I was originally drawn to this book because I love when books about movies, second chance romance and the author said this was her favorite book so far. I love a good rom com and was excited based on the premise. While I liked the scenes about on how a movie is made the romance was otherwise not for me. I didn't find that the couple was a good fit and found their “enemies” portion of the book immature and unnecessary. This may have been better balanced with a dual POV since we only see the FMC side of things.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!

I loved Falon Ballard's Just My Type last year and couldn't wait to get into Right on Cue which releases 2/27. Like Just My Type, we have another workplace romance, which can be difficult to finesse without crossing a line into harassing or creepy. But Ballard pulls it off! When Emmy can't find the right person to be the lead actress in the new movie she has written, she lets her best friend/director talk her into playing the lead role. But at the last minute her leading man is recast, and Grayson West, someone Emmy has every reason to hate, will now be playing the part. In order to make the chemistry work on camera, Grayson and Emmy have a lot to work out.

I enjoyed Right On Cue, but I didn't come away with the same excitement I did for Just My Type. I liked the characters, and the tension is quite steamy, but take away the expected tropes and there wasn't much more to it. The couple's adolescent bad blood is based in a miscommunication trope and teenage angst, but the third act fight I was hoping we could avoid was also based in miscommunication that could have been easily solved with a mature conversation. The two evolve so well into their relationship in the middle of the story that it was jarring to see them to revert back to not talking. I didn't buy it. It felt contrived and unnecessary. The set up as well was a bit too contrived for me to really get invested in the characters. It certainly is a fun romance with some cute scenes and some spicy moments, but I was hoping for a little bit more.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to NetGalley and G. P. Putnam's Sons for allowing me access to an e-ARC of this book.

4.5

me 🤝 celebrity romances

If there’s one thing about me you should know, it’s that I WILL read a celebrity romance. And I’ll probably love it.

“Don’t deny yourself something beautiful because you’re already thinking about what happens if it goes wrong.”

I absolutely DEVOURED this book. And I adored it. It had me giggling and squealing and kicking my feet. And the fact that they’re co-stars? Even better. I loved Emmy, Grayson and Emmy’s entire support system.

The tension!!! The chemistry!!! The insecurities!!! The enemies to lovers!!! Give me all of my favorite tropes!!!

This is everything I want in a romance: good plot, quick read, amazing chemistry, witty dialogue, heartfelt moments, and an okay third act breakup. It could have possibly been better, but all romances have them and I guessed early on that this was the direction it would go. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This is my first Falon Ballard novel and it definitely will not be my last. It was such a fun and enjoyable read… and it officially releases on the 27th!

And finally - thank you so much to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

No one is more sad than me to give this review. Especially after reading the author acknowledgements that this book was her favorite. I LOVED Lease on Love and really liked Just my Type but this one didn’t do it for me 😫💔 Grayson was literally so mean at the beginning of the book and Emmy had me screaming at the end. I don’t mind when a guy struggles with some self confidence but Grayson was extremely self conscious and I just couldn’t get over it 🫠

Thank you to Putnam books for the ARC! Review is also posted on my Goodreads

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
- Celebrity romance
- Enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- Co-stars
- Second chance

When casting a leading lady in her new production, Emmy Harper has no luck. Out of time and options, Emmy decides she will have to fill the role herself. Returning to acting after quitting over a decade ago is pressure enough, but when her leading man can no longer be in the film, Emmy is met with his replacement. The man Emmy blames for her short acting career, Grayson West. As these two past costars reconnect on the screen, the tension is thick. Can Emmy move past her hate for Grayson or will an unresolved past be the end of Emmy’s new production?

I flew through this book! If you are looking for a quick and spicy read this is for you. This is my first Falon BaIlard book and it will definitely not be my last! I think the best thing about this story was that it felt like you were keeping up with an upcoming movie coming out. I absolutely loved the media blurbs about Emmy and Grayson’s past as well as the upcoming movie. My one issue was the third act breakup because it did not feel necessary. I would have liked to see Emmy and Grayson face a different challenge because it came down to them having another miscommunication. Overall, these two were so easy to love and made me wish I could actually go see their movie! The chemistry between Emmy and Grayson was so enjoyable and I look forward to meeting more of Falon Ballard’s characters!


Thank you Falon Ballard and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this e-ARC! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

WOW! I can already say in February that this is going to be one of my favorite books of 2024! It was pure magic! This is my first book by the author and I can tell you right now that I will be devouring her backlist after this rom-com completely charmed me. I started this book at bedtime thinking I'd read a chapter or two, and all of a sudden it's 1AM and I'm finishing this book. I could NOT put it down. I wouldn't say this is a second chance romance, more like an enemies to lovers. While the main characters met on set when they were teenagers, they didn't really have a relationship back then. There are a few miscommunications in here, which was frustrating but worked well with the storyline. I liked both main characters and man, did they have chemistry! I couldn't get enough of these two. I finished the book absolutely giddy! I would definitely recommend especially to anyone who enjoys Hollywood romance.

this was such a fun read! i love how he annoyed her purposely on a regular basis, the tension was amazing and i just loved them together! i really enjoyed reading this and loved the writing! the only part i didnt like was the third act conflict. other than that i loved the fwb to lovers and how their relationship was paced. definitely recommend this one

This book was so fun to read! I honestly started it not loving the FMC, I found her attitude really annoying, at I was rooting for the MMC. Usually I find it the other way around, it is the MMC who is grumpy and rude. It was really interesting to have the roles switched. There were different tropes such as the miscommunication that I was not a fan of but honestly overall its a solid fun and enjoyable read! Grayson is adorable and I would like one immediately : )

Thank you netgalley for the ARC! The book comes out on Feb. 27 :)

3.5 rounded up!

Screenwriter Emmy is ready to roll on her new romance script when unexpected hiccups land her in the leading lady role, and her arch nemesis in the leading man spot. Will they be able to overcome their bad history, current miscommunication, and personal insecurities to land "Right on Cue" together?

This was a classic romantic comedy for me, with plenty of steamy scenes for those who enjoy such spicy content. The MMC was suitably hot, sweet and thoughtful, and the FMC was smart, capable yet vulnerable.

Some readers have problems with "miscommunication" tropes, and if you identify as such a reader this book is not for you. But anyone who has lived life in the real world understands that miscommunication (and avoiding communication) happens all the time. I’ve absolutely lived the miscommunication trope IRL so I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt for miscommunication being a major plot point in a romance novel such as this one.

4/5 stars, and thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Putnam, and Falon Ballard for the eARC. Right on Cue will be on sale February 27, 2024.

DNF at 42% ...I was originally drawn to this book because I love when book plots involve movies/actors/tv/etc and Right On Cue definitely delivered on that aspect. I loved getting to see behind the scenes on how a movie is made and an actor's thought process when filming. However, I didn't find that the couple was a good fit for me in terms of the tropes/relationships I tend to like in a romance novel. However, I do think this book will have a big audience. I also enjoyed the writing style and I would be interested in reading more from Falon Ballard in the future. Unfortunately, this was just not a fit for me personally.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc!

Right on Cue is my favorite Falon Ballard book yet. Emmy, our FMC, is a Hollywood writer of mostly romcoms, and she also happens to be the daughter of Hollywood royalty. She ends up being roped into playing the lead female character in her latest romcom, opposite Grayson, who was her co-star in the only other movie she ever acted in and, oops, also her enemy since then. At first, tensions fly on set, as Emmy can't act with positive feelings when she's in a scene with Grayson, and he can't act with any feelings at all with her. The director forces them in a room together to work out their issues, and, well, you know what happens when there's only one room.

I really liked watching Emmy and Grayson's relationship grow. At first, their bickering felt immature, since they were both holding on to a grudge from 15 years ago. But once they start opening up to each other, they're able to talk about their feelings from what happened the last time they were co-stars. There's a lot of pushing and pulling, not letting the other one and then relenting when they keep showing up, that made me feel really invested in their relationship. And the fact that they decide to be co-stars with benefits in Chapter 10.

The third act break-up in this one hurts, especially because it's based on miscommunication and not having all the facts, so I would have liked this better without that. BUT the rest of the book really stands on its own other than that. Right on Cue also gets points for grief rep, characters in their 30s, last names and nicknames as foreplay and love languages.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with an eARC of Right on Cue in exchange for my honest review.

If you are looking for a unique, fast paced, romantic comedy with spice, then Right on Cue is for you! I really enjoyed this story as I don’t recall reading a book where two old costars have to act together in a movie and their story plays out on set. This is enemies to lovers with second chance romance in a small town movie set. Emmy and Grayson had the jilted exes vibe but not actually exes. The sex scene in the movie had me hooked 🌶️

Grayson is such a good book boyfriend 😍 Emmy got on my nerves a bit with how she thought she was doing everything right. Warning for third act breakup and miscommunication trope but honestly I still enjoyed it because it didn’t linger.

I'm pretty sure I say this with every Falon Ballard book, but I was racing my kindle speed with this one.

Emmy is a screenwriter whose parents are essentially Hollywood royalty. When she gets cast in her latest screenplay and the leading man has to bail, his replacement is her mortal enemy Grayson West. He's a hot action star, his past with Emmy is less than ideal. Their animosity leads to tension on set, until it leads to another kind of tension. It was supposed to just be sex, but when it turns to more, can they put their own insecurities and pasts aside on the first take?

RIght on Cue was one of those books I didn't want to put down. Despite having never been on a movie set, I felt like I was right there with Emmy and Grayson. The tension between them is delicious, and despite miscommunication being one of my least favorite tropes, I think this was written in a realistic way!

*I received an advanced copy of this book for review. This review is my own opinion. Thanks to Netgalley, GP Putnam, and Falon Ballard for the ARC!

I feel like this book would’ve benefitted from being dual POV. I think we needed Grayson’s perspective to balance out Emmy’s. Their poor communication could have been softened if we knew what was going on in his head. Also I have to be honest I hated the 3rd act conflict, there was no reason for her to not give him the benefit of the doubt or at least have a conversation. It was a super frustrating plot point. Despite all of this I did enjoy the book, it was a quick and easy read. If you are a pop culture girlie you will enjoy this romance between costars with a dramatic past.

*I received the ARC for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

A fun cute rom com.

I’ve heard good things about Fallon and this was the first of her books I’ve read. I really enjoyed her writing style. It was loose and fun and flirty.

The pacing of the book was really good in my opinion. And I had a hard time putting it down. I also really love a good Hollywood romance

Emmy is a former actress turned romcom screenwriter, and finds herself returning to the big screen opposite the man who ruined her career years earlier.

I have mixed feelings on this one. I liked the story overall with the forced proximity on the movie set and watching their relationship transition from enemies to something more. But the story revolves around major miscommunication and I wish they would just actually talk to one another sooner. I enjoyed Emmy and Grayson once we saw their chemistry and they opened up about their insecurities, but the hot and cold attitude of overreacting to things or running away from their problems could be frustrating.

I'd still recommend it for fans of Hollywood romances — I ate it up in a day and it's a cute and fast story — and look forward to reading more from Ballard.

Thank you Putnam Books for my gifted copy!

A story of first love turned enemies who are given another chance. The main characters were perfect and the banter had me smiling. A sweet easy read rom-com with some spice. A writer decides to star in her own movie alongside her self claimed arch nemesis, How could there not be sparks and laughter? This book was a perfect weekend read.

A lighthearted rom-com novel with a rom-com film setting…sign me up! Emmy’s (screen writer starring in her own film), and Grayson’s (an actor-who I picture as one of the Hemsworth brothers), journey was super cute throughout this book, full of little moments of joy. I wished that Emmy had more of an open heart, some of her actions did have me saying “What are you thinking?!”. I appreciated that the author addressed being over 30 and still needing her mom (I do too! Those mothers always have good advice). I thought that the interviews/social media posts/gossip blog posts at the end of most chapters was a fun addition to further develop the small town rom-com film setting.
The cover: the clapperboard covering the actors cleverly references the type of trope depicted in this novel.

Well, wasn't this a nice surprise. First book from this author and I'm so glad I was able to read it. Loved Grayson and Emmy in this story, lots of chemistry, enjoyed the writing, backdrop and characters, and damn if the ending wasn't perfect. Liz and mom were great, Sam and Amanda were hysterical. Just a great book and I plan to read more from this author.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

This was a really cute romance! Emmy writes movies and ends up starring in her latest rom-com alongside her enemy, Grayson. They film the movie in the cutest little town. And the spice is excellent 😘😘 My only complaint is there was gosh darn miscommunication.

Pick this up if you like:
❤️ Enemies to lovers
❤️ Hallmark movies (but with spice)
❤️ Beautiful forearms

Thank you @netgalley and @putnambooks for the earc in exchange for my honest review!