Famous for a Living was a cute and clean romcom. It was definitely a fish out of water story, however, not in a slapstick sort of way. There were funny moments and quite a few heartfelt ones, as well.

As the book began, Cat was not a person that I could identify with at all. She was very superficial, addicted to her phone, and completely attached to anything related to fashion and fame. But, as she relocated out to Montana and connected with her uncle’s team of park rangers, lived more of a simplified life, and began to see the value in more authentic relationships, she became someone that I liked. It was interesting to see her transformation, as she still remained herself, yet a deeper version of herself.

I really liked seeing her connect with Zaiah. There was more to him and his backstory than met the eye. For that matter, Cat her her own hard backstory that helped make her the person she was. I appreciated the way he and Cat grew to care for each other and especially loved the last couple of chapters of this book, as well as the sweet epilogue.

I listened to the audio book version of this story and thought that the narrator did a very good job. She captured the emotions and voice for reading this romcom very well. Although this book is published by a Christian publisher, it is simply a clean read and I did not notice a faith element in the story.

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

Thank you, NetGalley and the Author for an ALC of Famous for a Living!

This was a 3.5-Star rating for me.

For starters, Cat is an influencer and has millions of followers. When she partners with an App and the partnership goes wrong; she ends up losing LOADS of followers which takes a toll on her mentally and physically. She ends up being shunned by the social media community and that's where I was wondering WHY she cared so much. It's social media - we all suffer from the loss of followers. This story takes you on a journey and from the cover, I was expecting some sort of romantic journey or swooning but what I got was a journey of self-discovery (definitely NOT complaining). Our FMC, Cat Cranwell learns what is important in life. We ALL live on social media and worry about our follower count, so reading about how Cat overcomes a journey of her own demise, was an enjoyable to read about how she changes her own path

So because she is shunned, she ends up trying to hide away and stay off the socials (good plan). Enters her Uncle who sees her struggling and offers her a job working at a national park in Montana. I was wondering how someone who focuses on social media was going to be working at a national park... then I met the love interest and realize I'd learn every tree in the park if he was going to be following me around.

Meet Zaiah Hudson, the rugged, yet handsome ranger who, WOULD YOU GUESS?! hates social media and thinks it's what has corrupted the world. He loves nature and believes people should spend less screen time and more outdoors (agreed, Sir.) After meeting Cat, he does his best to show her the beauty of nature and the national park they both now work for.

Here's the reason for my low review -
This read more like fiction than romance. There's some romance in this but our girl isn't even asked on a date until well over 75% of the book (and that's where the real romance starts). I DID appreciate that we followed Cat's journey of stepping away from social media and embarrassing the world around us. She found a purpose in life and grew as a person, but I was sad that the romance was so mediocre. Categorizing this as a romance was what drew me in but I felt this was more about self-discovery and growth.

I loved the overall lesson that social media has created a lot of influence on us and that being glued to our phones has become a trend. Seeing Cat grow and embrace the world around her was beautiful and I really enjoyed her development - I just wanted more of the romance aspect.

These are my opinions, so please read/listen to Famous for a Living if this seems like something you'd enjoy! We all love books for different reasons!

Fun and flirty I loved dipping in and out of this audiobook on my commute home. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

The story starts by introducing us to our leading lady Cat Cranwell, #1 social media influencer. She’s at the top of her game and flying high, until a deal gone bad finds her on the wrong side of fame. Her fair-weather friends have abandoned her and she is out of options; except for one. Her Uncle Terry offers her a job at Kannery National Park, working as their social media strategist. With the help of a very lively cast of park staff, including the rugged Zaiah Hudson, she must save the park from being absorbed by Glacier National Park.

I really liked how the author was able to show a different side to life on social media. I feel like a lot of the books I’ve read with an influencer lead character, have mainly portrayed the glamorous side. It was really nice to see the darker side of social media represented. Not just how quickly it can turn on you but how engrossed people can get. It left so much room for character growth. Which is usually the fastest way to win me over in a book. I’m also a sucker for an older lead character. I enjoyed the way the author gave each character their own personalities and made them very relatable. Quite a few quirky friends in the bunch. Mina was hands down, my favorite person! The romance felt a little forced at times and almost nonexistent. But the little bit that was there, I enjoyed. Big fan of a relationship where both characters are forced to make an effort to make the relationship work.

I’d recommend this for anyone looking for a quick and easy feel good story.

This book was cute, but predictable and just left me wanting a little more. I enjoyed the characters but don't feel like we got to know any of them super well. Overall it was a fun read and perfect for summer. The audio was extremely well done, and I enjoyed the narrator.

Romcom or contemporary fiction ? This book shows Cat Cranwell at her worst, when she believes her professional future has been taken from her (by a fraudulent business partner) and she needs to disappear from view and lick her wounds. Her professional and viral blowup acts as a catalyst to regroup, take stock and learn about herself, grow and finally have the kind of relationship she didn’t think was for her. Coming-of-Age ? No matter the genre I enjoyed watching her grow, learn to live outside the spotlight (without suddenly becoming a completely different person) and find herself.
As things settle down for Cat and she can return home, there is a blossom of a romance between her and Zaiah Hudson, who works for her uncle and thinks social media and our dependency on it is one of society’s bigger issues. The author did well with the grand gesture and the question of how to make a long term relationship work for these two different characters with such very different jobs and outlooks on life in the public eye.
I enjoyed the characters, the main and the side characters, I enjoyed the Montana setting, the books was engaging and the audio was so well done, it was a quick listen. If you are looking for something light-hearted and fun, look no further and pick this one up - or if you haven’t read it yet the author‘s Meet Me In The Margins is fantastic entertainment as well !

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝-𝙤𝙪𝙩-𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙘 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙥 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨’ 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨.

📍 Read if you like:
• Opposites Attract
• Witty Banter
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Found Family
• National Parks

Grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract, found family, witty banter, and national parks? Sign me up immediately!!

This was such a fun read. I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it, but I wish I would’ve read the physical book instead.

Going into this book, I was intrigued by the “influencer” aspect. I thought this was a romance book, but it felt more like women’s fiction. It did have some romantic elements but it didn’t feel like that was the main focus.

Cat’s journey was so fascinating and entertaining. It was interesting following an influencer and how this Montana national park affected her. I also loved how Zaiah was so into nature and loved his home.

While I enjoyed this book as a whole, it didn’t feel like a romance… it took way too long for it to kick in. It felt more coming-of-age, women’s fiction and chick lit - kind of dealing with life with no social media.

Cat definitely changes throughout the book and I did enjoy that journey. I did expect more of a romance, but it was still an interesting and thought proving story.

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for my honest review!

•𝗧𝗪/𝗖𝗪: Addiction, car accident

While the story line had a lot of potential, the plot felt empty at times and overly superficial. I would have loved to see the characters be more developed.

This was a light and enjoyable story! The audio narration was top-notch- I loved the narrator's voice.

At the ten percent mark, I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the story, but I'm glad I stuck with it. I really got attached to main characters Cat and Zaiah, and I found their relationship believable. I also loved Melissa Ferguson's writing style, and I'll be sure to check out her previous novel(s).

I love a good romance book and this did not disappoint. Well developed, characters, witty banter, what more can you ask for?

In Famous for a Living, influencer Cat Cranwell experiences a major issue in a new app venture and loses her reputation and a bit of her pride in the process. Reeling from this negative experience, she takes up her uncle’s offer of a job as the social media marketer at the fictional Kannery National Park, states away from her usual fast-paced and device obsessed world. Cat’s new job at Kannery is well within her comfort zone, as she is still utilizing her online skills while she navigates her new job and is introduced to the interesting array of staff members at the park.

I loved the premise of this book but found myself wanting more. I wanted more growth for Cat and would have liked a bit deeper of a story. The original synopsis touted this as a heart-melting romance, but that aspect and the chemistry between the two involved left a bit to be desired. All in all, this was a quick read, and I enjoyed the basis of the story. I don’t think I will ever be able to pass up a novel based in a national park, real or not.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book, and the narrator, Talon David, was excellent. Her range of voices and tones definitely added to the story and was well suited to this story. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to listen to this ARC audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

(A Spoiler-free review)
Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

There was less romance in this book than I was expecting, and while this might be a negative for some I found it the perfect fit for me to ease into a genre I don't read often!

The narrative focuses less on Cat finding a boyfriend and more on the journey she takes to find out who she is away from the big city lights and the only life she's ever known as a social media influencer.

With her reputation on the rocks, she moves to the mountains to help her uncle bring some life to his National Park's social media, and hopefully to the park itself. Along the way she starts to fall for a ranger named Zaiah, but that slow burn takes a back seat to Cat discovering who she is when she unplugs and connects with those around her face-to-face.

It's a cute story with some real life lessons about image verses reality and how heavily everyone relies on technology these days - sometimes to dangerous levels that make you rethink your own habits a little.

The side characters are all great and add a lot of fun to the story, from BFF turned damage control Serena to new cabin roomie Mina who is so endearing I want to put her in my pocket and keep her forever. They definitely tipped this up to a solid 4 for me!

(( Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson publishing for a copy of this audiobook to review! All opinions are my own. ))

Title: Famous for a Living
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Narrator: Talon David
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


📚 Thoughts/Reflections:
✨I absolutely loved and adored this book! I was admittedly rather hesitant during the first chapter which gives readers an in depth look at Cat Cranwell’s life as an influencer. To say it’s difficult for me to relate to people who are using me to promote their own name/brand/product/platform would be a gross understatement! As I continued to read, however, it was apparent how much that attention and lack of genuine connection with others upset Cat especially when most of those people bailed on her when she needed them most.
✨One of the things I greatly enjoyed about this novel was the growth and discovery Cat experienced once removed from the things she thought she was supposed to care about - social media, likes, notifications, her looks and outward appearance, other people’s opinions. What I was able to connect with was her desire to do better and to be better; to ditch those who couldn’t be counted on during her darkest times; and to unearth her true self and no longer compromise for the sake of others. It was a huge added bonus that a rugged hunk named Zaiah was able to go on that journey of self-discovery with Cat.
✨While labeled a romance, I feel this novel is so much more than that and I hope readers who aren’t normally drawn to romance don’t pass this amazing novel by! By the end of the novel, I found myself reflecting over my own connection with technology and was reminded to put it down to enjoy the here and now a little more often.

📚Synopsis
✨Cat Cranwell is at the top of her game as a social media influencer until a bad partnership backfires causing her followers and “friends” to turn their back on her. Down on her luck and facing a potential multi-million dollar lawsuit, she is trying to figure out what to do next. While trying to keep a low profile and not speak to many people, she is happy when her Uncle Terry reaches out to check on her. Living in a national park in Montana, Uncle Terry suggests she take a break from it all and offers her both a place to live and a place to work. From New York influencer to Montana national park employee, the adventure begins and I was delighted to be along for the ride!
*I am a huge fan of audiobooks and the narrator did an incredible job bringing this novel to life!

✨Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson, and Melissa Ferguson for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The book and audiobook are currently available - go check them out!

This was a very darling read. Fun cast of characters, silly and sweet scenarios. I love how the groups absorbed Kat as one of their own. They showed her a different life than the one she was shoved out of. Very happily ever after, feel good, by the end.

Moments that stood out:
•Charcuterie fountain
•Social media darling
•Recluse Uncle and love interest
•Getting older & falling from grace. Replaced by the next generation. But then really, truly finding oneself.
•Leaving city life to reset in the wilderness
•National Park mean boys/drama 😆
•Glacier Boys
•Social media, driving when on the phone moments that ruined lives.
•Grandpa Terry

This book was given to me as an Arc by NetGally. This book was a good one but definitely because I chose to do audio. If your looking for a spicy book, this is not it. It’s very low Romance but a good book if you want something on in the background,but still want to understand the plot.

This was cute and pretty relevant in this day in age with social media and the influencers world. I liked that she had to be forced outside her comfort zone and she through a new perspective. I did find her slightly annoying though but I did enjoy it

I have to say that it sounded much better than it ended up being. I was really into the description and events first few chapters, but then it just stalled. I had a hard time staying focused on the rest of the book.

A super cute hate to love romance set in a national park. It makes me want to go out west hiking. I loved the found family of the national park employees. As much as I enjoyed the story and the setting, the book is a bit forgettable.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was a cute little romance, short and sweet with likeable characters. Perfect for a quick summer read. The narrator did a good job as well.

Social media darling, Cat Cranwell, unknowingly signs a bad contract that leads to her fall from grace. Needing time away to let her image recover, she accepts the position of social media manager at the Montana state park where her uncle works. This gave me Schitts Creek/It Happened One Summer vibes. Cat is a little out of her depth when she arrives in the small, snow covered Montana town, but she quickly makes herself at home with the locals. There were some aspects of this that felt underdeveloped and the ending was a little anticlimactic, but I thought this was really cute and found myself looking forward to being able to pick up where I last left off! The small town dynamic and everything that came with that was fun to read about.