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A review by portuguese_bookaholic
Act Like It by Lucy Parker
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
What an absolute gem of a book!!!
I couldn't even tell you how it ended on my TBR list to begin with (I must have seen it on some list, right as I was setting up my Goodreads profile, and there it remained, never to be remembered again...). When I came across it again a few days ago, I was about to scrape it, and honestly, I only picked it up because it fulfilled a prompt for a challenge I have going on this month. And since I never reread a synopsis right before reading the actual book, I had no idea what it would be about.
But this is the ultimate, unapologetic, feel-good rom-com, and I LOVED IT! Is it cliché and trope-y at times? Of course it is, it's a romance!!!
First, let's talk about tropes:
- FAKE DATING!
- Enemies to friends to lovers
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- He takes care of her when she's sick 😍
(maybe it has more, but these are the ones I remember right now).
Richard Troy is a famous London theatre actor. He's handsome and appropriately broody and has a temper that is threatening his reputation, his career, and his dreams for the future. Lainie Graham is one of his co-stars, the well-behaved, charity-oriented good girl with an impeccable rep with the press and public. And even better? She's recently been very publicly dumped by her leading-man, pretty boy boyfriend, who cheated on her and whom she still has to kiss every night on the stage.
So, who better to salvage Richard's floundering reputation? Cue in hilarious banter, mounting sexual tension, and well-paced character development that had me rooting for both characters from start to finish.
There is only a little bit of drama, to keep it interesting, but nothing to stress over much (did I already mention this is a rom-com through and through?! 🤔).
The spice level is low - some heavy kissing scenes and some sexual innuendo, but no real sex scenes.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to continue with the series and read other Lucy Parker books as well. It might even have been the timing of reading, or the fact that I went in with such low expectations, but does it really matter? For me, it was a definite <b> 5-star read</b> and I absolutely recommend it!
I couldn't even tell you how it ended on my TBR list to begin with (I must have seen it on some list, right as I was setting up my Goodreads profile, and there it remained, never to be remembered again...). When I came across it again a few days ago, I was about to scrape it, and honestly, I only picked it up because it fulfilled a prompt for a challenge I have going on this month. And since I never reread a synopsis right before reading the actual book, I had no idea what it would be about.
But this is the ultimate, unapologetic, feel-good rom-com, and I LOVED IT! Is it cliché and trope-y at times? Of course it is, it's a romance!!!
First, let's talk about tropes:
- FAKE DATING!
- Enemies to friends to lovers
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- He takes care of her when she's sick 😍
(maybe it has more, but these are the ones I remember right now).
Richard Troy is a famous London theatre actor. He's handsome and appropriately broody and has a temper that is threatening his reputation, his career, and his dreams for the future. Lainie Graham is one of his co-stars, the well-behaved, charity-oriented good girl with an impeccable rep with the press and public. And even better? She's recently been very publicly dumped by her leading-man, pretty boy boyfriend, who cheated on her and whom she still has to kiss every night on the stage.
So, who better to salvage Richard's floundering reputation? Cue in hilarious banter, mounting sexual tension, and well-paced character development that had me rooting for both characters from start to finish.
There is only a little bit of drama, to keep it interesting, but nothing to stress over much (did I already mention this is a rom-com through and through?! 🤔).
The spice level is low - some heavy kissing scenes and some sexual innuendo, but no real sex scenes.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and plan to continue with the series and read other Lucy Parker books as well. It might even have been the timing of reading, or the fact that I went in with such low expectations, but does it really matter? For me, it was a definite <b> 5-star read</b> and I absolutely recommend it!