This book was just okay. It started off strong in the first few chapters, but then became cliche and boring. It irked me that the leading man thought Cali was the one that doubted him for so long, and Jory didn’t correct the idea. Both Jory and Cali had some personal drama that was meant to give them depth but just over complicated the whole thing. This was well-written, but I just didn’t connect with the plot. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook.

While I had high hopes for this novel, it ultimately fell short.
The narrative seemed rushes, due to which I struggled to connect with the characters or feel any genuine chemistry between them. Additionally, the plot wasn't really engaging or interesting. The novel does make an attempt to address the gender disparities in the film industry, but this theme felt somewhat underdeveloped.

Overall, it was a 'Meh" read for me.

I appreciate the opportunity to review this ARC, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley and Noel Stark for the ARC!
Cali and Jory had a great premise for a storyline. The plot was well written and both characters were complex and I could feel their trauma coming through. I also liked the cancer representation in this story.
I had trouble with the chemistry of the two characters. That typical enemies to lovers story with extreme chemistry and passion just wasn't there in this book. I think this is a great debut book. I can see future reads getting better.
The narrator did a great job in the audiobook. Pace and tone was well done.
Just struggled connecting with the characters and their lack of chemistry.

This was my first Noel Stark book, and it was a fun read! If you’re not into explicit content, it may not be for you—but if you don’t mind, you might really enjoy it. I do wish Jory’s health journey had been explored more, as it was a strong part of the story. It’s also a great light read if you need a palate cleanser. I especially loved the character banter.

Jory and Cali had their sweet and spicy moments. But ultimately, they were just okay to me.

What I did love: I listened to the audiobook and the narrator’s voice was great! I also enjoyed the behind the scenes of what goes into filming any one particular scene in a show/movie. This book handled some sensitive topics through Jory and Cali’s familial relationships and I appreciated the way the author conveyed those messages.

Read if you like:
🎥 Enemies to Lovers
🎥 Workplace Romance
🎥 Miscommunication Trope

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cali's been hired as the new director for a tv show, which means she gets to work with a DP she really admires. But things on set aren't quite what she'd hoped—for starters, there's no intimacy coordinator, the showrunner is a rude, and there's a lot of tension with Jory, the DP. The tension caused by two people with different approaches and visions...but also the tension cause by two people who are both fighting their attraction to each other.
I really liked both Cali and Jory, and loved how the relationship between them played out.
Where this lost stars for me was on the resolution on the conflict between the actors—the actor adds two unscripted kisses to scenes, the actress (rightfully) gets upset...and then at the end when they finally get an intimacy coordinator, they get so into it they keep kissing after the cameras stop rolling. That moment completely cheapened that entire arc and made my stomach turn. The way Cali handled the situation also wasn't great and definitely made me side-eye her pretty hard—enough that her finally securing an intimacy coordinator felt to me like she was mostly just covering her own ass, rather than actually looking out for the actress. Especially considering how much the #metoo movement was brought up, it felt like a HUGE problem for that storyline to end the way it did. Aside from that this book would have been a solid 4.5 for me, but that plotline's "resolution" dropped it to a 2.5 (which I'm rounding up to a 3 here).
I loved the rest of the book and the narration, but the few issues I had were pretty massive.

Thank you for the ARC!

This book was not it for me. Both characters were annoying and immature and lacked any sort of depth. The FMC was such a know it all pick me and absolutely insufferable.

The plot was so predictable and boring. I did not enjoy

”It’s not your responsibility to stick up for me…No, but I should have stuck up for my own values.”

4⭐️
I really enjoyed that the majority of the plot happened on a TV Show set! It was interesting to learn and somewhat experience what it would be like to be behind the scenes of a film set. That’s an industry that I have little knowledge about, so I thought it was pretty cool! I also liked that Cali consistently stood up for herself in a male dominated field!! 🫶🏻 Jory’s character development was refreshing as well - especially when he realized he was being an ass simply because he didn’t want to learn how to change his “normal”. The spicy scenes were 🔥, especially that dirty talk, and the banter was a pleasant touch that didn’t feel overdone. It was nice witnessing two emotionally stunted individuals learn to trust, love, and grow!

Also, I ADORED Dan 🥰 He’s the best support character!!

-Rivals to Lovers
-Bossy MMC Who’s Good at Dirty Talk 🥵
-Workplace Romance
-Disease Rep 🏥

Narration = perfection! The narrator did an excellent job and I would very much enjoy listening to her work in the future!

“It obviously couldn’t be the way you like to control everything?”

LoveCameraAction by NoelStark is a 3.6 ⭐️ read. The Audiobook is Out On the 22nd APR 2025.

This book is Funny, Cute, Emotional, and very Entertaining! I found myself Laughing out so hard at times, that I had to stop and look around to make sure people didn’t think I was crazy! (Not that I care about people’s opinions!) Then there were moments of deep sadness and emotions I felt broken. And I so loved it!

The book felt like a breath of fresh air with an empowering storyline for the FMC who is all kinds of bad arse! Cali knows what she wants and she isn’t apologetic about it.

Favourite Quote: “ I only know ambrosia salad, it’s the salad of white trash gods!”

Spicy Level - 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Note: Please read and review all trigger warnings before reading any recommended book. We love to read for our pleasure, so keep your mind, and emotions safe!

Audio Book Available
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Narrator: MaxineMitchell
Publication date: 22nd APR 2025

This was a cute read!

I had got in a bit of a slump, with work and family life I was finding it hard to get into anything.
I had the arc audio of this and listened on the way to work and home while I done housework now this sounds like a lot but for me this is not a lot of reading/listening.
This book made me feel I was still in touch with the fictional world in my normal hectic life.
It was easy to follow even after a day or so of not listening, it wasn’t heavy, there wasn’t a bucket of side characters and side stories it was just easy enjoyable listening.

Cali is a director and jory is the director of photography. They need to work together to get the steamy series of ‘The demon’ out.
Close quarter working and a difference of opinion, not only that the previous director is being done for sexual harassment so everything in the work place on edge including the actors.
But cali has always fan girled over jorys work and jory is now starting to enjoy the push back he was never used to getting from previous directors.
Turns out the sexual tension from the actors is also contagious to the production team.

If you like Tessa Bailey you will love this!

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Cali and Jory butted heads from the beginning, despite Cali being the director and Jory being the first AD. Very quickly they realized that they worked better together than against one another and the orgasms were a bonus they could both agree with. I loved the narrator and loved the heavier topics that the author tackled in the book including an array of parental problems and loss, sexism in the workplace and Hollywood and health problems

DNF at 59%

I had high hopes for this one because I loved the concept but unfortunately, it didn't grasp me the way I had hoped it would. Instead it left me feeling bored.

I struggled to connect with the FMC. She has a cool job and got to where she was in a very non-traditional path which I appreciated. But her character felt very flat. Shallow, if you will. She lacked the depth I was hoping for and generally just didn't interest me.

The MMC was confusing to me. He expressed the most minimal amount of attraction to the FMC and a very sudden kiss out of nowhere suddenly meant he was infatuated. He was rude and clearly resented her, but not in a fun rivals or dislike to lovers way. Just in a plain, I don't like you way.

I felt zero chemistry between the characters and by 60% still didn't care about the characters, their story or relationship enough to feel the need to waste my time listening to the next 3 hours and 39 minutes.

All that said, I probably listened as long as I did because of the of Maxine Mitchell's narration. I could listen to her performances all day, but unfortunately even that wasn't enough to make me stick around to finish the book.

Not the way I was hoping to start April, but thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape media for the ALC.

Steamy, emotional, and passionate. I loved this storyline and the narrator is incredible. Workplace romance and a strangers to lovers trope. Joy and Cali are initially in a enemy type vibe (not rivals but enemy seems too strong) and embark on such a beautiful journey to love together.

I really enjoyed the themes of women’s empowerment throughout the book. It was cool to see the TV show they were making, and I liked the narrator; I thought she did a good job with all the voices. Also, the sex? Very hot!!!

Love, Camera, Action by Noel Stark, with narration performed by Maxine Mitchell. This is an enemies-to-lovers workplace romance.

Cali, an up-and-coming director, is asked to take over as director of a popular TV show after the initial director is ousted amid scandal. She is excited to prove herself in the industry and make money to help provide for her family. Unfortunately, she immediately butts heads with Jory, the director of photography, leading to animosity and tension on set. Of course this is truly just their chemistry sparking. The narration by Maxine Mitchell was the absolute highlight of my experience with this read, she did an amazing job and really brought the story to life! I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Cali and Jory, but the story felt choppy at times, with too many outside storylines confusing matter and muddling things.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and the author for this audio e-ARC.

Cali is a newbie director that gets her big break by default. She is brought in to replace a director who stepped out of line and while she knows what she is doing, she feels like she might be out of her league. Jory is a director of photography who has lost his inspiration. When he sees Cali for the first time, it's like his world lit up. They butt heads quite a bit and she doesn't do things the way he has always done, but she brings a light to set and a different way of seeing things and is bringing back his spark, one day at a time.
Neither of them know how to do long term, but they can't fight the connection they feel. It could be the best decision of their lives, but it could also bring the production crashing down around them.
I really felt for these two, they had so much baggage but still could see things from the others perspective and work to better each other and the production. I loved the side characters and their stories too and watching them grow.
I thought the narration was perfect.
Thanks to Dreamscape, Netgalley and Noel Stark for an ALC.

this was such a fun, quick paced workplace romance! i found both characters endearing even though their surrounding was frustrating and the inside perspective of a hollywood tv set was a fresh idea as i’ve not read many books (if any) that take place in or tackle the inequality women face in that setting in such a manner.

Cali is an up and coming director brought on last minute to help with filming the tv show The Demon. Jori is the DP (director of photography) on The Demon and as he has been in the industry for a long time has little patient for green directors. The two start out butting heads but slowly learn to work together and encourage one another's creativity.

This book was a mixed bag for me. The part I enjoyed most was the filming aspect of this book. I felt like the industry sexism was handled relatively well and I enjoyed seeing it. On the other hand the romance felt underdeveloped and like it moved at an odd pace. There were so many reasons to keep the MCs apart, but they were just all dropped out of nowhere. The sickness and family drama were only brought up when necessary then brushed over at other times.

I typically prefer dual narration when there are dual POVs, but in this case the single narrator did a decent job.

Tropes
* Workplace Romance
* TV film Set setting
* Rivals to Lovers
* Taking care of someone while sick
* Forced Collaboration
* Steamy Romance

3.5 stars

Thank you Noel Stark and Netgalley for the audio ARC!
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Releases: April 22, 2025
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✨️ FULL REVIEW BELOW ✨️
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“Love, Camera, Action” by Noel Stark, features our main characters, Cali, a sex scene shooting guru and Jory, the director of photography, getting attracted and involved without wanting to.
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Overall, I enjoyed the audio! This story has the tropes of enemies to lovers and workplace romance. The angst was angst-ing but wasn't over the top. It was a super cute cozy romance, but I feel like the pacing was a little off. It felt like it was moving too quickly but not quickly enough if that makes sense. I also couldn't connect to the characters, which both things played a role in that last star.
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tags
#arcteam #ARC #advancereadercopy #lovecameraaction #noelstark #audiobook #ebooks #bookfunnel #bookrecs📚 #netgalley

2.5 stars ⭐️

This book was a quick listen, and I think this story calls out important problems that people face in the workplace. However, some things that took away from the story are the elaborateness of some parts of the book, some parts also felt out of place or like the scenes happened before they should have, and the third person telling which didn't take away much, but I'm used to romances being first person. Overall, I'd recommend this book for those who like reading workplace romances.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an audiobook arc.