Staged: Ruby Preston

Scarlett from SHOWBIZ is back. With her own production company she is ready to present her first work on broadway, Swan Song. The problem is that she can't get a theater, but she can't let that hold her back. So, she works on finding a director, gets a young hollywood star as a lead lined up. As she keeps working on a place to present the work Scarlett has to consider what lines she is willing to cross and how many friends she is willing to alienate in order to pursue her dream.

I still love Preston's works. I am excited to see that this is a trilogy, so we will be able to continue to read about Scarlett and maybe see her dream come to fruition. Again as a theater person I found this plot very relatable, but don't think that others who don't have a theater background would be lost. Scarlett is developed in this book, but I personally think if you didn't have the background of the first book on her and some of her main supporting friends you may be a little lost. Having read both of the books I could relate to Scarlett and the situations she found herself in and feel due to that I could understand why she made some of the decisions she did in a way you might not without the background.

I would highly recommend this book to others especially someone who worked in theater/did theater as a hobby or even just someone who always wished they could work in theater. This plot focused more on the life outside the theater then the last one, but you knew that aspect was still there. Someone who enjoys Smash the television show would enjoy this book.

I was disappointed by a few aspects of this book compared to the last. That was time passed between the two books and character development/relationships changed in that time and those changes were not well presented to the reader but as kind of second hand news/after the fact oh yeah I should tell you details to fill us in. I personally would have liked to know more about those relationships too and have gotten that insight. I think that part of it for me was I felt like I knew the characters and they were like my friends, so I would like to know about the details I missed. That is just me and didn't distract from the overall plots.

I have to give this book 4 stars in it lacked a few things for me, but it was still really enjoyable. I would encourage others to go read it and the others in the series.


This review is part of chick lit plus blog tours.

I was provided a copy of the book for review, but the summary and thoughts on the book are mine.