I really liked this novella. I thought the setting was so unique and I loved their meet cute. I thought they were both fully formed adults which I really appreciated.

This book was so cute! If you grew up reading fan fiction on Wattpad, then 831 stories are for you! I’m not usually one for second chance Romances but this one checked all the boxes!

a film bro’s wet dream.

besides the constant movie title name dropping— yes, from the umbrellas of cherbourg to the muppet movie— this ‘modern romance’ was weak in every single way.

the entire premise hinges on a one night stand, as the two meet again 5 years later, but the connection from the first night is completely one-dimensional & unbelievable. there’s no way the author expects us to really believe they remembered each other yearssss later after their first encounter. the entire thing— from start to finish, was like 5 mins. for an entire plot & relationship to be built from one night, you better make that shit believable & truly life CHANGING.

besides the romance falling flat, the characters were just as bad. no depth. we’re just supposed to take the author’s word for it that they’re in love and pining after each other for all these years. yawn. show don’t tell, please for the love of god.

also the big production/movie that both main characters work on being the great gatsby was the most heavy handed try at a metaphor i’ve seen in a long time. no subtlety. hateeeeeed that. stop thinking and writing like your reader is unintelligent & needs to be force fed everything!!!

thanks to the publisher & netgalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review, but this maaayyy be one you want to skip.

When C.J and Jack first meet, she's a bartender while he is the hottest new actor on a Bridgerton-like Netflix series. When they meet again, she's the production designer on his new movie..

This book was a quick, fun read. I loved the setting of Hollywood and the gentle poking fun of some of the ridiculousness of Hollywood - as well as Stuart, the dad who "would have been John Waters if John Waters wasn't John Waters." The book was spicy and the characters genuinely seemed to really enjoy each other and bond over their love of classic movies.

I will say that I found the character of Agnes a bit confusing. At first it seemed like Agnes was intended to be their child, but instead she seemed to be a stand in for CJ's settled life and strong boundaries, rather than a personality herself. I wish she had been a bit more fleshed out.

I would really recommend this to anyone who loves spicy stories set in old Hollywood.

Thank you for the ARC!

This was a fast paced novella, showing the behind the scenes of Hollywood. While I liked it, I wish it was a little stronger in characterization.

I really loved Big Fan, another 831 Stories novella (by Alexandra Romanoff) so I was excited to dig into this one! IMO it’s hard to go wrong with a celeb+”commoner” romance and Set Piece didn’t disappoint. I really enjoyed the prologue and then the time jump, and it kept me engaged as I wondered how and when these two were going to make it work for good.

I would’ve liked to see the two fight for each other a big more during/after the 3rd act break up as it felt a bit rushed and surface level for me, but that may be on account of the shorter duration of a novella versus a full novel.

I really enjoyed the read and can’t wait to see what 831 Stories cooks up next!

I love the 831 imprint. They are spicy short amazing stories that take a few hours to read. Set Piece was 161 pages of pure joy. I was in awe on how Schwartz mede me fall for these characters in such a short amount of time. I'm not usually a fan of the Hollywood actor trope, but this just worked.

Cara is a bartender. One night she rescues Jack, a new and upcoming actor, from a mob of fans. Later that night, Jack comes back to thank Cara and take her for a drink. The late night drink, turned into a spicy night that neither of them would forget. Fast forward 5 years, they are both working on the new Great Gatsby film. The romantic feelings came rushing back and they find themselves in each others orbit once again. From nights out to nights in they can't stop being together, until Jack gets his dream job in London. Their relationship is put to the test. Will they survive the distance or succumb to it's pressures.

I so enjoyed this book! The plot description had me hooked immediately, and it did not disappoint. SET PIECE tells the story of Jack and CJ (Cara), two very different people who keep finding their way back to each other. When the two first meet, Jack is adjusting to a new level of fame after going viral in his breakout TV role, and CJ is the pragmatic bartender who rescues him from some intense fans on a night out. They spend an unforgettable night together before going their separate ways...until they meet again five years later, on the set of the latest adaptation of The Great Gatsby—Jack's stepping into a starring role while CJ's thriving as the production designer. Their lives have changed since they last saw each other, but their undeniable chemistry certainly hasn't. Can their connection survive the demands and responsibilities of the outside world, or does this love story begin and end on one memorable night?

SET PIECE just might be my favorite 831 Stories book yet! I always enjoy a celebrity romance, and this one is a great, fresh take on the subgenre. Both CJ and Jack are such well-developed characters, each with their own complexities and motivations, and their chemistry truly jumps off the page. I am usually not a huge fan of dual POV in romances, but I felt like it worked so well here! I also loved all the Classic Hollywood references, and how the two leads bonded over their love for those films. The author also does a great job of conveying life on a movie set, and lending plenty of depth and detail to the Great Gatsby adaptation. My only real "complaint" is that I wished the ending were drawn out a little more, so we could have spent a bit more time with CJ and Jack—I felt like the third-act conflict and its resolution were both a little rushed in general, which stood out to me because the pacing of the rest of the book felt so natural and flowed well. I also agree with other reviewers that I was a little baffled by the addition of Agnes at first. She was such a sweet character and I loved how she developed a special bond with Jack, but I think CJ's storyline and just her journey overall would have had equally as much depth, even without Agnes being included. Still, I really loved this one, and would recommend it, especially for fans of celebrity romances! Thank you to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the ARC—I'm so excited to see what they put out next!

Enjoyable! I was entertained reading this book. I think Lana did a good job with the characters and the Great Gatsby parts were fun to get into. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Set Piece is a short, sweet, and clever second-chance romance. The story is written with dual perspectives, which I love for a novella, because you get to know both lead characters well in a short amount of time. The leads (especially CJ) are authentic and compelling, with great chemistry, and I always love a romance where the characters have real adult lives and concerns outside of the relationship. A delightful and satisfying read!

Thanks to 831 Stories and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My second favorite book from 831 Stories (Big Fan is forever my #1). Newly viral British actor, Jack, meets bartender CJ at her workplace and is immediately attracted to her. Sparks fly, before they part and five years go by before they happen to run into each other again. The same attraction is still there, but now there's an added complication...they're coworkers! The chemistry can't be denied, though, and eventually they have to admit something is there...

I really liked how good CJ was at her job -- and how much Jack respected it! The book is also super hot, and you really believe their attraction to each other. However, there were also parts I didn't like. Firstly -- and this is a problem I have with the novellas from 831 stories in general -- the pacing felt off. The conflict showed up much too late at the end, and then didn't seem believable. Additionally, it's alternating narration between Jack and CJ, but we never spend long enough with either to really get into their narrative. The book is too short to alternate, and I would have picked just one. I'm also (spoiler) baffled by the addition of Agnes! Was there a draft where CJ got pregnant after the night at the bar? It fleshes out her character for sure, but no more so than having Stuart as her father would have. It's unclear what Agnes is supposed to add to the narrative.

Many thanks to NetGalley and 831 Stories for the opportunity to review...I look forward to keep reading what comes next from them!

This novella by 831 stories is a wonderful story. To me it just has that something extra that I am always looking for in a romance. The chemistry between Jack and CJ absolutely jumps off the page. I enjoyed the famous person/regular person storyline and I liked learning a little about what happens on a movie set. CJ’s walls and boundaries seem realistic and it was a joy to watch her slowly break them down to be able to enter a real loving relationship. Despite its short length, I felt that I got to know the characters and their motivations and that there was a fully developed story. I have not been feeling many romances lately but this one totally hit the spot.
Thank you to Netgalley and 831 Stories for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this short, but engaging romance. Both characters felt realistic and mostly squashed any possible miscommunications with mature communication. I couldn't put the book down. My only minor complaint is that I would have loved an epilogue with a look ahead into their future.

My first 831 Stories book and it was excellent. The story of CJ and Jack burrowed into my heart in a way I didn’t expect. The only thing I wish is that there was more time with them! I wasn’t ready for the book to end

A fun, engaging romance (and glimpse at production design).

CJ and Jack have an instant connection and spend a perfect night together. Years later, they meet again and discover that the spark between them hasn’t faded. However, things are more complicated now as CJ is a single mom determined to succeed on her own and maintain a private life while and Jack is a now a major celebrity.

This was great! There is dual POV and CJ is a compelling character (I loved Stuart as well!).

Thank you very much to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

3.5⭐️

I’m enjoying this collection of novellas (so far all romances with some type of entrainment connection). I loved Big Fan, but I liked this, too. This one follows CJ (Cara) and Jack. They have a one night stand and then reunite 5 years later while working on the set of a movie, him as an actor and her as the production designer. She’s also a single mom (not to his kid, I don’t know why I assumed it would be?). It’s a sweet story. My biggest issue was the 3rd act. I’m fine with them if they make sense, but they could’ve avoided it by talking everything out.

Really liked this short novel, the story didn’t feel rushed despite the shorter length of the book. Felt like a rom-com plot and characters, and did a good job of pacing the story over months/years so that it didn’t feel like insta-love or unrealistic. Want to read more books by this publisher, I love the concept of the shorter novel.

I loved this story. The characters were all well developed, and had realistic flaws. I appreciated the dual point of view, or allowed me to connect to both of the main characters. I appreciated the discussions of sexism in Hollywood. I look forward to reading more works by this author.

I enjoyed this short book about two Hollywood types trying to make it work on set. I liked the time jump, the FMC's new situation (avoiding spoilers), the way the MMC loved the FMC's take-charge nature, and the grandfather character. I was left with questions about what happened right before the time jump that prevented further communication, and felt that the story ended abruptly, with little time to see them be happy.

Set Piece by Lana Schwartz is a second chance love story full of Hollywood glamour and finding love when it seems impossible. The novel begins with a spark filled night between Jack and CJ. Life pulls them apart, until fate brings them back together five years later on a movie set. The book is full of humor and emotional depth with characters you will love! These covers are everything, and I can’t wait to add this gorgeous new one to my bookshelves.