DNF

Finding Jessica Lambert

I was ready to adore this book. It has an age gap between the two leads, one of them is a movie star, and the blurb gave me Notting Hill vibes.

Seriously, check out this blurb:

Movie star Jessica Lambert is in danger of burning out. Returning to London for the premiere of her latest film, she’s recognised everywhere she goes. When she runs away through the streets of London, she’s taken in by the beautiful and more mature Anna. The two hide in the sanctuary of Anna’s roof-top flat, a haven away from the crowds, but why has Anna removed herself from the world?

As the two women get to know each other, stripping away the layers, both appreciate what each does for the other. This could be the start of something wonderful, more than either of them know.

I was basically like this.

Unfortunately, Finding Jessica Lambert fell so flat for me that I stopped a little over halfway through and skipped ahead to a couple of spots, including to see how it ends. I’m happy Anna and Jess get their happily ever after, but I don’t care enough to watch them get there because I never fully believed in them as a couple. While each recognizes that the other is wildly attractive, I found them to have little chemistry. That’s partly because so much of their interaction is about Anna giving Jess a space to unwind and be herself, or Jess giving Anna enough courage to step slightly outside of her comfort zone.

That problem is exacerbated by Anna having no idea that Jess is a famous movie star, which isn’t mentioned in the blurb. I thought Jess would tell her pretty quickly, but she doesn’t.

Why it’s a problem that Jess doesn’t tell Anna who she is.

Anna used to be a well-known and respected actor, mainly on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Her film career had been taking off when she had a scary stalker situation, and she has since been living with an anxiety disorder that she manages by living a small, routine-based life where she avoids as much attention and interaction as possible.

Anything related to acting is a massive trigger for Anna, so learning about Jess’s career will be catastrophic. The looming info reveal didn’t create tension as much as it had me saying, “Well, this is going to end badly.” I actually stopped reading at the 57% mark, shortly before the secret comes out, because I was tired of waiting and wasn’t invested enough in them to press on.

Two aspects that worked very well for me:

Anna’s mother is awful and their interactions are excellent toxic family representation. If I’m rooting for anything to happen in this book, it’s for Anna to tell her mom to fuck off into the sun, although I didn’t confirm that when I skipped ahead.
The writing is sometimes very funny, which kept me entertained even when the romance wasn’t working for me.

One last note for people who are interested: Jess is Black and autistic. I don’t know enough to say whether the Black British or autism rep is good, but I want to put it out there for people looking for either.

Ultimately, I was expecting that whole Notting Hill, cuddling up and falling in love with a celebrity away from the paparazzi thing. Finding Jessica Lambert delivered something very different and it just didn’t work that well for me.

– Tara

Jessica Lambert, movie star and ingénue, is in danger of burning out. Returning to London for the premiere of her latest film, she’s recognised everywhere she goes. When she runs away through the streets of London, she’s taken in by the beautiful and more mature Anna.

The two hide in the sanctuary of Anna’s roof-top flat, a haven away from the crowds, but why has Anna removed herself from the world?

As the two women get to know each other, stripping away the layers, both appreciate what each does for the other. This could be the start of something wonderful, more than either of them know.