Will They or Won't They will keep you guessing until the very end. The ultimate turn of events.. Honestly this book had a fairly slow start but from around 45% on I was on high alert and could not put it down because I had no idea what was going to happen next.

Lilah and Shane have been costars playing out the perfect love story on screen for the last decade. Off screen they have had their fair share of drama and have spent most of that time hating each other. Lilah previously left the show but is returning to the final season. Her return forces this duo to face their past.

As I said above I felt like the book had a slow start and I was struggling to really get a good feel of Lilah and Shane and the hatred between them till later in the book. However, by about halfway through you learn all the pieces of their past relationship on and off the screen and Ava did a wonderful job with character development. Lilah is a strong female lead in this story. She is very strong willed and determined. She also struggles with anxiety and is very stubborn. All of these qualities made her very relatable.
Nothing about this plot was predictable or routine. It was truly a unique story and kept me guessing at what was going to happen next.

Look, I know second-chance love is not everyone’s cup of tea but it ABSOLUTELY IS MINE. Enemies to friends to lovers mixed in? *bangs fists on table* gimme all of it right now. Lilah and Shane’s banter and earnestness and the fact that even when they think they loathe each other, they’re still more in tune with each other than they are with themselves is so great. Love this for them, love this for me.

Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy have spent the last decade of their lives showing the world what true love looks like on their hit TV show. They’ve also hated each other for almost that long.

When Lilah left the show after season five, she hoped she could go the rest of her life never having to spend another day in Shane’s company. But with the series coming to an end, and her own career outside of it moving at a limp, she returns to see off the character and world that threw her into the limelight all those years ago.

But being back in close quarters with Shane - especially with the reunion of their characters whipping the fans and the internet into a frenzy - is not what Lilah expected at all.

Because the reason for their mutual dislike is the way their short-lived (and very secret) relationship burned bright and exploded years prior. But it turns out that neither of them have been completely honest about their feelings. And both of them are in for quite the surprise.

Like I said before, second chance romances are not it for me. But I'm starting to think, maybe they are! Lilah and Shane are a perfect enemies-to-lovers couple. I love Shane's character because everything he feels is so real. He's not so sure that acting is even something he's meant to do. Will They or Won't They follows Lilah and Shane and their tumultuous relationship surrounding their show, Intangible. With instant attraction, it was only a matter of time before they became a couple. But when their relationship came crashing down, what would happen to the show? Well, Lilah ended up leaving.

But when Lilah returns for the show's ninth and final season, Lilah and Shane are confronted with the truths of their past. Lilah is a strong character. She knows exactly what she wants almost all the time and always gives 110%. I love her for being so strong-willed, but I hate her for being so stubborn. Her insecurities make her human, and I appreciate that her character shows more than a naïve girl or someone that doesn't have any flaws. Not only does she have flaws, but she admits to having them too.

On the flip side, Shane is not as confident as Lilah. He's not even sure how he landed the role on Intangible, and he doesn't know what he would do without it. He comes from a harsh past and his family life isn't great. However, I love his honesty and ability to feel everything as it comes to him. He has so much raw emotion that makes me love him even more. Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this ARC. I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of it.

I absolutely loved this book! I think we need to protect Shane at all costs. I’m obsessed!

what to expect:
- celebrity main characters
- enemies to lovers vibes
- second chance romance
- multiple timelines
- dual pov
- open door

It really had me asking “will they or won’t they?” up until the very end!

Fun read. Ava Wilder is 2 for 2 in my eyes! This is a fun romcom set in Hollywood—so I’m guessing that will be her theme—which is fine by me!

I was so excited when I saw the email that I was approved for an ARC of Ava Wilder's book 'Will They or Won't They'. I loved her first book 'How to Fake it in Hollywood', so I was really anticipating this book. This book was everything that I could have hoped for and more!

Lilah and Shane worked together on a supernatural tv show, but she left the show after 5 years. They haven’t spoken since then. They dated briefly but broke up. Now, Liliah is back for the ninth and final season of their show. Her career hasn't turned out how she thought that it would, and she's back to finish out the series that made her a star. Both Lilah and Shane hate each other but are hate and love closer emotions than they think?

Things that I loved:
Shane and Lilah's chemistry
They took time with the romance
Both characters earned the HEA- it wasn’t rushed.
Hand holding- who knew hand holding could be so sexy?
They both worked on themselves and on each other. (I loved the representation of Lilah's GAD.)
They even did couples therapy when they weren’t a couple!
Surprises, twists and turns- I anticipated so much when I read the book. I didn’t know what was coming next!
It was such a fresh take in Hollywood romance.

One thing that stood out to me was the take on obsession and fan speculation about tv show couples dating in real life. 'Will They or Won’t They' explores all sides of that. We see the fan perspective at conventions, the network and producers look to profit from it by bringing Lilah back on the show. And we see it from Lilah and Shane- how having a job in the public eye can affect your private life. Fans want to know, but the actors want their privacy. It’s a push and pull.

Read this book if you love:
Friends to lovers
Enemies to lovers
Forced proximity
Hollywood romance
Second chance romance
Slow burn
Tension!!!!
Twists and Turns
Earned HEA

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC of this amazing book.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group—Ballantine and Netgalley for an ARC of this book! I’ve willingly read and reviewed it. All opinions are my own.

I was absolutely obsessed by Ava Wilder’s first novel, HOW TO FAKE IT IN HOLLYWOOD, and have since been stalking a Netgalley for the chance to read her sophomore book, WILL THEY OR WON’T THEY. Not only has Wilder once again highlighted the relationship between two famous people (this time popular actors from a hit TV series) which just happens to be a trope I love and can’t find enough of, but WILL THEY OR WON’T THEY also deals with big, everyday issues such as mental health struggles and feelings of inadequacy that so many of us experience every day, famous or, even more likely, not.

This book felt so incredibly different from anything I’ve ever read, like it had taken the standard romance novel formula and threw it in a blender. When we first meet Lilah and Shane, Wilder isn’t introducing them as two people who are inevitably going to fall in love and live happily ever after. Instead, the reader finds out that while their story started that way when they first began as the leads of their show, they’ve since become enemies who can barely tolerate each other, but need to work together despite that to wrap up the show where their characters have been circling each other for nine years, their relationship inevitable and desperately wished for by the loyal fans.

As seems to be common with all Ava Wilder writes, my only issue is that I wish I could spend more time with these multidimensional characters I fell in love with, but hopefully some rereading will hold me over until next time. ;)

4.75/5 stars! This author's debut book was an amazing read for me, so I was really excited to get to read this one. The author brought back the co-star/Hollywood energy and I am HERE FOR IT!!!! This has second-chance romance, miscommunication, and enemies-to-lovers tropes. The chemistry was phenomenal and I was rooting for Lilah and Shane the entire book. Such a great read and I highly recommend it.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Ava Wilder’s sophomore is a must read for summer 2023 and perfect for of Abby Jimenz and Emily Henry.

Premise: Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy were co-stars on a hit paranormal TV show for five seasons. However, their complicated past has left them hating each other since season one despite their characters having chemistry on the screen. After leaving the show to pursue other paths, Lilah is back for much-hyped finale season that can be the boost she needs in her acting career. Can her and Shane get along this time after years of animosity ?!

Thoughts: I loved the writing style, the authenticity and depth of the characters, and how Ava took a trope that I often find hard to connect with and did it justice. I was inserted right into the celebrity world, which is always a fun escape from reality. The only think I wish there was more of was scenes from their “couples” counseling sessions, as they were some of my favorite.

What to expect:
-Just a hook up
-Second chance love
-Celebrity romance
-Jewish representation
-Flashbacks to past
-Slow burn
-Cameos from How to Fake it in Hollywood

Thank you Ballentine for the ARC! Pub date: 6/27/23

Well it’s 2:00 am in the morning so I think it goes without saying that I could not put this book down! In Will They or Won’t They, Wilder paints a realistic picture of Hollywood romances, and perfectly captures the tension and angst of second-chance romances - Shane’s yearning and Lilah’s impenetrable walls. This story was all at once heartbreaking, steamy, and hopeful. Perfect for all romance readers and anyone who wished for their favorite onscreen couples to get together in real life. Wilder is a must-buy author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book immediately intrigued me. The PROLOGUE brought the sexual tension & chemistry so I was excited. Here for the all celebrity romance book themes happening right now. Definitely check this one out!

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an arc of Will They or Won’t They in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own and may not be reproduced.

I absolutely loved How to Fake it in Hollywood by Ava Wilder so I was so excited to get to read an advance copy of this one!

Who doesn’t love a good enemies-to-loves plotline!?!?!

Lilah & Shane play love interests in the tv show they both star in, but actually hate each other in real life. Now they are finally going to get together in the final season of the show after pining for each other the previous 8 seasons. But selling the believability to an audience may just cause Lilah & Shane to fall in love for real!

Lighthearted & a very realistic enemies-to-lovers story. Most are not very realistic.

Sharp, witty, funny and unputdownable!!! I loved Wilder’s sophomore novel!!!!

4.5 Stars – I highly recommend grabbing this one even if you didn’t like her first one!

3.5 Stars Will They or Won't They by Ava Wilder is a great Hollywood-set enemies-to-lovers romance. Though technically, it's a coworkers-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers. Actors Lilah Hunter and Shane McCarthy have spent years playing characters in a "will they or won't they" romance on a hit paranormal TV show, that is until Lilah left the show after five seasons. After a major film flop, Lilah is back for the TV show's ninth and final season to try to salvage her career. Being back on set means facing her sworn enemy, her ex and costar, Shane. Forced to play nice for the sake of their post-show careers, Lilah and Shane are constantly thrown together both on-screen and off. Will they be able to move on after years of animosity or will they implode once again?

I loved the angst, the banter, and the pining between Lilah and Shane. I'm glad that Wilder didn't make the readers wait too long to piece together what happened in Lilah and Shane's past. The GAD-rep was also great and a realistic driving force for Lilah's actions made out of fear and anxiety. I wish we'd gotten more of a glimpse into their HEA after wrapping up the series, but overall it ended on a perfect note.

Listen. I knew I was going to love this book. Ava Wilder is so good! Her books feels so special. And this did not disappoint!

I have a feeling people are NOT going to like Lilah - I definitely didn’t. But I also had a feeling that whatever they go through is going to pay off so well. AND IT DID. It was such a slow burn but had such high intensity?? They had a lot of unresolved issues between them, but they seemingly didn’t want to move on? They also hated each other?? But they clearly cared for each other SO MUCH? They just didn’t know what to do with the mixture of emotions. And that combination made it so good!

The second Lilah starts getting openly vulnerable everything changed for me. She was so scared, not just of Shane, past and present, of SO MANY things. She never felt like she was enough, never thought Shane’s feelings could be genuine. And it’s painful to watch her working so hard to prove him wrong and fight him and be so mean. But she didn’t know how to act otherwise?? She didn’t know how to process her feelings?

And the way Shane cared SO MUCH. He was also scared don’t get me wrong, he couldn’t figure Lilah out, and he had such big feelings. He was SO SWEET. He acted just like Lilah did because why wouldn’t he? He did in fact hate her as much as she hated him? Right??

But like Lilah and Shane said, it was worth the wait. It was SO GOOD. It’s hard to put into words really? I just absolutely loved this book. They just actually loved each other so much??

Also the ending was absolutely PERFECT.

Thank you SO MUCH to Random House and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I will happily read any and everything Ava writes!

As soon as I started reading I knew I wouldn’t be able to put this book down. I loved the third person point of view that gave the reader insight of how both characters were feeling during the moment. Shane and Liliah’s characters were written so beautifully and the chemistry between the characters was unreal! There was times throughout were I’d find myself blushing, smiling, or giggling.. would 100% recommend this book to everyone especially if you’re a fan of slow burns.

Story started off really strong!! I think the 3/4 started to drag some, but then it ended with a bang. I really enjoyed the book, despite that brief ending lull. The characters were so beautiful and deeply connected with the reader. They were complicated and glamorous all in one. Great book!

4.5 stars. I think with this second book we can officially say that Ava Wilder is really, really good at writing Hollywood romances. There was a different vibe to this one than ‘How to Fake it in Hollywood’, but it was just as immersive into the scene that was set.

I’ve accepted, as a personal preference, second chance isn’t my favorite trope because I have a hard time with a large portion of the book being spent with a couple who once cared for or loved each other now actively hating or trying to hurt each other. The past falling out usually involves miscommunication, which is another tricky one for me. Here, as frustrating as it still is, it makes sense. Lilah and Shane were young and their lives had completely changed with the success of their show. Add in their own personal issues that needed to be realized and it was a recipe for failure. I did feel like some of the animosity in the early stages of their reunion as Lilah returned to the show came across as a bit immature for the adults they had become nearly a decade later, but maybe being thrown together regressed them both.

Once the tide started to turn, there were so many soft moments of growth and understanding between the two of them that I just loved. Lilah’s prickliness in her defense mechanisms made the scenes even sweeter whenever Shane would chip a little bit more away at her walls. The eventual surrender and finale were so well done, and it felt really true to their characters.

Ava Wilder is cemented as an auto-read author for me now and I’m excited for whatever she does next.

5⭐️ Ava Wilder is officially an auto-buy author for me! This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and it did not disappoint - I loved this book so much. The way Ava is able to write complex characters is unmatched. I also love the way she writes celebrities. The enemies to lovers/second chance trope was SO well done, and believable. I am already missing Lilah and Shane and was so happy with their HEA. Pre-order this book!!

Well, I finished this book in one day. I couldn't put it down! It was such a perfect enemies-to-lovers, with characters that were so well developed and real. I love a Hollywood Romance, and Wilder does them so, so well. It's official, anything she writes is destined for a spot on my list of favorites.


*Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Short Synopsis:
Lilah and Shane are costars on a hit paranormal show. (And also, I really wish this show was real! 👻). Lilah leaves the show after season five, but returns for the final ninth season. And oh, they have a past. And now hate each other.

My Thoughts:
The tension y’all!! It’s phenomenal. Ava Wilder has a way of writing characters that even though their famous, Hollywood characters, they feel just so real and authentic. Lilah and Shane’s story was messy, and unsettling at times, but so, so beautiful. I just can’t gush about this enough. Go do yourself and favor and preorder it.

I started and finished this book in less than 12 hours. So that says something too.

Read if you like:
👻 Celebrity Romances
👻 How to Fake It In Hollywood
👻 Tension! Lots of tension.
👻 Enemies to lovers
👻 Good writing
👻 Great Books
👻 Knowing about the book I’ll be gushing about for the foreseeable future