True Grandeur

A Hollywood Novel

Fiction - Literary
283 Pages
Reviewed on 10/13/2017
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

Cal R. Barnes was born in Salem, OR in 1988. After briefly studying creative writing and drama at Portland State University in Portland, OR, Cal moved to Los Angeles in 2009 where he immediately began acting and writing screenplays. After a few years he also began producing films as well, enjoying all aspects of the creative process. Cal currently lives and writes in Los Angeles. He is a connoisseur of literature, film, yoga, fruits, vegetables, coffee, tea, and sunshine. True Grandeur is his first novel.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

True Grandeur: A Hollywood Novel by Cal R. Barnes is a well-crafted tale of romance, a story of one man’s search for love, for purpose, and ultimately for himself. When Conrad Arlington moves to Los Angeles, it is with the intention of pursuing his dream of becoming an artist. But he quickly attracts the attention of the mysterious and glamorous Gracie Garrison, a trendsetter with a unique charm and beauty. After a night of intense passion, with gallery openings, extravagant parties, and exciting encounters, Conrad wakes up to discover, to his utter chagrin, that the woman he believed to be his soul mate is gone. Now he sets out on the difficult journey to locate her. It’s what he discovers on this journey — about the woman he loves, about the idea of love, the world he lives in and himself — that will surprise readers.

A character-driven story, True Grandeur: A Hollywood Novel is well-plotted and the reader is plunged into a world of glitz, with characters that are real and compelling, imagined to be complex. The conflict moves from being personal and sets the tone for interpersonal relationships. Cal R. Barnes’ prose is beautiful and readers will love the insightful passages and the psychological depth of the story. One of the things that immediately caught my attention was the beautiful and well-crafted setting. It wasn’t hard for me to visualize people, to get the colorful aspects of the setting as I read on. The pacing is spot-on, quick, and gripping. The story is a masterpiece in the area of entertainment and the magnetic characters, coupled with the intensity of action, will arrest the attention and interest of readers.

Allison Jones

Such an incredible novel!