Just For Show

Just For Show ( Hollywood Series)

Jae

Showing a good read

While being set in the Hollywood Series universe, Just For Show is a stand-alone book. Don’t be afraid to pick it up.. Jae uses a classic trope: fake relationship. The thing with classic storyline is that it’s easy to crash and burn.

It was not the case with this book. Jae almost-nearly aced it.

She wrote a beautiful and believable story. There is no illogical escalation of comedy-effect scenes or half-thought-out emotional development to build up an unrealistic, over-the-top, love declaration. No - nothing so predictable of the sort.

Just For Show, is a story about caring. Caring about others opinion too much,  caring about societal norms, and caring about yourself and each other.

Of course, it falls under the contemporary romance genre, but this book is so much more than just a romance. It is about the main characters growing, learning and becoming. Being dumped on your own engagement party day calls for introspection, but sometimes you just need the right person to start the process. Sometimes overcoming your own trauma can trigger your desire to truly heal. And maybe along the way you may both really start to care romantically for each other. But first and foremost it is a story about 2 women relearning to trust and love themselves before reaching outwards and growing to love each other.

Jae is a talented and hardworking writer - she made me believe I never read this trope before. The rhythm, style, and characterization were all perfect that is … until the epilogue. It’s not much and most will probably like it, but for me, it kills the perfection of this book. The epilogue was like a slap in the face. It felt like this was material for a sequel and rather than write it - or let the imagination of the reader wander- the ending was rushed to wrap some details that otherwise could become a possible “plot holes”. Maybe I wouldn’t be that harsh with another author, and it’s may seem unfair - it is just that Jae can do so much better, and that ending left a bittersweet taste on this otherwise flawless book.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly.