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.

I struggled with this book. It seemed to be written just to have a spicy story than one with character development. The characters were annoying to me. I wanted to like it more but could not get past the characters annoyance.

This book was a workplace rivals to lovers and oh my gosh it was cute and funny and very entertaining it felt like it was all about empowering women which I really appreciate.. the writing is fast and kept me gripped the entire time

Loved parts of this story and others made me grind my teeth. The narration was fabulous. I adored Cali Daniels, the MFC. She is trying so hard to keep it together. When she gets a wonderful make or break career opportunity she is all in. She is also her family fixer/caretaker and never puts herself first. When she gets to the show set, she meets Jory, the director of photography and the sparks are real. All she wants is to succeed and he seems like a good guy and all about supporting and protecting women. That should be a good thing, but it is it real or all for show? . It’s a good listen (or read) that leads to the expected happily ever after. That said, I wasn’t a big fan of Jory. He was a pompous, supercilious, hypocrite. I’d have liked the story better if it didn’t take so long for him to be better.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

4.5 stars
This book resonates with me. I enjoyed Jory and Cali as characters and their development both personally and as a couple throughout this story. These two captured my attention from the very beginning and held it until the very last word. Stark did a good job handling some heavy and strong emotional topics and did it with depth hand. The secondary characters added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. I loved the role that family played in both the main characters’ lives and what it added to their story and development as characters. The story is easy to read and get into.

I enjoyed the audio version of this book and the narrators.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for an advance listening copy of #LoveCameraAction. This story is delightful with great narrators. 4.5 stars.

Love Camera Action is about Cali, an up-and-coming director getting her first big break. However, on the set, she finds herself in a fight for control and at odds with Jory, the director of photography. Their bickering and banter soon turn into lust. But will the on-set hookups be enough, or will Cali and Jory catch unscripted feelings?

The audiobook was well-narrated, and I loved its theme and premise. I loved Cali’s character as a stubborn, strong, take no crap woman fighting for her spot in a male-dominated field. However, I did not connect with Jory, the MMC, and felt put off by him and his behavior.

Love, Camera, Action was an enjoyable listen overall and a great debut novel by the author.

Read if you love…
💕TV Show Set Setting
💕 Enemies to Lovers
💕 Workplace Romance and Hook Ups
💕Banter
💕Dual POV

🛑Trigger Warnings 🛑 Open Door Romance, Contains themes or mentions of Cancer, Sex scenes, and industry sexism

Thank you, debut Author Noel Stark, Dreamscape Media, and Netgalley, for the free audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review.

🎬🎧 Love, Camera, Action by Noel Stark – Audiobook Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis:
Cali Daniels is a rising TV director, finally getting her shot at directing a high-profile, steamy episode of the hit series The Demon. This is her big break—except for one problem: Jory Blair. As the show’s top director of photography, Jory is used to doing things his way, and he’s not about to let a newcomer change that. After a recent health scare, he’s also vying for a director’s spot, making Cali not just a challenge, but competition. Their creative clashes spark as much tension as the scenes they’re filming, and when industry politics start pulling the strings, they’ll have to decide if fighting for their careers is worth losing something even bigger—each other.

🎤 Audiobook Experience:
The dual narration added so much depth to the story. The narrators captured the fiery banter, intense chemistry, and emotional moments between Cali and Jory perfectly. The pacing was smooth, and their performances made the tension feel even more real. If you enjoy audiobooks that truly bring characters to life, this is one to add to your list.

🎬 My Thoughts:
This book delivered everything I love in a workplace romance—witty banter, electric tension, and a slow-burn relationship that kept me hooked. The Hollywood setting felt fresh, giving an exciting behind-the-scenes look at TV production, while Cali and Jory’s passion for their craft made them compelling leads. Their push-and-pull dynamic had me rooting for them, even when their ambitions put them at odds. The industry drama added an extra layer of depth, making this more than just a romance. While I would have loved even more emotional vulnerability in certain moments, this was an engaging, smartly written story that I flew through.

🔥 Tropes:
🎥 Workplace romance
🔥 Enemies to lovers
📺 Behind-the-scenes Hollywood drama
💘 Forced collaboration
🎞️ Career vs. love dilemma

⚠️ Trigger Warnings:
🔹 Workplace conflict/politics
🔹 Mentions of past health scares
🔹 Industry sexism

💬 Let’s Chat:
If you could direct a TV show, what genre would it be? Drop your dream project in the comments! ⬇️

#LoveCameraAction #HollywoodRomance #WorkplaceRomance #EnemiesToLovers #RomanceReaders #NoelStark #AudiobookReview #BehindTheScenes #Bookstagram

Love Camera Action(despite the cliché name) was really really cute and a fast paced enemies to lovers rom-com that had the right amount of forced proximity-workplace drama and enemies to lovers. Their initial dislike/mistrust made sense in the book and their coming together felt much more genuine than other enemies to lovers that I’ve read.
I appreciated seeing a different side of the film industry, usually, the characters are the stars of the show, now the director/director of photography.
I found Cali to be likeable and competent with her flaws being relatable. I liked how she was able to quickly connect with others and help them be their best selves.
I found Jory to be not as likeable, without Cali, this book would have been 4 stars. I did not like his inner monologue about how he’s not like the other men in the industry when he was acting like the other men in the industry and doing exactly what Cali was calling out. It honestly seemed like he was only aware of the issues when they blew up in his face, not because he cared and wanted to be better.
There was 3-4 mentions of the Me Too movement that just seemed to be in there for no real reason other than to prove he’s not like other guys. When he was with Cali, I appreciated how he cared for her and what he wanted to do.

I liked the narrator of this audiobook and thought the pacing was good. Her inflection for the characters was nice and I appreciated her tone changes when it was appropriate.

Thankyou netgalley and dreamscape media for this ARC!!!!
Both characters where super annoying and cali I think it is, is such a fucking pick me. She comes waltzing into the set and suddenly thinks she knows everything and orders everyone around like no.
And the plot was boring.
i also feel like there wasnt much infomation provided about the charscters

This book reminded me of a 2000's rom-com turned into a book post the Me-Too movement.

I liked the general story but a lot of things felt too repetitive and were mostly told that this is how they feel instead of showing us... it was a little over the top at points (almost felt like filler). Like the characters kept telling us what they believe but didn't really show us, or would tell us and show us and tell us a few more times.

Overall it was a easy read. I would borrow it from the library, not sure if I would buy it.

I listened to the audiobook and I really enjoyed the narrator. She did amazingly. It made this experience so much better.
I had higher hopes for this book, since I liked the premise, but honestly I didn't really connect to the characters.

Cali, an up-and-coming director is asked to direct a popular tv show and she butts heads with Jory, the director of photography. But there is so much more to their initial animosity, a chemistry they can't deny for long.

While I liked seeing some heavier topics being included, I simply didn't feel the connection between Cali and Jory, it was very insta-lust that turned to love really quickly. There was far too much miscommunication for my taste, it took away from the story. Also, there were some moments where I definitely cringed. I did enjoy seeing everything that goes into filming a scene and the passion Cali had for her work.

Overall, it was not a bad read. I still think this is a solid debut and I would certainly read whatever she writes next.

It was a fast-paced and light rom-com, with a very interesting set of side characters, the setting was so much fun! The writing was good and the narrator was spectacular.

Cali, the main character, was amazing and such a good character, she's definetly put to the test during this book. Especially with Jory, the love interest; he made me realize how LOW the bar is for men! He would be acting normal for a few lines and then he would pull a 180º and make her life on set impossible. The only times where he acted like a normal human being were when he felt like there could be something romantic between them, and even then, he would switch up and blame her for his attraction towards her.

There were SO MANY moments in this book where he could have redeemed himself but he chose not to, and Cali ended up being the bigger person every single time, which annoyed me to no end.

I would've liked this book so much more if Jory was out of the picture, Cali deserved so much better than him!

On a more positive note, this book was very engaging and I read it in a sitting.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

Thank you for allowing me access to this audiobook. Unfortunately, I did not make a connection with the characters or the story. While it was sometimes amusing, it felt like it wasn't flowing very well. The narrator does a good job despite this.