What It Takes by Kathryn Ascher | Rating: ★★★★☆

I’m mixed between giving it a 3-4 star rating because it was enjoyable, I really did quite like the romance of it all, but it wasn’t anything I hadn’t read before. I thought it was handled well in terms of writing and the characters were all interesting to read. Romance was flying and we had all the glamor of Hollywood and all the complications of that world as well as regular life. It certainly kept me interested from the very start.

I felt quite bad for Kelsey and her sister in particular. They both have to deal with so much in their lives and I can only imagine how scarring and frustrating such could be. In particular, Richard (Kelsey’s brother in law) was an insufferable pig and every time he came out to play in the pages, I wanted to throw something at him. And to be completely honest, it took a lot of effort not to throw something at him.

I had to keep reminding myself he was a fictional character — but he is a very believable villain. There are so many men who are out in our world and just as gross as he is. Men like him are the reason some women are too scared to stand up to men and well, you’ll know his type once you read the story.

Their mother isn’t much better. She is a very complex and old fashioned woman in terms of her mind and while it was interesting and frustrating to read, I just couldn’t feel much sympathy towards her; in spite of her reasoning when it came down to how she acted. I worry what will happen with the family after the firecracker of a finale.