Love on Cue

by Catherine Hapka

When you have to sing your heart out, it's best to know how....

Maggie Tannery is a true theater girl and a total shoo-in for the lead in this year's school production of Romeo and Juliet. She's seriously psyched because it looks like her crush, Daniel, might be playing her Romeo both on- and offstage -- if all goes as planned.

But when her school decides to perform a musical instead, Maggie catches a major case of stage fright -- because she can't sing! With her lead role in jeopardy, as well as her chance of winning her leading man, Maggie turns to the musically talented Nico to give her voice lessons. But their voices aren't the only things that seem to be harmonizing. As Maggie tries to break a leg -- and not her heart -- she wonders who the music man of her dreams really is....

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult Romance, Rom Com, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance

274 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 10, 2009

About the author

Catherine (Cathy) Hapka has written more than one hundred books for children and adults, as a ghostwriter for series as well as original titles, including the Romantic Comedies Something Borrowed, The Twelve Date of Christmas, and Love on Cue. She lives in Pennsylvania.

Reviews

[Laurence R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked Maggie's character! It was easy to relate to her.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really tremendous. I really enjoyed it. This book is about how this girl Maggie who loved to act. She is typically a shy girl, but when acts, she lets out of her comfort zone and becomes a star. Maggie also has a huge crush on the most popular guy in the school. His name is Derick. When the theater teacher had a heart attack, it made him to retired. One day when Maggie and her friends got to the drama club meeting, they saw their new teacher. Instead of doing Romeo and Juliet, the teacher decided to do a musical. The sound of doing a musical had terrify Maggie. Maggie hates to sing in front of people. Maggie loves to act, but a musical-noway. but Maggie finds out that her major crush would be in the show, and this made Maggie want to try out. But how? Maggie asks her friend Nico to give her vocal lessons, since Nico have his own band. Nico teaches Maggie to sing, and her singing was actually pretty good. Maggie tried out, and she got the lead. Maggie couldn't believe it. she didn't wanted to be the lead of the play because she can't even sing without opening her eyes. Maggie begs Nico to help her again, and Maggie finds out being with Nico have made her singing better without being scared. Derick, Maggie major crush landed a chance to be the leading boy. Maggie finally have the chance to be with Derick. in order for Maggie to get rid of her stage fright, Nico surprised her to sing in his band. Maggie actually rocked the whole thing. but when Nico asks Maggie to go to the place, Nico sang a loving song dedicated to Maggie. Nico has a crush on Maggie. but he was too late because Derick already asks Maggie out. When opening night came for the play, Maggie did a awesome job, but Nico won't talk to her. Finally, Maggie figures out that the guy that she really love is Nico, not Derick. when the theater crew threw a big party, Maggie admitted her truth to Derick that she love nico. Maggie and Nico have a happily ever after!!!

[Reggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another hilarious read from the Simon Pulse RoCom series!

Love on Cue is great for those who like light comedy and easy romance but personally, I don't think it's all that great. To me, Maggie seemed WAY too desperate to be Derek's girlfriend. And the way she gets all tongue-tied around Derek got old. It happens way to commonly in books. I mean seriously!? In Love on Cue, she can't even form a coherent sentence. In real life, I don't think that would happen or if it does, then it wouldn't be common. I couldn't help but grow annoyed and irritated with Maggie.

Derek. He was VERY unrealistic. He was TOO perfect. In the book, he was portrayed as someone who could do no wrong. He was adept and proficient in EVERYTHING. I was just really unimpressed with his character.

It was random. I think that Hapka just threw in random scenarios so that Maggie would always find herself in an awkward position. They just didn't fit in with the book. There wasn't any connection at all.

Errors. Has anyone noticed that on the back of the book it says 'Daniel' and not 'Derek'? Call me a perfectionist but I hate mistakes like these. It's one of my pet peeves.

The only thing that really stood out to me in this book was, unexpectedly, Calla. She was the only character that constrained me to finish the book. Calla's issue was that she was a little overweight. But she was able to accept it and, eventually, joke about it.

The Bottom Line: I found Love on Cue to be disappointing but nevertheless funny. Don't stop reading Catherine Hapka though. Her book 'Twelve Dates of Christmas' is BETTER than this. I'll follow up with a review. But for now, C-
:-)

[Ashley - Book Labyrinth · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really cute read. I could identify with Maggie's shyness, and I liked how despite the fact Derek wasn't the one for Maggie he was still a good guy. It wasn't the typical "the guy you like is a jerk, why don't you see the guy right in front of you?!" scenario. Both Derek and Nico were good guys, and it was just a matter of who really fit with Maggie. I would say this is definitely one of the better rom-com titles I've read.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good story, I loved it up until the last couple chapters,then the storyline started to feel forced and the ending felt awkward.

[Culture-Vulture · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ even though I couldn't warm up to Maggie. The rest of the plot and characters made up for Maggie's milquetoast behaviour.

[Kayla Plutzer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this but It was NOT good. I love these books. but i think I like the ones that take place on vacation better.

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only place Maggie Tannery isn’t shy is on the stage, and thanks to years to working her way up the theater system, she is the most likely candidate for the lead in Romeo and Juliet. She’s psyched for a little Shakespeare to let her shine, especially when she finds out that her crust Derek might also be auditioning for the school play. But a switch from performing a play to a musical catches Maggie off guard. How is she supposed to land the lead opposite Derek when she can’t sing? To remedy this predicament, Maggie begs musical genius Nico for singing lessons. But as opening night approaches, Maggie has to ask herself, is it really Derek she’s trying to impress, or Nico?

As always, Hapka creates a sweet, innocent, and satisfying romance in Love on Cue. The majority of the characters are realistic, each with their own issues and insecurities that make them generally pretty easy to relate to. Maggie, particularly, is cute, funny, and just an all around adorable heroine. Her near complete inability to communicate with guys wile off the stage, the complete opposite of stage fright (life fright, perhaps?), may be a little exaggerated but certainly is amusing, as are Maggie’s commentaries on her overall social ineptness in the vicinity of hot guys. The only character that really got on my nerves was Derek, because his supposed perfection felt unreal throughout the story. The plot is never too exciting and is quite predictable, but I nonetheless enjoyed this lighthearted PG-13 romance.

Readers who enjoyed Something Borrowed and The Twelve Dates of Christmas, also by Catherine Hapka, or any other Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies may also enjoy Love on Cue.

reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com

[Tasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally Maggie Tannery is a shy and self-conscious high school girl, but she completely transforms when she is put on stage. When it’s time for auditions for the school’s annual production Maggie is sure to be a shoe in. Better yet, her long time crush Daniel might just be playing the lead along side her, and hopefully not just in the play if Maggie has things her way!

Then the unthinkable happens. A new drama teacher comes into the picture and instead of performing Romeo and Juliet, she’s thinking more along the lines of Cabaret, a musical. Maggie is devastated thinking she has no chance to make even a small role, as she can’t really dance let alone sing. All hope is not lost though as she turns to Nico, one of the school’s most musically talented students, to give her voice lessons. The thing is their voices aren’t the only thing in sync and soon enough Maggie doesn’t know which leading man is right for her.

This is one of those super cute Simon Romantic Comedies that takes absolutely no time to read, but is still quite enjoyable. Yes, the story was very clichéd and yes, there wasn’t much character development, but I couldn’t help but wish that I would be put in Maggie’s position.

While she wasn’t all that developed, I would still say that Maggie was a good character. She was relatable in the fact that she was shy and didn’t have the guts to talk to her crush and she had a hard time choosing which guy was right for her, which are both problems teen girls face.

Catherine Hapka created a cute little book that is perfect for reading at the beach and is sure to pick you up when you’re feeling a little bit down.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

Maggie Tannery is very shy. However, when on stage and transformed into a character, Maggie easily finds her voice.

Now though, with a new drama teacher in the mix, Maggie has a bigger problem -- she has to find her singing voice! That can be difficult when Maggie has convinced herself she absolutely cannot sing. Thankfully, music genius and cutie Nico decides to help out. After all, his musical is on the line.

Then there's Derek, the most popular and cutest guy at Maggie's high school. After an accident, Derek decides to occupy his time with the Spring Musical instead of sports. As with everything else, Derek seems to be a natural actor and singer.

If Maggie can find her singing voice, can she grab the lead and act alongside her leading man Derek? Or will Maggie realize that her dream boy might not be her leading man after all?

Catherine Hapka writes a very comical and cute story about a shy girl who finds her voice and also finds love along the way. Hapka adds a great addition to the Simon Pulse romantic comedies. The characters are very real and easily lovable.

With this quick read, every reader will be entertained and left wanting more.

[Princess Bookie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts: I had this one sitting here for a while. I bought it when it first came out at the beginning of summer but never got around to reading it yet. I read it in one sitting! I really enjoyed the concept of the play and how it got turned into a musical. We meet Maggie who gets to play opposite of her crush Derek. She wants to take this opportunity to get close to him, but when the heart is involved things don't always go as planned. Yes, it was predictable but its one you still want to read because we all need some romance in our life's, right? We meet all Maggie's friends and we realize how popular Derek is. Honestly, I didn't really like him too much from the beginning but had a crush on someone else. That is for me not to tell, and you to figure out. If you haven't had a chance to read this, its only around 200 pages so if your in between really thick books right now, give this one a shot!

Overall: Cute! If you like plays or musical, its a must read for sure! Its also one of the cheaper books on amazon so go buy it right now!

Cover: I'm usually not a big fan of covers that aren't "real" people but I like this one. Its cute and stands out. I like the sheets in their hands too. Very cute. (Reviewed at princessbookie.com)

[Xue Jing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maggie had always been a shy girl until it comes to acting. She had signed up for the Romeo and Juliet play and was looking forward to it. Couple days later, she figured out that her teacher had a heart attack and they got a substitute teacher. Maggie and her classmates were depressed that their teacher was absent not only because he was a good teacher but because their new teacher had decided to do a musical instead of a play. Maggie has stage fright because she could not sing. When she figured out that her major crush is also trying out she decides to give it a try. Nico had been helping her throughout the whole musical. She figures out that the person she wants had always been next to her.
I learned that even though you are a shy person, you could still become a different person once you step on the stage of acting. Maggie figure out that she can do anything if she try it out. She realizes that she chose the wrong person when she starts looking for them when she is having the best time of her life. I recommend this book to anyone that is interested in drama and interested in acting.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maggie is a actress but she can get shy. When it comes to singing and dancing though, she's not too good at it. But she gets help from a guy named Niko and she gets better. Her school is hosting a spring musical and football player Derek, Maggie's crush has been injured and is trying out for the musical!? Maggie finds out that she has gotten the lead in the musical and panics but with the help of Nico, a music genius who has his own punk band, will Maggie be ready for the musical? At one point in the book Maggie wonders if the one she really likes is Derek, the star athlete, or Niko, the music genius.
This book is a light comedy and romance, but it makes a nice story to just read and relax. It's doesn't take much analyzing to understand the story and it's a very well written book that's really cute anyone could read it.

[Sara ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this book today. It was REALLY cute. 3.5 stars, I'd say. Quite cheesy, but really cute nonetheless. The first 50 pages or so really reminded me of How to Kiss a Guy... (WOW, don't even ask why I KNOW that... Let's just call it a phase and move on, okay?) but after the beginning it was different. :) I'm glad Maggie came to her freaking senses and decided to date a guy she could have an intelligent conversation with... *snorts* She was a bit of a Bella (except WAAAAY worse) around the other guy)...

[Sydney Bai · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a bit frustrating at times, but was overall a cute read. Maggie is the main character and is described as a very shy actress. She is a shoo in for the lead in her school's spring play, until the drama teacher gets ill and retires early. The new teacher decides to do a musical instead, so Maggie feels like her world is ending. She thought the play would be her chance to finally get together with her lifelong crush. However, Maggie can't sing. Even though she actually can sing, but can't sing in public unless her eyes are closed or she's looking at her friend Nico Can she land a part in the musical and her dream guy or will she find a new dream entirely

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was going on vacation to the mountains and wanted a light, easy read to bring along. On the first page, I thought this character was going to be good; relatable, funny. but literally within a few pages she started going downhill. She had so many hang-ups and issues, it was very annoying to read.
This was really juvenile, and I didn't like the main character, or really any of the side characters. No real substance, no real plot.
This just proved what I already knew: the Harper Teen rom com series are better than the Simon Pulse.
My review for this doesn't even fit I wrote so much on it. Don't know when I'm going to have time or the gumption to edit it down and make it fit!

[Kate H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies are always a fun read. These books are not necessarily the best written novels but the stories are always fun and you know you will get a happy ending. I think some adult romances could take a note from these books b/c they are characterized well which is much of the battle in writing any novel since you want your characters, for the most part, to be endearing and relatable.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I started out reading this booking thoroughly enjoying it and soon it just sort of sizzled out for me. It could have been more. It was missing a few details that shouldn't have been missed. Like exactly what did he say in the song? Why didn't Calla talk to her about what he said in the song? There were other things I think that would have added to the story to make it more adorable.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. I didn't know if i was going to like it because she is so shy(not like me) but i ended up liking her because of her little mini plays. I thought that was cool. It was very good overall.

[Mirela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely cute. The romantic interest in Derek has blinded her of possible chance with Nico. He is more then just the wierd quiet music manager of the school plays.

[Dennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute book, funny in how the characters think, realizing who likes them and is willing to put the extra effort to help.

[Spring Clark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another fun teeny bopper romance. This one had some edge to it, but still not bad. A nice, easy read.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is more of a 4.5 but it's still darn good. It had some great moments and other times it's kinda boring but most of the book is really good!

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. :)
Romanticcccc xD
SLIGHTLY.

[Adriana · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it.....nice and romantic and it goes to prove the guy that you want is not always the guy that is right for you and the one that is right in front of you the whole time is...

[Savannah]

summer 2010, one of my favs

[Hpitcher]

once again, good but predicable

[T.M. Carper]

Cute teen romance set behind the scenes of a musical. Very great details about acting and performing on stage.

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was adorable.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epp! Only one bad thing! Other than that It was ok! I kinda skipped to the very end and enjoyed that.