Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

Solid romance story with interesting characters and premise. Nothing unexpected but not in a bad way, just in a respectful ode to the romance genre. My favorite parts of the book are the self-aware bits. It’s a bit meta to write a book about a romance writer and that was my favorite part about it.

Only complaints are that the focus on sex is a little too much and on predictability, I would’ve loved a twist that I couldn’t see coming or a more complex discussion of the mistakes they both made in the relationship. But beyond that it was a very easy and light romance read that’s perfect for the end of winter weather.

Right on Cue was a perfect spicy romcom. Emphasis on the spicy! I loved the character development and the enemies to lover trope. Fingers crossed there is a sequel because I can't get enough of Emmy and Grayson!

Oh boy! I love this sweet, hot, entertaining, and sentimental romance so much that I'm mad at myself for finishing it too quickly! I even went back to reread my favorite intimate moments between Emmy and Grayson! I've read previous works by Falon Ballard, and so far, this is my favorite book of hers. It reminded me of Ava Wilder's "Will they or won't they" combined with Bridget Morrissey's "Love Scenes," featuring sizzling chemistry and the enemies-to-lovers trope! The scorching and pant-meltingly intense chemistry that sets the chapters on fire is undeniable and palpable, making your reading experience all the more enjoyable!

The story revolves around Emery Harper, the golden child of a Hollywood power couple and an Oscar-winning screenplay writer known for her meaningful dramas dedicated to her recently deceased father. After receiving an award that prompts her to shift genres towards more dramatic twists, she finally writes another romcom, entrusting it to her best friend Liz, who sits in the director's chair. Pressured by investors and her best friend director, Emery decides to take on the leading role, facing her fears head-on. She takes this risk after being shunned for her disastrous debut role at the age of fifteen, thanks to her co-star Grayson West, who publicly called their kiss the worst he'd ever had, leading to a social media storm that tarnished her reputation at a young age. Now, Emery is determined to move on from that humiliating moment and her co-star, who crushed her childhood dreams. However, an unexpected accident lands her back on set with her longtime arch-nemesis. Grayson West is cast as her love interest, and instead of wanting to punch him in the face and wipe the smug smile off his face, Emery has to act like she's in love with him, requiring an Oscar-worthy performance akin to Meryl Streep's, which she's not sure she's capable of. Grayson is equally apprehensive about playing opposite her, knowing she despises him and has no respect for his abilities. His insecurities as an action star with a reputation for lacking emotional depth in his roles and getting cast primarily for his looks affect his performance.

Can they convincingly portray lovebirds despite their longstanding animosity and the underlying sexual tension that escalates each day on set? What if they decide to become friends with benefits to alleviate the high tension for the sake of the movie? Their intentions are strictly professional, or are they? As the bedroom tension intensifies, could it lead to something more intimate? Are they prepared to risk their hearts for the sake of the production?

Overall, despite my dislike for the unnecessary angst that led to heartbreak in the third act, I enjoyed the characters, their genuine communication that helped them open up about their insecurities, and their sizzling compatibility. I had so much fun reading this book, and I easily connected with Grayson and Emery's love story, which compels me to round up my 4.5 stars to a glowing 5, like the stars of a romance movie!

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/ G. P. Putnam's Sons for providing me with this addictive read's digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I absolutely LOVED Lease on Love and Just My Type, so I had super high hopes for this one! Unfortunately, this missed the mark for me. I feel like some people will love it, but I didn’t love the miscommunication at the end. Maybe celebrity romances are just not for me! I have yet to read one I’ve loved. It just seemed very predictable to me.

Emmy, an actress/screenwriter finds herself acting once more. Her costar is none other than her sworn enemy and rival, Grayson West. She blames him for putting an early end to her acting career, while he has since flourished and is a big time star. They are forced to get along in order to save the movie. Sparks fly, making them question everything!

This story!! These characters!! Emmy and Grayson are too cute but also hot!! I enjoyed the pacing of this book and making the movie. The enemies to costars with benefits to lovers made perfect sense.

The intimacy scenes at the beginning were everything!! I love how Falon gave us more spicy scenes this book.

As the reader I can really tell the author enjoyed writing this book. It radiates from the pages. It was so fun to read. I can’t wait to suggest it to friends and patrons.

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. It reminded me of a hallmark movie in the best way possible (I LIVE for them). Maybe it’s because it took place on set of a rom com.

Either way this enemies to lovers was beautifully done. The little gossip blog highlights after chapters were my FAVORITE.

This is the first book in awhile that actually felt relatable in some way as far as the relationship went.

“F the haters, you’re never too old to need your mom” 🥹🥲

Spice level 2, but extremely well done.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book! My reviewing & platforms information is linked in my profile.

Brief Synopsis:

Hollywood darling Emmy Harper is considered the queen of writing romantic comedies. That is, until tragedy struck and she swore she’d never write another happy ending again. After some time away and lots of encouragement, Emmy is finally ready to dive back into the genre with her latest project. But more is riding on this movie than just her return to the big screen. This time, Emmy has also been convinced to star as the lead, dusting off acting skills she hasn’t used in over a decade.

Emmy is nervous, yet excited, to give performing another shot, until a last-minute injury benches her trusted co-star. With filming about to start, there is only one other actor available: Grayson West. A blockbuster action star known for his mega-watt smile and impossible abs, Grayson is anyone’s dream. Anyone except Emmy, who still blames him for the early end to her acting career.

As filming begins, the friction between Emmy and Grayson is palpable. The two are pushed to get their acts together—and quickly—or they risk tanking the entire movie. If working things out leads to chemistry on screen, what might happen when the cameras stop rolling?

Thoughts:

Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for providing me with the opportunity to read the ARC for Right on Cue, Falon Ballard’s new rom-com due out on February 27, 2024.

This is such a well-written, entertaining story. Emmy is quite a spitfire, so I enjoyed following her through her chaotic, movie-centric life. The banter between Emmy and “Grayson f*cking West” is enjoyable, perhaps especially because of the characters’ chilly start and miscommunications. The story’s settings are charming and its cast of characters are interesting. My only complaint is that I would have loved for Emmy to experience a bit more personal growth.

This is a great book to watch for next year as you plan your TBR. I will definitely be checking out more of this author’s books!

I really enjoyed her other two novels. Sadly, this one missed the mark for me. The concept is great and the twist at the end was a good one. I just felt like the characters lacked so much depth. Like couldn’t we have had a scene where they go visit Grayson’s family and make amends? Or his dad shows up to the premiere and they make amends? And everything was so surface-level for both characters. I wanted more with Emmy’s connection to her dad and they way she struggled in the industry. I just kinda wanted more this whole book. The “enemies-to-lovers” plot line felt very childish. Which is fun at times, but it wasn’t portrayed very well. You have to mix the fun with the sincere. I’m a lil disappointed that this one was just kinda mid

I honestly loved this book. I felt like the drama between the two characters was handled very well, the tension of working on set was interesting, and the main female character was portrayed interestingly. Often I feel as though the female MC can be very stagnant, but Emmy was very well written. From her Nepo-baby status being addressed in a satisfying way to her relationship with Grayson, I was never not rooting for her. The scenes that took place on set were always very well-explained so people not familiar with the film industry will have an easy time following along. Overall, I am super excited to read this again!

I hate to say it because I have really enjoyed all of Fallons previous books but this one just didn't do it for me.

I felt so detached from the characters and overall the book felt really cliche but not even in the trope-y way you can really lean into and appreciate with romance books. This book was a bit like a lifetime movie where during the read you're like "this is fine" but as soon as its over you forget every aspect of what happened.

I loved Falon Ballard’s last book and was so excited for this one and did it enjoy it for the most
part! One of the areas I felt this book was lacking was the emotional depth with the characters. It all felt a bit rushed and quick at time, which can work for some books, but after reading her last book, I know there was potential for a little bit more here.

like every other one of Falon Ballard’s books, I F L E W through this book in one day.

Emmy Harper is stepping back into the spotlight for the first time in 10 years, only for her leading man to be the very reason she quit acting in the first place. Grayson West, sexiest man of the year and well known action star, is not supposed to be acting in a rom-com, but especially not in Emmy’s rom-com. there’s tension, there’s enemies to lovers, and there’s costars with benefits— but can a Hollywood couple really make it when the cameras stop rolling??

I love books set in the Hollywood world, and was ecstatic to get an advanced copy of this book. I did find Emmy getting on my nerves a time or two (open your eyes, sister!!), and I’ve never been a fan of the miscommunication trope, but I still found myself really enjoying this book!! a big thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for the advanced copy!

READ IF you love:
✨ hollywood romance
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ quaint inns with a fireplace
✨ falling in love while ice

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Right on Cue follows Emmy Harper who is a writer, and she finds herself reluctantly having to be an actor in her own movie. She is not thrilled for this opportunity when she is still scarred from her first acting gig that was years ago. However, when she arrives at the set location, she finds it charming and begins to get excited. That doesn't last long. Not at all when she literally collides with Grayson West in the entrance. The one who is responsible for her first acting gig going so horribly wrong. Why is he on the set? Oh, because somehow on the last minute he was cast to be her co-star in this Romcom. Emmy and Grayson have to work together shooting scenes, some intimate scenes, while loathing one another. Will they be able to set their past aside and finish the movie? Or will the movie have to be scrapped because they simply can't?

I enjoyed this read, but I wouldn't say it is a favorite of Falon's. I really liked the location of the story, the component of enemies to lovers, and the adorable ice-skating scene. However, I just felt as though something were missing. I find that some of the characters were underdeveloped, and there was miscommunication involved. which is my least favorite trope. Set those aside, it was a good read, and I would recommend it!

Falon Ballard is an auto-buy author for me, so I was so excited when I received this ARC. This book wasn't a favorite of hers for me, but that's okay. She dedicated this book as her "heart-book", and I am so happy for her in doing so. I will still continue to buy any book she creates!

This review is posted to my Goodreads account on 9/10/2023, and it will be posted to my Bookstagram account on 9/12/2023.

Yes! This book was so good! It was easy to read and the dialogue between the characters were good. I think in the beginning it caught me a little off guard but once you continue it, it’s good! I liked the characters and the balance between romance and self discovery in this book. Would recommend! Bravo!

"Right on Cue" was a fun and quick read for me. Light and cute, Emmy & Grayson pulled me out of a reading funk and had me feeling ready for cozy winter weather. I enjoy Falon Ballard's writing style and this was just what I was craving at the time: an enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, he-fell-first, everyone-sees-it-but-then romance. I am rarely a fan of the miscommunication trope but at least the drama wasn't too drawn out and I knew that HEA was right around the corner. As Emmy's mama says, "Love is only complicated when we make it complicated." If you're looking for a pretty lighthearted Hollywood romcom in book form, put this one on your TBR for February 2024!

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy in exchanged for my honest feedback.

Genuinely surprised at the quality here. Even at their weakest points, Ballard's two previous books were still filled with humor and chemistry. This book didn't have any of that.

Overall this book was good, but not great. I was a big fan of Falon Ballard's other books (Lease on Love and Just My Type) so I had relatively high hopes for this one.

Some things I liked:
-I enjoyed the small-town scenes and the descriptions of the inn and the town
-Grayson was very charming and I enjoyed him trying to break out of his himbo reputation
-The makeup artist and hair stylist were both great and provided both good advice and comedy
-The behind the scenes type descriptions of filming the movie were also fun while still moving the story along

Some things I didn't like:
-This book is just one big ol' miscommunication trope, so if you're not into that this might not be the book for you
-A lot of parts just felt really rushed, especially the third-act resolution
-The backstories (especially Emmy's) weren't really fleshed out. I didn't get a good sense of why the characters acted the way they did
-Emmy was constantly jumping to conclusions and not letting people explain themselves and there wasn't a whole lot of character development on her part
-Honestly, not a lot happened

All in all, I don't think this was a bad book by any means. There were a lot of scenes where the mc's had great chemistry and I thought it was a cute, easy read, it just didn't stand out to me, especially compared to Ballard's previous books

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for another winner from Falon Ballard! It was adorable, spicy, and heartwarming! I flew through this book in a day it was so good! It had a charming plot and extremely likable characters from the leads Emmy and Grayson to the mom, best friend, and even Sam the makeup sylist! It was funny and touching. I loved how every character and setting had charm and felt cozy.
Once again another 5 star from Falon Ballard! I highly recommend this book along with her others!

Love the plot and dynamics of the characters. Being an ARC read, this is definitely a fast read and very enjoyable! The writing style was really good and no part of the book was boring at all. The copy was a little hard to read on the kindle, but other than that, cannot wait for the book to be released!