Twenty-four-year-old missionary Addie Wells returned home with two goals: marry Danny and devote the rest of her life to aiding the Kenyan orphanage. Simple, right? Find a teaching job in her small hometown in Tennessee, cherish the loyal man of her youth, and save all her pennies to ship overseas.
But when a midnight attempt to help a stranger at a Waffle House turns into aiding none other than Skyler Young, one of the most idolized singers in the country, Addie is given the chance to jump on tour—then and there—for the job of a lifetime.
Suddenly Addie’s world shifts from dirt-clad floors to marble, and it’s all she can do to remember those she left behind—especially when her new bunk mate is Skyler’s winsome opener, Luca. Despite her pledge to Danny, there’s no space on a forty-foot bus to escape her growing attraction to the no-rules hippie with charm to spare. And eventually, Addie finds she doesn’t really want to hide. But will she risk losing every plan and everyone she holds dear in exchange for all that glitters?
For better or worse, this red carpet summer is bound to change everything.
Bestselling author Melissa Ferguson lives in Tennessee, where she enjoys chasing her children and writing romantic comedies full of humor and heart. Her favorite hobby is taking friends and acquaintances and turning them into characters in her books without their knowledge.
Connect with her (and prepare for the possibility of becoming her next character) at:
Well-written, meaningful story that isn't afraid to be realistic while remaining hopeful. If you enjoy sweet romance with character growth, this is the perfect read!
If you enjoy coming of age books, you'll enjoy this story. A sweet romance that will touch your heart. Well written with likable characters and an engaging story. I read a reader copy and voluntarily chose to write a review.
Thank you ro the Author, Melissa Ferguson for this book. What a wonderful, heartwarming summer read. Who doesn't wish they were and had a job like"Addie"? This book would make an awesome Hallmark type movie.
Red Carpet Summer by Melissa Ferguson is a beautifully written story. When I saw my name pop up on the first page, I knew I would love it!
It started off quite intriguing in an overseas-volunteer-teaching less fortunate children kind of setting. This in itself makes for an interesting and deep, meaningful read. When it moved to fame and fortune and the life of a celebrity, I thought the level of the story was going to drop, but I am truly amazed at what a brilliant job Melissa did with this change in setting. I never imagined I would enjoy this book this much. I loved the ending and found myself wishing it wouldn't end.
Red Carpet Summer demonstrates that all that glitters is not gold. And that life as portrayed in the media is highly questionable. In the what should be poor setting, the children were happy, singing and playing together. This contrasted with the life of rich and famous celebrities who are unhappy and unsatisfied with their lives.
An excellent book. Addie and Danny were friends "forever". Addie helped out at an orphanage for two years after college. Danny stayed home and worked and wrote Addie weekly. Staid, solid, could be counted on.
If anything Addie is compassionate! Always wanting to help those who are hurting.
A wonderful story, well told. Gave insight into the lives the "rich and famous lead"
I received this free e-book from the author, and I'm so glad I did! What a fun, quick read! The subject matter was so interesting and, ironically enough, relatable. The protagonist is a regular small-town girl who happens to get thrust into the crazy, fast-paced immoral world of super stardom, where she manages to maintain her integrity. And to rub off on her new colleagues. I enjoyed this book and plan to read more from this author.
I confess, I'm one of those who has, at least on occasion, has wondered what it might be like to participate in the life of someone "famous". This story provides what I think is a realistic look, in fictional format, of one such experience. The narrative demonstrates both the advantages that could come from such wealth and influence, as well as the disadvantages that come with such a lifestyle. Through it all is some very satisfying character growth. A very entertaining read.
I read this book without reading the summery, which I’ve never done before. It took me a while to get into it and at one point I was angry at all the characters and wondered how on earth they could redeem themselves. But they did grow and change. I loved the ending of the book, and even though it was slow to start, I wasn’t ready for it to end. I’ll be looking for more books from this author.
I received this book free from the author's website but it is a cut above your average self-published work; I truly enjoyed this coming-of-age story and would recommend it to older teens especially.
Also check out the author's recently published book The Dating Charade; I truly enjoyed that one too!
I had a little trouble getting into this book, but after about the third chapter or so I was hooked. I will certainly be reading more of this author’s work. I’d even like to know what happens ahead in the lives of Addie and of Skyler.
I am a sucker for friends-to-lovers type story, but the Hollywood drama of this book was a bit hard to swallow. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and understanding why the main character would want to take this employment gig in the first place.
The book is probably very good, but I just could not get into it. I read several chapters and I just wasn’t into it. BUT that doesn’t mean you won’t love it!!
Het boek is goed geschreven! Een goed plot, Addies personage was goed uitgediept en geloofwaardig. Zelfs zo, dat we het aannemelijk vinden dat ze van weeshuis in Kenia naar een sterrenbaan verhuist. Toch 3 sterren omdat (1) romcom mijn genre niet is, ik heb het boek bijna definitief weggelegd halverwege omdat het plot me niet aansprak en (2) ik ook verliefd wilde worden op de man waarmee ze het boek afsluit maar ik zag hem gewoon niet voor me en hij liet mijn hart niet sneller kloppen
Twenty-four-year-old missionary Addie Wells returned home with two goals: marry Danny and devote the rest of her life to aiding the Kenyan orphanage. Simple, right? Find a teaching job in her small hometown in Tennessee, cherish the loyal man of her youth, and save all her pennies to ship overseas.
But when a midnight attempt to help a stranger at a Waffle House turns into aiding none other than Skyler Young, one of the most idolized singers in the country, Addie is given the chance to jump on tour—then and there—for the job of a lifetime.
Suddenly Addie's world shifts from dirt-clad floors to marble, and it's all she can do to remember those she left behind—especially when her new bunk mate is Skyler's winsome opener, Luca. Despite her pledge to Danny, there's no space on a forty-foot bus to escape her growing attraction to the no-rules hippie with charm to spare. And eventually, Addie finds she doesn't really want to hide. But will she risk losing every plan and everyone she holds dear in exchange for all that glitters?
For better or worse, this red carpet summer is bound to change everything.
Have you ever wondered what life was like on one of those band touring buses? Well, in this story we get to experience that and more. The author has done her research for this book. How do I know this, well I’ve actually been on one of those buses and I can tell you it really isn’t as fancy or fun as it might look. Now this story isn’t really about the bus or the fun of traveling across the country on a bus. No, it’s about the relationships of people. It’s about remembering who you are and the values you have. I enjoyed this book because the author, Melissa Ferguson, did a wonderful job of dealing with some tough issues facing these characters. She shared the pressures some experience, feeling the need to be what everyone wants them to be, while sometimes to the detriment of their own health and wellbeing. This book was a very well written book and I truly enjoyed it. I recommend you pick it up to read. I was given this book by the publisher which did not influence my review in any way, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sadly, I decided to DNF this one. Melissa Ferguson is one of my favorite authors so when I found out that she has a book about a former missionary (I’m a future missionary) I was thrilled. From what I read, though, there was no mention of Christ so I would probably label what Addie was doing in Kenya as humanitarian efforts. Besides this, there were a few things that caused me to put the book down after only a couple chapters. 1) I didn’t really feel much of a connection to any of the characters. 2) I honestly don’t understand why Addie would come back to the U.S. when she could have stayed in Kenya. 3) I was sad about her decision to go on tour with Skyler. I’m just not really interested in reading about “the Hollywood glam life” and her falling for Luca when I want her to be with Danny. I’m sure it would be a decent book if I finished it but I have so many books I want to read write now that I just don’t feel like spending time on one that will only be decent.
I started this days ago when I was still in Portugal. I thought I’d read a ton on the plane, but instead I watched a ton of Jack Ryan. Then I got home and was engrossed in Downton Abbey, a show that just delights me.
So I said, “enough’s enough with all that tv” and decided to abandon it for Lent and read more. So finished this delight tonight. Melissa wrote The Dating Charade which I read earlier this year and loved. She gives this ebook away for free on her site. Just go here if you’re interested: https://melissaferguson.com.
There were so many great insights into the music industry and how “celebrity” is degrading to women much of the time. Addie meets Skyler (Uber-Famous singer) in a diner one night and then becomes her assistant for the summer. Addie and Skyler each have their own stories and they’re delightful. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It's a cute story. I had a hard time connecting with Addie and Danny though. They seemed a little to know-it-all for me, which made me want to keep them at arm's length. I much preferred Sky and Soren -- I liked them a lot and would have enjoyed seeing more of their story.
I loved the female friendship in this story, and watching it grow was heartwarming. I wasn't thrilled with the romantic relationship she ends up in because I actually find him incredibly selfish, but it didn't change my enjoyment of the book. I really enjoy Ferguson's writing, and I can't wait to see her other works. This story is available for free if you sign up for her newsletter.
Interesting story. A lot of having to think like a grown up but not sure if her decisions were good. I loved the ending. It was a great surprise I did not see coming