A Not-so-far-fetched Glimpse into Hollywood and a Book Review

Let's talk about the classics today.

Are you a fan?

Of the books?  The movies?

Between Jane Austen taught in my college classes, I'll admit I don't read them often anymore, but I know more than I ever should have.  And as far as classic Hollywood movies, my grandmother was a huge fan...

And that last point is probably why I was even interested in Julie Wright's new book, Lies, Love, and Breakfast at Tiffany's - because the main character has a strange connection with Audrey Hepburn partly because of her grandmother...

Lies, Love, and Breakfast at Tiffany's

Julie Wright

Story Overview 

Silvia Bradshaw is an independent modern woman working in Hollywood, as a film editor... well an assistant film editor. Yet, she is doing all the work, and then some.  Between her work hours and her dreams of moving up in her field, she has had little time to pursue much else, and to be honest, she is alright with that. 

Her goal is to carve a spot for herself in the man's world of Hollywood films through grit and determination.  But it's an uphill battle. 

So when her sort of work relationship with Ben Mason starts to move towards more she is unsure if she is willing to put her heart before her work goals. 

With Audrey Hepburn as her inspiration, Silvia takes risks in both her personal life and her professional life in order to fully enjoy her life. 

Genre: Clean Romance

Page count: 320

Publication date: Nov 2018

Personal Likes

I really loved Silvia's character.  She is a working professional.  She completed school, and is now paying her dues, so to speak, in the profession is has dreamed of working in.  And she's almost reached her goals.  The strong independent female angle is true to life in this story, and for that, I'm grateful to Julie Wright for writing.

I also appreciate all the nods to the Audrey Hepburn movies.  Each chapter starts with a quote from her different movies, and it helped to set the mood while keeping the story light and fun, which is important for the genre.

Also, the twist near the end... the big twist, which I won't spoil... sort of shocked me.  I knew there was going to be one, just because of the length, but still, it was a nice twist...

Personal Dislikes

Personally, I felt the story was choppy.  There were plenty of places that could have been stripped down, making this a shorter book.  I think 280 pages would have been a nice place for the story.

The side story of her grandmother's health felt like an afterthought, added to "cheese" up the story, which I often credit to the "Hallmark-movie" feel of the genre.  It was not needed. Silvia had already won over the reader before adding the health twist.

Reading List Rating

Story rating:

I'm going with a four heart rating for the story.  Yes, it's predictable, and sure the characters are expected, but it fits the genre.  The story is a fun twist on the Hallmark style of contemporary clean romance especially given Silvia's age. 

Technical rating:

I'm giving this a three heart rating for the editing and technical side of the book.  It was long, full of details that were not necessary, which didn't add any real value to the story or the character development.  Basically, it could have been more tightly edited to shorten the story.

Overall rating:

Overall this is a fun read, I'm going with a four heart rating. 

My Suggested Audience

While is a completely clean romance, I would recommend this to an audience 16 and older.  Mostly because of the character's stage of life.   Also, Silvia has a typical pig-headed boss, who puts her down as one would expect in a story featuring a woman trying to make it in a man's world/work environment. So that might be something to keep in mind before picking this up.

Trigger warning: 

I don't remember any cursing or drinking. The workplace bullying could be an issue, but it's the point of the story in all reality.  There are some sexist remarks, but nothing that would shock a normal reader of the genre. There is cancer, fear of death, and the like.  

Final Thoughts

Overall, I was very happy with this read. A quick, fun, rom-com for the modern woman. 

Are a fan of the Hallmark-like love stories? 

I'd love to hear from you, please leave me a little note!

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**** Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher, Shadow Mountain. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”





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