You know when an author has a really good, really popular debut, and then they announce their next book and there’s all this pressure to live up to the hype of the first? Ava Wilder does not have to worry about that. Will They or Won’t They is so sweet and soft and kind of angsty, and I loved it. From the jaw-dropping, squealing-on-public-transportation-(sorry-fellow-passengers) moments to the staying-up-too-late, tearing-up moments, this celebrity-meets-second-chance-romance love story was so, so good, and you need it on your TBR right now 💗
Also, I love Shane—precious, respectful good boy that he is 🥹
Also also, I’m an Oklahoma girl living 9000 miles from home, so the shoutout to Braum’s was much appreciated🍦

Lilah and Shane met at the audition for the show Intangibles, their roles being the two romantic leads in the cast. There was chemistry immediately between the two of them, leading them to be romantically linked both on and off the screen until the fling imploded at the wrap party at the end of season one. Lilah left the series in search for something greater (and to avoid Shane, as the two felt immense hatred for each other after post-breakup), while Shane stayed at the show for another few years, until Lilah is brought back on for a final season. But now that they're back on the same set for a season that involves seeing their character's romance through, and it's hard to ignore the chemistry that's still there between them.

It was so fun for the book to start off as a flashback, as you see how young these two were when they first met. But that set up the future perfectly to illuminate just how much they grew as people and how a second chance at love could be different between the two after working through insecurities, the past, and miscommunications. But have they grown enough as people to give their relationship one last try, or will they let each other go forever after their on-screen Intangibles romance is over?

As a romance novel lover, the enemies to lover trope is one of my favorites! Plus, there was an ALMOST twist at the end that almost had me jumping out of my chair, but in the end, I was so pleased when I turned to the final page.

But my gosh did I love the chemistry between these two - the banter, the tension, the humor, the steam! I love that these two could be in an emotional moment, even a steamy moment, and they can drop this hilarious one-liner that doesn't offset the passion, but just shows how these two know each other so instinctually that they can speak to each other in a way no one else would understand.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved How to Fake It in Hollywood so I was ecstatic for the amazing opportunity to read and review Will They or Won't They by Ava Wilder.

Ava Wilder does such a fantastic job making her stories so compelling.
The book is so much fun with plenty of sweet, swoony and tension-filled moments.
I devoured this story and couldn't get enough of these characters.
Shane and Lilah, I just loved and adored. I couldn’t wait for the moment till they were finally together. So much fun! I also loved the development of the characters.
Adorable Hollywood, enemies-to-lovers story with that second-chance trope.
So all in all, this was a win for me. I thought it was cute, fun, and a quick read!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review
are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Random House for your generosity and approving this eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for sending me an eARC copy of this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely loved this second chance / enemies to lover romance ✨💕

Shane and Lilah were costars of the hit TV show Intangible. While on the screen they were the audiences dream couple, yet behind the scenes they couldn’t stand to even speak to each other. When Lilah returns to the show after a few seasons away, they are forced together again much to both of their dismay. As the season moves on, and they begin to get to know each other again, Shane and Lilah have to decide if they will ever be able to let go of the past and move forward.

This book was so well done. The dual point of view along with the flashbacks to the past, really allows you to see both Lilah’s and Shane’s points of view and their inner workings of why they felt the way they did. Both characters were smart, complex, and funny. The chemistry between them was so clear, but Wilder didn’t veer too much into the over the top cheesiness, which I appreciated. I hope to see many more like this in the future from Wilder!

This should be on all romance lovers summer read lists for 2023!!!

Ava Wilder understands angst.

In fact, Wilder is so good at crafting characters drowning in longing, fear, insecurity, and regret that it takes until the final five pages of Will They or Won’t They to be sure Lilah and Shane get their Happily Ever After.

The wait is worth it, resulting in a love story which feels earned in a way few contemporary romances pull off. The genre guarantees a Happily Ever After, but the “how” in this book makes it a deeply emotional page turner.

Wilder’s How to Fake It in Hollywood was one of my favorite reads of 2022. The celebrity tropes are often fun romps to feel the “Famous People! They are miserable and lonely sometimes, just like us!” factor.

However, How to Fake It in Hollywood stands above the others in the celebrity romance pack because Wilder is a brave writer. She isn’t afraid to dig deep into flawed characters and present them as they would be, raw and real, cruel and kind, the filters stripped away. The result is Lilah and Shane who are perfect together because of their imperfections.

Will They or Won’t They is Wilder’s sophomore effort, which can often be a struggle. After all, a writer has decades to put the first one out and a year to nail the second. Luckily, there's no sophomore slump in sight.

It must be said that second-chance romances are a tricky trope, requiring a tightrope act of bad behavior and believable attrition/forgiveness. Lilah and Shane do bad things. Possibly worse things than most characters we get in contemporaries now. The difference is how humanely they are treated in the narrative and the depth we are taken into their emotional worlds. That sets this story apart from the second-chance tales which fail to connect with me.

There is a moment in the final pages where a few simple lines starting with “You’re in trouble…” pack so much weight it was like a hotshot of serotonin. And that’s why I say Ava Wilder understands angst. If we read romance to feel there’s hope even when a love story isn’t easy, Will They or Won’t They delivers on the promise of the premise. Enjoy the wild and bumpy but beautiful ride.

__________
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date June 27, 2023.

4.5 Stars

Will They or Won't They is a enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, Hollywood romance. (although, it's really more of a friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story, hence the title.) The book follows Lilah & Shane, former co-stars from a hit tv series who are forced back together for the show's final season. The story is told through dual timelines - giving us a look into their past as well as present.

I really appreciated the inclusion of mental health and therapy in the story - Lilah and Shane's mandated "couples" therapy sessions were some of my favorite scenes because they gave each other a glimpse into their feelings behind the façades they had both built up.

Overall I loved the chemistry and tension between Lilah and Shane and would definitely recommend for fans of the second-chance trope!

Thanks to Random House & NetGalley for the eARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️ / 5

WOW WOW WOW!!!! I had high expectations for this book. How to Fake it in Hollywood was my favorite book out of 237 books I read in 2022. This did not disappoint!!! I honestly don’t know which one I love more. This book was soooooo good! No one does a celebrity romance better than Ava Wilder! She will forever be an automatic buy for me.

Lilah and Shane were actors on a hit tv show. They had a secret fling the first season, but it ended as soon as one of them caught feelings. She left after five seasons to star in a movie that flopped, but also to get away from Shane. Lilah is invited back to be in the last season. She and Shane have to learn how to get along with each other to in order for the show to be a success.

I LOVED the chemistry and sexual tension from these two! 🔥 I also loved watching their growth throughout their final season.
This was a great enemies to lovers, second chance romance, and dual timeline read! Ava does such an amazing job writing her characters that you really feel like you know them and every emotion they are feeling. This book is one that I will read over and over and forever recommend!

I LOVED IT! 💗💗💗


📘: Will They or Won’t They by Ava Wilder
🗓 Pub Date: June 27, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Ava Wilder, and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

I read Ava Wilder’s “How to Fake It In Hollywood” a few months ago and loved it. When I had the opportunity to review an ARC of “Will They or Won’t They” (thank you, NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine!), I was delighted.

I devoured “Will They or Won’t They” in less than a day. The character development was superb, and you found yourself rooting for the main characters, Lilah and Shane. I wholeheartedly recommend this book, and I look forward to reading whatever Ava Wilder comes up with next (even if it’s a shopping list)!

I really enjoyed How to Fake it in Hollywood so when I saw the newest Ava Wilder novel, I requested to review it immediately. Like her debut novel, Will They or Won't They also focuses on the love (hate?) story of two actors: Lilah and Shane. These two have a tumultuous relationship that we follow in flashbacks woven in with their current situation, which is less than warm and fuzzy--it's so NOT warm and fuzzy that their show ends up putting them in couples therapy (even though they aren't a couple) just so they can get along/get past their issues for the sake of a final season of work. As the novel progresses we come to understand the source of their continuing friction--a really yucky break up after the close of their first (and very successful) season--and both of them are holding some serious grudges and hurt feelings. Without going into it, I'll just say that Wilder did a good job of spreading the blame between these two, though I definitely had more frustration with Lilah than I did with Shane but maybe that was because of how passive (or passive aggressive? manipulative?) Shane was--he came off as less of the aggressor, even though he did some really crappy things too. To be fair to Lilah, the more you get to know her, the more you understand her motivations and mistakes and some of the sources of her issues. And as this is a romance, obviously they get past all of their hurts and manipulations to make a tentative peace that becomes even more than the first time they were together--the years apart did them some good, in that respect.

Other similar traits that this novel has to the previous one are things like a great ensemble cast of characters--they all enhance the plot between Lilah and Shane and make things entertaining and interesting, making our main characters seem even more real and well rounded because of the conversations and events undertaken with their friends. And Wilder doesn't shy away from digging in the things like anxiety and panic attacks, as well as the natural fear of career transitions and the unknowns that come with that.

Overall this friends to lovers to enemies to lovers really worked and leaves me just as interested and curious about what Ava Wilder will write next as I did after her debut.

Ava Wilder is becoming my slow burn queen. I loved How to Fake it in Hollywood, but she really did mean it when she said “less trauma more drama.” The drama was delivered!

I actually think this was even better than How to Fake It, but trust me when I say that this only for you if you like the type of romance that is nonstop tension and has you yelling at the characters to stop fighting and get together already.

I LOVED IT.

This is the first romance like this in a while that I just couldn’t put down. I won’t pretend like Lilah and Shane weren’t frustrating a lot of the time, but I think this book did such a good job at making it all feel explained and earned. Wilder’s writing and characters reminds me a lot of Emily Henry, so it’s no surprise that I love it.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House for the ARC!

Will They Or Won’t They by Ava Wilder
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Genre: contemporary romance
Format: ebook
Length: 384 pages


✨Read this book if you enjoy✨
🌟 celebrity romances
🔥 second chance / slow burn romance
🌶️ open door romance
🕰️ Dual timeline

Thank you to Netgalley, Dell Publishing, and Ava Wilder for an e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Will They Or Won’t They follows Lilah and Shane as they work together to film the final season of their tv show. But the last thing that they want to do is pretend that they’re in love with each other after their secret off screen romance ended abruptly.

I was fortunate to be able to get an arc of Ava Wilder’s first book, How to Fake It In Hollywood and fell in love with her writing. When I saw she was releasing this book, I knew I needed it immediately and it didn’t disappoint. Ava Wilder writes books that have consistent pacing and relatable characters full of depth but also flaws. Lilah and Shane have the perfect chemistry and you can’t help but root for them. This is a book you can easily finish in one sitting if you have the free time.

Another great book from Ava Wilder! While I loved the characters from How to Fake it a bit more, I still enjoyed this story and I could not put it down!

I really loved this book from Ava Wilder. Much different than “How to Fake It” but still full of satisfying pop culture references and really good twists and turns that make this romance less formulaic, more surprising and emotional, which I loved. Highly recommend this if you like love, pop culture and feelings.

4.5/5

I had a pretty good feeling that I would enjoy this book before I even started it. I was so excited to read it because I loved How to Fake It in Hollywood, and I think I enjoyed this one even more. I’m such a sucker for anything with a Hollywood setting, but it wasn’t just the setting I loved. It was such a compelling and entertaining story! I couldn’t put this down once I started.

Lilah and Shane both got their start starring together on a hit paranormal tv show. After 5 seasons, Lilah exits the show, after years of not getting long with her costar, Shane. She decides to come back for the final season years later, and they have to learn to get along in order to have a successful show.

I loved the dynamic between Lilah and Shane. The history they had made their tension and connection so incredible. As you would imagine from a second chance romance, we get pieces of the past mixed into current story. I loved seeing these chapters and how they shaped who the characters became later in the story. I felt like I really knew who Lilah and Shane; who they were by themselves and who they were together.

What I didn’t expect was to get so emotionally connected to these two characters. I found myself in tears at a couple moments.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loved How To Fake It In Hollywood, Funny You Should Ask, or People We Meet On Vacation. I’m really excited to see what Wilder does next!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I thought I would love this but I really didn't. I thought I would see more of the chemistry that led them to their initial fling, but instead, we were kind of just told that they had a fling. It also seemed like their relationship was just very physical and I wasn't sold on their emotional chemistry. I found both characters to be pretty annoying and was overall underwhelmed with this one, but it was still a fine read and the writing was good so I'd be interested in reading more from this author.

Oh my goodness. I loved this book. This was such a fun ermines-to-lovers-second-chance book. I could really feel the chemistry and tension. The little surprise at the end really did get me. Several parts actually made me laugh which I always enjoy in a book. Ava Wilder’s future books will definitely be on my TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

liked this book even better than How to Fake it in Hollywood! As Wilder says, this book is softer and more romantic. The chemistry between Lilah and Shane is palpable and will have you on the edge of your seat just waiting for them to finally act on their feelings. Lilah and Shane both had great depth to them and their stories outside of the main romance plot were still very interesting! There were no large pieces of "fluff" I felt I had to skip over or begrudgingly get through. I highly recommend for those who love a second chance romance, enemies to lovers, and workplace love tropes!

*Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Will they or won’t they? This book was great. You could feel the deep love of the characters from the start. Their hatred of each other really fueled their love. Great read.

It took a me a little bit to get into this book. Once I did, I really liked it. I will say that Lilah and Shane made me mad....You could tell they really liked each other but were both too stubborn to admit it. I would say this book is definitely worth a read!

This was a perfect follow-up to Wilder's debut, full of more sizzling chemistry, wonderful banter, and a deep, nuanced relationship. I loved it!