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kfajardo's review against another edition
5.0
OMG i cant believe its over :( this is an amazing book. I love it.
maggiemaggio's review against another edition
4.0
It's been almost a year since I finished The Redhead Revealed. As much as I was absolutely dying to read The Redhead Plays Her Hand, and I was dying, it took me a chapter or two to settle into the book. Alice Clayton definitely has a style to her writing and if I had to sum that style up I would say it's over the freaking top. The characters, the settings, the words, and writing, it's a lot all up in your face at once and I think, having not read her for a year, it was a lot of handle.
But then I settled in and I was in love. The thing that gets me about Alice Clayton's books is that even though they're over the top, they're oddly relatable. I struggle sometimes with books that feature caricatures rather than characters and while, to a certain extent I do think there are caricatures and exaggerated situations in Alice Clayton's books, they also ring true in so many ways.
The entire time I was reading this was terrified since I thought I was closer in age to Grace than Jack, but then I realized I'm right in between the two and that made me feel oddly better about myself. Age is a big part of Grace and Jack's relationship and has been since they originally got together. Grace is nine years older than Jack, he's 24 years old which makes her 33 years old. In no way do I think 33 is old, some of my best friends are 33, hell some of them are over 33, but somehow, in this series, 33 feels old. Maybe because she's hanging around with a 24 year old? Or maybe because it's Hollywood? My point in saying all of this is that normally I'm not a fan of the older woman/younger man relationship. Not because I think there's anything wrong with it, I'm all in favor of cougars getting theirs, but sometimes I feel like it's such an issue it ends up eclipsing the story. And it's a big deal in Grace and Jack's relationship, absolutely, but I feel like it's more a big deal because of the industry that they work in rather than because it matters to either of them.
This book picks up with Grace starting to film her TV show and Jack getting ready to go out on location to shoot a movie. Grace and Jack are the same Grace and Jack that we've grown to love over the previous two books, but things slowly start to change. Grace is under more and more demands for the TV show, not only with the shooting schedule, but with the request from the studio that she lose 15lbs to help accentuate her cheekbones. I really liked how Grace handled this. Rather than being outraged or upset (ok, she was a little of both of those) she did it. Personally I think it's terrible that Hollywood is that way, but as Grace says, that's the way it is. Millions of women would do that and more, and is it really that different than being asked to cut or dye your hair? (Obviously so long as the weight loss isn't unhealthy, I still think it's gross, but I also realize that if you want a seat at the table you have to accept the rules.)
While Grace is making her TV show Jack is shooting his movie, but also living it up. One of the fellow actors on the movie, this d-bag Adam, is a washed up Hollywood bad-boy who sees his opportunity to become relevant again by clinging on to Jack. Jack starts going out to clubs, staying out to all hours of the night, and coming up drunk on an almost daily basis. Grace tries to talk to him about it, but Jack's feeling pretty obstinate and Grace has a lot on her plate without worrying about Jack (even though she spends a lot of time worrying about Jack) and things kind of just fester.
And I loved this. Not so much the actual festering, but that they were allowed to fester. Grace and Jack had little squabbles over his behavior, but there were no big, drama-filled blow-ups every chapter. I've always loved Grace and Jack's relationship and chemistry, it's so sweet and feels so genuine (minus the insane amount of sex they have) and I was glad that I didn't have to deal with them breaking up and getting back together and breaking up and getting back together on and on and on. Even though, given Jack's behavior, I was kind of wishing Grace would stand up and, as she would say, take him to the woodshed.
In the second half of the book a few of the chapter start with several pages of magazine and website clips about Grace or Jack or Grace and Jack. I liked getting to read some of the press, especially since the press featured so prominently in the story, but, and this is my only real criticism, there were just so many pretty clippings at the beginning of each chapter they kind of dragged on and got monotonous. Two or three would have sufficed, we didn't need ten.
With Grace's sudden fame and notoriety this book is so aimed at women. Grace's weight becomes a big issue in Hollywood and the gossip press and the main stream media. Jack's fans tend to think Grace is a fat cow, but the non-crazies really rally around Grace and she becomes kind of the poster woman for curvy women everywhere. Which, as someone who hates how women are often portrayed in the media, I loved it. Grace just has a great personality to begin with and I loved seeing her get the attention she deserves and loved that she stood up on behalf of curvy women every where.
Bottom Line: This is a great third installment (ending?) to The Redhead Series. I certainly hope it's not the ending, but I'm afraid it might be. Even though Grace and Jack go through their struggles in this one, they're as cute together as ever. I loved both of their story arcs in this one, especially Grace's, and I appreciated the lack of constant drama. If you haven't read this series I highly recommend it if you want something fun and over the top. If you've read the series and are deciding whether to read the third installment, I don't know what you're waiting for, do it now!
I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley (thank you!). All opinions are my own.
But then I settled in and I was in love. The thing that gets me about Alice Clayton's books is that even though they're over the top, they're oddly relatable. I struggle sometimes with books that feature caricatures rather than characters and while, to a certain extent I do think there are caricatures and exaggerated situations in Alice Clayton's books, they also ring true in so many ways.
The entire time I was reading this was terrified since I thought I was closer in age to Grace than Jack, but then I realized I'm right in between the two and that made me feel oddly better about myself. Age is a big part of Grace and Jack's relationship and has been since they originally got together. Grace is nine years older than Jack, he's 24 years old which makes her 33 years old. In no way do I think 33 is old, some of my best friends are 33, hell some of them are over 33, but somehow, in this series, 33 feels old. Maybe because she's hanging around with a 24 year old? Or maybe because it's Hollywood? My point in saying all of this is that normally I'm not a fan of the older woman/younger man relationship. Not because I think there's anything wrong with it, I'm all in favor of cougars getting theirs, but sometimes I feel like it's such an issue it ends up eclipsing the story. And it's a big deal in Grace and Jack's relationship, absolutely, but I feel like it's more a big deal because of the industry that they work in rather than because it matters to either of them.
This book picks up with Grace starting to film her TV show and Jack getting ready to go out on location to shoot a movie. Grace and Jack are the same Grace and Jack that we've grown to love over the previous two books, but things slowly start to change. Grace is under more and more demands for the TV show, not only with the shooting schedule, but with the request from the studio that she lose 15lbs to help accentuate her cheekbones. I really liked how Grace handled this. Rather than being outraged or upset (ok, she was a little of both of those) she did it. Personally I think it's terrible that Hollywood is that way, but as Grace says, that's the way it is. Millions of women would do that and more, and is it really that different than being asked to cut or dye your hair? (Obviously so long as the weight loss isn't unhealthy, I still think it's gross, but I also realize that if you want a seat at the table you have to accept the rules.)
While Grace is making her TV show Jack is shooting his movie, but also living it up. One of the fellow actors on the movie, this d-bag Adam, is a washed up Hollywood bad-boy who sees his opportunity to become relevant again by clinging on to Jack. Jack starts going out to clubs, staying out to all hours of the night, and coming up drunk on an almost daily basis. Grace tries to talk to him about it, but Jack's feeling pretty obstinate and Grace has a lot on her plate without worrying about Jack (even though she spends a lot of time worrying about Jack) and things kind of just fester.
And I loved this. Not so much the actual festering, but that they were allowed to fester. Grace and Jack had little squabbles over his behavior, but there were no big, drama-filled blow-ups every chapter. I've always loved Grace and Jack's relationship and chemistry, it's so sweet and feels so genuine (minus the insane amount of sex they have) and I was glad that I didn't have to deal with them breaking up and getting back together and breaking up and getting back together on and on and on. Even though, given Jack's behavior, I was kind of wishing Grace would stand up and, as she would say, take him to the woodshed.
In the second half of the book a few of the chapter start with several pages of magazine and website clips about Grace or Jack or Grace and Jack. I liked getting to read some of the press, especially since the press featured so prominently in the story, but, and this is my only real criticism, there were just so many pretty clippings at the beginning of each chapter they kind of dragged on and got monotonous. Two or three would have sufficed, we didn't need ten.
With Grace's sudden fame and notoriety this book is so aimed at women. Grace's weight becomes a big issue in Hollywood and the gossip press and the main stream media. Jack's fans tend to think Grace is a fat cow, but the non-crazies really rally around Grace and she becomes kind of the poster woman for curvy women everywhere. Which, as someone who hates how women are often portrayed in the media, I loved it. Grace just has a great personality to begin with and I loved seeing her get the attention she deserves and loved that she stood up on behalf of curvy women every where.
Bottom Line: This is a great third installment (ending?) to The Redhead Series. I certainly hope it's not the ending, but I'm afraid it might be. Even though Grace and Jack go through their struggles in this one, they're as cute together as ever. I loved both of their story arcs in this one, especially Grace's, and I appreciated the lack of constant drama. If you haven't read this series I highly recommend it if you want something fun and over the top. If you've read the series and are deciding whether to read the third installment, I don't know what you're waiting for, do it now!
I received an electronic review copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley (thank you!). All opinions are my own.
shannon_cocktailsandbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Still love that Brit.
Full review to come closer to release date.
Full review to come closer to release date.
hlizmarie's review against another edition
4.0
Grace comes into her own in a HUGE way and it's glorious to watch. She gets an opportunity of a lifetime and it just makes her stronger, more confident and more supportive of herself. Jack surprised me too but in a not so great way. I actually started to not like him and think Grace could do better! I remember gasping aloud at one point so caught up in their issues and not believing what I was reading. I love the trajectory of their lives and career for both of them and where they ended up made sense. I can't believe I'm going to actually say this but the only thing I didn't like about this book was the sex. By the end I was just skimming past those interludes because they'd lost their effect by that point. It was just kind of ridiculous. And overall, it can be really hard to relate to these people. Much like in Wallbanger everyone lives a privileged, wealthy existence. Here's it's all Hollywood, paparazzi, etc. I think this final book though struck the best balance for me between being able to relate to them as human beings in relationships but also finding their lives pretty fantastic.
vanessa_issa's review against another edition
2.0
Eu queria ter gostado mais dessa série, mas não consegui. :/
Por várias vezes pensei em abandonar, mas não fazia sentido largar no último livro. Alguns momentos foram até fofos e engraçados, mas por algum motivo não consegui me envolver completamente. Talvez tenha escolhido o momento errado pra ler. Talvez gostasse mais se tivesse lido uns anos atrás, não sei. Valeu concluir a leitura pra tirar da minha lista, mas não é algo que eu sairia por aí recomendando pra qualquer pessoa.
Por várias vezes pensei em abandonar, mas não fazia sentido largar no último livro. Alguns momentos foram até fofos e engraçados, mas por algum motivo não consegui me envolver completamente. Talvez tenha escolhido o momento errado pra ler. Talvez gostasse mais se tivesse lido uns anos atrás, não sei. Valeu concluir a leitura pra tirar da minha lista, mas não é algo que eu sairia por aí recomendando pra qualquer pessoa.
readbooks_fightpatriarchy's review against another edition
5.0
All the feels with this series- a fitting conclusion!
authorkmg's review against another edition
4.0
Crazy and George are back in the third and I believe last installment of the Redhead Series. I've enjoyed all of them, but to be bluntly honest I felt the series was finished after book 2. That's not to say I didn't enjoy meeting up with Grace and Jack because I did. It was great to see how things were progressing with Grace's TV show and Jack's movie career. It was an interesting look into a relationship that has a different kind of up and down...a career one. Just as Grace's star begins to rise, Jack's is sinking and it's through self-sabotage. He's not handling fame well and he's letting other's influence him. Grace is starting to step into the spotlight and it's bringing all kinds of things to light that she would rather be left in the dark. She's also dealing with the worry over Jack's decline and the pressure to do right by him...even if that means distancing herself. Added to that Michael and Holly have a little thing going so we've got drama in spades.
With Alice Clayton's signature sexy-comedic style and the chemistry between Grace and George, it's another solid novel. Did it add anything to the series? Not particularly, but it was fun to check in with them and I still loved reading it! Recommended for fans of the series! *ARC provided in exchange for honest review!*
With Alice Clayton's signature sexy-comedic style and the chemistry between Grace and George, it's another solid novel. Did it add anything to the series? Not particularly, but it was fun to check in with them and I still loved reading it! Recommended for fans of the series! *ARC provided in exchange for honest review!*