I have picked this book up multiple times over the past few months. I cannot get into this story enough to finish it. Perhaps I'll give it another try at a different time.

This story was so great and adorable! I absolutely loved this story and everything about it. I always need a good romance and this was what I was looking for. I cannot wait to see what comes next and read it!

I became a fan of Xio Axelrod when I read her book #TheGirlwithStarsinHerEyes. That book spoke to me in many ways because of the second chance love story, the girl band, and the MC's love of music. Heck, I loved it so much I made a reel. So of course, I jumped at the chance to review Xio's latest book.

Xio has done it again! I enjoyed this story so much! FMC Blake Dillon is a journalist struggling to follow the footsteps of her grandfather. Ollie Benjamin is an aspiring screenwriter, who assists his best friend, an up-and-coming Hollywood actor, Bran Cody. When Blake begrudgingly accepts an assignment to write about Bran, the three are thrown together and Ollie and Blake finally get a chance to explore the feelings that were beginning to emerge back in college.

The romance between Blake and Ollie was dynamic. I kept rooting for them and wanting them to freaking get together already. Loved how their romance unfolded so organically with all the feels.

I really admire how the author has a way of pacing the story to make sure that the b-story takes center stage along with the romance. Here, I was fully invested in learning more about Blake's article on Bran, and I was invested on the investigative story she secretly working on the side -- of how an unscrupulous agency was preying on young, talented kids of color. Smart, observant, and sharp, the author also incorporates social commentary on race and inequity in the industry. I also appreciate the mini-articles and stories within the book. I was once an aspiring journalist myself, & I loved the peek into this industry which has changed so much since the days I wanted to be a music journalist.

I was so excited to finally meet @xioaxelrod at Steamy Lit Con @steamylitcon. Honestly, she was one of the main reasons I went. She's such a lovely person, we talked a little bit about music, and even posed together doing air guitar🎸 Love her! 🤘🏼Swipe for the full synopsis and more photos. AND… go out and read Love on the Byline!

Blake and Ollie's friends to lovers romance sizzles in the first book in Xio's brand new series. Loved the chemistry between Blake & Ollie. Ollie is the best kind of cinnamon roll hero. Loving and supportive of all the people in his life. Speaks French. Cooks. *swoon* The characters are rich and no one writes second chance quite like Xio.

Xio does this beautiful thing, where she writes a gorgeous romance and embeds it so fully inside of a fully realized plot that I couldn't disentangle them if I wanted to. I don't always want a plot heavy romance, I'm often content to coast on vibes and a little bit of window dressing. But this is a full house, decorated thoughtfully from top to bottom, with little treasures to discover if you are paying attention, and I ate up every single moment.

Ollie and Blake went to college together, but a difference of opinion about Ollie's best friend Bran, drives them apart and they lose contact. Fast forward, and Blake is assigned to write a celebrity feature about Bran, now a rising movie star. Ollie is his assistant, and he and Blake pick right back up with the simmering chemistry that they were too shy to act on when they were teenagers. Their new, adult attraction is powerful, but they both have jobs to do, and can't afford any scandal or distraction. So they agree to put a pause on a relationship until after the feature is done, but temporarily living on the same property puts them into all kinds of delicious forced proximity moments, and willpower seems less appealing all the time.

First impressions, family legacy, the complexities of being a black woman in a dying industry dominated by white men, fame, gossip hungry media, and vulnerable teenagers being taken advantage of all come together into a complex plot that doesn't every overwhelm, because Xio holds and balances it all so well that you don't totally understand what you've gone through until you are done. I was impressed by The Girl With Stars In Her Eyes, and now I can't wait to read more. Praise be to backlists.

Axelrod is a master of romances that has just the perfect amount of yearning, of want, of need, and where the characters have full, exciting lives outside of their romantic interest.

Love on the Byline follows Blake, and to a lesser extent Ollie and Bran. Blake is my favorite kind of heroine, she can stand on her own two feet, works hard to achieve her goals, and is ready to get things done even a little unconventionally if it serves the greater good.

Set in LA, Love on the Byline is both a romance (duh) and slightly thriller / mystery -esque as well. And I was totally there for it all.

Well written, with characters that were fully developed - even the minor characters had something that made me easily understand / remember who they were - the story was character driven and really well done. Definite big recommendation from me.

I’ve been waiting for a new book from Xio Axelrod since reading The Girl With Stars in Her Eyes. You won’t have to wait because Love on the Byline is out now! Blake is a cub reporter writing about celebrity gossip though she longs to write about things that matter. Blake’s hired to write about a Hollywood star who is best friends with her college friend Oliver. Oliver is his friend’s personal assistant and this story brings Blake back into his orbit and relights the spark he’s always felt towards her.

I’m always here for the romance and love plot lines, but what drew me to this book the most was the story Blake was hired to write and her pet project that she investigated in her spare time. I was fascinated with the world of journalism. This leant a bit of mystery and suspense to the romance. And I loved how everything intersected and resolved for these plot lines.

Now for the romance. This gives new meaning to slow burn romance. I kept watching the percent on my kindle inch up with no kiss in sight. I wanted them to kiss so badly but Blake and Oliver were open in their communication to wait until her story was written. This made their romance feel like a comfy sweater - warm and cozy and easy-going until that time when they finally gave into the tension and sparks flew.

There were so many layers to this story that were slowly revealed at the right times for the biggest impact to the questions that accumulate. This was so well done.

Read if you like:
- Friends to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Second chance-ish
- Slow burn 🔥

Tw:mentions of suicide, sexual assault, death.

I had the honour to have an advance copy of “love on the byline” by Xio Axelrod.

The story follows Blake Dillon as she navigate the world of journalism, relationships, and Hollywood drama.


I would describe this book at a mystery romance book. The story line wasn’t predictable and you are left wanting more.

One think about xio Axelord, she will make you feel everything the characters are feeling, from their joy, to their fear, to their hopes.

From meeting our overworked and underpaid protagonists to the unexpected antagonist(s) of the book I was hooked.

I want to know who is behind diamond moon !!

Xio Axelrod ability to make the reader fall in love with the character and roots for them is magical. She treated the issue of Alzheimer’s, suicide, male sexual assault with such grace.

Here’s some of my favourite lines from the book:

“.. group of people debating wether there was a difference between pro wrestling and the real housewives…”p20

“Apologies are always more about the giver than the receiver “p54

“You should remember to have some fun every once in a while.”p122

“…Needed and emotional connection with someone before any physical attraction…”p140(yes)

“Your handwriting is atrocious” p140 (I felt seen with this one)

“They know how hard it is for people from marginalized areas to get their foot in the door. Any door.”p150

“To hesitate in love is to suffer the passage of time like a slow needle piercing the skin”p201

“It was a dangerous knife edge they were dancing on.”p223
“You’re worth the wait.”p228

“My light shines enough for the both of us, for now. Pretty soon, you’ll start twinkling, too.”p243

“I’ve thought about this the most…..about your hands in my hair and your legs over my shoulders as I sucked the honey right out of your body”p268

“Consent is so fucking sexy”p308

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC for Xio’s next release Love On The Byline. Xio Axelrod is an instant buy author for me and this solidified everything. This comes out August 29th!!!

Blake, Oliver, & Brandon went to U of P together (my east coast peeps understand). This book is set after college and everyone is all grown up. Initially as expected I was NOT a fan of Bran and I didn’t understand Oliver at all. The chemistry between Blake and Oliver even years later was still there. So was Blake’s dislike for Bran even as a huge Hollywood star. This wasn’t a typical romance. There definitely was mystery and suspense which I’m hoping will continue to play out in the next book 😏 Bran was 1000% the BIGGEST supporter of Ollie and Blake’s potential relationship. “Ols would never say anything to you. He’d just pine in private like something out of Jane Austen.” 5/5 ⭐️ as usual for Xio.

I jumped at the opportunity to read Love on the Byline after having met Xio and listening to her speak at a signing and I’m so glad I was able to early read this title. This slow burn, second chance romance gives you insight into Hollywood and stardom, but more importantly into the importance of friendship. My favorite part of this story is the deep friendship between Bran and Ollie. Bran is a bit of a frat-boy, but he has a heart of gold. I absolutely adored how he pushed Ollie and Blake together whenever he had the chance. I also adored how Blake was written. She is strong, with high morals, and a deep need to do the right thing, but she’s not afraid to admit she is wrong and revise her opinions when she starts to really get to know Bran. I loved how they eventually became a team.

Blake moves to LA to become a serious journalist outside of her grandfather’s award winning shadow, but only lands a job writing about celebrity gossip. Barely paying the bills, she can’t afford to turn down an assignment, even when it’s the last thing she wants to do. When she shows up to do an exclusive interview with an up and coming action star, she reconnects with her old college crush and his obnoxious bestie, now moviestar. Ollie moved to LA to work and take care of Bran, his best friend who he owes so much to. Ollie is great at his job, but it’s not his life’s work. When Blake and Ollie meet again, their chemistry is immediately rekindled. However they must remain professional until the article that could make or break all their careers is written, even though giving into temptation would be so easy.

The evolution of each character and also the subplot made this a fascinating read. It's a slow build and a slow burn, but once all the pieces are in place, this story really takes off. I really enjoyed how Blake and Bran started to see eye to eye and also loved how Bran wasn’t the jerk he seemed at the beginning. I hope he gets a story of his own. This story is satisfying on many levels and let me say that when things heat up between Blake and Ollie, they really heat up. Something else I kept noticing time and again while reading is that Xio sneaks in many clever turns of phrase. This story is a beautifully written love story that also touches on some hard realities of being a woman and being a person of color. I truly hope to read more from Xio soon.

Xio Axelrod does not miss! I enjoyed this book a lot. It reminded me a lot like The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes, which is a favorite book of mine. The second chance, reunion of these former friends to lovers set aside the world of Hollywood was a great story and I really loved that Blake, the main character was a strong character that never backed down.

I was excited for this new release from Xio! It was a sweet, second chance love story. I liked the depth of Blake and Oliver. And they had a past. But now they had a chance to get to know each other once again. The chemistry between them was palpable and I enjoyed their journey. I found myself completely immersed in this story and I didn’t want to leave them behind!

I adored The Girl With Stars in Her Eyes, so I was excited to get an advanced copy of Love on the Byline. This story takes place in Los Angeles, Blake is a burgeoning journalist stuck on the Hollywood gossip beat; and Oliver is an executive assistant to his best friend, Bran, who has made a name for himself in action movies. They all attended the same college, Blake and Oliver were friends, but Oliver's relationship with Brandon put Blake off. Blake was assigned to write a profile on Brandon, where she meets Oliver once again.

Sparks quickly fly when they meet, but this is a slow burn romance. Xio Axelrod has such a lovely style of writing. It draws you in right away and you thoroughly enjoy getting to know the charming characters and their motivations. No gimmicks, just well-drawn characters and a fascinating plot. I really enjoyed diving into their worlds and seeing their personal growth. I can't wait to see what happens with this series!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Sooo if I’m honest I’m not often a fan of contemporary romance it takes a really good story to keep my interest. And since we are being honest I almost never like journalists in books I typically find them entitled and irritating. So why on earth did I read this book? Well I suppose the author... exceptions can always be made for a good book. Which this was I really like this book...

I loved Blake and Ollie and Bran and most of the people in the book. Great writing and a good story with very lovable characters... I liked this book a lot. The only thing I would say about it is Blake might have needed to let go of what she thought her career might look like based on what her grandfather’s was. There was no reason she couldn’t have stepped out of working at a job she hated by creating her own thing. People seem to do it all the time these days. Other than that dare I say this story was perfect? I can’t really say much else about it everything about it just worked and I loved it.

Now I think I should just go ahead and read all of the author’s other work because I’ve only got two of her books.

Love on the Byline by Xio Axelrod is a second chance, friends to lovers book that features my new book boyfriend one Mr. Oliver Benjamin.

I loved the tie-in to the characters in Camden and how Xio wove everything together. I also really liked getting to know Brandon because I knew he wasn't the douche he seemed to be. I'm ready for a book for him!

Blake, our other main character was great. Her love for her grandfather combined with her love of journalism was apparent throughout the story.
I can't wait to see where this series takes us. Many thanks to the author for an early copy.

Love on the Byline is out now wherever you buy books!

Oliver and Blake are former college best friends who meet again during Blake’s assignment to write a profile of rising star Brandon Cody. This reunion brings up all the unsaid emotions of their past and forces them both of their miscommunication and delivers a very sweet friends-to-lovers slow burn. Oliver is a great character and I loved how his personality balanced out Blake’s. Their relationships felt so natural and the slow burn payed off well. Oliver and Brandon’s friendship was a surprising joy to read about. These two cared about each other so much and it didn’t take away from the main relationship. Instead I felt it added to both their characters and it was a good tool to show how rash Blake could be, and gave her opportunity to grow.

I read and loved Xio's first book, The Girl With Stars in Her Eyes. So I jumped at the chance to get a copy of her newest release.

I love a good friends to lovers romance, and this book did not disappoint!

Blake, Oliver, and Brandon all met in college. Blake and Ollie had the chance at a relationship then, but circumstances made it so Blake and Ollie haven't spoken for five years. Now Bran is a famous actor, Ollie is his personal assistant, and Blake is a journalist tasked with writing an in-depth profile about Bran and using her free time to investigate a local talent agency and allegations against them.

I love that we get the backstory of Ollie and Bran's relationship and why they are so close. And I love that we get another side of Blake as she is working to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and really make a difference in the world of journalism.

I really enjoyed the writing throughout the story. And that there was more to the plot than just the second chance romance between Blake and Ollie. And the food. Ollie can cook for me any day.

I also love that Blake is so determined. She works hard to get what she wants. And that romantic build up. This is a slow burn romance in every sense of the word. But the payoff is worth it!

I think there is a great setup for book two as well! I would love another chance to hang out with these characters.

After reading The Girl With the Stars in Her Eyes, I've been waiting for another Xio Axelrod book. While this wasn't exactly the follow up I was looking for, I was super excited to be taken away to a little side world of Hollywood with some great characters.

Blake is our heroine and she is just downright amazing. I liked her toughness and tenacity she had, even while battling her own thoughts on what she was doing with her career. She is a journalist through and through and is following in grandfather's footsteps. But it's just taking a little different path. That path has her working with the gossip column of a newspaper that doesn't have the best reputation. But it's that newspaper that assigns her to an in depth look at an up and coming actor that she just so happened to know from her college days. But that isn't the best part. When she arrives to interview Bran, she also runs into his assistant Ollie who she also knew from her college days. It's a small small world. Will this unexpected job lead her to a second chance at a romance that should've been in college?

Byline was a fun, cute and interesting story that was not only about a forced proximity, slow burn, second chance, workplace sort of romance, but also 3 friends rekindling a friendship, as well as uncovering a darker story to Hollywood. I loved the story within the story and seeing the inner and outer workings of the "famous". I also loved seeing Blake and Ollie rebuild a friendship that they never got to fully form and work together, fighting those feelings.

Bran, the actor. Ollie, the assistant. Blake, the reporter. 3 players, 2 different types of relationships and 1 couple fighting their feelings until the job is complete. You can't help but fall in love with Blake and Ollie. Blake is such a strong presence within the story and I loved the way she really forged her way in her career. But it's Ollie that is the sweetest of men and a total cinnamon roll. His love language is all about caring for others and doing it almost too well. I couldn't help but fall for them as individuals AND as a couple. Bran, on the other hand took awhile to warm up to. He seemed to be used to getting what he wants, but as the story unravels more, we learn that not everything is at appears. Now, I'm excited to get his book in the future.

If you like a nice slow burn with great characters that have some great chemistry, Love on the Byline is an entertaining book that will capture you. I can't wait to get the next book in the series.

Ever since reading “The Girl with the Stars in Her Eyes” I’ve been waiting for a new release from Axelrod, and behold! She is here and she is stunning! “Love on the Byline” follows former college classmates and secret crushes as they reconnect five years later. Now, Blake is a cub reporter at a gossip magazine that she hates, and Oliver is the best friend turned personal assistant to her latest celebrity assignment: the arrogant Brandon Cody, who, on first appearances, doesn’t look like he’s changed much from when she last saw him. But, much like Axelrod’s previous release, our main cast of characters are filled with a surprising amount of depth, accomplish huge growth amidst interpersonal mysteries and secrets, oh, and have palpable tension and steamy encounters, all packed into a very smooth contemporary romance. Seriously, Axelrod is quickly becoming one of my auto-buy authors!

I’m always a sucker for friends-to-lovers and Axelrod does that so, so well. But what I loved about our MMC is just how soft he is. Oliver is kind of shy and a bit demisexual; it makes him a wonderful contrast to his best friend who is a super confident actor who delights in the casual fling. Oliver is sensitive, a writer who cares deeply for people and may be too much of a people-pleaser for his own good. His growth in this novel was one of my favorite things to witness. He and Brandon have a wonderfully complex and deep friendship but it is almost toxic in its codependency, and watching Oliver and Brandon come to terms with that and both grow from it was wonderful, and not something you see a lot when it comes to the male characters in a romance. So pitting the self-depreciating Oliver with the confident, nothing-will-stop-me-from-reaching-my-goals Blake was such a delicious pairing! The characters aren’t really opposites, for they had so much in common that neither had the chance to explore in college, so watching them reconnect helped give this novel smooth pacing throughout.

My only, minor, complaint about the story centers around some of the subplots. Blake’s side project was fascinating but got wrapped up, I felt, a bit too cleanly and was a bit unsatisfying of an “end” to me, but then again, I love true crime mysteries so that’s totally just a me issue. Hopefully the drama with Diamond Moon makes an appearance in later books in this series! It also takes Blake and Oliver awhile to get to that point where the tension between them is just too much to handle. I didn’t mind it but I know some romance readers may get frustrated if they don’t know that going into this book. But, all-in-all, I vastly enjoyed this story! And not just because Blake and I share a city and also a degree, either. Axelrod touches on so many topics outside of just the “when will these two get together?” story line that just tick so many boxes for me. Like the unique take of “the casting couch” we get in this story, so just be aware if that’s triggering, but I loved that it was included in order to make such a well-rounded story. So, of course, this is another 5 star read for me and I can’t wait for even more books by this author! And thanks to Milk & Cookies marketing for the eARC for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to review Love On The Byline by Xio Axelrod! This book was so funny, cute and kept me interested the entire time I was reading. I loved the "one that got away" vibes between Blake and Oliver and how they worked things out between them. I thought they were both witty characters and the storyline was unique and fun. I enjoyed the journalism component and definitely enjoyed the ending. I recommend this one!