The Redhead Plays Her Hand by Alice Clayton

The Redhead Plays Her Hand (The Redhead, #3)

by Alice Clayton

Grace has landed the lead in a new TV series-but when the director asks her to lose fifteen pounds, she goes public with her weight struggles and suddenly develops a huge fan club who support her right to have curves. But between that and the public's continuing fascination with her "are they or aren't they" relationship with Jack, Grace begins to wonder if anyone's really interested in her because of her upcoming TV series, or if it's all speculation about the size of her ass and her bedroom partner.

Meanwhile, Jack is voted the Sexiest Man Alive and becomes a little too enamored with the party-hard lifestyle. Grace vows to give him the space he needs to find himself, but then he begins to spiral down from lovable Brit to Hollywood brat. People are talking, but are Jack and Grace? Her career is on the rise, and his continues into the stratosphere, but will she be able to catch him if he falls? Will they ever be able to just be a couple who can hold hands when they walk down the street?

Reviewed by EBookObsessed on

5 of 5 stars

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Brilliant. Absolutely Brilliant.

There is no question in the blossoming relationship between 33 year old Grace Sheridan and 24 year old Jack Hamilton, the young Jack has been the rock of the relationship so far. Grace has had 33 years to grow her neurosis and in The Redhead Revealed, those insecurities almost tore Jack and Grace apart. But in this next addition to the series, the pressure of stardom is starting to get to Jack. He just wants to be able to walk down the street with his crazy girl.

Jack is a very private person, but between the paparazzi continuing to follow him and Holly’s edict that he and Grace need to keep their relationship quiet, Jack’s patience is wearing thin. He starts spending time with his co-star Adam Kasen, binge drinking and partying into the wee hours of the morning. Adam is a former It boy who’s volatile, diva attitude made him an unbillable star when no one was willing to work with him. This Has Been has found a way back into the limelight as Jack’s BFF and if he has to drag down Jack to stay there, he has no problem with that, and Jack isn’t exactly fighting his own downfall. Grace feels that Adam is just using Jack to raise his dulled star back into the headline, but Jack is too busy partying and blowing off steam to listen to reason.

Meanwhile, Grace is dealing with her own Hollywood up and downs. Grace’s critically acclaimed role of Mabel from the off-Broadway play has being picked by Venue and being modified for small screen. But the producers have some pre-production notes to go over with Grace, including a need for her to loose 15 lbs ASAP. Grace thought she had won her battle over her weight gain, but in Hollywood terms her size 8 figure is plus-sized and the producers don’t want to see the chubby Grace doing a naked love scene. Grace is determined that she will not be turned away by Hollywood again, and if she has to go on a cucumber and air diet and runs a few hundred additional miles in an attempt to drop the required weight so she can stop hiding her body behind plants and books, then that’s what she’ll do. When the paparazzi come across a photo of a very overweight Grace from before her return to Hollywood, Grace is surprised to find such huge public outcry in support of her fight with her weight.

Between Jack’s fans still attacking Grace on the internet, the producers cutting down her self-esteem and living on great big bites of air, Grace is trying to keep Jack from shooting his own star out of the sky. Stories of the parties and the drinking are increasing and it is no exaggeration that Jack is out of control, but can she save him from his own self-destruction if he doesn’t want her help?

After fighting so hard for his relationship with Grace, will Jack’s own behavior be the undoing of the best relationship either has even known? As the night of Grace’s premier approaches, will Jack be there to support her or will it be his turn to flake out on Grace?

THOUGHTS:
I just LOVE Grace and Jack!! They are one of my favorite literary couples. Alice Clayton has such a way with writing. The witty banter, the crazy antics and the titillating relationships blend together to make such enjoyable and unforgettable characters and stories.

Grace is the type of character that women can relate to between her weight and body issue, but she is also so fun and witty that you can see why she captured the heart of fun-loving Jack.

Where in The Redhead Revealed, we wanted to step in and shake Grace for her breaking up with Jack, in Redhead Plays Her Hand, it is Jack who will be earning the reader’s wrath for risking his reclaimed relationship with Grace.

I know that Alice Clayton has finished with her tale of Jack and Grace, but I would happily read more and more of their story if she ever changes her mind. When I got my hands on this ARC, I didn’t even bother putting it on my TBR list. I downloaded and opened it right away. There was no way I was waiting to enjoy this one.

Received an ARC courtesy of the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 13 October, 2013: Finished reading
  • 13 October, 2013: Reviewed