This book was a surprise for me! The plot and the characters were so fun to read and watch as they grew throughout the story. I definitely recommend this book!

Thank you to Penguin Random House for this eARC! Carlyn has done it again, made me fall in love with this book while also stabbing me right in the chest. This book for PERSONAL and it hurt me so I am going to treasure it forever. and give it a place of HONOR on my shelf. Valeria's struggle with Anxiety is so devastating and so real. She and Maeve are such a good match because they challenged each other and Maeve isn't afraid to call Valeria out on her bullshit. I could just live in Carlyn Greenwald's books all day long, what an absolute talent.

"Director's Cut" by Carlyn Greenwald not only delivers a compelling narrative but also features charming and authentic main characters that readers can't help but root for. From the determined main character Valeria to her love interest the interesting and witty Maeve each character is expertly crafted with depth and nuance. Greenwald's attention to detail and keen understanding of human nature make the characters feel like real people, drawing readers deeper into their world and making their triumphs and tribulations all the more impactful. With its charming cast and authentic portrayal of navigating Hollywood and its ecosystem "Director's Cut" is a truly immersive reading experience.

I really enjoyed this book,
The main characters are Maeve and Valeria. Valeria is getting tired of the spotlight and decides to do a guest professorship at USC.
Maeve is the professor that Valeria will be working with. Maeve's first impression of Valeria is that she is not serious about the classes and not the right person for the job. Valeria senses that Maeve is not satisfied with her performance, so she switches gears that cause everything to change: Maeve's impression of her and the feelings between the two women.
Valeria wants to transition into academia for good, but a film she starred in and directed is being considered for Cannes. She is hopeful it will get in, but knows that Maeve is going to be observed that will determine the trajectory of her career. Leaving before then would not be good.
There are a lot of moving parts in this book that do resolve themselves by the end, but what a great read!
I would highly recommend.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this a 3.5⭐️ I liked that this combined the celebrity trope with academia. To me, that made this feel more grounded and I was able to connect with the romance more. As a fan of musicals, I found it very interesting reading about their lectures and film theory.

Val’s struggles with anxiety and her self-sabotaging behavior really resonated with me. I understood her motivations throughout even if reading about the miscommunication (or rather, lack of communication) felt drawn out.

I flew through this book and enjoyed how Val and Maeve’s relationship developed. I was craving a fun and fluffy sapphic romance and this definitely satisfied that want! I didn’t know this was part of an interconnected series and I may read Sizzle Reel when I want to spend more time with these characters.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the arc!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. I breezed though it. I loved Val. It took me a while for Maeve to grow on me but once she did i fell in love with her as well.

I loved learning both about Hollywood and the Academia worlds in this book. When they were teaching I felt like i was learning along with the students and I loved that. I did find it a little frustrating with the main communication between Val being able to talk to Maeve a little frustrating at times. I wanted it to move a little fast but overall I really enjoyed the book.

This was a light fun read that I think many will enjoy.

Fun, sexy, and a great mix of internal growth and outward change. Really enjoyed this one, and the added celebrity angle is always a bonus!

This book was hard for me to get into as someone who isn't big into film studies. I was lost on a lot of the topics of conversation and it made it really difficult to get through the book. About halfway was when the romance started and it became less about film and that's when I started to enjoy it more. I would say if you are into film, especially musicals, this book would be a good book for you and you could probably relate to the material more. I like the aspect of a celebrity with a non-celebrity and wish that had more development and had been a bigger focus of the book. I received an ARC copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to read one of my most looked forward to book of the year, Director’s Cut, and while it had a lot of potential it unfortunately all fell flat to me.

The book follows Valeria Sullivan as she moves from being a successful actress to a professor at USC, and Maeve Arko, her co-professor. I was excited as the concept of an actress having decided to give up her Hollywood fame sounded interesting, but unfortunately the writing was something I couldn’t get past.

I felt myself unable to connect with the characters and wishing that they were introduced in a better way. The storylines lacked in substance to me which was disappointing given how highly reviewed the book is.

I was lucky enough to be sent an eBook version of “Director’s Cut” by Carlyn Greenwald for my honest review. Thank you so much to the publisher, Vintage, and NetGalley!

If you’re intrigued by the glitz and glamour of Hollywood and relish peeking behind the curtain, this sapphic romance may be for you. After coming out as queer, Oscar-winning actress Valeria Sullivan’s struggles with lack of opportunities for new roles and transitioning from acting to directing. Initially, the amount of the story dedicated to digging into the intricate details of Val’s professional struggles slowed the narrative for me, but as the story unfolded, I appreciated the insights into her journey.

Val is hounded by the press, not about her upcoming directorial movie’s debut, recently earning her PhD, or current work, but about her love life, being queer after covering for so long, and answering the question of if she’ll go back to acting again.

Frustrated with the superficiality of Hollywood, Val takes a bold step. She accepts a guest teaching position at USC, hoping to reignite her neglected passion. It’s here that she meets and is smitten by her brilliant and beautiful co-professor, Maeve Arko, who treats Val with open distain and dismissal. I couldn’t understand how Val could remain drawn to someone who shows no interest in understanding her or treating her with at least respect.

I was ready to stop reading when Meave had a sudden, and jarring, personality transplant. Her newfound apologetic and thoughtful demeanor caught me off guard. While I appreciate the shift, I yearned for a more gradual evolution of their relationship. I was still not a fan of Meave. The absence of dual points of view (POV) is a missed opportunity at this point. Seeing the story through both Val and Meave’s eyes would have enriched the narrative, especially during the moments when sparks ignite between them. Also experiencing things from Meave’s perspective would have helped pull the story together and made it more believable.

As sparks begin to fly between them, Val has to navigate her new feelings for Meave while juggling her Hollywood dreams. However, the pacing feels erratic, and their relationship lacks the depth I crave. The inevitable conflict, thankfully short-lived, adds tension but was easily avoidable and didn’t add anything to the story. I found myself thinking about what I was going to read next far too often as I read.

While I wasn’t enamored with “Director’s Cut” I think the book offers a unique view of living in a world of fame but wanting more from life. You’ll find passion, romance, redemption, and second chances - and how those things can move and change us.

I encourage you to read and judge for yourself!

As a long-running LGBTQ entertainment journalist married to a film editor/film school nerd, I knew coming in to Director’s Cut that I was going to have to suspend my disbelief a little more than usual because The Way Things Work in Hollywood are never actually how they are in books. (Amy Spalding’s Out In Hollywood series is a majestic exception to this general rule.) I was right about part of that. The film school stuff was spot on. My wife looooves talking endlessly about diegetic music in film! But the Hollywood stuff did make me feel a little batty. Like hoping Star Trek will get picked up by a streamer when it’s one of Paramount Global’s landmark properties? Or that Star Trek TV remakes are redoing Captain Kirk stories! There’s all new captains on all new Star Treks now! And how rich Val would be from her pretty short career so far. She certainly wouldn’t be able to afford Bojack Horseman’s house!

But there was also a whole lot to really like about this book. The romance between Val and Maeve is sizzling, so real, and the build-up to them finally getting together is top notch. Their first two kisses before they finally hook up are some of the best I’ve read. Also, Val’s EXTREME anxiety is absolutely spot-on and relatable, and I love her best friend Charlie who really really gets it. Val’s personal journey makes sense as she tries to navigate Hollywood as an openly gay woman who wants to also be a director — but the execution is a little clunky. It really takes the full book for Val to know exactly what she wants to do with her career. The revelation doesn’t land as much as it should, though, because she’s been SO SURE already like six different times in the book.

What I really struggled with the most, though, was the way Val and Maeve talk about sex. I’ve never actually heard anyone in all my years of writing for the LGBTQ+ internet call it “bottoming” when talking about all forms of penetration. Also there is so much emphasis in this and Greenwald’s previous romance on penetration. It’s almost an obsession with these characters. Like, being penetrated doesn’t have anything to do with being a top or a bottom (or a switch) and those terms are so weirdly rigid for a modern conversation about queer sex. Also, the way Val approached having Maeve on top of her as “welp here we go” was so bizarre to me. You should not be having any kind of sex that makes you feel that way! I think this might bug me less if Greenwald’s last book didn’t have such weird views on the concept of virginity.

This was a light, fun read and I did laugh out loud a few times, but some of the choices about Hollywood/sex just didn’t land for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Vintage for the opportunity to read this book and provide an honest review.

DNF
tbh i didn’t realize that it went with a series so i was really confused for the 20% that i did read. it sounds like a great book and maybe i will revisit it when i read the first one but i keep on seeing mixed reviews and not sure if i want to put myself through it. thank you to the publisher and netgalley tho for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Going into this read I was super excited given that it was a Queer Romance with Hollywood as it's setting featuring two college professors.

Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me really quickly. I think the book had potential but the form it was executed in wasn't one that I found favorable.

For starters, I wish this romance would've been a dual POV, I think having both Val and Maeves POV could have done a lot for this book. It would have added much more dimension to the characters and their relationship. Having this book be strictly through Val's perspective, it was tough to understand the relationship that she and Maeve had.

I found myself having a hard time following the timing of this book because when the Val and Maeve meet for the first time. Val thinks Maeve dislikes her so they have this sort of "Disliking" relationship. This lasts up until about the 25-30% mark and next thing you know they like each other and are flirting and BAM! It's a serious relationship with commitments & "I love you's."

So in other words, this was a really fast paced romance more than what I normally would be comfortable with just given the lack of relationship foundation. I feel like they really didn't know each other much to enter a relationship so soon :/

My last point here is going to the conflict. I thought it was utterly unnecessary. The "conflict" was something that EASILY could have been solved with a dinner table conversation with one another. So the fact that they couldn't have such a simple conversation over the "conflict" arose some flags for me.

Despite my review, I had enjoyed the first 15% of the book and I really think this book could have had potential and benefited a lot more if we had Maeves POV. So in other words this book was moderately "ok" and pretty forgetful.

Carlyn Greenwald's Director's Cut is a charming and heartwarming story about a young actress who finds her true passion in life. At twenty-nine, Valeria Sullivan is a celebrated, award-winning actress. But when her acting options start to decline and her attempt to transition to directing is complicated by a bad interview on a late night show, Val decides she's had enough of Hollywood. Intent on pursuing a neglected passion, she pours herself into a guest professorship at USC, hoping to transition to academia fulltime. Valeria Sullivan is a complex and well-developed character. She is talented and driven, but also insecure and vulnerable. She is determined to succeed in her new career, but she is also afraid of failure. Greenwald does an excellent job of capturing Val's inner turmoil and making her relatable to readers. The supporting cast of characters is equally well-drawn. Maeve Arko, Val's co-professor, is a brilliant and beautiful woman who is initially dismissive of Val. However, as Val rises to the challenges of teaching, Maeve starts to soften, and soon sparks are flying. The relationship between Val and Maeve is believable and heartwarming. Greenwald's writing is sharp and witty. She has a knack for creating memorable characters and dialogue. The story moves quickly and there is never a dull moment. Director's Cut is a delightful and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of women's fiction, romantic comedy, and Hollywood stories. One of the strengths of the novel is Greenwald's exploration of the challenges that women face in Hollywood. Val is constantly being judged for her appearance and her age. She is also told that she is not a "real" actress because she has not had a leading role in a major motion picture. Greenwald's novel is a timely reminder of the sexism and ageism that still exist in the entertainment industry. Director's Cut is a well-written and entertaining novel that explores the challenges and rewards of pursuing a career in Hollywood. Greenwald's characters are well-developed and relatable, and her story is both heartwarming and thought-provoking. I highly recommend this novel to fans of women's fiction, romantic comedy, and Hollywood stories.

I wish I could give this book a higher rating but I just found it so boring that it made this book quite hard to get through. I understand some of Val’s struggles but they lead her to complain throughout 90% of the book. Maeve was fine I do wish we got her POV. The best part about this book was all the representation and diversity through all the characters.

Carlyn Greenwald's last book Sizzle Reel wasn't my fave and this one was kinda better. I thought the talks about anxiety and spiraling were so real and relatable. It did take me a while to get into it but overall it was a cute read that discussed important topics.

Director's Cut is my first novel by Carlyn Greenwald and what an wild ride it was. I really loved these characters and this story! I mean...sapphics on a tv show? HOOKED!

Easy Five Stars!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This follow-up to Sizzle Reel continues the story with Valeria "Val" Sullivan one year after her relationship with Luna. Having taken a break from Hollywood Val chooses to guest teach a semester at USC to try to combat her stress-induced anxiety. What she is not prepared for is falling for her co-teacher Maeve Arko.

This book takes a deep dive into the world of mental health through Val's thoughts. Her debilitating anxiety and spiraling thoughts keep her from making good decisions and figuring out what she wants for her future. It is a very honest depiction of anxiety and shows both healthy and destructive ways of handling it. Val has an excellent support system and is able to work through quite a bit throughout the book.

This book's famous/normie dynamic feels like it is mostly taking place in Val's head through her insecurities and past hurts. There are a few moments of adjustment for Maeve, but wholly this book is an exploration of a person accepting where they are at and pursuing the help they need to have a stable fulfilling life.

The romance is instant attraction from Val's perspective and I do wish the book had been written from both women's alternating perspectives because Maeve is adorable, but we don't know what she is thinking. I would have enjoyed seeing her thought process in some of the moments where Val is panicking in front of her.

Overall it is a good sapphic read and I think better than Sizzle Reel.

Lights, camera, action! Director's Cut delivers a rare glimpse behind the scenes with a Hollywood romance that feels refreshingly real. For any aspiring director or film buff, this book offers an engaging look at chasing your dreams while navigating love in the limelight. We get to see behind the metaphorical curtain on Hollywood romance with a behind-the-scenes look at life on a movie set. Please note, I haven’t read the prequel yet.

Though connected to the prequel, Sizzle Reel, Director's Cut stands on its own with a fresh storyline. At times, the inability for some characters to open up was frustrating! As someone who struggles with anxiety, I related all too well to Valeria's inner turmoil. Their path to resolution is bumpy but sincere.

Can't say a lot about this book.
It's a book to pass the time, forgettable. Sadly it just feels white and privileged.