While I’ve been steadily reading a lot, I realized I haven’t written a book review in quite some time. At the time of my epiphany, I was in the middle of the perfect book to rectify that. I adore Denise Hunter novels, she’s one of my favorite sweet romance authors. I’ve read most of her books (I’ve enjoyed more than 25 novels from her prolific body of work!) and usually pre-order any of Hunter’s new releases. When I saw Love, Unscripted was dropping, I put it at the top of my TBR. Would her newest story live up to my expectations?
About the book:
The perfect boyfriend only exists on paper…doesn’t he?
Fresh off the heels of a bad breakup, Chloe Anderson poured her heart into penning the perfect boyfriend—and the result was an off-the-charts debut beach read that resonated with women worldwide. Now, Chloe’s scripted hero is headed for Hollywood, with her book destined to become a major motion picture.
When Chloe gets wind that silver screen bad boy Liam Hamilton has been cast as the ideal-in-every-way hero of her novel, she’s horrified by the film director’s choice. How could a player like Liam possibly do Chloe’s perfect hero justice? Unafraid to speak her mind, Chloe lets her executive producer know she’s one hundred percent opposed to the casting. And oops—the call is on speakerphone, where the annoyingly attractive Hollywood star hears Chloe’s unbridled outrage firsthand.
With Liam’s reputation already on the rocks, his agent concocts a PR plan to upgrade Liam’s image while putting the story—and the film—in the spotlight. The catch? During the movie’s filming in Chloe’s cute hometown of Stillwater, North Carolina, Chloe and Liam will fake a wholesome, committed relationship. Both stand to gain something from the arrangement. Liam’s fans will see him in a new light, while Chloe can boost her struggling social media following and further her writing career. What could possibly go wrong?
As author and actor navigate the waters of the PR relationship, they’re unprepared when their professional agreement turns into an actual friendship. And when serious sparks start to fly—well, that’s an unread chapter for both of them.
My thoughts:
Love, Unscripted was a sweet, quick read. It has all the heart I’ve come to expect from a Denise Hunter novel, balanced deftly with weightier topics such as addiction, bigamy, betrayal, and abandonment. Squeaky clean small-town girl Chloe pens a debut novel that becomes a tremendous success and is being adapted to the big screen. Her novel’s dreamy hero is the epitome of the best qualities in a boyfriend such as loyalty and steadfastness—traits not attributed to Hollywood womanizer Liam, who has been contracted to play the part of her hero Ledger in the motion picture.
Sparks—both good and bad—soon fly between the duo, and they establish an uneasy truce when they agree to a fake-dating arrangement. The agreement aims to reform Liam’s bad-boy reputation, while allowing Chloe to grow her social media platforms and gives her carte blanche in directing Liam’s approach to bringing Ledger to life onscreen. As readers of the fake-dating trope know, faking feelings for a faux beau often leads to real connection and a complicated tangle of emotions as each half of the couple grapples with being vulnerable enough to share his or her true feelings. How will this fake relationship work out for Chloe and Liam?
As usual, Hunter has created dynamic, engaging characters that readers can relate to and root for. Female main character Chloe was delightful—a fun mix of sassy and sweet with a hefty dose of Southern charm. Hollywood hunk Liam proved he had more depth than anyone gave him credit for, and I enjoyed peeling back his layers right alongside Chloe.
Both characters had deep wounds from their pasts and struggled to trust others with their hearts. Their journeys toward trust and ultimately, love, were wrought with humor, heartache, and sweet romance. I loved the chemistry between the couple, and their witty banter was flirty and fun.
The supporting cast of characters and the charming small beach town vibes made me want to pack my bags and head to the fictional town of Stillwater, NC. This light-hearted read boasted a few tropes: fake dating, celebrity dating, forced proximity, and enemies to lovers. All of these elements combined produced a satisfying story that tugged at my heartstrings and had me cheering for Chliam (IYKYK).
Your turn:
What Denise Hunter novels have you read? Have you read Love, Unscripted, or will you add it to your TBR? Do you have any other sweet small beach town stories you’d recommend?
About the Author:
Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 40 novels, three of which have been made into Hallmark movies. She has appeared on The 700 Club and been featured in Woman’s Day and Southern Living.
Denise writes heartwarming, small-town love stories, peopled with layered characters who struggle with real-life issues. Her readers enjoy the experience of falling in love vicariously through her characters and can expect a happily-ever-after sigh as they close the pages of her books.
In 1996, inspired by the death of her grandfather, Denise began her first book, writing while her children napped. Two years later it was published, and she’s been writing ever since. Her husband says he inspires all her romantic stories, but Denise insists a good imagination helps too!
When Denise isn’t orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking coffee, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are currently enjoying an empty nest.
You can learn more about Denise by visiting her FaceBook page.