Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes so I was very excited about this one and it exceeded my expectations. While this has some hallmarks of a rom-com, I wouldn’t call it one. This was dark at times but the heavier topics were extremely well done. I appreciated that both main characters were flawed and emotionally closed off as most of the time it’s one-sided. The Hollywood elements were great and I liked that the author pushed the narrative that being famous isn’t always great. I highly recommend this for romance readers and for readers who don’t typically gravitate towards romance because it is a bit of a mixed genre story.

I have such a book hangover from this one! It was the perfect escape and I loved each of the characters. What starts as a predictable Hollywood story becomes so much more. It was fun, funny, beautiful and heartbreaking at times. One of my favorites this year!

You can find me binging on a good Hollywood drama anytime! This book was raw and emotional and so much more than what I was expecting! The story was unique and entertaining with Hollywood characters that had a lot to unpack. The scenes played out like a movie in my head. The characters were well developed with humor and banter, but also some deep issues. I enjoyed getting to know Ethan and Grey in this book. I was really routing for them in more ways than just their relationship. I also enjoyed getting to know the characters they had in their corners.

If you enjoy a fake relationship trope, Hollywood drama, or a 🌶 romance with some scandal this book is for you!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Books - Ballantine, the author, and NetGalley for the free gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

OBSESSED. I devoured this enemy to lovers of Hollywood celebrity romance with a slow burn and lots of steamy chemistry. I mean this just combined to be a perfect romance. I haven’t devoured a romance like this in a while.

This was a DEBUT novel for Ava Wilder and it was just a chef's kiss - I can not wait to see what else she writes in the future. I also love a romance that has a dual POV. This romance had depth along with steam and lots of complicated plots to keep you reading.

All I have to say is this will be one of the romances of the Summer, definitely pick this one up if you want a good romance.

How to Fake It in Hollywood is the perfect book for any "fake dating" trope lovers. It has the witty banter, the tension that inevitably builds and makes you smile to yourself as your read, but it also turns into so much more. I went into this book knowing the basics--a fake dating trope about two Hollywood stars, but didn't know much more after that. I wasn't expecting the heaviness of the themes of addiction, anxiety, emotional abuse, but the author touched on all the subjects perfectly. I found myself rooting for both Grey and Ethan, and their happy ending, despite their flaws.

Know that there's a little more depth to this fake romance novel set in Hollywood than you might expect but it's still fun. Grey and Ethan are at different stages in their careers. She's just finished a long run as a teen idol of sorts but she's having trouble moving forward. Ethan has messed things up, he's mourning his marriage but more importantly his best friend Sam, and he's drinking. A lot. Yes their relationship is designed as a publicity stunt to get both of them moving but, as readers of this genre know, it turns to a real thing, These are well rounded characters with good friends. Ethan's grief and his struggle with alcohol is palpable. So is the love that grows between them. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Good storytelling makes this a good read.

I feel so conflicted over this book. Half of me loves this book so much, while the other half of me is shaking my head over the messiness in this book. Let me explain.

How to Fake It in Hollywood focuses on Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins fake dating each other while they navigate their acting career. It was supposed to be easy, please fake dating. Nothing is ever easy when you have insane attraction and chemistry for each other. And that's how Grey and Ethan's slippery slope begins.

These two together make sense, yet it's complicated and messy. Both of them are flawed with past trauma, so they avoid talking about it. And it doesn't get better when they keep tip-toeing with each other. Eventually, things are going to come ahead. And it's not going to be pretty. It's messy and hurtful to each other.

There are situations that I knew I would avoid at all costs. That's not life for me. And I give my best wishes to Grey and Ethan as they navigate their messy lives together. It's going to be a wild ride.

Fake dating to help their careers? I’m here for it.

First, I just need to point out that Grey is actually a really awesome name for a woman. I never thought that would work, but I immediately loved it.

Fake dating. Forced proximity. Tension. Ahhhhh!

I knew I wanted to read this book just from the AMAZING cover, and I knew this book would have a major release for June, so I was super grateful to receive an ARC to dig into this early.

Though this book is definitely a romcom, it covered multiple different elements including: alcoholism, grief, career struggles, and insecurities. I felt like Ava Wilder did a great job of toeing the line between romance and facing life struggles regardless of one’s station. Definitely a summer romcom I would recommend!

**Thank you, Random House, NetGalley and Ava Wilder for the eARC**

Grey Brooks is an actress going through a bit of a slump. Her agent has the perfect solution; to fake date Oscar-winning actor Ethan Atkins, who over the last several years has been through some rough patches and also needs a boost. Their first couple encounters make the duo question if they’ll be able to fool everyone, but when they both realize the tension between them is really caused by mutual attraction and not dislike for one another, sparks are ignited. Leave it up to the scandalous paparazzi to swoop in and burst the happy couples bubble, causing a huge tailspin that may end it all before it even gets much of a chance to get started. Will they be able to pull off their scheme and make them shining stars again?
Thank you Netgalley, Ava Wilder and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for the opportunity to read and review this book. I loved this book so much! As I read it I could visualize a cast in my head that I could totally see playing the characters! I ripped through this book so fast and loved every minute of it. I really enjoyed the fact that this wasn’t just about the two faking a relationship to get farther in Hollywood, but how their past affected them as well as the challenges that they faced at present. This would be a perfect beach read or a book to read poolside. This is a must read! I rate this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder was a cute steamy read. A fake dating premise sets up Grey, an actress looking for her next big thing after her long standing teen show ends and Ethan an A list actor who took a break from Hollywood after personal tragedy. I love the fake dating trope and this was worth a quick read. I only wish it was longer to have more time to resolve the story at the end.

4.75 stars ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review! I feel so blessed to have been able to read this book!!

Such a great debut that comes out June 14th and you need to get this book!

This was such a beautiful and deep story! I absolutely loved Grey and Ethan’s love story and how we saw their relationship blossom. The fake dating was done so well and I love how you could feel their connection through out the story! They felt so real and I couldn’t help but root for them :)

I absolutely loved the parts where they were together. I loved when they joked around with each other!! It was beautiful to see how they bond and how they were able to grow throughout the book!

Not only was the romance done so well, the messages throughout made it so well rounded. Seeing Grey deal with her unemployment and how Ethan was dealing with death/addiction made my heart yearn for them. But the character growth and the ending made it all worth it! :)

Such a fabulous read!

Grey is a late twenties actor, who though working for almost two decades has not had the career she had hoped for. Ethan is a late thirties actor, who saw big success in his twenties, and even bigger tragedies in his early thirties. Since then, he has been a shut in fighting his demon.

When their publicist pushes them together, thinking they may be able to help each other, she has no idea the crash course she is setting them on.

I really like this book, and I am extremely impressed that this was the author's debut novel. It surpassed all expectations I had.

I really liked the premise of this story. I loved the female MC, Grey. She was both tough and sweet. Ethan is a hot mess, but while I wanted to hate him multiple times throughout the book, I just could not bring myself to.

For lovers of contemporary romance, I definitely recommend this book.

4.5 Stars
I’m learning I really enjoy reading romances with deeper storylines and How to Fake it in Hollywood really hit the spot. Ethan is a recluse actor looking at potentially making a comeback into the spotlight and Grey is looking for her next role after her long-time running show has ended. Their mutual agent brings them together for a PR relationship, but immediately both sides notice an instant attraction.
I knew this was a fake-dating trope but I wasn’t expecting the all the challenges they would face. Ethan and Grey are full of depth and insecurities just like “normal” people and aren’t immune to the dark side of the acting world. This is a perfect example of right people but wrong timing. On a brighter note, the back and forth banter between Ethan and Grey was well written and their chemistry was definitely steamy. I loved the build-up of “when are they finally going to get together” and the waiting paid off. Overall, a solid debut from the author and I would recommend this one if you’ve ever thought what it would be like to date you childhood celebrity crush.

Wilder totally captivated me with her debut novel that I highly recommend.

I was extremely excited to read this novel (which is why it made my hottest summer reads of 2022 list!) because I love a good fake relationship, and I wanted to see what the added Hollywood aspect would bring to their relationship dynamic.

I was anticipating a fun, flirty romance with posed interactions for the paparazzi for a cute summer read.

What I got was even more, an even richer reading experience than I expected.

A Slow Burn Romance with the Hottest of Tension

I sat down with this novel and devoured it in two days because I just couldn’t put it down. This story totally wrapped me up and I needed to see what was in store for these two characters.

Ethan and Grey are two Hollywood actors in need of a turnaround in their careers. Grey’s teenage TV series has ended and she’s trying to break out into movie roles to showcase her talent but just can’t get the gigs.

Ethan is a Hollywood heartthrob that has been out of the spotlight for 5 years ever since his acting/directing partner passed away.

He’s content to stay secluded in his home and drown his depression in a bottle but he still has their final project left unfinished.

Leave it to their joint publicist to propose a fake relationship to boost both of their cred in the public’s and Hollywood’s eyes.

Wilder does a fantastic job setting the stage with these two characters from the start and gave the perfect first meeting.

I felt like I knew and could picture Grey – her ambition, her struggle and her love of acting.

Ethan also jumped off the page as someone who has been struggling to find his purpose again after suffering a loss.

But the two of them together had sparks from the start. I loved how Wilder depicted their fake relationship as the greatest slow burn romance with them hardly even talking to each other behind closed doors initially.

By the half-way mark in the story, their chemistry and the tension between them was intense and I was so ready for them to just get it on already!

A Story with Gravitas
While I wouldn’t describe this as a sad or dark romance, it does have a heaviness to it that I wasn’t expecting.

Grey has some family issues and some confidence issues when it comes to Ethan and his feelings perhaps because of his fame, their age gap or her relationship history with her ex.

She has some great one-liners when she’s deflecting or trying to change the tone of conversations which I loved. She came across more mature to me to the point that the age gap really wasn’t an issue.

Ethan however was the character that seemed to own the direction of this story.

While I don’t have any personal experience dealing with alcoholism, I think Wilder did a fantastic job weaving this topic into this storyline in a realistic way.

“I don’t know if he ever really loved me. I was just something else to be addicted to. To lose himself in. Postpone the midlife crisis a little longer, or whatever.”

I hurt for both Ethan and Grey at what this was doing to them and their relationship but loved how Wilder continues their story for a fantastic happily-ever-after.

If you’re looking for a well-written romance with a great story and fantastic characters that will grip you, stir up feelings and deliver a wonderful slow burn story, this is the romance for you.

*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

Grey and Ethan’s romance was SO steamy. The sexual tension between them and the push and pull was so well done. I also liked that them finally being together didn’t magically fix all their problems and they both got the help they needed to be the best versions of themselves.

I started this book hoping for a light and fluffy rom com. But what I got was so much more. It dealt with some pretty heavy topics. And highlighted the effects of substance abuse.

As a person in recovery, I felt like I was reading representation that captured a lot of my own feelings I experienced in sobriety.

I really loved this book. And I’m glad I got the chance to read it.

It took me a minute to really get into this story, but when I did, I loved it. At first this seemed like your typical love story that stemmed from a fake relationship- but that is not all it is. There is so much character development, and so much more to the story than just falling in love with one another because of fake dating and forced proximity. I really loved Ethan- for putting himself first above all. I enjoyed this book a lot, and I'd definitely recommend this to any friend!

this book was really good and i enjoyed especially the beginning, when grey and ethan start fake dating, their banter and bickering. they were both attached to and intrigued by each other immediately. this book was also a surprise because i wasn't expecting the tone of it to be so heartbreaking at times, especially when it came to ethan's pov. the story also went into a different direction than i expected but i still flew through it, it was just so easy to read but when i finished reading it i realised that i probably had too highe expectations about it because i found myself detached from the characters (but it's probably more of a personal taste thing). overall, i really recommend it to fans of fake dating and actors romance.

arc provided by netgalley and random house publishing group - ballantine.

i will post this review on goodreads on 7th june.

How to Fake it In Hollywood reads like a blend of women’s fiction and romance. Two actors are set up in a PR relationship to boost both of their careers, but actually end up catching feelings. It has a lot of depth, similar to Seven Days in June. The characters are realistic and flawed. I read this book in one sitting, wanting to know how these characters ended up. The cover is misleading - while it seems like a typical cartoon cover romance the content does not match. A lot of the relationship dynamics in the book are unhealthy due to addiction and just general trauma. I would have liked to see more of the healthier aspects of their relationship, particularly in the last part of the book.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings; drug abuse, alcohol abuse, mentions of childhood abuse.

So, far warning, I almost didn’t finish this book about half a dozen times.

For the majority of the book, Ethan is an addict, and at times, an absolute asshole. The relationship between he and Grey isn’t a healthy one, for the majority of the book.

I personally would have preferred to spend a little more time with the Ethan we get to see towards the end of the book, but instead we mostly just get to see him drunk or high, and then we get a glimpse of a sober version of him.

I loved the glimpses we did get of that version of Ethan, of that version of Ethan and Grey as a couple. It’s just not enough to balance out the amount of time we spend on the unhealthy dynamic.

This is a debut novel, and I’d definitely check out future books by the author; the writing is very good, it’s just the storyline doesn’t necessarily work for me.