Pretty Face (London Celebrities Book 2)

I procrastinated writing this review because I simply didn't know how to coherently express my feelings about this book. I still don't know how, though, but I'm going to try anyway. So I've mentioned this before and I'm saying it again: it isn't too early to declare this book as one of the best romance I've read this year, and it's definitely a 2017 favourite of mine. I've been consistently rereading it ever since I first finished, and I couldn't stop thinking about it.What did it for me is the characters. Lucy Parker writes amazing characters, spectacular banter, and intense chemistry. I found myself instantly charmed by Lily Lamprey, a 26 year old TV actress who dreams of making it big on the stage. I admire her attitude and her strong determination to prove herself to the world that no, she does not need to rely on her looks or so-called sexual talents to succeed. I feel so bad for her portrayal in the media; the tabloids made her out as a bit of a bimbo who sleeps with casting directors for roles, and it's just heartbreaking to see how she has to grow a thick skin to protect herself. Luc Savage is a 40 year old grouchy theatre director who captures my heart almost immediately too despite being a bit of a judgmental jerk with a sharp tongue. What can I say--I have a soft spot for grumpy men. [See: Richard Troy, Laura Florand's Mattheiu Rosier]Luc and Lily is so adorable together. Did I mention that this book has not one, not two, but three of my favourite tropes: the age gap, the forbidden romance, the hate to love? Talk about catnip! To quote myself again (LOL), I love how their relationship developed from mutual dislike to eh, I guess you're ok? to admiration to oh my god, what is this feeling in my chest?. I love how Luc easily admitted that he was wrong to judge Lily at the beginning of the book, and apologized for being wrong. I love how protective he was about Lily, and I'm a big fan of heroes who are totally smitten with their heroines and act like little boys with big crushes around them. I also died every time Luc and Lily made eye contact with, argued with, flirted with, and touched each other--I basically experienced multiple deaths in one reading. No big deal at all, nope.Also worth mentioning that Richard and Lainie also made a cameo in this one. I missed them so much I immediately reread Act Like It after I finished Pretty Face. Best moment: the scene when Richard genuinely grinned for the first time and explained why he called Lainie Tigger. Honorary shoutout to Lily's dad Jack Lamprey and Luc's parents Celie and Cam Savage for being awesome. What I'd give for a prequel bonus scene or novella about those three...hint, Lucy, hint.One of my favourite quotes: "Savages play by the rules; Lampreys get things done."In a nutshell, Lucy Parker has outdone herself with this one. I can't wait for her next book (I hope it'll be soon!). In the meantime, let me just reread this one for the umpteenth time and cry because I'm going to die alone unloved...

Pretty Face follows the contemporary romance that I hope you’ve already read, Act Like It, in Parker’s London Celebrities series and she continues to mix clever writing and emotional sincerity to gain engaging, recommendable results. Herewith the only note I took while reading, “wonderfully sarcastic”; although, I highlighted several passages, such as, “It’s a lost art, condescension. Most workplaces are so PC these days that you just don’t get patronized in quite the same way.” and “The house looked like an interplanetary prison.”Set in London’s theatre sub-culture, Pretty Face is the marriage of convenience story of a lauded and difficult director, Luc Savage, and a classical actor trapped in the body, and specifically the sex kitten voice, of a successful soap opera performer. Convinced to let Lily Lamprey audition to play Elizabeth I in the production of a new play at a theatre he owns and has renovated, Luc learns that despite her vocal challenges which are, of course, addressable, Lily is a very good actor who wants to live up to her potential and have a more serious career.[starter pistol fires]Luc and Lily are both caught off guard by their instant connection and the sense of rightness in it what they each feel. He’s older, 40, and recently out of a long-term relationship he has realised he wasn’t really all that invested in. She’s 26 and trying to get her future on the right track. A romantic entanglement (gossip) might help the box office, but the press is already setting her up for failure and sleeping with her boss is not going to help her reputation. It doesn’t matter. They belong together. Of course, they do.As Lily, Luc, and the rest of the theatre company work towards opening night, things go awry on and off stage providing professional and personal challenges, and sometimes both. It’s a deftly written, witty ride and Parker combines bright, prickly people with a sincere romanticism that works really well. The reality in romances might be heightened but when the emotions are grounded, it brings these novels to the level I think most readers hope for.Enjoyable isn’t really the right word for Parker’s portrayal of the relentless sexism that Lily puts up with in her life as a goddess often assumed to have the brain of a beetroot, but the way she endures the constant onslaught was a fantastic character detail. Women are accustomed to being patronized, Lily is used to rising above the constant disrespect that is amplified by being a public/tabloid figure with a beautiful, voluptuous appearance.Please buy this book and help make sure Lucy Parker gets to keep writing.Wait.WAIT!I lied.I did make one other note while reading: “Jesus!” when I read the description of the hero, “Luc Savage looked like Gregory Peck, circa some dapper time between Roman Holiday and To Kill a Mockingbird. There was more bulk in the shoulders, silver in the hair and darkness in the soul; otherwise, the resemblance was uncanny.” These are all very good things.

Four and a half stars.Lily Lamprey is a beautiful actress famous for playing a conniving sex-mad character in a low-brow soap opera. Her ambitions lie in being a serious actress but the scriptwriters prefer nudity and tawdry affairs to character development. In addition, Lily is cursed with Barbie-like looks and a voice like a porn star.Luc Savage is a producer of theatre plays in London's West End, he is close to finishing renovations on Queen Anne, an historic theatre that has been in the family for years. His first production in the renovated theatre will be a new play called 1553 which centres on the relationships between three future queens of England: Mary, Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey. One of his key investors is Lily's godfather, who is lobbying hard for Lily to get an audition, Luc sees a minute or two of Lily's show and is less than impressed by her appearance, her voice and her acting, rather cruelly saying:If she was as vacant as she looks on screen, she wouldn't be able to tie her own shoesBut Lily is equally as dismissive of Luc, at least in her own head,Luc Savage looked like Gregory Peck, circa some dapper time between Roman Holiday and To Kill A Mockingbird. There was more bulk in the shoulders, silver in the hair and darkness in the soul; otherwise, the resemblance was uncanny.Although Luc might be quick to judge he is also fair and when Lily comes in to audition he gives her a fair trial and, despite the voice, realises that she can act. Strangely, he also finds her sarcasm wildly attractive, but a twenty-something actress and her forty-something producer is a bit of a cliche ...I adored Act Like It and was eagerly awaiting this book (but also dreading it because ... second book syndrome). It did not disappoint. Lucy Parker writes such wonderfully witty dialogue and her characters feel so real and natural - even if their lives are far removed from ours. If you love a snarky heroine and a grumpy hero, actors and romance I thoroughly recommend this book.She had four sets of tangled fairy lights slung around her neck. They’d found Elf on TV last night and she’d come down with rapid-onset Christmas spirit.I only wish Lucy Parker could write faster!

Pretty Face is a lovely story of about Lily and Luc, a famous actress and a theatre director.As romance novels go, this one is actually quite good. Lucy Parker does dialogue incredibly well (if longwinded in certain bits) and there is a solid, believable plot. It was a nice read, with a good group of secondary characters that supported the main romance rather well.I liked the two main characters and their interactions. However, the book itself isn’t steamy, swoon-worthy (maybe that’s a good thing…), or even that romantic, but it’s a very nice and well written book. I’m probably not going to remember the story or the characters that much in a few months, but I thoroughly enjoyed spending a few hours with them and Ms Parker’s writing.

Ooh, this was an absolute delight. The romance was absolutely swoon-worthy!I picked up Pretty Face because I'd previously read Act Like It by the same author, and I didn't think it was possible, but Pretty Face is even better. If you like the West End, theatre, Downton Abbey, family drama, cantankerous but ultimately veeery attractive heroes, and heroines who are vulnerable and ambitious but ultimately very real, then you'll like Pretty Face, and you'll like Act Like It. On the basis of this book and the last, Lucy Parker's books are now an auto-buy for me; always a good sign when it comes to romance authors.

Sexier than act like it, and better too, pretty face is an adorably funny and heart warming story of a grumpy bloke with a heart of gold and a beautiful snarky woman with a core of steel.Full of nice details about London and the acting world, this is immersive romance at its best. Just the right amount of angst and so much to love. I cheered all the way through. Proper chicken soup for the soul type book.I bought the audio narration too, which was well worth it and worked seamlessly between reading and listening.

Too similar to the first book in the series, got bored halfway through.Also noticed I have an issue with this author's dialogues, always have to wonder who said the line, I might not be a native speaker but I read 2 books a week and never had this issue before.