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.

Naaah I didn't enjoy this book at all... Very boring plot, very immature characters... I had a hard time to get into this book and keep my interest up. It was a dnf for me after 34%.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

"Reel Love" by Evie Browning is a heartfelt exploration of romance set against the backdrop of the film industry. The story follows the journey of its protagonist, who navigates the complexities of love, ambition, and self-discovery. Browning's writing is vivid and engaging, capturing the allure of Hollywood while delving into the emotional depths of her characters.

The chemistry between the leads is palpable, and their growth throughout the story is both believable and relatable. The plot weaves in elements of humor and drama, creating a balanced narrative that keeps readers invested.

Browning’s ability to blend a love story with the challenges of pursuing one’s dreams makes "Reel Love" a compelling read. Overall, it’s a delightful romance that offers both entertainment and insight into the nuances of love in a high-stakes world. Highly recommended for fans of contemporary romance!

The book introduces us to Anna and John, and their story begins with a chance encounter at a bar, where they bond over their shared love for movies—Anna, a broke director unable to even pay for her beer, and John, a screenwriter moonlighting as a bartender while hoping to sell his script. What starts as a casual hookup soon turns into something deeper when fate brings them together to work on the same film, setting the story for a workplace romance.

One of the things I found particularly interesting was the insight into the behind-the-scenes roles in the film industry. The books shows the inner workings of a movie set, offering details on everything from directing to scriptwriting, which gave me a glimpse into the often-overlooked jobs that make a film come to life. It felt like an insider’s look at Hollywood, and I enjoyed that aspect of wondering what it must really be like on a movie set.

The romance between Anna and John is sweet and satisfying. The way they start as strangers with common goals and slowly build a deeper connection was engaging, making it an enjoyable and fast read. I ended up finishing the book in one sitting—it’s that quick and entertaining.

However, one thing that bothered me was the third-person POV. It made me feel a bit distant from both Anna and John’s perspectives. I would’ve enjoyed it more with a dual POV that let me dive deeper into their individual thoughts and emotions. That shift could’ve added more depth to the story, helping me connect with the characters on a more personal level.

For my final thoughts, this book is an easy and nice read with Hollywood industry insights and workplace romance. Despite the third-person narrative being a slight drawback for me, it’s a satisfying story overall.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Not reely (get it?) what I was expecting, but still good. nonetheless!

Overall, it was very lighthearted and an easy read, but it just kinda dragged for me. The steam was great, but it seemed like it took a while to get there, and when we did, it was like a one hit wonder. The characters themselves are great, and this being in third person pov, it didn't seem as personal, but Evie did a great job of describing what was happening and mostly what the characters thought. There was also a LOT of show-biz talk, which was actually super interesting, but at times, it made the story drag on and seem to lose a little bit of focus.

I really don't have much else to say about this book, but it was a super cute read with the extravaganza of Hollywood. Would def recommend!

Anna, a director who career is currently in shambles. After going through a recent divorce with a hollywood big wig manager, she is picking up the pieces of both her personal and professional lives. John a bartender and an aspiring screenplay writer hoping and waiting for his big break in the industry.

The book gives a behind the scene look into the world of film making and Hollywood which comes more from Anna side with her directing. However everything else I didn't love. It all felt a bit lacking and empty. The chemistry never felt right, never really clicked properly, and the tensions between them felt forced and so unnatural.

A thrid act breakup can sometimes be done so well, but sadly this one just missed. It felt so unnecessary and as if it was put in the story just so it could have a breakup. Some aspects were cute between there interaction, however when reading them everything was just looming over it.

Reel Love had real potential but it fell a little short for me.

Age gap (where she is older)
Workplace romance (film industry - heavy topic the whole book)
Jerkwad Ex

There was a lot of dialogue in this book, but barely any chemistry between the characters. I really wish there was a bit more chemistry with John & Anna, or even emotional depth to them.

Not sure if I am an outlier on this one or not.

Thank you NetGalley and McKinley Press Publishing for my DRC.

*3.5
This book was cute, as I expected. The premises were so good (reverse age gap, Hollywood romance, etc.) and I was satisfied by their execution.
Maybe I was expecting a little more. The banters sound a little flat, the switch between the 1st and 3rd person not very well delivered, but the romance was the cutest.
The story made me laugh and it was really a cuddle. Like a comforter.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the arc!

First of all this books cover is so cute! It is definitely one of my favorites. The romance was so angsty and cute and there was great character development!

While the premise was cute, the book was a DNF for me. However, before putting it down, I read about 15% and figured I'd share my thoughts. I enjoyed the movie setting and the tropes included in the book. I struggled with the minimal world-building compared to the amount of dialogue. The book was very dialogue-heavy, at least in the first few chapters, which made it difficult to connect with the characters. I'm sure others will feel differently, though! Maybe I'll pick it up again someday, but it was a DNF for now.

3.5 stars

This book was a strong concept, and I really appreciated the reverse age gap and all that went into the characters stories. I feel like the pacing of this story made it not as enjoyable as it could have - the first 30% of the book was interesting, and then the last 50% of the book felt like it dragged. I found it much harder to be interested in the romance, even though this is when the romance picks up steam.

I also really struggled when the writing switched from 3rd person to 1st person, which only happened a few times, almost as if by accident. Even when that was not occurring, I found it hard to decipher who was speaking in the story and often had to reread former passages to try and gain clarity. Sometimes that helped, sometimes I still felt like I was unsure as to who was speaking. The lack of clarity in the dialogue did pull me out of the story.

It was an interesting, reverse age gap, romance, just not exactly as captivating as I hoped it would be.

Thank you NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy and chance to review it.

This was kind of a lackluster book for me, I'd give it maybe a 2.5
It was a little sweet, not very sexy, the banter wasn't there, very focused on film industry plot, which wasn't the strongest either.

They kept saying they both messed up, but I don't really see it. Anna was just focused on her work, i don't think her issues would've caused problems if they waited until after movie finished, unlike John's. She just seemed more focused on work than getting payback or standing up for herself, more like keep her head down and get through work. I don't think that's a bad thing. She's clearly competent and well liked at her job too, despite her insecurities she didn't care to fix things. I just think these are decisions many women make in male dominated fields. The way it was written implied she made those decisions because she was weak, but some slight changes and it could've been an "idgaf I only care about my work" vibe similar to John.

John was at fault for not coming clean once he realised. If he was younger I would say thinking he could fix it and get away with it would've made more sense, but idk I think at 27yo, you should know better. He was kinda really judgey too.

Not a slow burn, but a more chill book over all. Nothing is fast paced or rushed. Not super focused on sex and romance. Probably about as good as the vampire movie they're making, straight to dvd for a rainy day where you can't find much to watch. Nothing amazing, but some solid cute bits included.

Thanks netgalley for the eARC.

I rarely rate ARCs lower than four or three stars but damn, I could have sworn this gave my the biggest reading block. It felt like a never-ending hurdle. I picked this up because mam the cover were cool; about making a film and being a director?-count me in, I love all those since I am also one. One thing about this that infuriates me, the world-building was ok at the first few premise and chapters, but it felt a whole lot like a new book jump that i was rattled a bit. The connection wasn't there, no chemistry just boom, "i place u here, u here and another u here," it's like making the character a doll to place all over the chapters. I hated how a beotch he was to her at that first party, but it was fair game when she was a beotch to him when it all came crashing down. Dude, the cliche ex-husband sweeping it off their feet, him keeping secrets from her, all was set to stone to happen, that when it unraveled i was just angry. It wasn't worth the time.

I really enjoyed this book, it had such a realistic feel to it, like neither character was perfect but because of that it made it perfect. It was fun getting to go into the film world and in the end it was a beautiful love story.

I unfortunately ending up DNFing at 16%, so please take my review with a grain of salt. I did feel I read enough to share my opinion, but as I didn't finish it, it seemed unfair not to have that disclaimer.

For me, the writing was very tell-y with not enough show-y. (E.g. every non-dialogue sentence felt like 'He did this and then this. She did that. He did this. She went there.') The Hollywood and filmmaking conversations were also inserted a bit clumsily and felt awkward to read. It should've been interesting, but instead it felt like the author was just trying to show how integrated the characters were in that world and how little we as the audience knew. Lastly, and probably most importantly given it's a romance, I just didn't believe in the chemistry between the characters.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE! This book was adorable! I love workplace romances and this just hit ! So fantastically written !! I would completely recommend this book! So glad I got the change to read it

As an avid reader of romantic comedies, I was pleasantly surprised by Evie Browning's "Reel Love". This workplace romance set in Hollywood offers a refreshing take on the age-gap trope, featuring an older woman as the lead.
The story follows the budding relationship between a seasoned film producer and a young, aspiring screenwriter. Browning's writing shines in her character development, crafting multi-dimensional protagonists that evolve throughout the narrative.
What sets "Reel Love" apart is its realistic portrayal of the entertainment industry, serving as an engaging backdrop for the romantic plot. The slow-burn romance keeps readers invested, with witty dialogue and palpable chemistry between the leads.
While the third-person narrative and occasional POV shifts may not appeal to all readers, they didn't detract from my enjoyment. The author's ability to balance humor with heartfelt moments makes for a fun, fast-paced read.
Overall, "Reel Love" is a delightful addition to the romantic comedy genre. Its unique premise, strong character arcs, and entertaining Hollywood setting make it a standout in the field. I highly recommend it to fans of workplace romances and those looking for a fresh spin on age-gap relationships.

3 stars

Super sweet age gap romance.
I wish the heroine had most spine and that the hero was less hesitant, but overall, it was a very sweet book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Boring plot, third act breakup, asshole ex, and unecessary drama. That's what the plot comes down to. There was no character development, no chemistry, nothing to interest me. The insta-love is overrated and wasn't done well here. The ex was a dick for the sake of being dick I guess. I didn't enjoy the book.

This book is an age gap romance that takes place on a movie set. Anna is in a bad spot in her directing career, and John is trying to pitch his screenplay. They end up on a movie set and have to work together to bring the vision to life. They're both very passionate about their jobs. The characters are lovable and the story is cute. It was fun and interesting!