Birds of California follows our two main characters, Sam and Fiona, who were once co-stars on the hugely popular show, "Birds of California." After having a very public breakdown, Fiona is living a private life, while Sam has continued his acting career with varying degrees of success. When the opportunity to reboot "Birds of California" comes up, Sam reconnects with Fiona in an attempt to get her to sign on for the reboot.

This book started out strong with great character development, at least for Fiona. Fiona's struggles with mental health and the expectations that come with being a celebrity were compelling and fully realized, and I was rooting for her relationship with Sam.

The ending was rushed and abrupt, especially when considering the themes of this book. Fiona's revelation at the end that she was groomed by the show's executive producer and former co-star is not given enough time or exploration, and there are a few unresolved storylines with Sam's finances and his mother's illness.

What? I wasn’t expecting to like this at all because contemporary romance is a bit out of my comfort zone, but I ended up loving it.

Fiona is a former child star. She was on a show on the family channel about a family who lives in a wildlife sanctuary. Years after the show has ended and Fiona has had some personal ups and downs, the studio sends her former co-star, Sam, to talk to her about a reboot of the show.

This book was relevant with a capital R. Though, I was frustrated with the protagonists at times, I ended up loving them in the end. It was messy and a bit dramatic. It gave me a million feelings, and I shed a tear at the end. It was everything I wanted in a romance. I have one note- I only wish I could’ve slowed down the ending just a tad. If was a bit of a quick wrap-up, but overall the pacing was very good.

Thank you to netgalley, Harper Collins, and the author for an advanced reader copy!

Love this story -- especially the characters! I would have really liked to see the story continue, as the ending felt a bit rushed and unresolved. I would definitely pick up other books by Ms. Cotugno.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley.

CW: child abuse, death of a parent, depression

Fiona St. James is a former child star turned cautionary tale. She's dropped out of the spotlight and resigned herself to a life without acting. She made some very public mistakes and as is typical of the media - no one lets her forget it. Sam Fox played Fiona's older brother on their hit sitcom, but she hasn't spoken to him in years. Sam is still trying to make it in the industry, but his career has been sort of hit or miss. When the network suggests a reboot of their infamous show, Sam is on board, but Fiona is definitely not. As he tries his best to convince her to accept the role, they develop a friendship and Sam starts to see their shared childhood experience without the rose colored glasses. Fiona has to decide whether she wants to face her demons or continue hiding from them.
A great story of overcoming trauma and how things aren't always what they seem.

While Birds of California is a story with romance, some funny banter (hilarious, really! I love the dynamic between Sam and Fiona) there is an underlying element of trauma and abuse, so the tone of the book can get heavier at times. Katie Cotugno handled the sensitive issues with compassion and really showed how childhood trauma doesn't just end with childhood.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is the sweet story of a former young TV star who left the industry after her life fell apart. The plot revolves around Fiona being lured back fr a reboot of the series and her desire to remain in her new, unglamorous life. This is upended when former costar Sam Fox jumps into the fray.

This changes Fiona’s life, but the reader begins to question and guess at what happened to Fiona that could have caused her refusal to return to the entertainment industry.

Though I don’t generally like this romance genre,, I did find this charming. I admired Fiona and her resolve.

Thank you Netgalley for this lovely ARC.

Harper Perennial
Thank You for this eARC!

Birds of California....
A fun, light, enjoyable, cute read!
I really really enjoyed this story. I feel as though it is very realistic.
I loved the fact that how the character Fiona is shown to be really opinionated, and both the characters Fiona and Sam ate just so loveable!
Enjoyed the writing style. It was so descriptive and real feeling.... Absolutely loved her writing and storytelling!
Katie Cotugno managed to develop a nail-bitting, heart-racing romance in between all of that. The story is deliciously intricate, with twists and turns galore, so much so that I was glued to the pages from start to finish without stopping. And when I did, because the book ended, all I wanted to do was groan and ask for more.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I will post to my platforms closer to the pub date!

When Sam Fox’s show gets canceled and his only option seems to be a reboot of “Birds of California” - he is tasked with convincing former child star Fiona St. James (who was the star and played his sister on the show) to join the project or it isn’t going to happen. But after a particularly spectacular crash and burn that was on the front page of every tabloid Fiona has sworn off acting and the spotlight, choosing to lead a private life.

After multiple attempts on Sam’s part, Fiona agrees to have lunch with him - and what starts as Sam trying to get Fiona to re-join the show quickly turns into something more. But no one knows the real story behind her breakdown and exit from Hollywood - especially not Sam. And Fiona is not quite ready to reveal the truth.

Set against the backdrop of a post #metoo Hollywood, this book takes a really interesting look at how quick we are to judge people without knowing the whole story or what the driving causes are behind the ways they act out. How we can be so quick to assume we know everything about a person just because we read it in a magazine or heard it in the news even though it is the furthest thing from the truth. There is commentary on the toxicity of the media and the long lasting impact that continued abuse can have on a person.

This book had a way more serious tone than I was expecting going in. Sure there was banter and comedy but so much of it came from a place of trauma that it hits a little differently. I thought the character development was so dynamic and overall really liked this story - but some very key information is revealed right towards the end of the book (we are talking last chapter late in the book) so the ending felt very rushed. I honestly guessed the “reveal” pretty early on and it is heavily implied - but for the characters they really only address a huge aspect in the plot in the last chapter and I wish that could have been more fleshed out.

<i> ARC kindly provided in exchange for my honest review. </i>

Fiona, a now 20something retired acting star has had her fair share of escapades in the media and tabloid circuit. Sam, a handsome struggling actor trying to find his footing in LA. Their paths cross again and while both keeps their walls sky high, they finally let their guard down and speak their truths to each other.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early release in exchange for my honest review.

This is the third book I’ve read by Katie Cotugno, and the previous two also garnered high ratings from me because there is just something about her writing, plots, and characters that keep me intrigued and turning the pages, no matter how different her stories are from each other.

The book tells the story of Fiona, a former child star who has lived a private life since having a breakdown at the peak of her fame. Her former costar, Sam has continued in his acting career but is needing a new gig after his latest show got cancelled. When he finds out that a possible reboot of his old TV show is hinging on Fiona agreeing to return, he sets out to convince her that she should return to the small screen.

After reading the plot description, for some reason I expected a book about two actors falling in love on a TV set, but that’s not what this book is at all. The story was really all about character building and relationship building for Sam and Fiona. Fiona is a very cautious, hardened and yet vulnerable person, and Sam faces a very big challenge when he reaches out to her.

It is completely expected and understandable that she will not give in to Sam’s attempts to get her to sign on to the reboot of their former TV show – not the first, second, or even third time that he tries.

And so, we see Sam working to break down her walls and gain her trust with his persistence and likable personality. A complicated and sometimes difficult romance develops – finding love doesn’t automatically heal the deep hurts that still plague Fiona, and Sam struggles to understand her. They go over a bumpy road to figure out what it is they want and how they can possibly make it work when they’re both scared of what they feel and what they could have.

There was a line exchange I liked that I think summed up Sam and Fiona as a couple:

“I know I’m too much.”

“You’re… the perfect amount, actually.”

I’d say my only big qualm with the book was that there was some key information revealed about 95% into the story, and I felt like this should have been a bigger and clearer part of the narrative.

With only a few pages left in the book, we didn’t get to see that information dealt with in a big way and I would have liked to see that explored more.