I Heart Hollywood (I Heart, #2)

by Lindsey Kelk

[Leah]

Angela Clark has barely been settled in New York for 6 months when her editor at The Look magazine tells her that she's being given a special assignment: she's off to La-La land to interview an actor hotter than Brad Pitt - James Jacobs. Angela duly takes up the challenge and sets off to LA with best friend Jenny, however when she gets there she finds that LA isn't as glamorous as she thought it would be and the only sane person there is James. Matters are made worse when Angela and James are snapped in an uncompromising position and Angela is suddenly thrust into the spotlight. Can Angela make her boyfriend believe there's truly nothing going on between herself and James?

I have to admit that after hating I Heart New York I was incredibly dubious about reading I Heart Hollywood. However, I'm always willing to give an author a second chance and since I was sent this by the publishers I decided to read it pretty much as soon as I'd finished I Heart New York. A day later and I've finished it and while I think it was better than I Heart New York, that's hardly a compliment.

I Heart Hollywood picks up two months after I Heart New York and starts, much like the first book, at a wedding. A chapter or two later and Angela is heading off to LA. The start to the book was hardly pacey and I thought I'd end up getting bored 60 pages in like it's predecessor. In a carbon copy of I Heart New York, Angela seems to have everything fall into her lap when she gets to LA, particularly when it comes to James Jacobs. They get along straight away which is believable enough, but the book then goes into "OMG so unbelievable" territory by making it seem as if James loves Angela (after she throws up and passes out on him, no less) and they end up being featured on gossip websites - Perez Hilton gets a mention! - which portray them as a new couple. Quelle surprise, Angela's boyfriend sees the snaps and all of a sudden, Angela's in a bit of a pickle. Again. Angela protests her innocence, but doesn't deny she wasn't thinking about it...

Most of the principle characters from I Heart NY return; Angela, Alex, Jenny, as well as the addition of James Jacobs. It says it all that after two books my favourite character is the newest addition. Angela is the same as ever, having everything fall into her lap so seamlessly, being completely blind to everything happening around her and generally, being a poor woman's Becky Bloomwood. I loved Alex in the first book but really wasn't a fan of him in Hollywood, he was like a totally different character. I loved Jenny in the first book, too, and thankfully, she was the same as ever. The book would have been miles better is she was the principle character as she brings life to the whole book and without her it's a bit of a dud. Adding James Jacobs helped the book enormously as far as I'm concerned and I thought he was fantastic. Such a shame we probably won't see him again. There are a few minor characters who appear/reappear but there roles were so small, you'd barely notice them.

The worst thing about both books is the unbelievability factor. I love Becky Bloomwood's Shopaholic adventures because it manages to stay a bit true to real life but the I Heart books make it so difficult for me to imagine because it's as if they're happening in an alternate universe. There's a recession going on but Angela has no problem spending thousands of dollars on clothes... The book has no realism whatsoever. Also, there's a huge twist involving James Jacobs and his personality change after we learn his secret is rather astounding. I was truly gobsmacked at how quickly he changed, it was so unbelievable I could have laughed. Kelk's writing has improved a little bit, though, so I give her credit for that. Angela is no longer revered as a hero, thank God, which is another plus. Don't get me wrong I Heart Hollywood IS better than I Heart New York and I found myself enjoying it much more but if I don't like the principle character (she still calls men boys, by the way) there isn't too much hope for me to really love the book and get lost in it. Funny thing is, I will undoubtedly end up reading I Heart Paris... don't ask...