A Soul to Shine by Jennifer Ott

A Soul to Shine
by Jennifer Ott

My rating: 4 stars

Publication Date: September 4, 2014
Publisher: Lulu.com
ISBN-13: 9781312472952
Genre: Adult Fiction | Women's Fiction
Print Length: 284 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

From the outside, starlet Olivia Hammond has it all—fame, fortune and a Hollywood hunk boyfriend. No one suspects her rising self-doubts and anxieties. In order to escape the realities of her chaotic world, she dives into an Oscar quality role of a young woman trapped in the horrors of postwar Berlin. It is here that Olivia feels most comfortable.

Her real and fictional lives collide when the director casts, Dimitri Malakhov, a Russian porn star, as her costar. She immediately fears her image and reputation will be tainted. Personally and professionally, she must face what frightens her most—exposing herself, her fears, her imperfections and her desires to the world.

The experience of filming the movie with Dimitri and being on location in Berlin destroys her prejudices, and judgments. It shatters all her illusions and perceptions. When liberated from her own confines, her life and love truly shine.

Manchmal das Herz muss zerstört werden, um zu heilen.
Sometimes the heart needs to be broken in order to heal.

My Review
A Soul to Shine by Jennifer Ott

Face it, Hollywood is the land of make believe, the mortar and brick Never, Neverland. When a promising young starlet is chosen to play a role that could land her accolades, awards and solid fame, she struggles with taking it or not, because of her co-star. Olivia has it all, a promising career, a steady, and adoring boyfriend, but is it just a another façade in a city where everyone wears a mask? is it really what she wants?

Is she really full of insecurity and needing that adoration of her fans and co-workers to prove her own self-worth? Is she living life to the fullest? Her co-star is a famous actor in his own right, a famous porn actor from Russia, so what would he know about true acting? Why would anyone think she would want to be within an arm’s length of such a person? Olivia has nailed her inner diva.

Dimitri is as shocked as everyone else that he has landed this role, but he is determined to prove his worth, both as an actor and as a person. He refuses to be defined by his “attributes.” What unfolds is a tale of two strangers playing pretend for the cameras while off-screen, they discover the true human under the hype. Is it possible that Dimitri really is so much more than Olivia could have imagined? He is larger than life both on screen and off and he has peeled back the layers to the heart of Olivia. Is it just another sensationalized Hollywood working romance or do they share what it takes to last a lifetime?

A Soul to Shine by Jennifer Ott shreds the classic Hollywood hype and brings two real people to life, free of the trappings of fame and pretense. While painting amazingly deep and thought-provoking scenes, Ms. Ott has uncovered two souls that fit together like a hand in a glove, who share their strengths, weaknesses and their inner self with each other, free of the cares of fame. The metamorphosis that Olivia undergoes is like watching a pinched and shriveling bud flourish under the nourishment of love and true friendship. Do NOT expect a fast and sunny read, there are few truly light moments, but even through the darkness, a light of hope shines brighter with each page. Settle back and enjoy this trip into a world we only dream about knowing and realize it might be more “house of emotional horrors” than “mirrored funhouse,” unless there is love.