Monday, December 28, 2009

Nikki Logan Nails It!

I was lucky enough to read Nikki Logan's debut novel, Lights,Camera...Kiss the Boss and I can't wait to tell you all how great it is. This is 'our Nikki' - a Bootcamp 109 coordinator and mentor - and she's absolutely nailed it. I plan on shouting it from the rooftop (pardon the pun) about this lovestory that blossoms...on a rooftop! Fellow Bootcampers - feel free to copy and re-post my review on any sites you know to help spread the word.


My Review

When talking about her writing, Nikki Logan says, she knows her job is done if her readers ‘catch a waft of rich earth and the spray of wild ocean between the pages’.

Well, she’s done that and more for this reader in her debut novel – Lights, Camera...Kiss the Boss.

Firstly, I love the concept – a landscape designer whose rooftop gardens bring beauty to the ‘natureless urban environments’ of Sydney’s city skyscrapers. Happiest with dirt on her hands, talking to her plants, Ava Lange suddenly finds herself thrust in front of the camera as presenter on a new TV reality show – Urban Nature. And camera-shyness is not her main concern. Her new boss is hotshot TV producer Daniel Arnot, the subject of her youthful infatuation nine years earlier.


Nikki has woven her passion for nature with her understanding of human emotion to give readers a delightfully contemporary story with a rich plot, blooming with colourful characters. The writing is fresh and flows from the start to the very last line. I particularly like how the parallel plot elements of nature, set against the lavish city life, reflects the conflict between down-to-earth Ava and her ambitious boss.

This is not another fall-in-love-with-the-boss story, nothing contrived or trite about it at all. Nikki’s characters are credible with very real issues and obstacles to overcome. She had me riding the romance rollercoaster with the very unassuming Ava Lange as she desperately tries to deal with unrequited love.

By writing about what she knows, Nikki has also given her readers an intriguing behind-the-scenes look at the television industry.

My favourite character: Nikki draws great characters to love and loath. I particularly enjoyed getting to know the unexpected uniqueness of a secondary character – Cadence. Very refreshing and wonderfully portrayed. Exceptional characterisation.

Favouite line: Every great romance has a great line – one that affects you so much you almost gasp (take Jerry McGuire’s, “You complete me” for example). Nikki provided that moment for me in this book with her perfectly poignant question about what makes a heart break. I’m not going to tell you what it is here - you’ll find it towards the end of Chapter Twelve.

Lights, Camera...Kiss the Boss, by Nikki Logan, is due for release in February. Be assured that this is definitely not an I’ve-read-it-all-before book.” I couldn’t put it down. It was lights, camera, action from beginning to end.

I’m told the real beginning for this story was back in June 2008 when members from Romance Writers Australia undertook their first 50ks in 30 Days challenge. It was Nikki’s first go at writing 50,000 words in a month, so it’s kind of fitting that it should be her first published novel, with Harlequin US snapping it up in November of that same year.


Lights, Camera...Kiss the Boss hits the book stands in Australia in February 2010.


That’s a wrap on my review. Thank you Nikki Logan. A brilliant debut novel. One of many, I hope.

For more about Nikki’s novels, visit her website http://www.nikkilogan.com.au/





Nikki's photo by Photo by Studio Noah, Western Australia

5 comments:

  1. Jenn, I've got the book on my 'to buy' list, but I'll have to make sure it goes to the top of my 'to be read' list after reading your review.

    Congrats on what sounds like a wonderful debut book, Nikki.

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  2. Jenn, Thank you for a great review, I'm looking forward to reading Nikki's novel.

    Congratulations Nikki.

    Sandie

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  3. Jenn - thanks for such a great review of Lights Camera. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it. And particularly pleased that you loved Cadence who I have a real soft spot for and who waits in the dark recesses of my mind tapping her honking great buckle-boots and picking at her blood red nails waiting to be series romance's first goth heroine. Wouldn't that be great!

    This book was a pleasure to write and revise. I'm so pleased that has translated on the page.

    *Nikki*

    "Lights, Camera...Kiss the Boss" February 2010
    "Their Newborn Gift" June 2010

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  4. Jenn
    Thanks for the review. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy.

    Shayne

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  5. Sounds like a fantastic read, Jenn. Thanks for sharing your review. Look forward to reading it, Nikki, and best of luck with sales!

    :-) Mon

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