Shuttergirl by CD Reiss

Shuttergirl

by CD Reiss

I am not hurt.



I don't need a second chance with him, or a life I thought I had.



While he was out forgetting me to become a movie star, I was building a career out of nothing. A career as a paparazzi, but a career. For a foster kid who bounced around every home in Los Angeles, that wasn't easy.



This camera is all I have.



He's nothing to me. Every time I take his picture and sell it, I remind myself that I did it all without him or his approval, his cinnamon smell or his lithe body. He can light up the screen like a celestial body, but he's nothing to me.



He can throw my camera off a balcony, and nothing has to change. We can stay king and queen of the same city, and different worlds.



Except this is Hollywood, and here, anything can happen.

Reviewed by Lynn on

5 of 5 stars

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Shuttergirl is about a second chance, slow burn romance which breaks down barriers to beat the odds. Don't be fooled into thinking this is a Hollywood style, glitzy and sugar-coated story, because it isn't. This is a gritty and realistic portrayal of two people who technically should not strike up a relationship under any circumstance.

Laine Cartwright has never forgotten the boy who befriended her during her brief spell at Breakpoint School. As a child she spent most of her time being shifted from one foster home to another and Michael Greydon is one positive memory from her past she's unwilling to let go of.

To the outside world Michael Greydon has the world at his feet. The son of actors, he was born into Hollywood royalty and is on the verge of super stardom in his own right. However, his “perfect” life is far cry from reality. Every time he sees “Shuttergirl,” he remembers the beautiful girl who watched him practicing tennis at school and who abruptly disappeared from his life, leaving a lasting impression.

This is a romance about two people that appear to be at the opposite ends of the spectrum...a movie star and a papparazzi girl. Laine is a survivor and a woman of integrity and Michael is truly a good guy in a sea of sharks that is the film industry. The plot moves effortlessly between the alternating point of views of the protagonists leaving us in no doubt about the chemistry and emotional attachment between them. One of the surprising things (to me) is the impact of the setting to this story. Los Angeles is a multifaceted character entwined in the lives of Michael and especially Laine. We see so much of this city through Laine's eyes as she ducks and dives through the back alleys, hiding behind the lens of her beloved camera. All in the name of survival.

This is the first book I have read by this author (although I do admit to having unread e book copies on my Kindle). I'm impressed by the fluidity of her writing and will be reading more from her very soon.

***arc generously received in exchange for an honest review***

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 6 May, 2015: Finished reading
  • 6 May, 2015: Reviewed