Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Camera Shy!

AUTHOR:  E.J. Russell

PUBLISHER:  Reality Optional Press

LENGTH:  281 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 20, 2022

BLURB:

Never assume…

…that your uber competent personal assistant will get it when you announce your (fake) engagement to him during a live on-air interview with your archnemesis.

Never waver…

…from your plan to punish your arrogant celebrity boss for his presumption by turning your (fake) wedding into a reality competition for event planners.

Never admit…

…that the feelings blossoming between the two of you through seven (fake) engagement celebrations, six (fake) bachelor parties, five (fake) wedding party luncheons, and four (fake) rehearsal dinners are about as (real) you can get.

Camera Shy is a boss/employee, fake-engagement, right-in-front-of-your-nose romantic comedy featuring a former child model-turned-PA who is so done with cameras, a cocky LGBTQ activist/talk show host who does not lose, more scarves than midwinter in Boston, and banter. So. Much. Banter.

REVIEW:

Ari is a bit of a blowhard LGBTQ activist who used to be an investigative reporting  He’s also a bit of himbo.  His PA, Dustin, keeps life going.  He’s got a rivalry going with another gay man who doesn’t necessarily see things Ari’s way.  Jesse, said rival, also happens to be the guest on Ari’s talk show as the story opens.  He and Jesse go back and forth. Jesse has not been supportive of marriage equality in the past and he throws Ari’s lack of relationship in his face.  Well Ari can’t let that stand!  So he announces that indeed he is getting married!  To Justin.

Justin is a former child star/model who has come back to Hollywood since he knows how it all works because of his childhood.  He was his parents meal ticket and he ended up having to take them to court. He’s also had exactly one boyfriend who he thankfully found out in time was only there to use him to get fame.  So he’s never on camera – in fact it’s in his contract as Ari’s PA even.  He’s floored when Ari makes this announcement. He’s bent over backwards for this guy for 3 years with barely a thanks.

As things unfold, Dustin decides that he get what he wants – which is a leg up in the industry – and also punish Ari for his arrogance in thinking that Justin will just go along with this.  So he hatches the idea for a reality show of Ari & Dustin Tie the Knot.  They’ve got 12 weeks since Ari said they are getting married in September and it’s off to the races.  If they don’t to this, both of their careers are over.  So the games begin 🙂

Of course Ari finally wakes up to what has been in front of him all along.  But Dustin has been burned and used before and taken for granted and it’s not going to be easy for Ari to convince him that this marriage needs to be the real deal even though they’ve already agreed that somehow they will get out of it before it comes to that.

Dustin works himself to the bone on the show and it’s a hit!  Ari is running out of time to convince Dustin to give him a real chance and make a life together.  Dustin’s still dealing with stuff from his past and Ari wants to make it better – but of course goes about it the wrong way.  Will Dustin give in to his own feelings?  Will they are won’t they make it to the church on time?

This is the second celebrity/PA romance I’ve read lately, and thankfully I enjoyed this one significantly more than the last one 🙂  This is a fast paces rom com that hits all the right buttons.  Dustin is adorable and his self-consciousness is so relatable!  Ari is a guy who has gotten his own way and Dustin has been an enabler to some degree but it dawns on Ari that the only reason his life worked was because of Dustin.  The scales fall from his eyes, as it were, and he sees the wonderful man who has been right in front of him all along.  There are wonderful secondary characters – all the folks at the network and even Jesse turns out to be quite a surprise.  Dustin’s makeup artist/stylist bestie KK and Curtis, the poor put-upon assistant provide both comic relief and steadfast support.  There are many fun moments and the relationship between Ari and Dustin grows and changes and I for one was rooting for them from the start.  I hate reality TV, but I might have made an exception for this one 😉  Seriously funny and tender this romance that kept me engaged to the conclusion.  Highly recommended.

RATING:

BUY LINK:

Amazon