ARC review, book provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

This book has everything I quite enjoy in romance, banter, strong characters, a cool setting, and different points of view.

Cali is a new female director who has a lot to prove. In a predominantly male industry, this new job will make or break her career.
Jory is the film producer, who has seen many directors come and go. He's set in his way of doing things and doesn't like to take risks. After years of thinking he can be better than the directors he works with, he wants that position himself.

I really enjoyed the banter with these 2, especially when, in the end, it resulted in amazing shot scenes.

I liked the background story of both of them individually, thought very different type of trauma, trauma is trauma and presents differently to everyone.

I enjoyed the representation of sexual harassment in the workplace, especially the film industry. Although some scenes by the actors from the film left a lot to be desired, things in the end didn't really compute.

Jory attitude was also a bit weird, they are both set in their rules of no workplace involvements, but (after a steamy kiss), Cali saying no more, one and done, he's like oh were on baby! Doesn't compute!
Anyway, was still a fun and easy read, would recommend.

This is the story of Cali and Jory, a new director getting a shot at a great opportunity and a well-established director of photography. They clash, but they’re attracted to each other and working on set with their relationship constantly in flux makes life tough for everyone else. I enjoy a romance that has more background story than just the mushy parts. This book had that, but I often wondered if the author was trying to do too much here. Both main characters have personal trauma that holds them back from opening up to others, but workplace misogyny, patriarchy, the MeToo movement are also brought in as an extra layer. Then there were the other relationships at play as well: Cali’s sister, Jory’s dad, other cast and crew members. For how much this story tried to tackle, the plot was pretty thin. The story resolves itself extremely quickly given how much of the timeline is dedicated to creating layers and layers of tension between all of the characters. Overall, it was fine.
I’ll give it a solid 3 stars.

The story follows Cali Daniels, a talented but a rookie director hired to film a steamy episode for a TV show. Alongside her is Jory, a renowned director of photography. From the start, their professional relationship is rocky, filled with frustrations and misunderstandings, but there's an undeniable attraction between them.

Set against the backdrop of TV sets, the narrative unfolds over a few intense weeks. Despite the tension, both Cali and Jory grapple with their growing feelings for each other. Will they confront these emotions and take a leap into something more?

While the story touches upon significant themes such as workplace harassment, gender discrimination, and personal health challenges, it does so in a hurried manner, leaving some topics feeling underdeveloped. I appreciated the author trying to be more inclusive but, it felt forced rather than integrated into the plot.

Unfortunately, I found it hard to connect with the characters, and the chemistry between the leads felt lacking. I also felt like I was dropped into the middle of the story without enough context, making it difficult to fully engage with their journey.

Overall, while the premise held promise, the execution left me wanting more depth. This book might appeal to those looking for a quick read, workplace romance with a backdrop of behind-the-scenes drama, but it wasn't quite my cup of tea.

Thank you @netgalley and @alcovepress for the ARC

A fun, romantic romp that checks all the boxes. Whilst not necessarily revolutionising the romance genre, it definitely offers a warm winter romance for all looking for it.

The chapters were amazing and it kept me engaged till the very end. The plotline not only focused the romance and sparks between our protagonists but also emphasized on their individual being which made this book more wonderful. This one was such a fun and quick read 😁 I love to read quick easy breezy and romcom so this came in the perfect time 🤩💅

Both the characters were brilliantly penned down plus the plotline 🤌✨💫 I loved it. I had a great time reading this one.

"Love, Camera, Action" di Noel Stark è una commedia romantica che esplora la dinamica "nemici-amanti" sul set di una serie televisiva. La storia segue Cali Daniels, una giovane regista determinata a farsi strada nell'industria televisiva, e Jory Blair, un esperto direttore della fotografia con cui si scontra fin da subito. Sebbene la tensione professionale tra i due sfoci rapidamente in una chimica irresistibile, il romanzo si sofferma molto sulla descrizione del loro lavoro e delle dinamiche dietro le quinte.

Ho apprezzato in questo libro, l'evoluzione dei protagonisti e i dialoghi ricchi di battute brillanti. Tuttavia, personalmente ho trovato la prima parte un po' lenta. L'autrice dedica troppo spazio alla descrizione tecnica del lavoro dei personaggi, che rallenta la narrazione. Avrei preferito che queste spiegazioni fossero integrate più fluidamente nel corso della storia, piuttosto che essere concentrate all'inizio.

Nota positiva è vedere una donna all'interno dell'industria cinematografica, ambiente prettamente maschile.

Inoltre, il livello di inglese utilizzato era leggermente avanzato per le mie capacità di comprensione, il che ha reso alcune parti del libro più impegnative da seguire.

This book started off slow for me and was hard to get into. I am one who likes to be engaged form the first chapter or two. I loved the idea of this book and thought I would enjoy it and I did! It's a cute story.

Cali is an up-and-coming director who was hired to replace the last one, who was fired after sexual assault accusations. She faces the challenge of coming in partway through a project as a female director (rare!) and establishing rapport with both the crew and actors. Jory, the grumpy hot director of photography (DP), starts as being resistant to Cali's unique methods of getting a good shot. But as the two spend more and more time together, they realize that there is a stronger connection that lies between them. A health scare and a visitor from the past challenges their relationship, but it is Jory who realizes what is needed to get the perfect shot: them together.

This was a super cute read that left me full of emotions. I laughed, cried, and burned over the love scenes. The beginning was slow, but necessary to create the slow burn between the love interests. Noel Stark's debut novel is gold. It is a film-centered, enemies-to-lovers romance to leave readers with all the 'feels.'

I kind of went into this one blind, I read the blurb and thought it sounded like a spicy romance idea. But actually this was so much more than I expected.

First off I’m a creative so I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the detailed writing from behind the scenes of making a TV series. It clearly comes with not just experience in this area, but a true love of the craft, and I really felt that came through in the writing.

The character development was great, without going into huge detail we still got a really good understanding of why Jory and Cali had their reservations about love. With Jory starting out as Cali’s almost idol who she’s loved watching his work, to quickly becoming work rivals. There was good banter and build up to their story beginning.

It was a delight to read. And although they started on a film set for a raunchy show, this book was more about love, grief, connection and relationship than the spice and actually, I felt it was the perfect mix.

Loved the emphasis on females roles in the film industry and how the me too movement has impacted that and shone a light on the “boys club” mentalities.

Shocked that this is a debut novel, really looking forward to seeing more from this author.

This was an ARC thanks to NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The tea ☕️

🤩 - idol to rival to lovers
🎬 - behind the scenes
1️⃣ - one time
🚫 - co-workers
🌶️ - 1.5/5

Thank you to Ntegalley for an ARC copy of this book.

This wasn’t like anything I’ve ever read before which is a really good thing - I loved how driven both our characters were to excel in their career.

Now we have a strong but damaged FMC and a MMC with some serious health issues (trigger warning alot of discussion of parental death). These broken people need to work through their issues or blow up their dreams because they can’t keep their hands to themselves.

It was a fun, funny and often heartbreaking story - I cried! Overall it made me feel all the feels

My only critique is some supporting characters felt like plot devices only which I dislike but incredible for a first book!

In “Love, Camera, Action,” we follow the journey of Cali Daniels, an up-and-coming TV director who is determined to make her mark in the film and television industry. She has been given a significant opportunity to direct a highly anticipated steamy episode of the popular series “The Demon.” This job represents her chance to elevate her career, and she is ready to utilize her hard-knocks experience and creativity to deliver an outstanding show.

This novel is tailored for fans of romantic comedies and features themes of enemies-to-lovers dynamics within a workplace setting. It gives a blend of humor, romance, and emotional depth that will resonate with readers who enjoy stories similar to those by Ava Wilder and Tessa Bailey.

I did not love this book as much as I thought I would. It appeared to start off very slow and was hard for me to get into. Despite that, the main characters were easy to fall in love with and I enjoyed the premise as well as the enemies-to-lovers troupe that made me keep turning the pages. I also learned a lot about the movie industry that I was previously blind to. I loved seeing a feminine heroine working hard to be at the top of a male-dominated industry.

Great story about two people working on movies. The woman is qualified to stage sex scenes! Ah! Spicy parts, too. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was an ARC from NetGalley. The good, this was a light easy by-the-book romance. It was a quick read, that was entertaining enough. The opportunities, this book jumps right into the banter and will they, won't they. It could have used more character development on the front end to get more invested in the story. Due to this, the book felt a bit long. The end was a bit chaotic, and the last challenge to their relationship felt a bit forced. Overall, okay but nothing memorable.#netgalley #lovecameraaction #romance #feminism

3 stars

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an early read in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were well written and the story was really well paced. I enjoyed seeing the different sides of both characters and seeing how they both worked together throughout the book. The one thing I disliked was the third act conflict between Jory and Cali, as I personally believed it was more obvious how they felt for each other and that it would all be resolved. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and the whole director and tv show experience.

This was a cute story, steamy for sure, but nothing extraordinary about it. I enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It teeters on the edge of spicy rom-com (there is spice and banter), but it's also a book about what women experience in misogynistic work environments. This one takes place in the TV/Movie filming industry with the FMC being a woman relatively new to the industry, Cali brought in to direct a steamy episode of a TV drama, and a well respected Director of Photography, Jory. There are clashes in ideas and methods, family issues and traumas on both sides, and steamy attraction between the two.

It showcased the industry, and I always enjoy reading about new experiences that I did not know enough about, and was obviously told from the perspective of someone with true life experiences in the field. It also showed how standing behind someone, whether it's the actors, behind the scenes workers, or your rivals, can bring about change and admiration.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

This book was so cute! The story was very well written and it was such a lite and fluffy book. But still had great tension as well.

Enemies to lovers
Workplace romance
On set directors x director of photog

Jory and Cali met on Calis first day of set and immediately had sexual tension. Will they won't they. Throw in some dramatic actors and higher ups and some on site fighting. A health scare and and you have love, camera, action.


Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

I enjoyed this book. I thought that it was a really interesting plot for a romance book, one that I haven't seen done very often which was refreshing. I enjoyed the characters a lot. I loved how we got to see Cali and Jory grow together throughout the book. I always love when characters have a good personal arc. I did though feel as though some of the pacing of the novel was not the best. I found myself struggling to push through some parts. Otherwise I thought this was a great book!