HER LEADING HERO - Maggie Dallen

OLD-FASHIONED ROMANCE - 3 stars

Plot - 3.5 stars - Tamara ran away from her privileged life and has found herself a nice, quiet niche as the manager of an old-time movie theater. But now, with their current fundraising, she's seeing things from her past and, more importantly, people from her past life, and she's not ready for it.

Writing - 3 stars - Dallen writes in a nice and casual style that is easy to read. Her characters were well-built, and their back stories made sense.

Characters - 2.5 stars - There really nothing wrong with the characters, but they just didn't gel for me. Tamara is fine as the wronged heroine who ran away to find herself, but getting back into her previous world just makes her seem fragile and made me feel uncomfortable. Gregory is overpoweringly handsome and prominent and sexy, and I just couldn't see the two of them together. His instant attraction to her seemed unbelievable, and I didn't feel any real chemistry between them.

Title - 2.5 stars - This fits the theme and matches the previous books, but it doesn't really capture the attention. As with the cover, it just seems dated.

Cover - 2 stars - This is where this book loses major points for me. I suspect that it's supposed to be old-fashioned, to match the old-time movies and flashy film stars from back in the day, but without the back story, it just looks cheesy and unappealing. Something in black and white or framed by a theater curtain would have made more sense.

Overall - 3 stars - There was really nothing wrong about this book, but it didn't strike a chord with me. The plot was good, the main and supporting characters were fine, but the relationship (which is the core of a romance, of course) just didn't work. The sparks just weren't there. But I'm interested to see that Dallen writes young adult books, and I will definitely plan to check those out.

Tamara has a new life. She's no longer society queen Tammy. She's happy with her life working at the theatre. She has great friends and no longer has to deal with the rich ways of her old life. But when Gregory, a crush from her past, comes into her life as a billionaire interested in buying the theatre, will he recognize her and bring her old life crashing back into her new life?

I liked Her Leading Hero. Both Tamara and Gregory were realistically flawed, down to earth people with realistic problems. And they had great chemistry. I felt so badly for both of them considering their demons and their pasts. That they were able to make it together as a couple speaks to their strong bond and their strength of character.

Tamara Pierce has long stopped crushing on Gregory Blanchard, but when he buys the historic old movie house she manages, she finds herself being pulled back into the world she left behind after a painful breakup. And with Gregory wanting her to be the public face of Ellen Theater, she finds she can't avoid the limelight for long. Will Gregory be able to convince Tamara to take a chance on him, or will her heart be broken for a second time?

What a fantastic and very engaging read Ms. Dallen has delivered in this third book of her A Reel Romance series where although I didn't warm up to the heroine right away, I found that as this story progressed and Gregory pushed her back into the world she's tried so hard to stay away from -- the world of the riches -- I really started to like the heroine. Certainly, she shows great resilience and courage.

As for the dialogue, it was intense due to the main characters back stories, especially that of the hero, because of the relationship between him and his father, which made me feel sorry for the hero. Yet, in saying that, I couldn't help but sympathize with the heroine's past as well. How could her family be so cruel in doing what they did? No wonder she doesn't want anything to do with the world her family are from. Furthermore, I absolutely loved the hero. He's confident; knows how to get what he wants, which is proven by how he convinces the heroine to be the face of the theatre; and I liked how determined he was to win over the heroine because they both need each other to heal from their pasts.

Overall, Ms. Dallen has delivered a really good read in this book where emotions run high; there's plenty of great chemistry between this couple; and the ending had me loving what the hero does because who doesn't want their happy ever after to be a dream come true and like a black-and-white movie. However, it was the epilogue that wrapped this story up wonderfully because of how far this couple have come in their relationship and how happy they are together, especially because of the happy surprise the heroine has. I would recommend Her Leading Hero by Maggie Dallen, if you enjoy the enemy to lovers trope or books by authors Kelly Moran, Lila Monroe, Roxanne St. Claire and Emily March.

Tamara had never really liked parties. But in her old life she had attended many. But now she hid behind a column at the charity event she was at even if it was to benefit the theater - The Ellen- that she worked for but also loved. Tamara was drinking champagne for liquid courage. Tamara’s parents loved parties and would have loved this one. Things had changed a lot in six years. Tamara was much happier with her new life, job, and friends she had now. Tonight’s theme was classic movies stars. Her roommate and best friend Marc who knew nothing of her past and her as Tammy Vanguard. Tamara had wanted to attend this charity event as Ginger Rogers but Marc’s boyfriend Alec had other ideas and Tamara ended up being Veronica Lake. Parties made Tamara uncomfortable and then to be wearing such a revealing dress didn’t help how uncomfortable Tamara felt. It was al Tamara could do to make herself stay at this event. Tamara had several glasses of champagne and then Tamara seen him…. Gregory Blanehart. Gregory Gregory had been a friend of Tamara’s brother Jonathan close but untouchable for Tamara. Gregory had just gotten out of a two year relationship with Vanessa. As A favor to his friend Ben. Gregory noticed Tamara and he went over to talk to her using the excuse he wanted to know the history of the theater. Gregory didn’t seem to recognize Tamara as Tammy so maybe her secret was still safe. Tamara when she was Tammy had been engaged to Billy who was mentally and physically abusive. He lied to her parents and told them he felt she was losing it and her parents believed Billy and didn’t listen to Tammy and had her institutionalized. When Tammy got out she changed her name and her whole life and left her old life behind and everything in it even dancing as a ballerina and Tamara had been talented. Gregory bought the theater and Tamara went to his office to quit her job. While in the office Gregory kissed her and then his father walked in and instantly recognized Tamara as Tammy. Tamara decided she was not giving up the home she had made for herself and decided to stay working for the Ellen.
I really loved this book. It was a warm sweet romance. This was about inner growth and letting go of the past. I loved Gregory and Tamara together. I loved how how Tamara didn’t act all uppity and like a snob. After what she had been through she was still a sweet and caring I also liked how Marc was there for Tamara and always had her back even if he had to push her at times. I also loved how Gregory was willing to help his friends. I was happy when Gregory’s father finally explained to Gregory why he had acted toward Gregory as he had. I just really loved this book and didn’t want to put it down. It held my attention from beginning to end. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend.

My goodness, this author really has a way of sucking me into her stories. This series has been great and really had me invested in the characters. I found this story to be the best of the bunch. I’m not sure if that’s because I already knew most of the characters really well or if it was truly the best of them. Either way, it was great.

Although the hang ups both Tamara and Gregory have sometimes got to be a bit much, they were real issues that many people have to deal with…at least on a lesser level. (Let’s face it, how many of us are billionaires?) Mostly, their issues just broke my heart. While they seemed to really understand each other they didn’t truly understand themselves. Thus, the drama and misunderstandings.

Once again, Maggie Dallen wrote wonderful chemistry. Not only that, the insecurities Tamara experienced throughout the story were so real I could feel her discomfort. This author is a whiz with getting the reader to feel the emotions of her characters.

Her Leading Hero by Maggie Dallen
A Reel Romance #3

An old theater named Ellen
A woman who wants to save Ellen
A man who joins the effort
A romance

Past wrongs to right
Pain to deal with
Strength to be found
Self-awareness and self-value that grows

Tamara has secrets and doesn’t want her past to encroach on the life she has created. When Gregory Blanchard shows up at a fund raiser she is taken back to memories of a crush she had on him and also to the past she has put behind her and…her life begins to change. Gregory and Tamara are good together, except when they are not. There are ups and downs in their relationship but eventually there is a happy end for the two of them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books-Lyrical Shine for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

Tamara Pierce changed her name six years ago after her parents had her committed since her fiancée convinced them she was unstable. After his controlling nearly broke her, she’s now trying to find the new her. Tamara now runs a historic old movie house, that she’s hoping the owners don’t tear it down. Throwing a party for the elite so she can get funding to preserve the movie house, is a task that is necessary but she doesn’t want to be a part of. What if someone from her past recognizes her and all that heartache will come back to haunt her. As she feared, someone from her past shows up, however, he doesn’t recognize her. Gregory is so attracted to Tamara that he decides to invest in the movie house and hopefully get to know this mysterious beauty. Working side by side with her is all he wants to do. He knows that now that she is his employee he shouldn’t get involved with Tamara, but then again their physical attraction can no longer be denied. After a night of passion, he convinces her to open up to him. Everything is going so well until Tamara happens to listen to an argument between him and his father in which Gregory makes some comments about her that are so hurtful Tamara feels betrayed. Realizing that he really blew it this time, Gregory tries to get her back to no avail. Will he be able to win her back or should he just give up and let her find someone else that won’t hurt her.
This was my first book by this author and I truly enjoyed it. Looking forward to reading more of Maggie Dallen’s books.

This story wasn’t a favorite story of mine, both main characters seemed a little too dependent on the opinions of others for me to really connect with either of them. I also felt the storyline dragged a little bit.

This was a great story and I have loved this series. It can stand alone as well.

I loved the plot of the story, Tamara is a former debutante and she is in hiding and Gregory, is a family friend and doesn't recognize her. When he buys the theatre she works at an loves they are thrown together and he discovers her secret identity and secrets.

I loved the idea of the plot and I even loved the two characters, but I felt the author missed some major things in the story. Maybe it would have been a longer book but in some instances I felt robbed. We don't get to see things play out but rather just hear about them after and that took a lot from the storyline.

For instance Tamar's reunion with her family we never see, we hear about it after. Then their is the conforntation with the ex and again we only hear about it and don't see it playout. These were things I really wanted to see happen and instead it was sorta glossed over.

Aside from that, it is a well written story and I really enjoyed the plot of the story.