Unscripted

Nov 12, 2011 Sarah (The Brazen Bookworm) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, chick-lit

Full review published here: http://www.brazenbookworm.com/2012/01...

Very cute chick lit set in the reality tv universe. The ending was a bit rushed, but the heroine and her guy were adorable, and the other characters were charming and funny. Overall, a very good read.

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Jan 13, 2012 Brie C. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Originally posted at: Romance Around the Corner

Unscripted follows our heroine, Abby Edwards, as she tries to make a living in Hollywood while working as a producer in the world of reality TV. We see her trying to come to terms with the fact that her dream of being a screenwriter won’t come true, having a job that is hard and demanding but not as rewarding as she would like, and overall struggling to find her place, be successful and achieve happiness. In the process we meet Abby’s best friend Zö...more

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Mar 15, 2012 Jael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Every day you can find a reality show on TV. I think the market is over-saturated with them. I have to roll my eyes at shows like The Bachelor. It's not real. I don't understand the motivation to going on a reality show. Fame must be the motive. But what about the people behind the scenes? What is their motivation? I wonder about that sometimes. Like who are the geniuses that brought us "Joe Millionaire" and "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?" Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz...more Every day you can find a reality show on TV. I think the market is over-saturated with them. I have to roll my eyes at shows like The Bachelor. It's not real. I don't understand the motivation to going on a reality show. Fame must be the motive. But what about the people behind the scenes? What is their motivation? I wonder about that sometimes. Like who are the geniuses that brought us "Joe Millionaire" and "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?" Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz takes us behind the scenes of reality TV.

Abby Edwards is very cynical when it comes to love. Finding her next job and relationships with her friends are what's important, romance is not part of the equation. Her job as a producer on the dating show Matchmaker is about to end. Where is her next gig going to come from? Is this type of career what she really wants? Splicing together footage is the easy part of the job. Playing therapist/pastor/mom/dad/aunt/uncle/shoulder to cry on for the babies on her reality show are the hard part. Either the contestants come to her or the network forces her to deal with their petty problems. But even that wears on Abby. How many times can you watch a grown man or woman act like a baby?

Her friends are an interesting bunch, especially her closest friend and roommate Zoe. Zoe has found love, but for her it has an expiration date if her boyfriend, Jeff, doesn't propose. Even when she gets the proposal it was forced. Zoe wants marriage and family, but only if her husband has a sizable bank account. Jeff has a "good" job, but as soon as he takes a job with a lower salary there is trouble in paradise. It doesn't matter if the job makes him happy and could lead to an even better opportunity. All that matters is that Zoe might not be able to fulfill her dream of a big house, children, and life as a housewife. I found Zoe to be extremely selfish and self-centered. I'm surprised Abby and Zoe were friends. Abby doesn't care about appearances the way Zoe does.

Abby's life is thrown for a loop when she goes to work alongside Will, a handsome producer. She's not sure how this will work since the last time Abby saw Will she mistook him for a lowly production assistant. But it goes better than expected as Will comes to respect her ideas. Abby starts feeling butterflies whenever he is around, but does Will feel the same. Her jaded views about love keep Abby from acting on her feelings.

The relationship Abby has with herself is at the heart of the book. When her friendship with Zoe hits a rough patch, Abby is forced to look at her own life. Is she really happy? What will it take to make her happy? Is fantasizing about Will just a quick fix? The sooner Abby can answer those questions, the sooner she can be happy. The book also delves into the ugly side of reality TV. We get a very vivid picture of all the backstabbing, power struggles, and manipulation that goes on. Abby does more than her fair share of work, but someone with more power is always standing by to take credit. In the end, I wish some of the romance elements had been explored more. The ending, while very hopeful, leaves you wanting more of Abby's story. The way the book ended, life was just beginning for Abby.

Rating: Superb

Note: I received an e-copy from the authors in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Feb 01, 2012 Rowena rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

I like watching reality TV shows so when I came across this blurb, I thought it'd be right up my alley of a good time and I liked it but I didn't exactly love it. One of the main things for me when reading a book is connecting with the characters. If I can't connect with the characters then I can't really connect with the story so I was glad that I was able to connect in some ways to Abby. Abby Edwards is our heroine in this story and we see her cope with an ex-boyfriend who's making their past...more I like watching reality TV shows so when I came across this blurb, I thought it'd be right up my alley of a good time and I liked it but I didn't exactly love it. One of the main things for me when reading a book is connecting with the characters. If I can't connect with the characters then I can't really connect with the story so I was glad that I was able to connect in some ways to Abby. Abby Edwards is our heroine in this story and we see her cope with an ex-boyfriend who's making their past love life into a movie and she starts to realize that she's not living the life she thought she'd be living right now and the adventures start popping off.

This book is filled to the brim with characters that leap right off the page. Whether those characters are driving you insane (Zoe) then you're loving the heck out of them and wanting more of them (Will). I really enjoyed getting to know Abby throughout this story. From the beginning to the end, she was definitely one of those characters that drew you deeper into the story. She had a voice that at times grated on my nerves but it didn't stop me from reading on. Watching her and Will's relationship bumble on made me want to know more and more about them. It was actually my least favorite thing about this book. Not that I didn't like the romance between them but because we didn't get enough. I was left wanting so much more of Will that my enjoyment of the book suffered a bit because I didn't get enough.

Abby's best friend Zoe got on my hot damn nerves and every time she came onto the page, I wanted to smack some dang sense into her. I wasn't a fan of her whole relationship, the way that she trapped her boyfriend into marriage and just her whole personality turned me off.

Overall, the stuff that kept me reading on (aside from wanting more Will and Abby) was how real the behind the scenes action was on set. The fast paced environment and just everything that went down had me laughing or grinning like a crazy people so while this wasn't the best story ever, it was still had enjoyable moments with a heroine that drove me crazy but had me cheering for her anyway and a love interest that I was thirsty for more. I'm glad that I finished reading this book and if you're in the mood for a contemporary chick lit book then this definitely fits the bill.(less)

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Dec 24, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

originally posted at http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...

Can you really believe in love when you work for a show that proves love is just another commodity to be bought and sold? Living in a big city, working for a reality TV show, Abby Edwards runs into that question all the time. Not believing in love just becomes easier when working in this industry. Until one day when Will Harper comes into her life and things get all turned around. Ten years, filled with life, friends and love happen an...more

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Nov 20, 2011 Madame X rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

UNSCRIPTED isn’t a romance novel. It would be better to describe it as a show-biz novel with romantic elements. Both of the authors have worked in television, and in reality TV in particular, and the authenticity comes through. Abbey’s grueling work schedule, her camaraderie with her colleagues and her love-hate relationship with the shows she works on are described in vivid detail.

This isn’t a book full of hairpin twists and turns, but Abbey faces challenges in three areas of her life: career,...more UNSCRIPTED isn’t a romance novel. It would be better to describe it as a show-biz novel with romantic elements. Both of the authors have worked in television, and in reality TV in particular, and the authenticity comes through. Abbey’s grueling work schedule, her camaraderie with her colleagues and her love-hate relationship with the shows she works on are described in vivid detail.

This isn’t a book full of hairpin twists and turns, but Abbey faces challenges in three areas of her life: career, friendship, and romance. Career-wise, she’s advanced to the point where she needs to make a major leap forward or give up and find a different line of work. Meanwhile, her ex-boyfriend is succeeding as a screenwriter, with a blockbuster movie based partly on their relationship playing in theaters to rave reviews. Abbey doesn’t want to be jealous of this ex of hers (which his a pleasantly mature attitude for her to take), his success highlights her own failures.

Friend-wise, she’s got a few friends, each one with distinct pluses and negatives, and Abbey has to keep those relationships healthy. She has one friend who makes some dubious decisions and Abbey has to decide whether or not to stick by her. Another friend is going through a major life shift, and Abbey needs to put her own worries aside to support her friend. A third friend is positive and encouraging but a little eccentric, and Abbey needs to decide whether to let the eccentricities drive them apart.

The friend elements are all nicely done. I was pretty impressed by how realistic the conflicts that Abbey experiences are – there are moments when I thought, with each friend, “Argh, drop her!” and then other moments when Abbey would find a way to bridge the divide and I’d think, “Good girl, Abbey, keep the friendship strong!”

Both with work and friends, Abbey gets into a lot of complicated interpersonal situations where she really gets the chance to shine. At work, she’s deft and dedicated. With her friends, she’s mature. I really liked her.

The romance is actually the weakest and least satisfactory element of this book, which is strange from a Carina title. I wasn’t even sure who Abbey’s love interest was until about a quarter of the way into the book, and it’s well past the halfway point before she really has a conversation with him. For most of the book, Abbey’s relationship with Will is distant and professional. The pace picks up at the end…kind of…but they just don’t interact all that much, and I never had much of a handle on who Will was or what he wanted.

So I can’t recommend this title to anyone looking for a good romance (though you might try JUST THE SEXIEST MAN ALIVE by Julie James or THE UNIDENTIFIED REDHEAD for a celebrity/normal person romance) but for a fun novel and a great inside view of the entertainment industry, it’s a good pick.
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Nov 20, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz and is light, fun read set in the underbelly of reality television — a perfect setting as the authors have extensive experience in said underbelly.

Abby Edwards is a segment producer who isn’t exactly where she wants to be in her personal or professional life, so her eclectic “supporting cast” tries to help her along, each in his or her own way. Her screenwriter ex-boyfriend, for example, splashes intimate details about their former relationship on t...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, own-ebook, read-2012, romance

Posted on Book Chelle.

Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz is a fun contemporary fiction, set behind the scenes of reality television.

Abby Edwards is a segment producer who can manage everyone's life but her own. For Abby, it seems like everyone knows their path in life except her. Her friends are successful, or happy and content about their own life. Her screenwriter ex-boyfriend has just released a movie, loosely based on their relationship, filled with (exaggerated) intimate details...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Is love real or is it a myth? This is the question that thirty-two year old Abby Edwards questions while working as a producer on reality TV shows. Abby hasn't gotten over the pain of a failed relationship, and her cynical view of dating is that working in reality TV is the best antidote to dating, it's enough to make you celibate! Abby's friends think that she needs to move on with her life: BFF Zoe likes to set her up on dates, Stephanie likes to keep it real and tell it like it is, and Nancy...more Is love real or is it a myth? This is the question that thirty-two year old Abby Edwards questions while working as a producer on reality TV shows. Abby hasn't gotten over the pain of a failed relationship, and her cynical view of dating is that working in reality TV is the best antidote to dating, it's enough to make you celibate! Abby's friends think that she needs to move on with her life: BFF Zoe likes to set her up on dates, Stephanie likes to keep it real and tell it like it is, and Nancy thinks Abby needs to release her negative energy and focus on the positive. While she loves her friends, Abby sticks to working herself ragged on the reality shows, but along comes a man that just plain makes her go bonkers! Will Harper is Abby's new boss, but they share a past, they worked together eight years ago and she made a total fool of herself in front of him, the only thing is that he doesn't remember her. Between the long hours of producing the reality show and obsessing over Will, Abby can't help but wonder if she is being left behind while all her friends' lives are moving forward. To add to her misery, her ex-boyfriend has a hit screenplay, and it's about their relationship, and it doesn't portray Abby in a good light! Can it get any worse? Her dream has always been to write for television, but can her dream become a reality? Can her attraction for Will lead to a romance, maybe even love? Is it possible to move forward in life like her friends have? Follow Abby's journey of self-discovery in Unscripted!

Unscripted was such a fun book to read! As an admitted reality TV fanatic, I loved that this story centered around the production of reality TV shows. I absolutely loved how the authors utilized their experience in the reality TV industry, and gave their readers an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at what really happens in producing reality shows. The storyline was well written and intriguing, it felt like the authors magically transport their readers into the reality TV world, it is that entertaining! I loved getting to know all of the characters, they were so realistic, each of their individual personalities added so much more depth and appeal to the story as a whole. I have to admit that my favorite characters were Abby and Stephanie. I loved both of them because their cynical and sarcastic outlook are so close to mine, I found myself snickering along with them. Of course I also had some least favorite characters: Zoe the selfish bitch and Lisa the all-around total bitch. I found myself gritting my teeth in annoyance when I was reading their portion of the story. Need I say anymore? There is just one little thing that left me wistful, I wanted to see fireworks between Abby and Will throughout the book, but I don't want to give any spoiler information, so I'll just say that I did love their interactions, but I was left wanting more. *sigh* In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fast-paced entertaining book. Kudos to the authors on a great debut novel! Chick Lit fans, put Unscripted on your TBR list, it's a must read!

Disclaimer: At the request of the authors and Chick Lit Plus, an Adobe PDF edition of the book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.

Virtual Book Tour Event: On Friday, January 27, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
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Nov 28, 2011 Louise Graham rated it 3 of 5 stars

Giving this 3 1/3 stars!

Unscripted is jointly written book by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz and their debut novel (Released by Carina Press).

Abby Edwards works as a producer on reality shows. Whilst she knows there is no such thing as true love she has to convince the contestants on the Dating Show there is such a thing.

With the support of her friends around her, she is able to tolerate hook-ups in hot tubs .. but only just!! Each of her friends think they know how they can improve her life,...more Giving this 3 1/3 stars!

Unscripted is jointly written book by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz and their debut novel (Released by Carina Press).

Abby Edwards works as a producer on reality shows. Whilst she knows there is no such thing as true love she has to convince the contestants on the Dating Show there is such a thing.

With the support of her friends around her, she is able to tolerate hook-ups in hot tubs .. but only just!! Each of her friends think they know how they can improve her life, Zoe thinks she needs to meet a new man, Nancy wants her to find her inner goddess and Stephanie thinks she needs an attitude adjustment ... all Abby wants is to do well at work.

This would not be problem if it wasn't for new Boss, Will harper. Unfortunately 10 years ago she made a fool of herself in front of him, added to that he is super attractive just makes her fall to pieces in front of him!

"Abby's about to be reminded that life doesn't follow a script—and good things happen when you least expect it..."

Can Abby find happiness at work? are her friends suggestions helpful or cause more trouble than they are worth? Can she actually work with Will?

This is a great book with a strong plot throughout and great connections with all the friends. The leading lady is very believable and easy to like! There are elements of humour throughout this book. I found the story very easy to read (be warned there is quite a lot of swearing within it if you do offend easily - wasn't a problem for me), I did feel the ending was a very sharp and would have liked to have seen the final chapters expanded a bit more.

It is really obvious that both the Authors have worked in this field before as the detail around the television work is very precise and not something that is brushed over.

Great read and not a mushy Chick Lit book by any means! I would not class this as a traditional romance novel - whilst there is certainly some in the book it isn't the main thread of the story!

Thank you so much Marla and Natalie for sending me a copy and I wish you lots of success with it!
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Jan 12, 2012 Samantha Robey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz are on tour with CLP Blog Tours. Unscripted follows loveable heroine Abby Edwards, who works as a reality TV show producer. Abby has been currently burned in a relationship, and has given up on dating. True love couldn’t possibly be true in the land of LA. Abby throws herself into her work, but friction in her friendship with BFF Zoe throws her world off balance. It doesn’t help that her new boss is deliciously hunky but she can’t decipher his attitude towards he...more

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Dec 08, 2011 Meredith Schorr rated it 5 of 5 stars

Unscripted is a story about a 30-something single woman working as a producer of reality shows in LA. Jaded as a result of both the scripted romances she sees at her job and her only long-term relationship going sour, Abby has basically given up on finding true love in favor of working long hours and spending time with her friends. To make matters worse, her ex boyfriend has produced a movie based "loosely" on their relationship. It does not paint her in the best light and is a hit at the box of...more Unscripted is a story about a 30-something single woman working as a producer of reality shows in LA. Jaded as a result of both the scripted romances she sees at her job and her only long-term relationship going sour, Abby has basically given up on finding true love in favor of working long hours and spending time with her friends. To make matters worse, her ex boyfriend has produced a movie based "loosely" on their relationship. It does not paint her in the best light and is a hit at the box office. Everyone in Abby's world seems to be moving up and succeeding in life and love while Abby is seemingly stuck in an existence of moving from reality show to reality show with no sense of security or consistency.

I absolutely loved this book. I didn't want to put it down, yet didn't want to finish it either! I loved it. (I think I said that already.) It was chick-lit at its finest, but not the kind of chick-lit where you need to suspend reality big-time; just a bird's eye view into a regular woman's struggles with friendship, career and love, all accomplished with a light, humorous, easy-breezy writing style.

The main character, Abby, was incredibly relatable and her relationships with the characters in the book were as well, from her friendships with Zoe, Stephanie and Nancy, to her fear of the scary yet perfect Lisa, to her adorable crush on her boss Will. I felt every emotion along with Abby from her annoyance with Zoe's materialistic attitude and Nancy's "Pollyanna" antics, to her reactions to Lisa's quiet insults, to the fast paced beating of her heart whenever Will was around. There were moments when I wished she stood up for herself more but, like I wrote above, she was very relatable and it's always easier to tell someone else to speak her mind than actually do it yourself! In almost every circumstance, I probably would have behaved just like Abby.

In sum, for chick-lit readers everywhere, this book has it all. I look forward to reading more from these authors. Maybe a sequel?(less)

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Jan 27, 2012 Cleffairy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed at: Over A Cuppa Tea
Review date: 28 Jan 2012
Review link: http://cleffairy.com/?p=6717

This book gave me a good laugh. A wonderful read when you are feeling down or when you're feeling that the world is against you. Very lighthearted read and would definitely tickles you funny bones. I do take pity on the heroine, though. She was placed in akward predicament many times, but thank God everything worked out well for her...most of the times. I suppose this book teaches me to take everything...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Georgina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://chicklitaholic.blogspot.com/20...

Have you ever wanted to know what really goes on behind the scenes of your favourite reality television show? I know that I have always wanted to find out the gossip and dirt on what really goes happens and Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz defiantly takes you there. Add a splash of romance and some chick lit and you have a novel that you will fly through.

As a producer on a reality dating show, Abby Edwards knows that true love is a myth.
Whe...more http://chicklitaholic.blogspot.com/20...

Have you ever wanted to know what really goes on behind the scenes of your favourite reality television show? I know that I have always wanted to find out the gossip and dirt on what really goes happens and Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz defiantly takes you there. Add a splash of romance and some chick lit and you have a novel that you will fly through.

As a producer on a reality dating show, Abby Edwards knows that true love is a myth.
When her screenwriter ex makes a hit movie based on their relationship, Abby's faults are projected on screens across the country. Suddenly the fact that her job depends on orchestrating hot tub hook-ups doesn't seem so impressive. Her friends rally to help. Zoë thinks she needs to meet a guy. Stephanie suggests an attitude adjustment. Nancy wants her to get in touch with her inner Goddess. Abby knows they mean well, but she prefers to focus on her work. Unfortunately, she's already embarrassed herself in front of her new boss, Will Harper, who she would find totally crush-worthy if he weren't so irritating.

Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz have both worked in reality television before, which really added an extra layer to Unscripted. I loved the way in which they were able to weave some extreme and hilarious goings on behind the scenes into their story. I was constantly left wondering whether these happenings were entirely made up or whether Natalie and Marla brought these in from first hand experience. With Unscripted being written by two different authors I have to admit I was a little sceptical that it would be obvious that which author had written which parts. Well my worries were sent packing, I found that the writing flowed smoothly with no interruptions. Unless you knew beforehand, there is no tell tale signs that Unscripted has been written by two different authors. While the pace of Unscripted was a little slow to begin with, once I got started on the story I found it very hard to put down. I kept flying through the pages, ready to find out what the reality stars were going to get up to next. I did, however, find the ending to be a little abrupt. I got to the last few pages and was really beginning to wonder how Natalie and Marla were going to wrap up the story in that limited amount of space. While I don’t want to give anything away, I will say that I would have liked the ending to progress a little more.

As a character, I really connected with Abbey finding her to be smart and funny, which are two qualities I enjoy a main character to have. I loved in way in which we see her at her lows and her highs, giving a full range of her character. I really enjoyed her interaction with her best friend, ,they go through some rough times in their friendship and I liked the way it was handled. I was constantly torn between thinking that they shouldn’t be friends anymore to wanting them to work through their differences. Something that anyone who has ever had an argument with a close friend can relate to. As well as liking Abbey, I also enjoyed reading about the secondary characters as well, finding almost all of them to be intriguing. My only issue, in terms of characters, was with the romance aspect between Abbey and her co-worker Will. I just felt that there was not enough of it and would have loved to see this develop more. While it is underlying throughout most of the novel, I really would have liked to see more of it. I would also have enjoyed seeing more of Will as a character as even at the end of the novel, I felt I knew very little about him.

Overall. I did enjoy Unscripted, finding it to be unique. In the romance and chick lit genre all too often some novels become predictable and similar, I really enjoyed how Unscripted took a different route into an area that has had very little exploration in this genre. Unscripted is a light, entertaining, charming read that will have you laughing out loud from beginning to end. If you are looking for a twist on a romance or chick lit novel I would defiantly recommend Unscripted.

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Nov 17, 2011 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, contemporary, read-2011, romance

Reviewed at http://bookstobrightenyourmood.blogsp...

Unscripted is a really sweet,really fun romance title,that if it weren't that detailed in some parts,it could have easily ranked among my favorite contemporary romance titles!

The authors have done an amazing job creating the characters in this book!And I don't only mean the main protagonists,but the secondary ones as well!Abby is a down to earth,maybe even average woman,you can totally relate to as a reader and love her for all her insecurities...more
Reviewed at http://bookstobrightenyourmood.blogsp...

Unscripted is a really sweet,really fun romance title,that if it weren't that detailed in some parts,it could have easily ranked among my favorite contemporary romance titles!

The authors have done an amazing job creating the characters in this book!And I don't only mean the main protagonists,but the secondary ones as well!Abby is a down to earth,maybe even average woman,you can totally relate to as a reader and love her for all her insecurities and sweetness!I just loved Abby and could see in her parts of myself or parts of girls I know.A really likeable character.
Around Abby is woven a really intricate,and really detailed story about getting what you want from life and copying with daily problems!

I really liked all those details around the production of a tv-show,especially a reality.I really enjoyed knowing all those "dirty" facts that we all suspect but never really even imagine the extends to which some people are ready to go to get famous!
That being said, despite the fact that the details were really well written,and with a good sense of humor,I personally thought that the story was a bit slow at times and heavy on details from Abby's life that didn't really add up to the story.
And just when things started to get interesting, Boom!, story ends!I would really have liked the ending to be a bit more detailed and the juicy part of a romantic story,not to just sum up into two or three chapters.Especially when throughout the rest of the book,the authors didn't really built any romantic tension between their protagonists.Things just pretty much wrapped up in a pretty package,The End.
I'd really love a little bit more, especially since it's a romance title we are talking about.
And speaking of more,I'd also would like to know more about Will...For a protagonist,he really didn't get his share of attention in this book and I just wanted more of him!

But despite the fact that for a romance title,Unscripted is "cleaner" than many YA titles I've read (there was really just a single kiss scene troughout the whole book),and that's not what I was expecting when picking it,it was easily read and really enjoyable in overall!Honestly, I loved it!(less)

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Mar 26, 2012 Tracie Banister rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like nothing better than a book that makes me laugh, so I got a real kick out of reading "Unscripted," the hilarious debut novel of talented newcomers Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz. According to their bio, these ladies have toiled behind-the-scenes in reality television for many years, so they know whereof they speak! And their insider's knowledge of that stressful, often chaotic world, as well as the anything-for-ratings mindset of the people who work in it, gave the characters and their t...more I like nothing better than a book that makes me laugh, so I got a real kick out of reading "Unscripted," the hilarious debut novel of talented newcomers Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz. According to their bio, these ladies have toiled behind-the-scenes in reality television for many years, so they know whereof they speak! And their insider's knowledge of that stressful, often chaotic world, as well as the anything-for-ratings mindset of the people who work in it, gave the characters and their trials and tribulations a wonderful authenticity that really added to my enjoyment of the book. In my opinion, the best fiction always has the ring of truth to it!

The thirtysomething heroine of "Unscripted," one Abby Edwards, is at a crossroads in her life, both personally and professionally. She's between jobs (Who knew that producers in reality TV had to bounce from show to show every few months?), her best friend/roomie, Zoë, has finally bullied her SO into popping the question, so now Abby's living arrangements are up in the air, and worst of all, Abby's screenwriter ex is receiving accolades for his new movie, which is based (sort of) on their relationship and paints a very unflattering portrait of her. Abby ends up taking a job on a clip show where her yummy new boss is someone she had an embarrassing encounter with years ago (Abby's still fretting about it, while Will acts as if he doesn't even remember her, or the incident.) And this is where the fun begins as Abby navigates her way through the treacherous waters of a very demanding job and potential romance!

Abby was such an entertaining and likable heroine; I loved her "voice," which was so smart and funny and self-deprecating, and I rooted for her all the way through the book. The supporting characters in "Unscripted" were equally well-drawn and added a lot of flavor to the story. Abby's New Age-y friend Nancy was particularly amusing because she was always dragging Abby into nutty situations like goddess parties (I still crack up every time I think about that chapter in the book.) It was nice that Abby had such a good rapport with most of the men in her life (Knit Cap at work being the one exception and he was such a creeper that I wanted to reach through my Kindle screen and smack him myself!) The slow burn between Abby and Will was done exceptionally well, as I could really see the development of Abby's feelings for him and I understood her doubts and fears because Will was so enigmatic (Was he attracted to Abby at all? Did he have something going with Lisa, the witchy, but gorgeous, supervising producer?) The romantic storyline is something that I think all Chick Lit readers will delight in.

The authors ended "Unscripted" with a great set-up for a sequel, so I'm hoping that we will see Abby and at least some of her posse in a follow-up very soon (Hint, Hint, Marla and Natalie!) Meanwhile, I encourage everyone to read "Unscripted." This is a novel that is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face!

Review originally posted on Chick Lit Central:

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Aug 25, 2012 Jenn (Booksessed) added it

Not being a fan of reality tv, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but thought that it sounded like a fun read, and also that if I didn’t like it, maybe I would finally understand the appeal of reality tv.
I still don’t really understand reality tv, but this book is hilarious. Part of me wanted to ask someone, “Is that really what goes on?” But I’m sure that it is.
Abby is such a great character and the situations she find herself in are completely ridiculous, but I couldn’t stop laughing...more

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Apr 23, 2013 Gail rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, e-book, library-book, womens-fiction

This is definitely a chick-lit book with the heroine only figuring out the guy likes her at the very end. Most of these have main characters who are pretty dim, and this one wasn't too bad, so that was nice. It was mostly about Abby's job in reality TV, which was interesting, & her girlfriends, which was kind of fun. A good read--but I'm glad it's a library book.

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Feb 01, 2013 Jamie rated it 2 of 5 stars

It could have been a great story. The way it read, it would have been better marketed as a behind-the-scenes exposé of reality TV. Too much detail in that and hardly any storyline. The heroine had hilarious witty potential as a main character, but I would have never cared enough about her to finish this book had I not been stuck on a plane with it for hours.

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Dec 18, 2011 Danielle Quinn rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this book from start to finish. It was smart, funny, and very witty. I can also appreciate the subject matter considering I used to work in the entertainment industry and know how gruelish it can be. The romance was a small part of the story, which I loved. If your looking for a fun showbiz fiction, this is the book to read!

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 30, 2011 Shan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very realistic and laugh out loud funny.

I loved Abby, she seemed like one of my girlfriends. I felt as if I really knew her and I love that she had the same doubts and fears that the rest of face.

She is so down to earth and funny that you can't help wanting her to have a happy ending.

3 likes · like · see review

Dec 04, 2011 Jess Faraday rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a really fun book. Well written--and very smoothly, considering it was the combined work of two writers. I especially enjoyed the inside look at reality TV production. It could have benefited from more build-up of the romance, but overall, it was a great read and I liked it a lot.

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Nov 14, 2011 Darci rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, modern-contemporary, netgalley

I loved this book in the beginning. Abby was funny and a smartass, two things I generally love in people. It went downhill with all of the reality television crap. Way, way, way too much of it. The story was totally lacking the actual story part of Abby and Will, and Abby and Matt.

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Oct 29, 2011 Tracy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley

This book has some great characters, the kind you love and hate! It is told in first person and usually the type of book I avoid but after I started reading it became very interested in the outcome. Great story with a great ending. I enjoyed it.

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 18, 2011 Liz Fenton rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved this book! Fun and sassy, it was like reading about an old friend. Loved the backdrop of reality television producing-it was very interesting and entertaining. Do yourself a favor and download Unscripted to your eReader ASAP!

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Jan 19, 2012 adventurat rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to adventurat by: Jess Faraday

Shelves: e-book, 2012, fiction, womens-fiction, romance, mount-tbr-challenge

Big props to Jess Faraday for recommending this book to me. Like Jess, I really enjoyed this book. The writing is very smooth, and particularly seamless for a two-author book, the characters are rounded and fun (though I'd have liked a bit more of a glimpse of Will), and the situation and setting (reality TV in L.A.) were new and interesting to me. I enjoyed the peek into reality TV - which confirmed that I'm not missing much by not watching - and the world of television production in general.

A...more

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Nov 29, 2011 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: chick-lit, nook-books, read-and-reviewed

Fans of reality TV will love the fictional behind-the-scenes look at their favorite pastime in this dishy contemporary novel.

Read the full review at http://www.nightsandweekends.com/arti...

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Nov 28, 2011 Book Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz is an entertaining novel that reveals the production side of reality TV. To read my review in its entirety, please visit http://bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com/...

2 likes · like · see review

Nov 28, 2011 Lilas rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a super fun read. The writing is funny and smart and the story is hilarious and everything you could want from good chick lit.

1 like · like · see review

Nov 28, 2011 Kathy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Unscripted by Natalie Aaron and Marla Schwartz is an entertaining novel that reveals the production side of reality TV. To read my review in its entirety, please visit http://bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com/...

2 likes · like · see review

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12919328-unscripted?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347770410l/12919328.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12919328-unscripted?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Unscripted by Natalie Aaron[/url]

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