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.

This was a fun & heartwarming rom-com that I really couldn't put down from the moment I opened it up. I loved Anna & John's meet-cute - it set the stage perfectly. There was so much tension between them, and their slow burn was done so well. Their banter was hilarious.

It was not my favorite but I get the story and it was a bit low pace, I still liked it but I think it should have been better.. The reverse age gap maybe is not for everyone for me it was okay..

"Reel Love" is a charming and hilarious age-gap workplace rom-com that follows the whirlwind relationship between down-on-her-luck director Anna Kovacs and aspiring screenwriter John Mills. At thirty-seven, Anna is juggling a failing career and personal setbacks, while twenty-seven-year-old John is struggling to make ends meet. Their unexpected hook-up quickly escalates into a fiery romance as they navigate the chaos of a troubled movie production. Evie Browning delivers sharp humor, sizzling chemistry, and relatable struggles in this slow-burn tale. With its engaging characters and delightful enemies-to-lovers dynamic, this standalone novel is a perfect escape for romantic comedy fans!

good romance and loved how they found love and each other. They survived their trials and found their way back to each other. another great romance.

The cover drew me in and I love the inital premise of the book but it just fell flat to me. I honestly wasn't emotionally invested in Anna and John's relationship. I was bored reading this and was looking for something to spark me to enjoy it but it didn't. There really wasn't any chemistry I could feel and I found myself just skimming through to the end. I really wanted to like this but but it just ended up leaving me feel "meh" and I found myself somewhat interested at the love scene but this book had potential.

Reel Love follows Anna Kovác, a struggling film director trying to revive her career, and John Mills, an actor/screenwriter tired of being typecast as the “pretty face.” When fate brings them together on a chaotic movie set in Rome, sparks fly. Still, they must navigate Hollywood’s complexities, Anna’s vengeful ex-husband, and their undeniable attraction to find a happy ending.

I initially picked this book due to the Hollywood setting and reverse age gap proper (which you don't see that often), and I'm glad I did.

I loved all the behind-the-scenes details about the set life and how movies are made; they added authenticity to the book, and you really felt like you were there. It was fun to experience the not-so-glamorous world of movie-making alongside Anna and John.

The chemistry between Anna and John was undeniable from the start. I liked that their relationship evolved from a flirty encounter to something more meaningful as they worked together.

The reverse age gap trope was an interesting touch - Anna, as an older and more experienced director, was the one who was torn between professional caution and personal desire. It also allowed the book to touch on the double standards faced by women in Hollywood and, in general, with Anna dealing with ageism, sexism, and scrutiny for dating a younger man.

John’s support during these moments, however, helped showcase his values and why he's such a great love interest. He was really easy to root for.

I was annoyed a bit about Anna’s ex-husband stirring up trouble because Tom's motivations felt so shallow and petty. But the sabotage did serve to heighten the stakes and province challenges for our two MCs to overcome.

And Anna was just quirky enough to feel real and interesting to follow.

There was heat but very little actual spice. So, Reel Love is a cute, quick read that is perfect for those looking for an entertaining escape into the world of movie-making and a swoony.

2☆
DNF @20%
The cover art is beautiful, and the premise of this story is interesting: "Anna Kovacs is thirty-seven, divorced, and her credit card just got declined. John Mills is twenty-seven, a part-time bartender/screenwriter/shirtless-werewolf-on-the-left, and he can't make rent." But it just wasn't for me and wasn't keeping my attention.
𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬
Age gap
Workplace romance
He fell first
Forced proximity
Enemies to lovers
Romantic comedy
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Thank you, Netgellay, and BooksGoSocial for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This book really wasn’t for me. The writing style didn’t grab me and I couldn’t connect to the characters well at all. This was Hollywood romance and usually I would be sold but it felt too superficial

Oh I ADORED this book! Is it the finest piece of literature ever written? No. Is it a romance that feels “real” and will have you feeling the feels? YES!!

I enjoyed that this plot was kind of predictable. It made me devour this book quickly. The characters were well developed and relatable. They felt like real people and not the perfectly sculptured fakes that we so often see in romance novels.

This was such a warm and fuzzy book!

I tried my very best to get into this read. The overall story line captivated my attention. However, I was unable to stay interested in the book. It was an extremely hard, slow, painful read. I made it close to 50% into the book until I gave up. In all honesty I would give it a 0/5 if I could. I think the storyline has potential if re-written.

Spicy, male female, reverse age gap (fmc is 37 & mmc is 27), contemporary romance. It's so funny to me that when the female main character is older it's a REVERSE age gap. Anyway, I love an age gap where the gap isn't too wide and BOTH parties are adults with fully developed frontal lobes. Slow burn with lots of film industry behind the scenes, some drama, great characters and dialogue.

A short read age gap Hollywood romance.
I really enjoyed the concept of this one, especially since the woman was the older partner in this relationship, but unfortunately overall just wasn’t for me. The fmc felt a little too insecure at times, and John was cute but their chemistry didn’t deliver. Maybe because it was Hollywood themed, I expected a little more drama/depth, but this one couldn’t keep my attention. The beginning pace was a little too slow for me and then towards the end I found myself counting down the pages. However, I did enjoy the concept of a director and a screen writer relationship in a coworker environment and the behind the scenes Hollywood details did add ambiance.

This was a fun, easy read but unfortunately it didn’t hook me in like I wanted it too. It was predictable, which isn’t terrible. If this was written in 1st POV I feel like I would have liked it more!

The central thought that comes to my mind when I think of this book is the seemingly realistic insights it gave into the film industry, with greater emphasis on the production aspect. The plot of the story is quite promising, but unfortunately, the execution wasn't great. My biggest issue with the novel is the amount of conflict that was unnecessarily shoved in. I understand that misunderstandings are pretty heavy while using them in a plot, but the author almost leaves the story devoid of healthy communication. The romance too wasn't it for me and I felt it lacked chemistry. To make things worse, the pacing was really off and I couldn't read the story with a logical flow when I just couldn't pay attention.