The cover is absolutely stunning. The premise is fun - we all love a fake dating story, especially if it’s celebrities.

The story itself is pretty decent. Grey and Ethan separately are interesting characters with clear motivations. The discussions of the impacts of fame were intriguing, but not as in depth.

What disappointment me was the actual romance. Typical insta attraction. Despite the characters lusting after each other the second they meet, you don’t feel the tension or desire between the two. Yes, she’s attractive, but what else? Yes, he’s ridiculously handsome, but what else? I found myself bored during their romantic scenes, and more captivating in them getting to know each other and other aspects of the plot. I think the story could’ve benefited from slower pacing.

Not terrible at all. I’d definitely check out other things by Ana Wilder.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. As a lover of romance I felt that it had a compelling storyline with honest characters that really drew me in quickly. Not every author does a good job providing the. he sorry that's palpable in print, but Ava Wilder hit it out of the park.

While the cover gives off majorly cute romcom vibes, this book is so much more than that. How to Fake it in Hollywood is incredibly deep and emotional.

Ethan Atkins lost his best friend years ago, and ever since has been drowning his sorrows away from the public eye. His career has been nonexistent.

Grey Brooks has just finished her six season stint on the popular teen show, Poison Paradise, and is ready for a change of pace. Unfortunately nothing substantial has come her way.

When their mutual publicist recommends they meet, with the hopes of entering into a mutually beneficial (contractual) relationship, Ethan is mesmerized. Grey is not afraid to tell him exactly what she thinks of his rude behavior. Grey and Ethan have amazing chemistry off the bat, but can they let down their guard and begin to trust each other?

This book deals with alcoholism, emotional trauma, depression, and so many other topics. Please proceed with caution.

Wow! What an incredible debut by Ava Wilder. Hollywood darling Grey and former A-lister movie star Ethan are thrown together in a fake relationship by their publicists in order to boost both their images + popularity. Sparks fly instantly and what starts out as a publicity stunt grows into something much more.

I LOVE banter- to me that’s such an important part of the charm + energy of a romance novel. Well I’m so pleased to report that this one has absolutely AMAZING chemistry and banter!! I was drawn in immediately to these two flawed but endearing characters. I loved the Hollywood fame aspects as well as the off the charts steam. Fake dating is such a fun trope to play around with so much TENSION + passion and Ava cultivated those feelings so masterfully in her writing. I was just yearning for these to to get it on already and have a happy ending. Overall, I loved the character growth and development as well as the resolution of the story. I am seriously in awe this was a debut and cannot wait for more from this author.

Just a heads up, this book does deal with some really heavy topics. I thought they were handled in a tender + healthy way but please go easy if these topics are especially difficult for you. Content warning: addiction, substance abuse, grief

If you’re looking for a rom com with some heart- look no further!

I loved this one, but don’t let the cover fool you this is a lot heavier than it looks. Grey Brooks is trying to break out of her teen soap days into something more.
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Ethan Atkins is THE Hollywood heartthrob. I kept getting some Ben Affleck/Tom Cruise Vibes. Ethan and his writing partner Sam became an immediate success, but when Sam dies it leaves Ethan unraveled. He didn’t want to work, loses his marriage and turns to alcohol.
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In a ploy to get them both working they both agree to their publicist’s scheme to fake a relationship but what happens when their feelings turns real?
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I really rooted for the two of them and as much as I loved them I loved the relationship between Grey and Ethan’s ex wife, Nora. This book is out now!
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Thank you #Dell and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

this story was really one of the few moments I loved fake dating. it was very real in the progression of the relationship from being just business to giving into the attraction. I could see a lot of the celeb aspects being very real in the story and loved that it didn't get too oc. I liked both characters and their faults and how they approached their feelings.

Readers explore the world of fake dating when Grey and Ethan come together. Of course, as the "fake" relationship continues, a real one develops. Readers are able to connect with the two because of how realistic they are. Wilder does a wonderful job of outlining some of the struggles the characters faced. While it is not an "easy read" it can be read quickly. It keeps you on the edge of your seat.

Thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book was cute from start to finish! I enjoyed so many parts in this, and if you like the traditional rom-com type of story, this is definitely for you!

TW: Alcoholism, loss of a loved one

Grey Brooks is determined to make her mark in Hollywood. After starring in a popular long-running teen soap and some smaller movie roles along the way, she is ready to propel herself into her career and acquire more serious roles. To do so, she accepts her publicist’s proposal in faking a relationship with Ethan Atkins, a Hollywood heartthrob who has been off the map for years following a string of reckless situations. Both having their own reasons for befits of the publicity, the two sign the contract and make their “relationship” public. In the beginning, Ethan is reluctant, he just wants to be left alone as he is still recovering from the grief and loss of his best friend. However, something about Grey sparks something in him that he believed to be long gone and soon enough everything they are meant to be faking is feeling all too real.

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This was a steamy romance with some TENSION. I really enjoyed this story’s take on a fake dating troupe and the very real and important subjects it touches on. I flew through the beginning of this one, I loved Grey and Ethan’s chemistry and to see their relationship evolve, you can truly see how she gets through to him and vice versa. The story focuses on some dark subjects such as Ethan’s struggle with the loss of his best friend and his alcoholism and the grotesque invasion of privacy by the paparazzi. A little past the half-way mark, the story seemed to drag on a little and the romance kind of took a back seat which I did not particularly mind I just wish we could have gotten some more on Grey and Ethan working on their relationship together. I really enjoy Hollywood set romances and this one was right up my alley, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This title is now available for purchase!

I loved this book. It was the perfect amount of hilarious and sweetness. I will definitely be re reading it in the future.

Fake romance to real romance? If we had to pick a favorite trope, this might be it! I thought Wilder's How to Fake it in Hollywood was delightful and the fantasy of any woman - actress or not - getting to date your childhood actor crush? The DREAM! Beyond being wildly romantic, with a good amount of steam, it also dealt with some seriously heavy topics with a deft and sensitive hand. I'm eager to see what Wilder comes up with next.

Grey Brooks's acting career is floundering now that her long-running TV show was canceled. She will do just about anything to keep her career afloat. Ethan is also a famous movie star, but he just wants to check out of the world after his best friend and partner died. With both their careers in turmoil, their publicists think it would be a great idea if the two pretended to be romantically involved. It could help both their careers. But what happens when two hot heads collide? And what happens if they actually do fall in love? This story was a fun jaunt through the world of Hollywood and what can make and break a career. Thank you, NetGalley, for the eARC. I really enjoyed it. 4 stars.

This book had everything I love--fake dating, only one bed trope, and our main characters are two Hollywood actors. And there's something about Hollywood stories that is truly a guilty pleasure of mine.

From the jump, this book completely enraptured me. I couldn't put it down; I was staying up late to see what would happen next, and picking this book up was my first thought in the morning. It's been a while since I've been hooked by a book like that, and it felt great.

Despite my extensive love for this story, it's a little difficult for me to articulate exactly what it was about this book that I loved so much, but I'll do my best.

First, the characters. Grey and Ethan were both deeply flawed, realistic characters, and I adored them both. They both made plenty of mistakes throughout the book, but neither were unlikable characters by any means. And their romance was written incredibly well; the tension between them was insane.

For this being a debut novel, and an arc, I was endlessly impressed with the writing. The descriptions really painted a picture without over-explaining, the pacing was wonderful, and the dialogue was witty and realistic.

As I reached the end of the book, I wondered if my rating was going to decrease just slightly to 4 stars, but after some thinking, I've decided to keep it at 5 stars. Although it was difficult to see the separation between Grey and Ethan and see how much their characters were struggling, it was the right path for this story. Giving these two a simple, easy, happy ending wouldn't have been realistic in any way. Ethan was still struggling with his addiction and his confidence, and Grey needed to work through some personal issues as well. Wrapping a simple bow on the story would've been an incredible disservice; by the end, I really enjoyed seeing the entire arc that these two characters went on, and I loved the book as much at the end as I had at the beginning.

I definitely highly recommend picking up this story, and I can't wait to see what comes next from Ava Wilder!

TW: Addiction, alcoholism, drug use, depression, death of a friend (off-page), grief

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There has been something about traditionally published books that have not captured me lately, I feel as if all the tropes are not refreshing, they feel tired and done and repetitive, as much as I love the fake dating trope I did not feel the chemistry between these two and I didn't feel a connection to the female or male MC's at all

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC copy in exchange for a review

I love how so many things happened in the book. I could not keep myself from the book because it was so good

Ava Wilder gives us a hot story about two actors who are set up by their publicist to fake date and mutually boost their careers. Grey is mature and generous and I appreciate that overall, she doesn’t take much crap from anyone. Ethan has issues. BIG, BAD issues. But with Grey he is sort of beginning to see the light. There are lots of triggers and I like that Wilder doesn’t just jump to the ‘they found their OTP and all there problems have now disappeared’ like plenty of old romances do.
A very well written, highly enjoyable contemporary romance. Loved it.
Thank you Dell and NetGalley for the ARC!

I love the fake dating trope and this book delivered! It was fun, steamy, dramatic, and ultimately not the super light hearted rom com I expected from the cover (it talks about some of the darker aspects of Hollywood/life in the spotlight) yet was still the perfect read to devour on the beach. Addicting.

An actress is trying to get her name out in the lights. An actor has a rep to fix. Both agree to a fake relationship to hopefully help them shine. In the end love wins for real. It was a good, I felt like it dragged at times.

Wow, I really loved this book. Not only was it a great romance book (Fake Dating, Grumpy/Sunshine) but there was some depth to the storyline and was unpredictable for me in the best way. Once I started, I couldn't put it down and read it in a day.

Some spicy (hot salsa) scenes.

Thank you to Ballentine & NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was a really fun read. It was nice to see the progression of Ethan and Grey's story. Not your typical romantic comedy as the author keeps you guessing until the end and it felt really realistic as it happened or could happen. Would recommend for others to read. There are topics within the book that could be hard for some- alcoholism, estranged parents, death of a loved one.


Thank you Net Galley and Random House/ Ballantine for an ARC in return for my honest review.