Movie Star by Lizzie Pepper

In this novel, Liftin, a ghostwriter/cowriter on numerous celebrity memoirs, including those of Miley Cyrus and Tori Spelling, sheds light on our desire to know every juicy tidbit of celebrities’ private lives. Told as the memoir of Lizzie Pepper, an actress known for girl-next-door roles, the novel reveals her much-discussed relationship with the older and enigmatic Rob Mars (also an actor). From their meet-cute, Rob sweeps Lizzie off her feet with private-island dates, personal jets, and excessive amounts of sweet-talking. Through Rob and his devotion to One Cell—a cult-like meditation group—Lizzie believes she finds the power to take control of her career and her life. But life with a beloved actor reveals itself to be stifling, especially when the illusion of privacy disappears, and long-surviving friendships fall apart. Due to Lizzie’s wide-eyed nature, the reader may give her some leniency for her blindness to Rob and One Cell’s manipulations, which slows the narrative flow. The novel offers a surprisingly poignant look at making yourself the hero of your own story, in a very anti-Cinderella way. Readers will enjoy speculating about the real-life A-list celebrity inspirations, which adds to the already-juicy entertainment of Lizzie’s story. (July)