Leading Man

A devilishly funny tale of heartbreak and Hollywood, perfect for fans of David Nicholls and Nick Hornby.

'It was a preposterously glamorous gig, the sort of jet-setting occupation a shallow Matthew McConaughey character might have in a cheesy romantic comedy - until McConaughey's character falls in love in the second act and learns the greater bliss of settling down with a regular girl like Kate Hudson. Only I was stuck in my second act. The way things were going, I'd end up as Matthew McConaughey for the rest of my life, and nobody wants that.'

Max Lerner has it all figured out. He's got the girl - his childhood sweetheart Samantha. He's got the job - reporter for a national magazine. Life is sweet. Until his aspiring actress girlfriend leaves him for his childhood hero, Johnny Mars. Can Max win her back by throwing himself into the world of celebrities, hangers on and wannabes? Or will he get more of an education than he bargained for?

Uproariously funny and exquisitely poignant, Leading Man will take you back to your first love, your first heartbreak and the first time your heroes let you down.

About the Author

As a writer and editor at Entertainment Weekly, Benjamin Svetkey spent two decades flying around the world visiting film sets and writing stories about movie stars. He served as the magazine's LA bureau chief from 2004 to 2007, and as an editor at large until 2012. Svetkey has also published stories in The New York Times magazine and Rolling Stone. He lives in Santa Monica, California, with his wife and daughter.