I was really excited for this one, but wow, it was hard to get into. There are so many characters--none of them fleshed out--and so much going on.

This seemed like a lighthearted romance, but instead much of the story is focused around on-set TV politics and a complicated account about a makeup artist, Jen, on the set of said show, Craven's Daughter, who died before the book even begins. Our protagonists Sam and Bex starred on Craven's Daughter five years ago, but it ended abruptly without a series finale. The show took advantage of Bex and Sam's on-screen chemistry, but behind the scenes, Sam quit when Bex couldn't return Sam's romantic feelings.

There's much going on: Bex's complicated history raising her younger sisters after the death of their parents; Jen's death; Bex and Sam's relationship (or lack thereof); a fan fiction plot; and the reunion episode of Craven's Daughter. I loved the message about how the show and its higher ups exploited the women's chemistry but that the fans and queer folks deserved more.

But otherwise, much felt lacking. Bex and Sam feel like cardboard characters--Bex is a quiet doormat, not a vivid theater actress. Sam is supposed to be the attractive lesbian, I guess? And nothing else? There is so much Hollywood shop talk and a million characters to keep track of. And Bex and Sam's romance is slow burn, if it's even a romance at all.

There was something about the prose that made me feel like I had to constantly reread sentences to grasp what was happening-maybe because there were so many characters. I would have loved more focus on Sam and Bex and what made them who they were. But the focus on queer positivity was great.

I really wanted to love this - especially with the Rizzles comp - but sadly it wasn't for me! The nods to fan fiction readers were appreciated.

Actresses Bexley Simon and Sam Farmer find themselves thrust back together when they're asked to promote their old TV series, 'Craven's Daughter'. As things play out, they discover secrets around the show and investigate what might have been a murder.

Interesting, kind of layered book. There's the murder mystery, the mystery writer of fic that apparently was on the crew, and the look at the misogyny and messed up culture around TV and film. Good story, good wrap up.

This book is a mashup up of detective novel, romance, and Hollywood novel. Entertaining brain candy.

Big Name Fan is a debut sapphic mystery by Ruthie Knox and Annie Mare that’s both tense and heartwarming. Fans of second-chance romances should also pick this up.

Bexley (Bex) Simon and Sam Farmer played detectives on the television show Craven’s Daughter that ended five years ago. Fans adored the onscreen chemistry between Bex and Sam, but never got to see the two women together on the screen or in real life. Despite having not spoken in five years, fans still root for Bex and Sam and many fanfic pieces have been written on the two.

Behind the scenes five years ago, the loss of their dear friend, makeup artist Jen Arnot, cast a pall over the series’ last episodes.

Now, though, the network has decided to produce a reunion special and fans are beside themselves with excitement. To further build excitement, Bex and Sam will host a rewatch podcast highlighting several favorite episodes. It is through these podcasts that Bex and Sam learn that one of the most prolific fanfic authors (Big Name Fan) had to be someone from the cast or crew – a true insider.

It’s clear the sparks remain between Bex and Sam and as they work through the podcasts, they begin to ask themselves if Jen’s death was truly an accident or murder? And who really is “Big Name Fan”?

There are so many elements to this story that work together to make a truly unique reading experience. Yes, there’s a mystery with clues to unravel, but there’s also a sweet, second-chance romance that brought Bex and Sam to life. This story also addresses sexism and homophobia in the media and offers readers a behind the scenes look at a fictional TV show that was queerbaiting. Any story that offers a peek behind the curtain of an industry is one I appreciate, and Annie and Ruthie handled difficult topics with great care.

I’m such a fan of sitcoms and TV shows from years ago that the idea of this story really appealed to me – the story felt a little nostalgic which I loved! The mixed media elements (podcast, fanfic, tv shows) made for clever and engaging storytelling. The mystery drew me in, and while I enjoyed that element, the relationship between Bex and Sam kept me turning the pages. Here’s hoping for more in this TV Detective series.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Press for a eARC of this book. All opinions will be my own.

If you enjoy sapphic romances and fanfiction, this is one for you.
After their show finishing five years ago, old cast mates, Bex and Sam, reunite and make a podcast that will hopefully help them uncover the mystery of their friend that died under mysterious circumstances while working on the show.
They had chemistry on their show five years ago and the chemistry continues now!

This book was a lot of fun. Bex and Sam are Hollywood actors who starred together on a detective show. It's been five years since the show ended, and now they star on a reunion podcast together, but they still have feelings for each other they've never resolved. I like how the podcast digs up old secrets and they follow clues in fan fiction to solve their old friend's murder.

Bexley Simon was flying high on her first Tony Award win and projected stardom, until the sudden death of her parents. Needing to take care of her young sisters, she headed to Hollywood in search of a steady gig, and the show Craven’s Daughter became her lifeline. The chemistry between Bex and her co-star, Sam Farmer, was undeniable, but the show had no intention of creating a romance between their characters. That didn’t stop the network from leaning into that chemistry for five years until Sam walked away after the penultimate episode. Five years later, the network taps Bex to do a podcast to hype up a reunion, and Sam reluctantly agrees.

Bex is simultaneously thrilled and unsettled to be back in Sam’s orbit. Bex knows she’s at fault for the loss of their friendship and wants to rekindle it. Unfortunately, their proximity causes her to relive her emotional turmoil, creating uncertainty about what she feels and wants. Sam and Bex revisiting the most unresolved-sexual-tension laden episodes and engaging with fan fiction that reflects the emotions they broadcasted to the audience makes matters so much worse. Suppressed grief and the questions regarding the death of their colleague and friend, Jen Arnot, are also resurfacing. The network forced them to keep quiet then, but can’t now. Soon, recollection becomes investigation and the light-hearted rewatch podcast evolves into a true-crime story centered on Jen’s death. In Bex and Sam’s search for closure for the loss of Jen, will they find closure for themselves as well?

Big Name Fan tackles the phenomenon of media that ensures it remains in the zeitgeist by blatant queerbaiting. The premise is really interesting and how the podcast transitions to a true crime one is done well. With the story also being an ode to the fan fiction community, it’s clever that clues are found in fics. However, having a rewatch podcast become an avenue to read fics about said show, while also tossing in a mystery and unresolved love is a lot. The book juggles it all pretty well, given the sizable cast, their histories and connections, the investigation, etc., but falters in places from being overstuffed. I enjoyed the mystery of whether or not Jen’s death is an accident, despite knowing where it’s headed too soon for my taste. I like Sam and Bex, though the podcast guests and all the tea are the highlight for me.

Bex is fretful, conflicted, and desperately in search of her right place. She never found her footing after her parents’ deaths, throwing herself into the role of caretaker, and then into trying to reclaim her old life. Now, she’s adrift and feels increasingly shut out of her sisters’ lives. When working on Craven, she fell into line and brought 1000% for fear of losing the stability the show provided for her sisters. Initially, Bex falls right back into the pattern of rolling over and letting doubt, repressed resentment, and fear keep her silent and confused.

Then there’s Sam. She’s beautiful with a killer fashion sense (her outfits described in almost salivating detail), a flirt, confident and composed, and a patient Bex supporter—there to receive Bex’s uncertainties and stress and send out calm and encouragement. However, many of her personality aspects are told instead of shown. She’s more a foil to Bex, rather than a fully realized partner. I think this is due to their utter lack of chemistry, ironic given the premise is based on Sam and Bex’s supposed screen melting heat.

In general, the pace is pretty slow, drags at times, and retreads ground too much, struggling the most with the romance. There’s little room for their chemistry to develop in the present and what’s shown is from video clips and fic. Sam sets the “just friends” boundary and Bex accepts and believes she wants that too. Maybe? Probably? Definitely? Bex ruminates on Sam’s feelings for her and her feelings for Sam—their veracity, their applicability, and their contradictions—to the point that I’m as confused and exhausted as she is. They talk around everything longer than necessary, and between that and the mystery, there is too much speculation, backtracking, and metaphorical hair pulling for me.

The pace is also hindered by all the societal topics the book explores—sexism, racism, queermisia, status quo acceptance of abuse, etc. It’s heavy-handed enough to verge on uncomfortable and performative to me. However, the discussions of the complexities of being queer in Hollywood and how heteronormative romance is still championed is more natural. The narrative also has little time for the side plot with Bex’s sisters, so the drama is half baked. There isn’t enough evidence for the “let us think for ourselves, treat us like equals” exclamations, and Bex’s sisters are the actual obtrusive know-it-alls. When Bex even thinks parentally, she checks herself. They claim Bex treats them like kids, but this isn’t shown, another example of the story being too packed to reveal concepts contextually.

Big Name Fan takes a big swing with an interesting look into fan culture, true crime, and the willingness to cash in on queer support while making people feel like trash. The individual pieces don’t always come together successfully, but it’s an enjoyable read.

Big Name Fan is an ode to fan fiction, attempting to capture the essence of fandom and the deep emotional connections it fosters. At times, it feels like the book is explaining fandom rather than allowing it to be organically understood through the story. There are moments when the author’s voice seems to overshadow the characters, making it feel more like an essay on fandom than an immersive narrative.
One of the book’s biggest issues is its pacing. By the 10% mark, the entire dynamic between Sam and Bex had already been established, leaving little room for development. What started as a romance quickly took a sharp turn into crime fiction, a shift that felt abrupt and not entirely earned.

The premise itself is intriguing but overly ambitious. The novel attempts to juggle multiple layers: a fictional TV show, the real-world implications of that show on its actors and fandom, and, on top of that, a crime subplot that gradually takes over. The result is a lack of depth across all elements—characters become flat, the protagonists lack chemistry, and the reasons for their separation feel juvenile.

The secondary characters are too many and too vague to leave an impact. Bex’s sisters, in particular, seem shoehorned into the plot without adding much, coming across as more of a distraction than a meaningful part of the narrative.

Overall, Big Name Fan is an ambitious attempt that doesn’t quite succeed in balancing its many elements. While the core idea is interesting, the execution falters, leaving the story feeling disjointed and underdeveloped.

This was a fun little sapphic rom-com! Nothing to write home about, but also entertaining enough that it kept me reading and engaged. This is the perfect romance that I can read in between my intense fantasy novels.

Rom-com meets cozy murder mystery in this novel about actors with complicated feelings for each other and the roles they once played across from each other in a cult TV show that was notorious for queerbaiting its fans. Now they've reunited for a podcast and a reunion special, but instead of talking up the show they've decided to find out what really happened to the beloved makeup artist who died on set. A fun read though there were so many characters I sometimes had trouble keeping track.

This just ended up not being for me. And I'm really sad about it, because it really sounded like something I could love, as I grew up on fandom and all, I just couldn't get into the story.
I don't think there is anything speciafically bad about this book. I just couldn't get into the story, and it just left me feeling like it was more a chore to read this book than anything else. And I truly think that it will find its readers, because it has potential, but I guess I was just expecting more.
I would still be curious to see some of the other works from these authors, to see if I can connect more to the story. Still, this one just wasn't the book for me.

I wanted to love this one so much but it didn’t work out for me.

I couldn’t find the chemistry between the two leads to be palpable enough to carry on.

Perfect, no notes.

J/k on the notes part.

I've watched so many shows that are queerbaiting, some intentional and some not, so to get behind the scenes of this fictional one and see how the pressure of it shaped the show as well as the relationship between the two leads was great. It was very meta in that I felt like I was reading fan fiction or watching a TV show that was also the book. This was so easy to fall into and get completely wrapped up in reading.

I was not expecting a book that was ultimately about solving a murder to be so cozy and funny. My brain felt physically good reading this book.

Bex and Sam have five years of silence and complications to sort out after the abrupt end of the show that brought them together. But now they're in totally different places in their lives and they have to figure out what that means, and Bex needs to decide what she wants in order to figure out the next step. We are in Bex's perspective, but both of the love story leads are easy to relate to and understand.

I finished this book the birthday of a friend who passed away, and some of the words in this were very comforting while dealing with the wave of grief I feel every year. It put me in the head space to think about what I'm doing in my life that would make her laugh, be proud, or feels like a fitting tribute to her.

There's so much here about pressure, identity, ripping down Hollywood better than a documentary, but also a love letter to fandom that feels genuine.

Can we get Frankie and Vic's love stories too?

I loved this, a perfect sapphic read in my opinion. It had everything I needed and I loved the queer Hollywood representation.

Big Name Fan by Ruthie Knox; Annie Mare was such a fun sapphic cozy mystery-romance.
This story kept me captivatedw and engaged the whole time.
The characters are solid and engaging.
A mysterious story that kept me glued to my Kindle.

This was a did not finish as I simply could not get into this book. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately, I had a difficult time getting through this one. IT felt like it almost didn't know what it wanted to be. Not enough mystery and not enough romance, just a lot of in between. It's a shame because the concept really called to me, but unfortunately, the execution fell a little flat.

This review has been posted to Goodreads and Storygraph on February 26th, 2025. Links provided.

Bexley Simon and Sam Farmer, once beloved for their portrayal of a TV detective duo, are forced to reunite after five years for a podcast celebrating their iconic show, Craven’s Daughter. The series, which ended on a sour note due to the untimely death of their close friend and makeup artist Jen Arnot, left fans heartbroken, especially as the on-screen chemistry between Bex and Sam never evolved into romance - much to the disappointment of viewers who had hoped for more. As the actresses revisit their roles for the podcast, they are confronted with two mysteries: the identity of an anonymous, prolific fan fiction writer who seems to have inside knowledge of the show’s production, and whether Jen’s death was truly an accident or something more sinister. As Bex and Sam reconnect, the line between fiction and reality blurs, and they are forced to confront both the personal and professional mysteries surrounding them, all while navigating the undeniable spark between them that could finally make their chemistry on-screen a reality.

Sadly, this book was not one of my favorites. I really struggled with how long the chapters were and how detailed, yet boring, everything constantly was. I honestly feel like this book would have worked better as two separate books: one as a mystery novel trying to unravel Jen’s death and the other as a love story focusing on Bex and Sam’s on-screen and off-screen relationship. But as one book, I felt like it was just too much going on (and yet nothing really happens) and too long for me to really enjoy it. I just kept wondering when the current chapter was going to end, and honestly fell asleep reading it multiple times (which almost never happens to me). Additionally, the romance between Bex and Sam wasn’t the most convincing in my personal opinion and left me wanting more in that aspect of the story. Overall, I can’t say I was a “big fan” but hopefully this book will find its target audience!

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read to an ARC of Big Name Fan in return for my honest review.

I’ll never pass up a mystery, but this one just didn’t really gel for me. Let’s just leave it at that.