Cover Story by Rachel Lacey is absolutely perfect from the word go. The banter and absolute realness of the budding relationship between Nat and Taylor is beautiful. Lacey writes in such a way that makes you feel all of the emotions of each character at once. It's beautifully written, there are several quotable moments throughout the book. The tie-in from Stars Collide was awesome, and I loved that we got to know Taylor better. Oh! And there are dogs, a kitten and plenty of stars. I highly recommend this book as it was an incredibly wonderful experience cover to cover.

This was my journey into this author’s writing and I’m afraid to say it wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get past 15%. I tried to stay engaged but the story just wasn’t for me.

I really enjoyed Natalie & Taylor’s story - a fake dating & celebrity/body guard story, say no more! The chemistry was there from the first time they met and they just seemed to fit together so well, if a little awkward.

There’s also a serious side to this romance, and at times it does feel like the romance takes a back seat. However, I feel that this was needed as the trauma that Natalie has from being stalked & abducted makes up such a large part of her day to day life, and it’s not something that can be magically cured by the love of a good woman.

This was such an enjoyable read , and just so easy to binge. I loved seeing Eden & Anna from Stars Collide in the epilogue & would love to see more from this world - fingers crossed we get Noelle’s story!

Not a favorite but still a fun read! The characters dynamics were really fun, and I enjoyed the banter and energy that they shared. I think that the characters were stronger than the plot at times, and sometimes it felt like reading the book was a drag. All in all, a decent read.

Sizzling, sexy and with a bit of a mystery too. Rachel Lacey has written a highly entertaining lesbian love story with great dialogue and amazing chemistry!

4,5⭐️
How can anyone ever feel safe again after being stalked in the worst possible way? That's exactly Natalie Keane's problem. As one of Hollywood's most successful and recognizable actresses, it's impossible to go unrecognized in Hollywood, and with a new threat, she feels like she's at the mercy of others. But just another bodyguard would again attract too much attention and raise questions, she doesn’t want to answer. The perfect cover story? Yep, a bodyguard disguised as the girlfriend.

Taylor, who was relegated to office work for a few months after a stupid accident and a back injury, finally wants to do field work again. She has been a bodyguard for various stars for several years and is desperate for this job even before she knows how unusual the request is.

Natalie's situation is quite heartbreaking. Instead of enjoying her life, she lives in fear and is, literally, locked up in a golden castle and lonely. But letting Taylor into her home and being restricted in her privacy is also not easy, but necessary. Taylor, who from the beginning can see behind her facade and see the real Natalie Keane, slowly helps her move forward step by step and fight her traumas.

Playing a fake girlfriend sounds easier than it is. It was hilarious how awkward the two of them acted at the beginning. It is obviously not so easy to let go of the deep-rooted bodyguard attitude Taylor has acquired over the years. They have great chemistry, the attraction is strong, and fighting it is ultimately pointless, and the love scenes are hot.

Rachel Lacey does a great job and expresses so many feelings and emotions, that her stories go to the heart. It must be extremely liberating for Natalie to feel safe again for the first time with Taylor by her side. She has to learn to trust her and to open up to her. Taylor, on the other hand, wonders if a star like Natalie can love someone like her. Showing vulnerability when it comes to feelings and health problems is something that no bodyguard finds easy.
All this is wrapped up in a heart-warming love story, peppered with humor, good dialogue, interesting backstories, and accompanied by well-integrated side characters. And not to forget, the furry friends who play an important role too. A fake girlfriend and celebrity romance that you will love.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and the author in exchange for an honest review.

I don't have the words to say home much I loved this book.

It is beautifully written with characters that are so fully formed I expected to see a real article with updates on their lives as they walked off the page. The author simultaneously held up everything I expected and loved about this genre and trope while smashing it all to pieces to create something better and unexpected. Both characters were flawed, with baggage which is handled realistically and beautifully.

I wish I would have known is that from the outset this is a stalker story without the stalker. Then I could have sunk into the warm story the author created without suspecting every character to set something nefarious into motion. I don't consider this a spoiler since it is something the author outlines in the author notes at the end because it was her intent to write the story this way.

This is maybe one of my favorite books of the year even though it is very very early. My only comfort is that there are books in this authors backlist that I can read until a new book comes.

“The cover story” by Rachel lacey is a very well written celebrity- bodyguard romance novel which I could not put down after the 50% mark. The frustration and agitation arising out of stardom and fame is very well portrayed here and the author’s work is praiseworthy to say the least. I highly recommend this novel and hope to read more of her work in the future.

“Cover Story” is a charming read. Rachel Lacey has become one of my favorite Sapphic authors. I am always excited to read a new book by her I really enjoyed this take on a bodyguard/celebrity romance, which is no surprise because I love all of Lacey’s sapphic books and she does Hollywood so well. I loved the dynamic between Taylor and Natalie. I felt so bad for Natalie, but I loved how Taylor was there for her from the beginning. The story was well written their friendship/relationship flowed so easily. The chemistry between them was immediate. The way this book was written had me hooked immediately. I loved that it was dual POV. As a reader, I really enjoy when romances are dual POV because it allows you to be able to read the thoughts and feelings of both characters and see why they are falling for each other. It also helps you understand what each of the characters are going through and helps you love them that much more. The pacing was perfect and by the first few chapters I had already found myself really liking these characters. Both characters felt fully realized and I flew through their journey together. The story takes time to show the emotional state of each our leads, how it affects their lives and their relationships. I also liked how they slowly opened up to one another and how they are there for each other. My favorite part of this book was the intimacy, not just the sex scenes, but the stolen looks, the tender caresses and the way these two oozed love for one another made this book absolutely perfect to me and I already can’t wait to re-read it once I get my hands on a physical copy! There are also two sweet dogs and an adorable kitten in the mix and who doesn’t love a book with cute animals! The epilogue nicely ties up loose ends, leaving room for anticipation of potential future stories in this engaging celebrity series. I loved the cameo in the epilogue with Eden and Anna Moss. “Cover Story” is a must-read for fans of celebrity romances, fake dating tropes, and sapphic love stories! Thanks to Rachel Lacey, Montlake, and Netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts! I can’t wait for Rachel’s next book!

i feel like admitting this will get my lesbian card revoked, but "cover story" is the first rachel lacey book i've read and i can't believe it took me so long to read something by her! i absolutely loved this book, natalie, taylor, and their love story. i mean, who doesn't love a bodyguard trope?! and make it lesbians?! it's obviously the making of a great book! beyond all of that, i felt like natalie and taylor's relationship developed so naturally and even their miscommunication and the baggage they brought into the relationship all felt so real. insta-love isn't really a trope i like, so i really appreciate a dynamic that develops at a realistic and healthy pace. overall, this was a really fun (and surprisingly tense!!) book that besides being a fun combination of the bodyguard and fake dating tropes, it also tackled their individual healing journeys in a very satisfying way.

I have never read anything by this author before, but I will be watching out what else they publish! This book kept me interested from cover to cover.

✨3.5 stars✨

This was a cute queer romance that follows the protagonist Natalie and her bodyguard/fake girlfriend Taylor.

I enjoyed this book at the start, before I found it to be a bit slow in the middle, before picking up again at the end.

This was the first Rachel Lacey book that I have read and I am interested to see what other books she’s written.

4.5

I’m totally in love with Rachel Lacey’s writing and this book is not exception. So far, it’s a personal favorite. Love it SOOOO much!
The chemistry between Natalie and Taylor? OH. MY. GOD. Look, I always love a good fake relationship, but this… this is AMAZING! I mean, she is her BODYGUARD. The angst, the tension, the laughters that those two shares… I’m so in!
If I have to find a problem, I think the resolution is a little fast, but this is not a great problem. The plot is adorable, the characters are adorable, the relationship is adorable and I’m so in love!

This is by far my favorite book by Rachel Lacey and she has definitely become an automatic buy. The chemistry and attraction between Taylor and Natalie was instantaneous and hot. I loved the journey of Natalie healing from her past trauma. I'm just now getting into the bodyguard/celebrity trope and this one makes me want to read more. Also, I need Noelle’s story ASAP!


Thank you to Rachel Lacey and Net Galley for the arc for an honest review.

Another sapphic gem by Rachel Lacey. I enjoyed this book so much! Bodyguard romances are addictive for me, and adding a fake dating element makes it even better.

Natalie’s traumatic experiences in the past force her to request more security when her stalker is out of jail, so she hires Taylor to pose as her girlfriend when in reality, she’ll be her bodyguard. Obviously, this comes with a ton of forced proximity that makes them develop real feelings. Their relationship wasn’t easy at first since Natalie had some serious trust issues (and with good reason), but their attraction was strong and Taylor became her safe space. I loved the realism of the progression of their feelings, how they both struggled to navigate their connection. In the end, their HEA felt rewarding and so, so deserved. I love them!

I’m really loving the way Rachel writes celebrity romances. I’m hoping for a book about Noelle and Britt now. I love a second chance romance, and the circumstances of their breakup look like the perfect set up for an angsty book. Fingers crossed!

TW: Stalking, kidnapping, death of a parent

Rating: 4/5
Steam level: Open door, 2-3 scenes, high level of detail

I tried so hard to read this to the end, but I just couldn't. I got to 50% and it just wasn't enjoyable for me anymore. I loved the premise and enjoyed the character development, however, the storyline took too long to develop. At 50%, I felt like the characters had moved so slowly into a tentative friendship, and it was still awkward between them. I had hoped that by this stage, they would at least be friends and start softening towards each other, beyond thinking the other is hot.

In general, I do enjoy Rachel Lacey's writing and absolutely loved her previous book in this series, so I was disappointed to not love this.

Some tropes you'll find in this book:
♥️ Bodyguard/actor
♥️ Obsessed stalker
♥️ Fake dating
♥️ Forced proximity
♥️ A cute rescued cat

*I got this book for free, but this opinion is my own.*
When reading this book you can't help but wonder "Will an actress and a bodyguard be able to fool the media?".
The beginning is slow, but it gives us interesting backstory. At the same time, I love the characters. The romance was also refreshing. This story may be a common one, but it's done creatively.
The only negative I could see was that it was a little slow-paced. That's usual in a slow-burn, so I'm not saying it's not a nice read. If you like slow-burn,a cute relationship, and a teaspoon of suspense, this is the book for you.

Rachel Lacey is becoming my auto read authors. Cover Story is delightful and fun and really hot. Taylor and Natalie have great chemistry as they try to fake date right in front of all of Hollywood. I can't recommend this highly enough. Did I mention it's hot?

Thank you so much to Netgalley for Rachel Lacey’s latest book, Cover Story. I absolutely adore Lacey’s books and this one was no exception - a fun love story with great characters!

Celebrity/bodyguard, fake dating, suspense. This book ticked all of the boxes for me in terms of favoured tropes and I fell for the characters almost immediately. I sometimes struggle with smut in books but this was written and handled perfectly. I was rooting for Taylor and Natalie from the start and although I was confident from early on that they would get together I appreciate that it wasn’t immediately a done deal and they got to grow into the people each of them deserved