Love in the Afternoon by Allison Packard

I used to watch soap operas faithfully when I was in middle and high school - I was a third generation fan of Guiding Light.  I've read a few books set in the world of soap operas, but surprisingly enough, not that many romances (with the exception of Again by Kathleen Gilles Seidel - one of my favorites).  Maybe it's difficult to come up with a new story set in that world.

Love in the Afternoon by Allison Packard
(2012, Contemporary)  1/17/12
Grade: 3

Kayla Maxwell is eager to prove herself as a new soap opera actress, but she is nervous to work with Sean Barrett, her idol since childhood.  Sean is the son of a well known actor, and is wary of getting to close to an actress, but he soon learns to respect her as an actress - and admire her as a woman.  But just as their relationship is getting underway, Kayla is threatened by a mysterious stalker.

I love a good soap opera, so I was looking forward to this book.  Unfortunately, it felt very derivative and predictable - almost like fan fiction.  I felt like I could predict every development before it happened.  The characters were pleasant enough, and it was easy to read, but I was left feeling like I’d read it all before. 

I'm not sure why this story felt so predictable - most romances don't have ground breaking plots, but every development in this story felt like something I could have written myself.