Fallen Star

Well written with likeable characters. The plot is well paced and you really get to see the characters and the romance develop as the story goes on. I like how it touches on issues that you don't see talked about much in books.

Not worth it

I just loved “Fallen Star”, the second book in Ms. Nix’s “Starstruck” series. You don’t need to read the first book, “Rising Star” to enjoy “Fallen Star”. In fact I read Fallen first and then, because I liked it so much, I went back to read Rising. Full disclosure: Susannah Nix is an automatic one-click author for me, so I’m excited to share my thoughts.

Scott Deacon is a former child star whose life and career imploded because of drug addiction. Clean and sober now, friends of his went out on a limb to secure a leading role in a new movie. Grace Speer is the script supervisor for the project, and isn’t looking forward to working with someone who she thinks is going to be a train-wreck. But Scott surprises everyone, and earns Grace’s grudging respect. After a while, that respect turns into friendship. Will their friendship turn into something more, or would life back in the spotlight ruin their chances?

Scott and Grace are great characters. Scott is an actor, so he uses his acting ability to hide his insecurities about stepping back into the professional film world. He knows that because of his past, this may be his only shot. On set, he is gregarious, friendly, and flirty, but when he’s alone his demons surface to try to undermine his success and sobriety. I think Ms. Nix did a great job of revealing his insecurities and emotions, and showing how they have the ability to affect his sobriety. Grace is all about the details. As script supervisor, it’s her job to make sure the scene set-ups are the same for each shot (continuity) and makes notes of any script changes. She’s not quite sure what to think about Scott. I liked the way she allowed herself room to adjust her opinion of Scott as things developed. The secondary characters are well-rounded and fleshed out as well. I especially like actress Poppy Carpenter and Carmen Vargas, the costume supervisor.

The book’s plot centers around a film set. Ms. Nix filled the pages with all sorts of interesting information and tidbits. Those details helped create a realistic “look behind the scenes” feel to the story. Scott’s and Grace’s love story is a very slow burn. It makes sense that Grace isn’t going to go from thinking Scott is the biggest jerk on the planet to being head over heels in love in just a few days. Their friendship blossomed first over the course of several weeks, and then Grace slowly realized she has feelings for Scott. But she’s unsure of his feelings for her. When they finally do come together, it’s a big payoff for the reader.

Overall, I loved it! And I highly recommend “Fallen Star” to you. (I received an Advanced Reader Copy, and this is my honest, voluntary review.)