4.5 stars
I thought I knew what this book would be going into it - fake dating trope, and of course they fall in love. While those elements were there, the story carried far more depth than I was expecting. Although set in Hollywood, the characters dealt with very real issues. I always appreciate it when a book has a sense of realism and their conversations, arguments and troubles all felt very real.
Grey is a TV starlet who is having trouble booking her next gig. Ethan is a super famous actor and director who is steeped in grief and has not worked in five years. Their PR agent sets them up to fake date to help both of their profiles. The book is a slow burn with great chemistry and lots of ups and downs in their relationship.

Thank You Netgalley for an ARC of the book How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder,
Publication date : June 14th 2022
Tropes :
fake dating
age gap
dual narratives

Wow, this book was so good, I could not put this book down. This isn't your typical type of fake dating book, it tackles so many real topics that many of us encounter every day.
this shows how Hollywood is not always rainbows and the same goes with real life.
I loved their story.

TW: Addiction specifically alcohol/ drugs, grieving, invasion of privacy

I went into this book expecting a light, fluffy Hollywood fake dating romance. This book is anything but. The romance is raw and messy, tackling themes of addiction, alcoholism, breaches of privacy, loss of a loved one, broken families, and second chances. It's much better this way, I think; in our social media age the struggle with fame is out in the open, and I don't think the story would have been very believable without the social commentary.

Ethan is an unconventional male lead, his struggles with alcoholism making me want to hug him and smack him over the head throughout the entire book. By the end he'd solidified himself as one of my favorite male characters in a romance genre.

Grey was a character who I felt I could relate to despite us having absolutely nothing in common, which I think is a testament to Wilder's ability to write strong, realistic characters. Her struggle with her family isn't one I considered in the world of the Hollywood elite, and her willingness to be there for Ethan despite all the warnings she received made me love her even more.

This is definitely a book I'll have to buy a physical copy of come release day!

Publishing review on April 7th, 2022 on IG & Goodreads.

***4.5 STARS***

Don’t let the cartoon-ish cover fool you into thinking this is a fluffy rom com. This book is far from that. This book is intense, raw, and deep. It is so well written and developed. And there is fantastic banter and many laugh out loud moments, but the overall vibe of this book is emotional and moving. I truly loved Ethan and Grey’s story.

Ethan is an A-list actor who goes into seclusion after a terrible tragedy. Grey is a former child star who is looking to take her career to the next level. Their publicist and agents think forming a fake relationship will recharge their careers. Ethan and Grey both agree to the ruse, however everything changes as feelings grow and chemistry burns. Grey and Ethan also begin to trust and open up to each other, sharing many deep aspects of their lives.

Emotionally charged and at times very messy, this story will consume you. I love how the author portrayed celebrity life and the price paid for fame. Ethan and Grey may be famous but ironically they also feel sheer loneliness. As they try to heal broken parts they will learn sometimes it’s better to build something new.

“I think . . . I think the only thing you’re responsible for is yourself. This moment. Anything else . . . you just have to try to let go. Keep moving forward.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I very much enjoyed this book, just be aware this isn’t a rom-com. If you’re looking for a celebrity fake dating romance that deals with heavy topics, has major character development, great banter and seriously steamy sexy times then this is the book for you. This is a strong debut and I very much look forward to what Wilder writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

I just found out this is the author's first book? It's so good!

This book is filled with some of the best, most-loved tropes, such as actor/actress romance, fake dating, and more. I felt like the entire point of this novel was character growth, and it did a fantastic job at showing that.

There are some triggers, as this book isn't as light and fluffy as I thought it would be going into it (and personally, I'm okay with that). The book deals with sexual assault, grief, harassment, and addiction.

The characters were wonderful, and I enjoyed their backstories. The author handled the difficult subjects with care, and I'm excited to see more from this author.

This book has all the elements of a rom com story, but the expected resolution comes earlier than you think it should, which leaves an opening for some unexpected events in the plot. Overall I enjoyed the story and was able to read it pretty quickly!

What a sexy, propulsive, compelling romance! Ava Wilder constructed a very real but still escapist Hollywood romance that pits together two flawed, driven, imperfect but immensely lovable heroes, and I was turning pages madly hoping for them to get their acts together! Super satisfying and fun.

(Review originally posted on Instagram)

Don’t let the cute illustrated cover fool you, How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder is NOT a romcom. It had its lighthearted moments, but overall this book was much heavier than I was expecting and it touched on some very serious subjects, like addiction and grief. You’d think that reading about Hollywood stars would be a fun escape, but at times I almost felt uncomfortable by how real and raw the story felt, if that makes sense. And that’s not a bad thing! Just not what I was expecting.

With that being said, it did have some tropes that I love:

• Fake dating
• Age gap
• Forced proximity
• Grumpy male MC

Some other things I liked about this one were the strong female friendships, non-binary representation (the first non-binary character I’ve come across in a book!) and the Hollywood setting. Ethan’s struggles throughout the story also really make you appreciate his character development by the time the book is over.

This one gets 4⭐️!

Thank you Netgalley and Dell for an advance copy of How to Fake It in Hollywood.

I love following celebrity romance and when I read the description, I decided I had to request How to Fake It in Hollywood. Is the relationship a PR stunt move or is it the real thing?

This book is told in both characters points of view which are my favorite types of romance novel. I love reading the man’s view. Grey Brooks is a strong, independent character, while she tries to push away the feelings that she has for Ethan she knows that it is a losing battle. I liked Ethan in the beginning. But (TW alcoholism) Ethan’s drinking and self-sabotage became too much for me in the middle of the book and at the end even.

Grey and Ethan have wonderful chemistry and I could tell from their first meeting their romance was going to be steamy. The book was steamy and funny at times. But I like my romance novels to be a little lighter.

The beginning of the book when both characters are getting to know each other was very enjoyable. While Ethan’s drinking was an issue it was not out of control. The middle of the book with the actual romance was quick. The end of the book had me read quickly because I wanted to see how the characters came out in the end, but I was not loving the book at this point. I found that Grey accepted things a little too quickly and it bothered me. It felt as though Ethan and Grey were never really partners and even though the end brought them closer together, I felt myself wondering if their relationship would really work.

There were several supporting characters in the book. I enjoyed Grey’s agent because she seemed like a woman who did not take no for an answer.

Overall, How to Fake It in Hollywood was a well written romance book. I however enjoy my romance novels to be a little lighter. While the author handled the topics well, I wanted to laugh more and not feel as though Grey and Ethan were not really meant to be together.

Is it too soon to say that this book will be on my top 5 favorite books of the year?

I’ve read this book 3 times already because I can’t get enough. You know how when Beach Read came out we all expected this light and fluffy romance but then got hit with a rollercoaster of emotions? That’s exactly what happened with this book. I am so deeply impressed how the author seamlessly combined these heavy topics with the romance.

Ok but let me set the scene. Meet Ethan -an incredibly famous actor (like Brad Pitt famous.) Late 30s, a total dilf, and completely off the grid” by Hollywood standards. Meet Grey- an actress in her 20s that just finished a Gossip Girl-esque show and went through a pretty public and messy break up and is feeling like her career is at a standstill. Their team suggests they date as a publicity stunt..and well you can probably guess what happens next.

If you like fake dating, age gap romances, dual POV, books about famous actors set in Hollywood & books that you think are going to be light and fluffy but secretly pack an emotional punch a la Beach Read. You have to read this book.

I was hooked and couldn’t put it down. It starts as an actor and actress start to fake date to help with their images. But each have their own pain and insecurities that they have to work through as well as issues that come with dating in the public eye. I loved the main characters Grey and Ethan in this, but also their relationships with the supporting characters. It was a good read, and I would recommend it to others.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "How to Fake it in Hollywood " I enjoyed this book! I think it would be a good book to read by the pool!

Fake dating is one of my all time favorite tropes. Pair it with some good ole grumpy/sunshine and I am hooked!

How to Fake It in Hollywood follows the relationship of fellow actors Ethan and Grey. Grey is a former child star, trying to find her footing as an adult on the Hollywood scene. Much to her chagrin, her formal roles have put her in a box and she’s struggling to progress in the industry. Ethan is an older washed up star with a mean streak.

When a mutual connection puts Ethan and Grey together, they agree to fake date in order to improve media perception and improve their industry reputation. As always, fake dating leads to surprise feelings and messy emotions.


Something unique about this book is the emphasis on Ethan’s mental health journey. He’s very closed off and dealing with grief years after losing a dear friend. It has ruined his marriage, his ability to form meaningful relationships with others, and hindered his ability to stay sober. Ethan’s extended mourning and feelings for Grey lead to a roller coaster of emotion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I got an arc from NetGalley for this book.

DNFed at 79%

So this book is about Grey and Ethan faking a relationship to help their Hollywood careers. Grey is a late twenties actress trying to find work after the end of a long running teen TV Show, while Ethan, forty year-old, is an A-List celebrity who lost of his dearest friend and during his grief has turned to alcohol. Grey is looking to land a big role in a huge book to movie franchise, while Ethan is trying to get his image cleaned up so he can have more time with his kids.

Now, this book wasn’t at all bad. It was like dating having a parent with any substance abuse problem. When it was good, it was really good and when it was bad, it was really bad. I kept pushing through it hoping that they would address the substance abuse problems Ethan has, and as I kept reading it got worse. I know the blurb mentioned he had struggles with alcohol, but 79% in and it’s not addressed is a no no for me.

It is a topic that is very personal to me, and I tried my best to ignore it and focus on the parts that I did like about this book. Like I said, when Ethan was good, he was amazing and caring. It just did not out weight the bad parts.

You are going to want to read this book. I went into it expecting a typical fun rom-com, which I love and would’ve been happy with, but this book is that and so much more.

Grey Brooks was a child actor and star of a long-running hit teen program. Now she’s trying to find her next thing, find herself in the business. Ethan Atkins is a famous Hollywood heartthrob with some deep issues he’s trying to juggle. They don’t know each other, but they’re about to when a publicity stunt sets them into a fake relationship. Oh, and did I mention that Grey was a total fan girl of Ethan’s complete with posters and all when she was a child/teen?

As a self-confessed fan girl myself, I loved the whole idea of someone getting to date their celebrity crush. It gave me giddy feelings when reading this. But the great thing about this book is that the romance, laughs, steamy scenes are just the surface. This story goes so much deeper exploring issues of grief, self-worth, addiction, divorce. I loved it so much.

I highly recommend this book to everyone. I cannot wait to see what Ava Wilder writes next. You better believe I’ll be first in line to get it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine/Dell for the advanced e-copy.

The Fake Dating Trope is a classic in rom-coms and personally one of my favorites, and this book did not disappoint! The tension between Ethan and Grey was beautifully written and I loved the banter. It was refreshing to see more depth in these characters instead of the typical surface level that you usually get from romances. I thought the author did a great job exploring what addiction and trauma can do to people and those around them. I also really appreciated the representation of non-binary people without there being some giant explanation into their pronouns.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC!

3 stars out of 5 stars

This is an honest review in exchange for a free copy of How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder. I want to thank Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with this book to read.

This book included some of my favorite tropes: fake dating, PR stunt, love-hate relationship... but it definitely did not do it for me.

The blurb left me super excited about getting approved to read this. Once I began, I was interested and thoroughly rooting for Grey to kick this guy to the curb. I was expecting for there to be some recovery from Ethan's addiction, but it never ended up happening. The themes were surprisingly dark for that cheery cover that enticed me.

The book was not bad, the banter was there at times. It just was very middle of the pack. I would definitely read it again. I do think that some of the character flaws need to be addressed in some way.

Fake dating, age gaps, and grumpy-sunshine romance tropes - oh my! The ending was not at all as I would have guessed it to unfold, but I’m very happy that the author handled the issues of the main characters in the way that they did. This is a solidly spicy and addictive romance read.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.)

If you go into this expecting just a surface level fake dating trope romance that’s just fun and sweet, you will be sorely disappointed. This is so much more than that.

I mean yes, you’ll get that but Ethan and Grey’s story is so much more than that. It’s angsty and raw, and a realistic depiction of a couple battling their own issues before truly having a happy and successful relationship. Wilder also doesn’t shy away from writing about topics like grief, addiction, and mental health—it was all very well done.

Overall, I really enjoyed it and was surprised at the depth and angst of the story.