Author: Allison Winn Scotch
Series: None
Publication Date: March 5, 2024
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 367
Obtained: Purchased
Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Communication is key
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab
Summary: Birdie Robinson thought she’d gotten everything she wanted out of life: fame, adoration, and an A-list Hollywood career. But after an on-set feud goes viral, she leaves L.A. for the one place where no one would think to find her: her hometown. She’s startled to stumble upon a love letter from a former boyfriend asking for a second chance. And there’s just one issue: the letter was unsigned and she’s not sure which ex sent it. Still, a public reunion with an ex-boyfriend could turn the wave of public opinion back in her favor. Life imitating art. What could go wrong? Elliot O’Brien, star reporter, knows that life isn’t an actual rom-com. Case in point, he’s spent two decades repressing his long-simmering feelings for his twin sister’s best friend, Birdie. But with his journalism career cratering and Birdie back in their hometown at the same time he is, he realizes that chronicling her search for her long-ago ex may be his opportunity to right some wrongs. As they hit the road in an ancient RV, Birdie and Elliot retrace her romantic history for clues to who wrote the letter and come face to face with their own romantic missteps, all while grappling with whether happy endings are found only on the big screen—or whether their own happier ever after could be closer than they both ever imagined. ~amazon.com
Review: If you've been reading this blog for any period of time, you know I've been a big Allison fan for a long time. Her latest, Take Two, Birdie Maxwell is wonderful. Not only is it heartfelt, humorous but it's about self-discovery and being honest with those around you. How misunderstands left cleared up end up festering for years. Birdie is at the height of her career as the darling of film, when she lays into a beloved director and it's caught on film. Except instead of the public backing her up, it goes against her even though she is in the right. So, Birdie goes home with her tail between her legs only to find things are exactly great there either. As she goes through boxes of her stuff from her room, she runs across a letter that she's never seen and it turns out to be someone declaring their undying love for her. Birdie figures what better way to get back into the good graces of the public than to find who wrote her the letter.
This is where Elliot enters the story. As a journalist, Birdie feels he is the right person to join her on this journey because he'll make her look good but also she just wants some company. One has to ask though, is this the best decision given their history?
I loved how the POVs were from both Birdie and Elliot; it was important to get their perspectives on their connected history. One of the best things I think for Birdie was that things weren't exactly how she always remembered them; that the other person might have experienced things a little differently than her. Unfortunately, all of this is front and center and it doesn't make Birdie look good all the time.
I did love seeing how Birdie was able to reflect on her past and have some revelations about her behavior. I absolutely loved the ending and what led to the big reveal. There are a lot of laugh out loud parts in the book as well.
Ms. Scotch will continue to be an auto-buy author for me and I look forward to reading what she writes next.
