BLOG TOUR – The Redhead Plays Her Hand by Alice Clayton

SYNOPSIS

Grace has landed the lead in a new TV series—but when the director asks her to lose fifteen pounds, she goes public with her weight struggles and suddenly develops a huge fan club who support her right to have curves. But between that and the public’s continuing fascination with her “are they or aren’t they” relationship with Jack, Grace begins to wonder if anyone’s really interested in her because of her upcoming TV series, or if it’s all speculation about the size of her ass and her bedroom partner.

Meanwhile, Jack is voted the Sexiest Man Alive and becomes a little too enamored with the party-hard lifestyle. Grace vows to give him the space he needs to find himself, but then he begins to spiral down from lovable Brit to Hollywood brat. People are talking, but are Jack and Grace? Her career is on the rise, and his continues into the stratosphere, but will she be able to catch him if he falls? Will they ever be able to just be a couple who can hold hands when they walk down the street?

REVIEW

This one hurts the way only love can hurt. It does, indeed, hurt so good. I am here to tell you right now that our once carefree Jack and Grace have been replaced by more famous models this time around.Welcome to THE REDHEAD PLAYS HER HAND.

I quote another curvy starlet, Marilyn Monroe, who sums it up beautifully.

Fame is like caviar, you know – it’s good to have caviar but not when you have it at every meal.

To be honest, it’s more like Chex Mix with Jack and Grace, but the sentiment is the same. Fame is not being kind to our beloveds and it hurts. After fame gets done being unkind to them, they start being unkind to each other. Hang on..it’s worth the bumpy ride, but I want you to be fully aware that it’s a-comin’!

Our Brit has changed. Jack is spending a little too much time partying it up on the set of his new soldier film. Alongside a bad boy fallen movie star, Jack is making headlines that would make Lindsay Lohan blush.

He’s a lot less THIS Jack.

And suddenly much more THIS Jack.

Several themes are examined by Alice Clayton in the third installment of her wildly popular Redhead series. The one that struck me most was the concept of fat in Hollywood and Western society. Now, before you think I’m going all Sociology 101 on you, (I assure you, I’m not), I wanted to give the appropriate shout out to Clayton for tackling this one so deftly. There is a fine line between between commenting on, championing, or whining about an issue. Clayton finely tap dances on the best sides of these lines, making Grace a sympathetic character without ever letting her fall into victim territory. Even when she’s down, she’s not out. She doesn’t do everything right, but she owns her missteps and moves forward in a style true to her name.

As I was reading I couldn’t help but think of how Jennifer Lawrence, the most recent champion of real images for women on screen, is not immune to the overuse of Photoshop. Improving pure awesomeness is hardly necessary. However, this is what happens to most actresses before their images are considered “ready”. Grace takes a hard line on Photoshop, the phrase “Plus Sized”, weight shame, and all the other bugaboos of idealized standards for women.

Our girl Grace is much too cool to let the paparazzi, gossip blogs, or even her misogynist director keep her down for long.

Forgive me if I’m painting a dark picture. This story has plenty of the sexy, fun times we’ve come to love with Grace and Jack. Remember, Grace has her own trailer on the backlot now. That new shower has been installed at Grace’s house. You know…the one The Brit wanted? Even the Canyon isn’t safe from their amour. Grace’s boobies are still the highlight of his life as they fall asleep to The Golden Girls.

So, friends, remember how much you’re rooting for these kids. There are even some other characters to root for this time around and it makes this tale that much sweeter when you reach 100% mark. Regardless, if you need to put them in Time Out or put the book in the freezer, do it, but don’t give up on these two. The feels all lead to an A-list ending. (End scene)

5 Stars

———————————–

SERIES READING ORDER