Another gem by Ava Wilder. I admit that in the beginning of the Will They or Won’t They I wasn’t sold, but as the story unfolded and I got to know these Shane and Lilah the more I fell in love. They were such a great couple with amazing chemistry. The way they were bicker and banter was so on point. I would find myself hoping after every “fight” they would just kiss and get it over with because it was clear they were meant for each other. This book made it clear to me that Ava Wilder is not only a fantastic writer, but a fantastic storyteller and no one should be sleeping on her books. I don’t want to say too much about Will They or Won’t They since it isn’t out yet, but I do want you all to know you need to pick it up when you can!

A great second-chance celebrity romance with engaging and fun dialogue. Shane and Lilah had sizzling chemistry!

The deal: It’s friends to lovers to enemies to lovers, on the set of a paranormal TV show, from the same author as How To Fake It In Hollywood.
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Is it worth it?: Yes, this was great. If you like romance and celebrity gossip and slow-burn tension, you will very likely be super into this!
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Pairs well with: sitting on my hands to avoid drawing a sloppy connection to my favorite hell film with an off-screen celebrity romance, Deep Water.
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B

I love love love the background presented before the plot starts. It kept my attention and was such a cute little story. I love this author and will try to find more by her!

Great lovers to enemies to lovers. Dual POV with flashbacks.

This book is a story about two actors who get casted on a hit show and end up having feelings for one another. Through a series of flashbacks you discover why their relationship ended and all the drama surrounding how they feel about each other.

I loved the FMC and related to her so much. Her challenges with her mental health and emotional openness is so relatable. The MMC is a golden retriever type of character who just wants to love. The two personalities clashing is so relatable and heartbreaking to see.

I loved the storyline and the “twist but not a twist” at the end. I only wish there was more explanation with some of the plot twists (scenarios surrounding their breakup). Sometimes it felt like it was thrown in there without any reasoning.

Overall, liked the book. Would definitely recommend.
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Thank you Random House Group, Ballantine for my copy for Will They or Won’t They! All thoughts are my own.

Ava Wilder’s debut HOW TO TAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD was one of my favorite books of 2022 so I was eagerly anticipating her follow up. It didn’t disappoint! Ava Wilder really taps into the mind of an actor and I find the main characters to be incredibly relatable while also keeping the books light and fun. She writes great banter, dreamy love interests, and fills the pages with tension.

This time around we’re staying the realm of celebrity romance but it’s also got second chance, love to hate to love, and insta-attraction. I really enjoyed this book!

Synopsis:

“Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy are madly in love—at least, their characters are. As the stars of the hit paranormal TV show Intangible, Lilah and Shane spent years pining for each other onscreen . . . until Lilah ditched the show at the end of season five in hopes of becoming a movie star. With no such luck, she’s back to film the much-hyped ninth and final season, in which Lilah and Shane’s characters will get together at last.But coming back means facing one of the biggest reasons she left: Shane. Ever since their secret behind-the-scenes fling imploded at the end of season one, the two of them have despised each other.Now reunited on set for the first time in years—with the world’s eyes on them and their post-show careers on the line—they’ll have to grit their teeth and play nice. But under pressure to give Intangible’s fans the happy ending they’ve been waiting for, Lilah and Shane are forced to get closer than ever. And if they’re not careful, they might just get blindsided by one final twist: a real-life happy ending of their own.” —StoryGraph

What I Liked:

The Mental Health Representation—As an actor myself, wow was I able to connect with Lilah and Shane’s internal dialogues. I love the balance of banter and emotional connection. This is something I think Ava Wilder does very well and falls into the category of “Literary Romance” like Carley Fortune and Emily Henry.

The Characters—I really loved Lilah and Shane! I wish we got to know some of the side characters more but I loved the time I spent with them.

The Pacing—The first 40% was paced so well and made it so I didn’t want to put the book down.

What Didn’t Work:

Honestly, no notes from me. I think some readers will criticize the main conflict, but I found it very reasonable and made sense for where the characters were in their lives.

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Spice Rating: 1/5 Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Content Warnings:

anxiety, panic attacks

This was one of those books that feels a bit more difficult for me to pinpoint exactly how I feel about it – and obviously that has made it a bit tougher to review. To start, I’m going to say that while it is a Contemporary Romance read – I felt that this one swayed more to the literary fiction / drama category for me. It did not read in what I think of as a traditional romance book feel for me. Rather this was more of what I call a thinking read.

While the story itself was not what I was initially expecting, I will say it was still a very well written book, filled with some interesting, flawed characters and a complex and difficult journey for our mains both individually and together. I did like that both characters clearly were flawed, they both made mistakes, they both made foolish choices – very authentic and relatable. I liked that there was a mental health representation element, where we at least were able to see a version of how some of that impacts someone.

Some things that did not work as well for me, were the reliance on the physical. It felt a bit unnecessary at parts and didn’t help build the connection between them for me. I wish the focus had been more on moments that built their connection. This did have a bit of the miscommunication trope going, which I will say up front is not a favorite for me, so it could get a bit frustrating at times. One last thing that wasn’t to me taste was the final conflict. This story was all about an on going ‘conflict’ and the two working through a multitude of misunderstandings and hurt, I just was not there for the final conflict. At that point in the story I just wanted things to wrap up in a happy-ish fashion. It was a bit exhausting for me personally at that point.

All that being said, I think the writer is very talented. This was a book that kept me interested and going – I was invested enough in the story and characters to keep going. I did want to find out how it ended and see the final resolution, and I was satisfied with the ending. In the end, it was a book worth reading – well written and thought provoking and I would recommend it to friends who prefer Fiction and / or Women’s Fiction or fans of Beth O’Leary and the like.

3.5 stars

Ava Wilder knows how to write a celebrity romance! It was so easy to get invested in the lives of Lilah and Shane. The chemistry they had from the very first page was electric. I loved getting an inside look of costars who had great onscreen chemistry but hated each other in real life (a la Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic in Castle). The show concept was like a combination of Riverdale and Supernatural, and it wasn’t hard to feel like these were real actors on a real show. Wilder clearly knows how to establish a celebrity relationship that is both believable and relatable while also highlighting the otherness of actors.

I wish we had gotten a better look into their first relationship & a more concrete ending, but I still loved this book.

Overall, I highly recommend this book for celebrity romance lovers. Thank you for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

The first thing that came to mind was the nostalgia of characters playing the characters The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot but on tv and how badly I wanted the actors that played Elena and Damon on the Vampire Diaries to work out in real life.

The first half of the book was my favorite. The tension between them was so palpable. And the issue at the heart of the story felt very real—how often do relationships start with sex and one person being positive that that is all it is while the other is secretly hoping they could turn into more.

I also really enjoyed the parallels between the characters they played on tv and the characters themselves. And forcing them to create the ultimate release of tension that had been building for nine years and over the course of the book was perfect.

However the back 3rd of the book felt a bit off like it was missing the tension and the build up that I loved from the first half. I still recommend Will they won’t they and can’t wait to see what Ava Wilder writes next!

“Will They or Won’t They” is such an accurate name for this book and was my constant thought throughout 😂

When Shane and Lilah both make it big in Hollywood on a new tv show, they instantly find themselves drawn to each other, but soon learn the ramifications of falling in love with a coworker, in such a public setting.

After years of separation and harbored animosity, they find themselves working together again. And quickly find out that that spark is still there ✨

This second chance romance, lovers to enemies to lovers, was so cute and I can’t say I would be disappointed to learn more about Lilah and Shane’s future together 😍

3.5⭐️

I received an ARC from Netgalley and I am happy to give my honest review.

I really like Ava Wilder's first book and was super happy to get an ARC of Will They or Won't They. Right away, I was sucked into the story and couldn't put it down. It was all of my favorite tropes: second chance, enemy to lovers, coworkers, and actors.

Lilah and Shane are the showrunners on a supernatural tv show. They had a hot affair in their first season but after a really messy breakup, the next few seasons are full of angst and hurt. Lilah leaves the show to pursue her career but ends up coming back for the last season.

Shane is a relationship guy. He was in 100% with his relationship with Lilah but was slapped in the face when she wanted out. He turned to trying to hurt her at every chance. Their first few months on the set of this new season are full of them sniping at each other until the producers send them to couple's counseling.

As their hurts start to break down and they start to learn each other again after 9 years, those intense feelings come to the front again. I really enjoyed this book and related so much to Lilah. I was rooting for them together and the ending was honestly delightful.

I have a problem where I really enjoy this author's writing style but I don't enjoy her stories. This leads me to hope for the next book I guess. I made it almost to the end of How to Fake It in Hollywood and had to stop because of something ridiculous and that ended up being the case with this one as well. However, I only made it about 30% through this one. There's a conflict and I don't particularly understand the point of said conflict. I do really enjoy Ava Wilder's writing and hopefully one day something will click. I think this would work for a lot of people, just not me. Thank you to Netgalley and Dell for an advanced copy.

This story of former co-stars Shane and Lilah was a one day read for me. Chemistry between the two was hot and undeniable. Lilah is back on set as she reprises her starring role for the ninth and final season of the hit tv show that first brought them together. It was painful to read about their past mistakes and then gratifying to watch them grow close again.

I loved ‘How to Fake it in Hollywood’ last year and this second novel is just as good. Ava Wilder makes Hollywood world of series television production come alive on the page. I can’t wait to read whatever she writes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for this complimentary ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This tale of dating and love in Hollywood was such a fun read!

Lilah and Shane were costars on a super popular TV show for years until Lilah left to pursue a career in movies. By the time she left, the atmosphere at work was tense and uncomfortable after the pair had attempted to have a casual, no strings attached relationship and it blew up in their faces. When Lilah returns for the final season of the show, the pair has to learn to work together again, and their chemistry is still very intact all these years later.

I had so much reading this book. The chemistry between Lilah and Shane was palpable and created such great tension throughout the story. Enemies to lovers is one of my most loved tropes for all those smoldering moments and the crazy emotions going back and forth. Shane is a classic cinnamon roll character and I adored his charisma and kindness.

I loved getting flashbacks to the history of our main characters, from their first meeting at their audition to their first hookup. The amount of spice and steam was just right and left me ready for them to hurry up and get back together in the present day!

A Hollywood storyline is always fun for me, and I loved how this one incorporated a super sexy photo shoot, a fan convention, and shooting of their show into the storyline.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine- Dell for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

Ava Wilder’s Will They or Won’t They is a delightful Hollywood second chance romance, by turns funny and intensely emotional. Lilah and Shane were likable as individuals and I found myself rooting for them as a couple. The TV production environment felt realistic and intense, and the cast of secondary characters provided depth and context that fleshed out the story. Thank you to Ava Wilder and Random House Publishing Group for the ARC.

Shane and Lilah co-star together on a popular supernatural tv show, and their on-screen chemistry also translates to off-screen steamy fun. That is until actual feelings begin to complicate their casual relationship, and Lilah makes the decision to the leave the show. Nine years later, Lilah is returning to the show for the final season, but old feelings threaten to shake up the big finale.

I absolutely loved "How to Fake It in Hollywood" so I was really excited to get the opportunity to read this book. Shane and Lilah were both wonderfully complex characters, that had unexpected layers as the story progressed. The book had the perfect blend of rom com & spice. I never felt bored, and reading Shane's perspective was really interesting. I love that he was so open with emotions towards her.

This is definitely a new favorite.

Will They or Won't They is a fun romance set in the scene of Hollywood. Beautiful/sexy people, designer clothes, extravagant parties, & all about the image!
The book goes back & forth over nine years of Lilah & Shane's relationship. They each have their own quirks & fame makes for quite a challenge in maintaining a relationship. This wasn't the easiest book to follow & Ava Wilder's writing strings you along the entire story, truly living up to it's title, Will They or Won't They.
Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC & although I wasn't super impressed with this story, I'm all for another chance & hope to read more Ava Wilder books soon.

This book was an angsty, slow burn, contemporary romance and oh my was it swoon worthy!! This is my first Ave Wilder book and I plan on checking out her first novel, "How to Fake it in Hollywood." Shane and Lilah are the stars of the hit show, Intangible. She left after five seasons but is now back to resurrect her character for the final season. They also happen to be estranged ex-lovers who broke up after the first season of the show and brought their drama and icy relationship to the set.

Now almost 10 years later, they are both still attracted to each other but don't want to risk letting their guards down with one another. It's really lovely to see how this book deals with anxiety, shipping and taking care of one's mental health.

The end will have your mouth hanging open saying "WHAT!" Until you don't! Fall for Lilah and Shane and you won't be disappointed.

Books like this feel like taking a warm bubble bath. One where you finally get to lay back, relax and take a break from everyday stress. This was exactly the kinda floofy romance I wanted and needed and loved.

Lilah and Shane are the stars of a hit Hollywood show (I love Hollywood settings). The book goes back and forth between the present and past relationship between the two. It was so fun. You get enemies to lovers, lovers to enemies, a beautiful romance, witty banter and some steamy scenes. This was really well done and I flew through it. It was also my first time reading anything by this author. I will for sure check out their first work, "How to Fake it in Hollywood". I don't see it being able to top this one, but I'll definitely go into it at least knowing that I already enjoy her writing style and that she's obviously really good at writing books that take place in a Hollywood setting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing group for a free eARC so that I may share my honest feedback and review.

Second chance romance with behind the scenes look at life on a TV show. I enjoyed this book it was a quick read and kept me entertained. I wasn't completely sure where the story was going to go and how it was going to wrap up and was pleasantly surprised by that. While I liked the story both the main characters were just ok for me wasn't totally crazy about them but was still able to enjoy the story and the writing. It was also fun to see the references to How to Fake it in Hollywood. Rating this one 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the arc in exchange for an honest review.