STAR CROSSED by Rhonda Laurel is an entertaining, quick read that will leave you grateful you don't work in an industry "where personal lives are public information," but it really needs a better title. Definitely add this novella to your summer reading list. I give it 4 stars.
In STAR CROSSED, music mogul Kate Garrison is trying to divorce her cheating husband, Jack, who is directing a film starring Hollywood hunk Chris Cavanaugh. One evening, while out with her girlfriends, Kate has to use the men's restroom because the women's is out of order, and who does she run into but Chris Cavanaugh. Add some drugs and paparazzi, and Kate and Chris have to act as if they were having a lovers' quarrel to get out of the restroom unscathed. When Chris later suggests that they perpetuate the belief that they are a couple, Kate agrees, but both of them end up getting more than they bargained for.
I really enjoyed STAR CROSSED, but from the outset, it was obvious that the title did not adequately reflect the drama within the novella. The term "star crossed" refers to Romeo and Juliet, the original pair of lovers from enemy families who end up dying for their love. In this book, there is little resembling Romeo and Juliet's predicament. There certainly is no double suicide in the end, and there are no warring factions, unless you consider Kate and her soon-to-be ex-husband at war. "The Queen of Hollywood" might have been a better title as the book focuses more on Kate's life.
I liked the development of Kate and Chris' relationship, even though it doesn't follow the traditional sequence of events. What I liked was that they became friends while playing house for the paparazzi. The growth of their real relationship was illustrated by their conversations and care and concern shown for one another. The reader can easily see why Chris and Kate are well-suited. I would have liked to see more of their down time, more of Chris' atypical Hollywood hunk qualities. This novella could easily have been made into a full length novel with some expansion of those aspects of the book, as well as some more interaction with their families, and perhaps some added drama with minor character Henry Weismann.
On a technical note, both the pacing and editing were good. No pesky issues to distract the reader. Given the content, I'd give STAR CROSSED a heat level rating of 2, appropriate for those 16 years of age and older. Add it to your summer reading list and you won't be disappointed.
