This one didn't personally work for me. I found that the book dragged a little and the hostility between the characters got a bit much sometimes especially from Lilah. Overall it was a fun, quick read and I can see it working for a lot of people.

Such a fun read! I loved getting to see Lilah and Shane’s relationship progress throughout this story. Overall I rated it a 3.5/5. The two quickly became enemies after their first season on set together, but after almost a decade later, they realized the feelings never left. The book was slow to get into, but I quickly became invested in this second chance romance. A perfect read if you love a TV show romance. It was also very interesting getting to read about their experiences on set. My only complaint was that there was a constant switch between the character’s perspectives making it a little confusing to read. I also wish it was in first person making it easier to connect with the characters. However, I loved both of the main characters, Lilah and Shane.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an arc of Will They or Won’t They.

I am a lover of romance novels and while I'll read any trope, my two least favorites are probably second chance and stories about celebrities. Will They or Won't They is a second chance romance about two famous actors and I..... loved every single minute of it!

This was exactly my kind of book. The characters are so well developed and I am truly obsessed with this couple. This story isn't as heavy as Wilder's debut, How to Fake it in Hollywood, but as the title suggests, there's some angst and drama and it is just fabulous!

Lilah is genuinely one of my favorite heroines I've encountered in the romance genre. She's complex and a bit messy but she's also funny and not afraid to be assertive. She suffers from anxiety and while I can't relate to her gorgeous looks or her acting chops, boy oh boy did I relate to her mental health struggles. I even have the exact same recurring anxious dream!

One thing I love about Ava Wilder is that her characters always seem to be willing to work on themselves. I respect how therapy-positive this book was and the fact that the characters recognize their own faults and that they need to grow up.

Another thing I love? The banter! The humor! The steam! I swooned, I laughed, and I guffawed. Lilah and Shane could be in the middle of an epic fight or having the most emotional moment and one of them would drop the most perfect one-liner that made me love them both even more.

Little Miss Ava Wilder took two of my least favorite tropes and had me wishing I could read 300 more pages of Shane and Lilah. I cannot wait to see what this talented author whips up next!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book; all opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader.

This was my first Ava Wilder read, but it won’t be my last! I tore through this one because I needed the question answered, “will they or won’t they?”
The banter between Lilah and Shane was so well-written, I found myself smiling while reading at a lot of points.
This book easily received a 5 star rating from me, as I was engrossed from beginning to end. Nothing could have have made this book better for me because it is already perfect.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for providing me with this amazing digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. I cannot wait to add the physical copy to my shelf.

Will They or Won't They was a great follow up to Ava Wilder's debut, How to Fake it in Hollywood. This book had less angst and tons of bottled up chemistry between the leads. Lilah and Shane worked together on a paranormal TV show (I'm unclear if it's more in the X Files genre or CW) for three years, until Lilah quit the show to pursue other acting opportunities. The characters they played on the show had intense chemistry and fans were hopelessly shipping them, though the relationship never culminated. Until Lilah's character comes back for season 9, the final season of the show. So, really, will they or won't they after all this time?

Lilah only comes back because her career is stuck. Also, she despises Shane and he feels the same. Like the characters they play, their chemistry was immediate and flammable, and after one season on the show everything exploded.

But they aren't twenty-something clueless kids any more. Perhaps they can find a way to work together amicably, and but also ignore any feelings they have for each other because they can't relive that disaster again.

I really enjoyed this book and have a soft spot for Hollywood romance because you can escape to that glamorous world of jet setting and hosting a SNL-like show. All in all a fun lovers-to-enemies-to-friend-to-lovers second chance book. Thank you to Random House Publishing Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC for my honest review.

Will They or Won't They by Ava Wilder follows on-screen love interests Shane and Lilah as their TV show comes to an end after nine years. Following the classic enemies to lovers troupe, this novel switches between the two character's POVs throughout the novel as they film the final season.

This was a 3/5 star read for me.

A few things I loved about this book:

1. It avoided some of my least favorite romance book cliches. The main character is a tall woman who is driven, confident, and talented (although a little cold and calculating). At no point does this novel talk about how teeny tiny she is or how she's quirky because she looks like she dresses in the dark. Truly two of my least favorite cliche's in romance heroines out there.

2. While it follows the typical enemies to lovers troupe, the reason that Shane and Lilah are enemies actually makes sense. Through following both of their POVs you learn how different misunderstandings have caused them both a lot of pain and that pain has turned into anger toward the other person.

3. I loved the world building. I particularly loved the story line of the show they are on, though I loved it so much I often wished I was reading that story instead of the one I was.

That leads into some things that didn't work for me.

1. It is a SLOW BURN. And by slow I mean it took me what felt like forever to read this. The book is made up of VERY long paragraphs and I would find myself having to re-read things over and over because I kept getting distracted.

2. The main character has an on-page panic attack toward the end of the book, but I felt like her anxiety was very much an afterthought. It is mentioned in the book but as a person living with an anxiety disorder, it just felt like she rarely, if ever, seemed all that anxious.

3. Along with long paragraphs, the chapters are really long and the POV shifts within the chapter. This caused a lot of confusion and I would have to double-check to see who's POV I was actually in.

4. I felt like the story just went on and on and on. The last 150 pages felt really repetitive and slow to me and I was just wanting to be done with it. If I'd based my review on the first 100 pages of this book it would have probably been a four star read by the last 150+ just felt like a sludge to get through.

5. Maybe it is the nature of writing about celebrities, but I found both of the main characters to be a little self-important. I especially hated the ending of the book and found myself rolling my eyes A LOT in the last chapter.

Overall, I think that romance fans and especially those who love a good enemies to lovers story will eat this book up. For me, it wasn't terrible, but there were some general things with the writing that made it just meh.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for giving me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I could NOT put this one down! Ava Wilder's debut How to Fake It in Hollywood was one of my top reads of 2022 and I have no doubt this will be on many 2023 best read lists. It's fun, sexy and the perfect summer read.

Will They or Won't They brings us into the world of Intangible, a hit paranormal TV show, and a second chance romance for its two stars - Lilah and Shane. This was a slow burn with a little bit of enemies (back to) lovers mixed in and you immediately feel emotionally invested in these characters. The Hollywood behind-the-scenes is a fun addition to the story and I hope we get to learn more about the other girls in Lilah's squad.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was a HUGE fan of "How to Fake it in Hollywood" last year, and Wilder delivered again! I love a hollywood romance and enemies to lovers, so this was one I've been looking forward to for awhile. Wilder does an incredible job of creating multi-layered characters and building tension right off the bat. Also, as a huge Vampire Diaries, Lucifer, Teen Wolf fan -- I NEED to see Intangible!!!

She's cemented as an auto-buy author for me after this!

I liked this behind-the-scenes look at two co-stars in love (and at times, full of hate). The reason for their initial breakup seemed a little thin to me, like there needed to be a bit more background on Lilah’s insecurities, but I could definitely see how that incident spiraled into full-blown animosity between the two. I really loved Lilah and Shane together when they were being nice to each other and I liked the backdrop of the supernatural show and what that entailed. I was an eager reader at the beginning, but I’ll admit that as the book went on, I found that I had to force myself not to skim. Also, the last little bit of drama didn’t do it for me—it felt abrupt and forced—but I did appreciate the happy ending! The author (new to me) had a great writing style and I’m curious to read more of her work.

Lilah and Shane were fun to read about. On screen they are madly in love and off screen they are enemies. They tried the secret relationship during season one of their hit television series but now as the series is ending and Lilah has returned after taking a few seasons away, enemy status may be changing. This was an enjoyable read with good characters set against the backdrop of a television show. It gave me some vibes from some of my favorite CW shows and I enjoyed this read. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ava Wilder is back with her second book that will not disappoint!

Lilah and Shane are cast as leads in a highly popular TV series, Insatiable. During their first season, they have a secret fling that implodes before the start of the second season. They spend the next several seasons hating one another until Lilah leaves the show to pursue a movie opportunity. For the final season, they are once more reunited and the animosity returns. Together, they are forced to deal with the aftermath of their fling while also pretending to be in love for the show.

I loved her first book, How to Fake it in Hollywood, so I was so excited to read this one. It definitely lived up to my high expectations for it.

I immediately fell in love with Lilah and Shane from the beginning. I could feel the sparks fly during this slow burn romance. I absolutely adored the second chance romance built up across the arc of the book. The flashbacks sprinkled throughout really helped add depth to the story, so you could really see what happened, and why, to lead them down this road.

Wilder has the unique ability to create characters that are deeply complex and flawed, but feel so real. I cannot tell you how many times I had to pause and just absorb her prose throughout the book because it was that good. Wilder does such a seamless job capturing the emotions and chemistry of the main characters- I was very emotionally invested in these two. This is an absolute must read romance for 2023.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine for the advanced reader copy!

3.5⭐️ i had the pleasure of getting the arc of this book it was really cute easy read. i wasn’t a fan of the ending though

“We’ve never been friends Lilah.”


I loved this book so much! The chemistry between Lilah and Shane was so good, their bickering back and forth. Wondering if they were going to get together or not.

I highly recommend!

Thank you to @netgalley and @avawilderwrites for the arc

Summary :
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.

I loved how to fake it in Hollywood, and this is the first time I’ve read an author’s new work so soon after reading their first. Suffice to say I was a little nervous I would be a bit let down. I’ll stop burying the lead here, wow this was such a great follow up from Ava Wilder!

They’re definitely different books, but the way the author writes characters is dynamic and fun, which hooks you from the get go and doesn’t let go. Ava Wilder could lead her characters on a mid-book diversion to Antarctica, and I’d follow them there and back again willingly!

This was such a great slow burn where patience definitely is a virtue- in a good way. It’s not a fun read if there isn’t intrigue! I found myself wanting to keep reading, but not in an all consuming way where I had to finish the book on the spot. The pacing was well done and the payoff totally worth it. I also appreciated some cheeky cameos from how to fake it in Hollywood ;)

Do yourself a favor and read this! You’ll have a great time being led through these characters lives and their story finding their way back to each other.

There is just something so pleasant about reading Ava Wilder’s books. Going in, you know that each and every character, including those in supporting roles, will be fully developed and relatable. The lovers to enemies to lovers trope was done well and it was so delightful to see the progression of Lila and Shane's relationship both in the present day as well as through flashbacks of varied time periods. Overall this was such a great novel!

**Thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

I loved this book even more than I expected, and I had very high hopes. I've heard such great things about Ava Wilder books and Will They or Won't They absolutely lived up to the hype.

In order to salvage her acting career after her recent movie tanked, Lilah returns to the TV show she left years before for a final season. But she must work with her ex, Shane, again -- a big reason she left the show in the first place -- after their secret affair imploded after the first season.

I loved the second-chance trope in this book and how, unlike a lot of other second-chance stories, the couple interacted a lot between their original break up and when the romance started after Lilah's return. There is so much animosity between the two of them because they were exes working closely together for years and the banter was off the charts. They know how to push each other's buttons so well, but over the course of the story, that deep understanding of the other person really lent itself to creating a strong and unbreakable bond between them.

This story was funny, tender, sexy, and so beautifully written. It checked all my boxes for a perfect romance with an interesting plot and strong side character. Highly recommend!

This was great! So fun to read, almost perfect rom com that everyone might enjoy.
Ava Wilder’s books are always fun and easy to read and she never disappoints. Each and every character, including those in supporting roles, are fully developed and relatable, and actually have personalities, which we do not get to see in most rom coms. The pacing is great and steady throughout without the dreaded “drag” that can happen especially in romance novels. The conclusion of it all was also very well done, not plot holes or questions left unanswered. The enemies to lovers was also well developed, so for the lovers of this particular trope, you will definitely eat this up. favorite scenes were Shane and Lilah’s counseling sessions where we were able to gain a glimpse into their very repressed emotions.

ava wilder's How to Fake it in Hollywood was one of my favorite 2022 reads, and now she has done it again making Will They or Won't They one of my favorite reads of 2023 (and it's only February??) as well as securing a spot on my autobuy list.

this is an angsty, second chance romance with all of the push and pull tension you could ever ask for. my favorite thing about wilder's novels, however, isn't just the romance. it's that she creates characters that are just so deeply human. her characters never look for salvation in their relationship, they know all of their problems won't be magically fixed by getting together. they work on themselves separately, confront the issues that have been keeping them apart, so that they can finally be and grow together. i saw a lot of myself in lilah, and i thought that wilder depicted anxiety with so much grace. her characters are so complex, and despite this being a second chance romance, our characters still wholly exist outside of their relationship.

i also think ava wilder is hilarious. her ability to write seamlessly flowing dialogue that reads like a real conversation is nothing short of a talent. a struggle spot with romances for me can often be forced banter that is trying too hard to be funny. i said it in my review on how to fake it and i will say it again: ava wilder just is funny. even when shane and lilah hated each other, their hatred never felt unjustified, and their snarky remarks never felt like too much.

this was an easy five star read for me, and ava wilder is for sure an author to look out for! i can see her having a big name in romance.

thank you so much to netgalley for an earc in exchange for an honest review!

This book in 3 words: Hollywood. Lively. Angst.

Lilah, an actress, returns to a hit show for its ninth and final season. The biggest challenge won't be getting all the new co-stars on her good side but working with Shane, the former colleague she can't stand.

One thing is certain, Ava Wilder knows what it takes to write a stellar celebrity romance! Will They or Won't They is her second book but there's no sophomore slump to be found.

A truly character driven storyline is the star of the show (see what I did there). Lilah and Shane are both vexatious, angsty, hopeful, and fun. I think Wilder does a wonderful job in balancing the main characters. While they may be infuriating at times, they're vibrant and full of positive energy in others. 

The tension oozes from the pages. If you're a fan of palpable tension, second-chance romance, forced proximity, or chemistry, this is the read for you. You'll get a few spicy scenes but the tension is WHERE IT'S AT. 

Killer dialogue in this story. I found myself audibly laughing throughout and smiling even more. Just the right amount of banter which felt genuinely important for the plot. 

I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

One thing that Ava Wilder can do really well is build extremely high tension between her characters and write excellent banter. I absolutely loved How to Fake it in Hollywood and was so excited to dive into this one to see how she would tackle the tropes of second-chance romance and enemies to lovers.

There was so much to like here, and I really liked both main characters and the chemistry between them. It's truly a slow burn between these reunited co-stars, who, for reasons that are slowly revealed through flashbacks, have truly come to loathe each other. Overall, it did take me a little while to get into this one (they are truly enemies at the start), and it does drag a bit as they continually take one step closer and then two leaps back. The scenes where they do grow closer really really work (the phone call!) and I really enjoyed the ending of this one, mostly because it felt like it was so true to the characters.

Highly recommend this one (and How to Fake it as well!) and honestly can't wait to see what Wilder writes next. *Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review*