Fantastic characters. Interesting story. YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN!!!! I loved this book and cannot wait for more from Laura Wood.

Honestly? This trope is one of my least favorite. A second chance, with lots of time in between, is just not my cup of tea. HOWEVER, if you are into that type of storyline - THIS IS YOUR JAM. (You know who you are. Just add it to your TBR already. This book is for you!)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

This book fell flat despite having potential. It is one that suffers from the “enemies” not being really enemies, therefore the rest of the plot suffering for lack of foundation. And the time jumps just did not work.

1.5 ⭐️

I really tried to and kinda fully expected to love this after being a huge fan of Laura Wood’s “Under Your Spell” but almost every single about this was a miss for me in execution??

I will say my biggest issue with the narrative was that the time jumps felt so clunky and almost not necessary because they didn’t reveal much about the character’s motivations in either the past or present and it felt extremely sluggish to read all the “enemies” portion (like moreso than it usually is ???) so even their one passionate hookup felt like a nothingburger because their motivations for hating oneanother where not only convoluted asf but like their chemistry wasn’t even giving for all the theatrics in both timelines….


I will say, I was literally tricked into cheering when Theo and Clemmie had their cameo but once they left and I realized I genuinely did not care about Jack & Cynthie, I knew it was time to DNF but like their book ate that one thing

Time of DNF: 66%

nonetheless, so so thankful to netgalley and atria books for this arc to review!

I DNF'd this book about a quarter of the way through. For me, the flashbacks weren't really working. I think they could have been two separate books: one of their childhood romance and one of their reconnection.

4.5 stars. UM OKAY. this book had no business being this good. can we just discuss the PINING, the LONGING, the YEARNING. Jack was the absolute definition of a man obsessed. I loved how the flashbacks tied in so beautifully to present day. It felt like where they were leaving off in present day, fit perfectly into the flashback and vice versa. I couldn't get enough of the found family vibes either. All of the characters had a place and felt necessary to the story. I also may or may not have teared up during the grand gesture at the end. all in all, I adored this.

Loved this one, all around. Dual POV, second chance, fake dating, enemies to lovers, found family. It has it all!
This was my first read from Laura Wood, but will definitely not be my last.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC.

Laura Wood is an easy auto-buy author for me. I knew that after Under Your Spell, but this just confirmed my suspicions. I loved this book. I swooned for this story and these characters.

This is a flawlessly done fake dating, second-chance, enemies to lovers romcom. It features dual timelines and dual pov which added so much depth to the story and the emotions.

The story follows actors Cynthia and Jack, who first meet on the set of both of their very first movie. It’s not a good first meeting. Cynthie is very green in her acting experience and Jack was born into this world following behind his very famous movie star parents. Jack is terrified of Cynthie ruining the movie with her inexperience. And of course she hears this first hand. They massively clash, but that tension brewing between them is also stirring up some other feelings….which is only heightened when the studio asks them to fake date for higher press coverage. None of this goes well. It ends so badly. They don’t see or talk for 13 years. Then the sequel to their movie is set into motion and history is starting to repeat itself. Have they grown up? Can they handle being around eachother? They have some things to makeup for.

The banter and the chemistry between these two is incredible! I was eating it up. Both characters get to have so much growth and evaluation, it was really beautiful to read. I also really enjoyed the side characters and their found families. They were such a good comic relief, and support system. I loved all the romcom and classic movie references throughout the book. That was so cute.

Highly enjoyed. I was truly rooting for these two so hard. I wanted to scream at them so many times. (Always a good sign that I’m invested hard core.) I would recommend this to my Emily Henry lovers, romcom watchers, and hopeless romantics.

This is one of my favorite books that I have read this year and is also one of my favorite romance books I have ever read. Such a cute premise of a love story. Two actors work together and despise one another. Time goes by and they are asked to film a sequel. Both want to do it for the money, power, and fame, but maybe love is a secret motivator as well? Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I enjoyed this, as I knew I would after reading the author’s previous novel! The movie set was fun, as well as the dual narration and time changes. All in all a fun read.

OKAY, STOP!!!! NOBODY TALK TO ME RIGHT NOW BC WHY WAS THIS BOOK SO GOOD?!?!?

I am so flabbergasted that I loved this book to this extent!!! Like, don't get me wrong, I definitely knew this book had serious potential, but this one completely hit it out of the ballpark. There is just something amazing about books when they are based on actors, has fake-dating and enemies-to-lovers. LIKE, SAYING I LOVED THIS BOOK IS SUCH AN UNDERSTATEMENT!!! Uggggghhhhhhhh, this is when I really regret my career choice because I would so love a love-hate relationship with someone like Jack Turner-Jones. He's an actor AND he "hates" me, like, please, where can I sign up for the role of Cynthie Taylor? No lie, I would cherish the guy.

All I need for the enemies-to-lovers trope to hit would be a valid reason to "hate" each other and I got it with this book. The reason made perfect sense given their ages, maturity levels and where they were in life.

The movie storyline was so good! Like balancing the storyline between 13 years ago and the present was great already, and then when the storyline from the movie was intertwined, it was so much better!! I liked how the movie complemented the storyline and it didn't take over the entire storyline.

Jack Turner-Jones - I have no words. My God, I would get down ON MY KNEES for him! He's hot-headed and he "hates' with a passion, but he also loves just as hard, is sweet and super polite. BYEEEEEEEEEE!!!

Cynthie Taylor - She was good. The only thing I would say was that I wish she apologized for the things that she said in the past when he apologized for everything that he said. She was kind of insensitive to his feelings in the past. However, she was still a very likable character in general and my heart hurt for her. She went through so much, no spoilers, but one person better count their days bc I'm seriously going to throw hands. How dare you? It's not JACK, btw, bc my Jack would never.

Their relationship - God, the chemistry between these two is insane. Especially when they "hate" each other. They had their vulnerabilities and I liked how they opened up about it to each other bc it really showed the depth of their relationship.

13 years ago, for both of them, it was the right person, but the wrong time. They both dealt with a lot and the relationship between them wasn't meant to be then, but they ended up having another chance at HEA and I was here for it all!!

Thank you so much Laura Wood, Atria Books, and Netgalley for this arc!! 💕

Well this was absolutely adorable. The pining. The banter. The chemistry. Top tier ✨

Actors Cynthia Taylor and Jack Turner-Jones are pulled together to reprise their first ever film roles. Only problem? They couldn’t stand each other 13 years ago, and they can’t stand each other now. Oh AND they also must engage in a fake relationship to help both their careers and the promotion of their new movie. Oh AND also there’s a behind the scenes documentary crew filming it all! The stress.

This dual pov romance novel takes the reader between the events of “13 years earlier”, where the two work on their first lead roles together, and the present. And as someone who is not usually a fan of a time jump, I think the author did a great job with showing the difference and growth in both characters that took place over the 13 year gap.

Cynthia and Jack of present day are absolutely perfect together. Read if you love:

✨hate to love
✨second chance romance
✨fake dating
✨pining, so much pining
✨he wears glasses and carries a monogrammed handkerchief (very specific sub trope here ladies and gents)
✨ it was always you
✨found family

A fake dating second chance romance with a found family element? Sign me up!

I loved both the plot of this book and the plot of the movie they made in the book. Readers get to experience a really fresh juxtaposition of Hollywood and Regency England, along with some delicious enemies-to-lover tension and the sweetest of all sweethearts that is present-day Jack Turner-Jones. I cried at multiple parts through Cynthie's journey and finished the book sobbing. A+.

This one was so sweet! I really liked Cynthie and Jack immediately, and although I could see why they hated each other, I also felt like I completely understood their behavior! It's nice when you can layer in insecurity and anxiety in a way that feels very real and lived in and doesn't make one or both of the characters unlikeable.

I also felt like the pacing of the past and present storylines was really well done. It's a hard needle to thread, and it worked very well here. The chemistry between these two really jumps off the page, so you've absolutely bought in by the time they finally get together (both times).

My only slight speedbump with this one was that the ending felt a little cliche and cheesy, which was a disappointment as the rest of the book was so strong. But it's a happy ending, so everyone should be good with that!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

When Cynthie and Jack meet on the set of a Bridgerton type romantic movie, sparks fly. They meet up again 13 years later for a sequel and the attraction is still there but there’s some work to be done. The story goes back and forth from present day to 13 years prior and their rivalry romance unfolds. The ending is one of the best grand gestures ever and had me laughing and crying at the same time. I just loved this book from beginning to end!

I absolutely ate this book up! Although it felt a bit too long a times, it was a perfect enemies to lovers / second chance romance.

The energy between Jack and Cyn was really strong, which I loved. The constant banter and witty responses were delightful. Even the secondary characters, which I think added a lot of great depth. All their personalities were different and very well written.

When I read the description I didn't expect the 'THEN' chapters and they were a good surprise. They allow the reader to really have a sense of development for everyone involved and it made the end and the grand gesture so much more meaningful.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria and Laura Wood for the ARC of this great read!

4.5/5 stars.

The best second-chance romance I’ve read in a while! It’s an easy and enjoyable read with well developed characters and good writing. 4.5 stars, rounded up.

In some ways it’s what you would think of second-chance romcom… Cyn and Jack met on a movie set, got off on the wrong foot, but given their great chemistry, ended up in a fake relationship for publicity. Once their fake relationship came to an end, they didn’t talk for 13years only to be thrown back into each other’s lives in a redo - a movie sequel and fake dating situation. Readers experience the story through two time frames to show both current and the past love story and get awkward interactions Cyn and Jack are brought back together and overall character growth.

What I think set this book apart was how the story unfolds. We spend way more time in the past relationship than most books, and while it felt odd at times, this stylistic decision helps build depth (e.g., understanding Cyn’s fears, Jack’s actions, and their collective misunderstandings that sabotaged their first pseudo-relationship).

Thank you to Laura Wood, Atria, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This author knows how to write a good love story. From the moment I opened the book, I was hooked. Having the story be told in both past and present really enhanced my attachment to both Jack and Cynthie and made their chemistry shine while making my heart ache. You could easily feel the sizzling tension between each heated exchange when they were younger and really feel the desire 13 years later.

For me this book was a five star, until it wasn’t. It became a bit of a soapbox and a bit preachy which isn’t ideal for me when I’m reading a fictional romance book. I did enjoy reading the growth of Cynthie and Jack, but Cynthie’s journey overshadowed Jack’s personal growth even though this book is a dual POV.

While the romance shined for me, outside of that storyline everything felt monotoned and clinical. I found myself not getting lost in it like I did with the romance between Jack and Cynthie. Though this wasn’t the five star read I was hoping for, I did enjoy it and will for sure try other books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARc in exchange for an honest review

If you love enemies to lovers, second chances, and Hollywood drama, then Let’s Make a Scene is the perfect read. Cynthie and Jack’s chemistry is off the charts, both on and off screen, and their forced proximity through a fake PR relationship adds just the right amount of tension, angst, and slow burn goodness.

Cynthie is a fantastic FMC! She is sharp, determined, and carrying just enough past resentment to make her dynamic with Jack absolutely sizzle. Their history is messy, emotional, and filled with unspoken feelings that resurface the moment they’re thrown back together. And Jack? He’s got that perfect mix of broody arrogance and undeniable charm, making it impossible not to fall for him.

One of the highlights of the book is the behind the scenes aspect. The idea of a documentary crew following their every move while they navigate this fake but not so fake relationship just adds to the tension. Watching them play their roles for the cameras while their real feelings threaten to take over was so much fun.

My only minor complaint? I wish we got even more of their past timeline because their original rivalry turned PR stunt relationship had so much potential for drama! But honestly, that’s just me being greedy because I loved their dynamic so much.

Overall, Let’s Make a Scene is a perfect mix of witty banter, emotional depth, and palpable tension. If you’re a fan of fake dating, forced proximity, and sizzling Hollywood romance, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Wood, and Atria Books for the eARC of this book.

The way this book cemented to me how amazing second chance romance can be, and this is coming from someone who did like it before. I was laughing out loud at work- the pranks had me giggling. Once they started on the whole begging tirade I felt like I was there looking at everyone like umm-- should we be here, Liam and Hannah during that scene would have been me. Expect alot of eye fucking especially during a karaoke scene. That is the level of energy this book will bring. The flashbacks are pretty prominent in the story and I loved every second of it! The yearning... I mean 13 years worth of love. The way this man put in the work to be a better person, not for her, but for him and that helped so much later on. Be ready to fall in love and have some standards for love again with Cynthie and Jack!! Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the arc.

Another fantastic romance by Laura Wood! I adored her first book, and this one was just as good. Cynthie and Jack met 13 years ago, and it's a love/hate relationship from the start. It's now 13 years later, and they are thrust into a fake dating situation and a chance to revisit the relationship they both thought they left behind. And it was so nice to see Theo and Clementine again!