Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Book Review: Holly Hearts Hollywood

Title - Holly Hearts Hollywood
Author - Kenley Conrad
Genre - YA Romance
Published - September 2014
Publisher - Swoon Romance
Format - Kindle Review Copy

Synopsis
Holly Hearts Hollywood is the first book in a series.

Seventeen-year-old Holly Hart wants to be a star. She moves to Los Angeles from the small town of Cedar Junction, only to hear she’s too fat and ugly to be a famous singer. 

But when Shell Shocked Records looks past Holly’s plus-size and less-than-graceful-personality to offer her a recording contract, Holly cannot believe her good fortune. On closer inspection, however, the the record execs want Holly to do all the singing, and a thinner and more beautiful girl, Lacey, would lip-sync and get all the credit. Holly goes for it because after all, she wanted to sing. 

Contractually bound to secrecy, Holly is more than happy to sit backstage and write in her journal while Lacey shimmies in the limelight and basks in the fame. Before she knows it, Holly is friends with Serena, the pop-star daughter of a music-mogul, flirting with an intern, and developing a strange half-friendship with Lacey. 

When Grayson Frost, the biggest country star in America, and coincidentally, a former school bully begins dating Lacey, Holly hopes that he won’t recognize or torment her.

Through a series of embarrassing and weird events, Holly gets to know Grayson and learns that he is much nicer and more mature than he was four years ago. Holly is horrified when she starts falling for him. When Grayson admits he fell for Lacey's voice, what is a girl to do when she can’t legally tell the truth at the moment when the truth matters the most?

Review
I received Holly Hearts Hollywood in return for an honest review as part of the tour hosted by Chapter by Chapter. Holly may not be popular, has been bullied her whole life but she can sing. When her youtube video just happens to capture the attention of a big recording studio Holly isn’t thrilled because she doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. After an accident that left her with a broken leg she put on some extra weight so she doesn’t look like the skin pop stars. When the recording studio wants a contract for her voice but they have someone else in mind to be the face of her music she’s hesitant but does it anyway.


All Holly has to do is sing in a sound booth which isn’t so bad she finds out, it’s Lacey the face of the music that has to spend her time in the media world. Holly isn’t sure about Lacey because she comes off as the diva she thinks she is but the more time the pair spends together they find a unlikely friendship. As if Holly doesn’t have enough to worry about the boy who started out bullying her just happens to be a big country singer who the recording studio plan to sign. Holly hopes to avoid Grayson at all costs but as he starts dating Lacey it becomes harder at least he doesn’t recognize her or does he? Will Holly’s secret come out? Will she find that maybe time really did help Grayson grow up from the mean kid she remembers so well.


I loved Holly right from the start she’s such a sweetheart even after all the bulling she’s put up with over the years. She I like the way she grew as a character she started coming out of her shell even seeing Lacey for who she is as well as Grayson not what she thought he was. I love that Holly keeps a journal it made her feel more relatable for me. I found her easy to connect with and I joined her on the emotional roller coaster. I wasn’t sure about Grayson or her other potential love interest Keller but I think it all worked out in the end.

I signed up for Holly Hearts Hollywood because I’m a huge fan of cute contemporary romance. I wasn’t sure what to expect I remember glancing at the synopsis but it wasn’t fresh in my mind when I started reading other than the cover it was a blank slate of awesomeness. I enjoyed the story and found the concept intriguing two girls using their strengths to create one Country singer. The author uses Holly’s journal addiction to tell the story it’s all written from her point of view which I found unique and interesting.  I found Holly Hearts Hollywood a fast paced coming of age romance novel it was hard to put down I was so hooked on Holly’s story. I enjoyed every moment of it finishing in just one afternoon, I only wish there was more I wasn’t ready to let Holly go yet. I hope we will see a second book in the series wishful thinking. A clean novel that teens as well as adults will enjoy perfect, for a lazy afternoon. 

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