I love Melissa Ferguson and this one did not disappoint. It was fun, unapologetic, sweet, and sexy. The use of social media as a plot device was well done I thought, and while most characters like this would annoy me, Ferguson wrote them well.

Famous for a Living gives a great view of life as an influencer on social media. At the heart of the book the message is we need to put down our phones and live life. Sharing, posting, and staying connected with friends electronically is important, but we also miss what is going on right now in our lives. Cat Cranwell had to learn the hard way after an app partnership went sideways. Cat goes from being an online darling to being canceled on all formats. Luckily for her, a favorite uncle rescues Cat and brings her into the National Park service where she can use her skills to save the beloved Kannery National Park.

My thanks to the author and the publisher for an early copy of this book. The opinions here are entirely my own.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me not one, but two copies of this book. I started this book on my Kindle but switched about a quarter in to audio, and I'm so grateful to have had that option because I'm not sure that I would have finished this otherwise.

My biggest problem here is that this is NOT a romance. Is there romance? I guess... In the last quarter of the book. Unfortunately for me, that is too little too late. I love a slow burn as much as the next person, but for a romance, A SINGLE DATE not even happening until well past the fifty percent mark just made me feel like this entire book was marketed incorrectly.

And that's to say nothing of the characters... I hated them. Honestly hated. Cat is awful. I know we're supposed to buy into this whole "poor little rich girl" and her social media obsession and feel something for her, but she had NO personality whatsoever. Unless you count complaining about how she's so unpopular now. In which case, we can list extremely whiny and annoying as her personality traits. Actually, now that I say that, let's count those as her personality because Zaiah? The actual definition of a filler character and was just there because apparently this was a "romance".

There was also this super weird conversation in the first quarter that was about gun rights and it just felt so in your face and out of place in a supposed "romance" book.

I would not recommend this... It didn't feel like it had good commentary on our generations dependency on social media and certainly is not a romance. I feel like if you're looking for a contemporary or woman's fiction type book, then maybe this could work for you, but otherwise, I personally would pass.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cat + Zaiah

🌳Clean romance
🌲Slow burn
🥾Grumpy sunshine
⛰️Opposites attract
📳Found family
🌲Cinnamon roll MMC
🤳Influencer FMC
⛰️National Park
🥾Personal growth

First this cover. Totally sucked me and I wanted it on my shelf the moment I saw it.
The story....Zaiah really stole the show for me here. He is just such a caring man. Making her vegan chilli at the cook off knowing he would lose and no one else would eat it, saved her ass from a moose, warmed her feet up for her, and so much more.
I also really enjoyed most of the side characters in this. Jax and Kevin were hilarious with great banter. I chuckled out loud a few times.
Loved the conversations about social media being so addictive and the negative aspects of it. (The author is a TikTok influencer who I have followed for ever for the beautiful views well before knowing she was an author.)
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

From the moment I saw this book and read the description, I knew I had to read it. I have read and enjoyed previous books by the author and thought this one seemed right up my alley as well. But I have to admit, while I DID enjoy it, it wasn't quite what I was expecting and as such didn't quite live up to those expectations I'd had.

Based upon the book's description and marketing as a romantic comedy, that was my expectation... and well, it wasn't really quite that in my opinion. Yes, it had many comedic moments and yes, there was certainly some romance... but the interactions between Cat and Zaiah really were quite minimal until over halfway through the book. Even in a slow-burn romance, I just expect there to be more chemistry-filled interactions before they finally get together... and all the swoon-worthy moments after the fact too. That was lacking here when compared to other books in the genre. So, when I am going in expecting a romantic comedy (which happens to be a current favorite for me), it was certainly a bit of a letdown there.

However, I actually still really enjoyed the story... I just felt like it reads more like a chick lit about an influencer discovering who she is outside of social media rather than a romance. If you go in with that expectation, it's likely to be more enjoyable. The story does come across as a little anti-social media/electronics at times... and honestly, having a love-hate relationship with it, I didn't mind that horribly. I do think the author tried to show some of the good that can come from social media and networking as well.

Overall, even though this wasn't at all what I was expecting when I chose it, I found it to be a very enjoyable read nonetheless.

**I received a complimentary copy for consideration. All opinions are my own.

Famous For A Living was a fun, quick read, and the perfect thing to listen to during a stretch of mindless work. I enjoyed the city-girl-in-the-wilderness trope, and as a lover of national parks, I was rooting for Cat to save this little park from getting absorbed by Glacier. I would have liked to see more descriptions of the park and Cat's exploration of it, but I loved the town morale activities like the horse game and the polar plunge.

I also would have liked more romance--Cat and Zaiah's relationship was an extremely slow burn, and there is zero steam in this book. Their banter made up for the lack of relationship progression, though.

Sadly this book was a flop for me. I just couldn't get into it. I enjoyed Meet Me in the Margins, but Famous for A Living, I just couldn't relate to. I tried the audio also, but it still wasn't keeping my attention.

This book is absolutely a delight! I LOVE an outdoorsy story, and how fun that this was about a national park! Melissa Ferguson can sure write a stellar novel! The theme about getting off your phone and into nature, staying focused on the people you are with, and separating your work and personal life were unexpected and wonderful additions. The characters were lovable, quirky and so fun. All in all this was a wonderful, light read that still had some important topics to discuss. I would absolutely recommend this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars!

I wanted to love this, the premise was so interesting with the influencer being forced to lay low in a small town but I just couldn't get into it.

Idk if it is just me but I found it hard to follow and keep up with what's going on, there were also some parts that seemed a little repetitive where the same portion was repeated.

I loved the small town aspect as always and I even enjoyed some of the characters but this one was definitely more fiction with a romance sub plot.

3.5⭐️

I enjoyed this fun book about Cat, an Instagram influencer who becomes blacklisted due to a horrible rumor, moves to her uncle’s park in Montana where she meets Zaiah, an outdoorsman.

This was a super cute, fun and sweet rom com/ self discovery story and I really enjoyed the audio! Cat was funny, and I laughed out loud at some point of her trying to figure out mountain life. I liked the chemistry between Cat and Zaiah, although it wasn’t steamy, mostly just longing and flirting with each other, which was cute. I was hoping for more of a romance, but I did enjoy how Cat grew throughout the book and found more for herself besides Instagram fame. I liked the setting and the storyline, and if you are looking for a light beach read, this is a good one!

Cat's lack of education and experience in the workforce has never been a big deal. She's been quite successful as an influencer and has loved the limelight. A partnership goes up in flames and her popularity dives right along with it. Her Uncle Terry offers shelter and Cat finds more than she bargains for in Montana including social media hater, Zaiah.
Melissa's writing makes me wish for a new subgenre - comedic women's fiction. It takes the funny from rom-coms and the heart from women's fiction, blending into something else. This is her best book to date. I loved the setting and full cast of characters. While I didn't find Cat necessarily relatable, her lifestyle and social media addiction is something we are surrounded by these days. I loved the big city girl awkward stumbles along with her genuine desire to help.
Thank you to Uplit Reads, Thomas Nelson, and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

I really didn't want to put this book down so much so that I was up half the night reading it. Very well written and a real pleasure to read. Everything about this book needs to be read by everyone. 5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this ARC

This book was fun! Got major hallmark movie vibes which is how you know it was a good romcom.

Cat is quite the character. She’s a content creator and influencer and I kinda didn’t really like her at the beginning, but she definitely grew on me! Especially as she grew and learned.

Zaiah is a mountain man, and what can I say? A man in plaid with his sleeves rolled up just gets me. He was pretty quiet and I felt like we didn’t really get to know him. But I liked him nonetheless!

I really liked the whole concept of bringing in the problems with social media and technology. I did feel like the majority of that came in a bit late, but I like the message a lot.

But it was cute an and sweet story! And I was giggling and signing my way through it.

When Cat gets cancelled after being caught up in a shady business deal she heads to Montana to help her uncle. Unbeknownst to her Cat is there to try and save Kannery National Park from being absorbed by Glacier. Her Uncle needs her influencer expertise to help bring visitors in and save the lesser known park. From being rescued after trying to get a selfie with a moose to skijoring and soaking in the hot springs Cat experiences all Montana has to offer. Park Ranger Zaiah helps Cat realize she may be a city girl, but nothing is better for the soul then a nature detox. Can she end using her social media skills for good and get people back on the trails?

As a native and current citizen of Montana I appreciated all the fun activities hilighted that Cat and anyone visiting Montana can experience. I also the believe to core message of not being too self absorbed and being present in the moment is very relevant to all of us today who find it hard being away from our phones.

This was a delightful book that I enjoyed very much and is the perfect summer read!

Famous for a Living was cute, light but it felt more like a Women's fiction than a romance novel.

I was expecting more of a focus on the romance, which wasn't really there until the last quarter of the book. I would have liked to see more interactions between the MCs and I was left wanting more.

While I did feel like it was lacking in romantic tension, I, on the other hand, liked how the characters grew to like, then love each other in a realistic way. The characters only really get together around the 75-80% mark but it felt organic and honest for the reader.

I really liked how this book is relevant to the current times - Cat is after all a famous influencer who falls from grace. It also touches on the topic of social media addiction and how 'likes' and 'followers' make us feel validated. I enjoyed how it showed the other side, Cat's insecurities and the toxicity of social apps.

All in all, it was a fun read and I found the main character to be relatable and witty. I definitely recommend this book!

Famous for a Living by Melissa Fergusan is a great read. Cat Cranwell is a famous influencer who has made an incredible life for herself by being famous. Until it is not so amazing and she decides to work for her uncle in Kannery National Park, Montana. How does a city girl deal with living in a small cabin with a roommate, critters, blizzards, moose and a handsome anti-technology park ranger named Zaiah.

This delightful character driven story was filled with wonderful lessons, sweet romance, and very funny moments. It also challenges you to reflect on your phone usage and your virtual identity. I enjoyed walking through life with Cat both in NY and in Montana. The secondary characters were so well crafted and added to the story. So many funny scenes that made me laugh out loud.

I thoroughly enjoyed Famous for Living and highly recommend it.

I was given a copy by the publisher and not required to write a positive review.

Famous for a Living is a story about rediscovering oneself as we mature and age. It has a few different plotlines to learn from. One is the joy of learning to love ourselves as we age while living in a society that puts forth a fake reality. This is something that Cat Cranwell is struggling with. She's a social media influencer in her 30's and feels she has to compete with younger people showing up for the job. This is something that most people probably struggle with, so it's quite relatable. Second is signing a contract without reading it. Oh dear...what on earth was she thinking? The consequences of this choice prove to be monumental and completely change the course of Cat's life. And lastly, is the choice to set aside her aspirations and goals of getting her life back to help her uncle (who's more like a father) and her new-found friends. This was my favorite part of the story! Cat has many connections because of her social media career, and I loved that she put them to good use to, not help herself, but save her friends.

I have to say, if you're looking for a story that's heavy of the romance, this is not it. BUT...the romance is sweet and the rest of the story is quite fun!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I listened to Famous for a Living primarily on audiobook and it was such a fun and light read. There were some things that were just so unbelievable, but I was able to go with it and just have fun regardless. A little bit campy and definitely very low on the steam level (this is very clean). I really liked Famous for a Living and will try Melissa Ferguson's other work.

This is my first Ferguson book, but it won't be my last! I loved the characters, the plot and the slow romance in it! Highly recommend!

Famous for a Living is my third novel by Melissa Ferguson after enjoyed Meet Me in the Margins and The Cul-de-Sac War. I was not a huge fan of “War,” but I did enjoy “Margins”, so I looked forward to trying this novel. While there is romance in this story, it does occur later so this is not quite an actual romance novel. This tale follows social media influencer, 30-year-old, Cat Cranwell who has been one since she was around fifteen. A lot of the story focused on the commentary of social media and not only how it affects Cat as a character, but how it does affect society. While social media has been around for a while, the huge influencer culture is only about a decade or so old (there have been influencers before, but just not to the extreme extent today). The experience of Cat becoming older while other influencers around her are younger, was well-done as it highlighted her struggles.

When Cat ends up in legal trouble because of those she works with, she decides to escape to Kannery National Park in Montana where her uncle works. Here she meets ranger, Zaiah Hudson, who is not a fan of phone use. The side characters along with the main ones seemed to have some inspiration from Parks and Rec as each character seemed to draw something from tv. They were all a lot of fun, and I loved the addition of Glacier National Park as a rival for Kannery. Cat is the newcomer who is going through a lot with her life and trying to fit in with the park office staff. As this read like a women’s fiction story, I enjoyed Cat trying to find her way in the world. Since this is marketed as a romance, this was unfortunate as I can see many readers not liking the story because it didn’t meet expectations. Since the writing goes more with Cat’s journey, I think the marketing should reflect it.

The setting was amazing with the forest, although I would have loved even more with the Montana setting. A national park in Montana is a lot different than one in Florida or anywhere else, so I would have loved a little more detail, so it felt like Montana. The setting did make me really want to visit a national park, though, so it did provide a nice escape while reading. As for Cat and her journey, I liked that she went through a lot of development. The social media aspect is not quite resolved, but it did work for the story. Cat was an interesting character, and I enjoyed her relationship with Zaiah. Since the romance is not the focus, I did sometimes forget there was supposed to be a love interest, but I did believe that they went well together. Overall, this was an interesting story and I look forward to reading more from Ferguson in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**