I absolutely adored this novel. I devoured it in one sitting because the characters, plot, and writing style were addicting to me the way the main characters were addicted to each other. It highlights how grief is a never ending process and it takes time to come to terms with loss. It does feature a happily ever after ending, one bed trope, fake dating, and the intoxicating culture of Hollywood. I cannot say enough good things about 'How to Fake It in Hollywood' and will be recommending it to all my friends!

Loved this storyline! I'm such a sucker for the characters and wanted more even after I was done! Can't wait to read more from Ava Wilder!

This did not read like a debut at ALL! I loved it so much! We love a fake dating publicity stunt, and this book 100000% delivered! Ethan and Grey were perfect together, and THE SPICE?!? YES MA'AM! Ugh I loved it!

I received this book as an ARC and this is my review. I loved this book! The characters are wonderfully flawed and the twists and turns are throughout the story. The humor is infectious and the story is ever-changing. I totally recommend this book to readers who enjoy a great rom com with interesting but unpredictable outcomes.

I liked both Grey and Ethan; Grey is funny and relatable, and Ethan is sweet and his story pulls at your heartstrings. There’s a strong emotional component to this book that I appreciated. I felt every bit of anxiety and sorrow that Grey and Ethan went through.

I really like this author’s writing style. It was easy and enjoyable, the pacing swift. The characters had depth and dimension. The dialogue was very natural. It had an ever-present realism to it; power dynamics, privilege, youth obsession are just a few topics that are casually addressed.

I wasn’t sure how the fake dating trope in this was going to go but I actually really liked how it was executed. I thought it worked. It was surprisingly believable.

One complaint I had is, a couple of times early on, Ethan made a weird, slightly intimate, flirty comment to Grey and it came off (to me) as borderline creepy. Not full-on creepy, just like, questionable and a little off-putting. It made me feel weird.

Things get pretty heavy in the last 30% of the book as both Grey and Ethan attempt to confront their pasts. Ethan especially has a rather sad and complicated history. He deals with alcoholism and substance abuse and it wreaks havoc on his life and the lives of everyone around him. Because of this aspect of the storyline, I could see this not being everyone’s cup of tea. It delves into some serious territory. But in the end, each one makes the effort to become a better version of themselves and embark on a truly healthy relationship. I thought the ending was excellent.

Overall I'm impressed with this debut. I look forward to seeing what this author does in the future.

This is not your typical Rom-Com where two people are set up to be in a fake relationship as it might seem by the cover. It is so much more! There is just as much love as heart break throughout the whole book. When Ethan was with Grey, just her presence alone was enough to drown out his self-doubt, fear and self sabotaging impulses. However, Grey made Ethan realize how much work he had to do on himself before he could be with anyone else.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my pure honesty.

I liked the love story between Grey and Ethan for the most part. I'm glad that everything worked out for their relationship in the end. I do wish it had told more about their future in the epilogue though.

I have some news, that I really don’t want to share. After rating this book two stars, I am officially breaking up with the actor/actress romance trope. That doesn’t mean I won’t read anything with this particular theme in romances, but it means that it’s no longer one of my favorites due to too many disappointments. To review this specific title, I would say that I was underwhelmed with the actual *romantic* part of the book because Ethan was abusing alcohol (trigger warning), causing them to have this friction between them. Though it took to the end for them to really get together, I wouldn’t call it slowburn, instead it was just annoying pacing. I don’t recommend this to anyone looking for a romcom since it was either boring or frustrating due to the main characters.

I adored this book. You want Grey to succeed but you also don’t want the story to end. It is perfect for fans of The Idea of You and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Ok I freaking LOVED this book. Fake dating celebrity couple PR stunt turned super deep, emotional major character growth and plot? YES PLZ.

5 Stars!!!

Things I loved:
-Dual POV
-Instantly enticing storyline
-LOVED the banter between the characters
-Awesome character growth while dealing with some serious topics
-Even though our two MCs are famous, they are delightfully relatable (celebrities, they're just like us! :P)

I adored this story and really respected the how the author handled tough subjects such as the loss of a best friend and alcohol addiction. Both Grey and Ethan were great characters, and I was rooting for them the entire book! I loved how realistic the timeline was for their romance, too. It wasn't super instant love and it felt like it really had time to grow into something special. I just loved this book. It's my favorite ARC yet and I can't wait to pick up a copy of it on pub day! Bravo to Ava Wilder!

Thanks to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Grey and Ethan, a toxic love story, a real story. I enjoyed that this wasn’t just a classic sweet romcom. You watch Grey and Ethan grow as people. I still feel like Grey was a bit of a mystery, she does talk about her past but I still felt like I had a lot of questions, but the same with Ethan really. Ethan is an alcoholic who doesn’t know it yet, he is charming and toxic. Grey falls for him anyway and tries to love him through it. This part of the story I really enjoyed. The ups and downs, Nora giving her advice, and just seeing that people are still with loving even if they think they are damaged.

What an incredible love story. Ava Wilder stole my heart in HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD! Grey and Ethan's characters shine against a gorgeous backdrop of fame, wealth, scandal, and creative passions. The book has so many funny moments but definitely takes a more serious tone, dealing with substance abuse and the pressures of fame while pulling no punches in the way actors benefit from it too. The story felt deeply realistic while still reading as incredibly niche to an industry that was well researched on Ava's part. Grey and Ethan's chemistry was so, so strong! Highly recommend <3

A cute story between Ethan and Grey. Ethan, A burnout star that went through a rough and public divorce, and Grey, a bit younger actress having a hard time getting that breakout role, fake date each other to help their career due to being advised by their PR rep who happens to be the same person, Audrey. Definitely work a read in my opinion, even if it did take me a while to get through it. The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was the 10/11 year age gap between them. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!

I pretended in my stupid little head that this book is Harry Styles and Taylor Swift fanfic. A PR stunt romance that becomes more!!!!!! Say less bestie, I'm in and I'm obsessed. This book wasn't as light-hearted as the blurb and the cover made it seem, which is fine! But I was just not expecting it.

Am I currently obsessed with this book? Yes
Am I in love with Ethan and Grey? Also, yes.

Ethan is an a list actor who has been hiding for the past 5ish years, and enters into a fake relationship with Grey, a former soap opera star, to help both of their careers.

I found myself needing to savor every moment between these two. The sexual tensions was of the charts! Like damn 🥵. I loved the easy banter between the two main characters.

While there are a lot of funny and swoony parts, it also packs a powerful angsty push, as it deals with childhood stardom, loss, and alcoholism. That may your heart breaking for a little bit.

I could definitely seeing this playing out in a movie. I would love to see more from this couple, because I have all the heart eyes for them! 😘

Melli’s Book Breakdown
🤍Fake Dating
🤍Celebrity Romance
🤍Single Parent
🤍Only one bed
🤍steamy
🤍angsty

How to fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder

This book follows the story of Grey and Ethan. Grey is a rising actress hoping to land her next gig after a long running teen TV drama. Ethan is an award winning, acclaimed actor grappling with the death of his friend and colleague. These two fake date to help boost their image. And so much love, despair, and real life happens along the way.

I seriously could not put this book down! This is so much more than just a rom-com, which I was not anticipating. Ava Wilder writes the characters artfully, adding depth and complexity to both main characters. I was thoroughly impressed by the deep character development and emotion throughout the book. I found myself falling in love with both Grey and Ethan, and you will too!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley, by new to me author Ava Wilder. I think this may be her debut novel, but I'm not certain. If it is, I'm even more impressed. I knew the premise going in, a fake relationship between an A-list actor and a not quite at that level of fame yet, actress. For him, it was to revamp his career and for her it was to elevate her profile, to hopefully get her some roles. What I didn't expect, was an angsty story about addiction and the relationships it affects.

After reluctantly agreeing to to a fake relationship, Ethan decides the best way to get through this is to ignore his attraction to Grey. The same attraction that had him agree to this in the first place. Grey just wants to get along and make the best of this situation, but it's not easy because Ethan's mood swings are giving her whiplash. When they go away for a weekend together, the tension finally gets the best of them and they give in to the mutual attraction. That weekend ends badly and they go their separate ways, only to reunite a bit later and enter into a real relationship. Grey has seen the signs and red flags pop up every so often, but always found a way to justify or excuse his behavior. When things come to a head, his addiction wins, leaving Grey broken hearted.

I mentioned this was an angsty read, and it is, but it was also funny and sweet with an interesting cast of side characters. It was incredibly well written and easy to read. I got sucked into the story without even realizing it was happening. That's how you know you're reading a good book! I look forward to what comes next from Ava Wilder.

Bookstagrambrielle

This book is about two well-known people (Grey and Ethan) in Hollywood that get set up together as a PR stunt. Grey is known for her role on a teen drama tv show and cannot seem to find work since completing her role. Ethan is well known but has been secluding himself since his very public divorce. Both people have things going on in their lives that cause their PR agent to believe a setup is a good choice for their careers. As the book progresses, we learn more about the past of each of these people, and we gain insight into why they are the way they are.

Going into the book, I thought it would be a rom-com, but I was wrong. There are some heavy topics in this book, but that only made me like the book more. I felt like the serious topics made the book more believable because Hollywood is not all positive; people have real struggles, and they were addressed in this book. I also enjoyed how when there was an issue with Grey and Ethan, it wasn't just solved overnight, and they lived happily ever after; it made it feel more realistic.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it to anyone that likes romance with some heavier topics.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this book before publishing.

I started & finished this rom-com on my flight to Vegas and let me tell you - it was a great plane companion. An accidental steamy romance between two celebrities mixed with a little drama and a couple of tears - what more could you ask for? After reading this and Funny You Should Ask, I think this is my favorite romance trope.

How To Fake It In Hollywood comes out June 14 - preorder your copy asap for the perfect beach read ⛱

Thank you to @netgalley + @randomhouse for this ARC!

So much angst! I love a good fake dating plot and this one felt so real! It is interesting to dive into the life of hollywood stars and see what happens behind closed doors.

Great writing! Great characters! Interesting and dramatic plot!