Public Relations

April 1, 2017
An up-and-coming public relations associate gets in over her head when she tries to manage a celebrity faux romance.Twenty-six-year-old Rose Reed is great at her job but longing to move ahead at her PR agency. When her boss gets pulled away due to a difficult client, Rose is forced to sit in on a major meeting with pop megastar and British heartthrob Archie Fox. Though she was instructed to stay silent, Rose can't deal with the horrible rebranding ideas coming from her colleagues. With the intent to increase buzz before his new album, they eventually come up with the idea to orchestrate a new romance, and it is Rose who suggests Raya, a young indie songstress who is effortlessly cool and a rising star. Though not the obvious choice for a celebrity hookup, Raya possesses the edge Archie needs to open his career to a new demographic. Though out of her league, Rose is put in charge of carefully arranging appearances, scheduling paparazzi opportunities, and controlling the message of "Raychie," as they are quickly dubbed by fans. Of course, things become complicated when Rose starts spending more time with Archie and finds herself developing feelings for him. Could an A-list celebrity ever be interested in a "regular"? Though Rose attempts to ignore her feelings, even going on some awkward Tinder dates along the way, she can't manage to get Archie out of her mind. Written with wit and charm, the novel is a fun and quick read. Though its plot follows a fairly predictable course, the characters keep it fresh--from Harper, Rose's best friend and cubicle mate, to Neil, the hapless Tinder date. Heaney (Dear Emma, 2016, etc.) and Rebolini have crafted a "Cinderella" for the modern age.

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Starred review from April 15, 2017

New publicist Rose Reed gets the opportunity of a lifetime after she disobeys her boss's orders and suggests a PR strategy for the firm's newest client, British singer/songwriter (and hottie) Archie Fox. Why not manufacture a relationship with up-and-coming artist Raya? It's a go, but with the catch that Rose must be Archie's publicist. How the "relationship" plays out in the public eye, from what Archie wears to where Raya places her arm in photographs, every public outing and interview answer is directed by Rose. Things go as planned until text messages and phone calls start, and Rose is put in a potentially unethical and unprofessional position on the project. Senior Buzz Feed editor Heaney (Dear Emma) and Buzz Feed contributor Rebolini's collaboration is amazing. With insider peeks into the world of celebrity PR that would violate any nondisclosure act, the coauthors create a cast of characters and story with which readers will fall in love. They thread several story lines into the work, including Rose's adventures in online dating and her fierce and intimidating boss Joanna, whose leadership would make anyone tremble in their Prada heels. VERDICT An outstanding read, perfect for fans of Allison Sweeney, Candace Bushnell, and Lauren Weisberger.--Erin Holt, Williamson Cty. P.L., Franklin, TN

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Listeners will enjoy the serendipitous timing that allows a young PR professional named Rose to land a new client: Archie Fox, a famous singer-songwriter. To gain publicity, Rose suggests a faux romance between Archie and an up-and-coming indie star. But in staging the romance, Rose begins to question her real feelings for Archie, feelings that threaten her career. Narrator Holly Chandler does a superb job contrasting Rose's smooth inner monologues with her awkward interactions as she experiences the triumphs and struggles of having her first client. A similar juxtaposition defines the two sides of Rose's best friend, Harper, a confident artist one minute and a squealing fan girl the next. The humor of the story shines as Chandler seamlessly transitions between the characters, especially the posh singer and Rose. A.L.C. � AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine