The amount of inner dialogue could’ve been it’s own book, truly. wanted to love this book because the setting is so cool but god reading this felt like watching paint dry.

I really wanted to love this book because the concept is amazing and I know Maureen really knows her stuff when it comes to old Hollywood. But I didn't like either of the main characters and was really put off by the heroine slapping the hero early in the book. I can appreciate that times are different now, but I didn't really see the need for physical violence.

Overall this was a fun book, but I think that it got a bit convuluted with all of the movie making and the Leda intrigue. I thought the misunderstanding between Joan and Dash having lasted for years and being able to make several movies despite was highly improbable and would've been led to them figuring out the misunderstanding a lot sooner than they did.

I wanted to see more of Arlene and I hope that there's a book about her later. I want to know more about her childhood best friend and what's happening with her.

I wasn't expecting the ending but I thought it was a really nice and ended on a really good note.

In theory, this is so much of what I want from a breezy, lighthearted romcom of a read: a bantering couple clearly smitten with each other, but too oblivious to see it themselves, the glamour of Old Hollywood, a fictionalized version of every power pairing of the Silver Screen of old. A tough, independent broad, the cavalier rake who's hiding a heart of gold, and the latest installment of their cinematic partnership coming to life before the reader's eyes -- what wouldn't be to love? Unfortunately, in execution, it's not as fleet as it wants to be, and attempts at putting the lingo of the 1930s/40s in the mouths of the characters come off as clumsy and even tongue-in-cheek, as if Lenker is saying "look at me, I know old sayings!" I wanted to love this book, and to love Joan and Dash, and there were even times when I thought I was on the way to doing it, but then I'd be shunted right out of it by a too-hurried moment or a batch of dialogue that just...didn't gel. It's still a lighthearted and quick read, but it left me feeling a little bit cheated of the time I'd spent reading it. I wouldn't deter anyone from reading it - it certainly wasn't the worst thing I've ever read - but I don't know that I'd go out of my way to recommend it, either. You want Old Hollywood at its finest? Turn on TCM instead.

It Happened One Fight is an enemies to lovers romance set in 1930s Hollywood. Maureen Lee Lenker’s plot brings to mind classic Hollywood films, with lots of glamour and the occasional contrived plot moment.

3.5/5 stars

Joan Davis and Dash Howard have been Hollywood’s favorite onscreen couple for years. But off screen the pair haven’t said a civil word since the night of a studio-approved date gone awry. After a few movies apart, Joan’s been labeled box office poison, so she’s ready to work with Dash again on a film with Oscar potential. She’s also engaged to sweet Monty, and has no interest in Dash. But when the press uncovers that one of the pair’s movie wedding was actually legit, Joan needs Dash’s help to obtain a divorce so she can marry her new beau Monty. So, they decamp to Reno for six weeks to make a film and sever all other connections. But what to do with the attraction underneath all their quips and banter?

I adored the 1930s Hollywood setting, and am amazed that more romances don’t use it. A film set is the perfect vehicle for forced proximity, and Joan and Dash’s adversaries to lovers dynamic really worked for me. I also like that this book didn’t gloss over the realities of the film set, and the way women in the industry are treated on set and in the press.

But then we got to the third act breakup, which did not work for me. I don’t want to spoil the plot, but the obstacle that arises could easily be taken care of with an honest conversation between the leads. While supposedly they don’t trust enough at that point, this particular miscommunication didn’t make sense to me. And, while the simple resolution eight months later gives the characters their HEA, it follows the painful breakup too easily for my taste.

There is a lot to like about It Happened One Fight, and I mostly enjoyed this book. The third act breakup was incredibly frustrating, though, and is a good example of how a simple conversation would have saved multiple chapters and unnecessary plot machinations. I recommend this romance if you enjoy classic Hollywood films, and the glamorous people who make them, along with some steamy enemies to lovers action.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5/5
2/5

Tropes:
Enemies to lovers
Co-stars
Forced proximity
Accidental marriage
Dual POV

This one rally put me in the mood to watch all my favorite classic Hollywood movies. I enjoyed the banter and the building tension between Joan and Dash. I didn't really like that Dash was a prankster because it made him a little immature, but that was the only complaint I had. Both characters had some development and grew into more authentic people, someone that they would be happier portraying.

I also liked that the author included progressive ideas in the story (i.e., sex work and homosexuality) in a time when people were highly persecuted and judged. Even though it's historically accurate for people to experience prejudice, it is also good to see that it was present during those times.

Aside from the story, I am also a fan of reading the historical snippets. I had never heard of the Reno divorce laws and enjoyed reading about it and want to learn more. Also, the author included a list of movies that inspired this story... which could be good for a movie night.

I received an advance review copy from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Trigger/Content warnings:
Misogyny, sexism, blackmail, sexual content, cursing

This was a fun historical romcom set in the golden age of Hollywood. I really enjoyed the characters, the setting and the plot but I felt like this book was too long. I like more dialogue/action but there seemed to be a lot of descriptions and thoughts and found myself skimming a lot of that. Overall I did like this book and will definitely recommend it to fans of historical romance/rom coms.

This one was really fun! Vivid characters and you can see Lenker's love for the setting throughout. Looking forward to more from her.

slow start but got really engaging in the middle. became tedious in the last third or so.

i liked the main protagonists for the most part; i rooted for them together and as individuals. but the dialogue was clunky and exposition-heavy. it was a little hokey at times, and i wondered if the author was trying to invoke a 1930s melodrama in that way. it does work better under those pretenses.

i really, really, really hated the Third Act Obstacle. i was a little interested in how it would get resolved but even that was a let down. Dash and Joan regularly and quickly think the WORST of each other even after they've supposedly fallen in love and even after they've had several deep, heart-to-heart conversations. it got tiresome.

but i did love the 1930s Old Hollywood settings, and the little winks to real life actors and movies. that was fun

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
I’ve been a fairly regular follower of Maureen Lee Lenker’s, enjoying both her Entertainment Weekly romance column and her social media presence, so I was excited to see she was writing a romance of her own. It Happened One Fight is a delightful homage to the Golden Age of Hollywood, from the films itself (the title being an homage to It Happened One Night) to the stars and their torrid affairs and the gossip reporters following their every move. While I admit to knowing very little about the time period or the inspirations, I love the way the overall flair and scandalous romance of the era were conveyed, and I really wish we had more romances about this time period and specific topic.
The romance is largely great. I enjoyed both Joan and Dash, and seeing the struggles they’re navigating as Hollywood stars. Joan in particular resonates as a woman who, while not necessarily “old,” is definitely past her prime for the industry of the era. Dash, meanwhile, definitely benefits as a man who isn’t subjected to the same sexism, but he’s not without his own struggles and baggage. I really enjoyed seeing them work through their complex feelings for each other, especially with the twist that, through a technicality, they accidentally ended up married. The push-and-pull between them was great overall, and while not always perfect, I rooted for them.
However, I struggled with some of the ways the pacing issues factored in the external plot. I’m definitely a fan of some external plot moving the romance forward, but not if the couple has already fixed things, and then there’s so much of the book left for things to go wrong. And while I appreciate the intent, I don’t know that it was effective in conveying the villain’s ultimate motivations, as they continued to feel very one-dimensional. There also wasn’t much room for justice for Joan and Dash, and likely others who were hurt by the villain’s actions.
This is a promising debut, and I’m very open to reading more from Lenker, as she does know her stuff when it comes to romance, even if there are some flaws in execution here. Despite its flaws, I do recommend it to anyone looking for a historical romance set in a different time period from the norm, especially if you happen to be a fan of celebrity romances and/or the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

The 1930s Hollywood setting & the enemies to lovers vibe of the costars described in the summary of Maureen Lee Lenker’s It Happened One Fight lured me like a siren song. Like a SIREN SONG.

& while some aspects of this book are fun, you guessed it—there are some other things that had me going WHAT.

First, the fun things:

the setting. This feels very much like watching a classic movie, from the clothes & the pencil mustache of the hero, to the heroine’s very dramatic reactions when she’s angry, to even the dialogue. The only other romances I’ve seen in this setting are Amanda Quick’s Burning Coves & I just love how this time & place come across the page.

the premise: costars who realize they have accidentally been married while making a movie. They have to live in Reno together making their next movie so they can meet stipulations for a faster NV divorce. Doesn’t this sound so good?!

the heroine’s inspired by Joan Crawford & Bette Davis, & I enjoyed that she is a Movie Star (capital M, capital S) & that she is not ashamed of her past, as she says to characters repeatedly.

the sex positivity & the fact that the book is very aware of the specific challenges of being a woman in Hollywood, whether it’s acting or writing.

What doesn’t work for me so much:

I have issues &/or quibbles with the conflict, the breakup, and the reconciliation. The book starts off strong for me but by the middle & end it takes a turn & left me with some less pleasant emotions. I don’t love the conflict, the breakup lasts for 8 months (what?!?!?!), & I wanted more from the grovel / apology moment.

I think that It Happened One Fight is one of those YMMV books. It isn’t an unqualified winner for me but I do think there’s a lot of potential here…but please, for the love of Oscar, no breakups that are this long.

3⭐️. Out 07/11.

CWs: Misogyny in Hollywood. Joan is often physical or attempts to be physical when she’s mad. Hypermasculinity. Joan was in a stag film years ago & it’s used as blackmail against her. Dash was left by his first wife & that history is used as blackmail. For much of the book Joan is engaged in a marriage of convenience to someone.

[ID: the ebook sits on a wood table with a white chair & white curtain in the background.]

This book felt really targeted at me when I first heard of it. The time period, the Golden Age of Hollywood world, the bickering stars paired together again and again — this all called to me as a pop culture nerd. I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel in this setting, so it was fun to see the details threaded throughout, practically hear the snappy dialogue and old-fashioned vocabulary, and see how fame affected stars in this early era of it. However, I think it dragged on too long — it probably could have been about 30-50 pages shorter and more tightly paced with fewer miscommunications — as I got bored of the characters, their roadblocks, and even the commitment to the era in the last act.

IT HAPPENED ONE FIGHT by Maureen Lee Lenker will transport you to 1930s Hollywood, complete with secrets and scandal and a peek behind the silver screen. Readers get a look at the real people behind the picture-perfect movie star personas—the ones with pasts, imperfections, complications, and insecurities.

In this book, movie stars Joan Davis and Dash Howard are at odds with one another in enemies-to-lovers style. When an on-set prank and misunderstanding goes wrong, it turns out that Dash and Joan are actually legally married. To fix this problem, they need to move the production of their newest movie to Reno where they can get a divorce after six weeks. But during this time, Joan and Dash learn more about each other that not only changes their views of one another, but also their feelings.

This book is beautifully written with fun insights into history I didn't know about previously, like divorce ranches in Reno and the tradition of women throwing their wedding rings off of the bridge there. I ended the book ready to do a deep dive into the classics, and was very happy to find that the author included a movie list in the back. This one's a lot of fun and is perfect for film lovers!

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca, NetGalley, and Maureen Lee Lenker for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Loved the setting and setup of this romance and the Old Hollywood vibes. Agree w/other reviews that the third act didn't quite gel for me.

<b> <i>It Happened One Fight</I> by Maureen Lee Lenker is delightful debut!</b>

<b>Tropes:</b>
-Enemies-to-Lovers
-Accidental Marriage
-Celebrities

<b>Plot at a glance:</b> Joan Davis worked incredibly hard to build her career, and she's determined to continue building it without the help of good-for-nothing Dash Howard. Hollywood may love the dashing leading man but Joan knows him to be a selfish prankster who only causes trouble. When it's revealed that one of Dash's on-set pranks resulted in an accidental marriage between the two of them, the studio head hatches a plan to bring them together for one final movie in Reno where they can get a very public divorce at the end of filming. Naturally, Joan is less than thrilled about having to work with Dash for one last time, especially since it takes the attention away from her recent engagement to one of Hollywood's most-promising rising stars. But something surprising happens in Reno. Joan final sees the real Dash and the intense hatred she felt for him before they started filming shifts into an intense passion that makes her question whether she really wants to go through with the divorce after all.


<b>Review:</b> Maureen Lee Lenker delivers a fun screwball romantic comedy set in 1930s Hollywood. I loved how the main characters are based on real actors and all the nods for classic movies like It Happened One Night (one of my all-time favorites!). I thought the world building was really clever and unique, especially since there aren't too many historical romances set in the glory days of old Hollywood. I did feel that the pacing suffered a bit, especially in the second half of the book (the third act felt very long), and could have used a bit more attention from the editor. Readers' mileage with the miscommunication/lack of communication may vary because it's threaded throughout the novel. With that said, I still feel like <i>It Happened One Fight</i> is worth a read and that Maureen Lee Lenker is worth watching. She shows a ton of promise in this debut novel and her romance coverage for EW shows she has a strong love of the genre. I'm looking forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

Overall, I recommend <i>It Happened One Fight</i> to romantic comedy fans with a love of old hollywood.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Maureen Lee Lenker for the chance to read this digital ARC.</i>

2.5 stars. DNF'ed at 25%, after Chapter 8.

Life is too short to read books that don't sing out to you. And this one didn't sing out to me.

The Old Hollywood of it all seemed very appealing. There's forced proximity, marriage shenanigans, and all the trappings of a great black and white film. But while I could hear the dialogue being spoken in the style of an old timey film, the charisma of old timey film actors did not come through for me. I didn't feel a spark, or a modicum of interest in what was going to happen.

There's an evil gossip columnist, but at 25% there's no character to the evil gossip columnist. The MMC felt better developed than the FMC, though part of that may be that she's keeping a Big Secret, so we can't get into that.

Your mileage may vary, but for me... meh.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It's like Clark Gable fanfic. At one point I knew exactly what Dash Howard, aka Clark Gable, was going to say next because I'm familiar enough with the actor and his movies.
I tried to settle into this new alternate Hollwood but every time I found myself getting caught up in the story between the two characters, I got pulled back by a reminder of the actual Hollywood. Mentions of Clark Gable's movie "It Happened One Night" (which is one of my favorites and the reason the title of this book caught my attention), his struggle while making "Gone with the Wind," and his pre-King of Hollywood life. And then there's the random "Casablanca" quotes thrown in. (Maybe there are more movies quoted/referenced but those are the ones that stood out to me.)
It all felt so artificial, from the knock-off names (Monty Smith/Montgomery Clift, Flynn Banks/Errol Flynn and probably Douglas Fairbanks) to the fact that there was no real depth to these fictional characters based on very real people. It was difficult getting to know, or even like, any of them when I knew exactly who they were based on.

It's 1930s Hollywood and Joan and Dash are good actors- so good that the pubic believes they love one another. And they do even if they don't want to admit it. The characters are based loosely on Joan Crawford and Clark Gable but this isn't their story but rather one created by Lenker, who is a huge fan of the period, There are nice details of the business which kept me reading. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Yes it's more than a bit trope-y and yes those who are superfans of old Hollywood will quibble but it's a fun one.

Real talk, I skimmed the back 40% of this book. I didn’t love the 2 MCs to begin with, it felt like it was far too easy for this Leda character to manipulate them repeatedly. I thought the premise and the time period was interesting but then the interest just…waned. But then the blackmail plot at the end really annoyed me so much. I typically dislike external conflicts but especially ones that feel forced and just pointless. Like these two were used to having shitty stories printed about them all the time, it felt weird to succumb to the blackmail. But then, there’s no real resolution, no justice for Leda’s actions. I actually almost wanted that even more than the HEA.

I typically love celeb centered romances but for whatever reason, this one missed the mark for me.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Everything I know about old Hollywood comes from random reels my friend sends me and Sleepless in Seattle, but It Happened One Fight instantly transported me into the 1930s, and I'm not mad about it.

It Happened One Fight is such a hard book for me to review because, in many ways, I'm not the target audience for it. I don't watch old movies, and I'm starting to realize that while I'm a romantic, I might not be a romance reader. Like, I love love and a good HEA, but I'm not a fan of the steam and spice that tends to come with it in the romance genre. I'm a slow-burn, small moments kind of a girl. I like love stories where I get to watch the protagonists fall in love, not make love.

So back to Maureen Lee Lenker's debut. It Happened One Fight is an ode to black and white movies and the romance genre, neither of which I'm an expert in. I am, however, a fan of all things anything's-to-lovers and fake relationships, so an "opps we're married" story about co-stars who hate each other set against a glitzy and glamourous backdrop seemed like the perfect summer read. Now that I've actually read the book, I have mixed feelings about It Happened One Fight. In some ways it was better than I expected, but not as enjoyable in others.

We'll start with the characters. As a self-proclaimed realistic-slash-romantic, I love stories featuring cynics in love, so I was totally prepared to love Joan Davis when we were introduced to the jaded leading lady who's built a twenty-foot wall around her heart. The problem is, there was very little to love. It's not even that I found herto be an unlikable protagonist--if anything, she was mildly annoying at best; I just simply didn't care about her. She had the ambition, the tragic backstory, the motive, but it just felt like something was missing that made it hard for me as a reader to connect with her emotionally. I guess you could say she was tolerable but not interesting enough to tempt me 🤷🏻‍♀️ On the other hand, I was surprised by how much I liked Dash. I have a soft spot for insufferable playboys with a good redemption arc, but Dashiell Howard, full of insecurity and melancholy, won me over fairly quickly. I love a bit of angst with my stories, so I was happy It Happened One Fight delivered more heartbreak than I expected.

The romance was hit-or-miss for me, and most of it was miss. I loved the banter, the melancholic yearning, and the small, soft moments when Joan and Dash let down their defenses, but those moments, unfortunately, were few and far between. What was far more common was the constant descriptions of the sexual tension simmering between the two co-stars. I'm all for chemistry and finding your love interest physically attractive, but the overwhelming emphasis of the romance was purely physical. I found it hard to believe they were actually in love when they were constantly focused on the other person's appearance. The relationship came across as pretty shallow, bordering on insta-lust, which, as a reader who loves watching a relationship develop over time, was hard to read. Because the relationship developed relatively quickly, the dreaded miscommunication trope made its appearance in a big way in the third act. Unnecessary miscommunication is one of my least favorite plot devices for the Third-Act Breakup. Add in a time jump that glosses over everything to pave the way for a rushed reconciliation, and you end up with a somewhat disappointing love story.