I struggled in the beginning with its writing style so I paused reading this and then picked it up again! Unfortunately throughout the book, I struggled with the writing style.

I did enjoy the characters and how they connected so fast when they met at the bar. I also enjoyed the reverse age gap! It was cool to see behind the scenes of Hollywood because I haven’t seen a lot of books in that sort of setting.

This book is fast-paced, entertaining and hooks you up from the start. I love cinema and I can't help but love the fact that the book jumps into the subject right from the start. 

The plot was so dynamic and all the characters so interconnected that I read the book in one sitting. Anna and John were amazing. 💜 💜 💜

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙂𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮! 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬:

A bit of a slow start in my opinion, but once I got more into it, I slowly started to enjoy it more and more.
 
While I liked the dynamic that Anna and John initially had, it felt quite forced towards the end, which was disappointing to say the least, seeing as at the start it had a great buildup and I expected a little more from this couple.
 
At times, it felt very insta-lust/love, which I really didn’t care for at all. There’s things I would do differently, but above all else, this was a light, fun, and insanely sweet read!
 
~ 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀
Age gap (she's older)
Forbidden
He fell first (SWOON!!!)
Workplace romance

2.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

I was left disappointed in this book; seeing that it was based in Hollywood in a romance set, it initially caught my attention big time but it was not carried out. The chemistry was not there. I give it 2.5 stars because some parts were great and it was a cute easy read.

This was a fun quick read. I really enjoyed the age gap with an older female for a change. I would recommend this to anyone who is fascinated with how things work in Hollywood that also still wants a cute romance.

DNF

I'd recommend this book if you enjoy:
- Reverse age gap romance
- Workplace romance (Director x Actor/Screenwriter)
- Forced Proximity
- Slow Burn
- Friends to lovers (kind of)
- A short romance

This book follows Anna and some guy who meet in a bar one night and enjoy talking to each other. They obviously feel an attraction to each other but they kind of don't want that to get in the way of possibly working together.

The premise of this book sounded cute but I couldn't get into it. I know this was an age gap romance but they brought up so frequent;y that it became the thing that stopped their romantic thoughts for each other and it got irritating after a while.

Overall, I might give another one of the author's books a go but this one wasn't for me.

A fun escape of a read. The characters are well developed and it’s an engaging story. An entertaining diversion.

DNF at 33%. I wanted to click with these characters and this story, but I did not. Instead of forcing self to read it and letting it negatively impact my perspective on the book, I stopped reading because it wasn’t for me, but I am confident this book will find its audience elsewhere!

Thank you NetGalley for access to this book in exchange for an honest review :)
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was a cute and fun short read! I really loved how explosive their first meeting was and how they clicked so well! It was sad how John acted afterwords when he found out about her ex husband and who he was ( how did he know who she was and the exact movies she made but nothing at all about her famous ex husband?). Her ex husband by the way is evil! I’m really glad they managed to work things out with while working together. The whole deal with John’s movie was sad to see :( Tom’s terrible, but I’m glad both Anna and John were able to help each other out in the end, and despite their fight, were able to love each other honestly and have a happy ending :).

Much romance, little innovation

Evie Browning's latest, an age-gap romance between a down-on-her-luck film director and an aspiring screenwriter slash bartender slash actor slash AD is probably most firmly placed mid-shelf.

While Anna, a late-30s director struggling to pay her tab and get another job that does not make her want to drown her feelings in alcohol, is trying to break free from the hold her ex has on her career, early 20s screenwriter John is trying to get his first script made. But he also has a lot of demands and lofty aspirations. When they meet in a bar, their physical attraction is instantaneous, even if they do not quite get along on a personal level - mostly due to an unfortunate habit of not telling the truth, which both indulge in frequently over the course of the novel.

I have never read an age-gap romance before, though their gap in age was maybe less shocking (or less well written?) than what some might expect. The chemistry between the characters works, there is a whole host of quirky side kicks and secondary characters who get half a story arc, but I have big issues with the plot and the setting. Film sets are notoriously busy and as such make for little spare time. This book makes them look like vacation with your work laptop.
The plot twists, as well as the time jumps are sudden and it feels like the whole falling-in-love part is not fleshed out. Many things feel rushed, especially when it comes to characters' decision-making processes and dropping of plot twists.
I did not like the antagonist, fair enough, but he seemed to be a bit of a caricature rather than a decently motivated villain.
I think overall Evie Browning has a superficial, romantic idea of how film production works but skimped a bit on the research.

If you enjoy spicy romance, alternative work settings (no offices!) and a villain you can only hate, this book is for you!

I'd like to start by thanking Netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review.

I felt that "Reel Love" had potential, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. One thing I noticed right away is that the FMC is actually older than the MC. The cover is really lovely, and I was hoping for a nice, cute romance. Also, this eARC copy had some pretty obvious errors (in around 80% of the book) that should have been picked up during editing. Hopefully that'll all be sorted in time for the final version.

Anna, the film director facing career challenges, could have been an inspiring lead character, but she often seemed insecure and passive, which was disappointing. I enjoyed the insights into the Hollywood film industry, especially the parts where Anna directed a film. These moments showed her at her best – she was confident and professional, which was very different to her personal life. Her friendships were also a highlight, adding some much-needed warmth to the story. There are still a few things that I'm not sure about, like what really happened between her and her ex-husband and so on. She came across as a victim quite a few times, but didn't do much to show her relationship with her ex-husband, who did some shady things (it was still unclear what exactly happened there). I thought her interactions with John, who's trying to make it as a screenplay writer, were cute, but I was hoping for more emotional depth. There was never really a spark between them, and the tension felt forced.

As others have already said, the pacing wasn't ideal. The story was a bit slow at the start, and I wasn't fully invested in their romance by the time things picked up. I even wondered at the beginning if this was the right book (it took about 20% until everything improved).

Overall, the book had a few sweet moments, but overall I felt it lacked a certain spark, and I was left wanting more from the characters and the story.

#ReelLoveAstandaloneagegapworkplaceromanticcomedy #NetGalley.

This is a cute, quick read. I love a reverse age gap, he falls first romance. I enjoyed the FMC being a director in a male dominated career.

The book did move a bit too slow for me. I’m not sure if it was too much industry talk or too many characters, but I found myself wanting the MCs to interact more.

I also don’t love 3rd party POV, it made it a bit hard to connect with the characters.

Tha is so much for the copy! Although this was such a cute description, I could not get into this story and it was a Do not Finish for me. Appreciate the chance to read this one.

If you’re into witty banter, the chaotic charm of Hollywood, and slow-burn romance, Reel Love by Evie Browning is a must-add to your TBR list!

The story kicks off with Anna, a thirty-something director whose career has taken a nosedive, and John, a scrappy, twenty-something screenwriter who’s doing more bartending than writing these days. They’re both stuck in LA’s gig economy, and after an accidental, seriously sizzling hookup, things get interesting—and hilariously complicated. When they find out they’re teaming up to rescue a film production in shambles, let’s just say the "fun" really begins.

What makes Reel Love stand out is the chemistry. Anna and John are pure fire. Anna is feisty and fiercely independent, and John’s hopelessly smitten and awkwardly charming. The “he fell first” trope here is perfection, and the “enemies-to-lovers” arc brings all the slow-burn deliciousness without veering into angst.

With plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, including on-set shenanigans, awkward run-ins, and just the right dash of emotional depth, Browning crafts a rom-com that’s refreshingly clever and swoon-worthy. You’ll root for these two messes from page one, even when they’re bickering or driving each other up the wall.

Final verdict? It’s a light-hearted escape and a total love letter to the messiness of finding romance while trying to keep a career afloat. Whether you’re a rom-com fan or just looking for a heartwarming, easy read, Reel Love delivers all the feels with a side of Hollywood chaos.

Pretty cute romance, i love the tension and especially the drama. Celebrity romances have somehow found their way into my heart, so this was pretty fun. I cannot exactly put into words how i feel, but i think i felt like something was missing, though i dont know what exactly. I wish i could explain it better.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

I like indie books and it was cute! There wasn’t much that was spectacular with it, but it worked. Anna was fine. John was fine. The plot was fine. Probably won’t remember it much but it was a quick read.

Reel Love was a bit of a letdown for me. I was super excited to read a novel that had an age gap between an older woman and younger man, but their romance fell flat. The characters needed to be more fleshed out, and it just didn't hold my attention.

Reel Love tells the story of John Mills, an actor and screenwriter tired of being seen only as a “pretty face,” and Anna Kovác, a filmmaker struggling to get her life and career back on track. They share onscreen chemistry, and offscreen, in the midst of the organized chaos of a film being shot in Rome, their connection deepens. However, they cannot live happily ever after just yet—not with the industry pressures of Hollywood, Anna’s scheming ex-husband, and most importantly, the undeniable attraction between them.

The reasons I picked up this book are the Hollywood setting and the reverse age gap, and I’m glad I did. I have recently developed a love for books set in Hollywood for some reason.

The details about how the set and filming process work enhanced the realism of the narrative for me, making the story more vivid and visual. It was fun to explore the less glamorous aspects of moviemaking with Anna and John. From the beginning, Anna and John's chemistry was palpable. I enjoyed how, as they collaborated, their relationship evolved from a casual acquaintance into something deeper.

The use of the reverse age gap trope was intriguing, with Anna, the older and more experienced director, caught between her personal desires and professional caution. The story also thoughtfully explored the double standards women face in Hollywood, as Anna navigated ageism, sexism, and criticism for dating a younger man. It prompts reflection on the double standards that women encounter in everyday life.

John's support during these challenges highlighted his character and made him a compelling romantic partner. It was easy to root for him.

There wasn’t much spice in this book, which is just how I prefer it, so I absolutely adored it. Anyone looking for a cute and fun read should look no further than Reel Love!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed the story—it was a charming and heartwarming romance with likable characters. However, while it was delightful, I felt that it didn't go beyond being a light and simple love story.

I wanted very badly to like this book. The premise is promising with a down on her luck protagonist working in Hollywood trying to claw back to the top and make a name for herself. That said, the writing does much more telling than showing. It got distracting at a certain point and I wasn't able to connect with the characters as a result. It's unfortunate because I think this book probably had something interesting to say but the writing took me out of it.