A star is born meets the proposal. This book got me thinking about all Hollywood relationships. And what really happens behind the curtains.

In my opinion, this is the ideal setting for a fake dating trope. Two actors; one washed-up and one on the come up, put in a contract together for a fake relationship to benefit both of their careers. What drew me in about this book is that this actually happens in Hollywood, and although these are fictional characters, quite a few celebrity couples came to mind when reading about Grey and Ethan, which made the story even more enjoyable. I would think, “Is this what really goes on between them?”

This book was pretty predictable, in the best way. There was a bit of a lull in the plot 2/3 through, but the rest of the book thoroughly makes up for it. There are likable characters, not-so-likable characters, and characters that grow on you. The character development was also a key point in what made me really love this book.

Alcoholism is an issue that is frequently talked about in this book, and the raw reality of it. Another issue that’s touched on is grief and how someone can process grief. The only thing holding me back from giving this book 5 stars is that it felt a little bit slow paced at times as well as the previously mentioned lull. Other than that, I would recommend this as a quintessential book to read for any romance lover.

Thank you NetGalley and Ava Wilder for this ARC. :)

I enjoyed this story and how the main characters worked to come together in a healthy relationship. I would read another book by this author and think it would be a good addition to a public library collection.

This Hollywood romcom was sweet as can be while avoiding the cheesy nature of many similar books. I highly recommend!

Third person narrative can be tricky sometimes because there tends to be a disconnect with the characters since you are missing their internal dialogue, but this author made sure that Grey and Ethan emotions were felt through her words. It’s a fun take when I see a book that humanizes not only the idea of celebrities but reminds us that these people that we idolized are regular people.

There’s a quiet intrigue and magnetic caramesia to the author's writing style which instantly pulls you into this world of fiction and makes it feels like reality. The forced proximity lined with tension filled moments, blurring the lines so much that there’s no distinct line between acting and reality, and so many swoon worthy moments that just made my heart ache. The dialogue was both flirty and fun while also tender, raw conversations about grief, trauma , self doubt, and so much more.

This author tackled many topics that are not common in a romance book. She wrote characters that faced struggles and insecurities that go beyond the twinkling lights of Hollywood. Both Ethan and Grey tackled issues that many people face and it was written in a way that felt organic to the plot of the book, rather than using sensitive topics to dramatize their story. This author took a well known trope and gave a unique voice to a story that has an inclusive cast and a story that has you emotionally invested from the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this ARC.

I really liked this. It was serious, but so charming. They discussed some important issues in the book, but without making it feel overwhelmingly sad or preachy. I loved the romance of it, and I loved the supporting characters!

4.5 stars - delightful!

Full disclosure: this is the first time I ever got an Advance Reader Copy of anything (thanks @netgalley and @randomhouse!) and I’m in an internet group with the author (a group which also happens to be in the acknowledgments, so it’s pretty much like she’s thanking me personally, and you’re very welcome Ava!) So while this is my objective review, you know, subconscious bias, this happens to be exactly up my alley, yada yada, make of it what you will.

All that said, I enjoyed this SO MUCH! It was captivating, sweet, thoughtful and while it lovingly parodied celebrity gossip and Hollywood (the couple name! Virginia Virginia!), it never felt fan fiction-y. I literally couldn’t put this down, I *needed* to know what was going to happen, and I was happy to be spending my time with these characters!

My only (very minor) complaints: there were a couple of places where the word choice seemed a bit awkward/stilted. Mostly around the ~steamier~ scenes, which were still very well-done and I imagine that if I ever tried to write a romance novel I would go full Allison Janney in 10 Things I Hate About You and be incredibly awkward about it. Also, it was fully made up for by the fact that she casually dropped my #1 favorite vocab word of all time (ALACRITY) and this passage that literally read my mind (breakfast foods = 😍): “Just Ethan, who made her amazing fried-egg sandwiches, wrangled her off-menu Belgian waffles, gave her his toast and potatoes when she was too hungover to eat anything else. She frowned to herself. Why were so many of her fond feelings about him linked to breakfast? Well, no need to unpack that now.”

I also think the back half could have been condensed a bit. The last few chapters were gold and I wouldn’t change a single thing about the ending, but it took a bit to get there. And I don’t know exactly what I would change because there’s character reasons for the ups and downs and it does build empathy, but it also causes it to drag a little so that when we did get to the ending I had a bit of a “finally!” reaction.

How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder.

4 stars for this enjoyable romance. Grey Brooks is a former child/teen star who’s looking for her next acting opportunity. Ethan Atkins is an A-list star who has been keeping a low profile since the death of his best friend 5 years ago. Their mutual publicist proposes a 6-month fake dating scenario where they both get the exposure they need.

I loved the almost slow burn pace of their relationship at the beginning of the story. Both characters were likable and flawed. Their struggles felt real and not over the top. I appreciate that Grey stood her ground and didn’t think it was her job to “fix” Ethan.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

As an avid reader I can sometimes predict how a storyline may go just by reading the synopsis and I know what I like. This author took the story of “will the fake Hollywood romance turn into the real thing” and gave it so much depth and so many layers that I literally had a hard time putting this book down, I read it in three days! The characters are so real and Grey is the kind of character I love to cheer for. This book will give you all the feels while you ride the rollercoaster of Hollywood romances. I will definitely read this author again!

From the cover I thought this was going to be a lighter romance read but much to my surprise it had a lot of substance and heart. I've read a number of fake relationship in Hollywood type books but I like that this really went into the darker side of the lives of actors. Ethan struggling with his mental health, death of his best friend, and his addiction(s). Grey trying to trust and love again while figuring out how to act and be in Hollywood in a joyful and meaningful way to her. I loved the inclusion of a non-binary character which was a first for me out of all the romance books I've read in the last few years. The relationship between Ethan and Nora luckily didn't go down the horrible ex plot line and instead showed a working co-parenting relationship including her and Grey becoming friends and business partners. The steamy scenes were wonderful and not too *spicy* if you will. I really enjoyed Ava Wilder's writing style and not having the traditional POV from each character, rotating chapters. You get to see from the outside and both of their perspectives.

A cute and super fast read. You can never go wrong with a good old fake dating trope. I loved that it wasn’t all fluff but also wasn’t extremely angsty. The story touches on dealing with grief and addiction, without letting the relationship become super toxic, which I really appreciated. Overall, I enjoyed reading about their relationship and had no problem finishing this in one sitting.

This is a sweet, but not Hallmark sweet romance! Grey is on the rise in her acting career and has agreed to begin a fake relationship with an older actor. He's got some issues surrounding him and has made some poor choices in his career. It's spicy, witty, and packs a punch! I loved the character development throughout and look forward to seeing more from Wilder!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for my ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Grey, a child star turned cw-type actor and Ethan, a former hollywood heartthrob turned recluse launch into the fake dating plot of the century. Ava takes her time to establish Grey and Ethan as flawed individuals writing a story that’s easy for the reader to get lost in. Maybe it’s not the healthiest relationship but it’s real and honest and Ava doesn’t shy away from the hard topics. With their sizzling chemistry and roundabout cast of secondary characters and maybe the best debut novel I've read this year, I cannot wait to see what's next for Ms. Ava Wilder.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (4 stars)

T R O P E S: fake dating, one bed (sort of?), age gap
TW: alcoholism, past death of a loved one, depression, brief discussions of body size/weight

If "fictional stories about famous people" was a real sub-genre of contemporary romance, it probably would be my favorite. I adored this romance novel between two actors at different stages in their careers.

Grey is an emotionally intelligent, well-adjusted actress in the midst of attempting to rework her image into that of a serious actress. On the other hand, Ethan is Brad Pitt-level famous, and ever since the death of his life-long friend and creative partner, has been on the brink of an emotional catastrophe (not to be confused with a mere breakdown). The characters embark on a mutually beneficial fake relationship/publicity stunt.

Grey is FUNNY, and the two's witty banter breathed life into this novel. I appreciate when romance novels don't invent conflict for the sake of having conflict, and instead establish characters plagued by real-life issues (in this case: alcoholism, fame, and grief). I won't go into much detail as to avoid spoilers, but I also appreciated that this romance didn't go the route of "love can fix all problems." And you know what else was refreshing? I loved the dynamic between Ethan and his ex-wife. They had both established a highly amicable friendship and co-parenting situation. Wilder took one look at the available crazy/bitter ex-wife trope and said: absolutely not. My only qualm is that I wish the author involved more scenes with Ethan's two daughters.

I don't read many age gap romances because I have a fear that they will turn into a romanticized grooming situation, but I had absolutely no problems with the 11-year gap in age in regards to the romantic dynamic between Ethan and Grey. Not only did these characters meet at a later stage in life than I see in many age-gap romances (Grey being 27 and Ethan being 38), but Grey holds herself with such an air of maturity, stability, and level-headedness that I honestly couldn't see her realistically meeting her intellectual and romantic match with another male love interest her age.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars

How to Fake It in Hollywood is the debut novel of Ava Wilder. Fake dating is the main trope. Grey Brooks has in the Hollywood industry since she was a child but has been unemployed for a year. Ethan Atkins is an Oscar winning actor, single father, who had a life as well as career downfall when his best friend died five years ago and still hasn't recover from it . Their publicists comes forward with a plan of fake dating to boost her fame and to restore his reputation for a duration of 6 months. Will they be able to retain a platonic relationship? Will their whole fake relationship thing come unveiled in front of the world ? THE ANSWER IS WAIT AND READ.

For a debut novel, it was REALLY GOOD. The writing was excellent. It was really captivating. I can't imagine losing my best friend. I felt for Ethan so much. The storyline had its cheeky , fun moments as well as emotional once. Grey was kind , even though he tried to put her off several times she took her ground.

I loved both of them. Ethan has grown a lot throughout the book. I loved that they took a break from their relationship to grow individually after initially starting a type of symbiotic relationship( i.e. fake relationship). They needed that. The end was so good.

It was dual POV book which I love . But the shift of POV midst a chapter was very off putting. Other than that , I am really happy. It has been one of my fav reads of this year and I would absolutely recommend it.

Trigger warnings : alcoholism
loved ones death
fat shaming
addiction

OUT JUNE 14

I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the build up and chemistry between Grey and Ethan in the first half of the novel, it was fun and flowed easily. The second half took a bit of a downward twist but I was relieved for the happy ending.

In Ava Wilder’s first novel “How to Fake it in Hollywood” you meet the wonderful, annoying, flawed, and lovable characters Grey Brooks and Ethan Atkins. What starts as fake dating for publicity to boost both of their careers quickly becomes so much more than that. There are definitely some twists and turns and heartbreak along the way.
I really appreciated how Ava Wilder didn’t follow the typical romance move script, Wilder got her couple together before the last page of the book and we got to go along with them as they dealt with being in a new and ultimately tumultuous relationship. I’m not going to spoil the end, but this book truly hooked me and I couldn’t put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballentine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: alcoholism/addiction, grief, death of a loved one in a car accident involving drugs/alcohol (past), brief mentions of past body shaming, abusive parent (past), death of a parent (past), parental abandonment (past), estrangement from family (brief mentions), revenge porn/non-consensual circulation of naked photos

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f frenemies to lovers
-Hollywood romance
-forced proximity
-fake dating
-childhood crush
-let's bang it out of our systems
-single father
-only one bed
-mutual masturbation
-so much sexual chemistry and pining

As the content warnings probably make clear, this book deals with so heavy topics, but it does so beautifully and honestly. Both Grey and Ethan are at lows in their careers. So why not fake date to get people talking and help get some good press coming towards them? This book was tropey ooh gooey goodness. Ethan was Grey's childhood crush and the PINING, the sexual tension between these two was incredible as they both tried to fight it. Chef's kiss honestly, actual fire coming out of the page.

I loved everything this book had to say about being a woman in Hollywood, about being a minority in Hollywood, and dealing with addiction. Love doesn't heal you, but it can be a partnership and someone you can grow with. I honestly can't say enough good things about how much I loved this book. It's a book that makes you hate your job because all you want to do is keep reading it, it's that addicting.

These two being together, the banter, the fire, it wasn't always healthy, but they also saw each other and were real and honest. Letting your guard down is so hard and this book highlights this in so many ways, what you show the world, what you reveal of yourself, what you show to someone you are falling for. Being vulnerable is hard. The ending was beautiful and so well earned.

I cannot wait to read whatever Ava Wilder has coming out next.

Steam: 3

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC version of this book, and it was everything I hoped it would be. I'm so excited for everyone to read it once it hits the shelves!

Grey is a former child actress turned soap star, with little on the horizon. Ethan is a former teenage heart throb who could use a PR facelift. I knew once these two characters met, we'd have a perfect grumpy/sunshine relationship, but honestly it turned into more than that.

I fell in love with both of these characters so quickly. I (obviously not a famous person) was unsure how I'd relate to either of them, but Ava does such a good job really stripping all that away and giving us a glimpse into who they are when they're not in front of a camera. This book was real, it was messy and chaotic, but it was also full of friendship, plus the love and spice we all want in a rom-com. (ALSO has some hot scenes I have never read in any other popular romance book!)

We all love a good fake dating, funny, forced proximity, strangers to lovers book, so if you're a fan of any of those, I highly recommend!

thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.
i read this book in one sitting so it’d be fair to say i really liked it! Grey and Ethan served the fake-dating-trope really well, keeping me on the edge of the seat all the time (also the amount of tension going on?? love it).
the only thing i didn’t like was the last conflict, it felt rushed and didn’t really add anything to the plot, besides a little bit of personal growth to these characters. it could’ve been approached in a different way.