Cover Story by Rachel Lacey is beautiful opposites attract, fake relationship, romance, that made my heart happy.
I enjoyed this book so much that I read it and then immediately listened to the audio. The fabulous Quinn Riley narrated the audio, and I can't tell you how much I’m enjoying the Lacey/Riley team. Riley also narrated Lacey’s Stars Collide and I hope she will narrate many more. Quinn elevated an already amazing story and made me love it even more.
Natalie Keane is a famous Hollywood actress, but the fame that comes with doing what she loves makes her pay a steep price. Eight years ago, Natalie was stalked, and when the media got hold of the story, the frenzy that followed broke her as much as the stalker. Now there’s a new threat and Nat is ready to take all the precautions necessary. She just doesn’t want the press to get wind of it.
Taylor Vaughn is a bodyguard to the stars. She is recovering from an injury that has left her stuck in the office for the past three months, so when the opportunity to work with Natalie Keane comes along, there’s no way she is going to say no. Even if part of the deal is to pose as Natalie’s girlfriend so the press is kept in the dark.
It’s the perfect cover story, that is until it all starts to feel less like a story and more like reality.
Lacey writes with such warmth and depth. She creates characters that I can’t help but love and stories that I want to read again and again. Cover Story is no different, it has Tension, chemistry, a gorgeous steamy romance, and two exquisite main characters.
One of the things I love most about this story is that even though Nat and Taylor are very different, they are both dealing with something that makes them feel vulnerable. It’s those vulnerabilities that bring them closer together, but also throw obstacles in their way.
Taylor is an open, friendly, caring, generous person. She protects with her body and heart, however, because of her past she wants the same in return. She doesn’t need her partner to protect her physically, she is more than capable of doing that herself. But she does require them to protect her heart.
Nat, oh Nat. Natalie is broken, and this has caused her to be closed off. She has built walls around herself and at times can be downright frosty. She is a very private person and can’t bear letting anyone in yet, she has a public persona that ensures she looks strong, friendly, and put together. As usual with these frosty broken characters, she won my heart from the start, and I don’t want it back.
The romance in this book is gentle but steamy. There is a beautiful tension that builds slowly as the characters get to know each other and when it snaps it is explosive. It’s clear from the start how perfect these two are for each other and I absolutely loved watching them realise it.
There is also an important message throughout about self-care and mental wellbeing. Lacey does a brilliant job at conveying the importance of therapy and the fact that a person must be ready for that journey in order for it to work.
I loved both the book and the audio, and it is one I’ll revisit, this is going to be one of those comfort reads for me. It’s got a great balance of all those things I love. Rachel Lacey is one of those authors who is an instant yes for me. I adore her writing and can’t wait to see what’s next.
5 stars from me
Arc received from the author through NetGalley

Cover Story isn’t the usual Rachel Lacey fare, and I love that she pushed her boundaries and penned this tale. There are suspenseful elements throughout but they don’t overshadow the fact that this story focuses on healing from past trauma and learning to feel safe in a world where nothing is guaranteed. Natalie’s nightmare and the subsequent trauma are handled with so much care and I felt, so deeply for her.

Natalie’s spent the better part of eight years trying to overcome being stalked. While the media and her fans think she’s over it, her closest friends know she struggles with the after-effects. She takes her security very seriously which is why she wants to hire another bodyguard to play the public role of her girlfriend. This way, she’ll get the extra protection she desires while not allowing the media to focus on the negative effects of the stalking. Natalie is aware Taylor Vaughn was Eden Sands’s bodyguard for over five years and knows she’s the perfect person for the dual assignment. I felt the chemistry between them from the first moment and was right there for their preliminarily awkward interactions as they navigated their new reality, together.

I appreciated Taylor’s calm steadiness and found it’s exactly what Natalie needs to feel safe. She climbs over the walls that Natalie has built around herself to see the wounded woman beneath. Their conversations as they get to know one another are surprisingly deep and meaningful allowing them to become something more. I love Natalie’s character arc because the woman beneath the superstar facade is compassionate, witty, and braver than she gives herself credit for.

Natalie’s dogs Luna and Orion are adorably entertaining as is Cassie the kitten. Taylor’s parents are lovely and their relationship with her is important.

Quinn Riley has become one of my go-to narrators. Cover Story is a deeply emotional story with suspense and tension woven throughout. It needed a narrator who could capture those elements and sexiness, too. Quinn Riley certainly nailed it. She captured the soul of Rachel Lacey's writing and elevated it to a new level. I loved the book when I read it a few months ago, but the audio made me love the story even more. Combining Rachel Lacey's brilliant writing with Quinn Riley's incredible narration was a win!

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⭐️