Review: 'Pretty Famous' by Carla Caruso (2015)

Celeste Pretty is getting married!
A dark secret from Hollywood's Golden Age. A possible prince-in-hiding. Astonvale's about to implode...
Professional organiser Celeste Pretty swore she'd never work with uber-blonde interior designer Imogen Karmel again, but then she's presented with a project she can't refuse. The prestigious Astonvale College is celebrating its centenary and needs the pair to ensure the festivities go off without a hitch.
As Celeste sets to work in a flurry of activity - in between organising her own engagement party - she finds herself blowing away the cobwebs on a sixty-year-old secret.
Meanwhile, Imogen becomes enamoured with a substitute teacher, Hudson Addison, who may or may not be a royal in hiding. And there's nothing Imogen dreams of more than becoming a princess.
Will all be revealed on party night?
For quite a long time now I have gotten used to saving some of the novels I've been most excited about for when I go on holiday. I love having some great reads to look forward to while I'm away from home; reads which I am sure won't disappoint me. So, for my summer holiday this year I had already put aside a book which I really looked forward to reading: Carla Caruso's third part of the Astonvale series titled 'Pretty Famous.' I loved the first two instalments of this book series titled 'A Pretty Mess' (click here to read my review) and ‘Pretty Shore' (click here to read my review). Carla Caruso is a great author and I really enjoy her writing style. Her novels have never disappointed me so far, so I just knew I'd end up enjoying 'Pretty Famous' as well (a special big thanks to Carla for mentioning me and my blog in the acknowledgements for the novel; you have no idea how surprised and happy I was when I found out! :))!
Twenty-something Celeste Pretty loves her work as a professional organiser and has found herself in some interesting situations since she started her own business. However, one thing she never expected to do would be working together with one of her enemies, interior designer Imogen Karmel. Celeste can’t possibly refuse this big project at Astonvale College, so she decides to give teaming up with Imogen a chance. As soon as the project starts, Celeste discovers she has other things to worry about than Imogen, including her own engagement to her handsome boyfriend Lenny and a sixty-year-old mystery revolving around the unexpected death of a local famous actress. At the same time, Imogen Karmel is finding her way around Astonvale College and is pleasantly surprised when she bumps into Hunter, a substitute PE teacher at the school. As a dedicated fan of everything glamorous and royal, Imogen has always dreamed of marrying a real-life prince and this might be her chance at a happily-ever-after because Imogen is pretty sure Hunter is hiding something from her…
Oh, I just love Carla Caruso’s ‘Astonvale’ book series and was really excited to sit down with the third part, ‘Pretty Famous.’ Celeste Pretty is one of my favourite contemporary book heroines and I can’t get enough of reading about everything that happens in her life as a professional organiser. In this next instalment of the series, Celeste not only finds herself becoming engaged to her boyfriend Lenny but she is also working together with her enemy interior designer Imogen Karmel on a big project at Astonvale College. The book is actually told from the perspectives of both Celeste and Imogen, which was great because it provided me with a chance to also get to know Imogen a bit better. In the previous books she appeared to be incredibly bitchy and just generally unlikeable, but now we also get a chance to see things from her point of view. 
The book has several storylines intertwined with one another which meant there was constantly something to keep the reader interested. There’s Celeste dealing with her in-laws who want to organise a big engagement party, Imogen who’s looking for her own Prince Charming, and a mystery revolving around a local actress who died under suspicious circumstances approximately 60 years earlier. I really enjoyed all of the different aspects of the story and Carla Caruso’s writing style is just so well-paced and a true pleasure to read. Since this is the third part of the Astonvale series, I’d recommend picking up the other two books (‘A Pretty Mess’ and ‘Pretty Shore’) first, just so you know the history of all the characters, but the novel can also be read as a stand-alone. Once again a simply wonderful read from Carla Caruso! ‘Pretty Famous’ is a thoroughly entertaining and fun chick lit novel which I couldn’t get enough of; a read that comes highly recommended, especially if you haven’t checked out any of Carla Caruso’s work yet, you won’t be disappointed!

Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 'Pretty Shore' by Carla Caruso (2014)

Professional organiser Celeste Pretty has a summer getaway planned in well-to-do Robe, the 'Hamptons' of Australia. She's staying at the beach 'shack' of her hunky new builder beau, Lenny Muscat. The first week she'll de-clutter the holiday home of fashion designer Sabine Cloud with her assistant, Flip Belmont. Then she'll enjoy loved-up bliss with Lenny.
But despite Celeste's penchant for organisation, things have a way of veering off-script. She soon discovers the last person who occupied Sabine's pad - the designer's model daughter, Romy - died from a possible overdose. Plus, Sabine's uber-glam real estate agent seems intent on throwing herself at Lenny. Meanwhile, Flip is distracted by the bad-boy son of a rock star, Blaise Zenith, who some say is responsible for Romy going off the rails.
And Celeste thought sunburn and sand in the house were all she'd have to worry about these holidays.
Last year I was introduced to author Carla Caruso when I got the chance to read and review her novel 'A Pretty Mess', the first part of the Astonvale series. I really enjoyed the book (click here to read my review) and fell even more in love with Carla's writing style when I reviewed her Christmas novella 'Secret Santo.' I couldn't wait to read the second part of the Astonvale series, 'Pretty Shore', and was really happy when I managed to get a review copy through NetGalley. I looked forward to catching up with Celeste, Lenny, and Flip and kept my fingers crossed, hoping I'd enjoy the novel as much as I enjoyed the first Astonvale book!
Celeste Pretty can't wait for her holiday with her hunky boyfriend Lenny Muscat in the small beach town of Robe, Australia. However, Celeste's holiday doesn't officially start until she has finished her latest assignment, organising the house of designer Sabine, one of the Robe locals who also happens to be the mother of supermodel Romy who died recently. While Celeste's assistant Flip is unexpectedly distracted by bad boy Blaise, who is rumoured to have been involved in Romy's death, Celeste has her hands full not only dealing with her best friend suddenly not talking to her anymore but also the gorgeous local real estate agent, who seems to have set her sights on Lenny...
Sometimes sequels can disappoint, especially when you really enjoyed the first book of a series and the second book has to live up to that. Luckily, this was not the case with 'Pretty Shore, which is just as much of a thoroughly entertaining and fun read as 'A Pretty Mess'. I personally love Carla Caruso's writing style; it's well-paced, really comfortable to read, and perfect for the chick lit genre. Celeste and Flip are two great female characters and I loved the fact that the author decided to focus on both their storylines, which were just as interesting. The two women are dealing with different things and I was fascinated by everything happening to them from the first chapter until the last. 
The novel also has a wonderful scene setting which made me long for a warm and sunny day at the beach! It's also a read that's perfect for a day at the beach, but just as perfect when you're craving a bit of sunshine in your life. I definitely advise readers to first pick up 'A Pretty Mess' before reading this, because I think it makes the reading experience more fun if you know the characters' background stories. Overall, 'Pretty Shore' is a summery, thoroughly entertaining read with a good dose of fun, secrets, and intrigue; I already can't wait to read the third Astonvale novel, 'Pretty Famous'!

Rating:9,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.