How to Fake it in Hollywood is about a PR relationship between two actors. This contemporary romance was super cute. It had the classic fake dating trope. I love a quick contemporary romance but HATE a third act break up. For that reason I gave it 3.5 stars. The characters banter was fantastic and I loved the pacing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the Advanced Readers Copy!

Grey is struggling to transition her acting career from a teen soap opera to the big time. Ethan needs to fix his damaged reputation in order to make the movie he wrote with his recently deceased creative partner. The solution? Grey and Ethan need a flashy Hollywood romance to grab the media’s interest. After building their lives on pretend emotions, a fake relationship is no problem. But when real sparks fly, can anything genuine come of it?

This book has all the glamour, drama, gossip, and heart I want in a romance about fictional celebrities! Grey and Ethan have perfect chemistry, and I love how their cynicism plays off of each other into something beautiful and healing. Ava Wilder is a very talented writer, and I can't wait to see what she writes next!

4.5 stars! I loved this one! I knew pretty early on that this book was going to be great and it did not disappoint!

I loved the characters and how much depth each one had. This is way more than your typical fake dating rom com. It dives deeper into more serious issues (check out the content warnings before reading for sure) and the relationship between Grey and Ethan is just so much more real. They deal with real life struggles that so many of us face, while also having to deal with being uber famous and being followed by paparazzi, which I can assume most of us cannot relate to 🤣

I really loved the dual pov. It gave amazing insight into both characters. My only call out would be slight repetition in the fight/make up thing. But that’s literally the only thing I can think of!

So. So. Good. Go read it!

I love good fake-dating and How to Fake it in Hollywood hit the spot! I definitely was expecting more of a light and fluffy summer read but was surprised to see there was a lot more depth to the story. If you're a fan of Emily Henry's books, you should definitely get your hands on this one!

The journey that Grey and Ethans go on together and personally really had me rooting for the both of them. You can't help but want the best for these two characters after learning what they've been through. Their growth and their romance are well-written and I was in my feelings a lot while reading this book. Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a great beach read that you are sure to want to read. Full of juicy romance between two very unlikely characters, a very famous but washed up Heartthrob actor due to his self-destructive addictions and a Hollywood starlet struggling for her next big break. But this relationship between Ethan and Grey is fake, contrived by their publicist to revive their careers and push them out in to the spotlight, making them more relevant and in demand. However, things don’t go as plan as their “business” arrangement turns very personal and real, as much as they both struggle not to go there. But can they make it work? Can they trust each other after living in a world of make believe?
How to Fake it in Hollywood will grab you from the beginning as you follow along on the journey with Ethan and Grey. It’s fun to see them become real with each other and discover how alike they really are. Some steamy parts thrown in with some really sweet moments that are tender. Sensitive subjects are handled well. The author showed how everyone can fall victim to struggles with alcoholism, grief, and disappointment and how it affects those around them. Not your typical rom-com, but a good read that is fast-paced that you don’t want to put down. Grab this for your beach bag and enjoy.

Many thanks to #netgalley #howtofakeitinhollywood #avawilder for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The thing I LOVED about this book is that you start it expecting a cute rom com story of famous love, but instead you get pain, alcoholism and depression. And somehow it still works PERFECTLY.

I love it when romance books take on real life issues, and they show that the couples take on the world together. Obviously everybody wants that HEA, but not all relationships are smooth sailing all the time. And this book was the perfect example of that.

I can’t recommend this one enough!!!! Read it for yourself!

What a great debut novel, and fantastic read by Ava Wilder! How to Fake It in Hollywood tells the story of Grey (a struggling Hollywood starlet) and Ethan (a reclusive Hollywood A-lister) who enter into a fake dating relationship for very different reasons. Ethan and Grey definitely enter into this “relationship” with baggage, and Ethan struggles pretty mightily with some demons in his past in not the most healthy way (substance abuse), but the character development and the real world struggles make you as a reader fall even more in love with both Ethan and Grey.

Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, and the author added in a couple of other things that I’m always a sucker for…only one bed and taking care of someone when they’re hurt/ill.

If you’re expecting a light-hearted beach read, this definitely isn’t that, but will deliver on having you in all your feelings and rooting for these two flawed people to find their HEA. Definitely one of my top reads of 2022!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Ava Wilder and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

This book ended up not being what I thought it was going to be. It wasn't bad at all, quite the opposite in fact, but I was expecting a fun light rom com and there was way more angst and drama than I was prepared for. There are also a few things that could use trigger warnings. While the fake dating trope is usually fun, I didn't think it was especially well done here.

As I’ve never been a celebrity watcher and I honestly can’t stand celebrity gossip, I’m not sure what drew me to asking for an ARC of How To Fake It In Hollywood, but I think I was drawn to their situation; two people at very different points in their careers needing to build buzz to get their names out there and move forward. I didn’t expect the depth, the realness, the rawness, and the emotion of this fantastically written, character driven story and found it in impossible to put down.
Grey Brooks is thankful for the career she’s had acting since she was 8 years old, now almost 28 and her long running teen drama out of production for a year she still hasn’t landed new work and she’s beginning to worry that she won’t. She has other things in the work including a screenplay she’s working on with her best friend who is currently touring with the love of her life, but to say Grey is becoming a bit worried is putting it mildly. When her agent and publicist cook up a scheme to get her name out there by having her fake date another celebrity she isn’t too keen on the idea, but finding out that the man they want to set her up with once graced her bedroom walls she decides to take the meeting.
Five years after the death of his best friend and creative partner and three years after his very public divorce all Ethan Adkins wants to do is to be left alone. A problem with alcohol and grief he still wants to get the last script he and his best friend Sam were working on into production and knows he has to come out of his hermit style life to get it done. When his publicist suggests a fake relationship with an up and coming starlet ten years his junior he thinks she’s crazy and he goes in planning to sabotage it from the start, but there’s something about the way Grey calls him out on his bad behavior that has him agreeing, he just has no idea how he’s going to deal with her being in his orbit.
It would have been easy for the author to make this a superficial tale about superficial people but instead she dug deep and let readers see the gritty underbelly of these characters; their fears, their past hurts, their flaws, and their self-sabotaging ways. I knew early on this wasn’t going to be a pretty story; it was evident that Ethan was an alcoholic in denial and while he was pretty high functioning that never lasts. At times it seemed like he was getting his life together but unfortunately it didn’t take much for something to set him off and he’d go on a bender. At times I felt like Grey was enabling him, but I don’t think she really understood the depth of his problem at first she just thought he liked to drink, but as they grew closer she began to realize it was more.
This story was multi-faceted with a lot of different parts going on throughout yet I didn’t feel like Grey and Ethan’s arrangement turned friendship turned more got lost in the story. Grey was strong, independent and smart, but at times she was extremely vulnerable and I liked that Ethan saw that in her and was there to bolster her confidence when she needed it. Ethan was hard to pin down he was great at hiding things (including himself for a lot of this story), but it was easy to see that so much of his life had been a struggle and when he lost Sam, he felt untethered and lost his way in all things; his career, his marriage, his fatherhood, his life.
While this book addressed some deep and hard situations it was also smart and funny at times and I truly enjoyed watching Grey and Ethan fall for one another even when they didn’t want to admit it.
A debut novel, How To Fake It In Hollywood stands out as one of the most engaging, entertaining, and outstanding books I’ve read in 2022.

Fake dating trope? You've got me! I was hooked from page 1 as celebrities Grey and Eathan agree to fake date to revive their acting careers. Of course, they don't quite get along at first, but the chemistry is sizzling! The first half of the book was a full 5 for me. There was plenty of steamy sexual tension and all around cuteness. The second half of the book dragged a little, while the characters dealt with some serious issues, but it was still a book I couldn't put down. I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This book is tailor-made for people who troll DeuxMoi and Blind Gossip for behind-the-scenes celebrity gossip. Grey Brooks is coming off of her long-running successful teen soap (I imagined Pretty Little Liars) and needs a visibility boost to snag new roles. Ethan Atkins was the Hollywood king until hitting the skids after a divorce, floundering and drinking too much (since he hit it big with his best friend, I gave him Ben Affleck’s face.) He needs the illusion of stability - and their agents write them a fake-dating contract.

It’s a pretty standard celebrity fake-dating setup at first, with many sly nods to real-life inspiration. About 75% of the way through, the tone shifts from formula to a more realistic-based scenario. Since Ethan clearly needs some therapy and rehab, this was a welcome shift instead of expecting “true love” to work magic.

Wow, I can’t say how much I love this book. Why? Because it’s not perfect. I mean, it’s well written. It’s a great story. But the characters are human. Grey and Ethan aren’t perfect, they have flaws. This is why I adore this book.

This was my second time reading it, and I still loved every moment. From the fake date trope to the unexpected caring for each other. It’s so good! But even then, it’s real. grey wants more control of her career, and Ethan is dealing with the loss of his best friend. He has a drinking problem, and it’s not all easily fixed or written away. This book can be angst ridden and sad at times. However, there are amazing moments as well. This is one of my favorite books because it’s about a fun trope, but it is multi faceted as well.

I can’t suggest this book enough, for fans of romance and not. I devoured this book both times I read it, and I eagerly await for another from the author in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital review copy.

this is definitely not your light and breezy summertime read, Ethan is a total sad boy ™️

while I did like this more than other celebrity romances/contemporaries (though they may just not even be for me), I did feel like the pacing and tone of this book was a bit odd and that’s why I’m feeling a little stumped. I’m not really sure what to think?

I appreciate Ethan’s characters being given the treatment and help he deserved, but maybe I just wanted to see more of it after? Or just more of Ethan and Grey bc I feel like we never really get to see THEM, they’re just immediately thrown together and that just becomes all that they are: each other’s half. Can’t see one without the other, thus can’t fully get behind one because who even are you?

Regardless, this was still enjoyable and I loved some scenes more than most but the ending really rushed me out the door and WELL!


*T/CW: alcohol abuse, grief, loss of a loved one, parental abuse

An up and coming actress fake dates an older (and in need of an image boost) A-list actor. Seems like a win-win situation for them both. She becomes a household name with lots of job opportunities thrown her way because of her new beau, and he gets back into the limelight instead of drinking his days away and sulking in his house after a messy divorce and the death of his best friend.

Based on the cover and the blurb, I was definitely expecting a fun, summer read rom-com. I was pumped to start this! Instead, I got sucked into the characters dark sides of mental torment and I found myself not being excited to pick it up and finish reading.

The story could have ended with them ACTUALLY dating instead of fake-dating, Yay! They could have realized after so much miscommunication that they are really good for each other and sometimes faking it in Hollywood has its benefits! But instead, the story took a turn and dove deep into triggering issues. And while they were dealt with honestly, I wasn't prepared for this drama.

Overall, I gave this book 2.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Random House for the advanced read copy!

I was in for a big surprise with the direction of this book. Don't let the cover fool you! I thought this would be a light, sexy, Hollywood glamour type of story. Boy, was I wrong! I did not anticipate the depth of this story. Grey and Ethan became characters you wanted to root for. It was a sexy story and it featured life in Hollywood, but I would not classify this one as "light reading". A great book that breaks out of the typical romance category!

I am an absolute sucker for fake dating romance novels, so I was excited to read How to Fake It in Hollywood. However, as I read it, I was surprised by the pacing. The fake dating is contained to the first half of the book, with the second half pivoting to a very serious exploration of the hero's substance abuse. While the challenge that temporarily comes between the couple is a normal beat in a romance plot, the hero's escalating behavior with regard to his substance use marks the second major time the couple splits up. This repeated will-they-won't-they, paired with content I was not expecting, really took me out of the story. Instead of rooting for the couple, I felt ill-at-ease because I felt blindsided by the subject matter.

I do not take issue with romance novels tackling serious issues; I was simply surprised because the story pitched in the marketing copy suggested something more lighthearted. The book is fairly well-written, and the couple had decent chemistry. However, that chemistry soured for me when it became clear that it was a sign of the hero's compulsive behavior stemming from major unresolved trauma. I also found the tone and pacing uneven. Major trigger warnings for this book: alcoholism, grief/trauma, substance abuse.

How to Fake It in Hollywood is an age-gap, fake-relationship contemporary romance début that delivers a Real Deal Romance packed into a slightly uneven story.  

Grey Books (real name Emily) is a child actor-turned-teen TV star (think One Tree Hill) of moderate fame. At twenty-seven, after almost twenty years of work, she’s ready to reach the next level, headlining her own material and going after a role in Golden City, a major franchise à la Divergent. Ethan Atkins is the surviving half of Ethan Atkins & Sam Tanner, a Ben Affleck & Matt Damon-esque writing and acting duo that had major success, only for it to end when Sam died young. At thirty-eight, Ethan has spent the last half a decade drinking his way towards a bottom that he still hasn’t reached when How to Fake It in Hollywood begins. Grey and Ethan share a publicist who proposes a fake relationship to give Grey greater visibility and Ethan a positive reintroduction to the industry.  

The first half of the novel really shines. We’re tucked into Grey and Ethan’s secret world with them, and it’s fun. Their romance is the—ahem—star of the show. Wilder does an especially good job conveying that je ne sais quoi that makes Ethan the kind of person people want to feature in movies and in their lives, no matter what. (It’s a hoot when he and Grey watch one of his old films, showcasing him in all his ripped glory, and he pretended to yell at his younger self. “Enjoy it, man, it doesn’t last.”) 

The second half of the book, which rachets up the drama and shifts some of the focus off their relationship, has more of a burnished shine. Suddenly characters are making ominous pronouncements in one chapter and doom is coming to pass in the next, which is a little too on the nose. The story also manages to wedge in not one but two climatic low points. And because Ethan and Gray start doing things apart, tackling their non-romantic issues (her relationship with her mother, his career) without each other, the story loses the vibrant energy that their interactions bring to it.  

One of the more unusual aspects of How to Fake It in Hollywood is its hero’s struggle with addiction. What’s especially interesting is that the story doesn’t begin with Ethan embarking on the fake relationship because he’s gotten sober and is trying to turn over a new leaf. The story handles his addiction somewhat unevenly - in the first half it functions as a subtle but palpable seasoning to all events (Grey is floored the first time Ethan kisses her, while he barely remembers it), but in the second half it grows so substantially and abruptly that the consequent drama feels forced and inorganic. 

The ending, which sails firmly towards the HFN rather than the HEA horizon neatly skirts the big questions - Who is Ethan as a sober person? How do he and Grey balance the reality of his recovery with the fact that she (a consistent substance user herself throughout the book) will not be joining him in his sobriety? It’s hopeful but a bit of a cop out. That said, Ethan and Grey are sympathetic enough, and their love story so compelling, that it’s easy to imagine a duology in which book two answers those questions. I’d definitely read it.  

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I looooved this celebrity romance. This was an easy page turner with two tropes I really enjoy - celebrity romance and fake dating. I would definitely recommend this to readers that like that trope. Really easy book to get lost in.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

CW: Alcoholism; drug use; death of a friend; grief; references to cheating (not the main couple); references to physical abuse

Don’t be fooled by the illustrated cover and fun-sounding premise, How to Fake It in Hollywood tackles some heavy topics, most prominently alcoholism and grief, but Ava Wilder managed to write a story that perfectly balances the romance with the heaviness. This book felt like something magical, real and raw, and I cannot recommend it enough.

After her long-running role on a teen soap has ended, Grey Brooks is trying to keep her career afloat. With a significant role on the line, she agrees to a scheme her publicist proposes to boost her profile – faking a love affair with a disgraced Hollywood heartthrob who needs the publicity to rehab his image. Ethan Atkins just wants to be left alone. After the death of his best friend and creative partner Sam and a high-profile divorce, he’s stepped away from the lime life. But if he ever wants to get the final project he was working on with Sam produced, he needs to clean up his image and step back into the spotlight. While Grey and Ethan’s relationship looks picture-perfect to the public, it is anything but behind the scenes. But while they may be faking their relationship for the cameras, their sizzling chemistry starts to feel more than just an act.

Not everyone wants such serious issues in their romances – and that’s okay! I like them every once in a while and I think Wilder handles these issues with such care. My heart was aching for Ethan. His alcohol abuse and grief are so closely intertwined, and since the death of his best friend, Sam, he’s closed himself off and stepped out of the spotlight. He needed Grey in his life to help him wake up. She was the perfect foil to him, with her self-deprecating humor and calling him on his BS. Grey has her own issues as she’s a bit adrift in her career and has insecurities, but I admired her drive and how genuinely empathetic she was. Both Ethan and Grey have flaws and that made the story more real to me.

As a romance, this book had so many tropes I absolutely adored. Obviously, you get fake dating, but you also get a bit of grump/sunshine, only one bed, and let’s bang it out of our systems. I guess there is also a bit of an age gap since Ethan’s about 11 years older than Grey. The chemistry and sexual tension between the two of them were electric. One of my favorite scenes was Ethan helping Grey read lines for a chemistry read audition she was going on – there are so many layers to that scene and, boy, was it hot. When these two finally decide to act on their attraction, they dive in head first and then get thrown through the wringer a bit when compromising photos appear in the press. While the relationship starts out as something purely sexual, it goes much deeper than that for both of them – but they’re just scared to admit it. I want these two to be together so much, even if they were hurt by being together. Ethan, particularly, couldn’t be ready for a real relationship with his issues, but that didn’t stop me from wanting Grey and him to work it out. And don’t worry, this book does have a happily ever after, which makes all the emotions and heavy stuff worth it!

Outside the romance, I loved the supporting characters in this novel. Grey’s best friend Kamilah, her non-binary partner Andromeda X and Ethan’s ex-wife Nora rounded out the story and they all played an important part in Ethan and Grey’s journey. They felt as real as Grey and Ethan, which I thoroughly appreciated.

As for the writing, I enjoyed Wilder’s style! Both Ethan and Grey had such distinct character voices, and the pacing of this book was spot on. I think I’ve already harped enough about how well she handled balancing the heavy topics with the romance, but I think it’s worth mentioning again. Truly, her writing made my heart ache for Ethan and Grey as there was a rawness to the emotions conveyed through the writing that made you feel their pain. That’s something seasoned authors cannot always do.

How to Fake It in Hollywood is a stunning debut novel, and I cannot wait to see what Wilder writes next! I highly recommend picking this up as you won’t be disappointed by this beautiful, achingly raw romance that delivers on the emotions and the steam!

Thank you to Random House for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was *exactly* what I wanted it to be, and more. Don't get me wrong, the plot of the book was entertaining in and of itself, but this book was truly all about the push and pull and the give and take between Grey and Ethan and their relationship was just everythingggggg to me. The romance in this book gave me the same feelings that all of Emily Henry's romances give me and I just loved it SO. MUCH. It is also worth noting that the Palm Springs scene in this is quite possibly my my absolute favorite sex scene in any book ever. It just had the perfect amount of tension leading up to it and emotion and I JUST LIKED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK A WHOLE LOT, OKAY? With that being said, I do want to make sure to note: this is not an easy, lighthearted story. It deals very, very heavily with grief and addiction and it is not a book to go into lightly. If you think you can handle the subject matter, I HIGHLY recommend checking this out and I personally cannot wait to read whatever else Ava Wilder puts out next. This was a phenomenal debut and absolutely one of my favorite books of the year.

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