Reviewer: Samantha
I received a review copy
Summary:
A fledgling entertainment writer stumbles into the gig of a lifetime writing a teenage pop star’s memoir and soon realizes that the young celebrity’s squeaky-clean image is purely a work of fiction.
Struggling writer Holly Gracin is on the verge of moving back home to upstate New York when she gets hired to write the memoirs of eighteen-year-old Daisy Mae Dixson, a former Nickelodeon child star who has moved seamlessly into both blockbuster movies and pop music.
Holly quickly realizes that Daisy’s wholesome public image is purely a work of fiction, as Holly finds herself trailing the star as she travels around the world on yachts, gets stalked by paparazzi, and sneaks out of five-star hotels in the dead of night.
As Holly struggles to write a flattering portrait of a teenage millionaire who only eats “nightshades” and treats her employees like slaves, Daisy has a public meltdown—and suddenly, her book is the cornerstone of resurrecting her image. But working at all hours trailing a pop star has taken its toll, and Holly must decide if becoming the ultimate insider is worth losing a starring role in her own life.
Fun, juicy, and inspired by Rachel Stuhler’s own stranger-than-fiction experiences as a celebrity ghost writer, Absolutely True Lies is an entertaining look at how the lifestyles of the rich and famous aren’t always what they seem.
Review:
Oh my, my, my, what an excellent summer read! This was a blast to dive into, and the journey we take with Holly is one filled with laughs, head-scratching moments, outrage and so much more. It was fun to note that the book is inspired by the author’s true life as a celebrity ghost-writer, which I think caused my eyebrows to raise so many more times knowing a kernel of what I was reading might have some truth behind it. Holly was such a likeable character, instantly relatable, and the supporting cast members (though not as relatable) were a hoot to read about. I escaped to the fast and fabulous lane while reading and suggest you do the same!
4.5 stars
Author Bio:
Rachel Stuhler grew up in Rochester, NY, so obsessed with movies and books that she spent as little time as possible in the real world. In her late teens, this obsession led her first to New York as a terrible production assistant and then to Los Angeles, where she spent four years working as a script supervisor (and pining after writing jobs) until one day an actor told her, “If you think you can do it better yourself, just do it.”
Within a year, Rachel had sold TV movies to Lifetime and Hallmark and because she doesn’t know when to quit, began dreaming of writing a novel. After forcing countless crew members, family, and friends to read manuscripts, Rachel came to write Absolutely True Lies. She continues to work on TV movies and plot her next move in world domination, or writing about world domination, which is more fun and a lot less work.
Links:
Book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Absolutely-True-Lies-Rachel-Stuhler/dp/147676302X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1438211874&sr=8-1&keywords=absolutely+true+lies
Book on Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/absolutely-true-lies-rachel-stuhler/1117313542?ean=9781476763026
My Website: RachelStuhler.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/RachelStuhlerauthor
Twitter: @Rachel Stuhler
