I loved both Natalie and Taylor so much!! And don’t get me started on the dogs and the kitten🥹 I just LOVE animals so much and these 3 were adorable!

I’m not going to lie, I didn’t remember Taylor from STARS COLIDE, but I immediately fell in love either her! Her caring, protective nature and the way she cared for Natalie were adorable. She was so understanding and didn’t push Natalie but also tried to make her see herself through her eyes and understand that she was a lot stronger than she’d be in the past and gave herself credit for.

It was heartbreaking to know learn about everything Natalie went through in the past with her stalker and the impact it left on her; I can’t imagine what it feels like to be scared of leaving the house (and even scared of being in your home). So it was really heartwarming to see her growing comfortable around Taylor and feel safe around her, not just physically but also emotionally.

Taylor was able to help Natalie not feel so scared of being out and about, yes; that’s her job as a bodyguard after all. But she was also able to make Natalie feel comfortable enough to open up and be vulnerable, which she hadn’t been in a long time, not even with her closest friend, and that really helped her understand that she was stronger than thought and that she deserved to be happy. I loved to follow both Taylor and Natalie on this journey.

Overall, this was a great book. If you’re looking for a sapphic celebrity x bodyguard, fake dating romance with some forced proximity added in, then make sure to check this one out!

3.5/4 Stars

This book had a lot of promise! I love a celebrity romance, and the bodyguard/fake dating premise is one I've read before and enjoyed. Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. I had trouble connecting with the writing, which I felt ~told~ us a lot about the characters rather than ~showing~ us.. As a result, I didn't feel a connection to the characters and was never quite clear on their motivations/hesitations surrounding a relationship. This definitely has some fun aspects--paparazzi drama, a cute cat, stargazing--but I need my romances to have really in-depth character work, and this didn't do it for me.

Cover Story is the slow-burn romance of actress Natalie and her bodyguard Taylor who must fake-date to fool the invasive press. Natalie was stalked years ago and remains traumatized from it. To her horror, the man is being released from prison. Natalie wants more security but does not want to alert the press to her predicament. Enter Taylor, a bodyguard who is ready to pretend to fake date Natalie. As the two grow closer, they will have to decide what to do when their fake relationship starts to feel real.

Natalie and Taylor have a sweet fake-dating romance. I was immediately drawn in by the cover and sapphic bodyguard premise. I loved the little ways that Natalie and Taylor showed love for each other, from building a wheelchair ramp to creating special code words to get out of stressful situations. Rachel Lacey thoughtfully portrays issues of PTSD and anxiety. Taylor and Natalie clearly respect each other's boundaries, yet also challenge each other to push past old fears. The sense of pacing is excellent throughout, while still maintaining a calm and lighthearted atmosphere. I loved Natalie’s adorable pets! Readers who enjoy Anita Kelly should check out this book. Readers who love fake dating, slow-burn sapphic romance, and the bodyguard trope will love Cover Story.

Thank you to Rachel Lacey, Montlake, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Instagram, Storygraph, Amazon, Barnes & Noble etc.

I wasn't entirely sure what I was getting into when I read this book. I went in completely blind and am happy to report that it did not disappoint.

Spoiler warning!!!


I don’t think I have read a book similar to this before so it was very enjoyable to read something new. Reading Natalie’s fears was so eye-opening I really like how the story didn’t have the stalker come back and instead focused on her healing and her personal journey.
Taylor and Natalie were so cute together, I really liked how they just both knew from the start that the other was different. To add them naming the kitten Cassiopeia absolutely made this book for me, that’s the constellation I always look for, so I was so happy when I read that.

Overall, this book is more than I expected and I really enjoyed it!!

This book was good! I enjoyed getting to know the characters! The drama had me wanting to keep reading until the book was finished! I missed when I read the summary that the 2 main characters were lesbian. While there was lots of chemistry and plenty of heat, it was not my type of spice! Totally my fault, so I did not let that affect my rating! Thank you NetGalley and the publsiher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I am a sucker for any and all things involving bodyguard romance. Even better that it’s combined with fake dating. Really my one gripe is that I find it very unrealistic that anybody would have been able to figure out who Taylor was. Obviously books aren’t always meant to be realistic, but generally speaking contemporary romance isn’t known to delve too far out of the realm of reality. I couldn’t help but think “seriously?” at some of these moments where, in reality, fans of a super star such as Natalie would have figured out everything about Taylor in minutes. Besides that one complaint, I overall really enjoyed the romance. I thought the writing was good and I loved the chemistry between the two of them. Celebrity falls for “normie” is such a fun genre that I don’t think I will ever tire of. A wonderful book for those who enjoy celebrity escapism.

thank you to netgalley for this arc!

i absolutely loved this book! Natalie was such a good character, and seeing her mental state at the start was hard to read but so important. at the start you find out her kidnapper is leaving jail, and her reaction seems very realistic. books showing things like PTSD is great, and it was very well handled.

Taylor obviously loved her job so much, and wanted to do anything to prove she could work again after her back injury, including take on the strange request of being a fake girlfriend as well as a bodyguard. i enjoyed seeing her be a caretaker to her family, and realising she can change careers if need be.

their romance was so sweet. it felt like a slowburn, but they also had chemistry immediately. and the SPICE! it was incredible. i enjoyed how they both grew as people in and outside of their relationship, and that they’re both mature enough to deal with any problems they had.

overall i highly recommend!

Cover Story is probably my favorite @rachelslacey book yet! Thank you @netgalley and Montlake for the eARC. All thought are honest and my own. Swipe for synopsis. Content warning: PTS.
Natalie and Taylor had such great chemistry from their first meeting. Watching their relationship progress as they grew more comfortable with each other and let down their walls was so sweet. I felt their personalities were a great balance.
Overall, a very fun celebrity x bodyguard romance. Cover Story is available on March 26.

A different and engaging take on the fake dating trope. Taylor is a bodyguard and she's been hired by Natalie, an actress who lost control of her life when she was stalked years ago. Now there's another threat just as she needs to be out and about. Taylor a calm and calming presence becomes first her friend then more. I liked this for the Hollywood angle and the slow burn romance. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

When I heard there was a Star Collide spin off I almost gagged. Then I found out it was centered around the fake dating trope and The Bodyguard. I died....of excitement.

Lo and behold, Rachel Lacey's newest foray into a sapphic celebrity story is a smashing success. I felt all the passion and concern for Natalie as much as Taylor did. In the end, Taylor and Natalie get the much deserved HEA.

But the best part of all....no third act breakup! I couldn't have asked for more. Overwhelmingly mature and spicy story that hits all the feels you want in a contemporary romance.

Thoroughly enjoyed!!!!!

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a really easy read. I was instantly drawn in by the celebrity/bodyguard dynamic. I adore this trope and I was excited to finally read a sapphic take on this.

However, the writing style kind of let me down. I felt like there was an awful lot of showing and not a lot of telling and it made some of the more emotionally charged moments feel dry and formulaic, which in turn disconnected me from the romance a little.

I also felt like the stalker side plot was poorly handled. It felt like it was used as a crutch to bring Taylor and Nat closer in certain moments, or to draw emotion from Nat, which kind of just left me feeling a bit uncomfortable overall.

Like the author said in the acknowledgements, who doesn’t love a body guard romance? A sweet, sapphic story.

2SLGBTQIA+ Steamy Romance following a glamorous actress who's worried about her safety during award season and filming a new movie agrees to have a bodyguard pose as her girlfriend.

3/5 stars: Lacey tackles the celebrity with this 2SLGBTQIA+ romance featuring an actress who was a stalking victim years ago. After the perpetrator's released from prison she agrees to discreet extra security, which leads to a veteran turned bodyguard, dealing with a back injury and pain, posing as her girlfriend. But soon the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur. Not only is Lacey’s writing excellent but their character work is great; the characters are well-rounded, complex and yet remain likable. Natalie and Taylor are both tough and have been through a lot and I like how the two of them learn to support each other. Oh and the OPS scenes are swoony and deliciously steamy. While there are plenty of sweet and humorous moments, Lacey touches on some very serious topics; so please take care and check the CWs. Overall, this is a nice celebrity/bodyguard romance.

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and Montlake in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

3.5 ⭐️ i will always love Rachel Lacey’s writing, it’s so easy to follow and from the start she pulls you right in! I enjoyed this one but it fell a bit flat for me. It lost my attention at times but i loved the characters and the side characters too that i want to know more of them!

Natalie Keane is one of the biggest names in Hollywood. 8 years ago a fan kidnapped her and has been incarcerated since, but he’s know being released and Natalie is feeling unsafe. A plan is hatched to get a bodyguard to play Natalie’s girlfriend for 3 months to help as a cover story to detract from attention regarding her kidnappers release. So Taylor ends up assigned for the job. But what starts as a cove story certainly manages to heat up later…

I LOVED THIS BOOK AS WELL! I LOVE RACHEL LACEY BOOKS! Sapphic, fun, cute and on topics I didn’t expect to enjoy in a romance???!!!! GENIUS! This book does light and fluffy so well despite its darker touches! Releasing on March 26th RUN DONT WALK TO GET THIS CUTIE IN YOUR HANDS!!! It’ll bring you so much joy 😩😩

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for this ARC!

4.5 stars

Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

I blew through this book in a couple sittings because I couldn’t put it down. It has everything you’d ever want in a good story; romance, spice, suspense, healing and dealing with past trauma. I truly fell in love with Taylor and Natalie individually, and loved watching their romance story come to life.

What starts as a “fake dating” situation for Natalie and her new bodyguard Taylor, quickly turns real when feelings come rushing in. Natalie has so much trauma after being kidnapped by a stalker eight years ago, and hires Taylor as her new bodyguard as her kidnapper is being released from prison. To hide the story of him being released from prison they agree to a fake relationship played up in the press. But it doesn’t take much time for longing stares and extra touches between the two start heating up.

Read as part suspense, part romance, and part healing journey we get to see Natalie overcome her past and work towards a future with Taylor. Their happily ever after was absolutely picture perfect! If you’re looking for a new romance to dive into, I highly suggest this one!

(I also would love to see a book that details Tommy and Ali’s relationship in the future).

Tropes include
-fake dating
-forced proximity
-lesbian romance
-elements of suspense
-movie star and her bodyguard
-spicy

Remember Taylor, Eden Sands’ bodyguard in Stars Collide? After a back injury forced her to step down from the job, she’s ready to go back to work just when out actress Natalie Keane needs added security in the form of a fake girlfriend.

I loved everything about this audiobook. I was really excited for Taylor’s story and Natalie is another lovely character. Both women carry emotional wounds from completely different experiences that make them relationship-shy and perfect for each other at the same time.

Rachel Lacey is a wonderfully reliable author, whose stories are always engaging, with characters who are consistently lovable in all their imperfections, and super sweet pets, in this case two endearing dogs and an adorable kitten. I look forward to Lacey’s books because I know that I will be entertained and that my heart will be full by the end of the story. They’re the definition of heartwarming, comfort books. As a character-driven/mood reader, I don’t read Lacey’s books when I’m in the mood for my brain to be blown or my heart to be broken, I read them when I feel like a hug. When I want the kind of feeling cuddling a baby animal would give me. They’re far from being all fluff and carefree romance—in Cover Story, Natalie lives in constant fear because of a stalker, Taylor worries about her future since she injured her back—but they’re so full of love, tenderness, and hope that these are the emotions they leave behind, despite the trials the characters have to overcome.

And then there’s Quinn Riley’s narration. Riley’s energy and her musical, clear voice fit Rachel Lacey’s universe and characters perfectly. A brilliant combination for an uplifting listen. 4.5⭐️

This was a fun read! I like the combination of bodyguard plus fake relationship (having read it previously in The Bodyguard by Katherine Center) because it just makes for such a fun mix of forced proximity, forced interactions, and protectiveness that just really works for me. Our two main characters had good chemistry as a couple and I thoroughly enjoyed following their story together and their individual stories as well.

Celebrity romances are always very hit or miss for me, but I loved this one!! After reading Stars Collide last year I became a Rachel Lacey fan, so I was optimistic already, but didn’t realize this took place in the same universe! It was a bit of a slow burn, even though the feelings clearly developed quickly. I thought Taylor and Natalie had fantastic chemistry from the beginning, and I was super invested in their love story. It was just the right amount of steamy to work with the plot, and I found myself really looking forward to picking up the book to read more. I totally recommend this when it releases a month from today!