Title: Love Unscripted
Series: Love, Book 1
Author: Tina Reber
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sensuality Rating: Steamy
Source: review copy from NetGalley
Published: September 2012 by Atria Books
An A-List Movie Star…
Ryan Christensen just wanted to be an actor. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine a life where fans would chase him, paparazzi would stalk him, and Hollywood studios would want to own him. While filming in Seaport, Rhode Island, Ryan ducks into a neighborhood bar for a quick escape from legions of screaming fans…and finds much more than he expected.A Small Town Girl…
Nursing a recent heartbreak, Taryn Mitchell believes men are best kept at a safe distance. But when Ryan Christensen unexpectedly bursts through the front door of her pub, she can’t help but be drawn in by his humor, charm, and undeniable good looks. At six foot two, with dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and an incredible body, Ryan has every girl in Seaport swooning. But Taryn isn’t every other girl.A Relationship that Doesn’t Follow the Script…
Despite her better judgment, Taryn soon finds herself falling hard for Ryan. But is their bond strong enough to survive the tabloid headlines, the relentless paparazzi, and the jealous fans who seem determined to tear them apart?
Why I Read this Book: I’m a sucker for romances where a celebrity falls in love with a commoner.
What I Liked: Taryn isn’t phased by Ryan’s celebrity status. Even though Ryan’s an overnight sensation (think Robert Pattinson a la Twilight) and he’s got his face plastered all over every single gossip rag out there, she’s not an obsessed fan nor does she really care what he’s up to. In fact, she has never even seen any of his films. And no, she’s not even interested in a one-night stand, regardless of how famous he is. This is the reason this book worked for me – Taryn’s blasé attitude about Ryan. Taryn made the story for me and she made it believable.
When Ryan comes crashing into Taryn’s bar, they become pretty good friends. That set a firm foundation for the relationship that follows. Taryn wasn’t looking for love; she was happy having a friendship with Ryan the person, not Ryan the actor. And that’s why Ryan liked about Taryn, that she valued him as a person.
Ryan’s playful demeanor makes him fun and likable; he’s not ones of those cocky, egocentric celebrities. And I like how he’s the one trying to nab Taryn, instead of the other way around.
The stuff Taryn has to go through, being in a relationship with a celebrity, felt real. The crazed fans, the paparazzi, the gossip surrounding Ryan and his costars – it felt authentic.
What I Didn’t Like: I understand not expecting Ryan to pay for things but Taryn NEVER lets him pay. She fights him over paying for a cup of coffee for crying out loud! So while I believed that Taryn wasn’t a good-for-nothing gold-digger, her willingness to pay for EVERYTHING was laid on a little too thick.
There were too many bathroom moments involving kids. And by ‘too many’ I mean I can deal with ONE but any more than that has no place in a romance novel. There’s a baby that farts on Taryn’s lap. Then Ryan helps his friend’s toddler use the restroom, including wiping her bottom (details I do not need to read about). Another baby poops when Taryn is holding her (and Taryn is crowned as the ‘baby laxative’). Then there’s this whole scene dedicated to Ryan changing a very messy diaper. Enough already with the kids farting and pooping! I’m a mom and I deal with bowel movements and dirty diapers on a daily basis; I don’t want it in my romance novels.
At almost 600 pages, this was a long book. There was so much going on in this book – what with the crazed fans, the stalker, the accident, something I can’t mention because it’s a spoiler but I will say that it’s related to the accident, the thing with Kyle, the trust issues, the tabloids, the paparazzi – it could have easily been split into 2, possibly 3, books.
Memorable Moment:
“You make me feel normal.”
Overall Impression: Even with the gripes I mentioned, I really enjoyed reading Love Unscripted. I was addicted to Ryan and Taryn’s story and couldn’t put the book down. I am anxious to read Love Unrehearsed.
Brianna’s Rating:
Awesome review! I agree with so many of your points. The book was insanely long and I felt like towards the end in particular, there were quite a few unnecessary scenes that I didn't care much about and didn't really add to the story. But putting that aside, it was a great book! I'm a huge fan of the "celebrity falls for 'normal' girl" thing! Their relationship was so awesome!
ReplyDeleteAlso, what a funny coincidence.. I posted my review of Love Unscripted on my blog today too! XD Go us!
Wow. I love the sound of this one. I'm glad that she isn't falling all over his celebrity status. I agree that it is a bit extreme not to let him pay for coffee. Whatever happened to taking turns? I'm curious about what is in this 600 page book.
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