Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland
Source: eARC for review from the publisher
Plot Summary of Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland
Becca Harrington is a reject. After being rebuffed by every college on her list, she needs a fresh start, so she packs up everything and moves to LA, giving herself one year to land an acting gig or kill herself trying. Unfortunately, not everything turns out as planned, and after a few grueling months, LA is looking like the worst idea ever. As hard as she tries, Becca can’t land an agent, she's running out of cash, and her mom is hounding her to apply to more schools. In an act of desperation, Becca and her friend Marisol start posting short videos online—with the help of their adorable filmmaker neighbor, Raj—and the videos catch the attention of a TV producer. Could this be it? Her big break? Or will she have to move back home with nothing but some bad head shots and a monstrous credit-card bill? Becca may not get the Hollywood ending she was hoping for, but perhaps she’ll learn there’s more than one way to achieve her dream.
Review of Hello, Sunshine by Leila Howland
I loved that this book didn't sugarcoat the difficulty of working toward your dreams. I was reading an New York Times article recently that described a new college class on ... failure -- being open to it and bouncing back from it. The article argues that today's kids, raised by helicopter parents in a trophy-for-everyone culture, haven't been taught how to fail. (I'd also argue that social media culture, a culture that didn't exist during the 80s and 90s when I grew up, encourages all of us to pretend that our lives are great and perfect all the time.)
There was something so endearing to me about this book. I'm an HGTV addict, and loved Becca's struggles to set up her tiny apartment on a budget - yes, stories of hanging curtains on the cheap are fascinating to me.
All in all, a cute book that's also inspirational. And a great summer read!
I didn't know about this book before, but it sounds really good. I don't think I ever read a book like this. So glad you enjoyed it!!
ReplyDeleteThanks - hope you give it a try!
DeleteI remember seeing this one around on Goodreads a few months back. I love the cover! This sounds really cute and like something I would enjoy. I'm glad it is realistic about the struggles of chasing your dream. Sometimes they make things seem too easy in books. lol! Great review!
ReplyDeleteOh this sounds like something I would really like. Plus, how she handles adversity is such a good theme. I really need to read this one.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds sooooo good and I LOVE your pic!
ReplyDeleteFor What It's Worth