Clementine just broke up with her long-term boyfriend and is ready to try living her life more authentically, even if she doesn't want to end up alone. Chloe is tired of her friends looking down on her perpetually single state. Despite knowing that fake dating is a terrible idea best left to romance novels, Clem agrees to fake date Chloe until Chloe's friends' wedding and Clem's parents' anniversary party.

It was a fun read about friendship, relationships, and career goals in your thirties. It was another fun read in the Out in Hollywood series.

Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with this story. I did like the audiobook narrator though and would consider listening to more by her in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc/alc.

4.5 stars, rounded up. I've really enjoyed this whole series, and maybe it was a case of the right time, right book, but this one was easily my favorite. Sure, there's some classic romance novel "if they would have a conversation about this it would be so much easier", but the author has written it in a way that it feels true to the characters to NOT have these conversations until it's time. The banter in this one is top notch- not just between Clementine and Chloe, but with the warm hug of the friend group Clementine gets to become part of. Community plays a huge role in this, and the author captures it beautifully.

I'm obsessed, your honor.

I have enjoyed this whole series, but I think this is my favorite. Fake dating is my favorite trope so obv I loved that. And I am always here for a fat mc. But also, I just really enjoyed watching Clementine's journey as she realized she could make her own plan and didn't have to follow everyone else's.

I love how Amy writes friendships and as much as I loved Clementine and Chloe, I loved the supporting characters just as much.

Except for Greg. With Greg it's on sight.

I’ve read all of Amy Spalding’s books to date, and each one has been an absolute delight. Her third instalment in the Out In Hollywood series On Her Terms unsurprisingly lived up to my expectations.

Clementine knows what she doesn’t want – a husband and kids. This means breaking the heart of the man who wanted to give her these things. With a plan to explore her sexuality, she meets Chloe, who is funny, sexy and completely unavailable emotionally. Of course, when Chloe talks Clementine into being her fake girlfriend in the lead up to a friend’s wedding, she knows it’s a terrible idea. But…with her parent’s upcoming surprise anniversary party, Clem thinks that the plan might be mutually beneficial.

We all know where these fake dating tropes lead, and Spalding’s take is original, full of wit and humour, and impossible to put down. On Her Terms is full of body positivity and neurodiversity, making it a book that will resonate today, even if some of the side characters are super-hot Hollywood stars.
The lead up to the first kiss was slow-burn, and when it arrived, it’s couldn’t have been more perfect. I loved the awkward first-time sex, with way too much talking, but that was Clementine and Chloe to a tee. The nonstop laughter, which often goes with falling in love, but isn’t usually shown on the page, was so sweet and authentic.

I’d recommend reading these books in order, though it isn’t completely necessary – but getting to go on the journey with Clem and Chloe as Ari and Nina prepare and then get married feels like a gorgeous conclusion to their story.

Amy Spalding has quickly become one of those authors I will read without needing to know a single detail about her books. Don’t miss this one!

I’ve enjoyed Amy Spalding’s other two books in this series, and you don’t need to read them to enjoy this one. Clementine is in her 30s and fresh off a relationship with Will. He wanted to traditional wedding and family life, and Clem never pictured those things for herself. After she breaks up with Will, she has some guilt about breaking his heart, and also wants to spend more time figuring out who she is as a bisexual person. On her very first night out at a gay bar, she meets Chloe. The two have actually met before, but Clem was so involved in her own life that she hadn’t remembered. The two strike up an easy friendship (I love Chloe’s verve), and soon end up in a fake dating scenario. There’s a lot of emotion to this book as Clem learns how to stand up for herself with her family (God, I hated her brother), and how to navigate changing friendships. There’s more to this than the romance, and I appreciated that. There’s also a lot of discussion of what it means to navigate queerness in the world, and it was very thoughtfully done. I recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

On Her Terms by Amy Spalding
Out in Hollywood series #3. Contemporary sapphic romance. Can be read as a stand-alone although the couples from the prior books are secondary characters here subsequent to their stories. Fake relationship troupe.
Clementine has always known she is attracted to women but only recently broken up with a long term boyfriend when he wanted children. At thirty-six, Clementine knows she doesn’t want children. She’s admitted to being bisexual in her head only up until now. She believes she’s ready to try something new. When Chloe Lee asks Clem to be her fake plus one for a wedding, Clem says no. But the more they talk, and it still seems like a really bad idea, Clem gives in to nagging in her head that it’s exactly what she wants to try. And so Clem and Chloe begin a public fake relationship in front of her family, friends, and coworkers.
Clem is loving her new relationship and friendships formed because of it. Could it become real? Or is Chloe going to stick to her free and easy attitude?

🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and audiobook of this story. The narration is performed by Lori Prince who has done many other sapphic romances. There are specific voices and tempo for each Clem and Chloe with emotions clear and easy to follow. There are a couple of clear edit voice-overs but they are short and merge well with the whole. I enjoyed the performance and got a clear picture of each of the women as the story progressed.
I listened at my usual speed of 1.5 to match reading and conversation speed.
I believe the formats are interchangeable with each having benefits fits and neither having an advantage over the other.

Clem learns to deal with her own questions and fears of a new lifestyle. It’s both easier and harder than she expected. She’s out and in love. But Chloe doesn’t want more than the fake dating and Clem has fallen for her. So how to convince her to make it real?
I loved the friendships the best in this story. Having a good friendship can make everything better and easier to handle.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBmedia.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third in a series, but can easily be read as a stand-alone as the story only glancingly references characters from the first two books in the series. Yes, this is such a trope: fake dating and falling in love - but it's done so well here. There's grappling with queer identity and knowing what you want in life, the pain of drifting away from old friends, the joy of making new friends that become family, as well as reconnecting with old friends on a much healthier and more honest foundation, being emotionally vulnerable, and more. Once again the author successfully delivers a sweet romance, showing the insecurites of both main characters - and more importantly how they dealt with, and overcome them, although there are some massive hurdles each has to take along the way.

[ARC review]
ON HER TERMS by Amy Spalding is a great fake dating sapphic story.

Clementine is in her late 30s, newly single after ending a two decades-long relationship with her boyfriend when she realized they didn't want the same things. Although she's know since she was a teenager that, she was bi, this is the first time she's been in a position to act on it. Enter Chloe, a bold, take no bs woman who proposes they fake date to solve both of their problems: Chloe needs a date to a wedding, and Clem needs some baby gay training wheels (and a date to her parents' anniversary party).

In addition to all the great fake dating hijinks (I LOVE fake dating hijinks!!) there was lot of grappling-with queer identity, drifting from old friends, knowing what you want in life, being emotionally vulnerable, and more. I thought it was a lot of fun and also touching.

I should point out that although it's the third in an interconnected series, you don't have to have read the other ones (I haven't! They were on my radar, but time is finite!!) for it to make sense. But if you do check this one out, you'll probably want to go back and read the other couples' stories--I know I do!

(#3 in Amy Spalding's Out in Hollywood series) I am not much of. romance reader, but Amy Spalding's writing is this series is very enjoyable. Her knowledge of Hollywood workings plus her smart, funny descriptions and interesting characters give these novels a unique perspective and voice. On Her Terms was not my favorite of the three novels, but I'm not exactly sure why. A story about coming out later in life, especially after a long relationship with a man feels very needed. Clem's confidence in wanting to explore the queer aspects of her sexuality is refreshing, too, because it doesn't come with tears every time she's near a queer woman or any of the usual stereotypes around coming out later. The fake dating trope is not very appealing to me, but the way the character Clem acknowledges it as a trope in romance novels is smart and lets the reader know the protagonist is in on how things work. Other than that, I didn't connect very strongly to Clem like I have with other Out in Hollywood protagonists. Still, if #4 is around the corner, I'm sure I'll read it, curious to see what Amy Spalding's characters are up to next. (Note: these books can all be read as stand-alone novels.)

This was a fun read, focused partly on coming out and into your own later in life. I love a good fake dating story and this hit me in the right spot. We all have tropes we enjoy. I appreciate that Clementine was making a massive life change in her 30s, rather than coasting along. I adore having a larger group of supporting characters, and Spalding has worked to develop that throughout her series. I’m not sure what’s coming next, but am looking forward to it!

3.5⭐
Such a sexy, hilarious Sapphic rom-com about fake dating (yes, even the main character was annoyed about this trope, lol), with very real emotions & insecurities, making it all the more relatable.

Love, love, love!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book of Amy Spaulding’s Out in Hollywood series that I have read and I have really enjoyed them all. Spaulding writes a relatable LA that I can enjoy as someone LA adjacent who spends plenty of time in the LA areas. Her characters are entertaining, charming and sweet. She writes about queerness and friendship so thoughtfully. I loved Chloe’s and Clementine’s (fantastic name choice) story and how it looked different from the “norm”. Being part of a series fans will recognize characters from previous books. I love reading series because once I fall for characters I want to be able to check in on them later. Hoping for more from Spaulding in this series. I’ve been trying to get to a book event of hers when they are in LA but as she writes about in her books…traffic!

I must preface this by saying I have not read the 2 previous books in this series.

"On Her Terms" beautifully balances humor with real emotional depth, making it an enjoyable and thought-provoking read. I particularly appreciated its honest look at navigating queer relationships, self-identity, and the complexity of building meaningful connections outside societal norms. While some parts of the story felt repetitive, especially regarding the characters’ reluctance to embrace conventional relationship models, the overall journey of growth and unlikely romance more than made up for it. The characters' chemistry, the exploration of tough family dynamics, and the way it reflects a modern, diverse queer experience make it a great read for anyone.

Personally, I found the book both refreshing and deeply moving. I appreciated its honest portrayal of evolving relationships and the challenges of embracing one's true self, making it resonate on a personal level. The clever dialogue and the tender chemistry between Clementine and Chloe turned what could have been a predictable story into a memorable, thought-provoking read.

Thank you for the ARC read!

📗eBook +🎧audiobook: On Her Terms-Out of Hollywood #3

✍🏾 Author: Amy Spalding- Read For Her Consideration 3✨and At Her Service 4✨

📅Publication date: 2-25-25 | Read: 2-20-25

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Adult Fic, LGBTQIA+

Tropes: plus-sized h, fake dating, female friendships, pet friendly, 1 bed, personal growth/self-discovery

🗣️Narrator: Lori Prince voices all the characters with standouts from Clementine and Chloe. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 10:37, 326 pgs. (26 chapters)

🌎 Setting: Hollywood

👆🏾POV: 1st person single-Clementine

⚠️TW: h has ADHD

Summary: Clementine broke up with her boyfriend because she didn't want marriage or kids. She meets Chloe going to her first gay bar, but they met before at one of Clementine's job functions. Chloe needs a date for her friend's wedding and asks Clementine. Clementine wants to experience her first queer relationship, so they both agree to avoid awkward family and friend gatherings.


👩🏾 Heroine: Clementine-36, bisexual, just broke up with boyfriend Will. Does media planning at Big Marketing Energy.

👩🏾 Heroine: Chloe Lee- Korean, queer, a dog groomer

🎭 Other Characters:

* Greg + Marisol-Clem's brother and his wife
* Fiona + Hailey-Clem's BFFs since high school
* Phoebe + Bianca- Clem's boss and her wife/Chloe's friends
* Nina + Ari Fox- Chloe's friend/Clem's ex coworker and her fiancée-a movie star
* CJ+ Sofia- Chloe's friends/a couple
* Jesse Pinkman+ Fernando- Clem's new cat and Chloe's dog

🤔 My Thoughts: I enjoyed Clementine giving herself permission to explore her sexuality. Their friend group was supportive, and Chloe was very down to earth. I didn't like how much Clem talked about Will and compared him to Chloe. Greg, Clem's brother, acted like he was better than Clementine because he was married with kids. Overall, this was another good sapphic romance by Spalding.

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level 3/5🔥open door

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Kensington Books, RB Media| Recorded Book, and Amy Spalding for this ARC & ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

thank you to netgalley for the eARC.
**2.5 stars on storygraph**

i read the first two books of this series sometime last year and really enjoyed them. i was really looking forward to this book when i learned there was another one coming since i adored the characters and their relationships with each other, but this one was a let down.

it read like the author didn't know where they were going with the book. when it came to the event that created the fake dating situation to begin with which was just past the 50% mark(!), it lasted for one or two chapters and nothing significant happened despite them mentioning how important it was.

fake dating is such a gold mine for some intense yearning yet there was close to none of it. i wasn't convinced these two liked each other that much as friends, let alone as lovers. when something finally happened, i was surprised the love interest felt anything at all. there was a few lustful looks here and there, but i didn't really think too much of it. considering the love interest's supposed feelings and its duration, i would've thought there would be a clue somewhere, but there was none. i really wish they had hung out alone rather than every time they saw each other being with either one's friends.

as for the writing itself, a lot of the dialogue felt so unnatural and most comparisons didn't make much sense within the context. there were a lot of scenes where either one of the characters or several of them were laughing really hard despite nothing being remotely funny. it often read like the author was just trying to fill the space. i really wanted to like this book, but there were a lot of things obviously lacking this time around.

4.5 stars

I've read the first two of this series, first was ok, second was a bit forgettable, but this one I liked best. Maybe its because it was fake dating or maybe it was because it was in audio and the narrator was fantastic but this was significantly better in my opinion. I really enjoyed both characters and the whole "baby gay" aspect. We got fake dating, friends wedding, and of course only one bed so a sapphic romance full of the best tropes. I felt the 3rd act conflict was a bit unnecessary but worked well in the story and with the characters so I didn't hate it. Overall I had a good time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

Continuing the Out in Hollywood Series, Spalding gives us two new, flawed queer characters to fall in love with. Although this book was a slow start, I enjoyed this book just like the other two. I've really enjoyed seeing the characters develop over time and show up in later books, it's so fun seeing the relationships develop and continue in the "real world." While I could have done without how heavily it leaned into the tragedy of Clementine losing her ex-boyfriend, I do understand how core to her character that major life event was. I think this is a realistic look at a the struggles that accompany coming out later in life. As Spalding often does, this book showcased the difficulties of going against the grain of your family's expectations.

I’m a sucker for a fake dating troupe. Make it sapphic and you can’t go wrong!

Clem is recently single after finally coming to terms with the fact that her hetero relationship wasn’t making her happy anymore. She quickly throws herself into the queer scene and meets Chloe at her first time at a queer bar in town.
Chloe has a friend getting married so she needs a date for all the upcoming events that come along with a destination wedding.
After fighting with herself, Clem pushes herself out of her comfort zone and agrees to fake date Chloe, Training wheels into the queer world? what could go wrong right?

When Chloe and Clem show up at brunch Clem suddenly realizes that she knows quite a few members as this friend group; including her boss! Can they make it through their agreement? Or are Clem and Chloe just another fake dating book troupe?

I liked the exploration of Clem’s family dynamic as well as chosen family. Chosen family is so important in the queer community and Clem really needed that.

I loved this next addition to Amy Spalding's LA East Side queer girl romances. As an avid romance reader, I appreciated the self-conscious nod to the fake girlfriend trope by the protagonist. Kudos to again writing about curvy girls and the women who love them. I thought the characters really enjoyed each other's company and I could feel them being more drawn to each other even as they were confused or worried about their feelings.