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Stay Tuned
What happens when a #1 news team becomes the top story instead of reporting it?
For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there’s not much she hasn’t seen or can’t handle.
But no one—including Melissa—expects a fistfight during the ten o’clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor’s face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She’s determined that WSGA’s reputation won’t be destroyed on her watch.
Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in—but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa’s husband is away more than he’s home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother’s antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target.
What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out…
For TV producer Melissa Moore, crisis management comes with the job. From employee disputes to her high-maintenance boss, there’s not much she hasn’t seen or can’t handle.
But no one—including Melissa—expects a fistfight during the ten o’clock news. When sexy-but-crazy Alyssa Andrews lands a punch on her co-anchor’s face, Melissa jumps on set to help. She’s determined that WSGA’s reputation won’t be destroyed on her watch.
Both anchors are fired and Melissa agrees to fill in—but not before polishing her look from haircut to heels. While the new Melissa wows WSGA viewers, her personal life starts fraying at the edges. Melissa’s husband is away more than he’s home, leaving cryptic Post-it notes in his wake. Her mother’s antics spiral out of control at the nursing home and a stalker decides Melissa is her next target.
What happens next? Stay Tuned to find out…
ebook
First published November 11, 2011
33 people are currently reading
896 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Clark
23 books82 followersLauren Clark writes sweet, happily-ever-after romances set in the Deep South, including her new Golden Isles series of novellas set on St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island, Georgia.
A former CBS television news anchor and reporter, Lauren is the author of several award-winning novels, including Dancing Naked in Dixie, Stardust Summer, Pie Girls, and Stay Tuned. Visit her website at authorlaurenclark.com.
Lauren also writes suspense novels under the name Laura McNeill, including Center of Gravity and Sister Dear, both published by HarperCollins. Visit her website at lauramcneill.com.
A former CBS television news anchor and reporter, Lauren is the author of several award-winning novels, including Dancing Naked in Dixie, Stardust Summer, Pie Girls, and Stay Tuned. Visit her website at authorlaurenclark.com.
Lauren also writes suspense novels under the name Laura McNeill, including Center of Gravity and Sister Dear, both published by HarperCollins. Visit her website at lauramcneill.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
November 30, 2011
Stay Tuned is such a refreshing read. I don't read enough contemporary as it is, and when I do pick up contemporary it tends to be happy go lucky romantic comedies. I enjoy other sub-genres but they have to be done really well to hold my interest. Anything that deals with more serious issues and/or drama has to be well written and well thought out for me to enjoy it. Stayed Tuned is all of the above. It's well written, well thought out, beleiveable and best of all utterly relatable.
Melissa is such a great character. I instantly connected with her, all of her insecurities about not being good enough to be an anchor, all of her thoughts and annoyances. I thought she was really well fleshed out. She could really have been any woman dealing with juggling work, success (or the fear of not having it) friends, and problems at home. I think that anyone can relate to at least one of the struggles that Melissa goes through in Stay Tuned. I was rooting for her the whole time.
Surprisingly I also really liked Alyssa. I just found her funny! She was like the crazy comic relief. Except that she was really crazy. But in a strange way, she was amusing to me. Maybe I'm just weird? haha.
Melissa's husband on the other hand, bugged me. I think it was because I related so much to Melissa, and I was 100% on her side, but I just felt like she deserved more. He redeemed himself a little bit but I still think he needs to grow up a bit. I can also relate to his work problems though. I know how hard it is to try and prove yourself, and the competition can be really stressful.
Overall, I really really enjoyed Stay Tuned. I loved the news stories that wove themselves into the themes of Melissa's life. It was just so nicely done. The best part was that nothing felt forced. Everything fit so well and everything seemed so realistic and you can just picture it all happening. This is a great book if you are looking for an excellentlt executed contemporary/chick lit/women's literature book.
Melissa is such a great character. I instantly connected with her, all of her insecurities about not being good enough to be an anchor, all of her thoughts and annoyances. I thought she was really well fleshed out. She could really have been any woman dealing with juggling work, success (or the fear of not having it) friends, and problems at home. I think that anyone can relate to at least one of the struggles that Melissa goes through in Stay Tuned. I was rooting for her the whole time.
Surprisingly I also really liked Alyssa. I just found her funny! She was like the crazy comic relief. Except that she was really crazy. But in a strange way, she was amusing to me. Maybe I'm just weird? haha.
Melissa's husband on the other hand, bugged me. I think it was because I related so much to Melissa, and I was 100% on her side, but I just felt like she deserved more. He redeemed himself a little bit but I still think he needs to grow up a bit. I can also relate to his work problems though. I know how hard it is to try and prove yourself, and the competition can be really stressful.
Overall, I really really enjoyed Stay Tuned. I loved the news stories that wove themselves into the themes of Melissa's life. It was just so nicely done. The best part was that nothing felt forced. Everything fit so well and everything seemed so realistic and you can just picture it all happening. This is a great book if you are looking for an excellentlt executed contemporary/chick lit/women's literature book.
December 5, 2011
3 ½ Stars – “liked it”
Stay Tuned is a good little weekend read. If you are looking for a book that gives you a bit of insight what behind-the-scenes would be like & how it might feel working in a news room, you should definitely pick up this book. In fact if you have any sort if interest in journalism and/or broadcasting you would probably really enjoy this one. It is fun little ride that Ms. Clark takes you on.
I personally found the main character Melissa unrelatable, but that is probably because I do not have kids, an ailing mother, a husband, nor any desire to work in the limelight. Despite being unable to relate to Melissa, I still liked her. Her best friend was a sweetheart. Her mother was quite a character, I would have loved to know a bit more about her story.
The plot was a bit predictable in my opinion, but regardless, it was still a fun ride. Without giving anything away, I will say that the last few ending pages really made me smile. I don’t generally care for contemporary fiction but as contemporary fiction goes, Stay Tuned is good and well worth a read.
Thank you very much to Lauren Clark & goodreads for the copy of this book and the opportunity to read it. I received this book for free through goodread’s first reads but that in no way influenced this review!
Stay Tuned is a good little weekend read. If you are looking for a book that gives you a bit of insight what behind-the-scenes would be like & how it might feel working in a news room, you should definitely pick up this book. In fact if you have any sort if interest in journalism and/or broadcasting you would probably really enjoy this one. It is fun little ride that Ms. Clark takes you on.
I personally found the main character Melissa unrelatable, but that is probably because I do not have kids, an ailing mother, a husband, nor any desire to work in the limelight. Despite being unable to relate to Melissa, I still liked her. Her best friend was a sweetheart. Her mother was quite a character, I would have loved to know a bit more about her story.
The plot was a bit predictable in my opinion, but regardless, it was still a fun ride. Without giving anything away, I will say that the last few ending pages really made me smile. I don’t generally care for contemporary fiction but as contemporary fiction goes, Stay Tuned is good and well worth a read.
Thank you very much to Lauren Clark & goodreads for the copy of this book and the opportunity to read it. I received this book for free through goodread’s first reads but that in no way influenced this review!
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October 17, 2011The characters in Stay Tuned grab hold and demand you live the story right along side them. I found myself wanting to steal Melissa's best friend Candace and make her my own--even if that means having to put up with an endless slew of quotes from Dr. Phil.
November 29, 2011
What do you do if you think your husband is cheating, your mother has dementia and very rarely remembers who you are and the two anchors of the news show you produce just got into a fist fight on live television? Do you run and hide? No, you Stay Tuned to see what your life turns into! Melissa Moore, the main character of the story, has her work cut out for her. She's in a rut before it's mid-life crisis time. Her daughter has left for college, she yearns for another child, and her husband barely knows she's alive, unless of course she discusses his job, which consumes him 24/7. To top everything off the news cast she produces for has it's fair share of drama with the two anchors, Alyssa and Tim, who lie, cheat, and abuse each other in and out of public.
The drama between Alyssa and Tim finally comes to a head. Sadly, it happens during a live telecast, at which time Alyssa punches Tim in the face. Not all attention is good ratings for the show. After both anchors are fired, with no anchor to replace Alyssa, Drew turns to Melissa to replace the anchor. Thanks to her best friend, Candace, and a fun shopping spree Melissa is soon ready for her place in front of the camera. Well, except for the electricity she feels between herself and her hunky co-anchor, Rick Roberts. Other than for a few stumbles Melissa does well in her new position and the audience loves her and Rick together.
A well written, quick read book, you'll be done with the book before you know what happened. The reader will love the hustle of the television station, the dilemma's and conflict's that Melissa works through, and the love-able character's that Lauren Clark has created. My favorite was Candace, the Dr. Phil loving, snazzy hairdressing friend. I need one of those! She was so upbeat and positive. The perfect compliment to Melissa's worrying, hold-back personality. The problems that the main character faces is, from my point of view, very believable. I have had some of the same doubts, and problems, that she has. I feel most women will be able to connect with Melissa.
Did Chris cheat on Melissa? Will Melissa give in to her hunky co-anchor? Will Melissa's mother give her the love and attention she craves or forget her again? Well, to find out I guess you'll just have to Stay Tuned! As part of the whirlwind tour for Novel Publicity, this book is currently only $.99. I give this book a five star rating! A steal for the quality of the book. You must pick it up!! To find out more about the tour, and author Lauren Clark, visit my previous blog.
I was not paid for this review.The book itself was gifted to me, and that's all there is to it :)) My opinion was in no way swayed, This review is how I truly feel. Thank you for reading, have a great day! Curl up with a good book next chance you get.-Melissa
A room without books is like a body without a soul. -Cicero
The drama between Alyssa and Tim finally comes to a head. Sadly, it happens during a live telecast, at which time Alyssa punches Tim in the face. Not all attention is good ratings for the show. After both anchors are fired, with no anchor to replace Alyssa, Drew turns to Melissa to replace the anchor. Thanks to her best friend, Candace, and a fun shopping spree Melissa is soon ready for her place in front of the camera. Well, except for the electricity she feels between herself and her hunky co-anchor, Rick Roberts. Other than for a few stumbles Melissa does well in her new position and the audience loves her and Rick together.
A well written, quick read book, you'll be done with the book before you know what happened. The reader will love the hustle of the television station, the dilemma's and conflict's that Melissa works through, and the love-able character's that Lauren Clark has created. My favorite was Candace, the Dr. Phil loving, snazzy hairdressing friend. I need one of those! She was so upbeat and positive. The perfect compliment to Melissa's worrying, hold-back personality. The problems that the main character faces is, from my point of view, very believable. I have had some of the same doubts, and problems, that she has. I feel most women will be able to connect with Melissa.
Did Chris cheat on Melissa? Will Melissa give in to her hunky co-anchor? Will Melissa's mother give her the love and attention she craves or forget her again? Well, to find out I guess you'll just have to Stay Tuned! As part of the whirlwind tour for Novel Publicity, this book is currently only $.99. I give this book a five star rating! A steal for the quality of the book. You must pick it up!! To find out more about the tour, and author Lauren Clark, visit my previous blog.
I was not paid for this review.The book itself was gifted to me, and that's all there is to it :)) My opinion was in no way swayed, This review is how I truly feel. Thank you for reading, have a great day! Curl up with a good book next chance you get.-Melissa
A room without books is like a body without a soul. -Cicero
September 1, 2013
The TV news team from WSGA were a diverse group of people, but anchor Alyssa Andrews was called weird and crazy by her colleagues. Controlling her was the job of producer Melissa Moore, who had her work cut out as she was a perfectionist as well. Alyssa’s co-anchor, Tim, was also her on-again, off-again boyfriend, and when sparks flew Melissa definitely had to keep them separated. A difficult job when they sat beside each other nightly to deliver the 6pm then the 10pm news broadcast to their huge number of viewers.
Suddenly Melissa needed to add crisis management to her list of attributes – when, in full view of thousands of viewers Alyssa curled her lacquered, pointy fingernails into a fist and punched Tim full in the face, knocking him out and breaking his nose. Cutting to an ad break, chaos reigned and staff scrambled to rid the set of the offending pair. Not in the least dressed to go in front of the camera, never the less, Melissa faced their viewers and closed the broadcast for the night.
When Drew, their completely and absolutely furious boss immediately fired the two of them, suddenly the station was left without an anchor and co-anchor. Stepping up to the plate to help out seemed Melissa’s only option; could she face the cameras night after night? What would her husband think? Though he was rarely at home with his extremely high pressure job, Melissa wanted him to support her decision. But would he?
With Melissa being tugged in varying directions at once; between the station, her mother in the nursing home, her best friend, plus her husband, everyone seemed to need her – stress was showing around the edges, sleep was non-existent (as was her husband - hmmm, why would that be?). Would she cope with it all? Or would her resolve to remain “perfect” break into pieces?
I quite enjoyed this quick, easy and light read. The story had substance and humour with interesting characters who drew me into their lives.
Suddenly Melissa needed to add crisis management to her list of attributes – when, in full view of thousands of viewers Alyssa curled her lacquered, pointy fingernails into a fist and punched Tim full in the face, knocking him out and breaking his nose. Cutting to an ad break, chaos reigned and staff scrambled to rid the set of the offending pair. Not in the least dressed to go in front of the camera, never the less, Melissa faced their viewers and closed the broadcast for the night.
When Drew, their completely and absolutely furious boss immediately fired the two of them, suddenly the station was left without an anchor and co-anchor. Stepping up to the plate to help out seemed Melissa’s only option; could she face the cameras night after night? What would her husband think? Though he was rarely at home with his extremely high pressure job, Melissa wanted him to support her decision. But would he?
With Melissa being tugged in varying directions at once; between the station, her mother in the nursing home, her best friend, plus her husband, everyone seemed to need her – stress was showing around the edges, sleep was non-existent (as was her husband - hmmm, why would that be?). Would she cope with it all? Or would her resolve to remain “perfect” break into pieces?
I quite enjoyed this quick, easy and light read. The story had substance and humour with interesting characters who drew me into their lives.
February 20, 2012
This is a book that will really interest me, because it looks like a book that makes you laugh and has a great storyline. Many of my friends have recommended this book, saying it's great. I can;t wait it read it.
January 16, 2012
Mix together a Macon, Georgia TV news station, 2 crazy news co-anchors, a Post-it note using husband, a Dr. Phil quoting best friend, a mother with Dementia, and a stalker ... what do you have ... TV producer Melissa Moore's crazy-busy life! With so much going on in her life, only a super woman can handle it all ... if you only BELIEVE in yourself! Pull up a comfy chair and come visit Melissa in Stay Tuned!
Melissa Moore is a TV producer for the 6pm and 10pm evening newscast at WSGA-TV in Macon, Georgia. This busy woman is the glue that keeps the station together, that is until two crazy co-anchors, who just happen to also be in a volatile relationship, get in an on-air fight, and all hell breaks loose! With the co-anchors fired, Melissa is thrust into the spotlight, and fills in temporarily as the evening news anchor. She decides that she needs a transformation and complete makeover, and who better to help her achieve that transformation than Melissa's secret weapon, her fashionista, Dr. Phil quoting, best friend Candace! With Candace's guidance and encouragement to just believe in herself, Melissa starts to think that maybe this temporary position could become a permanent one. Now if only her relationships with her husband and mother could improve, maybe she'd be happy and content with her life. Lack of communication somewhere along the way has strained their marriage, they've become two ships that pass in the night, only to communicate through Post-it notes left on the kitchen counter. Melissa starts to question if maybe there is something else going on in her husband's life, perhaps an affair? hmmm .... As for the relationship with her mother, it has never been a warm and fuzzy one, Miss Ruth Anne was always too busy with her career as an author to the stars, leaving Melissa yearning for her attention, love and approval. Now living in a nursing home with a diagnosis of Dementia, her memory is slowly leaving her, and Melissa is desperately trying to reach out to her mother one last time, before Dementia robs her of any further chances to finally have that bond that she has yearned for so long. Can Melissa and her mother reach out to each other before it's too late? Finally, to add to the craziness, there is a stalker that targets Melissa, and there is no stopping the person from getting to her! All this and so much more awaits you in Stay Tuned!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Stay Tuned! I found it to be a fast-paced, intriguing, suspenseful, humorous and heartwarming story. The storyline was well written, and Ms. Clark's prior experience as a TV producer lent a realistic behind-the-scenes glimpse into the broadcasting world, it sucked me in from the beginning. I loved all of the characters in the story, but I found myself gravitating towards Melissa's best friend Candace, and her mother's nurse Sharice. I think it was a combination of their strength, compassion and straight-forwardness towards their friendship with Melissa that made me just love them to pieces. All of the supporting characters were intriguing, I loved how they all added an integral part to the storyline. I would have loved to have met Melissa's college-aged daughter Kelly, I felt that just mentioning her sporadically throughout the story didn't give the reader a chance to really get to know her. I think what I loved most of all about Stay Tuned, was the message that different characters gave to Melissa, to just BELIEVE in herself ... this is a powerful message that every reader can relate to in their life. If you are looking for a down-to-earth, heartwarming, feel good story, than this is the book for you! Kudos to Ms. Clark on a wonderful debut novel, I look forward to reading more of her books.
Disclaimer: At the request of the author and Chick Lit Plus, a Kindle edition of this book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.
Virtual Book Tour Event: On Monday, January 16, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, Lauren Clark participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
Melissa Moore is a TV producer for the 6pm and 10pm evening newscast at WSGA-TV in Macon, Georgia. This busy woman is the glue that keeps the station together, that is until two crazy co-anchors, who just happen to also be in a volatile relationship, get in an on-air fight, and all hell breaks loose! With the co-anchors fired, Melissa is thrust into the spotlight, and fills in temporarily as the evening news anchor. She decides that she needs a transformation and complete makeover, and who better to help her achieve that transformation than Melissa's secret weapon, her fashionista, Dr. Phil quoting, best friend Candace! With Candace's guidance and encouragement to just believe in herself, Melissa starts to think that maybe this temporary position could become a permanent one. Now if only her relationships with her husband and mother could improve, maybe she'd be happy and content with her life. Lack of communication somewhere along the way has strained their marriage, they've become two ships that pass in the night, only to communicate through Post-it notes left on the kitchen counter. Melissa starts to question if maybe there is something else going on in her husband's life, perhaps an affair? hmmm .... As for the relationship with her mother, it has never been a warm and fuzzy one, Miss Ruth Anne was always too busy with her career as an author to the stars, leaving Melissa yearning for her attention, love and approval. Now living in a nursing home with a diagnosis of Dementia, her memory is slowly leaving her, and Melissa is desperately trying to reach out to her mother one last time, before Dementia robs her of any further chances to finally have that bond that she has yearned for so long. Can Melissa and her mother reach out to each other before it's too late? Finally, to add to the craziness, there is a stalker that targets Melissa, and there is no stopping the person from getting to her! All this and so much more awaits you in Stay Tuned!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Stay Tuned! I found it to be a fast-paced, intriguing, suspenseful, humorous and heartwarming story. The storyline was well written, and Ms. Clark's prior experience as a TV producer lent a realistic behind-the-scenes glimpse into the broadcasting world, it sucked me in from the beginning. I loved all of the characters in the story, but I found myself gravitating towards Melissa's best friend Candace, and her mother's nurse Sharice. I think it was a combination of their strength, compassion and straight-forwardness towards their friendship with Melissa that made me just love them to pieces. All of the supporting characters were intriguing, I loved how they all added an integral part to the storyline. I would have loved to have met Melissa's college-aged daughter Kelly, I felt that just mentioning her sporadically throughout the story didn't give the reader a chance to really get to know her. I think what I loved most of all about Stay Tuned, was the message that different characters gave to Melissa, to just BELIEVE in herself ... this is a powerful message that every reader can relate to in their life. If you are looking for a down-to-earth, heartwarming, feel good story, than this is the book for you! Kudos to Ms. Clark on a wonderful debut novel, I look forward to reading more of her books.
Disclaimer: At the request of the author and Chick Lit Plus, a Kindle edition of this book was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest review and participation in the virtual book tour event.
Virtual Book Tour Event: On Monday, January 16, 2012, in association with Chick Lit Plus, Lauren Clark participated in a virtual book tour event with an Author Guest Post on Jersey Girl Book Reviews.
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...
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June 12, 2020Reviewing Stay Tuned was something of a last minute decision. I honestly hadn’t anticipated having time to do it but the more I read about Stay Tuned and Lauren Clark, the more determined I was to make time. I started Stay Tuned this week and picked it up whenever I had a spare moment – and, like with all good novels, very quickly I was making spare moments so I could read. Drinking 10 cups of tea an hour so I could sneak a few pages in while the kettle boiled, overcooking the pasta sauce by ten minutes so I could sneak another chapter or two in, that kind of thing. Well, perhaps not quite so bad but not far off.
Stay Tuned has a great central character who at one point is described as ‘a trooper’. We all know the type (and hands up if you are that type): never say no, would rather go without sleep than let someone down, put their own feelings on the backburner to keep everyone else happy. Melissa is a trooper but she’s also a talented anchor, loving wife and devoted mother who is realising that it’s time the people in her life stood up and noticed her. And not in a ‘aww, she’s so reliable and solid’ kind of way. Cue makeover, growth of a serious backbone and an admirable career growth spurt.
In the space of a few weeks Melissa takes on her workaholic husband, distant mother, demented ex-colleague and ladykiller coworker and faces up to her problems working hard to stick to the mantra ‘Believe in yourself’. Slowly but surely she begins to realise that other people do believe in her but need her to believe in herself as well.
If I had one tiny criticism (well, you know I’m picky), I think the ‘stalker’ scenario in the book could have been drawn out for another few chapters to add a level of tension or intrigue to the book. But is it a dealbreaker? Absolutely not. After all, it isn’t like Melissa and her husband Chris are lacking in drama to cope with!
Stay Tuned is an example of a feel good novel at its best. Lauren Clark’s previous experience in the news industry (see her interview and guest post) help make the details in the novel feel very real and very engaging. Melissa is a character who is easy to identify with and the result is you want to see her tackle things head on and succeed. Is it an ‘everything comes good in the end’ type tale? Is that one of the things that makes it a great read? Of course! Sometimes, especially in the dark winter nights, you need a little something with a happy ending you can see coming. Comfortably predictable is a great way to describe Stay Tuned and as such it’s just what the doctor ordered for your cheery and cozy ‘to be read’ pile.
Note: this book was supplied to me in exchange for my honest review. I did not receive any additional compensation. In fact, I liked the book so much I bought a copy after all!
Stay Tuned has a great central character who at one point is described as ‘a trooper’. We all know the type (and hands up if you are that type): never say no, would rather go without sleep than let someone down, put their own feelings on the backburner to keep everyone else happy. Melissa is a trooper but she’s also a talented anchor, loving wife and devoted mother who is realising that it’s time the people in her life stood up and noticed her. And not in a ‘aww, she’s so reliable and solid’ kind of way. Cue makeover, growth of a serious backbone and an admirable career growth spurt.
In the space of a few weeks Melissa takes on her workaholic husband, distant mother, demented ex-colleague and ladykiller coworker and faces up to her problems working hard to stick to the mantra ‘Believe in yourself’. Slowly but surely she begins to realise that other people do believe in her but need her to believe in herself as well.
If I had one tiny criticism (well, you know I’m picky), I think the ‘stalker’ scenario in the book could have been drawn out for another few chapters to add a level of tension or intrigue to the book. But is it a dealbreaker? Absolutely not. After all, it isn’t like Melissa and her husband Chris are lacking in drama to cope with!
Stay Tuned is an example of a feel good novel at its best. Lauren Clark’s previous experience in the news industry (see her interview and guest post) help make the details in the novel feel very real and very engaging. Melissa is a character who is easy to identify with and the result is you want to see her tackle things head on and succeed. Is it an ‘everything comes good in the end’ type tale? Is that one of the things that makes it a great read? Of course! Sometimes, especially in the dark winter nights, you need a little something with a happy ending you can see coming. Comfortably predictable is a great way to describe Stay Tuned and as such it’s just what the doctor ordered for your cheery and cozy ‘to be read’ pile.
Note: this book was supplied to me in exchange for my honest review. I did not receive any additional compensation. In fact, I liked the book so much I bought a copy after all!
January 15, 2012
The synopsis sort of makes the story sound a lot crazier than the book really is - which is actually a good thing. Everything has just the right level of craziness. It's all pretty believable, or at least the unbelievable aspects don't take centre stage so the rest of the story really comes through. The most outrageous thing about the book is Alyssa but her absolute nuttiness somehow works. The book manages to stay pretty realistic and it has a good storyline. It's less about the antics of the anchors at the studio and more about Melissa's own life journey. And that's what makes the book so great.
Melissa seems to have it all together - good job, good marriage, good kid, good friends. In particular she's very lucky because she has the best best friend a girl could ask for. Candace is always there for her and allows Melissa to rant, complain, or work things out however she needs to without minding that they always seem to be worrying about Melissa. Candace is a strong female and I think Melissa envies her a little bit. With Candace's guidance Melissa is finally able to realize that she's just as strong as her best friend. Some less than ideal things happen to Melissa along the way but those things help her realize what she's really made of. It was great to see Melissa go on this journey and end up with a great happily ever after.
For some reason I expected Melissa to be younger. Maybe I was thinking too much of the movie "Morning Glory", who knows. It didn't really matter once I realized that she was older and had a daughter in college. What I found mildly strange was that there wasn't a single conversation with Kelly, her daughter. This is because Melissa seems to be such an involved mom and really cares about her daughter. I'm fairly certain that she mentions talking to her on the phone but I never got to read the actual conversation. I know this might sound odd but I think I was expecting Kelly to actually have a minor role. With everything that was going on with Melissa's life I really felt like we should have heard from her daughter. Obviously, this really isn't a deal breaker, I just found it a little odd.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was funny, it was sweet, and it was a little heartbreaking. It had all the makings of a great chick lit novel and, boy, did it deliver. I'd definitely recommend this novel and I look forward to reading more from Lauren Clark.
Melissa seems to have it all together - good job, good marriage, good kid, good friends. In particular she's very lucky because she has the best best friend a girl could ask for. Candace is always there for her and allows Melissa to rant, complain, or work things out however she needs to without minding that they always seem to be worrying about Melissa. Candace is a strong female and I think Melissa envies her a little bit. With Candace's guidance Melissa is finally able to realize that she's just as strong as her best friend. Some less than ideal things happen to Melissa along the way but those things help her realize what she's really made of. It was great to see Melissa go on this journey and end up with a great happily ever after.
For some reason I expected Melissa to be younger. Maybe I was thinking too much of the movie "Morning Glory", who knows. It didn't really matter once I realized that she was older and had a daughter in college. What I found mildly strange was that there wasn't a single conversation with Kelly, her daughter. This is because Melissa seems to be such an involved mom and really cares about her daughter. I'm fairly certain that she mentions talking to her on the phone but I never got to read the actual conversation. I know this might sound odd but I think I was expecting Kelly to actually have a minor role. With everything that was going on with Melissa's life I really felt like we should have heard from her daughter. Obviously, this really isn't a deal breaker, I just found it a little odd.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was funny, it was sweet, and it was a little heartbreaking. It had all the makings of a great chick lit novel and, boy, did it deliver. I'd definitely recommend this novel and I look forward to reading more from Lauren Clark.
August 27, 2016
'Stay Tuned' was a fun story, but when it jumped ahead I didn't like that it didn't say the dates - I found it confusing. It could have at least said "two weeks later" or something like that when it jumped ahead. It is for this reason alone that I gave it four stars.
Melissa is a forty year old woman, whose daughter had recently left home to attend college. Melissa's marriage is a shadow of what it once was. Her husband and her barely have time for each other, both are so busy with their careers, that they communicate through post-it notes - which sometimes only have a brief message.
Melissa's mother was a lady who rubbed elbows with the who's who of Hollywood back in the day, and she wrote many books about them. When at age forty she became pregnant with Melissa, she didn't hide the fact that it was an unplanned pregnancy. Now Dementia has taken a hold of her and she has a hard time even recognizing her daughter. This is just devastating to Melissa, when all she even wanted was her mother's love and affection - which she never got.
When station anchors, Alyssa and Tim, are fired, Rick Roberts comes back to the station and Melissa fills in until they can find another woman to fill the job. Melissa begins to realize that she loves being in front of the camera instead of being behind the scenes, but will she be allowed to keep it? Will her marriage survive her husband's distant behavior and her growing attraction to her co-host? Will Melissa ever know whether or not her mother cared for her?
Initially, I thought there wasn't going to be any swearing in this book because the first few times, instead of using a swear word, it just said that they couldn't repeat what was said when a person was supposed to be swearing. I was hoping that would continue - it did not. I don't like the use of swear words in a story. Even though there wasn't a lot of them, I just don't like books containing swear words - I feel that it takes away from a story. Even though I personally found it offensive, since this isn't a Christian book, I did not let it affect my rating, and am only mentioning it in case others might be offended as well.
Overall I liked the story and had it not had the swearing in it I would recommend it. So if you don't mind books with that in it, I think you would enjoy Stay Tuned.
*** I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.***
Melissa is a forty year old woman, whose daughter had recently left home to attend college. Melissa's marriage is a shadow of what it once was. Her husband and her barely have time for each other, both are so busy with their careers, that they communicate through post-it notes - which sometimes only have a brief message.
Melissa's mother was a lady who rubbed elbows with the who's who of Hollywood back in the day, and she wrote many books about them. When at age forty she became pregnant with Melissa, she didn't hide the fact that it was an unplanned pregnancy. Now Dementia has taken a hold of her and she has a hard time even recognizing her daughter. This is just devastating to Melissa, when all she even wanted was her mother's love and affection - which she never got.
When station anchors, Alyssa and Tim, are fired, Rick Roberts comes back to the station and Melissa fills in until they can find another woman to fill the job. Melissa begins to realize that she loves being in front of the camera instead of being behind the scenes, but will she be allowed to keep it? Will her marriage survive her husband's distant behavior and her growing attraction to her co-host? Will Melissa ever know whether or not her mother cared for her?
Initially, I thought there wasn't going to be any swearing in this book because the first few times, instead of using a swear word, it just said that they couldn't repeat what was said when a person was supposed to be swearing. I was hoping that would continue - it did not. I don't like the use of swear words in a story. Even though there wasn't a lot of them, I just don't like books containing swear words - I feel that it takes away from a story. Even though I personally found it offensive, since this isn't a Christian book, I did not let it affect my rating, and am only mentioning it in case others might be offended as well.
Overall I liked the story and had it not had the swearing in it I would recommend it. So if you don't mind books with that in it, I think you would enjoy Stay Tuned.
*** I received a complimentary copy of this book to review. I was asked to give my honest opinion of the book - which I have done.***
November 28, 2011
First off, I want to thank Goodreads and Lauren Clark for this first-read edition of Stay Tuned. I am a news producer in Denver and wanted to get an advanced copy of this book. I am always curious about fiction books based on this high pressure high intensity industry which at times I loathe and at times I love. Typically you don't need fiction, just a big notebook to record the daily events inside the newsroom.
This book dealt with a lot of those issues, frustrations, and stress. In some ways hit close to home, in some ways it was far too over the top where it didn't need to be. I was highly critical of this book, because I did not feel in a lot of chapters that it reflected accurately the life of a producer or producer/anchor. There are times in my day when I don't even have time to go to the bathroom, it's a common complaint among producers whether you are in Bozeman, MT or New York City. The fact this book talked about the main character's ability to have a picnic style dinner with her anchor out of the newsroom or date nights with her husband while also producing two shoes was for me beyond irritating. However, I am too close to the subject and probably removed from my current situation would not have had a second thought about it.
There were also a few glaring errors that made me question the author's research or real life experience on the subject. Her incorrect spelling of Nielsen was the big one. There were two other spelling errors also missed, and a critical mixup with character names in a subplot near the end of the book that had me going over it several times asking, "did I read that right?"
Unlike other books about this industry, it does focus on the relationships outside of the newsroom. It does that in a way few others have, and in my opinion does a better job at showing the strain this business can cause. It also shows how work is often made to be the primary relationship instead of marriages and parenting that goes on outside of it. I will give Lauren a lot of credit for hitting the bullseye on this topic.
Overall the book was a quick read, rather predictable, even with the twist at the end. It's a decent read for anyone not in the news business, however I would think they would be the first to pick up or check out this book. Many of their reviews will be much more harsh than mine.
This book dealt with a lot of those issues, frustrations, and stress. In some ways hit close to home, in some ways it was far too over the top where it didn't need to be. I was highly critical of this book, because I did not feel in a lot of chapters that it reflected accurately the life of a producer or producer/anchor. There are times in my day when I don't even have time to go to the bathroom, it's a common complaint among producers whether you are in Bozeman, MT or New York City. The fact this book talked about the main character's ability to have a picnic style dinner with her anchor out of the newsroom or date nights with her husband while also producing two shoes was for me beyond irritating. However, I am too close to the subject and probably removed from my current situation would not have had a second thought about it.
There were also a few glaring errors that made me question the author's research or real life experience on the subject. Her incorrect spelling of Nielsen was the big one. There were two other spelling errors also missed, and a critical mixup with character names in a subplot near the end of the book that had me going over it several times asking, "did I read that right?"
Unlike other books about this industry, it does focus on the relationships outside of the newsroom. It does that in a way few others have, and in my opinion does a better job at showing the strain this business can cause. It also shows how work is often made to be the primary relationship instead of marriages and parenting that goes on outside of it. I will give Lauren a lot of credit for hitting the bullseye on this topic.
Overall the book was a quick read, rather predictable, even with the twist at the end. It's a decent read for anyone not in the news business, however I would think they would be the first to pick up or check out this book. Many of their reviews will be much more harsh than mine.
November 28, 2011
WSGA, Macon, GA - not your father's local news network. The tension both on and off the set between on-air personalities and off-air lovers, Alyssa Andrews and Tim Donaldson, has been building for weeks. One night right in the middle of the 10 p.m. news Alyssa reaches her boiling point, loses her cool and slugs Tim live to the horror of all of WSGA's viewers. Producer Melissa Moore is forced to step in to close the broadcast, thus beginning a journey that she was neither prepared for nor willing to take. As if things weren't bad enough, with her more than shaky marriage to a high-powered financial advisor, a seemingly unloving, unsupportive mother who suffers from dementia, and a potentially looming health crisis, now she must question her career choices.
Ms. Clark takes us on an exciting, fast-paced, rollercoaster ride behind the curtain. If you like following the lives of the rich and famous you will especially enjoy this read. This is also a book that explores the age-old issue of making assumptions. You know what they say: Never assume anything, as it makes an ass out of u (you) and me. When will we ever learn? Perhaps Melissa's best friend Candace and Dr. Phil have the answer.
When a book is able to move me to tears at an ending I never saw coming the author has done her job and done it well. Ms. Clark, congratulations and thank you for moving me to tears. Needless to say I truly enjoyed this read…in fact I absolutely loved it!
STAY TUNED for Ms. Clark's next page-turner…I am.
Ms. Clark takes us on an exciting, fast-paced, rollercoaster ride behind the curtain. If you like following the lives of the rich and famous you will especially enjoy this read. This is also a book that explores the age-old issue of making assumptions. You know what they say: Never assume anything, as it makes an ass out of u (you) and me. When will we ever learn? Perhaps Melissa's best friend Candace and Dr. Phil have the answer.
When a book is able to move me to tears at an ending I never saw coming the author has done her job and done it well. Ms. Clark, congratulations and thank you for moving me to tears. Needless to say I truly enjoyed this read…in fact I absolutely loved it!
STAY TUNED for Ms. Clark's next page-turner…I am.
March 22, 2012
Stay Tuned is a fast-paced read. It's women's fiction with plenty of substance. TV producer, Melissa Moore already has a crazy life with her high-stress career, minimal contact with her husband, Chris, via Post-it notes, and a daughter living at her college campus, far away.
Add a fist fight -- between the two co-anchors of her show -- and what do you get? Melissa makes a split-second decision and finishes the show herself on air. Turns out her boss loved the "save". Also, the viewers love it. And keep on loving it.
With the help of her best friend, Melissa is made over to fit the part, but as she takes on more responsibilities, it doesn't take long before her personal life crumbles.
The health of Melissa's mother is declining although she's in the care of a nursing home, the Post-it notes communication with Chris now seems the closest she gets to him, and she's falling in love with the idea of more children. But Chris is never around. Doesn't even want more. Plus, Melissa is in 101% hectic mode these days anyway.
Stay Tuned is a story that's actually fun and deep at the same time. Lauren Clark whisks the reader through scenes at a short, sharp pace like James Patterson, but writes a light emotional journey for the reader at the same time. A perfect weekend read, although predictable at times. Lauren's insight into newsrooms and journalism is spot-on and is so compelling you can't help but feel drawn in -- even if your weren't a fan before. A great read!
Add a fist fight -- between the two co-anchors of her show -- and what do you get? Melissa makes a split-second decision and finishes the show herself on air. Turns out her boss loved the "save". Also, the viewers love it. And keep on loving it.
With the help of her best friend, Melissa is made over to fit the part, but as she takes on more responsibilities, it doesn't take long before her personal life crumbles.
The health of Melissa's mother is declining although she's in the care of a nursing home, the Post-it notes communication with Chris now seems the closest she gets to him, and she's falling in love with the idea of more children. But Chris is never around. Doesn't even want more. Plus, Melissa is in 101% hectic mode these days anyway.
Stay Tuned is a story that's actually fun and deep at the same time. Lauren Clark whisks the reader through scenes at a short, sharp pace like James Patterson, but writes a light emotional journey for the reader at the same time. A perfect weekend read, although predictable at times. Lauren's insight into newsrooms and journalism is spot-on and is so compelling you can't help but feel drawn in -- even if your weren't a fan before. A great read!
February 3, 2012
They say you should write what you know, and this talented new author (a former TV news producer and anchor) clearly knows the wild and woolly world of broadcast journalism.
The story centers around Mellissa Moore, a frenzied newsroom producer with a plethora of problems at work and at home. Not only does she have to continuously keep two anchors from slashing each other’s throats on the air, she also has to figure out what’s going on with her absentee husband who suspiciously spends his nights and weekends “working.”
Just when life couldn’t get more hectic, two longtime anchors get fired after a fistfight breaks out on the ten o’ clock news. Unwilling to let WSGA go down on her watch, Melissa slaps on a coat of lipstick and wraps up the last remaining minutes of the evening news. Little did she know, her demanding boss liked her performance and decided to make her fill in as the evening news anchor until the next hotshot diva comes along.
For the full review go to Chick Lit Cafe! http://loonachicklit.wordpress.com/20...
The story centers around Mellissa Moore, a frenzied newsroom producer with a plethora of problems at work and at home. Not only does she have to continuously keep two anchors from slashing each other’s throats on the air, she also has to figure out what’s going on with her absentee husband who suspiciously spends his nights and weekends “working.”
Just when life couldn’t get more hectic, two longtime anchors get fired after a fistfight breaks out on the ten o’ clock news. Unwilling to let WSGA go down on her watch, Melissa slaps on a coat of lipstick and wraps up the last remaining minutes of the evening news. Little did she know, her demanding boss liked her performance and decided to make her fill in as the evening news anchor until the next hotshot diva comes along.
For the full review go to Chick Lit Cafe! http://loonachicklit.wordpress.com/20...
December 29, 2011
Melissa Moore is a producer at WSGA news station in Macon Georgia. She also has the role of wife and mother to her husband Chris and grown daughter Kelly. Melissa is producing the ten o’clock news show when an interesting incident occurs. Both anchors are called into the director’s office and fired. Suddenly Melissa finds herself in a new role in front of the camera. Will she have the courage to take on this new role at work? She barely speaks with her husband and is left with many questions as to his fidelity in their marriage. Candace her best friend helps steady her with the best Dr. Phil advice.
My Thoughts:
This novel is Lauren Clark’s debut novel which deserves a round of applauses for a first effort. I thought the novel was a little slow to start but kept my interest all the way through. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next? I wonder if we will see more from these characters. I look forward to the next book.
My Thoughts:
This novel is Lauren Clark’s debut novel which deserves a round of applauses for a first effort. I thought the novel was a little slow to start but kept my interest all the way through. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next? I wonder if we will see more from these characters. I look forward to the next book.
March 27, 2012
I enjoyed this book. The main character, Melissa, is a tv news producer. Her and her husband, Chris, have a daughter that has left home for college. Melissa has to deal with all the "personalities" at the news station, getting her relationship straight with her husband who is a workaholic and her aging mother that is losing her memory. When the two evening anchors get into a tussle on-air, she is left to fill in the female anchor spot. It is a pretty engaging story of all the trials she goes through as she transitions in her new position and in her life. I was sent this book by Good Reads First Reads.
December 14, 2011
Learned about this book through an indie-book author friend. For 99 cents i couldn't pass it up. glad i didn't, as the plot was well thought-out, the characters were likeable and believable and it was written well. I won't give you a synopsis, as you can get that elsewhere.
i read a lot, and write/edit/proofread for a living, so i was pleased to read a book with proper grammar, spelling, etc. refreshing in this day and age. one incorrect character reference in chapter 55 that confused me for a second (should have been reference to Tyler, not Alyssa) but otherwise a well-done effort.
I look forward to the author's next book next year.
February 27, 2012
I loved this book, and not just because the setting is Macon, Georgia, a town with which I'm intimately familiar.
Clark's background in television news is evident in the details. From small nuances of character to large backdrop descriptions, she does a great job of depicting real life in what is often the larger-than-life world of TV news.
I enjoyed the splashes of color in her descriptions and the occasional touch of humor. The characters were dear enough to me by the end of the book that the roller coaster ending left me alternately crying and smiling.
Can't wait for the next one from this author!
Clark's background in television news is evident in the details. From small nuances of character to large backdrop descriptions, she does a great job of depicting real life in what is often the larger-than-life world of TV news.
I enjoyed the splashes of color in her descriptions and the occasional touch of humor. The characters were dear enough to me by the end of the book that the roller coaster ending left me alternately crying and smiling.
Can't wait for the next one from this author!
December 29, 2011
Melissa is going through a challenging patch with her husband, her job is keeping her superbly busy, her Mom has dementia and is forgetting who she is... all in all life is throwing her some big problems to deal with. The way she gets through it is with the kind of bestie every gal needs, some introspection and belief in herself. I liked the setting and the back story, it made a fun refreshing change and the author's background as a reporter means that she gives us a realistic peek into the industry. Stay Tuned is a nice quick read, perfect for relaxing in the evenings with. Four stars.
March 23, 2012
I was lucky to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Stay Tuned was a nice quick easy read, perfect for those days sat on the beach or something to relax to after a hard day. I really enjoyed some of the characters especially Candace and I liked having a peek into the world of television news. If you want something that moves at a good pace, a few laughs and some emotional drama then this is the book for you. Looking forward to seeing what else Lauren Clark has to offer.
April 29, 2012
Stay Tuned was well written, but poorly proofread. I found numerous instances of words missing from sentences, as if the typing fingers couldn't match the speed of the brain thinking. The most important relationship, the one between the main character and her husband, the crux of the story, was not developed convincingly for me by the author. One or two of the plot twists were a bit too pat to be believable. I'd like to read more books by Lauren Clark to compare them to Stay Tuned.
January 20, 2012
I didn't like this very much, mostly because I felt that the characters weren't that well developed, and the drama was far too contrived. However, I didn't hate it, and I liked it enough to finish, so I guess that's something. I will say that I'm glad that this was a free Kindle purchase.
March 19, 2012
Stay Tuned is a good book to read if you are in the TV news field. I think it added too much "shop talk" and not enough story line. I would have liked to read more about the characters and not so much about the ins and outs of the TV news station.
January 8, 2012
Thank you! I won this book from Goodreads and thoroughly enjoyed it. Fun read about a TV producer who becomes an anchor and the behind the scenes mishaps at the station and her personal life.
February 9, 2012
There was so much constant entertainment and excitement it was hard to put down.
June 19, 2013
Hard to relate to such a needy character... She obviously never listened to the advice of her best friend since she flew off the handle about minuscule things throughout the entire book.
December 18, 2015
A fast paced delightful read! Real characters you can sync with! A great story!
June 16, 2017
Melissa, producer of a news programme, is in a marriage which has lost its mojo…husband is never home and communication is on a yellow-Post-It basis. Added to which, her news anchors have a live fisticuffs on the evening show, resulting in both being dismissed and Melissa having to spruce herself up and fill in. Oh, and one more thing: her mother has dementia.
This all sounds all rather tame for a plot, if I’m honest. BUT…I really, really enjoyed this. What could have been a somewhat schmaltzy, boring, clichéd story was actually a very well-written one that kept me interested from start to finish, and I found myself really looking forward to picking up the story every night for my pre-beauty-sleep read. No schmaltz, no boring, no clichés. Written articulately with style, it was actually quite wholesome with some down-to-earth, believable characters. Every relationship was handled with skill and insight…they were diverse, relatable and sometimes touching.
And how refreshing to find a well-edited book for a change…quite the icing on the cake. A light and easy read, yes, indeed, but one that doesn’t skimp on balance or sincerity.
This all sounds all rather tame for a plot, if I’m honest. BUT…I really, really enjoyed this. What could have been a somewhat schmaltzy, boring, clichéd story was actually a very well-written one that kept me interested from start to finish, and I found myself really looking forward to picking up the story every night for my pre-beauty-sleep read. No schmaltz, no boring, no clichés. Written articulately with style, it was actually quite wholesome with some down-to-earth, believable characters. Every relationship was handled with skill and insight…they were diverse, relatable and sometimes touching.
And how refreshing to find a well-edited book for a change…quite the icing on the cake. A light and easy read, yes, indeed, but one that doesn’t skimp on balance or sincerity.
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