fictionalkate's review
4.0
Standing in the freezing cold at some insanely early hour of the morning just to be an extra in some movie isn’t Chloe Winters’ idea of a great time. The things one does for one’s star obsessed room-mate. So when the star of the film and current Hollywood heart-throb approaches Chloe out of all the people standing around, she’s not all that impressed. Especially when he brings up the fact that he knows and was friends with some members of her family she’d rather not be related to – never mind associated with.
But Jason Vanderholt isn’t going to take no for an answer. He’s instantly captivated with one of the few people on the planet who isn’t infatuated with him. To him Chloe is intelligent, brave and beautiful. To Chloe, Jason is over tanned and his teeth are just a little too perfect. But despite all this they manage to form a friendship of sorts.
When Chloe’s past comes back to haunt her and the pressures of her friends, family and Jason’s lifestyle threaten to interfere with their delicate relationship, she’ll find out if she’s strong enough to get the happily ever after she’d never even dreamed of having…
I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a fan of the TV show, The Bachelor. And for me, this novel had all the things I love about that show and none of the things that constantly make me want to rip my hair out. It’s the fairytale story of the handsome and wealthy guy courting the everyday woman. He has everything and it’s almost as if he’s from another world. But I liked that Chloe isn’t like those woman from the show who are knocking each other over and doing everything they can just for the slightest bit of attention from the leading man. She’s got more self-respect than that. She wants really love and respect and to enjoy life with whatever man she is in a relationship with. I admired that about her.
Chloe is a strong and independent woman. Her life hasn’t been easy and she’s managed to overcome all the nightmares and all the drama of her childhood and come out the other side as a woman to be admired and looked up to. She has issues but they’re understandable all things considered and she’s aware of her own shortcomings. I loved her as a character. I loved how she grew as a character. There were times when her behaviour frustrated me but I could understand why she did what she did and why she thought what she thought. To be truthful, I’d have been disappointed had she not been the person she was. She’s an honest character with flaws but they just made her better well-rounded as a person.
And then there’s Jason. Oh my. I can understand why Chloe referred to him as being the lead in fairytale and being cast as the Prince Charming role. He’s kind of perfect. But not so perfect that he annoyed me. I like flaws and whilst he appeared to be seemingly perfect (and he was practically perfect in every way) he did have his own past that he and Chloe had to overcome and I enjoyed that he was more than just what he seemed on the surface.
The secondary characters were great too. I enjoyed Jason’s family and Chloe’s friends.
I loved the fairytale. And in my eyes it is very much like a fairytale – where Chloe was the downtrodden maiden whose family and circumstances kept her from being all that she could be – much like Cinderella. Yes there’s no magical sparks or anything in this story but it’s adorable. It’s not all sweet and innocent – there are some quite dark and heavy issues involved. I thought they added to make the novel a little more real and to stop it from being too over the top warm and fuzzy.
But Jason Vanderholt isn’t going to take no for an answer. He’s instantly captivated with one of the few people on the planet who isn’t infatuated with him. To him Chloe is intelligent, brave and beautiful. To Chloe, Jason is over tanned and his teeth are just a little too perfect. But despite all this they manage to form a friendship of sorts.
When Chloe’s past comes back to haunt her and the pressures of her friends, family and Jason’s lifestyle threaten to interfere with their delicate relationship, she’ll find out if she’s strong enough to get the happily ever after she’d never even dreamed of having…
I’ll admit it. I’m a bit of a fan of the TV show, The Bachelor. And for me, this novel had all the things I love about that show and none of the things that constantly make me want to rip my hair out. It’s the fairytale story of the handsome and wealthy guy courting the everyday woman. He has everything and it’s almost as if he’s from another world. But I liked that Chloe isn’t like those woman from the show who are knocking each other over and doing everything they can just for the slightest bit of attention from the leading man. She’s got more self-respect than that. She wants really love and respect and to enjoy life with whatever man she is in a relationship with. I admired that about her.
Chloe is a strong and independent woman. Her life hasn’t been easy and she’s managed to overcome all the nightmares and all the drama of her childhood and come out the other side as a woman to be admired and looked up to. She has issues but they’re understandable all things considered and she’s aware of her own shortcomings. I loved her as a character. I loved how she grew as a character. There were times when her behaviour frustrated me but I could understand why she did what she did and why she thought what she thought. To be truthful, I’d have been disappointed had she not been the person she was. She’s an honest character with flaws but they just made her better well-rounded as a person.
And then there’s Jason. Oh my. I can understand why Chloe referred to him as being the lead in fairytale and being cast as the Prince Charming role. He’s kind of perfect. But not so perfect that he annoyed me. I like flaws and whilst he appeared to be seemingly perfect (and he was practically perfect in every way) he did have his own past that he and Chloe had to overcome and I enjoyed that he was more than just what he seemed on the surface.
The secondary characters were great too. I enjoyed Jason’s family and Chloe’s friends.
I loved the fairytale. And in my eyes it is very much like a fairytale – where Chloe was the downtrodden maiden whose family and circumstances kept her from being all that she could be – much like Cinderella. Yes there’s no magical sparks or anything in this story but it’s adorable. It’s not all sweet and innocent – there are some quite dark and heavy issues involved. I thought they added to make the novel a little more real and to stop it from being too over the top warm and fuzzy.
chelseammg's review
2.0
I don't think the protagonist could have been more filled with angst if she tried. Good lord! Was anything good?? She just meandered through life pretty much being miserable. Why did Jason love her? There was no substance to their relationship at all. The whole story was just mundane and boring.
wilduniversechild's review
5.0
One of my favorite stories. This is a clean romance that is full of real-life problems.
a_ab's review
2.0
2022 reread: 1.5* Unfortunately, this book did not improve on reread. I was drawn to it (both times) because of the main heroine who is deliberately not interested in introducing sex to her casual romantic relationships. She is not motivated by religious doctrine, which is a good break of that stereotype. Her decision is based on personal emotional background and choice - I did enjoy that aspect a lot.
But therein lies the main problem: the author could not fully imagine her heroine's motivations and mindset. As the result, we have a completely arbitrary decision of a girl who needs a ring and a license before having sex - just because. A marriage proposal miraculously solved everything. Huh?
Adding to the absurdity of it all is the "hero" whose positive qualities are mostly limited to fame, fortune and good looks. His behavior is full of red flags only about 5% of which get explicitly called out. He repeatedly disregards the heroine's boundaries (with very unfortunate consequences for her) making a random concession specifically about the issue of sex, but then goes and "solves" that problem for himself with a lavish surprise proposal. Ugh!
The whole book is just all wrong on the emotional, psychological and behavioral levels.
But therein lies the main problem: the author could not fully imagine her heroine's motivations and mindset. As the result, we have a completely arbitrary decision of a girl who needs a ring and a license before having sex - just because. A marriage proposal miraculously solved everything. Huh?
Adding to the absurdity of it all is the "hero" whose positive qualities are mostly limited to fame, fortune and good looks. His behavior is full of red flags only about 5% of which get explicitly called out. He repeatedly disregards the heroine's boundaries (with very unfortunate consequences for her) making a random concession specifically about the issue of sex, but then goes and "solves" that problem for himself with a lavish surprise proposal. Ugh!
The whole book is just all wrong on the emotional, psychological and behavioral levels.
vanessa_issa's review
3.0
I love how Chloe doesn't want to change her life just because she fell in love with a famous guy. It's great to see that she remains the same person, no matter who he is. Not everyone can go through these situations with the media invading their privacy and still feel the same way about each other. Reading about her complicated past was also great. I'm glad Jason was there by her side to support her. And her mom? Hilarious! I loved her. I'm giving it 3 stars because some characters were a little too boring for me, like Kyra and Jen. And also, this cover doesn't reflect the story at all. Worst choice ever for a cover. But anyway... Great book!
_tabae's review against another edition
4.0
Hat mir wirklich gut gefallen. Ein schöner runder Liebesroman mit der richtigen Portion Spannung und Drama aber auch echten Awww-Momenten. Bis zuletzt konnte ich nicht ganz voraussagen ob es denn alles gut endet. Ich freue mich dann schon auf die Fortsetzungen die mit Chloes Job in der Forensik noch den Krimi-Faktor mit rein bringen :)
bookedandbusybookblog's review
4.0
Really cute book. Not what I expected but I was pleasantly surprised.
nicolesnook's review
3.0
Jason Vanderholt is one of the hottest stars in Hollywood. What woman wouldn't dream of him falling in love with her? Answer: Chloe Winters. When Chloe first catches Jason's eye, she is very clear that she has no romantic interest in him. Being swept away by a movie star is someone else's fairy tale. But, the fact that she's not impressed by his money and fame, just makes her more appealing to Jason. This was a sweet romance. I liked both Jason and Chloe and liked that they got to know each other. I would've rated it higher, but I found the relationship drama was dragged out a little too much at times. Chloe took way too long to admit her feelings.
aivlis_ml's review
4.0
Full review on The Writer's Write-Up
Actual score: 7.5/10
So far I’ve read the first two books in the series, and I’m really looking forward to the third. I think I like this book more after having read Nobody’s Damsel. Someone Else’s Fairytale lays the groundwork for the following books quite nicely.
The story follows Chloe Winters as she navigates an unexpected friendship with Jason Vanderholdt, one of the hottest actors in Hollywood. It sounds like a generic boy meets girl, but Tippetts adds a touch of crime to the novel – a genre that becomes more central to the second book. It’s also not as straight forward as the description would have it seem. Jason and Chloe have a long journey to discover each other’s happy ever after. The story takes a detour in the form of Chloe’s friend Matthew, and for a while you’re not entirely sure what guy she’ll pick.
One of my favourite things about the book is Jason’s family and the bond Chloe forms with them. The Vanderholdts are scene stealers, and as soon as they were introduced I wanted to see more of them. They’re loud and funny and don’t care about Jason’s celebrity status. They take to Chloe immediately, even helping her when she needs legal help – both of Jason’s parents and his brother are lawyers.
The eye-catching cover is deceptively cutesy, as the story delves into some serious topics. Chloe was a victim of a violent crime at a young age, and against all odds, she survived. I like how this doesn’t define her. Chloe is a well-rounded character. However, it does influence her when it comes to pick a career and she’s studying to become a forensic scientist. She values her independence, and one of her struggles in the novel is to learn to accept help from others.
I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I immediately bought the second as soon as I finished it. Even though the premise is fairytale-esque, the story is real and relatable. Chloe seems reserved and can be frustrating at times, but she feels like a real person which is what I enjoyed the most about this book.
Actual score: 7.5/10
So far I’ve read the first two books in the series, and I’m really looking forward to the third. I think I like this book more after having read Nobody’s Damsel. Someone Else’s Fairytale lays the groundwork for the following books quite nicely.
The story follows Chloe Winters as she navigates an unexpected friendship with Jason Vanderholdt, one of the hottest actors in Hollywood. It sounds like a generic boy meets girl, but Tippetts adds a touch of crime to the novel – a genre that becomes more central to the second book. It’s also not as straight forward as the description would have it seem. Jason and Chloe have a long journey to discover each other’s happy ever after. The story takes a detour in the form of Chloe’s friend Matthew, and for a while you’re not entirely sure what guy she’ll pick.
One of my favourite things about the book is Jason’s family and the bond Chloe forms with them. The Vanderholdts are scene stealers, and as soon as they were introduced I wanted to see more of them. They’re loud and funny and don’t care about Jason’s celebrity status. They take to Chloe immediately, even helping her when she needs legal help – both of Jason’s parents and his brother are lawyers.
The eye-catching cover is deceptively cutesy, as the story delves into some serious topics. Chloe was a victim of a violent crime at a young age, and against all odds, she survived. I like how this doesn’t define her. Chloe is a well-rounded character. However, it does influence her when it comes to pick a career and she’s studying to become a forensic scientist. She values her independence, and one of her struggles in the novel is to learn to accept help from others.
I really enjoyed this book, so much so that I immediately bought the second as soon as I finished it. Even though the premise is fairytale-esque, the story is real and relatable. Chloe seems reserved and can be frustrating at times, but she feels like a real person which is what I enjoyed the most about this book.
brewtifulfiction's review
3.0
I give this book 3.5 stars. The level of stars went down the more I read. It started off well, an interesting story line but if I'm honest in the end it just felt rushed and unrealistic. The way Chloe changed her mind about her feelings just like that was somewhat silly and then all the arguments between kyra and Jason seem an unnecessary part of book. Overall an ok, easy read.