I was an avid reader of Cotugno's YA books years ago and now I mainly read adult romance so I squealed with delight when I saw this book. This did not live up to the self created hype for me. There is very little character development here and the she feels very stunted, but understandably so because of her past (check all the trigger warnings).

Ten things I loved about Birds of California

❤️ This cover is really gorgeous and is half the reason I picked this up, I also really love that it's not an illustration of people.

❤️ The flashbacks/memories were woven in SO WELL. Normally I find timeline changes choppy but this felt really natural.

❤️ Erin!!! She has her own plotline and is just an interesting person.

❤️ The sex scenes. Noteworthy for how these intimate moments were so much more in terms of establishing trust and communicating past barriers.

❤️ The portrayal of caregivers of a family member.

❤️ Birds of California really looks at the effects of fame on child actors and the difference in how male vs. female stars are treated.

❤️ Fiona is an incredible FMC. She has so much grit but also some very tangible pain that continues to be a block in her life.

❤️ Obviously the romance! Sam and Fiona have a past, there are some secrets, some drama at the end, it just pulls you in.

❤️ Fiona's relationship with her sister. I am always here for women supporting women. These two are sister goals.

❤️ This plot was totally unexpected but I was drawn in from the first chapter. Not my usual Hollywood story but I kind of liked this change more.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @harperperennial for this ARC, Birds of California is out now, make sure to grab your copy!

I thought this book was supposed to be a light hearted rom-com and ended up being so much more. Fiona was a child star and ended up losing her big show in teen years for being rebellious. Her "brother" on the show is Sam Fox. They played on a show, wants to reboot, but they need Fiona to sign on to get it. Sam's agent sends him to try to get her to agree. However, he finds out he's falling for her and there's way too many secrets for this all to work out. This book has multiple heavy topics, and should not be read without looking into trigger warnings.

For the most part, I enjoyed this book. I liked the storyline. I liked the characters. I liked their little quirky banter wars they had going on. I liked the setting. I liked the ending.

What I didn’t like, was the fact that this traumatic (and extremely important topic in todays’s society) event was barely touched on. With the #MeToo Movement being such a monumental event in women’s (and men’s) lives, you’d think the author would want to touch on it a bit more. I certainly would have read it.

Other than that, it was an enjoyable and quick little romance.

Thank you NetGalley for my ARC of this one!

#BirdsOfCalifornia:

Okay first and foremost. Julia Whelan. I mean, we don’t need to say more, right? Birds of California gave me TJR vibes like Malibu Rising. Maybe it’s because Julia Whelan did both audio? I did feel like the time and themes were very reminiscent of each other.

I loved Fiona St. James. She was snarky and fun. I loved her relationship with Sam. I did feel like this was mislabeled as a romantic comedy. Was this funny? Yeah. Is there romance? Yeah. But it’s not a romantic comedy. This is definitely more women’s fiction.

I was sad the ending was so quick and abrupt. I really wanted more. I wanted more vindication. But, we all knew what was not said as a reader. I truly loved the way this played out and how the flashbacks really amplified the story.

Overall, once I got over this was not a romcom, I loved it. Thank you so much Harper Perennial for the gifted copy. Birds of California is out now!

I haven't read Katie Cotugno's young adult literature but I was excited to read her adult debut. Her writing goes down smooth and makes the pages fly by. I love anything about former child stars, and I really like reexamining the way young women in Hollywood have been done dirty but the tabloids and the system. I could have read 100 more pages about Sam and Fiona!!!

I really enjoyed Birds of California. This fun and flirty romance novel has some charming main characters set in the blistering sun of Los Angeles. I was a little worried about how this book would handle the sexual harassment/ Me Too allegations mentioned in the synopsis, but Cotugno managed to walk a thin line that was believable, realistic and also profoundly well characterized by Fiona. The only issue I had with the book is that as someone born and raised here, some of the locations/restaurants mentioned seemed a little touristy and out of place for people that had spent years in the city.

The synopsis compares Birds of California to Beach Read, The Kiss Quotient and Red, White, and Royal Blue which feels highly misleading. Birds of California didn't even feel like a rom-com. I wanted to be more sympathetic to the main character but the lack of character development made that difficult. It's a quick read that I'm sure many will love but at the end of the day this just wasn't what I was hoping to read.

This book piqued my interest because of the endorsement from Taylor Jenkins Reid, I am not a usual romance reader, but loved the idea of two people who missed out on a relationship, but are able to reconnect later in life. The setting in this book transported me to California, and I so badly wish I had the chance to watch Fiona’s show because she sounded beyond talented.

Overall, I really enjoyed the relationship and banter between the two main characters, but sometimes I think the characters lacked depth or their responses seemed unrealistic.

Are you ever knee deep in the middle of the book and think, “Yes! This is such a Five Star review for me!” and then you keep reading and love that the book just gets better and confirms that it’s STILL a Five Star book? That’s how I felt about Katie Cotugno’s Birds of California the entire time. The story is catchy and leads Sam and Fiona are so quick-witted that I felt like I had known them forever.

Perhaps that is part of the natural way that after several years from having worked together on a Family Channel show, Birds of Paradise as teens, Fiona finds herself being invited back into the possibility of a reboot with Sam. Adamantly against the idea (although we are unclear as to why), the spotlight was never kind to Fiona and she is resistant to revisiting the show. Surprisingly to her, Fiona finds herself unexpectedly agreeing to see Sam, leaving herself open to possibilities beyond what “Birds” might invite.

The book alternates between Sam and Fiona’s POVs as they re-learn each other and navigate their newly established friendship/relationship. Neither character is perfect, far from it, but their messiness and vulnerability make their story so endearing. I found myself halfway through the book having only started it mere hours ago—that is how readable and inviting it is. And the chemistry between Fiona and Sam is undeniably sexy (just like you might imagine your favorite celeb couple to be like). Cotugno tackles several tough topics: child acting, mental illness, parental abandonment, parental illness, sexual predators and abuse, but she does so amazingly fluidly and sensitively. The novel never felt heavy, but instead inviting and hopeful. I just really wanted Fiona and Sam to get it right, and Birds of California fell smartly between a second-chance romance / childhood crush, and a Hollywood love story.

The only fault I had was that it was over a little too quickly. I would’ve loved to see an epilogue or even just one more chapter to help the ending round out. This definitely will not keep me from seeking out Cotugno’s books in the future; she is a talented storyteller and writer.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for my eARC in exchange for my unbiased review. And if you are an audiobook listener, the amazing Julia Whelan narrates this book beautifully (I listened while reading several chapters).

I thought at first this would be a light rom-com, but I was wrong. It’s the story of a former child actor who is now trying to live in obscurity managing the family’s print shop. Once a famous child star on the family channel, Fiona crashed and burned and destroyed her career with rebellious and bizarre behavior. But now all of a sudden, the creators of the show want to revive the show, with a twist, and they need to have Fiona sign on to do this. However, Fiona is absolutely not on board and so Sam Fox, who played her older brother, is sent to convince her. Sam is a newly unemployed actor, having his show recently cancelled and is financially motivated to get this show on the road. However, he hasn’t seen Fiona in years. What Sam doesn’t expect is that as he tries to woo Fiona to come aboard to do the revival, he begins to have romantic feelings for her which is new for him. As Fiona and Sam get closer, he holds back the secret of being pressured to convince her by his agent and the creators of the show. Fiona also has a secret of her own, the reason that for her breakdown as a teen star. When these truths come out, will their new love for each other survive?
This story seemed to be so familiar to the lives of child stars that we’ve seen in the press where too much pressure causes them to fall apart as well as the Hollywood #metoo movement. But there is also a sadness in this story for Fiona, who only wanted to be loved and protected but was let down by the adults in her life. As a result, this character had a hard shell that was hard to crack, with excessive use of profanity and a chip on her shoulder as large as Mt. Rushmore. There were so many hints and clues as to what really happened to Fiona. A lover of true crime stories, as the reader, we weren’t sure why they gave her such comfort. I would have loved to see both the character Fiona and Sam developed more. A quick read, but I found it quite predictable. Not as well developed as I would have liked to see and no resolution at the end. The cover art though is amazing.

Many thanks to #netgalley #birdsofcalifornia #katecotugno for the opportunity to read and review this book.

A fun romcom for fans of enemies to lovers trope.

SYNOPSIS
"Sparks fly and things get real in this sharply sexy and whip-smart romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a post #metoo Hollywood from New York Times bestselling author Katie Cotugno--page-turning escapist fun in the spirit of Beach Read, The Kiss Quotient, and Red, White and Royal Blue. "

WHAT I LOVED:

✔️ The famous 'has-been' TV show actors Fiona & Sam start as enemies and then *nudge, nudge, wink wink

✔️ The cuteness of this romance, albeit steamier at times than I normally read or choose. So a must-read for romance fans who like a little spice!

✔️ Fiona (MC) is so filled with self-sabotage that she can be hard to like but she had something that intrigued me and I felt empathy for her.

✔️ Sam (MC) god bless him, is a trier and kept hoping and will for both him and Fiona to just get along and not second-guess each other - that was part of the fun of reading.

✔️ The backdrop of Hollywood and the toxicity of that industry.

✔️ The interesting way this story spotlights the characters' and readers' judgement of those who are famous/on TV.

✔️ Despite the comedic tones and the romance the book does touch on very serious issues... at times I felt that this could have gone a little deeper and brought in earlier in the book.

All in all, an indulgent fun, poignant rom-com with a little spice.

This is my first Katie Cotugno book and it definitely won't be my last.

**Thanks to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for a copy of this book in return for an honest review**

Birds of California was a smart and witty rom-com that had me devouring this book in a day! This is my first book from Katie Cotugno but def will not be my last. Her writing and story telling was amazing. There was trauma within these pages but it was done so beautifully. Like a reminder that everyone is dealing with something and we are all imperfectly perfect.

My friend Erin (roostercalls) reviewed this and called it whipsmart, funny and sexy and totally sold me on it. Usually I love a book because of the plot or the characters. It’s more unusual for me to love a book for the writing but this was that rare case. There were a number of times I found myself pausing to just take it in. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the free review copy!

Birds of California has a fresh hook that readers will love! With so many '90s favorites being rebooted lately this book provides a fun look at what it might be like to really return to your past. Two former teen stars who have both been in and out of Hollywood reunite with the prospect of their show getting a new season. During their original show they had a spark but it just wasn't ever the right time and now they're wondering if they have a second chance too. This book touches on the public's obsession with celebrities and fame and how that can wreck a person. Katie Cotugno has always written such complex characters in her YA books and this adult debut delivers on her signature style. A must read for contemporary fans also looking for a romance storyline.

This was a miss for me.

Part of my disappointment stems from mis-marketing. This is billed as a romantic comedy in the spirit of Beach Read or Red, White, and Royal Blue, and I wouldn't put them in the same category at all. Those books have a thread of lightheartedness, despite covering serious topics. This book felt heavier all the way through.

I appreciate the story the author was trying to tell (a former child star confronting past trauma and finding love), but it was lost in weak plot development. There were a few truly heartwarming moments, including the ending, but I also felt that the conclusion was abrupt.

Overall, it wasn't for me.

Wow! This was a great book! It definitely was more serious than I thought it was going to be, but still had its cute and funny moments. I really enjoyed the main characters and couldn’t put it down! I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the arc!

I've been unintentionally reading a few Hollywood romance books recently! I loved learning more about the former show, Birds of California, where the characters were in the present day, and their reasons for wanting to or avoiding a reboot of the show. I loved to see the normalcy of Fiona's life after her Hollywood and media covered tabloids called her self destructive, as well as digging a bit deeper to what caused her breakdowns. I also enjoyed Sam Fox, his deception, and seeing him fall for Fiona. This is also narrated by one of my favorites, Julia Whelan!

Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the copy of Birds of California; I also want to say I had access to the audiobook version as well from Harper Audio so I listened to some of this book while I was commuting (and stomach bug ridden!) and read most of it. I LOVED this book overall, it was engaging, had strong character growth, and managed to be a modern day romance that was as much about Fiona and Sam and their relationship as it was about Fiona, and Sam, as individuals and adults reconciling their past and present and perhaps their future. I thought there was a lot of value in understanding each protagonist as individuals.

3 strengths
1. As noted, I thought Katie Cotugno did a wonderful job developing these characters. For me this story though was ultimately Fiona's as I felt even Sam's chapters were mostly about his perceptions of Fiona and his learning more about her and figuring out their relationship. I miss Fiona, she was a character I really wanted to know and cheer on (and yet... we know her, I feel she represents so many young woman celebrities and their lives).
2. This feels like an h0nest and nuanced examination of why we needed and need the MeToo movement and also to talk about the sexualization and lack of personal agency young women are given when thrust into media careers. The chapter where Fiona talks about "that picture with the lizard" was well done and I valued it.
3. Engaging secondary characters, this book was also strong for me because Fiona and Sam had other people in their lives and these characters were given depth and presence in the story. I liked that the narrative was more than just a romance but also about family, a community theater, and friends.

My only quibble might be that in small places I felt as though the story could have been a more strident examination of the sexualization and abuse of women in Hollywood but yet... I also thought that the book was a lovely and well done romance. In the end I felt that Mx Cotugno found a balance with a story about Fiona placed within a relationship and this was well done. I also note that the audiobook chapters that I listened to were strong and Julia Whelan remains at top form.

content: there is a plot examining Fiona's sexualization and grooming by an older adult male. I found this handled gently and deftly but it is noted for readers who prefer to avoid those topics.

I highly recommend this book, I think it has great spaces for meaningful conversations about sexualization, grooming, and MeToo and also has a lot to offer as a story about a relationship and family and acting.

Fiona St James' name is synonymous with the phrase epic fail. Not only has her face and name been on every Hollywood tabloid for her crazy antics, but those same antics ultimately lead to the cancellation of her famous family-channel show. After a brief stay in a psych hospital, Fiona has lay low, far from the Hollywood scene. She's helping to run the family print shop business and looking after her younger sister since both of her parents have pretty much fallen off the deep end. But then fate walks into the print shop one day offering another shot at stardom. The only question is will Fiona take the bait? ⁠

This book was exactly what I needed after a few heavy WWII fictions. It's witty & sharp with some of the best banter I've read since Beach Read. The topics are heavy, but I never once felt sorry for the MC or sad about her situation. Her strength is palpable, and I, for one, love a strong AF female lead. The love interest is handsome, charming, and clueless in all the right ways. Watching him develop and grow as a person throughout the book is one of the best parts! ⁠
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This book brought back so many memories of mid 2000's Lindsay/Paris/Brittany era, when one of them was always doing something crazy dumb in public. Although I wasn't rich and famous, I was at that same stage in my life: dumb and young! 😂 My friends and I would always do dumb things and later thank god no one was following us with cameras. Our own point and shoot cameras were evidence enough. Things turned out ok for me and my friends, but I could see how being constantly judged or reminded of those mistakes and mishaps would be so damning.