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famous for a liviing book coverInsta-Worthy

Author: Melissa Ferguson

Right time. Right place. Right book. Every book lover knows the feeling when the three come together. My copy of Famous for a Living arrived just when I was in the mood and had the time to read something light. Perfect.

Famous for a Living is a frothy romantic comedy about Cat Cranwell. Cat is a social media influencer. She lives a fabulous New York lifestyle, sharing every moment with her legion of followers. She is showered with products, partnerships, contracts, and other lucrative deals.

Cat’s wealth and fame come entirely from her carefully curated social media presence. When her reputation is tarnished by a deal gone wrong, she leaves the spotlight and heads for the hills. Literally. Cat relocates to the wilds of Montana, to a small national park managed by her uncle.

She could not be more of a fish out of water. Her job is to manage the park’s social media, starting pretty much from scratch. She is so far out of her glamorous wheelhouse that she’s more likely to freeze to death than get the fresh start she seeks.

Author Melissa Ferguson gives us a heroine in Cat that we struggle a bit to love, entirely by design. Famous for a Living is about looking below the surface. Cat needs to find life and love beyond her phone.

As Ferguson spools out the events that led Cat to internet stardom and the fallout from her scandal, she also introduces us to the ragtag staff dedicated to keeping their remote park intact.

Cat discovers that there is a world outside of NYC and she bonds with these quirky folks, even the stoic, handsome Zaiah, who looks at her lifestyle with distrust and disdain.

There’s nothing revolutionary about Famous for a Living. It’s a story about a woman forced out of her luxury bubble and into a new, frustrating, un-glamorous world. Her difficult past helps her create a new future. The supporting characters add a hefty dash of local color to the proceedings.

The story arc is predictable, but there is plenty of timely fun to be had along the way. Ferguson has something to say about our image-obsessed culture and it’s not entirely what you expect.

I had a good time with Famous for a Living. It’s a light, casual, fast-paced read with interesting characters and a great setting. If you, like Cat, need to escape for a while, this Montana wilderness romantic comedy has a lot to offer.

Sue Millinocket
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