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“Faking a love story is a whole lot easier than falling in love.”
I’ve been feeling the “light” reads lately & although I’m typically not one to read romantic fiction, I had so much fun reading this novel. It never feels corny, just honest & complicated.
The book follows Win, an A-list movie star, and Leo who is a golden boy socialite from a wealthy, famous family. The two are set up with one another as a publicity stunt - they have undeniable chemistry in front of the cameras, but also behind closed doors, and as we read, the lines between these double lives begin to blur.
Win is a serious & dedicated actor but Leo brings out a more playful side of her. As a woman of color, Win feels the pressure to present herself as perfect in the industry to ensure she lands certain parts, is nominated for awards & has a general sense of likability in the public eye. When reading, it feels as if Leo is one of the only people who actually knows her. However, he has a more difficult time understanding how hard managing her public image is, especially in comparison to the freedom he’s allowed in this context. This lack of perspective causes him to make decisions that put Win’s reputation at risk at times. (T. Swift’s “The Man” is a perfect theme song to the novel. )
I love the title because often, in an attempt to play parts in the public eye, the characters find themselves in beautiful places without being able to really enjoy it.
The book centers around this “will they, won’t they” romance, but I felt like I really got to know & love the characters along the way. Win & Leo struggle to keep the publicity stunt from becoming more complicated but in doing so, the characters explore how terrifying taking the risk of falling in love can be.
I was interested to see that the authors @mikandonj are a married couple - I would find this so challenging but the book flows so naturally. I would certainly read more from them!
If you have any more “light” reads that you’d recommend, lmk! I’m looking for some good spring break reads!
Author site/link to purchase the book: https://www.mikaellaclements.com/the-view-was-exhausting
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