I generally really enjoy a Katie Cotugno novel, but as this was her first foray into adult novels, I wasn't sure what to expect. Turns out, more of the same awesome as her YA! I admit, going in, the plot made me a wee bit hesitant- the lifestyle of Hollywood isn't really my jam, but as it turns out, neither is it the characters', so it worked out fine.

Fiona has spent the past few years trying to be as far from the Hollywood gaze as she possibly can, after a series of unfortunate paparazzi pieces made her the gossip of the town- and not in a good way. Sam is trying desperately to reignite his career after some disappointments. They're thrown back together when the opportunity is presented to reboot the show that made them both household names, Birds of California. Sam is fairly desperate to get Fiona involved, as the studio isn't interested without her, so he attempts to reconnect and convince her to rejoin the band.

Fiona, of course, shuts him down immediately, but also finds herself enjoying the time she's spending with Sam as a person, outside of the Hollywood bubble. It's also clear that Sam is enjoying spending time with Fiona, but we of course know that Sam does have some ulterior motives. Fiona knows this too, and is obviously skeptical, though she also is having trouble denying her feelings.

The story is very sweet, very full of heart and humor, and also a little heavy at times, which is just the way I like my contemporary stories, frankly. I loved Fiona's relationships with her sister and the woman next door, who is almost like a grandmother to them. I loved that Fiona was kind of forced to deal with a really rough time in her life that she kept trying to bury- because let's be real, that never works. I also like that Sam had to take a good look at his own life, and what he wanted from it.

While there was a lot of character growth, the ending did feel a bit rushed, which is my only qualm with the story. Because it involves such serious topics being worked out, I had kind of hoped for a bit more, but I also think that one of the biggest points was that Fiona needed to get to the place where she could talk about it- and that what happened as a result wasn't as necessary to the story as Fiona beginning to heal.

Bottom Line: I really fell in love with this heartfelt, charming story about what it takes to pick up the pieces and figure out who you want to be.

Where do I start with this one?

For the most part, I enjoyed the story! I like the idea of the plot, the writing is easy to read, and the entire set-up is on par for a classic contemporary romance (not to mention I'm obsessed with the cover design).

But the thing is, no matter how many times I thought, “Oh, I like this,” that feeling was almost always tainted by how much I didn't like Fiona. She's one massive ball of negativity. She's mean, abrasive, has a short temper, and just honestly treats everyone like crap. I get that she went through something super traumatic, but because she goes through literally zero character development, I really struggled to empathise with her. Not to mention the traumatic event barely gets addressed in the book, so that didn't help either.

I think if there had been some sort of resolution to what was making Fiona act out, in addition to her character developing and shown in a different light, my feelings about her would probably be different. But none of these things happen, so I'm just left feeling pretty resentful about her ruining what could have been a cute story.

Oh well.

Fiona & Sam ⁣
Second Chances ⁣
Friends to Lovers
Former child star and struggling actor
Hollywood post #Metoo ⁣
CW - past trauma (don't want to spoil anything), PTSD, cancer, depression
⁣
This was my first book from Katie Cotugno and I read it in one sitting. I was completely swept up in this story and these characters but I was left a liiiiil bit wanting.There is so much here with Fiona and Sam, together and as individuals and I just wish we could have gotten more of their stories.

Synopsis

Former child actor Fiona St. James crashed and burned in front of everyone. The tabloids said she'd lost her mind. Years later Fiona believes her past is behind her, she’s working at her family’s print shop and hanging out with her younger sister and elderly neighbor. She is extremely private at this point in her life and has no desire to act again.

Sam Fox played her older brother on the television show Birds of California. He loves all the celebrity perks. His current show gets canceled and there is a call to revive Birds of California but the powers that be wont do it without Fiona.

Sam tracks her down and Fiona agrees to lunch together. What happens next takes them both by surprise. Long drives to the beach, late nights at dive bars . . . But then the other shoe drops, the shit hits the fan, and Fiona has to confront some stuff from her past that might end her and Sam.

Thank you to @katiecotugno and @Netgalley for providing me with a copy!

Kind of a lackluster read. It didn’t necessarily grab my attention like other books I’ve been reading.

I enjoyed this one. This is a dual-POV romance. Fiona St. James is a former child actor who has abandoned her acting career in Hollywood after she publicly lashes out (think screaming at paparazzi, drunk and disorderly conduct, verbal gaffes, etc.) Years have passed, with Fiona working in a printer shop and looking after her younger sister. Sam Fox played her older brother on what was once a popular TV show called Birds of California. When his show is cancelled and he becomes strapped for cash, he signs on for a Birds of California reboot, and is enlisted to try and convince Fiona to come back into the spotlight.

It turns out that Fiona has very good reasons for not wanting to participate in the revival, including avoiding the man who played her father on the show. But Fiona and Sam have chemistry and history together, and they grow closer of course. I really loved the development of the relationship here. This does have some heavy themes, so I would not label this as a romantic comedy, but the romance feels believable. It felt like it was Fiona and Sam against the world, but there was of course a lot of drama as Sam continues to try to convince Fiona to join the revival of the show.

TW: sexual harassment, alcohol abuse, drug use

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this free advanced copy. I am OBSESSED with this book! Between the dark side of being a celebrity and child actor to the witty banter and the hot sex scenes? I loved it all and I honestly need to read it again soon. Fiona is such a strong woman who kicks butt and for her and Sam to meet again and fall for each other as they are now, with their histories, was beautiful. The cover is also gorgeous. Plus, so many parts of this book are hilarious despite some heavy subject matter at times.

Another lovable addition to Katie Cotugno's backlist. This story, like many of her others, is one that blends the aftermath of tragedy and how beauty in life can be found afterwards. Cotugno's ability to address serious topics while also managing to squeeze in laugh-out-loud moments is what makes her one of the greats. I can't wait to see what she has in store next.

I ... I'm not sure. Honestly, this book feels unfinished? It also feels very much like a YA novel masquerading as an adult romance, and while I know New Adult is a category, it somehow didn't fit that either.

All I know for certain is that I wanted more. Fiona was an incredibly complex character, yet it felt like we only just scratched the surface with her and everything she went through, and she and the rest of the cast felt largely two-dimensional. Furthermore, Fee had this big traumatic, icky thing she's been dealing with for years and then it was just kind of ... revealed? And then the book ended? Like, the reader can puzzle it out easily far prior to when she actually mentions it herself, but I just feel like this topic needed so much more time and care and discussion. For as much as I loved Fiona, I felt like I didn't know her, and it makes me sad when I look back on that.

Also Sam was a stereotypical Hollywood douche-canoe and honestly didn't deserve an ounce of Fee's time, which, to be fair we didn't get to learn much about him either so I could be type-casting him, but I DIGRESS.

Look, there was something about this book that kept me hooked seeing as I read it in like, a day (aside from the fact that it was so short), and I think it was largely Cotugno's writing, because she has whip smart humor and sarcasm, and the banter was on point, but when I finished I was just ... whelmed (yes, that's a 10 Things reference, deal with it) and I wish I had gotten just ... more. This could have been an amazing story and, while I did enjoy it and laughed and highlighted a couple lil passages, it just fell flat in the end. It didn't quite satisfy me, but I also didn't NOT like it either, ya know? It just kind of happened.

I do think, however, if you're looking for a quick story about former castmates on a cancelled ABC Family-like show who reenter one another's orbit due to a potential reboot and then kind of sort of fall in love, I definitely think you should give it a try. Just be cautious and understand this is going to read like a YA novel (even though it's not) and it's going to just be largely surface-level.

[Thank you to Harper Perennial and Netgalley for my review copy of this book]

First, thank you to the publisher for providing me an ARC. As always, I absolutely appreciate it.

This was a very relevant and topical story surrounding Hollywood, the dark dealings that young stars deal with, and how femme folk are treated in Western society. I really liked those elements and thought the book could've just been that and may have been a tad stronger for it.

Then there was the romance. Of course, the readers don't see the whole past relationship but the characters have known each other for years, drifted apart and then came back together. Even so, the relationship felt a bit rushed. I didn't love Fiona and Sam together.

There's a lot that's not answered here and that's always a mix of enjoyment for readers. Didn't bother me too much, but I think that may disappoint some.

I was instantly attracted to the gorgeous cover for this book and ended up really enjoying it. This was a Hollywood romance between two former co-stars who are reunited as Sam, struggling to make it big after his show gets cancelled, is tasked with convincing Fiona to return to the spotlight and sign on for the reboot of their old show. Sam quickly realizes it's going to be a hard sell as Fiona has no interest in returning, ESPECIALLY if it involves working with her former director. I loved seeing these two reconnect and learn more about each other beyond the assumptions they'd made. Perfect for fans of Twice in a blue moon by Christina Lauren. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance review copy.

CW: sexual abuse of a minor

I could not put this down. I adore books about Hollywood and actors and while this was not a breezy rom-com, it has a lot of humor interspersed with some very heavy topics.

Fiona St James is a former teen star, whose antics and public lashing out led to her show, Birds of California, being cancelled. Since then, she’s largely remained hidden working in a family business and doing local community theater under a fake name.

Sam played Fiona’s older brother and left the show before it’s end to explore other opportunities. When those stopped coming, he is now desperate to revive his career, pay his debt and help take care of his mother who is sick.

Fiona is dead set against doing a reboot and Sam has been tasked with changing her mind. But instead has found how much he enjoys her company instead.

Fiona is a mess. After a trauma that I believe was not a surprise when revealed, her impulsive behavior spiraled and she still struggles to control it even today.

The way that people and paparazzi feel they can say whatever they want or put their hands on women was really incredible and makes you stop and think.

I also feel that Sam was a mess. He had blown all his money and was too worried about attention. He was at times embarrassed by her and worried she would hurt his career which I can see but it detracted from the romance for me a bit. A tiny bit.

When it was over, I truly wanted more but was happy for Fiona to get to tell her truth and find contentment with her small, but loyal, group of family, friends and loved ones.

Lots of potential CW in this one so check those out if you need them.

I really enjoyed this one so much. Funny, serious, steamy it had it all. It read similar to a YA book but with sexy times.

Thank you to NetGalley for my gifted arc to read and review.

More and more, the hot mess characters are my favorite. I love how messy and relatable their lives are, even if their life is so unlike my own. I was thrilled to receive 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐀 by Katie Cotugno, her adult debut to read and review thanks to Harper Perennial + NegGalley.

Fiona grew up a child actress — from beloved sweetheart to a teen with a tumultuous ending to her career that caught the attention of press and fans alike. Years later, she’s asked to return for a reboot and he previous costar and teenage crush Sam shows up unexpectedly to try to convince her to.

I loved the details Cotugno added with the birds and florals, adding beauty and deeper meaning to the struggles of each of our characters. Having read her YA titles, I was thrilled to see her take on these tougher topics (***readers be aware of the trigger warnings + content in this title) I really enjoyed how it was written in the dual POV as both characters came to terms with their past, and find one another in a new role.

“There’s a part of her that wants to keep fighting —to end this now, to get it over with once and for all— but she’s surprised to find that another, bigger part of her just wants to hold on.”

Thanks to Harper Perennial for the free book.
I think books about fictional past Hollywood stars can be either hit or miss for me, and this one was more miss than hit. I liked how Fiona was strong in her conviction to never act again. She knew who she was and what she wanted. My problems were with the keeping the reader in the dark for so long. I think the story would've been so much more powerful if the things revealed in the last 5% had taken the last 35% instead. Sam's story also didn't feel complete. The reader always knew what was going on with him, and his ending is left very ambiguous. I liked these characters, I just wanted so much more from this story.

“That’s…not real.” Birds of California by Katie Cotugno

4 stars. Firstly, I love how bright and pretty the cover is. Secondly, I like how easy a read this one was.

Fiona and Sam used to star in a popular tv show when they were teenagers. Fiona has since left acting, after causing scandals left and right, spiraling down and out of show biz. Sam continued on, with minor successes here and there.

A potential reboot of the old show has Sam seeking Fiona, to see if she’s willing to do it. So they find themselves back in each other’s orbit.

This is one of the books I focused on this year, without getting distracted from it. I liked Sam and Fiona. I like how they progressed together the ending., the HEAFN. It’s a book that I needed to read, was exactly what I needed to read to destress from real life.

Thank you so much @harperperennial for the arc of this book. Really enjoyed it.

I was really really enjoying this book and was going to give it 4 stars until ended without resolving literally anything except the main character’s relationship, which is by far the least interesting thing in the book. If you don’t want to resolve any of the external conflict, don’t include external conflict. You can’t introduce a Me Too story line involving the heroine in the last 5% of the book and end by saying that exposing him is going to be a tough road and then not go down that road. You can’t make one of you main character’s main character traits be that he is an in debt starving actor who doesn’t know how he’s going to pay next month’s rent and then just just leave him in the same place as where we found him. You can’t end a chapter with the heroine picking up the phone for an important phone call and then include absolutely nothing about what that conversation entailed. It could have been a very interesting character study of a working actor and a former child-star but neither had any personal growth over the course of the book. It could have been a book about confronting and healing from trauma but it didn’t put in any of the work. This book started as an interesting commentary on early 2000s celebrity and ended in major disappointment. The think is, this book is less than 300 pages, so there easily could have been another 100 pages that could have resolved all my issues and had this be a very great book. On top of all this it was third person limited present tense which is just difficult to read. I am extremely frustrated and disappointed with this book. The only reason it isn’t getting 1 star is because it wasn’t openly offensive and I did actually finish it.

Fiona St. James was once a household name, her popularity initially connected to starring in the family friendly, Birds of California tv series. Then Fiona had one bad media mishap after another, landing her in a mental facility, tarnishing the show’s reputation, and ultimately relabeling her as damaged goods.

As the years moved on, so did Fiona. But her teen co-star, Sam Fox, never did. Bouncing around Hollywood decade later, Sam’s still chasing the lightning in a bottle type fame he once had on the now long gone tv series, one paycheck away from losing it all.

Then they both get the call they never expected- the studio wants to reboot Birds of California. On one hand, they shouldn’t be surprised. In Hollywood, everything old is eventually new again. Still, for the now grounded Fiona, returning to a reboot is a hard no. But for the downtrodden Sam it’s more like a no brainer. Now the still so charming Sam is saddled with the task of trying to make his tv sis to sign on again. Can Sam convince Fiona to return for a revival, or is their connection meant to live on forever, only in reruns?

I devoured Birds of California in a few short hours. It wasn’t a lengthy read, but it was also right up my alley. I couldn’t help but picture Sam as Kevin on This Is Us, and Fiona, a Britney Spears type, another unfortunately common tale in actual show business. While Birds is a work of fiction, the where are they now, washed up former child star syndrome is still rather rampant in the industry. This fictional take creates three dimensional characters you root for with Fiona and Sam, adding just the right amount of laughter and love. I highly suggest tuning in for this one when it comes out in June.

DNF - i’m such a mood reader and i picked this up at the wrong time and couldn’t get into it, maybe another time!

WOW! Sometimes a book comes along that you know nothing about, haven’t seen hyped everywhere and just totally sweeps you off your feet. This was that for me. Birds of California, with its beautiful cover, electric neon text totally swept me off my feet.

This books cover, I feel, totally lead me to believe this would be a literary or contemporary fiction piece, but this was more romance, rom-com, touching on some deeper issues with a delicate touch and it all came together so nicely.

We had a strong, fierce, stubborn and determined female lead with an equally complimentary sweet but full of fire male supporting lead that together created a magical balance of saucy banter, tender moments, fiery tension and loving support.

I don’t want to spoil anything, but I absolutely LOVED this book!

Birds of California by Katie Cotugno was a great read! Fiona was a young tv star till she went off the rails. Now she's working at her dad's print shop trying to keep her family going and avoiding anyone who may recognize her. When talk of a Birds of California reboot begins, her former co-star, Sam, gets back in touch to talk her into joining. I really enjoyed reading about Sam and Fiona's relationship as co-stars when they were younger and seeing the changes in their relationship now, years later. There are several steamy scenes in this book so beware! 🔥 But this story isn't all romance. We learn the traumatic events that led to Fiona going off the rails when she was 17 and the struggles within her family. We also learn Sam's backstory and his current challenges as a struggling actor and in his own family. Birds of California is a touch of Hollywood, a touch of romance, a touch of women empowerment and standing up against men who think they are untouchable, and a touch of family support when it's needed most. A great summertime read with some heft to it!

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Perennial for my e-arc!

💭 ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This was definitely an unique look behind the scenes in Hollywood. The seriousness of the #metoo and the effect of being famous while being so young. I was really invested in that part of the book. However, I felt like it wasn’t explored to its full potential. The romance element was more of a YA to me. It is definitely a quick read, but I felt it was cut too short and the full potential wasn’t quite reached.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

🤓 ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Short Chapters
Look inside Hollywood 🎥
Quick read

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ:
𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘍𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘪𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘻𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧-𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥. 𝘕𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘍𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘮𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳. 𝘚𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨--𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦--𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵 𝘶𝘱.

𝘜𝘯𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢, 𝘚𝘢𝘮 𝘍𝘰𝘹, 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢, 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘏𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳: 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘉𝘪𝘳𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯, 𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘍𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢 𝘚𝘵. 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴.