6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Disappointed, August 9, 2007
This review is from: American Diva (Thrillseekers Anonymous, Book 3) (Paperback)
I really wanted to like this book, as I enjoyed the first two books in this series, but American Diva was just a frustrating read. This story is about Audrey, an ultra-famous pop singer of 28, and Jack, an ex-military, pilot and stunt person for Thrill Seekers Anonymous. Jack gets hired to provide security after she gets a few threatening letters.
First let me say that I think Julia London is a very talented writer, but as I have come to know her stories are either a "Hit" or "Miss". And her misses can almost always be boiled down to the same fundamental problem: the story focuses on characters who you simply don't like or care about. This is the problem with American Diva.
In American Diva, *ALL* of the secondary characters are jerks. Her co-workers, boyfriend, and entire family are all horrible people with no redeeming qualities. None of the subplot stories were fun, entertaining, or enjoyable. The story also includes a bad guy, and we know from the beginning who he is, so it was just a subplot to keep Jack and Audrey together. When the bad guy gets caught, it was very anti-climatic. To make this book worse, the heroine Audrey is not very likable. She is a diva, and acts horribly through most of the book. She is either a raging *itch without apology, or a complete doormat getting walked all over. She has a few normal moments with Jack, but in most of their very short and totally unrealistic relationship she is awful to him. She makes a few "TSTL" decisions that frustrated me to know end. Jack was the best part of the book, but truthful he is the same guy from so many other romance novels. His character is so cookie cutter, i.e...tall, built, dark hair, blue eyes, handsome as sin, treats his woman like gold, and can perform in bed like stud he thinks he is. I wont even get into how I didn't like the ending, but just know it has a strange conclusion that did not leave my heart melting. It left me scratching my head thinking "huh, that's it?!"
Given all of this, I would highly recommend you read the first book in the series "Wedding Survivor" as it was great. The follow up "Extreme Bachelor" wasn't as good, but it was a likable story. But skip this one.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Diva and doormat, October 9, 2007
This review is from: American Diva (Thrillseekers Anonymous, Book 3) (Paperback)
Thrillseeker Jack Price supplements his nest egg that will enable him to open his own flight school by taking a protection assignment for a popular singer who is being stalked. Alternative folk-rock musician Audrey LaRue chucked her music style at the urging of her manager boyfriend Lucas to play soulless bubble gum pop. Riding on her coattails of fame, Lucas will do anything to get them into the spotlight, even tipping off paparazzi as to her whereabouts. He hires Jack to oversee Audrey's security, but soon the attraction between singer and bodyguard is hard for the two to resist, particularly since she and Lucas have drifted apart the last couple years. Audrey surrounds herself around people who don't seem to have her best interests at heart - she is just a means to their ends. Even Audrey's family - ever the bloodsuckers - they see Audrey as their own personal Monopoly bank. Can she turn her back on Team Audrey so she can control her own career and make a life with the man she loves?
London's latest Thrillseekers Anonymous novel is probably her most melancholy, missing most of the humor that made "Wedding Survivor" so good. Audrey is both a doormat and a diva who's really just an insecure singer caught up in a maelstrom she's not sure she even wants. Jack exudes confidence as he pursues a woman guaranteed to break his heart and trades barbs with best pal Michael. Most of the secondary characters are pretty nasty, particularly her mother and personal assistant Courtney, making readers wonder why she hasn't cleaned house and taken control of her own destiny. My biggest gripe though is that this was released as a trade paperback, making it twice the price of the rest of the series.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Page Turner, August 11, 2007
This review is from: American Diva (Thrillseekers Anonymous, Book 3) (Paperback)
I loved AMERICAN DIVA! I thought the struggles that Audrey faced were very real. I can imagine not being able to just dismiss a guy you've known for years and who helped you reach stardom because you have fallen for a 'hottie'. I didn't like Lucas because he was a leech and used her to further his own career, but I thought Audrey needed Jack to open her eyes. Eventhough she loved Jack, she had to be true to herself for once and grow out of being dependent on others and giving in to their pressures. The bad guy was secondary and was only a means for Jack and Audrey to meet. London gave such vivid descriptions in this novel as all her novels. I could experience how Audrey and Jack felt about her blood sucking family. There were some parts that made me laugh out loud. For example, when Jack said that her family was like the making of a Jerry Springer family. The love scenes were fantastic. London gave a very insightful foray into the world of superstardom. I thought it was very believable and interesting. I admired the way Jack gave her time to come to her own decision because he realized what a tough choice she had to make. Reading this novel was like watching a great movie. London knows how to tell a story. I must agree that the ending was sort of abrupt, but it didn't take away from the story. I also love the fact that London writes both historical and contemporary. She hasn't abandoned the genre that put her on the map. I just recently discovered her through her historicals because my other favorite historical authors have started writing crime/mystery genres. London is good with both genres. I had to go back and buy all of her novels. DEVIL'S LOVE and WICKED ANGEL are must reads. The THRILLSEEKERS series is great. All of the guys are hotties.
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