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Brianne Gillen
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Difficult: Phoenix Pictures, Book 1 Kindle Edition

by Brianne Gillen (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 34 ratings
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“I suppose everyone expects a flop from us…But wouldn’t it be a lot more fun if we did something else?”

The Biggest Gossip, Straight Out of 1947 Hollywood!

A Diva Destined for Disaster…

With a face made for the cinema and the acting chops to back it up, Lois Ashford should be one of Hollywood’s most powerful players. But for the last decade, her notorious reputation for being “difficult” has kept her dreams of true stardom at bay—and now it might even cost her the contract she needs to continue her career.

A Heartthrob Heading toward Hazard…

Golden-boy Nick Bradley has always been considered one of the screen’s most captivating leading men—devastatingly handsome, tremendously talented, and a real-life hero to boot. That is, until a scandalous brush with the law makes him tabloid fodder and lands him in hot water with his bosses.

A Match Made for Motion Picture Magic…

When their studio pairs them in a stinker of a film, the last thing anyone expects is for their punishment to lead to a dynamic partnership—least of all Lois and Nick. And after the big bosses push them to capitalize on the momentum with a phony publicity marriage, it isn’t long before the sparks get real and their wedded bliss becomes a lot less fake. But all that glitters is not so golden, and their newly-minted status as Hollywood Royalty might just come at the expense of their hearts. Unless they can find the courage to tell a new story...

*Author's Note: This book contains discussion of past (off-page) workplace sexual harassment.

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  1. Book 1 of 3
    Phoenix Pictures
  2. Print length
    320 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publication date
    August 13, 2021
  6. File size
    1437 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

Black & white film strip with a caption about the Diva and Matinee Idol leads in "Difficult"
Black & white image of a couple with foreheads touching, with a film strip down one side
Black & white film strip with a caption about the lead couple in the romance "Difficult"

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Brianne Gillen is a romance author, costume designer, theatre educator, and life-long storyteller, based in the Los Angeles area. She loves classic films, especially the screwball comedies of the '30s and '40s, and will never turn down the opportunity to browse the treasure troves otherwise known as vintage clothing stores. She is also a voracious reader and firm believer in happily-ever-afters. She has done a bit of playwriting, and in recent years, has contributed her opinions to a few online publications centering on the art and craft of costume design. Difficult is her debut romance novel, and the first in her Phoenix Pictures Series, about fierce dames and cinnamon-roll gents finding love in late-1940s Hollywood. Author website: www.briannegillen.com

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B097JC8H75
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Brianne Gillen (August 13, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 13, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1437 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 34 ratings

About the author

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Brianne Gillen

Brianne Gillen

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Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Brianne Gillen is a romance author, costume designer, theatre educator, and life-long storyteller, based in the Los Angeles area. She loves classic films, especially the screwball comedies of the ‘30s and ‘40s, and will never turn down the opportunity to browse the treasure troves otherwise known as vintage clothing stores. She is also a voracious reader and firm believer in happily-ever-afters. She has done a bit of playwriting, and in recent years, has contributed her opinions to a few online publications centering on the art and craft of costume design. Her Phoenix Pictures Series centers around fierce dames and cinnamon-roll gents finding love in late-1940s Hollywood.

Author website: www.briannegillen.com

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
34 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

CH
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful feel-good 40s movie in novel form
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
I was cautiously optimistic about this from the summary, but I did not expect to love it as much as I did! This captured the feeling of those old movies and old Hollywood so well, and all of the characters were wonderful and wonderfully written. I really adored this. It didn't fall into so many of the traps and tropes that others do, and how the final act was handled was so wonderful. Loved this couple and the story. Can't wait to read the next one, honestly.
One person found this helpful
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Freemajo
4.0 out of 5 stars Golden Era Hollywood
Reviewed in the United States on October 3, 2021
This was a fun little historical romance set in 1940s Hollywood. Lois is a 30 year old actress who’s struggled throughout her 10 years in show biz after being labeled “difficult” by a lecherous studio exec. She’s thrown together with newly minted bad boy Nick in a guaranteed flop as punishment for his recent drug-related arrest. They decide to shock everyone by acting their hearts out to overcome the terrible script, studio be damned.

The sexual tension between Lois and Nick was very believable, and it was entertaining watching the sparks fly between them. They’re both pleasant characters, and sometimes it’s just nice to see pretty people be pretty together. There are a couple sexually explicit scenes, and this is definitely a romance.

The conflict lagged behind the character development for a long time, and when it arrived it wasn’t terribly engaging or believable. The resolution was out of the blue and a little silly, but all’s well that ends well.

I received a free copy from Book Sirens. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
One person found this helpful
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DV
5.0 out of 5 stars A Screwball Comedy Romance to Fall in Love With
Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2021
Verified Purchase
I was raised on old screwball comedies like The Philadelphia Story and My Man Godfrey; Difficult is a love letter to films like those. Lois Ashford and Nick Bradley are two great talents who are both caught up in the politics of the 1940s Hollywood studio system. Lois’ plight will be familiar to many women, because by virtue of knowing her mind—and speaking it—she has been labeled “difficult” by the studio and it’s hurting her career. Nick is also in the studio’s timeout corner, but for very different reasons. Cast together in a flop they put their creative heads together to discover how they can best get their careers back on track. Noticing the press interest in them, the studio head smooshes them together into a phony publicity marriage, but will it stay phony for long?
These main characters are smart and multi-dimensional. The dialogue absolutely glitters—it’s quick and bantery just like all those comedies of yore. So it’s a romance about a movie being made but will also totally sound like one in your head. I can practically hear the Mid-Atlantic accent now…
A great debut.
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JWall10
3.0 out of 5 stars Fun and sweet..fall in love with old Hollywood.
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2021
I did really like the beginning of the story. It was fun, exciting and the writing is very fresh and funny. Easy to read with some great lines. As the story went on, however, I found myself not quite as interested, as not much was happening. Still fun, but a little too long for me, to get the story moving again. But it is a very fun book and I loved the old Hollywood setting. Characters were well developed and imagery was wonderful. A very nice book.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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MM
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun 1940s Hollywood love story!
Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2021
Thank you to BookSirens for an ARC of Difficult.

I felt as though the book started out a little slowly. But then it took off and I was able to breeze through it.

The characters of Lois and were written very well. They felt like they belonged in 1947. I recently watched the movie Trumbo which also takes place in the Hollywood of the late 1940s and early 1950s. Lois and Nick could absolutely live in that movie.

I enjoyed the details of how things work in Hollywood. Studios and contracts and personalities were described well. Nothing felt forced about this book.

I'm very happy this will be a series because it will be great to find out what is in store for Phoenix Pictures.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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Amanda
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Hollywood Historical Romance
Reviewed in the United States on October 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book brought me right to 1940s Hollywood! Our hero is the golden boy of cinema - he's a charming, thoughtful, war hero type and when he meets our heroine, he's gone for her. Our heroine is a a sharp witted, ambitious dame with a reputation, who doesn't know if she can trust anyone in this business. They're forced together to make a movie and decide to make it their own way, and help each other get what they want.

This book is hot - it's lush with descriptions that put you in that time and space and the main characters are on fire! Added to that is a whole host of secondary characters that just dazzle and a plot that makes any modern woman cheer.

Highly recommend!
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L.L.
5.0 out of 5 stars A fun read for classic movie fans!
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2021
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This book is such a delight! It took a few chapters for me to really get hooked, but once “Teacups in July” (🤣) started production, I was all in. This is a great read for classic movie fans, and I love all the little references the author included (Jungle Red!!!!). The dialogue was laugh-out-loud funny, and the steamy slow burn romance kept me up reading well past my bedtime. I can’t wait for the next book in the Phoenix Pictures series!
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Josh Adell
5.0 out of 5 stars A spirited romance!
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2021
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What a lovely, funny, and energetic escape back to post-war Hollywood that also grapples with the darker realities boiling underneath the glamour. I can't wait to read more in the series!
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