The Love Script by Toni Shiloh is the first in her new series A Love in the Spotlight. I am so excited about this new series!

Nevaeh Richards loves what she does, making others feel beautiful through hair and makeup. Lamont Booker had a reputation, but has turned himself around. He is trying to walk out his faith, until a photo with Navaeh puts them both in a bad light.

I was so invested in this wonderful character driven story. Navaeh and Lamont were very relatable and I loved watching their relationship play out. The delightful cast of secondary characters gave the story depth, humor, and helped me get to know the main characters on a deeper level. The faith based themes deeply resonated with me. The Hollywood backdrop and perspective of dating under the watchful eye of the world made for an interesting setting.

The author did an incredible job weaving spiritual truths with compelling characters into a beautifully written story. I was all in and really enjoyed The Love Script. I highly recommend and look forward to the next books in the series.

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

Toni Shiloh is one of my favorite authors for the perfect mix of contemporary romance and Faith. The faith in her stories isn't part of the page, part a part of the character's lives.

When Nevaeh finds herself in a compromising photo with hearthrob Lamont, when she tripped on the sidewalk and he caught her. The public thinks Lamont is turning from his Christian values. So they decide to fake date, but really date because they don't want to lie. What follows is an enchanting story of being strangers and finding a common love of God and their families.

A fun interesting story with a lot of heart. I enjoyed Lamont and Nevaeh story. I love how Lamont cared about his mom so much. Lamont and Nevaeh met through his mother. Lamont is a christian trying to survive as an actor. Nevaeh is a hairdresser trying to live a quiet life. Their lives are changed. I recommend reading the Love Script.

I received an advanced copy of the book from NetGalley. This book review is my own opinion.

Sweet, Christian romance. Fast paced, easy to follow, enjoyed the characters.

A little far fetched setting, and it's predictable, but a quick fun read. Appears to be book one of a new series, I'm guessing Tuck and Chris, great co characters, would be included - their stories might not be so trite.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My Overall Thoughts/Impressions: More of whatever this is in Christian fiction, please. THIS is what we want to see!

This book was so refreshing, fun, and entertaining. I loved the diversity represented in this one, and everything about the characters Nevaeh and Lamont. This one didn't feel forced or like it was trying too hard. It felt extremely natural. I loved their relationship, the swoon-worthy moments, the faith discussions, and just the realness of this novel.

Fake dating trope but make it Christian fiction with an independent real sized woman with dreams and aspirations and wit and a swoon-worthy romantic man.

Fans of contemporary romance will love this one. It's cute, funny, and entertaining in all the right ways. Do yourself a favor, and read this one. It's my first by this author, and I can say that it definitely won't be my last. I can't wait to read more by this author.

Love,

Danica Page

You can read more of my reviews at http://danicapagewrites.com or by connecting with me on Instagram @danicapage.

Yet another book by Toni Shiloh that I just adore. This book was so good and I felt like I couldn't put it down. I feel like I have a slight guilty pleasure for romance stories that I know aren't always super realistic (like an average person dating royalty or, in this case, a famous actor). I know it happens sometimes but usually not. Doesn't mean it isn't fun to read about though!

I loved the dynamics of Neveah and Lamont. Their friendship and relationship felt natural. There was a lot going on between paparazzi photos and starting off as a "fake" relationship that really tried to pull them down. I do think think they did a decent job talking it out though instead of just letting it explode (minus one misunderstanding I'll only mention vaguely haha) I did feel bad for Neveah several times as life as a celebrity's girlfriend really did turn her world upside down. But Lamont really did so his best to stand by her and protect her. Swoon.

I will say I feel like the book ended kind of abruptly and I wanted more. But I guess that's not necessarily a bad thing because it means the author wrote a story so engaging, I didn't want it to end. Plus I know there are more books to come so I'm sure we'll see this couple again and get a life update at that time.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and I'm leaving an honest and voluntary review.

#bookreview // The Love Script

Thank you, @bethanyhousefiction for my #gifted copy of this book.

This was my first book by this author and I know it won’t be my last!

If you’re looking for a Christian contemporary romance, you need to grab this book. There’s fake dating + great friendships + a beautiful story about faith and love.

There is a strong Christian theme to this one, so that may not be your thing. But if it is, this one will be sure to bring a smile to your face.

The Love Script by @tonishiloh releases on August 1, 2023!

//

3.5 stars

Wow! I loved, loved, loved this story! What a situation these two characters ended up in! Lamont and Nevaeh were both Christians, although they were in different places in their personal walks. Yet, both of these characters battled the conundrum of trying to tell the truth about the situation, which seemed unlikely to work, or entering into a fake relationship, which would be a lie.

I really ended up liking the scenario that Lamont came up with, which allowed the two of them to enter a dating relationship as friends. They technically were stretching the truth about the events of how they came to be dating, yet that allowed them to get to know each other and grow to care for one another in the story. But would the weight of how their relationship began ever grow lighter on their shoulders?

I loved the way these two connected as they began spending time together. They both had an openness and a willingness to see if things could work out. They genuinely liked each other, yet there were plenty of problems that arose, especially for Nevaeh, as she navigated being thrown into the spotlight for dating one of Hollywood’s top actors.

I simply adored this book from start to finish and did not want it to end. I enjoyed meeting Lamont’s close friend group, which mostly occurred through text messages in the story, and hope to see more of them in the future. This book is one of my favorite reads this year.

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

I have read a ton of Christian romance novels, I walk away from each with learning something new, and this one did that and then some. We have a Hollywood hair stylist Nevaeh and the sexiest man alive, and actor Lemont Booker, and these two get tangled up in a huge paparazzi mess that gave us the Fake-Dating trope I love to see unravel in romance novels. I love how faith is wrapped up in this book, and how they both rely on God for guidance and how they pray and wait. I will say that this book is HUGE on the “CHRISTIAN.” So, it’s good to be open minded when reading, but overall, I adored this one.

This book stole my heart from the first few pages. The storyline was so realistic to today's society and our need to know everything about the rich and famous. The characters were engaging, fascinating and realistic. The faith thread was handled with finesse, and it was very obvious that Toni Shiloh's personal faith was shining through her characters and this story.

Nevaeh Richards is a Hollywood hairstylist. Nevaeh has no desire to be known. She prefers her anonymity. She gets great joy in making others beautiful. Nevaeh is also very self-conscious about her size. She lives in the land of skeletal women and works on Hollywood sets, so I am sure this did not help her. This was one of my favorite things about Nevaeh and what made her even more real to me.

Lamont Booker is a Hollywood heartthrob and superstar. He is the polar opposite of Nevaeh in that he is sure of himself and has no qualms about being who he is. He has taken a stand on his faith and stands strong with his conviction that a Hollywood superstar can be a star and hold fast to their faith as well. Nevaeh has been visiting Lamont's mother weekly for her hair appointments. When she almost falls down the stairs of Lamont's home and he catches her, they do not realize that the paparazzi have captured a photo of their "embrace", which, of course, was Lamont catching her. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and this picture quickly goes viral. Lamont's manager decides the best course of action is for them to fake date to let the hoopla die down as the trolls are circling while questioning his faith and his celibacy. You can well imagine where this is going, but the route to get there was filled with so much fun, humor, horrible moments, uplifting moments and faith-filled scenes that will tug at your heart.

Lamont had two friends that he text messaged with regularly. They would shoot the breeze and rag on each other, but they would also share prayer requests as well as seek life advice from each other. They had a true friendship which stood the test of distance, and what made it even more special was that these men had no problem sharing truth and feelings with one another. I just fell in love with this part of the story. Lamont was a dreamboat not just because he was a fine looking man, but because he loved his mama and had no qualms about sharing his faith in a world that is not always welcoming to those who want to share their faith.

You can just forget about sleep once you start this enthralling book which will suck you under from the first chapter.

I had a lot of favorite sections in this book (too many to list) but I wanted to share a couple of them. Nevaeh is listening to a podcast on why church attendance is vital - "God never leaves you in the same place he found you. He's always working to transform you and make you more like Jesus. If you can't even rearrange you schedule to attend services, how surrendered are you to change?" The other quote comes at a time when Nevaeh realizes that those keyboard warriors are actually trolls. She realizes she is living the life that was tailored for her. "I wasn't a skinny Hollywood starlet because God hadn't given me that path. He'd given me a love of making women feel beautiful." Suffice it to say I could write a book about this book. I loved it from cover to cover. Five stars are not nearly enough to reward this book and Toni Shiloh. Toni Shiloh is quite obviously a rock star herself.

Thank you to the author, Bethany House and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and publisher as part of the author’s review team and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Love Script is the first in what seems to be a new series from Toni Shiloh called Love in the Spotlight. I was drawn to the premise and Shiloh’s fresh take on both fake dating and celebrity romance, and I really enjoyed it.
While I sometimes quibble when authors make weird narrative choices, like mixing first and third person POVs, Shiloh makes it work here. While I initially was taken off-guard, the POV switches felt seamless instead of jarring.
As for their characters, I found both of them both easy to resonate with. Nevaeh is relatable in the sense that she’s a lot of “normal” folk, and I couldn’t help but sympathize as she navigates her sudden fame by virtue of dating a famous actor. She has her own aspirations, and I enjoyed seeing her find a way to achieve them over the course of the story.
I have more nuanced feelings about Lamont, because of his overall character journey from the outset. At the beginning, he’s not just a reformed bad boy, but a born-again Christian who made a commitment to celibacy and was very public about his faith journey, and reputation is everything. While there were some aspects that toed the line to being questionable toward non-Christians, like where his ex-girlfriend was concerned, I appreciate that the narrative tended to reinforce that this was a personal choice he chose to make public, and having to realistically grapple with the consequences of that. Given the crux of the issue was that he felt he had to bend over backwards and it was easier to lie to appease the fans and purity culture vultures of the media, I’d have liked to see further distinction between him being allowed to have his own values while critiquing the institutions holding people to impossible standards, but what was there still mostly worked for me.
And while it is fake dating, I like how it never really felt fake to me. There was always a spark between Nevaeh and Lamont, and there was never any denial about it, even if things originally began on false pretenses. The romantic chemistry between them felt believable, and I rooted for them to figure things out, even as the media’s scrutiny became more invasive.
This is a fun read with a lot of heart to it. If you’re interested in Christian contemporary romance with nonwhite leads, I’d recommend checking this out!

I wish I knew this was a Christian story. I'm not Christian, so I don't read religious books, so I wasn't really into this story. This book has a lot of potential, but isn't for me unfortunately.

My sincere thanks to LibraryThing Early Reviewers, NetGalley, and Bethany House for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my unbiased opinion of it.

The Love Script is a contemporary Christian romance. It touches on the difficulties of being a Christian with convictions in Hollywood, cancel culture, hypocrisy in church and the importance of church attendance, being plus sized in Hollywood, waiting until marriage, bending the truth, and what it might be like to be an A-List celebrity. I really loved this story. The writing flowed and I thought that the entire book read authentically. I truly loved Nevaeh. She remained strong while also questioning her choices and navigating the chaos surrounding her. She relied on prayer in the face of this chaos with certainty that an answer would be given.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a good faith-based romance. The only thing I didn't catch were some of the pop culture references to movie quotes. I don't watch enough movies and nearly all of them did not make sense to me. If you are a movie buff, I'm sure you will get what I missed.

Go Toni Shiloh!!!
THIS is what we want to see in Christian contemporary romance!

The deep faith development, the Bible references, the swoon-worthy moments, and the characters ALL made this an EASY five stars.

Nevaeh (gorgeous name btw) and Lamont are thrust together into a fake but supposed to be real relationship when they are caught in a compromising photo together. Lamont is a movie star and Nevaeh is a humble hair stylist. We watch their relationship and their faith grow as they get to know each other.

What I loved the most was the faith content of course. The characters regularly prayed and went to church. One of the character asked for prayer from his friends all the time. I loved reading the texts between them! The message about church being important for fellowship and worshipping God, was fantastic.

The characters were lovely! I enjoyed getting each of their perspectives. The side characters were also great. They served a purpose and I was fine with it hah.

The conflicts were also believable and entertaining. The only unbelievable thing would be that Lamont didn't get more hate for being a vocal Christian. But hey, I read to escape reality, so bring on more of this Mrs. Shiloh!

Overall, this is one of the best romances I've ever read. All time favourite status. Everyone who likes Christian romance needs to read this.

An engaging rom-com that explores some interesting ethical dilemmas. Okay, so the plot is pretty "out there" for the usual reader - a Hollywood hairstylist and a massive Hollywood star are thrown together in a romantic relationship to preserve his honor and not to get cancelled following a compromising photograph (which was innocent). But the way the romance develops, and the questions it raises, feels authentic. The novel asks questions such as, what constitutes a lie? What does it mean to embrace righteous living? And... will the curvy service-industry girl get the lauded star?

I thoroughly enjoyed this bit of chick-lit that had more to it than many contemporary Christian romance novels.

Toni Shiloh does it again! Loved this so much. The Love Script is a beautifully written Christian contemporary romance that weaves together faith, love and personal growth perfectly. 5 big stars! Toni is truly an auto buy author for me!

This is all about Hollywood movie star, Lamont Booker and his mother’s hairstylist, Nevaeh Richards. Nevaeh is helping his sick mother out one day when the paparazzi capture a photo on his front porch of them that leave the public wondering if Lamont’s Christian values have all been for show. With the public going crazy over this photo and cancel culture looming over Lamont, his team feel it would be best for Nevaeh and Lamont to “fake date” during this time and stay true to their Christian values. Neither Lamont, nor Nevaeh want to lie. They feel they will be dishonoring God. So they decide to try and date for real, get to know one another and see how things go…but will the paparazzi be too much for their relationship?

The faith in this story is what stood out most for me. I LOVED how refreshing this story was with a strong Christian male lead. His friend, Chris and Tuck were awesome. They always made sure to pray for their friend and check in to see how he was doing in every situation. I related to Nevaeh in some of her church going struggles too. The discussions surrounding church attendance really ministered to me and encouraged my faith. Each one of Toni’s books have encouraged my faith in some way and this was just wonderful.

I also appreciate the importance of abstinence of sex before marriage in this story and how it was completely ok to wait. We need more of this portrayed in books, especially for our younger generation. God was ever present in this story and I love how she truly weaved in prayer, church and His plan/will for our lives and decision making here for our characters. The side characters were perfect too and I can’t wait to see what comes next in the series.

Thank you to Toni for another amazing story with Godly wisdom and a sweet romance. Thank you to Baker Publishing and Bethany House for a copy to honestly read and review.

The Love Script is a first in the “Love In The Spotlight” series as well as my first book by Toni Shiloh. This is a Christian romance that reads like Christian RomCom very contemporary and modern!

You’ve got…
Bad boy actor turned saved Hollywood heartthrob Lamont
Hard working hairstylist with big dreams of taking her talents to the Hollywood industry… as a hairstylist on LOVED Naveah’s profession and her drive especially having it so hard coming academic parents and never fully have the support.
An innocent photo of these two is then everywhere and they concoct a fake dating plan to save both of their careers!

I really enjoyed reading this wholesome story. From the text threads between Lamont and his close friends! As well as Nevaeh’s relationship with her sweet elderly neighbor. I love how these characters were so authentic and really honest… minus the fake dating… and weren’t afraid to stand up for their beliefs. If you’re looking for a more modern Christian romance this should be the one you pick up next!

Two people "fall" in love. Literally. After Nevaeh trips and is caught by Sexiest Man Alive, Lamont Booker, her life changes dramatically. In order to maintain Lamont's reputation as being a Christian movie star, Nevaeh and Lamont decide to tell the world they are dating. Soon that fake-dating status takes a turn and things get real. Can Nevaeh navigate the attention from paparazzi? Will Lamont and Nevaeh give into the feels they are developing for each other while keeping their faith? This was a nice, clean, cozy Christian romance. Perfect for those who need a break from the more contemporary, physical romance that is so popular today.

Neveah is a hair stylist and has been doing Lamont Booker, Mr. SMA’s mother’s hair for a year as she recovered from cancer. Neveah and Lamont had very little to do with each other until they are caught in a photo coming out of his house. His agent decides they should say they are in a relationship. However because of their faith, they are reluctant to do so. I thought this was a wonderful book and the way they both stayed true to their faith in God. Highly recommend this clean romance with high moral values.

This cute summer read will charm your heart and give you flutters as you experience the life of two people building a relationship under a microscope. I enjoyed that there was realistic moments of what things would be struggles, what things would be fun and that the characters looked like everyday people.
I really thought the author did an incredible job giving us a light, but deep read to get the mind swirling.