I enjoyed this one, I bought into both the characters from the start and I love the grump to sunshine trope so I was happy to see how the story progressed.

This book went a lot deeper than I expected from the fun cartoon cover. It tackled a lot of issues and I was so invested in the couple by the end that I was a little emotional.

My only complaint is that it felt a little long, I mean I love a slow burn but this was sllooooooooow.

Oh and the steam was perfection!!!

Before I begin, I’d like to give thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Shes, Hes and Theys everywhere who are millennials like myself and practically lived for weekly new episodes of "The Hills" on MTV every week: this book is 110% for you and you will love every second of it.

I ate this book up and couldn’t get enough. When I finally finished it I closed my Kindle and found myself going, “Okay… so there’s going to be a sequel set five years in the future, right? RIGHT!?”

Please don’t misunderstand, the ending was perfectly tied into an HEA bow and I loved the way the epilogue was written - I just loved the characters so much that it broke my heart to have the book end.

THE OVERVIEW:

How to Fake It in Hollywood is centered around our two main characters, Grey and Ethan, and their luxurious (or lack-thereof) lives in Hollywood. Grey is out of work and seeking out new roles and opportunities in the world of acting to pull her from the lack-luster fame she’d received from her break-out role in a teen drama in years past. Ethan, unlike Grey, starred in various roles and has isolated himself from the public eye for the last handful of years whilst drowning his own miseries and trauma at the bottom of various bottles.

In the end, their agents are contacted and a deal is struck: both will date the other as a publicity stunt for six months.

Initially the plan, while less than ideal for both parties (for differing reasons), seems easy enough. As time goes on however feelings begin to develop and the line between their need for professionalism and desire begin to blur. When both characters give in to what they’re feeling for each other, they quickly realize that press is only one problem they have to conquer together, while Grey’s trust issues and Ethan’s alcoholism and tendency to self-sabotage are new issues they will need to overcome if they want to create a future together.

Do they have the patience and love for one another necessary to work through these trauma-borne problems? Or will it all crumble, leaving them heartbroken?

CHARACTERS:

G R E Y
Grey is our lovely heroine and possessed a personality and vibe that practically screamed “Lauren Conrad” - I was LIVING for it!

"She had slipped into a trancelike state while staring at the coffee shop menu, weighing the wisdom of a medium versus large cold brew: did she merely want to spend the next few hours uncomfortably jittery, or was she in the market for a full-blown caffeine-induced panic attack?"

If that alone doesn’t endear her to you in a relatable and humorous way, are you even a millennial and reeling at the reality of adult life? Honestly.

Grey was a child actress who never left show business, though after her teen drama where she starred in the leading role, her options had run dry for continuing in Hollywood. Despite this, she’s created a life for herself in Hollywood, has cultivated friendships and is an upbeat and personable character with a great sense of humor.

Though she isn’t particularly close with her brother and her relationship with her mother is very strained, she has managed to keep her head held high and move forward with her life without simply wallowing in self-pity for her situation.

I often find myself struggling to connect with female characters in books/shows/movies, but I absolutely loved Grey! Lauren Conrad fans, you’re going to love her too!

E T H A N
As Grey’s love interest I expected a lot out of his character - and oh my gosh, did Ava deliver!

No. Literally. Guys. He’s so hot.

Ethan and his friend Sam were childhood friends and grew up together, eventually moving into the world of acting together and then moving from New York to Hollywood to pursue their dreams. At the height of their fame, however, Sam’s life came to an abrupt end in a car accident. Grief-stricken and unsure of how to move forward with his life, Ethan’s marriage crumbled due to his increased drug-use and drinking, his career came to an immediate halt and he gave up on himself and the potential for a happy future.

Years passed and when the offer for a meeting was made to discuss the terms for a “fake relationship” Ethan was already at a bar and drunk, despite it being 5 PM. He agreed only to end the conversation and almost didn’t attend the meeting - though from the moment he met Grey he was smitten.

TBH so was I. By the both of them.

AND NOW THE TRUE REVIEW.

Any shes, hes or theys who loved The Hills need to read this book - the nostalgia and joy it will bring you is off the charts and you’ll be hooked from the very first page!

Personally, I really loved that this book wasn’t your usual contemporary romance read based on the rich and famous in Hollywood. Grey, Ethan and even the supporting characters were fleshed-out extremely well, they all went through varying degrees of character development and the representation for sexuality and gender fluidity were there, loud and proud!

While the glitz and glamour of Hollywood was certainly prevalent in this book, Ava did a phenomenal job of also exposing the underbelly of Hollywood and the issues faced by those who have been in the public eye for long periods of time by bringing to light drug use and the trauma that can be done to varying degrees through little to no privacy in the “fishbowl”.

The romance between Ethan and Grey was definitely a slow-burn, and even once the characters gave in to their desires for each other it became clear to them how many hurdles they would have to overcome. With that being said, however, I was so invested in their relationship that I found it almost impossible to put the book down. Their love for each other was so real and so raw, and I really appreciated that their relationship wasn’t drawn out until the inevitable HEA - it had its ups and downs that were thoroughly explored, which I loved.

✨OVERALL RATINGS✨

I always give constructive criticism in all of my reviews… but I literally have none to give for this book. The characters were phenomenal, the pacing was absolutely perfect, the romance felt so realistic, the spice was consistent and satisfying and the epilogue? Positively flawless.

Pick up this book - don’t hesitate!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Five stars for being full of drama, angst, romance and laughs! I have never read another book quite like this one and I doubt I ever will again. I’m still going to be laughing over Grey’s relatable inner-monologues and drooling over Ethan for the foreseeable future.

🌶️🌶️🌶️ - I don’t feel like I need to deep-clean my eyes and brain after reading it, but I definitely was pleasantly surprised by the scenes there were.

Overall, I didn't really enjoy this book. It took me a while to read through for this reason. I discovered that celebrity romance stories really aren't something I enjoy reading about. I wasn't a fan of the writing style or certain happenings in the novel. However, my enjoyment was more in regards to my own personal tastes in stories. Once I finished, I felt like the negatives and the positives really just balanced out. I don't have very strong opinions on it. It just wasn't my favorite.

How to Fake It in Hollywood - 3.5⭐️

Ethan Atkins is a has-been heartthrob who is still struggling with the loss of his friend & acting partner and looking to revive his career. Grey Brooks just finished a good run as a lead actress on a teen soap-y drama and is looking for her next job. When they get thrown together for the good of both their careers what seemed to only be for the fans & news turns a bit real. This book was so fun with some of my favorite tropes: fake dating, movie stars, age gap romance and even weekend getaway with one bed. It also dealt with some tough topics like grief & loss as well as struggles with alcohol/drugs. This one is pretty steamy but also swoony & sweet.

While I enjoyed this one a lot, I didn’t absolutely love it. It was a bit steamier for my liking & felt like the story went on a bit longer than I would have liked. However if you’re a fan of fake dating & Hollywood I think you’ll like this book a lot. Huge thanks to NetGalley & Random House for the e-arc.

This book! Not gonna lie, it wasn't what i expected but i mean that in a good way! This book is a lot deeper and a little darker than you would expect based on the cover but i was obsessed. I absolutely loved this book. This book gives us top tier fake dating and obvi, falling in love. This book dealt with grief and addiction in a really great way in my personal opinion. I liked how Grey and Ethan were so different but worked so well together. They were such a great couple. I could not put this book down and found myself staying up way too late just to keep reading it. I think people will enjoy this a lot but just go into it with the warning that it deals with grief and addiction and is not just a happy fluffy romance! It is wonderful still and could easily be a 2022 favorite.

How To Fake It In Hollywood by Ava Wilder was a great read full of witty banter and rollercoaster of emotions. I usually am not much of a fan of fake relationships, but Grey and Ethan's chemistry had me from the get go. I highly enjoyed this story, it had it's fun but there that a lot of deeper issues and emotions this novel dived into. I would highly recommend this novel, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I tried to give myself as little expectations as possible going into this book, simply because the PR fake dating trope can be such a hit or miss. But I was only a few chapters in and I knew this one was going to be a hit. From the start, seeing how strong Grey is as a leading character was fantastic. She may have been someone lower in the totem pole when it comes to Hollywood stars, but she knew she wasn’t going to let herself be walked all over - something we got to see first hand during her first meeting with Ethan.
And I really enjoyed that Ethan wasn’t the stereotypical Hollywood Actor in the sense that he knew he had his own issues and knew he had to work on himself, instead of just having a huge ego and blaming the world around him.
Their relationship was such a rollercoaster that had me laughing with their witty banter one minute, and crying with all their emotions the next. But it was such a breath of fresh air seeing the healthy way their relationship grew and flourished at the end, because it wasn’t the way I as a reader hoped for, but one that I really loved and think needs to be seen more. I am just obsessed with this book, the writing was amazing and it was so descriptive it felt like I was watching a movie play out in my head, and I cant wait for everyone to get to read this gem and love Grey and Ethan as much as I do.

Normally the fake relationship trope doesn’t do it for me, but this one hit right! The characters were well written. Even though they were celebrities, it didn’t feel like I was reading about “rich people problems.” However, I do wish Ethan’s alcohol problems would have been addressed more fully, and the impact his use had on Grey (she began drinking more, etc). Overall, though, a really great piece of storytelling.

Thank you to Random House for providing this ARC via NetGalley.

Triggers: drug and alcohol use/abuse (current and former), parental neglect, past death of a friend, divorce

Wow! With HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD, Ava Wilder has crafted a heartfelt, steamy debut that is simply unputdownable. While Grey and Ethan's relationship starts as just a publicity stunt, we easily fall in love with their intoxicating chemistry and charisma as their romance turns from contractual obligation to something genuine and real. They see their flaws reflected back in each other (fear of commitment, fear of failure) but they also see the promise and potential to become the best versions of themselves. Wilder's prose is sharp and sparkling as she takes the readers on a ride of every emotion on the gamut. While the chapters fly in Ethan and Grey's flirtatious phase, it's when they scratch the surface and allow themselves to face the harsh repercussions of trauma that Wilder's writing really shines. While I devoured this over the course of two sittings, I know this story will live in my bones for many years to come.

Fake Dating: ✔️
Spice: ✔️
Age Gap: ✔️
Insta Connection: ✔️
Queer Rep: ✔️
Lyrical Descriptions: ✔️

If I’m going by my checklist this book just about has it all (and it has a few more even better surprises in store). This book was really beautifully written and I loved the way this author painted the story out. I’ll admit; I was expecting one thing out of this book and I got something completely different and I love this book for defying my assumption and delivering something unique in the romance community. At least for me personally I’ve never read a book quite like this one.

Grey is a very witty and immediately likable heroine. Ethan is a little rougher around the edges and in my opinion took a little more time for me to warm up to him. But these two characters were instantly intrigued by the other. He saw a fierceness and drive in her, she saw a man who had once been her youth crush in need of companionship. Together they overcame their differences and were able to find common ground and grow to have feelings for the other person.

This book isn’t like the typical romances that I am usually drawn to. This book doesn’t end when the couple decides to get together and fall in love. It shows how peoples insecurities and flaws are still there even when love is apart of the relationship. It was actually like a breath of fresh air when I realized this book was taking a different approach. This isn’t your typical “happily ever after” romance that ends with a swooping declaration of love after Character A miscommunicates with Character B. This touches on alcoholism and feels like a more genuine love story. Everything doesn’t get waved away by a magic wand when the characters fall desperately in love. And that right there is what makes this story so realistic and why I enjoyed my read so much.

I am not usually a "famous people problems book" reader, but I devoured this one. It was so wonderfully written. I had to force myself to put it down a few times so it didn't end too quickly. The characters were well-developed and I rooted for them both separately—and together, as a couple. Absolutely gorgeous writing. Each line, each word, was written with purpose. Loved the banter, the dialogue felt real and natural.

CW/TW details: This book tackled some pretty heavy topics (addiction/alcoholism, loss/death, grief) so I was concerned going in due to the state of, well... everything. But it was done in a respectful, realistic way rather than resolving everything with love-turned-magic-wand.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review, but I'm definitely pre-ordering this one so I have a physical copy when it releases in June 2022.

I absolutely loved How To Fake It In Hollywood by Ava Wilder! I love celebrity/Hollywood stories and I loved that this book was different than all the other stories in this category because it provided a very honest and raw look into the personal struggles of celebrities. I usually have such a hard time getting into third person POV novels, but Grey and Ethan's fake dating publicity stunt to love story had me hooked. I really enjoyed that this wasn't your average rom-com and that it explored the darker side of Hollywood while still having a compelling romantic arc. I liked the very honest portrayal of Ethan's grief and addiction and how the glitz and glamour of Hollwood isn't always what it's cracked up to be. At first Ethan was a very unlikeable grump, but when matched with Grey's sunshine personality, their banter was very entertaining to read. My only issue was that I thought that the characters acted on their attraction to each other quite quickly in the novel.. Overall, I thought this was a wonderfully written debut and would recommend this book to all romance lovers. I'm very excited to read all of Ava Wilder's future books.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books for providing me with an ARC of How To Fake It In Hollywood in exchange for an honest review. This review will be posted on Goodreads/Amazon upon publication of the book.

I really enjoyed this book! Interestingly enough, this was less of a romcom than I thought - it deals with some very real issues tied to the life of Hollywood stars (addiction, harassment, etc). What was both the best and the worst part of this book, for me, was the characters. I liked Grey, the protagonist: she's down-to-earth, hard-working, and pragmatic, if a bit emotionally reserved. However, it was Ethan, her love interest, that I couldn't ever get fully on board with. During most of their interactions, he's surly and rude, as well as a bit condescending, which Grey chalks up to his A-lister ego. He is also an evident alcoholic, an issue that isn't completely addressed until the final third or so of the book. For me, his motivations were never clear and his feelings for Grey came out of nowhere...in fact, they seemed fairly surface-level for most of the book. Other than being famous and handsome, he isn't bringing much to the table. He's unreliable, closed off, and capricious. I thought he and Grey were incredibly well-written as separate, complex people, but didn't really find myself rooting for their love as much as I was rooting for them as individuals. Still, I was invested in seeing them grow as people and wasn't necessarily upset by their relationship.. Overall, this book was honest and gripping, but far more of a drama than the fluffy romcom it presents as.

This was a light and fun read that reminded me of All the romcoms I like to watch. The characters developed nicely throughout the book and I just thought it was east to read.

This was a really fun, meaty romance novel that tackled complex topics in a deeper way than I was expecting. And so many fun tropes that I love to see when I read romance! The ending was absolutely perfect as well - of course we read romance novels in part for the predictable endings, but what Wilder does here is really special and actually had me in tears. 4.5 stars.

I received an early release copy thanks to NetGalley.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4491851364?book_show_action=false

How to Fake It in Hollywood by Ava Wilder
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Genre: 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
Format: 𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤
Length: 𝟑𝟖𝟒 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬
Trigger warnings: 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦
Tropes: 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐩
Release date: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟒𝐭𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘈𝘷𝘢 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘦𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 - 𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!

How to Fake It In Hollywood is everything I want in a book, especially a contemporary romance. This is Ava Wilder’s debut book!! We follow Grey Brooks, who is struggling as an actress. Her agent convinces her that perhaps a PR relationship could help. What her agent failed to mention is that it would be a PR relationship with non other than ETHAN FREAKING ATKINS. Grey used to have posters of Ethan on her wall and now she’s his fake girlfriend. Ethan is an A list celebrity or at least he used to be before the death of his best friend followed by his very public divorce.

This book is sooooo good. Yes, there are so many good tropes which make you want to read this book but there is a lot of development that happens here too. Grey and Ethan are dealing with their own struggles, not just with their careers. There are a lot of heavy subject materials in this book and it wasn’t always happy. But it was nice to have characters struggle with very real things and not just have everything work out so easily. I love that they had to really grow as individuals before they could grow together.

I cannot wait to see what Ava Wilder writes next.

This was your typical romance. Celebrity fake love and slow burn. I enjoyed it but didn't feel like there was anything new. It was just like the other couple of books I've read containing the same trope. Overall, nothing new. I expected a more unique story I guess.

Ava Wilder has a new book coming out in June! And let me tell you… it is absolutely fantastic. I read this book in under eight hours because I loved it that much and I can’t wait to see what y’all say about this book!

One actress and one actor who’s careers have seemed to die down after the past few years find themselves wrapped up in a sexy scandal to make the public believe they have fallen in love. It doesn’t take long for the two to realize they are completely head over heels for each other after an all inclusive vacation, where some scandalous pictures are revealed of the two love birds. However, Ethan comes with a whole suitcase full of issues. After a close friend dies in a car accident, and they are unable to finish a script they started, alcoholism gets the best of him and a case of beer comes before both his acting career and family life.

Grey Brooks realizes that Ethan is a handful of problems, but she’s dying to get her career back on track. It Doesn’t take long for her to realize she has her own set of problems waiting for her when it comes to her relationship with her mom. Not to mention, Ethan was somebody she has had a crush on since long before her new media focused relationship.

Put this book on your radar for your 2022 TBR! If you’re a fan of The Unhoneymooners or Beach Read I think you will love this! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Release:June 2022
Author: Ava Wilder
Genre: Romance

this was my first ever ARC & I’m so happy it was! I absolutely enjoyed the universe Ava created here with Grey and Ethan. It felt like a hollywood tale similar to themes of A Star is Born with crossed with characters who’s careers were plucked out of the 90s heartthrob era (think river phoenix, keanu era) and the 2000s teen dramas (one tree hill, dawsons creek), respectfully. This was a really fun read & made me laugh way more than I’d like to admit. My only real complaint was that I felt like there were some parts of the story specifically developments with their relationship that you think would be more important were sped through really quickly. I think that was more to blame of my style as a reader and how I’ve chosen to read romantic comedies in the past. If it wasn’t important to the author to dive into deeper than I guess I shouldn’t really hinge myself to it more. It didn’t turn me off from the story or the characters at all though. I finished it still enjoying the story and the romance that was pathed out.

I’m very much looking forward to this coming out and getting my own physical copy to go back and annotate through. I’ve marked it down in my calendar!

One of my all-time favorite romance tropes is the “pretend dating” to falling in love tale. Grey is an actor whose teen soap ended a year ago, and auditions are drying up for her as she figures out what she wants next. Ethan is an older star who hasn’t worked in a few years, busy mourning the death of his best friend at the bottom of a bottle. When their shared publicist suggests they pretend to date to raise both of their profiles, they begrudgingly agree.

What I loved about this book (besides the falling in love bits) was how the author explores the trappings of fame in the present day. How much of your personal life do you have to sell and expose to do the job you love?