Tuesday 29 October 2013

Isn't she lovely - Lauren Layne



© Bianca
LAUREN LAYNE - ISN’T SHE LOVELY
• 240 pages
• release date - 28 October - 2013
• New Adult Romance

★★★★★
5 Stars


The rules are clear—until they’re broken. Lauren Layne puts a New Adult spin on Pygmalion, also the inspiration for Pretty Woman, and gives the classic love story its edgiest twist yet.




“Who knew that pretending you’re not falling for someone would be so much more difficult than pretending that you are?”

Stephanie Kendrick gave up her whole summer to ace her NYU film school screenwriting course, so she’s pissed to be stuck with a preppy, spoiled frat boy as her writing partner. Then again, with her piercings, black-rimmed eyes, and Goth wardrobe, Stephanie isn’t exactly Ethan Price’s type, either. He’s probably got his eye on some leggy blonde with a trust fund . . . or does he?

As the summer scene kicks off in the Hamptons, Ethan is desperate to make his snobbish mother forget the pedigreed girl who broke his heart. While Stephanie’s a stretch as a decoy, the right makeover and a pastel cardigan just might do the trick. She may not love the idea of playing Ethan’s brainless Barbie girlfriend, but the free rent and luxurious digs make a tempting offer. So does the promise of a ready-made screenplay idea inspired by their charade.

But when Stephanie steps into Ethan’s privileged world, the “acting” begins to feel all too real. The kissing and touching that were intended to fool the Hamptons crowd wind up manipulating them. And Stephanie faces a question she’s too afraid to ask: Is Ethan falling for the real her or for the dolled-up princess he wants to see?






MY THOUGHTS


 Stephanie is a film student in NYC - ever since she left her hometown, and all that happened there, she hides behind this tough Goth-persona. She wears black clothes, black boots, black nail polish.
On her way to a summer screenwriting class she runs into Ethan - well, runs into - as in crashes into - Ethan. A pretty hot preppy-looking student. They start talking and insulting each other with the obvious prejudices about their looks.


As it turns out they both were headed to the same class. And, they end up as partners for the summer screenwriting project.
Ethan only took this class because he didn't want to intern at his Dad's firm again this summer - because he doesn't want to run into people who would remind him of a few horrible events he witnessed these last weeks. Like his girlfriend and his best friend having sex - with each other!

Stephanie is kind of homeless for the summer - she needs a place to stay.

She's moving in with Ethan, because they start their own little project within the school project. They decide to write their own version of the Pygmalion theme. The Pretty Woman - She's All That kind of thing where a guy 'creates' a woman he then falls in love with.


Ethan wants Stephanie to pose as his girlfriend. After he makes her get a make-over, of course. No goth on Park Avenue!
He wants his mom to stop wanting to get him back together with his ex Olivia. And he thinks Stephanie is the perfect choice, because he and she SO don't fit together. There's no danger of them falling in love for real. At least he thinks so at first, but there are lots of sparks flying between those two.


Will there be a fairy tale ending for Stephanie and Ethan? Or does he only use her to get back at his ex?

 I'm not telling you, of course ☺
I don't want to spoil your reading pleasure ☺



but YES - of course there will be a HAPPY END
____________________________________________________________


I ENJOYED THE BOOK A LOT


I REALLY LOVED IT!
I couldn't stop reading - I finished it in one afternoon.
It was sooo funny and cute and romantic and moving.
Ethan is sooo cute - he seems to be this superficial Wasp-ish Park Avenue/Hampton's boy - but he's much deeper than that. He has lots of pain stuffed deep inside and only with Stephanie he can finally start to open up.
And Stephanie - this tough goth girl ☺ She's just a cute sad and broken Cheerleader deep inside. She never talked with anybody about what happened back home. But she trusts Ethan.
Those 2 are sooo adorable together - so funny!!!

They want each other, but they know that it doesn't seem possible for such different personas to end up together... but on the way to their HEA - there are MOMENTS - pheww - sexy kissing moments ♥


The only thing I didn't like about it?? IT WAS TOO SHORT!! I would've loved to read a real full length novel with lots more details and maybe lots more erotic scenes ;) - it wasn't a novella or anything really short - but I would've loved to spend more time with Ethan and Stephanie :)

If you like fresh, sweet and funny Romances - this is the book for you!!!
GO GET IT! ☺


LINKS TO THE BOOK AND AUTHOR



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ABOUT LAUREN:
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Lauren Layne writes contemporary romance for Grand Central Publishing (Forever Yours) and Random House (Loveswept).

After dabbling in an e-commerce career in Seattle and Southern California, Lauren moved to New York City where she now writes full time.

Lauren graduated from Santa Clara University with B.S. in Political Science that she has yet to put to good use. She lives with her husband and plus-sized pomeranian in a tiny Manhattan studio.