My Not So Super Sweet Life by Rachel Harris #BlogTour #Excerpt #BookReview #Giveaway
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Author: Rachel Harris
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pub. Date: April 21, 2014
Pages: 250
Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy.
Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.
As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.
Well, and the stalkerazzi.
“Holy red carpet, Batman,” I mutter, pressing my face against the tinted black window. We’re a block away from the theater, and the crowd is already staggering. Flashes light up in the distance, the noise is deafening even from in here, and all I want to do is head back home to the safety of flannel pajamas. This isn’t my first rodeo. I grew up going to premieres with Dad. But I don’t remember it ever looking this crazy.
Caterina jostles my knee, and I turn to see her dazzling smile directed at me. “This is exciting, right? I knew it would be huge, but I think the fans came out in droves.” She laughs lightly, like she has a secret. She notices me looking and leans in. “Ryan Seacrest had me on his show this morning. I was there doing general promo, you know, discussing what I have in the works, and I happened to mention the three of us were coming tonight. You should’ve seen the phone lines light up. The listeners went berserk!”
A rock settles in my gut, and my face must fall because her fluorescent smile dims.
“You don’t mind, do you? I figured our attendance could create a little extra buzz for Marlena.”
Marlena Adams is the world-famous director of the film, and Mom’s good friend. They’ve done several movies and frequently show up together at events like this.
Is it weird that I’m jealous of an almost middle-aged woman?
“Of course I don’t mind.” I glance at Ransom, sitting across from me in his black tuxedo. He’s rocked it out as much as possible—black on black, top two buttons undone, sunglasses hanging from his lapel. But watching his guitar pick seamlessly flow from one knuckle to the next, I can tell he’s as jazzed about this public foray as I am. “We’re glad to help.”
Rance snorts under his breath. We still haven’t gotten a chance to talk, really talk without Caterina or camera-toting vermin listening in, but it’s on my to-do list tonight. He’s the one person out of all of this that may just understand. He’s in the muck of it as much as I am. And the more time we spend together, the more this feeling of connection grows. Not the same kind I felt when I first saw Lucas, as if the universe was pointing in flashing neon, saying, “Look here! This guy is for you.” This feeling is gentler, easier. But no less real.
Caterina releases a relieved breath. “Good, I’m glad. I know this scene can be crazy at times. Living in a fish bowl. But it’s really not all that bad.” Reaching over, she takes my hand in hers. “Just be yourself out there, and you’ll be fabulous. You’re a natural, and they are going to love you.”
It’s as close as my mom has ever come to telling me the L word. A well of emotion builds in my sinuses, and I’m this close to ruining my makeup. I squeeze her hand, a wide smile breaking across my face, and say, “Thanks, Mom.”
Her answering wink is so full of life and affection, I want to capture it on canvas and stare at it forever.
Then the limo rolls to a stop, and she tugs her phone out of her clutch. We’re behind a few cars, but that doesn’t stop the crowd from noticing us. As Caterina chats with whoever is on the other end—a publicist, manager, or one of her many minions—the attention starts. First, just a few heads turn. Then a dozen more. Questions come flying at our closed door, flashes go off, and I throw myself back into my seat.
Logically, I know they can’t see me through the tinted windows…but try telling that to my skyrocketing pulse.
My stomach locks, my heart is in my throat.
Where the heck’s a brown paper bag when you need one?
Resorting to the techniques they teach pregnant women in movies, I breathe through clenched teeth and pursed lips. “He, he, hooooo. He, he, hooooo.”
I feel like an idiot. I have no clue if it’s helping or not. But at least I’m no longer focused on the terrifying crowd. That’s a plus.
“He, he, hoooo.”
A negative would be Mom craning a dark eyebrow in my direction like I’m a wacko, but she just pats me on the knee and continues talking on her phone, as I continue breathing.
Rance scrunches his nose. “You all right there?”
I nod through the exhale. “Peachy.”
We get two perspectives in MNSSSL, both Cat and Lucas. I liked that we get to be in Lucas’s head for this one. I was sad that Alessandra and Austin although present have smaller roles. I kind of missed them I admit. I also missed Reyna but she’s gone but not well gone don’t worry you get her taste of her in this book.
Cat has some issues still that were not fully resolved in the first book. Although she grew and learn to become more open. Which meant including Jenna in her life and letting Alessandra and Lucas past her walls. She’s definitely got some unfinished issues with her mom. When Cat’s mom shows up again she has to take a big risk in order to get the chance to have her mom back or finally put the nail in that coffin.
One thing I really liked about the mom issues is how everyone else couldn’t really understand. Jenna, Alessandra and even Lucas wanted her to stay away from the crazy. Expected Cat to deal with the situation by sending her mom off and saying don’t come back. I felt that was more realistic and the fact that Cat had to deal with people might not understand why she wanted to reconnect with her mom. It’s easy to say that as an outside source but not so easy as the person dealing with it.
Something that bothered me about Cat was that she was so wrapped up in our own issues she was kind of missing out on things with Lucas. He finally confronts his dad about soccer, his brothers death and has to deal with the possibility of moving that always seems to be looming over their heads. Of course there were times that I was frustrated with Lucas for not understanding why Cat wants that mom connection even though it might not pan out. All part of the relationship learning curve.
The book has a good dynamic amongst it’s characters and a fun little surprise that I won’t spoil for you. Even though Reyna is not present that doesn’t mean the stars are not still at work.
I love this series and My Not So Super Sweet Life is a great addition. I walked away with a smile on my face per usual.
As a teen, Rachel Harris threw raging parties that shook her parents’ walls and created embarrassing fodder for future YA novels. As an adult, she reads and writes obsessively, rehashes said embarrassing fodder, and dreams up characters who become her own grown up version of imaginary friends.
She grew up in New Orleans, watching soap operas with her grandmother and staying up late sneak reading her mam's favorite romance novels. Now a Cajun cowgirl living in Houston, she still stays up too late reading her favorite romances, only now, she can do so openly. She firmly believes life's problems can be solved with a hot, powdered-sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations.
She homeschools her two beautiful girls and loves watching reality television with her amazing husband. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult Fun, Flirty Escapes, and LOVES talking with readers!
Tour Schedule:Week One:4/21/2014- Jenna Does Books- Review4/21/2014- Coffee, Books and Me- Interview4/22/2014- Meredith & Jennifer's Musing- Review4/22/2014- Vi3tbabe- Excerpt4/23/2014- Pandora's Books- Review4/23/2014- Stuck In Books- Guest Post4/24/2014- The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club- Review4/24/2014- Library of a Book Witch- Excerpt4/25/2014- Every Free Chance Book Reviews- Review4/25/2014- Book Loving Mom- ExcerptWeek Two:4/28/2014- The Book Belles- Review4/28/2014- Mercurial Musings- Excerpt4/29/2014- Mundie Moms- Review4/29/2014- The Cover Contessa- Guest Post4/30/2014- Book Angel Booktopia- Review4/30/2014- Swoony Boys Podcast- Interview5/1/2014- Bookaholics Anonymous- Review5/1/2014- TSK TSK What to Read- Excerpt5/2/2014- Once upon a twilight- Review5/2/2014- Fantasy Book Addict- Guest Post
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