I was super excited to read what I thought was going to be a soapy delight. But what I got a a dual POV story that was extremely sweet, slow burn romance. Enjoyable time, but not the drama filled mess I was hoping for.

Thank you to CamCat Books, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for an honest review

Managing the Matthews by Haleigh Wenger takes readers behind the scenes of reality TV, exploring the blurred lines between scripted drama and real emotions. Kell Simmons is the manager of the Matthew brothers, three popular Hollywood stars. However, what no one knows is that she is secretly in love with one of them. When Ryan announces his surprise engagement to a fan, Kell's heart breaks, and Ash, who is also struggling with his own unrequited love, becomes her source of comfort. The brothers sign up for a reality TV show, and their lives become a mix of scripted dates, manufactured drama, and genuine heartbreak, all playing out on camera.

The book offers a quick and easy read, with dual POVs providing insights into both Kell and Ash's thoughts and emotions. While the focus is on the romance, it would have been nice to have more backstory and development for the main and supporting characters, including the friends and the brothers themselves. The story is cute and goes beyond the simple trope of pining for a lost love.

However, the pacing of the book is slow, and the chemistry between the characters in the fake relationship feels lacking. Despite the intriguing premise of Kell's managing job, readers don't get to see much of her actually doing her job, which could have added depth and excitement to the story. Additionally, certain aspects of the plot, such as setting up a talent agency in L.A. with limited experience, seem unrealistic.

On a positive note, Managing the Matthews explores the friends-to-lovers trope effectively, presenting a journey of self-discovery and romantic exploration. The book captures the struggles of navigating love and fame, showcasing the potential sacrifices and uncertainties that come with being in the spotlight.

Overall, Managing the Matthews is an enjoyable read for fans of friends-to-lovers stories and those interested in the world of reality TV. While it falls short in terms of pacing, chemistry, and character development, it offers a cute and entertaining glimpse into the complexities of managing relationships and fame.

3.7 rounded up to 4/5

Managing the Matthews by Haleigh Wenger follows the Matthews family and their manager Kell on their journey to fame in Holywood with romance movies. This all changes when the Matthews brothers want to expand their horizons from romance and start acting in a wider range of movies. This is when they start filming a reality TV show full of drama and fake love. It is during this time that Ash and Kell discover they have feelings for each other meaning the book takes a happy twist as they finally enter a relationship, then break up before getting back together again.

Once I got into this book it was highly addictive and I could not put the book down due to the effective use of cliffhangers. I continuously wanted to know what was happening next as I felt strong emotions for the characters featured in the book. It was, therefore, definitely very gripping. It was also nice to read a book which may reflect the reality of life a bit more without all the fictional drama. Yes, this is set in Holywood with celebrities but the dilemmas and emotions that the characters face are all very real to wider society. I definitely enjoyed learning more about the characters and the sexual imagery included in this work added another level of satisfaction.

There is not much I can say that I disliked about this book. At first, the book was hard to get into and there wasn't much happening at the start so the first few chapters may have contributed little to the rest of the book but it was definitely useful for providing background information on the characters and their pasts.

Altogether, I rate this book 4 stars making it a very good book because it was highly gripping and the language used allowed the reader to form strong imagery in their heads throughout the book which adds to the excitement. I very much hope for and look forward to a follow-up book to see how Kell and Ash progress both in their professional and personal life. I would like to thank NetGalley and CamCat Books for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book in return for an honest book review.

This book is probably closer to 3.5⭐️ for me.

I enjoyed Managing the Matthews. It didn’t play out the way I thought it would, but the sweet, closed door romance was the perfect midweek read.

I appreciated the sibling dynamic shown and how the female main character didn’t rely on the male main character to solve her problems.

Overall this was a cute and quick read that I would recommend to friends, especially those looking for a beach read or a plane read.

Thanks for the book NetGalley...

Managing the Matthews had so much potential... loved the idea of the book more than I loved the book itself.

Kell Simmons manages the Matthews brothers (a very Jonas Bros feel to these guys... or a wanna be fee to be honest.) The brothers are hot, hot, hot - a Hollywood: action hero (Ryan) a lead actor (Ash) and a sports star (Jonah.
Kell is hooked on Ash.... Ash seems pretty oblivious to the love and honestly I just didn't feel like there was any real chemistry between the two. - they felt more like friends than potential lovers... wasn't until Ash said something like 'I've wanted this for years" and I thought 'really, doesn't feel like that... and it wasn't almost towards the end of the book that we had that revelation. Sigh.

Didn't love the book, and I wanted to so badly.

I want this series to be so good... hopefully, the other brothers get a better read... fingers crossed.

When I first read the plot of the book, I was hooked! Jonas Brothers-like romance, fake dating, and best friends to lovers? That sounds amazing! The execution, however, is a different story...
First, I want to address what I liked about this book. I liked all the characters and their subsequent relationships with each other. There were certain characters that I was so frustrated by, such as the fame-obsessed Ryan. I also was rooting for Kell and Ash to be successful in the end of the book. It was clear that they worked really hard, and I really wanted them to achieve their goals! This book was dual POV which is my kryptonite, and I felt like the main character's voices were distinct from each other and interesting. The characters were all the strongest point of the book.
The romance between Kell and Ash (...and Ryan cause LOVE triangle!) was just okay. At first, I felt the chemistry between the characters, especially the feelings that Ash had from an unrequited love with Kell. As the book went on, the sparks seemed to fizzle out. I didn't feel like Kell had the same feelings for Ash, even at the end. It made it hard to be rooting for them romantically.
I also found the technical side of the film industry really confusing, specifically Kell's role as manager. I want to say up front that I don't know much about the entertainment industry or how it works. At times, it felt like Kell was their manager and boss, while at other times, it seemed like Judith was Kell's boss. They talked a lot about how Kell was this amazing manager, but throughout the whole book, I don't think I actually witnessed her working. She was always getting information sprung on her or Judith was doing things for them. I am sure there was a hierarchy that is normal, but the lack of context for someone like me who doesn't know about that kind of work made the plot really confusing at times.
Speaking of plot, I wished that there was more of it. Not much happened other than tense conversations and Kell going back and forth between her apartment and the Matthews mansion. I wished that there had been more plot points or something memorable, but it wasn't the case. The whole book kind of blended together.
Overall, I really wanted to like this book. It had the makings of a great romance, but in the end, it was boring and slightly confusing.
*special thanks to Netgalley for giving me this ARC for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for this book.
In this book we follow Kell Simmons who manages the Matthew brothers: Ryan, Ash, and Jonah. Kell has had a crush on Ryan for years, then one night he proposes to a fan. Ash the middle brother, has had a crush on Kell since college and doesn’t know how to tell her how he feels. Ryan has signed up to do a reality tv show without telling Kell so another manager who Kell doesn’t like, convinced Kell to get the other brothers to do it in order to help further their careers. The brothers start filming and Kell and Ash begin fake dating for ratings. Then Kell and Ash begin spending more time and end up kissing. Kell and Ash then break up in fake and real life. Kell goes home to her family and Ash comes to visit and they end up getting back together. Ryan ends up getting unengaged from his fiancé after acting like a jerk, he did everything in order to get more publicity and better parts. In the end Kell stops being their manager and starts her own agency. Kell and Ash end up together in the end and it’s such a sweet ending.

A quick and easy beach read with a very sweet friends to lovers plot.

I'm a fan of dual POV which this book does wonderfully - giving an insight into both characters and their developing feelings. There could have been more written about how they go from friends to lovers at it seems that they both say they've loved each other for years but it doesn't show up like that when reading.

I will say I wish there was more backstory/depth to the friends & brothers - but I could see spin off books following each brothers lives.

Overall a great chick flick type of book and read the whole thing a few hours!

Kell happened to be friends with the right people at the right time and landed a job as manager to the stars. Think Hemsworth brothers, but all three are very successful. She thinks she is in love with the oldest brother and recently they made overtures toward each other that seems to indicate things are moving in the right direction.

Then- it all goes downhill. Middle bro Ash breaks the news that big bro got engaged and it seems real. Then she finds out big bro has other shenanigans going on, and little bro is causing stress, and middle bro needs a fake girlfriend which (obviously) should be Kell because everyone is going to be in a reality tv show. Oh. The. Horror. Of. It. All.

It’s a cute story with a good premise. I thought I would luv luv luv it, but to my surprise, it was 3 stars.

Why so close to a 4? An intricate plot. This is not a simple story of pining for the boy who got away. There is a Hollywood evil character, but wait… does she have a heart somewhere in her power suit? Hints of interesting characteristics in the girlfriends, but sadly they went away.

Here are the issues: 1) sloooow pacing. 2) zero chemistry with Ash and Kell. Honestly, I thought he was about 15 at the beginning of the book, and I couldn’t get that out of my mind. 3) Her manager job. Sounded exciting in theory, but readers never saw it in action. She could have been a dishwasher for all the job importance it had. 4) Crohn’s Disease- why give the character an ailment most people never heard of if you don’t really explain it if use it? One little scene that was easily “healed”? C’mon man…I’ve seen Crohn’s attacks on friends. 5) the talent agency- If it’s that easy to set up a talent agency in LA, I need to make a job change.

I hate to give 3 stars, but this is a book that is a “like,” and that is what I consider a 3. With a revision, this could easily move to a 4. The bones are there.

Charming friends to lovers, Hollywood romance story! I love to read these kind of romance stories and this didn't disappoint! I finished the book in an entire day and left me feeling all happy like you so when you watch a good rom com. The story line intrigued me and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read this. The two leading characters, Kell who is a boss lady in her own right and her friend/client Ash tell the story from their own perspective. I do hope that the other 2 Matthew brothers get their own books as well?!

I was completely hooked on this book. I stayed up until almost 2am because I needed to know the end. The characters were entertaining. Kell and Ash are best friends and she’s his manager. Reality show with his brothers, fake dating, friends to lovers, and fade to black moments. I can’t wait to read more from this author. This is my first time reading a book from this author and I really enjoyed her writing.

Thank you for an ARC of this book!
Kell is the manager of the Matthew brothers, when they accept to film a reality show about their lives and Ryan, the older brother and Kell's crush, gets suddenly engaged with a fan Kell finds herself way more involved than what she expected, between drama and a fake relationship with Ash, the middle brother and Kell friend since college.

I really really liked this book, Kell and Ash are such sweethearts, while most of the other characters are a bit insufferable (except Claudette and Jessie), it is a nice friends to lovers.

The plot was mostly well distributed, their dynamic didn't feel dragged out for no reason, but the ending left me a bit confused in some parts, I feel like some things happened suddenly or made Kell a bit out of character.
The romance was cute, I liked that it was a lot about their desire of each other, Ash was so enamored of her that it gave me so many butterflies; they have no explicit scenes so if someone is searching that, they would not find it here.
The general drama about fame, reality shows and living in Hollywood were okay, I think I would have enjoyed it more were the side characters more likeable (Kell should be compensated just for having to deal with everyone).

I really appreciated the short chapters which made the read flow really fast, I ate it up in two days.

*Thank you to Haleigh Wenger, CamCat Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to receive an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Kell is the manager of 3 brothers who are also big time Hollywood actors: Ryan, Ash, and Jonah. She’s also been best friends with Ash since college. After Ryan’s sudden engagement and the opportunity for a reality show, Kell and Ash have to navigate their own relationship.

I was beyond excited for this book. Jonas Brothers inspired characters? Friends to lovers? Fake dating? Dual POV? Sign me up. I really loved the characters and how the story outside of the romance developed. I don’t know how Haleigh Wenger did it but even the background characters bad development without it being distracting. I love how she creates a world and backgrounds.

However, it never really felt like the romance itself developed. The only reason I knew Ash was the eventual love interest is because his POV was part of it. Every step just felt like it had no lead up. Like there was one hint of something that felt out of the blue and then all of a sudden he was obsessed with her. I wanted to root for them through the build up and the pining but there just really wasn’t much for the first entire half of the book and then the rest felt rushed.

The story of everyone doing the reality show and working through a weird time to grow and get to where they wanted to be? Great! Super interesting! The story of their romance? Fine.

It wasn’t a bad book, I just wasn’t really rooting for them. If the pining and build up isn’t as important to you, I think you’ll love it. It just wasn’t there for me. However, if there’s follow up books about Jonah and Ryan I will still give those a shot.

Fake relationship with a long time friend now turned celebrity, what could go wrong?

This captivating novel gives us a look into the behind-the-scenes world of Hollywood, where the line between reality and fiction becomes blurred, and the quest for fame intertwines with the longing for genuine connection.

At the center of this engaging story is Kell Simmons, the talented and enigmatic manager of the Matthew brothers, three of the industry's most sought-after stars: Ryan, Ash, and Jonah. each with their own personal and professional struggles.

The brilliance of this novel lies in its exploration of the blurred lines between reality and performance. The balance between Ash and Kell's genuine emotions and the fabricated world they're creating for a reality show creates a compelling narrative.

Character development is one of the book's greatest strengths. Kell's journey of self-discovery is beautifully portrayed as she questions her desire for the spotlight while managing not only the brothers but also living with a chronic illness.
The Matthew brothers, each with their unique personalities, add depth and complexity to the story. It's impossible not to feel emotionally invested in their lives as they grapple with the consequences of their fame.

While this book is great in many aspects, some readers may find certain plot points predictable. However, to me this doesn't detract from my overall enjoyment of the story. It is a book that explores the complexities of love, fame, and the pursuit of personal fulfillment, leaving readers with a sense of hope and an appreciation for the power of genuine connections.

Managing the Matthews is a slowburn heartfelt romance that immerses readers in the enticing world of Hollywood. With its rich characters, compelling storyline, and exploration of the blurred lines between reality and performance, this book is perfect for fans of contemporary romance and those curious about the up- and downsides of fame.

I received this ARC though Netgalley

This one fell flat for me. I just felt like the story had so much potential, started strong, and just went downhill from there. It all felt kind of dumb by the end. Just wasn't for me.

This book has an interesting premise but unfortunately falls short on execution. There’s just something missing - perhaps more banter and more on-page chemistry among the leads?

Would you forgo love for fun? In this slow-burn romance, we meet Kell Simons, the manager of the Matthew brothers, and learn how she is hopelessly in love with one of them.

I loved the Hollywood premise, the fake dating, the drama, and the friendship. This book is also a dedication to the Jonas brothers, so it fits in with the whole reality TV drama. All in all, a nice beach or stress-free read.

3.5⭐️

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

Managing the Matthews gives a delightful look into both Ash and Kell's lives as they navigate their world of Hollywood stars and managers. Wenger does a great job of showing both the rewards and the stress of success in the TV and movie industry. It is a classic friends-to-lovers trope with an added twist of fake dating for the reality show.

Wenger developed the main characters to be complex and profound. Ash grows as he works for new opportunities to act in more serious projects. Kell learns to find a balance between work, social and romantic life that she has not had in over four years.

Overall this was a fun read with lots of plot points to keep you intrigued from the start. 4.5/5 stars

Haleigh Wenger offers a fresh look on the Hollywood romance trope by focusing on a manager.

Kell is the manager for three brothers - hearthrob Ryan (whom she's in love with), steady and sensible Ash (her best friend from university) and the flighty youngest Jonah. She finds herself upended when Ryan announces his sudden engagement to a woman he met a few days previously (just after she and him had 'a moment'). Added to this, Ryan has signed (without Kell's knowledge) him and his brothers to a reality show.

The premise of this book had a lot of promise, unfortunately it fell short for me. I found the pacing lagged at times, and the shenanigans Kell faced being undermined by her clients and their agent Judith infuriating, that I ended up skimming. While the resolution made up for those middling parts, I think these issues made this just a like for me. I did like the clear tension and chemistry between Kell and Ash though, so I still think that if you like a Hollywood romance trope, you should add this to your pile (just because I am not a five star reviewer I still think you should read it!)

Thanks to CamCat Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Camcat Books for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. I have to admit, I don't understand this lifestyle. I did find this interesting, and enjoyed the characters. I thought Kell was a bit hot/cold and the lack of communication was terrible (by all parties). Overall a fun good read. It kept me entertained. 4 stars