4.5 ⭐️
I would like to thank Thomas Nelson--FICTION, Thomas Nelson, and NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for writing an honest review!

I quite enjoyed this comfy romance.

The only reason I requested this ARC was because it said something about a flip phone. I am a sucker when it comes to the old life (the life I wish I was born in) and a flip phone is considered a "vintage" by now. I might have expected a different storyline but oh boy, I was not disappointed. This book was a very cozy romance and I loved every bit of it. It doesn't only revolve around love/romance but it focuses on growth and being out of your comfort zone too. It got me smiling and grinning. It was so adorable and fast-paced. I love how it focuses on a real-life problem that many are afraid of confessing to; addiction to the media. Being addicted to social media and your electronics is a pandemic that many brush off when mentioned. This book was very eye-opening and I really do agree with Zaiah. I totally recommend it even though the first chapter was tough to finish since it revolved around influencer talk that I didn't feel the need to understand. Also, I loved the whole little town vibes where it snows; it's so alluring. It's everything I want to live in. I fell in love with all the characters and I enjoyed having an art before every chapter. I totally recommend it if you are into comfy romance.

Comments on some characters:
- Mina is literally the sweetest ever; she's like a little sunflower that sprinkles pixie dust all around her.
- Cat's character development was inspiring in some way and amazing to witness.
- Zaiah's love for Cat is so adorable and the fact that he put aside his hate against social media for her is just it.
- The rest were all heartwarming.

"Are we meant to know every thought, deed, traumatic event, and triumph of every person in this world?"

"All I can think is, He probably could've survived the Titanic!"
^^^ love the movie references in the book.

"There is a pleasure in the pathless woods"

"A part of me needs to feel like I have a place, a purpose."
^^^ this hits home.

I received this book for free for an honest unbiased review from Netgalley.

I wish more books were this well written. Characters were witty and the setting fantastic.

This was super super cute! Closed door romances aren't usually my cup of tea, but the story was so fun and unique that it had me hooked right away!

I sadly will need to step away from reading books based on current times of people trying to be famous or Hollywood-related books. They are just unbearable to me. I do not find any joy in reading them and most of the time the characters have no redeeming qualities.

This was a cozy, enjoyable read. I liked the two main characters and the best friend. It was refreshing to see a positive female friend relationship and women uplifting other women. Some of the plot felt a bit forced/overly reliant on coincidences, but I didn’t mind too much suspending disbelief to enjoy the cozy setting and likable characters.

Favorite Quotes:

I don’t know what it is about him, but he makes me feel like my hand is always caught in a candy jar.

I’m pretty sure that if I wanted to even get on Zaiah’s radar— really be on his radar— I’d have to throw away my phone, makeup, 99 percent of my clothing, take up making deer jerky and canning on the weekends, and start going on long walks while reciting Thoreau.

My Review:

This is a sweet and humorous tale with considerable insights about social media addictions and influencers that gave me pause and something to ponder.  The main and secondary characters were uniquely endearing and inhabited story threads that were engaging and entertaining as well as informative and thoughtfully contrived. I enjoyed the breezy writing style as much as the main character’s journey and transformation.

This is for those who love slowburn!!

Zaiah and Cat are the cutest and they couldn't be more oppossite
Her: obsessed with internet and social media
Him: hates internet but joined instagram to show her support and has a flip phone !!!

One of the things I most loved in this book was how Cat learned that exists a world out of social media and started to really live and enjoy life. Very proud of her

Zaiah is the sweetest!!! Always making sure Cat is okay and supporting her. I want one Zaiah for me thank you very much

I loved the whole book and the ending was heart warming

Just one disappointment: not have a pov from zaiah. Would love to see Cat in his point of view

Anyway, this was the first book I read from this author and I will be reading more

A thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!
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I started this book at work and it was a struggle at first. Not really the fault of this novel itself, but rather the formatting of the digital advanced copy. Every page had the publisher’s logo randomly in the middle of words and this obviously had a huge impact on the pacing. Once I got about halfway through, I was able to get more of a handle on the formatting and then I flew through the rest of the book as soon as I got home from work that night.
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Cat is fairly shallow and selfish for a lot of the book, and I definitely found myself siding with Zaiah for much of the novel. The grumpy-sunshine dynamic worked well-enough, and once Cat was able to move past just social media and engage with the other characters she was much easier to handle. In the real world would I enjoy her? Probably not. But if this was a Hallmark movie, I would be head over heels.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson in exchange for my honest review and opinion. I was really excited to read this just by the cover alone. Unfortunately, this was not one of my favorite rom-com books lately. Cute story but I found it to be a bit slow. I would love to try this author again in the future.

Melissa Ferguson is a must read author for me and I was excited to read this book especially since the MC is a social media influencer.
However, after reading the first half and then skipping through the rest, it had me wanting more from the characters.

I Absolutely Love Melissa Ferguson’s Books!

I can always count on Melissa Ferguson’s books to make me run through so many emotions. Laughter is huge! The self introspection was done well. When you can come away from a book and really take something away and ponder it. Social Media is such a pertinent topic!

The storyline, the characters will truly make this book enjoyable. I will definitely be talking about it with my friends!

I look forward to reading more books by Melissa Ferguson!

Audiobook: Read by Talon David
I toggled between reading the ebook and listening to the audiobook and enjoyed both!

I always appreciate when the narrator doesn’t over act, doesn’t read too fast or too slow and is able to draw you in to the book without detracting from it. Talon David hit it out of the park!

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

Famous for a Living is a well written romance. I enjoyed the plot and character dynamics. My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance book. This is my unbiased review.

This book follows Cat, who needs a fresh start after some financial dramas, so she goes to stay with her uncle in Kannery National Park. She experiences such immense growth, leaving behind the influencer mindset and going on a journey of self discovery. And, along the way, she gets a second chance at romance with a swoon worthy guy! I loved the witty banter between the really fun host of characters who work at the park with her. They are so well written and full of spirit! A great romance read!

Thank you so much @ThomasNelson for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 16 May 2023)

SYNOPSIS | Cat is a social media influencer with millions of followers but when a partnership opportunity goes wrong she is shunned from the spotlight and her online community. Her uncle gives her an opportunity to leave NYC whilst the backlash settles and to work on the social media at a small national park in Montana.

WHAT I LIKED:
- that it explored social media addiction
- the setting. I have a craving to go on a good long hike.
- Cat's character development was really nicely executed

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- I sadly didn't feel any sizzle between Cat and Zaiah (it felt more like Zaiah was the only eligible bachelor in proximity to her)
- Zaiah is portrayed as the "grumpy" one, but he was so grumpy that he was really just a grouch
- this is definitely more women's fiction with a side of romance
- the ending felt overly rushed

This was such a fun book. I am a big fan of Melissa Ferguson’s books, so I was so excited to read this one! I loved how this book showed social media addiction and the damage that it can do. Sometimes you don’t realize how addicted you are until you take a step back. I can see this book being turned into a Hallmark movie! I really enjoyed all the characters in this book, especially the main character. If you’re looking for a fun and easy read, I recommend checking this one out! I finished this one in two days, it was so good, I couldn’t put it down!

I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. It reminded me of a movie I saw recently where a woman/influencer needed to get away from her famous life. I don’t recall the name but I didn’t feel like I connected with the character. Definitely still a cute and quick read with relatable content. It was interesting to read about the life of an influencer from the author’s perspective. I would recommend this to anyone that wants a quick and light read.

This book was a super cute romcom. My favorite thing about romcoms is you can usually expect a HEA and this one delivers. I loved that the FMC was an influencer and how glamorous her life was. Overall a super cute, quick read

Book 106 of 200

🌟🌟🌟💫

I enjoy books by Melissa. They are always filled with wit and I have fun going through the stories.

Not usually my kind of read but I do make exceptions for certain authors of the genre and she is one of them.

You of course kinda can figure out the ending but it is the journey there that matters.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook and ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars.

This was a cute, low drama, contemporary fiction story about a woman moving away from the big city to escape all the gossiping and rumours about her. It's about acceptance, and realising that growing older is kinda alright (it's great tbh).
I would not say that this is a romance, though there's a little bit of a hint of that, and there's a nice ending. No, this is a book about Cat, and the new people she meets in Montana. It was light and fluffy, and I enjoyed myself. I'll definitely try out any of the authors other books.
I also tried out the audio (on Scribd, not from Netgalley) and it was really good.