Kennedy Ryan

Award-Winning Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kennedy Ryan launches a brand-new series with a Hollywood tale of wild ambition, artistic obsession, and unrelenting love. One moment in the spotlight . . . For months I stood by, an understudy waiting in the wings, preparing for my time to shine. I never imagined he would watch in the audience that night. Canon Holt. Famous film director. Fascinating. Talented. Fine Before I could catch my breath, everything changed. I went from backstage Broadway to center stage Hollywood. From being unknown, to my name, Neevah Saint, on everyone’s lips. Canon casts me in a star-studded Harlem Renaissance biopic, catapulting me into another stratosphere. But stars shine brightest in the dead of night. Forbidden attraction, scandal and circumstances beyond my control jeopardize my dream. Could this one shot—the role of a lifetime, the love of a lifetime—cost me everything?

A Standalone Hollywood Renaissance Novel

Reel

mary ˚୨୧⋆｡˚

** spoiler alert **
           « « Mama always said waiting for sunsets was like waiting for a miracle you knew would come, » he says, his voice graveled with the emotion in his eyes. « How happy she must be to know I finally found mine. » »

This book made me an absolute fan of Kennedy Ryan, more than before. It surpassed my already high expectations, the book turned out even better than anticipated.

There’s something magnificent about following the documentary’s process of « Dessi Blue », seeing Canon directing it and Neevah really embracing her character, she was more than playing Dessi, she was feeling it, her, the movie. It felt like being into the heart of Hollywood and Dessi’s universe.
The book was more than a book, it was a total and magical journey, a complete experience. I’m so thankful for Kennedy Ryan for allowing us to live this magical experience.

The depth of my love for Neevah transcends words. Unlike characters in many stories where the MMC is idealized and the FMC lacks depth, Neevah is different. Her appeal is undeniable, with everyone she meets recognizing her exceptional qualities. Neevah embodies perfection with her beauty, boldness, intelligence, and incredible talent. She is richly developed, her past reveals an intensity that showcases her strength, making her truly admirable. Neevah's portrayal is not just perfect ; it's authentic, especially in showcasing her illness with real depth. She is a true warrior, both physically and emotionally mature, making her character resonate profoundly in the story.

The MMC, Canon is fascinating. He's complex and well-developed, with the storyline with Camille, well-executed and developed ; and the one with his mom, that showed us how he is more than a discreet man but a vulnerable individual too. It also broadcasts from who his directing passion comes from and provides us an understanding of the person he has become.
What stands out is his dedication to his work, where he boldly defends his beliefs, even against those funding his projects. As a director, he's caring and passionate about every aspect, from the authenticity of the film to the actors, despite being a bit bossy. His commitment and genuine concern make him a really admirable character in the story — to me.
What truly stands out is his dedication to spotlighting the Black community, advocating for our recognition and showcasing our talent. Through his documentary of Dessi Blue, he highlights an important (fictional) figure in our community, and I LOVE that. His commitment to the importance of the Black community is admirable.
He's not just a character, he's THE ULTIME Book Boyfriend !!! Never felt this fictional love so deeply. I was really envious of what they have. Forbidden love is one of my favourite things in books and I love how it was developed here. Canon's transformation into a real lover for Neevah, setting aside his director, lonely and cold character, is heart-warming. Their love is pure and straightforward, no shame even when they were exposed. The way they communicate and Canon's support during her tough times, especially the flare-up, left me REALLY jealous. He just proved to be the perfect boyfriend. The documentary about Neevah's illness was a beautiful love act, the best I've ever seen. Their chemistry from the beginning and those spicy scenes? Hot and steamy perfection.

No review is complete without praising Kennedy Ryan's writing. She has THIS ability to make us feel every emotion, making me cry like never!!! From the characters’ emotions to the storyline, everything resonates deep in my soul. Her writing style is genuinely perfect, and her storytelling is unmatched, leaving an everlasting impression in my soul. I adore her.

Megan Lowe

Holy. Wow.
Kennedy’s writing... it’s... whoa.
I loved this story. I loved how it was written. I loved Neevah. I loved Canon. I loved Takira and Holt and Evan.
This is a story of strength, and pride, and paying homage, and it’s also one of celebration.
Canon, like many of Kennedy’s men, is strong, and solid, and unwavering.
Neevah is, like canon says, like light. You can’t help but fall in love with her.
This book is effortless. But it makes you feel like you’re a part of something, that in a small way, you’re helping to right a wrong.
I loved all the stories in this book and I am so honoured to have read it.

Anastasia 

Kennedy Ryan doesn't know how to write a bad book , she can never miss 

I loved how this perfectly portrayed the struggles black creatives face in the industry without over doing it or making the writing cringeworthy like some of your favs do. I enjoyed the dynamic between neevah and her family a lot ....even through the pain of the past still lingers there's always room for forgiveness ( forgive me but I'm a sucker for things like this 😭🤌🏾).

This was a beautiful journey and I also enjoyed a few of the dessi stories ....this was a good read , I loved it

sydney

this book was so much more than i bargained for in the best way possible

macy

i read this months ago but i felt like adding a little review now cus this is one of my fav books and everyone needs to read it im being so serious, my top read of 2021❤️‍🩹kennedy ryan never disappoints me.

jupiter

Aditi

I really liked Neevah and Canon. Both individually and together they really worked for me. From the start, I was hooked. The pining and tension between them was so good. For once a pairing did not get boring for me once they'd gotten together. All of their scenes together were great.

Sadly, I didn't care about anything else and there's a lot. So many side characters and sub plots and they didn't hold my attention at all. I also did not care about the movie they were filming and all the details about how Canon is such a good director were very boring to me. 

The ending was very abrupt, I wanted a little more of a satisfying conclusion. Usually I don't care about the epilogues in romance novels but I really wanted one for Neevah and Canon. I understand the choice made, I just don't like it.

catia

better review to come
neevah and canon's story was so passionate and beautiful and so damn good i have no words just feelings

marie

When you love someone, you truly see who they are beyond the surface. And whether I look like the headshot I proudly passed all over New York when I auditioned, or I look the way I do right now, I have to see and love myself beyond the high gloss. That first taste of unconditional love and acceptance—we should feed it to our own souls.
  
the romance genre that is Kennedy Ryan huhu

5 ☆

Nedu

“Mama always said waiting for sunsets was like waiting for a miracle you knew would come, he says, his voice graveled with the emotion in his eyes. How happy she must be to know I finally found mine.”

Reel is not just the love story of Neevah and Canon but it also a love story of black art and culture. Going into this book, I had no idea what to expect but this book easily became one of my favorites. I am so invested in this world now and can't wait to read all the books for the side characters (*whispers* Verity and Monk). 

Reel begins at pivotal moments of Neevah and Canon's lives with Neevah being conflicted about staying back at home with her high school boyfriend whom she recently got engaged to or accepting a full scholarship to Rutgers' drama program while Canon is dealing with his mum's terminal illness. Fast-forward a couple of years later and Neevah is now a Broadway understudy and Canon is a renowned director looking to cast the lead actress for his upcoming film which a biopic based on Dessi Blue, a talented and forgotten jazz singer. Canon and Neevah meet on her first night stepping in as the lead actress in a Broadway play through a mutual friend, Monk. Reading this book felt like reading two parallel books, the story of Neevah and Cannon as well as the story of Dessi Blue and at no point does it feel disjointed. I loved how the chemistry between the characters were written starting from the romance between Cannon and Neevah, to Neevah's friendship with Takira, Cannon's friendship with Monk, Jill and Evan. This is one book you need to pick up.

ARC kindly provided by the author, in exchange for an honest review.

Kadisha 

Neevah sang, acted, and danced her way into Canon life when his friend, Monk, dragged him to a Broadway show to see a new, up and coming actor. What Canon thought was going to be a simple show with a simple girl, transformed into Canon finding his star for his new motion picture and his reason for living beyond his camera and director's chair.

I fell so deep in love with Reel from the beginning of the prologue to the last word on the final page. It's a story that needs to see the big screen in theaters. It has all the elements of a classic story. From the forbidden love, workplace romance, black love, to the family drama and the life threatening high stakes. This book will keep you captivated and invested in not only the main characters but the supporting characters as well. (Monk needs a book.....NOW!)

I'm not one for a slow burn, but Kennedy Ryan made this romance burn so well! It's a beautifully written story that you don't want to miss out on!

Tori Nelson

Did I drop the ball on reading this book? Yes. Did I kick myself for waiting so long to read it? Absolutely! 

This book made me feel, but it's Kennedy Ryan so I shouldn't be that surprised! This is a LOVE story, not just within the characters, but to Black history. The culture, the creativity, the stories. I have read a lot of romance this year, but there is something so special about Black love, and something even greater when it's done right! Neevah, an unknown understudy on Broadway has been given the chance of a lifetime when Cannon sees her as the star she is. 

One of the things I love about this book is that there is no manufactured conflict. The problems feel as real as can be, with Neevah battling a chronic illness and Cannon trying to not let his feeling dictate his job. Throw in a whole mess of other issues and it makes for a great read. 

There are no amount of wonderful words I could use to describe this book and Kennedy Ryan!

Flavia Louise

Please be aware of the content warnings for this book.
(view spoiler)[This is not a full list: loss of a loved one, autoimmune diets, management of autoimmune diseases without medication, autoimmune flare up, immunosuppressant medication, Multiple Sclerosis, Systemic Lupus Erythematodes, hairloss, hospitals, kidney failure, kidney transplant, cheating (not of the main characters), family estrangement (hide spoiler)]

This is not an easy book to read at some points. But I still absolutely loved it. As I said this book features a lot of hard topics but at least in my opinion those were handled very well. This book manages to find the balance between gentleness and smut, modern film set and representation of a historical (queer) personality. I highly recommend it. (Again please be careful and look at the content warnings.)

b.andherbooks

Reel packed an emotional punch to my heart. Kennedy Ryan's exquisite prose took me through the wringer as Neevah Saint and Cannon Holt crashed together despite all their efforts to stay apart on set. No one writes complicated emotions like Ryan, who makes you breathless to find out what will happen in some impossible situations. I highlighted so many lines.

What as especially finely wrought was Neevah's illness, and her relationship between her family, especially her sister. It would be so easy to villainize but Ryan brings you back to the heart each time. Seeing Neevah struggle with lupus while also dancing, singing, acting and falling in love was both heart wrenching and uplifting.

And damn, Cannon, what a guy. His relationship with his mother, and the details of the documentary he created in her memory, I wish I could see that for real.

what a masterpiece, sure to stay with me for a long time.

Chantale

I had a hard time getting into this book. I do love the writing and the characters and ofcourse I love the chemistry but for some reason, I was having a bit of a hard time getting into this book. I think I couldn't get into this because I am currently in some sort of reading slump. 



I give this 3 1/2 stars

Reel A Standalone Hollywood Renaissance Novel