Charlie and Fielding have lived their teen years on television as neighbors Jenna and Jonah, who's TV romance is only rivaled by their supposed real life romance. Jenna and Jonah's relationship is scripted, rehearsed and filmed, just like the romance between Charlie and Fielding. Of course, in real life the two of them can barely stand each other, muttering insults under their breath while smiling and posing for the cameras.
In a different life, Charlie admits that Fielding is the kind of guy she might actually like, and Fielding admits that if he wasn't her co-star he would watch her shows because she is cute, and funny. It all seemed to be ruined with their relationship, in which they are contractually obliged to make appearances together, kiss (closed mouthed, and only for a short time) and not be seen doing other sorts of behaviors. Knowing that their show is due to be cancelled Charlie is willing to do anything to keep it going for one more season, including caring around a fake script.
Then, reality hits home. A close friend of Fielding is outed, and Fielding, and his "girlfriend" are now in the middle of the scandal. Forced to flea the paparazzi, the two of them end up at one of Fielding's properties with out a connection to the outside world, it's here that they start to see the real sides of each other and discover that they might just actually like each other.
Away from the distractions of their Hollywood lives, the two actors become more aware of what they want and who they are apart from Jenna and Jonah. Charlie struggles with being unemployed for the first time in her life, and Fielding wants nothing more to be Aaron (his real name) and perhaps travel or go on to college.
Both Charlie and Aaron get to tell their side of the story, and this hysterical comedy of errors will appeal to readers who enjoyed books like Dash and Lily's Book of Dares (Levithan and Cohn), Scrambled Eggs at Midnight, (Barkley and Hepler) or Tangled (Mackler). Both Charlie and Fielding/ Aaron have unique voices and different ways of handling their success and eventual downfall.
Fame and fortune may look appealing, as well as a romance with a cute Hollywood co-star, but these things may not always bring happiness. For Charlie and Aaron, falling out of Hollywood romance might just bring them the real relationship they both need.
I'll see you @ the library!
Katie (Now reading Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt)