Thank you Hachette Audio and Forever Pub for the ALC.

I have some majorly mixed feelings about this one. On the plus side, it’s a fun story about wish fulfillment and what happens when all your dreams come true. On the other hand, the characters are, at times, pretty terrible to each other, and it’s genuinely painful to read. I don’t mind flawed or unlikable characters for the purpose of character growth, but the depth of characterization here just wasn’t enough to make it worth the discomfort.

Just to make sure we fully “sandwich method” this review, I loved the clever interludes between chapters showcasing a relevant YouTube video, blog post, or media interview—such a unique way to give more dimension to the story!

Overall, a quick and mostly enjoyable read. If you love celebrity romances, I highly recommend this one.

Read for:
* Celeb/normal
* Wish fulfillment
* Single parents
* Glitzy Hollywood vibes
* Books about books

Audio: Andrew Eiden (a.k.a. Teddy Hamilton—one of my all-time favorites!) performs Jason’s POV, bringing him to life as brilliantly as any of his characters. Emma’s POV is performed by Stephanie Willing, a less recognizable name but a similarly talented performer! I loved how you could actually hear her smile when Emma is indulging in a happy memory or just genuinely enjoying a moment. Highly recommend the audiobook!

4.75

As a huge fan of Romcom's, Celebrity Crush was an instant listen for me, especially since Andrew Eiden narrated it! I’ve been a fan of his voice for a while, and he completely brought the character of Josh to life. He portrayed him perfectly—his voice was the perfect match for Josh’s charming yet slightly guarded personality, and I couldn’t imagine anyone else voicing him.

I ended up devouring this audiobook in a single day because I was so hooked. I caught myself daydreaming several times about how this could totally happen in real life! The story itself is a total dream come true for anyone who has ever daydreamed about their #CelebrityCrush! Emmy Ellison, a romance writer, is balancing the excitement of a movie deal, a potential spot on the bestseller list, and the chance to date the real-life inspiration for her book’s Hollywood hero. It has the kind of plot that feels like a romance writer’s wildest dreams come to life! I know it would be mine! The fake dating trope, which is one of my favorites, was a lot of fun to follow, especially with all the twists and turns as their chemistry started to feel more and more real, but they constantly tried to deny it.

What I loved most was how the story truly felt real with all the pressures of fame, the CONSTANT ups and downs of social media, and the way that both Emmy and Josh had to figure out what was really important to them—success, love, or something in between the two. The romance itself was sweet and full of chemistry between Emmy and Josh that was undeniable and made the book even more fun to experience.

The only thing keeping me from giving this a full 5 stars is that I felt like the ending wrapped up a little too quickly. I love a good ending that gives us a lot of detail of their HEA, but honestly, I had such a great time with the rest of the book that I was still very satisfied by the ending.

3.5 stars. Super entertaining story about a rom com writer and her inspiring celebrity crush. Not only does he star in the movie rendition of her book, but he also stars in the love story that is her life. Perfect amount of past drama being brought into their present day and a few little turns I wasn’t expecting.

Emmy was charming and endearing and I was rooting for her to find the love she was searching for especially after an enticing hug and then a follow up hug competition. The book is closed door but it does mention sex that happened behind said closed door. This one had a bit more chemistry than I typically expect from closed door romances and I wouldn’t have minded if they opened the door 🫣

Hachette is typically my favorite for audiobooks. Both narrators were perfect and the voices I expect for a romantic comedy audiobook.

Thank you to Net Galley and Hachette Audio for the ARC.

I was shocked by this book and how funny it was. I dont know why but when I read the description I didn't think it would be.

Quick Summary: A stars and lovers romance

My Review: Celebrity Crush by Christy Swift is a 2025 romance.

About the Book: "A romance writer’s wildest dreams—the bestseller list, a movie deal, and a date with the real-life inspiration for her Hollywood hero—are all within her grasp if only she can hold it all together."

In My Own Words: A writer meets her crush. They share a connection. Unfortunately, circumstances and unspoken truths interrupt their Cinderella story.

About the Audiobook: This novel is narrated by Andrew Eiden and Stephanie Willing. This tag team worked so well. They voiced the characters in such an entertaining way. From the leads to the hashtag gossip queens, they had me thoroughly entertained the entire time. This was my first introduction to both; I look forward to hearing more of their work in the future.

My Final Say: I absolutely adored this story. It was lighthearted and funny. It was emotional and sweet. It was a fluff and stuff that worked in just the right way. I loved how both characters were flawed and imperfect. I appreciated that they were both able to grow. The conclusion of it all was perfect. #yay

Other: Readers who enjoy contemporary romances with a bit of glitz and glam will like this one.

Rating: 4.75/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 💖
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Hachette Audio | Forever), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for granting access to an audio ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. It was a pleasure to review.

The narrators were fantastic. I enjoyed listening to this book a lot. It is a fun celebrity romance. It is funny and has depth. You feel the emotions of the characters. Cute story.

First off thank you to Hachette Audio and Forever for a chance to listen to the audio book of Celebrity Crush. The premise of the book is great, an author writes a novel based upon her own personal crush, but in her novel it comes to life.

If you are looking for a celebrity trope this may fit the bill. There were simply too many things that didn't add up for me, from the kids to the fact that she used his past against him.

The narration of Andrew Eiden and Stephanie Willing did not disappoint. Their narration is why I made it through.

Great book. Couldn't stop listening. Thank you for giving me the chance to read in advance. I was in love with all the characters.

I loved this book. As a millennial, this brought me back to fan fiction days and it was so good. So many moments that gave me that second hand embarrassment feeling. I enjoyed the plot, but I really enjoyed the narration of the audiobook. I love books that have male and female narrators and this is the first one I’ve listened to that was a romance read. It can’t wait to see what comes next from this author!

This was an incredibly cute rom-com perfect for anyone who is a fan of Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! Emmy and Jason's story was so fun to watch unfold. I loved the use of multiple media types between chapters to add a unique element to the book.

Andrew Eiden and Stephanie Willing are the perfect narrators for this story! They really bring the book to life and make it feel like you're listening to a movie unfold.

Update: I was so happy to get the AlC for free from Hachette Audio through NetGalley as I wanted to be able to review the narrators even though I read the ARC back in November.

It did not disappoint! While I enjoyed the male narrator Andrew Eden a bit more, I am a bit biased as I always enjoy his reads usually under the name Teddy Hamilton. The female , Stephanie Willing did a fine job, particularly with all the different character voices. The only criticism I have is that she didn’t match the voice I had in my head due to the description of her voice in the book which says she has a lilting and gravely voice. But you quickly forget that fact and just enjoy the book.

I listened to the book on 2x rate which was perfect for me (that’s after I listened for a bit on 1x rate which I found very slow). The book is a quick read as it is and can easily
Be finished in one sitting!


Wow! That was better than i anticipated! I rated it 4.5⭐️ but rounded it up for Goodreads as it deserved it. I thought this was going b to be a fluffy romance and while it is a RomCom it has more “meat” on it than is typical with this type of book.

I am so thankful to St Martin’s Press for giving me the eARC for free so I could leave a review and got NetGalley for hosting it. This is a book that I want b a physical copy of once it comes out on 2/11/25 as I would want b to share it with others and read it again in the future.

I loved Emmy who is an author and VLOGer who gets her book published and gets to have a surprise meet with her celebrity crush who “inspired” the book and then all the romantic entanglements ensue! She is a strong FMC who is s great role model for her 12 year old daughter. The MMC of going through a redemption arc throughout the book and in was happy to read a very real and flawed character.

So her this on you r 2025 TBR as it’s a romance you won’t want to miss out on it just in time for Valentine’s Day

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

This was a cute, lighthearted read. I enjoyed hearing from two narrators but the male narrator was not for me. He had a “bro” vibe and his tone made me dislike the character. The photographer being Asian and speaking with a generic Asian accent seemed unnecessary and I could see that being problematic for some people. I don’t think I’ll rush to recommend the audio of this book but the regular book was fine.

A very cute, lighthearted rom-com that pairs a sweet writer with her celebrity crush. There is some sci-fi references that went over my head as it’s not my thing but it didn’t bother me. I would say this is low drama and will make a nice pallet cleanser for anyone who just wants a straightforward romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Hachette Audio for this advanced copy! You can pick up Celebrity Crush on February 11, 2025.

This was a fun, nerdy read! While the writing style wasn't my favorite (especially the abundance of pop culture references) and the romance could have been a bit less insta-lusty, I still had a fun time. I loved the premise and how much Emmy and Jason leaped off the page. Def pick this up if you enjoy celebrity romances and single-parent romances.

Hmm… I’m still gathering my thoughts, and honestly, I’m feeling a bit disappointed that they’re not more positive. I really wanted to like this book. I went in with high hopes, expecting a fun, cute romcom that would give me all the cozy, heartwarming vibes. But despite its best efforts, it just didn’t get there for me. It wasn’t particularly funny, even though it tried, and the romance felt almost nonexistent. What little romance there was seemed forced and underdeveloped, lacking any genuine chemistry.

What really got to me, though, is how the book never quite owned the romance it was trying to create. I’m all for a lighthearted love story, but when a book doesn’t fully commit to building that relationship, it’s hard to get behind it. There was no emotional depth, no real tension, no sense that the characters were growing together. It all felt a bit flat and unconvincing. I wanted to feel something for the couple, to root for them, but in the end, it was hard to get invested in a romance that felt like it was just going through the motions.

Thank you Hachette Audio for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Summary: In Celebrity Crush, romance author Emmy Ellison's carefully crafted plan to fake-date her celebrity crush—who’s set to star in the movie adaptation of her book—takes an unexpected turn as their on-screen chemistry sparks the possibility of a real-life happily ever after.

My Review: Just like almost every reader, the main character, an aspiring author whose dream of becoming a New York Times bestseller comes true, blending sweet romance with a touch of Hollywood glamour. The story features nerdy pop culture references, a swoony love interest, and a fun look at fame, though the heavy social media and sci-fi nods may not resonate with everyone. While the plot is enjoyable and the closed-door romance is charming, the execution of the fake-dating scheme promised in the blurb feels underdeveloped, with too much wavering in the storyline. Despite this, the book offers an engaging and heartwarming escape for fans of lighthearted romances.

Genres/Themes: Fiction / Romance - Contemporary / Romance - Romantic Comedy / Romance - Workplace

Celebrity Crush is scheduled for publication on February 11, 2025, by Hachette Audio.