Reviewed by Ro
TITLE: Only the Brightest Stars
AUTHOR: Andrew Grey
PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press
LENGTH: 190 Pages
RELEASE DATE: May 9, 2023
BLURB:
The problem with being an actor on top of the world is that you have a long way to fall.
Logan Steele is miserable. Hollywood life is dragging him down. Drugs, men, and booze are all too easy. Pulling himself out of his self-destructive spiral, not so much.
Brit Stimple does whatever he can to pay the bills. Right now that means editing porn. But Brit knows he has the talent to make it big, and he gets his break one night when Logan sees him perform on stage.
When Logan arranges for an opportunity for Brit to prove his talent, Brit’s whole life turns around. Brit’s talent shines brightly for all to see, and he brings joy and love to Logan’s life and stability to his out-of-control lifestyle. Unfortunately, not everyone is happy for Logan, and as Brit’s star rises, Logan’s demons marshal forces to try to tear the new lovers apart.
REVIEW:
Logan Steele is a totally out of control Hollywood actor who’s star is rapidly falling. He parties hard and is fueled by booze, party boys, uppers and sleeping pills. A recipe for distaster. He has a manager, Carlton, who thinks all this is perfectly fine, aiding and abetting by supplying drugs. He also manipulates Logan, cutting him down and making him second guess himself. Logan could be an unlikeable character and there were times I didn’t like Logan. But I always liked Wally Padgett, which is who Logan was before the big star was born. He has no family, no real friends and doesn’t seem to see much good about himself. He has Grant, a hanger on who brings other hangers on to party at Logan’s but that’s about it.
The meeting of Brit and Logan with his party central at the theater shows Brit’s spark and sass and I was happy to see it. When Grant gets snippy, Brit’s response, “No one’s telling me that. Certainly not some eunuched Ken doll wannabe, all primped and pressed, but with nothing to offer where it counts.” You tell him, Brit. I was relieved Brit and Logan didn’t immediately have sex that night because it wouldn’t have seemed like Brit.
Brit’s father was an alcoholic and he has serious issues with that. This is what brought it down from a five star read to a four. With all the traumatic history Brit has with alcoholics, he was remarkedly invested in Logan, sometimes to the point I was worried he was going to go against his own thinking. I needn’t have worried. Brit knows himself.
As far as side characters, Carlton is the character I wanted to slap. It’s not just the pills and booze, but the cutting of Logan’s esteem. He always gives the negative, especially when Logan is feeling good. “They aren’t great but they aren’t terrible either.” He is a thorn in Logan’s side throughout. Grant is just the quintessential party boy, beautiful, shallow and empty here. Brit’s mom is wonderful, swooning over Logan rescuing her in the car accident but also deservedly worried about Brit becoming involved with someone with an alcohol problem. And she’s funny – “Are you seeing him? Oh, honey, that man is sex on a stick. If he liked older women, I’d butter his bread eight ways from Sunday. I’d take hold of him and ride that man to hell and back again.” I laughed at this, what son wants to hear his mama say that and yet mama is a red-blooded woman who can recognize hotness!
I liked the interaction between Brit and Logan and I really appreciated that everything wasn’t magical and perfect right away. That’s not life. The relationship does move very quickly, not quite insta-love but close. It’s a story of patience, of kindness and of facing your demons. These two deserve their happy ending.
RATING: 
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