Movie Star: They always say they’re single

If you grew up in the ‘00’s, you know Jessica Simpson.  From pop music darling to Daisy Duke to reality TV, Jessica’s face was everywhere – including tabloid magazines.  When Jessica’s marriage to another pop music star failed, she suddenly found herself the target of rumor and paparazzi attention that cast a negative light on her reputation.  But most alarmingly, that attention drove male stars (and their management teams) to either avoid her at all costs or seek her out for the secondary attention they would receive.

Movie Star: They always say they’re single is a short story allowing Jessica Simpson to recount her experiences during this era from her own vantage point.  While not naming names save for a few close friends, this book gives behind-the-scenes details to some very public and some very private moments.  The key theme throughout this book is a male movie star who courted her while saying he was single, even though the press all said he was still involved with another star.  The disturbing aspect of this narrative for me was how Jessica was treated as a pawn or a commodity by both her own team and the unnamed movie star.

I give Movie Star 4 out of 5 stars.  I’m not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book in terms of the quality of writing.  This book felt like a conversation between Jessica and a friend – like a girls’ night gossip session.  The frank details, but without naming names, left me wanting to know more about the characters and digging online to try to figure it out!  The book does feel cut short a bit – I feel like this may have been a prospective writing piece to shop a full-length memoir to publishers but was rejected and turned into this stand-alone piece instead. 

I would recommend this book for readers of all ages, especially those who, like me, grew up watching Jessica Simpson in the media.  This would be a great girlfriend getaway read – it’s quick and simple, and I can see girlfriends discussing it over a glass of wine!  This would also make a great read if you’re short on time and don’t want to start anything heavy.

I chose Movie Star: They always say they’re single for my May autobiography.  This was a Prime First Reads choice in January, but I hadn’t thought to pick it up before now.  If you’re a Kindle Unlimited member, this book is free on their service as of this writing!  After reading this short story, I am looking forward to reading Simpson’s other works like Open Book – her full-length memoir.

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What I’m Reading

• Current print book: Communication for Change Management, Gifford Thomas
• Current audio book: Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe, Jenny Colgan
• Book I’m most looking forward to: Swan Light, Phoebe Rowe