Loved this story! Sabrina and Nick were such a great couple and I really enjoyed how all the other couples in the series were incorporated too!

4.25 Stars / 2 Steam Fans

I love good enemies to lovers' stories, and this story is everything I LOVE!! Sabrina and Nick are rival TV Show hosts thrown together to rebuild their images and careers. The banter and sexual chemistry is off the chart between Sabrina and Nick, and everyone sees it but them.

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In Headliners, the fifth book in her London Celebrity series, author Lucy Parker shifts her focus from London’s Theatreland to the world of television, to bring readers a wonderfully sharp, funny, sexy and grown-up romance between a pair of rival TV presenters who profess to hate each other’s guts, but who, of course, doth protest too much.

[Unlike the other books in this series, Headliners isn’t really a standalone and readers would benefit from reading The Austen Playbook first, as part of this story deals with the fallout of events which took place in that book. ]
The sparks flew fast and explosive between current affairs presenters Sabrina Carlton and Nick Davenport when we met them in The Austen Playbook. The pair have been trading barbs on screen for years, the jabs and jibes at each other made on their respective shows starting off relatively light-hearted and encouraged by their production teams as a way of generating publicity. As time has passed, those jabs and jibes have become sharper, and what had begun as contemptuous amusement has soured into actual antipathy. But things reached an all-time low after (at the end of the previous book) Nick broke the story of a decades-old Carlton family secret in the most damaging way possible, and even though the story and ensuing scandal had absolutely nothing to do with Sabrina, her popularity has taken a dive and her career is hanging in the balance.

So her gleeful reaction to the news of a massive faux-pas by Nick is hardly surprising. He’s been caught on video bad-mouthing the CEO of the network, who – naturally – is pissed as hell. Nick is promptly removed from the nightly show he’s hosted for the past four years, The Davenport Report, and he and Sabrina – whose contract is up for renewal – are given Hobson’s Choice; they’re out unless they agree to team up throughout December to present the network’s flagging breakfast show, Wake Me Up London. They have until Christmas Eve to improve the show’s embarrassingly shit ratings – and if they deliver (without actually killing each other in the process), then their immediate boss will agree to discuss the renewal of their contracts.

Of course, neither Nick nor Sabrina is thrilled with this idea, and not just because of their mutual dislike. The early-morning show is a bit of a joke, not at all the sort of serious-minded, current affairs material they’re used to dealing with. But both of them have worked incredibly hard and made a lot of personal sacrifices to get where they are in an exceptionally cut-throat business, and neither of them is willing to throw that away. They agree to the deal.

Thus, the scene is set for a sometimes hilarious, sometimes poignant but always entertaining romance between two characters with scorching chemistry who simply light up the pages. Lucy Parker captures the frenetic behind the scenes energy of live television just as well as she depicted the backstage shenanigans of the theatre scene, and the scenarios she dreams up for the breakfast show – from blind biscuit decorating, to interviewing the creator of that year’s must-have (really bizarre) toy, to a Christmas-themed whodunit aboard the Murder Train – are all ridiculously plausible and entertaining as we watch Nick and Sabrina realising that the morning gig is not as easy to pull off as they’d thought. I liked the way they come to admit to themselves – and then to each other – that they were wrong in their assumptions about it. There’s also an intriguing sub-plot in which it becomes apparent that someone is trying to sabotage the show, and while this remains firmly in the background for most of the time, it’s another of the things which serves to bring Nick and Sabrina together, as they agree to work together to try to find out who it is.

Nick and Sabrina are multi-faceted, complex characters who feel like real people, and their romance is really well done, the move from animosity to partnership to love evolving naturally and organically. Ambitious and career-minded, they’re alike in many ways, and have a – grudging – respect for each other on a professional level, but when forced to work together, they also have to face up to the fact that there’s something else going on that they’ve been supressing for quite some time. Nick actually realises he’s in love fairly early on, and is completely honest with himself about it (which I loved), and although Sabrina takes a bit longer to connect the dots, once they’re together, they’re together; there’s no dithering or second-guessing, and the way they support each other through some difficult times is just lovely to see. One of the things I so love about Lucy Parker’s romances is that her protagonists behave like mature adults; they communicate well and are honest with themselves – and each other. Things could have veered into Big Mis territory a couple of times, but instead, Nick and Sabrina confront the problems head on, talk about them and resolve them together, showing clearly that trust and respect are the strongest of all foundations for love.

As always, the writing is top notch, the dialogue sparkles with wit and humour, the pop culture references are spot on and most of all, I love knowing that I can pick up a Lucy Parker book and feel instantly as though I’m in a place I recognise. It’s an idealised version of the London I know and love perhaps, but it’s completely recognisable and the author captures the British idiom incredibly well. I enjoyed catching up with other characters from the series – Richard and Lainey, Lily, Freddie and Griff (and Charlie – I hope he’s going to get his own book soon) – and I did adore watching the awful Sadie Frost get a well-deserved comeuppance! In fact, I have only one quibble with the story. It’s hard to say much without spoilers, but I did find it just a little bit difficult to believe that someone like Nick, with a background in hard-hitting investigative journalism, would make the transition to an essentially fluffy ‘lifestyle’ show so easily. (It would be like Jeremy Paxman presenting The One Show. Just – nope.) That said, the author does make it work, and once we know the backstory of his difficult relationship with a demanding father, it’s perhaps easier to understand. Like Nick, Sabrina has a difficult relationship with her father, feeling he’s dismissed her because of her career choices (among other things), so both characters have to confront those relationships in order to reach some important realisations and decisions about themselves and who they want to be.

If you’ve enjoyed the other books in the London Celebrities series, you won’t be surprised when I say that Headliners delivered everything I wanted and expected. It’s warm, funny and gorgeously romantic, the characters are rounded and engaging, the writing is terrific and everything about it works on every level. It’s the sort of book that wraps you up in a big cuddle and leaves you smiling.

I really, really enjoyed this. This is the fifth book in the London Celebrities series, and if you've read the previous installments, you've come across our leads before - Sabrina is the sister of Freddy, the heroine of the previous book, and we saw Sabrina's combative professional relationship with Nick come to a head at the end of The Austen Playbook.  Now while you don't have to have read the rest of the series to enjoy this, it will completely spoil the plot of The Austen Playbook if you haven't read that one first.  Lucy Parker seems to specialise in enemies-to-lovers tropes and this is another really good one.  What I particularly liked about it is that once they've got over their issues with each other, they move on as a team and the rest of the plot is not about people constantly trying to sow doubt in each of their minds about the other or silly misunderstandings between them that could be solved with a conversation.

As with the other books in the series, the dialogue is great - there is so much witty banter, and not just between the leads - the supporting characters get their share too. And I loved the situations that Nick and Sabrina found themselves in on the TV show - they're exactly the sort of thing a ratings-obsessed editor might come up with and they're funny but not in a cringey hide-behind-your-hands way.  And if you have read the rest of the series, there are some nice callbacks for you.  Obviously Freddy is in it, because she's Sabrina's sister, but there are also appearances from previous leads - and antagonists.  It was a real treat - I even made myself slow down and go away and read something else to make it last longer at one point because it was that good.  And don't be put off by the fact that this is set in the run up to Christmas and it's January, because it's not that Christmasy - the Christmas deadline is just that, it's not really the centre of the plot.

<blockquote>At their worst, the two of them could do a cracker impression of circling warplanes. She came in as the Spitfire, all weapons blazing; Nick was the Avro Lancaster, biding his time and then suddenly dropping the high-damage bombs.</blockquote>

Former late night news rivals Sabrina Carlton and Nick Davenport are both in the doghouse. Sabrina is still dealing with the scandal exposed (by Nick!) in The Austen Playbook. Nick was caught on camera saying unflattering things about the boss. Their last chance to stay on the air will be to take on hosting duties on the network’s morning program. Together.

Fans of Lucy Parker are going to enjoy the latest installment in her London Celebrities series. While each installment stands alone, this one in particular would benefit from being read after The Austen Playbook. We get a little bit of Freddie and Griff--not enough--and everyone’s favorite villain returns to wreak her special brand of havoc on our couple.

Once again, Parker does a wonderful job of building a relationship in a believable way. Sabrina and Nick both sting a bit with the new job: not only having to host it together, but also that it’s a morning show (aka, not the realm of serious journalism). But they pull themselves together like the professionals they’re supposed to be. The fact that things start going hilariously awry from the beginning helps cement their growing sensibility of being in it together. However, as the mishaps increase in frequency, the pair join forces to discover the culprit.

While Act Like It remains my favorite in this series, Sabrina and Nick might be a close second. I continue to appreciate Parker’s skill in drawing characters who feel like real people I would want to spend time with. This time, I feel like Parker put in quite a bit of extra effort in building the world around the characters as well. We see both Sabrina and Nick deal with baggage from their families and exes. Those struggles barely intrude on their own dynamic, but nonetheless, it's nice to see them as people with depth and not just through the lens of the incipient relationship.

I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley in order to facilitate this review. (And you'd better believe I pre-ordered it as soon as it came up on NetGalley!)

The moment Sabrina and Nick showed up in THE AUSTEN PLAYBOOK, I knew Lucy Parker was going to give them their own story.

Then Nick did a Terrible Thing near the end of TAP, and I wondered if my romance series instincts had failed me. It’s mighty hard to build a believable relationship on a foundation like THAT.

And yet, Parker does it! Her leads don’t immediately spring back from the Terrible Thing. They build trust through honest, adult communication that first centres on their new job as morning show hosts and slowly expands to include personal matters—including genuine apologies accompanied by explanations that aren’t excuses. It’s beautifully done. Before I knew it, I was rooting hard for them.

Highly recommended, but be aware it thoroughly spoils a major plot point from THE AUSTEN PLAYBOOK.

I love Lucy Parker. I have at the very least enjoyed every one of her books because her writing is so smooth and (feels) effortless. But this book just about took over my life as I immersed myself in her words. The hints in The Austen Playbook about these two - the whole rivals, enemies vibe - had me excited for the book, but I had no idea just how perfect it would be. It hit all my top notes, had the writing that makes life around you disappear, and I simply could not put it down. Until I realized I was getting close to the end, and then I would set it down periodically because I never wanted it to end. It made me wish Lucy was a new-to-me author, and I could indulge in a binge. Because I know whatever I read next will pale in comparison.

Enemies-to-lovers who are forced to work together to salvage a morning show that's been receiving low ratings - sure, this will be no problem for Sabrina and Nick. They're professional, right? They know a whole country is watching so they'll be on their best behaviour, right? Well ...


It's a tall order to ask especially of Sabrina who's always had a competitive and antagonistic relationship with Nick but especially after he revealed her family's darkest secret to the public. It was a scandal of epic proportions that she'd only just learned about herself and barely had time to digest when Nick pulled that trick and upended her world and that of her sister's, famed stage actress, Freddy Carlton whom we met in book 4. When the dust settled, Sabrina's integrity as a journalist was called into question. That's not easily forgiveable. Nick also managed to get himself into trouble when he was caught maligning their new boss live on the air. Yep. Their careers are in dire need of help but when their boss calls them in and tells them that they only way to dig out of the mess is to co-host a failing morning show, even they're hesitant to take that on. Two sworn enemies working side by side is a nightmare scenario for them but a potential ratings bonanza for the show as it would reel in viewers curious about their on-air dynamic. They're given a short period of time to turn things around and come deadline day, a decision will be made about who will get to see their career shine on.


By working in such close proximity you know they won't be able to help themselves and will get to each other. Every day on the show brings some ridiculous mishap that finds them embarrassing themselves or fanning the tabloid flames that they're actually an already an item and that they have this act going simply for ratings. The mishaps come often and it's like watching a physical comedy show. (Just wait til you meet a certain stuffed animal!) I couldn't help but laugh a few times. In between the work, Sabrina and Nick start to thaw towards each other. At some point they set aside their issues when they start to suspect that someone is sabotaging their morning show. Nothing like a bit of sleuthing to have them join forces.


Sabrina and Nick are not a cutsie couple like Freddy and Griff. (I think Griff might have a word with me about referring to him as "cute".) I got the impression that they're more the rough and tumble type that would have it out on a wrestling mat if it came down to it. I didn't think that there was as much witty humour in Headliners as there were in previous books, however, whenever Sabrina delivered zingers they were more biting than funny which conveyed her still blistering fury at Nick. Nick could deliver a few punches, too. Despite their strained history, there was also a lot of heat between them though they'll deny it until they're blue in the face. Nick came off as smooth and generally put together (except for that one incident that landed him in hot water). A man who has a distinct picture in his mind of his career path and what he wants his legacy to be. Like all Lucy Parker's heroines, Sabrina is impressive for her confidence and ambition. She's someone who knows her worth and doesn't suffer fools. Though he initially finds the morning show beneath him, he begins to appreciate his time on the show. It has him reconsidering his career plans and eventually calls his loyalty in to question. I liked that their individual ambitions were equally important and neither were given short shrift. Establishing trust between them is the crux of the the plot that's also filled with funny moments and loads of sexual tension that's sure to please.


This is the fifth book in the London Celebrities series and it's just as enjoyable as the rest of the books. I liked that we moved away from the stage and ventured into a different venue with television though there are lovely appearances by some fan favourites. I lit up when they came on the page remembering how fond I am of them. I adore this world that Lucy Parker has built and how she continues to creatively expand it. The fact is, I can count on her to deliver deliciously sweet, sexy and funny stories that make me feel so happy when I'm done. If there's ever a reason to escape from reality for a bit, it's this series, for sure!

I adore the chemistry between Sabrina and Nick. If you're a fan of an enemies to lovers trope, Headliners may just be the book for you. I'm not big into romantic suspense, so the entire part of the plot where someone is out to sabotage their show (who could it be?!) fell a little flat for me. Thankfully, the sparks between Nick and Sabrina were amazing enough to keep me invested in this book.

Nick's got that Mr. Darcy ala the 2005 Pride & Prejudice movie thing going on - you know that part where he helps Lizzie into the carriage and then flexes his hand as he walks away? That whole interaction is basically the vibe. Sabrina despises Nick because he's a dick who caused trouble for her family, but Nick was just stupidly doing what he thought was best and actually is over there making subdued heart-eyes at her.

Nick and Sabrina have to do some actual WORK to move beyond their pasts, and I really like Lucy Parker's very realistic depiction of how two people can go from hating each other to becoming friends and lovers. Then again, Lucy Parker excels at writing very realistic moments that make her characters seem like real people in real situations. (Exhibit A: the shower sex scene in The Austen Playbook that reads like what two people trying to bang in the shower actually is like, instead of some romanticized version of it where nobody is in danger of drowning from getting shower water up their nose...)

This is the fifth book in the London Celebrities series, but can be read as a stand alone. There are major spoilers for the fourth book, The Austen Playbook, as well as some continuation from plotlines from that book. You don't *need* to have read the prior books to fully enjoy this one, but I do recommend reading at least The Austen Playbook first as they are pretty closely entertwined. No need at all to read the first three books before these ones, though, as there are no or only very minor spoilers/links to the first books.

Rating ~ 4.5 stars
This was sooo so good!! My first read of 2020 and its a win! I’d have read some of the other books in the series but when I saw the blurb, I wanted to read this bad. Cause we all know I adore a good enemies to lovers/hate to love trope book.

In Lucy Parker’s headliners, two rival TV presenters with their own shows are forced to work together to save the channels sinking morning show or they can kiss their careers goodbye. Sabrina Carlton and Nick Davenport have had rocky relationship, with what started out as a mild pretend snark has turned into full out war and hatred. Now they have to very reluctantly work together to save their jobs, which they have both worked very hard for.

Theres are a lot of shenanigans happening in this book, I just had so much fun reading it. Not only because Sabrina and Nick have such a wonderful chemistry but because the whole of their corner of the world is filled with drama, angst and craziness (the whole shebang). The drama and angst aren’t over the top, they balance really well with the romance and the relationship developing between Nick and Sabrina. I don’t know ,it had been a while since I felt this so engrossed in a book, I read it one sitting. This could totally be made into a movie and I’d watch it.

Sabrina and Nick are opposites of each other and that’s pretty obvious from the get go, but they come together and learn from each other. I loved how their relationship developed, with the anger to sparks to understanding, passionate and sweet love (still full of starkness and teasing though)! I also really liked Sabrina and Nick's relationship with their siblings. There is a little focus on their families and it made the characters more fleshed out. There's also some cutes scenes of Nick (and Sabrina) with his niece. There is also quite a bit banter in the book (an enemies to lovers book without banter would just not do really) which I also enjoyed immensely.

We also get cameos of the other couples in the series, which was also lovely!!

There was a lot of funny stuff in the book, with Sabrina and Nick having do stuff they’d rather not, things going absolutely wrong. The falling in love and them growing closer to each other while the career aspirations they have might go down the drain, if they don’t achieve the success demanded of them while dealing with the sabotager added a bit of an extra oomph to the story.

I don’t want to give away lots, just because I went in there pretty blind and really enjoyed it. Overall, (I'm just saying the same things again but!!) this was really lovely, the ridiculous things are balanced with the more mature stuff and the romance with the humour and drama. It worked really well, also the festive seasons in the book made it all the more I don’t know sweeter and perfect for a cozy winter night read. It felt me feeling very happy, warm and satisfied. I want more books from the author!!!

My first Parker novel won’t be my last!

This is the fifth book in Parker’s London Celebrities series with Carina Press. Additionally, it has one of my favorite tropes, though when I did a little research about Parker’s series it appears that enemies to lovers is her speciality with multiple books in the series featuring the same trope. As they often say, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it and Parker highlights how good she is at the trope and creating characters to sustain it.

The story itself was easy to get roped into. With two rival television personality’s and their careers on the line. The only way Nick and Sabrina can save their jobs and future with their television network is to work on the same show together and attempt to improve the ratings. With one month to get the job done they have to put aside their differences and focus on the new morning program they are responsible.

This book is pure fun, from the banter and scathing retorts to the scandals and constant one-ups that happen. Honestly, whatever can go wrong does, from sabotaged cake to guest interviews that skim the horror stories of Sabrina and Nick’s past. It’s a never-ending question about what’s going to happen this time. The best part is how Sabrina and Nick figure out that their animosity is hiding a major case of attraction. The plot is seamless with continuous wind up of the stakes, the developing romance due to close proximity, and the way Parker allows the characters to stay true to themselves and communicate their feelings.

One thing that threw me off… the lack of big conflict for the romance aspect in the second half of the story. There’s a certain point in the book where both Sabrina and Nick really have nothing holding them back from each other, except a bunch of small problems that could be the disaster and don’t. I credit the author for pulling this off and keeping me interested. I kept waiting for the horrible thing that would split them apart, but our H/h are damn adults and proudly act like. I was satisfied and someone how a teensy big let down. Still not one hundred percent why, but I found extra respect for Nick and Sabrina in how they didn’t jump to conclusions. Preferring to have grown up conversations instead. In a way that is nearly as refreshing as the pair falling in love.

Overall, this was a great book and even though it’s set in the month of December, so technically a Christmas book, I enjoyed getting back into the spirit of the season. For readers who enjoy Lauren Layne.

~ Landra

Enemies to lovers at its finest. While each book in the series has had a play on the this trope, this was probably the most true to theme. There was great setup in the previous book [book:The Austen Playbook|42279630] for this showdown between Nick and Serena, and this story delivered on its delicious promise.

Nick and Serena are rival broadcasters vying for prime time at their recently merged network. Having known each other for years, they knew the competition would be fierce because they knew the other was talented. Going into this story, Nick had a leg up having broken a story months earlier that had hurt Serena’s credibility. However, at the start of this book, Nick had hurt his own chances by being caught on camera talking disparagingly about the big boss. So both are in the dog house, but due to their popularity, they are given a chance for redemption — co-hosting the network’s dismally-rated morning show. Once on the same team, things begin to change for both of them. After a series of mishaps throws them more intimately together, they find they have a chemistry unlike they’ve previously felt.

I thought this was a fantastic addition to the series. It was fun, funny and romantic. It was also fun seeing several of the previous couples/characters, and there was plenty of Freddy and Griff. I do think this can be read as a stand-alone, but it is probably best to read [book:The Austen Playbook|42279630] to get the full feel on why they start out as foes.

<I>*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title. This is my honest opinion.

I sincerely doubt that my review and rating for Headliners will come to anyone's surprise, especially with the hero being called Nick. Reading Lucy Parker's books is equivalent to coming home for me. They are warm, comforting, and pack some powerful emotions. Headliners is another excellent novel from a massively talented author!

Sabrina and Nick's love story began in The Austen Playbook. I think it's important to check out that book (and all of Lucy's books for that matter) to see the relationship build up between the two. They had some major enemies/rivals vibes going on in that book that led to a big blow up towards the end of The Austen Playbook. Nick was a bit of an ass previously, so my man had some serious work to do to convince me that he was worthy of my name love. Fret not, friends! Lucy Parker is an absolute genius at genuine character development and writing gratifying grovel. I have to say, Nick is probably at the top of my favorite heroes of all time list. I had these expectations about the kind of person he was based on the previous book and Lucy's writing style in general, but they were blown out of the water. I really enjoyed getting to know the surprisingly softer side to his character. I think there is something to be said about a romance hero who can make you laugh and melt constantly. His heartfelt apology to Sabrina in particular had me wanting to shout my love for him from a rooftop. Then, there was his relationship with his family members. Clearly, this is a man who respected and loved them. Oof, my heart is just fluttering writing about him. :) If you're wondering if Sabrina is a good fit for him, the answer is a resounding yes. They were made for each other. Sabrina is an equally brilliant protagonist, who was fierce, passionate, and very kind. We see her deal with the aftermath of Nick's betrayal in the previous book with her head held high here and I could not have been prouder of her. How she faces her hurdles in moments of vulnerability is particularly admirable and you'll find yourself easily wanting to defend her with your everything. You know how there are characters whose personality traits you wish you could simply absorb because you love them that much? Sabrina is that kind of character for me.

Both Nick and Sabrina are very headstrong characters, which makes their romance just perfect. Watching them lovingly dance around each other and slowly become acquainted with each other in the process was an experience for me as a reader. Despite their mutual attraction, they had obstacles to work through and Lucy Parker takes her time with building up their relationship. And the communication between these two? Perfection! Their romance truly was a work of art! Undeniably, the chemistry and constant banter was a strong element of Headliners, but it's watching them open up emotionally during their low moments that's the most rewarding part of this book. When I ask for good satisfying romances, this is exactly what I expect. The backdrop of the morning show and their careers as talk show hosts forced to work together was an excellent idea on Lucy's part because it brought about so much humor and just the right dose of drama. Of course, I also have to mention just how much I loved all the cameos from characters in the previous books. I just love all of them so much that even a mere mention of them has me squealing in utter delight.

If you're a romance fan, I sure hope you religiously read Lucy Parker's books. Headliners was a book after my heart and I have no doubt that it will completely enamor readers who love a good enemies-to-lovers story.

Sabrina checked the stats - over one million people. It was the number two trending video in London. On the laptop screen even with the grainy resolution couldn’t disguise the sculpture of Nick Davenport’s face. The camera loved him and he had the regular paparazzi to prove it. She glanced her eyes to the in-the-flesh Nick. The only sign of life was the muscle moving in his jaw. Than his eyes locked on hers. Nick and Sabrina are in his dressing room at Davenport Reports studio. Way to force a career change - verbally slamming the big boss while still on company property. Sabrina happened to agree with Nick about Lional Grimes- the big boss. Likely for the first time in his life, he had now become as silent as his frozen image on the screen. Hania the executive head of programming said” Not the wisest move in your career, Nick.” sabrina had worked very hard to get where she was. It had taken years to earn a lead presenter contract. They devoted hundreds of evenings to their work, sacrificed a certain amount of social life, and invested heavily in many of the guests they interviewed and the stories they had. Sabrina had been with her sister Freddy as they stood together watching their family scandals being splashed across blog after blog. It had been Nick’s choice- his deliberate personal choice- to break the news on his show in the most damaging way possible. Sabrina’s own career was taking a hit for a bad decision her grandmother had made decades ago. Than hania suggested Nick and Sabrina co host a morning show called Wake Me Up London. Nick said he had worked for the studio since he was twenty one, and headlined alone for almost four years and did a good job of it. Hania agreed he was excellent at his job. But he also humiliated his boss ina a public forum. She added happily for them the public is fascinated with your obvious feud. Wake Me Up London is losing in the ratings now but she felt Nick and Sabrina could salvage the situation. They had from the beginning of December until Christmas Eve to prove Hania right.
This was a funny romantic read and I loved it. I loved the pace. I loved Nick and Sabrina together. I advise you to read this series in order for a smoother read. I laughed at times while reading this book. I really enjoyed the progression from enemies to more. I loved watching Nick and Sabrina grow. I felt this was well written. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

Headliners reeled me in from the first pages. Filled with great banter, ridiculous morning show antics and romance that develops at just the right pace, I fell in love with Headliners straight away.

Sabrina and Nick end up paired on a network morning show after Nick gets caught on video badmouthing the network’s head honcho. To add insult to injury, Nick also broke a plagiarism story that devastated Sabrina’s family. But if there are two personalities on this network who need one last shot at renewing their contracts, it’s these two. Their trial period runs from Dec. 1 to Christmas Eve, but things start going haywire as soon as they’re on-camera.

I read Act Like It, the first book in the series a couple of years ago, and sort of dropped off after that. But no worries, Headliners can be read standalone, and if like me, you weren’t totally drawn in by the London theater scene stories, this switch to morning TV was spot on.

Headliners is enemies-to-lovers done right. Biting but never mean-spirited, funny, romantic and sexy… I absolutely adored it.

the london celebrities series just keeps getting better and better. sabrina carlton and nick davenport were secondary characters that literally sparked off the page in the delightful the austen playbook, headliners is fully their story. and just utter perfection.

this enemies-to-lovers story works because at the deepest level, both nick and sabrina are so similar. they understand each other's actions and motivations so well, it's why when they strike out at each other they know how to cut deeply.

nick is still in the doghouse for selling out sabrina's family laundry, even though when he finally does get to really apologize for it, he didn't really intend for things to go down the way they did. and there were mitigating factors. he still feels bad about it, and sabrina forgives him because by that point she can see that he regrets it. and while she says she wouldn't have crossed the line he did, the reality is that under certain circumstances, she might have.

but when they are forced to work together. their ambition isn't going to let their petty differences get between success and new contracts at the television station. they are too professional and too driven for that. but the more time they spend together, the walls they'd drawn up over their soft gooey centers come down and then they are nothing but piles of goo to each other. and it's swoony and way less gross than i just described and i love this series. and this one might be my favorite even though i also adore grumpy griff.

**headliners will publish on january 20, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/carina press in exchange for my honest review.

Headliners by Lucy Parker
London Celebrities #5

Smiles and belly laughs along with warmhearted feelings visited me as I read this marvelous story. I have enjoyed every book by this author and would gladly read any she has or will ever write because they resonate with me. Excellent writing, believable characters, plots that are believable, stories I am drawn into and feel part of ~ I love this book and series and can’t wait for more.

What I liked:
* Sabrina – Wicked smart, good at her job, makes others feel good when she interviews them, put family first, professional and so much more
* Nick – wondered at first about him at first but – wicked smart, ambitious, loves family, capable, a great partner, hot, professional and so much more
* Friends to lovers is not my favorite trope but loved this one
* Nick’s family – all of them – would love for his brother Iain to find a woman to be Pippi’s stepmother
* The chemistry between Sabrina & Nick – on the set and off of it
* The depth of the story
* Everything except what I did not like…

What I did not like:
* The sabotaging of the morning show
* The...well...hmm...can’t think of anything else ;)

Did I like this book? Definitely
Would I read more by this author? Without a doubt...as soon as it comes out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Quick(ish) Review 4.5 stars
This is my first Lucy Parker. *blinks* I know I’m such a slacker. I’m here to acknowledge my transgression, and I’m ready to make amends because this book? It was great.

First of all, this is enemies to lovers with workplace romance tropes, which are literally some of my very favorite EVER. Needless to say, I was thrilled. Now this is deeply character driven, another of my favorite things to read. I really enjoyed the Firsts for Nick and Sabrina and their chemistry crackles. Their relationship builds in a believable way, and I absolutely adored that when that final conflict comes into play, it’s handled in a mature manner and one that makes sense for these two characters. Since it’s a workplace romance, it’s central to the tale and I always appreciate when you get to see every aspect of these characters’ lives.

There’s a subplot involving someone sabotaging their show, and honestly, it’s very easy to figure it all out, but it’s not crucial to the enjoyment of this tale. It’s all about the relationships between the characters, their family and friends, and I loved it. There’s excellent diversity in this story, and I was very intrigued to go back and read the earlier books.

I will say I didn’t know that this was book number five in the series (yes I should have checked, yes I’m a slacker). I wish I had started from the beginning of the series, because the events of this book are directly impacted by those earlier books, even if it absolutely works as a standalone. Nick and Sabrina’s antagonistic relationship is established well before the start of this book, so you hit the ground running when you start. I was ok with it, but it took a second to really feel as if I had all the backstory and alot of the issues they had to work through are based on events that don't happen on-page here. If that would affect your enjoyment, it is something to be aware of.

In the end, I loved Nick and Sabrina’s relationship, I was impressed with the writing and completely intrigued by this ‘verse so I would be interested in going back to read more from Ms. Parker. If you love enemies to lovers/workplace romances, I would definitely recommend this.

I adore Lucy Parker's writing and I love enemies-to-lovers trope. I also appreciate workplace romances where the protagonists are equal in status. I like Sabrina and Nick together. I also like the appearances of characters from the previous books and the introduction of new ones, especially Iain and his daughter Pippi.

Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'm not heart-eyeing it because I don't think Nick suffered enough, groveled enough for what he did to Sabrina and her family. I don't know what I want him to do, just more than what he actually did. Maybe he should have been the one who experienced more public humiliations during all the sabotage attempts instead of Sabrina.

I don't know how many more books Lucy is contracted to write in this series, but I'll be following along per usual. Is Charle next? I kind of want Iain's story now.

I could not stop smiling as I read Lucy Parker’s Headliners!

Sabrina and Nick are both journalistic TV personalities who have been rivals for years and are forced to work together on a breakfast show when their networks merged. I loved that they are both unapologetically career focused people and under surface differences their inner core personalities are quite similar. It was a real pleasure watch them find commonality through forced proximity with the show and to catch a saboteur who wants their show to fail.

Every scene with them in it just sparkled and their snark and banter was hilarious. Although this book also dealt deftly and sensitively with some serious issues involving grief and complicated family relationships, I felt that it stayed true to being a romantic comedy.

You could probably read this as a standalone, I would recommend reading the previous book The Austen Playbook first to get the fullness of the story (and it’s also very good!) Much of the personal conflict between the MCs stemmed from the events of that book and you would miss a lot of nuance without it.

The rest of the London Celebrity books are also marvellous and the sharp eyed longtime reader will spot cameos from characters of the other books.

Even though it’s early days, it’s safe to say that this one of my favourite books of 2020!