I loved it!!! My favorite 831 stories release so far. Fans of How to Fake it in Hollywood and The Idea of You will LOVE this. It's everything you want from a romance without the cheese. I'd read anything Lana Schwartz writes.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of Set Piece. I have enjoyed 831's novellas in the past so was excited to see this one being offered.

This novella follows Jack and CJ and is the "no idea you were famous when we first met" MMC and non famous FMC. This followed the general formula of a short romance novella. We started out with a fun quirky meeting, we evolve to a secret relationship, then we have banter and spicy scenes, a big dramatic fight, then a make up and happy ending. Check, check, check, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. However, this all felt a bit like a maladaptive daydream to me.

Here are some of my gripes with this. I am not a big fan of the dual POV in this one. The characters felt a bit too flat and we didn't get enough time inside both of their heads to form a connection in my opinion. I believe this would've been better served as a single POV from CJ's perspective. Jack's POV felt a bit pointless. He really didn't have any character flaws or struggles that added to the plot to move the story forward. Sometimes not having a dual POV is better because there adds a little bit of a mystery element because we don't know exactly what he is thinking. I wish we could've spent ore time going into CJ's inner monologue and delving into her struggles, thoughts and feelings. I think this would've added so much more depth to the story and would've helped me feel more connected to the characters.

The plot of this felt a bit stale to me. There was really no twist or driving force to keep me interested and from 40-80% of the book I was uninterested. Unpopular opinion, but I actually do not mind a miscommunication trope in a book but I just didn't love how this was executed in this book. The "Misunderstanding" felt so lack luster I didn't even care about the resolution.

Also, it felt like there were way too many pop culture references. In my opinion, this takes me completely out of the story. I want to feel like I am completely immersed in a world where I do not exist and if all of these pop culture references are popping up it feels like it's just too close to reality. I also do not think they age well when placed in a novel. In a few years those things will all be irrelevant and then that could hurt the readability of the book.

What I did love about this book was the hollywood setting. It felt unique and fresh. I also really liked how we got information about the behind the scenes of the film industry. I think if we had more of that this would've been more enjoyable.

Overall, a decent read, and good for when you want something short and to the point. However, this is nothing ground breaking and didn't really envoke an emotional response from me as a reader.

The reference to real-life actors kept taking me out of the moment. I enjoyed the plot and the general storyline though. I think using Gatsby for the film they're working on together lacks the depth of creating a wholly unique situation. I liked the "drinking the fat" reference from Friends that was perfectly executed. The first encounter of the 2 characters was so promising but left the rest of the book feeling underdeveloped. I would read more by Lana Schwartz because she has potential this just wasn't perfect for me.

As always 831 Stories chooses amazing covers and the merch to go along with their publishing is simply iconic.

Set Piece has a strong premise—a second-chance romance set against the backdrop of a Hollywood film shoot—but while the concept is engaging, the execution feels a bit uneven.

Jack and CJ’s chemistry is undeniable, and their initial meeting crackles with tension and heat. The behind-the-scenes look at film production adds a fun layer, and CJ’s role as a production designer brings a refreshing perspective to the celebrity romance trope. However, the five-year time jump, while intriguing, doesn’t quite deliver the emotional depth it promises. Their reunion feels rushed in places, and some of the story’s biggest conflicts resolve too neatly.

That said, the book has its bright spots—witty banter, steamy moments, and a unique setting. It’s an enjoyable read, but it left me wanting a bit more depth in character development and emotional stakes. Fans of Hollywood romances and second-chance love stories may still find plenty to enjoy.

This was an entertaining, quick read that was easy to follow along and seduced readers into the story.

As someone who does not usually read romance I would recommend to all readers.

Thank you for the arc 831 Stories.

I fear I am obsessed with CJ and Jack. While single mom/dad tropes are not usually my jam, I devoured this. I love a second-chance and forced proximity romance and this one did not disappoint.

831 Stories just puts something extra in their stories that make them top tier.

Will be screaming from the rooftops for everyone to read this.

Thanks to 831 and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest opinion!

Nothing hits like an 831 Romance for real. This is definitely my favorite one of the bunch so far - call me a sucker for a classic Hollywood story. I loved Cara and Jack and would watch this film in a heartbeat.

The perfect romance for every reader with a Letterboxd account and AMC A-list. A Jonathan Bailey-esque heartthrob falls for a bad-ass Hollywood set designer and ends up being the epitome of 'if he wanted to, he would'.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"Set Piece" by Lana Schwartz is the latest romance novella from 831 Stories. The plot is breezy, trope-y, and concise. Our main characters, CJ, a set designer, and Jack, an actor, have a steamy one-night stand, go their separate ways, and then reunite years later on a movie set. I appreciated that they acted like adults and had concrete relationship conflicts and constraints. The side characters were charming and contributed to my overall enjoyment of the book.

Another quick, steamy read from 831 stories. What I love about this publishing house is how fresh and bold their writers’ voices are and this is no different. This novella reeled me in right away and kept me entertained throughout. I enjoyed that we got vignettes of different stages of their relationship. However, this book had way too many pop culture references for my taste. I understand that they both worked in Hollywood but it felt like celebrity names were thrown in every 2 pages, which will make this book feel very dated, very fast.

This was a fun quick read. It was light and enjoyable off the bat. I thought the connection between CJ and Jack was a little quick, but I get that’s part of a shorter book. I liked them together and the realistic choices they made. I do think some of the discussion of show biz work could get a little dense. I liked the most of it for the building of the characters but I think it took away from the romance aspect of it sometimes. Would still recommend to tons of friends.


3.5/5

Set Piece by Lana Schwartz is another fantastic release from 831 Stories! I was thrilled to receive an ARC from NetGalley and 831 Stories, and this book did not disappoint.

This novella was a quick, fun, and sexy read that delivered everything I love about 831’s books—a well-paced, fully developed story in a shorter format that never feels rushed or underdeveloped. The chemistry and banter between CJ and Jack were sharp and engaging, and I loved the way the book balanced romance with deeper themes like grief, gender discrimination, and single parenthood.

I appreciated the twist on the “celebrity/normal person” trope—CJ is no mere bystander to Jack’s fame but an industry professional in her own right. Her journey as a production designer felt real and fully fleshed out, and I especially loved the old Hollywood callbacks and behind-the-scenes elements of her work on The Great Gatsby remake.

The romance itself felt mature and grounded. CJ and Jack’s connection wasn’t just about attraction; it was about understanding, respect, and timing. The book also gave us a fantastic supporting cast—CJ’s family, Agnes and Stuart, were such a warm presence, and the way Jack integrated into her world made the romance even more compelling.

Overall, Set Piece was a truly enjoyable, well-rounded novella. It had all the steam and swoon-worthy moments I wanted, but it also had depth and emotional stakes. 831 Stories continues to impress me with its ability to tell high-quality, nuanced romance stories in a condensed format, and I can’t wait to see what they publish next.

Thank you to 831 Stories and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Un encuentro casual deja a una estrella de televisión y a una mesera con ganas de más, pero la vida se interpone en el camino.

Este libro se sintió como una de esas películas románticas de los 2000 de la mejor manera posible, a pesar de que es corto se logra conectar con los personajes y termina siendo una muy linda historia. En resumen la pasé muy bien leyéndolo y me gustaría leer más de la autora.

This was SUCH a ride and I loved it.

Hot, emotional, uplifting-- we love a man who has all the eyes on him, except for the ones he really wants.

CJ & Jack have such a believable story, with a pinch of Hollywood magic, to make you kick your feet and grin at the page.

I devoured this novella and had so much fun reading it. If you loved Nora goes off Script you’ll love this one. It was a solid 4 star for me until the last chapter. The ending felt abrupt I need a few more of their “issues” resolved. I literally turned the page expecting it to have 1 more chapter. However, I would still recommend for anyone wanting a fun movie star romance.

I was super excited for this book. I have and will continue to read everything 831stories publishes. But, sadly, this one just didn't do it for me.

I never really felt connected to either of the main characters. They felt flat and one-dimensional, and consequently, so did their relationship. I didn't feel any depth of emotion or longing—things that made the previous 831 titles so engaging. What did they actually see in the other?? Their romance was so underdeveloped that I couldn't really buy into it, especially with the time jump that left so much undsaid.

The overall plot felt a little too meandering for a novella. In 200 pages it's gotta be tight and snappy. And the ending was so abrupt that I re-read the last few pages several times because I felt like I must have missed some indication that things were about to wrap up.

Thank you 831 Stories for the e-arc of this book! This is my first book published by them, by this author and also my first book I’ve read being apart of their ambassador program, team 831!

This is Novella was everything that I wanted. I just ate this UP. It was a celebrity romance, it was a second chance, and it just felt really real. I thought both characters were great, Jack is the actor and CJ is a bartender when they first meet. I won’t spoil what happens, but seeing these two find their way back to each other just made me smile. I was cheesing hard while reading this.

Novellas are sometimes hard to nail, they can sometimes feel underdeveloped or too quick, but the pacing of this story felt right. There was enough time for you to care about the characters, they had emotional depth and you were just really rooting for them in the end.

I can’t wait to read more stories from 831!

Thank you NetGalley, and 831 Stories for this ARC!

I thought this book had promise! The premise was interesting to me, and it was definitely better than the last book I read from 831 Stories.

I hate to say it though, but it was a little boring and only just okay. I wish I was able to connect with these characters a bit better, but in the end they just fell flat.

It took me a long time to get through, but if you love a short story about movie stars falling in love with us regular people than I’d say maybe consider this one?

3 stars.

I love what 831 stories is doing in the romance genre! These novellas always feel like a full story and it blows my mind every time.
This one fell flat for me because I didn’t love either main character. Overall, it was still a quick, fun read just not my favorite.

831 Stories knocks is out of the park again with a celebrity/normie LA based romance. Lana Schwartz manages to create depth of emotion and a fantastic, balanced spicy love story that will make you swoon.

The premise surrounds a celebrity actor playing Nick in a buzzy upcoming adaptation of The Great Gatsby and CJ the set designer.

This is a novella--only 200 pages. I read it in a single sitting. I wouldn't read the synopsis or reviews. Go in blind and enjoy the ride.