SCRIPTED UNSCRIPTED

When an actress is fired, the 16-year-old
dog trainer on set fills in.

Ellie Quinn longs to be a
professional animal trainer like her father but is often stuck petsitting for
celebrities like the diva Kate Montgomery, who is starring in Born in
Beverly Hills, a spinoff television series based on her previous role. When
Kate’s on-screen sidekick is let go, Ellie reluctantly becomes the temporary
substitute actress. Unconvincingly, her performance is well received by the
show’s producers, resulting in tension among her, Kate, and the show’s two love
interests: Logan Canfield, Kate’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, and Cam
Rodriguez, the sweet newcomer. Ellie is torn—if the show fails, her father will
sell his half of Animal Stars Inc. so they can leave Hollywood and move back to
Salinas to live on her ailing grandfather’s lettuce farm with her bitter aunt
and overwhelming cousins. But ensuring the show’s success means taking part in
uncomfortable fake-dating publicity stunts—and Ellie often fails to stand up
for herself when pushed into difficult situations. The story’s strongest attributes,
such as Cam’s opinions about on-screen portrayals of Latinx characters and
Ellie’s attempts to make her own choices, are unfortunately unable to
compensate for the rushed romance and many unsympathetic characters. Major
characters are assumed white, except for Cam who is Mexican American.

An eye roll–worthy beach read. (Fiction.
12-16)