Far from the A-List
A Novel
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
In this fresh, propulsive take on fame in the tabloid era of the ’00s, a former child star struggles to figure out who she is beyond the characters she's played—on television and in relationships.
Former child star Michaela Turner is ready for her next big role—she just doesn’t know what it is yet. As someone whose days were once filled with bright lights, never-ending rehearsals, and adoring fans from around the world, Michaela now struggles to define herself beyond the glitz and glamour of her past.
She tries hard to stay out of the tabloids, but fading into the background isn’t quite as easy as it sounds. Not when her manipulative momager, Caroline, is dead set on launching her daughter’s big comeback, no matter how many old wounds it tears open. And especially not when Michaela’s attempts at “normal” relationships fail spectacularly at every turn, from the toxic ex she can’t seem to escape to the nice guy she wishes she could see a future with.
As her mother’s demands grow more draining and her love life takes hit after hit, she learns a few hard truths about the significance of self-worth and the beauty of letting go. Now, with her ex-boyfriend-turned-best-friend Josh as her only support, Michaela is ready to rebuild herself, one misstep at a time. And maybe, if she’s lucky, after all these years of pretending, she’ll finally have the chance to discover who she really is.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Burns debuts with the sparkling tale of a former child star at a crossroads in her life. Michaela Turner, 27, starred as wholesome, smart-alecky Daisy Breyer on Breyer's Town, a family-friendly sitcom. Now, she struggles to be more than the "eighth hottest party girl in New York." Things take a turn for the worse after Michaela drinks too much at her birthday party and makes out with an old flame, provoking her pro athlete boyfriend to dump her. Michaela's self-destructive spiral intensifies when she reconnects with her rocker ex-boyfriend, then chafes at the reappearance of her estranged stage mother Caroline, whom she hasn't seen for nearly a decade. Michaela desperately needs direction, and her best friend, a former member of a boy band, offers valuable wisdom until a misstep on Michaela's part drives a wedge between them. The author nails her disillusioned protagonist's voice, especially when Michaela is recognized by fans ("The woman blinked, like she was waiting for me to turn back into the girl on TV, the girl I was before I grew six inches and needed a bra and the world stopped knowing what to do with me"). As Michaela struggles to find herself and finally reckons with the problems in her life, the story builds to a satisfying conclusion. The author is off to a strong start.
