More like a 4.25 stars. This is the Hollywood acting fake dating book of your dreams. It surprisingly had way more substance than I was anticipating, and we love a duo who goes to therapy as a part of their self-growth! This one was a little steamy at times even though it has a pretty chill cover. Oh, I also loved the non-binary character in the book too! All in all, it was pretty well done.

I was hesitant to pick up this book at first, because fake dating is my least favorite trope. The gorgeous cover kept seducing me, though, and when it became available to me on NetGalley, I immediately started reading it. I’m so glad I did, because it’s so good.
I think readers expecting it a light, fluffy rom-com heavy on the comedy side will be disappointed, but after checking the content notes and seeing that the book dealt with alcoholism and other heavy themes, I figured this might be more of an emotional, romdram, and I was right. It was right up my alley, with all the angst and the sexual tension and its not at all rosy view of Hollywood.
I loved every page and I highly recommend it.

I was given this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Grey is an up and coming actress in Hollywood who is trying to secure some breakout roles after being in a television series for years. Ethan is a middle aged A-list actor who has been off the grid for five years after some personally tragedies left him unable to cope with stardom. They are brought together by Audrey, one of Ethan’s managers, in order to get them both the media attention she swears they need to be able to hype up (or revive) their careers.

If you’re a fan of “fake dating” tropes, this is the mother of them! Take two hot celebrities thrown into each other’s personal space, Hollywood drama, red carpet events, and personal trauma and then combine them to to equate the friction that becomes Grey and Ethan’s “relationship.” Grey is a strong female lead and I love how she never compromises who she is throughout the novel. Ethan has his own demons to face and although I kind of wish the novel ended before the last 100 pages or so, I think it was also important to show that side of Hollywood relationships and the resiliency they are required to have lest they be eaten alive by the industry.

All in all, I enjoyed this one and loved the banter between the two. I would recommend it to anyone who loves fake dating and steamy romances.

This book was GREAT from the very first page! I always love a good fake dating and age gap trope but insert two Hollywood actors, Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkinson, each needing some popular press and thus set up by a mutual agent, and you get to see a whole new world of celebrity culture and very real problems brought on by this industry.

What I loved:
-The fake dating felt so realistic and well-done. Grey and Ethan had to sign a contract with their agents detailing sightings for press and events they had to attend together. I honestly could see two real celebrities being in the exact same situation.
-There was no wondering if “he/she likes me or not” and one character being too timid to speak up. They both knew the wanted each other but hesitation lied in not wanting to hurt the other. This perspective was refreshing.
-There was dual POVs, which is always a winner for me in the romance genre. The perspectives didn’t switch each chapter but rather through page breaks within chapters.
-How this felt like more than just a romance novel. Yes, there was intimacy and steam but the story also stressed the importance of friendship, self-growth and being in control of your career.
-The author describes the struggles with family estrangement, loss, grief and addiction very well. Wilder highlights how hard it can be to let your guard down and how love can’t heal you, but it can support you in the process of recovery.
-How Ethan’s ex-wife and kids were integrated into the story. While divorced, the co-parenting was drama free and it was great to see they cared about each other, which is something we don’t see in books a lot.
-The last few chapters were excellent. It brought a lot of closure to all the themes unraveling in the story and there were no loose ends.

Overall, it was a fast-paced, funny, and swoon-worthy read with some heavier subjects and dynamic/real characters. I recommend it for fans of Tessa Bailey, Emily Henry and TJR. The “dating an A-list celebrity” piece also reminded me of The Idea of You.

Thanks NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for the ARC. Pub date: 6/14/22

I went into this book with a full love for the fake dating trope but what I found was so much more. What starts as your average romcom concept turns into a story about how unprocessed trauma and emotional wellbeing can affect relationships and that love alone can’t save a relationship. This is a story about how you have to love and take care of yourself before you can let anyone else in and how you can't put all of your hopes on one person to fix everything about yourself which I don't think is reflected enough in most romance novels, instead we often see insta-love and characters who make everything all right for their partner in the end. I was surprised to find the fake dating troupe kind of die-off at the 50% mark but I loved the path the characters went on to process their trauma. My only big issue was that it felt like Ethan was messing up a lot more and a lot bigger than Grey so in the end when she said they were both in the wrong, I wasn't really clear on what she had done to mess up the relationship compared to his actions.

Overall this book was enjoyable to read. It had a good balance of plot and character driven moments. That said I did not feel super connected to the characters. I found it hard to love them or even care if they ended up together or not. I wish there had been a little more build up between the two characters because it did seem just a little bit like insta-love.

What I loved most about this book is tbe characters. Grey and Ethan are a chaotic and messy duo but are both very dynamic and real. I loved Grey’s publicist Renata and how protective she was of Grey and her well-being. I couldn’t help but picture Laura Dern as Renata from Big Little Lies - now THAT would be an unstoppable publicist. I was also so surprised and excited to see Andromeda, a non-binary character and how their pronouns were respected throughout the entire story.

Now we get to where this book challenged me and why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover - I thought I was going into a lighthearted and steamy romcom and while this definitely made me laugh and has PLENTY of steam for my #TeamSteam gang - but this is less It Happens One Summer and more like Seven Days in June due to heavier themes revolving around Ethan’s alcoholism and addiction.

Ethan as our male MC is such a wildcard - I loved him, was exasperated by him, was FURIOUS at him (he made me feel ALL the feels you guys) but his character has really poignant character development throughout the story. I love how his family was incorporated and would’ve loved to see even more.

While I am definitely more a typical romcom reader, I really enjoy books that challenge me to get out of my comfort zone as a reader. I thought that Ethan’s alcoholism was handled well and didn’t feel gratuitous to me.

Overall fabulous debut from Ava Wilder - can’t wait to read more from her!

Who doesn’t love a fake dating trope? A fake love-affair with a Hollywood star that recently fell from grace? I’m in.

Don’t be fooled, this book is not really the standard rom-com like the cover suggests, especially in the sense lightness. There are some darker topics that are mentioned in the story, which an interesting take on Hollywood that I think a lot of other forms of media miss. As consumers we usually just get the “pros of being famous” side of things (with the occasional emphasis on the lack of privacy), and not the heaviness and tragic things that can come with the industry.

As other reviewers have stated, the characters did lack a lot of chemistry, which is really unfortunate, especially in a romance book. They did have good development, though, and the writing style and the dialogue is well done.

Overall, I liked this book. It didn’t shy from darker tropics which made the story more intriguing, but don’t go into thinking you’ll be getting a rom-com.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

a just-ok weekend read; i think there could be more work done in ethan’s pov when talking about his addiction and then with grey’s just kind of personality/mindset towards him? there is a definite back and forth with the consistency there that sort of detracts from the overall story.

A smart, well-written romance that features celebrities fake-dating, forced proximity, grief, and addiction. This was a delight to read! It is not a lighthearted romance but it is a deeply moving love story that tackled serious issues with a deft touch. It is funny, swoony, tender, and surprising.

Two complex characters with sizzling chemistry and communication skills (for the most part) - how refreshing!

Grey Brooks wants to land a role in an upcoming and high-profile movie. Ethan Atkins needs a PR boost to get his career back on track. They both share an agent who suggests they will mutually benefit from a fake-dating arrangement with carefully planned public outings. Their connection that ebbs and flows shocks them both…

What a debut! I highly recommend this and couldn’t put it down once I started reading.

I look forward to reading whatever Ava Wilder publishes next. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I was really excited for this book and felt like it had a lot of potential but the way the book progressed, it was just not for me. I love a hollywood romance but I found myself not sold by the way their relationship developed. Others may love it, it just wasn't for me!

My first impression for Ava Wilder’s debut How to Fake It in Hollywood was the stunning cover. Inside, I discovered a story equally compelling. We start with Grey Brooks, a small screen actress at loose ends after her long-running teen drama come to end. While she’s in line for a potential break-out role, she needs an bit of extra star power to get her across the finish line.

Enter Ethan Atkins, an A-lister that’s been avoiding the Hollywood scene. With the classic fake dating trope, Ava Wilder takes us on a whirlwind adventure filled with premiers, after-parties, luxury suites, and lots of angst.

Both Grey and Ethan are likable and have great chemistry. I also loved the female relationships portrayed in this book. I have one small quibble. There are several conflicts between Grey and Ethan through the back half that felt like the couple never got their legs under them. It stretched the imagination that the two would come back together in the end.

Overall, I enjoyed How to Fake It in Hollywood and consider it a solid 4-star read.

This book was SO cute! I loved the characters, the plot line, and that there was more than just boy meets girl. I can’t wait to read more by Ava in the future!!

This book features two of my favourite tropes - fame and fake dating - and I really enjoyed it! I liked the messiness of the characters and I loved the final chapter.

Super cute little rom-com read! I loved the banter between Gray and Ethan. I truly love a good bad boy/good girl trope. The character development was pretty great, as well. You see growth from the characters, not only as a couple, but as individuals, as well. I appreciated that aspect of it. Some of the chapters were a tad long winded, but overall, it’s a solid read if you love romance novels!

I am beyond grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a PHENOMENAL love story intertwined with real struggles and personal growth. The chemistry and escalation of sexual tension was 10/10. (Realistic and it had me, as a reader, really cheering the MCs on!) On a spice scale, I felt this book was perfect.

Ava Wilder had me about to actually cry, smiling and laughing (audibly, to everyone around me) and my heart so full it might burst throughout this book.

I look forward to any new books coming from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. My review has also been posted to www.goodreads.com/blissfullyread

I really thought the concept to this book, though predictable, was really cute. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get myself to like the characters.

Ethan just seemed a little unbelievable. Not the addiction, just the fact that his kids weren’t enough motivation to get clean but his new relationship with a young actress is.

Grey honestly just annoyed me. She was naive and whiny. She seemed to be incredibly green to a career she’s had since she was a child.

I really couldn’t get myself too invested in the story or the characters.

This one gets 2.5 (rounded to 3) ⭐️’s from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review How to Fake it in Hollywood!

I was super curious about this book when I was browsing on Net Galley. The cover, title, and description had me very interested. When I received a digital copy I went crazy because I was so excited and this book did not disappoint.

At first, I tried thought it was just a cute fake dating, enemies to lovers book, but it is honestly so much more! Grey and Ethan had me biting my nails the whole time.

Both characters were well written but my only complaint was that I felt like their chemistry lacked at times. Other than that I would recommend this for anyone looking for a fake dating story!

How to Fake it in Hollywood was a quick, fun and deeply entertaining read! Main character’s Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins both can benefit from a mutually agreed upon fake Hollywood romance, but not for the same reasons. Grey hasn’t had a leading role since her teenage soap-opera aired its finale over a year ago. She’s anxiously waiting to see if she can break out into new roles, but isn’t having success. Ethan is a decade older. He is railing from the death of his childhood and Hollywood best friend, he’s lost his wife, shares custody of his two daughters and doesn’t even have the faintest hope of acting again unless he can find his way out of his dark hole. Neither one expects to find any sense of realness in the set up, but they can’t deny the instant chemistry. Grey refuses to follow Ethan around like a puppy dog and he challenges her to open his eyes for the first time in several years. While there were incredibly deep, profound and complicated issues rooted in the heart of How to Fake it in Hollywood, author Ava Wilder keeps the topics pretty light and surface level. I was totally absorbed in Grey & Ethan’s worlds and it was a delight. Hitting shelves on June 14, How to Fake it in Hollywood is sure to be a hit for summer reading and should definitely be added to the beach bag.

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gahhh, this book has everything I love about a fake dating romance. I was obsessed. Ethan and Grey are such well rounded characters, and their chemistry is palpable. I adored their backstories and the richness of their journeys and the realism of their pasts and issues they currently struggle with. I genuinely loved everything about this book and can’t wait to read more by the author. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.