Lilah and Shane met when they were auditioning for a paranormal television show. They spent years pining for each other onstage, until they had a huge falling out and Lilah left to become a movie star. The show has gone on, and four seasons have passed, when they ask Lilah to return for a final season. In order to return Lilah must face Shane, and everything that happened between them. While they smile for the camera, anger is brewing behind the scenes. Will they be able to set aside what happened and move on, or is the show destined to flop before it can even premier?

This book really lived up to the title. Most of the book was a cat and mouse story of Lilah and Shane. The pacing on this one was rather slow and really focused on character development. As a result, I felt for Lilah and her struggles and was really rooting for her. This is a second chance, enemies to lover’s romance told through dual timelines. I really enjoyed the flashes to the past but a few of them felt misplaced and that nothing really happened. I also loved how frustrating and flawed the characters were at times, it really made the book feel real. I loved the medium smut scenes; they were well written and realistic as well. This whole book was written in such a believable way, and I think a lot of people will enjoy how it is written. For me it was a solid read, and I would recommend it.

I'm in a second-chance romance mood lately, so I was excited to get my hands on Will They or Won't They. I've been thinking about why there are so many second-chance romances set in Hollywood, but I don't know the answer to that question.

I did feel invested in Shane and Lilah's story, but I felt like the writing was weird—so much of the story happens off the page/just in sweeping descriptions that it's hard to feel very connected to the story. It's happening from a distance, and I didn't love that. Still a good read, but I wanted it to be so much better.

Ava Wilder doesn't disappoint. THIS ONE WAS SOO GOOD!! It was an emotional roller coaster and I was hooked every step of the way! I read this as a part of an ARC and it was really good!

This book was perfectly executed enemies to lovers and second chance romance. At first I found both characters to be unlikeable but as you understand them as characters they grow on you.

I was unsure about the changing time frames in some chapters but it made sense to understand the story.

The angst in this book was so well written. You could feel the anger in the beginning, then the confusion during therapy and then becoming friends and then the longing during thanksgiving.

The author perfectly nailed the second chance romance and showed that to have another go at a relationship they would need to each have growth and then do something different because something didn’t work the first time.

This book was released last week, but I just finished the ARC, thanks to NetGallery!! “Will they or won’t they” is such a perfect title for this book and captures the whole plot and story. Lilah and Shane’s banter was super cute and I loved that mental health was incorporated and Shane’s character arc finished off really well based on what he learned! Overall, great story, but the ending was missing something for me.

4.5 Stars. Lilah and Shane have been co-stars of a hit CW-esque show for the past nine years. The only problem is they hate each other. They used to love each other but after their brief affair in season one ended they have been phoning it in on the show and avoiding each other. Now in the final season they are forced to come to terms with the past and their continued attraction to one another.

I loved Ava’s last book so I was really looking forward to this one and it did not disappoint. As someone who watched way too much CW in my teens and loves celebrity relationship drama this book really spoke to me. I really liked both Lilah and Shane. Both were complex and had very clear needs and motivations. I liked that the story was told out of order as it kept the pace moving. It was a book that i read slowly and savored. I will say that while I happy about the ending, it wasn’t as satisfying as I hoped it would be, but it’s hard to make a celebrity romance fully satisfying because there are so many external factors. I really hope we get more books from Ava.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story of Lilah and Shane. It was fun watching their relationship change over the course of years. Their love story felt very real to me because it mirrored the ups and downs of most relationships. I enjoyed this story and loved the behind the scenes in Hollywood aspect.

Clever book about the miscommunications of Hollywood sets and on set romances. Where some of it seemed cliched, the characters were much more likable than usual stories with this trope and the ending was perfect full circle.

#arc
#netgalley
#willtheyorwontthey

4 stars!
I love a good Hollywood behind-the-scenes romance! Add in a spicy second-chance romance, and you've got all the makings of a great beach read!
Thank you to Random House Ballantine Dell for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Will They or Won't They - Shane and Lilah are co-stars on a popular paranormal tv series. They met at their audition and had immediate chemistry. They enter into a relationship almost right away during the first season of the show. The relationship is short lived, and they become enemies. Lilah leaves the show after a few more seasons. She is asked to return for the nineth and final season even though she is not looking forward to working with Shane again. Will they get over their supposed hate, or won't they? We get taken back and forth from the present and past and get to see dual perspectives which I always appreciate. Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I just seemed to go on far too long. Even with the back and forth, I didn't feel like I really knew and understood the characters as much as I wanted to. I liked Shane, but not so much Lilah. While I understood some of her issues, I still didn't connect with her character. I loved that the studio had Shane and Lilah go to couples counseling even though they weren't in a relationship. Even though I didn't love this book as much as How to Fake it in Hollywood, I look forward to seeing what Ava Wilder does next.

My sincere thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and give my humble opinion of it.

Will They or Won’t They is an adult contemporary romance about two actors (and former lovers) that reunite for the final season of their hit show.

Lilah and Shane met at the audition for their television show (Intangible) and quickly became co-workers with benefits. But when their romantic relationship imploded at the end first season they continued to work together uncomfortably until Lilah quit to make a movie. Now for the ninth and final season Lilah is asked to return and the tension is so bad the producers make them go to couple’s therapy. Shane and Lilah will slowly start to understand each other and what went wrong during their first go around.

Will They or Won’t They is a smart and sexy romance about a prickly and anxious actress and the man that loves her anyway. I appreciated that all the work both characters put into fixing their dynamic and it wasn’t instantly solved in the bedroom (although there is some of that). I felt like the scenes detailing filming a series, magazine photo shoots and live television were all well done and written with authenticity and an understanding of the entertainment business.

I recommend Will They or Won’t They to contemporary romance fans and I look forward to reading more from Ava Wilder.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was a huge fan of Ava Wilder’s debut novel and was especially intrigued by the premise of her second novel, Will They or Won’t They, which, based on its description, happens to be a second chance romance, one of my favorite tropes. One could argue that it’s also an enemies-to-lovers trope but I would say this is more of a costars to casual sex to secretly pining to antagonistic costars to enemies to eventual lovers trope, but that’s quite the mouthful.

Lilah and Shane, the two MCs, meet at an audition for a tv pilot. They get cast, the show gets picked up, and they become famous tv stars. They also secretly start sleeping together during the first season but by the time the season has wrapped, they’re barely on speaking terms. Cut to season 9 of their show and Lilah, who left the show after 5 seasons to pursue an ill-fated movie career, has returned to help bring the show to a close and also to try and resuscitate her flailing career. However, returning also means having to work with Shane, her one-time lover, and current nemesis. Not only that, but they play love interests on a tv show that is finally giving the pairing their long-awaited happy ending. This means, lots of close contact, forced proximity, a very heated magazine cover shoot, and when tensions inevitably run high between the two, network mandated couples therapy.

The true crux of their initial breakup takes a while to suss out since the story tends to stay in current times and occasionally goes back to the past to give us the briefest of glimpses at what went wrong between Lilah and Shane. Ultimately, the reason for the almost decade long separation can be boiled down to the fact that both of these people, thrust into the limelight and completely unprepared for that level of public scrutiny, were immature and emotionally ill-prepared to handle that level of fame or the intensity of their feelings.

Shane, for his part, definitely has feelings from the get-go but also is dealing with imposter syndrome. His rise to fame is the typical story of a waiter being discovered by a producer and he lands a starring role on his very first audition. The kicker here is that he actually never even dreamt of becoming an actor, much less a bonafide television star.

Lilah, on the other hand, is Juilliard trained and has been working towards this very thing for much of her life. She is intense and earnest and also struggles with anxiety and panic attacks. There’s a dichotomy to her personality in that she’s an actress, well used to having all the attention on her but also struggles with being the center of attention and desperately wants to have boundaries between her professional obligations and public persona and her private life.

When these two are brought back into each other’s orbit, the relationship is ice cold but there are signs that the two still have unresolved feelings for each other. Despite their attempts to one-up each other and cut each other down at every opportunity, there are also moments when they are fiercely protective of each other.

I really enjoyed both of the MCs. I could see how much they had grown from back when they first met and began filming the show to the present day, nine years later. It makes sense that they needed the time apart to grow and acquire some maturity and wisdom, but also to explore what else (or rather who else) was out there. Neither one lived a monastic existence during their time apart, which feels far more realistic and appropriate in this situation. And when they finally admit their true feelings for each other, it also makes it far more believable and earned.

I also really loved the on-page therapy between the two and I wish we had gotten more scenes about that. Both of these characters have a lot of psychological baggage, whether it be Shane’s lack of self-confidence in his abilities as an actor or Lilah’s panic attacks, and her issues with her own parents and their less than amicable divorce when she was young. I not only liked that they had on-page couples therapy to work through their issues (which also gave us great insight into their relationship and how it fell apart to begin with) but also, there is mention of them both getting individual therapy as well.

I’m always a sucker for second-chance romance where both characters have exhibited character development and growth and this book definitely had that. It is also very much a slow burn of a book and I appreciated that Lilah and Shane don’t just jump into bed at the first realization that there is still a lot of attraction between them. They’re smart enough to realize that there is more at stake here and they need to work through all of their issues before they even think of sleeping together because this time, it might actually mean something – it might mean everything. That’s not to say that there’s no sexual tension building up to the scene where they finally do sleep together, there are plenty of scenes where I wanted to just reach into the book and smack them both and say “oh, just kiss already!”

If I have one complaint about this book, it’s the way the ending is resolved. Without giving too much away, it feels weird that they make the choice they do in how to proceed with their relationship, especially when the beginning of their relationship was so shrouded in secrecy. I’m not saying I don’t understand why Lilah would make the choice she made but it does feel weird they sort of make the same choice they made the first time around. (I don’t want to be super vague and let me be clear, there is very much a HEA and the two do end up together). Regardless, I still enjoyed the book very much and I really like this author’s voice. If you’re a fan of second-chance romance and books set in the world of tv shows, this is definitely worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

I loved Ava Wilder's first book, "How to Fake it in Hollywood" and this one is also a delightful treat full of angst and sweetness! The thing about these books is you get genuinely flawed characters who you become so invested in despite the messy situations and bad choices. There is a before and after story and I was riveted to both timelines wondering how in the world these tv sweethearts went from a deep connection and super sweet romance (both on and off the screen) to hating each other. Lilah and Shane are costars who have an instant, deep connection. They have a secret relationship in the past during Season 1 until something ends them and Lilah quits after 4 more seasons to try to branch out into bigger projects and leaving the animosity behind. There is a dual POV, which I really appreciate because it explains the actions of both characters even as I was shaking my head in warning to "DON"T DO THAT!" They both hurt each other, but there were deeper reasons behind the actions mostly stemming from that killer of relationships, lack of communication! Thankfully there is growth of characters and eventual communication (mainly due to the forced couple counseling!) There is spice as well as a genuine sweetness between these two. I absolutely adored this couple and the brilliant ending even as my heart about died at a slight twist in plot...but all's well that ends well! I hope to listen to the audiobook on this one, too.

5 stars

Looking forward to author's next book!

I really enjoyed Ava Wilder’s debut novel How to Fake it in Hollywood. When I saw her named attached to another book, I couldn’t wait to drive right in. Unfortunately this book fell short for me. The enemies to lovers was a great concept but I just couldn’t get into the characters. I found their struggles and choices almost insufferable. I very much like this author and her style of writing and can’t wait to try another book.

I could not put this book down. This was a great story of second chance romance/enemies to lovers. Two exes, Shane, and Lilah, who are forced to work together again. This story was well developed, the plot wasn't rushed, and we got to know each character and their feelings for each other. I love when the male love interest is supportive and kind, and Shane fit the bill. I would definitely recommend this book to a friend!

A hollywood enemies to lovers read? yes please!
There is some hilarious banter between Lilac and Shane that is thoroughly enjoyable, and great chemistry. It definitely has some great moments and a few meh moments that were hard to get past. I would still say that this is a book that almost everyone would enjoy for a quick read.

Lilah and Shane have destroyed me forever. Celebrity romance is becoming one of my favorite tropes. I am a sucker for good banter and this had some real zingers. The couple’s counseling sessions were lighthearted but pair well with the deeper moments. I loved how Lilah’s anxiety was discussed and I could highly relate. Shane, too, showed a ton of vulnerability but also a ton of strength. I cannot wait for Wilder’s next book!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫 (3.5)
Steam Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (very descriptive open door scenes)
Trigger Warning: anxiety, brief mentions of drug use

Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy hit it big when they were cast as the lead characters on the sci-fi show Intangible. That's also when they first fell for one another. After a mostly physical relationship during season one, they had a bad break-up that made working together very difficult. When Lilah returns for the show's final season after a three year hiatus, there's clearly still tension between her and Shane. Unfortunately they'll be spending lots of time together promoting the show and filming the iconic scenes in which their characters finally become a couple. Can these two put aside their differences and finally heal the relationship they broke years ago?

This story had a lot of potential, but unfortunately lost steam for me around the halfway point. I really liked the overall plot and found it very believable considering actors who work together are seemingly always involved in complicated relationships. Shane definitely made some mistakes, but I really felt like Lilah was the main source of conflict here. I could understand her fear of commitment and not believing Shane was capable of loving her, but some of their animosity towards one another was a little over the top at times, which I think made it harder for me to really be invested in them. I definitely enjoyed getting the behind the scenes perspective on Hollywood, and I liked how Shane and Lilah both got counseling for their personal issues as well as their relationship struggles. While this wasn't quite a win for me, I think fans of steamy celebrity romances will definitely want to give this a try!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Well, I loved this. I related to Lilah so much with her GAD and how she approached relationships. Shane is my favorite book boyfriend of all time and deserves all the love and cuddles in the world. Also, the show they were stars in kind of reminds me of Supernatural so bonus points there. The whole “will they or won’t they” aspect does keep you on your toes and rooting for them. The way he handles her panic attack at the end 😍🥰😍

As a self proclaimed hater of dual timeline I was SCARED going into this book. Silly me, I should have know I was in good hands with Ms. Wilder.

This is the story of Lilah and Shane, two actors staring in a hit tv series mostly known in the world for their killer chemistry. Lilah who left the show years earlier, returns for the much awaited final season. The book starts at their audition, where it’s obvious they have an immediate connection, before taking us to the present day where they both openly despise each other. What could have happened in their time apart that makes them still hate each other years later? They end up antagonizing each other so much that the show runners have to put them in couples therapy.

These therapy scenes were some of the best in the book. The perfectly encapsulated why Ava Wilder is such a good writer. They were funny, raw, intense, emotional and ultimately unpredictable. I wish there were more.

I was a MASSIVE fan of How to Fake it in Hollywood and this one pulls the same punch. She does an amazing job of putting funny banter and tension on characters who struggle with real life problems. Even though her characters are always in the entertainment industry, they come across as super relatable. Even when they make bad decision I’m rooting for them!

This is a great book and I highly recommend it.

Thank you for this ARC, which I read in exchange for an honest review!