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24th out of 41 books
—
22 voters
Talk of the Town (Daily, Texas #1)
by
Lisa Wingate (Goodreads Author)
The show American Megastar is the hottest thing on television but its associate producer, Mandalay Florentino, is worried. She's just arrived in the tiny town of Daily, Texas, to arrange a surprise "reunion concert" for hometown finalist Amber Amberson. Only it turns out everyone in town seems to know the secret. And paparazzi are arriving. Word from Hollywood is that Ambe...more
Kindle Edition, 368 pages
Published
February 1st 2008
by Bethany House
(first published January 1st 2008)
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Oct 21, 2011
Rachel Thompson
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
contemporary-romance
I found this book very difficult to get through. There was nothing much happening, so it was very easy for me to put the book down after finishing each chapter and go do something else.
The book follows the stories of two very different women: Mandalay, a Hollywood TV producer currently working on an American Idol themed reality show, and Imagene, a resident of the small town Mandalay finds herself in. I found this concept both annoying and confusing. While these are two different women with diff...more
The book follows the stories of two very different women: Mandalay, a Hollywood TV producer currently working on an American Idol themed reality show, and Imagene, a resident of the small town Mandalay finds herself in. I found this concept both annoying and confusing. While these are two different women with diff...more
Talk of the Town ended up being completely different from what I expected. I expected a romance novel, but I got a story of friendship with romance thrown in for good measure.
The story takes place in a small town of Daily, Texas, completely run down and very sad. But the town gets its second chance, when one of their own gets into top 5 in American Idol type of program.
The story is told from the point of view of two women. One is Mandalay, the producer of the show who is tasked with top secret...more
The story takes place in a small town of Daily, Texas, completely run down and very sad. But the town gets its second chance, when one of their own gets into top 5 in American Idol type of program.
The story is told from the point of view of two women. One is Mandalay, the producer of the show who is tasked with top secret...more
Very cute story- I'd give it more of a 3.5 than a flat 3 if there was an option. I got 'Talk of the Town' as a free Kindle book back in Feb. and it finally made it's way to the top of the "To be Read' list- now I'm kicking myself for not reading it earlier. The story is told from 2 viewpoints, one being Mandalay Florentino, associate producer of an American Idol like TV show, who has come to small town Daily, Texas to set up a remote shoot the show will be using to spotlight young Amber Anderson...more
This is one of the cutest little romances I've read in a long time. It started slow with the narration alternating between the young Reality TV producer and a sick-of-living bereaved widow, who's segments didn't seem very interesting at first, but when the story starts to come together and the widow starts to come back to life and care about people again, we end up with an original and sweet story, well-told, with engaging characters. Two points bothered me however, I couldn't feel any dramatic...more
I was unexpectedly charmed. The book is a romance, without it being an obvious romance. In fact, it's more seemingly about friendship, small towns, and the fish out of water -- but it's got kind of a romantic comedy vibe to it. The two POVs are the heroine's and another female character's. The heroine, Mandalay, is from L.A., and she's in a small town because as a producer in a reality TV show much like American Idol, she's supposed to do a piece about one of the contestant's hometown and childh...more
Part of the reason I decided to read this book was because it is published by Bethany House. When you don't really know what you're getting into with a book, it's nice to know that certain publishers will at least give you something clean.
This story is about Mandalay Florentino, a 30-something associate producer for a reality TV show called American Megastar. Her tyrannical boss sends her to Daily, Texas, to prepare for the top five reveal show for contestant Amanda Anderson.
Daily is the defini...more
This story is about Mandalay Florentino, a 30-something associate producer for a reality TV show called American Megastar. Her tyrannical boss sends her to Daily, Texas, to prepare for the top five reveal show for contestant Amanda Anderson.
Daily is the defini...more
This delightful story was made even more delightful by the performance of Johanna Parker on the audio version I listened to. In the story Mandalay Florentino is a Hollywood production assitant working with a 'American Idol' type show. She travels to Texas to film the hometown segment for the sweet and naive Amber Anderson, all the while hoping word hasn't leaked out and that the media won't be on her tale. As Mandalay (or 'Amanda Lee' as the Texans call her) deals with the ups and downs of her p...more
I thought this book looked good by the description, but once I started reading it I got very confused. At teh start of each chapter it would flop back and forth between two main characters and it would get confusing as to who was the one telling the story. The premis for this story is a Reality show called America's Megastar ( What we know as American Idol) and a small town Texas girl trying to make it in the big city of LA. She get cought up in scandal and all that, but the story takes place in...more
I had read the 2nd book in this series by Lisa Wingate a long time ago (Word Gets Around) and I had enjoyed it. Enough that when I saw this first book I decided to give it a read. They can be read in any order as the plots are separate from one another, so that didn't make any difference to my enjoyment of this one. What did make a difference was the fact that this one was almost excruciating to get through.
Mandalay Florentino is a producer from California who has landed in Daily, TX as part of...more
Mandalay Florentino is a producer from California who has landed in Daily, TX as part of...more
This was a Kindle freebie I thought I'd try out. I gave this book two stars because it was just okay. There really wasn't anything all that special about it as it was extremely predictable from start to finish. If you're looking for a rosy-colored perfect happy ending then this is it. I won't really spoil too much by saying there is one point in the book where two of the main characters get in a tiff, but at no point did I ever doubt they would make right up and "ride off into the sunset."
I did...more
I did...more
Talk of the Town will transport you to a warm, cozy diner in Daily, Texas.
Daily, the small town you wish you were from, is the true star of this series. Lisa Wingate does a masterful job of creating characters that are authentic and entertaining, but not caricatures.
Talk of the Town begins as local girl Amber Anderson becomes a finalist on an American Idol-type show. Daily becomes a hotbed of activity and the town rises to the occasion to protect its own little celebrity. The action centers in t...more
Daily, the small town you wish you were from, is the true star of this series. Lisa Wingate does a masterful job of creating characters that are authentic and entertaining, but not caricatures.
Talk of the Town begins as local girl Amber Anderson becomes a finalist on an American Idol-type show. Daily becomes a hotbed of activity and the town rises to the occasion to protect its own little celebrity. The action centers in t...more
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Lisa Wingate is an author whose dialog and knowledge of Texas makes you hear the drawl in your head while you read. Her Texan on-dits are charming and funnier than a black bear being chased by a bunny rabbit! I do not care much for the way she alternates the story between two characters in order to tell the story, as it left me restless, but by about 4 or 6 chapters I was resigned to it and it stopped being so irritating. However, I must exclaim over the younger heroine's opportunity to tell the...more
I got this book for free for my kindle. I honestly wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised the more I read.
What I liked: I liked the price obviously. The characters were lovable. Imogene and Mandalay were people that just seemed good, kind people. I loved them the more I read about them. The entire story wasn't predictable. The Carter surprise wasn't predictable and I loved everything surrounding Amber because it was exciting and found me wanting more. She is such a sweet gal and sm...more
What I liked: I liked the price obviously. The characters were lovable. Imogene and Mandalay were people that just seemed good, kind people. I loved them the more I read about them. The entire story wasn't predictable. The Carter surprise wasn't predictable and I loved everything surrounding Amber because it was exciting and found me wanting more. She is such a sweet gal and sm...more
Details: a young reality Tv producer is forced by her bloodthirsty boss to go to Daily Texas to prepare for one of the top five finalists for American Megastar to do her home coming concert. But this contestants is a good niave gospel singing 19 year old girl. The Tv tabloids are exploiting her any way they can. Mandate the producer would rather be with her finance planning their wedding then in this run down town on the muddle of no where Texas. Her job is to keep everything a secret but when s...more
I think I've figured out what I love most about Lisa Wingate's writing: her ability to capture a small town and its eclectic members. City girl Mandalay has no clue what's waiting for when she goes to Daily, Texas, to get ready for the homecoming episode of a TV singing contest. The quirky old ladies, small-town rumor mills, and the handsome stranger sharing her "suite" in a bed and breakfast are a bit much for her to control.
Seeing the town through Mandalay's eyes shows the quirks that make sm...more
Seeing the town through Mandalay's eyes shows the quirks that make sm...more
I didn't know what to expect from this free Kindle book. It was free and highly rated for a free book on amazon. I decided, why not. I was thinking it'd be a trite little hick town romance. It was but it was also sweet, cute and almost real. Ihe characters are wonderfully fleshed out. Imogene, I adore you! Her own journey of loss and finding herself again I think really took the book from just sweet smiley fluff to a quietly pleasing and more relatable. I am glad I read it and hope others take t...more
I truly enjoyed this book. I listened to it on tape and I found that a delightful way to "hear" the southern accents and get a feel for the characters. I love Lisa's way of intertwining stories of women of differing ages and stages in life. This book told the story of a up and coming producer of a reality TV show and the women in a small southern town in Texas. Several times I didn't see any obvious ending (which is a plus) but there were times, the next turn was obvious. Some characters were us...more
I really liked this book. It was a cute fun read that made me laugh and root for the little town of Daily Texas and the triumph of their hometown girl Amber that was in a contest called American Megastar which is sorta like American Idol. A producer Mandalay is sent to Daily before Ambers big reveal that she is in the final 5 but it's suppose to be secret. The big wigs of Hollywood show were against her but the support of her hometown and the unlikely friendship that is developed between locals...more
Sorry, this book didn't do it for me. I listened on CD; excellently read by Johanna Parker. However, by the end of Disk 3 (not sure how many pages that would be) nothing happened to keep me going. So that was The End for me.
Wingate has a knack for dialog, but there was too much of it that doesn't seem to contain info important to the story OR to knowing the characters, other than that several of them are chatterboxes. Again, I didn't go very far into the story, so maybe it comes together to mak...more
Wingate has a knack for dialog, but there was too much of it that doesn't seem to contain info important to the story OR to knowing the characters, other than that several of them are chatterboxes. Again, I didn't go very far into the story, so maybe it comes together to mak...more
This is a fun read about this author's version of "American Idol" and how a small town bands together to help the underdog local girl become a contender in the final five on the show. This author imparts a lot of wisdom and I really enjoyed her writing. Some of my favorite lines include..."It's easy to mind your own business when someone else's business looks like too much trouble." My favorite line is "Sometimes it ain't the drunk or the sinner who needs a shovel across the rear, it's the ones...more
This is a fantastic book there was a few places it was a little dry but it was funny,cute,sweet. A producer names is Amanda Lee she works for Mega Star Her client is Amber Anderson as a singer and she is trying to maker her 5 top singers. Amanda go to this little podunk town names Daley, TExas where Amber is from to make her famous and all the people that will vote for her will see her in this town. Amanda meets these two ladies that are best friends. Donnette owns a beauty shop and a hotel and...more
Aug 20, 2010
Cindy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
religion-christian-fiction,
i-own
Lisa Wingate has quickly become one of my favorite authors! I first enjoyed The Summer Kitchen earlier this season, so when this book popped up at a local store, I nabbed it! I was not disappointed! She has a wonderful way of teaching a lesson, making you feel better, and just making you THINK about the choices you're making or not making. She does that all through a wonderful story, with characters you feel like you know. This book focused on a small town, Daily, Texas, and its people. More imp...more
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the relationships between the women. It ended up being a romance in the end but for most of the book the focus was on friendship. I read this on my nook and noticed at the end that the author was honored by Americans for More Civility for "promoting greater kindness and civility in American life" through her books. I really did get that sense of morality and kindness as I read it. There was no cussing, violence, or overt sexuality. Not that I'm opposed to read...more
Jul 17, 2011
Beverly Frisby
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Everyone
What happens when a TV producer from the big city meets the small town Texas charm of the citizens of Daily, TX? A well written, exciting, and funny story that will have you laughing out loud one minute and wanting to write down inspirational passages the next.
“Talk of the Town” is the zany story of a producer, her Swedish boss (the kind everyone loves to hate), an eclectic mix of town people and a talented young girl who deals with fame. Ms. Wingate tells the story in first person through the e...more
“Talk of the Town” is the zany story of a producer, her Swedish boss (the kind everyone loves to hate), an eclectic mix of town people and a talented young girl who deals with fame. Ms. Wingate tells the story in first person through the e...more
I hadn't read any of Lisa Wingate's books before, but I'm a sucker for a romantic comedy, so I thought I'd give it a try. Overall, it's a well-written, engaging, and inspirational story. I'd recommend it to anyone who's looking for a positive and lighthearted read.
Set in the small town of Daily, Texas, Talk of the Town is filled with memorable and varied characters. Daily's the kind of place that we all secretly wish we could live - a small, rural town where everybody knows and looks out for eve...more
Set in the small town of Daily, Texas, Talk of the Town is filled with memorable and varied characters. Daily's the kind of place that we all secretly wish we could live - a small, rural town where everybody knows and looks out for eve...more
This was a fun, lively women's fiction read with a nice romance. Heroine works for an American-Idol-esque reality show and has been sent to prep for the "Visit Home" show for one of the contestants who is a small-town Texas gospel singer nobody believes is real. The heroine is trying to keep the purpose of her visit a secret--which, given that she's come to a small Texas town, is pretty much impossible. Why else would a sleek stranger from California come to town? The other main character of the...more
I like Lisa Wingate. I've enjoyed other books by her more than I did this one. It's set in small town Texas with some characters who are laugh-out loud funny. Mandalay, the main character, is a producer for an American Idol-type television show.
Amber, one of the finalists is a sweet, country girl from the backwoods of Daily, Texas and Mandalay is sent to organize the "reunion concert" for her. The concert is supposed to be top secret, but the paparazzi have arrived and Amber is missing. The cit...more
Amber, one of the finalists is a sweet, country girl from the backwoods of Daily, Texas and Mandalay is sent to organize the "reunion concert" for her. The concert is supposed to be top secret, but the paparazzi have arrived and Amber is missing. The cit...more
Jul 19, 2008
Relyn
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone needing a light, sweet, happy read
This is a reread for me. It is light and fun and sweet. It is holding me over till payday when Ican go to Borders and buy her newest book. I love Lisa Wingate's Texas books.
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Well, I finished it and enjoyed it every bit as much the second time as the first. I laughed out loud more than once. You've gotta love a book that is sweet and romantic without ever being smutty. A book that is definitely dessert without being literary trash. I love this book.
If I had to...more
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Well, I finished it and enjoyed it every bit as much the second time as the first. I laughed out loud more than once. You've gotta love a book that is sweet and romantic without ever being smutty. A book that is definitely dessert without being literary trash. I love this book.
If I had to...more
Feb 14, 2011
Stacy
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
christian-fiction,
kindle
A new author to me, courtesy of this free book I downloaded for my Kindle, from Amazon. I liked it, but I didn't just love it. Maybe it's because I'm a moody reader and I wasn't quite in the mood for this type of book. Mostly, I think, I think that the author just tried a wee bit too hard with the dialogue and the plot. The characters just didn't grab me and the accents and plot were a bit overdone for my taste. Still, I did enjoy it and did finish it, but I didn't just fall in love with any par...more
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Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books, including Tending Roses, Good Hope Road, The Language of Sycamores, and Drenched in Light. Her work was recently honored by the Americans for More Civility for promoting greater kindness and civility in American life. Lisa and her family live in Central Texas.
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“Somewhere, deep within me, beyond the passion, beyond the beauty of the night, that little spark of Daily magic ignited in me again, began burning in a place that had gone dark and untended, that had yearned to be bright and warm. I felt it now, something old, something new, something complete. Perhaps it had been in there in me all along, the belief that there is a plan and a purpose, that God whispers into every life, some things that are beyond the scope of the mind, and can only be felt with the heart and the spirit.
Those dreams, the dreams that are dreamed *for* us, not by us, are the truest of all.”
—
7 people liked it
Those dreams, the dreams that are dreamed *for* us, not by us, are the truest of all.”
“Sometimes it ain't the drunk or the sinner who needs a shovel across the rear, it's the ones who could quote you chapter and verse about grace, but don't hand it out.”
—
1 person liked it
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20. Juli, 18:56 Uhr