"Reel Love" by Evie Browning is a lighthearted romantic comedy that follows Anna, a struggling 37-year-old film director, and John, a 27-year-old aspiring screenwriter and part-time bartender. The story brings together classic rom-com tropes like age-gap romance, forced proximity, and enemies-to-lovers, all set against the backdrop of a chaotic movie production.

What makes this book fun is its blend of witty dialogue and behind-the-scenes glimpses of the film industry, giving it a bit of extra flair. Anna and John have an undeniable chemistry that makes their interactions, both romantic and professional, engaging. The slow-burn romance builds naturally, and watching their relationship evolve through workplace drama is entertaining.

However, while *Reel Love* has its charming moments, the plot does feel a bit predictable, leaning on familiar tropes without offering much surprise. Fans of rom-coms will likely enjoy the ride, but seasoned readers might crave more depth and unpredictability in the storyline. Despite this, it’s a sweet and easy read, perfect for anyone looking for a fun, low-stakes romance with a satisfying happily ever after.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Reel Love: A Sweet and Sassy Rom-Com
Evie Browning's Reel Love is a charming romantic comedy that offers a fresh take on the film industry. The story follows Anna, a film director, and John, a struggling screenwriter, as they navigate the ups and downs of their careers and personal lives.

What I Loved:

Authentic Characters: Anna and John are relatable and well-drawn, with their contrasting personalities leading to both amusing and heartwarming interactions.
Behind-the-Scenes Insight: Browning provides an engaging look into the film industry, revealing both the challenges and rewards of working in Hollywood.
Slow-Burn Romance: The gradual development of Anna and John’s relationship allows their feelings to grow organically, offering a refreshing alternative to the typical insta-love trope.
Witty Dialogue: The dialogue sparkles with sharp wit and clever banter, making every exchange enjoyable.
What Could Have Been Better:

Predictable Plot: While the characters and their chemistry are captivating, the overall storyline may feel a bit familiar to seasoned romance readers.
Overall, Reel Love is an enjoyable and delightful read. If you’re seeking a lighthearted romance infused with a touch of Hollywood glamour, this book is a cute read.

This just didn’t work out for me. The writing was messy and it felt like a slog to read. The main characters had no spark and it felt like they were just going through the motions. Lots of cliches, too many. Everythung just felt off. Good in concept.

John is 27, an aspiring screenwriter but currently works in a bar in between jobs acting or being an assistant director.

Anna is 37 and an out of work director. She had one good movie 15yrs ago and while she's worked on other projects since, they haven't garnered the same buzz as her first film.

Her ex-husband Tom is out for revenge but never really explains why. Only that he tried to help her and she refused, so he has to tear her career apart by any means necessary.

The two meet one afternoon in a bar and make out in an alley before parting ways under not so great terms. Then they're thrust together in Rome to complete a B movie about vampires. While working together they get closer and realise they had misunderstood one another after their initial kiss.
Of course they have a major miscommunication when they get back to LA and instead of listening to John explain things, Anna hurls insults at him before storming out.

This book was ok, a really quick read with some light spice but it didn't feel like the characters had much depth to them and there really wasn't any period of growth. It seems like they both had issues with their parents that could have been woven into the story a bit more than it was.

I didn't find either character relatable but I liked getting to read about the side of Hollywood that is never told. All the people who work in the industry who make almost no money and do it purely for the love of what they do.

Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the copy of this book!

I thought the story had great pacing, and I loved the way that the two main characters met. While some elements in the story about the film industry felt dramatic, other parts felt quite real (as someone who lives in LA and has friends in the industry). I did NOT like the MMC's third act tension, and I felt that could've been resolved way earlier.

The story had good spice for the pacing, and it felt believable.

Overall, I would recommend this book!

This was a very sweet age gap book that is a rom com, but also touches on the difficulties that woman face in a male oriented world.
I do love a HEA

This was okay. I think the plot was missing a little seasoning, therefore it’s bland and predictable. However, it was still a good read!

Anna Kovác’s directorial career is currently facing serious challenges. Recently divorced from a high-powered Hollywood agent who's making things difficult for her, she's struggling both personally and professionally. Meanwhile, John, a young actor, is desperately trying to get his screenplay noticed, but all anyone seems to care about is casting him as the stereotypical shirtless hunk.

Their paths cross at a bar, and though there's an undeniable spark between them, Anna hesitates. Dating a younger man would fuel tabloid gossip, something she’d rather avoid. What she doesn't realize, though, is that their lives are about to intersect in a much bigger way—they'll soon be collaborating on her upcoming film.

This book was unlike my usual reads. The pacing felt slower, and the characters had a more grounded, authentic feel compared to the typical romance protagonists. I found the Hollywood setting to be refreshing—it’s not often I read something that delves into the inner workings of the entertainment industry, so that aspect kept me engaged.

The story also weaves in some thought-provoking themes. There's commentary on gender dynamics, particularly on how women in traditionally male-dominated roles face constant undermining, and I appreciated how the male lead stood by the heroine in her fight for respect.

However, the predictability of the plot did take away some of the excitement for me. I could see the major turns coming from the start and kept hoping for a surprise that never came.

Evie Browning is a relatively new voice in the literary world, and this is only her second book. It’s a solid effort with a charming couple, a feel-good ending, and a sweet epilogue.

i enjoyed this especially once i realized it was going to be a slow burn. however, the plot was lacking and overall, the characters were extremely unrealistic

Reel Love by Evie Browning was a three-star book for me. My first thought when I saw the cover was "I have to read this". Sadly I don't think it was executed as well as it could have been. 
Anna is the FMC of this book and her dream is to become a successful film director, but that is not exactly what was happening at the beginning. You could relate to Anna well if you were trying to achieve a dream that seems far off. The MMC: John. I liked him, but that's pretty much all I have to say about him. Both the characters seemed very "real" and I could imagine meeting them in person. Although the plot was slow, the book was super cute and fun to read.

I enjoyed the premise of the book, and the beginning of the story really caught my eye. I enjoyed the characters, but I do feel like we really didn't to see much of their backstories. The plot of the book is there, but there are some editing consistencies (typos and sudden switched between persons) that makes this feel like it was rushed. I'm not sure if its because the ebook I received is an unedited copy, but this feels half baked much like the movie in the book.

I give three stars because there is so much potential in the story line and with the author, just feels like it is incomplete.

Thank you, Netgalley and the publisher for an arc. Rating: 3.5 stars🌟

The premise of this story is fantastic, and Anna truly shines as a character. I absolutely loved the dynamic between John and Anna; their relationship was the highlight of the book! Their interactions had me giggling more than once.

However, the execution of the storyline felt a bit uneven at times, which affected the overall flow. Despite this, the charm of John and Anna’s relationship kept me engaged. Overall, it was a cute read with memorable moments!

I really like it, enjoy the set up , how it develops. The characters are fun and easy to get. The workplace set up was fun . Definitely a cute rom com

This was a cute romance and it was an easy and enjoyable read for the most part. I did find that there were some parts that it was slow but overall I think it was a cute romance and good read for those who want a fun romance

This was one of the books that I picked solely based on the cover and the subtitle. And my god did all the tropes play our perfectly!

A quick and easy read, Anna is trying to restart her career although her ex husband seems to be blocking her moves.

I enjoyed how Anna met John at the bar, how she helped him and in return he helped her get back into directing. The film terms were a little heavy if you’re not into movies.

The story was evenly paced, there’s miscommunication between the MCs which isn’t a favourite of mine, but the ending makes up for it.

A solid 3 star book to pick up as a palette cleanser.

This was a good read! I haven't read many age gap books before this, but very good and entertaining. Very easy and quick read, if you're just getting back into reading or decided to pick up reading recently for a hobby then this Is a good quick book to start with. It is an age gap romance with a movie director and a male main character who wears many hats in the career world. This is a he falls first romance and I enjoyed that part as I don't read many of those where the man falls first.

I found it a little confusing I’m not sure if it because of the film references which I didn’t know or what but I was really confused throughout it. I also didn’t really like the miscommunication troupe but that’s more of a personal issue than the books. I did like the romance between the two characters I love the age gap with her being old that’s by favourite type of age gap.

Leni Kauffman's cover is what lead me to pick up this book. I have not been disappointed when using this method to select my reads. Given that, I went into this book with zero expectations and ended up having the best time. I totally did not see myself almost giving this book five stars, but I came close. This insane feeling of overwhelming satisfaction when I finished came close to pushing me over. Unfortunately, its only four because it could have benefitted from some editing. Cannot overstate how much I recommend this book.

Thank you to BooksGoSocial and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

I was really looking forward this book between the cover and the book summary. However, from chapter one it kind of feel flat for me. The language was more proses than I usually care for. The introduce of the MMC didn't give me much to grab on to. DNF.

Thank you, Net Galley for the opportunity to read this.