3.5 Stars.

Let me start out by saying that Pretty Face (London Celebrity 2) was one of my top reads of 2017. I loved it. LOVED IT. I was so excited then when I was approved for an ARC of the next instalment in this series. I devoured it in like, one night and here we are:

What I liked:
- I adored how nerdy and artistic Leo and Trix were, it made for some really sweet scenes, especially with the comic strip drawings and during Leo's competition.
- Reggie the Hedgie: NEED I EVEN SAY MORE? Yes? Well, I smiled every time he was mentioned, so there's that.
- I found the performance/play that Trix was in very intriguing and I would have liked to have read more about the story as a whole and not just in parts.
- Trix's struggle to find her sense of self and confidence following her relationship with her abusive ex was written very well, it was believable and heartbreaking and beautifully compelling. The author truly did it justice.
- Seeing Lily and Luc again (sigh) I reread Pretty Face a few days before I read this and it made it even better. I adore them.

What I didn't like so much:
- I wish there had been a bit more chemistry, that their romance burned a little hotter in the build up to them getting together. It fell a little flat for me unfortunately.
- I also wish their past had been shown a little more for a greater impact when we discovered why they had been bickering for the past decade. It was rather underwhelming and I wish I had been a bit more invested in it.

This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

***ARC received for an honest review***

Lucy Parker's brand of thoughtful, easy, writing and adorable banter makes her a go-to author each time she writes something new.

Leo and Trix, who had a falling-out at 16, torture each other whenever they see one another in their work circles. A mistake brings Leo to Trix's show - where she's suddenly thrust into the limelight. Trix lacks self-confidence after an emotionally abusive relationship, and she isn't equipped to handle all that Leo brings.

<b>"Happiness. She was still, unbelievably, happiness.</b>

It was difficult to watch Trix psych herself out - in her dangerous job as an aerialist and in her relationship with kind, funny Leo. That isn't my favorite plot which is the only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars. If you've loved Parker in the past you'll love this one as well. She brings something smart and comfortable to all of her books.

You could read this as a standalone, but Trix plays an important role in Pretty Face. That factors heavily in this book. Plus, you should read all the Lucy Parker. She's lovely for a discriminating reader. Trust me.

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4.5 stars.

Lucy Parker's books are so engaging, fun, and well-written. I loved Trix & Leo, and only have some minor quibbles with the pacing, which at times felt uneven. Full review will be published for The Book Queen closer to publication.

The latest entry in Lucy Parker's London celebrities series is as charming and bubbly as its pink-haired, professional aerialist protagonist. Trix and Leo have crackling chemistry but fell out many years ago over a misunderstanding. The will-they, won't-they seems inevitable, but it's a fun ride to watch how they come together. It seems clear to this reviewer that two secondary characters are getting their own book, so some of the loose ends aren't tied up neatly, but the story is an intriguing look at behind-the-scenes life for a performer and special effects makeup artist.

This was absolutely delightful, which comes as no surprise to me. I have loved every book in this series by Lucy Parker and as long as she’s writing in it, I’ll continue to devour these books (also just everything Lucy Parker writes in general). These books are so fun and cute, while still feeling incredibly real. Trix and Leo were both wonderful main characters and the support they provided for each other, even in the beginning when they didn’t necessarily like one another, was lovely to read. I loved how they switched from playful/rude banter to seriousness as needed. Making Up had a more serious plot than the other books in this series, as Trix is still dealing with her abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend. Parker handles this with extreme care and I’m so glad I got to follow this journey. I HIGHLY recommend this series if you’re looking for a fun contemporary romance – Lucy Parker is an auto-buy author for me and I can’t wait to read what she writes next.

Lucy Parker's characters always shine; the way she builds relationships and character arcs are engaging. The themes of manipulation and abuse from previous relationships is not glossed over, and engages with a hard topic in a powerful way. Overall, this is a highly enjoyable fun and flirty m/f romance, set in contemporary London theatre scene.

I'm very happy. Trix was one of my favorite characters in the second volume of London Celebrities so I was glad to see her get her own story. The story was fast moving and the ending was very satisfying. Leo is a fantastic character.

After a delightful romance debut and an equally charming sequel, Lucy Parker returns with another romance set in the world of London theater. We met Trix and Leo in Pretty Face: Trix was Lily's close friend recovering from a break-up with an abusive boyfriend and Leo was the good-looking make-up artist for Lily's show. They are flirting in the background during the pre-opening party.

Dan the jerk may be out of Trix's life, but the damage he did remains: Trix has lost a bit of her sparkle and self-confidence. Of course, the universe loves to kick a romance heroine while she's down: long-time nemesis Leo Magasiva steps in as a make-up artist for the show Trix performs in.

This is a bit second chance romance, a bit enemies to lovers, which, I have to say, I was skeptical about. I prefer authors not retcon relationships, and the news that Trix and Leo have this long-standing antagonism which was nowhere to be found in Pretty Face didn't sit well. (It feels a bit like cheating to change the rules of engagement in the subsequent book.) I needn't have worried: Lucy Parker handles the circumstance with her usual deft touch.

Once again, Parker's main couple are a pair of adults, capable of having adult conversations with one another. Parker wisely sets Trix and Leo's Great Misunderstanding with their teenaged selves, where it feels more age-appropriate. Adult Trix and Leo finally uncover what went wrong and move forward. There's no lingering mistrust that rears up and taints the present.

(Though, not all characters are quite so mature. Leo's sister is a Grade A Pain in the Ass, and I would have cheerfully seen her hit by a metaphorical bus.)

Despite the fact that Parker does pretty much everything right in this book, Making Up is a book that's going to need to grow on me. Trix's crisis of confidence feels honest, and Leo's patience with her appears infinite, but it's also a bit heavy for a romance. I don't know that I'm going to reach for Making Up in a low moment as a pick-me-up as I still do with Act Like It. It's neither good nor bad. It just is.

Parker fans: this one is worth the pre-order. You won't regret it.

I was provided with a complementary copy from NetGalley in order to facilitate this review.

The books of Lucy Parker have that British touch I love. She does not publish many books, so it is a long wait in between.

Trix is an aerialist at The Festival of Masks, a theatre spectacle in the London's West End. She is best friends with last book's heroine Lily Lamprey. When a major role comes available, she is confronted with her own insecurities, brought on by her ex-boyfriend.

Leo Magasiva is a top makeup artist and a wizard of special effects. He has suffered a major setback in his career and decides to join the Festival of Masks for a short time. Of course that also means daily confrontations with Trix, the woman he has been trading insults with for the last ten years.
However, when Trix and Leo see different sides of each other and clear up a big misunderstanding from when they were teens, their chemistry sparks a hot affair.

I was happy the past was brought up very quickly in the story and did not stay around as some cloud above their heads. Their love story is very organic and sweet (hot also). Of course there are some difficulties in their way but in a true Lucy Parker-way they are dealt with. May I say how much I disliked Leo's younger sister Cat?
The wedding of Lily and Luc from book 2 is in this book, which I enjoyed.

The epilogue was real sweet! I do hope Lucy Parker will write more in this series but I will read anything she writes. Even without a cover and blurb.

This was exactly what I needed to end a bad week on a high note. Lucy Parker delivered another gem of a novel in Making Up, the love story between an acrobat and a make-up artist.

We already knew the hero and heroine from Pretty Face, the second book in this series. What we didn't know was that Trix and Leo knew each other since they were kids, and there was no love lost between them. That little tidbit made the major sexual attraction between them a little harder to deal with.

I loved this book. As always, I love how real Parker's characters feel. Trix is getting back on her feet after an abusive relationship, and Leo is trying to boost his career after accidentally blowing up a guy's face; and neither process goes smoothly.

Their relationship was delightful. The animosity quickly melted away when they were forced to talk to each other (reluctant roomates? Sign me up) and clear the misunderstandings from their youth. The dialogue, par for the course, was witty and lively, but that didn't distract from its emotional resonance.

AND THAT ENDING. Super cute and, I don't know, it felt spontaneous somehow. In a really awesome way.

Lucy Parker writes funny, strong, relatable characters and the settings are great, too! London's West End! Yay! While there was a bit more build-up with the relationships in her first few books, this title seemed to hit the ground running. The pace was a little manic, but still fun and didn't stop me from turning pages. Was this the third in a trilogy, or will she keep going - perhaps with Laine's ex in the first title? Hmm. Is he redeemable? Or will Ms. Parker take us to an exotic locale (to people in the US), such as, New Zealand and start fresh? Wherever she goes with her writing, I will follow and continue to recommend to patrons. Thank you very much for an early copy.

This is a solid romance novel. Not particularly groundbreaking, except in that it is less rapey than many in the genre. My library does not purchase too many romance novels and I don't think this needs to be in our small collection, but we have access to many titles through our consortium so I will be happy to recommend it as something for people to request.

Beatrix "Trix" Lane may be tiny, but she also used to be fierce and confident and very ambitious. Until her former boyfriend pretty much broke her down entirely and left her a pale shadow of herself. Now that the star of the fancy acrobatic West End show she's in has been possibly permanently damaged after a fall, Trix has a chance at the lead role, but she's no longer sure she's acrobatic or talented enough. To add to her stress levels, the person who annoys her the most in the world, Leo Magasiva, has just been hired on to the show's makeup team.

While he's quite the special effects wizard, Leo Magasiva has career issues of his own, after a very famous film star neglected to disclose an allergy and Leo's makeup job caused a horrible allergic reaction. Leo was fired and blacklisted, and now needs to really prove himself, preferably by winning first prize in the UK SFX makeup artistry championship. He's secured his younger sister an internship with the theatre, but she appears to have had a complete personality transplant after a year in New York and is now behaving like a stuck-up brat and doing her very best to piss off not only Leo, but everyone around her. So having to work in close quarters, and as it turns out, sharing living quarters with Trix Lane, is not exactly his idea of fun.

Trix and Leo used to be friends growing up, until Trix got a scholarship to a fancy boarding school and left Leo behind forever. They nevertheless seemed to run into each other all over the place over the years, constantly sniping and trying to one-up one another. Now, working on the same show and living across the hall from one another, their snarky rivalry is brought to a head, and before long, they've moved from hate to something else entirely. They may have a long history, but is there any chance of a future together? If Leo wins his SFX championship, it means a lucrative contract in LA, while if Trix gets the starring role in The Festival of Masks, she's staying in London indefinitely.

Lucy Parker's Act Like It was one of my favourite romances (and books in general) of 2016, and the follow-up, Pretty Face, was one of the few really memorable romances of all of 2017, and an even better book than the first in the London Celebrities series. So when I saw a tweet from Ms. Parker saying that her new book, Making Up, was available upon request from NetGalley, I requested it immediately and crossed my fingers that I would be lucky enough to be granted a copy. While I read and review a LOT of romance, being granted an ARC was by no means a certainty, as I have a pretty bad track-record with reviewing my NetGalley books before the deadlines. However, the book gods smiled up on me, and even though the book isn't out until the end of May, I have been lucky enough to read it.

Of all of the three Lucy Parker books I've read so far, this is probably the weakest. It has a lot of good thing going for it, but was not as instantly likable to me as Act Like It and it lacked the emotional depth of Pretty Face. It has a lot of the things Ms. Parker does well - a likable cast of characters, great banter, competence porn (both Leo and Trix are very good at what they do, for all that Trix' confidence and self-esteem has been entirely eroded by her d*ck of an ex-boyfriend). I thought the initial conflict between Trix and Leo was solved a little bit too quickly and that the readers could have been given a bit more insight into the situation with Leo's bratty sister earlier in the story, but I liked the book and for those readers who have read and enjoyed Pretty Face, it might be nice to know that there are extended cameos from Trix' best friend Lily and her fiancee Luc, who actually get married in this book. Lucy Parker is a talented enough writer that while I would rank this third of her three books, it's still a very enjoyable read and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

**This is a review of an ARC and only shows my personal opinion about the story.**

Again, Lucy Parker transports us to London´s backstage in the blink of an eye. This time to attend a circus show, yes, you read it right… daring, isn´t it? That´s one of her strong points: her stories´ settings. Bold and documented, they become another character in the plot. And it works.

The first chapters have overflowed freshness. Very subtly, she got us “into the scene”, introducing her characters, showing us the show´s soul, giving us small clues of how things work and, above all, she portrayed her MC´s in all their glorious and funny mordancy. It has been an authentic, genuine and abrasive example of how two “truly enemies” should behave.

Trix and Leo have “past” with a capital P. And to say that things ended bad between them is an understatement. The worst thing, however, is that they keep running into each other when they least expect it because, you know, it´s a “small world”, I mean London.
But this time they are going to be more than bumping into each other. This time they will have to work in the same building and in the same show ... and sparks will fly.

It is once the foundations of both the story and the romance are set and in progress when everything takes a turn towards the “mundane”. The melodrama enters the scene and the story goes from exceptional to common.
The problems the author burdens her characters with are realistic and complicated, but this has been a case of “telling” more than “showing” and after the umpteen time that the MC´s fail to take their relationship beyond the abundant (and “awkward”, if I have to be sincere) sex was when the story lost me. The source of angst had reminiscence of NA, a genre that does not appeal to me these days.

But the potential was there. And it may be that my expectations were sky high. Anyway, this author is still one of my favorites, her work is original and out of the ordinary and if you have not read anything by her I suggest you to start with “Act Like It” and “Pretty Face”. They are fabulous.

***


**Esta reseña es de una ARC recibida gratuitamente y sólo refleja mi opinión personal sobre la historia.**
Lucy Parker consigue, de nuevo, transportarnos a las bambalinas de Londres en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Esta vez para asistir a un espectáculo circense, sí, como lo lees. ¿Atrevido o qué? Es uno de los puntos fuertes de esta autora: el marco en el que ambienta sus historias. Osado y documentado se convierte en otro personaje más de la trama. Y funciona.

Los primeros capítulos han rebosado frescura. Muy sutilmente nos ha ido poniendo en situación, presentándonos personajes, mostrándonos el alma del show, dándonos pequeñas pistas de cómo funcionan las cosas y sobre todo, nos ha pintado a sus protagonistas en toda su gloriosa y divertida mordacidad. Ha sido un auténtico, genuino y abrasivo ejemplo de cómo se comportan dos “enemigos”.

Trix y Leo tienen “pasado” con mayúsculas. Y decir que la cosa acabo mal es quedarse cortos. Lo peor, sin embargo, es que siguen topándose el uno con el otro cuando menos se lo esperan porque, ya se sabe, el mundo, o en este caso Londres, es un pañuelo.
Pero esta vez va a ser algo más que toparse. Esta vez van a tener que trabajar en el mismo edificio y en el mismo espectáculo… y van a saltar chispas.

Es una vez metidos en faena y con las bases de la historia y el romance sentadas, cuando todo toma un giro hacia lo mundano. Entra en escena el melodrama y la historia pasa de excepcional a común.
Los problemas con los que la autora carga a sus personajes son realistas y complicados, pero este ha sido un caso de “contar” más que de “ver” y después de la tropecienta vez que los protagonistas no consiguen llevar su relación más allá del abundante (y torpe, si tengo que ser sincera) sexo es cuando la historia empieza a perderme. Y ya no consigue recuperarme. La fuente de conflicto ha sonado muy NA, un género que no me atrae.

Pero el potencial estaba ahí. Y puede ser que mis expectativas estuviesen por las nubes. De todas formas esta autora sigue siendo una de mis favoritas, su trabajo es original y fuera de lo cotidiano y si aún no has leído nada de ella te sugiero que empieces por “Act Like It” y “Pretty Face”. Son geniales.

When I binge read the first two London Celebrity books, I was crossing fingers I'd be approved for the third and spoiler alert: I was! I immediately started reading it to close out my binge of this fantastic series. I was excited to read about the Khal Drogo lookalike hero who was a successful makeup artist...I mean...rawr. And Lily's friend Trix who we know has had a rough go of relationships because of the previous book. I was not disappointed.

What we don't know before going into the book but find out in the first few pages is Trix and Drogo, err, I mean Leo have a history. They cannot help but needle each other every time they are forced together. When Leo gets a job on Trix's show, their run-ins are inevitable...but so are the sparks. Their contrary behavior to one another is a constant and I loved seeing these two argue while fight their obvious feelings for one another. How they end up getting together felt natural and genuine, their similar interests and hobbies were nerdtastic and it was uh-may-zing. I loved picturing this big handsome beast with a huge nerd soul. I also loved trying to envision Trix's cirque de soleil-esque show and her acrobatics.

Again, as with the previous books, the drama was not drawn out or melodramatic. It real and genuine to the story with minimal casualties and fallout. The communication between the two characters could be misinterpreted at times but it wasn't obnoxious or irritating to the reader, my opinion. I also ADORED the epilogue! Of all the books, this was my favorite one. It was so sweet and adorable and gah, all kinds of feels! I really hope this series is more than three books because I would love to spend more time in this setting and get glimpses of our previous couples!

Reserved Seating
If you love Khal Drogo-looking heroes, cirque de soleil, and snark...this book is for you.

I haven't been able to stop thinking about this since I finished it. It was such an adorable and brilliantly written book that I'm so happy I got to read. I had never read anything by Lucy Parker but I'm thrilled that I started with this one because now I'm hooked for life. I'm going to read the other two books in the series and I know I'm going to love them because I already love the characters that I got to meet. Trix, who is our pink haired, anxious, aerial artist heroine is intelligent, short-tempered and snarky. She's recovering mentally after a previous very abusive relationship and if there's something I love is seeing a wonderful woman picking herself up, growing, thriving and getting better mentally, showing her strength and becoming fierce and unbreakable by herself.

This showed such a healthy relationship with the hero and with Trix herself and the people around her, who gave her the space to heal from her wounds. The emotional support and Leo provides her is gorgeous to see. He knew his place and I loved the relationship that they had. We have an enemies to lovers dynamic but before that we have beautiful conversations and complex dynamics. They're both incredibly ambitious in their own careers but they know their limits or they understand them during this book. I adored the humorous tone in the writing and everything was well constructed and I was hooked since the first page. I wish we could get more romances like this one, with healthy and steamy relationships between two people who adore and worship the ground that the other person walks on. Beautiful book!

I love Lucy Parker's London celebrities series; each book has been smart and well-plotted, with fully-drawn characters I want to spend lots of time with. Making Up is no different - super fun and relaxing read.

While the book was sweet and enjoyable, there didn't seem to be enough true conflict throughout.

Lucy Parker will always be my favorite author. Making Up really did it for me and I am so happy I got the chance to read it! It is one of my most anticipated books this year and it lived up to my expectations and exceed them because I really didn't know what I was getting myself into but with the little excerpts Lucy has been sharing, I had some clue and I was excited!

I adored Trix and Leo. I dig the hate to love trope Lucy keeps putting in her books and if she decides to do more with that same trope, I'm here for it. I'm never getting tired of it. Trix and Leo also have the childhood friends trope going on and my excitement just went off the roof. I absolutely adored their relationship and the development! All the misunderstandings and the past formed this couple and it's what we get in the book. It tells you people will never be perfect but they can grow from it and they can understand each other again. I adored it!

Seeing Luc and Lily again maybe me weep. I was a Mess. I am happy. I love them forever my favorite couple ever.

Making Up,  Lucy Parker

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance

I loved the previous book, Pretty Face, and have just put the first one on my kindle. Somehow despite my intentions I missed it....In this book the characters from the earlier reads are here but the books are each stand alone stories, so its not necessary to have read the others, but is fun to catch up with them if you have.

Leo and Trix are the best of enemies, have been since they were teens and in the small theatrical world they inhabit their paths cross now and then. Each time the wit gets sharper and more caustic and to outward appearances they hate each other. Love and Hate though – two sides of the same coin the saying says...

Trix and Leo are now part of the same production, and as if that's not enough Leo is her new housemate. ( and yes, Lucy described the aroma of a house of males perfectly!) Thrown so close together they see that the other is not quite the person their imaginations have constructed. To add to their confusion that spark that's always made them snark and b itch at each other now has them in the grip of a sensual attraction, and they find that actually the person in their imaginations isn't actually the real character, that the grudges they've been bearing are based on a flawed premise, misunderstandings, teen issues and angst.

Now they're together that attraction is visceral, tantalising, a sensual searing that has them making out at every opportunity as if to make up for those lost years, unable to keep their hands off each other. There are some well done, heated scenes that aren't OTT but fit perfectly the characters they are.

Its not a route to HEA though, both of them have some serious issues from past and present to contend with, and of course though their career fields match up sometimes, at others they could be not just hundreds of miles apart but whole countries. Can they work things out or are they doomed to fail?

Well, its a great fun journey finding out, full of love and angst, real issues that we have, fears and families, all the things that make life so real made these characters and their problems feel alive to me.

Stars: Five, a great fun read, and a terrific follow up books. It was good to catch up with characters from the last book, and finally book one is on my kindle waiting for time to be read.....

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers