(From Goodreads) Young line producer Danny Byrd is well-known in Hollywood for being someone who gets things done on time and under budget. But when his reputation takes a beating after his partner—and former best friend—makes off with their investors’ money, Danny has but one chance to redeem himself and restore his ruined career.

I can’t remember ever reading a novel that was set so deep in the film-making industry, and that was a large part of the initial draw in this novel for me. I found it very interesting to experience this fictional behind-the-scenes take on making movies, including the process and the number of unique roles involved in taking a film from start to finish.

As interesting as the backdrop of movie production was, it was definitely the characters and their struggles that kept me engaged with Unscripted. Our main character, Danny Byrd, is very easy to feel for as a line producer working to make meaningful films in the face of many unusual challenges. Helping him along the way, lawyer Megan Pierce is equal parts fierce and caring as she forges a new path away from the superficial focus of her former law firm.

I also really enjoyed Byrd’s interactions with several other characters throughout the story. In particular, Megan’s parents were an absolute delight while welcoming him to their home and providing guidance. As well, his mentorship and connection with the film’s young rising talent were touching at nearly every point, as they both learned to leave behind loss and disappointment.

One of the more compelling aspects of this story for me, based on the synopsis, was the conflict that Danny had with his former partner and the circumstances behind it. At the start of Unscripted, this plot thread was tangled up in the mystery of who was helping the line producer behind the scenes. As I enjoy suspense, this mystery quickly drew me in—but the questions without answers only became more complex as the story went on, and I felt that I had missed some connections in the plot along the way. While a great deal was revealed at the end, the answers came all at once in a way that felt largely unearned but left me frustrated through much of the story—especially because essentially Megan just had to ask to get answers. 

Much as I found it sweet, I also thought that Danny and Megan’s romantic relationship was a bit on the rushed side and lacked the development that it needed to be truly compelling. I would have liked to see more depth in it throughout the story, though I know the focus was more on the film elements as well as Danny individually. Also, I didn’t quite understand the point of Megan stopping the relationship in its tracks because he needed to work things out when she changed her mind shortly after, despite nothing really changing.

• Books about movie-making
• Romance with a bit of mystery
• Stories with legal elements

I received this book as part of the Revell Reads program in order to write a review. The statements of the review are entirely my own, honest opinion of the book.