This was such a fun read! I love the setting of Hollywood and I really enjoyed the slightly different take on it, the more private side. Even though it was quite short, I still felt really connected to the characters. Their thoughts, decisions and mistakes all felt really real. Not blown up to make a dramatic story but just honest.

Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a short and fun read who loves movies and a Hollywood setting.

The novellas by 831 Stories have become my favourite. They are little morsels of heartfelt entertainment that are easy to make time for and SET PIECE by Lana Schwartz is no exception.

From the very beginning Lana did a great job of establishing the chemistry between Jack and CJ. This seems particularly important because given the shorter length, as a reader I want immediate buy-in to the relationship and don't have time to waste. With CJ's job as a set designer, it felt like an insider glimpse into that side of the movie world which is less commonly captured in books and quite appealing, leaving me with more appreciation for this area of the arts than before. The side characters with Stuart and Agnes were cute and rounded out the whole story in a delightful way. While I do not believe all characters took enough responsibility in the end, I'll forgive it because it all wrapped up nicely. The story touched on some real-life issues with grief/loss, being a single parent, and workplace and gender dynamics. This is a sweet, quick read with a lot of punch for anyone looking for a little escape.

Thank you to 831 Stories for the advanced copy through Netgalley. I look forward to hearing what others think leading up to the release on May 6, 2025.

O.M.G.!!! So freaking cute. 831 Stories has a certain way of drawling readers in such a short amount of pages, it’s insane. I absolutely loved the dual POV with CJ and Jack - which hasn’t been done in the short stories, so I loved that.

Thank you to 831 Stories for allowing me to read this book!!!

wow do I adore a regular person/celebrity romance! This book, like all of 831 Romances' books that I've been lucky enough to read, was such a fun, short, and beautiful story. My only complaint is that I wish there was so much more of CJ and Jack's relationship that I could read.

British actor Jack is on the rise. After his show going viral, he is beginning to be recognized in public. When he arrives at a bar in LA where CJ bartends between gig of being a movie set designer, they have a fling. Years past but they still think of each other and what might have been. When they both work on the set of a new movie adaptation of Gatsby, Jack is now a famous actor and CJ is in charge of the whole set department. They cannot deny their attraction, but can it ever be more?

New publisher 831 Stories is killing it. This is yet another of their romances that really worked for me. I loved CJ's job and how much she loved it and how she was unapologetically striving for her goals. I loved how this is a romance and not a comedy, and it strikes the perfect tone between lighthearted and dramatic. It was not overly long and had a good combination of well-built characters and continuously moving forward plot. Great book, no notes. For fans of Annabel Monaghan and Elissa Sussman. This is my favorite 831 Stories book so far.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

This short story follows a set designer and a leading hollywood actor who have an off chance meeting one night at a bar. 5 years later they meet again onset and fall for each other. He is now more famous and she is now raising a child as a single mom. I have been loving all the 831 short stories not one miss! My only complaint is I always want more story!

Jack has just made his big acting break on a British historical romance program (probably a lot like Bridgerton). Cara is working at a bar trying to take care of her sick mother. A chance encounter at the bar where Cara works and a one-night stand. That's all it was going to be until Jack and Cara meet again five years later.

This book was a quick read and I enjoyed every minute of it. It has romance (and some steamy parts), family drama, and some insider Hollywood stuff. A perfect read for on a plane or for next time you're in LA.

Not a fan. The characters were boring and I feel like the plot wasn’t anything unique.

I do want a copy though. Honestly, most of 831’s books because THEY ALL LOOK SO PRETTY TOGETHER.

Other than that, I could have lived without ever reading this book.

I loved Set Piece, what a truly delightful, bite sized second chance romance - the dialogue was impeccable and so very swoon-worthy!

Thank you ever so much to 831 Stories and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC to review!

2 stars!

Why couldn't I get into this?!?!?!?! celeb x normal trope! the whole I didn't know who you were, secrets, etc..... all the things I love to read and devour and yet I just could not get invested in this in the way I pumped myself up for when I read the premise. It's a short read and had some moment where I was like 'oooooo' but maybe if the characters were developed more maybe it would have changed for me.

Clearly this wasn't for me and I'm so sad, but I'm happy to find a new author and publication and will definitely keep and eye out for more work from both in the future.

Set piece reads like something my teenage self would have come up with before falling asleep

This novella follows the classic 'famous x normal person' relationship trope, ticking off all the typical elements one might expect. It features the ‘had no idea you're famous’ first encounter, intertwined with spicy scenes that are sprinkled throughout, a secret relationship, dramatic fight & finally, a happy ending. Unfortunately, the main characters did nothing to elevate the story and simply fall into the overused brit boy x American girl trope, told through alternating dual POVS. They came across as medicore and overly unoriginal, especially the male lead, Jack, who feels like a one dimensional british stereotype—think tea-drinking, witty remarks, and frequent use of phrases like "mate" & "bollocks".

The so called drama and banter along with inner monologues of the characters— filled with juvenile and horny thoughts— read more like a fanfic than a polished narrative. It was a cringe fest galore!!! Also, given that the story is only 160 pages long, much of the plot development feels rushed. As a result, this whole reading experience fell flat and was underwhelming.

1.75 stars— solely for the movie titles mentioned and for the one single page featuring a side character, Cecily Close who discusses the issue of women being overshadowed by their famous partners in Hollywood.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a fun, quick read that kept me engaged from start to finish. The plot was interesting, with just the right amount of depth to make it compelling without feeling overwhelming. The character development was well done, making the story feel more immersive and the characters more relatable.

I enjoyed the subtle twists throughout the story. They weren’t overly dramatic, but they added enough intrigue to keep me guessing and eager to turn the next page. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining and well-paced read.

Original and very charming! I loved the concept and the characters were very well decribed and developed though the novella format. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I found this book incredibly charming! I have enjoyed all the 831 stories I have read thus far, and this was no exception. I really enjoyed thinking about the Great Gatsby adaption CJ and Jack were filming and the amount of effort a set designer goes through. This book is a perfect slump buster, perfect for anyone interested in more mature romances, and anyone burnt out on melodrama. I will be recommending this book in the future!

I loved this second chance, celebrity/normal person novella by Lana Schwartz. The characters were developed well for such a short story, that I wasn't ready to let them go!
I wish this was longer just because I could see this as a full length novel that I would 100% read.
Thank you to 831 Stories, Lana Schwartz, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Looking forward to more by 831 Stories!
This one publishes May 6, 2025

OMGGG this book was such a pleasant surprise!!!! I think I had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading except for that one chapter where I cried. I loooove a celebrity romance and Set Piece was perfect. I really enjoyed the on set setting and behind the scenes look at movie making. JACK!!! What a sweet, sweet man. It was really packed with so much emotion in such a short story and we really got to see so much of both Jack & CJ and I loved every second of it. I could’ve used an epilogue but it’s only because I loved this book and allll of its characters so much that I just wanted more of all of it!!

Thank you NetGalley and 831stories for the ARC. Set Piece is out on May 6, 2025.

Set Piece - Review

What a fun and easy read! I absolutely devoured this book in one sitting!

It’s usually difficult to build chemistry and a good narrative in such a short amount of pages, however, this story was uniquely perfect in that sense. Lana was quick to set the scene and build a foundation between the two mc’s. In this story, we follow their journey from the meeting in a loud, rowdy bar to finding each other five years later, working on a Hollywood film together.

I love how the chemistry on page remained the same from when they first met to five years later. I loved the pining for each other mixed with the “forbidden romance” element (as they work together and things must stay strictly professional). The vivid imagery that Lana painted with her descriptions of California and Hollywood made me truly feel like I was in the pages, experiencing everything with the characters.

Both of the characters were extremely likeable with banter sprinkled throughout the book. Considering how short this story was, we got just the right amount of character development and depth to the relationship between the mc’s.

I will absolutely be recommending this book to anyone and everyone who want a short, fun, romance read.

Thankyou to 831 Stories and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!

thank you to 831 Stories + NetGalley for the advanced copy, I loved every minute of this one (it might be my favorite so far!).. especially enjoyed the Friends reference.

2/5 ⭐️

Listen, yesterday I decided this would be my first DNF of the year, but then my perfectionist side kicked in, and I couldn’t leave it unfinished.

From the premise, I expected this to be a novella-length modern love story. It was short and modern (depending on your definition), but there wasn’t a love story in sight.

The two main characters have zero chemistry – there is literally no reason for them to be so hung up on each other. They have a one-night stand, meet up again five years later, and we’re supposed to believe they’ve just always fancied each other but never made a move? No, sorry, I don’t buy it.

The story felt rushed, under-explained, and constantly left me with more questions than answers.

I’m giving this a 2-star rating because I believe it had potential, but this would work better as a Wattpad story than a published book. I’m so sorry.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Set Piece was my first 831 Stories and I don't think it will be my last. I enjoyed the plot and wish it was longer than the novella length. I'm not usually someone who reads romance because I do find the romance scenes usually poorly written but I felt like this had just the right amount of spice without being corny.

I actually could see this as a movie!