Not in the Script

Gr 9 Up—Emma Taylor is a Hollywood starlet who is used to living her life in front of the camera. In the tabloids, she's developed a reputation as the good girl who falls for bad boys. When she is cast in a lead role on the television show, Coyote Hills, with reformed Hollywood bad boy Brett Crawford, both of their reputations are on the line again. While the media concocts a romance between the two, Emma is secretly falling hard for another castmate, fashion model-turned-Hollywood newcomer Jake Elliott. Mystery surrounds Jake's family life. Emma learns that his father abandoned the family when Jake was young and his mother is dependent on him due to a stroke that caused irreversible damage. Their under the radar budding relationship is threatened when the tabloids reveal footage of a kiss between Emma and Brett. But are the photos really what they seem? Teens will appreciate the behind-the-the-scenes look at celebrity life and the entertainment industry. The drama between Emma and her childhood best friend Rachel, as well as between the protagonist and her manager mother is realistic and relatable. Although the plot gets slow at points, Emma's wit and humor will keep readers with her right until the end.—Nicole Knott, Watertown High School, CT