Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book! I’m glad I was able to finish the ARC just in time for its release.

Overall: 3.5 stars

The Girl Made of Stars tells the haunting story of Hollywood siren Lola Grayson, a star who shined brightly but was consumed by the industry that created her. Dubbed "The Siren," Lola was MGM's biggest name before the rise of Carole Lombard and Jean Harlow. But beneath the glitz and glamour, the novel exposes the dark underbelly of the Golden Age of Hollywood—its rampant exploitation, control over its stars, and the deep scars left behind.

Told in a dual timeline, the novel follows present-day novelist Joey Cabot, who, purchase and moves into the secret love nest once shared by Lola and fellow star Robert Taggart. As Joey digs deeper into Lola’s past, aided by the son of one of Lola’s maids, Dr Jackson, who met and loved Lola when he was a child, she uncovers shocking secrets. The novel doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of the industry, tackling themes of sexual violence, power dynamics, and complicity in abuse. In doing so, it draws unsettling parallels to real-life stars like Marilyn Monroe, making Lola’s story feel all too believable.

Le Veque does a great job evoking Old Hollywood, weaving in well-known figures like Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, and Mayer (the one and only), adding a layer of authenticity to the narrative. However, there are a few elements that feel underdeveloped. Things are mentioned like her past controversy involving a Nazi-sympathizer protagonist are mentioned but never fully explored. Likewise, her friend Diesal’s disregard for a woman’s privacy in the name of historical preservation becomes a pattern later in the book, but it feels like it could have been better examined. Her unresolved issues with her mother also get brushed aside by the end of it.

The novel raises many questions about morality, agency, and justice. Joey’s relentless pursuit of the truth is compelling, but at times, it feels like a therapist might have been a simpler route to closure. Additionally, the reveal of Diana Kuhn’s identity feels fairly predictable, which somewhat lessens the impact of the mystery. Every so often, I felt like some of the language could have been cleaned up just a bit more; like this book would have benefitted from being untouched for a month or two and then re-read and edited.

That said, the book excels in its ability to immerse readers in the tragedy of Lola’s life. It’s a gripping read that highlights both the allure and cruelty of classic Hollywood.

A bittersweet love story of Old Hollywood and present day Hollywood intertwined. The life of starlets and the movie mogul bosses were not a pretty picture. And Joey buying a house of the starlet, who she has been a fan of since childhood, leads to more. A deep reflection into life and Hollywood from the 30's and present day and relationships.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, K.E. Le Veque, and Dragonblade and leaving a review by my own accord.

Two women’s lives intersect in a way no one expected, least of all Lola and Joey. Dark secrets of the Golden Age of Hollywood will be revealed, and the fallout could be deadly or miraculous.

Lola was on the top of MGM’s list of stars, the first siren of the screen, but then tragedy struck. Her mysterious death in 1936 rocked Hollywood. Almost a century later, author Joey Cabot is obsessed with all things Lola Grayson. She even bought the secret love nest of Lola and her lover Robert. She investigates Lola’s life and what happened that fateful day. When Joey discovers the truth of Lola’s death, she knows she has a mission. Tell Lola’s story and free both of them from what has controlled them all these years.

The Girl Made of Stars is a breathtaking historical fiction and one of the best books I’ve ever read. I’ve been a lover of the Golden Age of Hollywood ever since I was fifteen. I know the dark seedy side of Hollywood through my own research. This book brings a stellar behind the scenes look at Hollywood through the eyes of Lola and Robert. I commend the intense research the author did on this book. Once I started reading, the story and its characters dug their claws into me. I dreamt about it for several days. It’s still with me now.

If you love historical fiction with flawless world-building, immersive narration with emotions oozing from every page, and characters that leave their mark on you, read The Girl Made of Stars. I can’t say enough about how brilliant The Girl Made of Stars is.

My Rating: 5++ stars

Thank you to Netgalley and K.E. Le Veque for the opportunity to read this book!

This is the story I didn't know I needed! My emotions were all over the place!

I loved to mutliple POVs and how the stories intertwined. I loved the current timeline to the story but also the really loved the historical part and was so excited when they came together in the final part. Everyone has a story and they deserve it to be told. What you see on the screen isn't always real life.

This book took me on a journey and I wasn't prepared for it! I love the way the story was told and how the characters fit together. I really love historical fiction and this didn't disappoint! I read the e-book and I'm really hoping to buy the physical book when it comes out!

Joey writes historical novels. Trying to revive her career, she decides to write about Lola Grayson, a star of old Hollywood in the 1930s who died young. Joey puts all her savings into buying a house where Lola and her fiancé Robert Taggart lived. The house holds many secrets, which lead Joey into gaining a full understanding of the tragedy that was Lola Grayson's life.

Told in the present and in the past, similar to the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this book is mostly well written and engaging. There were a few times that I felt that the writing was a bit over the top, mostly toward the end when Joey realizes what she's learned about her own life. Overall, though, I recommend that book.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley.

I truly enjoyed this book! After reading "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid, this old Hollywood glam genre niche was right up my alley of the historical fiction genre which I LOVE. After reading the description of "The Girl Made of Stars" I was so surprised to see it was a READ NOW option and I devoured this in just 2 days!!! If you love historical fiction with romance and old Hollywood MGM glam during the 1920s, you will love this book, too!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.
I found the premise interesting and I like the dual timelines and the diverse characters. Conversations about overbearing stage moms, predatory and prejudiced behaviors of Old Hollywood that are still present today and generational trauma that deserve honesty and compassion to reach healing.
I unfortunately found the pacing too slow for me and I was unable to like the main character, Joey. I personally couldn’t forgive her “literary oversight” in the beginning of the story and how it was glossed over.
Still I think that this is a good, well researched story.

"The Girl Made of Stars" follows Lola Grayson, a Hollywood starlet from the 1920s and 1930s, and present-day novelist Joey Cabot, who buys Lola's home. The dual timeline is captivating, and the intertwined stories create a satisfying read. This book is a must for fans of Hollywood historical fiction, offering a unique perspective on the era.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the eARC.

This book was really well written. Because there was like 2 stories going on at the same time. Joey bought the house to do research on LO LA and Robert. The?
Golden couple of the hollywoods in the twenties and thirties. This was a really interesting book to show how women at that time in hollywood had no life and they were controlled by the studios. LOL AI want it.I like the away from that but her mother was so demanding and she kept pushing all different directions. The book starts out when they when Joey finds a safe.
Which was uncovered by the plumbers. This leads to the butterfly PIN.
And different papers in there because she was doing research on this woman. It was very interesting to read when you got to her part of the story.Because it really showed how this woman really struggled with different elements and diseases. The studio used to cover it up under a fault's name.Because they didn't want their star to be hounded by P r e s s. This was a interesting book on the Golden Age. Of Hollywood, because you see all the glamorous, but you really did not see the pain behind This pain. Lola struggled all the time, and all she wanted was a family so they bought this house together. This robert bought the house because it was going to be their secret hideaway from all press and the pressure. This part of the book also turns into a mystery later on because Joey started to trace this woman back under different names.
Oops. You love the ending of this book

Historical fiction of the early Golden Age of Hollywood with a fictionalized main character comprised of many female film stars of the time

Accessible and easy to read - and once I reached part 2, I was hooked, and wanted to learn about what became of Lola Greyson, and her ambitions and dreams far beyond the limited scope of a Hollywood career.

Joey’s story didn’t engage me as much as Lola’s, and the story suffers from implausibility in parts - regardless, I found this extremely readable and finished it within a day.



Thank you to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for the DRC

Author Kathryn Le Veque crafts an intriguing tale about Classic Hollywood, when silent films transition into talkies during the 1930's in her novel The Girl Made of Stars. Le Veque draws parallels between modern day historical romance writer Joey Cabot and Post-Prohibition Hollywood bombshell Lola Grayson, a pseudo name for Nellie Jane Hermengeld. Both women are described as having spent their lives dealing with an overbearing mother, an absent father, and a determination to excel in their chosen professions.

Le Veque's fictionalized account of Grayson's last six months of her life and Cabot's search to discover what Grayson's employer, MGM, had done to their star actress holds the reader's attention, incorporating twists and turns that shock and awe. The use of dialogue is very effective in reeling the reader into the tale, though, moving through the scenes is sketchy, almost like these parts in the story still need to be worked out through more drafts.

Moving the story from modern day to Classic Hollywood and then back to modern day makes the pace easy for the reader to grasp the narration. Entirely set in the West Adams District, southwest of Los Angeles, California, the point of view of the narration shifts between the characters, causing the reader to learn about several personalities.

The audience is introduced to Cabot's family and then to Grayson's family. Their common denominator becomes Cabot buying Grayson's old house in West Adams, named Dulces Suenos, translated to mean sweet dreams. Le Veque works in the motif of sweet dreams into the story very well.

Cabot aims to write a historical biopic of Grayson's life. What Cabot discovers is Grayson's life was bittersweet, as Grayson wanted to keep her baby with her fiancé, fellow actor Robert Taggert. This resulted in Grayson fighting against the world to keep her child. Fighting Taggert, Louis B. Mayer at MGM, and her own mother, who all wanted her to have an aborption until she has a stroke and doomed to live in a vegetative state.

Le Veque touches on themes of mother-daughter relationships, achieving self-actualization, exercising one's independent thinking, and defending women's reproductive rights in that women have a right to have a child of their own. The tale is a unique approach to blending modern day with historical periods, and Le Veque has found an approach that works well for readers.

Split timelines are hard to manage, but this one got my attention and held it. I really enjoyed the whole story and loved that we got to go on the ride with Lola and Joey.

As someone who can relate to both women about having "mommy issues" I appreciated how realistic their different but parallel issues were.

I received an Advanced Reader's copy at no charge, and am writing an honest review.

The girl made of stars with such an incredible story. I love a good story that has a period piece that set in Hollywood and this was no different.This was glamorous, this was emotional, this was spectacular! I was completely enthralled with this writing absolute must read!!

In 1934, Lola was on top of the world. Dubbed "The Siren" by MGM, she was a protégé of Louis B. Mayer. Lola had a dominant stage mother and bad health that struggled to meet the demand of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Exploited, pushed, primped, and promoted as MGM's biggest star, Lola Grayson made one fatal mistake - falling in love with fellow MGM star Robert Taggart. In the present day, Joey Cabot is a novelist with a struggling career. In a stroke of fate, she purchases Lola Grayson and Robert Taggart's former home in Los Angeles. It was a secret love nest they kept hidden from the world, but what comes out of the old walls is a secret no one wanted to see the light of day.
A very well written book that is a mix of past & present. It’s not my usual gene but I was drawn to it by the blurb & of course the author – I’m so glad I read it, heart breaking at times & my heart bled for Lola who was controlled by the studio & her mother. An emotional read, so have hankies on hand. The characters have depth & the pace is good. I liked both Lola & Joey & loved how the more Joey discovered the more she had to write Lola’s story
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

I love books set in Old Hollywood, and I really wanted to like this one. However, it was difficult to read. The main protagonist was a bit bland, and there was very little character development. Also, the delivery fell flat.

It was clear that the character of Lola was inspired heavily by Jean Harlow. But it felt like I was reading a Jean Harlow fan fiction. There was little original about Lola’s story that separated her from Harlow.

These are just my subjective opinions, but I just don’t think this story was for me.

Engrossing tale of the parallels in the life of an early starlet and a modern author.
Joey is a well published author but her last two books have not been received well.
She needs a spark and buys a home needing much love and renovation that was a secret loved nest of two stars.
Lola Grayson and Robert Taggert were on top of their game in Hollywood.
But Lola was bullied by her mother and taken advantage of by the studios.
She wanted more including the love of Robert.
Joey is determined to tell the tale of Lola Grayson’s life and tragedies.
Story has great character development.
Unexpected happenings add to the mystery of lives lived.
Once started, unable to put it down until finished.

4.5 STARS: I am a fan of this author but I've never read a book like this. I liked that the story was delivered in two separate timelines with the author deftly moving between time periods and never dropping the ball. The total control, victimization and abuse of studio stars during the early years of movie-making is not a new story but I kept forgetting that this isn't a real story about a real movie star because Lola and her contemporaries jump off the page. Incorporating actual, easily recognized movie stars of the era into the story was very clever. This story is filled with pain and sadness but the ending brought sweetness and closure to an otherwise horrific tale. I do recommend.
WHAT I LIKED: Tragic-Unpredictable-Wonderful Characters

I received a complementary copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

4 stars

The glitz and glamour of Old Hollywood is turned on its head in this poignant novel about a fictional movie star and her struggles to create a normal life for herself and her fiancé, both of whom are glorified cogs in the MGM movie-making machine. Lola Grayson's star had a meteoric rise in the Golden-Age Hollywood firmament, but as a young woman she is painfully aware of what her career means - and how little her actual happiness means - to the producers, agents, and her nightmare of a stage mother. She suffers at their hands and shockingly passes away in 1936, fondly remembered by everyone as "the girl made of stars" who was gone far too soon. Eightyish years later, Joey Cabot is a veteran novelist who wants to try her hand at writing Lola's story - she's always been drawn to the starlet's tragic story and early demise. Joey sinks all her money into the house she recently discovered was the secret love nest of Lola and her fiancé Robert Taggert, and as she slowly moves through the extensive renovations she uncovers things that send her tumbling down the proverbial rabbit hole, proving there was SO much more to Lola's story than anyone could possibly know...

This was a beautifully crafted story, a fictionalised account of a young movie star who just wanted to have it all - career, love, home, family. What's so wrong with that? I definitely saw parallels between this book and "The Seven Wives of Evelyn Hugo" in terms of the darkness in Old Hollywood. While it did veer a little overly sentimental in certain spots, overall the pacing works here, the characters are quite well-rounded, and the story hits its stride very nicely in the section that goes back to Lola's life in 1935-36 and what happened during that fateful time. I felt like the last section with Joey reconciling all she's learned and deciding what to do about the story was great, but the final ending felt a little too long; it honestly could've been about 5-10 pages shorter and more concise in the telling of the aftermath. But all in all I'd say this novel is a bittersweet love story well worth the read!

Thanks to NetGalley, author K. E. Le Veque, and Dragonblade Publishing for giving me access to a digital ARC of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own and are provided here voluntarily.

Wow! I could not think of a better book to read to kick off a new year!!! This was AMAZING!!! I felt like I was in every moment with Lola!!! Historical fiction has always had a special place in my heart and now, so does Lola Grayson! Old Hollywood was not so nice to its actresses, and with that being said, the book took a piece of my heart which became broken in two! I am going to recommend this book to everyone that I know that reads and my book club will be reading it as soon as possible! Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this moving ARC. I absolutely loved it!!!

Thank you to Netgalley, K.E. Le Veque, and Dragonblade Publishing for the opportunity to read an ARC of A Girl Made of Stars

I read mostly memoirs and historical fiction. Lately, “Old Hollywood” has taken over the WW2 spot and every time I turn around there is a new release about some former fallen starlet. Often, it’s an author-created character (as it is in this case) but not always.

After some processing, I upgraded to 4 stars. Dual timeline with some parallel conflicts. For lack of a better word, as I was reading it, I kept thinking that parts were “cheesy” and overly predictable and some aspects were completely unrealistic. Sure, it’s historical “fiction” but plausible would have resulted in a higher rating from me. I did enjoy it though and would read more from this author.

This book is certainty worth a read if you enjoy historical fiction and especially if Old Hollywood appeals to you.