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The Extra

(The Extra #1)

Megan Walker (Goodreads Author),

Janci Patterson (Goodreads Author)

3.73 · Rating details · 942 ratings · 148 reviews

Gabby Mays wishes she had her future figured out, like her gorgeous roommate Anna-Marie, who has just landed a role on the hit soap opera Passion Medical. Gabby would give anything to find a career she's half as passionate about as Anna-Marie is about acting—and a love life that isn't comprised of nights with a party-sized bag of Doritos and her Netflix account.

When Gabby ...more

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Kindle Edition, 265 pages

Published April 6th 2019 by Garden Ninja Books

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· 942 ratings · 148 reviews

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Feb 05, 2021 Janet Newport rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2021-reads, kindle-unlimited

Women's Fiction / Coming of Age

Lazy day read. Interesting characters with recognizable family dynamics in outrageous setting.
A sweet, seemingly organic romance, yet not the main focus of the book ...more

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Jan 24, 2021 Jacob Proffitt rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, chaste, chick-lit

This is more what I consider chick-lit than romance with it's single PoV heroine finding herself through the course of the story. The story that is contrived to an extent, but makes up for it with humor and some truly fantastic character moments, particularly in Gabby's family.

Indeed, the weakest aspect is the romance. Will is kind of a non-entity, what with being engaged to a woman he's obviously incompatible with and thus spending little real time with Gabby. I didn't see how she could actuall This is more what I consider chick-lit than romance with it's single PoV heroine finding herself through the course of the story. The story that is contrived to an extent, but makes up for it with humor and some truly fantastic character moments, particularly in Gabby's family.

Indeed, the weakest aspect is the romance. Will is kind of a non-entity, what with being engaged to a woman he's obviously incompatible with and thus spending little real time with Gabby. I didn't see how she could actually fall in love with the guy, frankly. They just didn't have any time.

But the rest of the plot was engaging and funny and I was totally down for spending time with her as Gabby figures out what she wants to do with her life. I particularly liked her journey of discovery with relation to her family of perfects. She feels so broken because they are all so successful and she doesn't even know what she wants to do with her life. So as that all fell apart and Gabby had to come to terms with how broken everybody is, really, she also had to let go of all the excuses she had built up around her floating along directionlessness; not least in reframing that floating as experimenting with things she might like so that she could become more deliberate about it.

And the whole plot with her brother and his drug addiction was handled way better than I expected and with real heart and understanding and without the easy answers people like to throw around with that kind of life-destroying problem.

So this is 3½ stars. And normally, with a story where the romance was so poor, I'd be rounding down. But I laughed enough, and enjoyed all the other characters and interactions, that I'll be rounding this one up. And I'll be explicit with the caveat that you really do have to suspend some disbelief for the humor to work and all the soap opera threads to come together both on and off set.

A note about Chaste: I think part of why the romance didn't work is that there was never any room for even hints of intimacy—both physically and emotionally. So there was some kissing, but never anything more. We do hear about the shenanigans of others, but never anything on-page or in explicit detail. ...more

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Apr 25, 2019 Jana Brown rated it really liked it

Shelves: ebook, romance, owned, kindle

This is one of the cases where I feel like I have to explain my review a little. There is a base suspension of disbelief that I found required for this novel to work. The framework of the novel is all these people working in LA in and around a soap opera production, and the thing is their real lives mirror this soap opera environment to an almost exaggerated degree. We don't quite get to secret babies and selective amnesia, but everyone has dramatic problems, or is a diva, or is sleeping with so This is one of the cases where I feel like I have to explain my review a little. There is a base suspension of disbelief that I found required for this novel to work. The framework of the novel is all these people working in LA in and around a soap opera production, and the thing is their real lives mirror this soap opera environment to an almost exaggerated degree. We don't quite get to secret babies and selective amnesia, but everyone has dramatic problems, or is a diva, or is sleeping with someone they shouldn't be or... etc, etc. I found as long as I accepted this set up then I could accept the rest of the book was an interesting romance, but if I started trying to really force reality on the set up everything else fell apart on me.

So given that The Extra is an amusing second chance romance featuring Gabby May. Gabby is a girl with a problem, namely that she has no idea what she wants to do with her life and is drifting about trying to find her purpose. She's recently lost her job and dropped out of college. Needing employment of some kind she applies to be an extra at the soap opera where her roommate works and there bumps into a man she had a crush on some time ago and hijinks ensue.

The pacing of The Extra is brisk and it's a quick read. It's written first person present tense, which is not one of my favorites. However, the authors handled it well enough that I could ignore the things I don't like about FPPT, though on a few occasions it bumped me out of the story.

I enjoyed the running jokes with the the Chinese American fusion restaurant and Karin, the other extra, became a favorite among the secondary cast. The writing is pop culture heavy, though as it's my kind of pop culture I didn't mind that.

All in all it's a strong 3.5 which I'm rounding up to a four.

Content: Some language including at least one fbomb, very mild violence mostly in the form of cat fights and one punch from a deity, there is a subplot about drug abuse and social drinking, and a whole lot of off screen sex. ...more

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Apr 23, 2019 Michelle Argyle rated it it was amazing

I adored this book. I just read another review where the reader didn't like certain aspects of the book, but those were the aspects that really made this book shine for me. I loved the support characters and cannot wait to see them in future books. I also loved the family drama in Gabby's life because it really pushed the book from "just a beach read romance" to a story with depth and a lot of potential for expanding into a great series. So, whatever floats your boat, I suppose. If you're lookin ...more

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Oct 10, 2019 Reads A-Lot rated it liked it

When one career door slams in your face, another one opens. In L.A, who’s NOT desperate to get into the acting world? Certainly not Gabby. But, to her friend, landing a role in a daytime soap opera was a dream come true.

Since losing her job, Gaby certainly had more time on her hands. Of course, she was going to miss all the things money could buy. That’s when her friend suggests she be an extra on the soap opera. An extra for Passion Medical. Suddenly, Gabby is thrust into the world of acting.

Th ...more

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Sep 03, 2020 Dana rated it really liked it

The Extra is the story of Gabby, A 20 something living in LA just trying to figure out what she wants out of her life. Her roommate is a soap opera star and gets her the opportunity to serve as an extra on the show. We see the drama of the set, the relationships with the people she meets there as well as drama within her family help shape her trajectory in life.

This book had vibes that reminded me of the show Love with Gillian Jacobs and Paul Rust on Netflix. Young 20-something characters who a ...more

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Jan 05, 2021 Paula Weisberger rated it it was ok

FREE book on Audible.
Fluffy, pretty shallow and predictable...

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Nov 14, 2019 Linda McCutcheon rated it it was amazing

This book is a MUST read! I enjoyed every page of it. I laughed out loud and I shed a few tears as well. Gabby Mays is a twenty three year old woman who is in a holding pattern. She's given up college after three years because she wasn't getting anything out of it. She has been fired from a slew of jobs and the worse part is she does not really care. She just moves on to the next inconsequential job. That is until her actress roommate gets her a job as an extra in the soap opera Passion Medical. This book is a MUST read! I enjoyed every page of it. I laughed out loud and I shed a few tears as well. Gabby Mays is a twenty three year old woman who is in a holding pattern. She's given up college after three years because she wasn't getting anything out of it. She has been fired from a slew of jobs and the worse part is she does not really care. She just moves on to the next inconsequential job. That is until her actress roommate gets her a job as an extra in the soap opera Passion Medical.

From the moment Gabby sets foot on the TV set her life is turned upside down. I'm not going to give too many details because there is so much that happens in this short novel and the reader deserves to read each page with anticipation.

I will say that the writers did an amazing job in making Gabby relatable at least to me. She is self deprecating in the most humorous way. Whenever anyone is talking to her she just assumes they are about to say something negative about her. I've been there and I feel her pain. For all the laughs there are some hurtful and sad moments; especially the chapters involving her family. There is something her mom gives her near the end of the book that, even now, brings tears to my eyes. As a mom with adult children this gesture, which I will not spoil, from her mom demonstrates what mothers want all their children to know and that is we may be busy, we may be distracted, we may be exhausted but we see you. We know your likes and dislikes and we try to do our best. Most of all we love you. This one little gesture was one page out of the book but it reached inside my heart.

The other thing that brought me joy reading this book was the cultural references. I often make comparisons to characters in books to the TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. So you can imagine the huge smile on my face when Gabby is watching DVDs of Buffy to drown her sorrows. Speaking of drowning sorrows, I will give one tidbit away because I think must of us can agree on it. Gabby is a big believer in eating your emotions and she can be found in a Chinese American fusion cuisine dive eating the Breakup Tub. I wish this decadent dessert existed for real but I might try a home made version of it.

Lastly, I want to commend the writers. Often when reading a book written by two or more authors there tends to be cracks in the narrative that can be jarring to the reader. That is not the case here. I could not tell who wrote which passage. The story flowed. There was never a lull or dull moment.

The Extra is very much a stand alone novel. It's book one in a series but I believe each book is a stand alone about different characters we meet in each of the books. All the books are available and I will be reading all of them.

I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. ...more

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Jan 03, 2021 Natalie - FerryGoodBooks rated it really liked it

When I was younger, every day from 12:30 till 2 I could be found sitting in front of the TV with my mom trying to figure out what kind of drama Brooke would unleash or who she was married to today. I would try to find a redeeming quality in Victor, and honestly wonder how today’s episode could top the day before. I loved bonding with my mom watching Young and the Restless and Bold and the Beautiful. So to read a rom-com that gives me an insight into the inner workings of soap operas left me beyo When I was younger, every day from 12:30 till 2 I could be found sitting in front of the TV with my mom trying to figure out what kind of drama Brooke would unleash or who she was married to today. I would try to find a redeeming quality in Victor, and honestly wonder how today’s episode could top the day before. I loved bonding with my mom watching Young and the Restless and Bold and the Beautiful. So to read a rom-com that gives me an insight into the inner workings of soap operas left me beyond excited.

Gabby is delightful and spunky. Though she’s completely lost and has no idea what her next move will be, I love that she continues to try. She never stops exploring and trying new things out. I love her tenacity and her vivacious spirit outshine every failed community college course.

This was such a fun rom-com that focused more on Gabby's journey in finding herself than finding someone who completed her. I loved her journey and how it mirrored a mini soap opera. Though each moment of Gabby’s life seems to get worse at each turn, the absurd situation works for this story. It felt as if I was reading a telenovela and I could not put this book down. I was hooked trying to figure out where and how this story would end.

It was enjoyable to see a positive female friendship where one is a budding actress. I like how they genuinely cared for one another and though Anne-Marie was on a TV show she didn’t let her rising fame ruin or get in the way of their friendship. She never once judged or put down Gabby for consistently losing her job or having no clear path. Instead she offered support to Gabby when she needed it.

I couldn’t put this book down. I couldn’t wait to see where and how this story would end. The writing was captivating and entertaining until the very end. I loved how this all played out, the humor kept this book upbeat, and the plot was interesting and complex to keep me captivated. Thank you so much to Meghan for this copy in exchange for an honest review.
...more

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Aug 19, 2020 Cait | GoodeyReads rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, romance, 2020, contemporary, new-adult

3.5 Stars.

Thank you to the author, Megan Walker, for a copy in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own!

ENTERTAINING.

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I had a good time with this one! I didn’t know much going in but found myself easily drawn in to the writing style and the story at large.

Gabby was a well thought out main character. She had a lot of struggles and over a small amount of pages really showed some growth. I liked that she started to take charge of her life and didn’t rush into what she wanted t ...more

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Jun 30, 2020 the.bookish.mom rated it really liked it

Gabby Mays is a twenty something Cali girl trying to figure out her life. While in limbo she gets a job on her best friend’s soap opera as an extra. Life gets a little more interesting when she finds out her (hot) ex-boss is also a writer for the show. Pretty soon there’s as much drama in her real life as the soap she’s on!

This was such an entertaining, quick read RomCom that is light and fun, but also has the drama fit for an actual soap opera! I love a good series and can’t wait to pick up ...more

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Sep 27, 2019 Diana (DomesticGoddess) rated it liked it

Shelves: free, i-own-it, romance-contemporary-or-chick-lit

3.5 stars.

This one’s a soap opera within a soap opera, which may not be realistic but with Middle Child Syndrome so classic I think I might actually know these people.

Anna-Marie is getting her big break, another perfect feather in the ever-fashionable hat of her life. She’s moving forward, toward something she loves and is really good at, and I, as usual, am stuck in some kind of early-adult pothole of pathetic jobs I don’t care about and college plans I can’t muster the interest to see through ...more

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Feb 01, 2021 Jes rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle-unlimited

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Feb 22, 2020 Benjamin Liska rated it really liked it

A great contemporary romance with an interesting setting and great characters. I’m not usually a romance novel kind of guy, but I enjoyed The Extra even though it lacked spaceships, lasers, dragons and magic. A fun story of romance, self-doubt, and family drama set against the backdrop of a daytime soap opera. This book kept me up far past my bedtime.

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Feb 27, 2020 Riddhi rated it it was amazing

Extremely heart touching. Gabby is wonderful. She is so relatable that I found myself laughing and crying with her. She is so real that I wish I could meet her. The way she grows in the book is truly inspiring.

The funny, sad and all the other parts of the book make you love it. I am honestly so in love with these characters. I can't wait to read about Anna Marie next. The writing is simply awesome and swoon worthy. I love this series already. ...more

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Jan 16, 2021 magsevie rated it really liked it

Rating 3.75 / 5

Really interesting story and I liked how everything came together but it just didn’t have a full 4-star read feel. It was really entertaining and I enjoyed it a lot but I probably won’t ever think about it again except for the big climax scene because that was amazing (added the .75).

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Jan 12, 2020 Lindzi Mayann rated it really liked it

Really enjoyed this bubbly, feel good read.

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Jul 17, 2020 Daydreamer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, romance

Rating: 5/5 stars

Synopsis:
Gabby isn’t too sure what to do with her life, but is open for more or less everything. So when her best friends encourages her to work as an extra on her series, she joins in, not expecting to find many things to love.

My thoughts:
I thought this was going to be some super sweet romance, but there was so much drama! Not between the couple, but in her family! Still, the story was lovely to read, though the ending was a bit too short in my opinion! I need more of these ch ...more

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Feb 09, 2021 Maddielucy(Patti) rated it really liked it

Shelves: uno2021

Cute love story. Liked the soap opera backdrop!

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Oct 13, 2019 Jan rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance

Enjoyed this!

Life is messy and I liked that Gabby's life was, too. I plan on buying book 2 (which I never do) and that is the highest compliment I can give. ...more

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May 19, 2020 Gracie added it

its a really good story but i wish they added more emotion

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Mar 15, 2020 Tracie Banister rated it it was amazing

This book caught my eye because I love fiction about Hollywood and this amusing, fast-paced, highly entertaining story did not disappoint! Its heroine, Gabby, is a floundering twentysomething who’s tried her hand at and done poorly with a variety of jobs and hobbies. When she finds herself unemployed once more, she agrees to let her actress roommate hook her up with a gig as an extra on the soap opera, Passion Medical. Gabby soon learns that the drama, backstabbing, bed-hopping, and shocking rev ...more

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Nov 02, 2019 Marjorie rated it liked it

3.5 Stars

I actually really enjoyed this book, although it did feel like a guilty pleasure at times. It emulates the very daytime soaps that it is, in many ways, parodying. With plotlines that stretch credulity and characters that have either so many faces that you wonder if they have a multiple personality disorder or have just one stereotypical one. Honestly, it is a daytime soap in paged format.

Our lead character is Gabby and she is a mess - physically clumsy, emotionally shuttered and add on ...more

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Aug 12, 2019 Energy rated it it was amazing

Gabby is an outcast, she's the family screw-up who doesn't fit in with her parents or her siblings. With a scientist sister and a musical brother, she has no comparable talent. She's always getting fired from various jobs and she seems rather hopeless.

But then her best friend Anna-Marie gets a job on the soap opera "Passion Medical" and gets Gabby on as an extra. It's perfect for her because she's good at fading into the background. Only Will works there as a writer, the Will she spent hours dr ...more

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Oct 18, 2020 Addie BookCrazyBlogger rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc-s

Gabby Mays is throughly average, in a family where extraordinary is the norm while living in an Los Angeles where everyone is a star. Gabby has taken a leave of absence from school because she doesn’t know what to do with her life (SAME GIRL!) and she’s just been fired from the latest in a series of minimum wage jobs. Currently living with her best friend and aspiring actress Anna-Marie, Gabby can’t help but make comparisons between the two of them: Anna-Marie is gorgeous and successful, having ...more

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Aug 16, 2019 Sandra rated it it was amazing

Let's just say I didn't know what to expect with this but what a pleasant surprise. It was clever, witty, inspirational & extremely well written. While perhaps it's in the NA category the characters were definitely not, in fact quite mature.
The story revolves around Gabby, the plain Jane of a very almost perfect, yet very dysfunctional family & her search for who she really is. Lots of family dramas unfold but what had me hooked was the soap opera she worked on as an extra, while she found what ...more

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Feb 16, 2020 Regina rated it really liked it

Shelves: kindle

A light read, but ended up being a little deeper and dealing with more serious topics than I initially thought. Gabby has not found her niche in life. Unlike her family members, she doesn't seem to have any special talents. And she somehow manages to screw up a series of less-than-impressive jobs. After losing her most recent position, her roommate, an actress who recently got her "big break" in a soap opera, suggests she try out as an "extra" for the medical drama. Gabby reluctantly agrees and ...more

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Feb 03, 2020 Deb Threadgill rated it really liked it

The main character Gabby May (who narrates the story) is a young woman with several problems. She doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life and goes from job to job and from night time classes, like cake decorating and CPR, to name a few. She is the somewhat stereotypical middle child of wealthy parentd, she has always thought they had everything going for them. Her older sister is a beautiful scientist with what appears to be a perfect marriage and an adorable little boy. Her younger brot ...more

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Jul 28, 2020 Kristine rated it liked it

I was invited to read this by the author Megan Walker and I'm pleased to give a review in exchange.

This is a light, easy, romance. Gabby is a 23-year old directionless woman living in LA right in the midst of budding celebrities even though she is absolutely not interested in the Hollywood life. She's been fired from a string of jobs since dropping out of uni because she hasn't found that spark yet. The only spark she's feeling is for Will. Gabby lives with Anna-Marie, her bff, and Anna-Marie ha ...more

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Dec 18, 2019 Aiko’s Treasure rated it it was amazing

Shelves: modern-romance, favorites

If I had to sum this book up in three words, it would be cute, funny and modern. This is definitely a millennial read, since it has lots of pop culture references. But that’s okay unless you’re older (because you might not get the references or like some of the language). I think that reflects its charm though. It’s written in the first person present tense kinda like a script, which is cute but can be frustrating to read at times. It is kinda slow in the beginning but picks up later (which I fe ...more

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About Megan Walker

Megan Walker

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Megan Walker lives in Utah with her husband, two kids, and two dogs-all of whom are incredibly supportive of the time she spends writing about romance and crazy Hollywood hijinks. She loves making Barbie dioramas and reading trashy gossip magazines (and, okay, lots of other books and magazines, as well.) Megan has also written several published fantasy and science-fiction stories under the name Me ...more