Book Review: Queen of the Universe

By Sara Steven


Having read and reviewed Miss Adventure, I was very excited to delve into another book by Geralyn Corcillo. Once again, she’s managed to not only make me laugh and give me a serious fit of the giggles with Queen of the Universe, but it touched me deeply, as well, on so many levels!

TV writer extraordinaire Lola Scott is about to lose her show because she STILL hasn't cast the role of Sam Destry, the dark, brooding bounty hunter. But then HE walks in ... Arlen Black, and he's perfect for the part. One problem, though. He's not an actor there to audition. Nope. He's the handyman Lola hired to renovate her historic Hollywood house.

No problem. Lola gleefully offers him the dream job of a lifetime. No dice—the stoic recluse-in-a-tool-belt wants nothing to do with Lola and her show. But Lola doesn't give up. She goes after Arlen using every trick she can think of, but her Hollywood machinations just bounce right off him.

Why can't she get a bead on this guy?

A scrambling Lola is about to get the ax when Arlen surprises her socks off and signs on to play Sam. She has no idea why he changed his mind, but she doesn't have time to stop and think about it. Not when she has to get him camera-ready, suppress her totally unprofessional attraction to him, and hide from the studio exec, her million-dollar leading lady, and the world at large that her ace-in-the-hole leading man is really just her sexy handyman.

As the show starts to come together, Hollywood gossip sinks its claws into Arlen. When one paparazzi photo threatens to destroy everything he holds dear, Lola finally understands why he upended his life to do the show and save her career. Now she's got to move heaven and Earth not to save the show ... but to save Arlen. (synopsis courtesy of Amazon)

There is a definite love story between Lola and Arlen, but love never comes easy. Sometimes, it can be a rocky road to romance, especially when you hold onto secrets and don’t want to divulge what could be damning information. I really appreciate the backstory for both characters. It helped to explain and define why they are the way they are, and for most of the book I wondered, “are they going to be together? Will this work out, or are they better off apart?”

I also appreciated the viewpoints from the supportive characters in "Queen." From assistants to parents, to siblings, I felt it really helped to round out this story and allowed us to see Lola and Arlen more clearly, which made them feel all the more real. When I review a book, I often remark on the realism of the characters, because I like to feel as though I’m right there. Geralyn has breathed life into her characters, which makes me love them all the more!

My only request: Continue their story! I’d love to see what the future holds for everyone in Queen. Will Lola and Arlen be together? Will Lola still devote her time to tv writing, or will she go off the beaten path? Is Arlen still content to be a handyman, and is he still acting? What adventures (or misadventures) are in store for them? I don’t want the fun to end!

Thanks to Geralyn Corcillo for the book in exchange for an honest review.