Dani, a high school freshman, discovers her previously unknown father is a big action-movie star. She heads to California to meet him and see what he is like.
Mark Ocean is a good actor trapped in a playboy lifestyle and type-cast in flat, repetitive action movies. When he discovers he has a 15 year old daughter, his first reaction is denial. He tries to put as much space between himself and that rumor as possible. But then it occurs to him that she might just be what he needs to get his career back on track.
A summer in California - paparazzi, fancy clothes, limitless shopping, cute boys.... What's a midwestern, jeans-and-t-shirts girl to do?
I am Facebook "friends" with the author, Jessica Park, and read about an opportunity to read an e-book version of this story for review. I have read - and liked - Ms. Park's cooking series and thought it would be fun to try a young adult story.
My favorite character in this book was Olivia, the love-interest for Mark Ocean - loved her from her first appearance. She's sassy and confident and refreshing in the "Hollywood scene." I also liked the evolution of the main characters - Dani and her parents - as they negotiate this new phase of life where they all have to deal with one another. This is a book that I feel comfortable recommending to teen girls. There is some minor language and dating scenarios, but nothing goes so far that I wouldn't want my nieces to read them when they are 16 or so.
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Thank you for the review! I'm so glad that you liked Olivia so much... she has always been one of my favorite characters.
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