This book had romances tropes I'm usually here for (celebrities & fake dating) but it failed to be a romance book. The male lead is an emotional depressed alcoholic jerk for 96% of the book (I'm not exaggerating on this) which made him extremely unlikable. So much so that if this was one of my friends dating him, I would have sat them down and given them the talk about red flags. Every time the female lead was lusting after this dude, I was judging her so bad because honestly she could do better.

The writing was perfectly fine which is why this is a two star instead of one.

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

Wow, what a book. How to Fake It in Hollywood follows Ethan and Grey as they fake-date in order to generally further their careers. Instantly there is an attraction, it's just a matter of should they give in and see what happens. There are some darker elements to this story that give the characters depth: grief over a loved ones' death, alcohol and some drug abuse, leaked personal photos. I think the topics were all handled well, with the character's showing growth as they move through them. Even though this book has a celebrity fake-dating story as the center, it felt real. I laughed out loud, I got a little teary eyed. It's not as light-hearted as I thought it would be going in but I have no complaints about it. Would definitely recommend for those who enjoy the fake-dating trope or are looking for a romance with some tough, deeply personal elements. This was exactly what am I always looking for in my romance books.

The cover piqued my interested but the story reeled me in. Grey and Ethan’s banter is downright hilarious and I found myself rooting for them. How to Fake it in Hollywood had me hooked from the first chapter and I could not put it down until I knew where they ended up. It took me in an emotional rollercoaster that I would ride again.

How to Fake It in Hollywood is the first debut novel by Ava Wilder. This novel had an interesting premise and after finishing reading it I can say it was a pretty solid start for Ava.

The Plot
The story revolves around Ethan, a A list Hollywood celebrity who has been in a deep rough patch for quite a time after the death of his best friend, and Grey who is a teen soap opera star who is struggling to keep her career a float. So in order to get Ethan the good publicity he needs and Grey the recognition she needs to get this life changing role on the line Grey’s publicist suggests the idea they start fake dating. During this facade sparks start flying and they just can't seem to deny the chemistry building up between themselves… But how long can this last before things head south?

The Characters & Romance
I honestly have mixed feelings on both the characters and romance in this book. I do like Ethan and I definitely emphasized with him on his struggles especially after dealing with the death of his best friend but I just didn't feel that much of a connection with him..and same as Grey. I felt Grey was a little hypocritical at times yelling at him to quit smoking and drinking even though she did it also, even if it wasn't as excessive as him. I did like how she would call him out on his crap but like I said at the same time she partakes in those bad habits also so she is not really helping him in his situation. Out of the two characters I would have to say Ethan would be my favorite and the most interesting. He was more complex than Grey and did not come off as shallow, unlike her. Grey always seemed to be running away from their problems and again would call Ethan out on shutting him out even though she did the same thing. Now for the romance I didn't feel a really intense connection between the characters. I felt like it was really sudden and kind of sporadic. There wasn't really a whole lot of romantic development which I wish was done more.

The Writing
I thought for a debut novel Ava’s writing was done pretty well and there are only a few things I would like to comment on. First I felt at times that the scenes in the chapters would randomly jump from time to time and I would get slightly confused. Second would be going back to what I said previously but maybe more character and romantic development. I really liked Ethans charter but felt like more could have been done with Grey. I also did like the steamy scenes throughout this novel and the upcoming readers will definitely enjoy it too!

Overall Thoughts
Being the debut Novel it doesn't go without some flaws but overall I did enjoy it! If you like age gap, fake dating, angst and Hollywood setting stories then I think you would really enjoy this novel! I can't wait to see what Ava has planned for the future and hope to read more of her books soon.

Final Stats:
Final Rating ⅗
Plot ⅘
Romance ⅖
Characters ⅗
Wow factor ⅗

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group/ Ballantine for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

When Grey Brooks is offered a role that would take her from stunt double to front and center, she’ll do anything to get her name out there. Anything apparently includes fake dating the once A-lister, Ethan Atkins, with more ghosts in his closet than bottles on his shelves. What’s behind the scenes of this “relationship” though threatens to tear them apart, if there’s even anything real to tear.

From the summary of the book I thought this was going to be a light and romance-y read. It wasn’t. The pages were filled with stories of the effect of grief and alcoholism on both an individual and a relationship. Although not in every page, this book isn’t your normal, bring as a fun read on the train, starry-eyed romance read.

That said, the book itself was engaging and I didn’t want to stop reading. The romance that sparked between the two was as captivating to me as it was to them. I loved learning more about the characters’ pasts and how it affected their current “relationship” and seeing them both grow and mature in the story, exponentially in one of their cases.

My only complaints were that at times the book seemed to fling from one plot to another and some aspects of the fake dating trope weren’t as developed as I would have wanted them. It also seemed as if some of the tropes (one bed, etc) were thrown in there while not having an effect on the story.

Overall it was an enticing read, but nothing that I instantaneously fell in love with or that’ll stay with me for an extended period of time. Upper 3 out 5 stars.

CW: Alcoholism, Grief

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Hollywood love is more than just a contract. Celebrity stars are real people too and have struggles and fall in love. Loved this story and the characters. A quick romantic read

I finished this book in one day (which is highly unusual for me). From the start, I was hooked in and I could not put this book down. It was endlessly entertaining, filled with so many complex and lovable characters (and of course some of my favorite tropes like celebrity fake dating). So many topics are covered, each storyline and idea are managed so well and lead to an extremely satisfying ending. The development of each topic, aspect and character was so great. I love this book so much.

How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder is truly an amazing book, and in my opinion an incredible debut. This book deals with heavy topics like addiction and grief, and it does so beautifully. These types of themes are somewhat difficult to navigate properly, but I loved the way Ava Wilder did it here, it's realistic and honest.

Long story short, I loved everything about this book. Starting with our heroine, Grey, whom I saw myself in so many times, was one of the best heroines I’ve ever read. I wish I could quote the book because I was laughing so much with her. Although it may seem the opposite, she’s struggling in multiple fronts and just doing her best to accomplish her goals. As for our hero Ethan, he’s been through a lot, and I think in many ways, just trying to keep his head above water. They saw and understood each other in a way that they didn’t with anyone else in their lives. I don’t want to say more, because honestly, I probably won’t stop talking about it. Just know that I couldn’t help connecting and deeply relate with both Ethan and Grey (and fall in love with them and the book in the process).

That being said, the story flows beautifully and, to me, everything felt natural and the right path for each character and their relationship. In the end, everything that happened, needed to happen. I’m just going to mention (again) how much I loved how Ava dealt with the topics, relationships, and characters of the book.
All in all, I think this was an incredible debut, I can't wait to read more from Ava Wilder. I’m so thankful I was able to get an ARC.

POV: Third Person - Dual
CW: alcoholism, addiction, grief, death of a loved one

Great if you’re looking for:
- Fake dating
- Frenemies to lovers
- Only one bed
- Single parent
- Celebrity romances

hank you so much to NetGalley, Ava Wilder, and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Fake Dating. There's Only One Bed. Grumpy/Sunshine. Age Gap. DILF. Rich People Problems. Movie Star Romance.... I mean, How to Fake it in Hollywood contains a laundry list of top tier tropes.

Grey is a successful actress scared of becoming irrelevant after her hit show ends. Ethan is a reclusive recently divorced actor looking to clean up his reputation. Both in search of some good publicity, they agree to fake date, with more angsty drama than you might guess by the synopsis. Content warnings for alcoholism, grief, recounting of child star molestation, death of a loved one (off page).

I think the author does a great job creating tension, but I wish the dialogue was stronger. This would have sent me over the edge with some exceptional banter. Still a great entry into the celebrity romance genre!

Let's see: two celebrities, one trying to keep her career afloat, the other, an A-list fading to the background after losing his best friend and his high-profile divorce, one fake dating scheme. I think I know where this is going.
Don't be fooled by the cover: this book may look like every other romance novel coming out this year, but it's not.
I was pretty sure where this book would head with an on-trend cover and a seemingly cookie-cutter trope. I'm delighted to say that cookie-cutter could be the farthest possible adjective I could use to describe How to Fake It in Hollywood.
I struggled to start this book. For me, at the start, it felt oddly reminiscent of a Wattpad book, but that could not be any further from the truth. I think I struggled a little because I felt a lack of backstory and didn't feel like I had connected enough with the characters before they jumped into the story's inciting event. I feel like with most 'fake-dating' books, I can clearly understand why characters choose to do this, but since I didn't know the characters well enough at the beginning, I was sort of indifferent to this story. However, the story's development and characters led me to enjoy this book as I went on.
I would argue that Ava Wilder's writing and character development are some of the best I've seen. Character choices and feelings made sense, which I feel many books lack nowadays. In an age where people thrive for books with toxic romances (myself included), I see a lot of stories where authors make male love interests unhealthy and create unnecessary angst. I also feel like they don't show the character's progression and suddenly snap the hero to a whole different person after the climax. I think Wilder perfectly demonstrated how change takes time and sacrifice.
I also want to highlight how easy it was to read this book. While the material may grow heavy for some readers, Wilder's writing style is very similar to Colleen Hoover's, easy to follow and enjoyable.

Thank you to Random House Publishing/Ballantine and NetGalley for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 rounded up!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Ava Wilder, and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!

Grey is a young-ish actress verging on irrelevancy after her long-running teen drama wrapped a year ago, and Ethan is an unintentionally semi-retired DILF needed to make a PR comeback. Neither is perfect, both are completely flawed with a whole cargo hold full of baggage, and both are completely in lust with one another. But can they deserve one another?

Tropes featured include fake dating, one bed, as well as grump and sunshine - and once you marry that with rich people in Hollywood, how could I possibly resist?

One thing I'd really like to commend Wilder on is her ability to create conflict between the two main characters without relying on miscommunication as a plot point. I also think this novel that could have been a lighthearted contemporary romance was able to dig deeper and handle some tough topics - without digging too deep and straying from the intended genre.

Overall, Wilder did an amazing job and this book was a joy to read and a blast to fly through. Mark your calendars for June 14th, 2022!

Aw, I have mixed feelings about this book. I love romance stories that aren’t cliche, and How to Fake it in Hollywood ticked that box. I also loved the dual narrative, and I believe adding the love interest’s voice to an (angsty) romance story, especially if it’s m/f, balances a romance book more. And in this case, Ethan was the far more interesting character than Grey. While I found Grey rather shallow and couldn’t really connect to her, Ethan was complex, still grieving after the death of his best friend five years ago and his failed marriage, struggling with not seeing his kids much, not being able to make movies with Sam ever again, and alcohol abuse.

Ava Wilder’s writing is engaging. She drew me into the story, and when I looked at the page count, I had read more than a hundred pages already without realizing it.

But there were also some things I liked less, and they all have to do with Grey. When she was entering a cold building at some point, she felt her nipples getting hard. This immediately threw me off. I’m sorry, but I don’t immediately think of my nipples when I feel cold! I rub my arms, have chills, goosebumps, or whatever. And I definitely didn’t understand Grey when she called Ethan out on his alcohol abuse and didn’t want him smoking, and at the same time got drunk multiple times (with the excuse of being a lightweight) and offered Ethan a joint when he just showed her his nicotine patch.

Overall this was an okay read. Recommended for those who love an angsty romance.

This had a lot of my favorite tropes. Hollywood! Fake dating! Only one bed!

I was really worried that it would turn into the male lead, a severe alcoholic, just needing the right woman to come along and fix him. I am SO glad it didn’t. Grey was independent, strong, spunky and intelligent - absolutely love her. Ethan was a complete mess, but I was rooting for him to get it together. This book really took readers through some really high highs, and severely low lows. It was a ride from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down.

I haven't had much luck in the past with books taking place in the entertainment industry but this sounded too good to pass up - and that cover! It exceed my expectations and I think I have found a new favorite book to add to my list. They set up a mutually beneficial contract but, as expected, things don't always go as planned. It made me question every off-couple in the industry. The interactions between the two MC were the right amount and given at the correct time. I appreciated their life outside of each other. It was a bit strange and awkward at the beginning when they were originally tiptoeing around each other. I mean, staying overnight/the weekend at some random actors house you just met? You do you, Grey! I was getting a little bit worried during the last 20% of the book when it was coming to Ethan's story. The book does deal with some heavy subjects and it made me uncomfortable at times but it didn't take away from my enjoyment.

At the end of that day, it was a fast and easy read with fleshed out the characters. Shoutout to the best subplot...complicated TV, FTW!
4.5
Also posted on goodreads.

How to Fake it in Hollywood is a solid debut. Grey and Ethan are well-written characters, and the book delves into heavy topics with realistic portrayals. I’m so glad Ava didn’t take the angle of Grey/love making him better.
Ava Wilder's writing is fantastic, and I'll be picking up this and her future novels. Definitely recommend.

I was completely blown away by this book. I was expecting "How to Fake It in Hollywood" to be like any other romantic comedy--a guilty please sure, feel-good read. While this book definitely had its laugh-out-loud moments, I was taken back by Ethan's character arc.

Grey is a strong female lead. She is hands-down one of the most relatable fictional women I've ever read about. She was an actual independent woman, who knew what she deserved.

This novel provides an in-depth, accurate portrayal of grief, alcoholism, and substance abuse. We don't see a glazed-over recovery, that gives the impression anyone can give up addictions when they just meet the right person. Instead, we see a revelation of small details foreshadowing an impending descent to rock bottom. I braced myself for two days waiting on the climatic explosion I knew had to be coming, before I could finally sit down to finish the book.

The only thing I would consider changing is including a storyline about Ethan's children. They are mentioned throughout the novel, but we don't get to see the relationship between Ethan and his daughters evolve.

This book had me laughing out loud, crying real tears, and smiling like an idiot by the end--and I loved every page.

This book was so cute!! I love the actress Hollywood trope so much and this did not disappoint!! Comfort and would definitely read again!!

I have always been interested in celebrity gossip so a story that is basically all about that was right up my alley. This was a fun enjoyable read.

Let’s first take a moment to admire this cover! All the La La Land vibes!!

Grey Brooks is slowing entering D-list level stardom after a long run teen soap opera, has deflated her acting career. Ethan Atkins is a recently divorced father of two, has an alcohol problem, and is grieving the loss of his childhood best friend/fellow actor. Ethan needs a clean slate, while Grey is desperate to stay relevant. A fake dating scheme may be the golden ticket Grey & Ethan need to restart their success in Hollywood. Things don’t go according to plan. and their public “relationship” blows up in flames.

I must say, i absolutely loved Grey’s feisty personality. Ethan on the other hand, is an emotional mess who is fighting so many demons. I enjoyed how this story came together. The journey of self improvement for both mc’s was beyond refreshing and it made this book that much better. Yes, it’s a love story but much more complex than just a picture perfect happily ever after. Love is most powerful, at times overwhelming emotion - but it doesn’t wash away the years of damage. This novel was extremely realistic - and you truly have to love yourself before allowing someone else to love you.

i thought this book was executed beautifully and it most definitely a book I’d recommend!

“Ethan was like a river: powerful and unpredictable. Sometimes she was one with the current, floating peacefully, basking in the sunshine. Sometimes she was drowning.”

“All this social media bullshit. I’m glad I didn’t have to deal with it when I was coming up. Everyone feels entitled to complete access to every part of you, all the time. It’s insane.”

Such a solid debut! The third person narrative really worked here and the transitions between Grey’s and Ethan’s POV within the chapters was seamless. I love how it highlighted what’s wrong with the industry. I’m not typically a fan of MCs being so quick to fall for each other but Ethan was Grey’s teenage hearthrob crush and I blush just at the THOUGHT of Brad Pitt so I understand completely her instalove vibes completely. With that said, she was a no-bullshit character that didn’t cut him any slack so that helped. I really loved both main characters and found myself rooting for them. Ethan is a fantastic damaged hero! The romance/story started off a bit slow with lots of hesitance and pining BUT it got very open door steamy once things got ramped up. All of the side characters were pretty great. Honestly, a fun read that also explored serious issues like living in the public eye, drug/alcohol dependency, family resentment, and overcoming grief. I LOVED THE EPILOGUE. It’s so rare I feel that way that I needed to write it in all caps. A must if you’re a fan of Hollywood/celebrity fiction, some depth with your romcom, and character-driven plots.

Tropes: fake dating, forced proximity, one bed, actor/actress, age gap