In Famous for a Living, Melissa Ferguson explores the question: what would happen if someone who’s insta-famous falls for someone who’s anti-everything she stands for?
When Cat Cranwell world implodes, she retreats to Kannery National Park, Montana, which is as far away from her influencer life as one can get.
Famous for a Living was a fun read as we followed Cat’s journey from the glamor of New York to the rustic charm of Montana. At first glance, Zaiah and Cat seemed destined to be enemies. But as these two characters spend more time with each other, they uncover hidden depths.
Zaiah was a wonderful character. He came off as a grumpy bear, but he was protective, loyal, and honorable. He was just the person Cat needed to consider some of her life’s choices, including her use of social media.
I’m not going to lie: the subtle (not-so-subtle) message about the dangers of social media got to me.
Famous for a Living will prompt readers to evaluate their use of social media. Has it gone beyond healthy boundaries? Do they need to make changes?
They will also be reminded that there’s life beyond the screen and that everyone can benefit from taking a break once in a while.
The romance element was mild, as much of the book was focused on Cat’s self-discovery and growth.
Famous for a Living has a cast of characters ranging from adorable to nerdy, all of them fun to read. There were several scenes where I was grinning as I listened to their antics.
I listened to an audiobook and enjoyed the narrator Talon David. Ms. David did a fantastic job and made listening fun.
If you enjoy fish out of water or opposites attract you may enjoy Famous for a Living.
I received an advanced reader’s copy from the publisher through NetGalley; a positive review was not required.
About Famous for a Living
She’s Insta-famous. He uses a flip phone.
When her business partner is accused of serious financial crimes, superstar influencer Cat Cranwell—an engineered marvel of beauty, energy, and fun—falls from her penthouse perch. Desperate to get away from the online trolls and paparazzi documenting her disgrace, Cat accepts her uncle’s offer to work with him in Kannery National Park, Montana. About as far as possible from life as she’s known it.
Cat’s world shifts from the swirling haze of likes and comments to literal blizzards of frostbite temperatures and waist-deep snow. In place of negotiating brand deals, she finds herself negotiating at the ledge of a frozen lake with her die-hard Polar Bear Plunge coworkers.
Instead of padding through the marble kitchen of her Manhattan loft, she’s sharing a tent-sized cabin with a roommate eager to bond like characters in sitcoms. But something curious is also happening in this overwhelming breath of fresh air as she reacquaints with the most honest parts of herself and begins to ask the hard questions. Can Cat love herself with, and without, the world watching?
Then there’s that other tiny problem—she’s falling for Zaiah, the ruggedly handsome park ranger—and he hates anything remotely connected to social media, quite possibly her included.
Written with bestselling author Melissa Ferguson’s signature wit and charm, this laugh-out-loud romantic comedy of opposites attract is full of hilarious romp and a romance that will melt readers’ hearts.
• Sweet romantic comedy
• Stand-alone novel
• Book length: 80,000 words
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs
Purchase Famous for a Living on Amazon | Barnes and Noble
About Melissa Ferguson
Melissa Ferguson lives in Bristol, Tennessee, where she enjoys chasing her children and writing romantic comedies full of humor and heart. Her favorite hobby is taking friends and acquaintances and turning them into characters in her books without their knowledge. She is confident you should read all her novels, starting with this one.
Connect with her (and prepare for the possibility of becoming her next character) at:
Instagram: @melissafergusonauthor
TikTok: @melissafergusonlife
Website: https://melissaferguson.com/
Facebook: MelissaLeighFerguson
About Talon David
Talon was born and raised in Nashville, TN. Involved in theatre, music, and performance from a young age, she fell in love with telling stories, several times even reading books to her younger sister, employing crazy character voices and excitable narration. Little did Talon know this was a foreshadowing experience.
She ended up continuing her passion for music, specifically, through a Bachelor of Music from Belmont University. However, when trying to find a suitable job after graduation, in the aftermath of COVID, Talon realized she could use her audio editing skills–and musicianship–for audiobook narration.
After almost two years in the professional VO world, Talon has been involved in commercial adverts for Intel, IBEX, Provide, etc., played characters in video games and animated children’s shows, and (as her specialty is narration) completed 40 audiobooks and counting, spanning from commercial fiction, to urban fantasy, to mystery/thrillers, to regency romance, to sci-fi, to Christian nonfiction with a 4.7 average rating. Safe to say, Talon has definitely caught the bug for voice acting.