Love Unscripted

Love Unscripted - Tina Reber

Ryan Christensen just wanted to be an actor. Never in his wildest dreams did he ever think he'd become the most sought after film star on the planet. Taryn Mitchell has been feigning contentment while running the family pub in Seaport, Rhode Island. Her peaceful life is tossed upside down when Ryan tries to outrun a group of fans by taking a shortcut through Mitchell's Pub.

This novel starts off in the small town, Rhode Island bar of Taryn Mitchell.  Little did she know that the all to famous celebrity, Ryan Christensen, would stumble into her bar and forever change her life. She wanted nothing to do with the famous celebrities that were in town filling the second movie of the Seaside trilogy and their snobby ways.  Ryan Christensen was famous, beautiful, and fending off every female world wide. She had never seen his movies, and could care less.  Then, one fateful day, she helped him escape the wild fans and ushered him into her bar.  He was a normal person as they talked for the rest of the afternoon alone in her bar.  She knew he was wrong for her, and leaving after the end of the movie filming, but something felt right about him.  He wasn't this self-centered, egotistical actor she imagined; but a normal guy who just so happened to be famous.  The more time she spent with him the more she fell for him.  She couldn't, she wouldn't fall for him and the walls went up.  He had to have her, after all she didn't want him for his money or his fame. She wanted him for him.  Their story, however, was not to be without struggle.  How could she not be jealous of his co-star ex-girlfriend who was filming as his love interest?  How could she not think she was not good enough? How could she not blame herself? Did he really love her? Should she trust him? Should he trust her? 


Tina Reber did a wonderful job drawing me into this novel.  I was hooked from the first interaction of Ryan and Taryn.  The beginning started out a bit slow as we developed the character of Taryn as unsure of herself. We see the forming of a late twenty-something woman who was heart-broken and in the 'men suck' stage of getting over her ex-fiance that cheated on her.  In true movie/book fashion her prince charming fell into her lap, or should I say bar, expectantly.  From the moment you meet Ryan, you know he is not the stuck up actor that the tabloids make him out to be.  That is what is great about this book; you get to see the stars from their point of view.  Ryan is just a normal twenty-something guy, who happens to be H-O-T-T and an actor, and the heartthrob of every girl in the world.  To me he is like Justin Bieber (please don't hate me for the reference, I am not a big Justin fan, but it fit perfectly).  Justin was an over night sensation and went from typical teenage boy to mega star after one hit.  That is Ryan, one movie and now he is Charles from Seaside.  (also similar to the overnight sensation Rob Pattenson  got from Twilight).  These guys can have a hard time coping with instant fame.... but who wouldn't? Taryn sees him for him, and that makes her his perfect lover.  Every good book has to have the 'happily ever after.'  We see this in the middle of the book. While Ryan is filming his movie in the small town they have it all, and have a dang good relationship of sorts (if you forget about having to dodge the cameras, crazy girls, stalkers, and basic nut jobs).  This section of the book plants the roots for what is to come in the later parts.  The book really gets interesting when Ryan leaves to shot another movie in Miami with an ex-girlfriend.  The long distance and stress of him being famous really start to push them into a tail-spin and their relationship hangs in the balance.  Without giving any details away, the last part of this book can be very dramatic but pulls you in and won't let you put your book down!  


It really got me as a great book because of how real it is.  Even though he is a movie star, the dynamics of their relationship are very real and everyone can relate.  You can even relate to his fame, and it will make you think twice before you pick up a PEOPLE or US Weekly or watch TMZ.    It is around 600 pages (I read it on my tablet so I do not have an exact page count), but is worth the time spent reading such a large novel.  She also has the next four chapters of the second book, Love Unrehearsed, available at her website. 

I give it a 4.5 out of 5!!