It's cover reveal day for my new thriller, GUN KISS.

The amazing cover was done by my publisher, Imajin Books.

Gun Kiss will be available in print and ebook formats on 1 December.

GUN KISS will be released by Canada’s Imajin Books in Fall this year.

The description of this book intrigued me, especially since it was set in old-time Hollywood during the filming of Gone with the Wind. Meissner populates her tale with a mix of real and imagined characters, as she follows two young women trying to find their way out of the secretarial pool at Selznick Studios. They have come to Hollywood with dramatically different goals, which is at times perfect and at others difficult for their budding friendship. I loved how Violet first discovered Audrey at the studio, how they became roommates, and soon, friends. The details were just right, the setting vivid and the characters, alive. I think Meissner worked hard to get me to dislike Audrey, a relentless schemer determined to get her break as an actress, but instead, I found Violet far more sinister, because she pretended to want nothing, but wanted everything.

Once the story is well under way, and Violet has committed what she acknowledges as a treacherous act, I had the relentless feeling of waiting for the other shoe to drop. But for me, it never really does. Meissner introduces characters from the present day, adding, for me at least, an unnecessary, almost jarring sidebar. It seemed as if this was the only way Meissner could accomplish the “twist” alluded to by Violet earlier, but the characters here are barely sketched in, and their relative importance to the earlier story seemed weak.

In any case, there are definitely things to like about this book, especially if you are looking for a story that takes place in this time period but is not a story about World War II. I have not read Meissner’s other books, but Secrets of a Charmed Life was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Historical Fiction in 2015.

Violet, the Southern Belle, and Audry, the aspiring actress met by chance, became roommates, and worked at the same secretarial pool at Selznick International.

The stages of Gone With The Wind were the feature of the book along with Violet and Audry's personal lives.

STARS OVER SUNSET BOULEVARD has the glitter of Hollywood, the disappointments of Hollywood, behind-the-scenes fun, and the wonderful, amazing friendship between Violet and Audry.

I really enjoyed STARS OVER SUNSET BOULEVARD because of the warmth of the characters.  It wasn't as much about Hollywood, as it was about friends, lives, and choices.

STARS OVER SUNSET BOULEVARD will enchant and delight all women's fiction fans and of course fans of Hollywood and Gone With the Wind.  

Don't miss reading this beautifully written, touching book.

You will not be disappointed with the love and tenderness along with some jealousy that oozes off the pages with Violet and Audry's enduring friendship.

A lovely, heartwarming read that will have you thinking about your friendships.

ENJOY....I definitely did.   5/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

Stars Over Sunset Boulevard is a quick reading, circular story set in modern day Los Angeles, and 1930's Hollywood.

In the modern day, a hat worn in Gone With the Wind shows up at a vintage clothing boutique run by Christine McAllister. Her desire to find out why she remembers touching the hat as a child, leads her on a special journey.

1938, the Golden Age of Hollywood. Filming has just begun on Gone With the Wind, a groundbreaking movie poised to change film-making for the future. Violet Mayfield arrives at the studio to be a secretary, she meets Audrey Duvall on her first day, and quickly decides to room with Audrey. Audrey has a past as an actress, and aspires to become famous once again. Violet is starting over in a new town, as far from her family as possible.

Their friendship spans decades, families, secrets, and lies. But through it all, Violet and Audrey always come back to each other. They both have deep running desires to achieve success, and success means something very different to each of them. The choices and sacrifices each one makes to achieve their goals have repercussions that reach farther and wider than either of them ever expected.

I enjoyed reading Stars Over Sunset Boulevard, it was an easy read that didn't require much effort to follow. The characters are both likable and pity inspiring at different times in the book. I found myself feeling for both Violet and Audrey, and the emotions didn't feel forced by the author, they felt quite natural. The story did feel a bit contrived at times, the plot was very predictable, and the supporting characters remained completely two dimensional. However, it didn't make me dislike the story, it made it feel more familiar, if anything. This was a nice book, and I'd recommend it for someone looking for a bit of an escape. 

In the full interest of disclosure, I did get and ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.