12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An engrossing, thoughtful romance, an above-average 3.5 stars, May 27, 2008
This review is from: Love on Location (Paperback)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite approaching it with a certain degree of trepidation, based on the publisher's description: I don't like love triangles, and as a rule I'm disappointed in characters who cheat on their significant others. The description also made it sound like Kate was all happy until a random encounter with an artist in Florida caused her to question everything. Thankfully, my assumptions could not have been further from the truth.
Kate is in a difficult relationship with a prima donna. It can be good, but is not very emotionally fulfilling. In the midst of this Kate must travel to Orlando to put the company making the props for her location shoot there in their place about sticking to the schedule. There she meets and is drawn to Dawn, a talented, driven individual who works for the prop company, and who is placed on her project in order to put things right. Her interactions with Dawn cause her to reexamine her life and priorities. Dawn is somewhat insecure about interacting with movie stars and famous producers, but can't help but feel their connection herself.
This author does a great job in creating sympathetic, human characters who have a psychology that is realistic. She really delves into their motivations, and provides a rich inner dialogue that allows the reader to follow them through their thoughts, providing for strong and consistent motivations that give the book some depth. I enjoyed the movie-production details provided, and also how the author didn't make any assumptions about what people may or may not know about the process: she gave plenty of detail to make it seem real, yet the plot didn't seem bogged down in it to me. Then again, I like books where characters are doing interesting things. And the back-drop of movie production was not just a gimmick here, used to create false drama that felt cliched, but instead used as an integral part of the plot, to place pressure and time constraints on the characters, and to move things along.
The ending is staged very well, and very dramatically, and is quite satisfying. Who doesn't love big moments in the rain? This is an excellent first novel. Not perfect, sometimes predictable, but the author has a good sense of pacing, and scene transitions, and character motivations, and I'll definitely check out her next book "Run to Me."
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable, easy read, July 1, 2008
This review is from: Love on Location (Paperback)
As an earlier reviewer said, based on the publisher description, I almost didn't buy this. You know the thought process -- first novel, so-so description. However, I did and I'm glad I made the decision to do so.
It was a good, easy read. It flowed smoothly, the characters consistent, with good development of the supporting characters. There were a limited number of sex scenes, good but not exceptionally explicit.
I enjoy reading books that give me insight into a life of which I know little to nothing. The internal events of making a movie were a large part of this book. It made it even more entertaining and informative for me.
Looking forward to Ms. Girolami's next effort.
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A writer to watch, May 17, 2008
This review is from: Love on Location (Paperback)
The author's insider knowledge of the Hollywood film industry is evident in this romantic tale of a high-powered movie executive's journey to find true love. A sizzling debut novel with memorable characters, vivid settings, and entertaining insights into what it really takes to make a movie. A fun read, highly recommend.
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