The Comeback by Ella Berman @ellabee @BerkleyPub

Brenda’s review

Grace seems to have it all in Hollywood style and people see her as spoiled and entitled. They see her as they want to see her, but underneath that glamour, there is more to Grace. Behind all that she is vulnerable, lost and alone with her secrets. Secrets that have rocked her sense of safety and self-worth. She tried to leave it all behind and now she has come back and must confront her past and what she has left behind.

I went accepting this to be a suspenseful thriller and that it is not. It has some suspense to it, and the story starts with a scene that left me with many questions. I was turning the pages as fast as I could to find some answers. At times I was a bit frustrated waiting for those answers and wished the pace was faster however through Grace we learn about her past as she confronts her past at her own pace and struggles with finding herself. I loved that dynamic to the story.

There is some behind the scenes writing here, and Ella Berman leaves it up to us to piece together the trauma that has left Grace feeling alone and wanting to hide from the world. The focus is on Grace’s eternal struggles while not exploring the details of her trauma. She gives us enough to know what is going on to allow us to form our own thoughts.

I instantly connected to Grace and her vulnerability and loneliness tugged at my momma heartstrings and I wanted to protect her. Grace’s relationships with the other characters are complicated and I wished that they were fleshed out more than they were. I questioned the motivations of the other characters that created some tension to the story for me however I wished there was more depth to them.

I did feel a little letdown to the conclusion to the climax to the story and I loved one twist to the story that did give it a clever thrill to the story for me. I loved the way things wrapped and Grace’s comeback was rewarding!! I highly recommend it!

Lindsay’s review

An eye-opening, behind-the-scenes look into the life of a teenage actress.

I really liked the main character, Grace, and felt an immediate investment in her story. She was so young, vulnerable and alone with her fame and fortune. It was heart wrenching to learn what can happen behind the scenes in Hollywood. I worried for her not having the support she needed, especially at such a young age. I thought the author did a fantastic job portraying the deceit, manipulation and abuse without actually giving the reader unnecessary detail. This was an eye-opening look into how Hollywood lives are portrayed and perceived versus the reality of how some of these rich and famous “Hollywood stars” live. You can have all the money in the world, yet be lonely and alone.

I enjoyed watching Grace’s relationships change throughout the story. As she learns more about her true self and where she belongs in the world, Grace works on her relationships with her family, friends and husband. I thought the author did a great job with the secondary characters which, in turn, shed light on Grace as a person.

The overall reading experience was a mix of things for me. I really enjoyed many aspects of the novel, but some parts dragged. The writing was great, but the storyline wavered as far as holding my interest consistently.

Overall, my curiosity was piqued and I rooted for a positive outcome for Grace. This was an interesting and entertaining read that provided a thought-provoking look into the fame and fortune of young actors in Hollywood.

We received copies from the publisher to read and review

Talking about my shelve or maybe to myself.

I have added this one to my feminism shelve because I thought it gives awareness to the systemic abuse of power against women and is a voice for the me too movement. I thought the author did a good job representing Grace and her trauma with sensitivity and gave a stand against abuse. I stand with her!!