How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder is a fake dating romance between two Hollywood stars, that quickly turns into something real. This book examines the darker sides of fame and doesn’t shy away from some heavier topics. However, it was also very swoony and the leads had excellent banter.


Content Warnings for alcoholism, substance abuse, and grief.

This book was absolutely wonderful. It had so much depth and great character development. I was rooting for Grey and Ethan from their first lunch. I think the story was paced out great and I was dying to read just "one more chapter." I loved the romance aspect, but it also tackled serious topics that made the story overall that much better. I also loved the Hollywood theme but didn't think it was overdone. I’m extremely impressed with this debut and can’t wait to read more from Ava.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an early copy. **

How to Fake it in Hollywood sat on my NetGalley shelf for far too long, I wish I would’ve read it sooner!! This book is a quick read, and a more realistic romance.. I mean, as realistic and I would assume Hollywood couples could be?

Grey and Ethan are set up to make their careers blossom quicker as they’re both in a rut. Neither wants to be in this fake relationship… or so they say. We see from both perspectives how this relationship blossoms throughout their time together. They get steamy and serious.

Halfway through I thought that it was going to be pretty predictable and typical rom com, but Ava Wilder shocked me with more of a deep dive into handling trauma and alcoholism. I really liked how more authors are putting the theme of going to therapy to get help in their stories instead of having the love interest “solve” their mental illnesses and diseases. (Somewhat of a spoiler I guess? Sorry!!) Personally, this seemed more realistic because of that and it made me what to know what happened immediately!!

Thanks NetGalley and Dell for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I received the ARC for review last week but when I saw that the audiobook was to be narrated by Therese Plummer and Andrew Eiden, I decided to wait until release day so I could read part and listen to the rest. It was totally worth the wait! 📖🎧❤️🤌

You might think that a book about a fake relationship between an A list actor and a B list actress would be all fluff with little substance, but it was surprisingly topical and, at times, even profound. Emily/Grey has been struggling with small parts since she was 8yrs old and now her career is stalling out at 28yrs old. Ethan is a former A list mega star who has been struggling since the death of his best friend and business partner. Both of them could use some good PR, so their mutual consultant drafts up a fake dating agreement for them to be seen and talked about in the LA scene. Along the way, they catch feelings, but will that be enough for them to overcome their obstacles? The journey to the answer is time very well spent!
*Thank you to the author, Dell, and Net Galley for the advance reader copy for review.

I loved this book. I am very stingy with my five star ratings, but this is definitely a 4 7/8th star read.

First, at 8% in on the ebook, there is a back and forth between the main characters, Ethan and Grey that mentions a restaurant that has weird names for their menu items. This is 100% Cafe Gratitude and I could not have loved this reference any more. I've been to Cafe Gratitude, without knowing that you're meant to order by using the affirmation next to the menu item you'd like to eat. I am an awkward person on a good day, but when the waitress just stares at you as you describe the salad because she's waiting for you to say the affirmation, well, I can only say that it is a level of awkwardness that is very hard to explain, but was amazingly well captured in this exchange in the book.

While this is a Hollywood romance genre, it is so much deeper than that. For some reason, and I'm not sure why, I was not expecting to enjoy this book. I bloody loved it. It was so well written, it captures your attention from the start, and would have been a one session read had I not kept dropped my kindle on my face because I was tired.

I can not wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Usually I am a fan of fake dating sorry lines. However, I wasn’t a fan of this one. The characters were a tad flat and the interactions felt forced and contrived.
It just wasn’t for me.

This was a excellent adult romance, that I would definitely recommend! (And I loved the epilogue!)

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

How to Fake It in Hollywood was an enjoyable read that felt different from a lot of other romances I have read.
Grey Brooks is trying to stay relevant and lock down her next role after the end of her long running show.
Ethan Atkins is a reclusive Hollywood leading man who has pulled away from the spotlight since the death of his best friend and writing partner.
Grey and Ethan's publicist proposes a fake relationship to help the two of them get back into Hollywood and the press to help revive their careers. Due to a bit of an age gap, Ethan vows to stay away from Grey so he doesn't hurt her. However, some forced proximity during a trip to Palm Springs and getting to know each other better, they realize that they are just what each other needs both in and out of the bedroom, but not without some drama and internal demons getting in the way.
One thing I liked about this book is that the characters had a lot of baggage, their lives were flawed and their emotions raw. Their romance was not sunshine and roses, but one that with the help of one another, they found some solace in one another and were better together than apart.
Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the eARC for my review.

Congrats to this book for publishing today!⁣
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I absolutely loved this one. This has the fake romance trope in Hollywood and it’s every bit as good as you would think. ⁣
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Grey Brooks is coming off a TV career of being on a longtime teen show (think One Tree Hill or Pretty Little Liars) whose career has stalled once the show has ended. She is desperate to get the role that would give her more opportunities. This role would open doors to getting the movie made that she has writtten with her best friend. She gets an intriguing offer from her publicist -fake date uber A-list actor Ethan Atkins, who has been getting bad publicity due to some personal tragedies. Dating Grey would show he is starting to take control of his life again, including committing to a relationship. Grey will be boosted by his celebrity. Both are tentative but agree it’s in their best interests. Sounds easy, right? Problem is that they actually do learn they like each other very much. ⁣
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This was sexy, fun and had many layers. They both had baggage, especially Ethan. Being an older man, that is very realistic. He has children, a messy divorce and a lost partner. She is struggling to find her sense of self after briefly getting some success. Both had enormous emotional walls due to their history with the business. I liked that they worked through them and that this was just a genuinely fun relationship. There was no icky power dynamic to worry about here. It was equal and I enjoyed watching them grow. ⁣
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Thank you to @randomhouse for the @netgalley copy of this one.

This is a book so good, I read it obsessively in a single weekend and then immediately pre-ordered a finished copy for myself. The book follows an actress looking for her next big break after the end of her long-running TV series, and the fake relationship her PR team plots for her with a high-profile Hollywood star who is in desperate need of a public rehab.

Grey and Ethan are absolutely the stars of this book, and these characters really drive the plot forward. I easily found myself hooked on their stories and eager to see what would happen next. The fake dating trope is one of my all-time favorites, but I loved the Hollywood publicity twist used in this book. It was such a fresh, captivating twist and executed so deliciously. Ethan is grumpy and damaged, but his fast fall for Grey is endearing. Meanwhile, Grey is hardly a sunshine foil — but an introverted, thoughtful young woman … who, okay, also once had a teenage crush on Ethan. Before she met him in real life.

HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD is packed with angst and heat and delicious twists. I absolutely could not put this book down.

This was a 3.5 star read I've rounded up to 4 - it's angst city, baby, and the kind that many people love but gives me heartburn because I'm a softy.

In general, it was so well-written and pretty tightly plotted. I loved Grey and Ethan both, even if I didn't quite agree with their reasons for not wanting to actually date. I think my biggest issue was that I would have liked the dark moment to have occurred a bit earlier. I think it would have been useful to have one event that they attend together that doesn't necessarily challenge his sobriety but does prove his commitment, but that's just me!

Overall, people who love a celeb romance are going to have a great time with this - I can't wait to see what this author writes next.

I love Hollywood couples as much as the next person (and we all know some of them are just for publicity) so when I heard about this book I was so intrigued.
I was not expecting the darker themes and tone this book would take. I thought I was getting a light romcom with starlets but instead I got a deeply troubled hero and a heroine whose supposed to “fix him” while dealing with her own trauma. Don’t get me wrong, the characters are really well written and I wanted to know how the story progressed; I just wasn’t expecting it.
They had good chemistry and their steamy times were certainly that. I just had a hard time getting into it since the hero needed serious help before entering a romantic relationship with the heroine.
Again, I liked the story, just not what I was expecting from this story at all.

OUCH. Ava Wilder’s HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD is a stunning debut. Funny at times and heartbreakingly honest at others, I recommend this novel to anyone seeking a more literary leaning romance novel (comparable to Emily Henry and Tia Williams’s work).

HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD starts as a fake dating story about two actors who enter a relationship via contract for the sake of their careers. It then morphs into a poignant story about addiction, grief, recovery, and healing within budding relationship. Wilder tackles tricky topics with honesty and care.

Our leads, Grey and Ethan, are incredibly crafted characters. They are messy and three-dimensional, but you root for them even as they broke your heart. I loved their banter. I loved their love for one another. I loved getting to experience their growth both in and outside of their relationship.

I will be reading absolutely anything Ava Wilder publishes in the future. HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD was stunning.

Content Warnings: addiction, alcoholism, drug use, grief

This rom-com has everything I need. Lots of romance. Lots of humor. Ava brings it all plus a big dose of solemnity to give the book substance.
Grey's career has endless possibilities if she can only land a quality role or get her indie film off the ground. Meanwhile, Ethan once had it all and his life is in shambles. A publicist's suggestion that they fake a relationship both appeals and repels both. At this point though, what do they have to lose?
I enjoyed the pacing and the overall plot. Some of the language and mature content wasn't necessary (but this is coming from someone who's favorite contemporary genre is women's fiction). I think the deft hand Ava uses with grief, addiction, abuse, and abandonment is so well done that she'd be a great fit for the women's fiction genre.
The dual narration by Therese Plummer and Andrew Eiden is excellent. I've been a long time fan of Therese's and Andrew is new(ish) to me. Their performance made this an addictive listen.
Thank you to Ballantine and NetGalley for the advanced copy and PRHA for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

🎥How to Fake It in Hollywood🎥

A rom-com about fake dating in Hollywood, yes please! Ava Wilder’s novel How to Fake It in Hollywood pretty much sums up the storyline, but the details in her writing give you so much more.

Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins agree to their publicist’s PR stunt for their own personal reasons. Grey wants to break out into more serious roles while Ethan needs to repair his reputation. This is not your standard light and fluffy rom-com. While there is hilarity and an amazing cast of characters, there are heavy topics discussed that made their “fake turned real” relationship relatable and realistic for many.

This was a great, well written book and I enjoyed how the heavier side of the story played out. I would definitely recommend picking up this book, available today 6/14/2022!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin/Random House for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#evesbookishreads.....
#bookstagram #bookreviewerforfun #reading #books #igreads #igbooks #booklover #instabooks #bookaddict #bookaholic #bookstagramfeature #howtofakeitinhollywood #avawilder

I LOVED this book! It was equally fun and deep, which was refreshing. I read the entire book yesterday and had a terrific time doing so. I love pop culture, so this book was right up my alley. I can’t believe this was Ava Wilder’s debut novel! 😍 I can’t wait to read her future work!

****BOOK REVIEW****
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Title: How to Fake it in Hollywood
Author: Ava Wilder

You can’t go wrong with a fake dating and mix in pop culture you get a winning combination.

In How to Fake it in Hollywood, Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins (who happens to be her childhood celeb crush) make a deal to fake date to raise their star value but after spending time together they realize their feelings for each other (every teenage girl’s dream right!?!!).

I liked how the relationship issues Grey and Ethan encountered were ones that normal people could relate to. And I loved how the book finished. Definitely recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this one! This is about two celebrities (up and coming Grey Brooks and A-list celebrity, Ethan Atkins) who agree to get involved in a PR-stunt and becomes so much more. It was a great spin on the 'fake dating' romance trope. The sexual tension is high and the slow burn pays off!

The romance in this book is great but the character growth was the real star of this story. It is so much more than a romance...the author handles a lot of issues in a beautiful way such as, alcoholism, grief, insecurities and harassment. This book includes some hard and touchy subjects and the author handled them wonderfully. I enjoyed Grey and Ethan’s character and the development of both of them throughout the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and really enjoyed this author's writing and can't wait to read more from her.

#avawilder #howtofakeitinhollywood #netgalley

This book took my a while to get into, but it was good.
I didn’t really like either of the characters, but they were decent together. I think that Grey was good for Ethan. She held him accountable and wanted him to do better.
I felt for Ethan. He had a rough go at it and I wanted to see him start living for himself. I think Grey helped him do that.
My biggest complaint is that the majority of the book felt like drama. There was very little of them just being happy together. I wanted to see more of that.
Overall, if the premise intrigues you I think you should try it! But for me it was a decent book.

First I want to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

When I came across this book I was very interested since it had a fake dating trope and I do love me some fake dating stories.

How to Fake It in Hollywood
3.5/5
What I loved
- Grey, she is a strong woman who knows what she wants and it willing to do anything for the people she loves
- Fake Dating, it was fun how this was a contractual agreement and I enjoyed what terms were agreed upon between the two
- Growth, both Grey and Ethan experience personal growth throughout the story as a couple and individually. Some of the experiences they go through are almost painful to read but it helps with understanding the characters and what they are going through.

This book was a quick read and I had trouble putting it down. I think the book was really well written but I didn't completely connect with it due to my own experiences which kept me from going all in.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a fake dating romance and is not afraid of real life issues that is worth the discomfort you might feel.

I will be posting a mini review today (6/14) on Instagram @readingwiththecatlady