Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up? by Sara Hantz #BookReview #Giveaway

WILL THE REAL ABI SAUNDERS PLEASE STAND UP
Author: Sara Hantz
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance

Abi Saunders might be a kickboxing champion, but when it comes to being the center of attention, she’d rather take a roundhouse kick to the solar plexus any day. So when her trainer convinces her to audition to be the stunt double for hot teen starlet Tilly Watson, Abi is shocked—and a little freaked out—when she gets the job.

Being a stunt double is overwhelming, but once the wig and makeup are on, Abi feels like a different person. Tilly Watson, to be exact. And when Tilly’s gorgeous boyfriend, Jon, mistakes Abi for the real star, Abi's completely smitten. In fact, she’s so in love with her new life, it isn’t long before she doesn’t have time for her old one.

But when the cameras are turned off, will she discover running with the Hollywood A-list isn’t quite the glamorous existence she thought it was?

Abi is an interesting character. I wouldn’t necessarily say I bonded with her but I liked her all the same. She changes so much in the book and there is a long stretch where I don’t even like her that much but it makes sense. She starts off as someone who is insecure because she has a stutter and has been put into kickboxing at an early age to help with her confidence. The more comfortable and confident she is the less she stutters. She gets the stunt double job and at first she is definitely insecure but then she becomes confident but it’s almost too much. She kind of overdoes it. By the end of the book we see her balance out and she really figures herself out and finds her stride. I liked the development of her.

The plot is cute and light. I like that it takes a little bit of hollywood and brings it to town but not set in LA. How Abi has to blend her movie life with regular life. We interact with all kinds of different movie folk from fellow stunt doubles, to diva type actresses and actor boyfriends.

Romance is definitely part of the story and I love the cuteness of Abi and Matt. I also like how when she decides he’s not an option she pines for Jon a bit. I wasn’t really happy with her for it but I liked that it added a little depth. Matt also seems to like to date although he never seems to find himself in a serious relationship. I loved that the clues that he might be into Abi are there but not over obvious so you can see how she might have missed them. When I mention Jon it’s not because there is a big love triangle because there is not. The story has a main focus on Abi herself and how she changes.

Abi also has a rock solid family and a mom that is pretty awesome. She also has a best girl friend to confide in, not just Matt. I loved the support system. That they could get pissed at her and point out the dumb things she’s doing too.

I really did enjoy Abi’s story. I loved the character development and the plot of her life as a stunt double. I also like that she is a kickboxer. Great support system and good supporting characters, even the slightly sinister ones. I would say definitely pick it up if you are looking for some light and fun.

Sara Hantz comes from the UK and now lives in Australia (via ten years in New Zealand). Sara lectured for many years before deciding to devote more time to her writing and working in the family business. She has two grown-up children and, when not writing or working, she spends more time than most people she knows watching TV--in fact if TV watching were an Olympic sport she'd win gold. She is also the author of In the Blood and The Second Virginity of Suzy Green.