Reel: Hollywood Renaissance, Book 1

Reel was an incredible, moving and memorable story. I never know what I’ll get from Kennedy Ryan and it’s also why I continue to read her books. I’m never bored, always challenged and feels enlightened when I’ve finished.That’s exactly how I felt when I reached the final page of REEL.This book is a beautiful piece of art. It’s two stories in one. The main one features the director Canon and the actress Neevah and the second story is the biopic they’re creating about Dessie Blue.Canon and Neevah was a joy to follow and to experience. A courtship they try to hide and it was beautifully explored. These two had chemistry in spades. An immediate and intense connection which made the rules , especially Canon wanted to abide, seem insignificant. The obstacles they will face turned out not only to be personal but also life changing.The story of Dessie Blue captures all the important topics in the 1930’s and decades later. Especially the struggles that people of color faced in America. Ryan has done her work flawlessly and it made Reel shine. All from the historical elements of the biopic of Dessie Blue, the works of the film industry  to battling a chronic illness. All executed to perfection.Reel has numerous interesting and intriguing characters beside Canon and Neevah. I became obsessed with them all and I’m very excited I’ll be able to explore this world more in the future. This was a fantastic and life affirming story.5 Shining Light Stars

I’m still bleary eyed from staying up most of the night to read this latest masterpiece by Ms. Ryan. If you’ve read any of my reviews of her books then you know my reading experience with her words. They’re truly ones that I sink myself into body and soul and with this newest book, Reel has changed me as a reader, but more importantly as a woman. You may ask yourself how this is possible. Well, let me tell you, there is something about every word that Ms. Ryan writes that makes me think about who I am and what and where my life is at this moment in time. Her words are gripping, powerful, sensual and yes, transformative.Neevah and Canon are a couple that are brought together as a director and a star of his latest movie. This is Neevah’s introduction to the world and this girl is meant to tell stories. She’s given the chance of a lifetime when Canon sees her on Broadway when she steps in as the understudy and she packs a powerful punch to Canon’s world….“If she were a room, all the windows and doors would be flung open. There is an unboundedness to her, even as she exhibits the restraint of craft.”The movie that Canon has brought into Neevah’s life is one that needs to be told. There’s so much more to the story of Dessie Blue than meets the eye! It’s sweeping and filled with music, turmoil, emotions, and an unexpected love story. Just like the building relationship of Canon and Neevah. Their connection is undeniable. I could feel it radiating off the pages. There are definite hurdles for this couple though. The least of which is Canon’s history. This man though, is captivated by his leading lady. She’s beautiful inside and out and has a talent that leaps off the camera.While we’re watching this movie unfold and getting tidbits of Dessie seemingly in Dessie’s voice, there are things in Neevah’s past that affect her present and potentially her future. One thing that seems certain though is the love that Canon and Neevah are building with each other. Their passion is staggering in its explosiveness. There are moments that are torturously slow and others where it’s frenetic but it’s always with the depth of love they have for each other.“We would run wild through fire. I’d be mindless, my hands everywhere and our clothes flung to far corners. I’d trap her against a wall with my body and beg her to bite me, to break the skin.”There’s so much to this story and everything I could continue to say wouldn’t touch the beauty and importance of this book. As with her previous books, Ms. Kennedy has done an extensive amount of research when it comes to the topics in this book. This is only one of the many reasons that there is no book that she’ll write that I won’t read. She not only gives us love stories but also history lessons about people and topics that are deserving of being told and have been forgotten or overlooked by others. There’s also healing and forgiveness in this book and these moments in particular brought tears to my eyes. When I reached the end of this book, I was a little sad because I’m not ready to give up this world that Ms. Kennedy has created. Thankfully, I’ll be able to immerse myself again this year as other stories are played out on the pages of my kindle!

I loved being in this world. Kennedy Ryan gives us a different feel with REEL. Different than her other books.Quote ~ "We aren't usually one hundred percent right or informed on anything"This story is big. Bigger than what's within the pages. With potent passion in every page.There's a story within the story, the story being told by the movie they are filming is an inspiring story in itself. Love it!These characters and the story have so many layers and one of them was really close to home. My heart ached from pain and then it cried of happiness.~ ~ "Forgiving is harder than forgetting. Forgetting would be the oblivion of never knowing how you hurt me.Forgiving is accepting you hurt me, deciding that I'm going to keep loving you anyway."Our heroine Neevah is beautiful and strong. A part of her journey was raw for me and I felt it deeply. I felt some of her pain. I understood her decisions, choices and her struggle resonated with me.~ ~ That first taste of unconditional love and acceptance--we should feed it to our own souls."This will touch hearts in many different ways. Mine was definitely touched and I finished with tears rolling down.Before I go.... Canon ❤ gaaaah!!!!! He is perfect. He is sexy. He is the man 😭His love is all in with all his heart.~ ~ "Every day that ends with me still breathing has ended well..."

Kennedy Ryan has once again produced a special story with characters who I absolutely fell in love with.Hollywood glamour is richly laced with a deeply emotional story and stamped with an outrageous dose of Kennedy Ryan’s writing genius. She interweaves a serious topic whilst ensuring an emotive love story is at the heart of the novel. Evocative and unique. A beautiful romance with flawless layers and depth. Kennedy Ryan puts her heart, soul, and deepest thoughts into everything she produces which is why I think her writing and stories continue to be ground breaking, unique and often strike a thought-provoking chord in the heart of her readers. 'REEL,' surpasses all of the afore mentioned showcasing her writing quality and brilliance to perfection being perhaps, her most ambitious work to date, and she totally conquers her ambition. The quality of writing in terms of characterization, plot development, the topics explored, and the depth of feeling that she evokes is pure writing gold.From very early on, the opening scenes in fact, I could tell it was going to be a very special reading encounter. So many layers are in this melting pot of a story, layers that all bubble together to provide a unique and emotional story with characters who are beautiful people independently and even more beautiful when they come together. The main protagonists have a substantial history to the backdrop of their lives, a history that has shaped their personas, human response and ultimately this story.The first-person narrative which is written from the dual perspective of both the hero and heroine, Canon Holt and Neevah Saint is peppered with scenes from a third very important character. Within the make-up of REEL is the creation of a biopic about Dessi Blue and the way Kennedy entwines this into the narrative is just brilliant and seamless. Snippets of Dessi’s life are weaved effortlessly into the tapestry of the main protagonist’s love story. This third character and the historical context of her life felt so real to me that, despite her being a fictional character, I found myself considering googling the name Dessi Blue, a testament to the research, thought and power of KR’s writing. I want to just add that although I have mentioned a historical element to the novel, this story and the main crux of it is contemporary romance with a whole heap of substance.As I said at the top of my review thoughts, I completely fell in love with the characters of REEL. It is a full-bodied glorious romance. It made me swoon, and smile (I even laughed a little) and feel so much, it is heart stopping in places, swoony in others, very romantic and highly emotional. This author injects so much personality into her art. This story world is just so brilliant and I cannot wait for the next story of the Hollywood Renaissance. A special story world that I highly recommend!‘Reel,’ has also been released as an audio novel and it is absolutely gorgeous. ♡ The dual narration plus a third narrator is such a treat and adds an extra layer to a story that is already so special to read. I recommend whisper syncing or an audio credit ♡

Reel 🎥I’m absolutely in awe of Kennedy, she blows me away each and every time!This book sure left me Reeling, so many emotions, truly an all-the-feels read..... very poignant. This is an amazing story, with many layers and levels…..Truly Epic!What a tremendous love story we have been given.Nothing in life ever comes easy....this sure didn’t!From the off you fall in love with Neevah and Canon. Both go into this with heartbreak in their past. Both have put up walls to protect themselves. But when their paths cross the pull is something neither of them can ignore, try as they might, being professionals needs to be a priority, however priority’s change, especially when the health of that loved one is suddenly a riskI didn’t think anything could come close to Maxim and Lennix for a love story, but this absolutely does. A story within a story: Neevah and Canon what a love story that is. Then we have Dessi’s story. On their own they would have been brilliant, but together, extraordinary!Kennedy threw everything at us here and I think I’ve just about survived.So many passages highlighted for heartwarming and heartbreaking dialogue!You are just another level Kennedy! ❤️

“I can’t remember a time in my life where I felt like this. This happy. This satisfied. This starved. This possessive. Every emotion seems to be exaggerated with Neevah.”Firstly, the cover for this book is honestly the most beautiful one ever. I could stare at it forever. It is stunning.Secondly, I really do wish I could have loved the story as much as I did the cover. But I definitely struggled.Honestly? I struggled with Canon the most. I get he's reserved or anti social or whatever label is on it but he comes across as cold and unreachable and that's difficult to connect with while reading, for me personally anyway, and he comes across as unnecessarily rude at times honestly. There's tiny glimpses where you see that warmth in him but hardly ever. Even with him having his own POV.I really liked Neevah. I liked how she was unafraid of what she wanted. I adored her friendship with Takira. However, her attraction to Canon from the beginning was a bit intense for me. They barely know each other or interact and there's this intense staring at one another (because they feel like they shouldn't be attracted to one another but they are) and because of this it feels like we miss out on an authentic build up to their connection. Also this possessive thing she had going on felt misplaced to me? Like it felt like it didn't quite match Neevah. It felt mean to me. I love jealousy in books but I prefer mine the silly grumpy kind. Not this kind. It turns me off the book & characters big time. Also also, in the beginning Neevah after the betrayal by a boyfriend is like "I will NEVER allow myself to sacrifice my career for some guy" *Canon enters* "I don't care if this ruins me! I'm obsessed with you" lol that didn't take long ma'am. One more thing I totally got Neevah's anger towards her sister. I personally think it's justified. But as grown adults them arguing about the other one being the pretty one that everyone wanted felt strange to me, like I was watching a teen drama. But I know people hold onto things in different ways.Another thing this book falls into which is something I absolutely hate in books is the MC being of the "you're not like the others" kind. Like, in the beginning there's a character who is star struck by Canon and like everyone else is simply talking to him and they act like she's literally crawling to get to him. But when Neevah is starstruck and clearly crushing on Canon herself, it's ok because she's different and clearly not looking for something like the others. Ugh. I hate it so much in books.One other thing the book kinda fell into which had me side eyeing it is, it tries at times to be all"it's not about beauty, it's not about surface superficial stuff." But for me it never quite got away from that truly. No doubt about it Canon and Neevah are fire together. And Kennedy Ryan can write them intimate scenes real good. But. There's a particular scene... For context Neevah battles chronic illness and it impacts her skin and hair. So this scene is her being vulnerable. It's about how she feels in her body, yes, but it felt deeper than that to me so she challenges Canon on why he's even with her but it just turns into a "what? Can you not see how hard I am??!" and I dunno I just... I think it felt weird. The scene could have went in a different more meaningful way.I could appreciate what Canon and Neevah were. But truthfully no matter how hard I tried I couldn't emotionally connect with their relationship and once I can't do that then I have a disconnect with the story altogether. I struggled with chunks of this story. It just felt like the sentimental part of their connection wasn't explored and felt more physical attraction alone to me.However, I love this for what it was:Unapologetically celebrating Black love and Black history and Black stories. I was obsessed with the Dessi Blue chapters. Completely. I expected this book to be more flowery and it wasn't. Kennedy Ryan can write a layered story and that's no lie. I appreciated the exploration of chronic illness and finding love too, challenging the narratives that we tell ourselves or that society tells us. Also the secondary characters? Helllllo. Monk and Verityand especially after Monk with that shade he threw. Please. I need to know what's going on there. Takira. Linh. Even Camille (I think she was thrown under the bus for a convenient gold digging type of thing. Even though I appreciate the conversation her and Canon have eventually).There is a lot of good here but the emotional connection wasn't there enough for me to connect with and it felt very surface level and the book was a tad too long. The first ten percent and the last thirty percent are where I really enjoyed it though.

The book was very well crafted and the emotions jumped from the pages. The characters were well developed as well as their relationships. The relationship between sisters was indeed complicated and I can see why they would reconcile in the end, however despite everything I believe that their bond is irreparably fractured. They can be friendly and civil but never again confidantes.I felt let down by the ending though. We lived with Dessi Blue and the movie for all these pages and we didn’t get to see the final product and the public reception. I feel cheated hence the 4 stars.

I love how this story showed you the mid 20th century and today. It’s funny because whilst there’s been a lot of progress, the underlying issues have not been tackled and until they are we will always have these problems. Canon and Neevah were adorable together but I wish we had a bit more of an epilogue, although I know that Kennedy ryan likes to email them out so hopefully it has more of the relationship “ending” that I’m looking forAnyway, I’m super excited for the next book already