Book Review | Someone else's Fairytale | E.M. Tippetts

Someone Else’s Fairytale

Ordinary Chloe Winters has what every woman wants–the heart of Hollywood’s hottest celebrity Jason Vanderholt. Falling for a hot shot A-lister is the last thing on Chloe’s mind. She has no interest in romance–or his scene, especially the crowd of people who surround him. After all, Chloe’s more wrapped up in finishing college–not fraternizing with Hollywood’s elite. Her best bet is to stay under the radar and steer clear of everyone’s leading man.

But Jason can’t get his mind off the timid and sweet girl. Now, it’s up to the heartthrob to steal the heart of the one girl who doesn’t want him. But what happens when this contemporary Cinderella doesn’t even want to try on the glass slipper?

After all, not everyone has the same fairytale. . .

Author Profile

Non-review Rant

I read this book in March 2024. The cover kinda made me hesitate. Even though it’s a clean romance, the cover screams not-so. But I’m glad that I picked up the book. It isn’t a steamy romance, far from it-a gentle love story.

Let’s get back to the book.

Recap

“Someone Else’s Fairytale” by E.M. Tippetts is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and self-discovery that will warm your heart. It also has a dash of mystery that will keep you guessing, and reminded me of “The Perfect Wife” by Black Pierce.

The story follows Chloe, a college student who accidentally meets Hollywood heartthrob, Jason Vanderholt, on a shoot on her college campus. She’s being an extra while he’s being his best charming self. What starts as a chance encounter soon turns into a whirlwind romance that neither of them expected.

Some Key Characters

Chloe Winters

The heroine

Jason Vanderholt (nothing like Voldemort)

The hero, one of the best ones ever

Matthew

Chloe’s best friend and…

Lori

Chloe’s best friend

Charlie

Lori’s boyfriend

Dr Winters

Chloe’s father

Beth Winters

Chloe’s half sister

Chris Winters

Chloe’s half brother

Lilian Vanderholt

Jason’s mother, a lawyer

P Vanderholt

Jason’s father, a lawyer

Steve Vanderholt

Jason’s brother, a lawyer

Jennifer Vanderholt

Jason’s twin sister, older by three minutes, a chef

Kyle

Jen’s husband

Kyra

Kyle’s daughter, Jen’s step-daughter, a “teenager”

Review

One of the things I loved most about this book is Chloe’s character. She’s smart, relatable, and refreshingly down-to-earth, despite her sudden brush with fame. Her internal struggles and growth throughout the story are beautifully portrayed, making her a protagonist you can’t help but root for. But, as any normal person is, she also has moment where she sounds unreasonable, and annoys us with her reasoning and choices. Very real.

The other characters are also important, and nice, but at times I felt that everyone was being too nice to Chloe. Much later in the story, there is a woman on Jason’s set (I forget her name) who was “slightly” bitchy about Chloe, and Jason’s fans were at times a bit fanatic. Everyone else was so understanding of her. Aise hota hai kya life mein?

The romance between Chloe and Jason is sweet and believable, with plenty of swoon-worthy moments that will leave you smiling. Their chemistry leaps off the page, and you’ll find yourself eagerly turning the pages to see how their relationship unfolds.

Tippetts has a knack for writing witty dialogue and engaging prose that keeps the story moving at a brisk pace. The supporting cast of characters, from Chloe’s quirky best friend, to Jason’s loyal assistant, add depth and humor to the narrative, making the fictional world feel vibrant and alive.

Here are a few that I marked.

Some Notes / Lines I liked / Typos I noticed

One – That Day – Page 6

Goosebumps stood out all over my arms and I wished I hadn’t had my hair cut the week before. I could’ve used more warmth on the back of my neck.

Note – hilarious! 🤣

Two – Photograph – Page 13

Lori, sensing that I was about to lose my temper, put the newspaper down and said something about needing to use the bathroom. She beat a hasty retreat. Which told me I needed to calm down. I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger and took a couple of deep breaths.

Two – Photograph – Page 15

Matthew just sipped more coffee and said, “I saw the way he looked at you in line.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “He noticed you. Take it from another guy. I saw.”

Note – Matt likes her

Three – Coffee and Vandalism – Page 18

I poured a cup of regular for him and decaf for me. His visit had given me the jitters.

Note – succinct

Three – Coffee and Vandalism – Page 20

“People don’t watch interviews to get to know me. They don’t want to know the real me. They just want to be entertained,” Jason said.

Note – how true

Three – Coffee and Vandalism – Page 23

“I was a rookie way back when. Helped them airlift you.”

Note – it should be “back then”. and back when? what’s her story? got curiouser.

Four – Danger Fields – Page 26

We just weren’t on the same page about it all. He went on and on about how long we’d been together, like there’s a time limit, and you know?
Highlight (pink) – Page 30
“Where are we going to dinner?” Lori asked.

Note – Page 30
I know they’re friends but I hate it when people interrupt me during a phone call and this conversation made my blood boil. Anyone else feel the same way?

Five – Dinner and a Movie

– Page 36
I just ignored him then. My food was way more interesting than his condescension.

– Page 38
Fans won’t be around forever. Twenty years from now, New Light will be some campy old movie trilogy that teenagers mock to their parents, if anyone even watches it anymore. The stuff you learn, though, you never unlearn all the way.”

Note – Page 38
profound

– Page 44
Matthew was sitting on our front stoop. My spirits lifted at once.

Note – Page 44
oh, she likes Matt back

Eight – The Vanderholts

– Page 64
“Lillian,” the woman introduced herself to me. She had her son’s eyes.

Note – Page 64
love how the phrase is turned around

– Page 66
“Howabout you?”

Note – Typo
Ten – Paparazzi – Page 77

Sure, I thought, brown hair. That’s so distinctive.

Note – Page 77
love the sarcasm

Eleven – Skype Calls – Page 84

“He around a lot?”

Note – Page 84
jealous much? 😁

Twelve – Chris – Page 88

“You know how to get a restraining order?”

Note – Page 88
so many nice people. Jason, Mathew, Jason’s family, Chloe’s half sister, officer Baca…

– Page 93
Typical Vanderholt logic, let us give you stuff worth more than you can afford and we’ll thank you for it. Now I could see where Jason got it from.
Thirteen – Digging Up the Past

– Page 99
“Let people be nice to you.

Note – Page 99

I will let people be nice to me if they try, hehe. Jason jas some nice lines.

Sixteen – First Kiss

Note – Page 118
why would she ruin it for us but titling the chapter this way?

– Page 118
WE

Note – Typo

– Page 126
I put my hand on Matthew’s rough, unshaven cheek and touched my lips to his.

Note – Page 126
okay, I hate Chloe now. Matthew isn’t right for her.

Seventeen – Matthew – Page 132

I didn’t want Vanderholt to win.

Note – Page 132
Told ya. not the right person.

Nineteen – Poetic Justice – Page 147

“Well how come I don’t get to cry about it? How come I’ve got to be the strong one?

Note – Page 147
totally know the feeling of always being the strongest person

Twenty-Two – His Question – Page 169

Come on, Chloe, I thought. English is your first language. Try to speak it coherently.

Note – Page 169
oh, hilarious 😂

– Page 170
When he broke off, there were tears in his eyes, real tears!

– Page 173
“So how have you been? I haven’t spoken to you in forever.”
Twenty-Four – Love Scenes

– Page 187
“New Orleans is a really nice city.”

Note – Page 187
all this while, this book has been reminding me about another book that I read: So Not My Thing ,and incidently that book was based in New Orleans.

Twenty-Five – The Talk- Page 198

“Okay, I’m out of insults for now. I’ll have to think of more.”

Twenty-Six – Kyra – Page 201

Do I do that, just start acting when I’m stressed?

Note – Page 201
Jason is funny

Twenty-Seven – Lori – Page 207

“If I had a daughter her age, I might have her chained to the floor.”“The thought has crossed my mind, but I think that’s illegal.

Twenty-Nine – My Question – Page 224

“Yeah. You expect me to harass you? You think I’m like that?”

Note – Page 224
Jason is an understanding chap. Why doesn’t Chloe understand that?

– Page 226
“So if it’s a choice between risking regret and abstinence,” he said, “abstinence wins.

Thirty-One – Things Fall Apart – Page 240

If there’s something wrong and you’re considering anything drastic—”

Note – Page 240
I think I know where this is going

Highlight (pink) – Page 245
I looked at Jason. “What’s going on?”

Note – Page 245
wtf? losing coherence

Thirty-Three – The Setup – Page 255

How did you not pick up on this right from the beginning?

Note – Page 255
Seriously! How die she not pick up on this from the beginning? I thought Chloe was smart.

Overall, “Someone Else’s Fairytale” is a charming and heartwarming read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance. It’s a story about love, friendship, and the courage to pursue your dreams, even when they seem out of reach. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a feel-good romance with a touch of Hollywood glamour.

You can buy “Someone Else’s Fairytale” for free on Amazon.

Stay tuned for more book reviews.

Until next time, happy reading!

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Shabana Mukhtar