Review: Act Like We're in Love

Act Like We're In Love by Christi Barth

Publication Date: October 2010
Publisher: Eternal Press/Damnation Books
Format: E-book, 416 KB
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN-13: 9781615721542
ISBN: 1615721541

(Received for review from the author)

Synopsis (Amazon):

When two people make beautiful music together onstage, can their love survive once the curtain falls? Linnea Larson is willing to do anything to keep her family's Minneapolis dinner theatre from going under. Anything, that is, besides accepting a date from the Hollywood hunk her father hired to interject a dose of star power into their production of Guys & Dolls. It's a toss up whether his greatest claim to fame is playing a superhero on screen, or a super stud off screen. Neither fact convinces her he's got what it takes to share her stage. And thanks to a life long pact with her best friend, she never dates actors.

Luke Powell has fame, fortune, and an endless string of women, but also a lingering dissatisfaction with his picture perfect life. Looking for a change, he escapes his theatrical roots. What he finds are wary cast mates, a nervous best friend convinced the show will ruin Luke's career, and an adorable co-star who suddenly refuses to go out with him. Suddenly singing and dancing aren't the only challenges he'll face this summer. Far from the spotlights of Hollywood, can he find happiness in the footlights of a tiny theatre?

Despite Luke dragging her into his daily paparazzi nightmare, Linnea can't deny her attraction to his irresistible charm. And even if she's crazy enough to chance getting involved, their fling would have a guaranteed expiration date. He's leaving at the end of the run, and she's tied to her family's theatre. Why risk the inevitable heartbreak? There job is to act like they're in love, but will they decide it's worth the leap to fall in love for real?

Thoughts:

Fans of Contemporary Romance will really enjoy Christi Barth's latest book, Act Like We're in Love. The authors musical and theatre background give the book a refreshing an authentic feel. The characters are well developed and readers will find them identifiable and easy to believe.

Linnea Larson is a hometown girl who made good. She has become a star in her family's local Minneapolis dinner theatre. Unfortunately, business hasn't been setting any records and Linnea's father Karl decides he needs to get a big name to star in their next production. Karl hires, Luke Powell, blockbuster movie star with theatre roots. Luke is looking to get away from his hectic Hollywood lifestyle for awhile and takes the lead in Karl's production of Guys & Dolls, opposite Linnea.

Both Linnea and Luke feel an attraction for each other right away. But she isn't impressed with his big city ways and his superstar attitude. She made a pact with her best friend Ingrid a long time ago, no dating actors, they are self-absorbed and not into anything that involves commitment. But as they work on the production Linnea begins to see that acting like they are in love is producing some strong feelings inside her. But, she knows it's only temporary, when the run is over Luke will be gone. Is it worth the risk?

Author Christi Barth has a knack for setting the scene. Her own background in theatre really gave this book an added touch. Her behind the scenes dialogue was filled with theatre jargon that will give readers a real feeling of being a part of the production. I liked both main characters.

Linnea was sweet but still a very intense character. This is her theatre and she doesn't want just anyone performing here, but her vulnerability really shows when she begins to let Luke in. Luke seems like a pretty good guy, who ended up in very high end career which he is dissatisfied with. His best friend and manager is just sure this show is going to run his career, but Luke doesn't seem to care. The romance between the two best friends adds another dimension into the story that I liked as well, a two for one so to speak.

The story might seem somewhat predictable but Barth gives us a few twists and turns and the final pages will have you thinking, huh? How did I miss the set up for that... A good book always keeps you guessing.

Act Like We're in Love is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!




Christi Barth spent years performing in musicals, singing about love and giving people a happy ending in every performance. Then as a wedding planner she spent every day immersed in romance. Now she writes it! After winning several writing contests, she debuted her novel Carolina Heat to rave reviews. She lives in Maryland with the absolutely best husband in the world (sorry ladies but it's true!) It is exciting to share her love of the theatre with the world through, Act Like We're in Love. For all her fellow Broadway fans, favorite shows include, Guys & Dolls, Phantom, and The Most Happy Fella. A special curtain call for Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers, the show where she met and first starred opposite the love of her life.