This book isn’t as disturbing as I thought it would be but is definitely sadder than I thought it would be. I knew going in I would feel a great deal of anger reading this book, with its themes of sexualizing females too young in advertising and movies and how show moms and momagers live their showbiz dreams vicariously through their daughters in some self-serving narcissist power trip. These themes always make me mad yet somehow I will keep reading about them because narcissistic moms are a thing I can relate to and somehow I can never turn away books that seriously tackle the issues surrounding the exploitation of children.

T. Greenwood doesn’t have the same gift of prose as some other writers in this genre or who have written books about this or similar topics, but she does have a great way with words when it comes to world building, setting the scene, and building her characters. Luckily, since this novel is partially set in 1970s New York, which is one of the most popular and well-documented eras for the city, Greenwood likely had a wealth of information at her fingertips with which to comb through while doing her research. But we all know that you can give someone eggs and that doesn’t mean they can make an omelet. Greenwood took all that information and she pulled out exactly what she needed and wanted in order to bring New York in the late 1970s to life. She also has a way with description and imagery, giving us enough of the picture so we can see what’s necessary to see and then letting us fill in the rest for ourselves. We can fill in the smells and colors of both New York in 2019 and the late ‘70s.

Greenwood’s characters don’t necessarily leap off the page; they’re not as vibrant as all that. Instead, they lure you in. This whole book brings you into it instead of springing up around you. I think that’s the sheer nostalgia and melancholia that saturates the book. This book is steeped in fear, anxiety, and flight. This book doesn’t want to be friends with you, it isn’t welcoming. Like the main character, who has spent 30 years hiding from her acting career and her past, this book sees you as a voyeur, looking into a private life that isn’t yours to consume.

I personally don’t give trigger warnings for books, but if you worry about being triggered while reading this book, then you should really look into seeing if you can find them somewhere, because while I wasn’t triggered while reading it, I can totally see where some people might be.

It’s a dark, dramatic, sad read, but I still highly recommend it for those who enjoy these types of books and don’t mind the content.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for granting me access to this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

File Under: Women’s Fiction/Psychological Fiction/General Fiction/Historical Fiction/Coming of Age Fiction

(4.5)

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for allowing me to read this ARC!


Content Warning: pedophilia, sexual assault, misogyny, racism, homophobia, homophobic slurs.


In 1976, Ryan Flannigan became a star. Only ten years old at the time, she's haunted by a past of exploitation and a fame that she never craved. Now, in 2019, she's living a quiet life in Vermont with her daughter, but everything she's tried so hard to escape all comes crashing back in when she's made aware of a devastating news report involving a controversial photograph taken of her when she was a little girl. That photo has been found in the hands of a billionaire pedophile and sex trafficker, but the worst of it is that Ryan's mother herself gifted it to him. Forced to confront her neglectful mother and the question of her innocence, Ryan reminisces on the path to her stardom and her lost youth.

Clearly inspired by the often controversial life of former child stat Brooke Shields, as well as the recent scandal involving Epstein and his accomplices, Such a Pretty Girl is a harrowing, well-done account of the push and pull between a selfish mother and the daughter who -- like all children -- wants to give her everything.

This story is a painful journey. Of course, it's easy to sympathize with our heroine, Ryan, who we follow from her childhood up until adulthood. Now a mother herself, Ryan looks back and recognizes her mother's neglect and the way she was exploited, with no one willing to protect her. Her relationship with Sasha, her daughter, is beautifully done, as she struggles to balance giving Sasha her freedom without suffocating her. As for the complicated, uncomfortable relationship between Ryan and her own mother, Greenwood is impressive in her capability to show us the mingled love and hate, the way that Ryan both craves her mother's love and is never sure of its reliability.

Mainly character-driven, Such a Pretty Girl is at its strongest when Ryan is evaluating her past, opening herself up to the painful questions that plague her about her the degree of involvement her mother has had with not only Ryan's exploitation, but the exploitation of other young girls. It's certainly a timely novel, and I think that Greenwood handles all of the issues addressed with remarkable grace.

As a whole, I would highly recommend this novel, especially for its beautiful descriptions of life in the '70s and its protagonist coming to terms with her mother's abuse. It is often a difficult read, but one certainly worth the time and effort.

3.25⭐

Featuring ~ single 1st person POV, dual timeline (1970's & 2019), childhood model/actress, jealous/neglectful/manipulative stage mother, suicide, sexual assault on a minor, pedophilia and references to pornography

Ryan was a child model and actress that looked much older than she was. She was put into predicaments that children her age should not be put into.

I really liked Ryan and Gilly's friendship and how they remained best friends for decades. Gilly's family were great too. Ryan and Sasha, her 18 year old daughter, were #motherdaughtergoals. But she probably felt like she had to work extra hard to be nothing like the mother she had.

I am not new to reading this authors work and she writes about some heavy topics. I'm usually all for it, but this one was slow going for me. I kept picking it up and putting it back down, which I hardly ever do. I usually like a dual timeline, but I wasn't loving it for this one because I felt like I was forgetting what happened at the end of the last chapter with the same time period. Also, she was reminiscing while in the present, so that was messing me up too. The pace eventually picked up and I was ready to see how it would all play out. I was about to be really mad at the end there, but it didn't go how I initially thought it was going to so phew.

About the picture ~ am I the only one that see's a problem with the fact that Henri took this picture and that was somehow okay? Gives him a creepy vibe if you ask me and nobody batted an eye at that.

So overall, not my favorite, but I'll still read more of her books.

Third book for me by this author. If you haven’t read her, I suggest Keeping Lucy.

This book has a dual timeline, 2019 and 1977. Ryan was a successful model and young actress until she gave up the limelight and returned to her Vermont roots. She is brought back to reality when she receives a call from her best friend about the death of a dear friend and father figure. I enjoyed the flashbacks to 1977 and all the happening of the time, Love’s Baby Soft, the NYC Blackout. An interesting correlation of Mother/Daughters then and now…which I can so appreciate as I grew up in the 70s and now have a 20 year old daughter. Completely different times and different parenting. Do I parent the same way my mother did? I guess to a point but I have a much more honest and open relationship with my daughter. Thank God my mother was nothing like Ryan’s. This book brings to mind Brooke Shields and her relationship with her mother, but throw in a Jeffrey Epstein vibe.

Thanks to Ms. Greenwood, Kensington Books and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

After giving a 5-star rating to one of the writer's previous books during a time when I was stingier with my praises, I was looking forward to another dark historical fiction book.

Ryan Flannigan, a former child model and actress, discovers that her mother gifted a controversial photo she took as a preteen to a famous billionaire who also happens to be a sex trafficker and pedophile.

Ryan's mind whirls with questions. How did her mother know that man? Was her mother aware of what kind of person he was? Was she complicit in the terrible crimes he committed?

When I read the book's plot summary, I thought the story would focus more on the photograph, but at its heart, it's a story about mother-daughter relationships. It's about protection versus freedom and when you need to follow your own path. I think this would be a great selection for a book club! There's so much to ponder over.

Check out my fun, in-depth #AuthorElevatorSeries interview with T. Greenwood, where we go behind the scenes of the book, and the author!

Timely. Lyrical. Evocative. Alluring. Haunting!

Master storyteller T. Greenwood returns following Keeping Lucy and Rust & Stardust with a powerful, emotional, and gripping story surrounding the 1977 New York City Blackout —SUCH A PRETTY GIRL.

Former child actress Ryan Flannigan learns from a NYT article that a sensitive photo of her at age eleven (during the blackout), by photographer and family friend Henri Dubois, was found among the possessions during the raid of billionaire Zev Brenner's Paris apartment. This pedophile has been accused of underage sex trafficking and unspeakable crimes. So many young, innocent victims.

The discovery leads Ryan to reflect on her estranged mother (stage mom), Fiona, who gave Brenner the photo with an inscription on the back during Ryan's career. Ryan has not seen the photo since it was taken at Westbeth.

The FBI is now after her mother, Fiona, and Ryan's model agent, Margie. How are they connected to this monster?

The face of a woman on a child's body, the contradiction that launched her career and ultimately destroyed it.

Lost River, Vermont 2019: The book opens in Vermont, where we meet Ryan Flannigan and her daughter Sasha. It is Sasha's eighteenth birthday, and soon she will be heading off to college in California.

It has been thirty years since Ryan's last film when she left show business and came to Lost River. However, her past resurfaces when her best friend, Gilly, texts her about the NYT article "Mother or Monster."

A black and white photo of Ryan as a little girl, eleven years old, taken during the NYC Blackout in 1977 by her friend and photographer, Henri Dubois. This vulnerable, raw photo was meant for her mother's eyes only, so how did it wind up in the hands of a pedophile?

Her mother gifted this private photo of her to a monster. How did she know him and why? What about the talent agent?

Gilly, her childhood friend from NY, wants her to come to NY since Henri (a man they were close to) and a well-known photographer, has committed suicide. Was it due to this photo?

"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know." —Diane Arbus

From flashbacks of Vermont 1976 before Westbeth and NY 2019, a mother (Fiona) and daughter (Ryan) lived in a compound in Lost River where the mom worked in the Lost River Playhouse. Their friend Serafina ran the theatre, which was a happy time for all. However, things were tough for a struggling actress, so they moved to NYC to stay with Gilly and his mom to find work, while Gilly's dad was in LA with work.

Westbeth Artists Housing NY: 1976-1977: An old factory building complex where hundreds of artists and actors lived, musicians, dancers, and photographers. All was fun, and the kids kind of ran wild without their parents being around. Ryan made friends with gay Gilly and Henri, a well-known photographer who took many photos of her.

Her mom, Fiona, went on many interviews and was getting desperate. She could not find work until a talent agent discovered Ryan. She became a star. It is not what her mom wanted but soon realized this was her ticket to money and fame. Through her daughter. She became the stage mom.

However, what had Fiona done? Had she sold out her daughter? What kind of deal had she made with the devil? Greed, secrets, and fame. Was she a protector or a monster?

That troubled and traumatic time that Ryan would like to forget is now forced upon her. That night her mom went missing and never came home. Leaving a young girl unattended for two days and nights.

The blackout. An innocent game of "hide and seek" in her building goes bad. She was lost and came into the hands of another pedophile in her building. A night of horror. She turned to her friend Henri. She would never forgive her mother for leaving her alone without caring for her well-being.

But now the feds are after her mom, and she wants Ryan to hide her in Vermont. What will Ryan decide? A riveting story that will keep you glued to the pages!

WOW! T. Greenwood has been a favorite author for many years, and I have read all 14 of her novels. No other author could have written this novel with the same passion as Greenwood.

A young, innocent girl was forced to grow up before her time. Faced many obstacles, from being a child celebrity to the problems of her selfish mother, who was not there to protect her. Ryan longs for safety, comfort, and above all, her mother’s attention in a world of corruption, trauma, fame, and greed.

Greenwood dives deep into the characters' minds, with vivid settings and descriptions of the night of the blackout, which brought about fear and horror for those involved, and you could feel the anxiety as if you were there.

Enthralling and Hypnotic! Beautifully written and told with compassion and sensitivity, SUCH A PRETTY GIRL is a must-read!

I loved all the 1970s references since I lived through the 70s and enjoyed Ryan's friendship with Gilly and Henri while her mom left her all alone. Such a beautiful story, especially now showcasing Ryan as a mother and how she raised her daughter differently than her mother.

If you have read Greenwood's Rust and Stardust, you must read SUCH A PRETTY GIRL. Also, Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita.

The novel will bring to mind Brooke Shields in “Pretty Baby” meets the disturbing early ads for Loves Baby Soft – in a city about to plunge into darkness. Also here in Palm Beach, Multi-millionaire Jeffrey Epstein, and British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.

View Letter from Author and fascinating Book Club Kit.

Thank you to #Kensington Books for gifting the beautiful print copy and the box of fun goodies which I loved representing the 1970s (had loads of fun with the Magic 8-ball) and #Netgalley for a digital ARC.

Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Oct 25, 2022
Oct 2022 Must-Read Books
Top Books of 2022

Thank you to Kensington books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

Such a Pretty Girl follows the story of former child star Ryan as she heads back to New York for the funeral of a family friend named Henri. The book is written in a duel timeline and shifts from the present day back to the time when Ryan was a child. Henri was a well connected photographer and it seems as though he was not a good guy and perhaps was a child predator.


I read this book about 39% through and it failed to truly grab my attention. I tried my best to push through it but I finally DNFd it around the part where Ryan starts to be discovered by an agent. I think the plot unfolded too slowly and could have moved a little faster if it had started with the Ryan and her mom already in New York and not at the summer camp/summer stock theatre. I might give this book a try again in the future, but for now I will move on to other titles.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the advanced reader copy.

This week’s headline? A picture says a thousand words

Why this book? I like books set in the 70s
Which book format? ARC

Primary reading environment? On the couch with my cat

Any preconceived notions? I think I’ll generally like this

Identify most with? Ryan

Three little words? “felt like beestings”

Goes well with? Flower crowns, blackout photo shoots

Recommend this to? Former child stars

Other cultural accompaniments: https://www.insider.com/child-stars-how-fame-affected-them-2021-1

Grade: 3.75/5

I leave you with this: “This, I think, is a mother’s job. To take on your child’s pain.”

📚📚📚

Found in the possession of a wealthy man who’s revealed to be a pedophile and a sex trafficker, a provocative picture of former child actress, Ryan Flannigan, surfaces years after she called it quits. The kicker is that there’s an inscription on the back of the photo from her mother!!! By splitting the narrative between the present and past we learn about the complicated relationship of Ryan and her mother.

I really loved the writing; it’s almost lyrical at times. The novel explores mother/daughter relationships through Fiona and Ryan and Ryan and Sasha, as well as coming to terms with the past. I definitely recommend it to people who liked Daisy Jones & the Six or novels with similar content. I plan on checking out T. Greenwood’s other novels.

Such a Pretty Girl will be released on October 25, 2022.

This is a heartbreaking historical fiction dealing with child trafficing and pedophiles so know that going in. It is well done and I think is a great portrayal that this isn't something new with the cell phone era. This has been going on for many years.

Ryan Flannigan, former child actress, receives a phone call from her long time friend Gilly letting her know that a photo taken of her after a horrific night during the blackout in 1977 has been discovered in the possession of a successful businessman who has recently been charged as a sex trafficker and pedophile. The photo appears to have been given to him by Ryan's mother who wrote a note to him on the back.

The photographer, Henri, who was a father figure to Ryan, commits suicide. Ryan then returns to NYC for the first time in many years to attend his memorial. Her she confronts her past - her childhood and her difficult relationship with her mother, Fiona. Fiona always wanted to be an actress herself and then Ryan became a household name and Fiona's career was on the back burner.

The FBI is searching for Fiona to question her about the photo and her connection to the businessman/pedophile. Fiona is on the run, which makes her appear guilty.

This is told in a dual timeline, 1977 and 2019. Ryan looks back on her life as a model and actress, and the people in her life, especially the role her mother played. Ryan was definitely giving me Brooke Shields vibes from her suggestive print ads for perfume to taking on roles where she was sexualized as a child.

Thankfully Ryan had her own "found family" in Henri and Gilly. The relationship she had with her own daughter was special and nothing like that between Ryan and Fiona.

Watching Ryan reflect back on the love she had for her mother and the trust she placed in her, and then seeing the story unfold was heartbreaking. As a mother myself, I had some feelings about Fiona!

This book is real and raw and deals with a sensitive, yet pertinent, topic. T. Greenwood's writing always impresses me!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Having read a few of T Greenwood's previous books, I was really looking forward to this story without even reading the blurb. She has a knack for setting the mood and really getting inside of a certain time period. In this case, it was the late 70's seen from a young preteen's POV.

Such a Pretty Girl is a story told in dual timelines. One from the present (which is 2019) and one from the past in the mid/late 70's in NYC. While the present has an incident that sets us back to the past to learn what happened to make the present take place, it's the past time that had me more engrossed than the present. The story is about Ryan, a now mother to a teenager daughter that is set to make a cross-country road trip to California to photography the sites and to make a place for herself in California near her physically absent father. Ryan and her daughter have a close relationship quite unlike what her and her mother had.

The past in the 70's was quite interesting and I loved the setting. Ryan and her mother move to a complex in Manhattan that is made for artists and their families. This is where we meet Henri (a piece of the present) and some close friends of Ryan and her mother's. This building was also a part of the story that is true and this complex is still there today. This is what Greenwood excels at. Giving us a part of real life within her fiction. While Ryan's mother never really is able to succeed at becoming an actress, it is Ryan who is noticed while out. She becomes the breadwinner for the family. First as a model and then as an actress. But Ryan is not even a teenager and soon becomes sexualized in some of the work she does. Her mother never really supports her in the way a mother should and poor Ryan seeks love and support from the people who live in her building while her mother only looks out for herself.

Seeing the past and bringing that to our future really makes the story come full circle and to understand that this is not just a mother-daughter story, but also one that is quite close to something very Epstein-like. So be prepared with what this story alludes to and where the story is meant to take us. With that said, I feel like Greenwood had a great idea for the story, but it never really connected with me. The beginning was slow to get to the point and it was more around 3/4 of the way through where we got to understand all the pieces. And to wait that long for me to connect to the story was just a little too late. Overall, while I did end up liking the plot, it was the execution that lacked that push I was looking for. Definite potential, but was looking for more and sooner. I will definitely be reading Greenwood's next work, but this one missed the 'amazing' mark for me.

Anything about mother-daughter relationships tend to gut me and this exquisite novel is no exception. I couldn't tear myself away from this beautifully written book and was left teary-eyed.

Through visual and stunning prose, the author skillfully explores a wide range of themes such as parent-child dynamics, complicity, the exploitation and sexualisation of child stars, and trauma with sensitivity and nuance. The characters are memorable and well-written. I was particularly struck by my conflicting feelings about Fiona, who in spite of her neglect and resentment, "was the best mother she knew how to be".

Greenwood has also painted such a vivid picture of New York City through captivating dual timelines. Whether it's the grittiness and frenzy of the 1970s, the bustling and vibrant present-day, or even the idyllic and carefree Vermont summers, all are both brimming with life and made me feel like I was right there. I loved the references to actual historical events and showbiz, cheering when it's something I recognised and having fun looking things up online.

Unflinching, emotional and full of heart, this is a book that will stay with me for long.

Very interesting premise, tapping into a fictionalised world based around Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver and Harvey Weinstein's crimes. Enjoyable although the Weinstein figure remains frustratingly undrawn and distant.

It has been a long time since I have devoured every word of a book. It has also been a long time since I have read a book by this outstanding author, T. Greenwood. I discovered her many moons ago and fell in love with her writing style. Nearer Than the Sky, Undressing the Moon and Breathing Water are three of my all time favorite books and now I can add Such A Pretty Girl to the list.

I will miss Ryan and Gilly. They were brought up in a West Village artist community in the 70’s. Ryan a child actress must confront her demons as an adult. They are giving, loving, characters that you brought to life and through your writing style have made me feel like I want to mother them and take care of them.

This is a book about mother daughter relationships. There are mothers who are monsters and mothers who are caring and loving. Has Fiona Flannigan sacrificed her life for her daughter Ryan or is she a Monster? Is a mothers job to take on her daughters pain? In this book there are also men who are Monsters and men who are loving. There are men who are hunters and girls who are hunted. Are you a monster if you have knowledge and witnessed something horrific and did not report it? What happened the night of the blackout in New York City in 1977. It is a secret that Ryan has carried for a very long time.

Such A Pretty Girl switches back and forth between 1976 and 2019. I loved reminiscing about all the the things that were popular in the 70’s. T Greenwood your writing style is so unique. When I read your books I treasure every word. You have written some books that I haven’t read, which is a good thing because now I have more books of yours to get lost in. Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. This book will be out October 25, 2022, it is a must read.

Ryan's peaceful life in Vermont with her daughter Sasha is blown up when a photograph of her as a child is found in a predator's apartment - with an inscription from her mother- and the much loved family friend Henri who made it hangs himself. Moving between the 1970s and 2019, this is the story of a child who was not well served by her mother, who was obsessed with fame and herself and used her beautiful daughter. Ryan at 10 looks like an adult but she's not, she's not at all. She's lucky that they live in the same building in the Village as her friend Gilly and his parents Liliana and Guillermo as well as Henri, You'll probably recognize the names of some of the other residents as well as the outlines of Ryan's story, which borrows from real life. And of the predator and his enabler. A game of hide and seek in the building on a hot summer night goes horribly wrong- it's the night of the blackout- and leads to lingering issues. Greenwood has created a sympathetic character in Ryan and, actually, in Henri, and a demon in Fiona. It's a read that's both provocative and evocative and it will make you think twice about child stars. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Very good read.

Such a Pretty Girl
⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4 out of 5 stars

Ryan Flannigan, a famous ex-model and actress, lives peacefully in Vermont. She is shocked when the news presents a photo of her as a young girl that, taken out of context, looks pretty controversial. Especially found in possession of a paedophile and sex trafficker. Moreover, the inscription on the back of the photo states that it was gifted to the man by Ryan’s mother. This news forces Ryan to re-examine her childhood, career, and relationship with her mother.

Such a Pretty Girl is a beautifully written narrative on friendship, love and mother-daughter relations. The press scandal and the consequential suicide of the artist who took the photo force Ryan to face her past West Village in 1970s New York and her childhood career encouraged by her mother Fiona— an aspiring but unfulfilled actress. The past blends with the present as Ryan arrives in New York with her daughter Sasha...

This novel is an essential read, as it touches on controversies surrounding child modelling and acting. The author explores the issues concerning the male gaze and the sexualisation of the female body, especially when it is a body of a young girl just turning into a woman. It is complex and thought-provoking.

Thank you, NetGalley and publisher, for providing the arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.



My published review:
https://abookishdaydream.wordpress.com/2022/10/21/arc-review-such-a-pretty-girl/

The world was much different forty years ago. New York City was a cesspool of grime, crime, and grunge. Children were exploited and no one blinked an eye. It wasn’t right, but it’s the way it was.
This novel balances between the late 70s and 2019. Ryan’s past haunts her with one picture that will unravel secrets for the 70s.
The major theme is an ambitious stage mom who can’t quite make the cut and is jealous that her daughter has upstaged her.
The narrative tended to drag and I thought certain chapters could have been excised.

A powerful story with central themes of mother-daughter relationships, what makes a family, and power and exploitation. Taking place in both the late 70s and in the present, it evokes plenty of nostalgia but still feels very timely.

T. Greenwood is one of my all-time favorite authors, and the reasons why are on full display in “Such a Pretty Girl.” Her prose is nothing short of gorgeous. She deftly examines difficult or controversial topics with thoughtfulness and compassion. Her characters’ relationships are complex and nuanced; even Ryan’s awful and narcissistic mother has glimmers of love and caring. The dual-timeline parallel of Ryan’s relationship with her daughter alongside Ryan’s relationship with her mother is masterful, showing their innate differences and highlighting how Ryan’s childhood affected the parent she becomes.

The bones of this story are good ones, some using real events or places, while other plotlines are obviously inspired by them. Westbeth Artists Housing actually exists and was founded in the 1970s – and provides living and working space to artists to this day. Ryan’s exploitation has its roots in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. Her perfume ad campaign borrows heavily from real Love’s Baby Soft ads of the same era. Her controversial movie role is reminiscent of Brooke Shields in “Pretty Baby.”

This story is heavy and heartbreaking, but also hopeful and redemptive. While the character development and immersive setting are outstanding, I struggled to connect with Ryan even though I felt for her and all she had endured. There were also some parts of the story where I wanted more closure or explanation, but I can understand the rationale for leaving things more open-ended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for providing me an advance copy of this book.

Such a Pretty Girl shouldn't have worked as well as it did. It's a tale we've heard and seen before - rich billionaire gets outed as a member of a pedophile ring, it's a media frenzy, and people's lives are changed forever. This concept shouldn't have been interesting, but Greenwood somehow made it a book I couldn't put down.

We get to watch two mother/daughter relationships develop, separated by decades of time, and you can definitely see the direction Greenwood was heading from the get-go. Greenwood juxtaposes Ryan's relationship with her mother to the one she develops with her daughter years later, and it was absolutely fantastic and somewhat healing to read.

The underlying message is what made this book a 4 star read. Yes, the billionaire with Ryan's photo was interesting enough to keep me entertained, but what kept me invested was the subplot about stopping the cycle of abuse.

Honestly, I was overwhelmed with "like" towards this book at the end. It's not anything life-changing, but it was very good, and that's really what we're here for, isn't it?

One thing I always appreciate about T. Greenwood is that she tackles such difficult topics with so much respect for the…I hesitate to use the word “victim,” but I guess it’s the person being hurt. It was interesting to read this soon after finishing Jennette McCurdy’s memoir, because the main issue in this book is the exploitation of a minor at the hands of the person who is supposed to care for them the most, in these instances, the mother. This topic is so relevant today when so many parents push their children to pursue the passions they failed to achieve themselves, whether it be acting, modeling, or sports. T. Greenwood tells the story from the perspective of the child being exploited, and while she does give some grace to Ryan’s mother, she ultimately shows how her mother’s actions hurt so many people besides her own daughter. Well done, as always.

Thank you to Net Galley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An excellent, thought-provoking read about the sexualization of a preteen actress during the tumultuous late 1970's New York City. I was about that age growing up in the NYC burbs and the historical setting was dead-on accurate and really brought back so many memories. While the setting was nostalgic the themes explores are very now and timely.