A filmmaker has a very unique way of making movies. He is well sought after, and he makes his own choices when it comes to casting and framing the narrative. He shoots quickly and in a closed location with his entire cast on set to ensure some sort of secrecy for the content as well as foster some extra bonding between everyone.
This book was definitely interesting - we get a lot of different viewpoints. Everyone comes from a different background, and they carry their own baggage. By the end of the shoot, they all make a very good movie (one assumes, as the reader cannot see the final edit).
The various characters are introduced in their original environment, then are all supplanted to a remote Italian location. Then, they all interact in earnest, revealing information as they go. It is not the kind of book you talk about the content of. The writing manages to keep most of the voices unique and separate. One or two blur a little unless taken in context.
I would recommend this to readers who like multi-cast narratives and I would read another book by the author if I get the chance.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

I really liked this book, it was different than anything else I've read which was a breath of fresh air. I will be recommending this to my friends, and auto buy this author!

The Location Shoot offers an exploration into the worlds of celebrity and the complexity of the human experience. The novel immerses readers in the lives of a diverse group of well-known actors, led by the controversial filmmaker Jean Mercier.
The narrative revolves around the ensemble cast. Each character is crafted so their backgrounds and personalities contribute to the story. The heart of the novel lies in its ability to blend the characters' on-set experiences with their personal lives, creating a compelling narrative that blurs the lines between fiction and reality.
As the actors delve into their roles, the film's exploration of "the big questions" becomes a mirror for the characters, forcing them to confront what is missing in their own lives.
The novel excels in character development but there are areas in the book when the pacing could be tightened - specifically in the Finn and Ella’s storyline.
The Location Shoot is a compelling read that navigates the complexities of celebrity life. With its well-crafted characters, the novel delivers a thought-provoking experience that lingers in the reader's mind.

The Location Shoot by Patricia Leavy is about a literal cast of characters filming an intimate family drama with a French director in Sweden.

When I received the email from the publicist and read the description, I wasn’t sure if The Location Shoot would be more romance or philosophy focused. I would say it falls more on the romance side, as the philosophy that’s in it is more along the lines of life advice.

If there is a main character (it’s an ensemble cast) it would be Ella Sinclair, an American philosopher who’s working on a series of books about pleasure. The central romance is between her and Finn Forrester, an American movie star. They strike up a whirlwind romance that changes Ella’s life forever.

I didn’t love this book and I didn’t hate this book… it’s easy to read, but not super deep. Albie, an older actor, brings most of the existential philosophy. Ella has a bit of sexual philosophy: she says, “you should only sleep with people you’ll always love or people you’ll never love.” Ella also has some good career advice for Willow, a young starlet who has been feeling pressured by her agent into accepting gigs she’s not interested in. She essentially reminds her that the agent works for her and she doesn’t have to agree to jobs that don’t align with who she wants to be.

The sex scenes are vanilla and explicit. It is insta-love, so it goes a little fast, but Ella and Finn have a little chemistry.

I enjoyed taking a break from heavier reading, but I was a little disappointed with the plain prose and mostly unmet promise of philosophical ideas.

I would recommend The Location Shoot as a fluffy, don’t-think-too-hard romance with down-to-earth characters that explores the fantasy of being behind-the-scenes on a movie set.

Arthouse film director Jean Mercier brings together five very different actors for his new film, Celebration, which they are shooting in Sweden. The cast comprises veteran British actor Albie Hughes; womanising A-lister Michael Hennesy; well respected indie actress Charlotte Reed; Willow Barnes - a former child star trying to revive her career and be taken seriously as an actress; and finally, Finn Forrester, who has left longtime girlfriend Savannah in LA, and promptly falls in love with Jean's friend Ella. Celebration is a film which asks life's big questions, reflecting real life as it leaves each of the actors contemplating how they can apply these to their own lives.
The premise of this book intrigued me, and ultimately I really loved it. It's pure escapism (I finished it in an afternoon) with a touch of fantasist romance. The characters were great but some plot holes did let this book down. The main one which bugged me is that Ella is a philosopher yet leaves it to the last chapter to examine her own issues, despite being the catalyst for solving everybody else's issues.
Having said this, I adored the writing, and I've not highlighted so many passages in a book before.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher and author for the advance review copy!

This book started out strongly, and I was immediately engaged with the idea of a disparate cast coming together with a brilliant filmmaker in a remote location. My reading experience went downhill from there for several reasons, but it's clear I'm in the minority so don't let my opinion dissuade you from giving this book a try if the premise interests you! The main protagonist, Ella, is a brilliant beautiful charismatic philosopher (!) who is besties with the filmmaker. Ella immediately called to mind the women in Robert Heinlein's novels - impossibly perfect in an almost misogynistic way. Oh, but don't worry, Ella's not perfect. No, Ella "giggles" on every other page and sometimes twice a page. I just couldn't get past this. No one in a book should have need of giggling save for perhaps a child, once. Maaaaaybe twice. Ella and Finn, a handsome Hollywood actor, experience InstaLove (ugh, my least favorite trope!), and the second they do, Ella turns into an insecure mess. AND Finn calls her "baby" every other paragraph and she never objects to it! All the other people working on the film have hurdles to overcome, which they do almost seamlessly with extremely smooth trajectories. I think there's an intriguing book buried in here somewhere, but the love story wrecked it for me. Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for a digital review copy.

The talented cast that had been chosen by the legendary filmmaker Jean Mercier to star in his latest film, were eager to learn from and impress him and were honored to be in his presence. His eccentric and quirky directorial ways were confusing at times, but the cast soon learned that he was a master at what he was doing. Each cast member was there for a different reason, and they all hoped their experience would enrich and change their lives forever. Many of them left loved ones back home and had decisions to make about their futures. One actress wanted to start a family and another wanted to leave her past behind and become the actress she always wanted to be. One leading man has a young daughter he rarely sees and with the help of his new friends, he learned that life was too short to only be consumed by work. The other sexy leading man fell in love on the set and he vowed to spend the rest of his life with the woman of his dreams. My favorite part of the book was when the cast spent a day off at the beach. They got to know each other beyond the scope of their characters, shared advice about life, bought gifts and made memories they would have forever. Even after the movie is done and the accolades are coming in, all involved will have learned a valuable lesson; life, and love are meant to be celebrated and never taken for granted.

As readers are treated to a delightful will-they, won’t-they romp, the group of actors grows progressively closer, and many of their lives are changed irrevocably. There are many scenes in which the cast, a cerebral group, engages in compelling and high-level philosophical debates about art, sex, films, and more. Each character is more charming than the next, and the stay at the Swedish home seems like great fun, but there are moments when excessive detail stalls the otherwise lively narrative; much of the story unfolds over meals, in which characters place one food order after another, again and again. Other details about the setting (that might help ground the reader in the action) are sparse. Even so, the intellectual discussions throughout the book prove fresh and engaging and will keep the pages turning.

A quick-witted depiction of moviemaking best suited for contemplative romantics.

A beautiful story about relationships and love. Ella is a beautiful, well-written character. I wish we got to understand Finn a bit better outside of his love. The other characters and their relationships make a well-rounded story that makes you think about the meaning of human life.

I was looking forward to reading The Location Shoot, but it did not measure up to my expectations. I liked that the actors and actresses had different backgrounds and troubles they were bringing with them on set. I would have liked if the story more evenly explored each character. I didn’t feel attached to any of them. Ella and Finn were definitely the main focus of the novel. I didn’t feel like the relationship between Finn and Ella was real and believable. It felt one-sided at times and Finn kind of pressured Ella into it when she had doubts. It also moved fast, especially in the ending. Additionally, Ella seemed too amazing. She did have her faults and her past definitely affected her view towards relationships, but overall it felt like the other characters placed Ella on a pedestal. I wasn’t impressed with the ending. It felt rushed and anticlimactic. This is a good read for those looking for something entertaining, but it lacked the depth it promised.