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Seeking Mansfield #3
Off Script
Emma gets a Hollywood-tinged, feminist update in this funny and fierce retelling of Austen’s classic about a well-intentioned but tragically misguided matchmaker.
The summer after her first year of college, teen starlet Emma Crawford returns home to Manhattan to prepare for the role of a lifetime—and play career matchmaker to her friends. When Emma’s search for an assistant leads her to the wide-eyed Brittany Smith, Emma sees the big screen in the girl’s future. And because Emma knows best, she’s sure that steering Brittany onto the right path is all she needs to do to make her a star—even if Brittany doesn’t know it yet.
Emma’s plans start to unravel, however, when professional soccer player Liam Price re-enters her life. Not only is Liam her former best friend’s older brother, but he’s gorgeous, smart, and has no problem pointing out the (totally exaggerated) flaws in Emma’s plans. But as Emma comes in close contact with the darker side of Hollywood, she starts to question the glamorous world she’s always known and realizes her role in it needs to change—if she can find the courage to go off script.
The summer after her first year of college, teen starlet Emma Crawford returns home to Manhattan to prepare for the role of a lifetime—and play career matchmaker to her friends. When Emma’s search for an assistant leads her to the wide-eyed Brittany Smith, Emma sees the big screen in the girl’s future. And because Emma knows best, she’s sure that steering Brittany onto the right path is all she needs to do to make her a star—even if Brittany doesn’t know it yet.
Emma’s plans start to unravel, however, when professional soccer player Liam Price re-enters her life. Not only is Liam her former best friend’s older brother, but he’s gorgeous, smart, and has no problem pointing out the (totally exaggerated) flaws in Emma’s plans. But as Emma comes in close contact with the darker side of Hollywood, she starts to question the glamorous world she’s always known and realizes her role in it needs to change—if she can find the courage to go off script.
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 21, 2020
About the author
Kate Watson
13 books347 followersKate Watson is a fan of cheeky romantic comedies and delightfully witty banter. Originally from Canada, she attended college in the States and holds a BA in Philosophy from Brigham Young University. A lover of travel, speaking in accents, and experiencing new cultures, she has also lived in Israel, Brazil, the American South, and she now calls Arizona home.
She started writing at six years old and sold her first book, "The Heart People," for $0.25 to her parents. It received rave reviews. Since then, she's written many books, including the acclaimed Off Script, a 2020 Junior Library Guild selection. She writes stories full of heart, humor, and happily-ever-afters.
She is currently living her own happily-ever-after with her super cute husband and their four wild and wonderful kids. She runs on caffeine, swoons, and Jesus.
*Please note that this account does not accept friend requests to prevent conflict with Amazon's review policies.*
She started writing at six years old and sold her first book, "The Heart People," for $0.25 to her parents. It received rave reviews. Since then, she's written many books, including the acclaimed Off Script, a 2020 Junior Library Guild selection. She writes stories full of heart, humor, and happily-ever-afters.
She is currently living her own happily-ever-after with her super cute husband and their four wild and wonderful kids. She runs on caffeine, swoons, and Jesus.
*Please note that this account does not accept friend requests to prevent conflict with Amazon's review policies.*
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
December 14, 2019
DNF @14%
There wasn't really anything wrong with this, it just was not holding my interest in the slightest. The writing felt off to me - just very simple and stilted, so it wasn't pulling me in either. A miss for me, but I'm sure other will fnd this story fun.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
There wasn't really anything wrong with this, it just was not holding my interest in the slightest. The writing felt off to me - just very simple and stilted, so it wasn't pulling me in either. A miss for me, but I'm sure other will fnd this story fun.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 4, 2019
In the third installment of the Seeking Mansfield series, Watson gave us her spirit on Emma by Jane Austen. This Emma was still a matchmaker, but instead of love matches, she was making career matches.
One of the things I always do, when I read a retelling, is to get a refresher on the source material. I am always curious to compare the old and the new, and I was really surprised by how much of the original Emma existed in this very NOW, very timely take on the original story. She also did a fantastic job capturing the spirt of Emma. That to me is sign of brilliance, and I must acknowledge how well the author accomplished this task.
This Emma was a successful actress, preparing for an upcoming blockbuster film, and therefore, a bulk of the book focuses on being a women in entertainment industry. Here, we saw the dark side of the entertainment industry - exploitation, lack of privacy, gossip, backstabbing, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. The MeToo movement rocked Hollywood, and therefore, definitely earned its part in this story. It's a timely topic, which deserves attention, and I liked all the different ways Watson tackled it.
I also adored all the people, who were part of Emma's life. The importance of friendship and found-family was strong throughout this book, and Watson gifted Emma with an amazing bunch of people to help her navigate this unpredictable world. I especially adored Weston. That man oozed love and support through his pores, and I could totally imagine him as the next Ellen.
Another character, who deserves a big mention, is Liam. Liam was a fantastic love interest for Emma. He was so sweet, kind, and swoony, but he also challenged her, a LOT. They had great chemistry, and their shared love of Finely was just another thing to strengthen their connection. I liked that he was often a voice of reason, but also there to remind Emma of who she was, when she sometimes lost sight of that.
I was beyond delighted that Watson reunited all three Seeking Mansfield couples for the final chapter of this book. She not only brought them physically together, but she also reminded us of how much each of these young women had overcome and accomplished. If this is her final retelling set in this world, it was a find send off, which, by the way, left me shedding a few tears.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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One of the things I always do, when I read a retelling, is to get a refresher on the source material. I am always curious to compare the old and the new, and I was really surprised by how much of the original Emma existed in this very NOW, very timely take on the original story. She also did a fantastic job capturing the spirt of Emma. That to me is sign of brilliance, and I must acknowledge how well the author accomplished this task.
This Emma was a successful actress, preparing for an upcoming blockbuster film, and therefore, a bulk of the book focuses on being a women in entertainment industry. Here, we saw the dark side of the entertainment industry - exploitation, lack of privacy, gossip, backstabbing, sexual harassment, and sexual assault. The MeToo movement rocked Hollywood, and therefore, definitely earned its part in this story. It's a timely topic, which deserves attention, and I liked all the different ways Watson tackled it.
I also adored all the people, who were part of Emma's life. The importance of friendship and found-family was strong throughout this book, and Watson gifted Emma with an amazing bunch of people to help her navigate this unpredictable world. I especially adored Weston. That man oozed love and support through his pores, and I could totally imagine him as the next Ellen.
Another character, who deserves a big mention, is Liam. Liam was a fantastic love interest for Emma. He was so sweet, kind, and swoony, but he also challenged her, a LOT. They had great chemistry, and their shared love of Finely was just another thing to strengthen their connection. I liked that he was often a voice of reason, but also there to remind Emma of who she was, when she sometimes lost sight of that.
I was beyond delighted that Watson reunited all three Seeking Mansfield couples for the final chapter of this book. She not only brought them physically together, but she also reminded us of how much each of these young women had overcome and accomplished. If this is her final retelling set in this world, it was a find send off, which, by the way, left me shedding a few tears.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
January 26, 2020
Look, I know absolutely nothing about Jane Austen and her stories but every time I read a Kate Watson book, I get a little more curious. Not going to lie, Off Script in combination with the latest Emma movie trailer has me even more intrigued!
We live in an era of Instagram influencers and the #MeToo movement, which Kate appropriate explores in her story. Yes, Emma is a celebrity and comes from celebrity, but she feels equally as down to earth and real as someone who lives next door. She could be your best friend (Emma, call me) yet she has some work to do (oh, and does she do the work) as a precocious young adult. Perhaps what I love most about this story is that Emma has actual thigh muscles on the cover and the diet to match. I’ve never read a female character who goes through a muscle growth period. As a person who has been in a growth period for almost 3 years, I can tell you: it’s fucking hard. The stigma around having muscles as a female is real so to have Emma as a role model for youth is *chef’s kiss*.
Oh, and that last chapter? Seeing old favorites will never get old. Thanks for keeping these stories in the same universe!
We live in an era of Instagram influencers and the #MeToo movement, which Kate appropriate explores in her story. Yes, Emma is a celebrity and comes from celebrity, but she feels equally as down to earth and real as someone who lives next door. She could be your best friend (Emma, call me) yet she has some work to do (oh, and does she do the work) as a precocious young adult. Perhaps what I love most about this story is that Emma has actual thigh muscles on the cover and the diet to match. I’ve never read a female character who goes through a muscle growth period. As a person who has been in a growth period for almost 3 years, I can tell you: it’s fucking hard. The stigma around having muscles as a female is real so to have Emma as a role model for youth is *chef’s kiss*.
Oh, and that last chapter? Seeing old favorites will never get old. Thanks for keeping these stories in the same universe!
January 21, 2020
TRIGGERS:
REP: Bi-racial characters, half-Jewish main character
Since our main character, Emma, is a celebrity, the entire story is set in that world. It made for a very interesting read since I feel like we're often confronted with the consequences of celebrities' pressure. It also shed some light on things we might not immediately realize, like eating disorders often being the consequence of pressure agents put on their clients. Emma's way of dealing with those things is admirable to say the least and I loved seeing how she tried combining the harsh demands while maintaining a healthy lifestyle anyway.
Apart from Emma, there are some other important characters as well. Not in the least Harlan, her brother, who has an aweful influence on pretty much everyone surrounding him. We might not get his point of view, but his growth - and often lack thereof - is visible nonetheless.
Then there are Liam and Brittany, who couldn't be more different. Liam knows what he wants, knows himself and owns up to it as well. Brittany, on the other hand, is new in the world of celebrities and has a hard time finding her way. With the help of Emma, she tries doing that, tries staying true to herself and overcomes certain things I hope none of us ever have to deal with.
As mentioned in the triggers above, this novel contains a lot of hard subjects, difficult events and even harder truths to deal with. This made for an emotionally rough, but still enlightening read. If you need a book that proves how people's pasts and thoughts aren't always visible and known, this is one to pick up for sure! Not only that, but the important of raising your voice and speaking up is definitely a lesson learned as well.
I don't know if this is something that's based on Emma - since this is still a sort of retelling and I never read the classic - or not, but I got really frustrated with our main character at times. She's simply so.. close-minded and judgemental. Even more so when it comes to things that happened in her past, people who have supposedly wronged her. It really did annoy me how she couldn't seem to understand she's not the only one struggling with life as a celebrity. She, of all people, should understand how it is for women in that industry?! It didn't make sense to me at all, to be honest.
4 / 5
Except for the one characteristic of Emma I just couldn't wrap my head around, I did enjoy the story and all its layers. As far as retellings go, I don't read contemporary ones often but if I do.. You can rest assured I'll be grabbing something Kate Watson wrote!
REP: Bi-racial characters, half-Jewish main character
Since our main character, Emma, is a celebrity, the entire story is set in that world. It made for a very interesting read since I feel like we're often confronted with the consequences of celebrities' pressure. It also shed some light on things we might not immediately realize, like eating disorders often being the consequence of pressure agents put on their clients. Emma's way of dealing with those things is admirable to say the least and I loved seeing how she tried combining the harsh demands while maintaining a healthy lifestyle anyway.
Apart from Emma, there are some other important characters as well. Not in the least Harlan, her brother, who has an aweful influence on pretty much everyone surrounding him. We might not get his point of view, but his growth - and often lack thereof - is visible nonetheless.
Then there are Liam and Brittany, who couldn't be more different. Liam knows what he wants, knows himself and owns up to it as well. Brittany, on the other hand, is new in the world of celebrities and has a hard time finding her way. With the help of Emma, she tries doing that, tries staying true to herself and overcomes certain things I hope none of us ever have to deal with.
As mentioned in the triggers above, this novel contains a lot of hard subjects, difficult events and even harder truths to deal with. This made for an emotionally rough, but still enlightening read. If you need a book that proves how people's pasts and thoughts aren't always visible and known, this is one to pick up for sure! Not only that, but the important of raising your voice and speaking up is definitely a lesson learned as well.
Sacrifice meant giving up something that mattered for something that mattered more.
I don't know if this is something that's based on Emma - since this is still a sort of retelling and I never read the classic - or not, but I got really frustrated with our main character at times. She's simply so.. close-minded and judgemental. Even more so when it comes to things that happened in her past, people who have supposedly wronged her. It really did annoy me how she couldn't seem to understand she's not the only one struggling with life as a celebrity. She, of all people, should understand how it is for women in that industry?! It didn't make sense to me at all, to be honest.
4 / 5
Except for the one characteristic of Emma I just couldn't wrap my head around, I did enjoy the story and all its layers. As far as retellings go, I don't read contemporary ones often but if I do.. You can rest assured I'll be grabbing something Kate Watson wrote!
January 15, 2020
I have...mixed emotions.
You must remember this is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's "Emma" or you are not going to be a fan of Emma Crawford in this story.
I feel like this book started a few chapters later than it did - I felt a bit dropped in the middle of a whole lotta drama llama but not quite enough backstory. That being said, this is a really great modern retelling of Emma.
Deserving it's own paragraph/section thing of my review: Kate Watson has put a really important message in here whilst staying really true to Jane Austen's novel. I'm not going to say what the topic is because that's part of the plot, but it is important and it was a brilliant addition to an otherwise well-known story. I think because the plot is so well-known, the reader can focus on this message even more intently. Good job doing that!
Emma was stressful to like but her character grew and I'm grateful for where she ended up. It was an interesting addition to the retelling for her to have a brother. Harlan added an interesting dynamic to Emma's behaviour. I loved all the modern characters and trying to figure out who everyone was from Jane Austen's storyline. I think they were adapted to modern life quite well. It's just weird for me, for some reason that I can't pinpoint that I loved Emma in Jane Austen's novel from beginning even though she was young and got herself into pickles, but it took a while for me to love Emma Crawford in this story. I think the conceitedness of this modern Emma was turned up a bit higher than the original Emma.
Otherwise, this had some fabulous modern additions to a classic tale that I love so very much. I'm all over the place with opinion; parts I was meh, parts I liked and some parts I really liked. I have to settle in the middle at 3 stars leaning toward the positive side if I could give halfsies.
You must remember this is a modern retelling of Jane Austen's "Emma" or you are not going to be a fan of Emma Crawford in this story.
I feel like this book started a few chapters later than it did - I felt a bit dropped in the middle of a whole lotta drama llama but not quite enough backstory. That being said, this is a really great modern retelling of Emma.
Deserving it's own paragraph/section thing of my review: Kate Watson has put a really important message in here whilst staying really true to Jane Austen's novel. I'm not going to say what the topic is because that's part of the plot, but it is important and it was a brilliant addition to an otherwise well-known story. I think because the plot is so well-known, the reader can focus on this message even more intently. Good job doing that!
Emma was stressful to like but her character grew and I'm grateful for where she ended up. It was an interesting addition to the retelling for her to have a brother. Harlan added an interesting dynamic to Emma's behaviour. I loved all the modern characters and trying to figure out who everyone was from Jane Austen's storyline. I think they were adapted to modern life quite well. It's just weird for me, for some reason that I can't pinpoint that I loved Emma in Jane Austen's novel from beginning even though she was young and got herself into pickles, but it took a while for me to love Emma Crawford in this story. I think the conceitedness of this modern Emma was turned up a bit higher than the original Emma.
Otherwise, this had some fabulous modern additions to a classic tale that I love so very much. I'm all over the place with opinion; parts I was meh, parts I liked and some parts I really liked. I have to settle in the middle at 3 stars leaning toward the positive side if I could give halfsies.
January 25, 2020
Jane Austen meets Hollywood #metoo movement in this brilliant and timely retelling of EMMA.
Emma Crawford (who you might remember from SEEKING MANSFIELD) and her brother Harlan are preparing for their new film roles. Emma has a new assistant Brittany whom she wants to turn into a star. But she has to first avoid her old rival Vic and her aunt Kelly. But the path to stardom is never easy and both girls experience the darker side of entertainment industry.
Like her literary predecessor, this Emma has plenty of flaws and but her heart is in the right place. She definitely makes mistakes but learns from them. Liam is a great Mr. Knightly but is saved from the original’s sanctimonious-know-it-all-ness (totally a word) by his tragic past and his own mistakes.
You don’t have to be a Jane Austen fan or have read SEEKING MANSFIELD to adore this female empowering, kick-butt book!
Emma Crawford (who you might remember from SEEKING MANSFIELD) and her brother Harlan are preparing for their new film roles. Emma has a new assistant Brittany whom she wants to turn into a star. But she has to first avoid her old rival Vic and her aunt Kelly. But the path to stardom is never easy and both girls experience the darker side of entertainment industry.
Like her literary predecessor, this Emma has plenty of flaws and but her heart is in the right place. She definitely makes mistakes but learns from them. Liam is a great Mr. Knightly but is saved from the original’s sanctimonious-know-it-all-ness (totally a word) by his tragic past and his own mistakes.
You don’t have to be a Jane Austen fan or have read SEEKING MANSFIELD to adore this female empowering, kick-butt book!
October 6, 2019
This book is Jane Austen's EMMA meets the me too movement, and it was absolutely WONDERFUL! To reimagine a classic in a way that is so powerful and socially relevant to the challenges women face in modern society is nothing short of brilliant.
I'm a huge fan of Kate Watson's books, but I think this may very well be her best yet. The characters were wonderful, the story engrossing, and the romance swoon worthy. This was such an enjoyable read, which also tackled some heavy issues head-on. Being the huge Austen nerd that I am, I also loved all the wonderful nods to the original.
This is an easy five-star rating for me, and I can't wait to see what Kate has in store for us next.
I'm a huge fan of Kate Watson's books, but I think this may very well be her best yet. The characters were wonderful, the story engrossing, and the romance swoon worthy. This was such an enjoyable read, which also tackled some heavy issues head-on. Being the huge Austen nerd that I am, I also loved all the wonderful nods to the original.
This is an easy five-star rating for me, and I can't wait to see what Kate has in store for us next.
February 2, 2020
I was completely charmed by Kate Watson’s debut. From her updated take on Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park to Finley Price’s backstory, I loved every minute of Seeking Mansfield. The first companion novel, Shoot the Moon, was a bit of a let down after the high expectations that the first book set.
When I saw that Off Script was returning to the formula of the first, I hoped the magic would return.
On the one hand, Watson returns to Jane Austen for inspiration and her focus on some of the secondary characters in the first book is a draw. On the other hand, it can be tough to meet the high expectations after a book that isn’t as well-received.
Yet, in Off Script, Watson manages to take a character who, on the surface appears fake, superficial, and self-centered, and makes readers change their minds about her before the finish of the book. Hang out with Emma long enough, and it becomes obvious much of her behavior is a reaction to her pain and disappointments (many of which come from the people she should be able to depend on the most).
It takes a while to get there, but the growing pains Emma experiences are worth the journey. Add in Liam, who doesn’t hesitate to speak his mind and offer correction where Emma’s behavior is less than stellar and all of the correlations you can make between this book and Austen’s Emma, and Watson has managed to create another story I thoroughly enjoyed.
Content warning: There are several instances of cursing throughout the book
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
When I saw that Off Script was returning to the formula of the first, I hoped the magic would return.
On the one hand, Watson returns to Jane Austen for inspiration and her focus on some of the secondary characters in the first book is a draw. On the other hand, it can be tough to meet the high expectations after a book that isn’t as well-received.
Yet, in Off Script, Watson manages to take a character who, on the surface appears fake, superficial, and self-centered, and makes readers change their minds about her before the finish of the book. Hang out with Emma long enough, and it becomes obvious much of her behavior is a reaction to her pain and disappointments (many of which come from the people she should be able to depend on the most).
It takes a while to get there, but the growing pains Emma experiences are worth the journey. Add in Liam, who doesn’t hesitate to speak his mind and offer correction where Emma’s behavior is less than stellar and all of the correlations you can make between this book and Austen’s Emma, and Watson has managed to create another story I thoroughly enjoyed.
Content warning: There are several instances of cursing throughout the book
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
December 2, 2019
First, thanks to NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!
In this, the third book in Watson's re-telling series about this particular group of friends, Kate Watson shows off how she has grown as a writer, presenting more mature topics and complicated characters. Watson delves deep into the topics of Hollywood privilege, abuses of men in power, and navigating how those two topics are intertwined. Getting to know a deeper side of Emma was really fantastic and I loved watching her grow from the bubbly actress she was in Seeking Mansfield to where she is in Off Script, dealing with big issues and the consequences of her actions. I'll add more when I read the final product in a few months.
But...Harlan's book has to be next...right?
Lastly, I would absolutely characterize this book as NA over YA, despite the lack of sexy times (which seems to be a qualifier of NA books?).
In this, the third book in Watson's re-telling series about this particular group of friends, Kate Watson shows off how she has grown as a writer, presenting more mature topics and complicated characters. Watson delves deep into the topics of Hollywood privilege, abuses of men in power, and navigating how those two topics are intertwined. Getting to know a deeper side of Emma was really fantastic and I loved watching her grow from the bubbly actress she was in Seeking Mansfield to where she is in Off Script, dealing with big issues and the consequences of her actions. I'll add more when I read the final product in a few months.
But...Harlan's book has to be next...right?
Lastly, I would absolutely characterize this book as NA over YA, despite the lack of sexy times (which seems to be a qualifier of NA books?).
May 30, 2020
Cute, easy-to-read palate cleanser that manages to be entertaining and still speak about important issues without being preachy.
November 1, 2020
*2.5 STARS*
January 2, 2020
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read Off Script by Kate Watson. This is a YA modern retelling of Jane Austen's Emma, and although it is book 3 in the Seeking Mansfield series, it can be read as a stand alone. Emma Crawford is preparing for the role of her career, when she meets Brittany while searching for an assistant. She knows that Brittany can be a star; but can the two of them make it to the top in Hollywood? I must admit, I couldnt really get into this book. Whether it is because I am not a Jane Austen fan, the writing style, or because I just couldnt like the characters, I don't know. It was almost a DNF
July 24, 2020
check out my reviews here: https://bookstune.blogspot.com/
This book was so pleasantly surprising! This is the first book I've read by Kate Watson and it just made me want to go back to her other novels and experience those characters/world that she so perfectly created.
The writing style was very good. It was easy to picture everything in the setting she wanted to establish - which in this case was Hollywood. Reading her characters, the events, the thought processes through every little action, it was so easy to imagine the same things playing out in real life Hollywood. The writing style just felt very natural.
The characters were one of my favorite parts. While at first Emma, the main character, felt distant we began growing with her as the story progressed and it felt so right, like that was how Watson had always meant it to feel. Emma was so frustrating at times but again, we learn to sympathize with her. And that just made everything seem to realistic. Especially because each character was slightly unlikeable. They each had bad parts of themselves right along with the good. You could almost understand them but still dislike them anyway. And I think that's how people are in real life to so the fact that Watson was able to embody it so flawlessly in her characters was so great to read. Especially since it's so rare to see in books - especially within even our main characters.
Every character had such interesting background stories because of this complexity within each one. They weren't stagnant. Even the side characters had such rich stories that made you wish you could follow them and see their development, even if it becomes more of watching them spiral. For example, Harlan was such an interesting character and I found myself wanting to read so much more about him even when I started to really not like him towards the end (which was purposely done by the author) because he was just that dynamic like most of the other characters are.
The absolute best part of this book however was the complexity and different layers with so much complexity Watson builds onto not only the characters and the plot lines. The book wasn't even that long but it managed to pack in such incredibly elaborate stories in a very natural and concise way so that it didn't feel too complicated to read and it was easily understandable. Because of this, when we got to the climax where everything 'exploded' so to say, it just fit so well and made so much sense that it just added that element of being realistic.
Along with that, I think Watson very skillfully managed not to spell everything out for the reader but instead made deeper plot lines easy to catch on to by yourself, you got to slowly be shown small hints to deeper issues which you could make conclusions up through your own pace and accord. And I think that just made the experience of reading the book that much more immersive. There were so many important topics discussed such as insecurities, alcoholism, abuse, the effect of familial (specifically parental) relationships with their children.
She also was very good at spreading out background information very nicely so it didn't feel info dumpy but it didn't feel like everything was too spaced out. I never felt bored and instead loved the perfect amount of detail and subtle hints to bigger plot lines given at just the right time. The backstories were integrated so perfectly to correspond to the present times. It helped highlight thoughts or what was currently going on in Emma's head as well as just filled in the reader into the world of the characters before the start of this book which made everything seem that much more understandable and made the world created feel like it was real almost.
Overall, I was very invested in the book. There was this overarching feeling of dread; like you know everything is just going to blow up, we're heading to this one event that will send everything crashing down as we know it. But it was the good type of feeling you get in tv shows that center around drama like Gossip Girl and shows of that nature. I was always wanting to read more and stay in that world.
One very small detail that I loved so much was that there was no senseless girl on girl hatred/fighting. Emma and Brittany didn't hate each other, they understood each other even when coming from different backgrounds and I loved that. Often, books add girl animosity for no reason at all and it really makes me not like the book because I hate seeing two girls at odds with each other just for the pure fact that they're both girls within the same circle and 'jealousy' just must be a factor. But it wasn't here and that was so refreshing and nice to see. Even with Vic where everything between the dynamic with her and Emma was stemmed from more complex and intricate reasons than just 'competition'. Even though Victoria ended up being a character I really didn't like, I didn't like her characterization, her motivations or anything about her really. She was a small downfall of the book for me as I wished she was more likable.
The romantic chemistry was so good too. It was a slow burn and it drove me wild in the best way possible. Liam Price found a place in my heart and I loved the way he and Emma mirrored each other, the way they brought out such private parts of the other out. It was amazing to experience and I wished we could see just a bit more of them because I loved them just that much. The romance was so subtle and by no means the main plot of the story but because it was so faint, it made me so giddy to see little hints of it through glances or small touches. Plus it wasn't overwhelming as to distract from the other equally as important plots or relationships (friendships and family) explored through the story. In fact, while I loved the romance, I think the best plot we explored was the relationship between Emma, her brother and her father. To see Emma's growth as a person and the way her family, particularly Harlan changed alongside her was so heartbreaking but very important to read.
Honestly, this book was a strong contender for 5 stars. Unfortunately, it fell a bit short near the end. Not to say it wasn't a good ending and that I didn't love to see the big final breakthrough in Emma's fears right before the epilogue but it definitely could have been much more explosive and thought provoking than it was. The story throughout was predictable (especially if you read the summary in the back), however that isn't always bad if the ending is executed right. But the end felt very rushed. The endings of each character felt like a movie summarization with the freeze frames which didn't leave me quite as satisfied as I wished. Plus, throughout the novel, Watson danced around the central topic and the character that embodied it, I suppose. There were several hints and even more education and experience in that topic that Emma went through first hand. However, near the end she just kind of spelled out what it was and what happened in one paragraph. It really took away from the story and I feel like I would have enjoyed it better for us to have discovered it slowly alongside Emma little by little with maybe even a flashback to help us feel the impact as much as we could instead of Emma telling us exactly what happened with just a few sentences and then moving on.
The story covered the serious, important and so relevant topic but instead of fully exploring it and having it be as thought provoking as it could be, it felt like we were just leading up to nothing. Like a firework sizzling up in the air with no boom at the end. It could have been a much more powerful book than it was. Which is very disappointing.
However, though that is an influential reason for my rating, it doesn't completely take away the rest of the book which I very much enjoyed and cared about. I loved the complexity, the multilayers and the realistic nature of the characters and plot.
This book was so pleasantly surprising! This is the first book I've read by Kate Watson and it just made me want to go back to her other novels and experience those characters/world that she so perfectly created.
The writing style was very good. It was easy to picture everything in the setting she wanted to establish - which in this case was Hollywood. Reading her characters, the events, the thought processes through every little action, it was so easy to imagine the same things playing out in real life Hollywood. The writing style just felt very natural.
The characters were one of my favorite parts. While at first Emma, the main character, felt distant we began growing with her as the story progressed and it felt so right, like that was how Watson had always meant it to feel. Emma was so frustrating at times but again, we learn to sympathize with her. And that just made everything seem to realistic. Especially because each character was slightly unlikeable. They each had bad parts of themselves right along with the good. You could almost understand them but still dislike them anyway. And I think that's how people are in real life to so the fact that Watson was able to embody it so flawlessly in her characters was so great to read. Especially since it's so rare to see in books - especially within even our main characters.
Every character had such interesting background stories because of this complexity within each one. They weren't stagnant. Even the side characters had such rich stories that made you wish you could follow them and see their development, even if it becomes more of watching them spiral. For example, Harlan was such an interesting character and I found myself wanting to read so much more about him even when I started to really not like him towards the end (which was purposely done by the author) because he was just that dynamic like most of the other characters are.
The absolute best part of this book however was the complexity and different layers with so much complexity Watson builds onto not only the characters and the plot lines. The book wasn't even that long but it managed to pack in such incredibly elaborate stories in a very natural and concise way so that it didn't feel too complicated to read and it was easily understandable. Because of this, when we got to the climax where everything 'exploded' so to say, it just fit so well and made so much sense that it just added that element of being realistic.
Along with that, I think Watson very skillfully managed not to spell everything out for the reader but instead made deeper plot lines easy to catch on to by yourself, you got to slowly be shown small hints to deeper issues which you could make conclusions up through your own pace and accord. And I think that just made the experience of reading the book that much more immersive. There were so many important topics discussed such as insecurities, alcoholism, abuse, the effect of familial (specifically parental) relationships with their children.
She also was very good at spreading out background information very nicely so it didn't feel info dumpy but it didn't feel like everything was too spaced out. I never felt bored and instead loved the perfect amount of detail and subtle hints to bigger plot lines given at just the right time. The backstories were integrated so perfectly to correspond to the present times. It helped highlight thoughts or what was currently going on in Emma's head as well as just filled in the reader into the world of the characters before the start of this book which made everything seem that much more understandable and made the world created feel like it was real almost.
Overall, I was very invested in the book. There was this overarching feeling of dread; like you know everything is just going to blow up, we're heading to this one event that will send everything crashing down as we know it. But it was the good type of feeling you get in tv shows that center around drama like Gossip Girl and shows of that nature. I was always wanting to read more and stay in that world.
One very small detail that I loved so much was that there was no senseless girl on girl hatred/fighting. Emma and Brittany didn't hate each other, they understood each other even when coming from different backgrounds and I loved that. Often, books add girl animosity for no reason at all and it really makes me not like the book because I hate seeing two girls at odds with each other just for the pure fact that they're both girls within the same circle and 'jealousy' just must be a factor. But it wasn't here and that was so refreshing and nice to see. Even with Vic where everything between the dynamic with her and Emma was stemmed from more complex and intricate reasons than just 'competition'. Even though Victoria ended up being a character I really didn't like, I didn't like her characterization, her motivations or anything about her really. She was a small downfall of the book for me as I wished she was more likable.
The romantic chemistry was so good too. It was a slow burn and it drove me wild in the best way possible. Liam Price found a place in my heart and I loved the way he and Emma mirrored each other, the way they brought out such private parts of the other out. It was amazing to experience and I wished we could see just a bit more of them because I loved them just that much. The romance was so subtle and by no means the main plot of the story but because it was so faint, it made me so giddy to see little hints of it through glances or small touches. Plus it wasn't overwhelming as to distract from the other equally as important plots or relationships (friendships and family) explored through the story. In fact, while I loved the romance, I think the best plot we explored was the relationship between Emma, her brother and her father. To see Emma's growth as a person and the way her family, particularly Harlan changed alongside her was so heartbreaking but very important to read.
Honestly, this book was a strong contender for 5 stars. Unfortunately, it fell a bit short near the end. Not to say it wasn't a good ending and that I didn't love to see the big final breakthrough in Emma's fears right before the epilogue but it definitely could have been much more explosive and thought provoking than it was. The story throughout was predictable (especially if you read the summary in the back), however that isn't always bad if the ending is executed right. But the end felt very rushed. The endings of each character felt like a movie summarization with the freeze frames which didn't leave me quite as satisfied as I wished. Plus, throughout the novel, Watson danced around the central topic and the character that embodied it, I suppose. There were several hints and even more education and experience in that topic that Emma went through first hand. However, near the end she just kind of spelled out what it was and what happened in one paragraph. It really took away from the story and I feel like I would have enjoyed it better for us to have discovered it slowly alongside Emma little by little with maybe even a flashback to help us feel the impact as much as we could instead of Emma telling us exactly what happened with just a few sentences and then moving on.
The story covered the serious, important and so relevant topic but instead of fully exploring it and having it be as thought provoking as it could be, it felt like we were just leading up to nothing. Like a firework sizzling up in the air with no boom at the end. It could have been a much more powerful book than it was. Which is very disappointing.
However, though that is an influential reason for my rating, it doesn't completely take away the rest of the book which I very much enjoyed and cared about. I loved the complexity, the multilayers and the realistic nature of the characters and plot.
February 3, 2021
Not my favorite book. Then again the amount of time it took me to get its a modern retelling of Emma by Jane Austin is probably indicative of why. I liked Emma better, but that doesn't mean Ms. Watson didn't do a great job.
I still fell in love with Liam and Emma's romance,. I appreciated how the movie industry was weaved into this timeless tale. I LOVED that Emma had a male twin, the dynamic it brought was wonderful. As it should be the main character is a strong young woman who makes mistakes but comes back twice as strong through the vulnerability and humility she showed when making amends and changing how she lives her life.
I still fell in love with Liam and Emma's romance,. I appreciated how the movie industry was weaved into this timeless tale. I LOVED that Emma had a male twin, the dynamic it brought was wonderful. As it should be the main character is a strong young woman who makes mistakes but comes back twice as strong through the vulnerability and humility she showed when making amends and changing how she lives her life.
January 27, 2020
A modern retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Emma, this is a Hollywood-inspired take on the story. Now, before I start, I’m going to say that Emma was actually my least favourite Austen novel and in my opinion, Emma Woodhouse was Austen herself’s least favourite heroine. Pretty, rich and spoiled? You bet Miss Austen really quite enjoyed writing that scene where Knightley takes Emma down several dozen pegs.
That said, there have been some great retakes on Emma over the years, the movie Clueless being the best-known example, where Alicia Silverstone managed to charm all of us with her pretty, charmingly naive Cher. It’ll definitely help if you imagine the same actress playing the lead character of this novel with that same energy; it’ll help you like a character who could come off as a spoiled little rich girl a lot better.
This isn’t a straight ‘plug and play’ of characters from the original into the modern setting. Here Emma has an older brother, Harlan, whose best friend Liam is her love interest. Emma and Harlan are child TV stars growing up into full on Hollywood megastars, buffered from the real world by their wealth and privilege. Emma’s matchmaking is more targeted at helping people find stardom than love. Social media plays a big part in the story, and so does the very timely topic of sexual predators in the entertainment industry, as Emma mentors her assistant Brittany and explains ‘the rules’ all women in the industry abide by as a matter of course… but shouldn’t have to.
It’s easy to write Emma and her friends off as shallow and entitled, unaware of the real-world struggles faced by the rest of us every day, and I admit I struggled to feel much sympathy for her as a Poor Little Rich Girl until the big reveals started coming later on in the book. But come they did, and by the end of it, I really cared about Emma and wanted her to get her happy ending with Liam, who seemed like a real sweetheart.
The book does need trigger warnings for grooming, sexual predation by those in power, parental gaslighting and financial abuse. If these are difficult topics for you, you might need to give this one a miss, but I do recommend it as both a timely read in this age of #MeToo and a charming romance. Five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
That said, there have been some great retakes on Emma over the years, the movie Clueless being the best-known example, where Alicia Silverstone managed to charm all of us with her pretty, charmingly naive Cher. It’ll definitely help if you imagine the same actress playing the lead character of this novel with that same energy; it’ll help you like a character who could come off as a spoiled little rich girl a lot better.
This isn’t a straight ‘plug and play’ of characters from the original into the modern setting. Here Emma has an older brother, Harlan, whose best friend Liam is her love interest. Emma and Harlan are child TV stars growing up into full on Hollywood megastars, buffered from the real world by their wealth and privilege. Emma’s matchmaking is more targeted at helping people find stardom than love. Social media plays a big part in the story, and so does the very timely topic of sexual predators in the entertainment industry, as Emma mentors her assistant Brittany and explains ‘the rules’ all women in the industry abide by as a matter of course… but shouldn’t have to.
It’s easy to write Emma and her friends off as shallow and entitled, unaware of the real-world struggles faced by the rest of us every day, and I admit I struggled to feel much sympathy for her as a Poor Little Rich Girl until the big reveals started coming later on in the book. But come they did, and by the end of it, I really cared about Emma and wanted her to get her happy ending with Liam, who seemed like a real sweetheart.
The book does need trigger warnings for grooming, sexual predation by those in power, parental gaslighting and financial abuse. If these are difficult topics for you, you might need to give this one a miss, but I do recommend it as both a timely read in this age of #MeToo and a charming romance. Five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title via NetGalley.
December 20, 2019
Jane Austen's Emma meets the #metoo movement. I was sceptical, but I have to admit that it does work. But I nearly gave up on it twice. It took me a few weeks to get through the first third of the story. I wasn't interested in reading about how hard life is for a famous young actress, and the main character Emma was pretty obnoxious most of the time. I also had issues with the writing style and the pacing, with scenes either being dragged out or characters suddenly jumping from one scene to the next within a few lines.
But I pushed through. I somehow managed to finish the rest of the book in 3 days, which is all to do with the story moving away from Emma's career and her meddling in other people's lives to sexual harassment and abuse in the movie business. The story picked up pace, it became relevant to our current culture, and the harassment and abuse was tackled in a fairly nuanced manner. On top of that, the story also focuses on the exploitation, gossip and lack of privacy celebrities have to deal with.
My main issue with this book is the casualness with which eating disorders were used as some sort of comic relief. Even the more acceptable disordered eating pattern Emma has to follow to bulk up for her next movie role is never really examined as harmful. It just feels like such a let-down, especially in comparison to the way sexual abuse and harassment is discussed.
There is a romance aspect to this story too, of course. The chemistry between Emma and Liam was great, but they mainly worked because they challenged each other and they helped each other face some hard truths. I also adored the friendships and the found family elements of the story. Emma has a troubled relationship with her relatives, but she does have a family around her.
This is the third book of the series, and I haven't read the first two, but there are plenty of references to what happened before the events of this book to sort of piece together enough of a backstory. I never felt truly lost without all the information of the first two books, which proves that this one can be read as a standalone.
(I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
But I pushed through. I somehow managed to finish the rest of the book in 3 days, which is all to do with the story moving away from Emma's career and her meddling in other people's lives to sexual harassment and abuse in the movie business. The story picked up pace, it became relevant to our current culture, and the harassment and abuse was tackled in a fairly nuanced manner. On top of that, the story also focuses on the exploitation, gossip and lack of privacy celebrities have to deal with.
My main issue with this book is the casualness with which eating disorders were used as some sort of comic relief. Even the more acceptable disordered eating pattern Emma has to follow to bulk up for her next movie role is never really examined as harmful. It just feels like such a let-down, especially in comparison to the way sexual abuse and harassment is discussed.
There is a romance aspect to this story too, of course. The chemistry between Emma and Liam was great, but they mainly worked because they challenged each other and they helped each other face some hard truths. I also adored the friendships and the found family elements of the story. Emma has a troubled relationship with her relatives, but she does have a family around her.
This is the third book of the series, and I haven't read the first two, but there are plenty of references to what happened before the events of this book to sort of piece together enough of a backstory. I never felt truly lost without all the information of the first two books, which proves that this one can be read as a standalone.
(I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.)
January 10, 2020
Okay, why didn't i read this book before? This was one of my late netgalley reads and honestly... i'm beating myself about it because it is so so good.
This book is a retelling of Emma by Jane Austen (which i haven't finished but as a Jane Austen fan i can say that Kate Watson captures the essense that makes Austen what she is) set in Hollywood, we follow two siblings that are stars since they were kids and now, after a disaster with their parents, they are back at the acting scene.
This book also deals heavily with topics such as sexual assault and eating disorders so if you a triggered by any of this topics please go with caution, as they are discussed plenty in the novel.. The MeToo movement and the Eating Disorders i think are handled very well, although sometimes it feels a little bit in your face, i really loved it anyway.
Now, what did i like about it? My favorite part is probably the characters. All of them (even the ones you are not supposed to root for) are real people, each of them represent a person that even if you are not in the Hollywood space you can pin point. Emma, our main character, falls under the morally gray spectrum and i love her for that. She is also one of the few female protagonists that has made me feel like i'm understood? It was a breeze of fresh air to read about someone who isn´t perfect and who makes mistakes but also that wants to be better.
Some highlights on the characters: Liam (my precious baby), Britt (must be protected at all cost) and KeyAra (our favorite classy hoe).
The other thing that i loved about this book so much is how it handles the topics of family divorce and breakup, the grief and healing of recovering from you family, how it changes you. I haven't ever read something that could nail exactly what i was feeling towards my parents and my family, It had my CRYING at 2:00 am because it hit too close to home. I'm serious. I'm so thankful for this book and the moment it came into my life. Am i bias because this book made me feel at home? Yes. But, isn't that what books are supposed to be about?
This book is a retelling of Emma by Jane Austen (which i haven't finished but as a Jane Austen fan i can say that Kate Watson captures the essense that makes Austen what she is) set in Hollywood, we follow two siblings that are stars since they were kids and now, after a disaster with their parents, they are back at the acting scene.
This book also deals heavily with topics such as sexual assault and eating disorders so if you a triggered by any of this topics please go with caution, as they are discussed plenty in the novel.. The MeToo movement and the Eating Disorders i think are handled very well, although sometimes it feels a little bit in your face, i really loved it anyway.
Now, what did i like about it? My favorite part is probably the characters. All of them (even the ones you are not supposed to root for) are real people, each of them represent a person that even if you are not in the Hollywood space you can pin point. Emma, our main character, falls under the morally gray spectrum and i love her for that. She is also one of the few female protagonists that has made me feel like i'm understood? It was a breeze of fresh air to read about someone who isn´t perfect and who makes mistakes but also that wants to be better.
Some highlights on the characters: Liam (my precious baby), Britt (must be protected at all cost) and KeyAra (our favorite classy hoe).
The other thing that i loved about this book so much is how it handles the topics of family divorce and breakup, the grief and healing of recovering from you family, how it changes you. I haven't ever read something that could nail exactly what i was feeling towards my parents and my family, It had my CRYING at 2:00 am because it hit too close to home. I'm serious. I'm so thankful for this book and the moment it came into my life. Am i bias because this book made me feel at home? Yes. But, isn't that what books are supposed to be about?
January 14, 2020
My blog: A Magical World of Words
Source: Netgalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts are my own.
The writing isn't memorable, but Watson writes well and the dialogue, especially, is fantastic. It's entertaining, witty, and clever. Sometimes it veers into cheesiness, but generally it's strong. The dialogue is easily my favourite aspect of this novel.
Unfortunately, the plot is extremely dull. There's no sense of urgency, no truly exciting scenes, and I struggled to keep reading. I never disliked the story, but it never hooked me, either. The combination of merely filler content and unfocused themes messed with the pacing and sapped the thrill and tension from the plot; it's a timely and commendable decision on the author's part to bring the #MeToo movement into the story, but that only became the main plot about halfway through the book...Why? Why was the book's message never clear until then?
If the story was tightened and the plot was injected with high stakes, deeply compelling scenes, and had focus from beginning to end, I might've loved it.
The characters are fun and interesting. Watson's Emma is the perfect tribute to Austen's, and she has the same energy and compelling personality traits that make us love to hate the original Emma. Watson nails her heroine's personality.
As for the rest of the cast and their relationships, everyone is interesting in their own way and they all add something valuable to the story. Emma and Liam's romance is wonderfully nuanced and they have great chemistry, Emma's relationship with Brittany is the perfect parallel to Emma and Harriet's problematic relationship, and Emma's dynamic with her brother Harlan is a thoughtful and layered addition to the plot.
With strong dialogue and colourful characters, Off Script is a feisty retelling of Austen's Emma.
Source: Netgalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts are my own.
The writing isn't memorable, but Watson writes well and the dialogue, especially, is fantastic. It's entertaining, witty, and clever. Sometimes it veers into cheesiness, but generally it's strong. The dialogue is easily my favourite aspect of this novel.
Unfortunately, the plot is extremely dull. There's no sense of urgency, no truly exciting scenes, and I struggled to keep reading. I never disliked the story, but it never hooked me, either. The combination of merely filler content and unfocused themes messed with the pacing and sapped the thrill and tension from the plot; it's a timely and commendable decision on the author's part to bring the #MeToo movement into the story, but that only became the main plot about halfway through the book...Why? Why was the book's message never clear until then?
If the story was tightened and the plot was injected with high stakes, deeply compelling scenes, and had focus from beginning to end, I might've loved it.
The characters are fun and interesting. Watson's Emma is the perfect tribute to Austen's, and she has the same energy and compelling personality traits that make us love to hate the original Emma. Watson nails her heroine's personality.
As for the rest of the cast and their relationships, everyone is interesting in their own way and they all add something valuable to the story. Emma and Liam's romance is wonderfully nuanced and they have great chemistry, Emma's relationship with Brittany is the perfect parallel to Emma and Harriet's problematic relationship, and Emma's dynamic with her brother Harlan is a thoughtful and layered addition to the plot.
With strong dialogue and colourful characters, Off Script is a feisty retelling of Austen's Emma.
June 1, 2021
This grew on me. It's been a while since I've read an Austen retelling, but I know Emma well enough to see the bones here—and yet Watson goes (wait for it) off script enough to keep things interesting.
In places the book does feel pretty soap opera-y. This might be due to callbacks to events from the first two books, which I have not read (reminds me a little of a German romance novella that I started reading last year, one in a series, in which we hear a great deal about 'that time I was kidnapped' and 'that time the evil woman tricked the hero into thinking she was pregnant' and 'that time the evil woman had an abortion'—all in the first two pages). But it evens out eventually, and Emma is surprisingly likable: we can see that she's genuinely trying to help her friends, and also that she's a little oblivious; she doesn't always get it right.
But the story takes a more serious turn, picking up on #metoo themes and running with them. What works so well there is that it's not one incident, and there's a lot of...not grey area, exactly (it's stuff that's obviously wrong/abusive/etc.), but stuff that can be hard to prosecute. We see Emma processing it all, and it is a process: she goes through a whole gamut of reactions, from laughing off traumatic situations that she's been in to feeling shame for things that people have done to her to finding her voice. Too, while she has supportive people in her corner, she also has people who'd rather see Emma shove it all under the rug. And, of course, #metoo isn't about one person, and the related events of Off Script aren't just about Emma. Even when the book feels like a soap opera, this part of things are really thoughtfully done. I'm not as interested in the other books in the series and probably won't go looking for them, but this far exceeded my expectations in the ways that count.
In places the book does feel pretty soap opera-y. This might be due to callbacks to events from the first two books, which I have not read (reminds me a little of a German romance novella that I started reading last year, one in a series, in which we hear a great deal about 'that time I was kidnapped' and 'that time the evil woman tricked the hero into thinking she was pregnant' and 'that time the evil woman had an abortion'—all in the first two pages). But it evens out eventually, and Emma is surprisingly likable: we can see that she's genuinely trying to help her friends, and also that she's a little oblivious; she doesn't always get it right.
But the story takes a more serious turn, picking up on #metoo themes and running with them. What works so well there is that it's not one incident, and there's a lot of...not grey area, exactly (it's stuff that's obviously wrong/abusive/etc.), but stuff that can be hard to prosecute. We see Emma processing it all, and it is a process: she goes through a whole gamut of reactions, from laughing off traumatic situations that she's been in to feeling shame for things that people have done to her to finding her voice. Too, while she has supportive people in her corner, she also has people who'd rather see Emma shove it all under the rug. And, of course, #metoo isn't about one person, and the related events of Off Script aren't just about Emma. Even when the book feels like a soap opera, this part of things are really thoughtfully done. I'm not as interested in the other books in the series and probably won't go looking for them, but this far exceeded my expectations in the ways that count.
March 4, 2020
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
'Off Script' is part of a book series, something that I found out later. I did not feel the need to know what happened in the previous books while I was reading this novel, however, I think some things would have made more sense if I did. This book is set in the glamourous life of attractive, well-off actors and actresses. However, there is more to it than romance between pretty people. 'Off Script' deals with the dark side of the entertainment industry.
Emma, the main character, is a young actress who has been raised in the industry. While in the first part of the book she might seem spoiled or bratty, it soon gets better. Emma's character grows and develops throughout the book and it soon becomes a much different person. Also, her relationships with other characters -boyfriend, brother, etc.- add some depth to the story and make it more compelling. I especially liked how the characters seem to have two sides, kind of what we would expect from real celebrities. On the one hand, they seem to be superficial and aloof, but little by little we get to know their real personalities.
As I said, this book also deals with sexual assault and abuse of minors. Emma is reluctant to speak about it at first, but then she realises how important it is for her to use her influence and position to help make it better for others. I was happy to see that bit of #MeToo in the book. However, it doesn't appear until the second half of the book, which made it a bit frustrating. Why wait so much to introduce one of the main topics?
The pace of the book is nice, which means that it can be easily read. It's a nice read even if we can assume the characters will get a happy ending pretty soon.
'Off Script' is part of a book series, something that I found out later. I did not feel the need to know what happened in the previous books while I was reading this novel, however, I think some things would have made more sense if I did. This book is set in the glamourous life of attractive, well-off actors and actresses. However, there is more to it than romance between pretty people. 'Off Script' deals with the dark side of the entertainment industry.
Emma, the main character, is a young actress who has been raised in the industry. While in the first part of the book she might seem spoiled or bratty, it soon gets better. Emma's character grows and develops throughout the book and it soon becomes a much different person. Also, her relationships with other characters -boyfriend, brother, etc.- add some depth to the story and make it more compelling. I especially liked how the characters seem to have two sides, kind of what we would expect from real celebrities. On the one hand, they seem to be superficial and aloof, but little by little we get to know their real personalities.
As I said, this book also deals with sexual assault and abuse of minors. Emma is reluctant to speak about it at first, but then she realises how important it is for her to use her influence and position to help make it better for others. I was happy to see that bit of #MeToo in the book. However, it doesn't appear until the second half of the book, which made it a bit frustrating. Why wait so much to introduce one of the main topics?
The pace of the book is nice, which means that it can be easily read. It's a nice read even if we can assume the characters will get a happy ending pretty soon.
December 11, 2019
Emma and Harlan Crawford are sibling actors, the children of famous but now divorced parents who view them as a meal ticket. Emma and Harlan protect one another above all else, sometimes blindly.
Emma has returned to NYC to prepare for an upcoming role. Harlan is in training to portray a young soccer star & is paired with a professional soccer player Liam. Problem is, Liam and Harlan already know each other - Harlan dated (and subsequently broke up with) Liam’s sister Finley. And Emma allowed her own friendship with Finley to peter out in deference to Harlan but misses her so.
Things become tricky when Emma begins to enjoy the company of Liam, a little too much. There’s also a third wheel in Alecki, who is Emma’s mentor’s nephew. And Harlan isn’t happy about either.
Parallel storylines revolve around Emma’s friendships, new and old and her role as matchmaker (and this the re-telling of Austen’s Emma). Emma believes everyone has skeletons in their closet and that generally truth is not worth the risk. So she tends to avoid conflict and tries to manage friendships whilst not always being true to them or herself.
This is a contemporary YA fiction novel with all the complexities that go with success, fame and infamy at a young age. Emma tends to be a little self-absorbed but her heart is in the right place. As a reader you might raise an eyebrow in relation to her woe-is-me attitude but in my opinion the growth of Emma’s character is what makes this book appealing.
Thank you to Kate Watson, netgalley and fluxbooks for an eARC if this book. This book is the third instalment in the Seeking Mansfield series - something I was not aware of at all, proving the book can be read as a stand-alone. One iffy area for me was Harlan’s character (he was quite shallow) and I wondered about his being the next instalment which would explain not too much being given away.
A solid 3.5/ 5 for me (it will round up on @goodreads). Out in January 2020.
Emma has returned to NYC to prepare for an upcoming role. Harlan is in training to portray a young soccer star & is paired with a professional soccer player Liam. Problem is, Liam and Harlan already know each other - Harlan dated (and subsequently broke up with) Liam’s sister Finley. And Emma allowed her own friendship with Finley to peter out in deference to Harlan but misses her so.
Things become tricky when Emma begins to enjoy the company of Liam, a little too much. There’s also a third wheel in Alecki, who is Emma’s mentor’s nephew. And Harlan isn’t happy about either.
Parallel storylines revolve around Emma’s friendships, new and old and her role as matchmaker (and this the re-telling of Austen’s Emma). Emma believes everyone has skeletons in their closet and that generally truth is not worth the risk. So she tends to avoid conflict and tries to manage friendships whilst not always being true to them or herself.
This is a contemporary YA fiction novel with all the complexities that go with success, fame and infamy at a young age. Emma tends to be a little self-absorbed but her heart is in the right place. As a reader you might raise an eyebrow in relation to her woe-is-me attitude but in my opinion the growth of Emma’s character is what makes this book appealing.
Thank you to Kate Watson, netgalley and fluxbooks for an eARC if this book. This book is the third instalment in the Seeking Mansfield series - something I was not aware of at all, proving the book can be read as a stand-alone. One iffy area for me was Harlan’s character (he was quite shallow) and I wondered about his being the next instalment which would explain not too much being given away.
A solid 3.5/ 5 for me (it will round up on @goodreads). Out in January 2020.
December 12, 2019
Opening line:
"Emma Crawford was a genius."
Emma is a lose, but fun, retelling of EMMA by Jane Austen. The difference with the two heroine's, is that Emma Crawford makes career matches instead of love matches.
Emma left her life to support her brother, Harlan, through his mental breakdown after a nasty break up with one of their mutual friends. They both were on track for big movie premieres, both seemed happy and ready for the next script of their lives. Until they meet the soccer star Harlan is supposed to shadow--Liam Price--the brother of the sister who broke Harlan's heart.
Emma hires a new assistant, who wants to be a weather person. Brittany has a degree in meterology and is offered a job in the state where she wants to live. But predicting the weather isn't good enough for Brittany, according to Emma. She must aspire to bigger and greater things, like being a star on a soap opera! LOL
Liam is a great Mr. Knightly. He has just the right amount of wisdom and talking Emma into being a better person, without coming off better-than-thou. The love interest arc is drawn out and just right.
Much of Emma's journey, and those of other females in the business, showed the ugly side of the acting industry: gossip, backstabbing, sexual harassment, etc and the way different women dealt with it. Some of the backstabbing are people close to her, and Emma has to decide if she will take a stand and set her boundaries.
Thanks to netgalley for the early read and to @fluxbooks for the arc!
"Emma Crawford was a genius."
Emma is a lose, but fun, retelling of EMMA by Jane Austen. The difference with the two heroine's, is that Emma Crawford makes career matches instead of love matches.
Emma left her life to support her brother, Harlan, through his mental breakdown after a nasty break up with one of their mutual friends. They both were on track for big movie premieres, both seemed happy and ready for the next script of their lives. Until they meet the soccer star Harlan is supposed to shadow--Liam Price--the brother of the sister who broke Harlan's heart.
Emma hires a new assistant, who wants to be a weather person. Brittany has a degree in meterology and is offered a job in the state where she wants to live. But predicting the weather isn't good enough for Brittany, according to Emma. She must aspire to bigger and greater things, like being a star on a soap opera! LOL
Liam is a great Mr. Knightly. He has just the right amount of wisdom and talking Emma into being a better person, without coming off better-than-thou. The love interest arc is drawn out and just right.
Much of Emma's journey, and those of other females in the business, showed the ugly side of the acting industry: gossip, backstabbing, sexual harassment, etc and the way different women dealt with it. Some of the backstabbing are people close to her, and Emma has to decide if she will take a stand and set her boundaries.
Thanks to netgalley for the early read and to @fluxbooks for the arc!
November 25, 2019
Emma is one of my favorite Jane Austen stories, so I was really excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of this book, which is a modern day retelling of Emma.
The third book in the series, it could definitely be read as a stand alone, which was great because I have a terrible memory when it comes to books.
I did enjoy the story overall. Emma is an actress who has been raised in the industry, being exploited by her parents and others along the way. And, very timely on the author's part, a nice dose of the "me too" movement is mixed in.
With how seriously she tackled the topic of sexual assault, I was surprised at how casually eating disorders were approached. I almost felt like they were thrown in as comic relief at some points, and I wish that it had been addressed as well as the other difficult topics.
That being said, it was pretty fun to read, and I would definitely check out Kate Watson's future work.
*I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
The third book in the series, it could definitely be read as a stand alone, which was great because I have a terrible memory when it comes to books.
I did enjoy the story overall. Emma is an actress who has been raised in the industry, being exploited by her parents and others along the way. And, very timely on the author's part, a nice dose of the "me too" movement is mixed in.
With how seriously she tackled the topic of sexual assault, I was surprised at how casually eating disorders were approached. I almost felt like they were thrown in as comic relief at some points, and I wish that it had been addressed as well as the other difficult topics.
That being said, it was pretty fun to read, and I would definitely check out Kate Watson's future work.
*I received a digital ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
November 16, 2019
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review. Having not read the first two books in the series, the author does a good job of introducing the main characters and background. You could certainly read the book as a standalone.
If you like reading quirky books about actors and their daily lives as well as romances, you will like the book. Emma thinks what she is told, that she's sparkle but no substance, that her talent is skin deep. She is only 19 and has some growing up to do. Thia book is a clever modern retelling of Emna. I just got a little bogged down at times with some of the minutiae of Emma's days training for her movie role and secondary characters I didn't care about like KeyAra and Bryce. The ending was quite sweet and there was a good MeToo moment that was timely, and didn't feel contrived or out of place. 3.3/5 ☆
If you like reading quirky books about actors and their daily lives as well as romances, you will like the book. Emma thinks what she is told, that she's sparkle but no substance, that her talent is skin deep. She is only 19 and has some growing up to do. Thia book is a clever modern retelling of Emna. I just got a little bogged down at times with some of the minutiae of Emma's days training for her movie role and secondary characters I didn't care about like KeyAra and Bryce. The ending was quite sweet and there was a good MeToo moment that was timely, and didn't feel contrived or out of place. 3.3/5 ☆
October 11, 2019
Thank you netgalley and the publishers for this Gem of a book! This is my first book by the author Kate Watson and I completely loved it. I love recreation of Jane Austen's novels and Emma is one of my favourites of all time. And moreover I am a big fan of the movie 'Clueless' too. I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw it and it did not disappoint! I simply loved the characters! Such a teen drama with hollywood elements and classic Jane Austen plot made this a very cute and entertaining rom-com/teen-drama book. A perfect read that it was and I highly recommend it for all Jane Austen fans and I am looking forward to more of Kate Watson's books in the future!
Happy reading and thanks for this ARC❤
Happy reading and thanks for this ARC❤
January 15, 2020
I didn't read the first book of this series and was a little scared if that would be a problem. Turns out, it isn't!
The first part of the book was hard to get through. The writing style (lots and lots of dialogue and not a lot of action) combined with a bratty selfish main character made it a little difficult. But it gets better! Emma goes through a real development throughout the book and especially in the end.
The slow-burn romance and the #metoo-theme were a great addition to the book. I do think that there could've been more. I missed a little depth sometimes.
Overall, I ended up enjoying it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a copy. All opinions are my own.
XIV blog
The first part of the book was hard to get through. The writing style (lots and lots of dialogue and not a lot of action) combined with a bratty selfish main character made it a little difficult. But it gets better! Emma goes through a real development throughout the book and especially in the end.
The slow-burn romance and the #metoo-theme were a great addition to the book. I do think that there could've been more. I missed a little depth sometimes.
Overall, I ended up enjoying it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a copy. All opinions are my own.
XIV blog
February 1, 2020
Title: Off Script
Author: Kate Watson
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5
Emma Crawford is a teen starlet home for the summer. She’s preparing for the role of a lifetime, playing matchmaker to her friends, and trying to keep her brother—also a star—out of trouble. Emma’s new assistant, Brittany, is her current project. She’s determined to groom Brittany for a future as a star—that’s what Brittany wants, right?
Liam is the only one brave enough to call Emma out. He’s a soccer star and brother to Emma’s former best friend, and Emma isn’t used to people who dare to criticize her. But as Emma finds out things in Hollywood that have always been hidden, she’ll need Liam’s honesty to help her make sense of this new world.
Off Script is an easy, fun read. It’s a re-telling of Emma, by Jane Austen, but it’s been so long since I’ve read it that the comparison is lost on me. The book is about Hollywood stars, so there’s a large amount of self-centeredness and self-absorption, but Emma is likable enough to counteract her ego (usually). Liam is sweet and funny, but none of the characters really grabbed me.
(Galley courtesy of North Star Editions/Flux in exchange for an honest review.)
More reviews at Tomorrow is Another Day
Author: Kate Watson
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4 out of 5
Emma Crawford is a teen starlet home for the summer. She’s preparing for the role of a lifetime, playing matchmaker to her friends, and trying to keep her brother—also a star—out of trouble. Emma’s new assistant, Brittany, is her current project. She’s determined to groom Brittany for a future as a star—that’s what Brittany wants, right?
Liam is the only one brave enough to call Emma out. He’s a soccer star and brother to Emma’s former best friend, and Emma isn’t used to people who dare to criticize her. But as Emma finds out things in Hollywood that have always been hidden, she’ll need Liam’s honesty to help her make sense of this new world.
Off Script is an easy, fun read. It’s a re-telling of Emma, by Jane Austen, but it’s been so long since I’ve read it that the comparison is lost on me. The book is about Hollywood stars, so there’s a large amount of self-centeredness and self-absorption, but Emma is likable enough to counteract her ego (usually). Liam is sweet and funny, but none of the characters really grabbed me.
(Galley courtesy of North Star Editions/Flux in exchange for an honest review.)
More reviews at Tomorrow is Another Day
September 16, 2019
First, I love any book that is a retelling of a Jane Austin romance. I love all of Ms Austin’s books. So, I was very excited to read Off Script and Kate Watson is a new author for me. Although I enjoyed the book, I don’t remember Emma being so confusing and requiring to pay so much attention to all of the characters and who they were and who ended up with who. Maybe because I have read all of Jane Austin’s books at least 20 times. I did love Emma in the book and adored Liam and as always, when they end of together my heart was warmed.
October 6, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to review this book!
I have to say I quite enjoyed this one. Emma is a force, and her growth throughout the novel was inspiring. I felt like she changed in the best ways, She took moments that could have broken her and grew from them. She stopped allowing people to use her, and I related to that greatly.
The book is cute, and sassy, but at the same time, it also holds to strength and positivity. It touches on some tough subjects, but does so with aplomb and tact.
I have to say I quite enjoyed this one. Emma is a force, and her growth throughout the novel was inspiring. I felt like she changed in the best ways, She took moments that could have broken her and grew from them. She stopped allowing people to use her, and I related to that greatly.
The book is cute, and sassy, but at the same time, it also holds to strength and positivity. It touches on some tough subjects, but does so with aplomb and tact.
December 12, 2021
Cute and fun retelling if my favorite Austen novel. Emma Crawford doesn’t get everything right, but don’t tell her that. It takes a couple of slips to get her detailed and it’s going to take a lot of effort to get back on track. Fortunately, she’s never backed down from a challenge.
The character arc wasn’t exactly spot on for Emma. Some choices came out of left field in order to accommodate plot devices, and some of which weren’t even necessary as a nod to the original. In general, the character changes worked and some were scary good matches to the original Highbury players.
Very satisfied with the empowered women angle that’s threaded throughout. It was a great addition.
The character arc wasn’t exactly spot on for Emma. Some choices came out of left field in order to accommodate plot devices, and some of which weren’t even necessary as a nod to the original. In general, the character changes worked and some were scary good matches to the original Highbury players.
Very satisfied with the empowered women angle that’s threaded throughout. It was a great addition.
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