A sharply hilarious and ultimately heartfelt novel about a former teen superstar who grudgingly agrees to a reboot of the show that made her (in)famous, from the author of Reasonable Adults.Twenty years after Turning Tides went off the air, the beloved TV show about teenage romance and angst is back. No one is more surprised than its former star, Agnes “Ness” Larkin, that she’s agreed to step back into the role of Hailey Grant. After her father/manager took off with her earnings, Ness ran away from the spotlight in shame. But maybe it’s time to stare her past, and her castmates, in their discreetly Botoxed faces.That enthusiasm lasts until the first table read, which, in co-star Coco’s words, is “like a high school reunion without the dim lighting or booze.” Ness assumed her old fling Hayes Beaumont would be too busy doing Big Hollywood Things to take part, but there he is, seated beside her, exuding pheromones and success.En route to the deluxe Bahamas resort where they’re to start filming, the cast gets stranded by a storm. Stuck on a tiny island with a paltry cache of food and quite possibly the most useless survival group in history, Ness tries to reconcile her youthful dreams with where she’s ended up—figuratively and literally. The producers wanted drama on and off-screen, and they’re going to get it, but where will Ness be when it’s all over?
"You're an adult now," Libby had said over more than one Sunday brunch, in the know-it-all tone usually reserved for people other than her bestie. "Don't you want to know where your money is going?" But it had felt like a tomorrow problem, and besides, it was her dad. Surely, if anyone had her back, it was him.
Well, that turned out to be laughably incorrect.
Ness had tried to ignore the pitying looks, but she couldn't escape the feeling that she was not only the world's dumbest human, but also that she must be deeply and utterly flawed for her own parent to turn his back so easily. She'd suddenly found herself deep in debt and entirely incapable of digging herself out. It was humiliating. After a few months she couldn't take it anymore. The collection agencies, the whispers behind her back, the lowball offers for roles she previously would never have considered.
Navigating the minefield of showbiz and media attention without the guidance of the person who'd shielded her for so long was beyond shocking. Sure, she'd wanted some freedom, but being thrown directly into the lion's den without even a year's worth of savings to shield her? Disaster.
"You're an adult now," Libby had said over more than one Sunday brunch, in the know-it-all tone usually reserved for people other than her bestie. "Don't you want to know where your money is going?" But it had felt like a tomorrow problem, and besides, it was her dad. Surely, if anyone had her back, it was him.Well, that turned out to be laughably incorrect.Ness had tried to ignore the pitying looks, but she couldn't escape the feeling that she was not only the world's dumbest human, but also that she must be deeply and utterly flawed for her own parent to turn his back so easily. She'd suddenly found herself deep in debt and entirely incapable of digging herself out. It was humiliating. After a few months she couldn't take it anymore. The collection agencies, the whispers behind her back, the lowball offers for roles she previously would never have considered.Navigating the minefield of showbiz and media attention without the guidance of the person who'd shielded her for so long was beyond shocking. Sure, she'd wanted some freedom, but being thrown directly into the lion's den without even a year's worth of savings to shield her? Disaster.
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