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Fanfare
Cris Pereira hates starring in a cautionary tale. Alas, her recent heartbreak relegates her to this unbecoming fate. The only good thing about being dumped a foot from the altar is the newest layer to her punchy sarcasm. All she wants is a do-over, but this is not your average fairy tale, and wishes don't come true in the real world.
One Sunday afternoon, she meets a movie star. Tom Abramson is intelligent, charming, and impetuous. In other words, he plays the role a bit too well. She isn’t falling for it. She knows better. All British men are not descendants of Fitzwilliam Darcy, and movie stars are genetic mutations gone X-Men with statistical disadvantages and emotional handicaps. Keep your knight in shining armor. A modern girl can rescue herself, thank you very much. After all, dreams are for the foolhardy, nightmares are just a part of life, and . . . this is not your average fairy tale.
One Sunday afternoon, she meets a movie star. Tom Abramson is intelligent, charming, and impetuous. In other words, he plays the role a bit too well. She isn’t falling for it. She knows better. All British men are not descendants of Fitzwilliam Darcy, and movie stars are genetic mutations gone X-Men with statistical disadvantages and emotional handicaps. Keep your knight in shining armor. A modern girl can rescue herself, thank you very much. After all, dreams are for the foolhardy, nightmares are just a part of life, and . . . this is not your average fairy tale.
250 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2011
5 people are currently reading
2007 people want to read
About the author
Renée Ahdieh
31 books17.9k followersRenée Ahdieh is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking, skincare, and fashion. The first few years of her life were spent in a high-rise in South Korea; consequently, Renée enjoys having her head in the clouds. She and her family live in North Carolina.
She is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Wrath & the Dawn series, the Flame in the Mist series, The Beautiful quartet, and the picture book, Emilio Sloth’s Modern Manners. Park Avenue is her debut adult novel.
** Please note that requests for Advanced Reader Copies should be made through the respective publisher, and all other requests should be submitted through the author's website. **
She is the #1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Wrath & the Dawn series, the Flame in the Mist series, The Beautiful quartet, and the picture book, Emilio Sloth’s Modern Manners. Park Avenue is her debut adult novel.
** Please note that requests for Advanced Reader Copies should be made through the respective publisher, and all other requests should be submitted through the author's website. **
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June 16, 2018
Ahdieh's real debut (though an adult romance novel). It was good but cheesy? Review forthcoming.
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Fanfare by Renee Ahdieh
Publisher: Revolution Publishing
Publication Date: May 31, 2011
Rating: 3 stars
Source: Purchased paperback copy
Summary (from Goodreads):
All Cris Pereira wants after being dumped at the altar is a do-over, but her life is not the average fairy tale and wishes don't come true in the real world. After she meets movie star Tom Abramson, she's determined not to fall for his intelligence, charm and impetuousness because dreams are for the foolhardy, and a modern girl can rescue herself.
What I Liked:
I know what you're thinking - you're probably like, what is this!? Renee Ahdieh book published before The Wrath & The Dawn?! No way?! Yes way! Fanfare is Ahdieh's publishing debut, though it's an adult fiction novel, so The Wrath & The Dawn is Ahdieh's YA debut in truth. I found a used paperback copy of Fanfare online and couldn't help but purchase it for my beautiful Ahdieh collection. Never mind that the book has been out of print for years and the paperback copies are rare and somewhat expensive. I got mine for fairly cheap and I love it. The story itself was pretty good! Not amazing but I can see the roots of Ahdieh's talent.
Cris Pereira just got dumped, and not in a thank-goodness-it's-finally-over type of way. She is really not interested in love, but love has a mind of its own. Meeting Tom Abramson, the sexy, successful British movie star is one thing, but falling for him and him falling for her is another. She doesn't need him to heal her broken heart. But what if she wants him?
The concept of this novel is very cute. There is an adorable meet-cute, in which Tom is signing autographs and Cris's two young cousins wants to meet him, but are too nervous. Cris accidentally leaves her iPod behind, and Tom snags it and leaves his phone number. And that's the meet-cute! I love a good meet-cute.
I should mention that this is an adult novel, not technically YA, but the crossover is there. There is nothing too "risque" about this book - it's more so that the hero/heroine are not teenagers. But it's a fairly "clean" adult romance novel (like not explicit sex scenes), though there is occasional swearing.
Cris is just like any of Ahdieh's heroines - sassy, spunky, and not in need of saving (even if she should want to be saved every now and then). She is trying to move on from her recent breakup, and she doesn't want to need another man. But Tom is different, even if he is a hot and famous movie star. Would it be so bad for a good man to care about and for her?
Tom is a sweetheart! Usually I don't go for books with famous people, like actors or rockstars or politicians, and I wasn't expecting to really like Tom. But he is a sweetheart and a good man. He is kind and selfless, and very honest. I feel like all of Ahdieh's heroes are different, but they have the same strong, honest core. I love this.
The romance is cute! Tom and Cris are cute together. Cris has a lot of personal baggage to work through, so the romance is a bit slow at times. But Tom is nothing short of a gentleman and a sweetheart - so caring and understanding. He never pushes her, though he does ask for honesty. I think this is a good balance - never forcing her, but also not wanting her to stay stagnant and stuck in the past.
For much of the book, Cris is able to keep a low profile, but of course when you're dating a famous guy, the paparazzi has their ways of finding out things. Cris hates being in the spotlight, and it's something she has to come to terms with throughout the book. Does she want that kind of lifestyle?
I love the climax of the book, and the ending. I won't say too much, but I love that it involves Cris running to Tom, having her come-to-Jesus moment. She is the one that messed up, and she is the one that asks forgiveness. She never wanted a knight in shining armor, and so she must be her own knight. I love that she went and fought for Tom, because she was the one that needed to do so.
The ending is very sweet! It's a great HEA. Never fear with Ahdieh and HEAs.
What I Did Not Like:
The concept of the story is so great, but the execution is incredibly cheesy. You can tell that this is Ahdieh's debut novel and you can see how much her writing has matured in the four years between this book's publication and the publication of The Wrath & The Dawn. I'm knocking off two stars because the writing and structure of the story was so cheesy at times. It just wasn't as flowery and melodic as Ahdieh's subsequent books, which is what I've grown used to. I'm so glad for Ahdieh's growth as a writer, but I'm also a little surprised at how not-well-written this book was. It's like it was by a completely different author! Though I can definitely see the beginnings of Ahdieh's talent.
I also wanted Cris to take a little more responsibility for her actions. This could be noted in several occasions. For example, Tom ended up getting punched in the face by this massive guy, because Cris picked a fight with the massive guy's girlfriend. Cris took very little responsibility for this event. What's more, she acted like it was Tom's fault for getting hurt, when it was clearly her own for instigating the event in the first place. This wasn't the only time Cris didn't take responsibility for her actions. BUT I will say that Cris redeemed herself in the end, by being the one to beg forgiveness for her actions. So the character growth is there, I supposed. I just needed to see a little more of it, earlier on.
Would I Recommend It:
I'm not sure I'd recommend this book in terms of the story - it's not that great, though it is entertaining at times. Tom might be a little too much of a saint, and Cris might be a little too cautious and stuck in the past, but both characters show good character growth. The thing is, I wouldn't read this book for entertainment value; I'd read it to see how far Ahdieh has come, as a writer. It's interesting to see how she started out, having read three of her YA books that have been published (Smoke in the Sun to be published in June!).
Rating:
3 stars. This wasn't a bad story! I've read it twice and I did enjoy it. It was cheesy and somewhat poorly written, but entertaining at times. I'm glad I had a chance to read it and add the book to my collection. I love finding these out-of-print copies!
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Fanfare by Renee Ahdieh
Publisher: Revolution Publishing
Publication Date: May 31, 2011
Rating: 3 stars
Source: Purchased paperback copy
Summary (from Goodreads):
All Cris Pereira wants after being dumped at the altar is a do-over, but her life is not the average fairy tale and wishes don't come true in the real world. After she meets movie star Tom Abramson, she's determined not to fall for his intelligence, charm and impetuousness because dreams are for the foolhardy, and a modern girl can rescue herself.
What I Liked:
I know what you're thinking - you're probably like, what is this!? Renee Ahdieh book published before The Wrath & The Dawn?! No way?! Yes way! Fanfare is Ahdieh's publishing debut, though it's an adult fiction novel, so The Wrath & The Dawn is Ahdieh's YA debut in truth. I found a used paperback copy of Fanfare online and couldn't help but purchase it for my beautiful Ahdieh collection. Never mind that the book has been out of print for years and the paperback copies are rare and somewhat expensive. I got mine for fairly cheap and I love it. The story itself was pretty good! Not amazing but I can see the roots of Ahdieh's talent.
Cris Pereira just got dumped, and not in a thank-goodness-it's-finally-over type of way. She is really not interested in love, but love has a mind of its own. Meeting Tom Abramson, the sexy, successful British movie star is one thing, but falling for him and him falling for her is another. She doesn't need him to heal her broken heart. But what if she wants him?
The concept of this novel is very cute. There is an adorable meet-cute, in which Tom is signing autographs and Cris's two young cousins wants to meet him, but are too nervous. Cris accidentally leaves her iPod behind, and Tom snags it and leaves his phone number. And that's the meet-cute! I love a good meet-cute.
I should mention that this is an adult novel, not technically YA, but the crossover is there. There is nothing too "risque" about this book - it's more so that the hero/heroine are not teenagers. But it's a fairly "clean" adult romance novel (like not explicit sex scenes), though there is occasional swearing.
Cris is just like any of Ahdieh's heroines - sassy, spunky, and not in need of saving (even if she should want to be saved every now and then). She is trying to move on from her recent breakup, and she doesn't want to need another man. But Tom is different, even if he is a hot and famous movie star. Would it be so bad for a good man to care about and for her?
Tom is a sweetheart! Usually I don't go for books with famous people, like actors or rockstars or politicians, and I wasn't expecting to really like Tom. But he is a sweetheart and a good man. He is kind and selfless, and very honest. I feel like all of Ahdieh's heroes are different, but they have the same strong, honest core. I love this.
The romance is cute! Tom and Cris are cute together. Cris has a lot of personal baggage to work through, so the romance is a bit slow at times. But Tom is nothing short of a gentleman and a sweetheart - so caring and understanding. He never pushes her, though he does ask for honesty. I think this is a good balance - never forcing her, but also not wanting her to stay stagnant and stuck in the past.
For much of the book, Cris is able to keep a low profile, but of course when you're dating a famous guy, the paparazzi has their ways of finding out things. Cris hates being in the spotlight, and it's something she has to come to terms with throughout the book. Does she want that kind of lifestyle?
I love the climax of the book, and the ending. I won't say too much, but I love that it involves Cris running to Tom, having her come-to-Jesus moment. She is the one that messed up, and she is the one that asks forgiveness. She never wanted a knight in shining armor, and so she must be her own knight. I love that she went and fought for Tom, because she was the one that needed to do so.
The ending is very sweet! It's a great HEA. Never fear with Ahdieh and HEAs.
What I Did Not Like:
The concept of the story is so great, but the execution is incredibly cheesy. You can tell that this is Ahdieh's debut novel and you can see how much her writing has matured in the four years between this book's publication and the publication of The Wrath & The Dawn. I'm knocking off two stars because the writing and structure of the story was so cheesy at times. It just wasn't as flowery and melodic as Ahdieh's subsequent books, which is what I've grown used to. I'm so glad for Ahdieh's growth as a writer, but I'm also a little surprised at how not-well-written this book was. It's like it was by a completely different author! Though I can definitely see the beginnings of Ahdieh's talent.
I also wanted Cris to take a little more responsibility for her actions. This could be noted in several occasions. For example, Tom ended up getting punched in the face by this massive guy, because Cris picked a fight with the massive guy's girlfriend. Cris took very little responsibility for this event. What's more, she acted like it was Tom's fault for getting hurt, when it was clearly her own for instigating the event in the first place. This wasn't the only time Cris didn't take responsibility for her actions. BUT I will say that Cris redeemed herself in the end, by being the one to beg forgiveness for her actions. So the character growth is there, I supposed. I just needed to see a little more of it, earlier on.
Would I Recommend It:
I'm not sure I'd recommend this book in terms of the story - it's not that great, though it is entertaining at times. Tom might be a little too much of a saint, and Cris might be a little too cautious and stuck in the past, but both characters show good character growth. The thing is, I wouldn't read this book for entertainment value; I'd read it to see how far Ahdieh has come, as a writer. It's interesting to see how she started out, having read three of her YA books that have been published (Smoke in the Sun to be published in June!).
Rating:
3 stars. This wasn't a bad story! I've read it twice and I did enjoy it. It was cheesy and somewhat poorly written, but entertaining at times. I'm glad I had a chance to read it and add the book to my collection. I love finding these out-of-print copies!
March 16, 2016
This book is totally undervalued...It was such a good read! I devoured it!
The style was easygoing, refreshing and bubbly (think of a glass of chilled sparkling wine).
The whole book is filled with biting and snarky irony which is exactly what I love. I never had such fun reading a book in a very long time.
The characters felt very real and they were wondrous...imperfections and all. Chris was totally kick-ass and Tom was so adorable. Oh-Tom...I want one too (he is even british!!). Every one of their interactions managed to be ironic and ar the same time terribly sweet.
Oh and Chris's friends were great as well!
The love story was fantastic (and even plausible), heartwarming and sweet but without being too cheesy, in one word: perfect.
The book is a modern fairytale yes, but also a book about the journey of love, about having courage, about self-discovery.
Totally recommended!
The style was easygoing, refreshing and bubbly (think of a glass of chilled sparkling wine).
The whole book is filled with biting and snarky irony which is exactly what I love. I never had such fun reading a book in a very long time.
The characters felt very real and they were wondrous...imperfections and all. Chris was totally kick-ass and Tom was so adorable. Oh-Tom...I want one too (he is even british!!). Every one of their interactions managed to be ironic and ar the same time terribly sweet.
Oh and Chris's friends were great as well!
The love story was fantastic (and even plausible), heartwarming and sweet but without being too cheesy, in one word: perfect.
The book is a modern fairytale yes, but also a book about the journey of love, about having courage, about self-discovery.
Totally recommended!
Read
July 1, 2011I didn’t know what to expect from Fanfare besides hopefully an awesome book. I was told by a friend that this book was completely wonderful, and I do have to agree. While it wasn’t at all what I expected—since I didn’t know quite what to expect, I was a little worried at first. But once I got into the story, that worry left me and all that was left was enjoyment and a need to turn the next page.
Despite how it has been marketed, Fanfare is not a young adult novel. It certainly can appeal to teens, and has great crossover potential, but it is an adult book at its core. And while I was a little disappointed at first, I kept reading and discovered I loved Fanfare for what it is.
The best way I can summarize the plot Fanfare novel is this: A twenty-something girl meets a movie star and they have a fairy tale connection, but are forced to face challenges because of his fame. The summary on the back of the book… well, I didn’t understand it really.
Renee Ahdieh has a beautiful, smart writing style. Some of the prose did go a bit over my head, but I’m sure someone who is more versed in the English language will have no problem understanding it. I wasn’t sold at first, but as I read I found myself completely taken with the story. Ahdieh has won me over, and I cannot to read her next book.
Cris was a bit annoying at times, and made some decisions that certainly weren’t the best, but she is spunky and funny and she was a solid protagonist. Her best friends, especially Hana were hilarious. I liked that she had one friend to keep her grounded, and one that let her be a little more fun. Tom was the total heartthrob he was made out to be, and he was probably my favorite character. He too is flawed, but that just makes him that much more perfect.
Fanfare is a beautifully written modern fairy tale. Cris and Tom’s journey was emotional and heartwarming, and I am pleased to have experienced it. Whether you are a teen or an adult, Fanfare is a novel you are sure to enjoy.
Despite how it has been marketed, Fanfare is not a young adult novel. It certainly can appeal to teens, and has great crossover potential, but it is an adult book at its core. And while I was a little disappointed at first, I kept reading and discovered I loved Fanfare for what it is.
The best way I can summarize the plot Fanfare novel is this: A twenty-something girl meets a movie star and they have a fairy tale connection, but are forced to face challenges because of his fame. The summary on the back of the book… well, I didn’t understand it really.
Renee Ahdieh has a beautiful, smart writing style. Some of the prose did go a bit over my head, but I’m sure someone who is more versed in the English language will have no problem understanding it. I wasn’t sold at first, but as I read I found myself completely taken with the story. Ahdieh has won me over, and I cannot to read her next book.
Cris was a bit annoying at times, and made some decisions that certainly weren’t the best, but she is spunky and funny and she was a solid protagonist. Her best friends, especially Hana were hilarious. I liked that she had one friend to keep her grounded, and one that let her be a little more fun. Tom was the total heartthrob he was made out to be, and he was probably my favorite character. He too is flawed, but that just makes him that much more perfect.
Fanfare is a beautifully written modern fairy tale. Cris and Tom’s journey was emotional and heartwarming, and I am pleased to have experienced it. Whether you are a teen or an adult, Fanfare is a novel you are sure to enjoy.
February 11, 2011
As one of the lucky early readers of this book, I loved it. Ahdieh takes an old-school fairy-tale and gives it a modern twist, with a terrific cast of characters, great locations and a spot-on ear for crackling, funny, emotionally true dialogue.
May 8, 2020
Primero que nada, les recomiendo leer cualquier libro de Renée Ahdieh.
Esta historia que es un romance, pero no es intalove.
Me gusto mucho la protagonista (Cristina / Cris) es una chica con carácter fuerte, es independiente. Es latina!!!
Que decir de Tomtom!!! Es todo un encanto.
Las amigas de Cris, son ambas muy entretenidas.
La historia tiene sus partes entretenidas, sus partes tristes. Hay momentos en que quieres ahorcar a alguien, pero en general la historia te atrapa.
Esta historia que es un romance, pero no es intalove.
Me gusto mucho la protagonista (Cristina / Cris) es una chica con carácter fuerte, es independiente. Es latina!!!
Que decir de Tomtom!!! Es todo un encanto.
Las amigas de Cris, son ambas muy entretenidas.
La historia tiene sus partes entretenidas, sus partes tristes. Hay momentos en que quieres ahorcar a alguien, pero en general la historia te atrapa.
May 30, 2011
Fanfare is not a fairy tale. It's a story about a strong woman who ultimately decides that she's the one in control of her own life, and that if she wants to be happy she can be. Cris was such a strong character, and she was super feisty. She was one of those characters that I couldn't help but love. Even though I loved her, there were a couple of times I just wanted to shake her. The biggest thing that was keeping her from being happy was herself. It was one of those times where a person just brings this huge train-wreck that tears through their life on themselves.
That being said, I really liked this story. For most of the story I was impressed by Cris, and when I wasn't, I understood where she was coming from, even if I wouldn't have done the same things myself. She had a killer sense of humour, and she spoke her mind when she believed in something. I really respect her as a character, and by the end of Fanfare I was proud of her too. She stepped up and finally overcame her fears. It takes a strong person to fight for their beliefs and stand up for themselves, but it takes an even stronger person to admit they were wrong and to take risks to try and fix the things they've broken. Throughout Fanfare, Cris expressed both types of strength, and for that I greatly admired her.
Now, as you might have guessed, there is most certainly a boy in this story. This boy happens to be a celebrity, one who bears a striking resemblance to one that I'm sure pretty everyone in the world is aware of nowadays, he's been in some popular movies about a vampire and a regular teenage girl who fall in love...and if you can't guess who I mean by that hint then I'm not quite sure where you've been hiding for the last couple of years. :P Anyways, the actor's name is Thomas Abramson, or Tom, and I thought his relationship with Cris was just plain ole adorable. They complimented each other very well, and while they tended to get each other into situations that probably could have been avoided, their chemistry was palpable and their banter was entertaining and fantastic. I loved the jokes between Tom and Cris, and their email exchanges were hilarious too! :D
Along with Tom and Cris, were their fantastic friends. Cris' friends, Gita and Hana were just awesome! They're the type of friends we all wish we had, or if we are lucky enough to have them, we hold onto them for dear life. :P And Tom's friends in London were hilarious! I especially loved the scene where Cris, Tom, and Tom's friends, Ben and Philip, all played Guitar Hero World Tour together...so funny! :D There was one character that I wasn't a fan of, but to be honest, I'm pretty sure he was designed to be that character everybody loves to hate, so Renee definitely succeeded there. Cris' ex-fiancee, Ryan, who Gita called "Sergeant Killjoy" was the one who cause Cris to be so deluded when it came to love and I believe he was the main source of her problems. I'll admit, I really didn't like him, or how Cris seemed to be so weak around him, but her reactions to him were definitely understandable. I really wish I could have just punched him in the face to make him leave her alone at parts in the book, he just didn't seem to like that she was happy without out him, and the name Sergeant Killjoy did indeed suit him well. :P
I absolutely loved the whole celebrity aspect of Fanfare, and I'll admit, that I've gone through the whole celebrity obsession myself, so it was interesting to read a story where the character got to experience being with someone who was famous, especially since she was the type of person who prefers to stay away from all of the celebrity gossip...although she did admit that it was more because she knew that she's get addicted to it, like Farmtown on Facebook (been there done that too :P haha).
I thought that Fanfare was a funny story with amazing characters, and underneath all of the laughter the message that Cris learned about controlling your own happiness and letting yourself be happy was a strong one. One that I was more than happy to learn. :)
I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to read Fanfare. Renee has a wonderful writing style and this is a fantastic debut. :)
So...celebrities, love em or hate em?
Are you obsessed, are you altogether anti-celebrity, or are you somewhere in the middle?
What are your thoughts on Fanfare, do you think you'd like it?
That being said, I really liked this story. For most of the story I was impressed by Cris, and when I wasn't, I understood where she was coming from, even if I wouldn't have done the same things myself. She had a killer sense of humour, and she spoke her mind when she believed in something. I really respect her as a character, and by the end of Fanfare I was proud of her too. She stepped up and finally overcame her fears. It takes a strong person to fight for their beliefs and stand up for themselves, but it takes an even stronger person to admit they were wrong and to take risks to try and fix the things they've broken. Throughout Fanfare, Cris expressed both types of strength, and for that I greatly admired her.
Now, as you might have guessed, there is most certainly a boy in this story. This boy happens to be a celebrity, one who bears a striking resemblance to one that I'm sure pretty everyone in the world is aware of nowadays, he's been in some popular movies about a vampire and a regular teenage girl who fall in love...and if you can't guess who I mean by that hint then I'm not quite sure where you've been hiding for the last couple of years. :P Anyways, the actor's name is Thomas Abramson, or Tom, and I thought his relationship with Cris was just plain ole adorable. They complimented each other very well, and while they tended to get each other into situations that probably could have been avoided, their chemistry was palpable and their banter was entertaining and fantastic. I loved the jokes between Tom and Cris, and their email exchanges were hilarious too! :D
Along with Tom and Cris, were their fantastic friends. Cris' friends, Gita and Hana were just awesome! They're the type of friends we all wish we had, or if we are lucky enough to have them, we hold onto them for dear life. :P And Tom's friends in London were hilarious! I especially loved the scene where Cris, Tom, and Tom's friends, Ben and Philip, all played Guitar Hero World Tour together...so funny! :D There was one character that I wasn't a fan of, but to be honest, I'm pretty sure he was designed to be that character everybody loves to hate, so Renee definitely succeeded there. Cris' ex-fiancee, Ryan, who Gita called "Sergeant Killjoy" was the one who cause Cris to be so deluded when it came to love and I believe he was the main source of her problems. I'll admit, I really didn't like him, or how Cris seemed to be so weak around him, but her reactions to him were definitely understandable. I really wish I could have just punched him in the face to make him leave her alone at parts in the book, he just didn't seem to like that she was happy without out him, and the name Sergeant Killjoy did indeed suit him well. :P
I absolutely loved the whole celebrity aspect of Fanfare, and I'll admit, that I've gone through the whole celebrity obsession myself, so it was interesting to read a story where the character got to experience being with someone who was famous, especially since she was the type of person who prefers to stay away from all of the celebrity gossip...although she did admit that it was more because she knew that she's get addicted to it, like Farmtown on Facebook (been there done that too :P haha).
I thought that Fanfare was a funny story with amazing characters, and underneath all of the laughter the message that Cris learned about controlling your own happiness and letting yourself be happy was a strong one. One that I was more than happy to learn. :)
I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to read Fanfare. Renee has a wonderful writing style and this is a fantastic debut. :)
So...celebrities, love em or hate em?
Are you obsessed, are you altogether anti-celebrity, or are you somewhere in the middle?
What are your thoughts on Fanfare, do you think you'd like it?
June 18, 2011
Fanfare was amazing. After just reading a book that I didn’t like very much, I was starting to feel the beginnings of a reading slump. Thankfully, Fanfare pulled me away from that.
I’m pretty sure that for 3/4 of Fanfare I had a huge grin plastered to my face. The other 1/4 was spent lamenting and hoping that things would turn out for the best. I also laughed out loud a few times. Cristina was the kind of narrator that made me laugh. There were also a couple of times where I could feel tears springing to my eyes. Fanfare is just exceptional.
Fanfare was everything I needed. It was light, it was fun and it was just so enjoyable. It was well-written so I could just breeze through and read this one within no time.
All the characters, except for one for obvious reasons, were fantastic. They all had their own personalities and just added something special to Fanfare. Each character had their own place in the novel and it was great to see how they all worked together.
I’m not normally a fan of just romances but this one had me completely engaged throughout the book and there was never a moment where I wanted to stop reading. I just had to read the whole thing.
Fanfare is a great, fun read. It’s the sort of romance that is really believable. I really enjoyed Fanfare and can gladly say that this one is a good one for fans of romance novels that aren’t incredibly overbearing or for someone just looking for a good, well-written, light and fun read.
I’m pretty sure that for 3/4 of Fanfare I had a huge grin plastered to my face. The other 1/4 was spent lamenting and hoping that things would turn out for the best. I also laughed out loud a few times. Cristina was the kind of narrator that made me laugh. There were also a couple of times where I could feel tears springing to my eyes. Fanfare is just exceptional.
Fanfare was everything I needed. It was light, it was fun and it was just so enjoyable. It was well-written so I could just breeze through and read this one within no time.
All the characters, except for one for obvious reasons, were fantastic. They all had their own personalities and just added something special to Fanfare. Each character had their own place in the novel and it was great to see how they all worked together.
I’m not normally a fan of just romances but this one had me completely engaged throughout the book and there was never a moment where I wanted to stop reading. I just had to read the whole thing.
Fanfare is a great, fun read. It’s the sort of romance that is really believable. I really enjoyed Fanfare and can gladly say that this one is a good one for fans of romance novels that aren’t incredibly overbearing or for someone just looking for a good, well-written, light and fun read.
November 23, 2016
Yeah so I'm not really a fan of Hollywood-star-dates-unknown-girl but I had to read this since it was Renée Ahdieh's debut and I love her books. This wasn't that great to be quite honest, you can see that her writing and her storytelling has really evolved, but there were parts where you could see the raw talent there. It was fun to read something by her in a contemporary setting even though you can't really see the similarities in the writing. One thing that I love and that it's common in her books is the way you just keep reading and don't even feel the time pass. Although this book sometimes felt endless, there were parts where I read for almost a hour straight, which is kind of rare for me.
So yeah, I understand the reason why maybe Renée Ahdieh doesn't really want people to remember that she wrote this book because it isn't her best writing. Even so, it's a solid 3 star book in my opinion. Not her best work, but if you have in consideration that it was her first book, it's great. And besides, I believe that if I had read this book 5 years ago and if I liked this kind of plot, I would like it way more.
So yeah, I understand the reason why maybe Renée Ahdieh doesn't really want people to remember that she wrote this book because it isn't her best writing. Even so, it's a solid 3 star book in my opinion. Not her best work, but if you have in consideration that it was her first book, it's great. And besides, I believe that if I had read this book 5 years ago and if I liked this kind of plot, I would like it way more.
February 27, 2011
I was lucky enough to read this story before it was made into a book and wow, it had me hooked from the first chapter!! I love how Renee developes the characters and makes you feel like you're emotionally invested in the story. Definitely looking forward to buying a copy and sharing it with all my friends!
September 27, 2018
The story was witty and cute. I loved the ending.
July 13, 2011
Cris Pereira was not given this kind of warning when she agreed to sacrifice one afternoon out of her weekend to appease a cousin. Needless to say Tom Abramson, the source of all the excitement, wasn’t too thrilled to be where he was either. Disinterest is a recipe for destiny to take its course and the reader along with it on a ride of all that is the ups and downs of love. In her debut novel Fanfare, Renee Ahdieh has just the perfect recipe for the modern love story.
True love is is blind. In fact, so blind, that it can pair a no nonsense Puerto Rican social worker with a sought after British actor making it big in the United States in a line of work that currently has stars like Robert Pattinson fleeing for his life from legions of adoring fans. Complications may include internal damage due to horrible ex fiance’s, aspects of self worth or loathing between both parties, and papararzzi flash bulbs. See the inside of People magazine for details for details.
Through a long series of e-mails, texts, and long emails the two title characters bridge the gap between their different worlds. In the process, Cris begins to fall for Tom despite the fact she has warned herself not to. Armed with the advice of her girlfriends Gita and Hana, she sets out to enjoy a friendship she finds can not be as well metered out as the rest life she tries to control with exact precision. Trust is a hard thing to come by. When love does come in whatever package it has to show, will you be ready? Despite the stereotype of Hollywood men, Tom is so candid in his manor that Cris is disarmed. To the same effect, Tom is equally disarmed that Cris could care less what movie he’s been in!
The heroine of the work is a hard working, strong, feisty piece of work! First person point of view carries her voice the entire time. She speaks her mind without reservation; the high point of the appeal is that she is rooted so far down to earth you feel as if she were sitting next to you and having coffee. The view point of an ordinary woman swept up to a point of in to a world of glitz comes across without pretension. Tom Abramson is a lost soul in the world he created for himself. While he desired to be an actor, he seems to be unimpressed with the expectation it carries of worship. I liked that he was unusually humble, honest, and maintained his realness in a setting where all of it falls away behind false smiles. Together or apart each character has some laugh out loud observations about the world or the person in it. When these two get together for a verbal tit-for-tat there is always something to learn. Gita & Hana are the most prevalent forces for comedic back up or the setting straight of a situation that is heading on a hard left the wrong way. Gita, Hana, and the other characters presented are the people we all have in our lives. Well meaning, loud, and vivacious.
Ahdieh has an effortless style to her writing that makes it fun, honest, and beautiful. I can’t help but to have felt my own heartbreak in reading through how Cris dealt with the break up of her relationship with antagonist Ryan. It left her so scarred with a pessimistic bias for the remainder of what she was to encounter. Tom is in a world filled with people yet is always alone. When he was at his most observant or his most angry, his passages became the most thrilling to read. This isn’t a novel based on extremes in chemistry but instead is a frank look at one couple’s journey through friendship, romance, and hardship with the odds stacked against them. No gimmickry or over the top starts. A fresh voice makes this the perfect light summer read for the day. The ability to read about the couple’s interactions navigating the upper echelon right down to the backwoods allows a reader to see what the unit is all about. Just a boy and a girl…with some tabloids, a red carpet or two, and some barriers wrapped up in designer chic.
Thinking of embarking on a whirl wind romance complete with extraordinary moments punctuating your ordinary day? The Geeky Chic recommends picking up a copy of Fanfare to add a little lux to your day.
Grade: A
True love is is blind. In fact, so blind, that it can pair a no nonsense Puerto Rican social worker with a sought after British actor making it big in the United States in a line of work that currently has stars like Robert Pattinson fleeing for his life from legions of adoring fans. Complications may include internal damage due to horrible ex fiance’s, aspects of self worth or loathing between both parties, and papararzzi flash bulbs. See the inside of People magazine for details for details.
Through a long series of e-mails, texts, and long emails the two title characters bridge the gap between their different worlds. In the process, Cris begins to fall for Tom despite the fact she has warned herself not to. Armed with the advice of her girlfriends Gita and Hana, she sets out to enjoy a friendship she finds can not be as well metered out as the rest life she tries to control with exact precision. Trust is a hard thing to come by. When love does come in whatever package it has to show, will you be ready? Despite the stereotype of Hollywood men, Tom is so candid in his manor that Cris is disarmed. To the same effect, Tom is equally disarmed that Cris could care less what movie he’s been in!
The heroine of the work is a hard working, strong, feisty piece of work! First person point of view carries her voice the entire time. She speaks her mind without reservation; the high point of the appeal is that she is rooted so far down to earth you feel as if she were sitting next to you and having coffee. The view point of an ordinary woman swept up to a point of in to a world of glitz comes across without pretension. Tom Abramson is a lost soul in the world he created for himself. While he desired to be an actor, he seems to be unimpressed with the expectation it carries of worship. I liked that he was unusually humble, honest, and maintained his realness in a setting where all of it falls away behind false smiles. Together or apart each character has some laugh out loud observations about the world or the person in it. When these two get together for a verbal tit-for-tat there is always something to learn. Gita & Hana are the most prevalent forces for comedic back up or the setting straight of a situation that is heading on a hard left the wrong way. Gita, Hana, and the other characters presented are the people we all have in our lives. Well meaning, loud, and vivacious.
Ahdieh has an effortless style to her writing that makes it fun, honest, and beautiful. I can’t help but to have felt my own heartbreak in reading through how Cris dealt with the break up of her relationship with antagonist Ryan. It left her so scarred with a pessimistic bias for the remainder of what she was to encounter. Tom is in a world filled with people yet is always alone. When he was at his most observant or his most angry, his passages became the most thrilling to read. This isn’t a novel based on extremes in chemistry but instead is a frank look at one couple’s journey through friendship, romance, and hardship with the odds stacked against them. No gimmickry or over the top starts. A fresh voice makes this the perfect light summer read for the day. The ability to read about the couple’s interactions navigating the upper echelon right down to the backwoods allows a reader to see what the unit is all about. Just a boy and a girl…with some tabloids, a red carpet or two, and some barriers wrapped up in designer chic.
Thinking of embarking on a whirl wind romance complete with extraordinary moments punctuating your ordinary day? The Geeky Chic recommends picking up a copy of Fanfare to add a little lux to your day.
Grade: A
May 18, 2011
Fanfare by Renée Ahdieh
Website: http://reneeahdieh.blogspot.com
Paperback, 240 pages
Expected publication: May 31, 2011by Revolution Publishing, Inc
ISBN: 0983353700
Summary:
Cris Pereira hates starring in a cautionary tale. Alas, her recent heartbreak relegates her to this unbecoming fate. The only good thing about being dumped a foot from the altar is the newest layer to her punchy sarcasm. All she wants is a do-over, but this is not your average fairy tale, and wishes don't come true in the real world. One Sunday afternoon, she meets a movie star. Tom Abramson is intelligent, charming, and impetuous. In other words, he plays the role a bit too well. She isn’t falling for it. She knows better. All British men are not descendants of Fitzwilliam Darcy, and movie stars are genetic mutations gone awry: X-Men with statistical disadvantages and emotional handicaps. Keep your knight in shining armor. A modern girl can rescue herself, thank you very much. After all, dreams are for the foolhardy, nightmares are just a part of life, and . . . this is not your average fairy tale.
Review:
To be completely honest, I didn’t think I’d enjoy this story as much as I did. I read this on my iPhone and pulled an all-nighter for two straight nights. I COULD NOT stop reading!
Cris, a twenty-five year old Social Worker from North Carolina, took two of her cousins to an autograph session for movie star Thomas Abramson. From the get go she was uninterested. She could care less about some big movie star and didn’t know what the big deal was meeting someone who didn’t give a crap about you. When it was their turn to meet him, Thomas strikes up conversation with her and she’s disinterested. After their initial meeting, Cris takes her cousins for something to eat and shopping only to find out hours later that she forgot her iPod on the table during her chat (she was listening to this while standing in line so she could drown out thee girly screams). Upon returning to the scene she is directed to Information. She explains her situation and receives a telephone number of the person who took. Of course she’s angry at this point thinking it was some girl who thought they were striking gold by taking Thomas’s iPod. Boy was she shocked when she called the number and got Thomas’s voicemail. This, my friends, is where the love began to blossom. Their relationship began with talking, texting, and emailing and soon blossomed into visiting each other. She was falling for him and he was falling for her. HAPPY SIGH.
I’d love to tell you this entire story but I’d rather not ruin it for you. But I will tell you this: there were times during my reading that I was squeeing at my screen. I even yelled at it when I didn’t like what was happening. Renée writes beautifully and I believe that’s one of the reasons I couldn’t stop reading. If you love Romance, then definitely add this book to your TBR (to be read) list. I promise it won’t disappoint.
5 stars for Fanfare for letting me live the red carpet experience.
Cesya MaRae Cuono author of the Elemental Series.
Website: http://reneeahdieh.blogspot.com
Paperback, 240 pages
Expected publication: May 31, 2011by Revolution Publishing, Inc
ISBN: 0983353700
Summary:
Cris Pereira hates starring in a cautionary tale. Alas, her recent heartbreak relegates her to this unbecoming fate. The only good thing about being dumped a foot from the altar is the newest layer to her punchy sarcasm. All she wants is a do-over, but this is not your average fairy tale, and wishes don't come true in the real world. One Sunday afternoon, she meets a movie star. Tom Abramson is intelligent, charming, and impetuous. In other words, he plays the role a bit too well. She isn’t falling for it. She knows better. All British men are not descendants of Fitzwilliam Darcy, and movie stars are genetic mutations gone awry: X-Men with statistical disadvantages and emotional handicaps. Keep your knight in shining armor. A modern girl can rescue herself, thank you very much. After all, dreams are for the foolhardy, nightmares are just a part of life, and . . . this is not your average fairy tale.
Review:
To be completely honest, I didn’t think I’d enjoy this story as much as I did. I read this on my iPhone and pulled an all-nighter for two straight nights. I COULD NOT stop reading!
Cris, a twenty-five year old Social Worker from North Carolina, took two of her cousins to an autograph session for movie star Thomas Abramson. From the get go she was uninterested. She could care less about some big movie star and didn’t know what the big deal was meeting someone who didn’t give a crap about you. When it was their turn to meet him, Thomas strikes up conversation with her and she’s disinterested. After their initial meeting, Cris takes her cousins for something to eat and shopping only to find out hours later that she forgot her iPod on the table during her chat (she was listening to this while standing in line so she could drown out thee girly screams). Upon returning to the scene she is directed to Information. She explains her situation and receives a telephone number of the person who took. Of course she’s angry at this point thinking it was some girl who thought they were striking gold by taking Thomas’s iPod. Boy was she shocked when she called the number and got Thomas’s voicemail. This, my friends, is where the love began to blossom. Their relationship began with talking, texting, and emailing and soon blossomed into visiting each other. She was falling for him and he was falling for her. HAPPY SIGH.
I’d love to tell you this entire story but I’d rather not ruin it for you. But I will tell you this: there were times during my reading that I was squeeing at my screen. I even yelled at it when I didn’t like what was happening. Renée writes beautifully and I believe that’s one of the reasons I couldn’t stop reading. If you love Romance, then definitely add this book to your TBR (to be read) list. I promise it won’t disappoint.
5 stars for Fanfare for letting me live the red carpet experience.
Cesya MaRae Cuono author of the Elemental Series.
May 20, 2011
I wanted to like this book. I really did. New authors need the boost up,and I like being able to give that. 'Fanfare' has all the makings of a passable romance novel: the feisty heroine. The handsome movie star who is fascinated with her. A colorful cast of ethnic friends. Romance heaven, right?
Ahdieh is not an untalented writer. Her prose is clear, and she has a nice, sharp-witted turn of phrase at times. I liked her female lead (Chris), on the whole, and she did a good job at making her secondary characters more than stock characters or puppets.
There is trouble in paradise, though, and it hits in the first chapter: repetitive word choice and badly thought out adverbs where a more descriptive verb would have been far better. In fact,this whole novel could have used another draft and suggestions from a tough editor. There are many passages that are very flat, giving us no more information than that Chris is fabulously lovely in all ways, often punctuated with unnecessary exclamation points and capitalized words. Far more irritating, though, were long passages in text and email speak. Yes, I know that such communication is intrinsic to every day life, but reading it in print gets annoying quickly.
As much as I liked her female characters, though, I have to take issue with the male lead. Thomas is very clearly a lightly-disguised Very Famous Celebrity (VFC), from the beanie to the hair, accent, car, name... That VFC quite memorably tagged the author of the book his first major movie was based upon as lusting after the character he portrayed, and evidence of that is clear with Ahdieh, as well. It gets almost embarrassing as Thomas fawns upon Chris, singing her praises in words and phrases that I dare say wouldn't cross the lips of any man. It goes without saying that Thomas is perfect, too. Perfect with Chris' friends, perfect with her mother, even perfectly jealous when the ubiquitous ex-boyfriend makes his short visit. Perfectly unbelievable.
I give this two stars for Ahdieh's potential. She certainly has some, as evidenced by the times her snark made me laugh. 'Fanfare' could have some appeal to those in love with fan fiction (even of the recycled variety) and its almost inevitable lack of character and plot development. It's not overly sexual, though the hint is there; in fact, if not for the liberal use of the f-bomb, this could be YA (This is not intended as a criticism--badly written sex is far worse than none at all).
'Fanfare' didn't do it for me, but I'd be interested in what Ahdieh does next.
Ahdieh is not an untalented writer. Her prose is clear, and she has a nice, sharp-witted turn of phrase at times. I liked her female lead (Chris), on the whole, and she did a good job at making her secondary characters more than stock characters or puppets.
There is trouble in paradise, though, and it hits in the first chapter: repetitive word choice and badly thought out adverbs where a more descriptive verb would have been far better. In fact,this whole novel could have used another draft and suggestions from a tough editor. There are many passages that are very flat, giving us no more information than that Chris is fabulously lovely in all ways, often punctuated with unnecessary exclamation points and capitalized words. Far more irritating, though, were long passages in text and email speak. Yes, I know that such communication is intrinsic to every day life, but reading it in print gets annoying quickly.
As much as I liked her female characters, though, I have to take issue with the male lead. Thomas is very clearly a lightly-disguised Very Famous Celebrity (VFC), from the beanie to the hair, accent, car, name... That VFC quite memorably tagged the author of the book his first major movie was based upon as lusting after the character he portrayed, and evidence of that is clear with Ahdieh, as well. It gets almost embarrassing as Thomas fawns upon Chris, singing her praises in words and phrases that I dare say wouldn't cross the lips of any man. It goes without saying that Thomas is perfect, too. Perfect with Chris' friends, perfect with her mother, even perfectly jealous when the ubiquitous ex-boyfriend makes his short visit. Perfectly unbelievable.
I give this two stars for Ahdieh's potential. She certainly has some, as evidenced by the times her snark made me laugh. 'Fanfare' could have some appeal to those in love with fan fiction (even of the recycled variety) and its almost inevitable lack of character and plot development. It's not overly sexual, though the hint is there; in fact, if not for the liberal use of the f-bomb, this could be YA (This is not intended as a criticism--badly written sex is far worse than none at all).
'Fanfare' didn't do it for me, but I'd be interested in what Ahdieh does next.
June 15, 2011
Fanfare was a nice breath of fresh air. As Renee's debut novel I was quite impressed by her writing style and fun flare with her characters.
Cris Pereira found herself in a difficult place when her fiance left her for another woman. She did what she could to move on; she went to work, spent time with her friends, lived her life. But deep down she feared being hurt again.
And then one morning she met Tom Abramson, Hollywood's new "it" boy, and things took an unexpected turn. Moving on isn't always easy, but the attention of British rising star usually helps. While Cris prefers to plan things out and stay in control, Tom's more of a take things as they come type of guy. Will these two be able to make things work or are there just too many differences.
One of the things that I really enjoyed about this story was the build up of the relationship between Cris and Tom. They had witty banter and fun together and Renee gave us the slow build up of not only their feelings for each other, but their relationship as they got to explore that together. I found myself really liking both characters and rooting for them, which doesn't always happen for me.
I loved that there wasn't a love triangle for the characters. Not to say that doesn't work, but at times it feels over done. For Cris and Tom it was more about them falling for each other and learning to look past the hardships and pain that life puts in their way. It was strictly a sweet romance which I really enjoyed.
This was a fun, sweet read and a story that I was surprised to have really enjoyed. Renee Ahdieh managed to squeeze my heart with this story and I hope she'll have more up her sleeves. I almost hated to see this come to an end and wanted more for these two characters.
I definitely recommend this story.
Cris Pereira found herself in a difficult place when her fiance left her for another woman. She did what she could to move on; she went to work, spent time with her friends, lived her life. But deep down she feared being hurt again.
And then one morning she met Tom Abramson, Hollywood's new "it" boy, and things took an unexpected turn. Moving on isn't always easy, but the attention of British rising star usually helps. While Cris prefers to plan things out and stay in control, Tom's more of a take things as they come type of guy. Will these two be able to make things work or are there just too many differences.
One of the things that I really enjoyed about this story was the build up of the relationship between Cris and Tom. They had witty banter and fun together and Renee gave us the slow build up of not only their feelings for each other, but their relationship as they got to explore that together. I found myself really liking both characters and rooting for them, which doesn't always happen for me.
I loved that there wasn't a love triangle for the characters. Not to say that doesn't work, but at times it feels over done. For Cris and Tom it was more about them falling for each other and learning to look past the hardships and pain that life puts in their way. It was strictly a sweet romance which I really enjoyed.
This was a fun, sweet read and a story that I was surprised to have really enjoyed. Renee Ahdieh managed to squeeze my heart with this story and I hope she'll have more up her sleeves. I almost hated to see this come to an end and wanted more for these two characters.
I definitely recommend this story.
July 11, 2015
Are you looking for a book to read? A book filled to the brim with clichés? The I-Dropped-My-IPod-By-The-Hot-Movie-Star-Who-Is-Not-Cocky-And-Is-Just-Lonely-Even-Though-He-Is-Surrounded-By-His-Entourage-And-Nobody-Can-Understand-Him-Rxcept-For-Her. And she is a totally chill person who definitely does not listen to mainstream music, instead she listens to unique music so when he gets her iPod he is intrigued. Then we go through the whole I-had-my-heart-broken-so-we-can-only-be-friends. Then the phase of oh-I-like-you-but-I'm-not-too-sure-yet. Then we have the media finding out who she is and cussing her on the internet. And his agent is a complete and utter moron who hates her. And he has a gay hair dresser. And last but not least:
*druuuummmm roooollll*
He asks her to marry him and she's super excited and she says yes and obviously even though he's not a shallow movie star, he has to let people know that he will get his wife the biggest diamond ring ever. And then her ex-fiancé finds her and tells her he's still in love with her and she realises oh I cant get back with my ex because he doesn't deserve me but I cant be happy with the hot movie star either because I don't deserve him. Then she spends a whole load of time wallowing in self pity till she finally comes to her senses and goes after the movie star and they live happily ever after. And she has to have a fight with her best friend before she comes to her senses of course. The End.
There are lots more but tbh by this point I was skimming the pages just to get to the end. Maybe I would have enjoined this book a few years ago but now its just MEH.
*druuuummmm roooollll*
He asks her to marry him and she's super excited and she says yes and obviously even though he's not a shallow movie star, he has to let people know that he will get his wife the biggest diamond ring ever. And then her ex-fiancé finds her and tells her he's still in love with her and she realises oh I cant get back with my ex because he doesn't deserve me but I cant be happy with the hot movie star either because I don't deserve him. Then she spends a whole load of time wallowing in self pity till she finally comes to her senses and goes after the movie star and they live happily ever after. And she has to have a fight with her best friend before she comes to her senses of course. The End.
There are lots more but tbh by this point I was skimming the pages just to get to the end. Maybe I would have enjoined this book a few years ago but now its just MEH.
June 2, 2011
So ordinary girl meets up and coming Hollywood actor and is not impressed to find that he's a bit scruffy and hasn't bothered to wash his hair. And he is intrigued by the seemingly ordinary girl that doesn't buy into his star status like all the other screaming fans.
Initially I didn't really like Cris, she came across as a little whiney and annoying. It didn't however, take too long for me to understand the reasons behind her attitude and warm up to her.
In contrast I loved Tom straight away. He was sweet and funny, shy and a little awkward but very endearing.
Tom really goes out of his way to show Cris that he isn't the trounced up big shot she initially thinks he is. He text messages and emails in an effort to find out as much as he can about her, and Cris is as equally interested in the man behind the glamor, although she continually questions his motives.
I really enjoyed their conversations, and often found myself smiling like an idiot as their romance blossomed. Their interactions felt very realistic and I enjoyed their attempts at dodging the paps.
This is a very heartwarming story that reminds us all that fairy tales, really can come true. And I have to say that this is a long held fantasy of mine. Seriously, who wouldn't want a cute movie star to fall for them? Even better when that star is actually just a misunderstood, shy guy trying to find his place in the world like the rest of us.
Renee Ahdieh has delivered a well thought out, what if?, present day take on the classic Cinderella tale and I for one loved it.
All in all a 5 star read.
Want to read
July 4, 2011This one is a bit difficult for me to review. I loved the majority of the book, but the few flaws I found keep gnawing at my mind, which in turn caused me to look at the book with a pessimistic eye.
I loved the witty humor of the book! I was almost always laughing when I was reading this. It was a cute, funny read. If anything the book was a great laugh. I would recommend this to anyone who wanted some romance, with a side of humor.
The one thing I couldn't get out of my mind was the character flaws. Yes, I loved Cris! She was a strong girl, has a soft heart, and she was the one with the humor. I really didn't like the way she was the book line, stereotypical Latino chick. It frustrated me some. I could guess her next move. If you look passed that, she is a great character! I could relate to her and the pain of a bad breakup. Tom. Who dosn't love a hot movie star? I really liked Tom's character. His attitude, just everything about him. His flaw: being to perfect, and likable. But thats a movie stars job!
The cover is beautiful! I really do love it.
Renee has some writing talent. I will be expecting even better books from her in the future. I felt like she can grow to be a VERY popular contemporary writer.
Overall: This was a cute and funny romance. I thought this was a light summer read, perfect for the beach!
I loved the witty humor of the book! I was almost always laughing when I was reading this. It was a cute, funny read. If anything the book was a great laugh. I would recommend this to anyone who wanted some romance, with a side of humor.
The one thing I couldn't get out of my mind was the character flaws. Yes, I loved Cris! She was a strong girl, has a soft heart, and she was the one with the humor. I really didn't like the way she was the book line, stereotypical Latino chick. It frustrated me some. I could guess her next move. If you look passed that, she is a great character! I could relate to her and the pain of a bad breakup. Tom. Who dosn't love a hot movie star? I really liked Tom's character. His attitude, just everything about him. His flaw: being to perfect, and likable. But thats a movie stars job!
The cover is beautiful! I really do love it.
Renee has some writing talent. I will be expecting even better books from her in the future. I felt like she can grow to be a VERY popular contemporary writer.
Overall: This was a cute and funny romance. I thought this was a light summer read, perfect for the beach!
May 20, 2011
I liked to take this time to warn those reading my review that this book will have you laughing out loud when no ones is around and it may cause an emotional tear or two.
Renee Ahdieh’s ability to write a great emotional romance is just a tip of the iceberg for Fanfare. Without a doubt, Fanfare has several major elements that made this a book to die for. Cris’s, the heroine / social worker, snarky attitude and sarcasm will have you holding your sides from laughing so much. Thomas, the hero / movie actor, bravely goes after what he wants - to be treated as a human by someone who would love him for the real person he was.
The tale was told from Cris’s first person point of view, which gave her snarky comments more punch/flavor to the tale. However, Cris’s sensitive nature sneaks in through the pages as we watch her grow into a well-developed character that brightens Thomas’s life.
Thomas is a loving man who spars with Cris verbally with his own British accent and dialogue. Their two lineages (Puerto Rican and British) blend in an intoxicating romance that NEEDS to be read by all.
The pacing of Fanfare’s wild tale of love, hardship, adaptation to new things, family, friends, and the problems with paparazzi make this fast-paced novel a must read. If I could give this story 6 out of 5 stars I would.
Renee Ahdieh’s ability to write a great emotional romance is just a tip of the iceberg for Fanfare. Without a doubt, Fanfare has several major elements that made this a book to die for. Cris’s, the heroine / social worker, snarky attitude and sarcasm will have you holding your sides from laughing so much. Thomas, the hero / movie actor, bravely goes after what he wants - to be treated as a human by someone who would love him for the real person he was.
The tale was told from Cris’s first person point of view, which gave her snarky comments more punch/flavor to the tale. However, Cris’s sensitive nature sneaks in through the pages as we watch her grow into a well-developed character that brightens Thomas’s life.
Thomas is a loving man who spars with Cris verbally with his own British accent and dialogue. Their two lineages (Puerto Rican and British) blend in an intoxicating romance that NEEDS to be read by all.
The pacing of Fanfare’s wild tale of love, hardship, adaptation to new things, family, friends, and the problems with paparazzi make this fast-paced novel a must read. If I could give this story 6 out of 5 stars I would.
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July 6, 2012
3 Stars
Not bad for a debut author/book. Not sure about the cover. I think it a little overdone for the simplicity of this story.
Not great, but I like this authors voice. I'll keep my eye open for more by her.
One thing I liked quite a bit was the diverse cultures visited and mixed in this book. The h is Cuban/Puerto Rican, the H is British, the h's best friend's are Korean and Indian. Some how these all mix very well... I liked the friends almost as much as the primary characters. A very eclectic group.
Happy Reading!
Not bad for a debut author/book. Not sure about the cover. I think it a little overdone for the simplicity of this story.
Not great, but I like this authors voice. I'll keep my eye open for more by her.
One thing I liked quite a bit was the diverse cultures visited and mixed in this book. The h is Cuban/Puerto Rican, the H is British, the h's best friend's are Korean and Indian. Some how these all mix very well... I liked the friends almost as much as the primary characters. A very eclectic group.
Happy Reading!
July 10, 2016
- Great premise, great hero, writing rather disappointing. Dialogue cheesy and stilted in places. Other characters kept commenting on how clever or brilliant or brave the heroine supposedly was for making some commonplace remarks. I'd like it to actually be clever/ brilliant/ brave and not just be told it was.
- Heroine rather irritating. Acted really stupidly at the end.
- I get that the way she was jilted was really hurtful. But it still seemed pretty melodramatic for her to keep having nightmares about it...?
- Heroine rather irritating. Acted really stupidly at the end.
- I get that the way she was jilted was really hurtful. But it still seemed pretty melodramatic for her to keep having nightmares about it...?
April 9, 2016
semplicemente perfetto...mi viene da piangere tanto è bello
June 5, 2011
Sometimes life gives you lemons, closes a door and kicks you when you’re down. For Cris Pereira there has been no lemonade, windows opening or getting up to brush herself off. Between her fiancée cheating on her and her father dying, it’s pretty fair to say she has had a run of bad luck.
And then Cris loses her iPod.
At a celebrity signing for the current ‘it boy’ of Hollywood, Cris is forced to queue in line with her squealing, obsessed cousins as they fawn over the latest British export, and then she loses her iPod at the signing table. Brilliant!
Cris is baffled when an anonymous note promises to return her lost iPod to her. And the surprises keep on coming when a mysterious phone number belongs to none other than Tom Abramson – the famously hunky British actor!
What follows is a sweetly kindling romance which blooms amidst txt messages, e-mails and long-distance phone calls, followed by secret rendezvous’. Cris finds herself falling for one of the sexiest men alive (according to People magazine) . . . even more shocking is that Cris can fix her heart after such a tortuous broken engagement. Does it matter that the price of mending her heart will be to live and love in the public eye?
‘Fanfare’ is the debut novel from Renee Ahdieh.
I was initially intrigued by this novel’s premise because it reminded me a bit of Alice Clayton’s (fabulous) ‘Redhead’ series. Both books are about a woman falling for the latest Hollywood heartthrob and then managing their romance in the limelight.
The anger flared. “You have no idea what you’re talking about! You think that all of this drama is fabulous and entertaining. You read your blogs and your People magazine, and you think this world is like the adult version of Disneyland! Newsflash: it isn’t!” I shouted.
There are similarities between the books – despite the broad plot outline. Cris herself isn’t in the fame game (whereas Grace Sheridan was an aspiring actress). Most of the parallels come between the male leads; Jack Hamilton, heartthrob of ‘Redhead’ and Tom Abramson’s rising star in ‘Fanfare’. Both of them are British and both play the guitar. They are both starring in book to film tween adaptations that have skyrocketed them to the front cover of Tiger Beat magazine (playing a time traveller and ghost, respectively). Both of them are uncomfortable with the fame game, and welcome the opportunity to inject their romantic lives with some normalcy of their own dictate. But that’s essentially where the similarities between ‘Redhead’ and ‘Fanfare’ end.
‘Redhead’ is a far sexier romance read. Jack and Grace had plenty of sparking chemistry and Alice Clayton excelled at writing steamy, heart-palpitating sex scenes for them. In ‘Fanfare’ Cris is in a very fragile emotional state, so she and Tom move their romance at a steady, snail pace for the sake of healing. I would have liked a sizzling injection to the romantic aspect, if only because I had some issues with the tameness of the novel. . .
My biggest problem with ‘Fanfare’ was the characters of Cris and Tom. They weren’t terribly fascinating – individually or together. The most interesting thing about Cris is her recent heartbreak, and Tom’s only noteworthy for being famous. Otherwise, they are pretty ho-hum characters chugging along at a steady romantic pace. I quite liked that Tom is portrayed as just an average Joe who happens to have an infamous job, but really if you took his acting out of the equation this could just be a novel about a woman getting over heartbreak and learning to love again.
Because Tom was such a charmingly sedate character, I did find that his and Cris’s relationship wasn’t particularly fiery. Tom was just lovely – trustworthy, dependable and gallant. Even when rumours surfaced that he was ‘canoodling’ with his co-star, there was never a moment of drama for me or a second’s doubt that he would hurt Cris. He was so lovely and kind to the point that his and Cris’s relationship was predictable and not terribly steamy.
Sure, Cris is a vivacious Puerto Rican woman who likes to dance, speaks her mind and doesn’t back down. But despite her cultural feistiness, her character didn’t have much verve. She was kinda funny and very observant . . . mostly she was just very down-to-earth. The most interesting moments for me came from Cris’s observations of being an average woman dating a famous man;
The unflattering comparisons in my mind were endless . . . and humorously cruel. I heard once that you never see a really good-looking guy with a homely girl, but it didn’t seem terribly unusual to witness a beautiful woman with an aesthetically forgettable man.
I might get thrashed for saying this, but I think that many women are so focused on their sense of self-image that they can’t stomach being the question mark in a coupe; they prefer to be the exclamation point.
I can understand Tom being so normal as to border on mundane. His job is the big draw-card; otherwise he’s just an ordinary bloke looking for love. This is probably true of many film stars (Jake Gyllenhaal and Matt Damon come to mind) but to counterpoint his ordinary schtick I wish Cris had more charisma to carry the romance.
I did like that Cris was Puerto Rican, and surrounded by friends of varying ethnicities – it made for vivacious secondary character explorations and ensured that her cache of friends never faded into the background.
Overall I thought ‘Fanfare’ was a very realistic look at a ‘what if?’ fantasy which most woman have considered at some point in their life. What if someone famous fell in love with you? Could you love in the public eye? Would you be willing to give yourself to someone and lose your privacy in the bargain? Renee Ahdieh raises some interesting points in a plot that resembles an ordinarily sweet romance, but with an injection of Hollywood glamour.
And then Cris loses her iPod.
At a celebrity signing for the current ‘it boy’ of Hollywood, Cris is forced to queue in line with her squealing, obsessed cousins as they fawn over the latest British export, and then she loses her iPod at the signing table. Brilliant!
Cris is baffled when an anonymous note promises to return her lost iPod to her. And the surprises keep on coming when a mysterious phone number belongs to none other than Tom Abramson – the famously hunky British actor!
What follows is a sweetly kindling romance which blooms amidst txt messages, e-mails and long-distance phone calls, followed by secret rendezvous’. Cris finds herself falling for one of the sexiest men alive (according to People magazine) . . . even more shocking is that Cris can fix her heart after such a tortuous broken engagement. Does it matter that the price of mending her heart will be to live and love in the public eye?
‘Fanfare’ is the debut novel from Renee Ahdieh.
I was initially intrigued by this novel’s premise because it reminded me a bit of Alice Clayton’s (fabulous) ‘Redhead’ series. Both books are about a woman falling for the latest Hollywood heartthrob and then managing their romance in the limelight.
The anger flared. “You have no idea what you’re talking about! You think that all of this drama is fabulous and entertaining. You read your blogs and your People magazine, and you think this world is like the adult version of Disneyland! Newsflash: it isn’t!” I shouted.
There are similarities between the books – despite the broad plot outline. Cris herself isn’t in the fame game (whereas Grace Sheridan was an aspiring actress). Most of the parallels come between the male leads; Jack Hamilton, heartthrob of ‘Redhead’ and Tom Abramson’s rising star in ‘Fanfare’. Both of them are British and both play the guitar. They are both starring in book to film tween adaptations that have skyrocketed them to the front cover of Tiger Beat magazine (playing a time traveller and ghost, respectively). Both of them are uncomfortable with the fame game, and welcome the opportunity to inject their romantic lives with some normalcy of their own dictate. But that’s essentially where the similarities between ‘Redhead’ and ‘Fanfare’ end.
‘Redhead’ is a far sexier romance read. Jack and Grace had plenty of sparking chemistry and Alice Clayton excelled at writing steamy, heart-palpitating sex scenes for them. In ‘Fanfare’ Cris is in a very fragile emotional state, so she and Tom move their romance at a steady, snail pace for the sake of healing. I would have liked a sizzling injection to the romantic aspect, if only because I had some issues with the tameness of the novel. . .
My biggest problem with ‘Fanfare’ was the characters of Cris and Tom. They weren’t terribly fascinating – individually or together. The most interesting thing about Cris is her recent heartbreak, and Tom’s only noteworthy for being famous. Otherwise, they are pretty ho-hum characters chugging along at a steady romantic pace. I quite liked that Tom is portrayed as just an average Joe who happens to have an infamous job, but really if you took his acting out of the equation this could just be a novel about a woman getting over heartbreak and learning to love again.
Because Tom was such a charmingly sedate character, I did find that his and Cris’s relationship wasn’t particularly fiery. Tom was just lovely – trustworthy, dependable and gallant. Even when rumours surfaced that he was ‘canoodling’ with his co-star, there was never a moment of drama for me or a second’s doubt that he would hurt Cris. He was so lovely and kind to the point that his and Cris’s relationship was predictable and not terribly steamy.
Sure, Cris is a vivacious Puerto Rican woman who likes to dance, speaks her mind and doesn’t back down. But despite her cultural feistiness, her character didn’t have much verve. She was kinda funny and very observant . . . mostly she was just very down-to-earth. The most interesting moments for me came from Cris’s observations of being an average woman dating a famous man;
The unflattering comparisons in my mind were endless . . . and humorously cruel. I heard once that you never see a really good-looking guy with a homely girl, but it didn’t seem terribly unusual to witness a beautiful woman with an aesthetically forgettable man.
I might get thrashed for saying this, but I think that many women are so focused on their sense of self-image that they can’t stomach being the question mark in a coupe; they prefer to be the exclamation point.
I can understand Tom being so normal as to border on mundane. His job is the big draw-card; otherwise he’s just an ordinary bloke looking for love. This is probably true of many film stars (Jake Gyllenhaal and Matt Damon come to mind) but to counterpoint his ordinary schtick I wish Cris had more charisma to carry the romance.
I did like that Cris was Puerto Rican, and surrounded by friends of varying ethnicities – it made for vivacious secondary character explorations and ensured that her cache of friends never faded into the background.
Overall I thought ‘Fanfare’ was a very realistic look at a ‘what if?’ fantasy which most woman have considered at some point in their life. What if someone famous fell in love with you? Could you love in the public eye? Would you be willing to give yourself to someone and lose your privacy in the bargain? Renee Ahdieh raises some interesting points in a plot that resembles an ordinarily sweet romance, but with an injection of Hollywood glamour.
September 4, 2020
DNF!!
The most uninteresting, incredibly getting on my nerves like the sound of a chalk dragging across the board, nails scraping on steel, chair being dragged on the ground kind of annoying 30 pages I ever read. And I care about myself better than continuing with the story. So I stopped right there..and saw the name of the author and now I'm like...what?? Am I living in a parallel universe where Renee writes a book this mindnumbingly poor? I'm still confused and in shock. Get me back to the Berenstein Universe , please.
The most uninteresting, incredibly getting on my nerves like the sound of a chalk dragging across the board, nails scraping on steel, chair being dragged on the ground kind of annoying 30 pages I ever read. And I care about myself better than continuing with the story. So I stopped right there..and saw the name of the author and now I'm like...what?? Am I living in a parallel universe where Renee writes a book this mindnumbingly poor? I'm still confused and in shock. Get me back to the Berenstein Universe , please.
October 29, 2017
Recently, I've been challenging myself to finish all the books on my "currently reading" shelf. Apparently, I got to 85% completed in this one back in 2014, and stopped for no apparent reason. I started from the beginning again today, and found that I actually really enjoyed this book. The characters are witty and actually learn and grow. The characters' anguish and heartache felt real to me. (It also doesn't hurt that I'm a sucker for Hollywood-meets-normal-girl books).
January 6, 2019
Was this book completely and impossibly sappy? Yes. Completely and impossibly unrealistic? Definitely. Did I love every second? You can bet your ass.
Ugh. It was horrendously cliche and our heroine was both badass and overly-perfect. But it was also an amazing read.
This is my new go-to read for when I just need to smile.
Ugh. It was horrendously cliche and our heroine was both badass and overly-perfect. But it was also an amazing read.
This is my new go-to read for when I just need to smile.
October 24, 2024
This was such a sweet, heartfelt story. Sometimes you just want a book that is simple, about growth in oneself, and the realisation of what truly makes us happy. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, and the banter between the characters had me literally laughing out loud. I'm a huge fan of anything Renée writes and this one definitely makes the cut.
March 9, 2017
I wanted to love this book. I really did. But I just couldn't. The first 25% was terrific, I honestly thought the book would get a 5 star rating. But it started to go downhill from there. Also, all of the characters are sort of Mary Sues, so that really put me off the book too.
February 26, 2018
I read this after really loving The Wrath and the Dawn, but the style of writing is completely different and it seems like the author Renee Ahdieh has improved a lot since this debut. The story is pretty generic.
February 1, 2019
I still wish it were a print or ebook rather than audio. This version just has not convinced me to switch over to audiobooks (those British and Puerto Rican accents... big sigh). I loved the story, but the audio version, not so much.
December 27, 2019
I love Renee Ahdieh's other novels and as a result I felt like I should read absolutely everything by her. This was my least favorite and could have used some more editing, but it was also not fantasy like her other stories so perhaps that's partially why I didn't enjoy it as much.
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