This was a really fresh, thoughtful, sizzling queer romance—Greenwald explores the process of embracing your sexuality in your 20s with humor and heart.

though i generally enjoyed reading and think it's a good debut, i had mixed feelings about it overall.

things i enjoyed:
- hidden or lesser-known LA spots
- set in the film industry, one of my fav contempt settings
- steamy on-page spice w NA sapphic relationship
- Jewish and bi rep (a personal "woohoo!") as well as nonbinary and lesbian rep

things i didn't enjoy:
- sometimes felt like this was originally intended to be a YA book
- did not end in the way i had hoped tbh
- there is a lot of explaining happening that i'm already well-versed on that didn't do much for me personally. not necessarily a bad thing, but it was something that i personally didn't care to read too much of because it wasn't anything new for me.

that being said, i think this could potentially be a great read for younger or newly out queer folks to philosophize on and help explore their identity and sexuality.

Luna is the quintessential disaster bisexual in this story and I love that for her.

Sizzle Reel follows Luna, a baby bisexual working as an office assistant in the movie industry, as she befriends (and becomes interested in) a movie star, Valeria. Luna’s trying to work her way up in the movie world and her friendship with Valeria causes Luna’s best friend Romy to be concerned-and maybe some other feelings. As Luna and Valeria become closer, Luna’s friendship with Romy starts to deteriorate and Luna is left trying to juggle her career, her friendship, and a possible romance.

The novel takes a deep dive into a lot of difficult topics like homophobia, internalized biphobia, coming out, and figuring out what you really want. The main character starts the book out with a lot of internalized biphobia (concerns that she can’t be bi if she’s never been with a girl, an obsession with the idea that there is one “correct” way to lose your virginity, etc) but in talking with her friends, she grows and becomes comfortable in her identity. This book is classified as a romance, and it definitely is, but I would also classify it as a coming of age, personal growth story. It’s not going to be your stereotypical “girl meets girl and they fall in love and ride off into the sunset” type of thing. Luna is a messy character and she makes mistakes and she doesn’t realize what’s right in front of her face but that’s all part of her journey.

If you’re looking for a bisexual character that is easy to connect with, a personal growth journey, and some well written sapphic sex scenes (with great consent scenes), I would definitely recommend checking out this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital arc.

TW for the book: homophobia, internalized biphobia, public outing, removal of consent during sex (other participant does stop)

So I would like to thank the Author and the publisher for providing me with this ARC copy. From what I understand this is was a rough copy and the authors first publishe3d work. It is very polished if so. The story is well thought out and held my interest very well. I had a feeling what was going to be the end result of this story and frankly when I had thought this I was not particularly pleased. This was not the HEA ending I was looking for and really hoped it would not happen. Let me say in the end I was content anyway. Great first book and I can not wait for more from this writer. 4plus stars and put it on your to read list.

3.5 Stars

Hollywood, cinematography, and a queer romance: what better combination is there?

Sizzle Reel follows 24-year-old Luna who's trying to come to terms with her bisexuality while trying to maintain a steady job as a creative/aspiring cinematographer in Hollywood. In other words, this book immediately appealed to me and I audibly squealed upon getting approval for an ARC.

So let's dive into the great and not-so-great about this debut novel from Carlyn Greenwald.

Quality of Writing
This was by far my favorite aspect about this book; Greenwald provides immeasurable insight into how sexuality and gender differs for everyone. Luna has just recently discovered that she's bisexual and feels behind in terms of her sexual(ity) journey. It was really refreshing to read a perspective from a character who doesn't have it all figured out just yet --all while consistently re-affirming to the reader that these different dimensions of gender and sexuality are okay! This book was highly validating and supportive in that regard.

Greenwald also includes a surplus of information on breaking into the industry, which means a lot of visual media/Hollywood jargon. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about this career path/visual arts perspective, but I can also see where a reader might try and skim whole paragraphs trying to escape it.

I would compare Greenwald's style of writing to a tuned-down Casey McQuiston. If you like them, you'll definitely enjoy Sizzle Reel! This book is chock-full of pop culture references that I loved. Granted, there were a couple sentences where I cringed because the quote/reference already seemed a little out-dated, but that's the internet for ya.

Pace and Plot
It started out really strong, but I was struggling quite a bit around the half-way point.

Part of this could be because the book was fairly slow-paced, but it also was fairly bogged down by Luna's path to self-discovery. Her career goals conflicted with the romance plot. It was intertwined to the point where I couldn't find the distinction of what Luna's main motive was: career or relationship?

It seemed to resolve itself about three-quarters of the way through, but I do wish the book focused on one motive more than the other prior to that. The ending, for that reason, felt rushed.

Characters
This is another part that really shined. First off, I loved the names of the characters (i.e., Luna, Romy, Valeria, etc.). Every character seemed very real and human. Luna was phenomenal; she was funny, charismatic, and her inner monologue felt relatable and was enjoyable to read. I totally imagined Valeria/Val as a mix between Kristen Stewart and Florence Pugh, so naturally I loved her (and I do mean loved-- please give me a chance, Val). I have mixed feelings about Romy/Wyatt, but that's more personal preference than anything, so I'll stay quiet on that one.

Would I Recommend?
Despite my (minor) qualms with Sizzle Reel, I did really enjoy it and would recommend! I think fans of Funny You Should Ask and/or I Kissed Shara Wheeler would enjoy this book.

My deepest thanks to NetGalley, Carlyn Greenwald, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

After reading Sizzle Reel, I can confidently say that I 100% need to re-read it before I can voice all my opinions on the novel. However, after my first read, I must say that I am conflicted. I was really, really enjoying the story until around the 75-80% mark. While I liked the "twist" and angst at the end, I didn't find the relationship between the final couple particularly compelling. The last quarter of the book intentionally makes it difficult for readers to want the first love interests to end up together, however, I found it hard not to. The jump from love interests was engineered to seem natural, yet I felt as though it was forced. I understand the vision, I really do. However, I didn't resonate with their relationship probably because their banter early on in the book was flirty but not serious. It was very obvious that there was some tension within both pairs, yet I found some of the chemistry between the final couple to be lacking. Obviously towards the end, I truly did not believe that the first love interest was right for Luna, yet I went a majority of the novel thinking that they were. It was very difficult for me to wrap my head around the sudden shift. I do believe if I re-read the book I might be able to see the romance between Luna and the final love interest but based on my initial read I feel as though Luna may have been better off alone. Her issues with proving that she was bisexual caused a lot of problems, yet those issues don't seem to have been resolved in a practical sense. Jumping from wanting to call one girl her girlfriend to then realizing after an argument that she was forcing a relationship was sold as Luna forcing herself to not face her feelings towards someone else and I didn't particularly buy into that narrative. However, I did enjoy the writing style of the book and that the perspective was one-sided considering the switch up at the end. Luna is the definition of a disaster bi, and I LOVED the set drama as well as the actual situations of the characters. I just think that the ending seemed rushed while the rest of the book was paced appropriately. Of course, a lot of these criticisms come down to personal taste and I do see myself recommending the book to my friends, I just think personally I enjoyed the first half of the book way more than the ending. The internal dialogue of Luna was compelling when it came to being bisexual enough and I felt super connected to that, but the internal dialogue on virginity and what it means removed me a bit from the book. Then again, I don't mean that in a negative way. I just simply didn't relate to it as much as the other internal issues she was having. I appreciate the ways the author decided to make bold choices, I can definitely say I enjoyed reading the book and was surprised quite frequently. I was never bored and the story itself is really interesting. Thank you for the opportunity to read the title, despite my critiques I genuinely did enjoy reading the book and cannot wait to buy it in April.

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, from Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage and Anchor and #NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to preview and review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.


Sizzle Reel is absolutely sizzling. The representing is on point, as are the characters.

Sizzle Reel was a book that did its title justice--it sizzled, it steamed, it sparked! And yet, the love triangle element and hot mess of a protagonist didn't light my heart on fire.

On paper this should've been everything I wanted--a bi character on a quest to lose her virginity, a film-industry setting, the glamor and glitz of Hollywood--but I think this story was sort of mis-marketed. I went in thinking I would be getting a rom-com, but this read to me more as a coming of age story for the new adult. Her arc was more of one of acceptance and understanding than a quest to find Mx.-Right. While I appreciate this, and enjoy that the book acknowledges the difficulty of grappling with adulthood and sexuality.

As for the love triangle...this is on me. I'm not a huge fan of them, but I thought I'd give a queer one a try since I hadn't read one before. But alas, as always, I had a strong preference for one romance end and would be mad if the other happened.

In all, this book wasn't for me, but has a lot of merit!

This was everything, I loved the representation, the setting, and how relatable the main character was. It felt very fresh and was a nice change considering that many books about discovering one's sexuality are young adult stories. This one should appeal to more mature audiences as well.

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book! I personally related to the main character in a lot of different ways! I loved the Hollywood setting, diverse set of characters, and the romance! A bit sex-focused, but nothing too crazy. 3.75 out of 4 stars (but rounding up to 4!)

A love triangle.

The blurb seems promising, and I was looking forward to this book. But as much as I love sapphic fic that involves celebrities, this one, however, wasn’t for me. I have a hard time engaging with the main characters. They all talk like teenager-ish...? And it feels more like a YA story to me. One thing that bothers me a lot is that there is too much Luna’s internal dialogue. It feels wordy. But maybe that’s just me.

I do recommend it if you want a light and fun read.

I remember reading the blurb for this book and immediately thinking "this is exactly what I need". As I sit here moments after reading the last line, I agree that it's exactly what I needed, but in such an unexpected way.
I'm a disaster bisexual myself, and Luna's story of discovering her queer joy was so authentic even if it was nothing like my own. Carlyn Greenwald did such an excellent job writing about being queer and the queer experience in such a meaningful, real, and honest way that means so much to me. She really hit on so many points, such as how you're never really done "coming out", how being "out" makes things easier, sure, but it also makes some things harder, and that's part of it.
I haven't read a fictional story about discovering your sexuality in your 20's that wasn't YA, and while I love a good queer YA, I loved that this was an adult romance. I loved getting the gay panic, figuring out queerness while still getting the (very hot, very well written) spice as well.
I loved this friend group and I love how this story was written. I love the cadence, I really felt like Luna, Romy, Wyatt and Valeria were people I knew and were friends with.
This story may not be for everyone, but I hold it close to my heart.
Sizzle Reel is a love letter to Los Angeles, but more than that, it's a love letter to queer joy.

Sizzle Reel tells the story of Luna, who is coming out as bisexual at 24 and is chasing all her new "firsts". When her celebrity crush suddenly befriends her while she works as an assistant in a manager office in Hollywood, Luna wonders if she can achieve all her professional and romantic goals at the same time.

This was such a sweet and relatable queer book and is perfect for the disaster bisexuals. The story deals a lot with internalized biphobia and stereotypes, what this means and how to break it down, discovering your identity (not only bisexual, but also non binary and lesbian), and what coming out can all entail.
I liked the Hollywood scenery and looking into different areas of the workspace, most of the characters were also likable and interesting. The romance plot and love triangle did confuse me for a long time while reading, but I think that reflects on how confused our main character was. For me this book wasn’t as much about the romance as it was about coming out and learning to accept yourself, and especially the fact that coming out doesn’t have to be like ripping a bandaid off, but can in fact be a very slow process that you take at your own time and will.
I would have enjoyed to learn even more about certain characters and would have shifted the pacing a little to get more time with certain issues and characters!
Sizzle Reel is a fun queer book about coming out in your mid twenties, and finding your place in life and the community.

This book does include a public involuntary outing and in context of learning about queerness and accepting yourself also deals with some harmful stereotypes and comments/thoughts.

I’ve never read a book that felt like it was specifically written for me. As a late bloomer bisexual myself, seeing Luna explore her sexuality, question stereotypes, and spiral about the validity of her queerness was so realistic. I love the Hollywood/ film aspect of this book as well. This is the perfect book for those trying to find themselves in their 20s, while struggling with relationships and career.

It's been a long time since I read a romance, let alone a queer one, that really surprised me. Especially because I've read two books with a similar premise to this one (Hollywood behind-the-scenes creative falls for superbabe queer actress) already this year. I have to say, though, I was mostly-pleasantly taken aback by all the weird directions this book went in!

This is a harder one to review because while I can't say all of this book's big bold choices appealed to me personally, I love that the story committed to an unconventional narrative and took risks.

First big risk: the voice. It's loud. It's energetic-bordering-on-frantic, a million references a minute, plus film-school asides where she speaks about how she'd frame the camera angles of her life and all of that. I like that the voice is distinctive and zany, but it was a little much for me in the first third of the book. Once I got used to it and spent some time in the main character's head, I adjusted and it wasn't so stressful to read.

The voice is important, though, because the main character is A Lot. Hooo boy is she A Lot. Plenty of books boast about having "disaster bi"-s but normally, that's code for "quirky, poor, and sometimes says the wrong thing in a funny way." In this book the main character is an actual disaster: anxious, confused, misguided, transparently committed to her bad choices and their even worse motivations. Through it all, she books emergency sessions with her therapist and failing that, treats her best friends as therapists with godawful results.

She also struggles with her own sexuality for most of the book, feeling as if she's not "really bi" unless she "has sex" with a woman, although she doesn't seem to be able to define sex for herself. This "am I gay enough" angst and its companion "I like this girl but refuse to ask if she's gay" angst isn't usually my favorite thing to read about, but I admire how the book doesn't shy away from the messiness and ugliness of these struggles irl.

The main character also hasn't ever had what she's consider "sex" before and is quite hung-up about sex in general and being a "late bloomer." I bet this will resonate with a lot of people, but it did nothing but confuse me personally. (It's 2022, people are still hung up on 'virginity?') The few sex scenes were written well, but were also dominated by the main character's anxieties, and that distance kept them from being truly hot for me, but they were interesting.

Is the main character confused to the point of being borderline-irredeemable? Yes. Is that consistent with my experience of being in my early twenties? Mostly also yes. (Maybe my very-early 20s, rather than 24, but eh, who's counting.)

Point is, she is NOT a role model and I'm sure people will have problems with her choices, and potentially even the fact that everything works out for her despite those choices, but honestly? Give me more of these genuine-fuckup main characters in romance. I'm game. They're more interesting than a character who is nice and selfless with one understandable and relatable flaw.

Why? Because there is suspense with these loose cannon characters. There is some real, genuine terror. This book was like one of those viral videos where you're 99% sure the train is going to derail but then a bird lands on it and it doesn't at the last minute. I can't remember the last time I was genuinely not sure what would happen at the 70% mark in a romance novel. I support this wholeheartedly.

Did all the bold choices in this book work for me? No. Maybe 20% did. But I sure as hell wasn't bored, I respect any story that sticks to its guns this hard, and I wish more romance novels would lean into chaos, so, solid 4 stars.

I absolutely adored this book. I felt every uncertain emotion the MC was feeling. There was so much I felt I could relate to. The friendships were greatly written. I loved how it ended.

// Thank you to netgalley and Knopf for this advanced readers copy! // Very cute and very fun book! great read!! love the story plot and the representation!!

Luna is in her early twenties when she realizes that she is bisexual. Once she comes out to her friends, her life goes through a rapid series of changes and upheavals and she struggles to find her place in this new world.

This book really captures the experience of figuring out your sexuality and navigating through societal pressures. Luna’s journey to define who she is and what she truly wants was so authentic and it was a joy to see her become comfortable and confident in herself.

I absolutely recommend this for anyone who is or has ever been a bisexual disaster.

Thank you so much to Vintage Books and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Sizzle Reel was a lighthearted rom-com surrounding coming out and coming to terms with one’s own sexuality. There were several things about this book that intrigued me, so much so that I was very excited about this ARC, but I ultimately don’t think it was for me.

The book itself is cute in its premise. There was something genuinely sweet about the idea of reading about a twenty-four year-old who calls herself a late bloomer when it comes to her bisexuality. She goes through all the stages of coming to terms with one’s sexuality, but her hyperfixation with losing her virginity—specifically categorising sex as needing to be penetrative in order to count—did not sit right with me. Like her roommate, Romy, I just grew annoyed with this bizarre quest of her that ultimately ignored the beauty of intimacy between two women and all of the ways in which sex with non-men can still be sex.

<spoiler>I found that the love triangle (that really wasn’t a love triangle) wasn’t all that satisfying on either end. Both Valeria and Romy were great as their own characters but I did not care for either for Luna. The chemistry between them all (in every capacity) felt very flat for me. I wasn’t all that convinced in the romance (and I believe that is because of Luna’s hyperfixation with her virginity).</spoiler>

Writing and pacing wise I felt like something was just a little off. I wasn’t super into the writing in the beginning but grew accustomed to it as it really fit Luna’s personality. Pacing, however, I could not get into. I could not figure out transitions and I felt generally lost as to where we were in terms of timing and locality. I am still wondering how long it took Valeria and Co. to film her directorial debut feature.

Overall it was a super quick and easy read. It was lighthearted and almost conflict-free which can be a great read for some! I wish the story was just a little more thought out and detailed; I would have loved to have learned more about the characters and I think there were so many chances for the author to really show us the longing between the characters that were just missed based on awkward pacing.

I wish the author nothing but the best and will happily pick up their upcoming works. Thank you NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, Anchor, and Carlyn Greenwald for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Luna is going to become a cinematographer by paying her dues as a PA for a Hollywood talent agent. She is also in the process of coming to terms with her sexuality and had just come out to her best friends as bi. She meets, Valeria at work and is immediately enamored with the young Oscar winner. To her surprise, Valeria shows interest in Luna but as they get closer Luna's best friend Romy starts acting increasingly odd.
I enjoyed reading this and felt like it was well written for a debut author. There is a lot of angst on Luna's part which made it feel more like a YA sorry than I was expecting. I liked Romy and Valeria both and there were a lot of fun interactions amongst them. A lot of this book though was Luna's internal dialogue though and it felt a bit much. There was also a really big focus on what constitutes sex and virginity from Luna that I really didn't understand and took away from the story in my opinion. Overall it was a good book but it wasn't quite what I expected.