Customer Reviews

Roxanne (Sunfire No. 15)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Rosie's mother is a very ambitious women who wants her daughter to become a famous movie star. In hopes of living a better life Laureen takes her daughter cross-country, to Hollywood from the only home she has ever known, Oklahoma. With a limited amount of money to spend they begin their journey to stardom. Besides living her long-time boyfriend Rosie must change her name. Roxanne meets a famous moviestar,Gary Marlowe, who has a good eye for talent and also for beautiful women. She meets John Randolh, the famous movie producer's son and he falls in love with her and gives her her first big break, but Roxanne has fallen in love with Gary (tear jerker) which seems hopeless. Will she follow her heart to someone who doesn't seem to want her or to someone who already loves her.

Out of all the sunfire books that I have read This one is in my top two. As you watch rosie grow up in the show biz you start to love the characters with her. I give it two thumbs up!

This is my fave of all the Sunfire books!! Loved reading about old Hollywood and I just loved both the guys Roxanne had to choose from. I loved who she got together with at the end!

Series review:

The Sunfire Romances are an interesting specimen of books, especially if read from a feminist point of view. There are several rules in place for the construction of a Sunfire book: the protagonist is a young woman, who celebrates her sixteenth birthday during the course of the story. She lives in a turbulent period of time in American history (examples include the World Wars, the American Civil War, the Salem Witch Hunts, etc) and during the course of the story is approached by two handsome and appealing suitors, forming complicated love-triangles. At the end of the story she has reached maturity and found happiness in the arms of the man best suited to her.

These books sound older than they actually are; they were in fact published for the first time in the 1980's, well after the feminist revolution. Therefore it is refreshing to find that these young girls' stories are not solely defined by their quest to find `true love'; often the social conditions and hardships of life take centre stage as the protagonist struggles against moral decisions and the backdrop of the historical crisis going on around her. And although the stories *do* usually end with a kiss, it is always the young heroine's decision as to which beau she will eventually spend her life with. As such, the Sunfire romances are a delicate blend of feminism and femininity: the girls are all domesticated and beautiful; and yet are never reduced to mere prizes to be won by the most worthy suitor.

Book review:

Set in 1938 during the Great Depression, Rosie Wilson is simply concerned with getting a job and marrying her childhood sweetheart. Her mother, on the other hand, has different plans: to take them both to Hollywood in order to make Rosie a star. Breaking up an almost-engagement with her small town boyfriend, changing her name to Roxanne, and letting herself be dragged to Hollywood is just the beginning of Roxanne's story as she tries to make it in Tinsel-town.

On the way, she becomes acquainted with two possible love interests: John Randolph, the nice-natured and eager son of a film producer, who is attempting to go against his father's wishes and become a director, and Gary Marlowe, a talented actor from a famous family. Roxanne struggles against day-to-day living in the city, the competition in the studies, the embarrassment of rejection, and finally the burden of stardom. On top of that, is her relationship to not two, but three young men: her boyfriend Henry, left back in Okalahoma, John, who falls in love with her, and Gary, who is charming and handsome, but a bit of a cad.

This is not one of the best Sunfire Romances, not because of the quality of writing or storytelling, but because of some rather dubious plot-points that mark Roxanne's development. Jane Claypool Miner does a good job in making Roxanne's climb to success as difficult as possible: she starts out her life in Hollywood as a waitress, she finds acting work only to find that her scenes are cut, the first film she stars in is a flop, and so on. Quite often, it feels like Roxanne takes one step forward, two steps back. However, since this is a Sunfire book, it's inevitable that she'll eventually be discovered. The problem is that when this happens, her big break-through all comes down to sheer dumb luck.

She's discovered by chance, by one of her love interests who signs her a deal with his father's studio. Later, her second big break is due to her other love interest, whom she asks for a favour. Minor covers this "cheat" in the story by pointing out that success in Hollywood all comes down to luck - which is probably more true than most Hollywood hopefuls would like to admit. Yet in a series of books meant to be about female-empowerment, Roxanne is certainly more passive than other heroines when it comes to the crucial, life-changing moment in her life.

It also doesn't help that Roxanne and her mother Laureen (an irritating stage-mother of the worst kind, who eventually does more to damage, rather than help, her daughter's career) are quite superficial. No one can doubt Roxanne's determination and practicality, but often the narrative drifts into lengthy descriptions of Roxanne's clothing, household, salary, transportation and hiring of a "Mexican maid."

Lastly, this is the only Sunfire book I've ever read in which the heroine very clearly ends up with the wrong guy! One is earnest, hardworking and in love with her, the other comes across as rude, spoilt and who has a different girl on his arm every night - sometimes more than one! Despite his good looks (which are often at the forefront of Roxanne's mind when she thinks about him) I couldn't see anything particularly appealing about him. At the conclusion of the story, all I could do was shrug and think: "Hollywood couples never last anyway..."

There is a nice amount of back-ground detail here concerning Hollywood in the 1930s, but I would suggest giving this particular installment a miss.

that book was a truely amazing novel it gave young readers a chance to experience romance it is perfect for young girls from ages 13 and uo it was one the books that me turning to Harliquin romance novels as i got older this such a discriptive book that it made you feel like you were right there and now days there not to many books that can do that from the first time a read it hooked me

This is a truly marvelous story sure to enchant anyone who enjoys a spirited romance. It is a keeper.

This was the best Sunfire Romance book I have read! Roxanne is a teenage girl who, by the urging of her bossy mother, goes to live in California, leaving behind her long-time boyfriend, Henry. In California, she meets Gary Marlowe, a handsome and very famous movie star who she thinks is a little bit rude to her and her mom, and also John, who becomes one of her closest friends. Who will she choose?? I loved this book and had a very hard time putting it down. This book truly deserves five stars.

This book gives an accurate history of the beginning of movie "stars." It also tells a romantic tale that intrigues young girls. All of the Sunfire books tell history in an interesting manner, but this was my favorite.

I hated this book! It was the only Sunfire book I didn't like! It was soooo boring and lame! I couldn't stand this book!