In this book, the story revolves around a well-known star who, after going through rehab, picked up the pieces and started living differently. The struggles of not drinking or using drugs may have been a little underrepresented, but the personal transformation and the impact it has on both the person and their surroundings, and vice versa, are beautifully described. Not everything fits the way it used to.

I also appreciated how the emphasis on image was portrayed—what you have to sacrifice for fame, what the outside world gets to see, and how stories, even if they’re not true, keep being repeated for the sake of sales.

In the book, I didn’t really feel that being a lesbian was the main issue; rather, it was more about the overall image, which I found refreshing. The main characters share a strong connection, they understand each other, but paparazzi and fame create challenges. Following the heart while walking a path that isn’t always desired, along with personal and sometimes strained relationships, makes for a well-balanced whole.

The only thing I missed was a bit more intimacy—a full-body hug, holding hands, or sleeping and waking up together. That would have made the love feel even more convincing to me. I would rate this book 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book and chose to write this review voluntarily.

From my perspective, The Fame Game, was a tale of two halves. For the first half of the book, I was excited about the story, fully engaged with both of the main characters, and the story seemed to be moving in a cohesive direction. In the second half, the action seemed to focus on wash, rinse, and repeat. The reader continued to hear about Chloe's brother's (Beau) disregard for her possible relationship with Luna, as Beau continued to fake date Luna to further his career. Luna's friends, Hillary and Jo, were also a major source of irritation to Luna and to the reader for their lack of support when Luna needed it the most following a tragic event. The book was categorized as a "contemporary romance", but realistically should have been characterized as a book about co-dependency since the theme was continually prevalent. Finally, this book could use some editing. There were multiple errors found throughout the book which thankfully isn't a common occurrence for most Bold Strokes books. 3 stars

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

this is a book that pulled me in. i was intrigued how it would go for each of our characters. there was the tension of missed love? pretending to be something you are not? and how do you ever be you in the world of Hollywood.
we've seen recently so much more about the Fame Game and what it does to those inside it, what it can do, what it so often does. and also how much pretence there is surrounding who people be in their "roles" and i often feel sorry for them, a lot more than i used to. because that life cant be easy. so if you have to pretend right down to who you can love? that must be so hard. We see in normal pockets what having to pretend about your sexuality can do. to do so so publicly must be added weight.
i liked getting to know these characters and how they would ever get to where the wanted to be.Luna is a child of Hollywood. she loves a woman. she wants to settle down. but the woman she likes is the sister of the man her management want her to choose to settle down with. ouch!
Chloe herself wants to warn her brother off. there is no way anyone she loves should be with Luna. but then she gets to know her. she gets to SEE her. and things change. things change alot.

I was excited by the synapses of this book. It was a different take on the Hollywood trope. That being said I feel like at times I missed a chunk of text. It would jump. I think the relationship could have been played out a little differently. It also ended very abruptly. I felt like I had whiplash.i did enjoy the storyline and the authors writing style though.

It's no secret that I love anything Hollywood. But I found it commendable how the author managed to refresh this setting and use it as a backdrop for these two chaotic characters. It gave me a Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibe—especially with the differences between the women. It hooked me from the first page, and I couldn't put it down.
I loved it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the eARC.