This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I don't normally read romance, but I kept seeing the author writing about it, and then when Ben Affleck and JLo made their reappearance, I knew I wanted to read it.

I was hooked right from the start--Fake dating? Only one bed? Let's just get it out of our system? Yes, please!

The characters were well crafted, the plot took me on a roller coaster from pining, to Finally!! to nooooooo to maybe? to Yes! to whaaaaatt?? to okay okay to whew, YES.

Can't wait to see what the author does next! Highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing a review copy! All views are my own.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4388957610

I promised myself I could read one chapter while dinner cooked and here we are a day later, completely finished and with a book hangover.

I absolutely loved this book! How to Fake It in Hollywood was a wonderful romance, but it offered so much more. Grey is an up and coming actress, fresh off a multi-season network tv show and unsure of which step is the right one for her career. Her PR rep has the perfect solution - a fake relationship with Ethan Atkins, reclusive A-list actor who needs to revive his own career.

The chemistry between Grey and Ethan was tangible from their very first meeting. I loved Grey's character - she was completely charming, warm and and completely unpretentious. The drama that plagued Ethan and Grey’s relationship was very believable given their backgrounds (both relatively young when they became actors) and could have gone many different ways. The characters manage to grow and work through their own issues, helping each other where they can and giving space when needed. I just loved it and I can’t wait to read it again! I’m already telling all of my romance loving friends to pre-order :)

(Trigger warnings for addiction & off page mentions of abuse.)

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine for an advanced copy.

Devoured this in a day - I loved Ava Wilder's writing. The specificity of her references and self-awareness about Hollywood pitfalls made HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD a truly compelling read. I'm very particular about Hollywood books, and this book worked for me on so many levels. I really loved the depth Wilder brought to Grey and Ethan's issues that made their fake dating to real relationship work. I also love that it has shades of A STAR IS BORN without it ending in one star's rise at the cost of the other one's fall. A lot of books marketed as romcoms right now are not genuinely funny - I laughed out loud several times reading this book, more from voice and turns of phrase/observations than the wacky setups that characterize other romcoms I've read recently. This book was very much my thing and I'm excited to tell everyone I know to read it.

When I tell you that I ignored my family for an entire day while I devoured Ava Wilder's incredible debut, I'm not exaggerating. I've always been a fan of the famous person/people trope in romance, so I've had my eye on this one for a while. I expected that I'd enjoy it, but to say I "enjoyed" it would be like saying I "enjoy" sea-salted chocolate chip cookies. HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD is just as delicious and rich, and deeply satisfying.

I'll come back with a more detailed review once it publishes in September, but my non-spoiler review goes like this: the chemistry between Grey and Ethan is immediate and electric. The issues they face together and separately feel incredibly realistic for the positions and industry they're in, and are written in a matter-of-fact tone that still manages to be wholly empathetic. I loved the secondary cast of characters (Nora in particular) and the wink-wink twists on real Hollywood personalities (Virginia Virginia was a personal fave). The open-door sex scenes were steamy but also full of an emotional depth that I always personally love to read. Their HEA was so satisfying to read because of the work it took them to get there. And Ava's writing itself is clean, smart, and compelling.

FYI, Ava's posted content warnings/considerations on Goodreads. Highly recommend you review those before diving in, because there are some heavy topics explored.

It's early but I'm calling it now: this will definitely make my list of top reads for 2022. So looking forward to what Ava puts out next!

This book is so good. I laughed, I cried. I am a cliche. But seriously this book had so much depth. Love the fake dating trope and the romance but the hard, emotional stuff was just chefs kiss.

Wow. This book. I was intrigued by the premise and thought I would just read the first few pages, dip my my toes into it. I couldn't put it down. First I was charmed by Grey and Ethan and their romance. What started out as a classic fantasy romance, with two celebrities and a fake dating trope, turned out have a lot more depth than I expected. The characters felt real despite their extraordinary circumstances. I went through a roller coaster of emotions with this book, with swoony highs and throw-my-kindle lows, but by the time reached the final page, I felt like every single moment made sense and lead to a more satisfying ending. This one goes into my re-read pile.

Thank you to Ava Wilder, Random House Ballantine and NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 4/5

Style/Trope/TLDR: Romance, Hollywood, fake dating, addiction

Grey just finished a multi-season acting roll and is looking to score a part in a major action movie franchise and get her own film made with her best friend, when her agent suggests a fake romance with Ethan, a A list actor who has had some career snags. Sparks fly.

Without too much by way of spoilers, this book is not just a romance that ends with one grand gesture and fade to black. It’s a more complicated story with at least one side character who is a little more fleshed out (most are a little flat). Overall, in addition to the romance itself which was fantastic, the book surprises and went deeper than I had been expecting when I picked it up. Highly recommend.

An up-and-coming actress fake-dating an A-lister? What could be literally any better. This novel went beyond the basics of a romance novel and was a really beautiful portrait of people who still needed to work their shit out but still delivered a HEA that left me in tears. Highly! Recommend! This! Book!