one thing about me is i will forever and always eat up any book set in the LA 70s scene (probably a byproduct of daisy jones and the six) so just imagine how excited i felt when i read the synopsis for this book. the book was clearly set up to be a success for me. the vibes were there, the setting did a lot of the heavy lifting, but something just didnt quite hit it for me. it very much reads like a domestic historical fiction book, maybe i jsut wasnt in the mood for that at the time. it wasnt awful by any means, just not a complete hit. i would definitely reread it again in the future and see if my opinion would change though.

The Sunset Crowd started out a bit slow. I almost DNF'd at 15%. I am happy I stuck with it. I found the ending to be very hard to believe.

The Sunset Crowd by Karin Tanabe provides an intriguing look into the glitzy yet cutthroat world of Hollywood, with a focus on its complex characters. Bea Dupont, a photographer for high-profile magazines, stands out as a quietly compelling figure. As a keen observer rather than a central player, Bea initially seems like a peripheral character, drifting on the edges of the high-stakes drama surrounding Evra Scott and Theodora Leigh.

Bea's growth is one of the novel’s subtle highlights. Throughout the story, her evolution from a passive observer to an active participant in the drama unfolds with nuance. Initially, she remains on the sidelines, capturing the glamorous and often superficial world of Hollywood with a discerning eye. However, her feelings for Kai de la Faire and her position as a connective thread between the central characters force her to confront her own desires and ambitions.

As the narrative progresses, Bea’s interactions with Evra and Theodora push her to reevaluate her own role in the industry and her personal life. Her growth is marked by a gradual shift from passive involvement to taking more assertive steps in shaping her own future, ultimately revealing a deeper layer to her character and her aspirations in the competitive world of Hollywood.

This was a clever premise of a group of people coming together around a boutique in 1970s Los Angeles. Themes include ambition, money, fame, faking it until you make it. The cast of characters were unique and interesting making this book very engrossing. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this gifted copy.

In The Sunset Crowd by Karin Tanabe, you're whisked away to the glitzy world of Hollywood, where you'll meet Evra Scott, Theodora Leigh, and Bea Dupont. While the book captures the flashy side of fame and fortune, it's got its moments of predictability and some characters might feel a bit shallow. But hey, Tanabe's got a knack for painting vivid pictures of Hollywood life, flaws and all. So, if you're up for a ride through the ups and downs of ambition and reinvention in Tinseltown, give it a shot. It's not perfect, but it's definitely worth the read.

Set in 1970s Los Angeles, Karin Tanabe's "The Sunset Crowd" promises a tantalizing mix of Hollywood glamour and scandal against a backdrop of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, perfect for a summer read. While the vibes were spot on, I found the excessive cast of characters somewhat unnecessary and the plot, while somewhat convoluted, felt predictably linear. However, the jet-setting lifestyle, juicy drama, and nostalgic throwbacks redeemed the reading experience, with the satisfying ending elevating my overall enjoyment. If you're enticed by the setting and themes, it's worth a dive into this glitzy world.

This book was well written and entertaining, but also not what I expected. It was historical fiction without ACTUALLY being historical fiction. 3 stars, probably will read another book by this author before I write them off entirely.

This was a challenging and confusing read and listening to the audiobook while reading the digital book only provided some mild entertainment. This story would be better told in a visual format as there is too much going on that it looses it's "star" appeal. I enjoyed some of this author's previous books but this one felt too busy.

The plot is set in 1970's Los Angeles' where the young and beautiful flocked to parties where drinking and drugs were commonplace. The road to success is rocky even for those from wealthy families. Aside from those who long for a spot on the screen, there is Beatrice DuPont, who makes her living behind a camera. She works for Vogue and Rolling Stone and attends all the society parties recording history in on film. She is a transplant from New York and surprised to find her long ago "crush", Kai de la Faire, living in LA. He's not only rising to fame but is attached to Evra Scott, the fashion diva of Sunset on Sunset, an exclusive boutique for the rich and famous in LA.

There are strong connections between the characters that build and demolish as the years pass and some rise to stardom while others aren't so fortunate. Scattered among the rich and soon-to-be famous are people who aren't who they claim to be. The writing flows but the plot feels cluttered with many stories and developed characters who all seem to be entwined. It's difficult to really find many likeable characters as they are all pretty flawed some with better intentions than others. I felt there was too much "in the middle" and the story exposed the secrets and lies and wrapped up in the end. It just felt like a longer journey to get there.

Many thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me access to read this digital book. My review of this book is my honest and unbiased opinion. All comments are expressly my own.

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC.

I have read other books by this author and enjoyed the story lines and the strong sense of the descriptions of the places that the stories that place in.
This was just as good. Reading it felt like I was in LA during the 1970's. While the story line was a bit predictable in places, it was entertaining and a quick read. This is a good companion read to Daisy Jones and the Six if you like that time period and genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of The Sunset Crowd by Karin Tanabe in exchange for my honest review and opinion. This is a great book talking about life in the 70's and being in with the "in" crowd. Very interesting read that at times felt like historical fiction but wasn't. Highly recommend.

This book is not at all what I had expected it to be. I felt like there was going to be a little more glam, and a little more fame and sparkle. Instead, I felt like some scenes were dragging out and a few random unnecessary characters. The California setting and time frame did add a little to the book, so there was enjoyment, just not my most favorite.

I expected more from this book. It was just okay for me. I felt like there was a lot of build up to something but then no action.

I was truly looking forward to reading this book and was excited to receive an ARC. But this missed the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC

I won’t go into too many details about, as I don’t want to spoil anything. But I will say that I really loved how the author wrote their characters and presented them all raw and unpolished. Plus, I vibed with the writing style as well.

This book was an interesting mix of celebrity and drama. Evra has power because of who her parents are. She can integrate the celebrity crowds with ease. Her store, Sunset on Sunset is the place to visit and where the Sunset Crowd meets. Theodora appears and ingratiates herself into the Sunset Crowd, but what does she really want from everyone?

Bea and Kai add an interesting dynamic. Who wants to be with who? Who has power over who?

The characters were well written, at times I wanted to root for them and at times I couldn’t stand them. It made me want to see what was going to become of everyone.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my ARC of this book.

Unfortunately not much action and not many likeable characters in this book. Hollywood 1970's scene-fake glamour. Want to be's and up and comers. Just didn't hold my interest.

I'm going to be honest - this fantastic cover was absolutely wasted on this drag of a book. I HAD to pick this up...but then had to put it back down. Unfortunately, The Sunset Crowd just missed the mark for me. It goes on and on without anything happening and introduces a long list of characters that are hard to keep track of. I've heard good things about Karin Tanabe and hope her next attempt hits the mark.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

After hearing this book had a very Daisy Jones and the Six-like feel, I was really intrigued! What followed was meeting and experiencing a whole cast of vapid characters - very few were likable. I did find that the final ~40% of the book caught my attention most of all, and it was very interesting to get an inside look at the sex, drugs, and rock & roll era of 1970's Hollywood along with a bit of mystery.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Such a good novel about the fake glitter of Tinseltown! You are going to love and hate the characters, and feel the deep pull of their desires. The combination of real and fake is as alluring as LA and all that it has to offer.

I really enjoyed this book a lot I liked the 1970's LA scene: rock stars and models and fashionistas and rich people behaving badly. I usually get tired fo the rich people behaving badly, when you make them Hollywood types, I'm in. We follow a group who hang around Sunset on Sunset, the coolest sounding clothing store ever. The main character Bea Dupont is a NY transplant via boarding school in Switzerland. She sees herself as outside of the scene, but really she is in the middle. Add in a very wealthy, very sexy young woman who threatens to take over, and it's quite a ride!