I recently had the privilege of reading this book as an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review. Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House publisher for this opportunity. That being said, I love this book so much. This book had me entranced, reading page after page to find out what happens next. I was quickly lost in the words and forgot I was reading altogether. This book is funny, witty, swoon-worthy, and emotionally heavy at times. A commendable aspect of this book is the diversity in characters and inclusivity of people depicted.

The tropes of this book include: fake dating, actor/actress romance, grumpy man, age gap, one bed

Up-and-coming actress Emily Grey Brooks meets A-list actor Ethan Atkins under the advisement of their mutual publicist. With a plan to fake-date, the two begin a gossip-inducing affair in the eyes of the public — and the paparazzi. This fake romance becomes confusing when Grey and Ethan get to know each other, revealing fears and secrets they had not shared with anyone before, inspiring deeper feelings to brew. Before long, Ethan’s struggle with alcohol and grief over the death of his best friend becomes a catalyst for destructive behavior. Can Ethan overcome his deep-rooted issues and become the man Grey deserves?

I thought the writing of this book flowed well. I admired the character developments and interactions. I loved how this book managed to address important societal issues. I believe this is a great debut book for Ava Wilder and highly recommend seeking out her future work. Until then, this publication will be released on June 14th, 2022 and I recommend you all hurry to preorder!

CW: alcohol and substance abuse, grief, depression, loss of privacy, death of a loved one (off-page)

4 stars.


There are serious topics in this book such as: grief, addiction/alcoholism, and recovery/rehabilitation. There was so much detail in both main characters, Ethan and Grey. I really felt like the author did a great job creating characters who felt very dynamic and real. Their stories individually and together were thoroughly thought out and executed.

I went into this book thinking it would be a fun, light romance (because I’m guilty of judging a book by the cover and this cover looks fun and cute)- and it ended up being a more melancholy, grown up romance. Way more depth than I expected. While I personally like more happy-vibe/romcom romance stories, I do think this one was really done well. Check TW.


Thank you so much to NetGalley, the publishers, and Ava Wilder for this ARC.
fun fact- I found out that Ava lives in Oklahoma City!!! Hi from a fellow Oklahoman!

How to Fake it in Hollywood was so good! I loved how real Ava Wilder made her characters. From the main characters to the supporting characters, they were well fleshed out and multidimensional. If you like fake dating tropes this book is for you. It also has some spice which added to the story. I was surprised to see this was a debut novel for Ava Wilder, but I cannot wait to see what her next novels have in store. Loved it! 5 stars

Grey Brooks has been an actor since her early childhood, though her career has stalled out lately. When her agent and publicist approach her with an offer of a PR relationship to boost her reputation and help her get work, she's on the fence-- until she finds out her fake boyfriend will be Ethan Atkins, whose poster she had on her wall all through middle school. It's simple: they're to be seen in public together every so often, as well as being seen leaving each other's houses after overnight dates. But nothing is ever quite as simple as that. Ethan has been dealing with the loss of his best friend and creative partner for the past five years, and has become reclusive in that time, turning to alcohol to numb the grief. And the added publicity isn't always as welcome for Grey as she'd expected.
How to Fake It in Hollywood is an exploration of feelings, bravery, boundaries, and learning about one's self in order to grow. At times it's cute and sweet; at times it's painful. This book was much less fluffy than I expected, but that wasn't a bad thing-- it did a great job of dealing with the complexities of fame, addiction, and what it's like to face the fact that your life isn't quite what you'd hoped it would be, while giving us a fake-dating romance at the center of it. Definite trigger warning for alcoholism.

This book features fake dating within the backdrop of Hollywood. The characters start off with amazing tension between them and the connection grows deeper as the story progresses. This book does tackle some difficult topics like alcoholism and grief. I enjoyed this book and definitely was invested to see how Grey and Ethan’s journey would unfold. I do wish the balance of the heavy and light topics leaned less heavy but the book was still very good.

I rated this book 3.75 stars.

For a debut novel this is really good! I love a good fake dating trope and it didn’t disappoint when it came to that at all. I didn’t love Ethan at first for a lot of reasons, but his actions come to make sense (and are not excusable) later in the story. I pictured Ethan as a younger Jeffrey Dean Morgan the entire time which definitely helped. It’s mostly fluffy and light with some steamy scenes and some truly emotional ones about loss, isolating ourselves from people we love, and sobriety. I was definitely able to tell which movies/shows she was referencing when it came to Grey’s acting history which was fun. Overall it was good and I enjoyed it.

Wilder’s debut novel was on my most anticipated list for this year, and it lived up to my expectations! Grey Brooks is 27 and coming out of a Gossip Girl-type cult hit and struggling to find work. Her publicist sets her up in a fake relationship with scandal-ridden megastar Ethan Atkins, the man who was plastered on her walls as a child.

This novel delves into the nitty gritty of substance abuse, death, dealing with fame, divorce, and other sensitive subjects with as graceful and untropey a hand as one can. The romance builds slowly and painfully - I would be more sad about that if the arc of the characters wasn’t so realistic and well written.

I definitely recommend readers to come into this book with caution knowing the subject matter, but it is both the Hollywood romance that you crave and the deep relationship that we want all romance books to have. I really enjoyed this one and think readers will as well once it’s out in June!

I consume books about celebrities like the teens in Euphoria consume crack cocaine. Which is to say, you know, I can't get enough. Give me alllll the glitz and glam of the world of Hollywood, it's like shooting serotonin straight into my veins. Add fake dating to the mix and you've got me hooked for life with no chance of parole. Which is why I cancelled all plans, called in sick to work, divorced my nonexistent husband, etc the second I was approved for this ARC. It's called prioritizing. And may I just say, ya'll better do the same. Ava Wilder wrote a stunner of a debut novel that will surely give all fellow Hollywood freaks like me the hit of drama they crave. Beautiful writing style, funny dialogue, well-written sensitive topics. The characters in this book aren't perfect! And maybe that's what endeared me to them so much; they're real people with real problems. Can't wait to see what Ava Wilder writes next! CW for alcoholism, addiction, death of a loved one.

Fans of Deuxmoi, TMZ, and People Magazine rejoice! If you're into celebrity drama and the underworld of the Hollywood Elite, then this book is for you.

This book is marketed as a romcom fake-dating gem, and the first 70% of this book nailed it. Grey & Ethan had the necessary back-and-forth of "will they, won't they" that's needed for a successful fake-dating trope. Their professions as actors in LA, arguably the only time that a fake-dating scenario happens in real life (sorry, Hiddleswift fans), also made this book seem more authentic. It didn't feel like the trope was thrown in as a way to grab readers' attention in the blurb. Because of its authenticity of the LA life, the author did a great job making Grey a sympathetic and relatable main character. Because let's be honest, very few people sympathize or relate to real actors and actresses, and the author ran the risk of having 2 unlikeable main characters. However, I truly liked Grey. Her background as a child actor, coupled with the very real-life ageism, sexism, and the double standard in Hollywood, makes the reader see Grey as her own heroine. Strong women in the entertainment industry are #goals because of the known troubles they go through on a daily basis that their male counterparts don't often face. The majority of this book was Grey's story, and I truly enjoyed seeing her growth, acceptance, and determination in regards to her own life and what she wanted from it.

Unfortunately, I wish the book would have ended at the 70% marker. The last 30% felt like a second book an author writes after the success of a first novel in hopes to capitalize on the buzz of fans' love of the characters. It expanded on Ethan's demons and made me dislike him more than I already did. While Ethan's troubles are no doubt sprinkled throughout the first portion of the book, by focusing on them for the remaining third, it undoes his likability that was previously established. I was willing to look past the fact that he's advertised as a "single dad," yet seemed like the worst father ever (seriously, it's very hard to like a parent who allows themselves to be absent for FIVE YEARS of their kids lives but is willing to make a change for a woman they've known for a few months). But the downward spiral at the end honestly made me want someone else for Grey. And I know I know...he redeems himself at the 95% marker. But Ethan's own season of growth, acceptance and determination is hidden from the reader. By jumping forward over a year, the reader misses out on that necessary character development, which left me with my less-than-stellar leftover feelings towards Ethan. I wish either (1) his troubles were more evenly spread throughout the beginning of the book so his downward spiral felt more natural in the last bit, or (2) the book was a few chapters longer and we journeyed alongside him for his redemption.

Overall, I give it 4/5 stars and it's a great debut novel. I truly look forward to more writings from Ava Wilder. She has diverse side characters (and nonbinary representation using they/them pronouns, which is a breath of fresh air in books and shows how easy it is to understand when he/she pronouns aren't used), a strong female main character, and lots of Hollywood references that die-hard celebrity gossip fans will enjoy (looking at you, headphones dino-bones).

4⭐️ a very enjoyable contemporary romance!

This romance really surprised me by the depth of the story. I was expecting a light, easy, cute romance, and while this story did have some of that, it also covers some deep issues (CW: addiction, death of a loved one). The characters were complex and compelling, and that made their romance so much more nuanced and interesting to me.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you’re also a fan of Colleen Hoover’s work. This book really reminded me of the romances I’ve read of hers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC for this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Ava, Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC, which I was provided in exchange for an honest review.
If you are into books with celebrities in them, fake dating, age gap and one bed trope, this book is everything you are looking for. In this book, we meet Grey, a former soap-opera actress, and Ethan, an A-list celebrity. Their lives are complicated on their own, but it will get even more so when they are asked to pull a PR stunt to get Ethan back on track and skyrocket Grey's career.
What I liked about this story is that it's real, raw. I also LOVED the inclusion of genderqueer characters. It's the first time I read about a "them" in a story. Even though the story did get a little bit repetitive at some point, it picked up right at the end to finish the right way. I would definitely recommend this book.
I strongly advice to check TW before reading.

She’s had his poster on her wall since she was a tween…
He has no idea she exists- he’s only in it for the free lunch.

Grey Brooks is synonymous with her character Lucy LaVey from hit tv show Poison Paradise. But this ambitious leading lady is not content to rest on her laurels. It’s been a few years since the show wrapped and her love life torpedoed. Determined to resurrect her dying career, Grey hires a new publicist who suggests a fake relationship with her other, very famous client. The only catch? It’s none other than Ethan Atkins, Grey’s celebrity crush, who she’s lusted after ever since she can remember. Good luck keeping things professional ;)

There’s so much to love about How to Fake it in Hollywood. The enchanting and eccentric L.A. setting really tickled my fancy. Who doesn’t enjoy reading about the seemingly charmed lives of the rich and famous? And as a Southern California native I can honestly say that the references to the fresh-pressed green juice, inclusive attitudes and bohemian boutiques are spot on.

Another highlight was the emotional rollercoaster of a relationship between Grey and Ethan. They are both incredibly skeptical about the whole arrangement, not to mention each other. And despite the obvious physical attraction, it’s lucky they’re both paid actors because they get along like hot sauce and ice cream. The sexual tension was so intense my kindle was practically smoking!

Despite being beautiful and spectacularly wealthy, they certainly have their fair share of problems. Because… Stars—They’re just like us! Grey’s fear of emotional intimacy and Ethan’s messy unresolved trauma felt agonizingly real. These two just met and they’re already prime candidates for couples counseling! It’s safe to say there were plenty of thorny obstacles standing in the way of their successful staged love connection. My only criticism is that their personal issues became a little heavy and played a bigger role in the book than I would have preferred.

Ultimately, How to Fake it in Hollywood is a smoldering nail-biter replete with all the celebrity drama, fun and dynamic supporting characters and plenty of angst-ridden romance.

"How to Fake It in Hollywood" by Ava Wilder was a romance that read almost like a tell-all entertainment magazine article. I loved following the story of Grey and Ethan, both actors, and their love/hate relationship with fame. The book highlighted some of the struggles that actors face constantly being in the public eye. It also shed a light on alcoholism and its effects on others. Parts of the story were a little deep for what I thought was going to be a light-hearted romance, but that's just simply based on my assumptions of the book prior to reading it. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would welcome the chance to read other books by Wilder.

***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I enjoy a good "fake lovers" trope, and this did not disappoint. There was plenty of angst to keep me interested.

3.5 stars but rounded down to 3
When I read the blurb for this book I was immediately drawn to it. After finishing it can say I enjoyed it overall but I can't bring myself to give it more than 3 stars because I had absolutely no problem putting it down and then not picking it back up for days. It was a good book it just didn't draw me in and hold my attention as much as I hoped it would. I didn't have any trouble connecting with the characters though. Grey and Ethan were a good fit for each other, perfect for eachother even, but the book felt long at times. Too long and drawn out, too many details and unnecessary repetition. So, I enjoyed it, but didn't love it. Something was missing for me. I enjoyed the last 20% more than the rest of the book. It had a great epilogue.
This was my first Ava Wilder book. I'm still looking forward to reading more books by her because the book wasn't bad, far from it, it just wasn't as good as I was hoping for it to be after reading the blurb. I guess it was nice enough, but I didn't have a 'wow-feeling' after finishing it.

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I expected it to follow the pretty generic beats of them being set up and then falling in love, but I liked the obstacles that were put in their way. They were interesting and seemed more like real life. All the characters seemed like real people which I appreciated.

How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder is definitely one of my new all time favorite books! This friends-to-lovers, fake dating, slow burn had me captivated from the very first page! I stayed up wayyy too late to read it and do not regret it one bit!

From the very beginning I was in love with Ethan and Gray! Both their character arcs and relationship was beautifully written. One thing I especially loved about both of them was how vulnerable they were. All of the characters in How to Fake it in Hollywood felt real and flawed and those factors just made me feel like I had a deeper connection with them!

Wilder’s writing was fantastic in this book! I have not read any of her previous work so I was excited to finally jump into her books, and the fact that the first one I read was a pre-released copy made it that much better! It’s not often that I find that an author can make me fall in love with their book so quickly, but Wilder managed to do that!

How to Fake it in Hollywood was a fun, flirty read that had me both laughing, crying, and screaming into my pillow….in a good way of course! This book is perfect for all of the romance junkies out there. I promise you will definitely LOVE, and yes the capitals were necessary, this book! I can’t wait for you all to read it!

With Love, @Raebooks_

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘How to Fake It in Hollywood’ starts off like your average fake dating rom-com novel, but quickly goes much deeper. I’m a sucker for the fake dating trope so it wasn’t hard for me to immediately become attached to the story and zoom through this novel. The characters are also very endearing, likable, and super relatable considering they’re hollywood celebs. Their chemistry is also really cute - I liked that even though the main male character is a hollywood vet, the main female character easily (and immediately) brings him down a peg.

I wasn’t expecting the other theme of the novel - which involves addiction and co-dependency. But it’s done really quite well and again, very realistically. Addiction is a tricky subject for me since I’ve been in the main female character’s shoes before; it’s easy for me to find holes or roll my eyes if it becomes a romanticized notion. The author really did a great job here, especially for a debut novel.

So if you like your spicy romance but also like a little substance in your romance novels, this one is a must for you.

A reclusive A-lister goes into a fake relationship. If you’re a fan of fake dating and the rich lives of people in Hollywood then this is for you!

Wasn't expecting to read this book in one sitting, but here we are. It got me out of my reading slump! I thought it was realistic, honest, and full of empathy. I was rooting for Ethan and Grey...I am a sucker for celebrities, gossip, and fake dating! But this book has some heavy content (handled super well), so check out TWs before proceeding.

Also had a lot of fun trying to cast this in my head...definitely have a few people came to mind while reading, which is my favorite part 😇. Really liked that it had diversity and representation as well! Super seamless and well done.

Thank you to Ava Wilder, Random House Publishing Group- Ballentine, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!!