Act Like It by Lucy Parker
Contemporary Romance
Released: November 2015
Carina Press

Reviewed by Mandi

You make Mr. Darcy look like the poster child for low-self esteem.

This book has been out for a few months and I’ve had a lot of people text me, email me and tweet me and say – READ IT! So I bought it and then it got buried on my Kindle (seriously, how many book are buried on my kindle??) and I kind of forgot about it. But I finally read it and I fell in love. This book is adorable, it’s sexy and the banter is top-notch.

Richard and Lainie are both talented stage actors appearing in the same play in the West End in London. Richard is very good looking and pretty well-known to the press and gossip magazine for his good looks – and his bad behavior. Richard has a temper – a very, very bad temper. He has no time for people who annoy him and makes no excuses for his surly attitude. The public loves a bad boy of course, but Richard’s latest tantrums have left him not in the best light.

“There is a line at which a likable bad boy becomes a nasty entitled bastard whom the public would rather see hung out to dry in the street than to pay to watch prance about a stage in bloomers. And when somebody starts abusing their fans, making an absolute arse of themselves in public places, and alienating the people who paid for their bloody Ferrari, they may consider that line crossed.”

The producers of his play are getting worried that their beloved bad boy is turning into an unwanted bad boy – so they decide he needs an attitude adjustment – and that comes in the shape of Lainie Graham.

Lainie is a much gentler person – both on and off the stage and the producers think if they can push Richard and Lainie together off stage, as a sort of fake relationship for the press, it will help Richard’s image and keep ticket prices soaring. Now – I’m not a big fan of fake relationships in books – but this one worked really well. Lainie’s sister died as a teenager from cancer and ever since, Lainie has been very involved in charitable work. She misses her sister dearly and this is one way to embrace her legacy. The producers offer Lainie quite a bit of money from upcoming ticket sales if she poses with Richard outside of work and goes to a few key events together. Lainie can’t believe she is actually going to agree to this. Richard barely acknowledges she exists behind the stage curtain. He is extremely rude – and having just gotten out of a bad relationship with another actor she works with, does she really want to pretend to get involved with another one? But the money sways her.

Richard wants to be president of a theater organization, and this will definitely help his image. Plus, he hates Will Farmer, the actor that he works with who just recently broke up with Lainie, and pretending to be Lainie’s boyfriend for a few weeks would definitely ruffle Will’s feathers.

Oh Richard is a bad, bad, boy. His surly attitude made me swoon. A quiet man – when his temper gets a hold of him, he not only lets words unleash, but they are cutting words. When he has to go out in public as Lainie’s date, he knows it’s for the best for his image, but he is none-to-pleased. What is fun though, is that Lainie doesn’t take his crap. When Richard needs to talk to someone he deems important:

“Eric Westfield. Current vice president of the Society,” Richard said close to her ear. He put his hand on her upper arm and gently moved her about six inches away from him. “Could you just…”

“I’m sorry,” Lainie said, “did you just move me?”

Richard thinks everyone is a moron and he hates other actors and the press and pretty much everyone in general. But then spending time with Lainie – he starts to enjoy her company. *gasp* He falls in love with her wild hair and her stubbornness and the fact she won’t let him get away with anything. But that doesn’t mean he still can’t throw in a quip when they are pretending to hug for the cameras.

A camera flash went off nearby and Lainie spotted a photographer turning in their direction.

With a sigh that almost parted her hair, Richard lifted his arm and slid it around her waist. Pulling her against him, he smiled down at her and the creases reappeared around his sardonic blue eyes. His warm breath gently fanned her ear when he ducked his head and whispered, “You’re habitually overplaying the death scene.”

But then he does super sweet things – like when they have to go on television for a live interview, Lainie gets extremely nervous:

She was physically trembling, literally vibrating with tension. This never happened onstage.

The surprise she’d felt at his earlier, almost friendly remark was nothing to her astonishment when he casually reached out and took her hand in his. His finger felt strong and rough as he linked them through hers, pulling her wrist over to rest against his thigh.

Oh Richard.

Or when he realizes he is starting to fall in love with her:

It was more than that. He was…God, he was bonding with her.

Feelings – warm, strong, nauseating feelings – were springing up all over the place, unfurling in his chest, his gut, his groin. Sinking in deep with their little hooks.

Her obvious pain had reached out and grabbed him around the throat. He’d wanted her in his arms. Would have settled for holding her hand. Then she’d kissed him – on the cheek, for God’s sake – and just about shocked his brain out of his skull. If he actually got her into bed, he might not survive the night.

Enemies to friends to lovers – with a slow, sensual build of romance, quick and witty banter. Such a treat to read. I think this is a debut author and I’m excited to see what she gives us next

Grade: A

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