Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Genre: RomCom
Tropes: Fake Dating, some forced proximity/one bed
TW: Loss of a best friend, alcoholism

📖 Read if you like 📖
✌🏼Dual POV
🎬Celebrity romances
📃 Fake dating trope
🫶🏻Realistic romance
🌶 Spicy scenes
🐘Heavier themes: grief, depression, alcoholism, etc.

My Thoughts:
How to Fake It In Hollywood is a fake dating RomCom, where two celebrities make an agreement to date each other to improve their social status - however, a long weekend of forced proximity takes their relationship to the next level. However, it is not all sunshine and rainbows. Grey and Ethan are torn apart time and time again, and I felt like this book gave a realistic spin on a happy ending. I loved the central theme it brought up: you must love yourself before you can love another. This was a wonderful book, and I'd definitely recommend it!

Thank you to Net Galley and Random House - Ballentine for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Celebrity romances are officially in and How To Fake It In Hollywood is a fun addition to the genre! The premise of this book was so interesting and the set-up really caught my eye. A fake romance between two actors is set up by a publicist and lots of tension ensues. Grey and Ethan both have their own reasons for agreeing to this fake dating set-up. Grey is looking to jumpstart her career after her long-running show is ending and Ethan needs to fix his image. I really felt for Ethan and wanted him to get help for his grief and alcoholism. It was sometimes a tough read to see him go through his obvious pain.

How to Fake It In Hollywood is a heavier celebrity romance that readers of Emily Henry will love!

The premise is so fun. I enjoyed this book. Wilder’s novel was cute and clever and the cover and title were so eye catching. As a fan of Emily Henry and Christina Lauren, I found this book to be in a similar vein and I am always a fan of a fake dating trope.

This book! When I tell you I didn't think a book about celebrities could get so tangible or real-world...

Grey and Ethan are set up by their publicists for very different reasons. They are pretty instantly attracted to each other, but I think as celebrities it kind of fit, it didn't feel fast or forced. The fact that sexual tension and romantic gestures could exist while they still "hated" each other because they were forced into dating for their careers - it was so fun to be thrown right into them being sweet with each other as an act (while knowing they were going to fall head first!). I don't want to spoil anything because I feel like the last thirty percent could have been even more enjoyable for me if I didn't already know where it was going, but it was still well done and gut-wrenching and sweet.

I don't think I'd recommend it to just everyone, but if you enjoy romance novels and the "fake-dating" trope, and don't mind celebrity culture too much - I think this one will do it for you too!

Huge thank you to Random House-Ballantine and the author for the complimentary review copy of this book!

I loved this one! Such a fun read, and the characters were both struggling with real issues. So swoony!

Another delightful book that I adored enough to acquire a finished copy! This would have been a cover buy if not for the excellent synopsis, too.

Here's what you need to know going in: the cover is a touch deceptive. There's a dark undercurrent to this book that I personally found refreshing. A lot of celebrity romances ignore the temptation and pressure of that environment, and it was nice to see two people struggle to find a happy ending amidst their own demons. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Content warnings for substance abuse.

3.5 / 5 stars.

I love a fake dating romance, and this one was fun as the two main characters are famous and in the spotlight. While the romance was nothing super special, I did appreciate how the topics of substance addiction and grief were approached in the story—not easy topics to tackle. This enhanced the story and definitely improved my overall impression of the book itself and the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

When Grey Brooks was a teenager, she had a poster of heartthrob Ethan Atkins on her wall. Now an actress trying hard to find her footing after the end of her long-running TV show, when Grey’s agent suggests she engage in PR relationship with Ethan, she thinks it might be just the boost her career needs. Ethan, on the other hand, has been happy out of the spotlight, as the ghosts of his past: the loss of a close friend, addiction, and a notorious divorce, haunt him. But he’s not quite ready to fully bury his career.

(Guys, this is a romance novel, so) what starts as a stunt just might become more than what was in the fine print. *wink wink*

It’s taken me a while to write this review, because while I really loved this book, It’s been hard to… reconcile positive feelings + PR stunt. While I’ve been finding myself deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole of Hollywood stunt culture since reading Evelyn Hugo, the things I’ve learned have generally been heartbreaking, especially related to forced/glass closeting.

But on the other hand, I LOVE fake dating as a trope. And since both Ethan and Grey’s reasons for stunting are career, rather than identity, focused, and both had autonomy to agree to or pass up the arrangement, I’m going to lean into it.

Wilder’s debut novel adds to one of my favorite things that’s happening in romance; characters with baggage who have to learn to manage it before they can get a happily ever after. Wilder doesn’t give her characters a free pass here- she makes them do the work, and the HEA is uncertain here enough that some readers who prefer their romance to be more escapist might want to look elsewhere.

Wilder addresses autonomy and privacy within celebrity culture, grief and loss, and addiction with nuance and realism. Readers should definitely look at content warnings for this one. Loved the depictions of boundary-setting, positive therapy rep, and the vibes. This was a really strong debut, and I’m so excited to see what Wilder writes in the future!

Grey is a child star trying to revitalize her acting career. Ethan is a mega star turned recluse who is trying to claw his way out of a dark depression after the death of a close friend. Their mutual publicist decides the best thing for both of them is to put them into a PR relationship. This is one of my favorite fake dating set ups that I've read in a contemporary romance! Grey and Ethan have to spend a lot of platonic time together to sell the story...until it becomes not so platonic. What could else could possibly happen when you have two super hot people who are contractually forbidden from sleeping with anyone else?
At its core, this book isn't like the traditional celebrity romance. The conflict isn't related to the pressures and complications of fame, but rather Ethan's ability to grapple with his demons and allow himself to be happy. The cartoon cover is deceiving, this book is emotional and gut wrenching and will probably make you cry. Grey and Ethan are two lonely people who need each other, no matter how their relationship started.

Not really a trope I particularly like, but I decided to give it a try. Didn't like the characters, nor the romance between the two. The synopsis deserves credit for gathering my attention. 3 stars

Grey Brooks is looking for the next step in her acting career and Ethan Atkins is looking to redeem his reputation in the public eye. So their publicist sets them up as a fake couple to help them both.

This book touches on some really dark themes. Unfortunately I don’t think any of those are really followed through on or treated with the seriousness that they should have been. But the romance was sweet and the celebrity dating story allowed me to overlook some of those things and enjoy the story.

I love the hot and steamy romance. I am a fan of the fake romance trope so it was just what I was expecting. However I really liked the characters more than I thought I would being the setting was Hollywood.
Can't wait to read another by this author.

Grey Brooks wants to stay relevant in Hollywood after her sitcom was canceled. Ethan Atkins is an A-level celebrity who needs to rehab his image. So when their publicist suggests they start fake dating, the duo decides it might be just the ticket.

But we all know the fake-dating trope is gonna lead to real dating and then a break-up and make-up. BUT IT WAS SO CUTE! Predictable but adorable.

If you’re looking for a sweet romcom - keep looking!

This is a gritty, angsty, messy story of love in the public eye. This story deals with grief, recovery, and trauma healing. Don’t get me wrong - I enjoyed this book- but the animated cover is a bit misleading.

Grey is one of the best FMCs I’ve read lately. She’s tough and a real fighter.

I love that this in author debut - I can’t wait for Ava’s next book.

Recommended if you like:
-fake dating
-celeb romance
-age gap
-dual POV
-the idea of dating your childhood celebrity crush


TW: addiction, grief, car accident, relapse, child abuse, drug use

Thank you to PRH-Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a lot deeper than I thought it was going to be, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was unique and interesting and sometimes I really felt like I was having a "celebrities-they're-just-like-us" moment.

I know this was a debut so I'll be interested to read more from this author as I enjoyed the dual POV and the characters' arcs. I was glad to have a bit of a delayed HEA so that the characters could grow a little.

This was a cute and fun story. Behind the scenes Hollywood romance, sign me up! I was drawn to the main characters immediately and found the entertainment aspect a fascinating component of the often used fake dating troupe. Grey was likeable and Ethan, while aggravating at times, was someone you wanted to root for. Their joint dynamic and relationship, while sexy, was not over the top in the romance department. This was one of my favorite modern romances that I read thus far in 2022. I hope to read more by Ms. Wilder in the future. 4 star ⭐️ rating for this one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for access for review.

Maybe I've just read tons of fake dating books...I adore Josh and Hazel and The Love Hypothesis. This one didn't hit for me. I didn't find it that intriguing despite the deep issues it touched on. I enjoyed the storyline in this book; the premise—fake celebrity courting in Hollywood as a publicity stunt—seemed incredibly intriguing. There were so many adorable passages in the first half of the book, such as when she twisted her ankle and he had to carry her back to the house or when he tried to prepare her breakfast. I truly like that portion of the book. The finale dragged a little bit for me because of the miscommunication, or rather the fact that they weren't really communicating and it kept going back and forth. However, I really like the criticism on how the press and paparazzi invade people's private lives.

Thank you so much to @Netgalley for this advanced reader's copy for an honest review.

It started off promising, but just kind of dragged on. It was hard to root for the main characters as they kept repeating the same mistakes over and over.

Catching up on reviews from a very busy summer!

⭐⭐⭐
How to Fake it in Hollywood, Ava Wilder
June 14, 2022, Dell

Thank you @Netgalley and @Dellbooks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How to Fake it in Hollywood was the perfect summer read. Light and predictable, but with substance. Grey and Ethan are both struggling in hollywood, her trying to build a career after being a child star and him rebounding from a series of scandals, heartbreaks and missteps. Their agents and publicists stage a fake relationship to get them both into the p ress in a postive light. It works for awhile, until things become all too real. Great book to read by the pool or at the beach.

#bookstagram #bookstragrammer #avawilder #netgalley #summerreads #chicklit #romancenovel

I really, very much enjoyed this book! I found my self giddy for the characters through out the enitre thing - rooting for them every step of the way! Of course i'm a sucker for a cute romance, but even more I love a slow burn, enemy to lovers, forced proximity situation and this book hit all the feels for me. Obviously, by the title we know this is a fake dating story line, but it's not quite as simple as that. We meet two characters who have complex emotions and traumas and we see a lot of character growth in both. We LOVE to see it. This was such a fun summer, light read! Highly recommend!