Fake dating? Yes, please.

How to Fake It in Hollywood plays out one of my favorite romance novel tropes when 27-year-old teen television actress Grey agrees to pretend date the mega famous, but reclusive and damaged Ethan for publicity purposes. Grey wants to have more opportunities to establish some control in her career and Ethan needs to repair his damaged reputation if he wants to start working again.

Ava Wilder’s depiction of life for LA actors feels very realistic. Through the perspectives of both Grey and Ethan, we get to see the challenges they face being in the public eye. We see both feelings of immense gratitude and gross violation as the navigate their chosen world, both individually and as a couple.

What I loved about this book is the depth Wilder brings to the story. She doesn’t shy away from complex issues such as misogyny, grief, and substance abuse. While Grey and Ethan are finding love with each other, they also are learning to accept and love themselves. Grey is a strong female lead and I rooted for her to find success in an industry that is often unkind. Ethan has amazing character development as his battles his own demons and works to change not just for those around him, but for himself.

I definitely recommend this book! Look for it this summer- pub date is June 14th!

Thank you to Ava Wilder, Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

This book far exceeded my expectations! To be honest I thought it would be just another romance novel, but it is so much more. Ethan perfectly personifies what it means to have everything and nothing all at the same time. I especially loved that Ethan had to decide to get help on his own! While Grey entering his life became a catalyst, she was not the reason he got sober! This book is beautifully written!!! Bravo!

Ps if you love Colleen Hoover you will love this book!

Thanks to NETGALLEY.com and Random House Publishing Group (Dell) for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my pure honesty.

Grey Brooks is an up-and-coming star trying to secure a life-changing movie deal. Ethan Atkins is a reclusive A-list actor who hasn't had any good press in years. Cue a fake dating publicity stunt that should help both of their careers--as long as they can both stick to the script and remember it's all an act...right?

CW: addiction, grief over the death of a friend

I thought this book was really well done! The writing was good, and the story was actually very believable as being the story of two Hollywood actors. It had all the key pieces you hope for in a good romance--slow burn, grumpy x sunshine, and tensions high enough to make your foot bounce while reading. One thing I really appreciated about this book was that it did address some more difficult topics. It wasn't just a happy-go-lucky romcom from start to finish. This was a very raw and honest look at addiction and how it affects not only the person suffering from it, but also their relationships to the people who care about them. It was a refreshing change of pace from the other romance books I've read recently. This simply felt more real-life and less fluffy.

While I feel like perhaps this book was a little slow in places, I still enjoyed every page getting to read from both Grey and Ethan's points of view. I am such a sucker for dual POV! I loved Grey's character. She's brutally honest, feisty, independent, and she knows her worth. She's the strong kind of female lead I love to read about. Ethan's character growth over the course of the book was also wonderful to read. He went from a brooding, tortured, and stubborn man to a kind, big-hearted, and honest partner for Grey. It pulled at my heartstrings how much he wanted to change to be better for her. Overall, I thought this book was well-written and a nice diversion from traditional romcoms. I enjoyed it very much!

I would recommend this to anyone who loves a good romance book, as long as you're okay with the slightly heavier themes of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for my e-ARC of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

This book definitely hit me hard in the feelings department. Ethan and Grey are successful actors - though Grey is definitely a C list actor to Ethan's A+. They have both been in the industry a long time and are trying to figure out how to move forward in their careers. Ethan after the crushing loss of his best friend and work partner (probably his true soul mate in the spiritual sense) and Grey after her long running teenage dramedy ended. A fake relationship is proposed by their mutual publicist as a way of helping them both into the spotlight in a positive way.

This book touches on a lot of high impact topics (parental relationships, family dynamics, abuse, divorce, grief) and focuses significantly on alcoholism and depression. Ethan is an alcoholic and clearly has a strong history of substance use as well. It also really spotlights the misogyny and sexism that is so rampant in Hollywood and our culture as a whole.

Oh yeah - and there is a wonderful romance between Grey and Ethan. But that relationship is only part of what this book is about. For me - this book really delves deeply into the need to love ourselves before we try and love others. And that our friends and chosen family are often the ones we need more than anything else to see us through the hard times.

I think the hardest part for me with this book - was watching Grey and Ethan come together, fall in love, and knowing that Ethan hadn't dealt with any of his grief, addiction, or depression. Knowing that this was going to break them apart. We didn't need Nora's interactions with Grey - well intentioned and kind as they were - to see where things were headed, Even those of us who love romance as a genre more than any other - realize that sometimes love isn't enough.

What kept this from being a five star read for me was the way that all shook out. <spoiler> Everything wrapped up just a little too quickly for me. I know, I know, there is only so much room in a book and writers can only do so much - but in this case- I felt let down by how quickly and neatly the book ended. We fast forwarded through the start of Ethan's recovery and some major moments for Grey. After the emotional gamut you are put through - I wanted more from that part of the book. I wanted more than a single scene to bring them back together.</spoiler>

Overall - I highly recommend - just be prepared for the emotions and the topics.

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

This book follows two Hollywood stars whose careers have both seen better days. To drum up some good publicity for the two of them, their agents propose that they pretend to date to get both of their names back into the headlines. The two are hesitant but still interested and trying, but what do they have to lose?

How to Fake It in Hollywood was an excellent debut novel that I couldn't put down! It's page-turning, steamy, funny, and swoon-worthy. The interactions between Grey and Ethan were the right amount of tiptoeing and fluffy romance.

This book has serious topics such as grief, addiction/alcoholism, and recovery/rehabilitation. The author did a great job creating characters who felt very dynamic and authentic. I was at the edge of my seat for every small decision they made. I did get to a point in the book where I wasn't sure where it would go.

Overall, this was a touching and sweet read. One that I would recommend!

Huge thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this advanced reading copy of this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

How to Fake it in Hollywood takes the fake dating trope and gives it a fresh context and some depth. Grey is a TV actress who had a major role in a series, but hasn't worked in a year. She gets set up with another floundering Hollywood actor, Ethan, and they enter a fake relationship to boost both of their careers. Ethan is older than Grey by about ten years, and is definitely a tortured soul with some baggage. The two of them have lots of walls up, but when they start spending more time together, they can't help but let those walls down, and what started as a fake relationship becomes real.

I don't usually love books about fictional celebrities, but this book focused more on the characters as actors as their career and less about the glitz and glam of Hollywood. This made them a lot more relatable to me. Although the romance was a slow burn, the spicy scenes were really well done and I loved how the tension built between the characters. I also appreciated the amount of character development that went into this book. It made the plot move a little slower, but it made the relationships feel real and gave the book substance you don't always get from this trope.

I would definitely recommend this book to my friends who read romance!

I selected this novel on a whim and I'm so glad that I did. I really enjoyed the character of Grey and her strong sense of self. She went into this fake Hollywood relationship fully knowing what it was and I really liked that she had this confidence and desire to do good things for herself, even if this isn't exactly how she wished it would all go down.

Ethan, on the other hand, felt so self indulgent in his grief and I didn't really love him at first. As he opened up more, I found that I was more open to him, despite my ultimate dislike for his inability to take a step back and see how messed up he was...and how he was directly contributing to his own downfall. It's definitely what made his redemption that much more ...he had so much growing to do and to see how he turned it around was *chef's kiss*.

I enjoyed their getting to know each other, their bumpy romance, and the friendships and side stories that surrounded them. I found myself trying to quickly come back to this novel when I could and am looking forward to the new things Ava Wilder writes next.

I loved this book! I couldn’t put it down and now I’m honestly sad it’s over. This was so much more than I was expecting and in such a good way! I thought this would be a fun, light-hearted story about a Hollywood couple fake dating but it had much more depth than that. This is a true love story that drags the heart through all the ups and downs of love. I adored all the characters of this book, especially the main, their individual stories and their relationship as a whole. Additionally, I really liked the author’s writing and the multiple POVs between the two main characters. This book has everything: Hollywood, heartache, friendship, steam and true love.

This review is currently posted on Goodreads.
It will be posted on my Instagram account @georgiasbooklife on the publication day (June 14).

I really enjoyed this book! As a fan of both romance and pop culture, the Hollywood setting was a treat. Often times, books and shows seem to portray social media/texting/cultural references in a way that feels very inauthentic, but Ava Wilder really nailed it. The realistic portrayal was part of what made the story so captivating.

The fake dating trope drew me in, and I loved following the romance throughout the story, but it certainly was not a light and fluffy rom com. The book also explores topics including guilt, grief, and addiction.

An excellent debut by Wilder! I am looking forward to seeing what she does next. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was incredibly surprised by this one. I expected it to be a silly romcom for whatever reason but there was so much depth and growth between the characters. The story was anything but shallow. I immediately fell in love with both characters— easy recommendation.

love, love, loved this. the fake dating trope is super overused in my opinion but I loved how this gave it a new spin and twist. also gave me and everyone who grew up a fangirl a little hope.

thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

How to Fake It in Hollywood is a fake dating in Hollywood romance that uncovers more of the brutal side of being an actress in the industry. I liked how Grey and Ethan's individual stories covered different struggles in the industry as a woman and man at different ages and points of their career. Personally, the chemistry between Grey and Ethan was not super impactful to me, I think it was more about them dealing with their own issues and how that carried over to their relationship. Overall this was a good story, nothing over the top with cheesiness, but there was plenty of character development with the two mains. The pacing was nice until the last 30% where the book dragged on so the ending felt more of a relief that it was over than a moment to celebrate the end of Grey and Ethan's story. (A little bonus something I caught was how Andromeda used they/them pronouns which was a nice touch!) Thank you NetGalley, Ava Wilder, and publishers for the ARC.

Includes: fake dating, alcohol and substance abuse, grief, age gap

I really enjoyed this book! I did go into this book expecting a rom com but it was far from it. It was more drama filled but in a good way. This touched the topic of how the loss of someone can send them into a downward spiral with battling alcoholism and trying to adjust to a new relationship. I thought that the book was written with realism of how a relationship would be like with an alcoholic and reality of how to overcome his inner demons.

Overall, I gave this book a 4.5/5⭐️ And thought it was a great book that I couldn’t put down!

a fake dating plot set between celebrities who are flawed, in need of healing, and looking for a path forward in their stagnant lives? this checks a lot of boxes of what could be a perfect read if not for a few, minor points that i wish were tighter.

the story revolves around grey and ethan. grey, a child star who has grown up relatively normal and humble despite the industry she’s grown up in, is meeting a roadblock in her career when her agent proposes a pr relationship to help propel her career. when she finds out she’s being set up with ethan, an a-lister whose poster was once on her walls with quite the pedigree, but a lot of baggage, she’s both intrigued and hesitant. still, they both agree to the terms of a contract for the span of six months, though it’s not as easy as the glossies would make it appear.

i loved how believable ethan’s grief spiral was and how the loss of someone who cemented him in many ways, created a whirlpool that he can’t find a way out of. he was an alcoholic with more vices even prior to the loss, but the guilt of it has eaten away any resolve he had left to show restraint. this has caused him to lock himself away, from everyone - including his family and his own children, whom he loves and wants to be the best for, but nora, his ex and mother of his children, knows he isn’t capable of in his current state. this relationship should be just what he needs to prove he’s stable, but those vices and guilt eat away at him and it’s felt in the writing of his character.

grey isn’t without her faults either, though she fights through much of it while waging a mental battle within. it’s that battle that slowly begins to play out and is exacerbated by ethan’s vices. you slowly see grey relying more on alcohol as the story unfolds. what could be written as a downward spiral story, does build on the romance as the two become closer.

i think the build is great, though i do wish it didn’t feel as reliant on the instant attraction. in time though, it’s given more legs to stand on as they uncover more of themselves to one another and ethan opens up about his loss to grey. he remains true to character for much of the book, withdrawn and fighting his demons with alcohol. where it falters for me is when grey seems to go from this squeaky clean image in both public and private to enjoying a few vices of her own that wasn’t even mentioned or hinted at earlier in the book. i also find the lack of reader knowledge into grey herself, her past, and the relationship with her mother, lead to an imbalance. whereas i knew everything about ethan, there was a stagnancy in knowing just as much about grey, making it hard to feel deep empathy when she confronts some of those later in the novel.

for the few faults, and this being a debut novel, it really is one that i enjoyed reading and am looking forward to adding to my bookshelf when it’s published!

I loved this book!! I cant wait for it to come out in physical copy. The romance in this book was so so so so perfect, and the development of the MC with her career is also really good

I really enjoyed this one! A lot of fun and some great character development, which a lot of rom coms often lack. Because it's about Hollywood, I thought it might get a little over the top so I really appreciated how realistic it was. I always thought it was an easy read despite the heavy topics. I always admire when author can deal effectively with darker themes without dragging the book down with all the 'issues'. I'll be checking out her next one for sure!

i loved this sneak peak into celebrities coupling up for publicity, the realness of needing to work on yourself before you can be in a healthy relationship, and the subtle references to real celebrities throughout.

This is a debut? No. I don’t believe it.

This was so fun! It reminded me of my younger years, pouring over gossip magazines to see what celebrities were up to.

Grey is an up and coming star who is a little older than what Hollywood is looking for. Ethan is an A list actor who has been a recluse since a tragedy changed is life a few years earlier. When their managers decide that it would help both of their careers to fake date, the two are hesitant but still interested and trying. What do they have to lose?

I’ve seen this book compared to The Honeymooners by Christina Lauren and I can see that reference! The banter between the two characters is super fun. This book does deal with heavier topics such as grief and alcoholism and I feel like it deals with them in a very real way. I think anyone who has ever dealt with or been around someone who has dealt with substance issues will see how well this book portrays that issue.

I think Ava Wilder absolutely blew it out of the park with this romance and I will be first in line to read whatever she comes out with next.

The writing was pretty good and the characters were flawed and interesting. The problem I had was with Ethan being an alcoholic a-hole for 98% of the book and Grey acting holier than thou about his drinking and smoking yet she got high and plastered plenty on her own. I wish I could rate higher than 3!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One of my favorite story lines in romcoms, the fake relationship. Grey and Ethan are enjoyable characters who begin a relationship as a PR stunt and realize there is more to it than they thought. I really enjoyed these characters and was rooting for them the whole time. You always know how these stories are going to end, but the author makes the experience well worth it!