Review: Director's Cut by Carlyn Greenwald

Director's Cut by Carlyn Greenwald

Blurb from Goodreads:

After taking a guest teaching gig, Oscar-winning Valeria Sullivan finds herself trapped in a battle of wits with her sexy co-professor, but can she keep her cool when things heat up in and out of the classroom?At twenty-nine, Valeria Sullivan is a celebrated, award-winning actress. But when her acting options start to decline and her attempt to transition to directing is complicated by a bad interview on a late night show, Val decides she’s had enough of Hollywood. Intent on pursuing a neglected passion, she pours herself into a guest professorship at USC, hoping to transition to academia fulltime.Standing in her way is her co-professor, Maeve Arko, whose brilliance and beauty is matched only by her contempt for Val. As Val rises to the challenges that teaching throws at her, though, Maeve starts to soften, and soon sparks are flying.Now with a job and a girlfriend she adores, Val should be happy. But Hollywood isn’t done with Val quite yet. Her directorial debut, Oakley in Flames, starts getting attention, and soon Val has to choose between her obligations to her class—and Maeve—and the burgeoning dream Hollywood career she may not be ready to leave behind.

 

I liked this a lot even though it was really really really hard to understand Val during most of the book -- her motivations weren't clear (and probably not even to herself) but I found myself wanting her to just get out of her own way in so many respects. But there was growth and some swooning and a great ending.

Director's Cut comes out next week on June 11, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.  

Trish and I slowly ease back into normal conversation as we get closer to my home in Hollywood Hills. Yes, I'm that asshole who lives in Hollywood Hills. I've wanted the BoJack Horseman view ever since I binged the show and like fifty pounds of Wendy's in the months post-failed PhD and failed engagement with Emily. At least I think that's where I got the idea to move here from. Truthfully, all I remember about that time period was sobbing into my older sister Gwyn's shirt and asking if I was Mr. Peanutbutter or Diane. Gwyn told me I was the worst parts of both.