I received this book from the amazing Lindsey Kelk. She recommended it to me as she thought it was something I would enjoy. Now, I think I may have told you on one or two (try fifty) occasions how much I love Lindsey Kelk, so you know I was more than happy to read anything she suggested. Blind Item was written by Kevin Dickson and Jack Ketsoyan, both of whom have worked in the entertainment business for over twenty five years. It's safe to say they know a thing or two about a scandal and dealing with celebrities. Therefore, this book is an inside look into what goes on in Hollywood. The stories and plot are real but we just have no idea who they actually happened to. And believe me when I tell you, our leading lady deals with many a scenario that will make you say 'Wow', ' Nooo way', 'Really?'

Our aforementioned leading lady, Nicola is an assistant publicist in Hollywood. She attends glitzy parties, does what her boss tells her and is always prepared to handle a celebrity scandal. It's not exactly her dream job and sometimes she has to grin and bare it, yes, quite literally. She moved away from home after a bad relationship that involved drugs and in turn isn't always keen on the celebrity shindigs, but when rent is due and bills need paying you've got to do what you've got to do.

Seamus O'Riordan is a hugely famous actor. He bumps into Nicola at a party and is drawn to her. When they meet a second time he asks her out on a date and their story begins. It's not easy dating when paparazzi are waiting at every turn. Some of the things Seamus has to do to remain out of the public eye are quite out there and will have us non celebrity folk shaking our heads in disbelief. Nicola can't quite believe Seamus likes her at first, she can't quite shake that he's a celebrity and she, well, isn't. Girls fall at his feet everywhere he goes, so it takes some adjusting for her to relax around him and not overthink spending time with him. Furthermore, Seamus certainly knows how to woo a lady, from sexy dates at the Griffith Observatory to secret beach caves, it's a lot of fun to see how their relationship progresses.

This book is extremely sexy and bold and I honestly loved that both characters held their ends of the bargain when it came to this. Nicola was confident, strong and outgoing. I loved that she stepped out of her comfort zones a little with Seamus. I loved that she wasn't afraid to be sexy or say what she liked. In addition, Seamus knew how to please, he was experienced and a little kinky. The lovely thing is though, if you're one for romance like me, there is a rather nice balance in the book with these characters being raunchy but also very sweet with each other. It's not all about the wild sex and dramatic dates and dealing with the crazy world they are a part of, they care about each other and we get to see this side too. This was important for me because I sometimes needed a break from the rockstar parties where everyone was doing drugs or the moments where Seamus couldn't control himself. With the celebrity scandals and Nicola's friends being a part of reality TV shows and always on the hunt for the latest celebrity gossip, it gets very dramatic and shocking. That is to say, it's all very interesting. Knowing that this story comes from people who witnessed all these goings on in real life also adds to the intensity of the book.

This book definitely makes for a great escape read. It's fascinating and most certainly a roller coaster ride. The cast of characters you meet a long the way are character's you won't be forgetting in a hurry. From the likes of Seamus' body guard Bluey, who basically does everything for him, meets his every need and who is in fact just a very cool guy with a good heart, to Billy, Nicola's best friend, who gets himself in quite the predicaments; making out with random guys in bars while trying to find a lead, stuck in Vegas with a hot actor who seems to be obsessed with him, just to name a few. I will say that the only thing I didn't like was how mean Nicola was at work. It was hard to take in that that's what goes on in that world. I know you have to be forward and make things happen but the way she spoke sometimes threw me off. I thought she would be kinder when she started dating Seamus, with the fact that he is a celebrity and she can see how hard it is for him, but then she would go and be quite nasty to other celebrities. It will make your jaw drop that these situations come from a place of reality.

I highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fast paced, high energy page turner that will make you gasp, smile, swoon and say thank you for your non celebrity lifestyle! :p

2.5 stars.

As an up-and-coming publicist to the stars, Nicola has experienced a lot—but this Ohio girl is about to be exposed to Hollywoods' seamy underside. Nico has two rules: don't date a druggie, and never date an actor. Along with her two best friends, dirt-scraping journalist Billy and stylist/celebrity-wannabe Kara, Nico is about to take on Hollywood. Or not.

Sex. Drugs. Gassy blowjobs. Druggie parties. Gay people. Overdoses. Bigotry. Weird-as-fuck sex. A little rock 'n roll. And more drugs. Oh and lots of paparazzis and really horrible people doing horrible things. This is about the summation of this book. There are really no sympathetic characters, aside from perhaps Bluey, but maybe that's the adorable Aussie bit. Everyone, and I repeat, everyone, is pretty much a lying asshole.

All of which I can handle. The plot isn't much to sniff at. There are some entertaining moments, but the back-door politicking seems a little juvenile. The main thing I couldn't really stand was the overuse of the word "bitch" and just general hatred everyone throws around so casually. It seriously made me want to curb someone.

I initially requested this because I thought it was going to be a snarky and sassy expose of Hollywood life. What I got was a whole bunch of cheap drug parties in abandoned and shitty mansions, and the people who supported their little cash-cows' addictions and poor behavior in order to ride the gravy train a little longer. When I finished the book, I wanted to take a long, hot shower and scrub myself down with steel wool.

I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

Fun trashy Hollywood read, sort of like a modern Jackie Collins.

Nicola is a small town Ohio transplant in LA working PR for an eccentric demanding boss (Can we get a book just about the boss, she was so delightful, kind of like a loveable Devil Wears Prada type!), and just trying to get over her tragic past. Her gay BFF Billy, who makes a living selling stories to the tabloids, always has her back, and her roommate Kara, who is chasing fame a-la-Kardashian's always keeps her entertained.

At an industry party, Nicola runs into superstar Seamus O'Riordan, who sweeps Nicola off of her feet. Seamus has a secret, however, that could ruin his career and his growing relationship with Nicola if the truth gets out.

A fun read if this is your sort of thing. I definitely lol-ed at some parts. I'd say it's the perfect beach read.

Hollywood is a town where the famous and fame-seekers congregate. Keeping it all going is the publicity machine that aims to put their clients' names up in lights as well as keep a lid on any scandals. Assistant publicist Nicole works for Gaynor, who has no problem pimping her out to clients, including the devilishly handsome Scottish actor Seamus. Her friend Billy makes his dough leaking stories to the press, while her flatmate Kara is hoping to transition from stylist to reality TV star.
Written by two insiders (Dickson is an entertainment reporter and Ketsoyan a publicist), who claim "the jaw-dropping scandals are real but the names are not", it's all a bit crude, with plenty of sex, drugs and power games. At the end I couldn't decide if I enjoyed it or not. For those looking for a racy read about the glitz and seediness of Tinseltown.

A juicy, behind the scenes look at the Hollywood of publicists and those scrambling for items to sell to the tabloids. A fictional look into the lives of 3 friends - Nicola, an assistant publicist, Kara, a stylist and reality tv wanna be, and Billy, a seller of seedy tips to the tabloids. As the friends try to survive and thrive in Hollywood they struggle between what is protected by the friendship and what is far game for the tabloids.

I thought this was a good enough read, especially for a genre that seems to be overflowing right now with new summer beach reads. I do feel that some of the storylines could have either been cut for brevity or expanded and included more in the overall fabric of the story. I do hope there's a second book, because I"m interested in the characters, but I think a narrower focus on the main relationship would benefit the overall story.

Perfect beach read; fun, flirty, and will keep readers guessing who the characters are based on in real life.