Book Review

Pretty Face by Lucy Parker

Obvious questions first! Is Pretty Face as good as Act Like It?

Alas, no, I don’t think it is. It’s close, but not quite. The hero and heroine are tremendous, but the obstacles for the characters are not as seamlessly integrated into the story, and there are secondary characters in this book whose portrayals are inconsistent from chapter to chapter.

Is there a “But?”

HECK YES there is a “But.” Lucy Parker’s dialogue is top-notch, and the London theatre world is still a terrific place to set contemporary romance. The obstacles standing in the way of the hero and heroine are genuine and of different levels of influence at varying times. And whenever the two of them talk to each other, it’s the best part of the book. So many of the things I loved in Act Like It are present in this novel – the dramatic (literally) world they live in, the challenges of managing their public lives and private lives, and the crackling sharp dialogue.

More detail?

Are you kidding? Have you read the reviews here? Of course more detail! LOTS more detail!

Let’s do this.

Lily Lamprey is the somewhat infamous daughter of a British politician. He cheated on his wife with Lily’s mother, and Lily was the result of their affair. Lily is also an actress who has been typecast by a role on an evening soap as a home wrecking, seductive, selfish, dimwitted idiot. Lily herself is curvy and beautiful, and has a voice that matches her typecasting as much as her body does – high pitched and breathy. Sort of like Marilyn Monroe, I imagine.

Lily herself doesn’t match the character she plays, but not that many people bother to see past her looks and the role on television. They assume she’s a vapid bimbo, and she gets treated accordingly inside and outside of her profession.

Lily also has very few people in her corner, so to speak. Her father is a well-meaning but vague presence in her life and her father’s wife doesn’t want her around, ever, as Lily’s a walking, talking, semi-famous reminder of his infidelity. Lily’s mother is also an actor and singer who travels the world with various partners picking up various roles. She does use sex and seduction to advance her career – something Lily has sworn never to do.

Luc Savage is cold, grumpy, and focused on restoring the theatre he inherited and launching a new play set in 1553 about the three Tudor queens. Lily auditions for the role of Elizabeth, and only gets the audition based on pressure from her godfather, who is a shareholder in the theatre and something of an annoyance in Luc’s professional life. Luc expects her to be exactly as she appears on screen, and Lily is fully aware of his low expectations. An intern who also works with Lily was setting up afternoon tea in Luc’s offices during the meeting wherein her audition was discussed.

Lily’s talent surprises him. He immediately identifies several problems with her performance skills, her voice most notable among them. But rather than find another actress who can easily do the role, Luc decides to not only hire Lily, but to engage a particular voice coach for her, someone who rarely works one on one with clients. And as he gets to know Lily, he very quickly realizes how wrong he was, how wrong everyone is about her, and how much talent she possesses.

Luc and Lily are both instantly drawn to one another, and are also horrified by that attraction. There are a number of obstacles standing between them. First, Luc is about fifteen or so years older than Lily. So not only are there preconceived ideas of who Lily is, and who Luc is, but there’s a rather substantial age difference between them and the potential public judgment that goes along with that age difference.

And, of course, he’s her boss. It’s his production company, and his theatre. Lily has been set against living up to (or down to) her reputation, or following her mother’s professional and personal habits. As she puts it, Luc “…was all of her lifelong deal-breakers in one man.”

In their world, a great deal of profit is made on artifice and projecting the “right” image, and both Luc and Lily acknowledge that the penalties for not assuming the correct role socially and professionally are much higher for her. But they also have to acknowledge that the perceived tension between them, the hint of scandal, is good for the play, if not their respective careers. To their credit, Luc and Lily maintain awareness of the risks and relative rewards of their attraction, while also finding that attraction terribly upsetting and confusing.

At one point, Luc is ranting about a paparazzi photo of Lily leaving a club in the company of one of her co-stars:

They glared at one another.

“You’re jealous.” Lily’s accusation tailed into slight uncertainty, but he didn’t even hesitate.

“Yes, I am.” He sounded even more pissed off than before.

“And mad.”

“Apparently it tags along with the jealousy.”

She felt a bit unsteady. “Dylan helped Trix and me to a taxi. And by ‘helped,’ I mean played up to the cameras like he was doing a Charlie Chaplin skit and then accidentally kicked me in the back of the leg when I opened the car door.”

“Sounds about right.”

“I neither arrived nor left with him.”

“Sensible.”

Technically, however,” she continued, taking a slow breath, “it would be none of your business if we were boinking like bunnies, as long as it didn’t affect the show.”

“It always affects the show.” Luc was still scowling. “Co-stars jumping into bed inevitably ends in tears and tantrums and a PR disaster.”

“Cynical society, party of two,” Lily murmured.

“What?” he snapped. He stood and shoved a hand through his hair.

“Nothing. I agree with you. Didn’t meant to interrupt the rant.”

I’m not-” Luc looked at her. He shook his head, once, a quick jerk to the side as if he were dislodging an insect of other minor irritant. She heard the rush of air as he forcibly exhaled. “I don’t know what I’m doing with you. I don’t even recognize myself when I’m around you.”

He might have been reading from the transcript of her own jumbled thoughts, so it shouldn’t have hurt.

The best aspect of their romance, and about their scenes together, is that they are always unfailingly and deeply honest with each other. They don’t pretend or hide behind the duplicity and falsehood that make up their livelihoods as actor and director.

There is a list of obstacles in the way of their happiness. A lot of inter-family problems that were created by their parents and grandparents yield grudges which are held against Luc and Lily because of other people’s actions. In the end, those grudges were not really large or persuasive enough to make for a real and believable danger to their relationship. I think that perhaps the story was aiming for a parallel between what people say and expect vs what really and truly matters in life, such as happiness. The actions of one’s parents and grandparents may affect one’s day to day life, which is true for both Luc and especially Lily, but the pursuit of happiness and comfort and fulfillment are more important than what people might say or think when they don’t have all the facts – or any facts whatsoever.

Unfortunately, that parallel isn’t sufficiently held up by the narrative itself: parents who are supposedly influential don’t really seem that important consistently, and appear and disappear from the story in away that diminishes their effect on the main characters.

The tabloid press also plays a prominent role in disrupting their romance, but not so prominent that Lily and Luc think maneuver around them, or alter their behavior to avoid exposure. They keep behaving in ways that are true to themselves, and belatedly realize how those actions could be reinterpreted in the worst possible light. I kept waiting for one of them to go to the other’s home and find a photographer waiting in the shrubbery. The tabloids were a threat but they were not as intrusive as I expected.

As much as I loved Lily and Luc’s scenes together and the dialogue between characters – especially one scene in particular at a party where Lily chats with Lainie and Richard from Act Like It – I had a wishlist by the end of the book.

I wish there had been more scenes with Lily’s voice transformation, about the work she did to alter her speaking voice. That’s a fascinating twist on the makeover trope, and I wanted more about it.

I also wish there had been more scenes in the theatre, both during the staging and development of the play, and in the rehearsals between the different characters. There is one side character, Freddy, who is nineteen and a child actress with years of theatre experience, and I loved her – more Freddy would have been terrific. I wish that Lily’s very good friend, Trix, had had a more consistent role in the story, that she and others didn’t appear and disappear as needed. It was difficult to accurately gauge the importance and influence of secondary characters when their presence was inconsistent as were their actions and words. Another example:

Show Spoiler
Luc’s mother has a heart attack at one point, and it’s understandably devastating for him, his siblings, and his father. Lily rushes to the hospital when she realizes Luc is there alone while his mother is in surgery. It’s a moment that strips away all the barriers and pretense of resisting one another and it’s an emotionally powerful scene. But after that section, his mother barely warrants a mention. Is she in the hospital? Does he go to see her? Is she at home? What happened to her? Did she attend the premiere of the play? His mother is present in the story to maneuver them together at a dinner party for the holidays, and she’s there to throw them together by having a massive coronary, but afterward, she’s gone from the story altogether.

It’s often easier for me to identify the things I didn’t enjoy than it is to list the things I did like, but with this book, I took notes on the parts I adored, and highlighted so much of my copy I’m pretty sure the file size might have doubled. There is a lot to enjoy. For example: Luc does a wonderful grovel when he realizes how wrong he was about Lily. And it’s early enough in the story that it’s worth savoring and resonates through the rest of the novel. Excellent grovel is excellent.

I also loved the way that appearance and reputation were explored. One of the play’s co-stars is Margo, Luc’s ex-girlfriend of many years who recently broke up with him relatively painlessly and married a tenor shortly afterward. Prior to meeting Lily, Luc was married to his work, and didn’t have any reason to change his priorities or his behavior until he met her – and Margo is increasingly aware of that shift.

Oh – and speaking of co-stars, there is a character who is awful and repulsive who uses a racist term at one point. But because he’s a shitty character who says shitty things, it didn’t bother me too much. Though I recognize how offensive his language choice was, I also recognize that he himself is an offensive shitpile. Offensive shitpiles use offensive words.

I loved that as Luc learned who Lily was and what she was like, he also learned firsthand what it’s like to be Lily, to have people make assumptions about her based on a performance, on a role, and on her superficial appearance – again, shades of Marilyn Monroe, I think. And I loved that even though they recognized why being together wasn’t a terrific idea, they also recognized their happiness when they were together, and talked about it. This is the next part of the scene quoted above:

Again… he reacted instinctively to whatever expression she was totally failing to hide. He reached out and cupped her cheek, his hand warm and strong, and she closed her eyes.

She curled her fingers about his wrist, stroking her thumb over the hairs she felt there, tracing the strong lines of the bones.

“People say things,” she said quietly. “And write things. All the time. And even if every other person in London believed them, I need to know that they’re not true. I need to know I’m not that person. My reputation does matter to me. And it’s not only the implications for my career, going forward.” She tugged his hand away from her face, although their wrists stayed linked between their bodies. His fingers tickled as they traced patterns on the tips of hers. “This wouldn’t do your reputation any favours either.”

He didn’t pretend otherwise. He was similarly frank as he released her hand. “No, it wouldn’t.”

Lily and Luc fit together. They acknowledge a few times in very poignant moments that when they encounter one another, it’s like a puzzle piece has snapped into place. And they acknowledge what’s happening like adults – and talk like adults about the issues that stand between them, the reasons why being together will be difficult for them both. All of those reasons are legit and weighty, and more of the negativity would fall on Lily. But they also recognize, as do the characters who are emotionally closest to them, that they’re incredibly right for each other. As one of Luc’s close colleagues and friends says, “It’s not that easy to find, you know. A person who makes the hard work worthwhile.”

While Lily and Luc fit one another marvelously, and their scenes were delightful, the other characters and obstacles that affected them didn’t fit together as easily. That said, just as the connection between Luc and Lily could overcome various real and perceived obstacles, their scenes and conversations were more compelling and absorbing than any other frustrations I had. Every one of their scenes together I re-read more than twice – they’re worth savoring and experiencing multiple times. I may not re-read this book as much as Act Like It, which is permanently in my library at all times, but I will definitely re-read it.

(One more thing.)

The following doesn’t really fit within the review itself, but I wanted to include one other aspect of this book that’s stayed with me – ironically something that Richard, the hero from Act Like It, says to Lily during an awful cocktail party where members of the press are mingling with the cast prior to the opening of the play.

As I mentioned, part of the tension of Pretty Face rests on the fact that everyone – the actors, the director, the investors – has to worry about what people will say. Lily has to worry about what people will say about her professional and personal life that will affect her career. Luc has to worry about what critics will say about the play and whether it will be a success (as do the other actors).

So in this scene, Richard says to Lily as he’s leaving the cocktail party with Lainie:

Play to the public, not the critics. They’ve paid a lot of money, they’re out for a good time, and once that curtain is up and they’re caught in the plot, most of them will be backing you.

This one quote rocked my brain for awhile. I wrote it out in my notebook so I could look at it again. It parallels the advice I often give in my workshop on reviews, that you don’t have to read your own reviews, that no one person’s word can make or break a book. (And, yes, I’m rolling my eyes at the meta irony of a reviewer talking about ignoring reviews in the process of writing a book review!)

This spoke to me because, well, everyone has critics. Everyone has people who criticize and dislike the things they do. And this quote helped shift my thinking that what matters are the people who, to quote Richard, are looking for a good time. Those people may be influenced by critics or reviewers, but they also make up their own minds and have their own experiences, and most of the time, they’re predisposed to like what you’re doing already because they showed up to see it for themselves.

The theme of this book, of choosing difficult happiness and fulfillment over worrying what people will say about your choices, is a terrific, nuanced one for a romance. Richard summarizing the meaning of that theme while talking about stage performance was one of the best parts of the book for me.

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Pretty Face by Lucy Parker

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  1. No, the Other Anne says:

    Sounds like Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller.

    And it’ll be nice to see Richard and Lainie again!

  2. KateB says:

    Haven’t read the review yet, because omg! The book just showed up on my Kindle!!!, but I just have to say that the male cover model looks like modern era Gavin Rossdale and I am SO ABOUT THAT.

    This is the actual first time I’ve looked at a cover model and been like, “YUP YUP OKAY, going into the story with them in mind!”

  3. Abi says:

    I love your review! I couldn’t help but read it before opening my kindle to read the real thing. And your review made me even more giddy to read about Lily and Luc. I’m doing a SQUEE dance (in my mind since I’m in the mall) just thinking of what’s waiting for me tonight. I’m buying dinner for the fam so they don’t disturb me lol

  4. Kera says:

    Oh, what a happy surprise to wake up to this morning. I completly forgot that the release was today. I’ve been re-reading Artistic License and Act Like It on a loop with a couple of other favorites, because it seems to be the only way I can manage to de-stress right now. I haven’t picked up a new book in weeks, but I’m totally breaking this pattern today.

  5. Pamala says:

    Thanks for the review! I’m gonna tuck in and read it later this evening.

    The scene in ACT LIKE IT with Richard and Lainie at the baby’s birthday party (and particularly Richard trying to suss out whether the sticky stuffed animal is a bear, cat, mouse, whatever, lol) is my happy place and I read it whenever I need a smile.

    Looking forward to more of the same in PRETTY FACE.

  6. So interesting to see different perspectives – I loved Act Like It, but I actually thought Pretty Face was even better (which is saying a lot)! It was very different and it wasn’t the straight rom-com I was expecting after Act Like It – but I thought it was even smarter and just so achingly romantic. I read an e-ARC last month and have been randomly thinking back to the characters again and again since then! I loved it SO much.

  7. Kareni says:

    Thanks for your comprehensive review, Sarah. I’m looking forward to reading this.

  8. a traveller says:

    At 10.30 last night, I was feeling good that I’d be going to bed at a reasonably early hour (by my standards anyway). Then at 11 pm, just as I was actually going to bed, the kindle app gave a little notification. Next thing you know, it’s 2.30 am. Needless to say, today has not been easy.

    Agree with a lot of the comments in the review about consistency of some of the characters, but still – loved the book!

  9. kathybaug says:

    Whoops! I got stopped in my tracks reading Chapter1 when I got to the part about the actress dropping out of the play because she broke both ankles and would be unable to work for 6 weeks. I wish!! I broke 1 ankle 8 weeks ago, had surgery and am still not allowed to put weight on that foot, or start physical therapy yet. So I don’t believe 6 weeks for 2 ankles. Someone correct me if that really is possible. OK, end of rant I am enjoying the book, tho. Just bored with my inactive life right now

  10. Crystal says:

    Already on my Kindle, thanks to the miracle of the one-click preorder. Just have to finish Javelin Rain first. Cannot wait.

  11. kathybaug says:

    Well, I had some smiley face emojis in my original message that didn’t make it into my post. I’m not angry, I was just surprised by the story’s broken ankles that don’t match my current condition. I am just envious…and bored 🙂 Hope that smiling emoji made it in. Still enjoying the story. Love her dialog.

  12. Kris says:

    Act like it was a solid A for me. Finished Pretty Face an hour ago and I can give it an A +. Fantastic writing, witty dialogue and two leads who are just fabulous.

  13. Diana says:

    So glad you did such a long review. It was deserving of the time but it was far too close to Act Like It. I missed the scene when she gets sick, when he rescues her from the other dudes…I just didn’t feel it. This one was very cerebral. I couldn’t review it after I read it. Lucy Parker is a wonderful writer and I believe she’ll find her legs in her next book. For sure. Act Like It is still one of my top five favorite romances.

  14. Linda says:

    > Oh – and speaking of co-stars, there is a character who is awful and repulsive who uses a racist term at one point. But because he’s a shitty character who says shitty things, it didn’t bother me too much. Though I recognize how offensive his language choice was, I also recognize that he himself is an offensive shitpile. Offensive shitpiles use offensive words.

    I see where you are coming from but I have a huge problem with romances that use racism to blacken their villains while also not having any people of color as protagonists and having a person of color as a minor character just to have a racial slur slung at them. It’s honestly gross to see awful shit that happens in real life to people of color used as a prop or used to characterize a white character (this is my entire issue with the Lyon plot of the Pennyroyale Green novels). We also can’t forget that the words used would probably be jarring and upsetting for readers who are actually of that identity. I think if an author is going to incorporate a subplot about a racist character, they better be writing with the audience that the character is racist towards in the forefront of their mind.

    And I think, if nothing, our society has proven that it’s possible for a person to be horrible and racist without using a slur and that it is a disservice actually to draw the line at Bad Racist Person at using a slur. Our current president has never been on tape using a single slur, but he has been a racist in both words (calling Mexicans rapists, just… the way he talks about Black people) and actions (not renting to minorities in the 90s, probably more things). I’ve only been called a slur once in my life, but I have a lifetime of experiencing small insinuations and slyly oblique comments about my behavior and appearance. If you want to write a racist shitpile in our year of 2017, write someone like that. Someone where all the characters know what they mean but once you say “that’s racist” suddenly you’re being gaslighted on all sides while people wonder “aren’t you overreacting?” “she’s such a kind woman!” “she’s a feminist!” “I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

    I’ll probably read this novel since I think Parker is a brilliant writer. But I’m not surprised by any of this.

  15. Faye says:

    I agree with almost all of this, but really strongly disagree with the idea that using racist language is okay if you put it in the mouth of a jerky character. It was actually shocking to read it, and to see absolutely no acknowledgement within the text or through the other characters’ reactions that it was wrong. Even if it had been used and called out it in the book itself, there are so many ways to show that a character is a twerp without going there.
    To you and me it might just be offensive, but there are plenty of romance readers who would find it actively hurtful, and we all deserve to enjoy romance without being surprised by casual racism.
    I think Lucy Parker is enormously talented, and I hope her future books will catch things like this before publication.

  16. Lucy Parker says:

    I never comment on review threads of my own books, because this is totally not my space, it’s reader space, but I do want to address this, and sincerely apologise to anyone who was hurt or offended by the term in question. In NZ English, “gyp” refers to pain or injury. “My knee is giving me gyp” = I’m having problem with my knee. According to the English Oxford dictionary, it’s a term from the late 19th c. (apparently possibly derived from the word “gee”); it’s certainly not a term that I’ve ever associated with a racial connection, and I had no idea that in American English it means to cheat or swindle and has an utterly offensive etymology. I would never have used the word if I’d known that, and I’ll never use it again in future. Regardless of what it means in conversation here, it means something hurtful and unacceptable elsewhere, and I would never knowingly perpetuate that kind of hateful rhetoric. I’m very grateful to the people who made me aware of this, and I’m extremely sorry for any hurt caused.

  17. Faye says:

    Thank you! I had really been hoping there was something like a translation issue going on, and appreciate your reply and your graciousness. I’ll go back to basking in happy book feels now!

  18. Linda says:

    Ahh thank you for responding and being gracious!

  19. SB Sarah says:

    @Linda:

    You’re right. If we’re going to rid the genre of tired stereotypes and cliches, that goes for shitpile characters, too. Thank you, and I apologize.

  20. kkw says:

    Just finished, so happy, incoherent noises. I am not sure I liked it as much as Act Like it but would definitely also give this one some sort of A. I suspect the B grade has to do with expectations – if someone had never read another book of Lucy Parker’s, this one would still send them on an immediate hunt for her (lamentably short) backlist.

    Ordinarily I don’t like authors commenting on their reviews not because it isn’t their space (although it makes sense people would feel that way), but because I want them to write me another book yesterday pleasethanks, stop fucking around online already k?

    I am very grateful for Lucy Parker’s explanation in this case because yes times a zillion to what Linda and Faye said.

    @No, the Other Anne they’re described as Marilyn Monroe and Gregory Peck, which also really works for me.

  21. Annie says:

    I have loved both of Lucy Parker’s books and think she’s a wonderful writer. I would be over the moon if she were to write another book set in the world of theatre that featured a heroine over 30. I see so many real and fictional examples of women in their mid 30s + whose male contemporaries are interested in younger women. Especially in the acting world, women are valued so differently after they hit 30 – this would be such an interesting angle to explore in a future book. Meanwhile, I would love to hear recommendations of romantic novels with writing and dialogue as great as these, with couples where both partners are at least well into their 30s, in which the heroine and hero are truly contemporaries. I don’t in any way mean to detract from the great qualities of Act Like It and Pretty Face – the heroes and heroines were clearly equals and well matched in both, but for me personally I really appreciate it when women well over 30 are depicted in satisfying relationships with men their own age, because I just don’t think we get to see that enough.

  22. Shem says:

    Ah! Thank you for that clarification Lucy.

    I just read this book (loved it!) and the racist term did not leap out at me and normally sexist racist things do resonate! So I was judging myself for apparently normalising it. But I am Australian so like Lucy I would have read that term in the context she meant it and not realised it’s other meaning.

    The more you learn.

  23. I am so intrigued by the age difference aspect of this romance – I’ll one-click on that alone! I married a man who is fourteen years older than me, and I wrestled with that fact for a long time. I’d love to see how a master like Parker takes it on. Thanks for the fabulous review!

  24. Elspeth says:

    As another Australian I was also wondering what this offensive term was as I hadn’t noticed it. And I am now wondering, IS a word offensive just because it is a homonym of a word that is offensive?

    For example, the word “root” can have an offensive usage in Australia, but I would not normally assume an author was intending to use the offensive meaning, especially if the writer/setting was non-Australian. Of course, sometimes it is obvious from the context that the writer HAD meant to use the rude meaning!

    Having now located the relevant line in the book (how did I not realise my kindle had a search facility before now?) I see how I understood the author to have been using the non-offensive UK English meaning of the word as that is the only meaning that makes sense to me in the context (although I am aware of 3 different meanings of the word).

    NB unless we are talking about a DIFFERENT term that the one Lucy Parker apologised for… **starts typing rude words into search facility on kindle**

  25. Elspeth says:

    I loved the book, full of clever writing, funny descriptions and witty repartee. On reflection, I agree with Sarah’s comments about important characters dropping in and out of the book but I didn’t notice this while reading the book (as a paid up member of the Bad Decisions Book Club I naturally was still reading at 2.00am). Now if only I could get a paper copy of it (and Act Like It too for which it seems impossible to get a hard copy in Australia)

  26. Amanda says:

    The word in question immediately jumped out to me while reading and I actually stopped for a minute because I found it so upsetting. Usually I’m not big on “well it doesn’t mean that here” but if there is an etymological difference in the origin, that’s interesting. And I appreciate the author acknowledging the validity of reader concerns in a non-defensive and open way.

    I really enjoyed this book (and its predecessor was one of my favorites that year). I usually don’t like it when characters are described as resembling famous people but Gregory Peck was sooooo dreamy.

  27. Kristen says:

    I loved Pretty Face even more than Act Like It – the conflict seemed more organic to me, the obstacles bigger and the stakes higher. Like Elspeth, I didn’t really notice the secondary characters dropping in & out on first reading, but on second reading, they did definitely drop in to provide a pivot point or character development, and then disappear again. It didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book though!

    I loved the characters & dialogue in Act Like It, but funnily enough for a book about actors, I had problems with the blocking – I couldn’t visualise some scenes because the descriptions of where and how the characters were moving just didn’t make sense to me, and props seemed to disappear. None of those issues cropped up for me in Pretty Face.

    Also, the offensive term completely slipped past me – I’m an American living in Australia. Australians are more likely to describe a bad knee as ‘bung’ or ‘dicky’ but the word Lucy did use didn’t jump out at me at all. I am still surprised it made it through to the keeper if the editor is North American.

    And just by the way Artistic License (published as Elle Pierson) was awesome too – set in NZ, adorable shy artist heroine, ex-NZ army hero who thinks he’s ugly and the heroine just doesn’t see it. If you haven’t read it, get it!

  28. I guess it is my white privilege showing because I had no clue what offensive term was used and when I found out it was “gyp” I was still confused. Yes, I am an American, but I didn’t realize that was a racist term. Now, I know.

    I’m still reading the book right now and while I do like it, I have some concerns? I’m honestly not sure if that’s the right word, but I can’t think of another one for how I feel about it at this point in time. I guess we’ll see how I feel in 24%.

  29. a` says:

    Loved it!! Glad to see RIchard and Lainie make an appearance as well. I am also clueless and had no idea there was a racial slut in here. Maybe I’m sheltered? Not sure. Am going to reread it now to see it I find it.

  30. sara says:

    Loved it– more than Act Like It (Luc > Richard!). Definite A!

    What I liked is that this is a love story between adults, adults who have demanding careers and professional reasons why a relationship would not work out. But they go for it anyways. I thought Lily’s observation about feeling, at some really fundamental level, recognized when she was with Luc really nicely articulated the difference between being in love vs garden-variety sexual attraction. Luc’s willingness to own his feelings, and to go all-in with Lily, was super sexy too.

    I agree with Annie– I would love it if more accomplished authors like Parker would write about older characters, ie in their 30s or (gasp) 40s. As I age out of my thirties, it gets a little disheartening that romance heroines remain eternally 27. Sarah Mayberry has some really great Superromances with ‘mature’ characters, and Courtney Milan has some historicals where the characters are older and more formed. I wish more would follow their lead!

  31. Sharon Taylor says:

    I loved Pretty Face, as much or more than Act Like It. Aside from the dialogue, the characters, the setting… well, everything… I really loved the shout out to Ngaio Marsh and Surfeit of Lampreys. I love all Marsh’s books, and the Lampreys really stood out in her pantheon of wonderfully crazy characters. She was a New Zealander who worked in British theatre, then returned to NZ to revitalize the theatre scene there, all while writing numerous witty, thoughtful murder mysteries. Now I have to find all her books and do a full-on Marsh marathon!

    I love scenes in doorways: the symbolism of standing on a threshold, wondering whether to step forward or back. Luc giving Lily time, even when he desperately dd not want to, really resonated.

    I recommend Lucy Parker’s books to my friends who are not really interested in romance novels, because they are charming and beautiful and funny and a great example of the best type of character-driven novels. I can’t wait for the next one (and a little cameo of a happy Luc and Lily would be very much appreciated!)

  32. L says:

    I’m English and am quite used to an older generation referring to body parts giving them ‘gyp’. Context should be considered more thoroughly before jumping to conclusions and clutching at pearls.

    The world at large, seemingly, must bury it’s own individualistic language quirks (even of decent and inoffensive origin) because of the desire of one large country to read racism into it. Does the sentence even make sense with the American English meaning attached to it?

    From my perspective, it’s nice to find word use that reflects my upbringing and linguistic culture, even in a small way. It makes the work resonate better in its English setting for an English reader. Not that this opinion matters in the slightest, because obviously there can be only one interpretation of a word, ever. And that interpretation must be the American one.

    Alright, perhaps I’m pretty annoyed the Author got slammed for using a word that’s quite normal and inoffensive in our respective homelands and the ensuing undertone that we must hide or erase our linguistic world. As though we should be ashamed of it. I also take umbridge at the idea someone from another country is expected to have such a thorough knowledge of a word with specific relevance to another country.

    I realise for book sales it’s the duty of the publisher to make the choices inoffensive across the board, I’m just frustrated at feeling as though part of my world has been deemed offensive and shameful, when it isn’t.

  33. snews says:

    Just wanted to add my two cents worth…..Lucy Parker is the best thing to happen to the romance genre in years. The only bad thing is she’s pretty new to the game, so doesn’t have a backlog of books for me to devour. Thanks LP for many hours of enjoyment….with just 3 books! I’m one of those readers who likes a book, and turns right back to page 1 to continue the magic. I’ve done that with each of LP’s books. She is an auto buy. Pretty Face was delightful, and adult. By adult, I don’t mean that she dealt with all the major issues of the world (it wouldn’t be escapism if she did) or that she gave us some really dirty, steamy scenes (lots of steam, not so much on the dirt – and I am fine with that!). I mean her characters acted like adults, her plot relied on logical behavior (and not the dreaded “misunderstanding”)……. ….. (OK, I have to stop myself here because there was actually one plot device involving a misunderstanding, and I forgive LP for it because it was minor, and they acted like adults almost immediately afterward, and back to what I was saying)…………and the attraction followed by love was just so satisfying. Loved it.

  34. greennily says:

    I loved this book more than Act like it because characters and their problems touched me more. While Act like it to me was a window into a charming but foreign world, this one felt more real. I loved how sexism and stereotypes were discussed and dealt with. Pretty face actually seemed much deeper and more layered to me. And I loved both the heroine and the hero way more. So I’m waiting for the next Lucy Parker’s book, ’cause she’s now officially on my favourite author’s list.

  35. Alana says:

    Probably no one will read this two years late, but I loved Act Like It, I wanted to love this even though I don’t love age difference or workplace power dynamic differential romances. And if anything could have changed my mind on those, this book probably would have! But I kept wishing Luc and Lily would decide not to act on their feelings until he wasn’t HER DIRECTOR (it’s a matter of months, not a lifetime commitment to this role we’re talking about), or that he’d face what would have been an interesting and dramatic dilemma about whether he should abandon the play to pursue her. At the end of the day, I wasn’t invested enough in Luc to believe that he should get everything he wanted exactly when he wanted it, at much greater risk to Lily.

    It’s not fair of me to say I’d prefer this book be an entirely different genre, but I actually would love a version of this book that’s more about Lily’s journey from love child to leading lady, more about the vocal coaching, more about the various hinted at intergenerational sagas, with her romance (or potential romance) with Luc as a secondary or tertiary plot thread. So much of this book worked SO well, and I would love to read a version where those elements really had space to breathe.

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