#book42of2023 Famous For a Living by Melissa Ferguson She does it again… I haven’t read a book by Melissa that I haven’t liked and this one is no different. Coming out May 16th of this year, and you will not want to miss out on this book. Cat Cranwell is scammed and her millions of followers are not too keen to forgive because the scam cost them money. Cast aside and sentenced to endure a onslaught of comments that are not nice, she is offered a position at a small national park her uncle runs in Montana USA. Used to concrete and skyscrapers, the snowy park is not what Cat is used to and it’s now her job to save it from being absorbed into Glacier National Park. Zaiah is her uncles right hand man and nothing like Cat is used to. His rugged good looks might just win her over. He is not one to love the social media scene and is not easily convinced that it’s what the park needs to generate the crowds needed to save them all. I really loved the message in this book regarding social media and the amount of time spent on phones. I really enjoyed the story as well as each of the characters. Such a joy to read. #kristalreads

Thank you so so so much to #netgalley and to #ThomasNelson for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, from start to finish. The character development was excellent, from the main character Cat to intern Jax. The setting is second to none and I loved how complete the story felt, all the loose strings were tied up prettily. My only critique is I wish we could have had more chapters to explore some of the storylines that were wrapped up quickly, like addiction to technology.

The narration was superb. Talon David did such a great job with the voices and emoting, it really added layers to the story that made the listening experience especially enjoyable.

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I felt the narration for this book was perfect for the characters! It was very easy listening and moved very quickly. The story was well written with an unlikable turned lovable main character. I loved the two settings of New York and Montana and all the descriptions really put me right in the book! It was a fairly predictable plot for a rom-com but still very cute and enjoyable. If you’re into romantic comedies I would suggest giving this book a try!

This is just very cringe. Social media influencer doesn’t read a contract so she goes into hiding with her uncle who is a forest ranger. The main character is immature and while it was interesting to hear her personal growth that social media allowed to her to do such as body acceptance and confidence, she is emotionally immature and does not vibe well with the love interest. It took me a long time to finish and that’s because I couldn’t find a way to root for the main character.

I liked this, felt like something similar I’ve read before. Loved the narrator. Nice quick read. Thank you so much for the chance to read and review this.

This book was SOOOO GOOD! Awesome narration and MC’s! The story flowed well, and was easy to follow. Shout out to Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to listen and review this book!

4 STARS!

At first, Cat Cranwell is what you think of when you hear “influencer”… obsessed with lighting and camera angles, brand endorsements, followers…. But then her life takes a big turn after some bad luck and she winds up escaping to a small national park in Montana to help her uncle boost the park’s visitation to keep it going.

With some expected hiccups, the story is also about the process of realizing followers aren’t everything. Yes, there’s some romance, but I liked that it wasn’t the main focus of this story. Unfortunately, I still found it hard to connect with the MC, even beyond her growth. Still a fun read though.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio for the ARC!

Famous for a Living follows Cat Cranwell's journey from NYC to a national park in Montana after she falls from grace. There she meets Zaiah, a handsome man who works for her uncle at the park.

Overall, the romance fell flat for me. There was minimal tension and actual interaction between the main love interest. I didn't connect with the main female character and her obsession with social media and public image. I didn't feel any sympathy for her situation and I'm just tired of this type of character.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4 stars - 0.5 Spice

Melissa always writes a cute clean romance, and Famous for a Living was a fun read/ listen! An Instagram star meets a man that HATES social media, and in the little small town, Cat has to learn to disconnect. And hopefully find her way back to the world she had before a villianous co-worker destroyed her public reputation. I wish this was a Dual POV SO bad because I would have loved to hear Zaiah's commentary at some of the hijnx that occurs. The chaos of all the staff for the Park made the story light and funny often, and the pace of the book was ready so it never felt like to slowed down . But overall, it was an enjoying read!

One of my only problems with this book, which isn't even a problem really, is the cover makes you think its a summer/ spring story. Nah. They are dealing with winter and snow in Montana for the majority of the plot? I'm confused.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson, for an eARC of Famous for a Living, written by Melissa Ferguson, and narrated by Talon David . This is my honest review!

I thought this was a cute romcom BUT it has way more com than rom! I wish there were more romance in this book but I still enjoyed it. It gets 0 in the spice category if that’s what you are looking for in your romance novels. I loved watching Cat grow and learn throughout her journey in this book. Thankfully all the characters were likeable and funny. One thing I really enjoyed was how they discussed social media and how it is consuming our lives, we all need to take a break and enjoy nature and our surroundings! Pick up this book if you like small town vibes, overcoming obstacles and finding oneself, lots of humor.

I received an audioARC of this novel.

The story: I agree with other reviewers that having this classified as a "rom com" seems misleading - the novel itself had very little romance and was a super slow burn. As a chick lit novel, it was very cute! The characters on there own were well developed, however they did seem SO different that long term success was questionable to me.

The narrator was fantastic! I would definitely listen to anything else she narrates.

Thank you, thank you, thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Audio for providing me with this free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. I loved reading it (twice) but I LOVED listening to it even more! The narrator, Talon David, enhanced the whole listening experience. I actually found myself laughing out loud because her delivery of some of the snarkier lines was so good!

Another enjoyable story from Melissa Ferguson! Even better than "Meet You in the Margins". Here's my review of the ebook:

When I first started reading this book, I wasn't quite sure if I was going to like it. The main character's (Cat's) choices in the first chapter were questionable and I wasn't sure if I liked her or not. However, as I got into the rest of the story, I started to enjoy it more and more, as well as warming to Cat and her personal journey.

So, I ended up loving Cat, Zaiah, and all the supporting characters as well as the excellent and timely plot. The dialogue was witty and the message about the impact of social media on our lives (both positive and negative) was spot on without being self-righteous or preachy. Great snarky dialogue, a sweet love story, lots of quirky (without being annoying) characters, and a satisfying HEA.

No profanity. No sex..

Famous for a Living is about as contemporary as you can get since many of the people we currently consider “famous” have never crafted a widget, cured a disease, or created a work of art that will survive long enough for our children to notice. Cat Cranwell takes selfies. She does so stylistically, artistically, and frequently, looking appropriately attractive at all times. When things suddenly go south, she goes west to seek solace and comfort with her beloved uncle who works with a small, dedicated crew maintaining a national park. Did I hate Famous for a Living? Not at all. But I’m not putting it on my year’s top ten, either. Publicity for Famous for Living claims that “this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy of opposites attract is full of hilarious romp and a romance that will melt readers’ hearts.” It didn’t mine, but my heart may be too old and calcified to find Cat’s antics sympathetic, and I found her “opposite,” Zaiah, was given little opportunity to show the depth of his own character. I’m not ready to give up on author Melissa Ferguson as I found her Meet Me in the Margins moderately amusing. Anyone looking for a light, enjoyable romance will be happy with either book. And readers who enjoy spending large parts of their day on social media or watching reality tv, will most likely love Famous for a Living.

The premise of this book hooked me and I was really enjoying the book until the last half. It seems like the first part was drawn out too much on development of each small character and then Cat's story never really got to play out. You don't get much of a build up or yearning to Cat and Zaiah's relationship either - so the ending felt really out of place for me. Also the story of Zaiah's ex - WTF? That was just absurd.

I am sad that I didn't enjoy it as much as I hoped.

Don't let the cover fool you! This story definitely needs to be on our winter books list. It's all about an influencer embroiled in scandal who agrees to help her uncle revitalize visitor interest in the national park he runs or else it will be shut down.

Given that she lands in the middle of a snowstorm, ends up battling the elements, participates in winter games, and meets a burly forest ranger, this romance screams fireside reading.

Audio books help me get through the work day, and this one was perfect! If you are into the big-city-girl-gets-dropped-in-the-country trope, definitely snatch this one right up. Cat is a determined, strong willed woman who lives her life in the spotlight. Her world flips upside down when her business partner partakes in some shady business, and Cat is forced to leave the big city for Montana, where she takes on a job for her uncle.

As in most stories like this, she fell in love with the town and the people in it, but the author really made this story stand out with some VERY unique characters and experiences. I found myself not wanting to stop the audio book because I kept laughing and just needed to know what was going to happen to Cat next!

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.

Needing to get out of the spotlight after a huge scandal breaks, influencer Cat flees to her uncles haven in the mountains. There she meets a wide range of characters, a possible love match, and a place that her heart feels safe. After being absorbed in her own world and phone for so long, she is ripped from that world and introduced to Zaiah’s world of flip phones and flannel. She finds herself falling quickly, not only for Zaiah, but for the mountain town and her new friends. It was so sweet.

We get to see the deep side of Zaiah and the why of his actions. We get to see a new side of Cat as she opens up and leaps into love. Overall so well done! Audiobook was perfect!

Cat Cranwell is an influencer with millions of followers and is famous for being famous. When an app partnership goes horribly wrong, she's forced to abandon her life in the city and take refuge at Kannery National Park where her Uncle Terry is employed. As the park's new social media manager, she quickly finds out that if she can't help get their visitor count up then the park will be absorbed into nearby Glacier National Park.

I really enjoyed this as an audiobook. I caught myself several times throughout the day just smiling and listening. It's perfect when you want something light, sweet, and uplifting. I was expecting it to be more of a romance but I would say it's more of a women's fiction with a side of romance. So keep that in mind before diving in so you aren't disappointed by that. It does convey an important message that I think we all could reflect on - being glued to our phones and social media. Cat goes on an emotional journey while at the park and figures out what is important in life and I feel like we all should probably do that from time to time. Although I had hoped for more romance, I quite enjoyed Cat's relationship with both her Uncle Terry and roommate Mina!

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Audio for allowing me access to an audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The story was definitely an escape and to a place I’ve never been before. I wouldn’t really label this as a romance as there was very little of it. The story itself was more of a growth within the main character