Romantic Novelists' Association's Goldsboro Books Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2017 | April 2016 Book of the Month Though she transports her readers into glamourous worlds Sophia Bennett fills her stories with warm, believable characters and always keeps the emphasis on the important things - family, friends, love. A chance event at a backstage meet and greet with a top boy band sees Nina whisked from Croydon to join their entourage as PA to the lead singer’s Hollywood girlfriend. The pop star lifestyle is scintillating reading but the band’s soap opera of breakdown, break up and heartache really holds our attention. When the setting moves from luxury hotels to a crumbling stately home in the middle of nowhere – the manager’s last desperate attempt to get the boys to write a new album – things get really romantic, because there it’s all about music – what it does to us, why it matters. Perfect wish-fulfilment writing, with real heart.
Holly Smale’s Geek Girl books also take a serious look at real emotions beneath a glitzy surface and readers will also enjoy Zoella’s Girl Online series. ~ Andrea Reece
Seventeen-year-old Nina doesn't get why everyone's obsessed with The Point - but when she averts a backstage disaster and is offered a job on tour, she can hardly turn it down. She quickly learns that being with the hottest band on the planet isn't as easy as it looks: behind the scenes, the boys are on the verge of splitting up. Tasked with keeping an eye on four gorgeous but spoiled rock stars, Nina's determined to stick it out - and not fall for any of them ...
Bennett’s seventh novel, in part inspired by the current fan-fiction craze of reimagining the lives of One Direction, simultaneously manages to highlight the ugly side of the fame-game, whilst celebrating music and the individuality of bright young people. Once again, Bennett expertly explores the themes of identity, creative inspiration, true love, and the falseness of fame.
'One of the funniest, most touching, romantic YA novels ever, smart and warm.’ – Amanda Craig, author and journalist
‘Bennett brilliantly turns the ultimate teen dream into a wholly believable and unputdownable contemporary romance.’ – Fiona Noble, The Bookseller
'Wonderful, compulsive read. I was caught in its spell.' – Eve Ainsworth, author
‘I’ve loved all of Sophia’s books – she writes teenage reality with such honesty and generosity and style – but this is my favourite.’ – Susie Day, author
Praise for Sophia’s previous novels:
'Well plotted and crisply and humorously written.' -- Martin Chilton, Telegraph
‘Great fun. It goes at a cracking pace and girls will love it.’ -- Jacqueline Wilson, author
Praise for The Look:
‘One word: BRILLIANT’ – Cathy Cassidy, author
Author
About Sophia Bennett
Sophia Bennett’s debut novel, Threads, won The Times/Chicken House Children’s Fiction Competition in 2009. She has since published six further teen novels, including The Look and Love Song. Sophia has been called “the queen of teen dreams” by journalist Amanda Craig, for her exploration of the worlds of fashion, art and music. Her books have sold internationally to over 16 countries. Sophia lives with her family in Wandsworth, south west London
