Starstruck Book

What a delightful little book, I have always said that the old Harlequin books were gems. This book had a h working as a reporter when she is told to interview Hollywood heartthrob Joe, she doesn't want to do it but her boss gave her a chance when she was 29, newly divorced with five kids and no experience, he tells her to do it for him, Joe's agent asked for her specifically. When she does meet him, he's late and hits on her and she brushes him off but much to her dismay he comes to her house and gets comfortable with her kids and she sees that maybe he isn't that shallow, she also sees that he cares about peace, the topic on which he has been giving speeches.

Her antipathy towards Joe comes in part because of her ex-husband Tom. They were married for ten years when suddenly it wasn't enough for him, she wasn't passionate enough and spent too much time with kids and what not, he was cheating on her so they got divorced and for all intents and purposes she is a single mom since she has to force Tom to spend time with the kids.

Joe is 36 and a bachelor and he enjoys his life and the women and then he meets Liv and he can't get her out of his mind, they talk when he goes away on his tour and then he comes back to town renting a house. They almost make love when her ex-husband and his ex interrupt and he leaves but comes back slowly becoming friends with a very careful Liv.

For Joe marriage was something like a death sentence because he felt people stopped living after that and it was something his accountant father tried to push him into, so he rebelled and became an actor but now he is tired of playing the same roles and wants to write a screenplay and live in a house that isn't for show. Being with Liv is mighty confusing to him, he loves her kids but doesn't know what he wants with her.

When they do end up in bed Liv tells him she loves him and he asks her to move in with her, but she can't do that she has five kids to think about and he takes off hoping to go back to his old life, being miserable and stubborn until finally admitting he wants it all with her.

I found the book to be sweet, Liv was great, a great mother balancing work with family and wary of being hurt. She wasn't in awe of Joe or his fame instead she was suspicious what could he want of her and her kids. Joe was well like a child who grows up.