Lucy Parker - Act Like It

This just in: romance takes center stage as West End theatre's Richard Troy steps out with none other than castmate Elaine Graham
Richard Troy used to be the hottest actor in London, but the only thing firing up lately is his temper. We all love to love a bad boy, but Richard's antics have made him Enemy Number One, breaking the hearts of fans across the city.
Have the tides turned? Has English rose Lainie Graham made him into a new man?
Sources say the mismatched pair has been spotted at multiple events, arm in arm and hip to hip.ÿFrom fits of jealousy to longing looks and heated whispers, onlookers are stunned by this blooming romance.
Could the rumors be right? Could this unlikely romance be the real thing? Or are these gifted stage actors playing us all?

Comment: This book has been well critiqued by readers everywhere and because I liked the blurb  also added it to my list. Considering the things people would say about it,I felt very confident I'd like it as well and I was proved right.

This contemporary romance gives us Lainie and Richard, two theater actors whose agents tell them to pretend they're together in real life so that Richard's popularity increases, especially after his less than stellar behavior in a restaurant. At first they only saw it as another part of their acting jobs but the more time they spent together the more they get to know one another and it seems difficult to keep pretending their feelings didn't turn up as real as they want them to look like. Can they own to what is happening between them?

I think this turned out to be a very good story, it's simple but well done and that makes all the difference. I think the element I liked the best was how maturely they both behaved, and I didn't see Richard as unreachable, just serious and reserved. Lainie was more extroverted but she is a great compliment to Richard so the two of them, as a couple, were fantastic.

It's always so good to read about characters we like... Both Richard and Lainie had introspective moments that made it easier for the reader to know them and that certainly helped in making it better to understand them.Their relationship was gradual and believable and also romantic, I did like all the situations they dealt with and they just became closer in after everything. There's a conflict towards the end, that could have been done differently but overall, it was really good to spend some time with them.

Since I really liked this, it's much more complicated to find what to say besides "it was great" so I'll just leave a list of details I appreciated:

This was an engaging story because the characters were simply done but both protagonists offered a lot in a fluid storyline.

The chemistry between them wasn't filled with fireworks but I could imagine them in real life just enjoying each other's presence. The banter and the silences between them were fascinating to observe.

The plot is believable, considering what happens and how so it was very easy to just immerse in the story and be entertained by it, the pace did work pretty well. 

The theater details provided an interesting "learning" element and it was very good to see the two protagonists and their interactions with other characters happen at work, so we could get the notion their professional lives did exist and the focus wasn't only their sex life. How refreshing to have a contemporary more focused on the emotional development rather than the kinkiness of what they do together. Richard and Lainie were stunning together, I'd say. 

I really liked how this story was presented and I'll look for to rad the next one for sure, as soon as I get it and can fit it into my schedule. Recommended for those fond of contemporary novels.

Grade: 9/10