I am so so grateful I got to read this fabulous book in advance. First and foremost- holy hotness! The spark between Grey and Ethan simmered and grew into a full-blown fire as the book progressed. Given it's a Hollywood book, I was so impressed by the way the author subverted tropes, planted clever little nods to real life personalities, and handled the very real struggles of those in the industry with care.

Also, and perhaps most importantly, this author knows her craft! She is incredibly skillful in the way she weaves themes and character development. I appreciated the way that their individual journeys to self-improvement amplified the romance, and made the HEA so much richer. Gah!! I love it.

I am a sucker for people looking to reclaim former glory and the lengths they'll go to in that pursuit, so this book really hit the spot for me! I can't wait to see what the author puts out next!

How to Fake It in Hollywood, a debut from Ava Wilder, offers a new edition of a fake dating (Hollywood style) romcom. Grey Brooks is looking to cement her career after the demise of her teen soap (think The Vampire Diaries) and her publicist offers a magic solution: fake-date disgraced Hollywood icon, Ethan Atkins (think Ben Affleck without the rehab) for the publicity. While sexy and drama-filled, Ethan’s alcoholic binges make this less of a romance and more of a cautionary tale about entering into a relationship with a drinker who isn’t interested in admitting there’s a problem. The writing is strongest when it’s about the relationships between the women in Grey’s life (her agent, her publicist, her roommate). The friendships Grey has with the women in the book are one of the most enjoyable and hopeful elements in the book frequently in contrast to the ambivalent and destructive scenes with Ethan. An interesting and steamy premise but readers could be turned off by the lack of humor, Ethan’s absentee parenting (he has kids), and general gloom of what dating someone with a substance problem is like.

HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD has a lot of promise, and it delivers on a lot of that promise. Even though the story goes the predictable route of the fake dating trope, it was compelling to see these two characters interact with each other and find compromising ground. As a couple Grey and Ethan are realistic (even when they're faking it), and the sexual tension makes every little interaction charged.

My only hesitance with giving this read five stars is the story beats. Like I said, it follows every paver of the fake dating trope and even has the big third-act break-up scene (or, I guess, a couple of them), but I feel like everything is so rushed and just thrown in there - namely Ethan's alcoholism - that the resolutions to all these subplots aren't satisfying in the slightest. I should've been ecstatic when Grey and Ethan reunited, but I wasn't emotionally connected enough to the characters to feel that joy. So much depth of Ethan's addiction and Grey's issues with her family come too late for me to feel any relief in their almost immediate resolution.

I liked this book quite a bit, but those my tiny nitpicks were just big enough to keep me from flat out being in love with it.

Grey Brooks is an up and coming actress. Despite acting throughout her childhood and 5 seasons of Posion Paradise, she isn't exactly "famous famous."
Ethan Atkins on the other hand is an Oscar winning actor known for his talent along with his good looks. However, Ethan has had a rough past few years, leaving him reculsive in his house.
After agreeing to a six month fake relationship to help both Grey advance in her career and Ethan to step back into Hollywood, the couple has to determine if this is all an act or are they falling for each other.
TRIGGER WARNING: alcoholism, addiction.
How to Fake It in Hollywood was a slow start for me but I was NOT expecting the story to turn out the way it did. I really enjoyed Grey's character for her sassy personality and how she wasn't intimidated to stand her ground against Ethan's ego. Once the couple started to explore the chemistry between them, things turned SPICY! There was hope, defeat, heartbreak, and light at the end of the tunnel feelings throughout the entire book. All in all, I loved it and would definitely recommend!

A fake dating trope set in Hollywood? Sign me up! What could go wrong? (or so I thought)

How to Fake It in Hollywood was on the list of my most anticipated releases of 2022, so when I got the opportunity to review it early through Netgalley, I was ecstatic! This book was my first ever arc and I am so grateful I had the chance to read it early.

Overall, I enjoyed How to Fake It in Hollywood, but I did have a lot of issues with the story and the writing choices. In its current iteration, it is a solid three-star read, but I don't think it is anything more than that. First off I found it incredibly hard to get into. It took me two weeks to read when normally a book like this wouldn't take more than two to three days.

The book has a solid premise. Two Hollywood stars enter into a deal that is mutually beneficial to their respective careers. What is the deal, you may ask? Why fake dating of course! I loved most of the story. The real problem I had was with the writing.

There are sections of this book where the writing of the female main character is plain icky and gross. It's very sexist and misogynistic and gives the feel of a male author writing a female character. (The girls that get it, get it.) Unnecessary descriptions of her supposed beauty and body. There were lengthy descriptions of Grey's nipples pebbling when she would walk into a cold office building. I couldn't see why that sort of description was needed for the sake of the story. It took me out of the immersion of the book.

I also felt that Grey's feelings for Ethan are slightly insta love-y. I get that he was her celebrity crush when she was younger, but that doesn't translate directly to love without at least a little development which I don't feel like we got until well past the second half of the book.

Multiple times throughout the book there are prominent examples of the author deciding to tell not show. At one point, Ethan googles Grey and we, as readers, then have to sit through an info dump of Grey's life instead of gradually learning that information.

I didn't feel a lot of chemistry between the two romantic leads until, again, the second half of the story. Up until the halfway point, the story was very repetitive.

On a positive note, I did enjoy the author's writing style even though I disliked some of the writing choices. Ava Wilder's writing style flows very well. You can easily visualize what the author is saying and what the characters are doing. I feel that this is the best type of writing because when you read it, you don't even realize you're reading. It allows you to lose yourself in the story.

While some of the problems I pointed out may seem like I didn't like the book, I did enjoy it. It took me finally getting past the halfway point before I could appreciate the story. I loved the tropes and themes explored. I've never read another romance book that tackles some of what we would consider "darker" themes as this one does. But, on that note, I do think this book would have worked better as a general fiction book rather than a romance. I love the romance genre and will sing its praises until the cow comes home, but How to Fake it In Hollywood just wasn't a convincing enough romance for me. I think if the author had decided to take the general fiction route, it would have been a better opportunity to explore more of Ethan alcoholism and his grief over Sam, Grey's struggles with being a child actor, and the pressure she feels from her family and any of the other multitude of more serious issues that were brought up. At the end of the day, Grey and Ethan didn't feel like a romance book couple and I don't think they're a couple that makes it past the epilogue.

*This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book was so entertaining! Grey was an amazing main character and Ethan had a lot of depth that I thought added a nice layer of complexity to this romance. I would absolutely read more from this author!

I’m giving this book 3.5 stars

This book not only has fake dating, age gap, and it also has the one bed trope. What more could you want in a romance? You go into this book thinking that it’s a cute romance but it also bring attention to addiction, loss, and personal growth. Seeing how both of the characters mature throughout the book is refreshing and inspiring. The ending of the book was super cute but it left me yearning for more than what we got.

I loved Grey. I thought she was fantastic. Ethan however was a big piece of work. I think he was written very realistically but I really hated him and thought Grey was way too good for him.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc!

This romance is truly one that is hard to put down! I am a sucker for a good fake dating trope and Ava Wilder's portrayal through Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins is one of my favorites! I also love stories that get into the romance quickly so if that is your thing as well you will love this story!

The writing style is very reminiscent of Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material - Grey's humor instantly pulled me in and I found it relatable! And the banter between Grey and Ethan? Ah!

The topics that Wilder explores with her characters are done really well in my opinion, though I wish that it had been a little more spread out throughout the book. A lot of Ethan's struggles are slammed in the last ten chapters that I instantly disliked him and found it hard to be understanding by the epilogue. It may just be a personal preference / reading experience however!

Overall, this is a fast-paced, sexy story of two actors braving the world of Hollywood together with an unexpected depth into real-world issues that had me emotionally invested and ranting to my friends!

I will definitely recommend How to Fake It in Hollywood and all future Ava Wilder works!

I am also IN LOVE with Andromeda!

WOW! I really enjoyed this book. The book follows Ethan and Grey who are both actors after they are set up by a mutual friend for a fake dating arrangement that will benefit both of them. The book also explores Ethan's struggles with alcoholism (tw). It also explores Grey's career as an actress as she's struggling to find her footing after a show that she had been starring in for quite some time.

After I got to about the 8th chapter I literally did not want to put it down. It made me feel all kinds of emotions, including but not limited to screaming, smiling, and laughing. There was also a few moments where I wanted to throw my Kindle out of the room. There were some decent spicy moments (HECK YES)! Overall, this book gave me all the feels and I loved it.
Tropes: Fake dating, actor/actress dating, age gap

I loved it. I saw it all in my head, picturing Grey as Candace King from Vampire Diaries and Brad Pitt as Ethan. (I'm sorry, but back when he was just getting with Angelina and they just had the 2 kids, he was the definition of a DILF. Yeah I said it, this book gives us quality DILF.)

It wasn't overly smutty, it wasn't so saccharine that it belongs on the Hallmark Channel. It felt like really good writing and nothing like other stories I've read. It's a quality light and fluffy, movie stars fake dating that is going to be an amazing beach read.

4.5/5 stars!

i have a love for romances set between celebrities with background being hollywood; the drama, the glamour, the events, all of it is so whimsical i adore it. how to fake it in hollywood had EVERYTHING i could want! my first five star read of 2022.

grey’s career has lagged after ending her teen drama. ethan atkinson is maybe finally returning to the spotlight after years of staying away. grey and ethan share a pr manager and she believes a fake relationship is the key to giving both of their careers a jumpstart.

split between a dual pov, this slow burn romance is filled with glamour and drama, but also characters with a lot of growth. just when you thought you were reaching the big grand gesture, the story keeps moving and building which made me love it even more!

‘Fake Dating Trope’ done right! Plus, there is enough “spice” to satisfy! Enjoyed it thoroughly. Quick read!
Only downside is the characters have a lot of post traumatic situational baggage. It weighs heavily on the storylines. Addiction, grief, bad upbringings. Read trigger warnings if you are worried.

Really enjoyed this book! Such a fun read with great character development! Such a fun one and great to grab!

First off, I LOVE Fake dating/engagement/etc plot lines. And that's exactly what this is! To me, this was more than just your typical romcom- these characters were deeply and emotionally written, and I loved it! I am also a fan of the dry/witty humor and this book has it all. Also, lots of steamy moments! I can't wait until this is published and I can purchase for my fellow book friends!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

There are plenty of things to enjoy about How to Fake it in Hollywood. My initial draw was always going to be the fake dating trope that I have long been a fan of. What made me stay was the honest portrayal of grief and alcoholism, and the ways in which that shapes a person.

My biggest issue with the book is the acknowledgement of large age gaps in Hollywood, and yet, the main characters still offer up that very same threshold. It felt slightly undermining as it only furthered the same exact thing that the book criticized.

Beyond that, How to Fake it in Hollywood was an enjoyable romance that will tick off classic trope boxes, and leave people wondering if anyone in literature has ever had healthy relationships with their parents.

this book made me feel emotions i did not even know i possessed.

starting off, i did not know what to expect from this book. it has been awhile since i have read anything resembling a Hollywood whirlwind romance. i’m serious. the last Hollywood-est book i’ve read was on Wattpad in 2016 :)

the beginning of this book felt fluffy, in a good way. it was the basis for the relationship and had many very intriguing plot points and scenarios that made me constantly want to keep reading. i loved the fake-dating aspect and the push and pull of each characters. although i found both the Hero and heroines thoughts and actions to be a bit stagnant in the beginning, the author quickly found her groove!

the reader could tell right off the bat, the Hero, Ethan had issues. he carried baggage, guilt and shame through his life which deeply effected his life and relationships. i don’t necessary love when the main characters have been married before or have kids from a previous marriage but this was done so incredibly well that i couldn’t help but fall in love with this unique relationship between Ethan and his ex-wife. it was a beautiful, co-parenting relationship and they both cared about each other deeply in a way that was platonic and helpful! i loved the heroine. Grey was amazing, she was strong and passionate and i loved that she was sensitive because me too bestie! she truly had the guts and charm to be the absolute star of each chapter GAH i loved her!

i don’t know if this book was supposed to make me cry but it did. maybe i’m just sensitive like Grey but the last maybe 25% of this book was so beautifully written, i shed so many tears. it was beautiful how the authors ability to use such impactful language to get through to the reader. from showcasing the real struggles behind grief and addiction and guilt that truly made the book special. i loved that we’ve got to see Grey and Ethan’s relationship develop and flourish even if that meant they had to work on themselves first. it felt like two different relationships. the first time they’ve got together. it was insatiable, powerful, greedy, and unfortunately, catastrophic. the second chance they had but so truly, deeply beautiful that it resonated with me. they learned to grow and live without each other but still chose each other through everything.

i don’t necessarily think my absolute favorite thing ever in this book is the romantic relationship but rather the journey of self improvement and how the grief and imperfections were never romanticized or brushed over or even cured with love. love can be the most powerful emotion but it doesn’t erase the years of damage within a persons soul. i loved that this book was extremely realistic in the sense of the ugly side of the guilt and addiction a person has and how working on themselves is the best tool out there, not the love.

i would truly like to thank NetGalley and Ava Wilder for the amazing opportunity to have received an ARC.

and to my fellow GoodReads friends who have made it to the end, don’t forget to put this book on your TBR 😋😉!!

How to Fake It In Hollywood is about Grey, who is looking to boost her career, and Ethan, who is looking for a come back. This unlikely pair finds themselves in a fake relationship that is mutually beneficial. This book recounts their story from acquaintances to lovers, with a few speed bumps in between.

I thoroughly enjoyed how Ava was able to add to depth to a typical rom com trope. She effectively illustrated how true connection and love can’t be found when their is still healing to be done. The shame we carry seeks to isolate us, but when that is brought forward, we can find love that pushes us forward into the light. Ethan’s journey with addiction shows this.

While it was a great story, I am reluctant t to give it five stars because I found my self skimming through parts that felt a little unnecessary to the plot. It could have been shorter without taking away from the quality of the book.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

4/5 ⭐️

This book was really great in the first half, but sort of fell flat in the second half.

I liked that it was REAL, and there were real struggles and people capable of actually feeling things and communicating. The female MC was strong and relatable, and the male MC was sweet and considerate of others- even as he struggled with alcoholism.

I wish the fake-dating trope had been drawn out just a bit longer, but I can see why it wasn’t to draw out the plot. I throughly enjoyed the time jump towards the end, it really wrapped up the couples story and the struggles they endured to work on themselves. I also really enjoyed the epilogue and how it was written.

TW: Alcoholism/addiction, non-consensual exploitation of sexual photos, child abuse, loss of a loved one, and drug use. 18+ content.

4.5/5 Thank you Random House Publishing Group and netgalley for the arc!!! I loved it! It was really entertaining and the relationship was somehow complicated and I love that lmao! I love the fake dating trope and this was great! It dealt really well with serious topics like addiction(alcoholism) and grief. It was really amazing to see their journey together and them getting over their problems :D Really recommend!!