Catch a Rising Star: A Novel

Tracey Bateman
FaithWords (2007)
ISBN 9780446698931
Reviewed by Cherie Fisher for Reader Views (8/07)


“Catch a Rising Star” is the first of three in the “Drama Queen “series by Tracey Bateman.  Bateman is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and it reflects throughout this well-written novel.  I sat down to read a few pages of this novel and found myself turning page after page until I was done. 

Tabitha Brockman has hit rock bottom.  She is a former soap opera star whose character was unfairly killed off when the lead writer found out that her husband had an interest in Tabby.  Now she earns a living dressing up in costumes like Peter Cotton Tail and reading to children that she cannot stand.  After getting fired from her animal gig for fighting with the children, Tabby ends up with appendicitis and lands in the hospital.  This was not what she had in mind when she made a deal with God to surrender her life to him.

Things start looking up almost immediately following Tabby’s surgery.  It seems that the soap opera where she used to work, Legacy of Life, has decided to resurrect her character, Felicia.  Tabby is very grateful for the second opportunity that she has been given.  Among the many challenges that face her as she returns to work is the biggest – being a Christian and good example on the set.  She finds that she has to put her foot down to protect Felicia’s morals so her fans will not lose confidence in her as a Christian.  At the same time, Tabby is having trouble losing the guy that her mom has picked out for her and with being forced to work with her nemesis Rachel.  To top it all off she finds herself completely attracted to David Gray, the father of her TV twins with whom she is having trouble bonding with.  Whew!  There is a lot of activity going on, but the author manages to bring it all together and make it work nicely. 

I highly recommend “Catch a Rising Star” to people who enjoy a light comedy drama and to those who have Christian ideals.  The author does an excellent job of catching Christian ideals without being preachy, so I would not limit this book to Christian readers.  The reading group guide makes it a good candidate for book clubs too.  I really enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to Tracey Bateman’s next installment in the “Drama Queen” series. 

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