⋆⋆⋆⅗ — this would be super fun as a movie. sort of like legally blonde or ocean's eight (in vibes, not plot). i found it to be less compelling in book format, but that's just me. loved how realistically vivienne and lottie's relationship progressed. and i was delighted with vivienne's career moves in the ending. overall, very cute, perhaps a little ya-ish (is this ya?), but i don't have much else to say.

Lottie and Vivienne are competing for love interests as well as staring roles in a new motion picture being filmed on the island of Tavalli.. But when Vivienne is handed a canister of film and told to take it to INTERPOL, and Lottie discovers a dead body off set, they are thrown together in a great adventure through Europe. The Starlets, by Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne, combines the comedy of Road to Morocco, with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, with the drama of a Tom Clancy novel. Foes become friends when running from the mob. It was a fun read. I was able to read an ARC on #NetGalley.

A fun, exciting read. Nicely evocative of the 1950s, and the authors managed to achieve this with dialogue, descriptions and the inner monologues of the characters, instead of leaning so hard into clothes and makeup that it turned into a fashion show. Another thing I loved was the lack of romance. The heart of the story was the friendship between the protagonists; essentially this was a buddy story - rather unusual for a book about women. Gosh, as Lottie would say, what a swell book!

Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne team up again to bring you The Starlets, an action packed adventure set in the fifties on a movie set. Add some intrigue and drama and you have all the makings of a hit show, until they find out someone is using the set to run illegal operations. Can they put a stop to it before someone puts a stop to them?

There's a lot of tropes in books that are overdone. Friends to enemies, enemies to lovers, lovers to parents.... The Starlets takes the enemies to best-friends and moved to Old Hollywood. Old Hollywood and Italy? HELL YES.

This is a fun story - about two rivals who want to be the next biggest star on the silver screen who are forced to work together and find they have more in common than they thought.

I truly enjoyed this book - some of the mad-cap adventures reminded me of the book and movie "Our Hearts Were Young and Gay". Two gals up to no good.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The setting and the story were okay, an exotic locale and a tale that only old Hollywood could produce, but the writing style made it impossible for me to get into the book. When I read I need a book to flow and that usually demands that a single story be written in a single tense, two if it makes sense and the shifts follow in a cohesive way. I am fine with 3rd person omniscient, in fact that is my favorite, or with 1st person or 3rd person, present or past, I can even cozy up to 2nd person whatever. But, I can't do a muddle of tenses that change at random. I wound up drowning in the way the book was written, instead of floating along on the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, the authors, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I am sorry that it wasn't a more positive one.

This was a light, fast read, but it was written large - if you know what I mean. Prominent characters, a large and interesting plot line—everything just screams old-time Hollywood Epic of the inexpensive kind!

I loved the enemies to best friends/sisters trope, and added in the fact that I was busy trying to figure out which Hollywood star of that generation the authors were describing; well, that just added the cherry to the top of my ice cream sundae!

At times, this book just screamed slap-stick comedy, and at other times, it shouted that it was an old-time Mafia movie. Murder mystery one minute, then slap-stick the next.

I really loved this book.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Harper Muse/Harper Collins, the authors Lee Kelly, Jennifer Thorne, and NetGalley.

This story sucked me in from the first pages! I really got a feel for the time period with the authors writing style and the story itself was intriguing! I was disappointed to find out this book had language within the first chapter. I don’t read books with cursing, it’s just not for me. That said, I did not finish this book, but I would say that based on what I read this book and author should definitely be on the radar for historical lovers who enjoy a bit of mystery in their story.

The Starlets is the latest offering from Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne. They are wonderful writers individually, but man they make a fantastic team.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

Set in 1958, primarily at a small hotel on a remote island in Italy, Vivienne is an actress hoping this movie will be her comeback vehicle. Lottie is an up-and-comer looking for her breakout. The two actresses are at loggerheads since Viv thinks Lottie stole her boyfriend, but when a murder occurs Lottie and Viv end up on the run and must work together to unmask the killer(s). Some of the situations they get into are kind of funny, but it starts to get repetitive. Both women are likable and some of the supporting characters are fun, but the book is a bit longer than it needs to be. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for a honest review.

I thought the premise for the book sounded great. At times I felt as if it worked well as an outline for a screenplay as it lacked some details that would have helped to flesh out the action and scene. I could see this playing out in a movie. Some of the scenes were not quite complete, some of the characters were not quite fully rounded. Some of the plot slowed down at times. This is the type of book that is a mapcap adventure but I just kept thinking "almost"

This is a really enjoyable madcap adventure full of Hollywood glamour and the power of female friendships. The settings were beautifully depicted as the plot moves from location to location at a perfect pace. It’s a more lighthearted plot than some other golden era of Hollywood novels recently released which I really liked, it doesn’t have an agenda behind it and that felt refreshing. The journey the two actresses go on, both through Europe and in their friendship was really beautiful.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was very much looking forward to reading this book. Old Hollywood has always been interesting to me. I definitely in the minority here and was bored with this book. I don’t know if it was the writing style, the long descriptive chapters or character development but I skimmed through this book.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for this copy.

"The Starlets" by Lee Kelly; Jennifer Thorne is a fun romp through remote Italian isles, the French Riviera and Alps. The glamourous life of movie stars on location is turned upside when a mobster is doubling as the studio boss and has all the dirt on cast and crew.

Vivienne Rhodes is expecting to have the starring role of "A Thousand Ships" movie but young upstart Lottie Lawrence is cast as lead.....there is bad blood. And if they're not careful, there will be the spilling of actual blood. The ladies need to band together to alert Interpol. Together they are stronger, inventive and intrepid as we tag along on their adventures.

Pitching up at Princess Grace of Monaco's palace is pretty gutsy and entitled.

A fun cat and mouse story, with the allies pushing their confidence and acting skills to new levels as they need to think on their feet.

Thanks to NetGalley, Harper Muse and Lee Kelly; Jennifer Thorne for my copy.

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

A really fun read a story of two young women their adventures and going from enemies to bffs.I enjoyed this from first to last page.#netgalley #harperfocus

The Starlets offers a captivating blend of old Hollywood charm and European escapades, crafting an engaging adventure that keeps readers on edge. The premise itself is intriguing, drawing on the dramatic rivalry between Vivienne and Lottie, who must navigate their animosities to survive.

The book shines in its richly descriptive scenes, vividly painting the glamorous and gritty settings from the remote island of Tavalli to Monaco’s casinos and the scenic Alps. The detailed point of view immerses readers in the world of 1950s cinema, evoking the glitz and glamour of the era.

However, the narrative can be slow at times, with a writing style that may feel cumbersome for some readers. The pacing drags in places, making it a challenge to stay fully engaged throughout the story.

Despite these drawbacks, the dynamic between the two protagonists—evolving from fierce rivals to reluctant allies—adds depth and heart to the plot. Their development and the high-stakes scenarios they face create a compelling character arc that many readers will find satisfying.

Pros:
- Evocative old Hollywood vibes and picturesque European settings.
- Exciting adventure story with a "rivals to friends" theme.
- Descriptive and immersive point of view.

Cons:
- Slow pacing in parts.
- Challenging narrative and writing style.

Overall, this is a good pick for those who enjoy classic Hollywood nostalgia and adventurous tales set against a European backdrop. While it may require patience due to its pacing, the story’s twists, turns, and evolving relationships offer a rewarding experience for dedicated readers.

The was a good read but felt it was a little over the top and felt the pacing wasn’t right it was to slow in parts and to rushed in others .
Thanks for letting me review this book to Netgalley and the publisher

This was an entertaining book. The pacing felt a bit off- it was slow in parts and felt rushed in other parts. There was a point about a third of the way through where I considered not finishing it, but I'm glad I did. It was an interesting take on the Golden Age of Hollywood by focusing on underhanded dealings and suspense rather than the traditional glamour.

Another fun read to look for this year! The Starlets follows to rival movie stars as they find themselves entangled in an illegal opperation hidden behind their movie set. From a Mediterranean island to Monaco, the alps, and Rome, the two build an alliance and work together to uncover what's really going on.

Some of the plot felt almost over the top, but, these are Hollywood stars, after all. The writing is fun and the characters are lovable (if foolish and idiotic). Wouldn't recommend to young readers as it deals with some heavier and darker issues.