Home Matters by Julie N. Ford
According to her mother, Olivia Pembroke was born to be a star. But how is she supposed to be famous when she can't even get a decent acting gig? Her lucky break comes when she lands an audition for a wildly popular home improvement show. Even though she has no design training and has never even held a power tool, she refuses to let that stop her. She's confident that her destiny is finally within reach.
When her affections are torn between her heartthrob co-host and the irritating, yet somehow endearing lead contractor, does she continue to reach for the stars? Or does she design a new happily ever after? One that leads not to the fading lights of fame and fortune, but to a love that will burn forever.
My Review: Olivia Pembroke has always felt that she would be a star someday. That day is fast approaching as she has a screen test to be the new female lead on the reality series Home Matters. Olivia is feeling a bit guilty that she's fudged her resume and said that she has a degree in design when she really doesn't and she might have fudged her height a bit too. But that feeling goes away as soon as she meets her hunky co-star to be, William Blaine. Lucky for Olivia, she doesn't really need to be a designer and she and William have some serious on-screen chemistry that the producers of the show are really looking for. But it doesn't take Olivia long to realize that William doesn't have a lot of substance to his personality, but Pete, the lead contractor and super annoying man, really does. Can Olivia learn to see past the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and find the real person behind both of these men, and in the process learn to really see herself?
I really enjoyed this story. It's a novella, so it's a bit shorter than a full length novel, but it's packed with tons of romance, great characters, and a great plot. I love when Olivia finds herself in a restroom on the phone with her parents and she's walked in on by Pete, only to discover that she's not in the women's restroom like she thought, but the men's. Ooops! I like Olivia, I like that she's able by the end of the book to see what really matters in life, and realize that it might not be what she's been spending all of her time and energy on to this point. I can't wait to read the next Ripple Effect Romance, especially if they are all going to be this well written!
Author Julie N. Ford
Julie is a forty-something, dangerously close to becoming a fifty-
something, graduate from San Diego State University with a BA in Political Science. In addition, she has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama, which has only made her better able to recognize the unhealthy, codependent relationship she has with writing. Professionally, she has worked in teaching and as a marriage and family counselor. She is the author of four women’s fiction novels, including Count Down to Love, a 2011 Whitney Award finalist. When she’s not writing, she entertains delusions of being a master gardener, that is, when she’s not killing the unsuspecting plants in her yard with her good intentions. She lives outside of Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, two daughters, a Betta named Bob, and a Scottish fold kitten, Ardweal.
The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series
Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors.
"Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love."
Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford
Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin
Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson
Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White
Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver
Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith
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Labels: Julie Ford, Ripple Effect Romances
Home Matters by Julie N. Ford
According to her mother, Olivia Pembroke was born to be a star. But how is she supposed to be famous when she can't even get a decent acting gig? Her lucky break comes when she lands an audition for a wildly popular home improvement show. Even though she has no design training and has never even held a power tool, she refuses to let that stop her. She's confident that her destiny is finally within reach.
When her affections are torn between her heartthrob co-host and the irritating, yet somehow endearing lead contractor, does she continue to reach for the stars? Or does she design a new happily ever after? One that leads not to the fading lights of fame and fortune, but to a love that will burn forever.
