I LOVED this book! Gray is a young actress trying to kick start her career after a long-run teen soap role. Ethan is an older actor just trying to live out his life in peace after a messy divorce, alcohol addiction, and death of a close friend. The two of them are paired up to fake date and revitalize their careers. But more than just careers are revitalized! The connection that grew between Gray and Ethan was heartbreaking and loving. The evolution of their relationship was filled with twists and turns that kept me craving more. Grump / Sunshine, Fake Dating, Banter and more!

I honestly felt this one was much more Women's Fiction than Romance for me, but that doesn't mean it was bad.

Grey is a mini star coming off a soap opera like show who is now trying to keep working in the business. Ethan is a once major star who now lives a quiet life out of the spot light. They get put together for a fake dating six month deal, and the sparks just fly. I have to say that the struggles through the book with alcohol, drugs, and depression are very deep and have meaning to those who have struggled or loved someone who has.

This one was not what I expected! I think I “judged a book by its’ cover” and I expected a light hearted rom-com. It was still really good and I loved the characters and their chemistry.
This book tells the story of an up and coming star whose agent sets her up in a fake relationship with a hot “A List” leading man as a publicity stunt. You can predict that the stunt will backfire but the level of angst the characters experienced gave me “A Star is Born” vibes. I kept picturing Bradley Cooper in the movie of this book. This is worth a read. 4 stars Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for a review!

This was a cute fun romance. Although the characters had their faults, they were likable and I felt like I got to know them and was rooting for them throughout. I felt what they felt. There was a point where I felt it was a little toxic, but was happy with how it ended up being handled. This is the perfect beach read if you like Romance.

I enjoyed this book even though I went into it thinking it would be a lighter romance based on the cover. I've been on a fake-dating rom-com kick lately so this fit right in. It ended up being a pretty emotional read that deals with fame, grief, and addiction (alcohol).

This book is so much heavier than I expected. The title, cover, and blurb had me ready for a sweet, silly fake dating romance. What this actually was is a romance dealing with child stardom, grief, addiction, and the downside of fame.
I think I would have enjoyed this more if I had known better what I was getting myself into. It was way more of a roller-coaster than I expected.

In general a fake dating story enjoyable to read. The writing is good but despite the serious issues the characters have to deal with during the book I felt the development lacked some depth.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ava Wilder’s debut novel How to Fake it in Hollywood is one of those books that you definitely cannot judge by its cover. I went in expecting a light-hearted flirty romance, and instead, I found myself immersed in a moving, emotional and sometimes painful story that centers on grief and loss. I love a good angsty read, so even though I was surprised, I was not disappointed.

I was drawn to this story by the promise of the fake relationship trope, and again, I was not disappointed. Grey Brooks is an actress who, even though she had success as a teen in a long-running soap, is now struggling to really kick her career into high gear. Her publicist comes up with a scheme to put Grey in the spotlight – to fake a love affair with Ethan Atkins, a former but now disgraced Hollywood heartthrob who is looking to make a comeback. Both Grey and Ethan are desperate enough to agree to meet in person to discuss the idea, and after some initial head butting and trading of barbs, they both agree to give fake dating a try.

I loved both of these characters so much. Grey is feisty and scrappy and even though she’s a bit star struck by Ethan at first, she doesn’t hesitate to put him in his place when it’s warranted. Ethan is a little prickly at first, but as I got to know more about him and what he has been going through, particularly the death of his best friend and writing partner, my heart just broke for him. Ethan is struggling with grief, depression, addiction, and he just desperately wants to get his act together, especially so that he can spend more time with his daughter and secure more visitation with her than he has been allowed since he started spiraling.

The story was fun in terms of watching Grey and Ethan try to navigate the early stages of their fake relationship, especially when they were out in public. There are definitely some hiccups along the way for them, but I really loved it once they realize their chemistry with one another is way more than just acting. The real action takes place when they are together in private and they start to support and care about one another. I was really rooting for them to become a real couple and was glued to the pages each time their budding relationship was threatened, first by paparazzi invading their privacy and then again by the media, when a reporter tries to get a rise out of Ethan about the death of his friend.

How to Fake It in Hollywood does have some steamy, sexy, and fun moments, but overall it is a story filled with depth and emotion, and with richly developed characters that will tug at your heartstrings.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Ava Wilder’s characters and setting felt so real, I was completely immersed in this world. It was like watching a reality show from inside the lives of one of the Hollywood couples I’ve always fantasized about. But it wasn’t all glam — it had more of the downs than the ups of fame.

I had a major soft spot for Ethan. He was grumpy and dealing with serious issues, but he was sensitive and caring and I loved how he felt about Grey. Their chemistry and tension were so good! Grey was a strong and sassy sweetheart. I was picturing Blake Lively and Ben Affleck (but with the dynamic of her and Ryan Reynolds - of course!). Their HEA had me in tears 😭🥰 It felt so earned and the epilogue was perfect.

My one complaint is that I wanted more on page scenes with Grey and Ethan together to solidify their relationship. I also wanted at least one more detailed bedroom scene instead of just summarizing. I think it would have added a lot to the ending. Even so, I really loved the experience of reading this book and definitely recommend it for those who love celebrity couples.

TW: alcoholism, grief

Read/Listen If You Like:
❤️ Celebrity Romances
❤️ Fake Dating
❤️ Dual POV
❤️ Age Gap Romance
❤️ Spice 🔥

Book Review:
I don’t know what else to say about this one other than it completely shocked and awed me and I absolutely fell in love with this one. It had such a light premise with two celebrities fake dating to help out their individual needs but shocked me with the amount of emotional depth brought to the table as well as depth of the characters and growth of the characters over the span of the story.

What I loved: the lightness and tension of their relationship initially and then the movement past light and steamy into depth of emotion, battling of demons, and strong personal growth for each of the main characters Grey and Ethan. Also, if you are looking for some spice, look no further, this one definitely has well done and well placed spice that helped build the story and connection between the characters.

What I didn’t like: honestly, I can’t think of a thing, it all had it’s time, place, and purpose and I will definitely be reading more from Ava Wilder as she knocked her debut novel out of the park!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House and Ballentine for the ARC of this book! I am so grateful to obtain a copy to read in advance of its release in exchange for my honest feedback!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick read that covered some heavy topics but had a really well written fake dating trope storyline. ⁣
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The chemistry and banter between Grey and Ethan was wonderful. It was funny, quick witted, and fireworks. They both struggled with insecurities and trust issues which made it challenging, especially being famous. ⁣
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This story hit on addiction, grief of losing a friend, struggling with parental resentment, and a cheating previous lover; but it was done in such a real and raw way. ⁣
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I truly felt for Ethan and his struggles, and I felt for Grey as well; being brought up as young adults into fame and how it isn’t all glamorous. I also really loved the side characters Kamilah and Nora; as well as their agents. Even through their struggles they had strong support systems and people looking out for them. ⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you for the gifted copy!

How to Fake it in Hollywood gives the readers a glimpse into the lives of Hollywood actors/actresses, including A-list actors and those who try so hard to climb up the social hierarchy. It's quite refreshing to get such insight in these stars' inner thoughts as well as mental health struggles, something we as the outsiders rarely see. The main characters', Grey and Ethan's, love story is definitely an unconventional one, and they put a lot of efforts in the sparks they share and transform them into a deeper connection, both physically and emotionally. It's much appreciated that there's more than pure lust or opposite attraction from these two lovebirds; stereotypical problems, mental health issues, grief, sorrow, hatred, and social expectations are just a few subjects tackled nicely in this book. I'd recommend How to Fake it in Hollywood to everyone who'd like to take a sneak peek into a Hollywood idol's behind-the-scenes and meet the lovely couple that is Grey and Ethan.

***Thanks to Penguin Random House International Sales for kindly providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***

Thank you publisher and Netgalley for an ARC of this book for my honest review.

I always love a good will they or won’t they story. This story was a quick read for me. This story was about 2 Hollywood stars, Ethan and Grey that are set up by their managers to give both of their career a jolt. At first it starts off as a contact relationship but the more time they spend together the more they start to enjoy each other’s company. Their fake relationship starts to develop into something more and both become more vulnerable. As the story continues the reader can continue to see the dark side of Hollywood and the struggles that come along with it. Both Ethan and Grey are somewhat damaged from Hollywood. Could they ever get over it? This story had me guessing up until the end could their relationship survive? I’m not going to give away any spoilers so you will have to read to find out!

This was a very strong debut from Ava! It is top notch writing and she does an excellent job of painting a realistic portrayal of Hollywood. She also did an excellent job creating characters that you couldn't help but root for and not to mention it had the perfect amount of spice as well :).

I will say that from the cover and the blurbs I read, I thought this was going to be a light-hearted, entertaining romance about fake dating. But this story was a lot deeper and complex. Ava did a great job of handling some difficult tops alongside the romance. I still found it very entertaining as well.

I highly suggest making sure you check out the content warnings so you're aware before you read. I typically stay away from reading things with a few of these tops. I was a little shocked that the book was going to deal with these issues, because I thought it was a lighter rom-com romance. I do believe it was handled with care and I enjoyed the book. I do think that an author note in the beginning would be appreciated (and maybe it's in the published version).

If you're looking for a romance that deals with some deeper complex issues and very strong character arcs, then you'll enjoy this book.

CW: addiction, relapse, alcoholism and death of a loved one

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

This was a steamy Hollywood story. The slow burn was worth every wait because it made me yearn for more — hence binge-reading the entire book in one night.

Grey is brilliant and blossoms with an aura of joy (I have no idea what that means, but the girl was a jovial character). Ethan, AKA Mr. Grumpy, was a sexy gentleman and pulled my heartstrings left, right, and center every time he made cute comments about Grey or when he smiled.

If you loved Hooked Line & Sinker by Tessa Bailey, read this and thank me later.

How to fake it in hollywood is a decent read. It did give "women written by a man" vibes early on in the book. After reading the paragraph on how Grey was braless in a cold office I had to put the book down. I did revist the book for a second chance and did end up enjoying the rest of it.

This book rested comfortably on my shelf for what seemed like a very long time.. For some un-explicable reason I wasn’t drawn to it. Maybe it was the cover that was a bit unappealing?🤷🏻‍♀️ But when the audio was available I figured I’d try that format to help me jump in.

Well…silly me, what an unexpected surprise this was. What was I waiting for!?🤦🏻‍♀️

A superb rom-com that delivered all the necessary ‘feels’ but so much more. Once again, our authors are exploring heavier topics normally avoided in rom coms, until recently. Exposing everyday issues that most readers experience in the course of their own lives. In this case it’s substance abuse and grief.

Ethan Atkins was an A-lister, mega-star who recently became somewhat of a recluse since the death of his friend, followed by his very public divorce.

Grey Brooks is a former child TV star who is looking to shake free of the younger roles that have no depth. Desperate to avoid being type-cast for the rest of her career.

In a text-book Hollywood P.R. stunt, their publicists concoct a plan to hook the two up in a “fake relationship” guaranteed to light up the Hollywood gossip ghouls! So…are they actually good enough actors to tolerate each other long enough to pull this thing off? Their careers may depend on it.

This rom-com delivered in a big way! The chemistry between the characters was sizzling! And the difficult topics were dealt with in a serious, respectful manner and not just a passing thought.

The narrators did a stellar job and I’m so glad I got to listen along-side my kindle copy!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine

This was just perfect. I loved this book and Ava Wilder definitely hit it out the park with her debut novel. I cannot wait to see what she does next. Ethan and Grey were real, emotions were high and raw. Feelings throughout this book were achingly deep and beautiful. Went in thinking it would be another feel-good rom com read, turned out to be so much more than expected.

What a great book! It’s a lot more meaty than the title suggests. Yes, there’s the fake dating and only one bed tropes, but it’s also a realistic look at the toll alcoholism takes on people and their relationships. It made the ending that much more satisfying.
The writing was good and the characters well drawn, complete with actual positive and negative emotions. I recommend this one, 4 stars.

Synopsis
A talented Hollywood starlet and a reclusive A-lister enter into a fake relationship . . . and discover that their feelings might be more than a PR stunt in this sexy debut for fans of Beach Read and The Unhoneymooners.

Grey Brooks is on a mission to keep her career afloat now that the end of her long-running teen soap has her (unsuccessfully) pounding the pavement again. With a life-changing role on the line, she's finally desperate enough to agree to her publicist's scheme... faking a love affair with a disgraced Hollywood heartthrob who needs the publicity, but for very different reasons.

Ethan Atkins just wants to be left alone. Between his high-profile divorce, his struggles with drinking, and his grief over the death of his longtime creative partner and best friend, he's slowly let himself fade into the background. But if he ever wants to produce the last movie he and his partner wrote together, Ethan needs to clean up his reputation and step back into the spotlight. A gossip-inducing affair with a gorgeous actress might be just the ticket, even if it's the last thing he wants to do.

Though their juicy public relationship is less than perfect behind the scenes, it doesn't take long before Grey and Ethan's sizzling chemistry starts to feel like more than just an act. But after decades in a ruthless industry that requires bulletproof emotional armor to survive, are they too used to faking it to open themselves up to the real thing?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I really loved this book. The right combination of fun Hollywood and deft handling of more serious issues. Both characters were well drawn and fully formed individuals.