This is the first book by Ashley Moore I have read and I’m not sure but I think this may be her debut, this is the only book that I can find that leads back to her. If it is her debut then it’s a darn good one because I absolutely enjoyed it! Love in the limelight by Ashley Moore may not be the most original story but it is a very pleasant read!

The story follows two forty something celebrities with a shared past. Marion Hargreeves is an acclaimed actor with a very very private life. She keeps everything about her to herself and that includes her sexuality- how ever the cost of keeping that led to the heartbreak of pop star, Jessica Carmichael. Now twenty years later, after breaking Jessica’s heart, Marion is called to work on a movie as a voice actor and to her surprise, so is Jessica.

Now I’m aware that at this point a lot of people may be exhausted of the whole in the closet celebrity plot. However I truly think that Moore’s writing style and execution of it makes this story worth while. She gives us two likable characters with an undeniable chemistry while making us feel their frustrations. I normally hate stories with flashbacks but Moore did a good job at utilizing them.

At the end of the day this book is an easy simple heartwarming read about a Marion’s acceptance of ownership of her life from a very ruthless agent. That itself was such a satisfying moment.

I want to give this book 5 starts but I’d be lying if I said the unoriginality didn’t slightly bother me. I would’ve loved to see something new and special!

So do I recommend? Yes I do! If you’re looking for a short, cheesy and slightly cliche read to just sit back and not bother of complexity then yes, this is totally for you.

However if you’re into those dark and complex stories then clearly this isn’t for you!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC for the honest review!

I loved it. Marion was tough to love sometimes due to her stubbornness but I completely understood her hesitation. everything was done in a perfect believable way. and the chemistry between them was great
any one who loves Hollywood stories will find this book amazing. and even if you don't like them you will still enjoyed it.

Love between a three time Oscar winning film actress and a pop icon. Marion Hargreaves started in films in her youth. She is absolutely private about her personal life and sexuality. As a favor to her mentor she accepts the role for an animated voice in a film. She doesn't realize pop icon Jessica Carmichael is providing a voice and music for the movie. Marion and Jessica had a whirlwind short romance in their 20s (told in flashbacks). Jessica is out and proud and has been for years. She never understood why Marion broke her heart.

Romances between the rich and famous are escapism fun. It is perfect for an easy going end of summer read. There is some drama but no huge angst. You know with a few twists and turns there is going to be a HEA. Thank you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars rounding up.)

What an incredible story of love. Marion a closeted young actress and Jessica an openly gay music icon have been secretly seeing each other.
But the pressure from those trying to keep Marion from derailing her career have separated them.
Years have passed and then they find themselves working together on a project. The hurt of what happened is still there but there's no denying the attraction that still lingers.
Marion must make a choice. Is Jessica worth the risk? Will Jessica forgive her?

Ashley Moore has written a touching story of love, heartbreak and the hope that two hearts can come together.

I absolutely LOVE Hollywood sapphic romances and have read more than a few. Thus, I feel qualified to say that this one was top tier. The premise hooked me. Not only are Marion and Jess forced to work together twenty years after their heartwrenching break-up, but they are working as voice actors on a queer-coded animated children’s show! I kept thinking of The Owl House and She-ra Princesses of Power while reading.

The writing style and choices really worked for me. It hit a good balance of being an easy, comfortable read while still being extremely engaging. I was so engrossed in Marion and Jess, I didn’t notice the time passing until I came out the other side. I thought the structure of having flashbacks to their past was done well. I don’t always like flashbacks as they can be confusing or take you out of the story. However, in this case, they fit seamlessly and were just as engaging as what was going on in the present. I even looked forward to them because I wanted to know what exactly went wrong between them twenty years ago.

I really loved Marion and Jess together. You could tell they cared deeply about each other even when it was painful in the beginning. Oh my gosh, the tension when they first had to be in a room together after twenty years. Let me tell you, I live for those fraught moments. My favorite thing about their relationship was how comfortable they were with each other and their little moments of domesticity. The book definitely gets ~ steamy ~ and you can see they have serious chemistry. You can also really see that they fell hopelessly in love at 23, and those feelings never really went away.

This was so fun and my heart was so warm at the end. If you love sapphic romance, I definitely recommend.

I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.


Marion has made a name for herself as actress she has three Oscar to prove it. She feels nothing seems interesting anymore until she ask to be the voice actor of her favorite book from childhood. Jess is a music icon who task to do the music on the animated film and also to voice a character.

Marion and Jess have past they met in the late nineties and became lovers. Marion always regret the way she broke Jess heart but at that time she has reasons but she starts to wonder was those reasons even valid. Even though it’s been years Jess still is hurting the way Marion left her because she doesn’t know why. As they tries to be friends their still a spark between them but will they be able to let the past go and start again.

It was ok read it goes from the past to present.

I really enjoyed this book. There's a great chemistry between Marion and Jess, and the plot is good. There aren't a lot of minor characters around, but that's OK, because the story between the main ones takes you in from the beginning.
4.5 stars from me.