Another 2 star from this author so maybe she just doesn't work for me. I enjoyed the way this one started off - ETL is one of my favorite tropes. Unfortunately, it didn't work. There were random time jumps back to Lilah and Shane's original relationship, but they made the book seem more disjointed rather than tie it all together. I think consistent alternating timelines so you could watch them progress to their breakup, and watch them earn their HEA simultaneously. Regardless, a lot of potential but fell short of the mark. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

⭐ 4.5/5
🌶️ 🌶️🌶️

💭 "Maybe you're right. Maybe you can't really love someone unless they let you."
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🙏 Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing- Ballantine for the advanced copy of Will They or Won't They in exchange for an honest review.
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🎯 What I loved: I adored How to Fake It in Hollywood and was excited that Wilder decided to write another celebrity romance for her sophomore novel. I actually got approved for this arc 2.5 months ago but have been delaying reading it because I liked knowing that I had a book that I was going to love waiting for me in my queue- and I wasn't looking forward to it being over because I knew I would devour it.

Where her initial book felt very gossip magazine, page 6 level energy, Will They featured time jumps and built out history and context for the characters and had more relationship drama vs. individual turmoil. I like that it felt different but still had great banter, Hollywood drama and steam (and if you read carefully, there's a little Ethan Atkins shout-out for fans of her first book)- all things I loved about her debut.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: Despite loving the chemistry between Lilah and Shane, I didn't feel satisfied with their ending. I think what I really wanted after enduring such a slow burn was more of them being together- maybe we'll get an epilogue before it's officially published? (Hint, hint!)
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Read if you love:
*second chance romance
*enemies to lovers
*celebrity love stories
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See also: The Reunion, Twice in a Blue Moon, Romantic Comedy

Romance books are my favorite thing ever. This was a great page turner and I adored it. It was a fantastic book by a compelling author.

I was so excited to read WILL THEY OR WON’T THEY after loving HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD. I was so excited to see that this celeb romance was second chance!

I was curious to see how Lilah and Shane’s relationship was going to play out since they hadn’t known each other long before their “split” and then had a seven year gap. I think it worked here and I really enjoyed getting to know their past both as a couple and as individuals.

I think what works really well with Ava Wilder’s books is how real she makes their characters. I thought Lilah was very relatable. I also applaud Ava Wilder for creating a diverse cast of characters without it feeling forced. I would’ve loved even more from Lilah’s friend group!

Definitely recommend this book if you love a good celeb romance - I thought this was so fun and can’t wait for what’s next from Ava Wilder!

I LOVED Ava Wilder’s How to Fake It in Hollywood, so I was very excited to read her sophomore novel. The two have a similar Hollywood setting and focus on the relationship between famous actors- always a fun set up for a rom-com!

While I enjoyed Will They or Won’t They and binged it in two sittings, it was too much of a slow burn for my liking. That being said, Wilder is great at building tension between her characters! Excited to check out her future work.

Pick your favorite slow burn TV show, and how imagine the actors are in love in real life. After a whirlwind lust affair during the first season, Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy have spent the last 7 years hating each other. Even though she left the show three years ago, with Lilah's career future up in the air, the only shot at redemption is returning for the final season, which also means returning to Shane. As you already know, there's a thin love between love and hate! A funny, fun but also heart wrenching at times, story that's sure to make you wish at least of your ships is real life.

Thank you for Net Galley and Random House Publishing - Ballentine for an e-ARC in exchange for this honest review!

this was a good one from the start. must read and really enjoyed this from page one. I am loving this author more and more. Every book does it for me.

I really enjoyed Ava Wilder’s previous book, “How to Fake it in Hollywood” which was a romance-plus story involving complex characters dealing with serious issues. This book fell flat in comparison.

It took me two weeks to finish this book because I kept stopping and starting, not really invested enough in the characters to keep going. I read it on my Kindle and it became my reading at night -middle of the night insomnia- book.

This story starts with a couple who broke up several years in the past and they currently hate each other. I didn’t get any lingering feelings from a love-hate perspective, just hate. I did feel more invested after about 60%, and I liked the ending.

I had high hopes for this book because I love a good celebrity gossip romance. The first part of the story is really good and promising. However, as you continue to read the book you are continuously met with the story of will they or won't they get together. LOL I guess that's the name of the book, but I got so bored with this whole saga.

4.5⭐️

Very solid and enjoyable! I think this is a really accurate portrayal of what enemies to lovers would look like in a contemporary setting (which is rare to find) and the tension was really well developed! Just like How to Fake it in Hollywood, the characters and their struggles felt very real and you could clearly see that the elements of Hollywood were well researched and there was care to make sure things were accurately portrayed. I love second chance romances and though this one is a bit differently set up from most popular second chance romances, I think it fit the story really well. You could clearly see how both Lilah and Shane had changed in the years between and what was different this time around that made them work. I wish there were a couple more flashbacks, but I did like how the ones we got were sprinkled in at the appropriate times in the book. I loved the decision Shane made at the end for his future too! Will definitely be reading anything Ava Wilder puts out in the future!

Thank you to Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for the early copy!

RATING: 3/5 STARS

I think Ava Wilder's books are just not for me, and that's okay! Celebrity romances are usually my catnip, but this one didn't click with me. I wasn't drawn into the enemies to lovers tension, and the back and forth with alternating POV's was a bit jarring. Other readers might click with her writing, the premise is great - two stars had a falling out and have to work with one another again.

Ava Wilder is a fan favorite of my book club and is perfect for anyone who loves celebrity romance. I liked this better than her debut novel and if you're a fan of Buffy or Vampire Diaries this would be a great pick - ensemble cast of beautiful up-and-coming stars navigating fame in flashbacks and current times around a reunion show. She's a great writer, I just think celebrity romances are a miss for me.

thank you to random house ballantine and net galley for this arc of will they or won’t they by ava wilder!

one day they’re strangers. one day they’re costars. one day they’re lovers. one day they’re enemies. and one day (plus 9 years), they’re costars AND enemies again. is there any room for them to be lovers again?

i was honestly floored by this one. i haven’t read any of ava wilder’s work prior, but the way in which she writes complex characters is truly beautiful. i also will always love anxiety representation, especially when it is done so well like it is in will they or won’t they. the way in which lilah’s panic attacks and daily anxious moments were treated with such care and understanding is something i will always appreciate. i loved shane’s care for lilah, even when he is hating her, and i loved lilah’s journey to allow herself to feel love for other and to feel loved herself.


overall, this is going to be one of my top reads of 2023, and i can confidently say that. everyone i implore you to read will they or won’t they by ava wilder, out june 27th. thank you again to the publishers!!

A sweet feel-good read with plenty of tension between the two leads! Wonderful storytelling and a quick read!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

Lilah and Shane meet at a casting call for a new TV series. Lilah is a trained actor while Shane was discovered while working as waiter. They immediately have chemistry and are cast as the leads for the new series. Through the years on the show, they experience ups and downs, quitting the show, rejoining the show and more. Can these enemies to lovers learn that they were never enemies at all?

I enjoyed this one. The push/pull between Lilah and Shane was great. I also enjoyed the timeline flipping from then and now. It kept me wanting more.

For the most part, I really enjoyed Will They or Won’t They. I loved the push and pull of Lilah and Shane’s relationship. I loved that they really did seem like enemies at first, and I love how Wilder progressed their relationship. Just these small moments that helped guide the characters back to one another. The flashbacks were done well and added a lot of the present storyline. I was thrilled that it was dual POV!

My only struggle lies in the chemistry between Lilah and Shane. It was there, but just not quite enough for me to be completely wrapped up in their love story. I was invested and there were moments where I was like, “yes! There it is.” But then I’d lose it for a few chapters.

I will still recommend this one and pick up a copy for my shelf!

The story felt disorganized which really caused a lack of flow for reading. There could have been a bit more clarification of whose POV was whose, which I find is a HUGE factor in reading books with multiple POVs. The MC's weren't very likeable and honestly, I was hoping they wouldn't have their happy ending. It just seems like the entire relationship arc was a bit toxic.

From the start we start to get glimpses of Lilah and Shane's relationship in the past and present in different POVs. I felt like sometimes it was hard to keep up with the timeline and figuring out where in the story it was happening.

The celebrity lifestyle of the story was very entertaining and I loved the insight we got as readers. From auditions, to chemistry reads, all the way to promo tours, it very much mimicked what I always see and imagine goes behind the scenes in the industry.

Circling back to Lilah and Shane's relationship. I found them very hard to root for because I felt like they had almost no redeeming qualities. Most of the story focuses on them not liking each other and what we do get are very small scenes of when they're together, I find both of them very hard to like and their dynamic lacks chemistry. It seemed to me that the characters didn't have much development. I loved the anxiety rep with Lilah, but I think it wasn't presented in a way that readers could connect.

It's a very entertaining story surrounding the entertainment industry and celebrity culture, which is always up my alley! I do recommend it for a quick, light romance read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved How to Fake It in Hollywood, so I was excited and grateful to have the opportunity to read this book. And it cemented Ava Wilder as a must read author for me! Loved these characters and their story - all the build up, both of them growing and learning about themselves, the pro-therapy stance... perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Will They or Won’t They follows Hollywood actors from a popular show called Intangible. Both Lilah and Shane are the main characters, who happen to be in love both on and off screen. Lilah and Shane called it quits 9 years ago because of a major fight. Lilah left the show years later, and pursued other projects. Now the show is on its last season, and Lilah is back. What happens when Lilah and Shane can’t deny their chemistry any longer? Will they find love or still hate one another from afar?
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I thought this book was really fun. It took me a bit longer to read, but I was in a weird reading mood. However, once I started reading this book, I couldn’t stop. I read this book from 6% all the way to 100% in one day. I thought it was captivating! Lilah and Shane had such an interesting relationship and I kept wanting to know what happened between them. I thought the second chance, enemies to lovers was fun, exciting, and sexy! It was a super cute read that made me smile and laugh.

I have to admit, the ending had me like what???? Then I took a deep breath. However, I was really happy to have read this and would recommend it to other romance lovers.