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

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.

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.

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!

Oh my old Hollywood heart!! Vivianne and Lottie are vintage hollywood/adventure gold!! I couldn't believe my book eyes when I found out about this treasure! A story involving two actresses who both are working on the set of a war and love movie! (Think 2004's Troy but set in 1950s!! 💖)

Vivian and Lottie are two very different actresses working on set in the 1950s in italy! Vivienne is Hollywood diamond royalty! She comes from a long line of entertainers! Lottie is America's angel actress! A great combination of sugar and spice from both women's personalities! 🍾

When Vivienne arrives on set she believes she's set for the main part! She finds out that her arrival Lottie however is to play Helena of Troy!! A beautiful moment given to another beauty! Is Vivianne and Lottie get through some misunderstandings and creative visions in order to work together and escape some very bad men! 🎙️

(No spoilers lol) 😎


The women race away from the movie set when Vivian is asked to protect a certain object that could get these very bad men in trouble! Our beautiful actresses have to pull out all their tricks in both beauty and brains to fend off truth mixed with lies. And in return they both rely on each other to be the unsung heroes in this amazing book! 🎆

I love how the authors described each and every scene! Especially the gowns that are beautiful heroes wore I have a weakness for vintage old Hollywood gowns and I kept rereading the lines over and over! 📖

I kept imaging a young Marilyn Monroe and a young Liz Taylor as our lead actresses in this story! The female friendship in this book brought my heart so much warmth and joy! When two women come to understand each other in order to not only survive the protect each other a true sisterhood is formed! 🌹

Bravo! 💞

** “Trust your instincts.” **

Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne once again join forces to deliver the fun and wild “The Starlets.”

When actress Vivienne Rhodes agrees to star in a new Helen of Troy film, she believes she will be in the lead role. So imagine her surprise when she finds her younger nemesis, Lottie Lawrence, who also stole away her beau Teddy Walters, now in the role … with Vivienne seemingly demoted to the priestess Cassandra.

Fuming, she attempts to make Cassandra’s role into a greater part. But when deadly trouble begins to pop up on set, Vivienne and Lottie find they must join forces to save themselves and the cast and crew. As they initially bumble their way through survival — including a trip to Monte Carlo, the Alps and Rome — they quickly get in tune with each other to work together as a team, maybe even building a friendship along the way.

The authors create a great story filled with thrills, danger, mystery and laugh-out-loud moments. They create a great cast of characters that will draw the reader in, all while also delivering some good themes, like trusting in your self and your instincts; the treasure of friendship (“Maybe friendship is its own rare treasure”); women helping each other through adversity (“Women had to help women or nothing would ever change”); and learning from your past.

The book does contain occasional cursing and hints of a relationship that might make some uncomfortable.

Fans of series similar to Clive Cussler’s Fargo series will enjoy “The Starlets.”

Five stars out of five.

Harper Muse provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

In 1958, Hollywood starlets and rivals Vivienne Rhodes and Lottie Lawrence end up on the same set, shooting a movie In Italy. When they discover illegal activity on set, they end up on the run through Europe.

I wanted to read The Starlets because I love classic movies and found the old Hollywood theme intriguing. This book surpassed my expectations! It is fast paced, exciting, and a great snapshot of another time and place. The characterizations were strong, and the storytelling was engrossing.

I highly recommend this novel for fans of historical fiction, and especially for anyone interested in old time moviemaking.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was looking for books about Hollywood on NetGalley when this book popped up. It was the sort of book I needed after reading a lot of books with heavier topics. This was a very engaging book that I flew through, enjoying almost every second of it.

The first part of the book takes part on the set of a movie, one of those old Hollywood epics, in 1958. One of the things I liked about this book is its own distinct set of fictional characters, with the mention of real-life actors and movies and popular magazines and newspapers interspersed throughout. This lends the reader to find the situations more believable because they’re in the same sphere as movies like Ben-Hur, also filming in Europe at the same time, and a trip to Monaco, to visit Princess Grace, who was married two years prior.

However, this book isn’t just historical fiction, it’s also an action thriller/mystery! The two main characters, Lottie and Vivienne, stumble upon some shady dealings and nearly get caught. Soon, they’re on the run all over Europe. And as much as it’s life-in-danger, there are times when there’s comic relief, too. The two women think they are safe, yet time and time again, they discover they’re not so good at this stuff and that the people chasing them have caught up.

My favorite parts of the book where when the focus was on Vivienne, the Esther Williams-like actress who swam her way to stardom and is trying to break free from the typecasting. Her ability to swim plays a crucial part to the adventure, which I appreciated.

If you’re looking for an escape and enjoy an action-filled historical fiction book, and a love of the golden age of Hollywood, you might enjoy this book!

Do you have a favorite epic movie from the golden age of Hollywood? Gone with the Wind is my favorite epic classic movie.

In the summer of 1958, Vivienne Rhodes, has traveled to the Italian island of Tavalli, to star in the new epic movie, A Thousand Ships, about Helen of Troy and the Trojan War. She is surprised to discover that she will not be the star, but her nemesis, Lottie Lawrence will be the star. Lottie “stole” Vivienne’s fiancé and Vivienne is still reeling from the heartbreak. Vivienne and Lottie inadvertently discover a murder on the island and are soon on the run. Will they be able to find help and solve this mystery?

My thoughts on this novel:
• The storyline moved very quickly and kept me on my toes. I really wanted to know what was going to happen.

• I loved all the nods to real Hollywood movies and stars from that time period. I love classic movies and old Hollywood.

• I enjoyed how the two women were enemies, but were able to put aside their differences, get to know each other, and work towards a common goal. They became friends by the end. I loved how their relationship developed.

• The characters were great. I loved Vivienne and Lottie, but the other characters on the set were fun and interesting as well. The villains were very dastardly.

• I liked the adventure too as the two women fled through Europe. There is a scene involving Ben Hur and a race car that I will never forget.

• There were great moments of humor in the book as well.

Overall, The Starlets by Lee Kelly & Jennifer Thorne was a fast-paced historical fiction novel set in the golden age of Hollywood with unforgettable characters. I loved it and highly recommend it!

A story about two women who are both struggling to be at the top of the acting industry. They've crossed paths, been enemies and are now both cast together in a blockbuster movie that should be the pinnacle of both their careers. But tensions run high on the set when they each realize the other is there. No one told them they would be doing this together and roles have been changed as well.

But even though that tension is high, there is something seditious happening on set as well. An underground plot that both ladies find themselves right in the middle of. Fleeing for their lives after a shootout, they are self tasked with unraveling this real world plot and trying to not only save their own lives, but the lives of people around them as well.

A great story that focuses on feminine insecurity and finding our own way in a world that really tries to steer us into opposition against ourselves and our own destinies. Vivienne and Lottie are both strong women that want to be successful, but each have their own individual traumas and experiences to navigate that they bring forward into their adult lives. Through the process of this story, they find comfort in supporting one another and developing that sisterly bond that women have done for centuries.

I loved the Hollywood atmosphere of the movie sets and behind the scenes; I loved the thrilling adventure and voyage that these two ladies embark on; and I loved the bonds that were developed through their shared experiences.

THE STARLETS
BY: LEE KELLY, AND JENNIFER MARIE THORNE

"Movies are the closest thing we have to magic. Every problem, complication, disaster solved in an
hour and a half. Every hero deserving of love and redemption."

I LOVE BOOKS ABOUT MOVIE STARS AND THIS ONE SET IN 1958, drew my attention. Vivienne Rhodes is beside herself when she arrives on the movie set in Tavelli, thinking that she has landed the starring role as Helen. The glare from the sun is burning her eyes, and she mentions that her sunglasses are inside her luggage, when she is informed that most of her role acting as Cassandra is going to be shot inside. She is supposed to be saving the studio, apex, that is making the movie called, 'A Thousand Ships,' in the starring role as Helen.

When Vivienne Rhodes finds out that Lottie Lawrence is going to be cast as Helen, she can't believe the same actress, her nemesis Lottie Lawrence her fiance stealing enemy has been cast as Helen. Vivienne thinks that Helen was supposed to be her role.

When the two women find out that their movie called 'A Thousand Ships,' is really a front for some illegal dealings, and they have the evidence that they travel all over the place in several different Countries running for their lives because it's in jeopardy they decide to put their differences aside to get the evidence to Interpol.

I loved everything about this story. I loved how Vivienne tried to rewrite her character Cassandra which she was promised that she could. I loved the behind the scenes witnessing the way films are made. Vivienne grew up with prominent parents in the industry who couldn't stand each other, so it's no surprise she was hurt by finding out about her boyfriend who started out as being cast together who she thinks that he is the real thing. Then she finds out that he took up with Lottie who she thinks slept her way to success. Vivienne is regal and doesn't want to play second fiddle to Lottie. As Vivienne tries to make adjustments to the script which she was promised she could, she is met with the opposite on the set, and told to stick to the script.

Lottie didn't seem like the bad person that Vivienne had made us believe in the beginning when Lottie is upset that the man that was with Vivienne and now with Lottie, didn't tell Vivienne about his romance with Lottie until she sees them together. Lottie goes looking for Vivienne trying to make peace by offering her a box of candy. Vivienne doesn't drop her negative feelings for Lottie.

I loved how there were references to other movies and stars that I recognized from that era. The main focus shifts when the two starlets are finding common ground as they literally are on the run with their lives, and others in the film are in danger. Will these two who had evolved into supporting each other in their desperate attempts in saving themselves be able to outrun the bad people on this cat and mouse chase?

I really enjoyed this well written historical fiction novel by the two talented Authors, by Lee Kelly and, Jennifer Marie Thorne. It's a fast paced reading experience that held my interests from the very beginning until the final pages. I really enjoyed the sisterhood that developed between Vivienne and Lottie. I loved the magazine articles interspersed throughout this wonderful novel. I hadn't heard of this writer team consisting of Lee Kelly, and Jennifer Marie Thorne before reading this. I'm going to read their prior novel since I really loved this. "THE STARLETS," is an excellently written entertaining thrilling reading experience. I think that anyone who picks up this historical novel will really enjoy it. This historical novel deserves to reach as wide of an audience as possible. I highly recommend this to those who feel nostalgic for older movies in that era. This was really suspenseful and I read it in one sitting.

Publication Date:: November 12, 2024! Available to Purchase Now! You'll Love it & You won't Regret it !

Thank you to Net Galley, Lee Kelly, and Jennifer Marie Thorne and Harper Muse for generously providing me with my wonderful Arc of "THE STARLETS," in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheStarlets #LeeKelly #JenniferMarieThorne #HarperMuse #NetGalley

The Starlets


This book screams old school, Hollywood. I love the 1950s, their style and especially all the glamour.

This was such a fun and fast-paced story. Two friends who were once enemies come together to solve a murder mystery. This one was full of drama, humor, and wit.

Vivienne and Lottie were both such great characters, I loved seeing the progression of their friendship. The twists and turns these two went through to get to Interpol kept me on the edge of my seat. It was full of high stakes, corrupt cops, and even mobsters.

I absolutely love that the authors provided discussion questions at the end. This would make for a perfect read for a book club. Highly recommended!

A very well written wild ride. As i was reading it I was imagining it as a Hitchcock movie. Vividly. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

As if it isn't bad enough that Lottie Lawrence stole her fiance, Vivienne Rhodes arrives on set to learn she's also stolen her leading role! Can it get any worse?

Actually, it can. Both women stumble upon secret activities and find themselves on the run, dependent on each other for survival. As the two make a madcap journey through Europe, trying to stay one step ahead of their pursuers, they learn a lot about each other and themselves.

This was a fun mystery with an absolutely fabulous setting and memorable characters. Don't let the beginning worry you--it's much more than a story about petty jealousies. #TheStarlets #NetGalley

This is the historical fiction I needed in my life.
The fun I had reading this! What a ride; charming, funny, fast paced, endearing and very, very entertaining.
I loved all of the characters; including the villain, who was very well written.
The plot was BONKERS in the best way possible, and the twists and turns were relatively believable but still engaging and surprising.
This is one of my favorite 2024 reads. I am now interested in reading Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne’s backlists.
I also strongly suggest listening to the audio; it really captured the characters and the vibe of the era. 10/10.