4 and a half well-deserved stars for a fun romp of a rom com that sneakily contains some important themes. Marlowe Banks fled to LA after her costume design for a NYC theater production was met with cruel, negative reviews. Now she's working as overworked and underpaid design assistant on a hit tv show. Drafted as an extra, her scene with the hot bad boy star drew a Twitter storm of comments and leads to more interactions.

What stood out for me in this book was a real examination of social media and the false images they inculcate, the shaping of personas based on those images and the culture of trolls and haters. The descriptions of Marlowe's work life and how design/ costume choices impact more that a character's look. The author obviously has some firsthand experience that she drew upon. Being able to learn from and not be destroyed by failure is another theme put forth by the book.

MARLOWE BANKS, REDESIGNED – Jacqueline Firkins
Griffin
ISBN: 978-1250836502
October 25, 2022
Contemporary Romance

Los Angeles – Present Day

As a production assistant on a popular TV show in Hollywood, Marlowe Banks is expected to help keep the show’s staff organized and happy. Her job is to sort and hunt down clothes for set backgrounds, specifically those who are hired to be in the background during filming scenes. The male star of the show, Angus Gordon, is your typical badass actor who looks down on the production staff. But after a background actress is unable to show up, it’s Marlowe who is forced to step into the scene because she is the only one who fits into the waitress outfit. The part was only supposed to be a bit part where she pours Angus’s character coffee, but instead, it becomes a viral scene when they lock eyes—and don’t look away.

Soon, Marlowe is being written into the show for three episodes in a bit part as the former girlfriend of Angus’s character. This means that she will have to interact with Angus—and they soon hit it off. She learns that his pretty boy attitude is all made up. Deep down is a guy who has insecurities—just like Marlowe does. But while he glides through the Hollywood scene with no problems, Marlowe is having trouble dealing with the idea of attention being on her. She realizes that their friendship shouldn’t be more than that of friends or coworkers, but their hormones tell another story.

Marlowe had another life in New York City with her divorced parents, a job she enjoyed, and a fiancé, but she left it all behind after she realized that she was expected to act one way, with no thought to her feelings. In MARLOWE BANKS, REDESIGNED, we drop into the middle of her new life in Los Angeles. It isn’t pretty, but she loves her job sorting clothes and running errands to find specific clothes and shoes for shooting. Yet, it is hard for her to put her old life behind her, especially when her ex keeps texting her to see if they can reconcile. Marlowe just hasn’t taken the opportunity to tell him no—and why.

While we don’t really get a chance to hear Angus’s point of view in MARLOWE BANKS, REDESIGNED, we can see him slowly change from the arrogant man who stares blankly at Marlowe, until he finally begins to open up to her and shows readers another side. Their relationship starts slow, but when they finally kiss, they want it all. Except, well…no condoms! Their friendship is funny and endearing, and readers will enjoy the cute banter that runs between them. They are made for each other, yet readers wonder if any romance could be sustained. After all, Angus is a big enough star that tabloids chase after him for pictures and news, while Marlowe prefers to not have attention drawn to herself.

If you’re looking for a tale that is a bit different and will make you chuckle, then you most definitely want to pick up a copy of MARLOWE BANKS, REDESIGNED.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

This was a great read. I got a little frustrated with the heroine’s lack of confidence in herself, but then she’d stick up for herself at other times. Maybe that’s the way people are. But the book kept me interested from start to finish and I felt invested in her story and her growing relationship with the hero.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Marlowe fled NYC to go to LA after her costume designs for an off Broadway show were bashed. Now she is hiding out working as a Costume PA for a tv series, doing all the menial tasks involved in costuming the extras. This is a well written story about finding the strengths within you that got squashed by the negative people in your life. Also, finding unexpected love.

I received a free copy of this book to review through NetGalley and could not put it down.

Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

Jacqueline is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance/contemporary authors. I am obsessed with the way she writes. It’s beautiful, yet fun at the same time. It easily puts a smile on my face every time I read her work. Once again, I was unable to put this down. From start to finish Marlowe was real, relatable and felt so many things I’ve also felt as a perfectionist who only wants to succeed but feels lost.

I loved Marlowe, I loved her friendship with Cherry and eventually Tan. The side characters brought so much more joy. I loved seeing a sapphic relationship between two of the side characters. The romance between Angus and Marlowe was spectacular! This was a warm hug on a chilly night of a book, exactly what I needed!

If you’re looking for a book that is able to run a delicate balance between real/relatable and the joy from the best rom-coms- this is that book. You will not be disappointed!

I really enjoyed this little gem. The gradual way the author develops the characters and storyline was done quite well. Initially, as a reader, I was quite sure there was no way possible Angus could redeem himself from the arrogant, spoiled womanizer that he clearly was. Yet, as the story progresses, you delve into the truth of what's really going on and things make much more sense....and yes, Angus is eventually redeemed.

Meanwhile, the main character, Marlowe is a confused mess. She's still licking her wounds from a disaster in New York when she arrives in LA. And of course, LA is anything but an easy place for her to live. Things are spread out, she has no real connections there and she's starting over with her career which places her at the bottom. To complicate things further, she's continually second guessing herself for breaking off an engagement shortly before she left NYC. Basically, Marlowe is trying to find her "real" self and the noise of everything around her makes it challenging.

This is a cute romance about finding love when you least expect it and also finding yourself along the way. Marlowe will find strength in places she never knew she had it and Angus will find a way to trust someone else when that isn't something he does freely. This story about Marlowe "like the detective" and Angus "like the beef" was quite the enjoyable and feel good read. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Marlowe Banks leaves New York after breaking up with her fiancé. She moves to LA and even though she is a costume designer takes a job as a PA for a TV show. Her days seem to be spent shopping and returning things for her department head until the day the actress playing a waitress doesn't show up and Marlowe takes her place simply because the costume fits. The looks between her and Angus, the main character, catches the fans interest and she is booked for a small arc. It's not great literature but it was a fun read. I liked the relationship she had with Angus who was a lot more than just a hot guy and I liked the banter between them. Cherry is her best friend in LA and always has a lot of good advice and is always there to prop Marlowe up when she thinks the bad things that happens are things she deserves.

If you are up for a cute romance with good characters this is for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a digital copy.

Marlowe Banks, Redesigned is a chic-lit standalone romance jammed-packed with standout characters in a well-paced plot. There’s no doubt that Firkins is more than familiar with the designer world. Whilst weaving light-angst on and off the set, she opened my eyes to a costume buyer’s responsibility and TV show hierarchy. 

Marlowe’s insecurities caught my attention from the very beginning. A dap hand at creating stage outfits is what she does well, but it wasn’t enough to impress who she truly wanted. Escaping to where work is guaranteed could give her pause from personal issues, but learning about them saddened me, especially when she felt the need to take a job below her talent.   

Scenario planning is crucial for me, and Firkins cracked it. One mishap—they’re abundant in Marlowe’s story, not only left me giggling to myself, it caused her no end of embarrassment. You see, to say she’s a tad clumsy would be putting it mildly, but she deserved a high-five when she stepped out of her comfort zone.

Led to believe that Angus was the bad boy actor in a trending TV series, I never imagined his true self. I liked the way Firkins held back about what he liked doing in his free time and how he lived. Even though his and Marlowe’s not-so-cute meet-up didn’t get off to a good start, calling an amicable truce gets them into the swing of things. And what a pleasure it was observing their slow burn friendship flower into more.

Angus’ best friend needs a mention. The author impressed me by cleverly sewing seeds of doubt regarding her persona, and Cherry is a fun and supportive work colleague. Who’s a character and a half and rattled my cage was Babs. I dare you to like her! And you’ll find out why I wasn’t keen on Marlowe’s parents and adored Angus’.

What Firkins has driven home to her readers is when there’s a will to change how we are, it’s not a pushover but possible. Ignoring cruel online gossip, coming out of one’s shell, accepting the opinion of others, and giving life and love another shot is a sure road to happiness. Narrated in the third-person, humour, great one-liners, and a refreshing approach to backstage goings-on make for a must-read. <b>Bravo!</b> 

ARC kindly received from St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an honest review.

In an attempt to hide from past failures, twenty-something Marlowe Banks moves to LA to work as a production assistant on a TV show. A costume issue results in Marlowe filling in during a scene when the cameras catch a look between her and the show's arrogant main character, Angus Gorden, putting Marlowe in the spotlight.

I really enjoyed this book! There were so many great themes incorporated into the story such as dealing with failure, criticism, social media and always being in the eyes of the public who are quick to scrutinize. I loved the background and behind the scenes look into what goes on in costume design on the set of a tv show.

Marlowe was a great and relatable main character and I loved seeing her grow and sort through everything that wasn't working for her as she figured out what she truly wanted. I also enjoyed getting to know who Angus really was (including that he is a bookworm!) as Marlowe sorted through what she assumed he would be like based on how the media portrayed him. I loved Angus and Marlowe's banter, their inside jokes and how they got to know each other with their question for a question game. I wanted more time with them!

Overall, I enjoyed this book! If you are looking for a feel good women's fiction/romance read that includes the celebrity romance trope with fun banter that also provides insight into costume design, failure, social media and being in the spotlight, check out Marlowe Banks, Redesigned (out October 25, 2022!).

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Jacqueline Firkins for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

4 - 4.5 STARS!

Marlowe Banks, Redesigned by Jacqueline Firkins
.
Marlowe Banks is working as an assistant on a TV show while she is trying to get her life together. She craves getting back into costume design but it feeling pretty low after her last job. Enter Angus Gordon. Super hot actor who is very full of himself. Marlowe can’t stand him, but also can’t look away. And that is how she winds up being approached to appear on screen with him….as a love interest.
.
Marlowe was the type of character that I could easily root for! She was kind to people but also was feeling ready to stand up for herself.
From her very first interaction with Angus I was super excited to see how this story was going to play out. I loved how she didn’t cut him any slack just because he was a popular celebrity.
I also really loved the way Marlowe spoke up about the way people are portrayed in the media and the unreasonable expectations this encourages for young people (or any people). And then there was this quote:
“The world we live in offers men more choices than it offers to women. Might as well seize the ones we are offered.” 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 (Also would like to add that I love what was done with the character that quote was from.)
.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ really enjoyed and the epilogue was so sweet.

Marlowe Banks, Redesigned is a fun rom-com!

After her last costume design was panned by critics and she ended her engagement, Marlowe left NYC to start fresh in LA as a production assistant on a popular TV show. A costume mix up requires her to step in as an extra and when it captures a heated look between her and Angus, the show's male superstar she ends up getting to know him better. Maybe he's not quite the bad boy he plays on TV...

This has since major enemies to lovers vibes going on from their first run in with each other. I loved Angus, he was such a great guy. This has fun friends and and Marloe's boss had a little Miranda Priestly vibes! This was a slow burn but I loved seeing them go from enemies to friends to lovers. Plus the TV show filming/costume behind the scenes was fun!

Check out this rom-com when it comes out on Tuesday - October 25th! Thanks to SMP Romance for my advanced copy!

I enjoyed reading this book although there were times I struggled with Marlowe. Some of that is what makes her who she is, so it wasn't all bad. I did like that she was a real character that had flaws & made mistakes. Figuring out your self-worth is hard, especially for females, & I think the author wrote this in a beautiful way. Angus almost seemed a little too perfect but we finally see some of his insecurities as the book progresses. Overall a fun story & I would recommend reading it.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Delightful, adorable thoughtful!! Marlowe Banks Redesigned is one of the best romcoms I’ve read this year. I was rooting for Marlowe and Angus from the meet cute coffee spill! Additionally this book did an excellent job of talking about the role of consent in what we watch/read and how our self-confidence is impacted by social media/ aspirational figures. I already told my sister to put it on her TBR list and everybody out there should do the same!

Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Marlowe Banks, Redesigned by
Romance Rom-com
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I absolutely loved this book. I picked Marlowe Banks, Redesigned based on the cover and went into it blind. This is the perfect rom-com and I loved the characters and their witty banter.

Marlowe is working as a production assistant in LA after running away from her troubles in NYC. Marlowe left her engagement, a costume design “wreck” per the critics and money problems. Marlowe tries to help out a friend by standing in on the show she’s working on when the fans decide her and the main character are all sparks. And now she is being added in the cast with the guy she can hardly stand, heartthrob, Angus.

I love so many things in this book, including the behind the scenes view of wardrobe for a Tv production, and the banter between Angus and Marlowe. I enjoyed learning more about Angus slowly and how he wasn’t what we all expected. I loved seeing Marlowe grow and become a stronger version of herself. I am always here for a woman growing throughout the story and being able to stand up for herself in the end. I highly recommend this book!

Marlowe Banks has a problem. Several, actually. She's a costume designer in NYC whose designs for her last show tanked, so she ran away across the country to the anonymity of a job as a lowly assistant on a popular TV show. She also ran away from a relationship that was no longer working, though her ex has other ideas. And worst of all, she just ran smack into the show's handsome but obnoxious leading man, drenching him in his morning cup of coffee. It's hate at first sight as Angus glares at her with scorn and derision.

But everything changes when a costume catastrophe leads to Marlowe being asked to appear briefly in a scene as a waitress. It's a quick one-and-done and then she can return to her normal duties. But what nobody was expecting was that the fans would go nuts for the chemistry between Marlowe's waitress and Angus' character, causing the showrunners to think maybe the waitress needs more screen time?

Marlowe Banks, Redesigned is a fun enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance, with witty banter and a ton of heart. It was interesting to get a little behind-the-scenes look at life on the set of a TV show, and the whole cast of supporting characters was a delight. Also, Tanareve needs her own book because OMG I love her so much! Definitely check this one out if you want your book with a large side of smiles.

Thank you to NetGalley and to St Martin's Griffin for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

From first meet, Marlowe and Angus were like oil and water. Okay, so maybe it didn't help that she accidentally got him wet with a beverage. She was highly accident prone, but that did not deter from her tenacity and drive to do her best. As the book progresses, Marlowe and Angus also progress from literal run-ins to friends to lovers. It's the slow burn story you never knew you needed to read. But it was also the finding yourself kind of story that fills your heart with warmth and want to yell, "I am woman. Hear me roar!" Why, you ask? Marlowe moved from one coast to another after breaking off an engagement. Her ex was still holding on and then when something good, something big comes her way, he all of a sudden wants a second chance. But Marlowe held firm because in running away she found herself, the one person she could depend on. She learned to love herself for the things she could do, her talents, and her ambitions. In doing that, she also opened herself up to opportunities she didn't know she wanted or needed.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

This was so fun and cute! I’m so glad I got to read this early! The premise captured my attention, and I’m so happy that it delivered on its promises! An amazing romance, highly recommended!

This is incredibly maudlin for something kind of billed as a romance and it is more enemies than lovers, for sure. I enjoyed the behind the scene descriptions of costume design, etc. I just never took to Marlowe -- the other characters were great in that it was easy to understand their motivations and actions but even by the end of the book, I didn't understand Marlowe, at all. I hope you have better luck!

Marlowe Banks, Redesigned comes out next week on October 25, 2022 and you can purchase HERE.

Marlowe Banks never dreamed that an MFA from YALE would earn her a job organizing hangers, picking crusted insoles out of an old pair of Top-Siders and busting every last fingernail in an attempt to resize a watchband using only a safety pin and the force of her formidable will. The title Costume Production Assistant has sounded so glamorous. More commonly referred to as a PA, she was a cog in a machine. Nothing more.

Marlowe's life is falling apart when her engagement ends and she feels like everything else in her life is a failure. So she flees to LA to be a production assistant for a popular TV show. But a costume mix-up pushes her on stage and in the limelight when she is caught on camera exchanging a juicy look with the show's arrogant bad boy, Angus.
This was a sweet, fun, predictable rom-com with amazing characters (although I highly preferred Angus to Marlowe). It was a bit slow to pick up and a bit redundant at times, but the writing was engaging, so I kept going, and I liked it.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Marlowe Banks is in “hiding” in LA after a job and relationship gone wrong in NYC and working as an assistant PA on a popular tv show. She works a lot for little pay and after one accidental incident with coffee spilled on Angus, the badboy star of the show, a love/hate relationship with him emerges.

After helping her coworker Cherry out with a costume issue and stepping in to play a waitress in a bit part on the show, Marlowe and Angus share a look that changes how everyone in the world sees her. This leads to her working on set for longer and becoming friends with Angus.

I loved the slow burn of this book. I thought Marlowe and Angus sizzled together. There were some miscommunication issues in the book but the banter between Marlowe and Angus kept it at bay. They were well developed and while they were “broken” characters apart, they were better together.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC. The book comes out Oct 25th, 22.