Leaping at a chance to star in a movie alongside one of Hollywood's hottest actors, Lacey struggles with the realities of life in the spotlight before a malicious saboteur changes her perspective about her ambitions and her straitlaced tutor. 40,000 first printing. Simultaneous eBook. - (Baker & Taylor)

When Lacey lands a starring role in a movie opposite one of Hollywood's hottest actors, she struggles with the realities of life in the spotlight before a malicious saboteur changes her perspective about her ambitions. - (Baker & Taylor)

"Lacey Barnes always dreamed of being an actress, and get an opportunity to star in a movie during her senior year. But life in the spotlight isn't as picture perfect as Lacey imagined. She has trouble bonding with her costars, her father hires Donavan Lake to tutor her, somewhere along the way she loses her acting mojo. And it looks like someone on set is deliberately trying to sabotage her. It seems the only person she can count on is Donavan--even as he becomes another distraction in her life"--Adapted from jacket. - (Baker & Taylor)

Fan favorite author Kasie West delivers an effervescent story about chasing your dreams and following your heart, perfect for fans of Jenny Han and Huntley Fitzpatrick.

Lacey Barnes has dreamed of being an actress for as long as she can remember. So when she gets the opportunity to star in a movie alongside one of Hollywood&;s hottest actors, she doesn&;t hesitate to accept the part.

But Lacey quickly learns that life in the spotlight isn&;t as picture perfect as she imagined. She&;s having trouble bonding with her costars, her father has hired the definition of a choir boy, Donavan Lake, to tutor her, and somewhere along the way she&;s lost her acting mojo. And just when it seems like things couldn&;t get any worse, it looks like someone on set is deliberately trying to sabotage her.

As Lacey&;s world spins out of control, it feels like the only person she can count on&;whether it&;s helping her try to unravel the mystery of who is out to get her or snap her out of her acting funk&;is Donavan. But what she doesn&;t count on is this straight-laced boy becoming another distraction.

With her entire future riding on this movie, Lacey knows she can&;t afford to get sidetracked by a crush. But for the first time in her life Lacey wonders if it&;s true that the best stories really do happen when you go off script.

Booklist Reviews

Lacey hit the jackpot getting cast with young heartthrob Grant James in a new zombie movie. Can this dream-come-true scenario launch her into the big time? If only it were so easy. First, her dad tries to micromanage Lacey's life with his embarrassing overprotectiveness. Worse, Grant seems less than thrilled with her presence, and things keep going weirdly wrong on set. Then negative social media coverage almost derails Lacey and causes her to doubt herself. Turns out there's a saboteur on set, and Lacey manages to summon inner resources and gather a team around her to catch the perpetrator. The mystery quickens the plot, offering a surprise whodunit element and a clever way for our leading lady to grow in her role, fighting back when down and holding on to her aspirations. Donavan, the tutor Dad hired to help Lacey stay on track with classes, adds an "opposites attract" subplot readers will enjoy. Teen actors and celebrity-world fans will enjoy this fun, intriguing romance. Grades 7-10. Copyright 2018 Booklist Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

In this companion to Love, Life, and the List (2018), Lacey Barnes, 17, gets a shot at stardom when she's cast as the female lead in an indie film. OK, it's a zombie movie, but Lacey's co-star is Grant James, 19, a genuine action-hero star who's been looking for redemption since vicious reviews of his last film went viral. Lacey knows she's lucky to get this opportunity, even if it means leaving her Central Coast home, friends, and school to live with her father in his cramped, two-bedroom apartment. He's even hired a straight-laced peer tutor, Donavan Lake, to see she does her independent-study homework. More challenges await on the set, especially the absence of chemistry between her and Grant (Lacey's zombie makeup doesn't help). Co-star Amanda plays coach, telling her to imagine she's kissing a guy she likes, difficult for the career-driven Lacey until she realizes she's attracted to Donavan. Mishaps on the set proliferate until Lacey suspects sabotage, although the targe t is unclear—is it Lacey or the entire enterprise? The snippets of screenplay provided, too blunt and juvenile for satire, are wince-inducing misfires, as is a climactic scene in which journalistic ethics are casually thrown under the bus. While far-fetched plotting occasionally weakens narrative plausibility, the lively, likable characters—Lacey especially—sustain reader interest. Amanda has dark skin, and the other main characters are white. Lightweight fluff, a virtual beach read for cold days and long nights. (Romance. 12-16) Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 9 Up{amp}mdash;This companion to Love, Life, and the List is set in Los Angeles and written as a standalone novel with crossover characters. High school senior Lacey spends her days covered in elaborate zombie makeup on set, playing the love interest of famous heartthrob, Grant James. Grant is hot and he knows it, but he and Lacey lack chemistry on set of the campy horror film, Dancing Graves. Lacey begrudgingly and occasionally completes her schoolwork in between filming. When her overprotective father hires a tutor, she heeds his advice to buckle down and finish school in case acting isn't an option in her future. Donovan Lake, her easy-on-the-eyes tutor, at first seems uptight and boring, but as she spends more time with him, her math grade isn't the only thing progressing. Working on set brings Lacey into some unfamiliar social territory, but she manages to make new friends. When odd coincidences that could jeopardize Lacey's acting career keep occurring, she must decide who to trust and how to look out for her own happiness. Snippets of movie scripts are included between chapters, allowing readers to feel like they are on set with the characters. VERDICT Fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen will enjoy this lighthearted, wholesome romantic comedy.{amp}mdash;Laura Jones, Argos Community Schools, IN