This is the third book in the Hollywood Name Game series. I read it as a stand-alone and had no problems but it sounds like the entire series is pretty entertaining. Knox and London are the perfect couple. They both have baggage that makes them gun-shy from relationships. But together they learn to trust and overcome their issues. I loved watching their growth of character as they worked together. This was a great book and certainly worth reading.

This sexy romcom definitely brings ALL the heat and emotion. And oh yes, the sizzling chemistry and swoon factor! Did I mention that? Hollywood Player is an absolute delight to read!! Loved it. Looking forward to reading more by this amazing author. Happy reading everyone

I'm not really sure how I feel about this book. It started out well and I really liked London and Knox with their mutual long-time crushes. Their characters are well-developed and written. The "I know who you are" beginning is quite different and it worked well, especially speeding up their romance a bit. Knox is known as a womanizer, but his behavior doesn't fit the rumor. Even when London watched his love scenes unfold on screen, he wasn't totally to blame, even if I wanted to throttle him! That had to feel like he was cheating. London was right to have a problem forgiving him because his apologies were much too little. He needed to be assertive instead of backing up and letting her "have her space!" If anybody served as a peacemaker and star of the show, it's Bunker Hill! It's a really cute story that needed a few more layers. The friends were mostly incidental and it was difficult to tell them apart. The HEA was the most fulfilling part of the book!

This was... fine. I read the whole thing. The story was pretty predictable; the characters fell a little flat. I didn't hate it, but I don't plan to read any others in the series.

London’s and Knox love story in the meeting of two troubled l’onestà with troubled pasts and issues in relationship
He is dislexic and this affects him she is cute clumsy
Loved their banter and nice dialogues
The bed scene no protection 2 stars less
Hollywood Player by Alexa Aston. #HollywoodPlayer #NetGalley

Complementary copy given for honest review and opinion.

I want more! I need more from this series. Great book! Great writing style. Great characters. I was biting my nails during some parts. Whew!

I am loving this series even more with every book! London and Knox are so great together and they help each other find their way in the world and together. I love the characters and the secondary characters. It's nice to read about the previous folks in the series.

Thanks so NetGalley and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book. London is a former model turned singer who has experienced significant trauma. She's basically hiding out from the world when she meets two women who become instant friends. And then she meets Knox and feels an instant connection to him (and his dog). I loved that she met the two women first and the story is just as much about her relationship with them as they develop a deep friendship as it is a love story about she and Knox. I had not read the first two books in this series, but it didn't impact my understanding of the story. It did make me want to go back and read the first two, though. I'll be seeking them out.

Though the story line started off with the brief, intense, vicious attack mentioned in the synopsis, which had me wincing, even trying to dodge each blow right along with London, the heroine, I couldn’t shake the feeling the writing and plot itself overall didn’t live up to my expectations set by the well scripted synopsis. The writing took a surprising turn towards rather mechanical and robotic at times. So much so at 19% I wasn’t sure I wanted to continue. I kept thinking hopefully it was just the early advanced copy I was reading and a final edit would be done to fix that pesky problem. I’m giving it the benefit of the doubt, folks, well, mostly.

Knox, the hero, was openly introduced in that same synopsis as a known womanizer. Yeah, we were warned, weren’t we. However, believe me, you don’t know the half of it until you hear his own unapologetic words. It was quite an understatement. The fact he took the liberty of kissing London on the mouth within minutes of just meeting her seemed too fast even for this smooth move, love ‘em and leave ‘em, one track mind, manho character bothered me. Mentally thinking he’d take her out on an outing just so he could do her afterwards is not a good look on any book leading man. It certainly wasn’t a way to win me over. So maybe I’ve got some personal preferences that are getting in the way here. But, hey, I continued to hang in there though to give him a decent fighting chance at redemption.

London’s out of the blue offer to help him out had me worried about her right from the start. It smelled like desperation to me. Knox taking another bizarre liberty later than night dumbfounded me. Lock your door, sweetie, there’s a stranger in your house came to mind. She seemed to be under some kind of spell. They were tangling in the sheets by the next day, where she declined him using protection because she didn’t feel it was necessary. H-e-l-l-o...and h-e-c-k Noooo! Is what went through my mind! He’s about to go to London and lawdy knows how many times he’s been to France (i.e. Francine, Francis, etc.). She’s been celibate for years and knows his well earned reputation is not made up.

I picked up and put this book down several times before finishing it. I did like the fact they sincerely enjoyed spending time together, even though a lot of that time was spent with rich, famous, new found friends at boring get togethers. They did click as a couple, and she ultimately made him want to be a better man. You could say I simply can’t stay riveted with ramblings about what other sub-character’s and their kids are up to. The set-up for a misunderstanding, break-up had me wondering why a certain someone else also didn’t lock doors, either. I’d be using double locks in that situation.

The marching over to make things right scene, which magically morphed into what felt like way too rushed make up smex, combined with the totally unnecessary bombshell of one of their parentage had me pegging this a 50 - 50 read. Half was enough to keep me hanging on, but the other half had me lamenting that choice. This book didn’t seem to have the right balance of something something I’m having a difficult time pinpointing.

The dangerous, mostly expected, dramatic scene meant to wrap up a loose end was disturbing and included crass, crude vulgar language. I’ve read historical romances by this author and enjoyed them. I’m thinking perhaps a closer edit with an eye towards detail would have helped quite a bit here.

Title: Hollywood Player, Series: Hollywood Name Game (Book 3), Author: Alexa Aston, Pages: 235, pub date: 9/17/20, stand-alone but part of a series, brief intense graphic domestic assault/violence, earned OTT manho reputation, model, musician, singer, composer heroine, both famous and beautiful celebrities.

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author, publisher, NetGalley, or PR firm.)

This was a book that was just too “pat” for me. The heroine, Sydney, is a gorgeous model who also happens to be a fabulous singer/songwriter. The hero, Dash, is a hugely successful actor. They meet and, despite being told over and over that Sydney is a recluse, she invites this perfect stranger to live with her. Um, okay. She has been asked to write the soundtrack for a movie (despite having no experience) and reads the script, at which point she decides Dash will be the perfect actor for the role. She introduces him to her new friends, and next thing you know they are all jumping around in glee because they’ve found the perfect actor. They are invited to hang out with her new friends and everyone is one big, happy group and they all get along perfectly. (I was definitely turned off by the other two couples announcing to Sydney and Dash that they were going to go in the house and have sex, so could the two of them see themselves out please? Ugh.) It didn’t get any better. Everything is perfect, everyone is wildly successful and beautiful and just no. The author tries to introduce angst, but when she portrays all her characters as such perfect people it doesn’t make a difference. I wouldn’t recommend this one.
Note: I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Another stellar read by Ms. Aston, I could not put this one down. I enjoyed this story almost as much as Hollywood Flirt. She again brings characters with flaws together to create a complex story of trust. London and Knox together are a force to storm Hollywood, with his acting chops and her music. They quickly become part of the Hollywood power couples that this series revolves around. Instead of focusing on the Hollywood elite that they are, we get homebodies and barbecues. Underneath the surface, they both have baggage to work through. Both are guarded and with good reason. His reputation has been earned and both have been burned by those they trusted. I can not wait for the next couple.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy for me to review, all opinions are my own.

What a great romance! I was hooked from the first chapter. Knox meets shy, recluse London in California 5 years after here face was scarred by her ex, Giancarlo and sparks fly. London immediately asks Knox (and his dog Bunker Hill who he inherited from the Agnes) to move in with him. Both London and Knox must deal with issues from their past but with the help of their new friends, they are able to move past this and have a happily ever after.

#Netgalley #hollywoodplayer #happilyeverafter

This was my first experience with this series. So much more than actor and model romance. Several surprises and some tense moments along with a few touching ones. I don't care for intimate details or swearing, so that is why I gave it only four stars instead of five. Interesting story.

The characters Knox & London are very complex. Each having trust issues. But for some reason, they do trust one another. As they maneuver this new relationship and some bumps in the roadway we learn more about each characters vulnerabilities and strengths. Also, any book with an adorable dog named Bunker Hill is a winner for me!

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest review.

This was the first book in this series that I read and I'm guessing that maybe this book fell short for me because of that? Unfortunately I didn't read the first 2 books and I hate leaving bad reviews so this isn't really a bad review--just that this book didn't hit all the marks for me. There seemed to be too many sub-plots and too much going on for me to really dig into the characters and the main plot. Maybe I'm still experiencing a book hangover from my previous read so give it a chance and don't listen to me! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

Hollywood Player is another well-written novel by Alexa Aston. The first two books from the Hollywood Name Game series are also excellent. Each book can be enjoyed as a standalone.

London Russell began modeling at the ripe-old-age of fourteen and earned a nice living. Her looks got her the cover of Sports Illustrated, which skyrocketed her into instant fame. However, she always dreamed about performing and writing songs. Her boyfriend at the time was extremely controlling, and she suffered horrifically because of it. As a result, she lives a reclusive life in Los Angeles. Her music talent has earned her much success, however, she is unable to tour, make friends or trust men.

Knox Monroe grew up in show business with success in TV. He took a much needed break from Tinseltown after learning of his mother's deception, and earned a degree in business in order to protect his financial assets moving forward. Luckily, small roles and a big break as the lead in a three part film series put him back on top. Knox prefers womanizing to any form of commitment until he meets London. They share an instant connection, which very quickly evolves into much more both personally and professionally.

I really enjoyed this book. It has a few intense moments that were truly unnerving. The situation involving London's ex-boyfriend was quite chilling, while the revelation from Knox's mother was beyond surprising. The author's writing style is easy to understand, and the story flows effortlessly from beginning to end. London and Knox are a hot couple and their sexy times are steamy. Overall, a solid romantic read.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This was a cute, fun read, that had it’s serious moments as well. London, our heroine, is a model turned singer/songwriter. A loner and recluse by nature, she meets Knox, our actor/playboy hero, and sparks fly. I liked these characters. They are realistic, and had dialog and interactions that felt real. Set around the high-profile movie business, this book skirted most of that fluff in its story, focusing more on the basic elements of the romance plot and the developing friendships. I liked how the characters developed—London from a recluse to a much more social character, and Knox from playboy to good guy and devoted boyfriend. The conflicts created nice ups and downs in this solid story, and the supportive friendships rounded out the tale. I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my freely given, honest review.

This book turned out to be much better than what I expected, and I enjoyed reading it.

The author did a wonderful job in telling the story. The story is interesting, the pacing is nice, and the characters are charming. Moreover, the story immediately grabbed my attention right in the beginning where London is attacked by Giancarlo. There are quite a few twists and turns that you don’t expect, which makes the plot interesting till the very end.

Also, I loved London and Knox as individuals. Knox immediately stood out for me because of his unconventional relationship with Agnes. Knox and London are so cute together. I loved the scenes where he gets her to come out from her seclusion and start living her life. She in turns gives him stability and family that he never had growing up. They were both so good together!

Moreover even the supporting cast are so lovely and uplifting. Keely was a very interesting character too and I liked her dynamic with Knox. Chazz, Cassie and Sydney also added well to the plot. Moreover, I loved London’s father David, and how protective he is towards her. They share such a nice bond, and it is clear how much she means to him when he has a word with Knox. I also loved the scenes revolving around Jo’s pregnancy and delivery.

However, while I also enjoyed their romance, I really didn’t like the insta-love connection. Knox kisses London in public just when they have met, and she tells him to move in with him? I took some of their initial scenes with a pinch of salt, but then felt maybe it was the Hollywood lifestyle.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story and thought it was a very well written romance.

London Russel grew up all over the world, traveling with her artists father. Then, at 14, traveling all over as a model. Then she was attacked by someone that was supposed to love her. She became a recluse, biding from everyone, afraid to open up. Knox Monroe grew on the sets of different television shows. A popular child actor. Then he learns of his mother’s betrayal, and chooses to not trust another woman, only using them for his own needs. When the two been, everything changes. They fall for each other. London wants to open up, and love again, but she’s afraid of Knox’s past. Knox wants to trust again. Will they be able to overcome their past?

I really enjoyed this story. It was sweet and had amazing characters. I was drawn in to the story, and felt for everything that London goes through. This was a well written story, and truly enjoyable. This is book three in a series, and although it can be read as a stand-alone, I’d recommend reading the first two books, as you can get a background on some of the other characters in the book. I definitely recommend this book.

4 Stars for this sweet romance!

It's 5 years after London's ex-boyfriend brutally attacked her and she's finally coming out of her isolated shell of a life. Instead of going back to modelling, she is following her heart and becoming a singer songwriter. She has been asked to write and sing the title song for Sydney and Cassie's (from book 1 and 2) new movie. When London meets Knox, by accident, the sparks instantly fly between them. London suggests Knox for the lead role in the movie and Sydney and Cassie agree. It looks like London is finally going to have a full and happy life. That is if she can keep the voices out of her head telling her that Knox will always be a player and that she is not good enough for him.

Knox can't believe his luck at meeting London, his teenage crush and when she says he can stay with her while he's in LA ... while it's just the icing on the cake. He never thought that he'd be able to trust a woman after his own mother robbed him blind. That is why he only has one-night stands ... that is until London. She is making him break all his own rules.

I like how London fought to get her life back. And I loved how Knox knew right from the time they met that London was "it" for him. This is a sweet and steamy romance that had me rooting for London and Knox. A great addition to the series.

I received an early copy through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.