is dumped by her fiancée one week before the wedding. Her friends persuade her to use the honeymoon trip to Paris.

She meets sexy Lucas Fournier, music professor from NYC moonlighting at his brother’s bar in Paris and soon both are thrown together on the most fabulous adventure.

Some of the things I loved about this story:

The Paris setting – the author captures the essence of the city so beautifully. I felt as if I was back in the Paris I know and love, walking the streets, seeing the sites….tasting the wine!!!

Lucas Fournier – sexy, gorgeous…..i could continue gushing but hell, this is a man I would love to be mine!!!

The dialogue between Mia and Lucas

The story of Abelard and Heloise….just fitted in so well into the story of love!!!

The sexy scenes were pretty hot and well written.

A total “feel good” story!!!

Now, I just need to find out what happens next to these two lovable characters.

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Review: After She's Gone by Lisa Jackson (Goodreads Author)

After She's Gone by Lisa Jackson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

After She’s Gone by Lisa Jackson was a bit of a disappointment for me.

The story starts off really well but one third of the way I was completely “bamboozled” by what was going on. There were so many characters and a lot of different POV’s that I lost track of who was who and what was what. And all those flashbacks and inner monologues just added to my confusion.

The main character, Cassie – I couldn’t get this woman. Her behavior was beyond bizarre and she kept doing the most unbelievable things…..so much so that I kept thinking that there was something off about her….like she was someone else and that I was being led along with all those may red herrings and when all was going to be revealed…it would be a shocker!!!
But no……….the revelation in the end was not a huge surprise because I had an idea who the baddies were very early in the story.

I couldn’t engage with any of the characters in this book.

The writing style didn’t feel like the other books written by this author. I skimmed over a lot of the pages….the story dragged and I felt it a bit too long for me.

The plot was so interesting but got bogged down by some of the things I mentioned above and too much repetition of same phrases over and over……

I have read most of this author’s books and she has remained one of my favorite romance/suspense authors but this latest offering was a letdown for me.

Oh, I did like the book cover!!!

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Review: Faithfull by Marianne Faithfull, David Dalton

Faithfull by Marianne Faithfull
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just finished Faithfull…for the 3rd time!! And each time I am fascinated by this woman.
One of the most unique and original female singer-songwriter.

An iconic singer, actress, songwriter and trendsetter, whose career has spanned over 50 years.

First reviewed in 2012

I love this book – first read when it was first published in 1994 and for me it’s a book that I can read again and again and still be touched and astounded by this extraordinary woman’s life.

Faithfull tells her story in a candid, hard-hitting and gritty way and one of the things I really liked was that she never looked for sympathy or made excuses for her mistakes but that she was honest and not shy to admit the mistakes she made.

”When you are 18, 19, 20, you're used to being photographed all the time, in a certain way. So, the narcissism becomes almost out of control. And the way that young women are photographed, they become addicted to this feedback of the image.”

There’s so much I want to write about my feelings and perceptions about this book..but it would fill pages and pages, so I am going to keep it as short as I can.

From a gawky, vivacious, ethereal and beautiful 17-year old, she soon became part of the Swinging 60”s London, after being discovered by the Rolling Stone’s manager and recording her first single, As Tears Go By, ironically written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards, reaching No 9 in the British Charts.

By the age of eighteen, she was married and had a child, toured the country with well-known English bands, began hanging out with the Rolling Stones which soon led to her much-publicized relationship with Mick Jagger , which included the famous not so true “Mars Bars” episode,

the drug busts, her attempted suicide in Australia,
losing her baby at 8 months. A muse, fashion trendsetter…..

Her spiral into a world of drugs, drink and homelessness was fast, furious and unrelenting and complete by the age of 23.
Obscurity, shooting heroin into her veins, drinking, squatting, losing her child, going days without food so she could get drugs, living in the streets was her life for the next couple of years.

I felt really sad as I read about this young woman whose life could or may have been so different and to actually experience what she did at that age.

How many people out there could ever pick themselves up from the pitiless bottom she found herself in?

One asks the question of why would a woman who was loved and loved a rock star walk away and choose the life she did for the next decade.

Yet, she was able to comeback…after being rejected by most of her friends and lovers, her family….the fact that she was able to emerged from that dark and painful period in her life is truly astounding.

And how sad it is that she is most famously known as Mick Jagger’s beautiful and drugged girlfriend and not for her own singing, song writing and acting talents. She was already a pop star before meeting the Rolling Stones, she acted as Ophelia in the movie Hamlet, she had done stage plays and yet not enough credit or recognition. Even had to fight Mick to get him to give her credit for the lyrics she wrote for the song Sister Morphine, Wild Horses…..when Marianne woke up after her six-day coma from her attempted suicide, the first words she said to Mick Jagger were…“Wild horses couldn't drag me away” and they wrote the song Wild Horses together and she never received any credit for her contribution.
Keith Richards tells us in his autobiography, Life, that Marianne was the inspiration behind many of the Rolling Stones songs and even helped Mick writing a lot of the lyrics……and to date she has never received any mention or given any credit for being the early Rolling Stones muse.

There are some fabulous parts in the book that were humorous…her sense of wit and humor comes across so well, especially when she first meets Bob Dylan at the Savoy Hotel in the 60’s,

and later when she talks to him about her album Broken English.

Life was certainly not kind to her even after her comeback there were so many set-backs and excruciating times for her. But you know what? Despite the knocks and beatings she has had in her life, she’s still around, still singing, still reading and LIVING.

I love her voice and her 1979 comeback album, Broken English, totally blew me away.

It was like listening to her talk about her life and all that despair heartbreak...I felt it I felt it... and when she does The Ballad of Lucy Jordan - is she talking about herself? And I can never forget her version of John Lennon's evocative and so hauntingly beautiful song, Working Class Hero.

Read her book and you decide if she’s a survivor – an EPIC one or not.

For me, she will always be remembered as someone who had something in her that said…DON’T GIVE UP. In her own words….

:”'Never let the buggers grind you down.'"

And hey, if you want to see this incredible and iconic performer live…..this is where she will be in 2016…..I am booking my tickets RIGHT NOW!!!!

Tue, 02 Feb Roundhouse, London, UK
Fri, 08 Jul Jardin Public, Cognac, France

Check out some amazing shots of the beautiful and talented Marianne Faithfull:
http://www.vintag.es/2011/06/beautifu...

And if you want to hear some of her music…..check it out….
https://youtu.be/S7oTqILoLns?list=RDS... as tears go by
https://youtu.be/3N_rNz2oAGA?list=RDS... working class hero

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