I have a secret weakness for stories that weave in pieces of Old Hollywood. In her latest novel, Kathryn Cushman does that as she tells a story of unexpected friendship. Lauren Summers has her dream internship and a dress she worked on walking the red carpet. Then it all derails and she’s left desperate for a job and place to stay. Next door is a reclusive woman who used to move in Hollywood’s vaulted air.

This book is a sweet story of two women — separated by generations and experience, but united by the ostracizing they’ve experienced. Lauren simply wants to be her friend, but Charlotte doesn’t know how to respond. Add in a tabloid reporter, a host of secondary characters, and a serious fixer-upper, and it’s the making of a story I enjoyed. There’s very little romance. Instead, this is a story about figuring out how to move forward when events try to slap the life from us. It’s a story about how even the most unlikely can form genuine friendships. And it’s about setting aside our fears to be willing to embrace what God has in front of us.

This story is perfect for those who are looking for a contemporary story rich in relationships, without a focused romance.

A Tale of Unexpected Friendship and Old Hollywood Glamour

Lauren Summers is hiding. Her fashion house internship should have launched her career, but a red carpet accident has left her blackballed. The only job she finds is unpaid, but comes with free lodging–a run-down cottage in the shadow of a cliff-side mansion. Unsure of what comes next, she’s surprised to be contacted by a reporter researching a reclusive former Hollywood innue who lives in the nearby mansion.

Kendall Joiner wants Lauren’s help uncovering the old woman’s secrets. In return, she’ll prove the red carpet accident was a publicity stunt so Lauren can regain her former job. With all her dreams in front of her, Lauren’s tempted by the offer, but as she and the old woman get to know each other, Lauren realizes nothing is quite as it seems.