Hollywood Hero

Madelle Morgan

Description

A steamy Hollywood romance with a playlist! Unrequited love is hell on earth. Personal assistant Wendy Davila is in love with her bad boy boss, Halden Armstrong, A-list star of the Apollo superhero film franchise. But she can't compete with the succession of stick-thin blond beauties he's caught and released. Or can she? When Halden asks Wendy to accompany him on a fishing trip to Muskoka, it's her chance to remake her dark-haired, curvy Latina self into his ideal woman and cast her hook for Halden. The movie star has been burned by love. The last thing he wants is a woman like his ex who faked it until she landed him. Wendy is special, and the private trip is an opportunity to explore his feelings for her. However, the Greek god has an Achilles' heel. Can he trust Wendy with a secret that could ruin his career? And will she still care for him when she learns the truth? When Apollo falls off his pedestal, Wendy must decide if the man she adores is a keeper. Hollywood Hero is Book 3 in the Hollywood in Muskoka series. This star-crossed lovers story can be read as a standalone humorous romance.

Informations

• Publié par: McBride Publishing Group
• Date de parution: 08 mars 2021
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781988917054
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 3 Mo

Extrait

Hollywood Hero, Hollywood in Muskoka series , Book 3
©2021 Madelle Morgan
Published by McBride Publishing Group, 2021
All rights reserved under international and Pan-American copyright conventions. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work in any form is illegal. With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part without written permission from Madelle Morgan ( MadelleMorg an.com ).
This is a work of fiction. All the names, characters, locations, incidents, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual District of Muskoka events, residents, locations, businesses, and organizations is coincidental. No disrespect to any person, living or dead, is intended or implied.
All product names, logos, and brands are the property of the respective owners. All company, product, and service names used in this book are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement.
Due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, any website addresses contained in this edition may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid.
Cover design by Kimberly Killion.
Interior book design and formatting by Tamara Cribley
Library and Archives Canada
ISBN 978-1-988917-07-8 (Kindle edition)
ISBN 978-1-988917-05-4 (ePub edition)
ISBN 978-1-988917-05-4 (Apple Books edition)
ISBN 978-1-988917-04-7 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-988917-08-5 (audiobook)
This book is dedicated to my late father, a reformed bad boy, former semi-pro football player, and avid fly-fisherman who took me and his grandson trout fishing on a private lake.
Said the doctor as he extracted a fishhook from my mother’s scalp, “You hooked her once. You didn’t have to hook her again.”



Acknowledgements
Story editor Lillian Chow and author Erin Scothorn provided important feedback. My amazing editor M.A. Demers of mademers.com polished the book. Hollywood Hero benefited greatly from her extensive knowledge of the North American film industry. Any errors are my own. Kim Killion of thekilliongroupinc.com created covers that beautifully illustrate the characters and Muskoka setting. Tamara Cribley of deliberatepage.com is my excellent formatter.


Contents
Acknowledgements
Cast
Playlist
Chapter 1: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Chapter 2: Bring it On
Chapter 3: Dazed and Confused
Chapter 4: Just Friends
Chapter 5: Something Wild
Chapter 6: Much Ado About Nothing
Chapter 7: Definitely, Maybe
Chapter 8: Love on the Menu
Chapter 9: One Heavenly Night
Chapter 10: Reality Bites
Chapter 11: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past
Chapter 12: Trouble in Paradise
Chapter 13: Lady in the Lake
Chapter 14: The Goodbye Girl
Chapter 15: The Back-up Plan
Chapter 16: Man Up
Chapter 17: Going the Distance
Chapter 18: Working Girl
Chapter 19: I Love You Again
Epilogue: From Here to Eternity
The Executive’s Errand Description
Books by Madelle Morgan
About the Author
Follow Links


Cast
(in order of appearance)
Juana “Wendy” Davila: Personal assistant (PA) to Halden Armstrong, 24
Marie-Eve Tremblay: Hair and makeup artist, 22
Halden Armstrong : CEO of FarStar Films and star of the Apollo film franchise, 33
Garth Armstrong : COO of FarStar Films and Halden’s brother, 31
Rachel Lehmann: University of California in Los Angeles student, 23
Zane Emery: Muskoka real estate agent, 28
Skylar Boon: Owner of Boondocks Lodge in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada, 22
Brandy: Skylar’s female Chesapeake Bay retriever, 11
Greta Bedard: Housekeeper and cook, Boondocks Lodge, 73
Jacques Bedard: Fishing guide, Boondocks Lodge, 75
Tiffany York: Garth’s actor girlfriend, 26
Jenna Jordan: B-list movie star with a Lake Muskoka summer home, 38
Marianna Martinez: A-list movie star, 21
Catrina Turner: Muskoka police officer, 34


Playlist
Hollywood Hero has a “soundtrack.” When you see this symbol [ ] in the chapter, listen to the song that accompanies the story. You’ll need to listen on your smartphone, laptop, or another device.
Listening to songs while reading the story is optional, but if you’d like to try it, here’s how:
Option 1: Create a playlist before starting to read t he novel
If you subscribe to a music streaming service, create a Hollywood Hero playlist using the titles of the songs below. Then when you see [ ] together with the title of a song in the text, listen to that song on your device.
Option 2: Madelle Morgan’s YouTube playlist
Open YouTube.com in your browser and search for “Madelle Morgan Hollywood Hero.” Click on the playlist entitled “Hollywood Hero.” As you read the novel, when you see [ ] together with the name of a song, listen to it on Madelle’s YouTube playlist.
If you can’t find the YouTube playlist, go to MadelleMorgan.com/HHplaylist and follow the instructions.
Note: certain songs may not be available in your country on YouTube.com, in the iTunes Store, or from Spotify, Apple Music and other music streaming services.

“ All About That Bass,” performed by Meghan Trainor, from the album Title .
“ Fall in Love If You Want To,” performed by Gord Bamford, from the album T in Roof .
“Meant to Be,” performed by Bebe Rexha, featuring Florida Georgia Line, from the album Expec tations .
“Stuck,” performed by Caro Emerald, from the album Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Roo m Floor.
“Man of the Woods,” performed by Justin Timberlake, from the album Man of th e Woods.
“I’m Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin’ Song),” performed by Brad Paisley, from the album Part II .
“ Barracuda,” performed by Heart, from the album Littl e Queen .
“Your Body is a Wonderland,” performed by John Mayer, from the album Room for Squares .
“Summer Nights,” performed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, from the film Grease .
“The Gambler,” performed by Kenny Rogers, from the album The Gambler .
“Señorita,” performed by Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello, from the albums Shawn Mendes and Romance .
“Scars to Your Beautiful,” performed by Alessia Cara, from the album Know -It-All .
“He’s Mine,” performed by Mahalia, from the album Love and Com promise .
“Most Girls,” performed by Hailee Steinfeld.
“Hero,” performed by Mariah Carey, from the album Mu sic Box .
“ Always on My Mind,” performed by Willie Nelson, from the album Always on My Mind.
“ The Hustle,” performed by Van McCoy and the Soul City Symphony, from the album Dis co Baby .
“I Love Me,” performed by Demi Lovato.
“Love You Too Late,” performed by Cole Swindell, from the album All of It .
“Break Free,” performed by Ariana Grande, from the album My Eve rything.
“Nobody but You,” performed by Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani, from the album Fully Loaded: God’s Country.


Chapter 1
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Unrequited love is hell on earth.
“Do it.” From her perch in a hair salon off-off-off Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, California, Wendy glared at Marie-Eve’s reflection in the mirror. Late afternoon sun, hot for mid-June, angled through the window to their left.
Marie-Eve, a Canadian hair and makeup artist who occasionally worked on film sets, wrinkled her pert nose in a discrete grimace and tried again. “You are certain? Your dark hair, so thick and curly, is beautiful.” She twisted a lock of the long hair around her finger and released the bouncy ringlet. Ignoring the determined set to Wendy’s jaw, Marie-Eve tried again. “I can do highlights?”
Wendy frowned at Marie-Eve’s gentle resistance. “Straight and blond. That’s what I want.”
Halden Armstrong, A-list star of the Apollo superhero film franchise and her boss, had wasted no time hooking up with yet another willowy blond beauty after his divorce from Candy Kane became final. Two nights ago he’d escorted Marianna Martinez to the opening of her latest movie, Space Siren . Paparazzi caught them kissing at the after-party.
Was Halden dating Marianna? Wendy’s heart twisted like a wrung-out cloth. Speculation had dominated that Monday morning’s entertainment and social media feeds. The starlet was talented, extraordinarily beautiful, and hot, hot, hot. Once Marianna sank her manicured talons into Halden, Wendy would have no chance at all. Ninguna posibilidad . Not unless she transformed her Latina self into his ideal woman: beautiful, blond, and model thin like his ex-wife.
“They separated after their wedding a year ago. I should never have waited until he signed the divorce papers last week,” she moaned.
Behind her, Marie-Eve shifted her gaze from a hair color chart to frown at Wendy. “Is this about Halden?”
Wendy slapped a hand over her mouth. “Oops. Did I say that out loud?”
“Forget this dye job.” Marie-Eve waved the color chart in the air for emphasis. “You must be yourself. It is the only way to l ’amour .”
“I’ve been myself for ten months, working with him every day.” Wendy slumped in the salon chair. “He likes me, si . He tells me all the time that he appreciates what I do for him. Unfortunately in all these months he’s never suggested exploring an intimate relationship.” Tears welled. Her throat thickened. She hiccupped, sniffed, and wiped the back of her hand across stinging eyes.
“But he is your employer! Aren’t such affaires romantiques counter to the rules in California?”
“Sometimes when I catch him looking at me, or he accidentally touches me…” Her voice trailed off. “The trouble is I have no idea how he really feels about me. As a woman, that is.”
Wendy put the “personal” in personal assistant.