2.5 stars
Indigo, River & Kade.

I think I liked the premise of this book more than I liked the actual book and that is almost entirely due to the fact that I'm still so confused about what and who Indigo actually wants and who she is as a character.

This was messy. I don't expect characters or people to be perfect. I expect mistakes and learning and growth. What we got from Indigo was a bit of a mess, constant contradictions in both words, feelings and actions, and very little understanding of who Indigo actually is.

I found myself rooting for Kade, the second love interest, because he ended up being the best of them all even though in the end he perceived as the villain. He deserved so much better.

All that to say, Lipstick & Camera Clicks is a story about a woman who dropped her friends for a guy who was cheating on her. Once she left him, she signed up for a reality tv dating show that her best friend whom she has been in love with her whole life is a producer. It's basically the bachelor except the lead is a celebrity trying to "clean up his image". She is also very open about the fact she is strictly on the show for the opportunity to promote herself as a makeup artist.

I'm not a huge fan of love triangles to begin with, but I came in with an open mind. Ultimately, I left disappointed. When I first finished this book I didn't think it was too bad, but the more I thought about it and as I was trying to figure out what I would write in my review, stars seemed to keep falling off my rating.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

*Lipstick & Camera Clicks* offers a captivating behind-the-scenes look at a reality dating show, blending romance and reality TV drama in a fresh and entertaining way. The story follows our protagonist, who finds herself on a dating show with a self-absorbed bachelor she can’t stand, while also dealing with her lingering feelings for her TV producer best friend.

The premise is engaging, with the added twist of having a hot and charming but emotionally stunted bachelor, which only complicates things further. The tension between her professional ambitions and personal dilemmas is well depicted, adding depth to the narrative.

The love triangle—while not usually my favorite trope—was surprisingly enjoyable. The messy dynamic between the two men had me rooting for a throuple, and the ending provided a satisfying resolution. The interplay between the protagonist's career aspirations and her entanglements made for a fun and intriguing read.

Overall, *Lipstick & Camera Clicks* is a delightful surprise for those who enjoy a blend of romance and reality TV drama. It’s a light-hearted read with an interesting mix of characters and a plot that keeps you engaged. I’m looking forward to seeing what D.J. Murphy has in store for future characters.

This book is so lovable and fun. I ate this up while enduring the first night of power being out in the SETX area after Hurricane Beryl. This had me kicking my feet in happiness despite the heat, and also broke me out of a reading slump.

Indigo is super relatable and fun, the concept is fresh and exciting, the romantic interests have layers and their personalities and descriptions are hot. The turmoil she felt about having feelings for both was so intense. It was just delicious all around for a very uncomfortable time in my life. It gave me joy in a really really bad time, so I highly recommend this book.

the dramaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. but all in good fun, and was intriguing to see how things developed and twisted.

This was my first ARC, and I’m so glad to have it be D.J. Murphy’s debut novel! ‘Lipstick & Camera Clicks’ tells the story of Indigo Johnson as she navigates life after a public breakup, and what better way to move on than to join the cast of a reality dating show?

I’m not usually a fan of the ‘love triangle’ trope, but the setting of a reality tv show intrigued me! On the surface, Indigo was an embodiment of everything I aspire to be—confident, strong-willed, ambitious, and so much more! As a black girl, I enjoyed reading the book through her eyes; even the small details (i.e., her wearing box braids😍) were enough to make me feel seen!

Underneath the exterior, though, Indigo felt different from the kind of girl she was portrayed to be. I had some trouble connecting to her as she seemed very two dimensional at times, and the same goes for her love interests—River (childhood friend + reality show producer) and Kade (reality show star).

River in particular I found to be annoying. I didn’t like how he only started expressing his feelings for Indigo when she joined the show…after telling her that they weren’t even allowed to have contact. He was always trying to whisk Indigo away and it was just unrealistic/unprofessional. I wish we’d gotten more of Kade, though! I feel like there was still so much to learn about him and his background.

The conclusion was clean and satisfying, but there were a few loose ends that I don’t think were tied up. Regardless I enjoyed the experience for the plot and messiness, and can’t wait for future work from D.J. Murphy!

Hot men, make up, woman dreams and career.. Well prince charming or the sassy villain aren't always around the corner right? And we find ourselves sometimes being with people just because we don't want to be lonely.. I did loved the perspective but I also think that deserved a little bit more exploration in certain aspects

Such a sweet fun palette cleanser I enjoyed this one!
Took me a while to get into hence the rating but when I did I did enjoy the characters and set up! Would recommend to audience. Thank you for providing me with the arc

"Lipsticks and Camera Clicks" by D.J. Murphy is a delightful blend of glamour, adventure, and personal growth. The story follows the protagonist through the vibrant worlds of fashion and photography, capturing the excitement and challenges of chasing one's dreams.

Murphy's writing is engaging and vivid, bringing to life the colorful characters and bustling settings. The protagonist's journey is both relatable and inspiring, making it easy to root for her as she navigates the ups and downs of her career and personal life.

One of the book's highlights is its well-paced narrative, which keeps readers hooked from start to finish. The blend of humor, drama, and heartfelt moments strikes a perfect balance, making it a great read.

However, the only minor drawback is that some plot points feel predictable. Despite this, "Lipsticks and Camera Clicks" remains a highly entertaining and uplifting read, perfect for anyone looking for a fun escape into the world of fashion and photography.

(4.5⭐️)

This was exactly the kind of romance book I needed to read! I caught myself smiling every other page and I wasn't able to put it down! I loved the dynamic between the main characters, I loved the small sprinkle of spice towards the end, and I LOVED the tension!

One of the better messy drama books I have read! Dating show in novel form with a POC main character, and a well written love triangle!

Thank you so much dj for allowing me to be an arc reader for LACC.I usually hate love triangle romances because I can never pick which one I want and felt the same way for this book however I loved how you ended this book. Rather than fhem hating each other it was such a beautiful ending.The plot twists HELLO I didn't even expect some of what was gonna happen.I absolutely loved Indi's and Ryan's friendship and ARGG AM SUCH A SUCKER FOR growing up with you mothers bffs children. River was so gorypie I wanted to eat this man and Kade was so pookiepie I wanted to kiss him.This book was so so so incredibly written and I loved it SO MUCH.

This was such a quick and fun read, a perfect fluffy romance to break the fantasy heavy sprint I've been on. I was giggling and blushing throughout.

The setting of a reality show had initially made me apprehensive, because I thought there would weird over acting and fake and forced interactions. But nope, I was pleasantly surprised by everything the book had to offer.

However, around halfway through I started to get a little annoyed by how much focus was being placed on frivolous things like her looks and her makeup and all. But i did power through it and ended the book with a pleasant feeling.

This book… oh my god I loved this book! I want a physical copy asap.
I loved the characters, their relationships, River (oh my god River..), and especially the mc! The decorations in the books are also adorable, and I love the energy of this book as well.
In all, I had an amazing experience reading this and will be getting myself a copy!

This was such a cute story! I loved the characters and the plot! I will definitely be recommending this to my friends!

I found this book a bit slow to begin with, and I would describe the writing style as 'gen Z',

Buttttttt, once she gets to the mansion, and has the 'enemies' to 'lovers' banter, i absolutely loved it. I went through it so fast, it was so much fun. Indigo is quiet but still fiery and fiercely loyal. Ryan is just fierce and River is super sweet. I found myself falling for Kade as well, but I think that must be my saviour complex...

I literally NEED the next book, I need to know Kade finds someone good!!!

This book hooked me in from the first chapter. I loved the character development and how the story progressed.

Really fun read, loved all the characters and the main romance. Definitely recommend, *hopefully not a spoiler but I think second love interest was unnecessary and predictable. Overall very good

Simple but cute! And I love a good love triangle. I'd read books by this author again. It was good but just good! Not anything spectacular. I would stll recommend to my friends that like this genre, though!

Lipsticks and Camera Clicks
5/5 Stars

This book was a fast-paced rom-com that gives you multiple plot twists in a span of 300+ pages, and I was hooked from the start. The overall pace of this book was really good! It didn't sit in certain moments longer than it needed to, and kept me invested in the plot. The reality-tv show angle of the story was intriguing and brought in new characters that I instantly fell in love with and would've loved to see more from. I also loved the representation in this book, with BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ individuals represented as well as delving into interracial couple, which came as welcome relief and what kept me reading!

Read if you enjoy:
Love Triangle
Fake Dating
Forced Proximity
Friends to Lovers
Best Friend's Brother
Slow Burn

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review <3