Camera Ready

Camera Ready tells the story of a woman named Jane who holds a very prestigious position at her job at an advertising agency as VP. Jane seems to have it all, a fantastic job, a wonderful boyfriend named Derek, and friends and family whom all love her. The only problem? A man named Craig Keller, a complete gigolo who pounces on Jane every chance he gets. This in itself would not be a problem if it weren’t for the fact that Jane has a weak spot for this man as well as a past with him. Craig Keller is the owner of another top ad agency in Santa Monica and things get a little too close for comfort as Jane’s company is bought over by Craig’s.

This book, although categorized in the romance genre, is really more accurately described as popular fiction. There are really hardly any sex or make-out scenes in the book. In fact, Camera Ready really focuses on Jane’s thoughts and actions as she navigates through a very difficult situation. Author Adele Royce does a fabulous job with character development and the details she puts into the setting. Craig is the oh-so-good-looking guy every woman stares at when entering the room, while Jane is the beautiful and fashion-forward hardworking main character. Then there is Derek who can be described as the under-the-radar boyfriend with not-so-great self-esteem. The Southern California lifestyle is emphasized as the characters go out to fancy dinners at the most trendy restaurants. Jane and her best friends Marisa and Kat are all powerful women in business and their confidence exudes off the pages of this book.

It was very hard for me to like Derek and I admit that I felt that he was the weakest character in the book because he seemed to always be afraid that Jane didn’t love him or that she had secrets from him (okay, well she did, but that’s beside the point) and he would run away from the situation instead of talking to Jane about it. His snobby sister did not help the situation as well. I thought Jane’s grandparents who raised her were simply adorable and I would have loved to have had a little more of their relationship with Jane woven into the plot.

Camera Ready is a fabulous read that will have readers turning the pages wanting to know what will happen next. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Jane Green.