Right on Cue

Released: February 27, 2024

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Book Summary:

Emmy Harper is no stranger to Hollywood, having penned some of the most popular movies of the past few years. But her latest project has hit a standstill—unable to find the perfect leading lady, Emmy’s been recruited to take on the role herself, dusting off acting skills she hasn’t used in over a decade.

Things take a turn for the worse when a she’s left with the one costar she can’t trust: Grayson West. A blockbuster action hero known for his megawatt smile and impossible abs, Grayson is anyone’s dream of a romantic lead. Too bad Emmy still blames him for her disastrous first movie and the early end to her acting career.

The friction between the two risks tanking the movie, and no one knows if it’s lingering awkwardness from their youth or unresolved sexual tension. But if they want to save the production—and their own careers—they need to get their acts together quickly, both on and off camera.

My Review:

As a big fan of Falon Ballard’s writing, I was over the moon excited to read Right on Cue – especially with it being a book based on two individuals acting in a rom-com with the female protagonist Emmy (i.e. the writer of the rom-com) playing the lead in her own story. The cleverness, the quick-witted exchanges, and the way Emmy highlights the outrageous aspects of romantic comedies are side-splittingly funny. “Right on Cue” holds a magnifying glass to every romantic comedy that’s graced the big screen, the beloved Hollywood romances, and the production process at large, shining a light on all the imperfections we usually gloss over and reminding us of the real lives behind the fictional stories.

Born into a family of stardom, Emmy Harper grew up as Hollywood’s sweetheart. Always wanting to follow in the footsteps of her Academy Award winning parents, Emmy couldn’t wait to prove herself in her first role over, “My Love on Top”. Young, scared, and with her future in front of her (not to mention a handsome costar by the name of Grayson West), Emmy could see everything perfectly aligning – hit movie, showmance, acclamations, and unprecedented success. What actually happened? A disastrous on screen kiss that led to whispered insults, a movie flop, and Emmy giving up on her career in acting before it even left the ground. Fast forward more than a decade, Emmy is now an Academy Award-winning writer with a hit film, “Midnight Sunset,” to her name. Yet as she embarks on her latest rom-com, “No Reservations,” she faces the challenge of finding the perfect actress for the lead role of Isobel. Despite pressure to return to acting, she’s reluctant, only to step up when the film’s financing is at risk, alongside the ever-supportive Jonathan Brentwood. However, an untimely accident replaces Jonathan with Grayson, sparking Emmy’s fear of repeating past failures.

Convinced history is destined to repeat itself after the first few horrifying scenes with Grayson, Emma does a little recon work to discover Grayson’s icy demeanor is solely reserved for her. Blindly focused on retribution, Emma gives as good as she gets until Liz puts a stop to the childishness – placing Emma and Grayson in a room together to work out their problems. A confrontation of past wrongdoing and tension of the present is just the right kindling to turn the underlying sparks into a roaring fire.

As a romantic comedy enthusiast, I loved all the backhanded remarks towards romantic comedies in general. In reality, we know the typical Hallmark movies we’ve come to crave and adore are cliche but kryptonite for the romantics at heart. When Emmy refers to how her life is versus how it happens in the movies, you feel a tongue in cheek moment because you realize you are at the ominous 3/4 portion of the book which is the inevitable breakup.

From the characters, to their exchanges, and the glimpses of behind the scenes movie making magic – I adored every aspect of this book. Falon Ballard was in full form with Emmy’s dialogue and her sarcasm and wit kept me laughing. Supporting characters, like Emmy’s best friend Lizzie and her mother, added to the richness of the story, with every character contributing their own twisted humor, depth, and perspective. Even Sam and Amanda in hair and makeup had me cracking up! The story was beautifully told and unfolded at a speed that kept the reader highly engaged.

Focusing on the characters: Emmy resonated with me on multiple levels. As someone expected to embody perfection, the pressure she felt is something many can understand. As a nepo baby, she lived in a world where perfection, while not required or demanded by her family, was expected by the world watching her every move. The stress, anxiety, and pressure she put on herself was uncomfortably familiar. At any given point, like Emmy, we are being watched, judged, and scrutinized for the decision we do or do not make. Also like Emmy, many of us are so afraid to let someone down that we eventually don’t know who that someone is anymore. That is what made her so relatable and such a perfect soundboard for Grayson. He was so determined to make everyone else happy that he never stopped to think what made him happy.

This is where I thought Ballard did an excellent job focusing on perception and public opinion and the heavy toll it takes. Grayson was the spotlight for most of these lessons presented to the reader. Voted Sexiest Man alive four times, giant action hero, godlike body – he was good enough to ogle but not to take seriously. Despite how he presented himself to the world, his inner soul was shattered. It was all surface for him, no depth. He never felt like he was enough and when he finally felt seen, heard, and then suddenly shut out by Emmy, it destroyed him. The most profound moment was when he realized that he shouldn’t have used Emmy as a vessel for his happiness, that he had to find and make his own happiness, no matter what others thought or felt.

Keeping the focus on Grayson, his situation with his father is heartbreaking. To be written off simply because he followed his passion versus the life his father had laid out for him. By deciding to color outside of the lines, he was discarded – despite his success and fame. To feel that hollow and empty, knowing no matter how well he does – he will never be taken seriously by one of the most important people in his life. It is only amplified his fears mentioned above, that he was seen simply as a gorgeous action figure – i.e. all bronze and no brains. The impact that has on his self esteem and overall confidence nearly brought me to tears. He is so much yet he is perceived as so little by everyone around him. How do you rise above that? The desperation to take a dramatic role to be taken serious by his colleagues and hopefully is father was a huge cry for help.

Moving towards the end, I loved that Ballard did not go the route of a quick and easy resolve. Grayson’s dad didn’t just magically pop up and all was forgiven. Emmy didn’t get to say “Oops, my bad” and again, all was forgiven. Grayson took centerstage with how the resolutions unfolded, as if it was his moment of glory. He knew his self worth and said thank you but no to Emmy, especially after how she treated and then discarded him, without given him any chance to explain. He accepted that he needed to let go of appeasing everyone and live for himself. He shined the brightest in this book and like Emmy said, made you fall in love with him for his mind and heart.

Speaking of which, I loved that Ballard messed with the miscommunication moment in this book. She made it painfully obvious (in a good way) what Grayson actually said, pointing out Emmy’s flaw to assume, react, and bail without knowing the facts. Any reader knew how he finished that sentence and if Grayson had just taken her back – I would have been disappointed. Instead, Falon had the lapsed time of their breakup, the lessons learned, the emotions suffered, so when the toll of Emmy’s judgment finally hit her, you knew she felt the loss, and that made you more accepting of the reconciliation.

Falon has never shied away from steam and intimacy in her books but I swear she cranked it up in this one. The moments Emmy and Grayson were together are some of the hottest I have read by her! What makes it even better is the intimacy the morning after: The love, the closeness, and the scorching moments they have together when they are in public but the rest of the world simply falls away.

Always a fan of the creative talents that are Falon Ballard, I am so grateful she decided to share Emmy and Grayson with the world. This is by far her best book yet! If anyone ever decides to make “Right on Cue” a movie, I will be the first to watch. It was fun to read but I cannot even begin to fathom how much fun it would be to see on the big screen!

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may or may not also include affiliate links for bookshop.org. The affiliates links in no way influence my reviews.

Book Features

About the Book Author

Falon Ballard

Falon Ballard loves to write about love! She also has an undying affection for exclamation points and isn’t ashamed to admit it! When she’s not writing fictional love stories, she’s helping real-life couples celebrate, working as a wedding planner in Southern California. She has a deep appreciation for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is a Disneyland devotee, and is a reality TV aficionado. If she’s not busy wrangling her seven-year-old, you can probably find her drinking wine and posting a picture on Instagram while simultaneously snarking on Twitter, because multitasking!

Connect with Falon Ballard

Official Site: https://www.falonballard.com

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may or may not also include affiliate links for bookshop.org. The affiliates links in no way influence my reviews.