The Comeback is centered around a young girl's life in the limelight... but, this is not a life full of happiness and joy. Her success was dependent on her obedience, as a teen, towards prominent, manipulative adults around her. She had several traumatic moments early on in her life that caused a permanent shift in mindset and life outlook as well as a current situation that leaves you wondering "what went wrong?".

Ultimately, the author discusses themes of friendship, women's strength, and self-discovery, all of which make for a very memorable, eye opening read.

4/5

This book is so hard to read because it is so beautifully and truthfully told. Trauma is not constant, it is not linear, and it does not create a victim. I loved Grace's story and her tenacity, despite struggling with real issues that she tried to hide from everyone in her life. It was a rare glimpse into the not-so-fabulous side of fame. I'll recommend this book who wants to know all of the dishy secrets behind the glamour, in much the same vein as The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

I really enjoyed The Comeback!! The subject was very timely with the popularity of the me too movement, so it was interesting to read that the author started writing before the hashtag and stories became mainstream.

This story was sad and empowering and funny and even suspenseful at times. I was definitely cheering for Grace!

4/5 stars

The Comeback, the debut novel from Ella Berman, is a well-written novel tackling the abusive power system in Hollywood but ultimately, doesn't bring anything new to the table on the topic. It is the fictional account of former child actress, Grace Turner, coming to terms with the sexual and emotional abuse by her former producer, Able, who discovered her when she was 14-years-old. After eight years together, she thinks she has broken free from him when she flees the Hollywood scene to stay with her parents but his control over her remains as strong as ever. Grace ends up renting a beachhouse near his property, purchasing binoculars so she can stare into his windows, and striking up a friendship with his wife, Emilia, in his absence.

The book held my interest long enough for me to finish it but I couldn't get interested in the characters. It felt like I just meandered along with Grace. I liked seeing the growth that came during the latter half of the novel - that's when things really started to pick up - but even then there were a few things I found skeptical.

A timely, hard-hitting entry into the recent uptick in novels centered in the MeToo movement and the darkness of the entertainment industry (My Dark Vanessa, The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes, Grown, etc.) Pros: Berman doesn't shy away from depicting the worst of what Grace endured, without being overly shocking. I loved the exploration of Grace's relationship with her teen sister, Esme, as well the inclusion of Able's wife, Emilia into the narrative, giving voice to the family's of abusers who we rarely get to hear. Cons: I did feel the book was overly long, and I felt removed from some of characters. I'm also not a fan of books that center very heavily on drug abuse, so that knocked some of my enjoyment, but that's a personal preference. A recommended read for anyone interested in reading about MeToo themes, the entertainment industry, and women finding their voices.

This was a page turner, it was also very timely with the “me too” movement. Enjoyed it thoroughly especially at times it was a funny, heartbreaking and troubling.

I enjoyed this book, even if the ending felt a little meh to me. Most of the relationships between the characters felt fleshed out and relatable, while others felt forced and were there to be like "hey dummy, here's the point" and get the main character to do something. I don't think this is the book I was expecting, but I liked it and will definitely recommend it!

I loved this story and thought it was a very thoughtful look at trauma and how it can manifest in new ways years later. I tore through this story in a night and will be recommending it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advance copy!

Unfortunately, The Comeback was not a successful read for me. I found the majority of characters to be one dimensional and/or completely unlikeable without any redeeming qualities; the pacing of the story to be a little awkward since sometimes it felt like it was speeding through and other parts felt like they completely dragged; and the plot to be a predictable and contrived in several spots.

I will admit that I think one of the reasons this story didn't work for me is because I live in Southern California and have been Hollywood-adjacent several times in my life--not just physical proximity, but in terms of friends, jobs, acquaintances, visits, lifestyle, and even being on production lots and sets . The shock value of some of the plot points just didn't hit for me, which I felt impacted me as I read. Additionally, I was definitely put off by this idea that Anaheim was where Grace escaped and hid to for a year. Anaheim is not far enough from LA to be a undiscovered by paparazzi and the Hollywood Life, especially if she was supposedly disappearing after being such a hot topic in the tabloids. It seemed like a small annoyance when I read it, but i think it set me up for skepticism as I read everything.

However, I am very aware that my experiences are definitely not all readers' experiences. If someone is fascinated by the Hollywood life (both good and bad), I think they would enjoy this story--"enjoy" in the sense of the story as a story, not what occurs in the book. It is also an incredibly timely story, and unfortunately one that would relate to people both in and out of the industry. It is a story that people will recognize, and, though fictitious, fill in the blanks of a very current topic.

The redeeming part to this story for me were Grace's family. They're not necessarily "good," but they're all interesting and complex in terms of their own character development and how it influences Grace. I particularly enjoyed Esme and anytime she showed up in the book--hers is a subplot that I would love to see written into a full story.

While The Comeback didn't work for me, there is certainly mass appeal in the story of a child star actress, and her fall from grace (no pun intended...sorta) in the public eye and within herself...and blips of humor, heart, and bravery as she digs her way out.

this book sadly fell very flat for me. I was highly anticipating this book, but it just was not up to par with other Hollywood stories I have read. I felt like the characters were unlikable and none of them really had a clue what was going on, which I felt also makes readers a little confused. This book also kept changing timelines which made it very confusing and irritating. I like the idea of the story of blowing open the sexual misconduct that happens in Hollywood, but the execution was just not there for me.

At the age of twenty-one, Grace Turner is experiencing the high point in her acting career. She has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award when she suddenly disappears without telling anyone where she is going or why.

As it turns out, she finds herself returning to her parent’s home where she totally escapes from the movie world. The escape this time is physical, whereas, recently she has been retreating from her reality through drink and drugs.

Since she was selected to appear in a movie as a child actress Grace has experienced a glamorous life. But hidden behind the glamor of that choice is a director who plays mind games with Grace. It all began at the age of thirteen when she first started acting under his charge. In addition to the mental manipulation, Grace is tormented by memories of the physical abuses that she has also endured in order to be successful in her acting career.

After spending a year of recovery at the home of her parents, Grace decides it is time to make a comeback. At the same time, she makes a plan that will help her to right some of the wrongs that she has endured throughout the years of her acting career.

The plot plays a minor part in a book which is mostly character driven and the California setting is realistically portrayed. The book floats in and out of many different time periods in Grace’s life as Grace relates how she came to be in her present situation. She lives in a world where paparazzi can either make or break a star like herself.

The world of Hollywood stars is portrayed as one where money can buy everything but happiness and where fame and fortune may not keep one from being lonely and/or alone. It can be a life where relationships both personal and familial are easily damaged and broken. And it is where the slightest provocation can make or break an actor or actress. It is also a place where there are those who, like Grace, survive in spite of the alarming cost to their personal and professional lives.

The reader becomes immersed in Grace’s story in the Comeback for it is the sadly emotional expose of the undoing of one Hollywood actress. At the same time, however, the book gives promise that there might be a path to self discovery that leads out of that darkness and into a much happier life.

This review is written from the egalley courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.

The Comeback is a blistering, disturbing, and very timely novel. Grace, at the age of 22, finds that a year spent with her estranged parents (a very, very long and uncomfortable year) in Anaheim has turned into an almost has been when she returns to Los Angeles.

Grace's career has always been bound with the director, Able, who discovered her and cast her in almost all of his films from the time when she was 14 to 20.

Able spent years emotionally abusing and gaslighting Grace, and he also assaulted her on many occasions. Reading about what he did to her is very difficult but even more difficult is reading about what it's done to Grace. She's angry and bitter and terrified of him, of herself, of everything. She is so old and broken and yet still young and fearless (but in a rage/terror filled way)...

I won't lie, The Comeback isn't an easy read because Grace isn't an easy character; she's all alone in a sea of sharks and watching her try and forge real connections even as she doubts everyone and herself and yet yearns anyway is so painful. But it's true, so true it hurts to read. But every moment where I had to pause reading reminded me of how much abuse women suffer and how, so often, there's no justice to be found.

Ella Berman is absolutely an author to watch and if you can handle an intense read about a young woman who seems to have it all, or the chance to retrieve it, but has nothing but pain, then you must read The Comeback. Highly recommended.

Wow, this was such a relevant book to the current times. It felt like reading a true story! I personally struggled with the pacing of the plot and overly detailed descriptions, but I liked the take on current events. I really didn’t like that “r*tards” was used. That’s an incredibly offensive word choice. It’s really not cool and I hope it was edited out of the book before the finish copy was released. That killed the vibe of the book for me.

It's so hard to believe this is a debut novel. I fell in love with Grace and grew to love her more as the book went on. This book is so much more than a #me too movement book. It's about a young movie star who was abused by her manager -- but told in the most real way ever. I bet this story has a lot of truth to it.

A timely story about a child actress and the cost of working in the movie industry.

Grace Turner was a young girl living in England with her family when she was discovered and asked to audition for a movie in the States. Once selected for the part, the whole family moved to California. Years later she is living with her family and removed from the film industry. Grace walked away from a promising career and only she and one other person knows why.

The story of a woman's journey to find..peace after having her trust and faith in people abused. The story builds slowly and reveals itself little by little in an almost matter of fact manner. Grace is a well drawn character and the novel is an excellent look at what it takes to rebuild your life.

this book is a must read. a favorite of 2020.

poignant. heart wrenching. powerful. so freaking important. i’m so annoyed i waited this long to read it!

grace is a mess & not in a good way, but this story is one of finding yourself. trusting yourself. & realizing that the people around you are just as broken as you are.

i’m going to be thinking about this one for a long time. i NEED to get my hands on a physical copy asap.

this isn’t necessarily about the #metoo movement. but huge tw for talk about sexual assault, drug usage, addiction, and even eating disorders.

4.5 stars
Whoa, what an enthralling, enticing read. Grace our heroine is spectacular. Abused by an older man who was supposed to be her mentor, Grace spirals into drug and alcohol induced self destruction only to emerge a year later, working on getting her life back together and getting revenge. Grace at time is a hard character to read but from what she went through it is completely understandable and I think that’s what makes her so great as a protagonist, she really is a sweet and genuinely kind person under all that self loathing. It was a pleasure to read Grace come from this broken character to a strong and courageous woman was so empowering. I loved it. Overall, The Comeback tackles a subject we all unfortunately know to well and handles it with the sharp precision of a scalpel. A must read for everyone.

In the Comeback, Grace Turner is a young actress in Hollywood, struggling with her sobriety, who has run away on the eve of her first Golden Globe Awards to her parents’ home, which she bought for them, in nearby Anaheim. Grace is confronted by fans wondering why she disappeared into obscurity. Everyone seems to think they know her, but Grace couldn’t feel less seen. When she finds out her much younger sister is moving back home with her parents, she decides it’s time to return to Los Angeles. She has a long list of people to face: her estranged husband, fans, her agent, the hungry paparazzi, and Able, a well-respected director who placed her in his film when she was only fifteen. This is a novel about the wide-reaching ramifications of abuse that follow a victim throughout their life. While Berman’s novel starts slowly, it’s Grace’s reckoning with what Able did to her that leads to her confrontation with the monster who has stolen her childhood. This novel is an absolute embodiment of the me-too movement and about a girl interrupted.

Hard to believe that this is a debut author. A subject matter that is dark but handled with sensitivity and grace. Cared about the character of Grace. Definitely caused a book hangover and will stay with me!

This honestly didn't do it for me. I really have nothing to say on it. I didn't like or dislike it but I just found it underwhelming.