Review: LOVED IT.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 09 11, 2013
I have to take my hat off to Jane Harvey-Berrick, she really can write some brilliant stories. I've read The Education of Sebastian, The Education of Caroline, Dangerous to Know Love and now Dazzled. And with everyone they seem to be getting better and better and I fall in love with her characters every time.Just off the top I have to mention the one thing I loved the absolute most whilst reading this. Both characters are British and from London, being British myself (and I know Jane is too) I found this so refreshing. I am so used to reading books written about American people, by American people. And whilst I have absolutely zero problem with that, I can't help but feel all giddy and excited when I read one about people from the other side of the pond. It just feels like home and I appreciate it even more. The words are familiar, sayings make me feel like I'm reading about my friends and family and I find myself chuckling when little things like my home town or places I visit are mentioned. I LOVE IT.Clare could possibly be one of my absolute favourite heroines, ever. She is so refreshing, familiar, likeable, loveable, relatable, and so damn freaking NORMAL. It is the most unusual thing in books these days to really be able to put yourself in the heroines shoes and not feel like a fraud. So often these chicks are so unbelievable gorgeous, skinny, smart, and perfect and really, us readers pretending to be them is pretty comical. Not Clare though, she is such an ordinary chick and I really loved her character. Clare and Miles are the best of friends, their families are friends, they've known each other since they were tiny. They love each other but strictly in a friends way.. or so Miles thinks. UGH. My heart broke CONSTANTLY for poor Clare. She was so in love with Miles and he had no idea whatsoever. A typical guy. He sees Clare as nothing more than a friend, one of the guys, somebody he can have a laugh and a joke with, or sink a pint down the pub."In what universe was it fair that she got to have him? Just because she was beautiful and talented? Was I so awful? So hideous that he would never choose me? What if I wore a paperbag? What was wrong with me"And then we have Miles. Sigh.. lovely, lovely, Miles. I had a little love/hate relationship with him at times. Miles is a London boy born and bred who has suddenly been given an incredible opportunity to be the lead actor in a brand new book to movie adaptation. His life is about to change, is he ready to be LA's new It guy? The journey to find out was sure to be a bumpy ride. I'm afraid to say the fame, the bright lights and the hot girls he was constantly surrounded by got to his head a little. His new found fame, and being thrust in to the lime light over night was a shock to the system. His new co-star, Lilia the b1tch, was another hurdle altogether and STILL, even with his best friend, Clare, by his side, having travelled across the world to be with him, he still couldn't recognise the love that she held for him. I wanted to smack him round the head and shake some sense in to him. All in the name of love of course."Aw, you love me really." I said, wrapping my arms around his waist, and planting a squeaky kiss on his cheek."Nah," he said. "You're more like a bad habit."He was joking. I knew he was joking. But I wanted to cry."The majority of Dazzled is set in LA, where Miles' film is being shot, and I found myself constantly believing I was right there with them. I loved all of the filming excitement, the premières, the interviews, the crazy fans. Jane described it all to perfection and not once did I ever feel like it was unbelievable. The story is also told in dual POV which I love to bits. There really is nothing better than being able to get inside both characters heads, even though it could be painful at times. Clare's POV was the most painful to read, reading her thoughts on Miles and his silly ways broke my heart, but it was all so important. It helped me understand her, and Miles' chapters helped me understand him and why he made particular decisions throughout the book. As well as Jane's usual incredible writing, and addicing storylines, we are treated to a little more this time around. The humour throughout this book had me in STITCHES. On more occasion than once I found myself chuckling, giggling and just generally SO happy. The one-liners were so so perfect."I don't go around dipping my wick into anything that has a pulse."I don't want to spoil any of the book at all, but I just want to talk about Clare and Miles' actual relationship. As I said before, they are strictly friends, and it stays that way throughout the majority of the book. A romance doesn't happen between the two of them for a long time, but I loved the build up. The sexual tension between the two of them was apparent the whole way through the book, so when *something* did finally happen, I could not have been happier. It was beautiful and I felt a huge amount of relief. It was so perfect and I was reading the words with a massive smile on my face."Just so you know...""Yeah?""I love you too, Miles.""You do?""Of course, you moron."I loved Dazzled and, I know I'm being greedy when I say this, but I can not WAIT for what Jane has in store for us next.