Finalist (Romance)
Title: Hollywood Strip
Author: Shamron Moore
Publisher: Forge Books
ISBN: 9780765332301
Pages: 304, Paperback/Kindle
Genre: Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction
Reviewed by: Ella Vincent, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
Hollywood Strip is a feel-good beach read that readers won’t be able to put down. Shamron Moore’s debut novel is as scandalous as is engaging; a fun expose of the ugly side of beautiful Tinseltown. Moore’s novel is a pleasurable story that will take readers on a wild ride.The novel centers on a struggling actress Callie, who is looking for her big break. She gets her chance at stardom when she lands a lead role in the B-movie Nympho Cheerleaders Attack! Callie enjoys her notoriety as a sex symbol at first, but things soon get complicated when she falls in love with a famous British singer that can’t seem to commit to her. On top of that, she learns that fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when she sees the effects fame and Hollywood have on her actress friends and on her life. Just when she reaches the heights of fame, events occur in Callie’s life that test Callie’s faith in herself and her fight to conquer Hollywood on her own terms.
Moore’s novel is perfect for adult readers who love the gossipy dish of Jackie Collins novels and the high camp of Jacqueline Susann’s Valley of the Dolls. The dialogue is campy and funny, with characters trading withering put-downs throughout the book. Moore has said that she used her life as an inspiration for the novel. Her in-depth knowledge of Hollywood shines through in Hollywood Strip. The characters well represent the seedy underbelly and over-the-top ambition of Tinseltown. The novel takes on the phonies of Hollywood with zeal and shows that everything that glitters isn’t gold. Callie is a great mix of determined heroine and a naïve Midwestern girl. Callie adjusts to the demands of Hollywood stardom, but still wants to be an independent actress.
The book offers a fascinating glimpse at Hollywood’s inner circle, with ruthless producers and silicone-filled actresses as the focus of Moore’s wicked wit. Hollywood Strip has the typical sizzling love scenes and designer name references of chick lit, but also has a heart underneath the insults hurled around by the characters. Though Hollywood is shown as imperfect, Moore’s description of Los Angeles’s expansive mansions and beautiful beaches make readers want to run to La-La Land. Hollywood Strip is an entertaining guilty pleasure that should be the beginning of more adventures for Callie. Moore has written a book that should appeal to readers that love juicy chick lit with an edge.
