I have only read one other book by Melissa Ferguson, but I have ordered several more since reading it and Famous For A Living. The content of the story is not particularly new, but it is sweet, and fun, and uplifting, which is a type of book everyone needs sometimes. I would be hard-pressed to point out anything objectionable in either book I have read by the author. In this one, the instagram influencer lead is grating at times and comes of extremely judgmental and vapid at others. The book presented a formula for getting cancelled and coming back from that cancellation, which rang extremely true with what can be witnessed in everyday life. I appreciated how the book, though ostensibly a fish-out-of-water romance, refused to JUST be that. Kat was in fact, not really too far out of water. Her romantic interest had valid reasons for hating the IG lifestyle.

Famous for a Living is cute and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone!

This was an enjoyable listen for me, more than I expected. I requested it from Netgalley primarily because I was listening to another by the same Author & Narrator and enjoying it so figured I’d give it a chance, but I was nervous that the FMC was going to come off conceited and flighty. I feel like this semi celebrity trope often comes off that way, but with the story being told solely from Cat’s POV you know pretty early on that she’s more than “just” an influencer. The plot was fun and interesting and I loved all the quirky side characters & friends. The story was heavy on “found family” which I always seem to love. There’s also a bit of an important message about our collective addiction to phones & social media thrown in there, though I feel like its a bit washed out as it doesn’t necessarily change many behaviors, just awareness. As I’m finding might be a theme with “clean reads” I find myself wishing for more. When characters start their bedroom relationship earlier in the story I feel like we get to go along for the journey with them more. That probably doesn’t make sense but with this story I almost felt like “wait they haven’t hardly even begun” and now the story is over and I have to hope the epilogue does the heavy lifting. I just want morrrrre. An enjoyable read if you like hallmark vibes, clean reads, and a little fascinated by influencer culture.

DNF @ 33%. This had a really slow start, the beginning didn’t really hook me much at all but I still kept going. Once we got into the actual plot of the book, I just found it a little boring and didn’t feel much of a connection between the characters to make me want to keep reading.

I did enjoy the audio narrator, she was new to me but did a great job.

Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read!

It took me a little while to get into this book but I felt like it was good overall. I especially liked the National Park vibe because I am planning to visit at least 5 national parks this summer. I thought the Instagram focus of Cat Cranwell was very timely and probably very accurate for a lot of people. I enjoyed the narrator and the humor that was throughout.

4 out of 5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the audio ARC.

I had so much fun listening to this book. I did, however, go into it expecting a bit more romance, but the characters and their friendships made up for it. I loved seeing Cat open up and interact with all the side characters and all of their antics, especially Mina.
I loved the interaction that Cat and Zaiah had by the fire. Instead of falling into the miscommunication trope, we see Cat actually asking what the weirdness was and get clarifications.

Talon David did a fantastic job narrating the book.

As much as I loved it, I just wished for more. More buildup of the relationship, more back stories on the characters, we have a paparazzi show up and he gets sent off and we never mention it again. Needed to be fleshed out a bit more.

Also, as a horse rider myself - horses are not dogs, they don't have snouts; they have a muzzle. And you don't slap the reins to get your horse to go faster.

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you for allowing me to listen to this in exchange for an honest review.



I honestly don't know if it is because I am falling back in love with romance books that I love all that I have read or if I am just lucking out. I think I am lucking out because this was another winner.

This is a book about romance, understanding and accepting who you are. When Cat Cranwell's carefully crafted social media persona take a huge hit she finds that she needs to look deep into what she really wants out of life.

I love a city to the country storyline and I a not so opposites attract trope so I was all in. The descriptions of nature were fantastic, the slow burning love story had me excited to see where it would lead and the side characters were great. The narration by Talon David was awesome as well. Pick up this lovely romance right away!

Famous for a Living is a story about riches to rags and back again to riches.
Cat Cranwell is living in New York and is the media queen. She soon goes from being a darling in the social web to having to hide from all the cyber bullying posts. She retreats to Montana to live under her uncle’s protection. This is where the story becomes funny and you get to see Cat's qualities as a human being and how she finds her confidence and self worth. It's a lovely story. The narration is on point

Mega-influencer Cat Cranwell had it all—fame, fortune, and millions of worshipping fans. But when an app business partnership goes horribly wrong, Cat escapes to her uncle in Montana at a national park. There she discovers love in friends, nature, and of course her love interest Zaiah.

I started out absolutely adoring this book, unable to put it down. Melissa Ferguson does a wonderful job of introducing characters and really making you love and empathize with them. Towards the end, I sort of slowed down. I was still enjoying it, but the romance, although good and honest and sweet, … wasn’t hitting it for me. He was absolutely perfect and she was the one who had to change, although seemingly for the better.

Towards the end, the author really pushed the moral of the story home—being on your phone and social media all day is bad for your health. I appreciate that she didn’t make it appear that being on these apps was an impossibility without still maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

I read Famous for a Living by Melissa Ferguson as an audiobook and the narrator Talon David did a really good job. Overall I enjoyed this book, especially the overall character buildout and development of Cat and her friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the audio e-ARC!

Goodreads needs to stop labeling everything in Women's Fiction as rom-com.
Cute and Fun, but Unmemorable, this is a coming-of-age story with a dash or romance.

Cute!

In Famous for a Living, Catherine (Cat) leaves her beloved New York City behind to temporarily live at Kannery National Park in Montana. She only leaves NYC because her name and livelihood have been linked to scandal.

Talk about a culture shock! From fast paced and crowded to slow paced and isolated. There are the expected chuckles as Cat makes rookie mistakes in the wilds of Montana. Beneath that surface though, she finds time for self reflection of what's really important in her life.

There's a great cast of characters in this novel. And the cover is perfect. I listened to the audio book version of the novel. Nice job by the narrator. While I didn't love this as much as Meet Me in the Margins (also via audio book), Famous for a Living is a fun read with heart and meaning.

𝗙𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘂𝘀𝗼𝗻⁣
⁣
I listened to this on audio and I really enjoyed it!⁣
⁣
Cat is an influencer who’s life completely revolves around her image. When a partnership goes south and her whole life goes down the toilet, it forces her to have to make some lifestyle changes. ⁣
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She ends up taking refuge in Montana at a national park where her uncle is a park ranger. She falls in with the people that run the park and starts to realize that there’s more to life than perfect pictures and brand deals. I really enjoyed the side characters and the friendships she makes. ⁣
⁣
Zaiah Smith is a park ranger that has very good reason to hate everything to do with social media and the influencer world. But Cat makes him question everything he thought he knew and felt. ⁣
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I loved their banter, the sweet thoughtful moments, and the slow burn between Cat and Zaiah. ⁣
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This book really made me think. As someone who is often on social media I know that we can get wrapped up in this world we create and forget the things around us. This book was a great reminder. ⁣
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🌟🌟🌟🌟⁣
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𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 5/16

Cat, our heroine, isn’t just another influencer. She’s a brand name in itself. She’s famous for a living. But she is all too aware that she may be timing out and that staying young and fresh and relevant is a never ending struggle. When her brand is caught in a major scandal and her reputation hangs in the balance, Cat agrees to help her uncle Terry in Montana. The job is easy- draw people to Kannery National Park by taking over their social media outlets. The park is small and unless the attendance can get a serious boost, it will likely get absorbed by nearby Glacier National Park. What better way to distract herself from an ugly investigation and trial?! Cat jumps in and begins to remember the person she was before the glam. She meets quirky new friends, snags some epic photos, maybe almost gets killed by a moose and finds herself drawn to one sexy grumpy ranger named Zaiah.

Let’s say his name again….Zaiah. He’s straight up dreamy. Low key keeping Cat safe, whilst supporting her but also giving just enough grump to keep us wanting more.

The book is a very quick read, at times predictable, but overall a solid romcom that made me really smile. I really appreciated the lack of angsty miscommunication and drama that can litter books unnecessarily. It’s nice to read something that really is character driven but still light and happy. I wish it had been a little longer, and perhaps a tad more high stakes with the National Park, but as is, it’s a good beach read. 4 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Title: Famous for a Living
Author: Melissa Ferguson
Genre: Romance
Rating: 3.00
Pub Date: May 16, 2023

I received complimentary eARC and ALC copies of this book from Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad

T H R E E • W O R D S

Witty • Lighthearted • Cautionary

📖 S Y N O P S I S

When her business partner is accused of serious financial crimes, superstar influencer Cat Cranwell falls from her penthouse perch. Des­perate to get away from the online trolls and paparazzi, Cat accepts her uncle’s offer to work with him in Kannery National Park.

Cat’s world shifts from the swirling haze of likes and comments to lit­eral blizzards of frostbite temperatures and waist-deep snow. In place of negotiating brand deals, she finds herself negotiating at the ledge of a frozen lake with her die-hard Polar Bear Plunge coworkers. Instead of padding through the marble kitchen of her Manhattan loft, she’s sharing a tent-sized cabin with a roommate eager to bond like characters in sitcoms. But something curious is also happening in this overwhelming breath of fresh air as she reacquaints with the most honest parts of her­self and begins to ask the hard questions.

Then there’s that other tiny problem—she’s falling for Zaiah, the ruggedly handsome park ranger who hates anything remotely connected to social media, quite possibly her included.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I was drawn to Famous for a Living partly because of the cover, and partly because the small town/national park setting piqued my interest, so I was excited to receive an ARC to read ahead of its upcoming release. I think it's important to preface this review with the fact that the cover itself is quite deceiving. The majority of this book takes place during the winter months with snow and bitter cold temperatures, whereas the cover gives a much more summery vibe. This seems like an odd marketing choice. But I guess it worked...

What I like:
• an endearing supporting cast. I actually liked some of the side characters more than Cat and Zaiah, especially Cat's uncle and roommate Mina.
• the small town/national park setting. I absolutely gravitate towards small town settings, and with so much beautiful scenery I loved this one even more.
• the humour. I literally laughed out loud several times, which is rare.

What I didn't like:
• the romance. It took a back seat, not really blossoming until the last third, making it more a story about a woman finding herself than anything else. If it has been marketed as that than maybe I'd have enjoyed it more.
• the social media aspect. A little superficial at times, some of the corniness left me rolling my eyes. I just don't jive well with the social media/influencer type of character that comes across as shallow.
• the ending. Everything got wrapped up with a nice little bow all too quickly. The romance felt rushed, and it just felt unrealistic.

While certainly a timely novel contrasting the positive and negatives sides of social media, I am not a huge fan of the social media aspect in books and there were quite a few plot holes that I found myself just not caring. The audio, narrated by Talon David, is decent but nothing to write home about. Overall, it just didn't leave any lasting impressions on me, and I have a feeling I'll quickly forget the storyline and characters.

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• lovers of the opposites attract trope
• fans of closed door romance
• Hallmark movie enthusiasts

⚠️ CW: car accident, social media addiction

This wasn’t exactly small town romance — it was more a story about personal and professional transformation for Cat Cranwell and a relationship at the end was icing on the cake. I enjoyed reading about her internal struggle to be a better version of herself and help the people she cared about most.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for an ARC I exchange of an honest review.

This is a sweet story about an influencer who has moved from a life of fame and glamour to living in the middle of the woods in Montana, away from the spotlight as she got wrongly involved in a scandal. We see Cat’s evolution as she gets more down-to-earth and connected to the simple life of a national park. I enjoyed following her journey, but honestly I didn’t buy the romance part of it. I don’t know if it’s because I listened to the audiobook, but I just couldn’t feel the spark that there should have been between Cat and Zaiah… it felt fabricated, in a way.

Other than that, a nice read! 3 stars.

Cat Cranwell has millions of followers on social media. When public opinion turns on her after a partnership gone wrong, she retreats from NYC to the small national park her uncle runs in rural Montana. The job Uncle Terry offers her running their social media pages is more important than she initially realized – it might be the only chance to keep their park from being incorporated into the much larger Glacier National Park. One of her new coworkers, Zaiah, is ruggedly handsome and a genuinely good person, but he thinks social media is a major problem in today’s world. Can Cat save the park, and will she and Zaiah find common ground despit their differences?

This book is definitely more about self-growth and the dangers of social media than it is a romance. Talon David did a nice job with the narration of this audiobook. I absolutely adored Melissa Ferguson’s <i>Meet Me in the Margins</i>, and while I liked this one, it was nowhere at the level of MMitM for me. There were many funny moments throughout this book, though. Pick it up if you’re in the mood for something light, but know that it is more women’s fiction than romance.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an audio ARC of this book.

This book was delightful.
The shift from the poised and curated life and the rugged raw existence is so real
I loved everything about this book.
You even fall in love with (most) of the background characters.
A perfect summer beach read

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance reader's copy of this novel.

I DNFed this one pretty quickly. I am in a phase of life where books about people just about to turn 30 have to be incredibly well done in order to hold my attention. I'm totally fine with reading about people who are in a different stage of life than I am, but when the character thinks they're old because they're about to turn 30, it's just too absurd. If you're a teenager, you think 29 is old. If you're a grownup of any age, you should know better. So many authors of romance novels seem to be struggling with extreme ageism in the way they write their characters. You can write a story about that stage of life without adding in ageist nonsense, I promise you.

When her life as an influencer is turned upside down, Cat Cranwell finds herself moving to a small national park in Montana to accept a job helping her Uncle Terry put the park on the map through her social media expertise. Her life in Montana couldn’t be more different than her life in New York City, but Cat dives into her new life head first. Stumbling through this new adventure, Cat comes to realize what is really important in her life and it doesn’t hurt that her handsome colleague, Zaiah, is there by her side.

I found this to be an enjoyable, quick and light read. The famous for being famous thing always makes me want to roll my eyes, but I think it was really well handled in this book and it showed a different perspective on that type of life and how things could go sideways so quickly. I enjoyed the characters in Montana and the National park setting. There wasn’t much romance, this book was more about finding yourself, but I did enjoy the scenes and the budding tension between Cat and Zaiah. Overall I enjoyed this book and found it to be a good, quick romance that I would recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC audiobook version of this book!

I wanted to love this book, but I just didn’t. I feel like the concept was great, but I really disliked the execution. The writing felt a little boring, and I didn’t find the romance believable.