Review: Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss by Kasie West

Title: Fame, Fate, and the First Kiss

Author: Kasie West
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: February 5, 2019
Pages: 384
Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Ebook

Lacey Barnes has dreamt of being in a movie for as long as she can remember. However, while her dream did include working alongside the hottest actor in Hollywood, it didn’t involve having to finish up her senior year of high school at the same time she was getting her big break. Although that is nothing compared to Donavan, the straight-laced student her father hires to tutor her, who is a full-on nightmare.

As Lacey struggles to juggle her burgeoning career, some on-set sabotage, and an off-screen romance with the unlikeliest of leading men, she quickly learns that sometimes the best stories happen when you go off script.

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MY REVIEW

Disclaimer: This review MAY contain SPOILERS.

Where do I start with this one? This was definitely another cute read from Kasie West, but this one is my least favorite of the three that I have read. I was a little let down with this one, not because I didn't like it, because I did, but because I didn't love it. While I enjoyed this book immensely, I didn't feel the same love or adoration that I felt from P.S. I Like You or The Fill-In Boyfriend. 

The plot for this one was compelling enough but too many things were entirely too predictable. I could peg the saboteur from the beginning which made the mystery surrounding the plot much less stimulating for me. I kept reading and hoping that I was wrong and that I would be surprised, but in the end, my instincts were correct. Not that it shouldn't be said that the journey to that reveal wasn't worth reading. It was, it just wasn't as suspenseful for me. 

Most of the characters felt flat to me. I felt Lacey's character was the most relatable, but I didn't necessarily love her. She actually had qualities that didn't mesh with me personally. Like her lack of concern over her high school studies. That part aside, her character felt the most real to me. As for Donovan, I liked his character a lot but he lacked depth to me. I really thought that he was quite adorable, but something about him made me feel distanced from his character. I can't place my finger on it though. I enjoyed the side characters, but none of them really shouted out to me. While they didn't feel like filler in the story, I also didn't feel overly connected to them. I liked the friendships in the book. Lacey still spoke with her BFF from home frequently enough and she made friends with Amanda on set. I liked the family aspects as well. Lacey dealing with her father acting like a helicopter parent most of the time, feeling like her father didn't support her dreams, and her mother that loves her but is clearly preoccupied with her younger siblings most of the time. 

The romance felt like it had the barest amount of chemistry. There was something there, but not enough. The romantic scenes between Lacey and Donovan were not really that satisfying. The progression of the romance almost felt forced. The "falling in love" part felt like it wasn't even there. They meet, hang out and talk a handful of time, and then they are kissing and becoming a couple. And even the kissing was uneventful. (Although, I admit to liking the times he kissed her forehead. Cute!) It didn't feel like there was a real reason why they got together. The body language and chemistry was all off. 

Overall, this was a cute and enjoyable read. If you like Kasie West's books then you should like this one as well. It has the same overall structure as her other books I suppose, it's just that this one didn't wow me like the others that I've read before. If you are looking for a quick and entertaining read then you'd like this one. 

THIS BOOK CONTRIBUTED TO THESE 2018 READING CHALLENGES

- 2019 New Release Challenge
- Contemporary Romance Challenge
- Popsugar Challenge

Check out my 2019 Challenge Page to see my progress!

Please share your favorite Contemporary reads. I am on a serious kick in this genre lately and I can't get enough!