Take a Picture

by Lena Goldfinch

Troy Alexander (19) chases fame as a lead singer in New York City, but finds nothing but heartbreak. So he takes a job as a paparazzi to earn enough money to go back home. His assignment lands him in the path of Ashlyn Sunshine, teen pop star (19 going on 25). They end up spending one memorable summer afternoon together, but could someone as amazing as Ashlyn ever like a guy like him -- or is he headed for another heartbreak?

Bonus Short Story:
CHAIN REACTION (Prequel to HAUNTING JOY)
When a "reveal your secret crush" chain letter goes awry, Joy gets caught in the middle.

A lighthearted contemporary romance for teens and young adult
Novelette & Short Story

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Ebooks, Short Stories, Young Adult Romance, Novella

118 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

LENA GOLDFINCH writes sweet historical Western romance, inspirational romance, and books for teens, books with a taste of "sigh-worthy romance." Lena has been a finalist in several national writing contests, including the RWA Golden Heart and ACFW Genesis contests.

Latest Releases:
CHRISTMAS CAKE KISSES
SWEET BRIAR ROSE

THE BRIDES SERIES:

* THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE
... "This old-fashioned mountain romance is an unexpected treat!"
* SLEIGH BELLS & MISTLETOE
* THE BARTERED BRIDE
* ONLY THE HEART KNOWS

"With unexpectedly fresh characters and twists, the imagination is kept on its toes, even while feeling entirely comfortable with the familiarity of the mail-order bride storyline... A great curl-up-on-a-cold-night read, so go grab a copy for yourself!" (USA TODAY on THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE)

"Danger, magic, romance, and royal intrigue, AIRE is a must read!" (NYT Bestselling Author JESSICA ANDERSEN)

"Looking for something fresh and new to read? Try Lena Goldfinch's AIRE." (USA TODAY)

"SONGSTONE sings with characters who come to life, a story full of magic, heart and adventure, and a world that lets you smell the sea air and feel the tropical sun on your back." (LISA GAIL GREEN, author of THE BINDING STONE)

"SONGSTONE is an original fantasy world inhabited by superstitious tribal nations and intriguingly developed characters." (USA TODAY)

"THE LANGUAGE OF SOULS is the perfect tiny romantic escape." (Tales of Whimsy)

Reviews

[Shantelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Take a Picture was an okay read for me. Not necessarily because it had anything wrong with it ... it just wasn't really my type of book.
The writing style was sweet and drew you in. The story was interesting. The characters were kind of cute, :) It was a nice, short read; sure to delight teenage girl readers.
As for myself, I just didn't really connect with Troy or Ashlyn, or their situations, or responses to certain things. They're the average college age people, and I feel like I'm a little bit odd when it comes to comparison. (Haha).
Anyway, I've loved some of Lena Goldfinch's other books: her fantasy called Aire, and her historical called, The Unexpected Bride, and I think I'll stick to those series ... because they're definitely my type of book! :D

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/review/R31JF71J...
Review on my blog (to be posted 3/22): http://christianbookshelfreviews.blog...

**Take A Picture**

Take A Picture was a short, fun story. It's the first one I've read by Lena Goldfinch and I really enjoyed it. I thought the plot was interesting and the writing was good. It held my attention and I was never bored. I liked the whole celebrity/paparazzi aspect - fun! Overall, Take a Picture was a great YA novelette!

**Bonus Short Story: Chain Reaction**

I had pretty much the same feelings about this bonus story as Take A Picture. Interesting story, good writing, and it kept me reading. Chain Reaction was much shorter than the other one, but it makes me want to read Haunting Joy someday (since it's a prequel to that book). I'm not sure how I feel about the ghost/haunting aspect in Chain Reaction, but I still really enjoyed the story.

**Overall**

All in all, a great combo collection. Both stories were good, though I enjoyed Take A Picture a little more than Chain Reaction. If you enjoy YA novels, you might like these stories. Clean reads.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Merged review:

Second time reading this and pretty much the same thoughts, except this time around the romance was just a little too insta-love. I loved how the main character was so down to earth, even though she was a big celebrity.

All in all, a really cute story and I liked the bonus short story! :D

[Julie Graves · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this short story Troy Alexander is trying his hardest to get a picture of Ashlyn Sunshine, a teen pop sensation. Having exhausted his dream in New York to become a singer he is now trying to earn money to go back to his home outside of Boston. He's been hired by a tabloid and promised a thousand bucks to get the perfect picture of Ashlyn. Hiding in dark doorways and ducking behind garbage dumpsters is not where Troy wants to be, but he is determined to get home. His fortune turns when he accidentally bumps into Ashlyn and a tentative friendship develops.

I thought this was a sweet short story and actually kind of wanted more when it ended. I liked Troy's desire to protect Ashlyn from her fans while shopping. It was interesting to see two young adults from different backgrounds try and find some common footing. Ashlyn's character seems a cross between naive and worldly and Troy's character insecure and still trying to "find" himself which makes for a cute romance between the star and a young boy on the brink of manhood. I enjoyed the story very much, a quick read, it may have taken me an hour to finish it.

BONUS:

An added bonus to this short story is the short story prequel to Haunting Joy called CHAIN REACTION. If you haven't read Haunting Joy yet I highly recommend it. It is a sweet ghost story. In Chain Reaction Joy receives a chain letter in which she is required to write down the name of her secret crush. When her letter gets into the wrong hands Joy is determined to get it back. Joy doesn't realize at this time that the cold feeling she gets when she opens and closes her binder is actually her first "haunting." A cute prequel to the Haunting Joy series. Go HERE to read my review.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, for Troy Alexander, the right picture is worth one thousand dollars AND his ticket home. All Troy has to do is take ONE good photo of music sensation Ashlyn Sunshine and he can finally go home after making a go of his music opportunity in New York that didn’t turn out. However, his boss, Giovanni, is much harder to please with this photo than Troy expected. Troy has tried several different angles and even standing in a dumpster to get the right shot, so far nothing has worked.

Ashlyn is minding her own business going into Toys “R” Us to find a toy for her kid brother when she runs into Troy and realizes he has been following her! However, when she realizes he’s harmless and not stalker material, she agrees to give him his photo if he’ll help her out. They end up spending the day together getting to know each other and Troy is in awe of how real this pop singer is in person.

I really loved reading Troy and his constant conflict of trying to earn this money yet also feeling like slime for hiding out in attempts to get the right picture of this sweet girl. Her natural persona and her easy nature make her good at keeping up an image, but she’s also a nice kid trying to enjoy herself.

It was interesting to see from a teen’s perspective what it’s really like being paparazzi. I’m sure there are good professional photographers in the business who are respectful of the celebrity’s privacy, but it’s rare to come across these individuals. All Troy really wants to do is pursue his singing career even after LOTS of rejections. His personality is nothing like the shady company he works for and despite his desperation in getting a great photo, he really wants to do the right thing.

There definitely could’ve been a longer story out of this, but Goldfinch does an outstanding job putting it together in a short story that catches the reader’s interest right away! I was surprised at how everything worked out, but I truly loved reading about Troy and Ashlyn. I felt motivated and I went looking for my camera to see if there was anything picture worthy going on around me. Loved the cover to this one too!


My Comments on Chain Reaction
Since Take a Picture was a short story, it was a real treat to read this bonus short story also. I remember these chain notes from high school, but I never participated in them. I was never superstitious either, but words have power and if the note ever fell into the wrong hands….well the need to have the ground swallow you up was just overwhelming at the time. Goldfinch captures this experience PERFECTLY here and even though she had me craving for a longer plot in this one, I just love her writing in this!

Joy is minding her business trying to have a non eventful kind of day when her friend, Sarah, decides to shove a chain letter her way. Joy reacts EXACTLY as I would’ve. She has no interest in participating, but her curiosity gets the best of her and she does respond. The note does end up in the wrong hands, YIKES, but what happens afterwards is not predictable. I definitely consider this prequel a standalone even though there are hints to Haunting Joy and I really loved how this short story concludes. Not something I could relate to with my high school memory, but an enjoyable tale all the same!

I felt everything Joy experienced: drama, nervousness, hiding a delicate secret, frustration with the school rumor bully, shyness, desperation, great best friend support, and pleasant surprise at the conclusion. This bonus short story will have the reader quickly turning pages and it will NOT disappoint! Cheers for teen boys like Nick who help out without being nosy and for cupcakes with M&Ms!!

I want to thank the author and Amber at www.editingthroughtheseasons.com for the review ecopy received. I was not required to write a positive review, but I had fun doing so! The opinions expressed are my own.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all know the saying you can’t judge a book by its cover is all about looking past the external and into the heart of the person to see who they really are. That saying holds true for Take a Picture. We have been taught to create quick judgments and rely on what we see to determine our response to a situation or person. However, what we tend to overlook is how we feel and what the other person is trying to tell us. We callously dismiss our hearts, and in the process we find ourselves mired in a pit filled with hurt, misunderstandings, and despair that could have easily been avoided.

Troy Alexander had a dream of singing that was quickly destroyed through endless rejections. While he tries to save what is left of his dignity, he takes a job that will allow him to go back home and nurse his wounds. Troy’s assignment was simple – capture a good picture of Ashlyn Sunshine. This is one assignment that he will never forget.

Troy and Ashlyn should be such simple characters. We should just be able to take them at face value and go on with our lives. Take a quick snapshot and there you have it. That would normally be sufficient for the typical relationship of a photographer and a celebrity, but this is anything but normal. What we see before us are real people with real problems that show us real emotions. They find a refuge in the other, and what is born from that easy trust and friendship is something very beautiful and priceless.

While I wanted to know more and delve deeper into this story to see where it lead, I was very content to just enjoy and be in the moment along this beautiful journey. I treasured every moment they were together, and I wasn’t worried about what would or wouldn’t come next. Allowing myself to enjoy the sequence of events rather than concern myself with what was or wasn’t there, granted me the freedom to savor and perceive everything that was there in much greater detail.

Some readers might argue that a novella just isn’t on the same level as a full sized novel. That might be true for some authors, but certainly not for Lena Goldfinch! She packs so much detail, heart, and soul into her stories that you finish with the same level of satisfaction as if you had actually read a full sized novel. It’s amazing how much she can flesh out a story in such a small amount of time. She makes you care for and fall in love with each of her characters. It’s just a perfectly profound experience that everyone needs to have at least once!

BONUS STORY:

If Take a Picture wasn’t good enough, we are also given a short prequel to Haunting Joy. I have to say that I enjoyed this look into Joy’s life. It’s always nice to discover that you aren’t the only one who finds life both awkward and exhilarating.

Joy is dealing with a chain letter disaster that has the potential to reach epic proportions. Will she find some luck on her side, or will she find humiliation waiting for her instead? Will the events of this chain letter open her eyes to see what is right in front of her, or will she continue to walk around blind and oblivious?

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sit back and truly enjoy this light-hearted YA contemporary romance, spoken through the thoughts and words of a nineteen-year-old male who becomes enamored of a teen rock star who was only to be a photo assignment. Troy’s dreams of stardom have been dashed; he is out of money and out of luck, so he takes a job that will give him enough money to go home. Simple enough, grab a candid photo of hot teen star, Ashlyn Sunshine. What he discovers is, Ashlyn is a real person, warm, sometimes insecure, beautiful, smart and as lonely as he is. Caught between his conscience for using her, he confesses, she offers the shot, but there is something sparking between them. Could it be possible someone as amazing as Ashlyn could return his feelings of budding love or is he only creating another heartbreaking dream that will never come true?

Author Lena Goldfinch has done it AGAIN! Take a Picture is a delightfully sweet romantic tale that downplays the angst and plays up the innocence and joy of two hearts connecting, even if only for a brief time. Ashlyn and Troy are both warm and caring characters who are a product of their situations, not making judgments on each other, but seeing the person for who and what they really are, inside. Although short, there is an entire tale here, fresh and paced wonderfully.

And if creating wonderful tale is not enough, Ms. Goldfinch has added a prequel for another of her works! Chain Reaction is going to take you back to those awkward days in school when breaking a chain letter was one of the ultimate sins. The only thing worse is having your chain letter answers spread all over school, and having to live with the results! Joy learns the hard way why chain letters are trouble. How would you react if one of your most private thoughts became fodder for the gossip mills?


I received this copy from Lean Goldfinch in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: March 2, 2014
Publisher: Indigo Road
Genre: YA Romance
Number of pages: 67
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

[Gloria ♪ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Synopsis

Troy Alexander is a 19 year old guy. And all he wants is to go home. But to do so, he needs money. So he finds a way to earn money, fast. All he has to do is take one good picture of the famous teenage singer, Ashlyn Sunshine. Easy, right ? One good picture, that's all. But in order to get a good shot, he needs to get closer to Ashlyn. So this is what he plans on doing : get closer to Ashlyn, take a picture and go home. But what he doesn't expect, is to meet the real Ashlyn. Not the famous girl you can see in all the magazines, but the real Ashlyn. And what he expects even less , is to actually like her.

Review

This was a really short story. It's more a novella than a novel. And usually, I don't really enjoy novellas, because I get te feeling we don't really get to know the characters. But I didn't get that feeling in this book. While reading it, I felt like I already knew Troy. He's an easy character to relate to. He's not the really brave hero, or the super smart guy, and it's nice to read about a guy who is normal. I also liked Ashlyn a lot, but for her I get the feeling I don't really know her. But neither does the main character, and that was something I liked a bit less anout this book. It was kind off an insta- love thing. And I like it better when the characters get to know each other better before they fall in love. Also, I would have liked this book being a bit longer, I was sad when it ended and wanted more ! I wish we would get to see te evolution of Troy and Ashlyn's realtionship.

The writing stile was really easy and flowy, so it was a nice, quick read. Something I like about novellas, the stories don't drag on and on. Because the stories are so short, the authors go right to the essence of the book, and that was something I liked a lot about this book.

This book also included a little prequel to another one of Lena Goldfinch's books, Haunting joy ! It was a nice little prequel, and I already like the main character and her best friend. So I'm excited to start haunting joy !

* I would like to thank the author of this book, for giving me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review *

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Lena Goldfinch; start us with a story about Troy, who is now one of the paparazzi to get the picture. Troy hope was to be a singer. As the story goes on you learn that his plan to be a singer, didn’t workout. He had to figure out how he can go back home. So he decides the only way that he can make money would be taking picture for a tabloid. The tabloid promised a thousand bucks to get a perfect picture of Ashlyn Sunshine, who is a teen sensation. It was a fluke that he accidentally bumped into Ashlyn. So all you have to do is get your copy, to find out what happen between Ashly, and Troy. This was an enjoyable read.

This is a prequel to Haunting Joy called CHAIN REACTION. In this story is about Joy, who has receives a chain letter were she has to write about her secret crushes. Well we can only guess what happen to these letters; they got into the wrong hands. Joy has to figure out how she can get her letters back. Here is a question for you does she get the letter back or not! You have to read this short story for yourself. It was an enjoyable read, for me the story ended to soon.

[Inah (Fueled By Chapters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is really a quick read, but a great one! I loved the story and the pacing. The idea of the story wherein a paparazzi falls in love with a superstar is cool. I've never read anything like it.

I liked Troy's character. He's a kind gentleman and he's kind of a dork so it's a bonus for me. Ashlyn's character is easy to love. Even though she was a "superstar", she's very down to earth.

I just think that this book shouldn't be in the short story category at all. I think it could be expanded more into a full novel. I can't help but think about the story and the possible events that could happen to Troy and Ashlyn. I'd love to see their relationship grow.

The copy also included a prequel novel of Haunting Joy, which I also enjoyed.
Will be reading Haunting Joy next. :)

Review also posted on The Bibliophile Confessions

[Catastrophe Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and the We Love YA Books group for allowing me to read this.

3, 5 stars

So this book was quite short. I was hoping that it would be a long dramatic love story between a paparazzi wanna-be and a sweetheart teen actress. Unfortunately, it was too short for my taste.

I liked Troy and Ashlyn. They had good chemistry. Yes, they didn't really sound like they were in their late teens but I enjoyed their personalities even though I would have loved to have read more about them.

There was no happily ever after and the instalove thing made me a bit weary but I liked this book. It was light and entertaining. A definite book to recommend to your girly friends.

[Sorcha O'Dowd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really cute short story that had some great characters and a meaningful undertone to the story about problems that come with fame. There were a few things that I wanted to know more about, such as the exact relationship Ashlyn had with her mother, and I wanted to see Ashlyn's bodyguard have a more three-dimensional character, but considering that it was a short story there was some good development in it.

3.5 stars!

[Bonny Bon Bon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly I'd like to thank Lena Goldfinch for giving me this book in exchange for a honest review

This was a lovely short read. It was a very very light and sweet read about a famous girl and a boy trying to get home. I would love to have seen what happened to them in the future :D

I also really enjoyed the prequel to Lena's other novel Haunting Joy which was at the end of this story :)

[Nadia Nader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, quick & well-written YA read. If you like sweet romances, then this short story is for you.

I enjoyed reading it and can see tremendous potential in developing the story further. I would be interested in following up on what happens next to Troy & Ashlyn in a full-length novel.

Note: I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author and the We Love YA Books group for giving me the opportunity to read this work.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short, entertaining story about Troy, a nineteen year old, who becomes a paparazzo needing to get the perfect picture of pop diva, Ashlyn. While the plot is pretty predictable, it's still entertaining. If you're looking for a quick, fluff read, then this is perfect for you!

*disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

[Bette Dick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short entertaining lighthearted story of a would be singer and short term paparazzi who meets up with the superstar he is trying to take a picture of. It is a predictable piece of 'fluff' but nevertheless entertaining. You are left wondering what happens to the couple in the future - maybe another short story!

[Kenechi Udogu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very, very, very sweet story about a teenage boy who got lucky in love with a star. A bit short but it's a novelette so I guess the length was expected. It also has a prequel to a series at the end so it's sort of two stories in one book.

[Gillian Murrell · Rating 1 out of 5]

cute little love story but totally unrealistic

[Dana Burkey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story was well written, but the believably of someone spending less than a day with a celebrity then suddenly being in love with her and dating her and just absurd. I know that it is a short story, but the basis for all the rising action and the ending was shaky at best....

[Brooke (i blog 4 books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!!

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story, and it was pretty cute. Quite unbelievable, yes, but definitely cute. It was worth the 30 minutes to read it. :) I'll probably go back to it whenever I need a giggly, fun fix.

[Jenna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unrealistic, predictable, designed characters