The Last Hollywood Romance: A Novel [Hardcover]

Beverly Bloomberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

Los Angeles Times Best Seller List

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Welcome to the slapstick world of sitcom television, where foul-mouthed, ambitious 28-year-old Emmaline Goldman Grosvenor is partnered with sad-sack gag writer Bud Goodman, 48, to punch up the scripts for an insipid hit sitcom called Life with Lucky. Emmaline, who formerly scripted a critically acclaimed show, isn't sure she wants to be on this team, and it seems unlikely to Bud that the partnership will work out, but then they start thinking on the same wavelength, reading each other's minds, and the stage is set for romance and an endless series of tepid jokes. Former TV writer Bloomberg's debut romantic comedy features chapters in which Bud and Emmaline alternately take up the narration, but the "he said/she said" format, rather than illuminating both sides, merely serves up the same material twice. Populated mostly with stock charactersAthe spoiled star, the paranoid director, etc.Athe novel's one overtly unconventional character is the production mogul who has cerebral palsy. While the author clearly intends to portray the disabled producer who becomes a powerhouse as surprising, stereotype smashing and satirical, she merely succeeds in making this character pitiful and boorish. Worst of all, while Bud's cornball jokes may be what Emmaline loves about him, they're nearly unendurable, his shtick consisting chiefly of borscht belt humor gone past its prime. These characters may be sitcom writers, but all the laughter is canned. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Young, sassy, chain-smoking, tenderhearted Emmaline is hired by Mike, a hotshot television producer, to write for his popular if mediocre sitcom. Assigned to work with Em is dependable, middle-aged Bud, who has collaborated with two-faced Mike for years but is terrified of Em because she is an accomplished kick-ass female writer. Em's sarcastic disposition at work is fueled by petulant actors, a paranoid casting director, and a m lange of sorry, worn-out writers. Em and Bud join forces to write a new show for Mike and become pawns in a network political game that takes no prisoners. An experienced writer for many popular television shows, Bloomberg captures the essence of the mercurial and melodramatic show biz world and forges a first novel that is spiced with romance, comedy, and unforgettable characters. Recommended for all popular fiction collections.DMary Ellen Elsbernd, Northern Kentucky Univ., Highland Heights
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Bridgeworks; 1st edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1882593367
• ISBN-13: 978-1882593361
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,380,163 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The Player" meets "Beggers And Choosers" -- great novel!, September 7, 2000

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Last Hollywood Romance: A Novel (Hardcover)

Veteran television writer Beverly Bloomberg's The Last Hollywood Romance is an original and witty satire of television sitcoms. This irreverent story of love and showbiz features producers, writers and stars all seeking to out-manipulate one another. the banter is political incorrect, the language earthy, the intrigue and hypocrisy pervasive, all reflecting the Hollywood reality as can only be told by a true insider. If you like television series like "Beggars And Choosers", or Hollywood films like "The Player", you will love reading Beverly Bloomberg's novel, The Last Hollywood Romance.

3.0 out of 5 stars interesting but no chemistry, June 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Last Hollywood Romance: A Novel (Hardcover)

the best thing about this story is the peek into the tv business. I don't doubt the author has faced some of the complex politics and back-stabbing in her career as a sitcom writer. The romance, however, reads like a dull sitcom. corny jokes you can't help but laugh at, flawed characters you can't help but like. but i found myself not really caring whether the leads got together or not. more interested in whether they got to write for a good show. maybe i was looking for a bit more fantasy.

4.0 out of 5 stars Inside Hollywood, June 10, 2001

By 

Jill Clardy "So many books, so little time...." (Redwood City, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Last Hollywood Romance: A Novel (Hardcover)

What a funny, little book! The characters are writers for a TV Sitcom, "Life with Lucky", and the story is about their bizarre, dysfunctional behavior. They vie for position, spread gossip and rumors about each other, "do lunch" at all times of the day, endlessly rewrite scripts, redecorate their offices, go to parties, and seem to spend very little time actually writing.

Emmaline is the newest writer on the show, and she is assigned to work and share an office with Bud, and guess what? They hit it off, start sleeping together, and actually WRITE together!

Bloomberg's writing style is uncluttered and spare, irreverent but effective. The chapter titles are amusing, such as Chapter 32 "The earth moved, and now I can't find a thing." The chapters are short and brisk, and the voice alternates between Emmaline and Bud. Girl meets boy, girl sleeps with boy, girl falls in love with boy...all in 230 pages; hey, I just got it the book is a sitcom!