I absolutely love Amy's Out in Hollywood series and this is no exception. This book kept me company on jury duty and it was delightful. I loved reading about the late-in-life bisexual experience and how it altered Clementine's relationships with her family and friends, and the second coming of age required from getting out of such a long relationship. Can't wait for the next one!

This book is a perfect fit for readers who love LGBTQ+ romances that are filled with witty banter and heartwarming moments. The story delves into themes of self-discovery and features a fake relationship trope that blossoms into a genuine emotional connection, keeping readers engaged and invested in the characters' journeys. If you enjoy stories that explore the complexities of identity and relationships with a touch of humor and a whole lot of heart, then this book is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc of this book, this has had no influence whatsoever on my opinion

Overall I really enjoyed this book - I mean, it’s fake dating, what is not to like. But I have to say the love interest was kinda insufferable. I get the whole “I don’t date thing” but she kept Clementine on a leash (like yes we’re gonna have sex but noo I’m not going to admit I have feelings for you to??)
Tbh I wasn’t rooting for the romance at all and that was quite the let down

I did really like Clementines personal growth though and that is why I am giving this book three stars

After breaking up with her long-term boyfriend, Clementine is ready to explore her bisexuality. She meets Chloe, an acquaintance from past office holiday parties, who suggests a mutually beneficial fake relationship.
Really enjoyed this ARC. I'd previously read Amy Spalding’s For Her Consideration so had a vague recollection of some of the characters. Love the representation in the queer friend group especially and their dynamics and I’m always a sucker for fake dating. I appreciated that neither Chloe or Clem wanted traditional relationship markers like marriage and children and felt alienated by their friends and family for that – very relatable. Overall, big fan of Amy Spalding and this series.

Pros:
-bisexual representation and exploration
-plus-size rep
-AAPI lesbian rep
-queer found family
-fake dating done well
-opposites attract

Immediately after recognizing her bisexuality, Clementine gets swept up in a (somewhat boring) long-term relationship with a boyfriend who wants a conventional, white-picket-fence-and-a-baby ever after. After breaking up with him, she’s ready to dive into her “baby gay” era—if only her friends and family would stop looking at her with pity. After meeting Chloe Lee (again), they strike up an agreement and start fake dating one another. Can Chloe convince everyone it’s real while navigating her messy feelings?

On Her Terms is a wonderful exploration of identity and self. Clementine is 36 but still questioning who she is. Does she look and act queer enough? Does she fit among other queer women, or does her lack of queer experiences set her apart? This story largely relies on introspection, giving readers intimate, keen insights into Clementine’s mind and unrelenting anxiety. Let’s break it down:

Some of the characters fall fairly flat. Outside of the two main characters, Chloe and Clementine, it’s easy to confuse the large cast. I hoped Clementine’s brother had a reason for his rude intensity, but he only comes off as verbally and emotionally abusive. However, I do appreciate how easily Clementine joins Chloe’s friend group: proof that you can find your people at any age. Some of Clementine’s self-directed commentary bothered me, namely as a bisexual. I understand her concerns, not having “queer” experiences while she’s nearing 40, but the entire concept of her “learning how to navigate the queer community” is unnecessary (you’re never too old to become fully who you are).

The writing is page after page of introspection/exposition with a sprinkle of action in between. Because of that, the pacing drags at times. The story would have benefited from stronger interactions between Chloe and Clementine: there are so many fun, messy ways to bring characters together, to build tension and attraction, to SHOW rather than TELL us there’s chemistry. I appreciate the story exploring different themes, including coming out late in life, atypical relationships, and defining your own path.

I really wanted Clementine and Chloe to bring out the best in one another. Chloe’s confidence could have rubbed off on Clementine, given her the reassurance that she belonged to a community, proved to her that she WAS “queer enough.” Instead, they suit each other better as friends than a romantic couple. The characters do develop well, but there’s more strength in the friend group (found family!) than there is in the romance.

The massive, lengthy blocks of introspection exhaust the story. There are moments when the prose is fun and witty (namely, when Chloe and Clementine are in the same room), but other times when it drags. Many of her concerns of repetitive, which makes a potentially complex character potentially flat.

Recommended to fans of Meryl Wilsner, Alexis Hall, or Written in the Stars by Alexandria Bellefleur.

The Vibes

Contemporary Romance
Fake Dating
Queer / Sapphic Rep (Bisexual & Lesbian)
Single POV
Excessive Introspection
Discussions on Bisexual Erasure and “Being Queer Enough”
Plus-Sized Main Character
Witty Banter
Found Family
Mental Health / Anxiety Rep
ADHD Rep
Non-traditional HEA
Coming Out
Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This is an absolutely delightful book. I immediately read Amy Spalding’s back catalogue. She writes wonderful dialogue. Absolutely recommend the Out in Hollywood series. It is unabashedly funny and romantic.

"If I canceled my plans every time some a$%hole yelled something at me, I'd be a hermit. No offense to hermits. It's just not me."

Amy Spalding can do no wrong.

Seriously. Pick up any book in this series, and you're guaranteed a great read, every time. I have devoured all three of these books, and would be hard-pressed to pick a favorite. (But yes, it's probably this one.)

Baby gay Clementine reminds me of some of my actual friends, and I just adore her so much! And Chloe is the best friend we all deserve (even when we say we don't). Friends to lovers romcom? Yes please.

Ps. Clem is a reader of romance. Can this be any more relatable? Have I convinced you yet?

"Maybe I was destined to only read about other people's happy endings, but for now that sounded better than a world without them at all."

Amy Spalding might just be one of my new favourite romcom authors!!! This book was SO. GOOD. 🤌🏼

After breaking up with her boyfriend, 36-year-old Clementine is ready to explore new possibilities, including saying yes to a fake relationship with a charming dog groomer (who she meets on her way to her first time at a gay bar) Chloe. But as their connection deepens, Clem falls for Chloe—who insists they’re just friends—leaving Clem to prove that what they have is anything but pretend. 😍

What I loved
1️⃣ Super fun from the very first page
😆 The way it’s written it so witty
🤝 Clem and Chloe are quite different but so cohesive — they get along so perfectly
😜 The banter!! The banter between the two MC’s is perfection
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 The family dynamics for Clem felt really relatable
🩷 Friendship is a key piece of this book, and I really loved that focus
✅ The fake dating trope, but done in a way that was so realistic

What didn’t work for me
❤️ Honestly nothing, I loved this whole book!!! From the get go I was rooting for Clem and Chloe, and I couldn’t put the book down.

This book was fantastic all around, and I totally loved it. Before I even finished reading it, I bought a second Amy Spalding book. 😆

Highly recommend!!

My favorite Amy Spalding book to date! It's book three of the Out in Hollywood series but is fine to read on its own.

✔️ Fake Dating
✔️ Found Family
✔️ One Bed

This book is about Clementine, newly single and ready to date a woman after being with her college boyfriend for years. Enter Chloe, who is a force - so self-assured, funny, and a hoot. Clementine gets swept away in a scheme to fake date to get their family (and found family) off of their respective backs.

As with the rest of the books in this series, I love how in love with LA it is - and I legit squealed with every "oh I know that place" neighborhood or restaurant sighting.

I enjoyed Clem and Chloe's banter and how they instantly vibed. Even more, I loved Clementine figuring out how to better communicate with her other friends and form a community all her own.

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕

On Her Terms was a cute sapphic romance with a fat main character who knows what she wants for her life and you admire her for doing the hard thing and ending her long-term relationship with a man who wanted different things. Most of the characters in this book were fun and lovable, but quite a few still felt like bad friends/family to Clementine and it made me angry for her. Even Chloe, her fake girlfriend was nonchalant and flippant in a way that feels more than just a person afraid to take a risk romantically.

Definitely a fun queer read, but there were lots of moments that I thought Clem was disrespected and forgiveness wasn't necessarily deserved. Still, a good book to continue the series, featuring a lot of characters we already know and love.

Characters- 3/5
Plot- 5/5
Writing- 4/5

Clementine broke up with her boyfriend of many, many years because she didn't want the trappings of a conventional life and she could tell that Will (boyfriend) was changing his mind about having kids and was talking about going to talk to her dad to get permission to marry her. So Clementine chose to prioritize herself and ended things. She is now living on her own and kind of struggling in the way that living alone with ADHD results in lots of struggles to do things like, you know, continue doing the yoga she was used to doing every day, or meal prepping, or maintaining the same cleaning schedule. But what she is also doing is finally going to a local queer bar (Johnny's for those familiar with the series) and along the way, she meets Chloe. Chloe sort of negs her for being a baby gay (in my opinion, I really didn't like the way their friendship/relationship kicked off), but eventually the two wind up fake dating for their own reasons, but both of which are related to feeling like their friends aren't taking them seriously.

My feelings about this book are pretty conflicted because while I didn't dislike it, I really didn't like or appreciate the baby gay concept that Chloe kept emphasizing. It's just not my favorite thing to remind someone that they've not yet dated someone of the same gender. Ultimately, it wound up feeling like Chloe was engaged in some negging, which I really hate, especially since Chloe is otherwise really interested in Clementine. I think if it had been addressed in a more substantive way, it ultimately wouldn't have bothered me so much, but it wasn't so it did. That said, I think I'm currently extremely attuned to anything that even slightly rings of biphobia because I've just finished watching this season of Love is Blind and started season 1 and both seasons have some pretty intense biphobia that caught me super off guard. So, all that to say, aside from this quibble, I actually quite enjoyed the book. I always love Spalding's writing and I enjoy the Hollywood adjacent jobs of many of her main characters. I loved the found family and the group of friends. I liked seeing the struggles in Clementine's friendship group and how that ultimately resolved. And, of course, I loved Chloe's friendship group because those are the cast of characters we're familiar with and I loved getting to see them again. I loved so many of the "lessons" of this book and the sense of community in general. So all in all, I would still recommend! I just hope the baby gay concept doesn't irk you the way it did me.

It was a cozy fake dating story, I was just bored halfway. It's been happening to me a lot I guess. The plots can be kind of predictable because by the end we know they end up together and this one just didn't have me wanting more. I did feel like there was no chemistry between them and I just wanted it to end.

A lovely instalment in the Out in Hollywood series. Continuing in Spalding's world, we joined Clementine as she explores the world of LGBT people more now that she is no longer dating her ex. Trying to sort out family and friend relationships that think she needs more than just a partner, or being single, to be happy, she finds herself in a fake dating scenario straight out of a romance novel (oh wait) with Chloe, a similarly opposed-to-marriage queer lady. What ensues is a series of shenanigans as she comes out to her friends and family, finds friends that support her, and falls in love as much as she tries not to.

The relationship that grows between Chloe and Clementine is super sweet and I had a lot of fun with it, even though Chloe's panic apart it left me losing my mind, needing her to sort it out cause she was happy and was sabotaging it trying to prove she could be happy single.

Clementine, in the process, finds herself having to learn to stand up for herself and her wants with her friends and family (all my friends hate Greg, he can fuck right off), realizes that she deserves better friendships, and is allowed to not want to get married.

I also love that we got to see Ari and Nina get married! Such a cute culmination to the events of the first book in this series, we love to see it.

⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

“You’re interesting and so smart and your laugh’s so — god, is there a word that’s like infectious but doesn’t sound so dire? — and in case you forgot, I would build a shrine to celebrate your body.”

First, I want to thank Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me to read this novel ahead of release.

I hated one of the main characters, Chloe, soooo much oh my god she is such a bitch! When the main characters first interact, Chloe repeatedly calls Clementine a baby-gay, because she just came out as bisexual. She also says Clementine is “a little gay”, which threw me off because wtf??? As a bi/omni person myself I just felt sooo invalidated by that!
For most of the book Chloe is just a manipulating hater, and Clementine doesn’t deserve that. Clementine was so sweet and Chloe always just avoided any form of communication.

The friend group, which I already loved from reading the first book in the series, was so amazing. In this book Nina and Ari, the couple from the first book, got married, which was so amazing to see. I think that and the great sex scenes are the only reasons I didn’t rate this below 3 stars.

Oh and — minor spoiler — Chloe had her gallbladder removed in this book and was out of the hospital literally the day after? And could sit up on her own right after the surgery? I just got my gallbladder removed literally two weeks ago and that is just not realistic.

Very disappointed because I was really looking forward to this :(

I will not be posting on my social media about this on my social media.

On Her Terms by Amy Spalding was a wonderful read I have loved every single book in this series and have found them to be really fun and cute!

I have loved Amy Spalding's other books so I was very excited for this and it did not disappoint. I devoured it and loved the whole experience.

I really wanted to like this book as I like others of the authors. This was a did not finish as I simply could not get into this book. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

2.75 rounded up to 3 stars

Although the characters were very nuanced, for some reason I still felt a large disconnect from them. I also hated how both the MC's dealt with their fake dating deal. Neither of them communicated with each other and instead resorted to sex to communicate their feelings, which of course made things even more confusing for the both of them, and muddled the waters. Also, I can understand why Chloe started panicking and lashing out, but damn was she an asshole. I don't know how an adult can think that that was a reasonable way to treat someone. And Clementine continuously accepting how Chloe treated her when she lashed out instead of having a mature conversation and setting up boundaries got on my nerves. The fact that she never spoke her mind about her feelings for Chloe or about how hurt she was just made the entire situation worse.

I also really disliked Clementines best friends. They felt almost like mean girls who weren't aware they were being mean, and the way they treated her after she broke up with her boyfriend just rubbed me the wrong way.

I think the only characters I truly liked were Chloe's friend group. Even though they were side characters, I was more invested in their opinions about things than the main characters sometimes.

On the other hand, one thing I truly appreciated about the book was the witty and unique writing style, which perfectly conveyed to the reader what it's like inside Clementines mind, especially when she overthinks. I liked how the writing put into perspective her rumination with the run-on sentences.

Overall, I'm not sure I would enthusiastically recommend this book to readers, due to my opinions about the main characters relationship and dynamic. Although, this is actually my first book in the Out in Hollywood series, so I'm hoping I like the first two books more.

Another banger from the delightful Amy Spalding! I absolutely adore Clementine, her journey of self-discovery, and all the excellent representation of coming out in your 30s/mental health and boundary setting/body positivity/neurodiversity/queer found family. PLUS fake dating and cute pets??? It's the dream!

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for access to this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know why it took me so long to read one of this author's books, but now I must go back and read the other books in the series (interconnected standalones). The found family had me in my feels from the very beginning. I also loved how the author brought up how things like how friendships can be viewed differently between LGBTQ+ and cisgender straight people. Usually I find fake dating tropes hard to believe, but honestly, the author addressing it with the main characters acknowledgement of it from the beginning helped a lot. This book was light and fluffy, but had some steam as well. Overall I really enjoyed this book and recommend it!